God Delivers Us
Comments for Study 1
Pick to read this Bible passage in a separate window.
SORRY, THE COMMENTARY FOR THIS BOOK HAS NOT BEEN FINISHED.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF BOOKS THAT ARE COMPLETED.
I. Greetings (1:1-2)
>1. Who is the sender of this letter?
* 2 Corinthians 1:1 "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:"
* Paul wrote this letter to the new congregation at Corinth shortly after he wrote the first one. He wrote it in the middle of his third missionary journey in 56 AD while residing in the Roman province of Macedonia. Paul wanted to visit Corinth to the south again, but had not done so and thus explains and apologized for his delays.
Verses 21 and 22 are moving. God makes me "stand firm in Christ. He anointed (me), set his seal of ownership on (me), and put his Spirit in (my) heart as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." God's grace is wonderful and precious.
I am not the one who does any of this. God does it all. I am weak in faith and my actions prove it. Yet God in his grace makes me stand firm in Christ.
When I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior and asked him to take full control of my life God anointed me with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit entered me. It was something entirely new to me. It was pleasant, loving, powerful, and warm. I was anointed.
Seals of ownership are used to this day. A rancher's seal of ownership is called a brand. He or she puts the brand on a metal plate. The plate is heated and pressed against the steer hide. This burns the brand on the steer. The brand is a claim of ownership.
God burned his brand on my hide. This is what happened when I first believed. God branded me with the Holy Spirit. Now when the Holy Spirit moves in my spirit just as he did the day I first believed, I know that I am his and he is mine. I feel his guarantee of what is to come. These movements are small in comparison to what is to come. With them, I am encouraged to continue in troubles and hardship just as Paul did.
*
>How does he identify himself?
* "an apostle of Christ Jesus"
*
*
*
*
*
>Why has he been appointed this?
* "by the will of God"
*
*
*
*
*
>Who was with him? (Acts 18:1-5; and 2 Cor. 1:19; and 1 Cor. 1:1, 4:17, 16:10-11)
* Acts 18:1-5 "After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ."
* 2 Corinthians 1:19 "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes."
* 1 Corinthians 1:1 "Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,"
* 1 Corinthians 4:17 "For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church."
* 1 Corinthians 16:10-11 "If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should refuse to accept him. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers."
* "and Timothy our brother"
*
*
>2. Which congregation is the recipient?
* "To the church of God in Corinth"
*
*
>How are they identified?
* "the church of God"
*
*
*
*
>What does "church" mean?
* "church"
*
*
*
*
>Who else is this addressed to?
* "together with all the saints throughout Achaia"
*
*
*
*
>3. What is the true source of grace and peace mean? (2)
* 2 Corinthians 1:2 "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
* "Grace"
* "peace"
* "from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ"
*
>How can we receive them? (John 1:14-18)
* "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known."
*
*
*
*
II. The God of All Comfort (1:3-11)
>4. To whom does Paul give praise? (3)
* 2 Corinthians 1:3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,"
* ""Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"
*
*
*
>Why is God referred to as the Father of Jesus? (Luke 1:34-37; Matt. 3:16-17, 17:5; John 17:24)
* Luke 1:34-37 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
* Matthew 3:16-17 "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
* Matthew 17:5 "While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!""
* John 17:24 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."
*
>How is God described here?
* "the Father of compassion"
* "the God of all comfort"
*
*
*
>How does God's gift of comfort work in our lives of faith? (4)
* 2 Corinthians 1:4 "who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."
*
*
*
*
>5. What does it mean that "the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives"? (5; and 1 Peter 4:12-17)
* 2 Corinthians 1:5 "For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
* 1 Peter 4:12-17 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?"
*
*
*
>What else overflows into our lives?
* "so also through Christ our comfort overflows"
*
*
*
*
>What is one way that unity between Christ's followers is manifested? (6-7)
* 2 Corinthians 1:6-7 "If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."
*
*
*
*
>6. As the gospel was preached in the Roman province of Asia what happened? (8)
* 2 Corinthians 1:8 "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life."
*
*
*
*
>What is a reason Christians suffer as they preach the gospel? (9)
* 2 Corinthians 1:9 "Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead."
*
*
*
*
>What is true about God's deliverance? (10)
* 2 Corinthians 1:10 "He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,"
*
*
*
>What happens when we pray "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"? (11; Matt. 6:10)
* 2 Corinthians 1:11 "as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."
* Matthew 6:10 "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
*
*
*
III. Paul's Plans Change (1:12-2:4)
>7. In what did Paul and his companions boast? (12)
* 2 Corinthians 1:12 "Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace."
* "Now this is our boast"
* "Our conscience testifies"
* "we have conducted ourselves in the world"
* "especially in our relations with you"
* "in the holiness and sincerity that are from God"
>How does God make it possible for us to also do that?
* "not according to worldly wisdom"
* "but according to God's grace"
*
*
*
>How does Bible study help? (13)
* 2 Corinthians 1:13 "For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that,"
*
*
*
*
>What is the day of the Lord Jesus? (14)
* 2 Corinthians 1:14 "as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus."
* "in the day of the Lord Jesus"
*
*
>How will our witness to unbelievers and service for the fellowship of believers be rewarded? (Matt. 16:27; and 2 Tim. 4:6-8)
* Matthew 16:27 "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done."
* 2 Timothy 4:6-8 "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
* "we will boast of you"
* 1 Thessalonians 5:2 "for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."
* 1 Corinthians 1:7-8 "Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."
>8. What plan did Paul seriously make? (15-17)
* 2 Corinthians 1:15-17 "Because I was confident of this, I planned to visit you first so that you might benefit twice.
16 I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea.
17 When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say, "Yes, yes" and "No, no"?"
*
*
*
*
>What kind of decision must be made in regard to Jesus? (18-19)
* 2 Corinthians 1:18-19 "But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No." For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes."
*
*
*
*
>When God makes a promise what should our response be? (20)
* 2 Corinthians 1:20 "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God."
*
*
*
*
>9. What does it mean to "stand firm in Christ"? (21a)
* 2 Corinthians 1:21 "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ."
*
*
*
*
>How does God enable us to stand firm? (21b-22)
* 2 Corinthians 1:22 "He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
* "He anointed us"
* "set his seal of ownership on us"
* "put his Spirit in our hearts"
*
>What is a deposit and how is the Spirit in our hearts one?
* "as a deposit"
* "guaranteeing"
* "what is to come"
*
*
>10. Since Paul knew the essence of the Christian faith how did he see his mission? (23-24)
* 2 Corinthians 1:23-24 "I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm."
*
*
*
*
>How did this dictate his decision on visiting the Corinthian believers? (2:1-2)
* 2 Corinthians 2:1=2 "So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved?"
*
*
*
*
>How did this dictate the content of 1 Corinthians? (3-4)
* 2 Corinthians 2:3-4 "I wrote as I did so that when I came I should not be distressed by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you."
*
*
*
*
|
