2 Corinthians 5:1-3. The Eternal Heavenly Body -today’s BDBD.

Are you tired of your present body? Do you want a better body, a permanent body, a body that will not weaken, droop, bruise, break, die, or decay? How does it sound to have a heavenly body, a body with powers and abilities that no human has possessed, currently or previously? Does an immortal body in paradise excite your heart? If all these are things you desire, they can be yours in Jesus Christ.

The believer in Jesus has a grand resurrection from death in store for them. Adam and Eve, because they sinned, lost the glory and eternal life that was theirs. (Genesis 3:7). They became merely a flimsy tent that wore out and dissolved back into dust. Jesus came to provide the glory that they lost by removing the sin they introduced into human existence through his spilled blood.

Apostle Paul compares our present body, which is like a tent that will be destroyed, to the new Christian’s body, which is like a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (1) Our present frail body causes us to groan. Our new body will cause us to rejoice. In Christ, we will not be found naked as Adam and Eve were when they sinned (3; Genesis 3:7). Those who believe and hope in Christ will be clothed in glory as he is in glory. Seek Jesus, and you will live.

2 Corinthians Chapter 5:1-10 Overview -today’s BDBD.

God created humans with 3 parts: a physical body, a soul, and a spirit. The soul is my emotions, thoughts, and will. My spirit was dead until Jesus gave it new life when I first believed in him many years ago. (John 3:3)

My physical body is like a tent. It temporarily contains my soul and my spirit. Paul was in the tent business, which he drew from to make the analogy in this chapter. His craft consists mostly of mending tents and occasionally making new ones. People use tents as temporary residences. Homes made of wood, brick, and metal are preferred to tents. The physical body is a tent. (1-4)

When I was young, I was in the Boy Scouts. My troop often took trips, usually staying in tents. One late fall, we stayed near a small river winding through my grandparents’ dairy farm. Most stayed in tents except my friend and I. We decided to make a tent out of a rope and a large plastic sheet. The ends of the sheet overlapped under our sleeping bags.

The first night, the weather changed from pleasant to bitterly cold, freezing rain. At first, my friend and I were safe and dry in our flimsy tent. However, after 15 minutes, ice-cold water began seeping through the overlap under our sleeping bags. We became shivering cold and wet. We soon escaped the poor tent for the warm, dry shelter of my grandparents’ farmhouse.

My physical body is like the plastic tent my friend and I made. When all is pleasant, my physical body adequately houses my soul and spirit. However, from the day I was born, my body has had flaws that do not hold up when life’s weather turns for the worse. In bad storms of life, I groan and am burdened. I feel naked, wet, and cold. (2, 4)

However, I have great hope. I believe that Jesus has made something better for me. When my current physical body finally fails, I know that God has made a strong, dry, and warm home for my soul and a new spirit. He will place my soul and my new spirit in a new physical dwelling. (1, 3, 6-8)

When my body dies, I will not be naked. I know this is true because God’s Spirit within me spiritually reminds me of all the time. I live by faith, even though I cannot physically see my new spirit, nor God’s Holy Spirit, nor have I seen my new resurrection physical body. Like Paul, I make it my goal to please Jesus, who has given me this wonderful hope. (9-10)

2 Corinthians 4:16-18. Fix Our Eyes On… -today’s BDBD.

“It’s coming for us Simon Peter. A bad mountain wind storm.”

“I see Andrew. This one’s not going to be easy,” Peter said, intensely looking at the waves. He quickly grabbed Andrew’s shoulder and the mast when the first large wave rocked the boat, throwing its tentacles into and over the boat.

“You guys know what you’re doing, right?” Matthew said, looking up worried. He ended up lying on the floor. “I mean, we have a boatload of lifetime fishermen.” No one answered.

“We can’t go back, can we, brother?” John said to Peter on the starboard side, more as a statement than a question. “He told us to go to the other shore.”

After the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus told the disciples to go on ahead of him to Bethsaida by boat. After they left, Jesus went up a mountainside by himself to pray. Jesus waited till the boat was in the middle of the lake and the storm. Then, Jesus walked on the lake and began passing his disciples, who were buffeted by the waves attacking the boat. (Matthew 14:22-25; Mark 45-48; John 6:16-18) Some, with John’s statement, began considering that they were in this precarious situation because Jesus told them to go by boat while he stayed behind on the mountainside.

“Look! It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. They had seen Jesus walking on the lake. Stepping atop one wave cap to the next, looking like he was floating in the air.

“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid,” Jesus said immediately.

Looking intently at Jesus, Peter replied, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Jesus permitted him. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he stood on the water. However, when his gaze turned away from Jesus and towards the turbulent waves, he began to sink.

