What is your proudest moment in life? If you had to “flex” about just one thing, what would it be? In this section in 2 Corinthians, in Paul’s effort to defend his gospel ministry against the false apostles, he starts boasting. Ironically, instead of boasting in his own strengths and achievements, Paul boasts in his weakness because in doing so, God’s power and gospel is clearly displayed.
(A) Paul’s Request to Bear with Foolishness (2 Cor 11:16-21a)
Our passage today is part of a larger portion of the letter where Paul defends his ministry. There were opponents who suspect that Paul walks according to the flesh (2 Cor 10:2). In an effort to defend his ministry, Paul calls the Corinthians to “bear with a little foolishness” (2 Cor 11:1). He is going to be foolish because of his divine jealousy for them as he betrothed them to one husband, Christ (2 Cor 11:2).
These opponents proclaim another Jesus, a different spirit, a different gospel (2 Cor 11:4). This is what is at stake here. In this foolishness, Paul compares himself to these super-apostles and say that he is not in the least inferior to them (2 Cor 11:5). Paul calls out on these opponents to be false apostles who are servants of Satan who are disguising themselves as apostles of Christ (2 Cor 11:13).
At the start of our passage, Paul points out a distinction (2 Cor 11:16-17). Paul is going to do something that sounds like what the false apostles have been doing, but is actually different. He says, “Let no one think me foolish”: Paul reminds the Corinthians not to forget that Paul is being foolish on purpose in this part of his letter (2 Cor 11:16). Paul is not actually foolish. Paul repeats this idea frequently in our passage tonight, that he is speaking as a fool.
Paul turns to boasting only because he is trying to defend his ministry and show the authenticity of his gospel. Paul reminds the Corinthians that this boastful confidence is not “according to the Lord” (“I say not as the Lord would but as a fool”). This is not consistent with the way of Christ who is described as “meek and gentle” (2 Cor 10:1). Boasting arrogantly was never Jesus’ style. This boasting is not a command from Christ, but, he is still speaking with authority and this part of scripture is also inspired.
Paul had a deep desire to imitate Christ, that to be so unlike Christ, he had to mention it and put a disclaimer. He indulges in this foolishness knowingly to uncover the true foolishness of triumphalistic boasting by his opponents (c.f. 2 Cor 10:12).
In 2 Cor 11:18, Paul writes in a way that boasts according to the flesh. Paul was just going to do what they thought was attractive. To boast according to the flesh looks like “a life lived devoid of the Spirit” (ESV Study Bible). It is a worldly boasting, only based on the achievements of this world. Paul had earlier called out on these false apostles with their “different gospel, another Jesus, different spirit” in their false teaching (2 Cor 11:4). Since the Corinthians loved following those who boast according to the flesh, he is going to do the same (but see what he does next)
The Corinthians found the foolishness of the false apostles attractive, and they tolerated and put up with them in their so called “wisdom” (“You gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves”, c.f. 2 Cor 11:19). By tolerating, they were being made slaves, being devoured, being taken advantage of, being put down, and being struck. In short, they were being exploited by theses false apostles. There were signs of an arrogant and domineering attitude from the false teachers towards the Corinthians. They would rather the exploitation of the false apostles than the love and care of Paul the true apostle. Their self-assured wisdom bred them a tolerance seemingly without limits, as Bible teacher D.A. Carson writes.
In 2 Cor 11:21a, Paul turns all of this boasting around, and sarcastically says that “To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that!” Do you hear Paul’s sarcasm after he flatters them by calling them wise? With irony and “to my shame”, Paul calls himself “too weak” to engage in the exploitative nature of the false teachers. Paul is trying to show the Corinthians just how foolish they have been by following the false teaching of the false apostles. Paul does so by being foolish himself, and we expect him to boast and compare himself to the false apostles and show himself to be better than them (if we flow from the first reason above). Or maybe in irony, make a negative example of the false apostles and show the Corinthians how foolish they have been to be following the false apostles.
How have we been foolish to boast in the flesh today? Are we ones who take confidence and pride in the things of this world? What is your security today? It could be in your health, your relationships, you family, in your bank account, in your insurance policies, etc. A good place to start would be to think of what we do when we face a difficult circumstance. Do we turn to God in prayer? Or we like the fool in Psalm 14:1 who say in his heart “There is no God.” Foolishness is ignoring God and pretending that we are living in a world where He doesn’t exist. Are we like the fool? Do we consider who God is and what He does?
Difficult circumstances expose our idols and what we depend on besides God. Paul calls it foolishness to depend on the flesh. What do we have that we did not receive from God? Have you truly earned all that we have? Was God not gracious and merciful to provide?
However, let us study what Paul does next, because he doesn’t boast in the way one expects him to. He boasts, but about his weakness and suffering! He shows us how to boast in the Lord (c.f. 2 Cor 10:17)
(B) Paul’s Boasting in Weakness (2 Cor 11:21b-33)
What does Paul do before starting to boast? What are the first 3 things he boasts about, and what do they all point to? (2 Cor 11:21b-22, 5, Philippians 3:4b-6)
Paul gives another caveat just before starting to boast (“I am speaking as a fool”, 2 Cor 11:21b). These disclaimers found throughout the passage just shows us how reluctant Paul is to boast this way.
