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2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 11 KJV WEB See previous page 2Cor 11,1-3 (64j) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Weaknesses of God >> Foolishness of God -- These verses go with verses 10-12. Paul has been building toward this chapter since his first letter to the Corinthians. He is about to reveal the true sign of his apostleship, giving them attributes that should be present in the apostles, speaking to them as their father and they as his children, prefacing his thoughts with a request to tolerate him in a little foolishness. (123l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Love >> Spiritual affection >> Being in love with the body of Christ >> Affection of Christ – Paul said he was jealous of the Corinthians with a godly jealousy in a way reminiscent of the Old Testament that spoke about God a number of times being jealous of the Israelites whenever they committed idolatry. This godly jealousy is about His caring for us and breaking His heart whenever we stray, knowing it will do us harm, just as it caused tremendous stress on Paul whenever the Corinthians strayed from the Lord. Paul had a vested interest in the Corinthians. He put his heart and soul, his flesh and blood into them, and so did Christ. Whenever he heard the Corinthians having spiritual problems, it caused him tremendous anguish. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Paul would bring up marriage in a subject about jealousy. We have all heard about the jealous husband; not all jealous husbands love their wives, but God loves us more than we will ever know, and this is the cause of His jealousy. 2Cor 11-1 (63g) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Sarcasm >> Be pretentious >> Pretending to be stupid -- This verse goes with verse 4. Paul uses a little more sarcasm; in fact, he is very sarcastic throughout this chapter, because the Corinthians have stopped listening to him, and he was telling them things they needed to know. He was restating facts about his ministry and his position in the Church with a tone of sarcasm. (84d) Thy kingdom come >> Words of your mouth >> Boasting >> It needs to be said and no one is saying it >> Boasting of my accomplishments in Christ -- This verse goes with verses 5-12 2Cor 11-2,3 (3e) Responsibility >> To the Family >> Pattern your marriage after Christ and the Church – Paul responded to the rebellion of the Corinthian church the same way the Holy Spirit responds to us when we rebel. He held the position of a priest before the Corinthians or as an arbiter of a marriage ceremony. He spoke the words of the gospel of Christ that married the Corinthians to God through their faith. Although the Corinthian church was situated in a depraved city, Paul testified that they were no less a pure virgin in the eyes of God. (24b) Sin >> Poverty (Forms of fear) >> Anxiety >> Fear of losing the fruits of your labors – Paul was jealous for the Corinthians in the same way that God was jealous of Israel. It seems difficult to understand God’s jealousy, which was possibly more often mentioned than anything in the Old Testament. What kind of jealousy was it? Let’s say a person needed open-heart surgery. The operation would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and he simply didn’t have it, but a rich man paid his hospital bill under the terms that the person devoted the rest of his life to serving the rich man, so it was like buying a slave. This was the kind of relationship God had with Israel after He delivered them from Egyptian slavery to Pharaoh. Even before that, God chose Abraham from all the people of the world that his descendents should represent Him to all nations. God owned Israel, and for this reason He got jealous whenever they refused to serve Him. In the same way, the Corinthians placed a higher emphasis on the things of the world than they did on the things of God, and Paul took it personally. He took on the persona of Christ, reminding them of the suffering he endured to bring the gospel to them, saying, “I became your father through the gospel” (1Cor 4-15). (43g) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Perfect (mature) >> Flawless (76d) Thy kingdom come >> Wicked motives >> Motives based on envy – Paul had a godly jealousy, so we know it wasn't evil, but in most other cases jealousy is evil. In fact, jealousy is the most destructive force in the universe, since it hung the Son of God on a cross (Mat 27-18). For example, the Pharisees' jealousy against Jesus has the power to destroy the whole world, being at the root of every war and every murder. It is extremely caustic, like the proverbial substance that is so corrosive nothing can contain it. The ultimate example is Adam and Eve's jealousy of God’s knowledge of evil. (81a) Thy kingdom come >> Prayer >> The priesthood >> We are a type of Jesus’ priesthood (83j) Thy kingdom come >> We have the ministry of intercession >> Church prepares itself to meet Jesus (104b) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> Purified