1. FEED 260/262 Mentoring Through the New Testament The Gospel of John and the Birth of the Church (John to II Corinthians) Session 4C II Corinthians Andrew B. Spurgeon, Ph.D.

2. 2 Corinthians

3. Has Three Major Sections Opening Greetings (1:1–11) The Body (1:12—13:10) The Conclusion (13:11–14)

4. 2 Corinthians Has Three Major Sections Opening Greetings (1:1–11) The Body (1:12—13:10) — addresses a particular issue: false teachers have crept into the church at Corinth and used finance to challenge Paul’s credibility. They were arguing that Paul wasn’t a super-apostle and that was why he was working for his own living. Plus, Paul was afraid to suffer for the gospel. Plus, Paul can’t be trusted with collection of funds for the poor. Facing these challenges to Paul’s credibility, the Corinthians stopped raising funds for the poor saints in Jerusalem. So Paul first gave a set of defense for his apostleship (chaps 1–7), then gave a challenge to not stop raising funds for the poor Christians (chaps. 8–9), and concluded with another set of defense of his apostleship, listing all his sufferings (chaps. 10–13). The Conclusion (13:11–14)

5. 2 Corinthians The Body has three major divisions: First Set of Defense against False Accusations (1:12—7:16) Financial Matters—the Cause of Stress (8:1—9:15) Second Set of Defense against False Accusations (10:1— 13:10)

6. 2 Corinthians The Body has three major divisions: First Set of Defense against False Accusations (1:12—7:16) Changed Plans Defended Glorious Ministry Described Triumphant in Christ Glory from the Spirit Power from God Eternal perspective Message of reconciliation Marks of the ministry Anticipated response

7. 2 Corinthians First Set of Defense against False Accusations (1:12—7:16) : Changed Plans Defended (1:12—2:11) The false teachers argued that Paul’s fickleness over visiting the Corinthians revealed that he couldn’t be trusted. Paul counter-argued that he didn’t change his plans without God’s directions and God is not fickle. There was a particular reason—not to cause further pain to the Corinthians—that God asked Paul to wait until the appropriate time. Therefore, the Corinthians shouldn’t listen to the false teachers’ interpretation of why Paul changed his plans.

8. 2 Corinthians First Set of Defense against False Accusations (1:12—7:16) : Glorious Ministry Described (2:12—7:16) The ministry Paul has is a glorious ministry—it can give life to the listeners. The false teachers were trying to discredit the message by discrediting the messengers, that is like, throwing the baby out with the dirty bathwater. Instead, the Corinthians should examine how Paul cared for them enough to share the gospel with them and focus on that for their love for Paul. After stating that, Paul expanded on the glorious nature of the ministry.

9. 2 Corinthians First Set of Defense against False Accusations (1:12—7:16) : Glorious Ministry Described (2:12—7:16) Triumphant in Christ—using the imagery of a triumphal march of a victor, Paul sees God leading the apostles in a triumphal march; then switching the imagery to “perfume,” Paul sees his message as either a good perfume for those who believe or a bad perfume for those who refuse to believe the message. Paul’s approval comes not only from God but from the Corinthians themselves who were his letter of recommendation (2:12—3:6).

10. 2 Corinthians First Set of Defense against False Accusations (1:12—7:16) : Glorious Ministry Described (2:12—7:16) Glory from the Spirit—when Moses received the first message, on Sinai, his face shown like a sun so that he had to cover his face with a cloth. But soon the glory departed but Moses never uncovered his face so that the people wouldn’t see the departed glory and not follow after him. But the message Paul was proclaiming, the message empowered by the Holy Spirit, never looses it’s glory. It actually shines better, that is, wherever the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom (3:7–18).

11. 2 Corinthians First Set of Defense against False Accusations (1:12—7:16) : Glorious Ministry Described (2:12—7:16) Power from God—Paul’s body was weak, but that doesn’t mean there is no power in the message he was proclaiming. He was an earthen vessel, but God had treasured his message of good news in such a weak vessel. Although the god of this world has blinded the eyes of the people from seeing it, Jesus Christ is the image of God and the good news about him is the gospel of light. Therefore, although Paul’s body will die one day, God will raise him from the dead, just as God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. That’s the power of the gospel, the power from God to those who believe (4:1–15).

12. 2 Corinthians First Set of Defense against False Accusations (1:12—7:16) : Glorious Ministry Described (2:12—7:16) Eternal perspective—everyone should live with an eternal perspective that Paul has, i.e., although the present body is weak and withers by the difficulties of life, it will be resurrected with power. We will be clothed upon clothed, that is, we will get heavenly clothing of an empowered body. Therefore, while we anxiously wait for the Lord, we also wait for the redemptions of our bodies. We do not loose hope (4:16—5:10).

