Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written, in part, in response to serious problems within the church. In response to this letter, false teachers within the church took offense to his rebuke and rejected his warnings. II Corinthians was an effort on Paul’s part to defend his character and apostolic authority. Paul defends his ministry and appeals to the factions of the church to reconcile themselves to each other. He speaks on foundational doctrines of the Christian faith: The triune God; the deity, humanity, death, and resurrection of Christ; the sealing of the believer by the Holy Ghost; the fact that the Corinthians are in Christ and Christ is in them and that they will be resurrected and evaluated at the judgment seat of Christ where they will be either ashamed or rewarded. Paul declares that Satan opposes the Church, blinds unbelievers, and seeks to divide the true church. Paul exhorts the believers to live holy lives, to repent of sin, and to be reconciled to each other. It was Paul’s intent that the believers in Corinth realize that the Christian faith was to affect all facets of their lives.
AUTHOR: Paul
DATE: during Paul’s third missionary journey while at Ephesus; 56 A.D.
OUTLINE:
I. Salutation and thanksgiving 1:1 – 11
II. Consolation: comfort in ministry 1:12 – 7:16
A. The conduct of Paul 1:12 – 2:11
1. Paul’s explanation for not returning
2. Paul’s instruction concerning the disciplined person
B. The character of Paul’s ministry of the Gospel 2:12 – 6:10
1. Triumph in ministry
2. Credentials for ministry
3. Privilege of the ministry
4. Honesty in the ministry
5. Pressures in the ministry
6. Discouragement in the ministry
7. Motivations for ministry
8. Conduct in ministry
C. The appeal to the Corinthians 6:11 – 7:4
1. The appeal for sympathy
2. The appeal to be separated to the Lord
3. The second appeal for sympathy
D. The comfort in the ministry 7:5 – 16
1. The obedience of the believers
2. the love of the believers
III. The collection: the ministry of giving 8:1 – 9:15
A. Arrangements for the collection 8:1 – 24
B. Arguments for the collection 9:1-15
IV. Correction: vindication of Paul’s ministry 10:1 – 13:10
A. Paul’s position 10:1 – 12:18
1. Paul’s authority
2. Paul’s boast about support
3. Paul’s boast about service
4. Paul’s boast about weakness
B. Paul’s purpose 12:1 – 13:10
1. Paul’s ambition: his service
2. Paul’s aim: the Corinthians edification
V. Personal greetings, admonition, and benediction 13:11 – 14
(Source: Nelson Study Bible)