2 Corinthians

This letter from Paul to the believers at Corinth is a sort of a follow-up from Paul to finish the task of setting the believers on what he considered to be the right path. Apparently, the installation of the Holy Spirit in these believers wasn't enough to get them acting the way Christians should act, so Paul decided he needed to teach them what the Holy Spirit couldn't teach. There are a few interesting items along the way.

2 Cor 2:17 - For we are not peddlers of God's word like so many; but in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence.
My, how things have changed over time! Paul may not have considered himself a peddler of his religion, but it has certainly become a big sales enterprise these days! How often do you see Buddhists selling shirts authorized by the family of one of their martyred youths?

2 Cor 3:5,6 - Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Of course, this sounds nice, but when you are free to abandon the letter of an agreement (covenant), you can claim with impunity that anything you want is within the "spirit" of the agreement - and no one will be able to gainsay you. Thus you have Martin Luther King and Hitler both claiming to work within the "spirit" of the Christian religion, and both were able to find many verses to support their claims. Not even Paul could have definitively said either was wrong, based on his statement here.

2 Cor 3:9-11 - For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, much more does the ministry of justification abound in glory! Indeed, what once had glory has lost its glory because of the greater glory; for if what was set aside came through glory, much more has the permanent come in glory!
Here's a sample of the sort of gibberish Paul liked to use. It's much like that of a politician who has nothing of substance to say, but has to speak some words to impress the simple minded. Toss in the word "glory" all around, add some exclamation points, and you've got a sermon that makes the believers feel like they've heard something exciting and profound, but it contains no real information.

2 Cor 3:14-16 - But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
Here's a common claim from Christians, that one can't truly understand the meaning of anything in the religion without first believing and becoming a Christian. This is similar to the attitude of a drug addict who believes that the world is much more beautiful while under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs. The mind gets a strong impression of the desired effect, but that doesn't change what's actually there.

2 Cor 4:2 - We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.
This sounds quite noble, but Paul has on many instances falsified Jewish scriptures, and has admitted to practicing cunning, in his determination to "be all things to all people." This person was far from being the paragon of virtue he tried to present himself as.

2 Cor 4:17,18 - For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
This is one of the most harmful concepts of the Christian religion, in my opinion. The thought that suffering in people's lives is not to be alleviated, because it somehow "prepares" them for a better afterlife (how can you improve on infinite happiness?) is reprehensible. Of course, this sort of idea is quite useful to those who tread down the poor and ignorant, as it keeps them in their place, thinking that they're going to be WELL PREPARED for their eternal happiness.

2 Cor 5:1,2 - For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling...
Paul was quite keen on wishing he was dead. I find it quite interesting that while he kept saying that he wished he was dead, it never entered his mind that he ought to kill himself. Having read the entire New Testament, I saw no statement anywhere that would put any sort of negative light on suicide, much less stating that it is forbidden. Which makes me wonder why he would talk so much about being eager to go to heaven, but never consider how to facilitate this move?

2 Cor 5:10 - For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.
I don't think this quite agrees with what Jesus taught. Jesus said that his whole idea was to keep people from being judged. Did Paul know something Jesus forgot to mention?

2 Cor 5:17 - So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
This sounds nice - if only it were true that becoming a believer would be like throwing a switch! However, even in Paul, the changes observed in his personality were slight (from what I read in the book of Acts and his various letters). Any "new creation" I've ever witnessed has been rather superficial, and hardly ever much of an improvement.

2 Cor 5:20 - So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
This reminds me of a passage in Judges, where Gideon's father, in defending his son against the wrath of some worshippers of Baal, said "If Baal is a true god, let him defend himself." In like manner, if God is able to communicate with Christians, surely he can communicate with anyone else, and therefore has no need for ambassadors, especially ones who can't clearly communicate what God wants the unbelievers to hear.

2 Cor 6:3 - We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry...
I suppose this depends on what you call an obstacle. Myself, I've seen in Paul's work an insistence that believers should accept only what he says as the word of God; he's stated that believers are authorized to judge everything, in direct conflict with Jesus' statement that only God can judge. Paul has condemned followers to death based only on rumor, claiming omniscience. I think there were more than a few obstacles and problems with his "ministry."

