2 Corinthians 1

The Explanation

Paul writes a letter to the Christians in Corinth, a big harbour city in Greece. He is not alone: Timothy, his young friend and fellow worker, sends greetings too. Paul begins with something you often see in his letters, a wish of grace and peace. But then he does something striking. He does not immediately talk about the readers, but about God. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort," he writes. God is the God who comforts.

Then Paul tells about a rough time. Something terrible happened to him in the region called Asia. He does not say exactly what. He only writes that he and his companions were so crushed that they thought they would die. "We despaired even of life," he says. That is honest language. Paul does not pretend to be a superhero. He was so afraid that he no longer trusted in his own strength, but only in God, the God "who raises the dead."

Then Paul explains something about promises. Some people in Corinth were angry with him, because he had said he would come visit, and then he did not come. They thought: you cannot rely on Paul, he says yes and then no. Paul writes back: the message we brought you is not yes and no. Jesus Himself is God's great "Yes." All the promises God ever made come true in Him. That is why we say "Amen" after a prayer, which really means: yes, this is true, this is going to happen.

At the end Paul says that God has sealed the believers with the Holy Spirit. A seal is like a stamp that shows: this belongs to me. The Spirit in our hearts is like a first payment, a guarantee that everything God has promised is really coming.

What Does This Mean?

Paul shows two things about God at once. God comforts people who have a hard time, and God keeps His word. Those two belong together. When your life feels heavy, you need Someone you can count on. If God's promises were sometimes yes and sometimes no, His comfort would be worth nothing. But God is not fickle. In Jesus, His answer is always yes.

Something else is striking. Paul says that the comfort he received from God is not just for himself. He got it so he could pass it on to others. Comfort is not something to keep to yourself, like a secret snack. It is meant to be shared.

The Common Thread

The whole Bible is full of promises God made. He promised Abraham a great family. He promised David a king who would rule forever. He promised the prophets that He would come and rescue His people. For a long time it seemed as if some of those promises were forgotten. But then Jesus came. Paul says: in Him all those promises get their "Yes." Jesus is the living proof that God does what He says.

That is why we can trust God's comfort. It does not rest on nice words, but on Jesus, who died and rose. The God who raises the dead, that is the same God who helped Paul, and who helps us.

For You

Maybe you know someone at school who is sad. A classmate whose grandpa died, or a friend whose parents argue a lot. You do not always have to say something clever. Sometimes sitting next to someone, or asking honestly how they are doing, is already comfort. Paul says: what you have received, you may give further.

And maybe you are the one having a hard time. Then it is good to know that God is called the Father of mercies. You may tell Him honestly that you are afraid, or sad, or that you no longer know what to do. Paul was not ashamed of that either.

When you say "Amen" after your prayer, remember what it means. You are saying: yes Lord, I trust You. And you can, because in Jesus God's answer is always yes.

Talk About It

Paul writes honestly that he was so afraid he thought he would die. Why do you think he dared to admit that?

What is the difference between comforting someone and just saying "it will be fine"?

Praying Together

Father of all comfort, thank You that in Jesus Your answer is yes. Thank You that You are with people who have a hard time. Teach me to trust You, and help me to comfort others as You comfort me. Amen.