1. The Epistle of Second Corinthians

2. Outline of 2nd Corinthians
Explanation of Paul’s Apostolic Ministry (1:1—6:10)
Greetings from “an apostle…by the will of God” (1:1-2)
Past events in Paul’s ministry
Trouble in Asia, but comfort from God (1:3-11)
Plans for visiting Corinth (1:12-24)
Writing out of love produces sorrow, yields forgiveness (2:1-11)
Nature of the word Paul ministered
Dual aroma of the gospel (2:12-17)
The word is ministered thru the Corinthians’ changed lives (3:1-5)
A ministry of the Spirit (3:6-18)
God’s treasure in earthen vessels (4:1-7)
Motivation for ministering
An eternal perspective (4:8-18)
A future expectation (5:1-11)
The love of Christ (5:12-16)
Reconciling men to God (5:17-21)
Proof that Paul is a minister of God (6:1-10)

3. Outline of 2nd Corinthians
Exhortations to the Corinthians (6:11—9:15)
Concerning fellowshipping darkness
The Corinthians must open their hearts and separate from the world (6:11—7:3)
Comfort and confidence in the Corinthians’ obedience (7:4-16)
Concerning the collection for the saints The Corinthians are to do the following:
Follow the examples of Christ and the Macedonian churches (8:1-9)
Complete what had been planned and purposed (8:10-15)
Prove themselves (8:16—9:5)
Sow that they might reap, in order to have more to sow (9:6-15)

4. Outline of 2nd Corinthians
Exoneration of Paul’s Apostleship (10:1—13:10)
Paul’s ministry cannot be measured “according to the flesh” (10:1-18)
Paul must boast:
His selflessness excludes others from being regarded as apostles (11:1-15)
His willingness to suffer (11:16-33)
His exaltation due to his revelations is tempered by infirmity (12:1-10)
His miracles (12:11-13)
He spent and was spent so as not to burden the Corinthians (12:14-18)
His desire for their edification (12:19—13:10)
 Conclusion (13:11-14)

5. Exoneration of Paul’s Apostleship: Paul Must Boast (2 Corinthians 11:1-15)
Paul desires that the Corinthians bear with him in a little foolishness, i.e. boasting (11:1-3)
His motivation for boasting is the “godly jealousy” he has for the Corinthians
He has betrothed* them as a chaste virgin to Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:7-8; 21:9)
He does not want them corrupted, as the serpent had corrupted Eve with his craftiness (Gen. 3; 1 Tim. 2:14)
The Corinthians did “well” to “put up with” and be influenced by false teachers (11:4, 19-21, Galatians 1:6-7; 3:1) [NOTE: Paul is using irony here]
THAYER join, to fit together 1a) of carpenter’s, fastening together beams and planks to build houses, ships, etc. 2) to betroth a daughter to any oneto betroth, to give one in marriage to any one
When Paul wrote to the Corinthian saints he said, “I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). In Ephesians 5:25-27 Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
On earth, the church is the “betrothed” of Christ. She is the bride to be. The marriage supper is yet future. In the flow of the book of Revelation, it is only after the great events of the book that the bride is said to have “made herself ready” for the marriage (Rev. 19:7-8).
The vision of the bride in Revelation 21 occurs after the final judgment depicted in Revelation 20:11-15.
Revelation 21:9  Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.“
1 Timothy 2:14  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
Galatians 1:6-7  I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,  7  which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.Galatians 3:1  O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?

7. Exoneration of Paul’s Apostleship: Paul Must Boast (2 Corinthians 11:1-15)
Paul had shown himself superior to these wannabe apostles (11:5-10)
He is untrained in speech but not in knowledge – the Corinthians knew all about Paul (1 Cor. 2:1-5; Acts 22:3)
Was it wrong for him to preach the gospel to the Corinthians free of charge? (cf. 1 Cor. 9:14-15, 18)
He had been supported by other churches while in Corinth so as not to burden them (Philippians 4:15-16)
He would make this boast throughout Achaia to demonstrate his love for the Corinthians and to cut off the opportunity for his adversaries to be regarded on an equal plane with him (11:11-12)
Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.  V 5, ESV
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 
Acts 22:3  "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.
1 Corinthians 9:14-15  Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.  15  But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void. … 18 What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. 
Philippians 4:15-16  Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.  16  For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.

8. Exoneration of Paul’s Apostleship: Paul Must Boast (2 Corinthians 11:1-15)
Paul unmasks his detractors as ministers of Satan (11:13-15)
False teachers cannot be identified by how they APPEAR but by their doctrine, character, and fruits (Matthew 7:15-20; Revelation 2:2)
Satan may transform* himself into an “angel of light,” and therefore his ministers can transform themselves into “ministers of righteousness”
False teachers use the same craftiness as Satan (cf. 11:3; Luke 20:22-23; Ephesians 4:14)
It was probably evident that their covetous motives were the opposite of Paul’s motives (cf. 2 Peter 2:14-15; 3 John 7)
Matthew 7:15-20  "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  16  You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  17  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  18  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  19  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  20  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Revelation 2:2  "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
μετασχηματίζω, to transfigure or disguise; NOTE: The word used to describe Jesus’ transfiguration is different – μεταμορφόω (metamorphoō)
Luke 20:22-23  Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"  23  But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, "Why do you test Me?
Ephesians 4:14  that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
2 Peter 2:14-15  having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.  15  They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
3 John 7  because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles.

9. Lesson Schedule for our study of Second Corinthians Eastside Auditorium Winter Quarter 2017-18