About 2 Corinthians
God's power is made perfect in weakness - the sufferings of apostolic ministry are not contradictions of God's favor but the vehicle through which Christ's resurrection power is displayed.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
2 Corinthians 12:9
Written
circa AD 55-56
Author
Paul
Genre
Epistle / Apologetic
Position
8th NT book - Paul's Letters
Authorship
The Apostle Paul, written from Macedonia after a painful intermediate visit to Corinth. 2 Corinthians is the most autobiographical and emotionally charged of Paul's letters - revealing his vulnerabilities and his apostolic theology of weakness.
Historical Context
After 1 Corinthians, the situation in Corinth deteriorated. False apostles arrived challenging Paul's authority, the congregation rebelled, and Paul visited painfully. This letter comes after a partial reconciliation.
Purpose
To defend his apostolic ministry against false apostles, to explain why suffering and weakness are the marks of authentic ministry, and to appeal for complete reconciliation.
Key Message
God's power is made perfect in weakness - the sufferings of apostolic ministry are not contradictions of God's favor but the vehicle through which Christ's resurrection power is displayed.
Book Structure
Interesting Facts
2 Corinthians 12:9 - My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness - is among the most comforting verses in the NT.
Paul's thorn in the flesh (12:7) has been debated for 2,000 years - with candidates including eye disease, epilepsy, and chronic depression.
Paul's fool's boast (chs. 11-12) satirizes the false apostles' credentials by listing his own sufferings instead of his achievements.
2 Corinthians 5:17 - If anyone is in Christ, new creation - is one of the most concise summaries of the gospel's transformative power.