Day 59: Paul Writes to the Corinthians Again (beginning)

So after Paul writes a somewhat critical letter to the church at Corinth,  he decides not to visit them again just yet, but writes to them again.  He begins by, again and again, speaking of the comfort of God in times of persecution and trouble.  These are verses we now read often at funerals.  Paul is speaking of one who brings the promise of God's comfort in Christ to people and one who has been through trouble and needs comfort himself.  He and his companions have been through hardships of many kinds in their missionary journeys.

One of the reasons Paul is delaying though, has to do with that other letter he wrote to Corinth, the one in which he was critical of them.  It is clear (and will become clearer as this letter goes on) that Paul feels that the Corinthians are unfairly mistrustful of him, and he needs to re-assert his credentials as an apostle.  He does have their best interests at heart.  He may have changed his plans, but he is not unreliable in what he preaches.  He is not (and Christ is not) "yes and no" to them, but only "yes."

Paul also contrasts himself with missionaries who preach the word for profit.  The only profit Paul seeks is the conversion of hearts to the gospel of Christ.  He feels as if they are requiring "Letters of Recommendation", but Paul feels that the churches he has started, churches filled with people following the way of Christ, should be the only letter of recommendation needed.

He goes on to contrast the glory of Moses in front of the ten commandments, with the glory of Christ.   Moses was able to stand in front of God, but the glory was too great to bear at that time, so he had to veil his face when he came down the mountain.  Paul writes that now, we are being transformed, so that we will be able to see the glory of God in the face of Christ.