2 Corinthians 1

 It is not known how many letters Paul wrote to Corinth, or they to him.  1 Corinthians, written from Ephesus, was not his first letter to them (1 Cor.5:9).  It is believed to have been written in the spring of AD 54, making it among the earliest NT writings.  2 Corinthians was written about a year later from Macedonia (2 Cor.2:13, 7:5-7; 8:1; 9:1-4), before his third and last visit to them. Many good authorities date these letters 56 and 57.  He seems to have spent that winter with them, then returned through Macedonia, and then to Jerusalem with the collection for the impoverished church (cf. Acts 20:1-3; 1 Cor.16:1-9).

     1:1-2.  These introductions are not just formalities.  Here, as usual in Paul’s letters, Paul immediately defends his apostleship, which is not by his own will, but by the will of God.  His enemies, who were in contrast apostles by their own appointment, made this necessary.  The letter is not just to Corinth, but for all the saints of the Greek province of Achaia.

     1:3-7.  God is the Father of all mercies and comfort.  But we serve as our Master served, as one who suffered affliction for the sake of others, to do his Father’s will.  That is how mercy and comfort came to us through Christ, so affliction came as no surprise to Paul (cf. Acts 9:16).  He saw it as his privilege to share in the sufferings of Christ, through whom all comfort comes (5),

     Some have made the error of attaching moral beauty or merit to suffering itself.  There is no merit in the misery of our estate (WSC, 17-20), but there is privilege and even joy in suffering in fellowship with Christ and for his sake (cf. Php.1:29; 3:10; Heb.12:2; James 1:2; 1 Peter 2:20-21).

     1:8-11.  We don’t know which brush with death in the province of Asia Paul refers to, but 11:23-27 gives any number to choose from.  Death is the ultimate affliction.  But our God, who raises the dead, leads us and comforts us through the valley of death (Ps.23:4).  Also, we are helped by the prayers of the saints (11).

     1:12-14.  Paul’s boasting (in contrast to certain others) is not in his own wisdom (12), but in a clear conscience and in the grace of God.  God has done a work for us and in us.  In his grace we have confident pride.  The Corinthians and Paul will point to each other as their reason for confidence in God’s grace toward them in the day the Lord Jesus comes to judge (14).

     1:15-22.  Evidently Paul’s enemies were putting the worst light on the providential inability of Paul to keep his plans to come to them when he said he would.  He was accused of vacillating.  Human plans, even of an apostle, are made subject to God’s will (James 4:15).  But the divine message, sealed to us by the faithfulness of God himself, is not vacillating, but is yes forever in Christ Jesus (18-22).  God the Father, according to his promises, sent his Son to accomplish what was promised.  Through him, God anointed the apostles and his elect people to whom they preached, and has sealed his work upon their hearts by the Holy Spirit as his earnest pledge.  Thus all is to the glory of God who is faithful.

     1:23-24.  The determining factor in Paul’s delay in coming to them was to give them time to put their own house in order, and to test their obedience without using a hard hand.  This was much better for all, since their obedience came with a growth in faith and maturity, and not from painful discipline.