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POSTED
08
MARCH, 2011
The Message of 2 Corinthians
by
J.K. McKee
editor@tnnonline.net
While the tone, subject matter(s), and purpose
of the Epistle of 1 Corinthians can allude many
of today’s Messianic Believers—in no small part
due to the factionalism of the Corinthians and
their significant confusion—the Epistle of 2
Corinthians does not largely demonstrate the
difficulties of interpretation that 1
Corinthians has. Unlike much of the emotion and
stirring that the Apostle Paul demonstrates
toward his audience in 1 Corinthians, 2
Corinthians does seem to indicate that his
rather direct words, refutations, and rebukes
have been heeded by many. There is a much calmer
demeanor to 2 Corinthians. While there is
certainly instruction and correction given to
these people in this piece of correspondence—and
they still have improvements to make to their
spirituality—2 Corinthians is much easier to
follow than 1 Corinthians.[1]
Paul extends greetings to the Corinthians
(1:1-2), and he then notes how in God all
comfort during times of distress can be found
(1:3-7). Apparently, Paul and his ministry
associates have undergone some difficult trials
in their service in Asia, perhaps even regarding
themselves as good as “dead” to some degree
(1:8-9). He can only praise the Lord, who “has
delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he
will deliver us. On him we have set our hope
that he will continue to deliver us, as you help
us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks
on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us
in answer to the prayers of many” (1:10-11).
Paul is extremely grateful for the Corinthians,
recognizing that they will support him by
prayer, knowing that his service for the gospel
is imperative for all of them together.
There is a conciliatory theme detectable in 2
Corinthians, as Paul expresses how in his
relationship with the Corinthians he has acted
sincerely according to God’s grace (1:12), and
they can “boast” of each other of the work He
has done in their lives (1:13-14). Paul goes
through how his previous travel plans always
included the intention of visiting the
Corinthians, so that they could benefit
(1:15-22). Yet, because of various
difficulties—perhaps some of the things detected
in 1 Corinthians—Paul decided to withhold
himself from what would have been a painful
visit to Corinth (1:23-2:1). Instead, Paul
decided to write a letter, detailing his various
grievances (2:2-3), but written in a spirit of
deep love and concern (2:4). The enemy might be
at work among the Corinthians, but at the same
time forgiveness and comfort are truly available
in Messiah (2:5-11).
Paul went to Troas to declare the good news, but
was not entirely at ease because he did not find
his trusted associate Titus (2:12-13a), and so
continued on to Macedonia (2:13b). He issues an
acknowledgement of praise to the Lord in the
gospel work he performs: “thanks be to God, who
always leads us in triumphal procession in
Messiah and through us spreads everywhere the
fragrance and knowledge of him. For we are to
God the aroma of Messiah among those who are
being saved and those who are perishing. To the
one we are the smell of death; to the other, the
fragrance of life” (2:14-16a). The task of being
one who declares salvation in Yeshua is most
serious: “who is equal to such a task? Unlike so
many, we do not peddle the word of God for
profit. On the contrary, in Messiah we speak
before God with sincerity, like men sent from
God” (2:16b-17).
Paul, or for that matter any person chosen by
the Lord to declare of His goodness to all, does
not need any human person to specifically
recommend him (3:1). On the contrary, people
like the Corinthians themselves and the
supernatural changes that have been enacted
within them via the good news, serve as “our
letter, written on our hearts, known and read by
everybody” (3:2). Their examples of lives
transformed by the gospel affirmed Paul’s
ministry. Using the analogy of the New
Covenant, where God’s Instruction is to be
inscribed upon the hearts of His people (cf.
Jeremiah 31:31-34), Paul says, “You show that
you are a letter from Messiah, the result of our
ministry, written not with ink but with the
Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of
stone but on tablets of human hearts” (3:3). The
lives that Believers like the Corinthians are to
demonstrate to others serve as a validation of
Paul’s ministry. For, Paul—and any servant
chosen to declare the good news—is to see that
the power of the promised New Covenant be
manifested forth by those enlivened by the Holy
Spirit (3:4-5).
