"If I must boast, I will boast of the things which show my weaknesses!" (II Corinthians 11:30, ESV)
In last week's lesson (on verses 7-15), we found the Apostle Paul still having to defend his integrity and his apostleship with the Corinthians, not to save his own reputation but to keep the church from being overrun by false apostles! And he raised the question (somewhat facetiously) as to whether he was, in effect, "committing a sin" by humbling himself and preaching the gospel of Christ to them without charge! Paul had made it his policy of not accepting money from the churches while he was establishing them but only after they were established! In fact, he had actually practiced his trade as a tent-maker, rather than accepting funds when he first arrived in Corinth and preached to them and was founding the church! But the Corinthians, instead of seeing this as evidence of his sacrifice and love for them, interpreted it as proof that he wasn't actually an apostle of Christ, something he himself must have recognized, they thought, by him not taking the money!
But we know the heart of Paul and realize that his real intention in not accepting financial support was rather to contrast his ministy with that of the false apostles, by making it clear that he wasn't in it for the money, unlike the false apostles whom he said were "deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostle of Christ! And he wrote (in verses 14-15) that "no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light;" and, therefore, "it was not surprising that his servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness"!
The welfare of those under Paul's ministry required him to identify his critics for what they were, and Constable noted that in our day, when people value toleration so highly and practice it so widely, even in the church, we need to learn from Paul's example to "call a spade a spade"!
And so the spostle Paul, in this passage, is again asking the Corinthians to endure more of "his foolishness" in having to defend his apostleship and even having to boast about it--contrasting himself with the teaching, and boastings, of the false apostles who "preached another Jesus," and boasted in the flesh! Paul's critics had been making all kinds of foolish boasts about themselves in order to discredit Paul and his ministry, and so Paul had to "fight fire with fire"! And so we him boasting, but not as them! Boasting, rather, in the Lord!
And so we asked: what does the Bible say about boasting? And we found it says a lot!
The prophet Micah wrote in Micah 6:8, "He (God!) has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly before your God!"
Paul's big concern was what the Lord thought about him! But he felt he needed to defend his apostleship so that the Corinthians, in listening to the false apostles would not turn from the truth to lies! Boasting was common among the philosphers and leaders in the Greco-Roman world and one of his critics favorite tactics, and something that tended to sway the Corinthians. And so, when he was forced to talk about himself and his ministry, he apologically asked (in verse 16) that they "bear with him in his foolishness that he might boast a little"! And he even goes on to say that he wouldn't be saying what he had to say as the Lord would say it" (since He didn't boast)!
MacArthur writes that Paul, while acknowledging that boasting wasn't commended by the Lord, and was foolish, realized that the desperate situation in Corinth, forced him t do this! And so he writes, with a bit of sarcasm that if the Corinthians "tolerate the foolish gladly...and anyone who devours them, or takes advantage of them, and even those who "hit them in the face," then they should listen a little to his foolishness as well! "You listen to their foolishness, and their boasting," he says! "Listen to mine!"
And so he begins to write (begininning in verse 22) what is known as his "fool speech"! Boasting and comparing himself with the false apostles about his pedigree, as a Hebrew, and an Israelite, and as a descendant of Abraham--just like them! And as "servants of Christ"? But then, when saying this, he stops abruptly and asks, with more sarcasm, as if he's catching himself "speaking as insane"? To even refer to the false apostles as "servants of Christ," even for the sake of argument was repulsive to Paul, so he hastened to add a disclaimer, "Am I out of my mind," to even suggest that they are servants of Christ? "I more so!"
And he adds (in verses 23-28): "In far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death! Five times I received fom the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches!"
Wow! Paul here describing sufferings and trials he endured as a servant of Christ--suffering that clearly set him apart from the false apostles, and that could not possibly be equaled by them!
If he were not a genuine apostle of Christ, called by God, then why would he willingly endure so much for the gospel? Why would he still be persevering in his work?
But this kind of suffering is exactly what Jesus predicted His apostles, and all those who followed Him, would experience! He said, in Matthew 10:16-18 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves...and you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake!" And in John 15:18, that "if the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you"! And in John 16:33, "In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world!"
And to the general promise to the apostles of suffering, the Lord added a specific one for Paul! Speaking to Ananias, the Lord said this of Paul, in Acts 9:15-16: "He is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My sake!"
Paul's life exemplified the truth of II Timothy 3:12, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted!" MacArthur notes that "the false apostles had their letters of commendation (II Corinthians 3:1), but Paul had "on his body the brand-marks of Jesus"! (Interestingly, Paul wrote, in Galatians 6:17, "From now on, let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus!")
No wonder he would write in verse 29 (again in contrast with the false apostles), "Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?" And then, in verses 30-31, "If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness! The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying!"
And he closes this passage by making reference to the great escape he had in Damascus when he was let down in a basket "through a window in the wall!" (MacArthur calls this, "the crowning example of his weakness and infirmity in which he boasted")!
And he goes on to say in 12:10 that he "was well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake, for when he was weak, then he was strong"! And we'll get into more of this in our lesson next week!
And so, til we meet again, walk with the Lord and be a blessing! And remember that "His strength is made perfect in our weakness," and to boast only in the Lord!
