2 Corinthians

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Author

Paul is the undisputed author of this letter. Some scholars hold that 6:14-7:1 is a post-Pauline insertion into the letter.

Historical Setting

Corinth was a big city crossroads with lots of ethnicities and religions – a melting pot. There was a high population of freed slaves who came to make their fortune and they were highly independent people.

The letter was written while Paul was imprisoned in Ephesus. Paul wrote more to this community than any other. He alludes to several other letters that he wrote that have been lost. Also lost are the letters that the community wrote to him

Unity of the Letter and Dating

The prevailing view divides 2 Corinthians into five separate letters, written in approximately the following order:

  1. 2:14-7:4
  2. 10-13 “the sorrowful letter”
  3. 1:1-2:13 plus 7:5-16
  4. 8:1-24, a letter to Corinth regarding a collection for the church in Jerusalem
  5. 9:1-15, another letter to the wider area about the collection

The first and second letters are most likely dated to AD55. We can imagine that Paul wrote the first letter in a spirit of hope and optimism. Months later, he receives news of infighting and dissension within the community. This prompts a letter full of disappointment, anger, and sorrow.

Items of Note

Letter

The genre of this book is that of a letter. An important thing to remember about letters is that they only give us one side of the story. Paul established his communities by living with them and teaching them over the course of months, or, as in the case of Corinth, perhaps years. When the letter was read in the assembly, it would have been heard and interpreted against the backdrop of all of Paul’s oral teaching. Paul did not repeat this oral teaching in the letter but it is altogether necessary for the interpretation of the letter. In Catholic understanding, we call this Tradition – the memory of the oral teaching, handed down through the generations and used to interpret Scripture.

Outline

  1. Introduction 1:1-11
  2. A Canceled Visit to Corinth 1:12-2:13
  3. Authentic Apostleship 2:14-6:10
  4. Relations with Corinth 6:11-7:16
  5. The Collection for Jerusalem 8:1-9:15
  6. An Appeal for Complete Obedience 10:1-18
  7. Paul Speaks like a Fool 11:1-12:13
  8. A warning prepares a visit 12:14-13:10
  9. Conclusion 13:11-13