2 Corinthians Overview

As I have explained in the past, one of the reasons I am doing this blog is I am curious to see what kind of messages one might get from reading the bible. What might one learn as a take-away. Here is my quick summary of the good and bad from 2 Corinthians.

(note: the chapter link takes you to my page on that chapter, the verse link takes you to the verse on biblestudytools.com)

The Good

2:5-7 Be quick to forgive and comfort those who have done wrong

8:14 promote reciprocal altruism

9:11 Be generous

12:14 Persistence

12:15 Generosity


The Bad


5:8 death is better than life

5:10 do what the church says, you will be judged when you die for it

7:12 Don't worry about the person you have wronged, just get good with God

8:3-4 Poor people should give to the church beyond their means

12:10 Be happy with persecution

13:3-6 request for proof met with threat

2 Corinthians 12 & 13

Paul's Visions and His Thorn

Paul had a vision of a man who was "caught up to the third heaven" 14 years ago. The man saw things that cannot be told.

Why is he telling this story. Paul tells us of a vision where some guy goes up to heaven and sees stuff we can't talk about. So what? Is the whole point that someone went to heaven? 

Also, what is 'third heaven'? A quick google search led me here which led me here. It seems people back then thought the heavens were basically concentric domes above our heads. Who still wants to use the bible as a science book?

To make sure Paul didn't get conceited because he got this amazing vision, God put a thorn in his flesh and a messenger of Satan was sent to harass him. Paul pleaded with God to remove these impediments, but God said his grace was enough for him and the weakness would make him strong, so he boasts about the weakness and is content with it.

This is just weird to me. Paul is boasting about his weakness, doesn't this just make him double conceited. He is conceited because he is amazed at how special he is to get the vision, then on top of it he is conceited to think he is special enough to deserve harassment from Satan and other weaknesses thrown on top of him. I also don't like the idea of being happy with persecution, it can really give someone a complex.

Am I being too critical here? Perhaps a good spin on it is if people are accepting of their failings they will live a happier life. This is a double edged sword though isn't it, if you are happy with your weaknesses will it hold you back from striving for more? This is the best I can come up with for an alternate view and I'm still not really a fan.

Concern for the Corinthians Church

Paul says he will come back to Corinth for a third time to try to convert them. He is afraid for their souls. He will make sure not to be a burden as he has done in the past.

He is concerned for them, that is good I suppose. He is coming back a third time, and apparently with not much success here. So I suppose this is encouraging persistence, and caring for your fellow man.

Final Warnings (ch13)

I'm coming again for the third time. You have asked me for proof that Christ is in me, Christ was crucified in weakness but lives in strength. Examine yourself and make sure you pass the test.

So his response to a request of proof is a declaration that Christ is real and a threat. That is the Christianity I am familiar with.

Final Greetings

Rejoice, live in peace, and comfort one another, then God will be with you.

That sounds nice, but it doesn't match up with the rest of it. You can't preach doom and gloom and then end by saying all you have to do is be nice and everything will be cool. It's the sugar coating to make you swallow the rest of it.


For the overview post (If you think I should add or remove stuff from this list please let me know, I think it would make good conversation) 

Good:

12:14 Persistence

12:15 Generosity

Bad:

12:10 Be happy with persecution

13:3-6 request for proof met with threat

2 Corinthians 10 & 11

Paul Defends His Ministry

Many of the Corinthians apparently complained that Paul talks a big game in his letters but is weak in person. He claims this is not true. He also says that his tools are spiritual tools.

I think the point of saying he uses spiritual tools is to try to claim that he isn't weak in person, he is just working on another level or something.

Paul wants the Corinthians to become more faithful so they can expand their influence through Corinth to territories on the other side of their borders.

I suppose a cynical view of this would be that they are being selfish the whole time. They are just trying to expand their influence and get money from more people. A more forgiving view would be that they are true believers and want to spread the word as much as possible. They are trying to tell the Corinthians that the sooner they believe the sooner Paul and his guys can help additional people. Honestly, I don't see why both of these ideas can't be at least partially true. Why couldn't someone be a true believer and at the same time be motivated by greed?

Paul and the False Apostles (ch 11)

v1 "I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me!"

I'm not sure how to take this, does this mean the following section is of less importance than other things? Perhaps he simply thinks he is warning them of something that is not really a danger to them? Is this just the ancient way to put a smiley face emoticon on his words? I don't really understand the relevance of this verse, but it definitely seems worth pointing out.

I am afraid you might be deceived by other apostles speaking of another Christ. I preached to you free of charge as I accepted support from others while I was spreading the word to you. How can I convince you that I am for real and others are false apostles? For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, his servants will also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their ends will correspond to their deeds.

