What did Paul mean when he said he despaired of life in Asia?
Paul meant the affliction in Asia pressed him beyond measure and above his own strength, so he despaired of life itself. He did not expect to live to finish his ministry. The pressure may have been sickness, Roman opposition, or Judaizer persecution, but God delivered him, teaching him to trust in God who raises the dead.
Les teaches from 2 Corinthians 1:8 that Paul’s trouble in Asia pressed them out of measure, above strength, so that they despaired of life. Les explains that Paul did not think he would live to finish his ministry. The pressure could have been physical sickness, outside pressure from various forces, or opposition from the Romans or the Judaizers; it was so heavy that he would almost despair even of life. Verse 9 then gives the purpose: they had the sentence of death in themselves so they would not trust in themselves but in God who raised the dead, delivered them from so great a death, does deliver, and will yet deliver. Les compares Paul’s mental attitude in trials and resurrection to what Peter and the other apostles must have experienced at the crucifixion.
For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
More Questions
What kinds of trouble caused Paul to despair of life?
The source of Paul's crushing pressure could have been physical sickness, outside pressure from various forces, the Romans, or the Judaizers, and it brought him almost to the point of despairing even of life.