College Press Publishing

The city of Corinth was a busy place. The economy was better than average due to the sea-merchant trade. The inhabitants of Corinth honored many pagan gods. The elements of unholy worship, a fluid populance, and abundant money compound the many problems that crept into this church. New leaders began to question the authority of Paul, or at least the intentions Paul might have for the collection that was for the saints in Jerusalem. This apostolic letter was sent to a church in need of specific instruction and encouragement.

This is possibly the fourth letter from Paul to the Christians in Corinth. A lost letter is rederred to in 1 Corinthians 5:9. It preceded and spurred the questions answered in 1 Corinthians. At a later time when questions arose about the collection and Paul's apostolic authority, a third letter commonly known as the "severe letter" was dispatched (2 Corinthians 7:8). Second Corinthians is in part a letter of joy, for a report came to Paul that the Corinthians had rejected the troublemakers and wished to rejoin themselves to him.

Heart and passion rise to the surface in this letter. Not wanting to boast about himself, Paul indicates that the Corinthians themselves were his letter of recommendation. He appealed to thier firsthand knowledge and experience. Paul also recounted the tribulations he endured to keep spreading the gospel.

The undermining of Paul's apostolic authority provides the backdrop to many issues in this letter. His concerns include:
- Will the Corinthians even listen since he has been away?
- Will a repentant man be restored to fellowship?
- Will the collection falter, or at Paul's encouragement will it pick up
new enthusiasm?

Biblical history recourds that the collection was completed, confirming that the Corinthians embraced Paul as their spiritual leader in Christ.