JUNE 5, 2022
PAUL’S DEFENSE OF HIS APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY (CONT’D.)
INTRODUCTION:
1. In this chapter the Apostle continues his discussion in opposition to the false apostles who sought to undermine his reputation among the Corinthians, and, it seems, had prevailed too much by their insinuation.
2. He had just condemned all self-commendation, yet he was forced to do what had the appearance of that very thing. Painful as it was for him to be seen as self-lauding, it was necessary.
3. The Corinthians (some of them) were in danger of being turned away from Christ by having their confidence in Paul lessened by the misrepresentation of his enemies. Thus, it was needful for him to establish the grounds of his authority over them.
4. Yet, so repugnant was this sort of thing to him that he found it difficult to do what he felt had to be done. He not only begins by apologizing, but again and again he turns from his “boasting” (as he called it) to something else.
I. PAUL GIVES HIS REASONS FOR HIS SELF-VINDICATION. (VERSES 1-4) It was for their sakes that Paul felt obligated to present the grounds upon which he claimed authority and superiority over his opponents.
A. HE BEGS THEIR PARDON AND FORBEARANCE WHILE HE INDULGES IN A LITTLE FOOLISHNESS. (VERSE 1)
1. Bragging, to Paul was foolishness, and the thought of appearing to be a braggart was painful to him. If only more people were of that same mind.
2. Paul realized that to most people braggarts are very off-putting, therefore he begs of them to please bear with him.
3. The self-commendation of the false apostles was the fruit of conceit and vanity. With Paul it was self-vindication. Although vastly different in character and design, they have one thing in common. Both include self-laudation. Both are therefore called boasting. Thus, Paul calls even his good boasting, folly, i.e. a want of sense.
B. PAUL HAD THE HIGHEST MOTIVE FOR ENGAGING IN THIS UNPLEASANT METHOD OF DEFENSE. (VERSES 2-4)
1. He was motivated by his great love for them, and out of anxiety for their faithfulness to Christ. This is why they should bear with him. (Verse 2)
a) He was jealous over them, and it was out of zeal for God’s honor that he was jealous. “With godly jealousy.”
b) Paul’s was the zeal which God has for Himself and His relationship to His people. This word rendered jealous may mean an ardent love, such as a man has for his wife for whom he has a righteous jealousy.
c) As the people of God are often represented in the Bible as standing in relation to Him as wife to husband, so God is represented as being jealous when the love that belongs to Him is given to another. (Isa. 54:5; 62:5
Ezek. 16; Hos. 2)
d) It was natural for Paul to feel this jealousy over them, because their union to Christ was formed through his work. (I Cor. 4:1-5; 9:1)
e) He, as a spiritual father to them would present them as a chaste virgin to Christ. He had espoused them to one husband, and therefore, their fidelity and faithfulness to Christ, their husband, was of personal concern to him.
2. Though they were betrothed to Christ, he feared that their affections might be seduced from Him. (Verse 3)
a) Paul’s jealousy arose because he feared that the false apostles might succeed in seducing some who were espoused to Christ away from Him.
b) Satan, who appeared in the garden and seduced Eve through subtlety, is ever about his same work. Eve had every conceivable reason to secure her fidelity, and yet, she fell.
c) Paul feared that the old serpent might also corrupt their minds from the simplicity that is in Christ.
3. Paul’s concern was justified by the readiness with which some at Corinth bore with those who preached another gospel. (Verse 4)
a) Paul here delivers a strong reproof for their credulity and easiness of persuasion, which is analogous to that which he administered to the Galatians. (Gal. 1:6-8; 4:6-9; 5:8)
b) It is always a matter of concern when professing Christians listen indiscriminately to ministers who claim to preach Christ. They may talk about Jesus, but their Jesus is not the divine Savior of the Bible.
c) The gift of the Holy Spirit was secured by the works of Christ. (Gal. 3:13, 14) The indwelling of the spirit and his sanctifying power is the great evidence that one is a true Christian. Yet there are other spirits promoted through false teachers. God’s people must “try the spirits.” (I John 4:1; see also Gal. 3:2; Heb. 2:4)
d) Paul was greatly disturbed that they would bear with preachers who preached another Jesus, who were of another spirit, and who proclaimed another gospel.
II. PAUL PROCEEDS TO GIVE THE GROUNDS UPON WHICH HIS AUTHORITY WAS SUPERIOR TO HIS OPPONENTS. (VERSES 5-15)
A. RATHER THAN TO BE SEDUCED BY FALSE APOSTLES PAUL REASONS THAT THEY SHOULD RATHER BEAR WITH HIM. (VERSE 5)
1. For whatever reasons they might have borne with these men, what they were giving ear to was contrary to the teachings of Paul, who was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
2. Paul is not here speaking of those whom he accuses in Verse 4 of preaching another gospel. They were not apostles at all, much less chief apostles. He is referring to the true apostles of Christ.
