An Introduction To Second Corinthians
By: David Malick
I. AUTHOR: The Apostle Paul
A. It is generally agreed that Paul was the author of
Second Corinthians (except for portions (e.g., 6:14--
7:1) which some understand to be non-Pauline
interpolations
B. The account of Paul's founding of the church is
reported in Acts 18 (see historical reconstruction
below)
C. External Evidence also supports this conclusion1
1. Clement of Rome (c. 95-97)
2. Polycarp [Philippians 2:2 (2 Cor. 4:14); 4:1 (2
Cor. 6:7)] (c. 110-150)
3. The Shepherd of Hermas2 (c. 115-140)
4. Irenaeus (c. 130-202)
5. The Epistle to Dognetus3 (c. 150)
6. Justin Martyr (c. 150-155)
7. Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-215)
8. Tertullian (c. 150-220)
9. Origen (c. 185-254)
10. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 315-386)
11. Eusebius (c. 325-240)
12. Jerome (c. 340-420)
13. Augustine (c. 400)
D. Internal Evidence:
1. Paul identifies himself as the author in 2
Corinthians 1:1
2. Paul refers to himself within the letter (10:1;
"I"; biographical portions like 11--12)
3. Paul often portrays himself as struggling to
maintain his authority as an apostle with the
Corinthians, and to preserve the Corinthians from
apostasy; this would be unlikely for an imitator
II. THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH
A. The Church in Corinth was planted on Paul's second
missionary journey in AD 50-51 after his visit in
Athens (cf. Acts 15:36; 18:1-18)
B. Paul stayed with Roman Jews (who were expelled in AD
49 or 50) named Aquila and Priscilla eighteen months in
Corinth teaching the word of God and working as tent
makers (Acts 18:1-3, 11)
C. Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia and joined
Paul in Corinth whereupon Paul devoted himself full
time to the ministry of the word (Acts 18:5)
D. When the Jews rejected Paul, he left the synagogue and
began meetings in the house of Titus Justus next to the
synagogue (Acts 18:7-8)
E. The Jews brought Paul before Gallio (proconsul of
Achaia AD 51 or 52) for breaking their law of worship,
but he dismissed Paul since it was not a matter of
"wrong or of viscous crime" (Acts 18:12-17)
F. Paul set off for Syrian Antioch (Acts 18:18--22)
1. In Cenchrea he had his hair cut from his vow
(18:18)
2. Aquila and Priscilla accompanied Paul on his
journey to Ephesus where they remained (18:18-
19, 26)
3. Paul set off from Ephesus, landed at Caeserea,
greeted the church there and went down to Syrian
Antioch (18:21-22)
G. Paul spent some time in Antioch, and set off on his
third missionary journey traveling back through
Galatia, Phrygia and coming to Ephesus (18:23; 19:1)
H. Apollos, an Alexandrian Jew, came to Ephesus, was
instructed by Aquila and Priscilla (18:24-26), and went
over to Corinth to teach God's word (18:27--19:1 cf. 1
Cor. 1:12; 3:5-6)
III. PAUL'S SUBSEQUENT CONTACTS WITH THE CHURCH AT CORINTH
A. On Paul's third missionary journey Ephesus became his
base of operations for three years (Acts 18:23; 19:1--
20:1, 31).
B. An Unrecorded Visit
1. From Ephesus Paul made a visit which was not
recorded in the book of ActsThe second visit to
Corinth recorded in Acts 20:1-3 is probably the
third visit which Paul promises to make in 2
Corinthians 12:14 and 13:1
a. "Here for this third time I am ready to come
to you ...." (2 Cor. 12:14)
b. "This is the third time I am coming to you."
(2 Cor. 13:1)
2. Paul's unrecorded visit (his actual second visit)
is probably the sorrowful visit mentioned in 2
Corinthians 2:1; 12:21; 13:2 cf. 13:1)
a. Paul's first visit (recorded in Acts 18) was
not a sorrowful one.
b. From the point of view of 2 Corinthians the
sorrowful visit has already occurred and the
third visit has not yet occurred (cf. 2 Cor.
2:1 with 12:14; 13:1)
c. Paul does say that he does not want to come
to the Corinthians in sorrow again (2 Cor.
2:1; 13:2) requiring discipline as before (2
Cor. 12:21)
C. A "Lost" Epistle
1. Paul wrote an epistle which the church does not
now possess (cf. 1 Cor. 5:9, "I wrote you in my
letter ....")
2. While it is possible that this epistle was written
before the unrecorded (sorrowful) visit, it seems
more logical to place it after the sorrowful
visit:
a. 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 explains some of the
contents of the lost epistle: not to
associate with immoral people within the body
and not with respect to unbelievers
b. If Paul had visited the Corinthians (in the
unrecorded/sorrowful visit) after he wrote
the "lost" epistle, then he would have
probably explained this point in person
rather than needing to explain it in another
letter (our 1 Corinthians)
D. The Sending of Timothy
1. Paul later sent Timothy to Corinth by way of
Macedonia (1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10-11; Acts 19:22)
2. It is doubtful whether Timothy reached Corinth
before the writing of 2 Corinthians
a. Acts 19:22 reports that Timothy went only as
far as Macedonia
b. Corinthians 4:17 and 16:10-11 views the
coming of Timothy as still future
c. Corinthians 1:1 reports Timothy as being with
Paul in Macedonia
E. The Writing of 1 Corinthians
1. After the sending of Timothy, news of conflicts in
the Church at Corinth reached Paul through
"Chloe's people" (Stephanas, Fortunatus, and
Achaicus) (1 Cor. 1:11-12; 16:17)
2. Paul wrote 1 Corinthians in response to the
reports from "Chloe's people" and probably sent it
by Titus (cf. 1 Cor. "???" and 2 Cor. 7:12-15)
3. Either Titus, or whoever delivered 1 Corinthians,
probably told the Corinthians of Paul's intention
to visit the Corinthians twice as is reported in 2
Corinthians 1:15--2:4
4. It is possible that 1 Corinthians is the
sorrowful/severe letter written by Paul (2 Cor.
