CHRISTIAN SUFFERING AND COMFORT

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS

CHAPTER 1

          Many happy greetings to you, and welcome back to Daily Bread. Today we’re starting a new study of the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians. Some dishonest people had been spreading ugly rumors about Paul, and he addresses these accusations in this letter. He also has some praise for the Corinthians in part of this letter as well, so without any further ado, let’s open our second letter from Paul to the Corinthians.

From: Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

and Timothy our brother,

To: The church of God which is in Corinth,

with all the saints which are in all Achaia (see maps):

Grace be to you and peace from God our Father,

and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

As always, Paul gives praise to God at the beginning of his letter.

Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of mercies,

and the God of all comfort;

who comforts us in all our tribulation,

that we may be able to comfort others who experience trouble,

by the comfort that we ourselves receive from God.

Because, as the sufferings of Christ are present in us,

our comfort also comes from Christ.

And whether we’re distressed or comforted,

it is for your comfort and salvation.

What Paul is saying, is that whenever tribulations come his way, or whenever comfort comes his way, all believers prosper from it, because remember from the first letter to the Corinthians, we are all one, and we share in everything. Put yourself in his shoes. Sometimes it’s easier to understand things from a different point of view. If you were Paul, and you understood that through your suffering, you would bring comfort to all other believers, you would (as Paul did), welcome any tribulations and count them as gain for Christ and for His sheep.
 

We have strong hope for you,

knowing, that as you take part in the sufferings,

you will also take part in the comfort.

We want you to know about the trouble that happened to us in Asia,

that we were burdened beyond measure,

so much even that we lost hope even of life.

But we had this attitude, that we shouldn’t trust in ourselves,

but in God who raises the dead:

Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver:

in whom we trust that He will still deliver us.

You also helping together by praying for us,

that for the gift bestowed upon us

(the ministry of delivering the Gospel)

by the efforts of many people

thanks may be given by many,

for our service to the Lord.
 

From the next thing Paul writes,
it’s apparent that his credibility has been questioned by some people.
 

For our joy is this, we can honestly say,

that in innocence and godly sincerity,

not with fleshly wisdom,

but by the Grace of God,

we have conducted ourselves in the world,

and even more so, toward you.

We don’t write anything to you that you can’t read or understand,

and I trust you will understand completely,

just as you have understood us in part,

that we are your joy, just as you also are ours

in the day of the Lord Jesus.

And believing this, I wanted to visit you twice,

that you might have double the benefit;

to visit on our way into Macedonia,

and to stop in again on our way out of Macedonia,

and then for you to send me on my way toward Judæa.

It seems next that some folks were also accusing Paul of being wishy washy, or apt to change his mind about things. These things of course were lies, and Paul sets this straight.

          As you know from reading the book of Acts, there were events during his missionary journeys that would certainly cause changes in itinerary for Paul, but these things were out of his control. Even though he certainly was determined to visit certain places at certain times, he had to depart from places several times to protect his life.

Remember when Jesus said that your conversation should be yea, yea or nay nay? Matthew 5:37 Paul assures the Corinthians that he is level headed, and that he didn’t tell them he would visit and then carelessly change his mind. He didn’t say yea and nay.

When I wanted to visit, didn’t I seem serious?

Or do you think that the things I plan,

I plan according to the flesh (instead of led by the Spirit)

that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?
But as God is Faithful, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ,

who was preached among you by us,

by me and Silvanus and Timotheus,

was not yea and nay, but in Him was yea.

Paul wants them to know that he is serious about everything that has to do with God business,
not only his missionary visits.

For all the promises of God in Jesus are yea (true),

and in Him Amen (positively),

for the glory of God by us.

Now He who strengthens us with you in Christ,

and has anointed us, is God;

who has also sealed us,

and has put the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

Sometimes people have to make choices on their own, in order to become stronger and more independent of other people. Perhaps this is what Paul meant by these next verses. Whether Paul was detoured from his original travel plans, or advised by the Holy Spirit not to go to Corinth again just yet, maybe they needed some time to strengthen their faith before he visited. He didn’t want them to believe in the Gospel that he preached because he wanted dominion over them, he wanted them to choose themselves to believe in God, in Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, and in the Gospel that he delivered to them. When you stop and think about this, don’t you feel more joy inside, if you make a right choice instead of someone else encouraging you to do it?

In addition, as God is my witness,

that to spare (to be lenient or easy on) you,

I haven’t come to Corinth yet.

Not because we rule over your Faith,

but are helpers of your joy: because by Faith you stand.