The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown (113 page)

Under the influence of the dualism that pervaded much of the ancient pagan world, some Corinthians denied the doctrine of bodily resurrection (15:1—2,9—11). This denial was probably accompanied by an eschatological view which said that believers experienced a spiritual resurrection at the moment they believed or were baptized. But in the Corinthians’ view, believers were to expect no future bodily resurrection.

Paul wrote at length to defend the doctrine of bodily resurrection. He demonstrated that Jesus’ bodily resurrection was intrinsic to the gospel (15:12—19). Denial of bodily resurrection required denial of Jesus’ resurrection, and without a resurrected Jesus the entire Christian faith collapsed. Moreover, Jesus’ resurrection was the prelude to the resurrection of believers, which would occur at the Second Coming when Jesus would conquer death once and for all (15:20—28). Paul's willingness to risk his own life on an hourly basis to proclaim the gospel demonstrates the depth of his own belief in a coming bodily resurrection.

Paul clarified that the body Jesus raised from the dead would be dramatically transformed and significantly different from the believer's present body (15:35—49). The resurrection body would be incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and perfectly adapted for a life controlled by the Spirit in which the old battle between flesh and Spirit ceased at last. Through the dramatic transformation that Christ brought about through the resurrection, believers would have complete and final victory over both sin and death (15:50—58). The doctrine of resurrection serves as a reminder to believers that their work for the Lord is not in vain but will be rewarded in eternity.

F. Matters Related to the Relief Offering (16:1-4)
Paul gave the Corinthians practical instructions about the collection of the relief offering for believers in Jerusalem. These instructions ensured that the Corinthian offering would be ready when Paul arrived and that it would be handled with integrity.

IV. Conclusion (16:5-24)

A. Paul's Travel Plans (16:5—12)
Paul announced his intentions to remain in Ephesus until Pentecost and then travel to Corinth by way of Macedonia. He also urged the Corinthians to treat Timothy respectfully since he would arrive in Corinth ahead of Paul.

B. Final Exhortations (16:13—18)
Paul concluded the letter by urging the Corinthians to stand firm in their faith and to do all things with the love he described in chap. 13. He urged the Corinthians to acknowledge the authority of their spiritual leaders.

C. Closing (16:19—24)
Paul sent greetings from those with him and pronounced a blessing on the church.

2 CORINTHIANS

I. Introduction (1:1-11)

A. Salutation (1:1—2)
In addition to features that are typical of Paul's greetings, Paul identified Timothy as cosender of this letter. He also addressed the letter not only to believers in Corinth but to those scattered throughout the entire province of Achaia.

B. Prayer of Thanksgiving (1:3—7)
Paul's opponents in Corinth probably argued that the great difficulties that Paul experienced in his ministry proved that he did not enjoy God's blessing on his ministry. But Paul viewed his sufferings as essential to his ministry and as an authentication of his divine call. Paul thanked God for comforting him in his afflictions so that he could use his experiences of suffering to bring comfort to others. Thus Paul viewed his suffering as a continuation of the suffering endured by Christ. Paul also anticipated sharing in Christ's comfort through resurrection.

C. Explanation of Paul's Thanksgiving (1:8—11)
Paul recounted the suffering and brush with death he had experienced in Asia, which strengthened his trust in the coming resurrection. Paul knew that the God who had delivered him from death by sparing his life in Asia would ultimately deliver him from death by raising him. Paul urged the Corinthians to thank God for sparing his life.

II. Paul's Relationship with the Corinthians (1:12-2:11)

A. Paul's Pure Conduct (1:12—14)
Despite attacks on Paul's ministry by his opponents, Paul's conscience was clear. He had conducted himself with sincerity and purity that came from God in his ministry toward the Corinthians. He wrote clearly and plainly to the Corinthians because he had nothing to hide from them. He also had nothing to hide from God. Thus he looked confidently to the day that Christ would evaluate his ministry to the Corinthians.

