What is the main subject of the first part of 2 Corinthians?
The opening section of 2 Corinthians, extending through chapter 6 and verse 10, centers on Paul's defense of his apostleship. Although the Corinthians had begun correcting problems addressed in the first letter, Paul uses this portion to vindicate his apostolic authority.
Les explains that the first part of 2 Corinthians runs all the way to chapter 6, verse 10, and in those chapters Paul is more or less dealing with the defense of his apostleship. The background is that Paul's first letter had not fallen on deaf ears; the second letter was likely written months later, giving the Corinthians time to clean up their act and correct some of the earlier problems. Those problems included dissension and carnality from four groups, and gross immorality in chapter 5. But even with correction evident, Les notes that every time you get into Paul's writings, he has to defend his apostleship.