Conflicts in Corinth

St. Paul takes the witness stand in his own self-defense

We all love the saints. We love the way Francis of Assisi embraced poverty. Mother Teresa’s commitment to Christ moves us deeply. And of course, there’s the Virgin Mary, who perfectly lived out her prayer: “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

Our list of beloved saints would not be complete, however, without the apostle Paul. Has anyone other than Mary had more influence on the church than this man? His letters were crucial in shaping the church. His dramatic conversion from persecutor to preacher has become almost legendary. And his heroic life has been a model for countless pastors and missionaries throughout the ages.

But among Paul’s writings and teachings, one letter seems to stand apart—2 Corinthians. This letter doesn’t have much in the way of the usual theological discourse. There are hardly any exhortations to live a moral life. Rather, this is a very personal letter in which Paul spends most of his time talking about his own life as he tries to defend himself from a group he describes as “false apostles” (2 Corinthians 11:13).

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