When “we fix our eyes not on what is seen”, the storms we are in, but “on what is unseen”, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (6b), we are given grace to walk on water. That is, “we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (16) As the story goes, Jesus sent his disciples, who were later seen for what they are, “light and momentary troubles”. So, are the storms we are in. Jesus sends us into such storms for they are achieving for us and eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (17)

2 Corinthians 4:13-15. Raise Us With Jesus -today’s BDBD.

Believing in Jesus, faith in him, leads a person to give testimony about him. Jesus, who entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, was given great praise. The Jewish religious leaders told him to stop the praise. His reply was, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40). “I believe,” Paul and the Psalmist say, “therefore I have spoken.” Testimony about Jesus is a natural compulsion to those who believe.

Why? “Because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with the saints in his presence” (14). The grace of God in this gives rise to thanksgiving and praise to the glory of God. Paul points out that the good news was also reaching many people, not just the Jews. More and more were added as people testified to Jesus.

We were made to testify. Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (John 15:16) “Go!” If you are as stubborn as a rock and remain still. Then a rock will show more life than you when you are still.

2 Corinthians 4:7-12. This Reveals God’s All-Surpassing Power -today’s BDBD.

The human body is like a jar of clay, a fragile shell made of the ground we walk on, meant to store goods. When closed, it is without light. Ancient cultures used plain clay jars to conceal valuable treasures – sacred scrolls, hard jewels, and untarnished precious metals. The wonderful treasure in Christians is God’s light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (6)

Though a hard, fragile shell, pressed on every side, Christians are not crushed. Though wrestled about like a sports ball, not knowing what is happening and what to do about it, we are not without hope and deliverance. (8) Though persecuted, we are not abandoned. Though thrown down like a wrestler, we are not destroyed. We are lifted up and move on. (9)

Like a jar full of valuables is buried, our body is buried with Christ. (Romans 6:4-6) We die every day. (1 Corinthians 15:31) We always carry around in our clay body the death of Jesus. (10a, 11a). Why? So that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (10b). We die for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. (11b) Death is at work in this clay body, but life is at work in those we minister to. (12) We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (7)

2 Corinthians 4:4-6. Light Transcends Darkness -today’s BDBD.

Light overcomes darkness. Darkness cannot overcome light. Light penetrates darkness. Darkness cannot penetrate light. Light is glory. Darkness is not glory. A mind can be blinded so that it cannot see light. The light of the gospel is the glory of Christ. The light cannot be stopped, but it can be rejected.

The god of this age is the devil, for most people follow his ways and in doing so worship him. The devil’s followers do not believe in Christ. They reject Jesus as Lord and his gospel of glory. Their unbelief enables the devil to blind their minds. They cannot see the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (4)

John 3:19-21 says, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

God said, “Let light shine out of darkness in my heart.” God gave me the light of Jesus Christ as Lord. He made me a servant of his light. He gave me the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. I am the servant of the light of Jesus. Anyone can be brought out of darkness and placed in the light. Jesus gives sight to the blind.

2 Corinthians 4:2-3. Plain and Clear -today’s BDBD.

Apostle Paul, not losing heart, though some attacked his character and motives, continued to preach the gospel, the very ministry given him by the Lord. Jesus tells all his disciples that opposition is sure to come. Paul contrasted his methods to accomplish the mission given to him with those of his detractors. We can learn how to proceed with our missions.

Paul’s detractors used secret and shameful ways. They were deceptive, hiding their true motives. Their methods were to distort the word of God. (2a) They were like Oz behind the curtain in “The Wizard of Oz”.

Paul, however, did not do as they did, though before he became a believer, he was like them. When the Lord called him, he put those shameful ways behind him. Opposite to them, Paul presented God’s truth plainly and clearly. (2b) Those who heard him or read his letters knew in their conscience that what he said had no hidden agenda. They knew it to be true and of God. (2c)

Referring back to what he wrote in 3:13-15, like Moses’ veil, if anyone did not understand the gospel he preached, it was not his doing nor fault. Rather, it was because they did not believe. The veil covers their hearts. (3)

As the apostle wrote Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) And the writer of Hebrews, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

2 Corinthians 4:1. Do Not Lose Heart -today’s BDBD.

Today’s Bible Daily Bread Devotional (BDBD) is for those who are weak from serving in Jesus’ name. These are the volunteers, faithfully ministering from infants to the elderly. They are men and women of the Spirit, who continually walk the streets talking to strangers about Jesus. They are displaying the image of the Son of Man, Jesus of Galilee, through their words and acts. They are non-profit royal priests who get more harassment and persecution than recognition. These are practical ministers of the New Covenant, the gospel of Jesus.

Paul, in the previous chapter, said that yours is the freedom, reflecting the Lord’s glory. You are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory. (3:17-18). Your ministry brings righteousness. Your glory is surpassing and will last the ages. (3:9-11) Your competence comes from God. (3:5)

The great ministry you have, though all the troubles and trials of life, is God’s mercy to you in the ministry he has given you. (1) Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Be in the words Jesus told us and be in the living Word, Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Take heart. He who has overcome the world is with you in the ministry he has given you.

