Paul Reflects on His Ministry
2:14 to 7:4
Buckle your seat belt, hold on to your hat, and get ready for a radical right turn. Paul makes such a dramatic shift in his content that it’s almost as if we’re pulling some serious “G’s” as we move from Paul’s lament over the situation in Corinth to his praise to ADONAI for the privileges of being His servant.83 Here we step into the very heart of the letter. Indeed, this section grounds the whole of Second Corinthians, giving it its theological center of gravity.84 His outpouring of thanks to God may anticipate his joy over the happy result from “the severe letter” and Titus’ visit (to see link click Bl – The Effects of the Severe Letter), but Paul specifically gives thanks for all that YHVH had done in his ministry. He thanks the LORD because His designs are wiser and more powerful than the Adversary’s and because, in spite of setbacks here-and-there, the knowledge of the Eternal One spreads everywhere through the apostolic preaching like a sweet-smelling aroma. The preaching generates different responses – both rejection which leads to death and acceptance which leads to life. The life-and-death impact of Paul’s apostolic ministry causes him to reflect, and ask who is adequate to shoulder the responsibility for proclaiming such a potent Word from the Most Holy One.85
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