1 From Confrontation to Growth 2 Corinthians 13:1-14
2 From Confrontation to Growth Text: 2 Corinthians 13:1-14, 1. This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 2. I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: 3. Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to youward is not weak, but is mighty in you. 4. For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. 5. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. 7. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. 8. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9. For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. 10. Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. 11. Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 12. Greet one another with an holy kiss.
3 13. All the saints salute you. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. Introduction: I. Paul was planning a return visit to Corinth and he wanted the Christians there to set their house in order before he arrived. A. 2 Kings 20:1, In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. B. We must keep our house in order for of that day and hour knows no man. C. The Corinthian church had many problems. Their repentance or lack thereof would determine if Paul would come with a stick or with love in a spirit of gentleness. D. 2 Corinthians 13:11,... put things in order. II. As we come to the end of Paul s Second Corinthians letter/epistle, the Apostle continues to appeal to the Corinthians for reconciliation and unity. Commentary: 2 Corinthians 13:1, This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. I. Paul s forthcoming planned visit to Corinth would be his third visit to that city.
4 A. Paul established the church in Corinth on his first visit. B. Paul likely made a second visit between the time he wrote First Corinthians and the time he wrote Second Corinthians. C. Little is known of the events surrounding this second visit of Paul to Corinth. II. When Paul arrived for the third visit, if they did not repent, a church court would be convened with Paul as judge. A. All facts regarding problems which troubled the Corinthian church would be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. B. Under Jewish law, no person could be put to death on the word of a single witness. C. Numbers 35:30, Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. D. Deuteronomy 19:15, One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. E. Matthew 18:16, But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. F. Paul planned a showdown. The troubles at Corinth would not be allowed to drag on any longer.
5 G. Every word/fact was to be verified and justice was to be done. Paul was going to end the Corinthians church disorder. 2 Corinthians 13:2, I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: I. Paul here makes it clear that his judgment would be severe. A. Paul had warned the evil doers time and again! B. To the evil doers and the unrighteous at Corinth, Paul gave warning: I will not spare! 2 Corinthians 13:3, Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. I. This verse is a definite affirmation of Paul s inspiration and asserts that a rejection of Paul is a rejection of the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ. II. Some of Paul s enemies had evidently been saying that Paul talked/wrote big, but in person he was weak/powerless. III. Paul promised to visit Corinth and to discipline the evil doers in the sternest manner. 2 Corinthians 13:4, For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. I. Jesus was crucified because of human weakness, inherent in his incarnation, but he lives through the power of God.
6 II. Paul regarded himself as weak in Christ, but asserted that he would be strong through the power of God in delivering severe punishment on the Corinthian sinners. III. Paul was going to put aside his patience and forebearance and exercise the full power of his apostolic office against the wicked at Corinth. IV. Some believe Paul is threatening supernatural judgment such as that which befell Elymas. A. Acts 13:6-12, And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 13:5, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? I. Paul had been called upon to prove himself by the demonstration of his apostolic power.
7 II. Paul stated that the disciples of Corinth should try themselves/prove themselves to determine if they were faithful. A. Christ was still in the Corinthian church... B. although Christ was not with the reprobate members of the Corinthian church. 2 Corinthians 13:6, But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. I. Paul wrote that he hoped the Corinthian Christians would realize that he was not reprobate. II. If Paul who preached the gospel at Corinth were reprobate, all those Paul converted were reprobate as he was their father in the gospel. 2 Corinthians 13:7, Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. I. Paul prayed to God that the Corinthians would: A. do no evil. B. do what is honorable. II. This righteous conduct of the faithful at Corinth was not designed to make Paul appear in a better light. III. Paul wanted the Corinthians to be faithful even though it would make him appear to be reprobate/a false apostle. A. Reprobate means unworthy, unacceptable, evil, morally corrupt, condemned, depraved.
8 2 Corinthians 13:8, For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. I. The apostles could not exercise their miraculous power in opposition to the truth, but only in support of the gospel. II. If the Corinthian church set things in order before Paul s arrival, no awesome display of apostolic power would be needed. 2 Corinthians 13:9, For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. I. Paul did not rejoice in the weakness of any of his converts, certainly not the Corinthians. A. Paul longed/prayed for the perfecting of the saints, for their increase in spiritual strength. B. If it were a matter of Paul s being weak or the Corinthians being spiritually weak, Paul would have preferred his weakness to theirs. C. Paul had rather return to Corinth in humble patience and love than in strong demonstration of apostolic power upon evil doers. D. The Corinthians were Paul s spiritual children and, as with any good parent, he was willing to sacrifice himself for their welfare. II. By a true change of heart on the part of the rebellious minority, the whole church would be perfected/united. A. The Greek word translated perfecting can also be translated restoring.