2 Corinthians Chapter 4 Overview -today’s BDBD.

Life with Jesus is a split identity existence while in this world. The dual existence is not like that of the fictional Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, who had a good and a bad side. Nor is it like a split personality disorder where two entirely different personalities exist in one body. Also, it is not my spiritual body versus my physical body.

The dual aspect of life in Jesus is a matter of death and life in my body. The death and life of Jesus are always alive and at work in my body (11).

Every day brings the possibility of new challenges, troubles, baffling circumstances, and hardships (8). I am not affected now when these come the way I was affected before I knew Jesus. Rather than lose heart, will, strength, and obtain despair, confusion, and regrets, Jesus’ life in me does the opposite. I am not crushed, I do not despair, I am not abandoned, and I am not destroyed (1b).

The new God-given positive reactions to adverse life events are similar to the God-given reaction my body does when it mends a broken bone. When I was around 13, a rope that my brother and I were swinging on snapped. I plummeted to the ground and landed on a bed of stones and clay. My wrist snapped. A doctor set it, and the bone fully mended in a few weeks.

Six months after the wrist cast was taken off, I broke it again. This time I was sledding down a hill with my friends. They challenged me to stand on my Red Rider sled as I sped down the steep hill. I accepted the challenge. When I came to the bottom of the hill, the sled’s front rails embedded into a snow ramp, causing it to abruptly stop. I was catapulted into the air and landed on the same wrist as before.

When I arrived at the ER, they took an X-ray of my wrist. The doctor reviewing the X-ray exclaimed, “It looks like the bone is broken in the exact same place. That is impossible because the mended bone is always stronger than the bone around it.” After enlarging the X-ray, he was proven right. The wrist bone was broken in a new place.

Similar to the mended wrist bone, Jesus in me is stronger than my old self in me. Though strained, I will not break as I might have done in the past. My “light and momentary troubles are achieving for (me) an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

2 Corinthians 3:17-18. From Glory to Glory -today’s BDBD.

The Spirit is the Lord of those who believe in Jesus (17-18). Lord, in the original Greek, has the equivalent meaning of the Hebrew word Adonai. (Exodus 3:14) The meaning of both is the “Supreme and Almighty Master”. Abraham called God, “Adonai Elohim”. “Elohim,” meaning “Almighty God,” is the name for God in Genesis 1:1. The Spirit is, therefore, the Supreme Master Almighty God.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (17b) The Spirit is within those who accept Jesus as Messiah and call on his name. Our Lord the Spirit freed us from our old master, which was the laws and stipulations of the Old Covenant. They ruled over us through death and sin (7). The old master has no power over me. I have a new Master, the Spirit, and he is life everlasting (11b).

The Lord, my master, is transforming me into his likeness with ever-increasing glory. I am like the moon or a mirror reflecting light. I reflect the surpassing glory of the Lord (10), who is the Spirit. My transformation is not physical. My transformation is spiritual. My transformation is not by my power or will. My transformation comes from the Holy Spirit. We see and experience the glory now through the moving of the Spirit.

Remember Apostle Peter’s words in the days of persecution upon us and ever-increasing, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” (1 Peter 4:12-14)

2 Corinthians 3:13-16. Jesus Removes the Veil – today’s BDBD.

Moses was on Mount Sinai with the Lord, receiving the ten commandments carved in stone. When he came down the mountain, his face was radiant with glory, and Aaron and Israel were afraid to come near him. So, Moses put a veil over his face. The radiance began to fade until it was no more, but Israel did not notice because Moses kept the veil over his face. (Exodus 34:29-35). This is a lesson of the temporary and weak natures of the Old Covenant.

The Lord punished Judah for their sins and for ignoring the prophets he sent them by sending the Babylonians to burn down Jerusalem and completely destroy the temple. When the punishment was completed, the prophet Jeremiah pronounced a punishment for the day they would also reject the Messiah, Jesus, “O LORD, you have heard their insults, all their plots against me– what my enemies whisper and mutter against me all day long. Look at them! Sitting or standing, they mock me in their songs. Pay them back what they deserve, O LORD, for what their hands have done. Put a veil over their hearts, and may your curse be on them! Pursue them in anger and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:61-66; See 1 Corinthians 16:22 and Galatians 3:10-13)

The Holy Spirit reveals through the Apostle Paul that the veil remains. Is there any hope for people who have a veil over their hearts? Yes! Only in Christ is it taken away. (14) Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (16) “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” (Galatians 3:13a)

2 Corinthians 3:10-12. Glory Forever More -today’s BDBD.

Glory is one of those words that has so many meanings and applications that it is hard to define. We can say, “Her hair is her crowning glory.” “The sun is a ball of blazing glory.” “Give God praise and glory.” And here Paul wrote, “If what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!” (11)

When Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments of the Old Covenant, lightning surrounded the top of the mountain, it shook, and a loud trumpet sounded. When he walked down Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments, his face was radiant. When Moses was in the tabernacle a column of fire entered the tent. (Exodus 19:16-19, 33:9, 34:29-35) Glory was displayed in all this. Yet, the lightning stopped, the face of radiance faded, and the tabernacle is no more.

