Sunday School Lesson
Lesson: II Corinthians 1:23-2:11
Golden Text: “To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ” (II Corinthians 2:10).
I.
INTRODUCTION.
Learning to forgive is a difficult lesson to learn: one that
some people unfortunately never master. The great fact of
Christianity is that God has forgiven our sins, yet some Christians never grasp
the importance of forgiving others their sins. The need for
forgiveness is probably the most necessary thing in the church today.
In most congregations, there are old wounds and hurt feelings that have
never been resolved. An unforgiving spirit is sometimes developed
in a family and passed down through succeeding generations. While
we have been forgiven of our wrongs through God’s grace, too often we hold
others to account for their wrongs against us. This is totally
opposite of true Christ-likeness. This week’s lesson surrounds a
sinful incident that had occurred in the Corinthian church. One
member had committed a public offense, and the church was reluctant to
discipline him. Paul had written a severe letter reprimanding the
believers, and the church had responded by dealing with the guilty party.
Paul was now writing to impress on them the importance of showing
forgiveness.
II.
BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.
With a little detective work,
it’s reasonably certain by Scripture that Paul wrote four letters to the church
in Corinth. He founded this church on his second missionary
journey (see Acts 15:36; 18:1-11). During his third missionary
journey (see Acts 18: 21-23; 19:1), Paul received word about immorality in this
young church at Corinth prompting him to write his first letter (see I
Corinthians 5:9-11). However, this letter has been lost.
Sometime later Paul learned that the sexual problems still persisted
along with many others (see I Corinthians 1:11). The second letter
he wrote is believed to be I Corinthians in which the apostle addressed various
issues raised by the Corinthian believers (see I Corinthians 1:10; 5:1; 7:1, 25;
8:1; 12:1; 16:1). This letter failed to correct the problems at
Corinth, so Paul apparently made a visit that was painful for him and the church
(see II Corinthians 2:1). From Ephesus, Paul sent Titus with (see
II Corinthians 7:6-9) a third letter (see II Corinthians 7:6-9) which is also
lost (see II Corinthians 2:6-9; 7:12). Many scholars believe that
this letter was attached to II Corinthians and became chapters 10-13.
When Titus failed to return with news of how the Corinthians were doing,
Paul left Ephesus with a troubled spirit (see II Corinthians 7:5) and went to
Troas and then to Macedonia (see II Corinthians 2:12-13). Finally
in Macedonia, Titus met up with Paul and to Paul’s relief and joy, Titus
reported that the Corinthians had repented and punished the guilty party as we
shall see in the second section of this week’s lesson (see II Corinthians
2:5-11). Paul then wrote a fourth letter which is actually II
Corinthians. In this letter, Paul said that he had planned to
visit the believers in Corinth (see II Corinthians 1:15-16).
However, he delayed that trip for the benefit of the believers
there. In II Corinthians 1:17-20, Paul indicated that it wasn’t
indecision that caused him to change his plans about visiting them because he
wasn’t the type of person to say “yes” when he meant “no.” After
declaring the unity that he, Timothy, and Silas shared with the Corinthians in
verses 21-22, our lesson begins.
III. PAUL’S REASON FOR HIS DELAY (II Corinthians 1:23-2:4)
A. A desire to be kind (II Corinthians 1:23-24).
1. (vs. 23). In this verse Paul said “Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.” Paul told the Corinthians that he had planned to visit them (see I Corinthians 16:5-7), and here he gives the reason why he “came not as yet unto Corinth” as he planned. Paul said that the reason was “to spare you.” In other words, he put off visiting them because he hoped that they would obey his instructions given in his first two letters and avoid a painful confrontation (as already noted, the first letter has been lost and the second letter is actually I Corinthians). The church needed to straighten out some moral and spiritual issues (see I Corinthians 1:10-13; 5:1-9; 6:1-8; 7:1-9; 9:1-6; 11:17-34; 14:1-12; 16:1-2), so Paul waited until these issues were addressed before going back to Corinth. He felt that if he went to Corinth when he planned, he would have to rebuke them severely for not correcting the behaviors he addressed in his first two letters. He wanted to “spare” them of that. To show that he was telling the absolute truth about delaying his coming, Paul said “Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul.” With this oath, Paul was staking his own soul on the truthfulness of what he was telling them. It was important for the apostle to uphold his integrity. Note: Paul didn’t enjoy correcting the conduct of the Corinthian church, but sometimes it’s necessary for those in authority to administer discipline. However, anyone who enjoys it just for the sake of disciplining others is probably venting anger or frustration rather than desiring the good of the offender.
