Introduction to the Book of 2 Corinthians
Author
The author of 2 Corinthians is the Apostle Paul the Apostle, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The letter opens with the words:
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth…” (2 Corinthians 1:1, KJV).
Paul founded the church at Corinth during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1–18). After leaving the city, serious tensions developed between Paul and the Corinthian believers, particularly due to false teachers who questioned his authority and sought to undermine the gospel.
Puritan writers frequently pointed to this epistle as one of the most pastoral and heart-revealing letters Paul wrote, displaying both apostolic authority and deep spiritual affection for Christ’s church.
Thomas Manton observed:
“In this epistle the Apostle openeth his heart most largely, showing both the tenderness of a minister and the authority of an ambassador of Christ.”
Date of Writing
Most scholars date 2 Corinthians to approximately A.D. 55–56.
It was likely written from Macedonia after Paul had received encouraging news from Titus regarding the repentance of many in Corinth (2 Corinthians 7:6–7). This places the letter shortly after 1 Corinthians and before Paul’s third visit to the church.
Historical Background
After Paul sent 1 Corinthians, the situation in the Corinthian church worsened due to:
Opposition from false apostles (2 Cor. 11:13)
A painful visit Paul made to Corinth (2 Cor. 2:1)
A severe or “tearful letter” sent before this epistle (2 Cor. 2:4)
The church was struggling with division, spiritual immaturity, and doubts about Paul’s authority.
2 Corinthians therefore becomes both a defense of apostolic ministry and a profound exposition of Christian suffering, reconciliation, and gospel grace.
Theological Purpose
From a Puritan perspective, the book has several theological aims.
1. To Defend True Gospel Ministry
Paul contrasts genuine apostolic ministry with the pride and deceit of false teachers.
“For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord.” (2 Cor. 4:5)
Puritans emphasized that true ministers exalt Christ rather than themselves.
John Owen wrote:
“The work of the ministry is to bring the soul into communion with Christ, not to magnify the minister.”
2. To Teach the Theology of Suffering
One of the dominant themes of 2 Corinthians is the sanctifying purpose of affliction.
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2 Cor. 4:17)
Puritan theology strongly emphasized that God refines believers through trials.
Richard Sibbes wrote:
“God’s children are most precious in the furnace.”
3. To Reveal the Power of Grace in Weakness
Paul’s famous declaration summarizes the book’s spiritual message:
“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)
Puritans often pointed to this truth as the foundation of humble Christian living—that believers are strongest when they rely entirely upon Christ.
4. To Promote Church Unity and Reconciliation
A major theme of the epistle is restoration of broken relationships.
Paul urges the church to forgive the repentant offender (2 Cor. 2:6–8) and to restore fellowship.
The Puritans viewed reconciliation as an essential fruit of the gospel.
Summary of the Book
2 Corinthians is one of the most personal letters Paul ever wrote. It reveals his pastoral heart, his suffering for the gospel, and his defense of the authenticity of his ministry.
The epistle teaches that:
God comforts believers in their afflictions
Christian ministry is marked by humility and suffering
The gospel transforms weakness into spiritual strength
True apostles serve Christ, not themselves
Believers must pursue holiness and reconciliation
In short, the book demonstrates that the power of Christ is most clearly displayed through human weakness.
Outline of 2 Corinthians
I. Paul’s Greeting and Thanksgiving (1:1–11)
Paul blesses God as the “Father of mercies” who comforts believers in affliction.
II. Explanation of Paul’s Conduct and Ministry (1:12–2:17)
Paul explains his change of travel plans and expresses his pastoral concern for the church.
III. The Nature of the New Covenant Ministry (3:1–6:10)
The glory of the new covenant (3:1–18)
The treasure in earthen vessels (4:1–18)
The hope of resurrection (5:1–10)
The ministry of reconciliation (5:11–21)
IV. Appeal for Reconciliation with Paul (6:11–7:16)
Paul urges the church to renew their affection toward him and to pursue holiness.
V. The Collection for the Saints in Jerusalem (8:1–9:15)
Paul encourages generosity using the example of Christ’s self-giving grace.
VI. Defense of Apostolic Authority (10:1–13:10)
Paul refutes the claims of false apostles and recounts his sufferings for Christ.
VII. Final Exhortations and Benediction (13:11–14)
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.”
Concluding Puritan Reflection
Puritan theologians often considered 2 Corinthians a handbook for faithful ministry. It teaches that the gospel advances not through worldly strength but through humble servants who depend upon Christ.