He goes on to boast in his ethnicity or culture (“Hebrew”, 2 Cor 11: 22a), his nationality (“Israelite”, 2 Cor 11:22b), and lineage (“offspring of Abraham”, 2 Cor 11:22c). Paul is trying to show that he is in no way ‘inferior” to these false apostles (c.f. 2 Cor 11:5). Phil 3 gives us another list of Paul’s boasting in the flesh: circumcised on the 8th day, Israelite, tribe of Benjamin, Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee, a persecutor of the church, blameless under the law. If anyone could boast in the flesh, it is he. In that regard, he is no less than these false apostles. Paul is an heir to all the blessings of the old covenant. Paul had the perfect CV if you were seeking worldly and fleshly qualifications. He is the guy with that CV that perfectly matches the job description.
Paul goes on to boast, and in a way that might surprise us. His main caveat is that he is “talking like a madman”, that this is “mad talk” (2 Cor 11:23). Firstly, he seems to detail his "weaknesses” (c.f. 2 Cor 11:29a — “Who is weak, and I am not weak?”).
Far greater labours (2 Cor 11:23)
This draws attention to the toil and hardship (2 Cor 11:27) that he encountered. Ministry is hard work, and not an easy task. Paul worked night and day that he might not be a burden (1 Thess 2:9). He also endured many sleepless nights (2 Cor 11:27) and in hunger and thirst (2 Cor 11:27). While the false teachers might be earning large fees and living the comfortable life (which they claimed to be required to be legitimate; cf 2 Cor 11:7), Paul is willing to suffer to preach his gospel. He also faced cold and exposure (2 Cor 11:27).Far more imprisonments (2 Cor 11:23)
Countless beatings (2 Cor 11:23)
Paul listed out all that he suffered: five times he endured the 39 Lashes (2 Cor 11:24). This was one shy of the 40 lashes, the most severe allowed by Scripture (Deut 25:1-3) which was given by the synagogue for false teaching, blasphemy, and serious law breaking (c.f. ESV Study Bible). Three times, he faced the Gentile or Roman Rods (2 Cor 11:25a, c.f. Acts 16:22-23). And Paul also faced stoning (2 Cor 11:25b, c.f. Acts 14:19).Often near death (2 Cor 11:23)
Paul was also shipwrecked, not once, but three times (2 Cor 11:25c). To suffer this thrice, Paul must have known the risks the second and third time, yet he chooses to go on his missionary journeys. He was also adrift at sea (2 Cor 11:25d), too far away from land to swim back to shore. In his ministry, he found himself on frequent Journeys (2 Cor 11:26), constantly on the move with no place that’s truly home. He faced the danger from natural elements like rivers (2 Cor 11:26), and also from robbers (2 Cor 11:26). The latter was significant if Paul was carrying large amounts of money from one church to another (2 Cor 9:5).
Paul would also face danger from Jews who rejected the gospel, just as how they rejected Christ (2 Cor 11:26, c.f. Acts 9:23, 29, 13:50, etc.). Not only the Jews, but the Gentiles could also pose a danger to Paul (2 Cor 11:26, c.f. Acts 14:5). There would also be danger at every location (city, wilderness, sea, c.f. 2 Cor 11:26), with no safe place for him. Within the church too, Paul faced the danger posed by false Brothers (2 Cor 11:26), those who claim to be Christians but are not, just like the false apostles (c.f. 2 Cor 11:13).
Secondly, Paul also writes about the daily pressure of anxiety for all the churches (2 Cor 11:28). Paul seems to view his concern for the churches as the climax of his trials. He described it as daily pressure of anxiety. Anxiety can be described as an intense desire for something, accompanied by fear of the consequences of not receiving it. He is constantly worried about the health of the churches. Remember why he is boasting: He wants them to be faithful to Christ! Recall what Paul says in 2 Cor 11:3, that he is afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, the Corinthians’ thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Paul wants the churches to remain faithful to Christ and he is afraid of them not being faithful
Have you felt anxious about something? What are the things that causes us to worry? Do we care and love our churches the way Paul does? Do we pray for our churches? Do we know and be known by other fellow brothers and sisters? Do we serve the people in our churches? Are we also indifferent to the sins of our brothers and sisters in Christ?
Paul concludes this part of his boasting by saying: “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” (2 Cor 11:30). Only in the boasting of his weakness can Paul tolerate. If he is forced to boast, he will focus on his weaknesses and not his strengths.
Most of us, when taught how to handle job interview questions would be taught how to deal with the commonly posed question of “what are your strengths and weaknesses?” We would be taught to handle the weakness part and move on to the strengths as quickly as possible. The point is to side-step the weakness and focus your time and energy in speaking about your strengths.
