The Second Epistle to the Corinthians (Black’s New Testament Commentary | BNTC)

Top Highlights

“Affliction and poverty, however caused, have not suppressed but rather quickened the Macedonians’ generosity” (Page 219)

“To behold the glory of God, and to receive knowledge of him (cf. 4:6), is to be transformed.” (Page 125)

“the fullest and most passionate account of what Paul meant by apostleship” (Page 53)

“We correspondingly, and through God’s loving act in Christ, have come to stand in that relation with God which is described by the term righteousness, that is, we are acquitted in his court, justified, reconciled. We are no longer his judicial enemies, but his friends. Compare the similar pronouncement in Gal. 3:13 f.: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law when he became a curse [Paul, notwithstanding his quotation, does not say, accursed] on our behalf, for it is written, Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree; in order that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Jesus Christ.” (Page 180)

“Paul does not say, for by definition it would not have been true, that Christ became a sinner, transgressing God’s law; neither does he say, for it would have contradicted all experience (not least in Corinth) that every believer becomes immediately and automatically morally righteous, good as God is good. He says rather that Christ became sin; that is, he came to stand in that relation with God which normally is the result of sin, estranged from God and the object of his wrath. Bachmann has shown conclusively that sin (ἁμαρτία) does not here mean ‘sin-offering’” (Page 180)