John Flavel summarized the spirit of the epistle well:
“The Lord will have His power seen in the weakness of His servants, that the glory may be wholly His.”
Thus, 2 Corinthians calls the church to humility, perseverance in suffering, generosity, holiness, and unwavering confidence in the sufficiency of Christ’s grace.
Chapter 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: 2 grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. 8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; 11 ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. 13 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end; 14 as also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit; 16 and to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judæa. 17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay? 18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. 20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22 who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. 24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
Verse by verse commentary
Verse 1: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:”
Paul designates himself as "apostle," but omits this title for his associate. An apostle was an eyewitness of the Resurrection who had been personally appointed by Christ to govern the early church and to teach or write with authority. This term is used as a formal title for the twelve disciples and Paul. It is also employed in a broader sense, though in general or nontechnical usage it signifies a "messenger" or "representative." "By the will of God" signifies God's sovereign choice, which ultimately appoints individuals to church offices and ministries. The apostolic office was extraordinary and temporary; it ceased when no surviving eyewitnesses of the Resurrection remained and when the canon of Scripture was finalized. The ordinary offices continue to be necessary and are filled by elders and others whose gifts qualify them for ministry. Calls to the ordinary offices are affirmed by the people of God as the church discerns who has received the requisite gifts and qualifications for the work. "Saints" was a designation routinely used by Paul to refer to all Christians. "The saints which are in all Achaia" would also receive the epistle. Although the letter was primarily addressed to the church at Corinth, Paul evidently recognized that it would be read by neighboring churches in the region of Achaia, the southern territory of modern Greece.
Verse 2: “grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Paul routinely began his letters with the salutation of "grace" and "peace." "Grace" signifies God's unearned favor, and "peace" is a direct result of that favor.
Verse 3: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;”
The Trinity consists of three equally divine Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Who are, nonetheless, one God. Each Person is associated with distinct roles and activities, as suggested by their names. The Father, for instance, assumes the role of initiator and director, and is the ultimate source of all consolation and encouragement.
Verse 4: “who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
God possesses a sovereign purpose in our difficulties, just as He does in the comfort He provides within them. Having personally experienced God's solace during affliction, we are thereby equipped to support others who are enduring comparable tribulations.
Verse 5: “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.”
Our suffering for Christ does not add to His atonement; rather, God summons us to endure hardship for His sake, thereby emulating the pattern of Christ's life. Since believers are united with Christ and constitute a spiritual part of His body, both our tribulations for the sake of the gospel and the consolation God grants through Christ stem from our shared experience and participation in Him.
Verse 6: “And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.”
Paul perceives God's sovereign control and redemptive intent in every event he experiences, be it tribulation or solace.
Verse 7: “And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.”
This verse is based on Paul’s doctrine that all believers, as integral components of the body of Christ, are unified in such a way that every aspect of life in Christ is held in common. The greater the extent to which this truth informs the attitudes and actions of believers toward one another, the more completely they realize a fulfilling fellowship through Christ with each other.
Verse 8: “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:”
The use of "Our" constitutes an editorial plural, which Paul consistently employed throughout the epistle. While typically a humble self-reference, in this specific instance it may encompass others as well. The "trouble" represents a recent incident (subsequent to the writing of 1 Corinthians) that occurred in or near the city of Ephesus. The precise details of this situation remain unknown. The reference to having "despaired even of life" indicates that Paul encountered a crisis surpassing typical human endurance, one that was profoundly disheartening and which he believed threatened a premature end to his ministry. The Greek term for "despaired" literally translates as "no passage," signifying a complete absence of an exit. Although the Corinthians were aware of Paul's experience, they failed to grasp its full severity or the underlying divine purpose operating through those circumstances.
Verse 9: “but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:”
Paul believed that God had determined that his time to die had arrived. He understood the necessity of placing his trust solely in God, as the divine purpose in human suffering is frequently to lead us to this surrender of our wills. The phrase, "raiseth the dead," reveals the immeasurable and unsurpassable power of God.
Verse 10: “who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;”
Paul is speaking humbly, yet he can state with great certainty, "He has delivered me from death." Furthermore, he can affirm, "At the present moment, He is delivering me." And then, without any self-congratulation, he adds, "We trust that He will yet deliver us." Paul did not possess certain knowledge that He would, but he held the belief that He would. Consequently, on the basis of that belief, Paul could find joy in the fact that God was allowing him to proclaim the gospel during that era.
Verse 11: “ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.”