As the glory of the stars fades away and disappears when the sun rises, so the Old Covenant faded away when the New Covenant came. (10) We of the New Covenant have a hope of the future glory of the Kingdom of God. We see and experience that glory now through the moving of the Spirit. We have a sure hope for our future. So, we are bold in sharing the gospel of the Kingdom of God. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:13) Is your hope sure?

2 Corinthians 3:7-9. Old Covenant is Death -today’s BDBD.

The Old Covenant given to Israel at Mount Sinai, as recorded in the first five books of the Bible, is also referred to as the Mosaic Law. Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, calls it the letter that kills (6), the ministry that brought death (7), and the ministry that condemns (9). Those who insist on keeping the Old Covenant to this day are dead and are still weak before the power of sin acting within them.

The shortcomings of the Old Covenant, though it is good, defines sin, which has great power, does not give power to resist and overcome sin’s power, enables sin within the body and soul, and condemns death to all who commit even one sin. The laws and stipulations of the Old Covenant do not have a permanent mechanism to eliminate the power of sin within. The evil in the heart remains in those following the Mosaic laws even after the sacrifice of animals prescribed by the law.

The New Covenant given by Jesus in his blood at the end of the Last Supper is referred to as the Spirit that gives life (6), more glorious than the old (8), written on human hearts (3), and the ministry that brings righteousness (9). Those under the New Covenant to this day are alive in Christ and have the Spirit’s power over sin acting within them.

The excellence of the New Covenant is that it completely removes sin, thus providing righteousness, provides the power to resist and overcome sin, and proclaims life through the Spirit of life. The blood of Christ, on which the New Covenant rests, is a permanent mechanism to eliminate sin and its power within. The evil in the heart is removed from the hearts of those living in the New Covenant after the sacrifice of the Son of God, the Son of Man.

Why claim allegiance to a congregation that claims obedience to the Old Covenant laws is needed to be saved when you can be freed under the New Covenant? Why accept the covenant of death and reject the covenant of life? The only salvation in the old is through absolute obedience all the time. Salvation in the new is through Jesus all the time.

2 Corinthians 3:4-6. Competent Ministers -today’s BDBD.

The Lord Jesus forgave Paul and called him to minister to the Gentiles and Israel. Jesus, as Lord and God, equipped Paul to accomplish the ministry he had given him. Paul had confidence that God was and would continue to work within the congregation at Corinth through his ministry.

Paul had confidence in God, not in himself. This did not mean that Paul sat back and waited for God to do things. Rather, Paul continued to actively engage in ministry, all the while knowing and believing that God was the one who gave him the abilities needed to accomplish the mission.

God makes us competent as ministers of a new covenant – not of the letter as the old covenant but of the Holy Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

When God reveals his purpose within ministry, calling you to purpose within the church, do not let fear of ability stop you from obeying. Know that God who calls us to mission will also equip us for that mission. This does not mean the mission will be easy, nor that we will not need to learn. Rather, it means that he will apply and use all within and without us to do what he had called us to do. We need to have confidence that God will complete his work through us.

2 Corinthians 3:1-3. Authentic or Cult Teacher? Today’s BDBD.

How can it be determined if a person is an authentic instructor or a cult authoritarian with a desire to control people and take their earnings? The Jewish religious leaders insisted that Jesus was a charlatan because he was not “one of us”.

Pseudo-apostles insisted that Apostle Paul was a pretender because he was not one of the twelve, was not part of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and had persecuted the early believers. The Corinthian congregation would have a hard time knowing who to believe because, unlike us, they did not have the New Testament writings, could not reference-check his teachings (except using the Old Testament), and could not review a letter of recommendation (Paul did not carry any).

Apostle Paul’s response was, “Look at the fruit of my labors and remember my actions when I was with you, when I founded your congregation.” The congregation’s changed lives, the manifestations of the Holy Spirit because of his teaching, and the miracles were God’s testimony of Paul’s authenticity. He didn’t need a degree written in ink as proof. The Spirit of the living God written on their hearts proved his authenticity.

Jesus, warning about false prophets, taught, “By their fruit you will recognize them,” and, “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.” (Matthew 7:15-20, 12:33). Are you in a group, church, or campus ministry and have questions about their authenticity and motivations? Research the results of their work, their teachings, and their motivations. Seek to know the sincerity behind the smiles, understanding that you will not find perfection, but you should find fruit that aligns with Biblical teaching.

2 Corinthians Chapter 3 Overview -today’s BDBD.

Paul presents the Corinthian congregation as a living witness to his credentials as a minister of the New Covenant (1-6). Then, he compares the Old Covenant to the New Covenant (7-18).

