2 Corinthians - Introduction

      This Epistle naturally divides itself into three parts. In the first part, embracing chapters 1-7 , the Apostle portrays his feelings over the condition of matters in Corinth, his anxiety, and his relief after the coming of Titus; in chapters 8, 9 , the second part, he takes up the great collection of the Gentile churches for the poor at Jerusalem on which he had so deeply set his heart; in the third part, chapters 10-13 , he repels the insinuations of Judaizing teachers who were seeking, not only in Corinth but everywhere, to destroy Paul's influence so as to bring the churches under the bondage of the Jewish law. In this section he presents those wonderful details concerning what his service of Christ had cost him in earthly sufferings. The whole letter is written in the expectation of soon being at Corinth, an expectation which we know from Acts, chapter 20 was realized.