Paul's Letter to the Corinthians

고린도인들에게 보낸 편지

Introduction

The first letter, probably written about AD 53-54 at Ephesus, Asia Minor, deals with problems that arose in the early years after Paul's initial missionary visit (c. AD 50-51) to Corinth and his establishment there of a Christian community. The letter is valuable for its illuminations both of Paul's thoughts and of the problems of the early church. Saddened by reports of dissension among the converts of various Apostles, Paul begins his letter with a reminder that all are "servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" (4:1). Then, while answering questions sent from Corinth, he addresses questions of immorality, marriage and celibacy, the conduct of women, the propriety of eating meat offered to idols, and the worthy reception of the Eucharist. To members of the community quarreling about the nature and distribution of spiritual gifts, Paul replies that jealousy among those working in the Spirit of God is as irrational as jealousy between the eye and the ear--both are essential to the well-being of the body as a whole. Then, in one of the most significant of all Pauline texts (chapter 13), the apostle explains to his fellow Christians that no gift of God, whether it be the gift of tongues, faith that moves mountains, or knowledge of mysteries, has meaning unless it is accompanied by love. He also reaffirms the reality of Christ's Resurrection--doubted or denied by some--as the very foundation of Christian faith.

Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians

The Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians (II Corinthians in the New Testament) was written from Macedonia in about AD 55. The letter, which may have been written after an actual visit by Paul to Corinth, refers to an upheaval among the Christians there, during the course of which Paul had been insulted and his apostolic authority challenged. Because of this incident, Paul resolved not to go to Corinth again in person. Instead, he evidently wrote an intervening letter (2:3-4; 7:8, 12), now lost, in which he told the Corinthians of his anguish and displeasure. Presumably, he sent a fellow-worker, Titus, to deliver the letter to the community at Corinth. In the second letter, Paul expresses his joy at the news, just received from Titus, that the Corinthians had repented, that his (Paul's) authority among them had been reaffirmed, and that the troublemaker had been punished. After expressing his happiness and relief, Paul urges the Corinthians to respond generously to his plea for contributions to assist the poor of Jerusalem.

[고린도인들에게 보낸 둘째 편지]는 55년경에 마케도니아에서 씌어졌다. 바울이 고린도를 실제로 방문한 후에 씌어진 것으로 보이는 이 편지는 그곳에 있는 그리스도인들 사이의 혼란에 대해서 언급하고 있는데, 그 과정에서 그들은 바울을 공격하고 그의 사도적 권위를 의심했다. 이 사건으로 바울은 직접 고린도에 가지 않기로 결심하였다. 그 대신에 지금은 없어졌지만 첫째 편지와 둘째 편지 사이에 또하나의 편지를 보내어(2：3~4, 7：8, 7：12) 자신이 느끼는 고뇌와 언짢음에 대해 말했다. 둘째 편지에 바울이 디도에게 방금 전해받은 소식, 즉 고린도 교인들이 회개하여 바울의 권위를 다시 인정했으며 그들 가운데 문제를 일으킨 자들을 징계했다는 소식을 들어서 기쁘다는 내용이 담겨져 있는 것을 보면, 추측컨대 그는 동역자(同役者) 디도를 시켜 그 편지를 고린도 교회에 전하게 한 듯하다. 고린도 교인들에게 보낸 둘째 편지에서 바울은 자신이 느낀 기쁨과 안도감을 말한 후에 고린도 교인들에게 예루살렘의 가난한 사람들을 도와주기 위한 헌금활동에 적극 협조해줄 것을 호소하였다.