2 Corinthians: Introduction

The History of Corinth

Location, location, location...Corinth sat on an important isthmus.

Greece is divided in two by an Isthmus that forms the only connection between northern and southern Greece; Corinth was the city built on this Isthmus.
Corinth was an important Greek city well before Rome, factoring into the Peloponnesian Wars acting as head of the Achaen League against Rome.
As such, Rome destroyed the city in 146BC when Greece was conquered.

Refounded as a Roman City In 44 BC

Corinth was refounded as a Roman city by a decree of Julius Caesar in 44 BC and was populated with Romans.
This meant that Corinth was primarily a Roman city even though it was in Greece.

The Character of Corinth

Corinth's economy was trade based, leading to cultural plurality and economic disparity.

Corinth was a hub for trade due to it's location

Road between Northern and southern Greece
Road between Adriatic and Aegean

- sailing around greece was dangerous for 1rst century craft due to sudden storms and dangerous winds (esp in winter).
- corinth had a paved round (the diolkos) which linked harbors on the east and west sides; cargo and light ships were dragged from one side to the other.

strabo says concerning corinth

corinth is called 'wealthy' because of its commerce, since it is situated on the isthmus and is master of two harbors, of which the one leads straight to asia, and the other to italy; and it makes easy the exchange of merchandise from both countries that are so far distant from each other.

Corinth had significant economic inequalities (conflict between rich/poor caused problems in the church; see 1 Cor 11)

corinth had varying social statuses : there were wealthy business men, roman veterans, freed slaves, and foreigners in abundance.
anecdote potentially illustrating the insecure character of the "succesful freedman"...there is a monument with the inscription "gnaeus babbius philinus, aedile and pontifex, had this monument erected at his own expense, and he approved it in his official capacity of duovir". this is an example (?) of the insecure nature of the wealthy freedman, apparently a theme recognized in the ancient world.
- note that corinth had around 250,000 people at about the time of paul

Corinth was Roman in culture

Corinth had Roman attitudes regarding marriage (thus 1 Cor 7) and sex (slightly looser than our's, thus 1 Cor 6, 2 Cor 12:21)

Marriage and Divorce

Marriage and reproduction were encouraged by roman law.
divorce was also rampant and expected - divorce was common and without stigma (caesers divorced too).
1 corinthians 7 (concerning marriage and divorce makes sense in this context)

Sex

sexual immorality seems to have been somewhat normal without being encouraged by any cultural structure.
sexual patterns seem rather similar to current ideas - prostitutes were common and easy to find, adultery (etc) was frequent and common, but it is not encouraged either.

Corinth's value of rhetoric valued form over substance; thus 1 Cor 1-4 [esp 2:1-5], 2 Cor 10:10

rhetoric was the art of persuassion; as such, the emphasis was on ability rather than on truthfulness.
it is argued that rome was a highly relativistic society; it is at least true that 'polish' was terribly important.
Paul is often attacked for not following these patterns; see 1 Cor 1-4 [esp 2:1-5] and 2 Cor 10:10

Corinth was religiously diverse; thus 1 Cor 8-10

As throughout the empire, a wide variety of religions and beliefs could be found.
Jews, Pagans, and all manner of other eastern cults were present (and seemed to have influenced the Church).

Roman patronage meant that Paul was wary of receiving support for his ministry; thus 2 Cor 11:7-11, 12:14-18

social and political power in Rome worked via a system called patronage.
a wealth person (the patron) would provide favors (money, opportunity, etc) to 'clients', who were expected to loyally support the patron (providing political power and social standing to the patron).
paul provided for himself while in corinth by working as a tent maker; this meant that he avoided the control of a patron (and the resulting perceptions of obligation) but that he also evaded being viewed as similar to the professional rhetoraticions (who would argue in 'wisdom' for their patrons).

Patronage may have also encourage the factionalism of 1 Cor 1-4 (esp 1:12)

Basically, Corinth was very similar to a modern city: driven by commerce and the pursuit of wealth, relativistic in culture, and somewhat free in morals.

1. Paul Visits Corinth For The First Time - Acts 18

Paul spends a year and a half founding the church of Corinth on his second missionary journey (Corinth concludes the journey).
Date : 51/52 AD

2. Paul Leaves Corinth - Acts 19:10

Paul leaves Corinth for Ephesus; he then journies back to Ceasarea and Antioch. His then begins his third missionary journey and comes back to Ephesus, spending at least two years there (Acts 19:10).
Most people assign the writing of 1 Corinthians as well as any additional Corinthian letters written before 2 Corinthians to this period, as well as any intermediate visits to Corinth.