So he is basically saying there are other people who are preaching similar stuff but everyone should believe him [Paul] instead. He doesn't really explain how you can tell who is for real and who is fake except for the vague reference to the ends corresponding to the deeds. Well, if the message is to look at deeds to determine who is with God and who is with the devil, I point to the catholic child rape scandal to show those people are definitely not with God.

Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle

Paul says he is boasting as a fool, then gives a list of times he experienced hardships, often getting his ass kicked.

Yawn

2 Corinthians 9

The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem

I have told the people of Macedonia how awesome you guys are, it would be embarrassing to me and to you if you didn't come through on your promise of a gift. So I am sending some of my guys ahead to collect so when I get there with the Macedonians it is a willing gift rather than an exaction.

This section I just find strange, and it feels to me like we don't quite have enough information to make a proper judgement. Paul says that the Corinthians made a promise of a gift, and therefore he is simply making sure they come through. On the surface this seems like a fine thing. If you promise something you should follow through. On the other hand, what is the deal with it becoming an exaction if they don't give it as a gift? That makes the whole thing seem shady.

I suppose a Christian might accuse me of just looking for things to complain about (perhaps this is true) and say that Paul is just trying to make things right.

The Cheerful Giver

The more you sow the more you reap. You should be generous in every way.

This is good stuff. Encouraging generosity is great. Many Christians focus on this kind of thing from the bible and our world is a better place for it.

For the overview post (If you think I should add or remove stuff from this list please let me know, I think it would make good conversation) 

Good:

9:11 Be generous

2 Corinthians 7 & 8

Paul's Joy

Make room in your hearts for us, we care about you. I made you grieve with my last letter, which is unfortunate, however it made you repent so I am glad it caused you temporary hardship since the end result was good. Godly grief produces repentance and salvation. Every time you have had Godly grief you have cleared yourself with God. I did not write to you for the purpose of the one who did wrong, or the person who was wronged, but so you could see your earnestness with God and feel comforted.

This seems like a bad thing to me. They have apparently done something wrong, Paul is not interested in making sure the person who did something wrong learns a lesson, or that the person who was wronged is made whole. The concern is that they are cleared in the eyes of God. It shouldn't be possible to be good with God without also at least trying to make it right with the wronged person.

Encouragement to Give Generously (ch 8)

We were going through severe affliction while in Macedonia, and the churches there gave in abundance even beyond their means. They were in extreme poverty, and yet gave to us generously on their own accord and begged us to take part in "the relief of the saints".

So Paul and his guys basically took advantage of poor people. When I read the title of this section I thought it was going to go on the good side of the overview, but it looks like it should read "encouragement to give generously to us".

This is not a command to you, but a way to prove your earnestness. You should give away your wealth to those who have little so when they have much and you have little they will help you out.

Now this doesn't sound so bad, basically a help each other out story. Basically trying to sell the idea of reciprocal altruism. Which would seem like a good lesson, except the first part of the lesson was about poor people who gave a bunch of wealth to the church. So who is Paul talking about? Is he talking about rich Corinthians helping out poor Corinthians? If so I like it, but I think Paul is asking the rich Corinthians to give money to the church (in other words, give money to Paul). I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt as much as I can manage and put this in both good and bad.

Commendation of Titus

We are sending Titus to you, we like him and we think he will be good for you.

Doesn't seem to be much here.



For the overview post (If you think I should add or remove stuff from this list please let me know, I think it would make good conversation)

Good:

8:14 promote reciprocal altruism

Bad:

7:12 Don't worry about the person you have wronged, just get good with God

8:3-4 Poor people should give to the church beyond their means

2 Corinthians 5 & 6

Our Heavenly Dwelling

Our home on Earth is just a tent in which we experience anguish, we have a house waiting for us in the heavens. When we are here in our tent, we are away from God. Even though we would rather be away from the body and at home with the lord, we must do everything we can to please him because one day we will all be judged by Jesus for what we have done in the body, whether good or evil.

I find this kind of thing pretty disgusting. The message is basically that this life is shit, we would all rather just die and go to heaven, but you must do the best you can here because someday you will be judged. It is simultaneously telling people that their life is worthless and that they should follow what the church says.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

We know that everyone will be judged after they die, and so we are spreading the word. Jesus died for all of us, and therefore we have all died. Anyone who has accepted Christ is in a new creation. God has reconciled those people and doesn't count their trespasses against them. So we are spreading this word, please accept Christ and be reconciled to God.

So if I am understanding this passage correctly (which I might not be, I found it confusing) we will be judged after we die, but if we accept Jesus our trespasses won't count. So everyone is judged, except if you are with Christ you can do whatever you want because your trespasses don't count. 

(ch 6) (why are the chapter breaks all in weird places?)

The day of salvation has arrived, we have put no obstacles in your way so no fault can be found with our ministry. We are amazing in many ways (listed in detail in verse 4-10). We have opened your hearts to you, you should in return open your hearts to us.