The Lord God presented the Old Covenant to Israel at Mount Sinai, in the desert (modern-day western Saudi Arabia), through Moses on two stone tablets (Exodus 19-20). The entire law of the Old Covenant is the first five books of the Bible (though some record historical facts too). When Moses came down the mountain to present the ten commandments to Israel, his face shone with the glory of God. This faded over time (Exodus 34:29-30, 33, 35). The Old Covenant brought condemnation because the Israelites were unable to keep it, for all have a fallen, sinful nature.

The Lord Jesus presented the New Covenant to the world at Mount Zion, where Jerusalem is located. The Holy Spirit writes it on the hearts of those who believe in him. When Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to his Father in heaven, his face shone with the glory of God, which never fades. The New Covenant brings righteousness because it relies solely on Jesus’s character, what he did on the cross, and his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15).

When I relied on myself for righteousness in God’s eyes, I had a veil over my heart. I tried to be a good person. I tried to be accepted by God. But I could not see God nor his Christ through my self-righteousness. I failed. I was separated from God.

Then God took the veil off my heart (16). Now I see Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, atoning for my sins. Now I solely rely on Jesus – who he is and what he did for my righteousness. Now the Spirit of the Lord is in me. Now my relationship with God does not rely on me. I am free in Christ. I am free of the law and condemnation. I am being transformed into the image of the Son with ever-increasing glory (18). Jesus makes me competent as a minister of the New Covenant (5-6).

2 Corinthians 2:17. Preaching for Profit -today’s BDBD.

When I was young, I would come home from school to see a short commercial called “Bowling for Dollars”. Men and women would roll their bowling balls down the alley once or twice to get up to a hundred dollars, according to how many bowling pins they knocked down. I never considered whether the owners of the bowling alleys, who were paying for the ads, rigged the pins so they would be less likely to fall over. The intent was to get people to come to the bowling alley, play a few games, eat some food, drink some alcohol, play jukebox songs, play arcade games, and shoot pool. “Bowling for Dollars” was more about getting dollars than giving dollars.

Later, as cable TV spread, so did TV evangelists. “Preaching for Profit” was blatantly overlooked, even though most took in a million dollars every day. Often, these evangelists went from near-poverty to living in millionaire mansions, only to be convicted of fraud. Today, a new form of “Prosperity Gospel” is preached in many mega-churches and on the internet. Prosperity preachers are the same as the TV evangelists of the 1980s and 90s.

Peddling the word of God for profit is nothing new. Paul and the other apostles saw this in their lifetime, too. Verse 17 says, “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.” The Greek word that Apostle Paul used for peddling for profit was commonly used to describe a bartender who watered down their liquor and sold it at the same price as the best-quality liquor. False preachers corrupted the word of God with the intent to get rich.

I stand before God stating that not only have I not grown rich, but I have not taken in any donations, except for less than $30 several years ago, even after 30 years of online service. The website is ad-free, and I do not collect and sell people’s personal information. No subscription is required.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16. Fragrance of Life or Smell of Death -today’s BDBD.

Paul breaks off the narrative of his itinerary and characteristically allows his spontaneour spirit to carry him into a lengthy digression (the narrative is not resumed until 7:5). The digression, however, is quite relevant to the main tenor of this letter, for it is an immensely rich outpouring of triumphant faith in praise of the unfailing adequacy of the grace of God for every conceivable situation, no matter how threatening and destructive it may seem to be.

The imagery is that of a Roman triumph in which the victorious general would lead his soldiers and the captives they had taken in a festive procession. At the same time, the people watched and applauded, and the air was filled with the sweet smell released by the burning of spices in the streets. So the Christian, called to spiritual warfare, is triumphantly led by God in Christ, and it is through him that God spreads everywhere the “fragrance” of the knowledge of Christ.

As the gospel aroma is released in the world through Christian testimony, it is always sweet-smelling, even though it may be differently received. The two ultimate categories of mankind are “those who are being saved and those who are perishing (15). To the latter, testifying Christians are the smell of death, not because the gospel message has become evil-smelling or death-dealing, but because in rejecting the life-giving grace of God, unbelievers choose death for themselves. To those who welcome the gospel of God’s grace, Christians with their testimony are the fragrance of life. Who is equal to such a task? God, who is the competence of the Christian (3:5). Keep spreading the sweet-smelling gospel.

2 Corinthians 2:12-13. Endless Tiresome Travels -today’s BDBD.

A year ago, for a work-related change, my wife and I moved from the East Coast to the center of the country. The trip involved stops at a relative’s house, Nashville, and Memphis until we finally arrived at the city where we now live. Normally, a three-night trip to such locations would be very enjoyable. However, since we had a tight schedule, over 1,100 miles to travel, cleaning the old apartment, furniture packing and moving arrangements, and working at a new location and company, we had little peace of mind and physical rest. The trip was not very enjoyable.

