Apostolic Defense

For the most part, most people when they were young, children at least looked up to their father. Paul is spiritual father to those in Corinth and draws on that today. (ref: 1Cor4:14-21)

There is a problem with Corinth, they were being told by the Judiazers, and even the “super apostles” that Paul did not care, did not have what was needed and was not a true apostle.

Paul’s problem was how to make the church at Corinth know that he loved them, like a father loves his children, for they were his spiritual children.

One way would be to remind them of the work he did for them. Well, they might think that is bragging on himself. And that would feed fuel to the fire that had been lite by the Judiazers.

In our passage Paul uses a beautiful image, a comparison, that he is confident, since led by the Spirit to reach the heart of the believers. He uses himself as a spiritual father to them, caring for them since he had begotten them through the gospel.

Being a spiritual father did take on correction, or disciple at times and here is a great reminder of that and the introduction as a spiritual father.

1 Corinthians 4:14–15 NASB95

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

1 Corinthians 4:16–17 NASB95

16 Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.

1 Corinthians 4:18–19 NASB95

18 Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power.

1 Corinthians 4:20–21 NASB95

20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. 21 What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

He was their spiritual father and he wanted the very best for them, as any good father would. Paul offers up evidence of his fatherly care for them.

His jealousy over them (2Cor11:1-6, 13-15)

His generosity to them (2Cor11:7-12)

His anxiety for them (2Cor11:16-33)

His jealousy over them

Scripture teaches us that God is a jealous God (Exo20:5) and his name is jealous (Exo34:14) and He is an all consuming fire (Deu4:23-24). Paul knows the scripture, knows how the Father is and he draws from that in this section.

2 Corinthians 11:1–2 NASB95

1 I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.

2 Corinthians 11:3–4 NASB95

3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.

2 Corinthians 11:5–6 NASB95

5 For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6 But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.

and then there is what is a markum sandwich, so to get to the other piece of the bread jump down to (v13)

2 Corinthians 11:13–14 NASB95

13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

2 Corinthians 11:15 NASB95

15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

Gleaning from the scripture

Question: How does Paul feel for the Corinthians and why (v.2-3)

He is jealous for them because he betrothed them to one husband (v.2)

He did not want to see them deceived, or led astray from the simplicity of devotion to Christ. (v.3)

Paul illustrates what has come, and their reception of it (vv.4-5) they received it, bared it beautifully.

Question draws a contrast in (v.6) can you see it?

Even if unskilled in speech, am not in knowledge, and this has been made evident to you.

Question: In tying this back to (vv.2-3) Paul now in (v.13) identifies the deceivers

They are false apostles, deceitful workers

Hey even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, so this should not be surprising. As he further explains in (v.15)

(Transition) so let me expand for some about Paul’s jealously for them.

(insert Godly Jealousy picture here)

True love is never envious, but it can be jealous over those who are loved.

Here is an illustration: A father will fight for his family, will protect his family. A patriot is jealous over his freedom and is willing to fight to protect it. Now I used a father, but a mother too is jealous for their children and will look to protect them like a mama bear over her cub.

Here is another picture to help us understand. A loving father had been asked for a daughters hand in marriage. The father feels it is his duty and privilege to protect the daughter and her chastity so to present her to the husband with joy, not sorrow. Paul looked at the church as a bride who is betrothed, to Jesus Christ (Eph5:22-33); now the wedding itself will take place when Christ comes for His bride (Rev19:1-9) and what a day of celebration that will be.

Now we do have to be honest, the bride (the church) has a responsibility too, to keep themselves pure.

Here are a few things to consider regarding the purity of the bride:

There is the peril of unfaithfulness (2Cor11:3)

Paul was worried they had been deceived and led astray

The bride is to be pure with a singleness of heart for her husband. She is to be devoted wholly for a divided heart leads to a defiled life and a destroyed relationship.

This world can try to deceive us and to forget the first love as Jesus mentioned in (Rev2:4)

The person behind the peril (2Cor11:3)

The person is Satan as used the scripture as the deceiving serpent in the garden.

Satan has many tools he can use to attack the believers

The burden of conscience when one has sinned (2Cor4:4)

The beguile of the believers mind (2Cor11:3)

And even the buffet, the thorn in the flesh (2Cor12:7)

Satan wants to get inside the mind of the believer to get them to question God’s word, then to deny God’s word and he substitutes it with his own lies (Gan3:1, 4-5)

Oh ole scratch is patient, he knows people are not going to just accept the lie up front, there is the hook, something that sounds good and simple that then leads to being able to reel them in. Satan is an imitator, God is light, Satan is a imitator of light. The Judiazers are trading the truth of the gospel, the simplicity of the gospel for something else, a mixture of the gospel and the law, which is no gospel at all.