Prayer is God’s appointed means of providing aid to His people. Prayer yields tangible outcomes. God has established His relationship with the world such that He will respond to our prayers, and even Paul required the intercession of others.
Verse 12: “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”
Paul addressed the numerous accusations against his character and integrity—which included charges of pride, self-interest, untrustworthiness, inconsistency, mental instability, incompetence, lack of sophistication, and inadequate preaching—by appealing to the highest human arbiter: his conscience. Paul frequently employed the term "rejoicing," which can also be translated as "proud confidence." While used negatively, this term denotes unwarranted boasting about one's own merits and achievements, Paul utilized it positively to signify legitimate confidence in God's actions within his life. The "conscience" functions as the soul’s internal warning system, enabling individuals to contemplate their motivations and conduct and to make moral evaluations of right and wrong. For the conscience to operate as divinely intended, it must be informed to the highest moral and spiritual level and standard, which necessitates its submission to the Holy Spirit through God’s Word. Paul's fully illuminated conscience completely vindicated him. Nevertheless, only God possesses the capacity to judge a person's motives with absolute accuracy. "Fleshly wisdom" refers to insight derived from worldly, human understanding.
Verse 13: “For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;”
Paul reminds the Corinthians that his correspondence, like his ministry, is characterized by honesty and transparency, devoid of the deceit, ulterior motives, and hidden objectives that some of his adversaries in Corinth may have alleged. Paul’s epistles were sufficiently lucid. Similarly, all Scripture is composed not primarily for academics but for all adherents. It is comprehensible to those who will diligently peruse it, seeking divine assistance in comprehension and demonstrating a willingness to comply with its teachings.
Verse 14: “as also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
“The day of the Lord Jesus” is the day of His return. Paul eagerly awaited the Lord's return, a time when they would share joy in glory.
Verse 15: “And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;”
This verse is often misquoted to support the concept of a "second work of grace." However, when read in its proper context, the verse actually conveys Paul's understanding that his visits are a means of imparting God's grace to the churches.
Verse 16: “and to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judæa.”
Paul had initially planned to depart from Ephesus, visit Corinth en route to Macedonia, and then return to Corinth following his ministry there. However, for undisclosed reasons, Paul's itinerary was altered, and he was unable to make the first stop in Corinth. The false apostles who had infiltrated the church exploited this legitimate schedule change, presenting it as proof of his unreliability and attempting to utilize it to undermine his credibility.
Verse 17: “When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?”
Plans devised "according to the flesh" would inherently lack reliability, exhibiting vacillation and unpredictability. The apostle's detractors sought to undermine his credibility by asserting that his alteration of plans demonstrated a fundamental weakness of character and a deficit of integrity. However, they lacked complete knowledge of the circumstances and exploited these events to assail an individual they had already judged unfavorably.
Verse 18: “But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.”
Paul invokes God's faithfulness as the paradigm and assurance for his own fidelity. He reminds them that the message of his gospel was entirely trustworthy and resulted in their salvation.
Verse 19: “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.”
Paul bases his own discourse on the absolute truthfulness and reliability of God's words in Christ. This aligns with Paul's established approach of deducing moral absolutes from the moral nature of God.
Verse 20: “ For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”
The entirety of God’s Old Testament and New Testament promises, including peace, joy, love, goodness, forgiveness, salvation, sanctification, fellowship, hope, glorification, and heaven, are rendered possible and fulfilled through Jesus Christ. "Amen" is the Hebrew term signifying affirmation.
Verse 21: “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;”
The ability to persevere, which is to say, continuing in the Christian life, does not originate from within ourselves; rather, it is a divine bestowal. God continually grants this capacity to all who have experienced spiritual rebirth. Those who are thus preserved by God maintain their trust in Christ throughout their lives, as God safeguards them through the faith He imparts. It is God Who both redeems us and sustains us.
Verse 22: “who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”
Upon executing a contract for the purchase of real estate, an earnest money deposit is rendered to secure the agreement. Analogously, God has bestowed upon us the Holy Spirit as a down payment toward the eternal life we are destined to receive throughout all eternity.
Verse 23: “Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.”
Paul utilizes a solemn oath to assure the Corinthians of his veracity, stating in essence, “Should I be untruthful, I implore God to end my life.” Paul intended to arrive with the Lord’s authority and power during his subsequent visit, and he desired to afford them an opportunity for repentance. This was the precise reason he altered his itinerary and postponed his return to Corinth until after his trip to Macedonia.
Verse 24: “Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.”
Paul had no desire to exercise dominion over the Corinthians during his ministry and work among them.
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