3. What fools they were who would bear with some pretender, whose doctrine agreed not with Christ’s own apostles.
B. RATHER THAN BECOMING SEDUCED BY PRETENTIOUS ORATORS, THEY OUGHT TO ADHERE TO ONE WHOSE APOSTOLIC OFFICE WAS ABUNDANTLY MANIFESTED. (VERSE 6)
1. Paul had knowledge of the truth for which sake he refrained from using high sounding oratory, so that all might readily understand the doctrines of Christ.
2. By demonstration of the Spirit, Paul’s apostleship had been abundantly validated. Eloquence and rhetoric do not evidence a sound ministry, but truth and the irreplaceable blessing of the Holy Spirit are what count for proof. (See I Cor. 2:4, 5)
C. HIS REFUSAL TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT SHOULD HAVE IN NO WAY RAISED OBJECTION TO HIS APOSTLESHIP. (VERSE 7)
1. Did his not availing himself or the right of an apostle to be supported by those to whom he preached give cause to question his apostleship? He asks, “Have I committed an offense in abasing myself?” Was his act of self- humiliation a sin in their eyes? (See I Cor. 9:4-15; Phil. 4:12)
2. It was to promote their spiritual interest that he labored to support himself as a tentmaker. Yet it is intimated in
I Cor. 9 that his enemies represented this as proof that Paul knew his apostleship was not invalid.
3. Paul is here asking if they were disposed to believe that, since they had no other reason for their objection to him.
D. HE SPEAKS FIGURATIVELY AS HAVING ROBBED FROM OTHER CHURCHES WHAT WAS NOT RECEIVED FROM THEM. (VERSES 8, 9)
1. What Paul received from other churches, i.e. the Macedonian churches, he was entitled to, and it was freely given.
2. The reason he speaks thus is that he took from them what the Corinthians ought to have contributed.
3. He received support from others in order to do them service.
4. When he ministered in Corinth (Acts 18) he did not ask for assistance from them, not even when he was in want. At such times the brethren from Macedonia supplied his need. As he had not turned to them for help in the past, he vows not to do so in the future. (Verse 9)
a) This was by design, in order to cut off occasion to those who sought occasion against him.
b) He was not opposed to receive that which was rightfully his by the ordinance of Christ. (I Cor. 9:14)
c) From some churches he received it without hesitation. For example, the Philippians. (Phil. 4:16, 18)
d) From others he would not receive it at all. For example, the Ephesians (Acts 20:34, 35); so also in Thessalonica (I Thess. 2:9; II Thess. 3:8); and Corinth (Acts 18:3; I Cor. 9:15-18)
E. NOT RECEIVING WAGES WAS PARTICULARLY HIS POLICY IN THE REGIONS OF ACHAIA.
(VERSES 10-12)
1. He vows that no one shall stop him from this boasting. Literally, “This boasting shall not be stopped in me” His self-imposed policy would continue, not only at Corinth, but throughout Achaia, all of Greece, not including Macedonia. (Verse 10)
2. From the Macedonians he would receive aid, but form the Christians of Achaia he would not. The reasons for this distinction he gives in the following verses.
3. This refusal was not because of any want of love to them. (Verse 11)
4. This refusal was that he might avoid giving those who wished to impeach his motives anything that they could misrepresent to that end. “…that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion.”
5. This refusal of aid would put his accusers to the test if they were willing to cease making gain of the Gospel. Would they preach it freely? “That wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.”
III. PAUL COMPARES THESE FALSE APOSTLES TO SATAN, WHO TRANSFORMED HIMSELF INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT. (VERSES 13-15)
A. THEY WERE DECEITFUL LIKE SATAN. “deceitful workers.”
1. Just as Satan transformed himself into “an angel of light,” these false apostles transformed themselves into the likeness of apostles.
2. By their opposition to Christ’s true Apostle, they showed that they were, in fact, Satan’s ministers and not Christ’s. (Isa. 8:20)
B. THEY WERE DESTINED TO THE SAME DOOM AS SATAN. (VERSE 15)
1. Whomever they may have convinced that they were “ministers of righteousness,” the Judge of the whole earth was not deceived by them.
2. God knew their works, and He also knew their hearts, and clearly, they were of their father the devil.
3. They shall therefore be one with Satan in his eternal damnation. “Whose end shall be according to their works.” (See Rev. 20:10-14)
4. The Lord knows them that are His. He knows those who are His true ministers. They too shall receive of Him according to their works. (II Tim. 4:7, 8; Isa. 3:10; Matt. 25:34-36)
5. False prophets may wish that their last end should be like that of the righteous, but it shall not be so.
(Num. 23:10)
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