NOTES ON II CORINTHIANS

II Corinthians 2:12 Paul did not take an open door as a sign from God that had to be obeyed at all 

costs, but as an opportunity to be considered among other possibilities. (Friesen) This opened door is 

identical to the closed door in Acts. 16:7-8.

 

II Corinthians 2:14 lit."triumphal procession" They were given only on rare conditions for a 

conquering general. Christ is the general and we accompany him as troops. (J. Rose)

 

II Corinthians 3:13-18 The law of Moses faded even as his face did. “Preventing others from seeing 

the glory of God, as Moses, did denies them access to the transforming power of the Spirit.” Michael 

Kibbe, CT, July/August 2017 

Verse 18 may be translated "from His glory to our being like him in the final state." This is the same 

Greek word for transfiguration as used in the Transfiguration.

 

II Corinthians 4-5 Paul's opponents here may have been influenced by Platonic thinking, as evidenced 

by the many times Paul uses phrases and ideas common to Platonism to combat their ideas: nakedness 

of the soul, the body as the house of the soul, contrast between seen and unseen, metaphor of being at 

home and away, and death as separation of soul and body.

 

II Corinthians 4:7-8  This is a possible allusion to Gideon's battle in Judges 7. Verse 8 illustrates the 

difference between stress vs. distress. (R. Jensen)

 

II Corinthians 4:18  The Greek word for "temporary" indicates something out of season, out of date.

 

II Corinthians 5:10 "Bema" was also the seat before which athletes appeared to receive awards, 

usually understood to be the judgment seat.

 

II Corinthians 5:14 Those in love obviously have given up their personal freedom in a profound way. 

(Timothy Keller)

 

II Corinthians 5:16 "According to the flesh" does not modify Christ, but the verb "know." Rejects 

human point of viewing Christ. 

C.S. Lewis proposed that as an experiment, we should start looking at our friends and acquaintances as 

if they were more glorious than angels or more hideous than monsters, since one of those two will be 

their future fate.

 

II Corinthians 5:18-21 The form of the verses is 18a // 19a // 21 and 18b // 19b // 20. It shows there 

are two parts to God's reconciliation: the act of reconciliation in Christ and the ministry of 

reconciliation or proclamation of the message.

 

II Corinthians 9:5 the concept of faith promise

 

II Corinthians 9:15 What gift? See II Corinthians 8:9.

 

II Corinthians 11:21-33 See Romans 8:35. Paul himself suffered at least seven of the eight.

 

II Corinthians 11:32-33 Paul provides a humorous twist on the typical boast of the Roman soldier that 

he was the first to scale the enemy's walls.

 

II Corinthians 12:9-10 One of the rare quotes of Christ outside the Gospels. The most exciting 

situation to be in is when you are in over your head and must rely on God. Then He takes over. (E.

Jones)

 

II Corinthians 13:5 Perry Brown:This verse does not support the idea that Christians should 

periodically submit themselves to self-examination to determine whether they are really saved. The 

purpose of this verse is to teach the undoubted salvation of the Corinthians as evidence of Paul's 

apostolic authority. 

The question in 5b is phrased such that the expected answer is "yes." The phrase "unless you fail the 

test" is meant to be sarcastic.