It seems that some in the church were accusing Paul of favouring other churches over them. With a little sarcasm, he points out that the only thing they have been denied is an expectation that they should contribute to his expenses (v 13). The Corinthians were his spiritual children, and as such he did not expect them to contribute to their own upbringing (v 14).

What will Paul find when he makes his next trip to Corinth? He fears that the sins about which he had to write earlier are still rife. The lifestyle of some Christians was not very different from that of the surrounding culture, and the rest of the church were too accepting of wrong behaviour. What would Paul find in the average church today?

We may be shocked at the sexual sins Paul condemns, but he is equally concerned about less spectacular problems which are found in many churches. How many Christian communities are free from ‘discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder’ (v 20)? Do we take such things as seriously as we should? I once read in an old church minute book that a church member had been barred from Communion for gossiping; I wonder what the reaction would be if we tried that today!

‘As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’¹

Paul now anticipates his third arrival in Corinth (v 14).² His first visit was when he established the church with ‘signs, wonders and miracles’ (v 12). The second was the painful visit that left him badly wounded. Now he is sending Titus and others ahead, bearing his completed letter, and anticipates with some anxiety a full reconciliation. Some pain, seemingly, remains (vs 13,16), but by the grace of God Paul believes himself more than equal to the super-apostles, if they are still around. Perhaps they have moved on somewhere else to flaunt their egos and burnish their credentials. They have also left the suspicion that Paul’s intention was to exploit the church, a criticism he refutes by indicating how little he or Titus or their co-workers laid burdens on them (vs 16–18). 

What Paul still fears is further grief and a badly diseased church (v 21), even though there is now reason to hope that the worst is past. The depth of his love for the Corinthians is evident (vs 14,15). In the event, all will be well: while in Corinth, Paul will find space and time to write his great letter to the Romans, before his final journey to Jerusalem.

Church is supposed to be a safe place where we do not hurt each other or cause one another to stumble. Most of the time it is but, as with families, it is sometimes those who mean most to us to whom we are most vulnerable. We owe it to each other to safeguard our churches, not only for children and the elderly but for all people. The table around which we meet for communion is a symbol of hospitality, generosity, gift and grace. This is what it rightly means to be church. When it succeeds there is great joy.  

Can your church say: ‘Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel’?³

¹ John 13:34,35  ² See also 2 Cor 13:1  ³ Num 10:29