JANUARY 27, 2013 II CORINTHIANS 1:1-11
AN INTRODUCTION TO II CORINTHIANS
INTRODUCTION:
1. After the apostle had written and sent the former letter to the Corinthians, he seems to have been under a heavy burden, “a state of unusual depression and anxiety,” as Charles Hodge puts it. This was due in part to the persecutions and perilous conditions he was exposed to in Asia. But, it was also caused by the state of affairs at Corinth. However, when Titus, perhaps the bearer of the letter, met him in Macedonia with a report that it had been received by the Corinthians with a proper spirit, (for the most part at least) and that positive things had resulted, Paul was greatly encouraged and his spirit was uplifted. (III John 4)
2. More than any other of Paul’s epistles, II Corinthians has the impress of his strong feelings and emotions. On the one hand, we have expressions of warmest affections toward the congregation at Corinth which had manifested its love and affection for him. But, on the other hand, the increased boldness of the false teachers in their charges against him and their perversions of the truth filled him with indignation. This accounts for the abrupt changes of tone and manner which characterize the epistle.
3. Perhaps no other letter reveals to us Paul’s personality as much as this one. Yet the full play of the feelings and emotions of the writer is in no way inconsistent with his plenary inspiration.
I. THE SALUTATION. (VERSES 1, 2) The salutation in the second letter is merely in the same words as in the first letter.
A. THE INSCRIPTION. (VERSE 1)
1. The person sending the letter, namely Paul, who calls himself “an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God.”
a) The apostleship was ordained by Jesus Christ, according to the will of God.
b) To this office Paul was called by Jesus Christ, according to the will of God.
2. To his name he joins that of Timotheus, his trusted and highly esteemed fellow-laborer in the Gospel.
a) Not that he had Timothy share his office, or assist in writing the letter, but that it had his witness and support.
b) Paul bestowed an honor on Timothy, and dignified him with the title of brother, just as he did Sosthenes in the first letter.
3. The persons to whom the letter was sent, namely “the Church of God at Corinth,” and also “to all of the saints in Achaia,” that is to all the Christians that lived in the regions roundabout.
a) Though the letter shall deal with the specific matters pertaining to the Corinthians, it’s divinely inspired instructions are for all Christians.
b) As in the first letter, he writes for the benefit of “all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” (I Cor. 1:2b)
B. THE APOSTOLICAL BENEDICTION. (VERSE 2)
1. He desires for them the two great comprehensive blessings, grace and peace. The favor of God and its fruits comprehend all of the benefits of redemption.
2. He puts them in the proper order. First there must be grace, before there can be peace.
3. These two are fitly joined together, for there can be no good and lasting peace without true grace.
4. “From God our Father” who is the benevolent author of grace, “and from the Lord Jesus Christ,” who is the procurer and dispenser of those blessings to fallen mankind.
5. None will ever know God’s peace apart from His grace, and none can ever receive God’s grace but in and through Jesus Christ.
II. THE INTRODUCTION, WHICH IS A THANKSGIVING. (VERSES 3-7) This was also true of the first Corinthian Epistle, but it is clear that these expressions are not mere forms, but genuine outpourings of the heart. They vary according to the circumstances under which each epistle was written.
A. HERE, THE THANKSGIVING WAS FOR MERCIFUL CONSOLATION IN TIMES OF MANIFOLD TRIBULATIONS.
1. This may be seen in the several glorious and amiable titles he gives to Him Who is worthy to receive all praise for His gracious consolation in times of severe trial. He gives thanks to:
a) “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” God is the Father of Christ’s divine nature by eternal generation. He is Father of His human nature by miraculous conception in the womb of a virgin. He is Father of the God–man, our Redeemer and the covenant Mediator through Whom all blessings come from God to us, and here particularly divine consolations.
b) “Father of mercies.” All mercies originate with God; He is the Father of them, and they are multitudinous (Psa. 51:1); they fail not, no matter how freely they flow forth. (Psa. 89:1f)
c) “God of all comforts.” From Him proceeds the Comforter Himself. (John 14:16; 15:26) God has not left us comfortless. (John 14:18) He has given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. (Verse 22)
B. THE REASONS OF PAUL’S THANKSGIVINGS ARE HERE SPECIFIED. (VERSES 4-7)
1. He was grateful, first of all, for the great benefit God’s comfort had been to himself and his companions
(Verses 4a, 5) “who cometh to us in all our tribulations” (Verse 4a) “as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so does our consolation.” (Verse 5)
a) In the world they had trouble, but in Christ they had peace. (John 6:33) They were comforted in all of their tribulations. God does not leave His children comfortless. It is especially in times of severe trial that this fact is most realized and appreciated.
