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2 Corinthians 1:1-11 Outline, Cross References and Bible Study Discussion Questions
Our Great Helper
Or
Benefits of Affliction
Chapter 1:1-11
2 Cor 1:1-11
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9 indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10 who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, 11 you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.
Key Words
· Comfort 10
· Affliction 4
· Deliver 3
· Abundant 2
Outline
I. Introduction 1,2
II. He Comforts 3-7
A. The source of comfort is God
B. The purpose of His comfort is so that we can comfort others
C. We comfort others by imitating His comfort of us
D. The effectiveness of our comfort stems from our patient endurance of suffering
III. He Delivers 8-11
A. Past affliction
1. Excessive
2. Beyond their strength
3. Despaired of Life
4. Had the sentence of death
5. Trusted God, not themselves
6. The peril was great
B. Future
1. Their hope was set on Him.
2. Corinthians’ prayers helped them
3. Produces thanksgiving
Questions
1. What is the purpose of affliction?
2. Who would you like to share one of your afflictions?
3. How does God comfort us in affliction?
4. How do we comfort others in their affliction?
5. How was Paul’s affliction for their comfort and salvation?
6. Other than salvation, when have you most sensed the grace of God in your life?
7. Why does Paul emphasize his great affliction?
8. How can it be that the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance?
Observations / Comments
1. Paul sets to rest the dispute over his authority at the outset by declaring that he is an apostle by the will of God.
2. He wishes for grace and peace for them, spiritual blessings that will not vanish or diminish in the future.
3. God both brings affliction into our lives and delivers us from it.
4. It is usually during suffering or weakness that we most fully experience the grace of God.
5. Since God has comforted me, I should take all opportunities to be a comfort to others.
6. God delivers us both from the perils of this life and ultimately from death itself.
Cross References
1. Rom 1:1Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
1 Cor 1:1 Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
Acts 16:1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, 2 and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
Phil 2:19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. 20 For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.
2. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
3. 1 Chron 29:10 So David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, "Blessed are You, O LORD God of Israel our father, forever and ever.
Dan 9:9 "To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him;
Rom 15:5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,
2 Thess 2:16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, 17 comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.
Mic 7:18 Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love.
1 Thess 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
4. John 14:16 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
5. 2 Tim 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
1 Cor 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. 11 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; 12 and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; 13 when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
2 Cor 4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
2 Cor 4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
2 Cor 11:23 Are they servants of Christ? — I speak as if insane — I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
Acts 5:40 They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. 41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Phil 2:1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
6. 1 Peter 2:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
Isa 53:6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
7. Matt 5:11 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
2 Thess 1:5 This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering
2 Cor 4:17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
Rom 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
8. 1 Kings 19:4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers."
Jonah 4:3 "Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life."
9. Prov 28:26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered.
Jer 17:5 Thus says the LORD, " Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 "For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant. 7 " Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD.
Luke 18:9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
1 Cor 15:55 " O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"
2 Cor 4:14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.
10. 1 Thess 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.
Heb 2:3a how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?
Ps 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
11. Acts 12:5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.
1 Thess 5:25 Brethren, pray for us.
2 Thess 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;
Key Verse
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
Central Teaching
By God’s design, there is much suffering for believers in this world, but He is our strong deliverer and comforter through them all.
Application -Make Your Own!
Look for opportunities to comfort people who are hurting.
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