FALSE TEACHERS
2 Corinthians chapter 11, verses 1 to 15
Introduction.
Continuing the subject of Chapter 10, Paul (in his "madness") deals with the false teachers in Corinth.
The zeal of Paul – verses 1 and 2
He says he has a divine zeal for the Corinthians, because he wants to present them as a chaste virgin to Christ, the "Husband". This figure of "bride" applies to the entire church in Ephesians 5:25-27 and Revelation 19:7.
The false teachers – verses 3 and 4
These are cunning deceivers as the serpent in Eden. See Genesis chapter 3.
The Corinthians received these deceivers with good will.
Paul compares himself with them – verses 5 to 12
He finds himself “in no way inferior to these super-apostles" (v.5). Maybe they had more eloquence (see 10:10), but the Corinthians themselves knew that Paul had more knowledge (of spiritual things).
He had preached to the Corinthians free of charge, aided by the gifts he received from other churches (7, 8).
When he was suffering deprivation in Corinth, he had received assistance from the brethren from Macedonia; he would never be a liability (financial) to the Corinthians (9, 10).
This abstention on his part was not due to lack of love for the believers in Corinth, but was to prevent the enemies from speaking evil of him, imputing selfish motives in his work (11, 12).
Such people are false apostles – verses 13 to 15
Deceitful as Satan himself, who turns into an angel of light; his servants appear as preachers of the truth, of religion. However, their end will be eternal condemnation, like that of all liars (Revelation 21:8).
Note:
The teachers and "prophets" of Mormonism, of the "Seventh-day Adventism," of the "kingdom" or "Jehovah's Witnesses", as well as of "modernism", of "Christian Science" and of other sects who deny the bases the biblical Christian faith, must be considered with the false "angels of light" described in this chapter.
Richard Dawson Jones (1895 - 1987)
1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me.
2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
5 For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles.
6 Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.
7 Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you.
9 And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
2 Corinthians 11 verses 1 to 15