(Paul wrote Corinthians somewhere in Macedonia (most likely Philippi) while Paul was on his way to make another visit to Corinth. This would be during his third missionary journey, during a part of which Luke said very little (Acts 20:1-6). This was the third letter of the section known as the Pauline Epistles. It was placed third because it dealt with the church in Corinth's response to the previous book in this section: 1 Corinthians. Specifically, Paul wrote this letter to the church he founded in Corinth in order to comfort those who repented because of the rebukes and corrections of the previous letter. This letter dealt with more mature Doctrines. In fact, of all the Pauline Epistles, I believe this is the least read and quoted today because of the maturity required to understand the Doctrine that was presented.)
2 Corinthians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints that are in the whole of Achaia:
(Paul was an apostle by the Will of God. Just as Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 4, apostles are ordained by God. Timothy was with Paul during the writing of this letter. In the previous letter, Paul stated Timothy was in Macedonia, which was where Paul was during the writing of this letter.)
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort;
4 who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
(One of the purposes of this letter was to comfort the church in Corinth after the corrections presented in the previous letter. God comforts us in our affliction so that we can comfort others in their affliction by the comfort we receive of God.)
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ.
6 But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer:
7 and our hope for you is stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye of the comfort.
(Doctrine: Suffering abounds to those who are mature in Christ. Notice, Paul addressed this within the first three sentences of this letter.)
8 For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
(Paul told the Corinthians of his troubles in Asia.)
9 yea, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead:
(The trouble they endured caused them to trust in God more. Affliction caused their faith to grow, which is good and to be desired.)
10 who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us;
11 ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf.
(The gifts the Corinthians gave to Paul (and those with him) helped him be delivered from the afflictions they endured. The Corinthians' gifts comforted Paul and those with him.)
12 For our glorifying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
13 For we write no other things unto you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I hope ye will acknowledge unto the end:
14 as also ye did acknowledge us in part, that we are your glorying, even as ye also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
15 And in this confidence I was minded to come first unto you, that ye might have a second benefit;
16 and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come unto you, and of you to be set forward on my journey unto Judaea.
(Paul desired to go to Corinth again for their benefit because he recognized the benefit he received from them. Paul also referenced the theme from his introduction in the previous letter: worldly wisdom vs. spiritual wisdom through grace.)
17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I show fickleness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the yea yea and the nay nay?
18 But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yea and nay.
(Paul stated he had not been fickle like people in the world. Paul kept his word.)
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in him is yea.
20 For how many soever be the promises of God, in him is the yea: wherefore also through him is the Amen, unto the glory of God through us.
(Paul stated that he was following Jesus' example, who also kept His Word.)
21 Now he that establisheth us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God;
22 who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
(They (Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy) were established and anointed by God, along with the believers in the church at Corinth. Also, they were sealed and given the earnest in their hearts, as is everyone with the Holy Spirit dwelling in their hearts (believers). The word earnest was the down payment, more specifically: like an engagement ring. The Holy Spirit in us is the engagement ring or a seal/symbol of what will be: the Bride's (Church's) Marriage to Jesus in the new Jerusalem.)
23 But I call God for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I forbare to come unto Corinth.
24 Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for in faith ye stand fast.
(Theme of Chapter 1: Paul introduced the mature themes of comfort and affliction to the church in Corinth. Paul also stated that he was a man of his word just as Jesus was a man of His Word.)
2 Corinthians 2
1 But I determined this for myself, that I would not come again to you with sorrow.
(Paul was determined not to go to Corinth with sorrow. Again, Paul's goal was comfort.)
2 For if I make you sorry, who then is he that maketh me glad but he that is made sorry by me?
(This sorrow could cause sorrow in them and then Paul could not be made glad by them. Paul was blatant about wanting a value from the Corinthians.)
3 And I wrote this very thing, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love that I have more abundantly unto you.
(Paul wrote them before with anguish and many tears so they would know his love for them. Paul's intention was not to make them sorry, but he realized the previous letter made them sorry because of the rebuking and correction for the divisions that existed in their church.)
5 But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all.
(Paul stated the few who had caused Paul grief had not caused more grief than the grief these few people had caused to the church in Corinth. Paul stated it would not be fair for him to punish the entire church for the sins of a few.)
6 Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many;
7 so that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow.
(Paul referred to the fornicator from 1 Corinthians 5. The church followed Paul's advice and the fornicator repented. However, many in the church were not willing to forgive him and receive him into community. Paul stated they ought to restore him, otherwise they would overwhelm the repentant fornicator with sorrow.)
8 Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him.
9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things.