by circumstances >> Purified through dying to sin (105a) Thy kingdom come >> Pure in heart >> A pure heart is a genuine heart (149c) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Works of the Church bear witness to Jesus >> Evangelism >> Three key messages in evangelism >> Righteousness, judgment and self-control (169c) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> The world is blind to God >> Blinded by Satan’s thoughts >> Blinded by a false sense of sight – The serpent led Eve astray after she took her eyes off her husband, and in the same way Paul was afraid (jealous) that the Corinthians would walk down the same blind ally. Why was the message of the devil so persuasive to Eve? It was flattering that the serpent spoke directly to her, whereas the message from God came through Adam. Similarly, there were many deceivers in Paul’s day that vied for people’s attention, having ulterior motives, essentially posting versions of the gospel for sale as they do today. Paul was concerned, but who is concerned about the Church today, and to what degree is the modern-day church deceived? Who is committed like Paul to the spiritual health and welfare of God’s people? Paul was a watchdog of the early Church, and when he and the original apostles passed away, there was no one else to care for the saints. It was up to the people themselves to protect the truth from wolves, which was like asking a fox to guard the henhouse. It took them only 300 years to dress up new ideas in colorful garments for the people to shop and buy what catches the ear. There was a real fear of losing the truth to liars, yet the Church is still here, testifying to the power of God to keep those who want to live godly in this present evil age. (208ja) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Personal relationship >> Being married to God >> Knowing God >> Church knows Christ as a woman knows a man – Paul said that he betrothed the Corinthians to one husband, ‘that to Christ he might present them as a pure virgin.’ Paul played pastor in a wedding ceremony through his evangelistic ministry; and when he preached Jesus to them, he married them to Christ through the gospel. (247d) Priorities >> God’s priorities >> God’s interests >> Concern >> Caring about the body of Christ -- These verses go with verses 28&29 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 2Cor 11-3,4 (70c) Authority >> Righteous judgment (outcome of discernment) >> Being sensitive to the Spirit >> Test the spirits – There are those who came with a different gospel whom the apostles did not preach, and they offered a different spirit whom the apostles did not know, and the Corinthians bore this beautifully. If the Corinthians believed another message, they would pay the price of the truth, and they hardly resist those who came to deceive them, instead invited them in like prostitutes, and it infuriated Paul, who had gone to so much trouble to present the gospel in its purity and did everything to protect them from corruption. It seems that it was all just so the Corinthians could play the harlot with idolaters. The more we believe in lies, the harder it is to believe the truth. That’s why Paul was concerned for them; he didn’t want them believing fraudulent gospels, knowing how extremely difficult it is to untie the knots of deception once it invades the mind. Paul associated the gospel we believe with the Spirit that cements it into our heart, for there is a close relationship between the word of God and the Spirit of faith, just as there is a close relationship between false gospels and the spirit of unbelief. (79b) Thy kingdom come >> Renewing your mind >> Satan will control your mind if you don’t (111c) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Spirit and the word >> Spirit of truth (158a) Works of the devil >> Excerpts of the greatest verses of this chapter -- These verses go with verses 12-15. There are many renditions of Jesus in the world today, and Paul would say that when people come preaching the gospel, each with a different savior, we are not to endure them, but to defend our faith from deceivers. If someone comes with a different spirit, we are not to receive it or those who brought it. The Corinthians lapped up false teachings like a kitten with milk, which led them to receive false spirits, and it exasperated Paul. He wanted the respect he deserved, not for his own sake but for their sake, like a mechanic who wants to fix an engine noise, not because it irritated him, but because it is a symptom of a more serious problem that will one day leave the owner of the car stranded in nowheresville. Paul wanted the Corinthians to listen to him and avoid falling into bondage to lying spirits and being carried away by every wind of doctrine. 