tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20213892.post8719809459209200494..comments2023-12-22T08:29:29.230-08:00Comments on WHAT IS TRUTH: 2 Corinthians 2:12-17: An Imperative Passage for a Right View of Ministry SuccessKent Brandenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13419354741455959191noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20213892.post-28962154154452877792012-12-27T14:54:29.391-08:002012-12-27T14:54:29.391-08:00Hi, Kent, thanks.
When I read II Cor. 7, it sound...Hi, Kent, thanks.<br /><br />When I read II Cor. 7, it sounds to me like it could easily be a description of Paul's words in I Cor. 5, and their response to it. Only 7:12 causes a problem, and not a major one.<br /><br />I Cor. 16:10 suggests Timothy is on his way to Corinth separately, which fits with Acts 19:21-22. Paul sent Timothy to Corinth by way of Macedonia, then sent I Cor. from Ephesus, perhaps by Titus and another brother unnamed. Titus arrives with it, sees the response, and takes the good news back to Paul.<br /><br />It's not important, I was just struck by your certainty, because I've always leaned the other way, assuming that Titus delivered I Cor. and II Cor. 7 refer to I Cor., especially ch. 5.<br /><br />Did Paul write anything uninspired? I Corinthians 5:9 suggests he did, no reason he couldn't. Moses said things that were "uninspired," even when leading Israel (Num. 20:10). Peter apparently strayed in actions and therefore probably in words at Antioch.<br /><br />Agabus spoke God's words, but his actual words are recorded in one event (Acts 21), not in another (Acts 11). II Kings 14:25 tells of a prophecy of Jonah not recorded in Scripture, as well. <br /><br />We should conclude that prophets and apostles did not necessarily always speak (or write) prophetic, God-given words. And at times God gave words by prophets and apostles which He chose not to preserve as Scripture. <br /><br />Any extra-Scriptural letter of Paul could have been his own work, or prophetic / God-given. If God-given, since it was not preserved, it was for a particular time and place, and not for believers of all time for "doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness."<br /><br />A whole lot of words to say I see no problem with Paul writing a non-prophetic letter to Corinth, or even a prophetic letter which God chose not to include in Scripture, but which addressed local problems for which Scriptural guidance had not yet been given at the time.<br /><br />A non-prophetic letter would obviously not be inspired. A prophetic but non-Scriptural letter would not be inspired as I understand the force of the word theopneustos, but probably many people would call such a letter "inspired."<br /><br />My question was not because an uninspired "severe" letter poses any kind of doctrinal problem, but just that I think the evidence points towards I Cor.<br /><br />As usual, I'm too wordy. :)Jon Gleasonhttp://www.mindrenewers.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20213892.post-46684993816383814432012-12-27T11:06:10.222-08:002012-12-27T11:06:10.222-08:00Great article. I've recommended it to another...Great article. I've recommended it to another brother that I believe it will encourage. Bobby Mitchellhttp://www.midcoastbaptistchurch.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20213892.post-65461301518094211402012-12-27T09:34:15.723-08:002012-12-27T09:34:15.723-08:00Hi John,
Scripture is not explicit on this, but m...Hi John,<br /><br />Scripture is not explicit on this, but my reason for not seeing it as 1 Corinthians is one, that the content of the letter seems to be different as one reads 2 Corinthians 7. Timothy delivered 1 Corinthians and Titus delivered the letter referred to in 2 Cor 2:4 and 7:8. The news that Paul was waiting to hear from Titus reads differently in 2 Cor than what would have been 1 Cor. The way everything reads, the chronology works with believing that Paul wrote another letter.<br /><br />Do you believe that we can't say that Paul wrote anything uninspired? That an uninspired letter was not preserved does not surprise me, since there is no promise of preservation of the uninspired.Kent Brandenburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13419354741455959191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20213892.post-30484850379396847842012-12-27T05:19:21.633-08:002012-12-27T05:19:21.633-08:00Hi, Kent. It's a side question to your point,...Hi, Kent. It's a side question to your point, so if you don't want to show this comment, or answer it, that's fine with me.<br /><br />You refer to the "severe letter" as an uninspired (and thus unsurprisingly unpreserved) letter. <br /><br />Why do you reject the view that it is actually a reference to I Corinthians? There's plenty of rebuking going on in that letter, after all.Jon Gleasonhttp://www.mindrenewers.comnoreply@blogger.com