b) Their sufferings were “the sufferings of Christ.” This does not mean sufferings on account of Christ; neither the sufferings which Christ Himself endured, but rather, such suffering as Christ suffered, and which His people are called upon to suffer in order to be like Him. (Matt. 20:33) Paul thus speaks of the fellowship of His sufferings. (Phil. 3:10).
c) As their sufferings abounded, they found that consolation also abounded by Christ. For this they were truly thankful. (See Ch. 12:9)
d) Notice, the consolation is “by Christ,” for He sympathizes with His people when they suffer for His sake, and personally comes to console them and administer comfort.
2. He was thankful, secondly, for the great advantage which the experience of himself and his companions would be to their brethren. “…that we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble…” (Verses 4b, 6)
a) As they had experienced divine goodness and mercy in abundance, they could now communicate it to others.
b) Thus, Paul could say “and whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation.” (Verse 6)
c) What blessings God bestows on us are not for the benefit of ourselves alone, but are meant to make us useful to others.
d) What goodness we received from the Lord, whether directly, or through another, we are to communicate in kind to others who have like needs. “…with the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted.”
e) God’s grace enabled Paul to be grateful even for trials and afflictions, because the Lord was making him able to sympathize and minister to his brethren in their times of suffering.
3. He was thankful, thirdly, for the steadfast hope that all would be for the edification of the Corinthians. (Verse 7)
a) The main idea in this verse is this: “Whether we be afflicted it is for your good; or whether we be comforted, it is for your good.”
b) The relation in which the Apostle stood to the Corinthians was such that he felt assured that they would share both in his sufferings and in his consolation, and therefore experience the benefit of both.
c) It was not merely that Paul’s attitude and constant suffering set them a good example, or that he simply suffered in behalf of the Gospel, which was to their benefit. Neither is he saying that the experience of the Corinthians would correspond to his own, that being similarly afflicted they could expect to be similarly comforted, although that would surely be so. The main point is that such was the intimate bond between them and him, and he had a firm hope they would be partakers both of his afflictions and of his comfort.
d) That said, the other ideas are certainly not to be excluded.
(1) His was an example to them in this matter.
(2) He did suffer for sake of the truth, which was for their benefit.
(3) He could well testify from experience that they, being partakers of the suffering of Christ, could expect to be partakers of the consolation of Christ.
(4) We can even feel certain that he hoped it would be so. (II Tim. 3:13)
III. THE PRESENT SITUATION IN ASIA. (VERSES 8-11)
A. HE CONFIRMS FROM HIS RECENT HISTORY WHAT HE HAD SAID ABOUT HIS AFFLICTIONS. (VERSE 8)
1. Asia is probably to be understood as referring to proconsular Asia, which would be the Western provinces of Asia Minor.
2. What afflictions and dangers he refers to is uncertain. It is generally assumed that he alludes to the uproar in Ephesus, (Acts 19:23-41) but why would he have said Asia, and not Ephesus? It would seem that he is referring to trials of different kinds, and especially, to attempts on his life. We know that the Book of Acts contains only a small portion of his afflictions.
3. So severe were their afflictions that they were “pressed out of measure, above strength.” They felt that they were sure to die. “We despaired even of life.”
B. HE TESTIFIES THAT HIS OWN VERDICT WAS THAT THEY WOULD BE KILLED. (VERSE 9)
1. The meaning here is, “we had in ourselves the answer of death,” that is, if asked what they expected to happen, they would have said, “we are going to die.”
2. Their only hope was in God Who raiseth the dead. So certain were they to die that God’s sparing their life was tantamount to His raising the dead. Their deliverance was a deliverance from the jaws of death.
C. HIS TRUST IN GOD WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED, FOR HE DID DELIVER THEM FROM THE JAWS OF DEATH. (VERSE 10)
1. God did deliver from what it seems would have been a most painful death.
2. He continued to deliver them from death, for they literally faced murderous enemies every day. (Rom. 8:36)
D. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE POWER OF INTERCESSORY PRAYER IN GOD’S DELIVERANCE OF HIM. (VERSE 11)
1. Paul understood that prayer was a powerful means of grace, and therefore he often sought the prayers of the saints on his behalf.
2. When the Apostle assured the saints of his prayers for them, and sought their prayers in return, he was in dead earnest. May we be so sincere, both in asking for prayer, and in promising to pray.
3. Let us be faithful in the Ministry of prayer, and may we value and desire the prayers of God’s people. (Jam. 5:16)
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