Pelagius

In his own words on 2 Corinthians

• 2 Corinthians 1:1

  People ask why it is that Paul puts his own name first, when the normal custom in letters is to put the name of the addressee at the beginning. The reason for this is that he is an apostle who is writing to those who are accountable to him. This is why he adopts the custom of secular judges, who do the same thing when they write to those over whom they exercise authority. Note too that he did not say "Paul and Timothy," because they were not both apostles. But in writing to the Philippians Paul did say that, because it was not so necessary for him to stress his authority in that case..

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 1

• 2 Corinthians 1:8

  Paul recounts his own sufferings so that the Corinthians will realize that what they are going through is nothing by comparison. The disciple who grieves over his own hurt will be comforted when he sees that his master is suffering far more.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 1

• 2 Corinthians 1:9

  Death itself teaches us that all human help is inadequate and that our only hope is to rely on him who can raise us from the dead.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 1

• 2 Corinthians 2:8

  Through your love the offender will know that he has received forgiveness.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 2

• 2 Corinthians 2:15

  Paul calls the knowledge of God an aroma. Its presence is sensed rather than seen.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 2

• 2 Corinthians 3:1

  Paul is not saying this in order to boast but so that the Corinthians will not be seduced by others.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 3

• 2 Corinthians 3:3

  It was clear to everybody that the Corinthians owed their conversion to Paul's teaching, which the Holy Spirit had confirmed. We know that we belong to Christ if we have received the Spirit.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 3

• 2 Corinthians 3:6

  The law kills the sinner, but grace revives him if he repents. There are some people who say that the literal sense of Scripture is the thing which kills, but this is to forget that not all Scripture is meant to be taken literally, nor can allegory be pressed into service in every passage. For just as some things are said in an allegorical way, so other things, like the commandments, will lose all their meaning if they are taken allegorically and become destructive. The spiritual meaning of Scripture is not found in allegory but in letting the meaning of the text explain the essence of truth.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 3

• 2 Corinthians 4:4

  The god of this world may be understood to be the devil, on the ground that he has claimed to rule over unbelievers. Or, on account of the attacks of the heretics it may be understood to mean that God has blinded the minds of unbelievers precisely because of their unbelief.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 4

• 2 Corinthians 4:11

  We do not suffer because of doing wrong but for the sake of the body of Christ, which is the church. He suffered for us so that his life, which is eternal, might be made manifest in our mortal bodies, so that they too might become immortal.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 4

• 2 Corinthians 4:13

  Here Paul is attacking those who have believed in false apostles, who claimed that Paul was suffering because he had little faith. According to them, faith ought to guarantee that there will be no suffering at all. But Paul shows that, on the contrary, he has endured all things precisely because of his faith.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 4

• 2 Corinthians 5:2

  Our groanings are like those of a woman in labor, awaiting a new birth.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 5

• 2 Corinthians 5:5

  God has given us the Spirit as a guarantee so that we might know that he will not allow the temple of his Spirit to perish.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 5

• 2 Corinthians 5:6

  As long as we are in this present body, we are tossed about by events in this world and do not know how it will all end. But once we have left the body, we know that we are going to be with God, since we are freed from the uncertain and hostile cares of this world. Here we are pilgrims, and as wanderers we should not worry too much about the things of this world. Let us be content with what is necessary and concentrate all our desire and longing on getting to our Father's home.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 5

• 2 Corinthians 5:20

  We are reconciled to God if we believe in Christ.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 5

• 2 Corinthians 6:9

  Paul and his companions were unknown to the wicked and reprobate but well known to the faithful and just.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 6

• 2 Corinthians 6:10

  The person who has only the bare necessities lacks nothing.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 6

• 2 Corinthians 8:2

  Some are poor in material terms but rich in their simplicity. They would rather give than receive.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 8

• 2 Corinthians 8:18

  This is to be understood of Luke, who was highly honored because he had written a Gospel, not to mention the Acts of the Apostles as well.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 8

• 2 Corinthians 10:7

  No one is more foolish than the person who thinks that he alone belongs to Christ.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 10

• 2 Corinthians 10:10

  Paul is saying all this precisely in order to avoid charges of this kind.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 10

• 2 Corinthians 11:1

  Paul calls himself foolish in order to demonstrate that it is those who boast about themselves who really are the foolish ones.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 11

• 2 Corinthians 11:3

  The serpent deceived Eve by lying to her about God, saying that God merely threatened men with death, but would never actually kill anyone. Likewise, the false apostles in Paul's day were saying that the gospel was merely added to the Old Testament and that it was therefore necessary to go on keeping the law of Moses as before. In our own time, there are those who claim that hell is merely a threat, either because it does not exist at all or because it is not an eternal punishment—notions which are contrary to the teaching of Scripture.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 11

• 2 Corinthians 12:2

  You see how pressed Paul was to make his point, if he had to recall something which had happened as long as fourteen years before.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 12

• 2 Corinthians 12:9

  We learn from this that even a wrong prayer will receive an answer, even if it does not get what it wants.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 12

• 2 Corinthians 12:14

  Paul is telling the Corinthians that if he had more to give them, he would be bound to do so, as a loving parent.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 12

• 2 Corinthians 13:13

  All the saints sent their greetings, not just the leaders.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 13

• 2 Corinthians 13:14

  This is written against the Arians, who maintain that the Father is greater than the Son on the ground that he is usually mentioned first.

  COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 13