Paul’s Corinthians: Stitched Stories? | Dr. Frank Hughes. The transcript for the October 2024 video is located in Frank Hughes’ Dropbox directory.
The Compressed Corinthian Correspondence: The Many Letters to Corinth
Dr. Frank Hughes. October 12, 2023.
Interpolations in First Corinthians: Were Paul’s Letters Altered?
Dr. Frank Hughes, September 12, 2024
In The Corinthian Correspondence, Frank W. Hughes and Robert Jewett argue that there were eight original letters by the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth. In the first part of the book, they use literary and redaction criticism to show the reasons for the partition theory of 1 and 2 Corinthians. Analyzing each of the eight letters and letter-fragments using rhetorical criticism, they show how the original Corinthian letters were edited and reshaped into 1 and 2 Corinthians in the New Testament. After reflections on the rhetoric of these letters and the historical meaning of the reshaping of the images of Paul, a final chapter traces the consequences of the reshaping of the Corinthian correspondence and the adoption of the bound book (codex) instead of the original papyrus scrolls. Several figures help the reader understand the redactional process, and a new translation of the eight reconstructed Corinthian letters is provided. From the Youtube video page.
From OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com
Prompt – Provide examples of why In The Corinthian Correspondence, Frank W. Hughes and Robert Jewett argue that there were eight original letters by the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth. Provide the timing of the eight letters and sequence.
Frank W. Hughes and Robert Jewett argue that there were eight original letters by the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth based on the evidence from the New Testament, early Christian writings, and the structure of 1 and 2 Corinthians. Their argument is based on historical and textual analysis, aiming to reconstruct the communication between Paul and the Corinthian church over several years. Below are the reasons for their argument, as well as the timing and sequence of the letters.
Key Arguments for Eight Letters
- Reference to Multiple Letters in 1 and 2 Corinthians:
- In 1 Corinthians, Paul refers to a previous letter he wrote to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:9), which is not extant in the New Testament. This suggests that Paul had written at least one letter before 1 Corinthians.
- In 2 Corinthians, Paul alludes to a “severe letter” that he had written (2 Cor. 2:3-4), which was distinct from 1 Corinthians and is thought to be an additional letter not preserved in the New Testament.
- Historical Context of Paul’s Ministry:
- Paul’s time in Corinth (around 50-52 CE) and the turbulent nature of the church there, including internal divisions, moral issues, and challenges with leadership, likely prompted a series of correspondences. The situation in Corinth was complex and ongoing, which would necessitate multiple letters over time.
- The Development of Church Issues:
- The issues Paul addresses in 1 and 2 Corinthians show a progression in the church’s problems and in Paul’s relationship with the congregation. It’s unlikely that all the issues in Corinth could be addressed in just two letters. The references to additional letters in these epistles point to a longer correspondence.
- The Use of Different Tones and Purposes in the Letters:
- The letters exhibit varying tones, from pastoral care and encouragement to sharp rebuke. This progression suggests multiple interventions over time. The “severe letter” mentioned in 2 Corinthians, for instance, implies an earlier, harsher approach to correcting the Corinthians.
Timing and Sequence of the Eight Letters
- Letter 1 – The Lost Letter:
- This is the letter referred to in 1 Corinthians 5:9, where Paul mentions that he previously wrote to them. This letter is not preserved, but it is believed to have been written before 1 Corinthians, likely around 53-54 CE, during Paul’s stay in Ephesus.
- Letter 2 – 1 Corinthians:
- Written from Ephesus, this letter addresses several issues within the Corinthian church, including divisions, moral conduct, legal disputes, and the proper use of spiritual gifts. It was likely written around 54-55 CE.
- Letter 3 – The Severe Letter (Lost):
- Paul refers to a “severe letter” in 2 Corinthians 2:3-4, which is thought to have been written after 1 Corinthians, in response to the growing tension and sin in the church. This letter was likely sent from Ephesus, around 55 CE, and was intended to address serious moral and leadership issues.
- Letter 4 – 2 Corinthians 10-13:
- The fourth letter, which is preserved in 2 Corinthians 10-13, is often referred to as Paul’s “tearful” letter. It addresses the aftermath of the severe letter, with Paul defending his apostleship and authority. It is generally dated around 56 CE.
