2 Corinthians 1:1-11
Lesson 340
Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."
"The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians"
Authorship:
Paul, Hebrew name Saul (Acts 13:9), was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27-28) in the small but wealthy city of Tarsus, Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 22:3) in modern-day Turkey. Born to Jewish parents around the time of Jesus' birth, Paul/Saul was named after King Saul (Israel's first monarch). He was profoundly religious and possessed a keen intellect. Paul was chosen to study the Hebrew Canon in Jerusalem under the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3) at the tender age of thirteen, a high honor. From the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1), Paul was "a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5), the son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), a strict Pharisee himself (Acts 26:5), and a fierce opponent of Christianity (Galatians 1:13). When we first met Paul, he was watching the executioner's coats as they stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death (Acts 7:58; 22:20). After Stephen's murder, Paul made it his mission to find and persecute Christians (1 Corinthians 15:9). He gladly hunted down believers, beat them, and threw them into prison (Acts 8:3; 26:10), where many were "put to death" (22:4). Paul went from city to city chasing Christians and forced many to renounce their faith (26:9-11). His reputation for cruelty was well known (Acts 9:13). After his conversion to Christianity (Acts 9:1-9;
22:6-11; 26:12-18), Paul joined the Christians he had been persecuting and spent the rest of his life traveling the vast Roman empire teaching the word of God. Paul's contributions to the fledgling Christian church cannot be overstated. Following Jesus' instructions to spread the word (Acts 22:21), it is estimated that he walked over 10,000 miles on three separate evangelical tours and wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. He endured many privations and hardships during the decades he spent spreading the Gospel, all the time supporting himself on donations and working as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Preaching earned Paul many enemies (1 Corinthians 16:9) who repeatedly tried to kill him (Acts 19:23-41; 20:3; 23:12). Paul was persecuted in almost every city he visited. He was whipped five times, beaten with rods three times, and was once stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). He was arrested (Acts 16:23-24), and as a prisoner on his way to Rome, he was shipwrecked and lost at sea (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). He was reviled (1 Corinthians 4:12) and in constant danger from thieves he passed on the road and from brethren he trusted (2 Corinthians 11:26). Paul was often sick (Galatians 4:13-14), hungry, thirsty, beaten, and homeless (1 Corinthians 4:11). He was insulted (Acts 17:17-18; 17:32), called "the filth of the world" (1 Corinthians 4:13), treated "shamefully" (1 Thessalonians 2:2), and more than once forced to flee for his life (Acts 9:28-30; 17:10; 2 Corinthians 11:33). The years on the road left Paul in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8), weary, used up, and often in pain (2 Corinthians 11:27). Finally, he was chained and imprisoned for two years while he waited for his accusers to testify against him (Acts 23:35). After being released and arrested again, Paul was found guilty of a capital offense and beheaded. Called "the Apostle to the Gentiles," "the Apostle of Grace," and "a servant of God" (Titus 1:1), it is difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity.
Purpose and Theme:
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ" (1:1), founded the church in Corinth on his second missionary tour (Acts 18:1-11).
Later, when Paul was teaching in Ephesus, Titus arrived and reported that Paul's first letter to the Corinthians (written a year earlier) helped turn the struggling church around (2 Corinthians 7:6-10). But more trouble was brewing. Some in Corinth were trying to discredit Paul by denying he was a true disciple. The purpose of 2 Corinthians (written in AD 56-57) was to offer guidance to the church in Corinth and to convince them to accept his apostleship.
Second Corinthians is a deeply personal, almost autobiographical letter of thanksgiving and love. While I Corinthians is about the temptations and problems that face Christians and divide churches, there are three themes running through 2 Corinthians. First, Paul gives encouragement and instructions on Christian doctrine. Second, Paul defends his apostleship against accusations that he was teaching a false Gospel. These accusations were made by false teachers who challenged his credibility (and his first letter) and promoted a false religion. The third theme is devoted to assisting the poor in Jerusalem.
