2 Corinthians 13:1-4

Butler's Commentary

SECTION 1

Maturation Through Submission (2 Corinthians 13:1-4)

13 This is the third time I am coming to you. Any charge must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 21 warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them3since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful in you. 4For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we are weak in him, but in dealing with you we shall live with him by the power of God.

2 Corinthians 13:1 Witnesses: We have a written record of Paul's first visit to Corinth (Acts 18:1 ff). In 2 Corinthians 2:1 he wrote that he did not want to make another painful visitimplying that he had already made one painful visit after the initial visit recorded in Acts. Now he indicates his plan for a third visit. He announces this third visit three times (2 Corinthians 12:14; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 2 Corinthians 13:10). The New Testament never claims to be a day-to-day, detailed, record of the movements and circumstances of each individual mentioned. In fact, the Lord Jesus said and did many things which are not recorded in the Gospel records (see John 20:30-31). The absence of documentary evidence that Paul visited Corinth the third time should not be a problem to the discerning student of literature.

We do not know the specific charge. Actually, the Greek text reads, pan hrema, every word. Paul is quoting Deuteronomy 19:15. Every word being spoken against him in Corinth will be called to account when he arrives on his third visit.

Some think Paul's warning here goes all the way back to 1 Corinthians 6:1-20 where the Corinthians had lawsuits against one another. He is trying, they say, to tell them how God wants such things settled. Others think Paul intends to set up an ecclesiastical court when he arrives for the third visit, try those who are sinning without repenting and execute needed apostolic punishments.

In the context of these last four Chapter s, however, it seems better to assume he is referring to slanderous words (charges) his opponents have brought against him. There are innuendoes and hints all the way through II Corinthians that such slander was going on. Charges were being made against him about the way he handled the money collected for the saints at Jerusalem, about his preying upon them, about his vacillations, about his weaknesses, etc. It appears he aims to bring these out in the open (see 2 Corinthians 10:1-6) and demand that his opponents prove their charges with two or three witnesses, or repudiate them and vindicate his integrity.

If Paul's opponents are truly followers of Christ they will be glad to clear up any charges against him. And they will do so by this scripturally sanctioned procedure. Evidence, by eyewitnesses, must establish every charge. This is the procedure Jesus ordered for his kingdom here on earth (see Matthew 18:15-20). This same procedure is to be followed in Christ's kingdom (the Church) to this very day! This is the way to deal with charges against a minister of the gospel or an elder or a Sunday School teacher, or any member of a congregation. Preachers are especially plagued with the problem of immature Christians who pass on innuendoes, gossip, hearsay, and speculations from one person to another. Many preachers have been deeply hurt in their souls by this plague. Christians need to grow up! Christians need to understand that every word implying a preacher is not ministering in the spirit of Christ must be established or sustained (Gr. stathesetai, from histeme, stand up) at the mouth (Gr. stomatos) of two witnesses (Gr. marturon, Eng. martyr, one who testifies). This is the adult, mature, Christian way to deal with charges about a man's character. It is certainly out-of-character for a Christian to charge a preacher with misconduct on the basis of hearsay or gossip or innuendo.

2 Corinthians 13:2 Warning: Evidently, Paul had not previously demanded evidence and witnesses for the slanderous things said about him when he visited Corinth the second time. He had let the matter pass, believing the Corinthians would know better than to be seduced by the false teachers.

So what did they do? They accused him of weakness and vacillation because he tried to let the matter pass. He had hoped to spare the brethren and himself the pain of a powerful visit. But the seduction worsened! Many were about to be led astray! Paul must face the seduction down. The truth must be established. Innuendoes and gossip must be tried and exposed. The liars must be repudiated.
He had warned them during his second visit that if the matter of the false teachers was not settled, he would come a third time and would not spare them. It appears there were some in Corinth who had been persuaded that Paul had not proved Christ's authority in his ministry. They insinuated that he must demonstrate some proof perhaps some powerful miracle or divine revelation.
Paul's replies, in essence, You have asked for proof that I am what I claimthe true apostle of Christ. You shall have it but you will not like it. I will show you my power by not sparing those who need punishment. The Greek word used here, pheisomai, is almost always used in connection with sparing some punishment. Paul had demonstrated his power to punish false teachers (servants of Satan) when he miraculously made Elymas blind (see Acts 13:4-12).

