Recap

So far in 2 Corinthians, we've read as Paul worked to reconcile with the Corinthians, encouraged them in generosity, and then started to address the leaders who were challenging him. 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 shifted to the topic of generosity. He pointed to the Macedonian churches who, despite their poverty, eagerly gave to support those in Judea. He encouraged the Corinthians to excel in giving, not out of obligation, but as an expression of love. To give the Corinthians time to prepare their gift, Paul sent a team ahead. He had boasted about their initial eagerness to give, but didn’t want them caught unprepared when he arrived.

By preparing in advance, they could give freely without feeling pressured. Their giving should come from a genuine heart, reflecting their faith in the gospel. God would bless them to continue being generous, leading others to praise God.

Paul then addressed accusations from new leaders who mocked him for being bold in letters but weak in person. He urged the Corinthians to handle these troublemakers before his arrival to avoid confrontation. Paul reminded them they were in a spiritual battle and should use God's wisdom to oppose those going against God's ways. He emphasised that his authority came from planting and building up the church, not from comparing himself to others. Unlike the new leaders, Paul's goal was to spread the gospel, not cause disunity in established churches.

2 Corinthians 11-13

A little tongue in cheek, Paul asks the Corinthians to indulge him in a bit of foolishness. These other leaders have missed the mark by wasting their time trying to prove how good they are and compare themselves to others. If that’s the game they want to play, then Paul can also play that game.

But before he starts, he wants to be very clear with the Corinthians why he’s fighting with these other leaders. When he first brought the gospel to the Corinthians and they became believers, he brought them into marriage with Jesus. But Eve was deceived by a cunning serpent, and the Corinthians are at risk of being equally deceived.

All it took was for some leaders to come with a spirit that was different, and a gospel that was focused more on self importance, and the Corinthians lapped it up.

So if these leaders want to play this dangerous and stupid game, let Paul show that he can play and play it better. While they might be able to claim that Paul is not eloquent, they cannot argue he does not know what he’s talking about. Yes, he came humbly, but it was so Corinthians could receive the gospel.

Yes, he took money from other churches, but so the Corinthians could be support and receive the gospel freely. Yes, he brags about the Macedonians while he is with them, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love them.

And so he will unashamedly boast in the ministry he’s brought, not to boast in himself, but to show his ministry is greater than any individuals that would try to boast in themselves. Any that do that are false apostles who lie and deceive. They are like Satan, who is a liar and deceiver.

So again, may the Corinthians indulge Paul a little longer as he engages in the foolishness of this comparison. In this boasting, he’s not making a godly argument, but a foolish one. He’s not expecting the Corinthians to take him seriously in this, but his hope is that as he plays this foolish game of the other leaders, the Corinthians might see how foolish it is.

But the surely, the Corinthians would have no issue indulging his foolishness as they indulge people for greater foolishness. They allow people to come in and make them slaves to sin again, or take advantage of them. Paul sarcastically points out he was far too weak to take advantage of them himself.

So Paul begins to boast in himself. These new leaders might be Hebrews, Israelites, and descendants of Abraham. So is Paul. They claim to be ministers of Jesus. Paul has done so much more for Jesus than they have. He has been arrested more, been flogged more, and nearly died more than they have.

He’s been in shipwreck, in danger with Jews and with Gentiles, in danger in cities, wildernesses, and at sea. On top of that, he is constantly anxious for all the churches he has planted. Whenever someone in the church is weak, he feels weak for them. Whenever they are caused to stumble, he is angry on behalf of this.

In the midst of boasting, Paul cannot even take himself seriously. He interrupts himself to say, “I am talking like a madman” (2 Corinthians 11:23).

Carrying on, Paul argues that clearly it is necessary to boast, even though nothing is gained by it. So he continues to boast about all the visions and revelations he has had of Jesus. He tells a story of someone, clearly himself, who was taken up into heaven to be with God. Not only that, he’s had many other incredible revelations.

Paul admits that if anyone could rightfully boast in themselves, it would be he with all that he’s seen or done. And it would have been very easy for him to fall into that trap. So stop that from happening. God gave him a thorn in the flesh. A ‘messenger of Satan to torment [him]’ (2 Corinthians 12:7).

God used this experience to teach Paul a lesson. He is not made strong in Paul’s greatness and his achievements. He’s made strong in the recognition of Paul’s weaknesses. His limitations. Because in those, Jesus can shine through. So Paul celebrates all of his weakness and struggles, because those are the areas that Jesus shines through the strongest and through which Paul can experience real strength.

It’s only when you are at the end of yourself can Jesus fully demonstrates his strength in you.

So Paul finishes and turns back to the Corinthians. In all that boasting, he was foolish, and the Corinthians are the ones that made him do it. He shouldn’t have needed to boast in himself to make that point. The Corinthians should have grasped the reality of the gospel and understood that Paul demonstrates the gospel in a way these ‘super-apostles’ never could.

Paul will come to visit them again. Not to take advantage of them, as some are claiming, but to love them and build them up. While he has been defending his ministry, it’s not for his benefit, but for theirs. And as it is, he’s worried that, when he comes, the Corinthians will have continued to allow sin and the disunity to flourish amongst them, and that he will have to come harsher than he wants to deal with it.

And so Paul encourages them to repent and address their sin in their midst, so that isn’t the case. He is harsh in his letters to them now, in the hope that he then won’t have to be harsh in person.

Paul then ends the letter with his final greetings. In 2 Corinthians, we learnt, through Paul, the heart of a genuine apostle and leader. The goal of the gospel is not posturing or building up one’s own importance. It’s self-sacrificial, servant leadership. It’s a call to not get caught up in the game of promoting oneself or proving oneself before others. Instead, it’s recognising that the gospel is at its strongest when we are at our weakest.

Psalm 2

This psalm isn’t attributed to anyone in particular and falls into the category of royal psalm. Royal psalms are psalms that are focused on either God as king or on a human king. This psalm was likely read out during the coronation of a new king. It can be broken into four sections.

Psalm 2:1-3 - The foreign nations and rulers rebel against God and his king

Psalm 2:4-6 - God mocks these rulers by establishing his own king 

Psalm 2:7-9 - This king is declared God’s son, and the earth is his inheritance. He has authority over it

Psalm 2:10-12 - The foreign rulers are warned of the wrath of God for those who rebel against God’s chosen king

God’s chosen king is described as ‘his Anointed’, which is a reference to kings being anointed with oil when they are appointed. To begin with it was just another way of referring to the king, but over time, as we've seen this word took on new meaning.

In the same way, this psalm, at face value, should first be interpreted in light of God’s authority over the nations, and the authority he gives the kings over his people. God is the one with authority, but the king plays the role of his son (Psalm 2:7), his physical representative on earth.

But that doesn’t mean we have to stop our interpretations there. We’ve read through the prophets where God’s people are waiting for a future king who will redeem God’s people and reunite the nations. An anointed one. Then, as we've read through the New Testament, we've seen those writers begin to interpret Psalm 2 in a whole new light.

And just as Psalm 1 opened the book of psalms by sharing its intent to help people meditate on God’s word, Psalm 2 sets out the hope and promise of the psalms. A future king is coming. One who will provide all the wisdom found in the wisdom psalms, heal all the pain found in the lament psalms, and who is worthy of all the praise found in the praise psalms.