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  • From: Richard Fellows <rfellows AT intergate.bc.ca>
  • To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Opponents in 1&2 Corinthians
  • Date: Thu, 01 Jul 1999 11:15:10 -0700


Frank Hughes wrote:

<<Perhaps I have missed it, but do you have a chart or something where you
give your entire reconstruction of events or at least the chronology of
your Corinthian letters and fragments? Unless you are putting 2 Cor 2
before 1 Cor, you cannot refer to 2 Cor 10-13 as "the tearful letter." You
can only identify 2 Cor 10-13 as the "letter of tears" if you think it is
the letter Paul is talking about in 2 Cor 2 and 7.>>

Sorry, I should have explained. I am arguing that the "letter of tears" (2
Cor 10-13) was written before 1 Cor and was carried via the land route
(i.e. via the Troad and Macedonia). It arrived after 1 Cor. This
hypothesis combines neatly with the idea that 'Titus' was Timothy's
praenomen or nickname, though you may prefer to see it as Erastus's
praenomen. The choice depends, in part, on how you read Gal 2:1-5, Acts
16:1-3 and the PE.

Here, again, is the sequence of events that I am proposing. I have only
divided 2 Cor into two pieces, though you can fragment it further, if you
wish, without substantially changing the sequence or loosing its advantages.

Comments welcome.

*************************************************************************
After returning to Ephesus (Acts 19.1) Paul made a brief, sorrowful visit
to Corinth (2 Cor 2.1, 12.14, 13.1). In response he wrote a letter (1 Cor
5.9), now lost. He then heard that some at Corinth were questioning his
authority (1 Cor 4.18-19, 2 Cor 2.3; 7.11). He wrote a (tearful) letter, 2
Cor 10-13 (2 Cor 1.13, 2.3-4, 9, 7.8,12) to re-assert his authority and
sent it with Titus-Timothy. At the time of writing he was hopeful that the
letter would have the desired effect (2 Cor 1.15, 2.3, 7.14,16, 13.10) and
he wrote that he intended to visit them soon after the arrival of the
letter (2 Cor 12.14, 12.20-13.2, 2.3). His intention at that time was to
visit Corinth in the spring, on his way to Macedonia, and then to return to
Corinth (2 Cor 1.15-16, Phil 2.24). Titus-Timothy travelled with Erastus
via Macedonia (Acts 19.22, Phil 2.19). Paul learned from Stephanas etc. (1
Cor 16.17) that Titus-Timothy had not yet arrived in Corinth (1 Cor 16.10).
Titus-Timothy's delay may have been due to his work in starting the
collection in Macedonia (2 Cor 8.6). Paul therefore cancelled his plan to
visit Corinth at that time because a visit before the tearful letter had
done its work would have been sorrowful (2 Cor 12.20-21; 1 Cor 4.21; 2 Cor
1.23; 2.3), and he wrote 1 Corinthians in lieu of a visit, explaining his
intention to travel to Macedonia first (1 Cor 16.5-7). He left Ephesus at
Pentecost, as planned (1 Cor 16.8) and because Titus-Timothy had not
appeared, he feared that he had met with disaster on his way to Corinth.
He thought he might find him in the Troad, which had been on
Titus-Timothy's route to Corinth, but when he did not find him there, his
anxiety drove him on to Macedonia (2 Cor 2.12-13). Titus-Timothy did in
fact reach Corinth, and his visit was successful, but the believers decided
that since Paul could not come to Corinth at that time, they would
discipline an offender on his behalf (2 Cor 2.5-10, 7.7-13). As a result of
Titus-Timothy's delay, he went directly to Macedonia and met Paul there (2
Cor 1.1; 7.5-6, Acts 19.22). Paul then wrote 2 Cor 1-9, which was carried
to Corinth by Titus-Timothy (2 Cor 8.17). After the winter (1 Cor 16.6;
Acts 20.3), Titus-Timothy (Rom 16.21) travelled with Paul to Judea (Acts
20.4).
*****************************************************************************

Richard Fellows
Vancouver
rfellows AT intergate.bc.ca





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