COKLNTHIANS, EPISTLES TO THE CORDTTHIAi^S, EPISTLES TO THE 253
may not have to be severe when he comes. Again in 1^3 we have a parallel -with 13*.
(3) The visit of Titus to Corinth mentioned in 7' was with, or at the same time as, the ' severe letter.' gi7-i8 shows that St. Paul was sending Titus again to make arrangements for the collection. This surely he would not have ventured to do if he were imder the necessity of writing in the tone of chs. 10-13. No man would send a letter full of rebuke, and of self-justification in the face of what seem to have been charges of dishonesty, and in the same letter ask his readers to subscribe money. In 12^^ he alludes to his custom of taking no money from them for himself personally. He assumes (v.^^) that they admit this, but then he says that they may accuse him of winning their confidence with a view to future efforts to get something out of them. How ? he asks. Not by his representa- tives ; e.g. Titus never * made gain out of them.' Clearly he alludes to some early work of Titus at Corinth. Titus they know and trust. So he is a suitable person to send at this critical moment to Corinth. In ch. 7 we hear of the success of his mission. The fact that he was a. persona grata at first and has recently been successful there makes him a very suitable person to send again (ch. 8) to arrange about the collection.
Finally, the last four chapters of 2 Cor. answer admirably to the descriptions Ave have of the ' severe letter.' They might well have been written ' out of much affliction and anguish of heart, with many tears ' (2^). It is quite conceivable that after writing them St. Paul might have regretted send- ing them and wondered whether they were not too severe (7®'®). Self-commendation is a very pro- minent feature in them (3'). They show that the Apostle was contemplating, but shrinking from, a visit which he might have to pay (12^--i 13^). This corresponds to 1^ and 2^. Thus the internal evi- dence for the theory is very strong. No single point is in itself conclusive ; but the conjunction of different lines of evidence, and the fact that the theory straightens out a tangled web and solves many problems, is very significant.
The theory is made easier of acceptance by the fact that 2 Cor. appears not to have been published at an early date (see above, § 1). The Corinthian Church would hardly have wanted to publish the 'severe letter,' and the later letter is in the main personal, and does not contain much instruction. It is quite possible that the MSS were not carefully preserved, and the two letters may have been confused.
(d) Visit of Titus. — The ' severe letter ' and the mission of Titus already alluded to were apparently successful, and Titus met St. Paul in Macedonia, bringing him reassuring news (2 Co 7^ ''), after which St. Paul wrote, according to the theory we have adopted, 2 Co 1-9, probably sending Titus Avith it, and instructing him to make arrangements for the collection.
5. Analysis of 2 Co 10-13. L Strong rebuke (lO^-'^S).
101-2 Appeal, and threat of Btrong action against his
detractors. w.3-6 Claim to possession of spiritual power, and de- scription of that power. V.7 The Christ-party's exclusive claim unjustified. w.8-11 Threat of exertion of spiritual power on arrival
at Corinth. w.12-16 St. Paul's boasting, unlike that of his opponents,
shall be confined to his own sphere of work. w.17-18 But all self-commendation is to be deprecated. IL St. Pauls self-commendation and its seasons
(111-1218). (o) The reasons (lliis). 111-3 His fears for them, v.'* Their tolerance of new preachers. w.5-6 Comparison of himself ^\^th these preachers. w.7-11 His refusal of maintenance.
w.12-15 Its reason — avoidance of unfavourable comparison with them.
(6) Tfie self-commendation (1116-1218). 1116-20 Apology for boasting. w.21-2-2 Comparison of himself with his rivals in respect
of religious prerogatives. Tv.23-33 In respect of sufferings on behalf of the gospeL
121-5 In respect of visions and revelations. w.6-10 The thorn in the flesh and its significance. w.ii-13 Comparison resumed in respect of work done at
Corinth. vv.14-18 Justification of his refusal of maintenance. in. Forecast of a third visit to Corlvth (i-i^^-is'^o), 1219-21 His fears about what he may find at Corinth.
131-2 Threat of severe action. vv.3-5 This is likely to be made necessary by their
accusation of weakness. Discussion of this. w.6-10 His hope that after all it may not be necessarv. IV. Exhortation, salutation, and benediction (13^^-^^).
It is impossible to feel any certainty about the place of 13'i-i*. Some think that it is really the conclusion of chs. 1 to 9. But there seems no good reason to think that it is in its wrong place. St. Paul might quite well have concluded the 'severe letter' with ordinary exhortations and salutations. The decision is made difficult by the fact that in any case chs. 10-13 can be no more than a fragment of the 'severe letter,* and we have no means of judging what proportion of that letter has been lost.
6. Analysis of 2 Co 1-9. L St. Paws rf.lations witb CorintbCL 2X 11-2 Salutation. w.3-5 Thanksgiving for consolation. vv.6-7 Parallelism of their experiences with hla. vv.8-11 His sufferings and deliverance in Asia. W.12-1-J His clear conscience.