2 Cor 6:14-18 - Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship is there between light and darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
I find this interesting, not only because it reinforces the idea of the necessity for isolation common to most cults, but also because it appears to contradict the statement Paul made in 1 Corinthians about how believing spouses should remain married to their unbelieving partners. Here, Paul reverses course, telling believers to "come out from them" and not to even touch unbelievers, and treat them like dirt. What a fun life he must have led!

2 Cor 7:9-11 - Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance; for you felt a godly grief, so that you were not harmed in any way by us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves guiltless in the matter.
Now, this is just sick! Paul thinks that it's a great thing not only to experience grief and regret over one's past, but it gets even better if you keep going with it! It's ever better if you start to hate yourself, being eager to compensate for past sins, and, best of all, going in for punishment!

2 Cor 8:7,8 - Now as you excel in everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you -so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others.
I wonder which would be worse - for Paul to command these people to love the needy people in Jerusalem (that's the "generous undertaking" he's talking about), or to make it into a contest to see which group shows more love? Either way, his attitude about love is insulting and hurtful.

2 Cor 9:3-5 - But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you may not prove to have been empty in this case, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be; otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated-to say nothing of you-in this undertaking. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you, and arrange in advance for this bountiful gift that you have promised, so that it may be ready as a voluntary gift and not as an extortion.
It's clear that Paul is far more interested in keeping up appearances than in accepting the truth. How he could send his henchmen ahead to make sure the people of the Corinth church coughed up a good sum before Paul's arrival and NOT think it was extortion is beyond me. As you can see, Paul's personality really didn't change much after his "conversion."

2 Cor 9:11,12 - You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God.
Paul promises a pretty great reward in return for asked-for assistance in his mission of mercy to the victims of famine. I wonder if he really meant "enriched in EVERY way" - which I would expect would include monetarily (which is certainly one way everyone could be enriched)?

2 Cor 10:3-5 - Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards; for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.
If this isn't thought control, I can't imagine what would be. Any idea not approved by God is to be fought against as one would an enemy in a war. This was certainly done when the Christian movement held political ascendancy, from the time of the Emperor Constantine all the way to the end of the Dark Ages.

2 Cor 11:2-4 - I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough.
Paul doesn't want his followers to believe in just ANY old Jesus. He wants them to follow only what he said, and if anyone says Paul got it wrong, they are evil. The funny thing is that even Jesus (as quoted in the gospels) would fall into this category. Odd, isn't it?

2 Cor 11:13-15 - For such boasters are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is not strange if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. Their end will match their deeds.
So what were Paul's credentials in this test of veracity? No one knows for certain. There are lots of legends, but no real record of Paul's end. His deeds, as recorded in the Bible, are interesting enough. He was vain, controlling, judgmental, contentious and arrogant. He claimed to be god-like and held grudges against the earlier leaders of the religion. Personally, I don't think it put him in a very good light.

2 Cor 12:2-4 - I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven-whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person-whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows- was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat.
This is a rather silly attempt to "prove" that there is a heaven. Conveniently enough, this happened to some guy Paul knows. A long time ago. While he was there, he heard some really great things - but he wasn't allowed to say what it was he heard. However, Paul KNOWS that this really, really happened. Why? I think it's interesting that in Galatians, Paul mentions that he spent the first 14 years after his "conversion" away in a distant land, far from contact with the church of which he was supposed to have become a member. I have heard some preachers say that Paul was talking about himself. This leads to the question of why he put it this way?

2 Cor 12:7(b)-9 - Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Here, we see yet another instance of a believer (Paul - the ultimate believer, we're told) who is not given something he earnestly and repeatedly asked for from God. This contradicts the promises given in all the gospels that God would grant all requests by his special believers!

2 Cor 13:5 - Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!
I think it would be most interesting to see the results of such tests, if done honestly on the believers of today. How would you test a believer? Look at what Jesus said would be a result of belief in him. Greater miracles than Jesus himself performed, immunity from poison and snakes, the ability to cure all diseases, and so on. Anyone up for that?