2 Corinthians 1:1

Students of Paul’s epistles have suggested various explanations of why the apostle preferred to use his name Paul rather than his name Saul. Some say he did so to mark the spiritual conquest of Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:9). Others claim he did so to show himself the least of the apostles since "Paul" means "little" (cf. Ephesians 3:8; 1 Timothy 1:15). Another suggestion is that he was small in physical stature. Perhaps he did so because the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Saul" was objectionable since it was identical with an adjective that meant "effeminate." He may have done so simply because it was customary for Roman citizens to bear a Roman name as well as one that reflected their own nationality. [Note: See Philip E. Hughes, Paul’s Second Epistle to the Corinthians, pp. 1-2.]

Paul’s use of the term "apostle" (lit. "one sent forth with orders") so early in his salutation sets the tone for the entire epistle. It is mainly a vindication of his apostleship. He claimed apostolic authority at once.

The Lord’s title is also significant though not unusual. Paul called Him Christ (God’s "Anointed One" sent forth as the apostle from heaven; 2 Corinthians 1:20; cf. Hebrews 3:1; John 20:21) and Jesus (God in action delivering His people from their sins, Savior; 2 Corinthians 5:19; cf. Matthew 1:21).

Paul claimed that his apostleship came to him "by the will of God," not by his own or the church’s initiative (cf. John 1:13; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 2:8). The gift and office of apostle were special in the early church. Only 12 individuals plus Paul possessed them (1 Corinthians 15:8; Acts 1:21-22; Acts 9:15). However "apostle" occurs elsewhere in the non-technical sense of anyone sent on God’s great mission of spreading the gospel (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:23; Acts 14:4; Acts 14:14; Philippians 2:25; et al.).

The recipients of this epistle knew Timothy well (v.19, Acts 18:5). He had come to faith in Christ evidently through Paul’s ministry in Lystra in Asia Minor (Acts 14:8-20; 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2). He had accompanied Paul on his journeys from the second missionary journey on (Acts 16:1-3) and had gone to Corinth as the apostle’s emissary (1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 16:10). Paul called Timothy simply a "brother."

Paul noted in passing that the church (Greek ekklesia, lit. "called out ones," the company of Christians) belongs to God. Even though it was "at Corinth" it was God’s church. It did not belong to the Corinthians or their teachers. Therefore its primary allegiance had to be to Him.

Corinth was an important commercial center. The city may have contained over a half-million inhabitants at this time. [Note: Homer Kent Jr., A Heart Opened Wide, p. 27.] It stood on the narrow land bridge (isthmus) that connected the southern part of Greece (the Peloponnesus) with the northern part. The southern part and some of the northern part comprised the Roman province of Achaia while the province of Macedonia lay immediately to its north. Corinth was not only the chief city through which land commerce passed north and south, but it was the center for sea commerce and travelers east and west. To the east the Saronic Gulf of the Aegean Sea brought ships to Corinth. From there stevedores transferred their cargoes overland a few miles to ships in the Corinthian Gulf of the Ionian Sea. This shortcut saved merchants the long trip around the southern coastline of Greece. Corinth was the capital of the province of Achaia and the headquarters of a Roman proconsul (governor). It had been the notorious center for the immoral worship of the goddess Aphrodite, and its population was cosmopolitan, consisting of Romans, Greeks, Orientals, and Jews.

Paul and his missionary band had established a church in Corinth on his second missionary journey (Acts 18). Jews and Gentiles composed it. Paul labored in Corinth a year and a half then. Due to the influence of its culture, as well as that of false teachers, the church experienced many temptations and difficulties. I outlined Paul’s dealings with this church following its founding in the introduction to this exposition above. In summary, Paul seems to have visited Corinth three times, and the New Testament refers to four letters he wrote to this church. [Note: See Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction, 2:48-61; International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, "Corinthians, Second Epistle to the," by R. Dykes Shaw; Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, s.v. "Corinthians, Epistle to the," by G. H. Clayton; Dictionary of the Bible, s.v. "Corinthians, Second Epistle to the," by A. Robertson; Plummer, xiii-xix; Hughes, xvi-xix; and Batey, pp. 143-6.]

Paul called the addressees "saints" (Gr. hagioi, lit. "holy ones," those set apart for God, cf. 1 Corinthians 1:2).

"All Christians are ’holy’ in virtue, not of their lives, but of their calling; they are set apart in a holy Society as servants and sons of the Holy God." [Note: Plummer, p. 3.]

Paul intended that the Corinthian Christians would read this epistle in the church, but he also wanted all the Christians in the province of Achaia to read it. We know that at this time there was another Achaian church in Cenchrea (Romans 16:1) and perhaps one in nearby Athens (Acts 17:34).