B. Paul's Change in Plans (1:15—22)
Paul's opponents in Corinth evidently argued that Paul could not be trusted since he had not followed through with the travel plans he had announced earlier. Paul argued that the Corinthians must distinguish the gospel that he preached from his travel plans. His travel plans were subject to change, but his gospel was consistent and unchanging. Paul had not vacillated in the least with regard to his message.

C. The Reason for the Change in Plans (1:23—2:4)
Paul had not changed his travel plans on a mere whim. He had refrained from visiting the Corinthians to avoid hurting them and being hurt by them. He had decided that he could best address the problems in Corinth by a letter rather than by another personal visit.

D. Forgiveness to the Repentant Sinner (2:5—11)
Paul demonstrated that his change in plans had produced the desired result. In response to his tearful letter, the Corinthians had disciplined the church member who led the congregation to reject Paul's apostolic authority. That church member had now repented, and Paul urged the church to forgive and restore him in a display of Christian love.

III. Paul's Defense of His Ministry (2:12-7:16)

A. Paul's Ministry in Troas and Macedonia (2:12—17)
God's guidance in changing his travel plans was further confirmed by the fruits of his ministry in Troas where God opened a door for effective ministry. But Paul's concern to find Titus and to hear his report about the situation at Corinth quickly prompted him to travel to Macedonia.

Paul used the analogy of the Roman triumph in which a victorious general marched his conquered enemy through the streets of the capital and ultimately to his death to describe God's work in his own life. God had conquered his enemy, Saul of Tarsus, on the road to Damascus. Paul was now God's prisoner in chains, driven wherever God willed. Just as the defeat of the conquered enemy brought the victorious general great glory, Paul's defeat and subjection glorified God.

Paul's ministry was like the OT incense offering (see Exod 29:18). Whether Paul's ministry was an attractive scent or repulsive odor to others, it was a pleasing fragrance to God. Paul's ministry was pleasing to God because it was prompted by sincere motives, empowered by God, and performed in anticipation of divine judgment. Through Paul's ministry, the world had the opportunity to know God.

B. Paul's Letters of Commendation (3:1—3)
Paul's opponents evidently appealed to letters of commendation from impressive church leaders, perhaps leaders of the church in Jerusalem, for their authority. They criticized Paul's lack of such letters. Paul countered that the Corinthian believers themselves functioned as his letters of recommendation that confirmed the legitimacy of his apostleship. Paul's contrast between letters written with ink on tablets of stone (see Exod 24:12; 31:18; 32:15; 34:1; Deut 9:10) and those written by the Spirit on the tablets of the human heart (see Ezek 11:19; 36:26-27) recalls OT descriptions of the old covenant and new covenant respectively and paves the way for Paul's description of his role as a minister of the new covenant.

C. Paul's Competence (3:4—6)
God made Paul competent to serve as a minister of the new covenant. Although the old covenant, the law, could only produce death because it demanded a righteousness from sinners that they could not achieve, the new covenant grants the Holy Spirit to believers, and this Spirit imparts life to them.

D. Ministry of the New Covenant (3:7—18)
Although the old covenant was glorious, the glory of the new covenant greatly surpasses that of the old. The old covenant only produced condemnation of sinners since it was incapable of making them righteous. But the new covenant actually makes sinners righteous. Moreover, the old covenant was only temporary; the new covenant is eternal.

Something to Think About: The Difference Christ Makes

W
hen Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthians
—
which was at least his fourth letter, but two of them have not come down to us
—
he was beleaguered and hard-pressed on many fronts. He had been beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, in danger from rivers, robbers, Jews and Gentiles, and many other sources (2 Cor 11:23—36). He had suffered “labor and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and lacking clothing” (11:27), not to mention daily concern for the churches he had planted.

Yet was Paul discouraged? No. This is how he described his situation:

We are pressured in every way but not crushed
we are perplexed but not in despair;
we are persecuted but not abandoned;
we are struck down but not destroyed (4:8—10)
—
and all this for the sake of Christ and his body, the church.

