God and Paul (in Christ) on Three Visits as the “Two or Three Witnesses” of 2 Corinthians 13:1

Abstract

There is no current consensus on how Paul employs his citation of the two-or- three-witness injunction in 2 Cor 13:1. After reviewing recent proposals, it will be argued that the most satisfactory solution to Paul’s problematic use of Deut 19:15 in 2 Cor 13:1 must include three elements: (1) God as witness, (2) Paul himself (in Christ) as witness, and (3) Paul’s three visits to Corinth (two past and one upcoming) as the three occasions when the testimony is given. Combining the witnesses of God and Paul-in-Christ with the three visits satisfies the demands of the literary context, avoids the weaknesses of other views, and offers real (nonmetaphorical) witnesses who validate the truth of Paul’s ministry against the accusations of the Corinthians.