Though this book is titled 2nd Corinthians, there may have been as many as four separate letters from Paul to the church in Corinth. This is the last of those letters. Paul had a complicated relationship with the Corinthian believers, constantly urging them to live in accordance with the Gospel and giving clarification on matters of life and theology. At the time of writing this letter many in the church had responded positively to Paul’s chastisements, but there were some still living a lifestyle of immorality, while others looked down on Paul because of his sufferings. Additionally, there was a vocal minority that undermined his apostleship altogether. In this context, Paul writes another letter, defending his authority as an apostle, explaining the true nature of Christian ministry, urging them in matters of generosity and forgiveness, and giving his most complete treatise on suffering in all of his writings, arguing that it is through his suffering that God reveals his glory.