2. (vs. 24). Here, the apostle continued to say “Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.” As an apostle with apostolic authority, Paul could deal with the Corinthian believers in direct ways. With the phrase “Not for that we have dominion over your faith” Paul wanted his readers to know that any rebuke or discipline was not to be taken as him and his companions exercising lordship over them. He didn’t “have dominion” (or he wasn’t the master) over their “faith.” Instead, Paul said he and his companions wanted to be seen as “helpers of your joy.” He didn’t want to be an authoritative disciplinarian, but a kind helper bringing them joy instead of resentment toward him. The phrase “for by faith ye stand” means that Paul knew that they were people of faith and he wanted them to act like it by being obedient to his instructions.
B. A desire to be positive (II Corinthians 2:1-2).
1. (vs. 1). In this verse, Paul went on to say “But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.” As noted in the background above, Paul visited Corinth after writing I Corinthians and it turned out to be a painful visit. As a result, the apostle said “I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.” He didn’t want a repeat of his previous visit so he committed himself not to visit his friends in Corinth and “come again to you (them) in heaviness.” The term “heaviness” can mean great inward pain, grief and sorrow. Paul didn’t want to experience this again, so he chose to delay his coming to Corinth. 2. (vs. 2). Here Paul posed a question: For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?” This question Paul was asking related to his decision to delay his coming. He believed that if he returned at that time he would have to rebuke the believers again causing more hurt for both the Corinthians and himself. So, to support his reasoning for not coming when he had planned to, Paul was saying “If my coming to you now makes you “sorry” or sad, who is going to make me “glad” or happy except you whom I have “made sorry” or sad? Paul didn’t want to make the Corinthians sad again because he needed them to be encouragers. By making them sorry, they wouldn’t be able to give him joy. If Paul had visited this church when he intended to, there would have been unpleasantness for everybody, Paul included, because of the Corinthians’ failure to correct their behavior. When he did come to visit them again, he wanted it to be a time of rejoicing not grief.
C. A desire to be joyful (II Corinthians 2:3-4).
1. (vs. 3). In this verse the apostle said “And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.” The phrase “And I wrote this same unto you” refers to a letter Paul had written to them instead of coming to them. A clearer translation of this verse could be: “That’s why I wrote as I did in my last letter, so that you will get things straightened out before I come. Then, when I do come, I won’t be made sad by the very ones who ought to give me greatest joy. I felt sure that your happiness was so bound up in mine that you would not be happy either unless I came with joy.” Paul certainly wanted joy for himself, but he wanted it for his readers as well. As members of the same body, the body of Christ, his joy and their joy were closely related just as their sufferings were (see I Corinthians 12:26
2. (vs. 4). Paul continued to say in this verse “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.” The word “For” connects this verse with the previous verse 3. The apostle had written the letter mentioned in verse 3 with “much affliction and anguish of heart” meaning that it was very difficult for him to write it. It was so hard for him to write that letter that he did it “with many tears.” He knew that the letter would be painful for the Corinthians to read, but he said that his intention was “not that ye should be grieved.” Paul didn’t intend to hurt them but to correct them. The intent of the letter as Paul said was “that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.” It was out of abundant or great love for these believers that prompted the apostle to write to them to correct the church’s problems.
IV. THE
APPLICATION OF CHRISTIAN LOVE (II Corinthians
2:5-11)
A. Grief (II
Corinthians 2:5).
Now Paul says “But if any
have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not
overcharge you all.”
This verse is difficult to interpret, but it seems that
someone in the church at Corinth had done something wrong that made Paul’s
earlier visit to the city painful. We aren’t told who the person
was or what he did but the phrase “But if any
have caused grief” indicates that Paul saw what
this person had done as being wrong. Although the
“grief” that the person caused affected the whole church, Paul
said that it only grieved him “in part: that I may not overcharge you
all.” In other words, he didn’t want to “overcharge”
or exaggerate the grief that person had caused him or them.