Paul’s travel from Ephesus was also lacking in peace of mind until he arrived at the troubled new congregation at Corinth (13). Paul’s first main stop was at the port city of Troas. The door to preach the gospel was opened to him there. He taught for only a very short time because he was eager to learn if the Corinthian congregation had received his first letter well, and if they were still a congregation. He had hoped he and Titus, who was coming from Corinth, would cross paths in Troas. They did not. So he left Troas and continued to Corinth.

Though we are believers in Jesus and working for the kingdom as we should, we may at times lack peace of mind. An unsettled mind is not because God does not give us peace. Rather, peace of mind is often due to our impatience. The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6b) Jesus promised, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:26-27)

2 Corinthians 2:5-11. Grief That Leads to Sorrow and Forgiveness -today’s BDBD.

Grief, distress, and anguish, especially grief, are repeated ten times in the first ten verses, all deriving from the Greek noun “lype” (a transliteration), referring to deep emotional pain. Contrasting “lype” are forgiveness, joy, comfort, and love; together they are stated twelve times.

One man’s sin in the Corinthian congregation led to grief, distress, and anguish, not just for the man when punished, but also for the congregation and Paul. The majority inflicted punishment, likely excommunication, at Paul’s direction. The man was grieved and repented. He received forgiveness and was invited back into the fellowship. Without grieving, usually the result of punishment, there is no forgiveness. As the psalmist wrote, “If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.” (Psalm 130:3-4)

Apostle John wrote, “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” (1 John 1:5-10)

2 Corinthians Chapter 2 Overview -today’s BDBD.

Paul gave instructions in his first letter to the Corinthian congregation in chapter 5 concerning a man engaging in a grievous sexual immorality. He said that they should cast him out of their congregation. Now, Paul reveals two motives behind that directive. (Some point out that he may be referring to another person’s sin and/or offense.) First, he did not want to be grieved by them when he arrived (3-4). Second, he was testing their obedience (9). They did as Paul instructed and cast the man out.

The man repented. So now, Paul is encouraging them to forgive and invite him to join them again. Paul had already forgiven him.

One interesting statement here is, “if there was anything to forgive.” (The reason some believe it is another offense.) Another is, “that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not aware of his schemes.”

Satan wants to destroy all of Christ’s congregations. He has various schemes to carry out the destruction. A particularly common one is to divide us. In this case, he used a man who persisted in incest, and the congregation’s leadership lacked discipline. Thus, Paul said the man needed to be cast out. They obeyed. He grieved and repented.

Satan’s scheme did not stop there. Now the congregation needed to forgive the man and unconditionally accept him back into the church. Forgiveness is an important act of love. Jesus taught me to pray, “Forgive us of our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Holding regret and judgment is self-destructive to congregations and to me. Discernment, separation from persistent sin, and unconditional forgiveness should all be done in love.

2 Corinthians 1:23-2:4. Do Not Lord Over as Nonbelievers Do -today’s BDBD.

Apostle Paul stopped short of explaining his reasons for the change in travel plans at the end of verse 16. He momentarily diverted to a side point. Now he continues his explanation. Paul said he wanted to give them more time to think about what he had written in the first letter, hoping and praying they would change (1:23, 2:3-4). He did not want to lord his authority over their faith (1:24). He trusted God to work through their faith.

Paul was an apostle and the founder of the congregation in Corinth. Some would say he had every right to exercise authority over the group he founded. However, he knew Jesus’ command to his apostles, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave– just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-45; Luke 22:24-27)

Authority can be used to gain unquestioned authority, often through threats, lies, and rumors. Unquestionable authority is then used to obtain absolute authority. I have witnessed this in business and congregations by people who are not originally the person in top authority, but eventually gain it because the one in top authority is afraid to lose what little authority they have left. Many are destroyed by this “lording over” authority.

Neither Jesus nor the apostles practiced “lording over” authority. Instead, he taught us through word and example to serve others. My advice to you is, if you are afraid of losing power and yet claim to be a disciple of Jesus, then consider if you truly follow Jesus or chase after power.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22. Seal of Ownership -today’s BDBD.

“Stand firm in Christ!” The first place in Israel’s history the command to “stand firm” is given is the Lord’s answer through Moses to Israel concerning the approaching Egyptian army led by Pharaoh, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.” (Exodus 14:13) The next time the command is heard was when Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat and Israel. While standing before the LORD at his temple in prayer, the LORD replied, “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'” (2 Chronicles 20:17)

King David, learning from the past and looking to the future we now live in, prophesied, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. O LORD, save the king! Answer us when we call!” (Psalm 20:7-9) The Holy Spirit, through the apostle, reminds us, “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.” (21a)

Troubles and suffering will come and have come. God is with us, strengthening our knees. “How do I know this?” you may ask. God anointed us with a seal of ownership. The Holy Spirit in our hearts is a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. The Holy Spirit, whom we experience life from and with, tells us that God is with us, and God strengthens our knees so we will stand firm in the Lord Jesus, as he wins the battle that is already won.

