The second Letter to the Church at Corinth is the supplement of the
first. It is due to the same circumstances which called out the first,
and to the effects that were produced in the church at Corinth by the
receipt of the first letter. We can almost be thankful for the
disorders which occasioned these two letters, not only on account of
the rich fund of practical instruction which they contain, but on
account of the picture which they present of a Gentile Church, composed
of those who had so recently been heathen, in the first century of
Christianity. They recall us to the immorality which had to be
overcome, the obstacles in the way of a Christian life, and the mighty
triumph which the gospel achieved over human nature itself in
establishing the spiritual reign of Christ where the sensuality of
heathen worship had before prevailed.
The first letter was written at Ephesus in the spring of A. D. 57;
the second was written a few months later at some point in Macedonia
where Paul had journeyed to visit the churches of that province before
extending his tour to Corinth. We learn from the
nineteenth
and twentieth chapters of Acts
that not long after the first letter was written, Demetrius and his
fellow-craftsman aroused the terrible riot at Ephesus in which Paul so
nearly lost his life
(2 Cor. 1:8-10),
and that immediately after, at the urgency of the brethren, he started
on his long contemplated journey to visit the churches of Europe. He
had expected to meet Titus at Troas with word from Corinth concerning
the effect of his first letter and was greatly disappointed when he did
not find him there
(2 Cor. 2:13).
Hence, although a fine opening for planting the gospel was presented,
he pressed on to Macedonia. Here he met Titus, who was on his way to
him, and was greatly rejoiced when he learned that his letter had been
well received and his commands obeyed
(2 Cor. 7:5-7).
Still the circumstances required another letter before his coming and
the second letter was written, not only to express his joy over the
better state of things in the church, but in order to convey further
counsels.
This Epistle naturally divides itself into three parts. In the
first part, embracing
chapters 1-7,
the Apostle portrays his feelings over the condition of matters in
Corinth, his anxiety, and his relief after the coming of Titus; in
chapters 8, 9,
the second part, he takes up the great collection of the Gentile
churches for the poor at Jerusalem on which he had so deeply set his
heart; in the third part,
chapters 10-13,
he repels the insinuations of Judaizing teachers who were seeking, not
only in Corinth but everywhere, to destroy Paul's influence so as to
bring the churches under the bondage of the Jewish law. In this section
he presents those wonderful details concerning what his service of
Christ had cost him in earthly sufferings. The whole letter is written
in the expectation of soon being at Corinth, an expectation which we
know from
Acts, chapter 20
was realized. [129]