Lowell
In last week's lesson (on verses 7-15), we found the Apostle Paul still having to defend his integrity and his apostleship with the Corinthians, not to save his own reputation but to keep the church from being overrun by false apostles! And he raised the question (somewhat facetiously) as to whether he was, in effect, "committing a sin" by humbling himself and preaching the gospel of Christ to them without charge! Paul had made it his policy of not accepting money from the churches while he was establishing them but only after they were established! In fact, he had actually practiced his trade as a tent-maker, rather than accepting funds when he first arrived in Corinth and preached to them and was founding the church! But the Corinthians, instead of seeing this as evidence of his sacrifice and love for them, interpreted it as proof that he wasn't actually an apostle of Christ, something he himself must have recognized, they thought, by him not taking the money!
But we know the heart of Paul and realize that his real intention in not accepting financial support was rather to contrast his ministy with that of the false apostles, by making it clear that he wasn't in it for the money, unlike the false apostles whom he said were "deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostle of Christ! And he wrote (in verses 14-15) that "no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light;" and, therefore, "it was not surprising that his servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness"!
The welfare of those under Paul's ministry required him to identify his critics for what they were, and Constable noted that in our day, when people value toleration so highly and practice it so widely, even in the church, we need to learn from Paul's example to "call a spade a spade"!
And so the spostle Paul, in this passage, is again asking the Corinthians to endure more of "his foolishness" in having to defend his apostleship and even having to boast about it--contrasting himself with the teaching, and boastings, of the false apostles who "preached another Jesus," and boasted in the flesh! Paul's critics had been making all kinds of foolish boasts about themselves in order to discredit Paul and his ministry, and so Paul had to "fight fire with fire"! And so we him boasting, but not as them! Boasting, rather, in the Lord!
And so we asked: what does the Bible say about boasting? And we found it says a lot!
- Proverbs 27:2 says, "Let another praise you, and not with your own mouth!"
- Jeremiah 9:23-24 says, "Thus says the Lord, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not the rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, says the Lord!"
- Paul himself wrote in I Corinthians 1:31, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord!"
- And in that great love chapter (Corinthians 13) that "love does not brag and is not arrogant"!
- Then, in II Corinthians 10:13, "For we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach as far as you!
- And something similar, in II Corinthians 10:17, "But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord! For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends!"
The prophet Micah wrote in Micah 6:8, "He (God!) has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly before your God!"
Paul's big concern was what the Lord thought about him! But he felt he needed to defend his apostleship so that the Corinthians, in listening to the false apostles would not turn from the truth to lies! Boasting was common among the philosphers and leaders in the Greco-Roman world and one of his critics favorite tactics, and something that tended to sway the Corinthians. And so, when he was forced to talk about himself and his ministry, he apologically asked (in verse 16) that they "bear with him in his foolishness that he might boast a little"! And he even goes on to say that he wouldn't be saying what he had to say as the Lord would say it" (since He didn't boast)!
MacArthur writes that Paul, while acknowledging that boasting wasn't commended by the Lord, and was foolish, realized that the desperate situation in Corinth, forced him t do this! And so he writes, with a bit of sarcasm that if the Corinthians "tolerate the foolish gladly...and anyone who devours them, or takes advantage of them, and even those who "hit them in the face," then they should listen a little to his foolishness as well! "You listen to their foolishness, and their boasting," he says! "Listen to mine!"
And so he begins to write (begininning in verse 22) what is known as his "fool speech"! Boasting and comparing himself with the false apostles about his pedigree, as a Hebrew, and an Israelite, and as a descendant of Abraham--just like them! And as "servants of Christ"? But then, when saying this, he stops abruptly and asks, with more sarcasm, as if he's catching himself "speaking as insane"? To even refer to the false apostles as "servants of Christ," even for the sake of argument was repulsive to Paul, so he hastened to add a disclaimer, "Am I out of my mind," to even suggest that they are servants of Christ? "I more so!"
And he adds (in verses 23-28): "In far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death! Five times I received fom the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches!"
Wow! Paul here describing sufferings and trials he endured as a servant of Christ--suffering that clearly set him apart from the false apostles, and that could not possibly be equaled by them!
If he were not a genuine apostle of Christ, called by God, then why would he willingly endure so much for the gospel? Why would he still be persevering in his work?
But this kind of suffering is exactly what Jesus predicted His apostles, and all those who followed Him, would experience! He said, in Matthew 10:16-18 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves...and you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake!" And in John 15:18, that "if the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you"! And in John 16:33, "In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world!"
And to the general promise to the apostles of suffering, the Lord added a specific one for Paul! Speaking to Ananias, the Lord said this of Paul, in Acts 9:15-16: "He is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My sake!"
Paul's life exemplified the truth of II Timothy 3:12, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted!" MacArthur notes that "the false apostles had their letters of commendation (II Corinthians 3:1), but Paul had "on his body the brand-marks of Jesus"! (Interestingly, Paul wrote, in Galatians 6:17, "From now on, let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus!")
No wonder he would write in verse 29 (again in contrast with the false apostles), "Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?" And then, in verses 30-31, "If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness! The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying!"
And he closes this passage by making reference to the great escape he had in Damascus when he was let down in a basket "through a window in the wall!" (MacArthur calls this, "the crowning example of his weakness and infirmity in which he boasted")!
And he goes on to say in 12:10 that he "was well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake, for when he was weak, then he was strong"! And we'll get into more of this in our lesson next week!
And so, til we meet again, walk with the Lord and be a blessing! And remember that "His strength is made perfect in our weakness," and to boast only in the Lord!
Lowell
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