Where did the accusation that Paul terrifies people with his letters come from?
It originated from rumors that circulated back to Paul. Those rumors pointed to his first letter, where he corrected the Corinthians' abuses sharply, called a spade a spade, and made no bones about it, leaving them feeling he was harsh and terrifying with his letters.
Les teaches that Paul is quoting rumors that had come back to him. They were referring to his first letter, where he really read them the riot act, correcting their abuses and calling a spade a spade. He made no bones about it. So Paul says, 'that I may not seem as if I would terrify you with letters.' Les points out that Paul heard just about everything that was ever said about him. He also notes that there was something about the Apostle that did not automatically draw people to him like some charismatic men can do.
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
More Questions
What letter were the Corinthians referring to when they said Paul terrified them with his letters?
When Paul wrote 'that I may not seem as if I would terrify you with letters,' the Corinthians were making reference to his first letter (1 Corinthians), where he corrected their abuses, called a spade a spade, and made no bones about it.
What letter was Paul referring to when he said he did not want to terrify them with letters?
When Paul says he does not want to seem as if he would terrify them with letters, he is referring to his first letter, 1 Corinthians, where he sternly corrected their abuses and called a spade a spade.
Where did Paul get the accusations that he terrified people with his letters?
In saying 'that I may not seem as if I would terrify you with letters,' Paul is quoting rumors that had come back to him, since he heard just about everything that was said about him.