06 December

Bible In 365 Days

2 Corinthians 10-13          

2 Corinthians 10

Here begins the third division of the epistle, in which the writer vindicates his authority. Here he seems to have more especially in mind the minority who have been opposed to him. While walking in the flesh, that is, of course, living on human levels and being conscious of all the limitations of his body, he assures them that he does not war according to the flesh, but that his warfare is in "casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

They have been looking at the outward things. This he explains later by quoting their own words. "His letters...are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account." In all probability those who were his chief opponents, and with whom he deals in this section, are those who constituted the Christ party referred to in his first epistle.

The Apostle declares that if a man make such a claim, "even as he is Christ's, so also are we." Thus he does not exclude this man from relation to Christ, but claims that the man has no right to exclude him. The Apostle declines, however, to adopt the principle of self-glorying on which his opponents were acting. The whole motive and method of their work is self-centered, and their glorying is therefore of the same nature. His sphere lies even beyond the Corinthians, and, moreover, he is looking to entering into that through their co-operation.

Here again is revealed a true principle of work, that its enlargement grows out of itself. Every toil undertaken under divine direction creates new forces for still larger opportunities. Thus the true object of glorying is the Lord. Workers who are obedient to His arrangement have something to glory of, while those arrogating to themselves places and programs are, for lack of authority, driven to the expedient of self-commendation. The Apostle finally declares that self-commendation does not mean approval. That comes only from the commendation of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 11

Having thus stated the true grounds of glorying, and being about to make his boast (such action having been made necessary by the opposition), the Apostle has so little love for it that he commences with an apology, and a very explicit declaration of his deepest reason for doing it. He is jealous with a godly jealousy, that is, with a jealousy after the pattern of the jealousy of God, which is always the jealousy of wounded love. The extreme difficulty of the case was that while preaching the same things, those in opposition were creating divisions by personalities, and therefore Paul was bound to save them by personal boasting.

He commenced this boasting with the remarkable statement that he was "not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles." It has been said that this is a sarcastic reference to the false teachers, but it is far more probable that in harmony with his constant defense of his own apostleship he first declares his equality with all the apostles on the basis of his divine appointment to this office.

Then followed the threefold glorying in the exercise of his apostolic office among the Corinthians, in its manner, in its method, and in its motive.

So that if he himself must needs glory, it shall be in the things that concern his weakness, while he calls God to witness to the truth of the things he writes. And of these things of weakness the first is the escape from Damascus, in which was nothing :to create the spirit of fleshly boasting, and yet it was his open door to apostleship and service.

2 Corinthians 12

The boasting continues. However, it takes on a new and startling characteristic. In his apostleship there had been something supernatural, something not to be finally explained. Of this, he will glory. As to the method, Paul himself declares his ignorance. However, there was no uncertainty about the great fact that he received revelations not to be accounted for by any merely natural hypotheses, neither were these revelations given to him for communication, for again he affirms that he "heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

The purpose of the revelations was evidently to give him courage and confidence in his work. The peril lay in the danger of his becoming "exalted overmuch." In order to prevent this, came the "thorn in the flesh." "Now," says the Apostle, "will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the paver of Christ may rest upon me."

The letter was now coming to a close, and the Apostle was careful to make perfectly clear what had been his attitude in writing. His dealing with them had been conditioned in a threefold fact: first, in the sight of God; second, in Christ; third, for their edifying. This paragraph shows an unveiling of the heart of the true spiritual teacher, yearning in love over his children, desiring earnestly their highest welfare, caring little for their approval of his conduct but much for their approval by God. Out of such desire he delivered his message, conscious of its authority because he speaks in Christ.

2 Corinthians 13

In view of his intention to visit them again the Apostle urged them to personal examination. They were to test themselves, and to prove themselves whether they were in the faith. The reason for his appeal, he urged, was not that he might be approved, but that they might do right.

All this long-continued argument of the Apostle can hardly be read without a consciousness of his deep anxiety that the Corinthians should understand him, and know that the only motive prompting him in all his dealings with them was love of them. And yet, while thus anxious that they should understand him, he desired far more that they should be right themselves with the Lord.

The last words are words of cheer. A series of brief exhortations is first given, indicating what the Corinthians' true attitude should be. "Farewell," which here is not equivalent to "Good-bye," but rather to "Rejoice." "Be perfected," or "Be fully equipped." "Be comforted," an injunction carrying the thought back to the beginning of the letter, in which the Apostle dealt so fully with the comfort of God, which comes to all the afflicted. "Be of the same mind," carrying the thought back still further, to the beginning of his first letter, in which he introduced his first corrective section by a similar injunction. "Live in peace," the all-inclusive word, for peace pre-supposes purity, and is the very condition of power.

After the injunctions comes the declaration, "The God of love and peace shall be with you."

The whole passage closes with the benediction. First, "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ," because it is through Him grace has had its! Epiphany, and through Him we have access to the Father. Then "the love of God," for that lies ever at the heart of all blessing, being the infinite fountain from which the streams flow forth. And, finally, "the communion of the Holy Spirit," for it is through such fellowship that the blessings of grace are realized and the love of God is shed abroad in the heart.