What did Paul mean when he said he wanted to present the Corinthian church to Christ as a pure virgin in 2 Corinthians 11:2?
Paul expressed godly jealousy because he had espoused the Corinthian church, a Gentile church, to one husband. His aim was to present them—the body of Christ—as a chaste or pure virgin to Christ, picturing the church as the bride engaged to Christ.
Les teaches that in 2 Corinthians 11:2 Paul is writing to the Corinthian church, a Gentile church. Paul says he is jealous over them with a godly jealousy because he had espoused or gotten them engaged to one husband. His purpose was that he might present them—the body of Christ—as a chaste or pure virgin to Christ. Les also notes that some may not agree with him that the church is the bride, but he teaches it the way he sees it; the passage uses engagement and virginity imagery to show the church as the body of Christ being presented pure to Christ, her one husband.
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.