2 Corinthians
Summary Second Corinthians is a letter in which Paul defends his apostleship and his sufferings, showing that the power of the gospel is revealed not in human strength but in weakness. True ministry is seen not in self-boasting but in a life that follows the cross of Christ.
- Date written
- AD 55-57
- Historical period
- Early church era
Background
Second Corinthians is a letter Paul wrote amid conflict and misunderstanding with the church in Corinth, written in the process of restoring the relationship after the “tearful letter.” In the church, false apostles who doubted Paul’s apostolic authority and boasted of outward power and rhetorical eloquence were exerting their influence. In this situation Paul defends his apostleship and seeks to make clear what the standard of true ministry is.
Content
Rather than hiding his sufferings and weakness, Paul openly reveals them and says that God’s power is made perfect not in human strength but in weakness. Through his own life of preaching the gospel amid affliction, persecution, and frailty, he shows that the essence of ministry lies not in success or outward authority but in following the cross of Christ. Paul also emphasizes the ministry of reconciliation, proclaiming the heart of the gospel: that in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself. Believers must live as those entrusted with this gospel of reconciliation. In the latter part, along with exhortations about the offering, he explains what true boasting is. Paul boasts not of his achievements but of his weakness, and through God’s word, “My grace is sufficient for you,” he testifies that the power of Christ is made fully manifest in the weak. In the end, Second Corinthians is a letter that overturns the human standard of pursuing strength and shows what true ministry and faith are through the power of Jesus Christ, who works in weakness.