2 Corinthians 11:1-6 says...
Today's verses 2 Corinthians 11:1-6, which read,
v.1 - I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me.
Paul spoke last about the false teachers commending themselves and boasting of themselves. Paul and his companions came to them in a very different vein. They came to them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were pointing to Christ and not themselves and wanting others to see Him as He is. Maybe the taking a hold of the gospel by the Christians in Corinth would send Paul and his companions even further out with this gospel message.
Paul is going to go into an analogy that he must feel a little uncomfortable because it will give some focus to himself. This is not his practice and so he calls this "foolishness" as he throws himself into the conversation.
v.2 - For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.
Paul is using the analogy of an engagement and wedding and he is the father in story. Paul, the spiritual father, has given over his bride daughter, the church in Corinth, to the groom Son of Jesus Christ through the gospel. He presents his bride daughter of the church as a virgin, pure with one focus of her groom, Christ. He has this godly jealously to be put in this position by the Holy Spirit's leading to come to them with the gospel message that has led to this event.
v.3 - But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
There is nothing new under the sun for Satan. He deceived Eve in the garden that he had something better than the simple obedience of following God's commands and enjoying His provisions. Satan has come into the church in Corinth and done the same thing through the words of the false teachers to lead them away from the simple message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
v.4 - For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.
There will be others who will come preaching another Jesus and speaking of a different spirit and presenting another gospel. It is beautiful if the virgin bride, the church, doesn't accept another false Jesus, spirit, or gospel. It is beautiful when the virgin bride, the church, does not fall into adultery against its one and true love, Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.
v.5, 6 - For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles. But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.
The false teachers were really hammering Paul on the fact that he was not an eloquent speaker. What Paul did not thrive in during speech class, he made up with the retention of knowledge to be given through inferior speech and gospel laden letters. His training was probably superior to any of the other apostles and so Paul is participating in "foolishness" to point this out about himself against the attacks of the false teachers.
How well you speak is not as important as what you speak about. Paul may have not been the easiest or most entertaining to listen to but what Paul was talking about overshadowed any of these deficiencies. We want to be so polished and pleasant that we might slack on the message of what is being said because the focus is to be professionally presented. A warning to look not at the presenter in the aspect of his presenting and to examine what is being presented and does it point to the greatest Present for all time, Jesus Christ.
We live in a performance society that is so concerned about how it looks or how it sounds. Many times the church has become a stage for this. It is not that we can't clap in church when someone pours out their hearts in song but lets let that expression be to the One they are singing about. It is not that we can't work to present what we are doing with practice so that the message can be heard as clearly as possible but we are not caught up in waiting for the pat on the back from others.
"Lord, Your house and Your rules. Help us to check our motives very closely when we are given the opportunity to speak or sing of You. May people be so moved by the message of You that they can't contain some type of response back to You. When we hear of You and Your love may we shout, clap, weep, bow, and many more to show You our love for You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.1 - I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me.
Paul spoke last about the false teachers commending themselves and boasting of themselves. Paul and his companions came to them in a very different vein. They came to them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were pointing to Christ and not themselves and wanting others to see Him as He is. Maybe the taking a hold of the gospel by the Christians in Corinth would send Paul and his companions even further out with this gospel message.
Paul is going to go into an analogy that he must feel a little uncomfortable because it will give some focus to himself. This is not his practice and so he calls this "foolishness" as he throws himself into the conversation.
v.2 - For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.
Paul is using the analogy of an engagement and wedding and he is the father in story. Paul, the spiritual father, has given over his bride daughter, the church in Corinth, to the groom Son of Jesus Christ through the gospel. He presents his bride daughter of the church as a virgin, pure with one focus of her groom, Christ. He has this godly jealously to be put in this position by the Holy Spirit's leading to come to them with the gospel message that has led to this event.
v.3 - But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
There is nothing new under the sun for Satan. He deceived Eve in the garden that he had something better than the simple obedience of following God's commands and enjoying His provisions. Satan has come into the church in Corinth and done the same thing through the words of the false teachers to lead them away from the simple message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
v.4 - For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.
There will be others who will come preaching another Jesus and speaking of a different spirit and presenting another gospel. It is beautiful if the virgin bride, the church, doesn't accept another false Jesus, spirit, or gospel. It is beautiful when the virgin bride, the church, does not fall into adultery against its one and true love, Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.
v.5, 6 - For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles. But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.
The false teachers were really hammering Paul on the fact that he was not an eloquent speaker. What Paul did not thrive in during speech class, he made up with the retention of knowledge to be given through inferior speech and gospel laden letters. His training was probably superior to any of the other apostles and so Paul is participating in "foolishness" to point this out about himself against the attacks of the false teachers.
How well you speak is not as important as what you speak about. Paul may have not been the easiest or most entertaining to listen to but what Paul was talking about overshadowed any of these deficiencies. We want to be so polished and pleasant that we might slack on the message of what is being said because the focus is to be professionally presented. A warning to look not at the presenter in the aspect of his presenting and to examine what is being presented and does it point to the greatest Present for all time, Jesus Christ.
We live in a performance society that is so concerned about how it looks or how it sounds. Many times the church has become a stage for this. It is not that we can't clap in church when someone pours out their hearts in song but lets let that expression be to the One they are singing about. It is not that we can't work to present what we are doing with practice so that the message can be heard as clearly as possible but we are not caught up in waiting for the pat on the back from others.
"Lord, Your house and Your rules. Help us to check our motives very closely when we are given the opportunity to speak or sing of You. May people be so moved by the message of You that they can't contain some type of response back to You. When we hear of You and Your love may we shout, clap, weep, bow, and many more to show You our love for You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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