- Letter 5 – The “Visit” Letter (Lost):
- According to 2 Corinthians 12:14 and 13:1, Paul mentions plans to visit Corinth again after the severe letter. This letter, thought to have been written around 56 CE, may have contained further instructions or clarifications regarding the planned visit.
- Letter 6 – 2 Corinthians 1-9:
- The remainder of 2 Corinthians (chapters 1-9) is often seen as a follow-up to the previous letters, providing further pastoral encouragement and guidance, particularly addressing the collection for the Jerusalem church. It is typically dated around 56-57 CE, after Paul’s visit to Corinth.
- Letter 7 – The Visit to Corinth (Possible Lost Letter):
- Although not explicitly preserved, Paul likely made a final visit to Corinth, possibly referenced in Acts 20:1-3. This letter may have been sent before his visit and could have been written around 57 CE.
- Letter 8 – Romans:
- Some scholars, including Hughes and Jewett, consider Romans to be Paul’s final letter to the Corinthians, written from Corinth itself before his departure for Jerusalem. It was likely written around 57-58 CE, after his visit and the completion of his collection.
Summary of the Sequence:
- Lost Letter 1 – Written from Ephesus.
- 1 Corinthians – Written from Ephesus.
- Lost Severe Letter – Written from Ephesus.
- 2 Corinthians 10-13 – Written after the severe letter, from Macedonia.
- Lost Visit Letter – Potentially written around the time of Paul’s planned visit to Corinth.
- 2 Corinthians 1-9 – Written after the visit, from Macedonia or Achaia.
- Possible Lost Letter (Visit) – Likely written just before Paul’s final visit to Corinth.
- Romans – Written from Corinth.
Thus, Hughes and Jewett’s argument is grounded in the textual evidence of multiple references to earlier letters and events in Paul’s ministry. The chronological sequencing also reflects a logical progression of Paul’s engagement with the Corinthian church across several years.
Taking 2 Corinthians to Pieces by Bart Ehrman, posted April 16, 2025. Extract is below.
The Partitioning of 2 Corinthians
A number of New Testament scholars believe that 2 Corinthians comprises not just two of Paul’s letters but four or five of them, all edited together into one larger composition for distribution among the Pauline churches. Most of the “partition theories,” as they are called (since they partition the one letter into a number of others), maintain that chapters 1–9 are not a unity but are made up of several letters spliced together. Read the chapters for yourself and answer the following questions:
- Does the beginning of chapter 8 appear to shift abruptly to a new subject, away from the good news Titus has just brought Paul (about the reconciliatory attitude of the Corinthians) to Paul’s decision to send Titus to collect money for the needy among the Christians? There is no transition to this new subject, and 8:1 sounds like the beginning of the body of a letter. Could it have been taken from a different writing?
- Do the words of 9:1 seem strange after what Paul has said in all of chapter 8? He has been talking for twenty-four verses about the collection for the saints, and then in 9:1 he begins to talk about it again as if it were a new subject that had not yet been broached. Could chapter 9 also, then, have come from a separate letter?
- Does the paragraph found in 6:14–7:1 seem odd in its context? The verse immediately preceding it (6:13) urges the Corinthians to be open to Paul, as does the verse immediately following it (7:2). But the paragraph itself is on an entirely different and unannounced topic: Christians should not associate with nonbelievers. Moreover, there are aspects of this passage that appear unlike anything Paul himself says anywhere else in his writings. Nowhere else, for example, does he call the Devil “Beliar” (v. 15). Has this passage come from some other piece of correspondence (possibly one that Paul didn’t write) and been inserted in the midst of Paul’s warm admonition to the Corinthians to think kindly of him?
If you answered yes to all three of these questions, then you agree with those scholars who see fragments of at least five letters in 2 Corinthians. [bullet list formatting below by me]
- (a) 2 Corinthians 1: 1–6:13; 7:2–16 (part of the conciliatory letter);
- (b) 2 Corinthians 6: 14–7:1 (part of a non-Pauline letter?);
- (c) 2 Corinthians 8: 1–24 (a letter for the collection, to the Corinthians)
- (d) 2 Corinthians 9: 1–15 (a letter for the collection, to some other church?); and
- (e) 2 Corinthians 10: 1–13:13 (part of the painful letter).
