Paul was an inspired apostle. The truths he taught to others he had received "by revelation;" yet the Lord did not directly reveal to him at all times just the condition of His people. In this instance those who were interested in the prosperity of the church at Corinth, and who had seen evils creeping in, had presented the matter before the apostle, and from divine revelations which he had formerly received he was prepared to judge of the character of these developments. Notwithstanding the fact that the Lord did not give him a new revelation for that special time, those who were really seeking for light accepted his message as 303 expressing the mind of Christ. The Lord had shown him the difficulties and dangers which would arise in the churches, and, as these evils developed, the apostle recognized their significance. He had been set for the defense of the church. He was to watch for souls as one who must render account to God, and was it not consistent and right for him to take notice of the reports concerning the anarchy and divisions among them? Most assuredly; and the reproof he sent them was as certainly written under the inspiration of the Spirit of God as were any of his other epistles.

Paulus var en gudbenådet apostel. De sandheder, han lærte andre, havde han selv modtaget "ved åbenbarelser" men dog åbenbarede Herren ham ikke altid, hvordan det netop stod til med Guds folk. I dette tilfælde havde de, som var interesserede i menighedens trivsel i Korint og som havde set synden snige sig derind, sat apostlen ind i sagen; og ved hjælp af de guddommelige åbenbaringer, han tidligere havde haft, var han i stand til at bedømme karakteren af denne udvikling. Trods den kendsgerning, at Herren ikke gav ham en særlig åbenbaring netop ved denne lejlighed, modtog de, der virkelig søgte lyset, hans budskab som udtryk for Kristi tanker. Herren havde vist ham, hvilke vanskeligheder og farer der ville opstå i menighederne, og da disse onder viste sig, erkendte apostlen deres betydning. Han var udset til at forsvare menigheden. Han skulle våge over sjælene som den, der skal stå til regnskab over for Gud; og var det så ikke følgerigtigt og ret af ham at lytte til beretningerne om anarkiet og splittelserne iblandt dem? Absolut! Og den tilrettevisning, han sendte dem, var lige så sikkert skrevet under Guds Ånds ledelse som ethvert af hans andre breve.