2 Corinthians 1:15-20. The “Yes” to the Gospel -today’s BDBD.

Paul’s detractors intended to diminish the gospel Paul preached and replace it with their pseudo-gospel. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25, 31, 2:4, 3:18-23, 4:18-21, 9:1, 15) They claimed that Paul was lying about his intent to visit them, and so, his gospel was just as false. They said, “Do not listen to the liar Paul. Listen to us, for we know great secret things through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Paul explained his intended travel plans when he wrote the first letter (15-16), and that plan was not easy to make, nor was its announcement under pretenses (17). His original travel plans were as he said. Also, the gospel message he preaches is true. He is not a liar (18). When he said, “Yes,” he meant it.

Apostle Paul preaches the Son of God, Jesus Christ, as did Silas and Timothy (19). Paul reminded them of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in 1 Corinthians 15. “…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and he appeared to many.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) “By this gospel we are saved if we hold firmly to it.” (1 Corinthians 2a) This is God’s promise. This is not a false “Yes”. This is true. Do you say, “Amen” to this gospel to the glory of God? (19) Do not believe those who preach a pseudo-gospel by discrediting the New Testament.

2 Corinthians 1:14b. The Day of the Lord Jesus -today’s BDBD.

“The day of the Lord Jesus”, referring to Jesus’ coming to assess the saints’ actions while in the flesh, as Paul is using it here, is one day only. It can be understood as one twenty-four (24) hour day that starts at sunset, goes through dawn, the light period, and ends at sunset. It can only be Jesus coming and judging the saints.

“The day of the Lord Jesus” is not plural like “in the last days” used elsewhere. The single day here is Jesus’ second coming, and the plural “in the last days” is the time before his second coming. “The day of the Lord” contains the harvest that Jesus and the apostles taught, and Paul is using here. (Matthew 13:30, 39, 21:34, 41, 25:24, 26; Mark 4:29, 12:2; Luke 20:10; John 4:35-36; Romans 1:13; and 1 Corinthians 9:10-11; Galatians 6:9; Revelation 14:15-16) “The last days”, as Peter stated on Pentecost when he quoted Joel, started with Jesus’ death and resurrection, the day of Pentecost, and will end when Jesus comes on “the day of the Lord”. “The day of the Lord” starts the Lord’s one-thousand-year reign.

Apostle Paul says that he will boast of the Corinthian congregation on the day of the Lord Jesus. When I, like Paul, stand before Jesus to give an account of what I did with my life and the gifts given to me, what can I show to Jesus? What can I boast about? Jesus will say, “What did you do with the talents I gave you?” He will say this to all he calls. “He who is given much, much will be expected.”

2 Corinthians 1:12-14. Life of Holiness and Sincerity -today’s BDBD.

Some who falsely portrayed themselves as super apostles were attacking Paul’s character. They claimed that the collection was not for the poor in Jerusalem as Paul claimed, but that Paul secretly planned to keep it for himself. They also claimed that Paul’s writing was unintelligible (13-14). The super apostles said these are the reasons why Paul did not arrive in Corinth as he had said he would in the previous letter. (1 Corinthians 16:5-6)

Paul defended his trustworthiness by appealing to the witness of his own conscience and to the Corinthians’ firsthand knowledge of his character. He had conducted himself in the world and the eighteen months while he was with them, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God and by the grace of God, not according to worldly wisdom.

The “day of the Lord Jesus” is often how the apostles refer to Jesus’ second coming as king and judge. We will all stand before the Bema Seat of Christ and give an account of our actions while in the flesh, just as Jesus revealed in “The Parable of the Shrewd Manager”. (Luke 16:2; Romans 14:10-12; Hebrews 13:17)

Therefore, I need to keep my character pure and sincere. When tempted to stray from these, I am to remember that God looks at my character. People determine a person’s character. Even children see a person’s character. Keep a noble character as Ruth did, who, it was said of, “All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character.” (Ruth 3:11)

2 Corinthians 1:8-11. God Delivered, Answering Prayers -Today’s BDBD.

Apostle Paul, God’s chosen instrument to carry Jesus’ name before the Gentiles and before the people of Israel (Acts 9:15), did not live a life that some Christians today would define as “the blessed life” and “the abundant life”. While in the Roman province of Asia, which included the cities of Ephesus, Philadelphia, Colosse, Troas, and others, the apostle suffered hardships and felt the sentence of death in his heart. The great pressure was far beyond his ability to endure. He despaired even of life. Apostle Paul drank the cup of suffering that Jesus handed to him.

Paul received his suffering with mature faith. “This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raised the dead.” He felt dead. He experienced, therefore, a sort of resurrection. God delivered Paul from such a deadly peril. We will drink the cup of suffering and death with Jesus. God, whom we have set our hope, will deliver us too.

When suffering comes, we should ask others to pray for God to deliver (11). I know many who do not want others to know when they suffer. They do not want others to know they are weak. So they do not ask others to pray. If they do not know, they will not pray, and they will not give thanks for the gracious favor granted us in answer to their prayers. What a shame that pride robs others of this gift.