The Apostle Paul is a minister of the New
Covenant, one which “gives life” (3:6). In
contrast to this is “the ministry that brought
death, which was engraved in letters on stone”
(3:7a). The “ministry of death” (NASU) or Old
Covenant, contrasts the New Covenant where
permanent forgiveness is available
and
God’s Instruction is supernaturally transcribed
upon the hearts of His people. This prior
ministry of death, though, is something that
“came with glory, so that the Israelites could
not look steadily at the face of Moses because
of its glory, fading though as it was” (3:7b).
Recognizing that the ministry of death was
something glorious, “will not the ministry of
the Spirit be even more glorious?” (3:8). The
ministry of death is regarded by Paul to be “the
ministry that condemns men,” where all that the
Torah or Law can do is execute punishment on
sinners who violate its commandments, contrasted
to what the gospel inaugurates in people’s lives
as “the ministry that brings righteousness”
(3:9), meaning renewed life and reconciliation
with the Creator. While the ministry of death or
Old Covenant has glory, as it came from God,
even more so will the ministry of righteousness
or the New Covenant have glory (3:11-12).
The challenge is recognizing how during the time
of Moses, he had to veil himself to the Ancient
Israelites so they would be unable to see the
glory radiating from his face via his encounters
with God (3:13; cf. Exodus 34:33). The veil
Moses wore is rightly likened unto the curtain
that separated out the Holy of Holies in the
Tabernacle/Temple, as sinful human beings have
to tread very carefully toward the presence of a
Perfect and Eternal Creator. Paul observes
something very important for many of his Jewish
contemporaries: “But their minds were made dull,
for to this day the same veil remains when the
old covenant is read” (3:14). Many of today’s
Christian readers think that the Tanach or Old
Testament Scriptures are in view, when what is
intended by “Old Covenant” is the prior ministry
of death or condemnation.
This is a function
of God’s Law as meting punishment on sinners,
to be appropriately contrasted to the New
Covenant of permanent forgiveness offered
and God’s Law transcribed upon the heart
by the Spirit.
Just as Moses once veiled himself from the
Ancient Israelites, so is Moses’ Teaching veiled
to those who suffer under the condemnation of
the Old Covenant ministry of death (3:15). But,
“whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is
taken away” (3:16)—the barrier separating the
unredeemed from God—and the New Covenant can be
made manifest. When the condemning aspects of
the Torah are declared to people, they either
have the option of falling on their faces in
repentance before the Almighty,
or
continuing to be stubborn and obstinate toward
Him. When redeemed persons in Yeshua have the
veil removed from their hearts, they can see who
He truly is, and thus allow the intimate
presence of the Lord change them from within
(3:17-18).
When read carefully and in context, Paul’s words
comparing and contrasting the Old Covenant
ministry of death with the New Covenant ministry
of righteousness/the Spirit,
do not at all
speak of nullifying the Torah’s instruction.
It actually relates to a function of God’s
Torah: one for the unredeemed/unsaved, and one
for the redeemed/saved who know Messiah Yeshua.[2]
Those who have yet to recognize Yeshua as
Messiah, can largely only be condemned by God’s
Torah, having it point out their sins and meting
out various penalties. Only by the power of the
gospel can one find a permanent sacrifice for
sin, offered by Yeshua in Himself, and eternal
forgiveness. A clear result of this is the
supernatural transcription of God’s commandments
onto the heart, manifesting itself in sanctified
lives of holiness.
The ministry that the Apostle Paul was
commissioned by God to perform, and consequently
all Messiah followers, is something from which
he did “not lose heart” (4:1). He informs the
Corinthians, “we have renounced secret and
shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do
we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by
setting forth the truth plainly we commend
ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight
of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is
veiled to those who are perishing” (4:2-3), a
confirmation that the “veil” indeed serves as a
barrier that is placed between people and their
Creator as a result of sin. It is only in Yeshua
the Messiah that true light can shine into
darkness, releasing people from the god of the
world (Satan), and allowing true knowledge and
glory to be known (4:4-6).
