2 Corinthians 1:15-24, A Second Experience of Grace

15 Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. 17 Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

23 But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.

Comments:

In this passage Paul refers to the collection he is taking up among the churches he has established for the saints in Jerusalem. Paul would not accept the Corinthians’ patronage, but he would accept their offerings for the Christians in Jerusalem. He makes the point that his itinerary is not up to himself but to the Lord. He goes on to say that all of God’s promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the great Yes—the positive outworking of God’s promises. God has given the Corinthians and Paul each other and put his seal on them. “Put his seal” refers to what happens to goods. They are claimed from the outset by the proper owner, being marked with a monogram. They belong to God because they have the Spirit, who is the seal of those who belong to Christ.

Paul does not deny the charge that he said one thing about his plans to the Corinthians and then did another. Rather, he seeks to give reason that it was necessary for him to do it so that he could spare his converts more grief. He does not deny previously causing his converts sadness through his severe letter, but he claims he did it for the sake of producing repentance. When we repent, we are restored in our faith and in joyful relationship with the Lord. Paul wants them to be firm and joyful in their faith.

Reflect:

Holy and eternal God,

give us such trust in your sure purpose,

that we measure our lives

not by what we have done or failed to do,

but by our faithfulness to you.

—New Zealand Anglican Prayer Book