(The theme of the previous letter was to do everything according to love. Paul also wrote this letter for proof of whether or not they were obedient believers to the previous letter.)
10 But to whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes have I forgiven it in the presence of Christ;
11 that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
(Doctrine: Lack of forgiveness allows Satan to gain an advantage over us. How many "Christians" today completely forgive a believer who was in sin? How many churches today completely forgive a pastor who was in sin? Are these "Christians" and churches giving Satan an advantage over them?)
12 Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and when a door was opened unto me in the Lord,
(A door was opened for Paul to preach the Gospel in Troas. From Acts 16:8-10 we see this was Luke's hometown and was where Paul found him during Paul's second missionary journey.)
13 I had no relief for my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia.
(Clearly Paul was not referring to the time he met Luke in Troas. Paul was referring to his attempt at finding Titus which was not successful and led to Paul having no relief in his spirit. Paul could have stayed sorrowful and given Satan an advantage, however...)
14 But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place.
(Paul recognized that even though his objective was not fulfilled, God led them to victory in Christ and God gave them knowledge in every place.)
15 For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish;
16 to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
(Whoever chooses to receive the Gospel will be saved. Whoever chooses to refuse the Gospel will not be saved. In fact, Paul concluded this section by stating that he was genuine and not like the many that were leading people astray at that time.)
17 For we are not as the many, corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.
(Theme of Chapter 2: Paul recognized his previous letter caused the church in Corinth sorrow. Paul stated the purpose of his previous letter was to love them. Paul warned the church they ought to forgive and receive the repentant fornicator Paul referenced in 1 Corinthians 5, otherwise they would be giving Satan an advantage over them. Paul closed this section stating he was genuine while there were many who were leading the church astray.)
2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you?
(Paul asked if the believers, including himself, were so immature that letters of praise were needed to build up their confidence.)
2 Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;
3 being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh.
(Paul stated the believers in Corinth were not only Paul's epistle, but an epistle of Christ ministered through Paul by the Holy Spirit, which was grace. Notice, Paul's emphasis in these verses was believers towards believers.)
4 And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
(Paul was confident that the church in Corinth was a work of God. Paul contrasted the previous dispensation with the current: The letter (flesh/physical) kills; the Spirit (grace) gives life. These verses stated the Holy Spirit from God was showing through believers towards other believers.)
7 But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away:
8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
(If the Law (words written on stone) brought glory through Moses then how much more glory will be here now with grace (words written on the heart via the Holy Spirit)? The Law condemned and brought glory but Righteousness (through the Spirit) brings exceeding glory. Paul began contrasting the way God flowed through believers to other believers in the Dispensation of the Law and the current Dispensation of Grace.)
10 For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth.
11 For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory.
(That which was done away was the Law. It was only meant for a specific group of people. That which remained (the Covenant that was meant for everyone) was the Holy Spirit. Remember though, the Law will be brought back during the seven year tribulation, which is the "70th Week of Daniel": Daniel 9:24-27.)
12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
13 and are not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away:
14 but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ.
(Paul continued contrasting the previous dispensation with the current dispensation. Moses put a veil on his face not because of his lack of fellowship with God, but because of his lack of fellowship with the rest of Israel. Christ removed the veil for believers towards God...)
15 But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart.
(…however, the veil remains on the unbelievers' hearts.)
16 But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
(However, the moment an unbeliever chooses to accept Jesus the veil is removed. The veil is spiritual and its removal allows the believer to operate in liberty, freedom, openness.)
18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.
("But we all..." showed this verse was contrasted with the condition that existed in the previous dispensation. In that dispensation, Moses was open to God, but not to other believers. The Holy Spirit through us is "the glory of the Lord" in this verse. So, this verse stated that all of us believers ought to be open and have fellowship with other believers to the point we behold the glory of the Lord (the Holy Spirit) through each other.
This verse did not state we "are" looking into a mirror, but "as in a mirror," which meant when we look at other believers it ought to be like we are looking in a mirror because we ought to see the Holy Spirit coming through other believers towards us as the Holy Spirit is flowing through us towards other believers. This continual interaction with the Holy Spirit through other believers is the "glory to glory" that will transform us into Righteousness. The verse ended with a direct statement that this was "even as from the Lord the Spirit." The rest of the context for this verse began in 2 Corinthians 4...)
(Theme of Chapter 3: Paul contrasted the previous dispensation with the current dispensation. The words of the previous dispensation were etched in stone and resulted in the necessity of a veil between God and man. The words of this dispensation are written on the hearts of believers and removed the veil between God and man, and ought to result in the veil being removed between believers. Believers ought to be transformed by continual fellowship with the Holy Spirit through other believers.)
Day 332
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