I, PAUL. With this verse, Paul begins a strong warning to the false teacher (or teachers) and the group that followed him. Up to this point, he had been writing to those who accepted him as an apostle. He begins his defence with an emphatic statement of authority: _I, Paul!_ I WHO AM SAID TO BE. The... [ Continue Reading ]
DO NOT FORCE ME. "If you continue your present actions, I will be forced to take harsh measures with you when I come in person!" WORLDLY MOTIVES. This group accused Paul of the things they themselves were doing. Because Paul did not talk like a politician (2 Corinthians 11:6), and because he was mee... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS TRUE. "While it is true that we live in the world, it is not at all true that we fight against idolaters and unbelievers from worldly motives!" Compare John 17:15 and note.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WEAPONS. Paul likes to compare his service to Christ with a military campaign. Christ, his ministry, and his cross all seem weak to the worldly man (1 Corinthians 1:18-25). But God chose "what the world considers nonsense" to put to shame the powerful men of this world (1 Corinthians 1:27). GOD'... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY PROUD OBSTACLE. This is human pride, human wisdom, things erected as a wall against God. These grow out of worldly motives! Compare 1 John 2:16. EVERY THOUGHT. Paul wants to do more than win arguments. He wants to take every thought captive through faith, and make it obey Christ! Christ-on-the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTER. "I do not want to come to Corinth until you have had time to prove your complete loyalty to me as an apostle of Christ. When I do come, I will take harsh measures with any who are still disloyal.... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE OUTSIDE. "Don't let anyone's claim to authority keep you from seeing that I am an apostle. You have been looking at external things, and you are confused by this and don't really know who does belong to Christ!" IS THERE SOMEONE THERE? "If someone is claiming to be the servant of Christ, so a... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED. "I have made no threat that I cannot fulfill! When I come in person, I will make everything I said in that letter come true!" TO BUILD YOU UP. No apostle would work to destroy the church, as these have done! Paul's mission is to _build up,_ although he also has the ability to d... [ Continue Reading ]
TO APPEAR. Paul writes, not to frighten them, but to build them up! Compare Galatians 4:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
SOMEONE WILL SAY. This is what his opponents were saying. Tradition makes Paul small, bald, and with a big nose. He did not make a strong impression in person. The false teachers used this fact to try to discredit him as an apostle. Because Paul did not speak with eloquence (1 Corinthians 2:1-5 and... [ Continue Reading ]
SUCH A PERSON. "If I come and find you still disloyal, you will discover that I am _in person_ just as strong as my letters!... [ Continue Reading ]
OF COURSE. Paul speaks in irony. It was confusing to the Corinthians that the false teachers and Paul each used different standards to measure by. Paul now examines this fact. HOW STUPID THEY ARE! "They make up their own standards, and say See! We are the true apostles!' But measure them by the Lord... [ Continue Reading ]
AS FOR US. "We will not go beyond the limits which God has set." He has not seized authority over the Corinthians, like a church-Boss! God himself appointed Paul apostle to the Gentiles.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SINCE YOU ARE WITHIN. Paul was working within God's limits when he planted the church at Corinth. In contrast, the false teachers had not been sent by God!... [ Continue Reading ]
SO WE DO NOT BOAST. Paul's work was to _lay foundations._ He did not intrude on the work of the other apostles. See Romans 15:20 and note. It may be that the false teachers accused Paul of intruding on _their work,_ when it was in fact they themselves who were the intruders! THAT WE MAY BE ABLE. The... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WE. (1) It was the special mission of the apostles to proclaim the Good News in areas where it had not yet gone; (2) They were not to neglect any country, but to proceed from country to country. The false apostle had come directly from Judea to Corinth, and may have expected to make himself ric... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT AS. Paul paraphrases Jeremiah 9:23-24. Compare 1 Corinthians 1:31_. MacKnight_ understands this: "If, then, any teacher boasteth, let him boast of his having performed his duty in the manner the Lord hath appointed.... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE. The real proof of being approved, is that the Lord thinks well of you. The false apostle had failed the test by not following God's instructions on the mission field!... [ Continue Reading ]