2 Corinthians 7:1

2 COR. 7

The first verse of this chapter concludes the paragraph which began at 2 Corinthians 6:14. 2 Corinthians 7:2-4 are a concluding thought connected with Paul's appeal in 2 Corinthians 6:11-13. Paul's stern warning to the Corinthians to come out from among the pagans and "be ye separate" (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1) came right in the middle of his touching plea for their reciprocation of his love; and despite the widespread scholarly prejudice that views this as something incongruous, it appears exactly where such a blast should have been expected. Coupled with his yearning for a full renewal of their love to him, the demand for their separation from paganism was Paul's revelation to them of the one thing and the only thing that could have made possible such a renewal. Therefore, such opinions as the following should be rejected:

There is no doubt that this passage comes in very awkwardly. When we omit it and when we read straight on from 2 Corinthians 6:13 to 2 Corinthians 7:2 we get perfect sense. This stern section seems out of place with the glad and joyous love of the verses on each side of it[1]

Barclay's objections are similar to the views of many scholars who evidently consider it fashionable to assault the unity of this epistle for such flimsy reasons. Just what, really, is their argument? There are just two arguments in view, and there is nothing important in either one of them. Argument No. 1 is that a person can omit these fifteen verses and get perfect sense out of what is left. Is that an argument? No! Through the New Testament, there are numerous parentheses, paragraphs, verses, or chapters that could be painted out without destroying the sense and continuity. As a matter of fact, the middle chapter of the Sermon on the Mount, if removed, would not destroy the sense and continuity of Matthew's gospel; but that certainly does not prove that it does not belong. Certain pages of Barclay's book could be pasted together without any interruption of sense or continuity. This so-called argument is absolutely worthless and unbecoming to the scholars that stoop to use it.

Then, there is Argument No. 2. What is it? "It seems out of place!" However, when the purpose of Paul's stern section here (the 15 verses) is understood as related to the larger paragraph in which it lies embedded, one has an argument which contradicts the notion that the passage is misplaced. Paul's order to separate from paganism is as much a part of his plea for the love of the Corinthians, as would be a husband's plea to an estranged wife to forsake her illicit lover in the very middle of his plea for her affection; and there has never been a critic who could deny it. Argument No. 2, therefore, is also illogical, contrived, forced and unreasonable.

It is not the purpose of this work to explore all of the criticisms directed against the New Testament; because a hundred libraries would be insufficient for such a task. This criticism of 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 has been explored because it is absolutely typical of all criticism of sacred Scripture. When you have seen one criticism, you have seen them all! In a lifetime of devoted study in the Holy Bible, this writer has never seen a worthy criticism against the word of God.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

The conclusion of Paul's plea for the love of the Corinthians is given in verses 2 Corinthians 7:1-4; and the rest of the chapter is a resumption of the line of thought that Paul had interrupted at 2 Corinthians 2:14. In 2 Corinthians 7:5-16, he takes up the story of his meeting with Titus in Macedonia, speaking of the comfort and joy derived from that meeting, of his new hope and joy for the Corinthians, and of his appreciation of the corrections they had made in keeping with his instructions.