BaptistWay Bible Series for Nov. 14: Commended by Christ, committed to the Corinthians_110804

Posted: 11/05/04

BaptistWay Bible Series for Nov. 14

Commended by Christ, committed to the Corinthians

2 Corinthians 10:1-18

By Todd Still

Truett Seminary, Waco

None of the Apostle Paul's epistles would be a good choice for someone seeking to do a little light biblical reading. From early on, it has been recognized that “There are some things in (his letters that are) hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16).

What is true of Paul's writings in general especially is true of 2 Corinthians. This particular letter demands a good deal from its readers. Not only are there passages difficult to comprehend, but also a number of shifts in subject matter that make the letter hard to follow.

We already have encountered major transitions at 2:14; 6:14; 7:2, 5; and 8:1 respectively. So abrupt are certain transitions that not a few scholars have suggested that 2 Corinthians is a compilation of two or more letters Paul wrote to the church in Corinth over a period of time.

As we begin the third and final unit of our study of 2 Corinthians, we come to yet another topic. At the outset of chapter 10, Paul commences a defense of his ministry against those whom he sarcastically dubs “superlative apostles” (11:5; 12:11).

This robust counter-attack continues well into chapter 12. There we come to the final major division in the epistle, 12:14-13:10. We will consider that portion of the letter in two weeks' time; however, in this lesson we will focus our attention on chapter 10.

The apostle begins his apology with respect to his ministry with a personal appeal to the Corinthians. With meekness and gentleness, Paul, who has been accused of being humble when present but bold when absent, entreats his converts to come to his defense so that when he returns to Corinth he will not have to oppose his detractors.

In addition to denouncing Paul as “more smoke than fire,” the apostle's adversaries were contending he was living “according to the flesh” and not according to the Spirit (vv. 1-2).

A fuller, though by no means complete, picture of Paul's opponents in Corinth will emerge as we work our way through chapters 10-12. For now, it will suffice to suggest these so-called “super-apostles” were likely Jewish Christian missionaries who came to Corinth after Paul had left the city and were seeking in his absence to cast aspersions upon his apostolic character and conduct.

While Paul acknowledges that he, of course, lives “in the flesh” (Greek, “en sarki”), he flatly denies that he “wages war” (a metaphor Paul employs here to refer to his apostolic ministry) “according to the flesh” (Greek, “kata sarki”). On the contrary, Paul contends that he readies himself for service not with “fleshly” (Greek, “sarkika”) weapons but with divine empowerment (10:3-4).

In 10:5-6, Paul reveals his strategy for conducting his ministry of weakness in the face of criticism by those who fancy themselves strong in faith. To begin, he seeks to destroy their strongholds and obstacles–their arguments, pride and “knowledge.” In addition, he takes every thought captive (theirs and his?) to the obedience of Christ. Lastly, he prepares to deal with disobedience. He stands ready to respond to the (undefined) disobedience of his opponents at such a time when his converts prove themselves obedient to the gospel they had received from Paul.

Abandoning military meta-phors, the apostle turns in verse 7 to enjoin the Corinthians to pay attention to what is right in front of them, namely, the very people who are tearing Paul down in order to build themselves up. In doing so, Paul implies his critics are not building up the church he had worked so hard to establish; rather, they are tearing it down (10:7-8; 12:9; 13:10).

Paul appears to be aware of at least some of the criticisms his opponents were lodging against him. In addition to the contention the apostle was bold when absent but humble when present (v. 1), Paul indicates his critics were suggesting he was trying to frighten the Corinthians with his letters and were saying, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is contemptible” (vv. 9-10). The apostle denies the suggestion that he is seeking to intimidate his converts (v. 9); moreover, he throws down the gauntlet before his opponents in verse 11 when he writes, “Let such people understand that what we say by letter when absent, we will also do when present.”

It also is possible that Paul's adversaries accused him of arrogant authoritarianism (v. 8). The apostle does not seek to deny that he “boasts in the Lord” with respect to his Corinthian ministry, nor does he abdicate the authority and responsibility he considers to be divinely and duly his in regards to the church (vv. 13, 15-17).

He does, however, criticize his opponents for judging themselves by themselves. Their self-congratulatory attitude, Paul maintains, displays a lack of understanding on their part (v. 12). Moreover, by poaching on Paul's preserves, claiming the Corinth-ians as their own “field” and taking credit for others' labors, the “super-apostles” have in Paul's view overstepped their boundaries and have gone beyond their limits (vv. 13-16). For Paul, it was important that it was he who initially brought the gospel to the Corinthians (vv. 13-14), and it was no fleeting concern of his that the congregation recognize that these spiritual “Johnny come latelys” were not the only ones who belonged to Christ (v. 7).

Some readers of this portion of 2 Corinthians might regard Paul on the defensive to be offensive. Truth be told, he is just warming up! Even if one views Paul's tact and tone at this point in the letter to be over the top, at least two things should be borne in mind. First, Paul cared deeply for his converts in Corinth and wanted to see them flourish, not flounder, in the faith. Additionally, the apostle recognized that in the final analysis what matters is divine, not self, commendation. Christians of all generations would do well to work toward and to wait for the Lord's “well done.”

Discussion question

What principles can be gleaned from Paul's handling of this adversarial situation?