may suppose an
angry scene, possibly an attack of Paul's bodily ailment (especially if
the "thorn in the flesh" be understood to be epilepsy), the immediate
triumph of the adversaries, Paul's speedy departure in grief. If, as
other scholars hold, the offender was not the same as in the first
epistle, the general picture of the visit will not have to be much
changed.

Besides making this visit it is probable that Paul also wrote to Corinth
a letter, now lost, intended to secure the result of which the
unfortunate visit had failed (ii. 3, 4, 9, vii. 8, 12). It, is, however,
possible that the allusions merely refer to I Cor. v., in which case it
is not necessary to assume this intermediate letter. The letter, if
there was one, may have been sent by Titus, whom Paul in any case
commissioned to go to Corinth and try to mend matters. Paul describes
his anxiety over this last resource in touching language (ii. 12, 13).
Disappointed that Titus did not meet him at Troas, he moved on to
Macedonia, and there (vii. 5-9) was rejoiced by the coming of the envoy
with good news of the complete return of the Corinthians to integrity
and loyalty.

Second Corinthians was Paul's response to this friendly attitude
reported by Titus. It went by the hand of Titus, who was promptly sent
back to complete the work he had so well begun (viii. 6, 16-24). In
company with him (viii. 18) was sent a brother (unnamed) who had already
been appointed as the representative of the churches to accompany Paul
in carrying to Jerusalem the great collection of money now nearly
completed. The greater part of the epistle consists of the outpouring of
Paul's thankful and loving heart (chaps, i.-vii.), together with
directions and exhortations relating to the collection.

But the epistle contains evidence of another and a disagreeable side to
the affairs of the Corinthian church. Especially the last four chapters,
but also references in the earlier chapters, show that virulent personal
opponents of Paul and his work had been exercising an evil activity. It
is not easy to discover the precise relation of these persons to the
parties at Corinth or to the series of events which have just been
sketched, but we can well understand that their presence and efforts
played a large part in the history. We learn that Jewish Christians (xi.
22) had come to Corinth, doubtless from Jerusalem, with letters of
recommendation (iii. 1). They urged their own claims as apostles (th