2:4; 7:8)
a. Some identify 2 Corinthians 10-13 as part of
the "sorrowful" letter, but this assumes the
disunity of 2 Corinthians.
b. While 1 Corinthians does not express a
sorrowful tone on behalf of Paul. It seems
that the term "sorrowful" in 2 Corinthians
refers to the response of the Corinthians
rather than the mindset of Paul (2 Cor. 2:4;
7:8)
c. Paul's affliction (2 Cor. 2:4) was probably
in having to make so many corrections to
those whom he loved in the young church, but
who trusted in natural wisdom.
F. The Anxious Concern of Paul
1. Paul seemed to have agreed with Titus to meet him
in Troas when Titus returned from delivering the
letter of 1 Corinthians to Corinth to report on
the response to the Corinthian church to Paul's
severe letter of correction (2 Cor. 2:13)
2. Paul could not find Titus and thus went on to
Macedonia (2 Cor. 2:12-13)
G. The Finding of Titus
1. Paul found Titus in Macedonia (2 Cor. 7:5-6)
2. When Paul heard of the response of the church to 1
Corinthians, he wrote 2 Corinthians from Macedonia
(2 Cor. 7:5-16; 8:1; 9:2-4)
IV. THE DATE OF SECOND CORINTHIANS is the fall of AD 56 or 57:
A. First Corinthians was probably written in the spring of
AD 55/56 (see introduction to First Corinthians for
argumentation)
B. Second Corinthians was probably written in the fall:
1. Paul's final departure from Corinth was after
three winter months (Acts 20:3) whereupon he
sailed from Philippi in the spring ("after the
feast of Unleavened Bread" 20:6).
2. Therefore, Paul's writing of his intended visit in
2 Corinthians 12:14; 13:1 would have been before
his final winter stay there: in the fall
C. Possibly as much as eighteen or more months intervened
between the writing of First and Second Corinthians:
1. They could have been written in the spring and the
fall of the same year, but the "winter" of 1
Corinthians 16:6 need not be the "winter" of Acts
20:3
2. "Last year" in 2 Corinthians 8:10; 9:2 need not
point to a six month interval since it is hard to
know which calender (Roman, Jewish ecclesiastical,
Athenian, Jewish civil) he was following
3. This allows time for Paul to engage in evangelism
along the Egnatian Way and possibly in Illyricum
(?) (2 Cor. 2:12; Rom. 15:19)
D. Therefore, 2 Corinthians was probably written about
eighteen months after First Corinthians (AD 55/56), or
in the fall of AD 56/57
V. HAROLD HOEHNER'S CHRONOLOGY is as follows:4
A. Paul's first missionary journey AD 49
B. Paul's second missionary journey AD 50-52
1. Arrives in Corinth AD 50 or 51
2. Leaves Corinth AD 52
3. Returns to Syrian Antioch -- AD 52
C. Paul's third missionary journey -- AD 53-57
1. Arrives in Ephesus in AD 53 and stays three years
(Acts 19:10; 20:31)
2. Corinthians written -- AD 56
3. Arrival in Macedonia -- AD 56
4. Corinthians written -- AD 56-57
5. Arrives at Corinth -- AD 56 or 57
6. Leaves Corinth -- AD 57
VI. NOTE WELL: There are other possible historical
reconstructions of the events:
A. It is quite possible that the "unrecorded" visit took
place after 1 Corinthians was written. In addition
there could be another "lost epistle" to the
Corinthians which is described in 2 Corinthians 2:4 and
7:8. Titus may have carried this letter also.
B. Possible additional orders are:
1. Founding visit / Former letter/ 1 Corinthians /
Painful visit / Severe letter / 2 Corinthians /
Anticipated visit
2. Founding visit / Former letter / Painful Visit /
Severe letter / 1 Corinthians / 2 Corinthians /
Anticipated visit
C. The Proposed order is as follows:Founding visit /
Painful visit / Former letter / 1 Corinthians (severe
letter) / 2 Corinthians / Anticipated visit
VII. THE OCCASION AND PURPOSES of 2 Corinthians
A. Titus reported about the brother who had been living in
immorality with his step mother and Paul responded (1
Cor. 5:1-6; 2 Cor. 2:5-11)
B. Titus reported that Paul's change of plans had upset
the Corinthians, so, Paul responded (2 Cor. 1:15--2:4)
C. Titus reported that there continued to be divisions (by
"Judaizers" and legalists) in Corinth about Paul's
authority as an Apostle, so, Paul responded (2 Cor.
10:10-12).
D. Paul desired to encourage the Corinthians concerning
his genuine love for them in response to their good
reception of the "severe" letter (2 Cor. 7:3-16)
E. Paul desired to make final arrangements for the
collection from the Gentile churches to go with him to
the church in Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8--9)
F. Paul desired to encourage the church to continue in
obedience to his words because God is speaking through
him
___________________________
1 Geisler, A General Introduction to the Bible, 187-188,193.
2 Similitude 9:13.7-8; cf. 2 Cor. 13:11.
3 5:7 (2 Cor. 10:3); 5:12 (2 Cor. 6:9-10); 5:15-16 (2 Cor.
4:12; 6:10).
4 Harold Hoehner, "Chronology of the Apostolic Age," Th.D.
dissertation, Dallas: Dallas Theological Seminary, 1965.