Paul, Hebrew name Saul (Acts 13:9), was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27-28) in the small but wealthy city of Tarsus, Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 22:3) in modern-day Turkey. Born to Jewish parents around the time of Jesus' birth, Paul/Saul was named after King Saul (Israel's first monarch). He was profoundly religious and possessed a keen intellect. Paul was chosen to study the Hebrew Canon in Jerusalem under the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3) at the tender age of thirteen, a high honor. From the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1), Paul was "a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5), the son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), a strict Pharisee himself (Acts 26:5), and a fierce opponent of Christianity (Galatians 1:13). When we first met Paul, he was watching the executioner's coats as they stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death (Acts 7:58; 22:20). After Stephen's murder, Paul made it his mission to find and persecute Christians (1 Corinthians 15:9). He gladly hunted down believers, beat them, and threw them into prison (Acts 8:3; 26:10), where many were "put to death" (22:4). Paul went from city to city chasing Christians and forced many to renounce their faith (26:9-11). His reputation for cruelty was well known (Acts 9:13). After his conversion to Christianity (Acts 9:1-9;
22:6-11; 26:12-18), Paul joined the Christians he had been persecuting and spent the rest of his life traveling the vast Roman empire teaching the word of God. Paul's contributions to the fledgling Christian church cannot be overstated. Following Jesus' instructions to spread the word (Acts 22:21), it is estimated that he walked over 10,000 miles on three separate evangelical tours and wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. He endured many privations and hardships during the decades he spent spreading the Gospel, all the time supporting himself on donations and working as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Preaching earned Paul many enemies (1 Corinthians 16:9) who repeatedly tried to kill him (Acts 19:23-41; 20:3; 23:12). Paul was persecuted in almost every city he visited. He was whipped five times, beaten with rods three times, and was once stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). He was arrested (Acts 16:23-24), and as a prisoner on his way to Rome, he was shipwrecked and lost at sea (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). He was reviled (1 Corinthians 4:12) and in constant danger from thieves he passed on the road and from brethren he trusted (2 Corinthians 11:26). Paul was often sick (Galatians 4:13-14), hungry, thirsty, beaten, and homeless (1 Corinthians 4:11). He was insulted (Acts 17:17-18; 17:32), called "the filth of the world" (1 Corinthians 4:13), treated "shamefully" (1 Thessalonians 2:2), and more than once forced to flee for his life (Acts 9:28-30; 17:10; 2 Corinthians 11:33). The years on the road left Paul in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8), weary, used up, and often in pain (2 Corinthians 11:27). Finally, he was chained and imprisoned for two years while he waited for his accusers to testify against him (Acts 23:35). After being released and arrested again, Paul was found guilty of a capital offense and beheaded. Called "the Apostle to the Gentiles," "the Apostle of Grace," and "a servant of God" (Titus 1:1), it is difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity.
Purpose and Theme:
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ" (1:1), founded the church in Corinth on his second missionary tour (Acts 18:1-11).
Later, when Paul was teaching in Ephesus, Titus arrived and reported that Paul's first letter to the Corinthians (written a year earlier) helped turn the struggling church around (2 Corinthians 7:6-10). But more trouble was brewing. Some in Corinth were trying to discredit Paul by denying he was a true disciple. The purpose of 2 Corinthians (written in AD 56-57) was to offer guidance to the church in Corinth and to convince them to accept his apostleship.
Second Corinthians is a deeply personal, almost autobiographical letter of thanksgiving and love. While I Corinthians is about the temptations and problems that face Christians and divide churches, there are three themes running through 2 Corinthians. First, Paul gives encouragement and instructions on Christian doctrine. Second, Paul defends his apostleship against accusations that he was teaching a false Gospel. These accusations were made by false teachers who challenged his credibility (and his first letter) and promoted a false religion. The third theme is devoted to assisting the poor in Jerusalem.
2 Corinthians is broken down into three segments:
1) Chapters 1:1-7:16 - Opening greeting; an outline and defense of Paul's ministry; there is joy in sorrow (7:4-16).
2) Chapters 8:1-9:15 - An appeal to help the Christians in Jerusalem suffering from famine and poverty.
3) Chapters 10:1-13:14 - A defense of Paul's authority; true and false teachers (11:1-15); signs of a true apostle (11:16-12:13); final appeal and conclusion.
1) Chapters 1:1-7:16 - Opening greeting; an outline and defense of Paul's ministry; there is joy in sorrow (7:4-16).
2) Chapters 8:1-9:15 - An appeal to help the Christians in Jerusalem suffering from famine and poverty.
3) Chapters 10:1-13:14 - A defense of Paul's authority; true and false teachers (11:1-15); signs of a true apostle (11:16-12:13); final appeal and conclusion.
Study Tip:
Apply important verses to your life by asking yourself;
What lesson does this verse teach me?
What difference would it make in my life?
Apply important verses to your life by asking yourself;
What lesson does this verse teach me?
What difference would it make in my life?
