Create a word doc for your answers, proofread. Please only use the pdf and links provided From 2 Corinthians provide 3 total examples of Paul’s writing style from the following list:1) Paul expressing emotion and state which emotion2) Paul using earthy language or metaphors3) Paul using sarcasmProvide chapter and verse number and type out the full quotes. attached material links and pdfNew Testament Reading: 2 Corinthians2 Corinthians2 Corinthians chapter 1 LinkLinks to an external site.2 Corinthians chapter 2 LinkLinks to an external site.2 Corinthians chapter 3 LinkLinks to an external site.2 Corinthians chapter 4 LinkLinks to an external site.2 Corinthians chapter 5 LinkLinks to an external site. 2 Corinthians chapter 6 LinkLinks to an external site.2 Corinthians chapter 7 LinkLinks to an external site.2 Corinthians chapter 8 LinkLinks to an external site.2 Corinthians chapter 9 LinkLinks to an external site.2 Corinthians chapter 10 LinkLinks to an external site.2 Corinthians chapter 11 LinkLinks to an external site.2 Corinthians chapter 12 LinkLinks to an external site.2 Corinthians chapter 13 LinkLinks to an external site.
The Letter of 2 Corinthians
written by Paul
to the Church at Corinth
Before we discuss the content of 2 Corinthians, there is a matter to clear up.
Unlike 1 Corinthians,
2 Corinthians does not appear to be one letter,
but rather several letters attached together.
According to scholars, 2 Corinthians is comprised of
6 letter fragments.
We will go through the Division Theory* of 2 Corinthians.
A theory is a set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts.
Theories are tested over time. Examples of Theories: the theory of relativity, plate tectonics,
musical equilibration, economic regulation, value investing, labor markets, evolution, etc.
The first major division in the letter
is based on an abrupt change of tone.
In chapters 1 – 9
Paul is defending himself and his ministry against opponents
(traveling Christian preachers who have come in to the Church at Corinth)
who he sarcastically calls “Peddlers of God’s word” (2.17).
But his attitude is conciliatory and civil in chapters 1-9.
There is a tone of reconciliation
even though there is still a problem.
Then in chapter 10
Paul switches abruptly to an angry tone.
He is harsh and defensive until the end of the letter (chapter 13).
There is also a problem with content from chapters 1-9 to ch. 10-13.
Within chapters 1-9 at 2 Cor 7.6-13,
Titus reports that whatever misunderstanding there was
has been cleared up.
Read 7.6-13 on the next slide.
2 Corinthians 7.6-13
But God, who consoles the downcast, consoled us by the arrival of Titus, and not only
by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was consoled about you, as
he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still
more. For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it (though I did
regret it, for I see that I grieved you with that letter, though only briefly). Now I
rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance; for
you felt a godly grief, so that you were not harmed in any way by us. For godly grief
produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief
produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what
eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what
zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves guiltless in the
matter. So although I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the
wrong, nor on account of the one who was wronged, but in order that your zeal for
us might be made known to you before God. In this we find comfort. In addition to
our own consolation, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his mind has
been set at rest by all of you.
Yet, in chapters 10 – 13 there is a terrible problem.
12.20 For I fear that when I come again, I may find you not as I wish,
and that you may find me not as you wish; I fear that there may
perhaps be quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip,
conceit, and disorder.
As the letter stands, Titus must have been wrong
because there is clearly still a problem.
As the letter stands, with chapters 1-9 coming before 10 – 13,
2 Corinthians does not make sense logically in terms of content.
But, if we put chapters 10-13 before chapters 1-9
then the letter makes sense logically.
The angry part comes before the reconciliation.
Titus would be right. There was a problem, then he visited
and smoothed things over, and reports to Paul that all is well.
Therefore, regarding both tone and content,
Chapters 10-13 appear to be a separate letter
which precedes chapters 1-9.
But, the Division Theory does not stop there.
There are further problems with 2 Corinthians.
In 1.1 – 2.13
Paul is talking about his travel plans
and the reasons they were changed.
Then at 2 Corinthians 2.13 Paul ABRUPTLY changes topic.
He goes on for 5 chapters
defending himself against the traveling preachers.
Then in 7.5 just as ABRUPTLY he returns to his travel topic.
Now, watch what happens
when we take out the 5 middle chapters
and connect 2.13 to 7.5
2.13 but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there.
So I said farewell to them and went on to Macedonia.
7.5 For even when we came in to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest.
But, the Division Theory does not stop there.
Scholars have noticed that 6.14 – 7.1 does not even sound like Paul.
6.14 – 7.1
Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between
righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship is there between light and
darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a
believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with
idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will live in them
and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and
touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be your father, and
you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
Reasons why this section does not sound like Paul:
1. Paul never uses the word Belial to refer to Satan
(it means worthlessness).
