Sermon Tone Analysis

Boasting

Imitate Christ (way informed by person of Christ)

Speak truth (words grounded in the person of Christ)

People boaster (interactions with people transformed by the work of Christ)

We will return to the issue of boasting later in the letter, but we should note three things about Paul’s boast in this verse.

First, Paul’s boasting is done with God as his witness (1:12; 2:17; 4:2; 5:11).

Second, if he boasts that he has dealt with them and all the world in sincerity and trustworthiness, then he also confesses that these virtues came from God, not from himself.

He boasts only in the Lord (10:17), in God’s grace that delivered him from deadly peril (1:12), and in his weaknesses (12:9), not in his stellar abilities.

He can take no credit at all for anything in his ministry but being trustworthy in carrying out the task (1 Cor 4:2).

His boasting therefore does not glory in anything about himself but in Christ, who makes him sufficient (2:16) and whose power is made perfect in weakness (12:9).

Third, Paul’s does not boast to gain any personal advantage.

His boasting is related to his apostolic ministry, which has been misunderstood by the Corinthians.

Again, his boasting is in God, who called him and empowered him even in his weakness.

Paul does not want the Corinthians to boast about all that he has accomplished but to boast about what Christ has done in their midst through him

The content of the boasting:

2 Cor.

1:12

content of anothers achievement (personal satisfaction)

: ‘For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting (kauchsew" v ) before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

Is it not you?

For you are our glory (dovxa) and joy’; : ‘Therefore we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions’; : ‘I protest, brethren, by my pride (kauvchsin) in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!’; : ‘I have great pride (kauvchsi") in you; I am filled with comfort’; : ‘So give proof, before the churches, of your love and our boasting about you to these men’; : ‘you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud (kauchma v ) that I did not run in vain or labour in vain’.

Christian communities, the readers of the letters of Paul, are his pride

to give an example to others, to stop impertinent persons, and also to counter praises of evil deeds and unfounded self-praises or compliments.

In the first place, self-praise (auJto;n de; ejpainei'n) goes unresented if you are defending your good name and answering a charge

According to these rules, Pauline boasts in 2 Corinthians are fully justified, because his opponents in Corinth have accused him without good reasons and damaged his reputation.

He reacts in accordance with the ancient conventions.

In particular, boasting of what is proper—spiritual things (), a pure conscience and the gospel—corresponds to Plutarch’s advice.

Presenting his boasting as forced upon him (: ‘You forced me to it’) accords with the instructions of Quintilian (Inst.

or.

11.1.22).

The merits Paul boasts of in are not quite laudable for the ancients.

Noble birth, WOJCIECHOWSKI Paul and Plutarch on Boasting 107 enduring many dangers and obstacles, being self-supporting and having revelations from God could be praised.

Along with them, however, Paul lists punishments: prison and flogging.

Battle scars were honorable, whereas flogging brought disgrace.

Even the flogging of boys in Sparta, conceived as training, exposed them to jeers.21

It seems, therefore, that Paul is challenging the contemporary views here, but perhaps a philosophical indifference to sufferings and hardships is alluded to.

It is not clearly stated.

Boasting of floggings belongs with the boasting of weaknesses, peculiar to Paul.

It contrasts with the general ancient and modern opinion that merits and successes are the source of glory.

Boast in our suffering

Boast in our suffering

What is hoped to be gained?

We do not boast beyond limit, in other men’s labours; but our hope is that as your faith increases, our field among you may be greatly enlarged, so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s field.

“Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord”’; : ‘Not that we venture to class or compare ourselves (ejgkri'nai h]sugkri'nai) with some of those who commend (sunistanovntwn) themselves.

But when they measure themselves by one another, they are without understanding.’

What is hoped to be gained?

We do not boast beyond limit, in other men’s labours; but our hope is that as your faith increases, our field among you may be greatly enlarged, so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s field.

“Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord”’; : ‘Not that we venture to class or compare ourselves (ejgkri'nai h]sugkri'nai) with some of those who commend (sunistanovntwn) themselves.

But when they measure themselves by one another, they are without understanding.’

Paul was aware of the moral and rhetorical opinions of his contemporaries, but he made limited (even if creative) use of them.

He said what he wanted to say, and not what the conventions dictated.

However, he could make use of conventions when they corresponded to his ideas.

This is probably true for the whole field of relations between the New Testament and Hellenistic culture.

Boasting in Paul and Plutarch is a good test-case, being a relatively important issue, but not directly theological.

It enables us also to compare Paul with current ancient opinions, widely held and known.

Speak truth (words grounded in the person of Christ)

People boaster (interactions with people transformed by the work of Christ)

Christianity is essentially a multiplying faith.

It was made to be proclaimed.

Woven into its essence is the relational nature of God.

It is an individual faith and a faith of community.

As we are transformed into the image of Christ we are at the same time transformed in how we interact with others and build community.

Want to talk this morning about Paul, the boaster of people.

Always wondered why the letters to Corinth talked about boasting so much.

It always struck me as odd.

A bit arrogant & prideful.

Yet it comes up frequently in his letters to Corinth & occasionally in Galatians.

What's going on here & what can be discovered.

Between Corinth & the region of Galatia Paul spent a significant amount of time in these places doing ministry.

These are also 3 of the longest letters we have record of.

longest letters we have record of.

What was going on in these places?

Using tools of culture to communicate

But it was informed through profound personal encounters with Jesus (salvation, mission, message)

Paul was aware of the moral and rhetorical opinions of his contemporaries, but he made limited (even if creative) use of them.

He said what he wanted to say, and not what the conventions dictated.

However, he could make use of conventions when they corresponded to his ideas.

This is probably true for the whole field of relations between the New Testament and Hellenistic culture.

Boasting in Paul and Plutarch is a good test-case, being a relatively important issue, but not directly theological.

It enables us also to compare Paul with current ancient opinions, widely held and known.

Questions as we move forward.

Have you had encounter(s) with Jesus