For someone like Paul, to serve the Lord in a
capacity of ministry, declaring to others the
message of salvation and redemption in Yeshua,
is something grand but also something not easy.
He explains this to his Corinthian friends as
follows:
“But we have this treasure [of the Messiah] in
jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing
power is from God and not from us. We are hard
pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but
not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
We always carry around in our body the death of
Yeshua, so that the life of Yeshua may also be
revealed in our body. For we who are alive are
always being given over to death for Yeshua’s
sake, so that his life may be revealed in our
mortal body. So then, death is at work in us,
but life is at work in you” (4:7-12).
The experience of serving the Lord Yeshua, in
some ways requires those like Paul to always
keep His death and sacrificial work in mind. It
also keeps them reminded of the ultimate future
of resurrection and His Kingdom to come on Earth
(4:13-15). Paul expresses how even “Though
outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we
are renewed day by day. For our light and
momentary troubles are achieving for us an
eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we
fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is
unseen. For what is seen in temporary, but what
is unseen is eternal” (4:16-18). In spite of any
challenges that the present life may dish up for
Paul, and the toll it takes on his physical
body—internally in mind and spirit he is quite
strengthened and enlivened!
Paul takes a brief moment in his letter to
further discuss the topic of death, the
afterlife, and eventual resurrection—one which
the Corinthians previously had needed some
significant correction about (cf. 1 Corinthians
15). Paul in no uncertain terms affirms that the
preference he has is “to
put on our heavenly dwelling” (5:2, RSV), a
permanent non-dying immortal body originating
from Heaven (5:1). Paul is not too enthusiastic
about the idea of a period of nakedness or
disembodiment (5:3), instead wanting to be
“further clothed, so that what is mortal may be
swallowed up by life” (5:4, RSV).
And who can
blame Paul? At the resurrection and Second
Coming, not only will all of the
righteous be united together (cf. 1
Thessalonians 4:17), but Yeshua the Messiah will
return to Planet Earth, inaugurate His
Millennial Kingdom, and Israel will finally be
restored! Every Believer should desire “to have
our heavenly habitation put on over this one…to
have the new body put on over [this one]” (5:2,
4, NEB). The ultimate aim of a person’s
redemption is to be permanently embodied in
immortality (5:5).
The likelihood of redeemed saints being alive at
the moment of the Second Coming, is rather
small, though. And so Paul has to inform the
Corinthians, “we are always confident and know
that as long as we are at home in the body we
are away from the Lord” (5:6). Existence in
one’s mortal body on Earth means being in a
condition of separation or exile from the Lord.
Even though Paul’s afterlife preference is
Yeshua returning and being given a permanent,
immortal body, this is probably not going to
happen for too many. So, Paul says “We are
confident, I say, and would prefer to be away
from the body and at home with the Lord” (5:8).
If a season of nakedness or disembodiment should
come to Paul, or to any Believer for that
matter, all it can mean
is being present with
the Lord in Heaven. Yet, even with death for
the saints bringing them into such a close
fellowship with the Messiah, they must make it
their aim to please Him in their actions—as all
will eventually see Him and have to answer for
their good deeds or bad deeds (5:9-10).[3]
The reality of life is that none of us knows
precisely what is going to happen in terms of
either the Second Coming taking place
or
death and disembodiment (to later be attended by
the resurrection)—requiring great faith on the
part of the redeemed (5:7).
The motivation for those like the Apostle Paul,
to steadfastly serve, is simply a fear of the
Lord and the love of Yeshua the Messiah filling
the heart and mind (5:11-14). The death of
Yeshua the Messiah on behalf of sinners is
something that is to guide faithful Believers as
living for Him (5:15). The power of
Yeshua has brought His followers into a new
life, contrary to the ways of the world (5:16).
Paul testifies, “Therefore, if anyone is in
Messiah, he is a new creation; the old has gone,
the new has come! All this is from God, who
reconciled us to himself through Messiah and
gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God
was reconciling the world to himself in Messiah,
not counting men’s sins against them. And he has
committed to us the message of reconciliation.
