The Second Letter to the Corinthians

by Mark A. Seifrid

The Edition

Series editor: D. A. Carson

Publication

Publisher: Apollos
Co-publisher: Inter-Varsity Press
Series: The Pillar New Testament Commentary (PNTC)
Date published: October 2014

The Physical Book

Binding: Hardcover
Dust jacket: Yes
Total pages: 535 pages
ISBN-13: 9780802837394
ISBN-10: 0802837395
LCCN: 2014012059

Reference

Notes: Paginated xxxiv + 535; retailers quote 569 pages, which is the two added together. Seifrid reads 2 Corinthians as a single letter rather than the composite of fragments it is often taken for, and takes its target to be what he calls the practical atheism of the Corinthian church — the assumption that God's work can be measured by visible success. Written while he was still at Southern Seminary, the year before he moved to Concordia.

Editor's Preface
Author's Preface
Abbreviations
Bibliography
Introduction
- I. Before and after Second Corinthians
- II. Paul's Opponents in Corinth and the Purpose of Second Corinthians
- III. The Integrity of Second Corinthians
- IV. The Theology of Second Corinthians
Commentary
- I. The Opening of the Letter: The Call to Fellowship with the Apostle in Christ (1:1–2:17)
  - A. Prescript (1:1-2)
    1. Superscript (1:1a)
    2. Address (1:1b)
    3. Grace-Pronouncement (1:2)
  - B. The Apostolic Benediction of God (1:3-7)
  - C. The Apostolic Report: The Deliverance from Trouble and the Trouble with the Corinthians (1:8–2:17)
    1. Trouble and Deliverance in Asia (1:8-11)
    2. The Trouble with the Corinthians: The Broken Promise of the Apostle (1:12–2:17)
    a. Paul's Boast in Simplicity and Purity (1:12-14)
    b. The Word of the Apostle as the Yes of God (1:15-22)
    c. Paul's Failure to Visit and His Love for the Corinthians (1:23–2:4)
    d. Forgiveness for the Offender (2:5-11)
    e. Paul's Concern for the Corinthians (2:12-13)
    f. Paul's Thanksgiving to God (2:14-17)
- II. The Body of the Letter: The Apostolic Mission and the Apostle in Mission (3:1–7:16)
  - A. The Apostolic Mission: The New Covenant as the Audacity of Apostolic Hope (3:1-18)
    Excursus: Paul's Opponents in Corinth and the Purpose of the Letter
    1. The Corinthians as Paul's Commendation (3:1-3)
    2. The New Covenant as Paul's Sufficiency (3:4-11)
    Excursus: Paul's Understanding of “Covenant”
    Excursus: The Letter and the Spirit in Recent Interpretation
    3. The Apostle and the Church in the Freedom of the Spirit (3:12-18)
  - B. The Apostle in Mission: God's Agent as the Bearer of God's Saving Work (4:1–7:16)
    1. The Apostle as Proclaimer of Christ (4:1-15)
    a. The Light of the Gospel in the Heart of the Apostle (4:1-6)
    b. The Earthen Vessel and the Word of Faith (4:7-15)
    2. The Apostle as Bearer of Hope (4:16–5:10)
    a. The Eternal Weight of Glory (4:16-18)
    b. The Dwelling from Heaven (5:1-5)
    c. The Confidence of Faith (5:6-10)
    3. The Apostle as Agent of Reconciliation (5:11-21)
    a. The Apostle as the Opportunity for Corinthian Boasting (5:11-13)
    b. The Love of Christ in the Reckoning of the Apostle (5:14-17)
    c. The Ministry of Reconciliation (5:18-21)
    4. The Appeal to the Corinthians (6:1–7:16)
    a. The Appeal to Receive God's Grace (6:1-10)
    Excursus: Paul's List of Hardships — and the Works of God
    b. The Appeal to Receive Paul as Apostle (6:11–7:16)
    (1) The Appeal for Reciprocation from the Corinthians (6:11-13)
    (2) The Appeal to Break with the Opponents (6:14–7:1)
    (3) The Appeal from the Reception of Titus (7:2-16)
    (a) Paul's Appeal and Joy (7:2-4)
    (b) Titus's Arrival (7:5-7)
    (c) The Letter That Brought Grief (7:8-13a)
    (d) Titus's Joy (7:13b-16)
- III. The Closing of the Letter: The Call to Simplicity (8:1–13:14)
  - A. The Collection as the Confession of the Gospel (8:1–9:15)
    1. Encouragement to Complete the Collection (8:1-24)
    a. The Grace of Giving in Macedonia (8:1-6)
    b. The Appeal to the Corinthians (8:7-15)
    c. The Gift-Delegation (8:16-24)
    2. Instruction concerning the Collection (9:1-15)
    a. The Promised Blessing and the Macedonians (9:1-5)
    b. Giving and the Indescribable Gift (9:6-15)
  - B. The Legitimation of Paul as Apostle (10:1–13:14)
    1. Paul's Lowly Appeal and Bold Assertion of Authority (10:1-18)
    a. The Lowly Appeal to Be Bold (10:1-6)
    b. The Bold Assertion of Authority (10:7-11)
    c. The Corinthians as the Boast of the Apostle (10:12-18)
    2. Paul's Foolish Boasting (11:1–12:13)
    a. The Reasons for Paul's Foolishness (11:1-15)
    (1) Paul's First Request to Be Foolish: Parental Concern (11:1-4)
    (2) Paul's Equality with the Super-apostles — and More (11:5-15)
    b. Paul's Rejection of Boasting — and Paul's Boasting (11:16–12:10)
    (1) Paul's Second Request to Be Foolish (11:16-21)
    (2) Paul's “Super-qualifications”: The Fool's Speech (11:22–12:10)
    (a) Paul the Jew (11:22)
    (b) Paul the Messenger of Christ (11:23-29)
    (c) Paul the Wonder-Worker and the Escape from Damascus (11:30-33)
    (d) The Heavenly Revelations and the Thorn in the Flesh (12:1-10)
    c. Paul's Confession of Foolishness (12:11-13)
    3. Paul's Preparation for the Third Visit (12:14–13:14)
    a. Paul's Love and His Purpose of Edification (12:14-21)
    (1) Paul's Parental Love and the Corinthian Suspicions (12:14-18)
    (2) The Contention Reframed (12:19-21)
    b. Paul's Threat of Severity and His Call to Self-Examination (13:1-10)
    (1) Paul's Threat of Severity (13:1-4)
    (2) The Call to Self-Examination (13:5-10)
    c. Closing Exhortations, Greetings, and Grace-Pronouncement (13:11-14)
Indexes
- I. Authors
- II. Hebrew Old Testament
- III. Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) with Apocrypha
- IV. New Testament
- V. Extrabiblical Literature

The Edition

Publication

The Physical Book

Reference

Contents