1. AUTHOR. — Paul.

2. DATE. — Autumn of 57 A. D.

3. TO WHOM WRITTEN. — The church at Corinth.

4. HISTORICAL OCCASION. — After sending the first letter to the Corinthians, Paul sent Timothy, and afterward Titus, to secure certain reforms, or to learn the effect of his letter, and then left Ephesus and proceeded to Macedonia. Titus brought here to Paul an encouraging report of the con duct of the Corinthians, and Paul then wrote them this second letter.

5. LEADING TOPICS. — The suffering that Paul had endured because of the Corinthians, in which he had been sustained by a realization of the work to which he was called; his rejoicing in their reforms; claim and proof of his apostleship.

6. CHIEF PURPOSE. — To show, as does the first epistle, that there is no fellowship between the church and the world; to emphasize the fact that the church is the creation of the Holy Spirit.

7. GENERAL ANALYSIS.

Part I. Paul's account of his conduct toward the Corinthians, Ch. 1, 2.

Part II. His fidelity and encouragement, Ch. 3-6.

Part III. Condition of activity at Corinth, Ch. 7-9.

Part IV. Paul's claim and proof of apostleship, Ch. 10–13.

8. SPECIAL TEACHING OF THE BOOK. — The New Dispensation is superior to the old in glory; temporary affliction is not to be compared to eternal glory; Christians to be separated from unbelievers; giving should be spontaneous; false teachers condemned.

9. RELATION TO OTHER N. T. BOOKS. — Thessalonians show that the Christian is still to be connected with the affairs of the world; Corinthians, that he is not to be like the world, nor governed by the spirit of the world.

10. TOPICS FOR SPECIAL STUDY. — The history of the Corinthian church after Paul's death; the New Testament teaching concerning the relation of Christ to the church.