2 Corinthians 11:4

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

The apostle had condemned the false boasting of the opponents that had come to Corinth and were threatening to spoil the effect of his work. Continuing now on the same topic and in much the same strain, he administers a rebuke to the Corinthians, introduced with great skill: I wish you could bear a little with me in some foolishness; yes, do bear with me! In his effort to destroy the influence which was acting counter to his wishes, and to undermine the work of the false teachers who disparaged him. Paul emphasizes his apostolic authority with passionate earnestness, while apparently holding it lightly. It may seem to some of them like nonsense what he is about to discuss, his appeal may seem like mockery to them, but it is, in truth, a defense of his position which is demanded of him by the sacredness of the obligation resting upon him. To vindicate his ministry, it would be necessary for him indeed to speak much of himself, of his sufferings, of his success: hut this was not vanity, as some might suppose; it was rather, under the circumstances, a most urgent necessity.

That is brought out by the very next words: For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a pure virgin to Christ; but I fear lest in some way, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity toward Christ. Paul here does not refer to the jealousy of the husband, but to the official zeal of the paranymph, or bridesman, who, among the Jews as well as among the Greeks, arranged the betrothal and made it a point of honor to see that the virgins were properly educated and prepared for married life, who, above all, vouchsafed for the fact that their chastity was untarnished. Paul intimates, therefore, that the present state of affairs in Corinth reflected upon his honor, as though he had not done his work well, as though he had not been careful. He also implies that he resents the interference of rivals who were concerning themselves with matters not pertaining to their business. With godly zeal he was jealous, he was anxious on behalf of God. For as a part of his official duties he had betrothed or espoused the Corinthian Christians, as a Christian congregation, as a part of the Church of Christ, to their Lord, his intention and impression being thereby to present a pure, chaste virgin to Christ, undefiled by any false doctrine or unfaithfulness in life. Luther says of this: "Herewith he shows that the apostolate is nothing but the office of a wooer or bridesman that daily prepares and leads to Christ His bride."

But Paul expresses a deep disappointment and fear, namely, that the purity and unsullied virginity, of which he was so proud, may have been corrupted through the work of the false teachers, that their minds may have been led away from simplicity and one-mindedness toward Christ, just as the serpent completely beguiled Eve by his many arts, Genesis 3:1. As in the Garden of Eden, Satan, the tempter of mankind, is unceasingly active, deceiving and seducing into misbelief, despair, and other great shame and vice. This, Paul feared, had taken place in Corinth, for it seemed that the members of that congregation had shown themselves only too willing to listen to strange teachings; their minds were no longer directed toward Christ with singleness of heart, but they were rather giving heed to the voice of the tempter. Paul means to sap, in brief: "But something is worrying me and causing me care, yea, I am jealous and zealous about you (yet with godly zeal, not from anger or hatred), that I yield you to no one else; for I fear nothing so much as that the devil woo you away from Christ. Just as it happened to Eve in paradise, who also was a beautiful bride, decorated with manifold ornament, both external and spiritual, divine, and obedient, and subject to God. But the devil beguiled her and caused her to sin, so that she deserted God and followed the adulterer and led us all with her into the harm in which we are submerged. Thus, he says, I am anxious about you, who have once more been brought to Christ and become His bride. For the danger is great, since the devil attacks Christendom without ceasing, and since we are weak, and you must beware and be on your guard with all diligence, lest you, by the guile and craftiness of Satan, be led away from the Word and obedience of Christ, our Lord, who has loved you and given Himself for you."

The apostle substantiates his suspicions: For, indeed, if he that comes were preaching another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you were receiving another spirit which you did not receive, or a different gospel which you did not accept, you bear with him well! Instability and gullible curiosity seem to be characteristics of newly founded congregations, since they are still lacking the solid doctrinal foundation so necessary to remain firm against temptations and persecutions of every kind. If any one comes, no matter who he is, and whether or not he has a call or authority, the Corinthians were exhibiting a tolerance and a willingness to hear him which certainly accorded finely with their assumed wisdom, as the apostle ironically remarks. For here were the false teachers, blandly insisting that they were really proclaiming the complete and perfect Christ, that their understanding of Jesus was so much more encompassing than that of Paul. But the latter tears the mask from their face and declares that the Christ whom they preached was not the Christ of the Gospel, but another Christ, a figment of their imagination; for Christ was not a new lawgiver. So the false teachers also alleged that they were imparting the Spirit properly and in the right measure, as befitted the city of Corinth with its traditions of culture and learning. But Paul calls that a different spirit, one having nothing in common with the true Spirit of holiness given through the pure preaching of the Gospel. The false teachers had proudly presented themselves as the true preachers of the message of salvation; but Paul declares their proclamation to be a different gospel, one which has nothing in common with the message of redemption through the blood of Christ. See Galatians 1:6. Note: The description of the false teachers, as here given, in a most remarkable manner fits those teachers of our day who arise in the Church and calmly proclaim a new Christ, a different spirit, a social gospel. And, alas! they find many whose facile acceptance of novelty causes them to bear with the glittering phrases finely.