2 Corinthians 1:15-24 – Message and Messenger
In this passage, Paul talks about a messenger and a message. Paul himself being the messenger and the gospel of Jesus Christ being the message. And he’s concerned that the Corinthians have confused the two. And in rejecting the one, they are in danger of rejecting the other, and rejecting Paul, they are in danger of rejecting the message, Jesus Christ.
In this passage, Paul is burdened by the Corinthians’ relationship to Jesus Christ. And the offense that he had brought by the correction that he had spoken to the Corinthians had led some of the Corinthians to plug up their ears to Paul. They didn’t want to hear what he had to say. Paul’s burden for Jesus Christ comes through when he says, listen to the message that comes through me. The message of Jesus Christ can be confused with the messenger to the point that you miss the message by turning away the messenger.
Paul planned on going back to Corinth. On his way to Macedonia, he would stop in Corinth, and then on his way back from Macedonia, he’d stop there again. But Paul was led to change his plans. His previous visit had brought great sorrow to the apostle and to the Corinthian church as we see in chapter 2. When Paul came to Corinth that he had to confront certain individuals and certain errors that were existing in the Corinthian church. And 1 Corinthians talks about several of those. In this previous visit, Paul comes and as a shepherd, he uses the Word of God and he uses the authority that God has given to bring correction to a church. Paul wrote another letter to the Corinthians, one that we don’t have in existence today. It’s sometimes called the sorrowful letter. And it’s apparent that he poured out his heart for these dear people of God. He calls them his brothers and sisters in Christ. And yet, he is grieved by the temptation and the sin that has come to them. The Corinthians used the occasion of that correction to close up their hearts to Paul. They even say you went back on your words, you changed your plan, when Paul graciously and prudently decided not to come at this point and to bring further correction. This comes through in verse 17 where Paul says, ‘I didn’t make my plans lightly. I didn’t make my plans like the world make plans.’
Question
- Why were the Corinthians upset at Paul?
Prayer Points
- Pray that we would take Godly correction well.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.