We are therefore Messiah’s ambassadors, as
though God were making his appeal through us. We
implore you on Messiah’s behalf: Be reconciled
to God” (5:17-20). The focus of eternal
salvation, redemption, reconciliation, and well
being for the people of God is found in Messiah
Yeshua, as “God made him who had no sin to be
sin for us, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God” (5:21). The time to
receive the reconciliation available in Messiah
Yeshua
is now (6:1-2; cf. Isaiah
49:8).
Paul’s dedication to the cause of the Messiah is
one which is most selfless, as he is not only
fully focused in all of his actions in seeing
people redeemed—but the difficulties he must
endure are to be viewed as a kind of honor:
“We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so
that our ministry will not be discredited.
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves
in every way: in great endurance; in troubles,
hardships and distresses; in beatings,
imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless
nights and hunger; in purity, understanding,
patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in
sincere love; in truthful speech and in the
power of God; with weapons of righteousness in
the right hand and in the left; through glory
and dishonor, bad report and good report;
genuine, yet regarded as imposters; known, yet
regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on;
beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet
always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich;
having nothing, yet possessing everything”
(6:3-10).
I know myself that I can identify with many of
the observations that Paul had just made to the
Corinthians. No one who is called into gospel
ministry, in a position of leadership, Bible
teaching, and service—is guaranteed “great
things.” In serving the Lord selflessly, one has
to be fully aware of how he or she may never
receive any kind of “recognition” for the hard
work and dedication made on behalf of Him.
The calling is simply too high to expect
human accolades.
For some reason or another, Paul and the
Corinthians had patched up some of their
differences for him to feel at ease enough to
speak too candidly to them with a few thoughts
about his ministry service (6:11-13). Yet one of
the most important things for Paul to speak
about to them is, “Do not be yoked together with
unbelievers. For what do righteousness and
wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship
can light have with darkness? What harmony is
there between Messiah and Belial? What does a
believer have in common with an unbeliever? What
agreement is there between the temple of God and
idols?” (6:14-16a). The Corinthians’
associations, and the people they interact with,
are to be carefully and discernibly considered.
God’s people together make up His Temple
(6:16b), with His presence among them. The
Tanach Scriptures stress how God’s people are to
be different, being sons and daughters who are
separate from impure and sinful things (6:16b;
cf. Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel
37:27; Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34, 41; 2 Samuel
7:8, 14; Isaiah 43:6; Jeremiah 31:9).[4]
Paul stresses to them, “Since we have these
promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves
from everything that contaminates body and
spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for
God” (7:1).
While there is a concern for the Corinthians’
behavior detected in this letter, just like
Paul’s previous correspondence, there is also
much more of an appreciation for the Corinthians
seen. Paul discusses some of the past
experiences he has had in association with the
Corinthians, and how when Titus came to Paul in
Macedonia he brought a good report to him
(7:2-7). Paul comments about the previous letter
he had written, and that it caused a godly
sorrow leading to (at least some level of)
repentance on the Corinthians’ behalf (7:8-12).
Paul’s confidence in many of the Corinthians has
been restored, as they treated Titus well, and a
great number had apparently returned to a path
of faithful obedience (7:13-16). Paul is excited
so much about what God is doing with the
Corinthians, that he relays to them what Titus
had been doing, and how the Corinthians had been
significantly generous in giving to Paul’s
collection for the Jerusalem Believers
(8:1-9:15). The key statement to be aware of, in
indicating how much the Corinthians had changed,
is how Paul can say of them:
“But just as you
excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in
knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your
love for us—see that you also excel in this
grace of giving” (8:7), with him further
noting “men will praise God for the obedience
that accompanies your confession of the gospel
of Messiah, and for your generosity in sharing
with them and everyone else” (9:13).