2 Corinthians 1:5-7. My Cup Overflows. Today’s BDBD.

“My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done,” so Jesus prayed on the eve of his suffering and death. (Matthew 26:42) Later that night, he took the cup and said during the Last Supper, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:25) All take the cup that Jesus drank from, and drink from it.

Imagine a cup with wine continually pouring into it and overflowing. Underneath the cup are more cups. The wine from the top cup spills into the cups below it. When they fill, they overflow into cups under them. This continues until a multitude of stacked cups fill and overflow, all receiving wine from the first cup, a pyramid of cups.

The wine that the cups receive is the sufferings and comfort of Christ (5). We share in sufferings (7; Acts 9:4; Colossians 1:24). The suffering comes first, and when we approach him, we receive his comfort. The comfort we are given is learned (6). “Although Jesus was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8)

The commandment we receive from the Son is love. Love and compassion are not part of the sinful, fallen nature. Apart from God, we did not know love. (1 John 3:10, 16) We need to learn love. And so we learn love through obedience. The wine of compassion we receive is learned and passed on. We drink from the cup of Christ as he taught us.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4. God of All Comfort. Today’s BDBD.

Today may contain a moment when the soul lies still, curled up in the smallest possible ball, seeking the serenity of the womb that the subconscious remembers. If not today, nature’s future holds a grave lament. Life in the world makes this promise to all. No one is spared the pang of these scorpions.

Those who believe that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has compassion for us are promised comfort when the soul slowly leaks onto the floor. The God and Father of the Lord, our Lord, Jesus Christ, is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. “Look, I see you. I know you. I am with you, providing comfort in all your troubles.”

“When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious– that you, O LORD God, might dwell there. Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:18-19)

When he comforts us in all our troubles, let us not forget others. I can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort I myself have received from God. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

2 Corinthians 1:2. God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Today’s BDBD.

Greeks’ traditional pagan religion did not see its gods as their fathers. When a Greek became a Christian, they accepted that the One and Only Supreme God was their Father.

The pronoun “from” which is applied to “God our Father” is also implied to be with “our Lord Jesus Christ”, so that it would also read, “from our Lord Jesus Christ”. Grace and peace come from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. The grace and peace I receive through the Holy Spirit are a gift of the Father and Son.

Paul, in verses 1 and 2, uses the title “Jesus Christ” from the Greek “Iesous Christos” (and vice versa). (More comments at FreeBibleStudyHelp.com) Here, Paul uses the phrase “Lord Jesus Christ” from “Kyrios Iesous Christos”.

Greek culture traditionally did not believe any of their pantheon of gods were lords, let alone a Supreme Lord. They believed their gods were subject to fate just as humans were. Greeks did not worship a god as Christians and Jews do. Rather, they believed their gods had powers and abilities that humans do not have, but none of them were the creator of the cosmos (universe). The Greeks attempted to win the favor of one of their gods to convince that god to grant them a gift and/or favor with their unique power, not much different from the comic book group of heroes today. Which god they sought favor from depended on the special power the god had.

Christianity teaches the truth through the Holy Spirit. A Supreme God exists for eternity and beyond, God the Father. He has an eternal Son who is Lord of all, creator of all, including all humans. Jesus is the name God the Father, through the Spirit, gave to him when he came to the earth in the form of a human to redeem His people from sin and death. Through grace, not merit, Lord Jesus Christ, and God the Father give peace of soul.

2 Corinthians Chapter 1 Overview. Today’s BDBD.

Paul wrote this letter to the young congregation at Corinth shortly after the previous one. He wrote it as he neared the end of his third missionary journey in the very late 55 AD while residing in the Roman province of Macedonia. Paul wanted to visit Corinth to the south again, but had not done so, and thus explained and apologized for his delays.

Verses 21 and 22 are moving. God makes me “stand firm in Christ. He anointed (me), set his seal of ownership on (me), and put his Spirit in (my) heart as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” God’s grace is wonderful and precious.

I am not the one who does any of this. God does it all. I am weak in faith, and my actions prove it. Yet God in his grace makes me stand firm in Christ.

When I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior and asked him to take full control of my life, God anointed me with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit entered me. It was something entirely new to me. It was pleasant, loving, powerful, and warm. I was anointed.

Seals of ownership are used to this day. A rancher’s seal of ownership is called a brand. He or she puts the brand on a metal plate. The plate is heated and pressed against the steer hide. This burns the brand on the steer. The brand is a claim of ownership.

God burned his brand on my hide. This is what happened when I first believed. God branded me with the Holy Spirit. Now, when the Holy Spirit moves in my spirit just as he did the day I first believed, I know that I am his and he is mine. I feel his guarantee of what is to come. These movements are small in comparison to what is to come. With them, I am encouraged to continue in troubles and hardship just as Paul did.