Paul could have done this and instead dwell on the perfect CV that he possessed, but he did not! He could have focused on his spiritual achievements: number of churches planted, number of converts to the faith, number of miracles performed, amount of money raised, etc. Despite all of this, he only focuses on the weak and shameful things of his life. He did something that none of the false apostles would have done: to point out his weaknesses. Paul mentions that the omniscient (all-knowing) God “knows that I am not lying” probably to lend credibility to what he has just said/is going to say.
Paul suddenly mentions this escape from Damascus (2 Cor 11:32-33). Paul goes to Damascus as the “man who made havoc in Jerusalem” against Christians (Acts 9:21). He is meant to be persecuting and arresting Christians in Damascus to bring them bound before the chief priests (Acts 9:21). However, Christ meets him on the road to Damascus and converted him (Acts 9:4-18). Paul does the exact opposite of persecuting Christians in Damascus, he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues (Acts 9:20). He proves that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 9:22). This caused the Jews to plot against him to kill him (Acts 9:23-24). Paul escapes through an opening in the wall, and was lowered in a basket at night. This escape from Damascus was probably an example of Paul’s weakness. He left for Damascus strong and mighty in the eyes of the world, being a zealous persecutor of the church. He had a reputation to have wreaked havoc in Jerusalem, yet, he leaves Damascus “so weak”, needing to escape by night, needing to sit in a tiny basket. He had to leave only with the help of the Jews, the people he came to persecute. This was probably Paul’s most embarrassing and shameful moment in a worldly sense. This incident probably shattered any pride he had left as a Pharisee.
Earlier in 2 Cor, we have seen how Paul thinks about human weakness. We have the treasure of God shining into hearts to “give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:6). This treasure is in jars of clay (weak human bodies prone to sin) to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us (2 Cor 4:7). Paul sees his suffering as his union with Christ: always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies (2 Cor 4:10). Paul knows that his inner self is being renewed each day even as his outer self is wasting away (2 Cor 4:16)
Paul sees that human weakness is meant to show God’s power and to display His glory. What does it mean for us to boast in our weakness today? Have you ever thought of your weakness as something to boast about rather than hide? The ESV Gospel Transformation Bible puts it this way: “far from disqualifying us from experiencing and proclaiming the gospel, they [our own trials and sufferings] actually qualify us for it. God uses the hardest and most shameful experiences of our lives to soften us and bring us to fuller understanding of his surpassing benefits”. Unlike the world which is looking only to celebrate the strongest and the best, God uses the weak to shame the strong (1 Cor 1:27). Christian weakness serves to extol Christ’s strength and his glory (c.f. D.A. Carson).
(C) Paul’s Priority in Boasting (2 Cor 12:1-6)
Once more, Paul starts off by telling us that there is nothing to be gained from boasting in the self (2 Cor 12:1). He just can’t get over this talk of boasting. This type of boasting is not productive and produces no profit in any way.
Paul goes on to boast about “a man in Christ” (2 Cor 12:2) fourteen years ago who was caught up to the third heaven or paradise, the place of God’s presence, where God dwells. This was either in the body or out of the body and this man also heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter, things that are inexpressible/indescribable, and forbidden to tell.
Paul reveals that this “man in Christ” is actually himself. He says that on behalf of this man, he will boast (2 Cor 12:5a): pointing to the greatness of these revelations to the “man in Christ”. But on his own behalf, he will not boast except of his weaknesses (2 Cor 12:5b). Though if he should wish to boast, he would be speaking the truth (2 Cor 12:6a). Notice that this whole time, Paul has been speaking in third person about this man who is actually himself. He can barely speak proudly of these wonderful revelations that God had given him.
What would we have done if we just had the most amazing supernatural experience? Won’t we want to tell it to others? In fact, if your authenticity as an apostle is being challenged like in the case of Paul, won’t you want to share this wonderful revelation and prove yourself?
Paul’s priority in boasting is that “no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me” (2 Cor 12:6b). Paul is quick to pull back from his boasting because he wants nothing to distract the Corinthians from the gospel message that he has preached to them, and lived out to them. Paul does not want the Corinthians or us to think more highly of him than he truly is. He is but a sinner redeemed by grace. Being a Christian is not about getting mystical revelations from God although God can choose to give it. Remember the context of our passage for tonight: Paul is boasting to win over the Corinthians from false teaching to Christ. He isn’t here to puff himself up or to boost his ego. He is boasting so that they may have a “sincere and pure devotion to Christ”
This is a good reminder for those who are serving in church. Are we always looking out for how we ourselves look to others? Are we about our own image and worth? Paul reminds us of our priority in ministries: that God’s gospel will be displayed clearly and without distraction.
In tonight’s passage, we saw how Paul defends his gospel ministry against the false apostles. He does so by boasting. However, instead of boasting in his own strengths and achievements, Paul boasts in his weakness because in doing so, God’s power and gospel is clearly displayed. Are you prone to boasting according to the flesh? Are you prone to hide your weaknesses? How does the gospel change the way we can think of our weaknesses?