Insight
The Bible Knowledge Commentary says of 2 Corinthians: “No letter of Paul’s is more personal and intimate in nature than 2 Corinthians. In it, he bared his soul and professed his abiding love for the Corinthians despite the apparent fickleness of their affection for him.” As such, this letter is a fascinating example of the challenges Paul experienced in leading the fledgling first-century church. He had no real template to follow and no completed scriptural authority to refer to, meaning that much of what he did was up for debate and open to question. In this particular letter, Paul’s own motives and apostolic position are on the table—with Paul having to offer a vigorous defense of his heart and his work (2 Corinthians 1:12–2:11; 2 Corinthians 11:16–12:10). At the same time, it was necessary that he confront those whose false teaching was undermining the gospel (2 Corinthians 10:7–11:15). The resulting tension gives 2 Corinthians its own unique edge.
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