Paul and His Rivals: Apostleship and Antagonism in the Corinthian Correspondence - Hardcoverby Clair Mesick (Author) At the heart of Paul's Corinthian correspondence is a historical puzzle. How did the relative calm of 1 Corinthians deteriorate into the chaos of 2 Corinthians, and what role did the so called Jewish "super apostles" play in that conflict? This book proposes a new solution: it was Paul, not his rivals, who shot the first volley in the Corinthian conflict. Paul's claims of unique authority for instance, as the architect atop