2Cor 11-3 (78g) Thy kingdom come >> Sincerity >> Embracing your first love >> Simplicity of faith – Now that Paul had married the Corinthians to Christ through the gospel, there was an adulterer who wanted to get involved in the marriage and steal away her affections by deceiving them through his craftiness from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. Paul wanted them to stay with the simple gospel, but the Corinthians were complicating it with sin. Simple people can have very complex thoughts and ideas, but people who complicate their lives with sin are led to believe a false gospel by the same spirits that lead them into sin. Adding or subtracting aspects to and from the gospel certainly complicate matters. For example, in today’s version of Christianity much of the Church has subtracted the need for obedience. We think it is not necessary, since we are saved by grace through faith, not through works lest any man should boast; therefore, what good are good works? This is how people think nowadays, and it has gotten the Church into a lot of trouble. If we cannot demonstrate our faith, who's to say we have any? (92i) Thy kingdom come >> The narrow way >> What kind of trail is this? >> All other paths are crooked (100l) Thy kingdom come >> Devotion >> In your ministry to God >> Devoted to worshipping God (151g) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> New Testament bears witness of the Old >> Adam – No man has sinned in the likeness of Adam (Rom 5,12-19), for Adam sinned in full knowledge, and nobody since Adam has had full knowledge of God. There are born-again believers who have developed a relationship with God and have fallen away from the faith and have sinned in the likeness of Adam, but not to the same degree, for they have not met God face to face as Adam did. If we know that the one who falls away from the faith will never see heaven after tasting from the heavenly realm and then turning their backs on Him, how much less likely will Adam be among the ranks of heaven (Heb 6,4-9)? See also: Adam will not be with us in heaven; Rev 1-5; 37h (161f) Works of the devil >> Wandering >> Wander from the commandments of God (223c) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Conceit >> Imposing your opinion of self on others >> Cliques make people seek your acceptance 2Cor 11-4 (63g) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Sarcasm >> Be pretentious >> Pretending to be stupid -- This verse goes with verse 7 (177e) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> False doctrine >> Doctrine that tickles your ears -- This verse goes with verses 12-15. The Corinthian Church had ears that were itching to hear a gospel that went easier on their flesh than the one Paul preached to them. This goes back to the parable Jesus taught about the unrighteous steward. Some owed thousands of gallons of oil to their master, and the unrighteous steward cut their bill to a fraction of its original debt, telling them to sit down quickly and write the check and he will make sure his master gets it, but the unrighteous steward skipped town with a small portion of his master’s wealth, which amounted to a fortune. This is what false prophets and heretics do; they spread doctrines that are easy on the flesh and people readily fall for them, because they sound better than the real gospel, which speaks of dying to self, sacrifice and commitment. The people run off with the false prophet like a mistress with her beloved who promises the moon and bathes her flesh in pleasurable teachings, only for the purpose of exploiting them. Then, there are others who go the other way and accept a false prophet or heretic mistreating their flesh, thinking that God will honor their sacrifice. The hireling terribly abuses the flock, claiming that their willingness to accept his abuse represents their faithfulness to Christ. The truth is never easy on the flesh but neither does it put a whip across our back, though sometimes the truth feels like a whip when God commands us to make sacrifices for His purpose and glory. See also: Spiritual abuse; 2Cor 13-10; 4e (250hh) Priorities >> God’s prerequisites >> Sequence of priorities >> Believe the first message; all subsequent messages are meant to dissuade you KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 2Cor 11,5-13 (72a) Authority >> Ordained by God >> We are ordained to walk in His authority (73b) Authority >> Respect your leaders >> Those in charge of the word -- These verses go with verses 23-30. Paul humiliated the Corinthians by use of his sarcasm, reminding them that he never asked for money or anything to help him with his needs. Instead, he went to the Macedonians, who were more mature and could give him money without accusing him of having ulterior motives, such as that he would use it for himself, when all the evidence pointed otherwise. They didn’t trust Paul; instead, they trusted wolves and listened to demons. For this reason Paul knew if he asked them for a contribution, they would have taken it the wrong way, so Paul did not give the devil an opportunity to weaken their faith and spread rumors about him, though they were well aware of Paul’s commitment to the gospel, that this was not a game to him. Paul believed in the gospel he preached with all his heart, and he didn’t have ulterior motives. The thing that angered him most was they