The mature Christian does not need continual demonstration of apostolic power. The mature Christian will respond with repentance when confronted with verbal warning from an apostle. But these Corinthian Christians were immature! (see 1 Corinthians 3:1 ff; 1 Corinthians 14:20 ff). And so are many Christians today!

Spiritual children insist on demonstrations of authority. And all Christians are spiritual children at their beginning walk with Jesus. The Biblical record of miracles done in the presence of eyewitnesses is there to supply the need for a demonstration of power and authority. Once that record is established and believed, however, the Christian babe needs go on to Christian maturation and not require repeated demonstrations of apostolic authority.

2 Corinthians 13:3-4 Weakness: It is probable that the false teachers at Corinth had led some of the church members to think Christ had been crucified because he was weak. Remember, this was what the Jewish rulers thoughtJesus of Nazareth was a weakling. It was what the majority of the populace of Jerusalem thought. It was what Pilate thought. It was even what his own apostles and disciples thought until after his resurrection.

There were those in Corinth having difficulty with the resurrection of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 15:1-58). This very significant problem to their faith would present the Judaizers a ready-made opportunity to persuade some that a crucified Messiah is a weak Messiah. Furthermore, Judaizers would try to convince believers that a Messiah not advocating the Mosaic Law and Judaisitic system was a weak Messiah.

But Paul says, The Messiah is not weak in what he is doing in you, is he? He is powerful! The very fact that you are Christians in comparison to what some of you were (1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Corinthians 6:11) is a demonstration of Christ's power! Furthermore, all the powerful spiritual gifts they had been exercising by Paul's mediation in the name of Christ was proof of Christ's power! It should have been clear that they did not get this regenerating power and their charismatic miracles from the Mosaic Law or the Jewish system.

Many philosophies and theologies today look upon the Christ of the Bible as a weak Christ. Unbelieving theologians look upon the miracles of the Gospel accounts as mythological embellishments by ignorant ancients to give an aura of power to the religion of pacifistic, weak Jesus. So, to restore the historical Jesus to the world and to give him and his religion more power, these theologians aim to demythologize the Gospels. That is, they set about stripping the Gospel accounts of all miraculous events or deeds or prophecies. They would eliminate all absolutes, all commandments, all Jesus-' claims to deity, the virgin birth of Jesus, Christ's resurrection from the dead and all other miracles. Thus they would give us a strong, historical Jesus.
Jesus was weak according to an unbelieving world's criterion of weakness. He did go meekly to the cross with no physical resistance. He made no struggle to free himself. He appealed only to the truth and to men's consciences to deter them from crucifying him because he was innocent of their accusations. But the literal, historical, actual, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead proved all his claims to divine power, proved all his claims to moral perfection, proved all his claims to supernatural revelation, and proved that he did not die in weakness but in the power of God. His resurrection proves the power of his death to vicariously atone for all the sins of those who believe and trust in his grace. He proved by his resurrection that he had overcome the ultimate enemies of the human racesin and death. That is power! No other being has ever had that power!
Believers should have no problem acknowledging the power of Jesus. He has demonstrated his power objectively in history, over sin and death. And because of this historical act of power, his power for righteousness (through his grace) works in all human beings who surrender to him in faith. Any doubting of his power is a retrogression toward spiritual immaturity.

Applebury's Comments

Paul's Intended Action on His Third Visit
Scripture

2 Corinthians 13:1-4. This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word be established. 2 I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, to them that have sinned heretofore, and to all the rest, that, if I come again I will not spare; 3 seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me; who to you-ward is not weak, but is powerful in you: 4 for he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him through the power of God toward you.

Comments

This is the third time.See comment on 2 Corinthians 12:14. Anticipating the long delayed third visit, Paul kept reminding the Corinthians that he was coming. In the above paragraph, he had indicated his determination not to be a burden to them. He also pointed out his intention of dealing with any sinful practices of which they might not have repented.