The Temple of the Living God

Do no associate with unbelievers. Go out into their midst and be separate from them.

Confusing to me, how can you do both things?


For the overview post (If you think I should add or remove stuff from this list please let me know, I think it would make good conversation)

Bad:

5:8 death is better than life

5:10 do what the church says, you will be judged when you die for it

2 Corinthians 3 & 4

Ministers of the New Covenant

You [The Corinthians I guess] are the proof that we are doing a good job. We are ministers of a new covenant that surpasses the old covenant of Moses. The old covenant kills, but ours gives life. The covenant given to Moses written on that tablets was so full of glory that the men could not look at it directly, but compared to the glory given to us through the spirit the old one had no glory at all. This is partly because our glory lasts forever and the glory of Moses eventually came to and end. When reading Moses, there is a veil over your heart which can only be taken away through Jesus Christ.

This section I found fairly difficult to understand. I think I got the idea right, but I might be misinterpreting stuff. The whole thing seems very anti-Semitic to me though, as it seems to be comparing Christians to Jews and the Jews are spoken of in poor light. Their religion is talked about in terms of death and behind a veil and with hardened hearts and so forth.  The whole thing makes me a bit uneasy.

The Light of the Gospel (ch 4)

We have this ministry by the mercy of God and we refuse to use any underhanded or disgraceful methods. Jesus said to let the light shine out of the darkness, and it has shone into our hearts the knowledge and glory of God.

So basically, they want to let the gospel out to as many people as possible. Fair enough, if you believe something like this is true the correct thing is obviously to tell everyone about it that you can. You should dedicate your life to spreading this message. 

v3-4 "and even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

This really caught my eye, especially the fact that the god that was blinding the minds of the unbelievers was not capitalized. I'm assuming this is supposed to be a competing god from another religion. If another god can shield people's mind from God, what does that say about the omnipotence of God? 

Treasure in Jars of Clay

I assume Jar of Clay is supposed to be our bodies.

We accumulate treasures in this world, and yet they will waste away. If we also carry the death of Jesus in our hearts, so will the life of Jesus manifest in our bodies.

Basically just saying that you will die, but if you believe in our stuff you will actually live forever. What an enticing story.

2 Corinthians 1 & 2

According to wikipedia, there is evidence that there are at least 4 letters from Paul to the Corinthians. Apparently chapters 10-13 are very harsh compared to the rest and it is speculated it was actually a different letter. Very interesting.

God of All Comfort

God comforts us when we are afflicted so that we may comfort others when they are afflicted. We share in the sufferings of Christ as well of the comfort of Christ. When we were in Asia, we were so burdened that we thought we would die, but that was to force us to rely not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead and delivered us from that deadly peril. We want you to pray for us.

So we suffer for the purpose that we can be comforted later. There is some logic to this, if we are always happy then it won't seem like happiness but it will just be what is normal. But if we are sometimes sad it brings meaning to the happiness. Or something like that. There is some logic to this idea, but it appears to me that this is supposed to be an explanation for the pain and suffering in the world, and to me it falls flat. For everyday stuff, sure, dealing with some pain and anguish might help you appreciate the good times that come later, but what about people who don't come out of it? What about people with debilitating diseases (like MS for instance)? I suppose a Christian might say that they will find comfort in heaven later or something, but this only works if the person who has the disease is also a Christian.

Another thing here, it seems to try to equate raising the dead from bringing back from the brink of death. We can all understand bringing people back from the brink of death, but to have someone actually die and be brought back is another thing entirely. Trying to talk of them as if they are the same is slight of hand.

Paul's Change of Plans

It appears that Paul had planned on visiting Corinth a second time and did not show up. This passage seems to be justifying the fact that he did not show up.

I do not follow the whims of the flesh and say yes and no at the same time. I wanted to come a second time, but I knew that I would cause you pain, and this would cause me pain in turn. I am writing you now so that when I come later we can all rejoice together.

Seems to me that Paul didn't come and now he is justifying it. 

Forgive the Sinner (ch 2)

If anyone has caused pain, he has caused it to all of you. Therefore, you should forgive and comfort him or he will be overwhelmed by excess sorrow.

This sounds really good. The idea that we are all harmed when someone in our community is harmed is a good one. We should all strive to help each other out and the world would be a better place.

This is how I am testing you, anyone that you forgive I will also forgive.

What the hell is this? If the lesson is that you are supposed to forgive everyone, shouldn't Paul follow this and forgive everyone, regardless of whether or not the other Corinthians have forgiven them?

Triumph in Christ

We spread the true word of God unlike so many other 'peddlers of God's word'. We have the fragrance of God on us, we smell of life to believers and death to non-believers.

*Shrug*


For the overview post

2:5-7 Be quick to forgive and comfort those who have done wrong