Passage Viewer

Paul defends the authenticity of his mission against opportunists and false apostles who have undermined it through criticism and slander. The Apostle desires reconciliation not only in private but also within the community. What is truly at stake is not his personal relationships with the Corinthians but their understanding and acceptance of the Gospel he has proclaimed. How can they be reconciled to God without passing through reconciliation with Christ’s envoy and ambassador, whose service is precisely the ‘ministry of reconciliation’? The Apostle simply seeks to express his amazement at the folly of God’s infinite and unconditional love for us all, shown through the death of his Son, Jesus, on the cross. Paul experienced this in Damascus and wishes to share it with the Corinthians.

Paul once again calls on his beloved community to convert, doing so as God’s partner in this ministry of reconciliation. He does not speak in vague terms; the context of his new encouragement is always the same: if the Corinthians reject him as an apostle, they are rejecting not only him but also the Gospel he proclaims. Therefore, the Apostle’s persistent defense of his missionary conduct is necessary. It is striking how much importance Paul places on the ‘messenger’ identifying with the ‘message.’ He is simply imitating his Lord, ‘the faithful witness’ (Rev 1:5), whose very person was ‘the Gospel.’ Thus, rather than defending his ministry, Paul offers in these verses a portrait of what a servant of the Gospel should be, or better yet, he shows us the Gospel in action. Paul concludes by addressing his beloved Corinthians with a heartfelt request: that they open their hearts to him, to the Gospel he preaches, and to the Love he has for them.