Corpus-Paul

["Mesfin Atlaye" <mesfin AT idirect.com>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Fellows" <rfellows AT shaw.ca>
To: <corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 1:16 AM
Subject: Re: [Corpus-Paul] 1.5 Cor


> David,
>
> There is no place for the tearful letter between 1 Corinthians and 2
> Corinthians. Consider, for example, how the travel plan of 2 Cor 1:15-16
was
> made BEFORE 1 Corinthians (see 1 Cor 16:5-8). There is no evidence that
Paul
> abandoned his plans of 1 Cor 16.
>
Richard,

What is the problem with the assertion/argument that Paul sent I Corinthians
through the Stephanas (16:15ff); and in that letter he informed them of
Timothy's subsequent visit (4:17 and even more clearly "if Timothy comes"
16:10). We can assume that Timothy arrived at Corinth but his presence seems
to bring no change to the turmoil in the church. He returns to Ephesus and
reports the situation to Paul. Paul therefore makes a quick decision to deal
with the matter in person. Unfortunately that visit was disastrous. Paul
left Corinth humiliated and hurt (II Cor. 2:5-11). Once he is back to
Ephesus Paul wrote the letter in question of which II Cor. 10-13 is a part.
The carrier of this letter is none other than Timothy-Titus. The plan was
that the carrier of this so-called tearful-letter/severe letter (II Cor.
2:4; 7:12) was suppose to meet Paul in Troas to report the outcome of Paul's
letter and also to help in the preaching of the gospel at Troas (II Cor.
2:12). When Paul arrived at Troas, the expected Titus-Timothy was not there.
Paul was anxious and therefore abandoned his plan and headed to Macedonia
(II Cor. 2:13).

It was while in Troas that Paul had the opportunity to visit the Corinthians
a third time. His co-worker Timothy (Titus) was in Corinth (probably helping
the healing process that took place following the tearful-letter) and that
could have been a good reason to go and get him from there. But he was
afraid if this visit too turn out to be a painful one (II Cor. 1:15,16).
Paul's original plan is, yes, to visit them after he passed through
Macedonia (which he kept in the end by the time he wrote Romans). But had he
come directly from Troas it would have been a double favour to the
Corinthians but only to spare them he changed his mind and went directly to
Macedonia instead. When Titus-Timothy arrived at Macedonia and reported the
good news that Paul's sever/tearful letter (II Cor. 7:8-11) had done
wonders, Paul joyfully wrote the Letter from Macedonia (II Cor. 1-8 or 9)
and sent both the letter and Titus-Timothy back to Corinth to facilitate the
collection project. Yes, in II Cor. 1:1 Timothy is mentioned as a co-sender.
But that can be explained either as the editors work (just as in the case
with Timothy/ Titus issue) that one of the letters that the editor fused
together to form the canonical II Cor.has Timothy as a co-sender.



Mesfin Atlaye
Wycliffe College (U of T)
Toronto.