Lectionary Year A, B and C
Ash Wednesday
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

Step IV: Broader Context


Ch.8-9 Church being invited to participate in broader mission.
Ch. 10 may be another letter because the issue of the restoration of the peace in the Cor. church and accepting Paul as an Apostle may be very much in doubt.

It may be worthwhile to compare each location of the letters. Maybe they fit better than it seems. Is this the lost Laodicean letter (Col.4:16)?

(JA) I Thess.4:1 --Classic example of "parenesis" for comparative purposes.

Paralells in Dead Sea Scrolls? -- 6:13-7:1 may be contrary to Paul.

Maccabees: endurance is prized as a virtue. Reconciliation language is in most of Maccabees (spec. refs. pending).

V.P. Furnish, Commentary on II Cor., helpful re. righteousness of God: the righteousness of God is God's determination to maintain the covenant with Israel and humanity (exact ref. pending).

God does not abandon the covenant. No divorce. Derivation and dependence at 6:2-- means that Paul is leaning on something from his Bible. What more is linking Paul to the OT?

Paul uses the OT to remind the reader of the urgency of the hour? Why this way: "He made him to be sin who knew no sin" - indicates "solidarity" with human beings (rm5:12)

Early Church Fathers -- Cyril of Alex. / Isa. 53:10 the death of Jesus is a sacrifice for sin.

(Martin's WORD commentary on II Cor. very helpful) Isa. 49:8 -quoted in 6:2 -- "lamb" portion isn't quoted. Did he get his notion of kairos ("critical hour") from the prophet or has he already developed his own?



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