13. 2 Corinthians First Set of Defense against False Accusations (1:12—7:16) : Glorious Ministry Described (2:12—7:16) Message of reconciliation—the message of the gospel is not only for the future restoration, but also the present reconciliation. God in Christ has reconciled the world to himself. That is message of the apostles. Since God has already reconciled himself to the people, Paul and others exhort one another saying, “Be reconciled to God.” God made him who had no sin to be sin offering so that in him Paul becomes the messenger of reconciliation and righteousness (5:11—6:2).

14. 2 Corinthians First Set of Defense against False Accusations (1:12—7:16) : Glorious Ministry Described (2:12—7:16) Marks of the ministry—since the message of reconciliation is so glorious, Paul would let nothing in his life to be a hindrance to the gospel. Nothing includes any form of suffering such as beating, imprisonments, sleepless nights, etc. Instead he would walk in the marks of ministry—such as purity, patience, love—so that he could draw more people to Christ. Basically, he would make sure nothing prevents anyone from hearing or accepting the gospel (6:3–10).

15. 2 Corinthians First Set of Defense against False Accusations (1:12—7:16) : Glorious Ministry Described (2:12—7:16) Anticipated response—Paul after explaining the gloriousness of the gospel, gave a challenge to the Corinthians to return to his message. They shouldn’t mingle with the false teachers (unequally yoked); instead, they should return to Paul and other apostles’ message of the gospel. Even if Paul had caused them pain, they should forget the pain, focus on the repentance that it had brought, and return to the gospel. Paul himself has forgotten the pain and had started to praise the Corinthians to others. He wanted them to do the same (6:11—7:16).

16. 2 Corinthians Financial Matters—the Cause of Stress (8:1—9:15): Examples of Liberality and Advices for Collection (8:1—9:5) Reward of Generosity (9:6–15)

17. 2 Corinthians Financial Matters—the Cause of Stress (8:1—9:15): Examples of Liberality and Advices for Collection (8:1—9:5) The Macedonian church was relatively poor compared to the Corinthians. But when they heard of the need of the poor saints in places like Jerusalem, they begged Paul to allow them to help the poor Christians. Corinthians too need to excel in such care and love for the other saints, as they had been before—until the false brothers stopped them. After exhorting them with these words, Paul explained how he would sent people—reputable people—to collect and distribute the money faithfully and fully.

18. 2 Corinthians Financial Matters—the Cause of Stress (8:1—9:15): Reward of Generosity (9:6–15) There is reward in giving to the needy believers. God loves a cheerful giver. If someone gives sparingly, he will receive reward sparingly. If someone gives generously, he will receive reward generously. Since the Corinthians have all kind of spiritual blessings—generously supplied by God—they should be equally generous in their giving. When they do, there will be praises both here in the earth from people but also in heaven from the Lord Jesus himself.

19. 2 Corinthians Second Set of Defense against False Accusations (10:1—13:10): Appeal for Obedience (10:1–6) Paul points to the Corinthians that they are engaged in a spiritual warfare. Therefore, they shouldn’t yield to deceptiveness; instead, submit every thought captive to God, including their questioning of Paul’s motives.

20. 2 Corinthians Second Set of Defense against False Accusations (10:1—13:10): False Apostles Confronted (10:7—11:15) Since the false teachers used an argument that Paul wasn’t a super apostle to discredit him, Paul outlined his sufferings to the Corinthians. He was ashamed that he was bragging, and yet he did it to counter-argue the false teacher’s claim that he wasn’t willing to suffer for the Lord.

21. 2 Corinthians Second Set of Defense against False Accusations (10:1—13:10): Apostlolic Credentials Clarified (11:16—12:10) He boasted about his own credits—with shamefulness—to win the Corinthians over. If he had to boast, he would rather boast on someone without any discredits to himself, like the one who entered the third heaven, but Paul didn’t care to boast about anything else, except his weaknesses, because that’s where he saw the Lord’s help as the Lord promised, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weaknesses.”

22. 2 Corinthians Second Set of Defense against False Accusations (10:1—13:10): Recommended Responses (12:11—13:10) Paul was concerned that they wouldn’t accept his explanation and was willing to make yet another trip to convince them. But he was hoping that it was not necessary or that when he did make that trip, he will find them changed. In the mean time, he wants them to reexamine their love for him, challenge the motives of the false teacher, and renew their love for him.

23. Miscellaneous Writers: Paul and Timothy Written from Macedonia, AD 56 Sent through Titus? Addressed to the Jewish/Gentile Corinthian Christians in Corinth, mostly Roman citizens or slaves Written to address accusations against Paul by the false teachers, especially about money matters

24. Discussion Questions What are the lessons you have learned about Paul’s apostleship? What are the blessings of the salvation that Christ brought us? FOR GROUP: What can we learn from 2 Corinthians about handling financial crises in the church and in Christians’ lives?