2. Look at 6.14
Do not be mismatched with unbelievers,
for what partnership have righteousness and iniquity.
Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?”
Answer: conversion and consecration.
This is what Paul himself said in 1 Corinthians 7.14
The unbelieving husband is consecrated through his wife,
and the unbelieving wife is consecrated through her husband.
2 Corinthians 6.14 and 1 Corinthians 7.14 are inconsistent statements.
3. Then there is 2 Corinthians 6.17
“Come out from them and be separate from them and touch nothing unclean.”
Paul does not call for moving away from society
and forming a separate community. And he would never say
touch nothing unclean, because that is about the flesh
and he is concerned about the spirit.
In 1 Corinthians 4.8-9 he says all things are lawful,
it is just that all things are not beneficial.
2 Cor 6.17 and 1 Cor 4.8-9 are inconsistent statements.
If we take out this section of 6.14 – 7.1
watch what happens when we bring together 6.13 and 7.2
6.13 “In return, I speak as to children, widen your hearts”
7.2 “Open your hearts to us, we have wronged no one.
These two verses flow smoothly together,
adding additional support that the verses between them were a later insertion.
There are further issues.
Two sections, chapter 8 and chapter 9
repeat the same information about gathering the collection for Jerusalem.
They appear to be separate letters.
We will go over them, when we look at content.
So, with all the adjustments, the Division Theory looks like this:
1. 2.14 – 7.4 (minus 6.14 – 7.1) Paul’s Defense
2. Chs. 10 -13 Angry
3. 1.1 – 2.13; 7.5-16 Reconciliation
4. 6.14 – 7.1 Not Paul
5. Ch. 8 The Collection
6. Ch. 9 The Collection
For a total of 6 letter fragments
The Division Theory shows that later individuals
altered Paul’s letters:
cutting, pasting, and inserting sections.
Who would do such a thing?
We have only to think of the traveling preachers
who came into the churches Paul started after he left,
and taught a different gospel (such as the Other Builder in 1 Corinthians
and other opponents we will encounter in Galatians and
Philippians). Often Paul will say things about them
(without naming names) that is unflattering.
Then Paul was imprisoned in Rome and executed.
The traveling preachers could have stayed around longer
and cut out the negative parts.
We begin now
With the Content of the 6 Letter fragments of 2 Corinthians:
Letters A and B: Chapter 8 and chapter 9 are two separate letters.
They are both about the Collection (of money)
Paul is gathering to send to the church in Jerusalem.
Letter A: Chapter 8
Paul says that he is sending Titus,
and a famous preacher
and another person who is particularly Earnest
to gather the collection.
Letter B: Chapter 9
Paul says he is sending “the brothers”
to make sure the collection for Jerusalem is ready.
Chapter 8 (Letter A)
Appears to be addressed to only the Church at Corinth
Chapter 9 (Letter B)
Appears to be addressed to all the churches in Achaia
(and Corinth is in the region of Achaia).
It would make sense that Corinth would get both letters.
Letter C: 2 Corinthians 2.14 – 7.4 (minus 6.14 – 7.1)
A Defense:
2.14 -17 The Thanksgiving
Paul is not thanking the people like he usually does,
he is just thanking God.
READ 2.14-17 But thanks to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal
procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes
from knowing him. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who
are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one a fragrance
from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient
for these things? For we are not peddlers of God’s word like so many; but in
Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing
in his presence.
Looking more closely at 2.15
“For we are the aroma of Christ to God …
To one a fragrance from death to death
to the other a fragrance from life to life.
Who is sufficient for these things?”
The Greek terms used for “aroma” and “fragrance”
are the same words used to describe
the sacrificial burnt offerings at a temple.
Paul is subtly equating his life to a sacrificial offering.
Paul himself is the sacrifice.
Paul asks,
Who is sufficient for these things?
He is saying, Who is willing to give up their life as a sacrifice to God.
Certainly not the new preachers who have come into the Corinthian Church
while Paul is away at Ephesus.
Paul refers to them in 2.17 as PEDDLERS OF GOD’S WORD,
preachers who water down God’s message,
traveling salesmen who bring a watered-down product.
Who are these preachers in 2 Corinthians, the opponents of Paul?
Paul’s missionary method is to go to each city and plant a church.
He will stay for a while to make sure the church is established.
Then he will move on to another city, starting another church.
Meanwhile,
traveling preachers would come into the churches he established.
Inevitably, they would preach a different overall message than Paul
causing problems in the church.
We can find clues in the letter describing
these particular traveling preachers in 2 Corinthians
3.1-3
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Surely we do not need,
as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you, do we?
You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts,
to be known and read by all; and you show that you are a letter of Christ,
prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God,
not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
This section implies that
1. The opponents have come bringing letters of recommendation.
They have probably also asked for letters of recommendation
from the Corinthian church.
