2 Corinthians 13:10

• Paul did not want to punish the Corinthians harshly (12:21). He aimed to use his apostolic authority positively. However, his role required him to both strengthen and tear down (compare Jeremiah 1:10).

• for building you up: This is Paul's favorite way to describe a stable Christian community (see Ephesians 4:12), where the Lord lives in and among the believers (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Despite the problems Paul faced at Corinth, his main goal was clear. He wanted the best for these people, hoping they would become mature and strong. Paul always aimed to improve their well-being, even when he corrected them.

• In this section, Paul defends his role as an apostle.

• These chapters present several issues due to a noticeable change in tone and style. Chapters 1–9 express joy from sinners reconciling with God and the Corinthians reconciling with Paul. However, from this point, Paul becomes defensive. These chapters contain harsh words, bitter accusations, passionate irony, and rebuke. The significant shift at 10:1 has led to various explanations:

  1. These chapters might be a separate letter, possibly the “severe letter” sent earlier to Corinth (2:3–4; 7:8–9).

  2. It could be that while most church members obeyed the call for reconciliation, a rebellious minority remained, and Paul addressed these four chapters to them.

  3. More likely, a new situation arose after Titus reported restored harmony (7:5–16). In this case, some anti-Paul missionaries arrived in Corinth and started a strong campaign against the apostolic message of good news (see 11:4, 13–15). They claimed Paul was not a true apostle or even a true Christian (10:7) and that he had no right to bring the gospel message to Corinth, as it was their territory (10:15–16). They brought a foreign message (11:4) and had a domineering attitude. In short, they were doing Satan’s work (11:13–15). Paul, worried about this new situation, reasserts his apostolic authority and writes in a way he dislikes (11:1, 16–17; 12:1) by boasting about his weaknesses and trials. Paul’s apostolic authority is genuine and powerful, yet it is guided by the love shown by the crucified Jesus (10:1; 13:4–10).