Particularity and universality in 2 Corinthians

Abstract

Whereas the dominant view of Paul in the 1940s and 1950s was as a systematic theologian, it is now widely remembered that the original primary purpose of his letters was as the work of a Christian leader engaged in developmental mutual upbuilding within the churches. In seeking to explore the matter of the occasional and the perennial in Paul's letters, this paper will address the question with special reference to 2 Corinthians. We will begin by assessing whether or not 2 Corinthians is a composite text, since it is essential to know what sort of document we are dealing with. We will next examine the text of 2 Corinthians in terms of the major issues which Paul deals with there, and then look at one antithesis which does not seem to have been drawn out before, namely Paul's use of Old Testament prophetic material versus his seeming use of material from Christian liturgy, before reaching a series of conclusions.