Day 332 Reading Schedule: 2 Corinthians 1-4 

2 Corinthians 1: Paul's Comments on the Misunderstandings of the Saints 

[Overview] 

Compared to 1 Corinthians or other letters, this book is a letter with a prominent personal nature, with many references to Paul himself. It mainly consists of the content defending his apostolic ministry, focusing on the relationship between the church in Corinth and himself. This chapter is the opening part of Paul's second letter with such content, and is divided into two parts. The first paragraph consists of greetings and thanks to God for saving him from death and suffering (verses 1-11), and the second paragraph records Paul's apostolic appearance in justifying his change of travel to the Corinthians (verses 12-24). Through this chapter, we can see Paul's meticulous consideration for the benefit of the entire church and the faith of the saints. 

 2 Corinthians 2: Church Discipline and Aftermath

[Summary]

One of the reasons Paul wrote this book was to remove the misunderstandings about him among the Corinthians. That is why he continues to explain the change in his travel plans in this chapter. This is because of his love for the Corinthian church, and because he intended to remove attempts to slander him by exploiting the fact that his travel plans had changed. Then, Paul changes the subject and advises them to forgive the problematic person in the Corinthian church. The purpose of punishment in the church is not to punish the mind or the punishment itself, but to lead to repentance and salvation. In addition, Paul uses the intermission to reveal that he left for Magenonia to meet Titus after sending his tearful letter. This chapter is divided into the reasons for the change in travel plans (verses 1-4), forgiveness for those who have done wrong (verses 5-11), and the fragrance of Christ (verses 12-17).

 2 Corinthians 3: Paul, the Worker of the New Covenant

[Summary]

Paul, who explained in the previous chapter the circumstances that led him to write the letter of tears, begins to explain in depth his ministry as an apostle and what he believes, with joy and a sense of victory over the restoration of the Corinthian church. In this chapter, the issue of apostolic authority is seriously addressed. An apostle refers to a person sent by Christ to spread the gospel and expand the kingdom of God. Therefore, Paul emphasizes his apostleship even more through his ministry. Paul also quoted the Old Testament several times in his arguments with his opponents. In order for the Corinthians to awaken and strengthen their faith through his letter, Paul summarizes and explains the essence of Christianity, which is opposed to the claims of false apostles, in this chapter. The content of this chapter is divided into two parts. The first paragraph deals with the issue of Paul's letter of recommendation, and the ministry of the old covenant and the ministry of the new covenant are contrasted and explained (verses 1-6). In the second paragraph, Paul emphasizes the excellence of the new covenant by contrasting the glory of Moses with the glory of Christ (vv. 7-18).

2 Corinthians 4: Suffering and Blessing

[Summary]

The reason Paul especially emphasizes the glory and sacredness of his apostolic ministry is because his ministry was unusually accompanied by suffering and trials. From his letters, we can see that Paul suffered much in carrying out his gospel ministry. This chapter describes the glory and suffering of the apostolic ministry with excellent literary style. Paul knew more about Christ’s suffering than anyone else. He suffered as Christ suffered in carrying out his gospel ministry. He also proclaimed the message that God’s comfort overflows to those who suffer for Christ, which reveals the core of the gospel that suffering does not end with suffering alone. This chapter is largely divided into two parts. In the first paragraph, Paul continues to defend the glory of his apostleship (vv. 1-6), and in the second paragraph, he speaks of the eternal glory that the saints will share in through their sufferings (vv. 7-18).