2. Apparently, they are Jewish Christians
because they bring the Jewish law.
They expect the Corinthian Christians to follow it.
That they bring the law is suggested by the polemical argument
Paul makes against the law.
In 3.3, Paul says
the Corinthians are themselves “a letter of recommendation
written on human hearts, not tablets of stone.”
Tablets of stone is a reference to the Jewish 10 commandments.
Another statement against the Jewish law is in 3.6.
Paul says, we are ministers of a new covenant,
in the spirit, not in a written code.
Also, Paul contrasts the ministry of Moses
to the ministry of the Spirit (3.12f).
3.12 – 18 Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not
like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing
at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were
hardened. Indeed, to this vey day, when they hear the reading of the old
covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed,
to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when
one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the lord is the Spirit, and where
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces,
seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being
transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this
comes from the the Lord, the Spirit.
Paul brings up this comparison because someone else brought up
the need to follow the law.
The ministry of the Spirit is one of freedom
compared to the restrictions and prohibitions of the Law.
Because of this polemical argument and the other clues,
it is believed that the traveling preachers of 2 Corinthians
are Jewish-Christians expecting the (Gentile) Greek Christians
to follow the Jewish law.
Paul’s polemical argument continues in 2 Corinthians 4.1-5
Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we
do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we
refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement
of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight
of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to
keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is
the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus
Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’s sake. For it is God who
said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
3. Paul says that what we preach is “not ourselves.”
This means that the traveling preachers are preaching themselves.
Instead of the spirit of Christ coming through,
their personalities are coming through.
Paul means that they are self-centered and egotistical.
He says that “they pride themselves on a man’s position.”
They are proud and arrogant.
4. Showy miracle workers
In 4.7, Paul has to remind them that the transcendent power
belongs to God and not to us.
Therefore, it is believed that they are probably showy miracle workers.
He has to remind them that he too performed wonders
in their presence, in his defense.
5. It is possible that they may have known Jesus and are boasting about this.
5.16 “We regard no one from a human point of view,
even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view.”
6. What the opponents say about Paul:
(10.10)
They say Paul’s letters are … strong
but his bodily presence is weak and his speech of no account.
This suggests that the opponents are
well dressed, and have a slick appearance.
They have been educated in the rhetorical schools which taught
the art of public speaking. They speak eloquently.
The Traveling Preachers of 2 Corinthians:
1. Arrive with letters of recommendation
2. They are Jewish Christian missionaries who bring the law
3. Arrogant
4. Perform miracles
5. May have known Jesus
6. Speak eloquently
The Theology of these Jewish-Christian opponents:
Follow the rules and you will receive the blessings.
Now let’s see what Paul’s theology is.
First, in 2.14-17 Paul compares his life and work to a sacrifice
and contrasts this to the “Peddlers of God’s word” (the opponents)
who bring a watered-down weak theology.
Paul describes what being a Christian is like for him and his companions.
4.7-12 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear
that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to
despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may
also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being
given up to death for Jesus’s sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made
visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Paul’s strong theology:
We are afflicted
persecuted
always being given up to death for Jesus’s sake.
One follows the path of Jesus
which means putting your life on the line.
More of Paul’s strong theology is found in 2 Corinthians 6.4-10
… as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way; through
great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings,
imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger, by purity, knowledge,
patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the
power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for
the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated
as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying,
and see – we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet
always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet
possessing everything.
We commend ourselves [to you] in every way
• Through endurance
• Afflictions
• Hardships
• Calamities
• Beatings
• Imprisonments
• hunger
This is the strong theology
that has the power to transform the soul.
As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3.18
“from one degree of glory to another.”
“For this slight momentary affliction (meaning our lives here and now)
is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory …”
In the Opponents’ Theology:
one follows the rules, praises God, and experiences miracles.
In Paul’s theology: mature Christians follow in the model of Christ
(standing up for a righteous cause) which prepares the soul for facing God.
So that was Letter C
2 Corinthians 2.14 – 7.4 (minus 6.14 -7.1)
Paul contrasts his strong theology to
the weak theology of the Peddlers of God’s word.
Letter D. The Letter of 2 Corinthians 10-13
Paul addresses the opponents in this letter as
Super Apostles (11.5) This is an example of sarcasm.
In 2 Corinthians 11.13 he calls them
“False Apostles”
“Like deceitful workmen,
disguising themselves as apostles of Christ,
like Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
Cult leaders?
We can see Paul’s tone
is much more harsh in this letter of 2 Corinthians 10-13
Paul says these traveling preachers are in effect
making slaves of the Corinthians (11.20),
which means they are insisting the Corinthians
follow the Jewish law (even though the Corinthians are Greeks).
