on that our Lord died on Nisan 14 (see above, p. 29). In
1 Cor. v. 7, 8 he says, "Our Passover also hath been sacrificed, even
Christ: wherefore let us keep the feast"; and in 1 Cor. xv. 20 he calls
Christ "the first-fruits of them that are asleep." Now, if Christ died
on Nisan 14, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed for a feast, and if
He rose on Nisan 16, when the Passover firstfruits were offered in the
temple, this double comparison is exquisitely appropriate. But if the
statement in John is false, St. Paul's comparison is forced and
unnatural.

{143}

CHAPTER XI

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS

[Sidenote: The Author.]

The genuineness of this Epistle is almost universally admitted,
although it is not quoted quite as early as the First Epistle. The two
Epistles are interwoven with each other by several threads of thought,
such as St. Paul's intention to visit Macedonia, his decision with
regard to the incestuous man, and his direction to collect alms for the
Christians of Jerusalem. Moreover, this Epistle agrees with the Book
of Acts, and at the same time is plainly independent of it. Acts does
not mention _Titus_, whose name is prominent in 2 Corinthians, and at
the same time Acts xx. 5, 6 corroborates the account of the visit to
_Troas_ in 2 Cor. ii. 12, 13. The whole style of the Epistle is so
natural and impassioned, so wonderful in its light and gloom, that
there is only one author to whom we can possibly attribute it.

There is, however, a difficulty with regard to the last four chapters.
It is thought by some critics that they are a separate Epistle written
by St. Paul to the Corinthians, and afterwards joined to chs. i.-ix.
These writers are usually of the opinion that the last four chapters
were written before i.-ix., and that their theory will account for the
fact that they are more severe and depressed in tone. Now, it is true
that i.-ix. seem more hopeful than x.-xiii., and also that i.-ix.
contain two references to a previous letter (ii. 4; vii. 8, 9). We
find, too, in 2 {144} Cor. i. 23; ii. 1, 4, that the apostle shows a
shrinking from the thought of another visit to Corinth, while in 1
Corinthians no such feeling is manifested. If, however, 2 Cor.
x.-xiii. had been written in the interval, the feeling is not
unreasonable. But the facts of the case seem to be most easily
explained by the belief that there was a letter written between 1 and 2
Corinthi