should have known these things; in fact, they did know them, but denied them, being nothing in Paul’s life that supported their notions, and it infuriated him that they would spread slander against him and refuse to serve the Lord. (126j) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Have the patience of God (152a) Apostles -- The Spirit (Key verse) (152b) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> Witnesses of the father >> Apostles >> Commitment to the cause proves apostleship (192b) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Result of putting off the old man >> Gain by losing >> Life for life >> Losing your life to gain God’s purpose -- These verses go with verses 23-30 2Cor 11,5-12 (84d) Thy kingdom come >> Words of your mouth >> Boasting >> It needs to be said and no one is saying it >> Boasting of my accomplishments in Christ -- These verses go with verse 1. Paul was clearly concerned for the Corinthians and for his investment in them, taken from his multi-chapter dissertation to them regarding his authority as an apostle. He admitted that he had taken liberty in his boasting, saying that he had no choice, since there were certain things that needed to be said and nobody was saying them, concerning his commitment to the gospel of Christ and his love for all the saints. Their silence showed there was something wrong in their hearts for not commending him. He spoke to them as their father, regarding the fact that he established the Corinthian Church amidst tremendous persecution. He reminded them that he risked his life when he came preaching Jesus to them, and they showed him little gratitude or respect. However, when some idiot comes preaching a different Jesus, they gladly accept him, or when someone introduced a spirit that they had not received, they bore with this beautifully (v4). 2Cor 11-5 (121l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Confidence >> Confidence in God >> Confidence in God as you fulfill your ministry 2Cor 11-6 (80j) Thy kingdom come >> Know the word to minister to people >> To edify one another – Paul claimed to be unskilled in speech, yet he was an evangelist. Did he go around evangelizing people with a clumsy tongue? Perhaps compared to prowling wolves he was clumsy, who were highly skilled in speech, otherwise devoid of substance to anyone seeking the truth. Paul spoke well enough to convey the gospel and that is all that mattered. Moses complained to God that he was unskilled in speech, and what did God tell him? “Go, and I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (Ex 4-12). However, Moses declined and God rose up Aaron to be his spokesman, though in most cases Moses did the talking anyway. Paul may have been unskilled in speech, but it never was an issue with him. Being a good speaker should not determine who holds such positions in the Church; what matters is a glowing heart for God and whether we have anything to say, which was one of Paul’s strong points, hence why God chose him as an apostle. This is the difference between gifted and talented people. We will rarely meet a gifted wolf; instead, they are talented in the area of speech. The difference between a wolf and a true man of God is that God’s man is always well versed in the Scriptures, whereas the wolf is well versed in the ways of the world. Show me a man who is fluent in speech and I will show you a man who cannot be trusted. Again, show me a man behind the pulpit who is not well versed, and I will show you a man who has at least one trait of a deceiver. Most preachers who don't know the Bible are fast talkers and have ulterior motives for being behind the pulpit. (156h) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Evidence of salvation >> Understanding wisdom is evidence of salvation (250a) Priorities >> God’s prerequisites >> Sequence of priorities >> In all things ... >> Glorify God in all things KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 2Cor 11,7-15 (64i) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Weaknesses of God >> God subjects himself to human frailty >> His weakness makes Him small compared to men -- These verses go with verses 23-30 2Cor 11,7-13 (11k) Servant >> Paul’s example of God’s standard – Paul devoted his life as a model Christian for the Church. He rarely asked anything from anyone, though he was usually in a state of dire poverty. He gave what people needed and asked nothing in return, so as not to provide an opportunity for anyone to consider him a shyster, as he put it, "so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel" 1Cor 9-18. Paul’s hope is that the Church would follow his example and invest their lives into the gospel instead of taking from it. (62a) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Being clever >> Responding with wisdom to your enemies >> Outwit them 2Cor 11,7-12 (63d) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Righteous deception >> Church deceive each other (101a) Thy kingdom come >> Devotion >> In your ministry to people >> Devoted to ministering to their spiritual needs (234h) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Sold out >> Placing no boundaries on your commitment to God >> Going to any extreme to fulfill the will of God -- These verses go with verses 23-30 2Cor 11,7-9 (2j) Responsibility >> Avoid offending God >> get out of His way >> Do not touch the apple of His eye >> Take advantage of no one – Paul preached the gospel of Christ to the Corinthians without charge and ministered to his own needs, showing them that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Act 20,33-35). He was present with them and in need, yet he never asked anything from them, and the Corinthians refused to notice. He asked nothing from them, no material blessing and no money to help his ministry. Paul did this to shame the Corinthians into realizing the importance of maturity, so when the time came to reveal the fact of their utter selfishness, it might come upon them like an anvil. This is what it took to get their attention. They were considered the most immature church of all Paul’s letters. First and second Corinthians were some of the longest letters, which contained complex statements, which were difficult to understand. First Corinthians is the epistle where we find Paul teaching on the gifts of the Spirit. They asked him about it, so he taught them, not that they were spiritually ready for this. They wanted to operate in what some would call the power of God. He spoke difficult things to immature people, only that they might rise from their immaturity to become noble-minded and learn to give. Other churches financed Paul while he ministered at Corinth. Paul said that he robbed other churches, taking gifts and offerings to finance his ministry while at Corinth. Those other churches who helped him were more noble-minded and understood the gospel as it was declared to them, realizing that God had called them to be givers and not takers, but the Corinthians refused to acknowledge this. They had no idea how Paul was doing financially, and they didn’t ask. They just sat down and like baby birds opened their mouths and let their mother feed them. However, the hope of a mother bird is for her chicks to mature and one day fly from the nest. The point that Paul was making was that if they didn’t understand the significance of giving, they understood nothing about the gospel. Perhaps he went hungry right in front of them. Perhaps they would go home to eat supper without inviting him. They just never bothered to notice; they were selfish-minded, self-seeking and self-involved. Virtually everywhere else Paul went, the Churches considered it a privilege to practice hospitality to the man of God, but the Corinthians sought to operate in the gifts of the Spirit and to have all the attributes that in their mind would define them as great and powerful Christians. Paul was trying to show them that greatness is defined as a humble servant, whereas being spiritual is defined as knowing God, and the two are inextricably linked. The Corinthians wanted to be spiritual but not mature, but we must have both or we have neither. (14n) Servant >> Ministry of helps >> Helpers take the last place as a better service to you (72l) Authority >> Hierarchy of authority >> Authority makes you accountable >> Parents are responsible for their children (96c) Thy kingdom come >> Positive attitude toward God >> Good attitude about the word of God (235c) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Tithing >> Be faithful in your tithes >> If you are unfaithful to God, you won’t tithe 2Cor 11-7,8 (57c) Paradox >> Opposites >> Humble yourself and God will exalt your brother 2Cor 11-7 (23d) Sin >> Pride wants to be first (63g) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Sarcasm >> Be pretentious >> Pretending to be stupid – This verse goes with verses 19-21 (77n) Thy kingdom come >> God ministers to people through the humble >> Humility gives a blessing – Paul asked the Corinthians if it was his fault they took advantage of him, that they sought teachers to contradict what he had previously taught them about Jesus. Maybe he should have passed the hat and made them pay double for his services, since doing it for free sent the wrong message. Paul is being sarcastic with them, knowing he had not committed a sin by humbling himself and preaching the word of God without charge. The fact that he said this indicated that he normally didn't preach for free, because he had needs; he wasn’t superhuman; he had to eat, and he needed clothes. In this very chapter he mentioned some of the horrific circumstances he suffered as a missionary on the road preaching the gospel to a world that hates God. Many times He went without bare essentials, and on top of this he suffered persecution, physical and emotional abuse that few have endured for the cause of Christ, not to mention long jail sentences. Then He came to the Corinthians and preached the gospel for free because of their immaturity, being afraid they would get the wrong idea, as though he were in it for the money. No matter what he did, they were determined to demonize