Giving generously to others in need is something
that is to come naturally and sincerely from the
heart:
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap
sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also
reap generously. Each man should give what he
has decided in his heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a
cheerful giver. And God is able to make all
grace abound to you, so that in all things at
all times, having all that you need, you will
abound in every good work. As it is written: ‘He
has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his
righteousness endures forever’” (9:6-9; cf.
Psalm 112:9).
While it is evident that since his last
interaction with the Corinthians by his previous
letter, the Corinthians have made some
considerable strides in their spirituality—they
do still have a way to go. Paul observes how
when in person he can sometimes be a bid timid,
whereas when he writes he can be rather bold
(10:1-2). The reason that he operates this way
is because he does not conduct himself as those
of the world (10:3). He informs the Corinthians
how “The weapons we fight with are not the
weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have
divine power to demolish strongholds. We
demolish arguments and every pretension that
sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and
we take captive every thought to make it
obedient to Messiah” (10:4-5). There are still
some things lacking in the Corinthians’
obedience (10:6), with Paul actually saying,
“You are looking only on the surface of things”
(10:7). While some significant and positive
changes can be seen in the Corinthians’ actions
and behavior, more is required. And Paul
is certain to direct his readers not to think
that he will not be strict in person:
“For even if I boast somewhat freely about the
authority the Lord gave us for building you up
rather than pulling you down, I will not be
ashamed of it. I do not want to seem to be
trying to frighten you with my letters. For some
say, ‘His letters are weighty and forceful, but
in person he is unimpressive and his speaking
amounts to nothing.’ Such people should realize
that what we are in our letters when we are
absent, we will be in our actions when we are
present” (10:8-11).
The guiding focus of Paul and his ministry
associates is one not where they would spend
their time comparing and contrasting themselves
to others (10:12), but rather
where their attention and energies might be
focused on boasting in the Messiah and seeing
the work of the good news expand to places where
it has yet to be heard (10:13-17; cf. Jeremiah
9:24).
Even though the Corinthians have improved in
their spiritual condition, Paul is still
concerned for them, and so he issues them some
instruction on their state as relative
simpletons in faith. He urges them to act like
an espoused bride waiting in purity for her
husband (11:1-2), he wants them to consider how
Eve was craftily deceived by the serpent (11:3),
he warns them about an imposter messiah and a
false good news that might be declared to them
by others (11:4). Paul might not have the slick
words or impressive abilities as his opponents,
but he is by no means an ignorant man with no
skills who is to just be cast aside and ignored
(11:5-6). The Corinthians can consider Paul’s
manner of service to them (11:7-12), and what
any false apostles or deceivers have done
(11:13-15). Concurrent with the Corinthians’
need to still mature in many areas, is how Paul
has to inform them how different he is from any
potential troublemakers (11:16-21). Paul’s own
life, ministry service, and toils endured for
the Lord as a Jewish Believer are quite
different than any of those who might try to
influence them, inappropriately requiring
non-Jewish Corinthians to be circumcised as
proselytes to be accepted before God (11:22-33).
While Paul having endured various beatings,
stonings, and being shipwrecked are things that
his opponents have not had to experience—there
is surely another experience that such opponents
are not to have had. Paul communicates to the
Corinthians how “I must go on boasting…I know a
man in Messiah who fourteen years ago was caught
up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the
body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.
And I know that this man—whether in the body or
apart from the body I do not know, but God
knows—was caught up to paradise. He heard
inexpressible things, things that a man is not
permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like
that, but I will not boast about myself, except
about my weaknesses” (12:2-5). The one who was
taken up into Heaven or Paradise, in a true
out of body experience, was presumably Paul.
Yet unlike many who have claimed to see this
dimension, he does not report back on anything
that he specifically saw. The very fact that
Paul was even allowed to see anything, is
itself a significant honor to which he can add
nothing more (12:6). Paul also recognizes that
he still has various weaknesses, one which he
labels as “a thorn in my flesh” (12:7), to
overcome (12:7-10). Any of Paul’s opponents in
Corinth, in stark contrast, are likely not going
to speak of themselves as having any
limitations.