Why was Paul not discouraged when all those bad things were happening to him? For most of us it would take a very small fraction of the misfortunes that befell Paul to get us down. The reason Paul could keep up his spirits was that he knew he was in the center of God's will and he suffered not for wrongs he had done but in order for God's church to be built up.

It's just a matter of perspective. For Paul, his sufferings brought him closer to “the God of all comfort” (1:3). Persecution reinforced the notion that Paul was called to a glorious new covenant ministry that was far superior to the administration of the old one through Moses (chap. 3). His weaknesses reminded him that he carried the treasure of the gospel in clay jars, as it were. The frailty of his human body made him look forward to the time when his “earthly tent” would be transformed into a glorious heavenly existence.

When things go wrong in our lives, do we have Paul's perspective? Do we count it all joy when we face various trials, as James urged us (Jas 1:2)? Do we “do everything without grumbling and arguing,” as Paul exhorted the Philippians (Phil 2:14)? If so, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus, and then we will know the presence of the God of peace in every situation
—
just as Paul did (Phil 4:6,8).

After Moses received the old covenant, he veiled his face to prevent the Israelites from gazing on the reflection of God's glory that frightened them. That demonstrated that the old covenant only condemned sinners and sentenced them to death. Moses also veiled his face because he did not want the Israelites to see the final glimmers of glory ebb from his face when the glory faded.

Although the sons of Israel had a veil over their hearts that prevented them from understanding the writings of Moses, the veil was removed for those who turned to the Lord. Those who turned to the Lord and received the promises of the new covenant would
be transformed by the Spirit so that the image of God is restored in them with an ever-increasing glory.

E. The Unveiled Truth (4:1—6)
Because of the glorious ministry entrusted to Paul, he had no reason to adopt the underhanded techniques of his opponents. His legitimate apostleship was confirmed by his “open display of the truth.” If his gospel appeared to be veiled, it was only because Satan had blinded the minds of unbelievers. The glory of God shone from the face of Jesus in the hearts of those who believe.

F. Treasure in Clay Jars (4:7—18)
The great treasure of the message about Jesus Christ was housed in a suffering apostle, a vessel made of clay—weak, fragile, and vulnerable. By using so weak a vessel as Paul to bear the glorious good news, God put his great power on display. Although the gospel ministry constantly exposed the apostle to the threat of death, he pressed on, assured that God would resurrect his body and that his sufferings were only the prelude to an “absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.”

G. The Coming Resurrection (5:1—10)
Paul knew that when his body was destroyed, he would be given a new resurrection body. The indwelling Spirit was a down payment that guaranteed that final transformation and glorification. Paul's aim was to please God in all things because he knew that the deeds of all people will one day be judged by God.

H. The Ministry of Reconciliation (5:11—6:2)
Driven by anticipation of this judgment and by Christian love, Paul sought to persuade others that Jesus died for them and that they died together with him so that they were liberated from their old selfish way of life to live for the crucified and resurrected Jesus.

Paul had abandoned his pre-Christian view of Jesus, which saw him as a mere human sufferer and nothing more. He now saw Christ as the one who initiated the new creation. Christ both radically transformed believers and was the one through whom God reconciled to himself those alienated from him by sin.
⁵⁵

Jesus took the guilt of believers’ sins upon himself and endured the penalty for those sins so that believers might be counted righteous by God. Paul pled with sinners on Christ's behalf to be reconciled to God and insisted that the day of salvation had come at last.

I
.
Catalog of Paul's Sufferings (6:3—13)
Although Paul's opponents probably argued that a true apostle would be divinely protected from suffering, Paul argued that his sufferings actually confirmed the legitimacy of his apostleship. He listed the sufferings and sacrifices he had endured in the fulfillment of his divine call.

J Call to Separate from Paul's Opponents (6:14—7:1)
Paul addressed the relationship of believers to unbelievers. The unbelievers in this context are Paul's opponents who have rejected his apostleship and his gospel. Paul urged the Corinthians to separate themselves from these lawless, evil, and impure persons so that they might cleanse themselves of every impurity in both flesh and spirit and be the pure sanctuary of the living God.