2 Corinthians 1:1-11

2 Corinthians 1:1-11

One of the challenges that Paul will address in this letter is a question of whether he has the authority he is asserting. Paul begins by offering backdoor evidence of the legitimacy of his authority, while at the same time giving very practical teaching on the subject of suffering or hardship. The fact that Paul suffers and yet remains faithful is an indication of the authenticity of his faith. He also talks about the value of suffering. Faithfulness and suffering are developed with one marvelous application from this passage. 

This theme is summed up in the word “suffering” or “affliction.” Paul assumes that suffering is part and parcel with being a disciple. In fact, the suffering Paul talks about was so great that he felt like he was going to die. Paul was not a man given to flights of fancy and he thought that his suffering was going to end in his death. He says his much in verses 9-10. The word used here describes suffering that crushes a person to death. This was more than an illness or rejection. Most likely the specifics of what happened are lost to history. The last half of chapter 11 describes many sufferings of Paul for which we don’t have any other record. The external and internal pressures were about to kill Paul, were it not for the comfort of God. The word “comfort” here is a compound word, which is from “close besides” and “to call.” It is the picture of someone standing next to you in your suffering and leaning over to you, offering words of encouragement, advice, and strength. Sometimes God does that directly, and sometimes He does it through His people. But the comfort we receive is never intended to be the end of the line. The fact that we have received comfort means that we are morally obligated to pass it on. In the New Testament comfort is never seen apart from suffering from persecution or the comfort that comes after repentance.

There is an application for us, and this is desperately needed today. So much of our lives focuses on avoiding any suffering at all. The pseudo-gospel that has been presented to us tells us we can escape every form of hardship. While Paul doesn’t seek suffering, he walks through it so that he can embrace the wisdom of what it teaches. Some things will never be learned apart from hardship. The words in verse 9, “that we shall not trust in ourselves,” are a lesson best learned in the crucible of hardship.

“Lord, help me to use suffering to learn comfort and to comfort others. AMEN”