2 Corinthians

(for Sunday, 12/1/02)

    MAKING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN 1st & 2nd CORINTHIANS

  1. Paul mentions having previously written to the church at Corinth and describes a tension between his purpose and the possible effect of his writing (2 Cor. 2:4, 7:8-9). What was the possible effect and what was his purpose? What is there in 1 Corinthians that Paul might have had in mind?
  2. In 2 Cor. 2:5, Paul mentions someone who has caused sorrow to whom?    
  3. In 2 Cor. 2:6, Paul mentions a punishment that was inflicted by the many? What might he have in mind?    
  4. According to 2 Cor. 2:9, when Paul wrote previously concerning this, his purpose was to test whom, the individual who caused sorrow or the saints who inflicted punishment? How does this fit with what we read in 1 Corinthians?    
  5. On the basis of 2 Cor. 2 and 2 Cor. 7, do you see anything suggested about the outcome of the problem described in 1 Cor. 5?

      MAKING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN 2nd CORINTHIANS & ACTS  

  1. When Paul wrote 2 Corinthians, what particular thing did he encourage them to do in chapters 8-9?    
  2. Who had already done this according to 2 Corinthians 8:1-5    
  3. 2 Cor. 1:13 provides evidence that by the time Paul writes 2 Corinthians, he has already gone to what area? Notice the flow of 2 Corinthians chapter 2 in terms of references to time and location: Paul had written a previous letter to Corinth (verses 5-11, where was he when he wrote that letter?); Paul had gone to Troas (verse 12); Paul had gone to Macedonia (verse 13).    
  4. Name three cities in Macedonia which Paul had visited on his 2nd journey.    
  5. In Acts, is there a reference in Acts to Paul's arrival in Macedonia on his 3rd journey?    
  6. When Paul wrote 2 Corinthians, was he still on his way to Corinth?    
  7. What is Paul referring to in 2 Corinthians 11:9? Can you correlate this with a passage in Acts? Is Paul referring to something that happened on his 3rd journey, or to something that happened on his 2nd journey?    
  8. When Paul mentions some "affliction which befell us in Asia," (2 Cor. 1:8) where should we look in Acts for more information about this affliction?    
  9. While keeping in mind the fact that there may have been some affliction besides that which Luke described, of those things Luke describes, what might have been the affliction which Paul mentioned in 2 Cor. 1:8?    
  10. Think again of the route Paul took on his 3rd journey, and then read 2 Cor. 1:15-20. In verses 15-16, does Paul describe the route he actually ended up taking, or does he describe a route that he had at one time planned to take before changing his mind?    
  11. What explanation does Paul offer in 2 Cor. 1:17-20?    
  12. In 2 Cor. 2:12, Paul mentions coming to Troas. Do we see that visit mentioned in Acts? (Careful!)