Paul has readied himself to visit the
Corinthians for a third time, reminding his
audience of what had occurred before when he had
seen them (12:11-13). All he desires is
to
help them, and not see them exploited
(12:14-18). Paul does not want his visit to
erupt in any kind of outbursts, jealousy, or
quarrels—and he most especially wants to see the
Corinthians’ previous sins put in the past where
they belong (12:19-21). Paul invokes the Torah
principle “This will be my third visit to you.
‘Every matter must be established by the
testimony of two or three witnesses’” (13:1; cf.
Deuteronomy 19:15). Paul is going to be firm if
he encounters any sinful behavior during his
next visit to Corinth, and it will serve as
proof that the Messiah works through him
(13:2-4). And with this in mind, this letter to
the Corinthians issues one final challenge:
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in
the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize
that Yeshua the Messiah is in you—unless, of
course, you fail the test? And I trust that you
will discover that we have not failed the test”
(13:5-6).
Paul has confidence that many of the Corinthians
will be shown to truly be in the Messiah, and
that not only will the prayers offered for them
be answered, but that he will not have to
exercise any harsh words or rebuke when he
arrives (13:7-10). With such admonitions given
to these people—still needing to move forward
and away from sinfulness—all Paul can say in
his closing salutation (13:11-14) is:
“Aim
for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one
mind. Live in peace” (13:11).
There is certainly teaching to be found in 2
Corinthians, but there is also a great deal of
personal involvement between Paul and his
audience. One gets the distinct impression when
reviewing the letter that there are deliberative
rhetorical points and statements made. Some of
the things stated would have no doubt been based
in conversations that Paul and the Corinthians
shared together (i.e., remarks about boasting or
being weak)—which would doubtless get them to
think about who they were in relation to him and
his gospel service. Paul was to be taken
seriously, and not be ignored. The Apostle
Paul wants to acknowledge the Corinthians
significant improvements, in heeding much of
what he has had to previously rebuke them for,
but they still needed to mature ahead in
many areas.
What does a letter like 2 Corinthians
communicate to modern readers, and perhaps
specifically to us as Messianic Believers? It
might be really simple, yet complex.
The
fight against sin is never over. Even
after a significant amount of progress has been
made in resisting temptation, there is no reason
to think that one can just stop being
perseverant against the tactics of the
Adversary. Believers in Yeshua need to be
continually aware of their spiritual motives,
they need to be aware of false voices in the
assembly, and they will find that being
committed to the high ministry calling of
reconciliation can really help to keep them away
from insidious influences. May we each receive
some important piece of instruction from 2
Corinthians, and see that our own individual and
corporate spiritual lives ever improve!
J.K. McKee
(B.A., University of Oklahoma; M.A., Asbury
Theological Seminary) is the editor of TNN
Online (www.tnnonline.net) and is a Messianic
apologist.
He is a 2009 recipient of the Zondervan Biblical
Languages Award for Greek.
He
is author of
numerous books, dealing with a wide range of
topics that are important for today’s
Messianic Believers. He has also written many articles on
theological issues,
and is presently focusing his attention on Messianic commentaries
of various books of the Bible.
NOTES
[1]
While this summary of 2 Corinthians will
treat the text as a single composition,
it needs to be noted that various
expositors do sometimes think that 2
Corinthians is a composite of several
pieces of correspondence.
For a review of the various opinions and
related issues, consult Donald Guthrie,
“The Corinthian Epistles,” in
New
Testament Introduction (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1990), pp
432-464.
[2]
For a more detailed discussion, consult
the editor’s article “What
is the New Covenant?”
[3]
Consult the FAQ on the TNN website “2
Corinthians 5:8,” for
a further explanation of this passage,
and how this verse details the reality
of an intermediate, disembodied
afterlife before the resurrection.
[4]
Cf.
Kurt Aland, et. al.,
The Greek New Testament, Fourth Revised
Edition
(Stuttgart: Deutche Bibelgesellschaft/United
Bible Societies, 1998), 622.
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