I. The Introduction: 1:1-11
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
A. A very common introduction
1. Paul is an “apostle” of Jesus Christ
2. Not one of the original 12 (Mark 3:14-19), Paul was equal (see 11:5;12:11 and Gal. 2:6)
3. He was chosen by Christ (1st Cor. 9:1; Gal.1:15) and
4. Commissioned by the “will of God” (Acts 9:15) a chosen instrument.
5. Timothy was spoken of as “his brother” see Acts 9:17 for Christian use of the term. .
a. This may be an attempt to re-instate Tim. credibility in the eyes of the Corinthians after his failure or limited success in (1st Cor. 4:17; 16:10) (Why right this letter)
b. By the time this letter was written, Titus had replaced Tim.
6. The usual Pauline greeting found in v.2 for greetings is turned into “charis” unmerited favor of God and the usual term for “peace” in Hebrew (shalom) is turned into the Greek eirene. Both of these things come from God.
B. GRATITUDE FOR DIVINE COMFORT
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
1. (3,4) The idea of Comfort
a. First, Praise to God for Paul’s own comfort (v.4, who comforts us)
b. Latter (v.11) he asks for prayers from his converts for himself.
c. This is not the typical Pauline method, that is to show all this pre-occupation with himself. Only goes to show how bad things were.
d. Paul see his suffering (see Acts 9:15, 16; 20:22, 23) not only as benefiting himself but also those who he is teaching (v.9 and 12:7).
e. That is, since Paul has been comforted, he then is able to comfort others in affliction and distress.
2. (V.5) The reason why suffering equips the Christian to mediate God’s comfort.
a. The greater the suffering, the greater the comfort to share with
others or we understand the ability to share with others.
b. “The Sufferings of Christ” is not the passion of Christ but the suffering endured by the man of Christ (12:2) engaged in the service of Christ (cf. 4:11, 12).
c. They are Christ’s sufferings not because they are similar but because they are ‘for Christ.’
3. (Vs.6-7) The suffering of Paul benefit the Corinthians.
a. Paul can now administer divine encouragement to them.
b. The idea is that they will revitalize from his experience.
C. DELIVERANCE FROM A DEADLY PERIL
8We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[a] behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Paul's Change of Plans
A. (V.8) Now we move to the particular afflictions that Paul speaks of.
1. It overtook Paul in Asia (Acts 19:22)
a. unknown the exact affection but probably somewhere leading to Ephesus, as in 1st Cor. 15:32; 16:8 or Troas (2:12,13).
b. From the grammar here, we may understand that the Corinthians knew about this persecution.
c. Paul was “crush” with no hope of survival.
B. (V.9) In his estimation, Paul had received the “death sentence”
1. But, in the wake of the death sentence, God delivered him an experience much like the resurrection.
2. All of this undermined Paul’s self confidence and forced him to rely of God completely (1st Cor. 15:31; 2nd Cor. 12:9, 10).
C. (10,11) The Father of Compassion
1. Being delivered, God becomes the father of compassion.
a. “He has delivered us, and He Will deliver us.
There are four mentioned accounts of Paul’s persecution that need noting, all in Asia
1. His fighting “with the wild beast of Ephesus” 1st Cor. 15:32
2. His suffering the 39 stripes (11:24)after being arraigned by the court .
3. The riot at Ephesus instigated by Demetrius (Acts 19:23)
4. A particular persecution encountered at Ephesus or elsewhere (Acts 20:19; 1st Cor. 16:9)
II. PAUL’S CONDUCT EXPLAINED
1. Characteristics of his conduct
12Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace. 13For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.
A. (Vs. 13-14) There are two General Accusations that Paul now defends
1. He has acted shamelessly or with Integrity (v.12)
2. His letters were not written in some worldly fashion as to be evasive and avoiding.
a. He here is appealing to their conscience since (if they will stop and think) they know how he behaved when with them.
b. He now reminds them that none of his correspondence with them has been vague or obtuse. By this time Paul has written to them at least three letters.
c. His final appeal is ‘just wait to the day of judgment” and you will see the truth.
III. Paul Answers the Charge of Being Fickle
15Because I was confident of this, I planned to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. 16I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. 17When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say, "Yes, yes" and "No, no"?18But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No." 19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas[b] and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes." 20For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
A. (V.15-17) 1st Cor. 16:2-8 are the outlines of the Itineraries relating to Paul and Corinth.
1. In the first letter the plan was Ephesus-Macedonia-Corinth-Jerusalem (possibly).
2. In the second letter the itinerary is modified. Paul now plans to visit Corinth twice before and after his trip to Macedonia and his trip to Judea was now settled.
3. The point seems to be that Paul is now being challenged and asked to explain these changes.
4. But a closer examination shows that neither of the mentioned plans were actually carried out. Thus, he was accused of being fickle.
5. Plan A (1st Cor. ) was nullified by Ephesus to Corinth and plan B (II Cor.) was nullified by returning to Ephesus.
6. His detractors accused him of YES-NO-YES
B. (V.18) Paul is extremely distressed by this charge and:
1. Invokes the unquestionable trustworthiness of God
2. How could the messenger of a faithful God be YES -NO
C. (19,20) This is Paul’s last Point!
1. The message was originally proclaimed at Corinth (Acts 18:5) by threefold testimony. Paul, Silvanus and Timothy. The gospel was preached by men, but from God.
2. This is a reminder of their original response. They uttered the “Yes” of Amen, and gave glory to God.
LESSON ONE B, WILL START WITH A DISCUSSION ON THE HOLY SPIRIT OF VERSES 21-22