At the mouth of two or three.Quoting from Deuteronomy 19:15, Paul cited the Law as the standard by which he intended to deal with sinful practices mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:20-21. There is no good reason to assume that this quotation was being applied to his own statement about his forthcoming visit.

as when I was present the second time.Paul had been present with the Corinthians, not in body but in spirit through his authoritative apostolic epistle in which he had given specific instructions for dealing with sinful practices which the Corinthians had allowed to develop in their congregation. He had received adequate evidence to establish the fact that parties and divisions actually existed in their midst. He had not written to them on the basis of mere hearsay. Reliable testimony had been furnished by those of the household of Chloe. In the case of immoral conduct involving the man who was living with his father's wife, the evidence was so clear that even the pagans were condemning the church for condoning such a thing. In the matter of lawsuits among brethren, the evidence against them was such that the pagan judges looked disparagingly upon the churches for allowing such a condition to exist.

Although Titus had reported their obedient response to the instruction Paul had sent in his first letter, the presence of false teachers at Corinth was sufficient grounds for his fear that some of them might have sinned again, or that some may never have repented.
Upon his arrival, he intended that every charge should be supported by adequate testimony. Those among them with Jewish background were thoroughly familiar with this procedure and would surely assent to the fairness of Paul as he anticipated the possibility of being forced to use the authority which the Lord gave him to build up and if need be, to destroy the sinful practices that were opposing the gospel of Christ.

to them that have sinned heretofore.Paul had asked in his first letter: What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? (1 Corinthians 4:21). While the church as a whole had responded to his warning, he kept repeating it for the sake of some who may not have heeded it and the rest who might have become involved again in such sins as he had listed in 2 Corinthians 12:20-21.

seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ that he speaketh in me.Apparently some had begun to question whether or not Christ had been speaking through Paul as he had written to them warning them of the consequences of their sins. Some had gladly listened to those false teachers who said, His letters are weighty and strong, but he is weak when present. Clearly, the false teachers had implied that Christ was not speaking through Paul and that he would not be able to carry out such punishment as he had promised. Yet the Corinthians knew that their very relation to Christ depended upon the gospel which Paul had preached to them. Furthermore, they knew that he had exhibited the credentials of his apostleship in the miracles which he had performed in their midst. All this points to the fickleness of the human heart. We do not wonder that Paul was afraid that the Corinthians might lapse into their old sins, for he knew how quickly the Galatians had turned from the gospel as he preached it to a different kind of gospel that would enslave them in false teaching.

who to you-ward is not weak, but is powerful in you.Paul had constantly boasted in his own weakness and in the power of Christ that had raised those who were dead in trespasses and sin to sit with Him in the heavenly places. That power had been channeled into their lives through the gospel which Paul preached. False teachers had no such power. As ministers of Satan teaching false doctrine, they were corrupting men and making them slaves of unrighteousness. Only through the power of the gospel can men be transformed into the glorious image of the Lord. See 2 Corinthians 3:18.

for he was crucified through weakness.Christ Jesus who existed in the form of God and was on an equality with God took upon Himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the death of the cross. See Philippians 2:6-8.

Jesus said, I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one taketh it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment received I from the Father (John 10:17-18). Although He could have called twelve legions of angels to defend Him, He meekly submitted to arrest in the Garden and suffered the indignities that were heaped upon Him by His tormentors at the time of His trial and, finally, allowed them to crucify Him. From the human point of view no greater symbol of weakness could be found than the cross. But myopic men have failed to see that in His death He destroyed him who has power of death, that is, the devil. See Hebrews 2:14.

yet he liveth through the power of God.The resurrection of Christ is the foundation of Christian faith. The world has not known a greater demonstration of power than that which raised Christ from the dead and caused Him to sit at the right hand of the Majesty on high. It was to this power that Paul directed the thinking of the Corinthians who had been saved from sin through the power of the gospel, but who, if they insisted on returning to the old sinful ways, were facing eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of His might. See 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9.

For we also are weak in him.In his first letter, Paul had written: God hath set forth us apostles last of all, as men doomed to death (1 Corinthians 4:9). From the human point of view, Paul readily admitted his weakness, but he refused to boast in anything except the power of Christ that had saved him from sin. He had been crucified with Christ, but he was living in faith, that is, he believed the gospel of Christ and conducted himself in accord with it. He was anticipating the life with Him in the eternal kingdom made possible through the power of God.