Most of this letter is a defense of Paul's ministry which has apparently been under attack. Paul is very concerned about the continued growth of the Corinthians; they have disciplined a member and have done what Paul has asked, but apparently doubts remain.
In this letter Paul details the suffering he has experienced and his deep love for the Corinthians. As the NIV Student Bible says, "it reads ... like a personal letter and [not] a public document." Paul's emotional intensity comes through clearly.
In this first chapter Paul discusses suffering and explains why he did not visit the Corinthians recently
II Corinthians 1:1-2, Greeting
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is a standard greeting for a letter, identifying the writer and his audience. The audience is the "saints" (ie., believers, followers of the Savior Messiah) who live in the Achean region around Corinth.
II Corinthians 1: 3-7, Suffering leads to comfort of others
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
Out of suffering often comes ministry of comfort since empathy is an important part of ministry. But we still deeply need Gods comforting during that time.
II Corinthians 1: 8-11, We suffered greatly
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Paul and his party suffered greatly in their missionary journeys, enduring stonings and physical beatings. Now that that is in the past, Paul is proud of their suffering for Christ and for the Corinthians.
II Corinthians 1: 12-14, We have acted correctly, with clear conscience
Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace. For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Paul is proud of his conduct regarding the Corinthians and wishes to continue in good relations with them (despite some conflict over his recent letter.)
II Corinthians 1: 15-17, I did plan to visit you
Because I was confident of this, I planned to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say, "Yes, yes" and "No, no"? But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No." For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes."
Paul apparently had said he would visit the Corinthians but did not. This was not because his words were casual, without thought, but because events forced otherwise. Implicit in this paragraph is a statement about the importance of honest commitment.
The Greek word translated here as "Silas" is apparently Silvanus, a variant of Silas.
II Corinthians 1: 20-22, God's promises are "Yes"
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Paul is convinced that God had a plan in preventing his trip to Corinth and that the Holy Spirit is continuing to work in both him and the people of the Corinthian churches.
II Corinthians 1:23-24, Why we did not return to Corinth as planned
I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.
Paul's concern is ever with the growth of the church.
In the next chapter Paul continues to describe his concerns for the Corinthians, along with defending his travels.
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