Recap

So far in 2 Corinthians, we've read as Paul worked to reconcile with the Corinthians and started to address the issue of the generosity. He wrote this letter around 57 CE to address ongoing issues after his authority was challenged during a "painful visit."

After sending a severe letter through Titus, most of the church repented, but new opposition from "super-apostles" arose. These leaders questioned Paul’s authority because of his poverty, lack of eloquence, and suffering, contrasting him with their polished appearances. This prompted Paul to defend his apostleship and address the Corinthians' flawed value system.

Paul began with greetings and prayer and then launched into the accusations against him. He explained why he changed his travel plans. He figured it was better to send a letter instead of visiting again after his authority was rejected during his last visit. He emphasised that he didn’t want to dominate them but to bring joy. Paul also addresses the person who caused the initial conflict, urging the Corinthians to forgive them, as they seem repentant.

Paul then gives thanks to God for their reconciliation and reminds them that they are a "beautiful aroma" of life through their unity and faith. He contrasts this with others who only teach the word. He and the Corinthians are called to live lives the demonstrate the life of Jesus to those who are still in death.

Paul addressed the issue of recommendation letters. While the new leaders had them, he didn’t need any. The Corinthians, transformed by the gospel, were his true letter of recommendation. He contrasted the fading glory of Moses with the lasting transformation brought by the Spirit through Jesus. Paul emphasised that lives changed by the Spirit were far more valuable than outward appearances or eloquence.

Though Paul wasn’t eloquent and didn't have recommendation letters, he was confident in his message. He likened himself to a clay jar. Cheap and unimpressive, but carrying the treasure of Jesus. His suffering showed that it was Jesus inside him, not his own importance, that mattered. Paul urged the Corinthians to focus on God’s mission of reconciliation and not get distracted by the new leaders' emphasis on outward success.

Paul then asked the Corinthians to fully accept him, reminding them of how much he cared for them. He shared his joy when Titus brought news of their repentance after his severe letter, which he initially regretted sending. Their godly grief had led to a renewed zeal, and Titus’ positive report reaffirmed Paul’s confidence in them.

Paul then shifted focus to the topic of generosity. He pointed to the churches of Macedonia, who, despite their poverty, gave eagerly to support those in Judea. He encouraged the Corinthians to excel in this area of giving. This wasn't out of obligation, but as an expression of their love. He encouraged them that the process would be transparent and trustworthy. Titus, along with another representative chosen by the churches, would oversee the collection. Paul encouraged the Corinthians to be eager and generous when they arrived.

2 Corinthians 9-10

The main reason Paul is sending the team ahead of him is to the Corinthians have the chance to be ready. The first time round, when they had been eager to give and started preparing, Paul would boast about their eagerness to the other churches.

It would then be really disappointing if those other churches found out that the Corinthians had changed their mind and decided not to give anything. Or for some of them to come with Paul to Corinth to accept their gift, only to find that the Corinthians hadn’t gathered it.

This forward notice also gives the church time to think through what they want to give and prepare for that, rather than being caught unprepared and feel strong armed into giving when Paul turned up with the members of other churches.

Paul then uses the analogy of sowing and reaping. In the same way that a farmer can’t sow little and expect to harvest a large crop, the Corinthians can’t be generous with little and expect a large harvest for themselves. If the Corinthians are willing to be generous with what they have, God will be generous with them so they can continue to give more.

But this has to come from a place of generosity, not obligation. As we saw from the Old Testament, God doesn’t just want people who follow laws. He wants hearts that are aligned with him.

Paul quotes Psalm 112:9 to highlight that those who are generous to those in a need are declared righteous. If the Corinthians will be generous in this, God will continue to enrich their generosity. And the overflow of this act means that only will those in need have their needs met, but many will see the generosity of God’s church and turn to God to give thanks.

In their generosity, the Corinthians aren’t being obedient to some law or rule. They are being obedient to their own confession of the gospel.

Paul now finally comes back round and addresses the newcomers who have been making accusations against him. The new leaders that claim their authority is greater than Paul’s.

He starts by playfully picking up the accusation that is made against him, that he’s all talk and bold in letters when he’s not there, but when he’s there in person, he’s meek and doesn’t say much. He ask the Corinthians to make sure he doesn’t need to be bold and forceful in disciplining people when he next comes. In other words, sort out these trouble makers amongst yourself now so I don’t have to do it when I come.

He reminds the Corinthians that they are not to ‘wage war’ or have conflict the way humans do. They are not playing a human game, but a spiritual one. Therefore, they should use their God-given wisdom and the power of the Spirit to destroy and remove any spiritual forces that are at work against God’s order.

They should be on the lookout for arguments, thoughts, and claims that set themselves up against God and be ready to destroy and take them captive. In short, these aren’t just human disagreements. These leaders are actively setting themselves up against God’s ways.

In addressing them, they shouldn’t get caught up in human debates over who can be the most eloquent. Instead, they should be swift and direct to take hold of them with the power of the Spirit.

Paul points out that if the Corinthians consider themselves believers, then Paul must be a believer, as he is the one that planted the church and led them to Jesus. Now that gives Paul authority as the one that first brought them the faith, but his goal has never been to rule it over them but to use that authority to help build them up.

He challenges this accusation that he is strong and eloquent in his letters but weak in person. Those that know him know he has been the same with them in person as he is with his letters.

It’s not even worth Paul’s time trying to compare himself to these new leaders to justify himself. The very fact that these leaders want to play that game of comparison and showing of why they are greater shows they don’t really understand the faith.

Now Paul is only interested in appealing to his authority in the place God has given him authority. Paul and his team were the first to reach the Corinthians with the gospel, and had been allowed by God to establish the believers there. He wouldn’t dream of trying to claim authority where someone else has already gone in and established a church, unlike these other leaders, who seem to have no issue with it.

With that said, Paul’s hope is that God continues to work in the Corinthians, causing their influence to grow so that he can use that to spread the gospel further to places that haven’t heard it yet.

The unspoken accusation here is that if these new leaders are so great, why are they not going out to share the gospel with those who haven’t heard it yet? Why are they wasting time causing disunity and trouble in already established churches?

Psalm 1

While Psalm 1 has no author attributed to it, it falls into the category of Wisdom Psalm (see also Psalms 25; 34; 37; 49; 73; 111; 112; 128). These psalms focus primarily on sharing wisdom with the reader and often preference the Torah or God’s law (the scriptures). The structure of this psalm is interesting and is known as a chiasm. This is where a passage mirrors itself. This psalm then ends with a comparison between the righteous and the wicked. See below.

(a) Psalm 1:1-2 - A blessed man should not stand in these contexts

(b) Psalm 1:3 - A blessed man is like a well-watered tree

(b) Psalm 1:4 - A wicked man is like chaff

(a) Psalm 1:5 - A wicked man can not stand in these contexts

(c) Psalm 1:6 - The comparison between the righteous and the wicked

The psalm then ends with a comparison between the two. The focus of the psalm is to layout the key difference between those who are blessed or happy, and those who are wicked. Those who are blessed avoid anything wicked and take delight in God’s law. They meditate on it. The wicked do not.

As a result, the blessed will be sustained by God’s law and prosper, while the wicked will dry out and perish. Here, right at the start of the book of Psalms, the psalmist is laying two paths before you. Are you going to join with many before you as they have meditated on God’s law to write these psalms, or are you going to ignore or reject them? One leads to life and prospering with God. The other to death.