Paul says they “take advantage” by asking for pay from the Corinthians.
The Super Apostles preach for pay.
Paul has a way of avoiding this. He asks his established churches
to pay for his missionary work while he starts new churches.
11.7-9 Did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted,
because I proclaimed God’s good news to you free of charge? I robbed other
churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. And when I was
with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for my needs were supplied
by the friends who came from Macedonia.
There was a misunderstanding.
In the Letter of Chapter 8 Paul praises the Macedonians for having their
collection ready for the poor in Jerusalem.
Then in this letter (chapter 11) he mentions that the Macedonians
provided for his needs.
So the Corinthians feel bad in comparison.
On the other hand, the traveling preachers were more than happy
to take the Corinthians’ money.
Paul explains what a true apostle is:
He highlights his hardships as a badge of a true apostle,
a true follower of Christ.
11.24-29 Five times I have received from the Jews* the forty lashes minus
one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three
times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on
frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from
my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the
wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brethren; in toil and hardship,
through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold
and naked. And besides all this, I am under daily pressure because of my
anxiety for all of you.
(The distinction here is between Jews and Gentiles, not Jews and Christians)
True apostleship consists of:
• Imprisonments, beatings, lashings,
• Being beaten with rods and stones
• Being shipwrecked
• Suffering from hunger, thirst, cold
Again, compare Paul’s theology to the opponents
who promote following the rules, being safe,
receiving the blessings.
Paul also defends his apostleship
by talking about a revelation he had.
Even though he says it is another person he is talking about (12.2),
in 12.7, he says “and to keep me from being too elated by the
abundance of revelations a thorn was given me.”
If someone else had the revelation, Paul would not get the thorn.
His revelation
12.2-7 I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the
third heaven – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God
knows. And I know that such a person –whether in the body or out of the body
I do not know; God knows – was caught up into Paradise and heard things
that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such
a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my
weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the
truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is
seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the
revelation. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me
in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too
elated.
Paul’s revelation was that he was taken up to the 3rd heaven,
taken up into paradise.
In 12.14 He says
Here for the third time, I am ready to come to you.
And I will not burden you. Which means he will not accept pay for preaching.
He asks rhetorically whether Titus or the brothers that he sent
took advantage of them. He had sent them for the collection.
Of course, the answer is no,
they did not take advantage – they did not preach for pay.
He is ready to come to them and he is mad.
He is afraid he is going to find them not in the right spirit.
13.5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith.
Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?
Unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
“Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you,
unless you fail to meet the test.”
He is accusing them of not even being Christian.
Summary of Letter D: chapters 10 – 13
Paul is defending himself against the false Super Apostles
and combating their weak theology.
He compares it to his theology – which is one of hardship
and suffering, like Christ.
Paul’s theology produces a transformed soul,
one that brings visions of paradise.
In 12.20-21 he describes what he found among them in his 2nd visit:
Quarreling, anger, jealousy, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit,
disorder, impurity, immorality, licentiousness.
He writes this letter of chapters 10 -13
preparing them for a third visit he plans to make.
But before he gets to them Titus had been sent (with this letter)
and the letter made things rights.
Now comes the last Letter fragment, Letter E
which consists of 2 Corinthians 1.1 – 2.13 and 7.5-16
This is the Letter of Reconciliation.
We can see this from the Thanksgiving in 1.3-7.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies
and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be
able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we
ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s
sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are
afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, and if we are comforted, it is for
your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same
suffering that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as
you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
Obviously, the theme is comfort.
The clue that this letter of 2 Cor1.1 – 2.13 (& 7.5-16)
comes after the Letter of chapters 10 – 13 is in 1.23 and 2.1.
1.23 But I call God in witness against me –
it was to spare you that I refrained from coming to Corinth.
2.1 For I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit.
Scholars identify the Letter of chapters 10-13
as the Letter of Tears
because in this last letter of 1.1 – 2.13 he says in 2.4
I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears.
He also tells them in the last Letter of 1.1 – 2.13 (7.5-16)
that after much effort he finally
met up with Titus and learns
that his Letter of Tears was successful.
He explains in this letter that all is well.
He received comfort from Titus’s news
saying that the people of Corinth now understand
what Paul was trying to get through to them:
the contrast between the weak theology of the deceitful traveling preachers
and his strong theology that transform souls.
Summary of the 6 letter fragments that make up 2 Corinthians:
A. Ch. 8 the Collection
B. Ch. 9 the Collection
C. 2.14 – 7.4 (minus 6.14 – 7.1) Paul’s Defense
D. Chs. 10 -13 Angry
E. 1.1 – 2.13; 7.5-16 Reconciliation
F. 6.14 – 7.1 Not by Paul
Lecture by Prof. J. Corey, Ph.D., Victor Valley College