– 1:3-7 – Comfort in Suffering – This is where the idea of “you gain authority over what you have suffered” comes from in order to help others endure their suffering in particular areas. Always remember, we are Yah’s tools on this plane of existence as is the Son and the Spirit.

– Chapter 1 ¹⁵And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit— ¹⁶to pass by way of you to Macedonia, to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea.
– 16:6 And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go.

Also see Super Quick Bible Study: Let People Help You Sometimes. We need to let others bless us, so they can be rewarded by Yah.

– 1:17-24 – Yes, Yes and No, No – I am not going to lie, sometimes parts of Paul’s letters are annoying to read. This is one of them.

– 1:21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God…

Anointing is a preparation for performing Yah’s work.

– Chapter 1 ²³Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. ²⁴Not that we have dominion [rule] over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.
– Chapter 2 ¹But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. ²For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?

This is one of those “breaks by the scrolls, not the thought” sections, meaning it should have been one paragraph in either chapter. These verses declare to me Paul’s desire that they figure out what they should do and seek Yah’s wisdom in matters, instead of him (and others) constantly telling them either what to do or reprimanding them.

– Chapter 2 ⁶This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, ⁷so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. ⁸Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. ⁹For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. ¹⁰Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Colossians 3:13 Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

1 Corinthians 5 gives instruction for casting out an incestuous man and reprimands their tolerance of him. Some believe it is the same one in 2 Corinthians, but it cannot be confirmed. However, this gives us instructions on how to welcome back a repentant sinner. I don’t think current Christendom has the same power to kick a sinner out of a congregation and this act having an effect upon the person.

– Chapter 2 ¹⁴Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. ¹⁵For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. ¹⁶To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

Acts 10:4 And when [Cornelius] observed [the angel], he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”

So [the angel] said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.”

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
Philippians 4:18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.

There are a ton of references in the OT about the various sacrifices being “a sweet savor unto the Lord,” so the symbolism of this transitioned from burning formerly living things into our obedience and willful service unto Father Yah under His Son’s precious blood.

– 3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?
– 5:12 For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
– 10:10 “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.”
– 12:11 I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 15 ⁹For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

I get the impression Paul had validation issues with the body of believers. Or was it guilt over his persecution of the saints? Was that his “thorn in the flesh” (which comes from people’s behavior – Numbers 33:55, Ezekiel 28:24)?

– 3:3 …clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

Jeremiah 31:33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Ezekiel 11:19 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh…

Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Also see Proverbs 3:3, Proverbs 7:3, Psalm 37:31, Psalm 40:8, Psalm 51:10, 2 Chronicles 30:12, Jeremiah 17:1, Jeremiah 24:7, Jeremiah 32:39, Hebrews 8:10, Hebrews 10:16.

– 3:6 …who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Acts 5:20 Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.

Torah is not dead but transformed into Living Flesh and Blood, which become our new hearts (souls, lives, born again) when we accept the Spirit of Christ.

– 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
Genesis 32:30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”
Numbers 12:8 I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings [riddles]; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?”

One day, we all will see everything we have gone through on this plane of existence and understand, but not yet. Salvation is an ongoing process until we die.

– 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Job 34:11 For He repays man according to his work and makes man to find a reward according to his way.
Revelation 22:12 And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to his work.

Also see Jeremiah 17:10, Isaiah 62:11 [Matthew 16:27], Psalm 62:12 [Romans 2:6], Proverbs 24:12, Revelation 2:23, Revelation 20:12.

Each one of us will go to His throne alone, to give an account for what we have done.

– 5:14 For the love of Christ compels us…

Why does this remind me of that chant the two priests declared in the movie, The Exorcist?

– 6:5 …in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings…
– 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
– 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Also see Acts 16:23, 1 Corinthians 4:11, Philippians 4:12. I wonder if we will have to get to this level of suffering to get the Evangel spread in the West properly. Missionaries into other parts of the world have.

– 6:7c …with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left…
– 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds…

Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Job 29:14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban.

Isaiah 11:5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.

Isaiah 59:17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak.

Psalm 18:2c The LORD is… my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

– 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship [in common] has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion [fellowship] has light with darkness?

1 Corinthians 7:39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

I argue the latter verse contains a stronger statement against marrying an unbeliever. The former describes any binding with unbelievers, not just marriage, due to the power of influence. See 1 Corinthians 5:9, Ephesians 5:1-7, Exodus 34:16.

– 9:6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Proverbs 11:24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty.
Proverbs 19:17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given.
Proverbs 22:9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed [Matthew 6:22, Luke 11:34], for he gives of his bread to the poor.

Job 4:8 Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
Deuteronomy 15:10 Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand.

Hosea 10 ¹²Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

¹³You have plowed wickedness;
You have reaped iniquity.
You have eaten the fruit of lies,
Because you trusted in your own way,
In the multitude of your mighty men.

Galatians 6 ⁷Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ⁹And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

– 10:7 Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s.

1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

John 7:24 Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.
John 8:15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
Proverbs 21:2 All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.

Luke 16:15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Simply put, leave the judgment of others to the Lord and worry about yourselves.

– 11:14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenlies.

Revelation 6:2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

Beware! Deception comes in pleasant packages. The Destructive Ride of the White Horse of Revelation

– 12:14a Now for the third time I am ready to come to you.
– 13:1 This will be the third time I am coming to you. “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”

Deuteronomy 17:6 Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.

Numbers 35:30 Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty.

Matthew 18:16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that “by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.”

John 8:17 Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.

1 Timothy 5:19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.

Hebrews 10:28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses.

Matthew 26:60 …but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward…

Years ago, I heard a sermon downplaying this concept, because the focus was on describing how a congregation should handle sin in the camp and how often the second half of Matthew 18:16 is quoted. No, we have take the full counsel of Yah, so every repeat of this idea applies.