Author: Administrador

Today’s second reading comes from the part of 2 Corinthians that some interpreters call Paul’s “foolish” letter (2 Corinthians 10:1-13:13). Whether these chapters circulated as a letter independent of the preceding nine or not, the underlying issue is tension between Paul and the Corinthian church over Paul’s authority and credibility. Evidently, itinerant peddlers of rival … Continue reading “2 Corinthians 12:2-10 Commentary by Sally A. Brown”

What is the true spiritual power? What constitutes true spiritual authority? How do we distinguish true from false teachers and prophets? Who should we allow to influence us and whose authority can we trust? And how do we respond when spiritual abuse is taking place? These questions set a stage for interpreting 2 Corinthians 12:2-10. … Continue reading “2 Corinthians 12:2-10 Commentary by Lois Malcolm”

As soon as they say, “It’s not about the money!” you know the money matters. And surely as the summer media will continue to obsess on the economy, the Pauline lesson for the fourth Sunday after Pentecost will talk candidly in church about the money. People may squirm in discomfort from the heat or the … Continue reading “2 Corinthians 8:7-15 Commentary by David Tiede”

Our Pauline reading for this week is often relegated to sermons during stewardship campaigns. While this text certainly forces us to think about what we do with our resources and, therefore, should inform our stewardship drives, Paul’s passion in this text relates first of all to the gospel. How believers use their resources — time, … Continue reading “2 Corinthians 8:7-15 Commentary by Carla Works”

Why read 2 Corinthians? It is probably one of Paul’s most difficult letters to decipher. For one thing, its tone oscillates widely — from expressing deep love to angry rebuke. For another, it does not seem to proceed in a logical fashion, at least to contemporary readers. Indeed, many modern interpreters have thought it to … Continue reading “6-week preaching series on 2 Corinthians.]

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

2 Corinthians 8:7-15 Commentary by Lois Malcolm”

[This is Week 6 of a 6-week preaching series on 2 Corinthians.] Week 6 (June 26, 2016)          Preaching text: 2 Cor 8:1-15; accompanying text: John 13:31-35 Theme: Generosity  As we have seen, Paul’s ministry was about a “word” of reconciliation that could only be authentically embodied in a life of “service” freely given for others. … Continue reading “2 Corinthians 8:1-15 Commentary by Lois Malcolm”

Paul’s theme of reconciliation, begun in 5:11-21, continues in 6:1-13, as Paul appeals to the estranged Corinthian congregation to be reconciled to God and to himself. In the ancient world, responsibility for initiating the mending of a ruptured relationship was understood to rest with the injuring party. In political contexts, this work was normally entrusted … Continue reading “2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Commentary by Elisabeth Johnson”

Paul longs for the Corinthians’ faith not to be meaningless: “We entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain” (6:1b). For the believers to pose any challenge to the apostle’s teaching, though, is enough to make Paul wonder whether their faith is indeed empty. Accepting God’s Grace in Vain The phrase “in … Continue reading “2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Commentary by Carla Works”

This passage comes right after Paul’s majestic statements about the ministry and message of God’s reconciliation of the entire world through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14-21). We often interpret Paul’s grand statements about reconciliation in abstract theological terms. We tend to forget that Paul wrote these passages in response to some very specific — and painful … Continue reading “2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Commentary by Lois Malcolm”

This reading from Paul’s second (third? fourth?) letter to the church in Corinth is always the epistle lection for Ash Wednesday in the Revised Common Lectionary. A reliable study bible will provide the preacher with the necessary introductory material to be aware of the complications surrounding the interpretation of this letter, but hopefully not enough … Continue reading “2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 Commentary by Karoline Lewis”