2 Corinthians chapter 1

John is over, and I really should do some OT books to fit with my studies, but instead... 2 Corinthians!

vs 1

Paul has an interesting title here - an apostle not because he hung out with Jesus, but purely because of God's will in revealing Jesus to him in a vision. And Timothy helped write this book too. And the book is addressed to the Corinthians per se, but also to all the Christians throughout Achaia. Now, considering the contents of the book, it is obviously addressed to a certain group of people, but we'll find that much of the book is widely applicable to everyone, including us.

vs 2

Never read that line before!

vs 3

God's names here are going to outline the first section of this book. The idea that God is a comfortor and is full of compassion is going to be important. They are important facets of God's character anyway, but obviously for this group of people, it is going to be of more keen importance.

vs 4

The word comfort gets used a lot here. The idea at the moment is that God comforts us, and then with that comfort he provides, we are able to help others in need of comfort. It's like sharing one big security blanket.

vs 5

Christians of the time were generally fairly aware of the fact that the suffering of Christ overflowed to them. I don't know if we see it so much in the west, but it's certainly out there. Paul's point is, though, that God's comfort, in this case Christ's comfort, also flows over into us. Sort of a ying-yang balancing act, perhaps? No, I think God's comfort is supposed to far outweigh the momentary sufferings.

vs 6

The idea that the distress and suffering of others can produce comfort and salvation might be somewhat odd, but of course our salvations are built on nothing less than the suffering of Christ. And even in Colossians, Paul says that he suffers in his body for the sake of the message, so in that way Christians can suffer for the salvation of others. Not sure about the comfort, except of course that our salvation brings eternal comfort. And perhaps the idea that someone is prepared to suffer for our benefit is comforting too.

But Paul goes further, and says that God's comforting of him is also for their comfort - the idea being that when they themselves suffer some sort of trial or harm, they will endure it all the better because they saw Paul suffer similar trials, but endured them because of the comfort God gave him.

vs 7

The hope for anyone who is able to share in both the sufferings and the comfort of serving Christ is always going to be far greater than someone who never suffers for Christ, because they will always feel like their relationship with God is abstract and distant in comparison. You look at the people who had really living, vital faith, and they all suffered for Christ, and were all comforted by God in that suffering and endured it. Of course, we're not meant to seek out suffering, but when we actively seek to dodge it, we're going to miss out in a way.

vs 8

Even Paul, the great apostle of travelling and getting into adventures, could not endure all the suffering he went through, and he wanted to die at some point. That's the low point for a Christian, made even harder when you know you'll go somewhere far better!

vs 9

But Paul admits that his own failings were because he was relying on himself and his own endurance to get through these trials, and that was never going to work. In the end, he points out, if you're being worked to death, then that's fine, because God is the God who raises from the dead.

vs 10

Suffering and trials don't last forever. They sometimes seem like they do, of course. But God delivers his people from suffering - Paul testifies that he has done it, that he will do it again, and that he continues to do it now.

vs 11

Paul's deliverance comes in part because of the intersession of the Corinthians in prayer for him. And Paul sees his deliverance as a gracious favour granted by God due to the prayers of many for him.

vs 12

Paul seems forever having to defend his actions and his integrity from criticism. I think it's worth noting that he does this, and yet he doesn't come off as pompous or selfish. I think we often as Christians feel that we aren't allowed to defend ourselves against criticism, or that when we do we lose something of our modesty. Well, Paul isn't modest, he's humble, but he still understands the position to which God has called him. And as far as he's concerned, he has always been upright in his dealings with the Corinthians. He also fully attributes his ability to say this on God's grace, rather than because he's an expert at making relationships work or anything.