2 Corinthians 13

2 Corinthians 13:1

13:1 Paul was about to visit Corinth. When he did, the cases of sin among the believers would be investigated. Such investigations would proceed according to the divine principle laid down in Deu_19:15 : By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established. Paul did not mean he would be conducting the trial. This would be done by the local church, and he would act as a counselor in the matter.

2 Corinthians 13:2

I. Paul’s Apostleship Supported by the Corinthians Themselves (13:2-6) 13:2 On his second visit, otherwise unrecorded, Paul had warned them he would deal severely with the offenders. Now although absent, he foretells them all that when he comes again he will not spare those who have been sinning. 13:3 The Corinthians had been deceived by the false teachers into doubting that Paul was a true apostle. In fact, they actually challenged him to give them some proof that he was an authentic spokesman for God. What were his credentials that Christ was really speaking through him? The apostle begins his reply by quoting their impertinent request: since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me … Then in a parenthesis, he reminds them that Christ had revealed Himself to them through him in a mighty way. There had been nothing weak about the tremendous revolution in their lives when they believed the gospel message. 13:4 Mention of the words weak and mighty reminded Paul of the paradox of strength out of weakness which was seen in the Savior’s life and is seen in the lives of His servants. Our Lord was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. So His followers are feeble in themselves, yet the Lord demonstrates His power through them. When Paul says, we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you, he is not speaking of the resurrection. Rather he means that when he visits them, he will demonstrate the mighty power of God in dealing with those who were sinning. They said he was weak and contemptible; he will show them he can be strong in exercising discipline! 13:5 This verse connects with the first part of verse 3 as follows: Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me … examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. They themselves were the proof of his apostleship. It was through him that they were led to the Savior. If they wanted to see his credentials, they should look at themselves. Verse 5 is often misused to teach that we should look within ourselves for assurance of salvation, but this could lead to discouragement and doubt. Assurance of salvation comes first and foremost through the word of God. The moment we trust Christ we can know on the authority of the Bible that we have been born again. As time goes on, we do find other evidences of the new lifea new love for holiness, a new hatred of sin, love of the brethren, practical righteousness, obedience, and separation from the world. But Paul is not telling the Corinthians to engage in self-examination as a proof of their salvation. Rather he is asking them to find in their salvation a proof of his apostleship. There were only two possibilities: either Jesus Christ was in them, or they were disqualified, spurious. The word translated disqualified was used to describe metals which, when tested, were found to be false. So the Corinthians were either true believers, or they were disqualified by failure to pass the test. 13:6 If they concluded that they were genuinely saved, then it must follow that the Apostle Paul was genuine and not disqualified. The wonderful transformation that took place in the lives of the Corinthians could scarcely have come through a false teacher.

2 Corinthians 13:7

J. Paul’s Desire to Do the Corinthians Good (13:7-10) 13:7 Paul now continues the subject of the discipline of sinning members of the church at Corinth. He states he is praying to God that the Corinthians would do no evil by countenancing sin in their midst, but that they would work ceaselessly toward the discipline and restoration of the sinning members. He does not pray this in order that he himself might appear approved, or might be seen in a better light. He does not want them to do it simply because he could then point to their obedience as an evidence of his authority. That is not the thought at all. He wants them to do it because it is right and honest. And he would rather have them do that, even though it meant that he might seem disqualified. Here again we have an evidence of the unselfishness of Paul. In his prayer life his thoughts were constantly on what was for the good of others and not for his own recognition. If Paul went to Corinth with a rod, asserted his authority, and succeeded in gaining obedience to his instructions concerning discipline, then he could use this as an argument against the false teachers. He could say this was evidence of his lawful authority. But he would rather that the Corinthians take the necessary action themselves, in his absence, even if that might put him in an unfavorable light as far as the legalists were concerned. 13:8 The we of this verse probably refers to the apostles. Paul is saying that all they do must be done with a view to the furtherance of the truth of God, and not with any selfish motives in view. Even in the matter of discipline, no thought of personal vindictiveness must enter. All must be carried out with a view to the glory of God and the good of one’s fellow Christians. 13:9 Here again the apostle expresses his utter unselfishness as far as the Corinthians were concerned. If his weakness, humiliation, and reproach resulted in their being strengthened in the things of God, then he was glad. While he thus rejoiced, he also prayed that they might be made complete. With regard to the subject of dealing with sinful offenders in their midst, Paul prayed that they might become complete and entire. That the whole will of God might be worked out in their lives was his fervent desire. As Hodge puts it, Paul prayed that they might be perfectly restored from the state of confusion, contention and evil into which they had fallen.13:10 It was with their perfecting in view that he wrote this Letter to them.

He would rather write while absent from them that these results might be secured, than that being present he should have to use sharpness, as authorized by the Lord. But even if he were present and dealt severely with them, it would still be for their edification and not for their destruction.

2 Corinthians 13:11

K. Paul’s Gracious Trinitarian Farewell (13:11-14) 13:11 The apostle now draws this rather stormy Epistle to an abrupt close. After bidding them farewell (the Greek greeting literally means rejoice), he delivers four exhortations. First, they should become complete. The verb is the same as the one used of mending nets in Mat_4:21, and can also mean mend your ways. The Corinthians were to stop quarreling and sinning, and live in harmony with each other. Be of good comfort may also be understood as be encouraged or be exhorted. They had been given strong admonitions by the Apostle Paul. Here he tells them to receive these admonitions in a good spirit and to act on them. Be of one mind. The only way, of course, in which Christians can be of one mind is to have the mind of Christ. It is to think as He thinks, to bring all their thoughts and reasonings in subjection to Himself. Live in peace. It is evident from 2Co_12:20 that there had been disputes and wranglings among them. This is always the case when legalism is allowed to enter. So Paul here told them first to discipline the offenders and to get along with their fellow Christians in peace. If they do this, the God of love and peace will be with them. Of course, in one sense the Lord is always with His people. But this means He will manifest Himself to them in a special nearness and dearness if they are obedient in these regards. 13:12 The holy kiss was a characteristic greeting among Christians in the days of the apostles. It is designated as a holy kiss, meaning it was not just a symbol of artificial affection, but that it was sincere and pure. It is still practiced by Christians in many countries today. However, in some countries, kissing among men could be misinterpreted as a sign of homosexuality. Practicing such a tradition would not be obligatory if it brought serious reproach on the Christian testimony. In such cases a holy handshake would be preferable. Hodge says: It is not a command of perpetual obligation, as the spirit of the command is that Christians should express their mutual love in the way sanctioned by the age and community in which they live. 13:13 The greetings from all the saints would remind the Corinthians of the breadth of the fellowship into which they had been brought, and would also tell them that other churches were looking on to see their progress and obedience to the Lord. 13:14 Here we have one of the lovely benedictions of the NT, and the only one that embraces all three members of the Trinity. Lenski concludes: spreading his hands over the Corinthians with this profound New Testament benediction his voice sinks into silence. But the benediction remains upon our hearts.