Friday, March 27, 2026
Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Welcome to our thirteenth presentation in this series on Saint Paul and the Church in the city of Corinth in southern Greece. Today we will examine Paul’s fourth and final correspondence with the Church in Corinth.
Episode 13: The Letter of Comfort (II Corinthians 1-6, 7-9).
Paul has arrived in Macedonia, perhaps in Philippi, because he tired of waiting for Titus on the Asia Minor side of the straights at Troas (II Corinthians 2:12-13). The 20th century Scottish scholar, William Barclay (The Letters to the Corinthians , pp. 224-225) gives a good summary of where Paul stood at this point:
Things had gone wrong in Corinth. In an attempt to mend them Paul had paid a flying visit which only made them worse and nearly broke his heart. After the failure of the visit he had dispatched Titus with a letter of quite exceptional sternness and severity. He was so worried about the outcome of the whole unhappy business that he was quite unable to rest at Troas although there was much there that he might have done, so he set out to meet Titus to get the news as quickly as possible. He met Titus somewhere in Macedonia and learned to his overflowing joy that the trouble was over, the breach was healed and all was well. That is the background of the events against which this passage must be read and it makes it very rich.
Perhaps some of this fourth piece of correspondence had already been written when Titus arrived from Corinth with his good news. II Corinthians, chapters one to six and seven are Paul’s attempts to achieve healing and unity and communion with his beloved community. Then chapters eight and nine seek the unity of the entire Church by enlisting Corinth’s full participation in the collection for the Christians in Jerusalem.
Paul’s self-presentation here is quite personal and even passionate. There is not a lot of theological development in these first seven chapters, except that Paul clearly wants to demonstrate the God’s power can work through his or anyone’s weaknesses.
This is clearly founded on the example of Christ himself, who achieved life and resurrection through death on the cross, a paradox that remains. Rather, Paul asks the Corinthians to be the Church, at one with each other and with him. Unfortunately, we really do not learn very much about who was opposing Paul, but it clearly affected him deeply.
At the opening (1:1-11), Paul and Timothy are together, most likely in Philippi or some other area of Macedonia. Paul’s other companion, Sosthenes, must have stayed in Ephesus. Paul’s greeting sets the tone for the whole letter. Ten times he uses the word, “Encouragement,” or as it is often translated, “Comfort,” (in Greek the noun, paraklesis, or the verb, parakalein, are elsewhere used to describe the Holy Spirit. This word group appears 25 times in chapters one to nine). Paul wants to achieve reconciliation, another term which will appear frequently a bit later, and support for his beloved community.
He points out that he also has experienced affliction. This is perhaps regarding some trial he experienced recently in Ephesus. Paul asks for their prayers. Any trials are really tied to the sufferings of Christ in the hope of his continued rescue of us. This becomes the context for Paul’s difficulties in his relationship with the Corinthians, which he now goes on to handle.
Paul (1:12-2:13) tries to explain his doing and undoing of travel plans to Corinth. Apparently, he was to sail across the Aegean from Ephesus to Corinth and then walk up to Macedonia and then walk back to Corinth on his way to take the collection to the Holy Land for the poor Christians there. But he changed plans. Apparently, some in Corinth see him as fickle. However, Paul wants it known to them that what had happened to him on his brief visit to Corinth and the “tearful” letter he sent to them made him unsure that such a visit would be wise. That is why he waited for Titus to see how things turned out as a result of his “tearful” letter.
What exactly happened that was so offensive to Paul we don’t know, but the “tearful” letter must have challenged the Corinthians to address the situation, which they seem to have done, perhaps even overdone, leading Paul here to call for forgiveness.
Paul concludes that he waited in Troas on the Asia Minor side for Titus but then crossed over to Macedonia where they finally met and Paul received the good news which led to the writing of this current letter, second Corinthians.
Paul is clear that he is not being duplicitous. Paul wants to underline his own sincerity toward the people in Corinth. He is trying to battle, it seems, any charges of hypocrisy on his part.
Until next week, may God bless you.
+ Earl Boyea
Bishop of Lansing
P.S. Here is a video version of this week's talk. Please do share with friends and family. Thank you.