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THE GLORY OF A TRUE APOSTLE

2 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 16 to chapter 12 verse 18

Introduction.

In the second division of chapter 11, Paul continuing in his "madness," glories in his sufferings for the love of the Gospel of Christ.

Chapter 11

Paul becomes a “fool" – verses 16 to 21

He is not, in fact, a "fool", but says he will speak as a fool, so they, who willingly receive the foolish (16-19), can receive him. They tolerate false teachers, who only hurt them (20); to say this would seem like "weakness" on his part, but he says it with the boldness of the "foolish." (Note : this verse 21 is difficult to understand).

The real "glory" of the apostle - verses 22 to 33

Forcibly, Paul gives here a report of his qualifications as a messenger of Christ:

1. A true Hebrew Israelite, a descendant of Abraham. See the letter to the Philippians 3:5.
2. A minister (servant) of Christ, suffering, labours, stripes, shipwrecks and perils of various journeys.
3. Dangers among countrymen (Acts 9:23) and among the Gentiles (Acts 19:26).
4. Difficulties and problems in the churches. As a good shepherd, he "took upon himself" the problems and sorrows of the believers. In addition, difficult points of doctrine and procedure would be submitted to Paul by many churches.
5. The false teachers at Corinth gloried in their "victories" and deeds. Paul gloried in his humiliation for the sake of the Gospel. Would this story of this affliction seem incredible? The apostle calls God as witness to the absolute truth of what he has written. All without exaggeration or error. See Galatians 1:20, Romans 9:1 and 1st. Timothy 2:7.
6. Was the incident at the beginning of his apostolic career described in verses 32 and 22 what Paul found to be his greatest humiliation or triumph? See Acts 9:23-25. Would his enemies call him a coward? However, he shows that even the hatred of the Jews, aided by a powerful king, could not prevent God's plan for His servant, called to serve Him. Calvin says: "That persecution in Damascus was the first apprenticeship of the apostle for the many things he had to suffer in the service of his Master."

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 12

        7. Visions and revelations – verses 1 to 10

The false prophets in Corinth, as many of the same type today, boasted of their visions and mystical experiences as evidence that they were messengers of God. But Paul had no such experiences, they said, so he cannot be considered a true apostle. Here Paul, though rather unwillingly, describes an experience that "a man in Christ" (himself) had at the beginning of his apostolic career:

• The rapture (1-6). The "man in Christ" was Paul himself. It seems that "fourteen years" refers to the time he spent at Tarsus, before starting his first journey with Barnabas (see Acts 9:30 and 11:25). Other raptures were: Enoch (Genesis 5:24, Hebrews 11:5), Elijah (2 Kings 2:11), the Lord Jesus (Acts 1:9) and in the future, there is the church (1st Thessalonians 4:17). Paul says he does not know if his rapture was in the body or outside the body (v.3) – so it was not what happened to him in Lystra (Acts 14:19). Note: The "third heaven" (v.2) or "paradise" (v.4) is the region beyond the "starry sky” and in which God and the holy angels live (Hebrews 8:1).
• "Unspeakable words" (v.4) - revelations that could not be communicated to men on earth. Trials? Awards? Worship? ... This experience was the true "glory" of Paul; but, not being visible or communicable to others, he kept it to himself and was happy to be judged by what people could see in him or hear from him.
• The thorn in the flesh (7-10). For Paul to stay "humble" after such a glorious revelation, God allowed Satan to afflict him continuously with a "thorn in the flesh." Probably a disease, possibly of the eyes (see Galatians 4:15, 6:11). He prayed three times on this case but it was not removed. The answer was: "Christ's grace is sufficient for you" to be our strength in weaknesses - sickness, persecution and any adversity. Note, then, that prosperity, good health, etc., are not necessarily signs of spiritual growth or of divine approval.

The marks of the apostolate – verses 11 to 18

He was not inferior to the so-called "apostles" who despised him. He had performed miracles among them (the Corinthians), and all free (11-13).

He did not seek his own profit from them; like a father to them, he just wanted to bring them good; was it because of that, that they did not love him?

Titus and another brother, sent by Paul to the Corinthians, acted in the same way, providing their service free of charge, out of love for them (17-18).

 

Richard Dawson Jones (1895 - 1987)

 

16 I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little.
17 What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.
19 For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!
20 For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.
21 To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—
28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
32 In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me;
33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

2 Corinthians chapter 11, verses 16 to 33

1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—
4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
5 Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.
6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
11 I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing.
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.
13 For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!
14 Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
16 But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning!
17 Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you?
18 I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 1 to 18