Bible Commentaries
2 Corinthians

On his Second Missionary Journey (AD 49-52) Paul established the church at Corinth. It became an important church in the Roman province of Achaia. However, it seemed always to be a troublesome church, despite the fact that the apostle had spent a year and a half there. It is felt that Paul wrote a total of four epistles to this church, two of which have been lost. God did not want Paul to give up on this city since he assured the apostle that he had many people there (Acts 18:10).

In our study of 1 Corinthians we mentioned several things about Corinth. We said that it was an ancient city, but was destroyed by the Roman consul Lucius Mummius Achaicus in 146 BC. However, it was rebuilt in 46 BC by Julius Caesar. Corinth had always been a great commercial center, since it was established on an isthmus controlling two seas, the Aegean to the East and the Ionian to the west. The city also had considerable military importance. Unfortunately, Corinth was the center for the worship of the pagan goddess Aphrodite, and had thus become a cesspool of iniquity. It was said that her temple had some 1,000 female prostitutes attached to its worship.^(F1) Radio preacher and Moody pastor, Warren Wiersbe says, "About the lowest accusation you could make against a man in that day would be to call him a 'Corinthian.'"^(F2)

Scholars feel that this book was written from Macedonia (7:5; 8:1; 9:2) somewhere between AD 55-57, probably a few months after he wrote 1 Corinthians. There is some evidence that it was written from Philippi.^(F3) There has been little doubt in the church that this epistle was authored by Paul (cf. 1:1; 10:1). He wrote it after meeting Titus in Macedonia and upon hearing of some progress at Corinth. Paul was greatly concerned about the church since he had sent them a very severe letter, which is now lost.

This book was quoted in the early second century by Polycarp, and later by Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian.^(F4) The book of 2 Corinthians has somehow been neglected by preachers and scholars. We are told that there are fewer commentaries written on this book than any other in the New Testament.^(F5) This is tragic, since it is in this book that Paul most clearly reveals himself and his calling. Tyndale author and editor Philip W. Comfort says, "With a passion unmatched in any of his other letters, Paul revealed his entire life to the Corinthians."^(F6) So, we learn things about Paul here that are not revealed in any other epistle. This alone is good reason for us to study this book.