9 B. Some Corinthian Christians needed to be restored to unified faithful service in the church. 2 Corinthians 13:10, Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. I. Paul wrote these warning to Corinth in advance of his arrival in the hope that the erring Corinthians would shape up. II. His apostolic power was given for building up the church rather than for disciplining wayward disciples, although it could be used as required for either purpose. III. Discipline then and now, in individual families and in church families, is an unpleasant thing. A. Paul wanted to avoid disciplinary proceedings at Corinth. B. He urged the wayward to repent before he arrived! 2 Corinthians 13:11, Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. I. Paul bade the Corinthian brethren farewell (rejoice) and again urged them to: A. be perfected, restored. B. be comforted. C. be of the same mind. D. live in peace.
10 II. If the Corinthians did these things, the God of love and peace would be with them. A. 1 Corinthians 16:13, Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. B. These two verses summarize 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians; viz., in a phrase, Restore yourselves! Admonish yourselves! C. Others cannot act for you. You must work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12) 2 Corinthians 13:12, Greet one another with an holy kiss. I. Salute/greet one another (Christians) with a holy (not sensual) kiss. A. This has been called a token of brotherhood in the early church. B. Romans 15:16, That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. C. 1 Corinthians 16:20, All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss. D. 1 Thessalonians 5:26, Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. E. 1 Peter 5:14, Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
11 F. This form of brotherly cordial greeting existed long before the beginning of Christianity. G. Jesus rebuked the Pharisee for withholding the customary greeting kiss. Luke 7:45, Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. H. Judas used a form of this greeting treacherously in the betrayal. Mark 14:44-46, And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him. And they laid their hands on him, and took him. I. Like our handclasp today, the kiss was a symbol of mutual confidence; and, where the Corinthians were concerned, a sign of the healing of old divisions. J. Abuses developed as time passed in regard to the kiss. The kiss here is to be holy, an expression of genuine love, not simply a formality/empty liturgy. K. The prevalence of the holy kiss continued in the church until the 13 th century when the Roman Catholic church abolished its use. L. In its place, the rite of kissing a holy object which was passed from one communicant to another was instituted which was called the osculatorium. II. We have substituted holy hand shaking for the holy kiss. A. To what extent may substitutions be made in Biblical traditions with God s approval?
12 2 Corinthians 13:13, All the saints salute you. I. All Christians everywhere greeted the Corinthian Christians. A. The body of Christ, the church is to be joined in love where ever it exists within congregations and among congregations. B. Christians form a loving community which shows the greatest brotherly concern one for the others. 2 Corinthians 13:14, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. I. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ... II. the love of God... III. the communion of the Holy Spirit... IV. be with you all, the faithful and not so faithful. V. This verse speaks to the fact of the trinitarian nature of God. A. Matthew 28:18-20, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Conclusion: I. Every individual, every family, and every church has problems.
13 A. The Corinthian church certainly had its problems. B. God through Paul made every effort to restore the wayward disciples to faithfulness. C. When we err, God does not approve our errancy, but seeks rather to restore us to the right way of the Lord. D. The problems at Corinth were to be settled on the basis of the standard, the inspired word of God as spoken by the apostle Paul under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. II. How are we to resolve differences which arise in the church today? A. The standard remains the inspired word of God. B. By the Scriptures, our differences are to be resolved.
14 Questions 2 Corinthians 13:1-14 1. Paul spoke of his making three visits to Corinth. When was each made or to be made? What was the purpose of each visit? 2. Why was it necessary to have every fact, accusation established by the testimony of two or three witnesses? Give more than one reason. 3. Did this guarantee that truth and justice would prevail? Why or why not? 4. to see whether you are in the ;. Do you not realize is in you unless, of course, you the?
15 5. What was the test Paul hoped the Corinthians would pass? 6. Now we to that you will not do.... do what is... For we cannot do against the. 7. Was Paul more interested in himself or the faithfulness of the Corinthian Christians? Give reasons for your answer. 8. Why did Paul write these things (see verse 10) when he was away from Corinth rather than wait until he arrived in Corinth to talk to them about these matters? 9. What would happen to the Corinthians if they did not repent?
16 10. What happened to Ananias and Sapphira and Elymas Bar-Jesus because of their sins? See Acts 5:1-11 and Acts 13:6-12. 11. Aim for, to my, be of one in. And the of and be with you. 12. Paul said Christians should greet one another with a holy kiss. What ever happened to the holy kiss? 13. May the of the, and the of, and the of the be with you. 14. The Corinthians were to set their house in order. What did they do and what do you have to do to accomplish this?
17 15. How can you know that you are in the faith and that Christ is in you?