B. Forgiveness (II Corinthians 2:6-7).
1. (vs. 6). Paul went on to say “Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.” Again, if this verse refers to the man guilty of incest in I Corinthians chapter 5, Paul had exhorted the believers to deal with him by putting him out of the congregation. But whether Paul is speaking of that person or someone else who had committed a wrong in the church, the text indicates that the discipline the church had carried out was successful and the person had repented. This is what Paul meant by “Sufficient to such a man is this punishment.” The phrase, “inflicted of many” means that the discipline was carried out by the whole church. Since the “punishment” or discipline imposed on the sinner by the church had accomplished its intended purpose, which was repentance, now the individual was to be restored to the fellowship of the church.
2. (vs. 7). Here Paul continued to say “So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.” Since the sinner had responded positively to the church discipline, Paul said “contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him.” In other words, instead of continuing the discipline, the church needed to “forgive him, and comfort him.” Included in the act of forgiving the sinner is restoring him or her to fellowship. The word translated “comfort” means coming to the aid of someone to provide help, especially in terms of encouragement and exhortation. The help provided includes restoring the repentant sinner to fellowship. If the church fails to show love and forgiveness, after true repentance takes place, Paul said that the repentant sinner may be “swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.” The word Paul used for “swallowed up” means “to take huge gulps of liquid that result in drowning.” Instead of pushing the sinner further down, the church was to reach out and restore him (see Galatians 6:1).
C. Love (II Corinthians 2:8-9).
1. (vs. 8). Now Paul says “Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.” The term “Wherefore” refers back to the previous verse where the church was to forgive the sinner. So that the repentant sinner would not be overcome with sorrow, Paul said to the church “I beseech” or “urge” you to “confirm your love toward him.” The Greek term for “confirm” means to ratify or validate and was used for validating a formal document. In the context of this lesson, “confirm” suggests that the church in Corinth as a whole was to make a formal decision affirming their love. Just as they had taken formal steps to discipline the offender, they were to take formal steps to confirm their love as well.
2. (vs. 9). In this verse the apostle says “For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.” In other words Paul was saying, “Part of the reason why I wrote to you was to test you and see if you obey in everything.” Again, Paul refers to a previous letter written not only to instruct them, but to test the depth of their commitment to Christ by being “obedient in all things.” If they obeyed his instructions to discipline the sinning brother, and they did, Paul felt that he could conclude that they would also obey his instructions to restore this person back into the church’s fellowship.
D. Victory (II Corinthians 2:10-11).
1. (vs. 10). Now Paul says “To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ.” Forgiveness was absolutely essential for all concerned---the repentant sinner, Paul and each member of the Corinthian church. The apostle stated that anyone that these believers forgave, so did he. And if he had anything to forgive a person for, Paul said “for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ.” The phrase “in the person of Christ” most likely means that since Paul was in Christ as all believers are (see Romans 8:1; 12:5; 16:7; I Corinthians 1:2; 3:1; II Corinthians 1:21; Galatians 2:20), he had forgiven this person because of his identification with Christ who had also forgiven him.
2. (vs. 11). Our final verse says “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” Here Paul stresses why it’s so important to forgive. It was important to forgive in order to prevent Satan from getting an “advantage of us” or outsmarting us. The phrase “for we are not ignorant of his devices” means that we know what he is trying to do. The devil is clever and we must always be alert to his devices. If Satan can get us to be unforgiving, he can ruin our mutual love for one another. Our worship then becomes worthless. Also, when we fail to forgive we are denying the sign that the Lord Jesus said would cause all men to know that we are His disciples. That sign is the love we have for one another (see John 13:35). Note: Paul wanted the believers at Corinth to be aware that if they failed to forgive the sinning brother, his Christian growth could be hindered and the church’s ministry wouldn’t be effective. This is always the case when a church disciplines a member. Once the sinning brother or sister has repented and asked for forgiveness, the church must forgive and restore the person to full fellowship. If the offender is not restored to fellowship, he or she could lose heart and give up trying to live for Christ. In addition, the church would gain a reputation for being unforgiving, an attitude that is contrary to God’s Word (see Ephesians 4:32). Most importantly, we must remember that Jesus declared that if we don’t forgive others for their wrongs, our heavenly Father won’t forgive us for our wrongs (see Matthew 6:14-15).
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