3. Paul Writes First Letter To Corinth - Referenced in 1 Cor 5:9

Usually assumed to be written during Paul's stay in Ephesus (Acts 19), as Paul received both letters from the Corinthians as well as news of their doings from Chloe's people (1 Cor 1:11). This indicates a relatively static location, most likely Ephesus.

4. Paul Writes Second Letter To Corinth - 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians reveals that the Corinthians had received Paul's first letter and had misinterpreted part of it (1 Cor 5:9). 1 Corinthians also answers questions raised by the Corinthians (1 Cor 7:1) and addresses issues revealed by "Chloe's people" (1:11).
Paul also states that 1 Corinthians was written from Ephesus (1 Cor 16:8). A visit to Corinth by Timothy most likely followed this letter as mentioned in 1 Cor 1:4:17
Date : 55 AD?

5. Paul Visits Corinth (Probable)

(This visit is inferred and its details are guesswork).
Paul seems to have visited Corinth between 1 and 2 Corinthians. 1 Cor speaks of his intention to visit them to pick up their collection from Jerusalem, 2 Cor seems to indicate that he had communicated to them that he had intended to visit them twice but changed his mind after a painful visit.

1 Cor 16:5 "But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia"

2 Cor 1:15,16 "In this confidence I intended at first to come to you, so that you might twice receive a blessing; that is, to pass your way into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be helped on my journey to Judea."
2 Cor 1:23 "But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth."

While on this visit, Paul seems to have sustained some insult (2 Cor 1:15-23, 2:5-11, 7:12). (Note : It is also possible that these passages refer to the 'immoral brother' and are unrelated to the 'sorrow' (2 cor 2:1-4) that caused Paul to abandon his second visit.)
Further Details :

As mentioned, Paul says in 2 Cor 1 that he had intended to visit Corinth -> Macedonia -> Corinth, but after his painful visit, he did not return to Corinth. This change in travel plans has posed something of a problem for some of the Corinthians, forcing Paul to defend his change of plans as not indicating a vacillating purpose.
Some argue that the travel plan outlined in 1 Cor (Ephesus -> Macedonia -> Corinth) was the revealing of the change in travel plans, but there is evidence that Paul informed the Corinthians of his desire to see them before and after Macedonia after 1 Corinthians (in the probably second visit), changing his plan to only visit Corinth once to avoid a second painful visit as described in 2 Cor 1. That seems to answer the charges addressed in 2 Cor 1 more effectively (in my opinion), assuming that the 'severe letter' spoken of in 2 Corinthians was not in fact 1 Corinthians.

6. Paul Writes Third Letter To Corinth (The Severe Letter) - Referenced in 2 Cor 2:5-11

Paul writes a 'severe letter' to the Corinthians urging them to deal with the one who had caused Paul some personal offense (2 Cor 2:5-11, 7:5-13). Some argue that 1 Cor is this letter, but I don't believe that there is much support for this as 1 Cor carries no identification of Titus (who carried this letter), nor does the letter seem to match the content of 1 Cor. The rebuke of 1 Cor 5 is a possible tie, but there is little reason for Paul to personally forgive the offense in 1 Cor 5 (Paul also mentions their 'zeal for him' as a comfort in the context of their receiving his rebuke).

7. Titus Visits Corinth (Carrying Paul's 'Severe Letter'?) (referenced in 2 Cor 2:12, 7:5-7)

Titus visits Corinth with a message from Paul which caused them sorrow; the Corinthians had responded favorably to Titus however and had repented (2 Cor 7:9). Titus may have also brought news of two new issues :

- the slowing or ceasation in the collection for the Jerusalem Church
- the

This news from Titus forms the basis for the writing of 2 Corinthians.

8. Paul Leaves Ephesus For Macedonia (To Find Titus And To Collect The Money Raised For Jerusalem) - Acts 20:1-3

Paul leaves Ephesus in turmoil about the Corinthians, finding 'no rest in Troas' (2 Cor 2:12) and moving on to Macedonia where Titus meets him (2 Cor 7:5 and 8:1 indicate that Paul has at least made it to Macedonia).

9. Paul Writes Fourth Letter To Corinth - 2 Corinthians

Titus finds Paul in Macedonia and brings him news of Corinth. Paul writes 2 Corinthians in response to the news brought by Titus. This means that 2 Corinthians is written (at least in part) from Macedonia (2 Cor 2:13).
Date : 56 AD?

10. Paul Visits Corinth Again, Then Takes Collection To Jerusalem

After visiting Corinth for 3 months (Acts 20:3), Paul ends up travelling back through Macedonia rather than sailing from Corinth due to a plot from the Jews (Acts 20:3).

Familiarity with the context of 2 Corinthians is key to understanding the book.