New International Version - 2 Corinthians 13:1-4

13:1 - I thought that Paul had visited the Corinthians several times before he wrote them this letter, but in verse 1 he states that his upcoming trip will only be “the third time I am coming to you.” From a Wikipedia entry about 2nd Corinthians, we can put together the time line of Paul’s visits as: 1. His first missionary efforts in Corinth that lasted about 18 months. He then goes to Ephesus for 3 years. 2. During his first year in Ephesus, Paul writes a “warning letter” to the Corinthians, I would assume because he heard about their misconduct. 3. During his second year in Ephesus, Paul writes the letter known to us as 1 Corinthians. 4. During his third year in Ephesus, Paul visits the Corinthians for the second time, which he referred to in 2 Corinthians 2:1 as a “painful visit.” 5. Paul writes the very harsh letter to the Corinthians and sends it with Titus. I think this is where Paul was planning to make his third visit to the Corinthians but decided against it and just sent Titus. The Corinthian usurpers used Paul’s cancelation of the trip to convince the people that he was not the apostle of God that he professed to be. 6. Hearing from Titus that the Corinthians received his harsh letter positively and repented, Paul writes 2nd Corinthians. 7. I assume that Paul did in fact visit the Corinthians a third time. I guess my question is, why did Paul delay his third visit when the people were wicked? I would think that he could visit and call the people to repentance, etc. I assume the reasoning would be similar to that of Moses when the smashed the first set of commandments, because the people weren’t ready. But how could a people not be ready to receive a special witness of Jesus Christ? I guess the answer is in the question. People have to be in a certain mindset to have positive words about Christ impact their spirit. The article on this chapter from gospeldoctrine.com says, “Keenly conscious of the ultimate authority of his apostleship, (Paul) waited for their repentance before coming (to Corinth).” If we look at Christ’s mortal ministry, once he was rejected in a city, he didn’t go back there. For instance, Nazareth, his home town, when they chased him out of the city to kill him, he never went back. Why didn’t he call down fire to consume the wicked and demonstrate his Godhood to the rest? Because that wasn’t the God’s plan for the people, their agency needed to be used to choose to follow the Savior, they weren’t supposed to be compelled to believe because of miracles or by force. Maybe it was the same with Paul. Maybe if he went when the people weren’t ready, then their agency would be voided by some miracle he performed, or maybe they would do something to him in their anger and ignorance that they would then be held accountable for, when in fact they didn’t realize how serious what they had done was. But then Paul takes a “I just said all this stuff, but don’t just take my word for it,” he says, “in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” The article has an extensive explanation about the importance of this principle, but I think I’m just going to say that this was an aspect of the Law of Moses that was ingrained into everyday Jewish life, and even during the restoration of the gospel, Joseph Smith had numerous people come to him from the other side of the veil to teach principles and ordain him. He also was able to not only have several witnesses of the gold plates, but also several others who saw and handled them along with the sword of Laban, and other things. This wasn’t one guy making this whole thing up, it was Jesus leading a whole group of people. 11:2-4 - Maybe when Paul is saying that this is his third visit to them and then mentions about the witnesses, maybe he is saying that not only are multiple people supposed to witness to the truthfulness of something, but it also is to be witnessed several times. Paul says that this is his third visit to them, maybe implying that this will be their third chance to receive a witness of the gospel. Paul seems to be reminding them that when he was there the second time, he admonished them to repentance and that when he comes for his third visit, if he has to admonish them again, “I will not spare.” Maybe this is a reason why he delayed his third visit, because if he’s already told them twice, and he gets there a third time and finds them messing up, then the consequences are going to be much more severe, spiritually. He says that the Corinthian saints, “seek a proof of Christ speaking in me,” maybe he means, “if you can’t be convinced so far with the knowledge that you’ve been given, the only way left to convince you is to demonstrate the power of God.” There’s this whole “weakness” and “strength” back and forth that is pretty hard to follow but thankfully, I’m not the first person who’s ever thought, “what is he actually talking about?” In the New International Version of this chapter, it says that Paul repeats his warning, “on my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weal in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you.” I know that the Church recommends the King James Version because it is the closest to the actual text, but sometimes I really appreciate the other versions because it helps me understand just a little bit more. To me, these verses warn that Paul’s next visit to the Corinthians is going to a time of reckoning for those who do not repent. And even though some of the saints there might consider Paul to be “weak” as God’s messenger, Paul reminds them that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, appeared weak when he allowed himself to be crucified. But Christ was resurrected through the power of God, and now manifests God’s power. Likewise, Paul might appear weak, but when he gets there, he will be on God’s errand and hold God’s power, and will be given the strength to do what God wants him to do in order to deal with the Corinthian saints when he gets there next time.