2 Corinthians 13:10, The Severe Letter
Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.
//In verse 2:1 of this letter, Paul describes a visit to Corinth that is not mentioned in the book of Acts. The visit appears to be a disaster; opposition in Corinth has come to a head.
Many scholars think that the second letter to the Corinthians is actually two letters. They surmise that two letters have been combined into one epistle for our Bible, and that they are out of order. 2 Corinthians 10-13 is a fragment of a different letter, the so-called “severe letter.”
The order of letters to Corinth in this theory becomes:
1. Paul’s first letter is described in 1 Corinthians 5:9-10, of which we have no copy.
2. 1 Corinthians is then written in AD 54-55 from Ephesus to address issues which had arisen since he left there.
3. 2 Corinthians 10-13 is a forceful, stinging letter that perhaps follows on the heel of the frustrating visit described in 2 Corinthians 2:1.
4. After hearing some good news from Titus, Paul writes 1 Corinthians 1-9 with some relief. Not all is roses yet, but things are improving, and Paul makes another visit shortly after penning this letter.
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Twice before Lee Harmon has written about Christian topics, once on the gospel of John and once on the book of Revelation. But the question people keep asking him is this: As a liberal Christian, why do you care so much about the Bible? Others wonder whether he is truly a Christian at all.
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| Revelation: A love story gone awry. | The Gospel: A love story set aright. |
What really happened 2,000 years ago? How did a persecuted minority of end-time believers known as Christians, with their dreams of Armageddon and a conquering Messiah named Jesus, evolve into the largest religion in the world? Author Lee Harmon explores the period in which the New Testament was written in his books about John's Gospel and Revelation.
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Hello! I'm an author, historical Jesus scholar, book reviewer, and liberal Christian, which means I appreciate and attempt to exercise the humanitarian teachings of Jesus without getting hung up on any particular supernatural or religious beliefs.
The Bible is a magnificent book that has inspired and spiritually fed generations for thousands of years, and each new century seems to bring a deeper understanding of life’s purpose. This is true of not only Christianity; through the years, our age-old religions are slowly transforming from superstitious rituals into humanitarian philosophies. In short, we are growing up, and I am thrilled to be riding the wave.
I avidly read all thought-provoking religion titles. New authors: I'd love to read and review your book!
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Hi! While Lee writes the articles and reviews the books, I edit, organize, and maintain the blog. The views expressed here are Lee's but I'm his biggest supporter! :-)
I am intrigued by the breakdown of hist