One more to add to our list, the preachers of the false gospel (2Cor11:13-15)

They claim divine authority, but it is fake authority.

They claim they are servants of God, but they are servants of self

They claim to be super-apostles having more knowledge than Paul, special knowledge, revelation knowledge, and they use Paul’s speech to try to prove their claim (2Cor11:6, 10:10)

Are we to stand on speech or on the word? I know that is really a rhetorical question.

These deceivers are not empowered by the Spirit but are energized by Satan.

Paul as a spiritual father to them proved his love by protecting them from the false teachers, the attacks by satan and his workers, yet there were many within the church who were being deceived and allowed the false teachers (Judiazers) to come in.

It maybe sad that they turned from Paul, but it is heartbreaking that they turned from the truth and traded it for a lie. They left their devotion and single heartedness of Jesus.

(Transition) this now leads to the next proof Paul as a spiritual father offers up to them.

(Below can be removed from my notes but left on the outline, it does not need to be read)

(Other scriptures reference for your information: Eph5:22-33, Rev19:1-9, 2:4; 2Cor4:4, 12:7)

His generosity for them

So a father is jealous for his family, and a father is generous to his family too. Making sure to meet the needs of the family. Paul illustrates his generosity for them in our section

2 Corinthians 11:7–8 NASB95

7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? 8 I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you;

2 Corinthians 11:9–10 NASB95

9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

2 Corinthians 11:11–12 NASB95

11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.

What do you see, what do you notice what sticks out to you?

(insert gleaning from the scripture picture here)

Paul’s irony used in (vv.7-8, 11)

Did I sin in my humility to bring you the gospel

I robbed other churches to bring it to you

Do I do these things because I don’t love you? No because I love you and God knows I do!

Question: How were Paul’s needs met so that he did not take from the Corinthians (v.9)

By the Macedonians

Question: What is Paul’s desire, what outcome does he want (v.12)?

To cut off opportunity from those who are boasting (the false teachers)

Other scriptures referenced (1Cor9; Act20:33-35)

Now a loving part, who can be jealous for his/her family will provide for their family too. Take care of needs that is.

Paul sacrificed what he could claim (financial help) and he labored as a tentmaker while there (Act18:-3) and received assistance from the churches of Macedonia (2Cor11:9)

In Paul’s sacrifice the Judiazers used that against Paul putting out there if he was really an apostle he would accept financial support.

This issue was previously addressed in (1Cor9), if you need to be reminded of it you may choose to read again on your own. He gave up his right to compensation so that no one could accuse him that he did it for financial gain.

Do you know any true, loving father who is not willing to sacrifice for his children, for his family to ensure needs are met?

He is not bringing up the issue of money to boast of himself, but to stop the boasting of the false teachers. He was not going to get accused and have any truth to it of covetousness or selfishness

Acts 20:33–35 NASB95

33 “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. 34 “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. 35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

(Transition) I know time is running out now so may we press on, read the rest of the chapter and pull a few things out regarding Paul’s apostolic defence and his love as spiritual father to them.

His anxiety for them

Well, maybe anxiety is not the right word, Paul uses the word concern in this passage and the key to this section is found in (v.28) so watch for it when we get there.

2 Corinthians 11:16–17 NASB95

16 Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little. 17 What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

2 Corinthians 11:18–19 NASB95

18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also. 19 For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly.

2 Corinthians 11:20–21 NASB95

20 For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face. 21 To my shame I must say that we have been weak by comparison. But in whatever respect anyone else is bold—I speak in foolishness—I am just as bold myself.

2 Corinthians 11:22–23 NASB95

22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.

2 Corinthians 11:24–25 NASB95

24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 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.

2 Corinthians 11:26–27 NASB95

26 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; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

2 Corinthians 11:28–29 NASB95

28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?

2 Corinthians 11:30–31 NASB95

30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

2 Corinthians 11:32–33 NASB95

32 In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33 and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.

On your own take the time to jot down your thoughts on this section, what sticks out to you.

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Oh the trials that Paul endured but the heaviest had to be for the concern for all the church.

The word concern is care in other versions and it is translated as “pressure, stress, anxiety” This is not external (v.28) like many of the things Paul endured, went through for the church, this was internal.

Paul is defending his apostleship, his love, his concern as a spiritual father over them in the boasting to contrast what the false teachers were putting out there about his lack of love.

In this passage you can see a few things and I invite you to investigate them to see if they hold true.

What Paul endured for cause of Christ.

Suffering for Christ (vv.23-25)

Natural hardships (vv.25-33)

Internal anxiety (v.28)

Paul as a loving father defending his apostleship to them and may we learn from it that there maybe things we have to endure for the gospel.