him. They didn't invite the Holy Spirit to control their minds, and this opened them to satanic control. Being that Satan hated Paul, he used the Corinthians to launch a campaign against him, knowing it would cause Paul distress. Paul was willing to endure prison sentences and beatings for the sake of generating believers in Jesus throughout the regions he visited, and he was able to take any amount of abuse in hope of completing the work that God had given him to do, but if the people fell away from their faith fast as he made converts, the discouragement would have been too much for him to bear. Paul was at a loss as what to do with the Corinthians, how to minister to them and make them understand the Kingdom of God that they had come to believe. See also: Paul suffered the gospel; 2Cor 11,10-15; 9c KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 2Cor 11-8,9 (13h) Servant >> Support the body >> Serve selflessly – Paul was working with a very undisciplined, needy and immature church that could not deal with stress without threatening the semblance of harmony they had. He hesitated to ask the Corinthians for anything, because they were so immature they no doubt would have instigated a drama-fable against him to the effect that he was in this only for himself, thus denying all the selfless toil and effort he had previously put into them. He could not ask anything from them, but was forced to pour what little resources he received from other churches into them, sometimes even taking from his personal supplies to meet their needs. These were babes in Christ; though they had been introduced to the faith years ago, they had not been growing. Corinth was a city plagued with carnality; they practiced depraved lifestyles and worshipped graven images. Their philosophies kept them from growing in the faith like other churches of their time. This should sound familiar; American Christianity is no better. See also: American Christianity; 2Cor 11,19-21; 163a 2Cor 11-8 (63e) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Sarcasm >> Exaggerate the truth to make a point 2Cor 11,10-15 (7b) Responsibility >> Protecting the Gospel >> Defend the word of God by obeying it – In verse 12 Paul explained one of the reasons he worked so hard at preaching the gospel. Verse 9 indicates that he made a concerted effort to keep from being a burden to anyone. He was an itinerate (traveling) preacher and a tent maker by trade. Paul worked hard at the gospel to create a standard by which all other leaders of the Christian Church should be measured, and he lived this way for false apostles who would attempt to imitate his ministry; they would also have to imitate his sacrificial way of life if they wanted to be convincing. The way he conducted his ministry made a statement: ‘If you want to be a false apostle, this is how you have to live in order to conceal your identity, because this is what the people have grown to expect from their apostles.’ To the average lazy wolf, it would be too much trouble for what it was worth. Taking the glamour out of the ministry was Paul’s way of helping the would-be wolf to reconsider exploiting the Church. (9c) Responsibility >> Prevent disunity within the body of Christ >> Prevent discord within the Church– Paul just finished bragging about himself, not about his success, but about the many times he was beaten and flogged and otherwise suffered for the cause of Christ. He bragged about his weaknesses, saying that the things he suffered was better proof of his apostleship than his accomplishments. A person could have all the spiritual wisdom and insight available to mortal men, and could tell step-by-step the sequence of endtime prophecy, but Paul said that none of these things were a seal to his apostleship; rather, it was his suffering. If a person has great spiritual wisdom and insight, then it stands to reason that he also suffered greatly because of it. There are consequences to knowing the truth in this world. Sharing it with others and striving to fulfill God’s calling is a ticket to pain and suffering. Satan will allow scant populations to discover freedom from his blinding oppression, but he doesn’t want the truth to become common knowledge. Paul’s persecution came when he conveyed the gospel to the world. He could have found a corner where he lived out his days and kept the truth to himself, and Satan would not have bothered him, but it was when he tried to tell the whole world about the gospel that he was persecuted, evangelizing whole cities with thousands of people hearing about Jesus and coming to believe in Him. The Jews inflicted many wounds upon his body and imprisoned him for years at a time. Paul's commitment to make Jesus Christ a household name earned him the stripes on his back as lead apostle of God’s Church. See also: Paul suffered the gospel; 2Cor 11,12-15; 54n (172c) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Tares among the wheat >> Devils among the saints >> Wolves among the sheep – If anybody comes to you claiming to be someone great, ask to see his scars. If he doesn’t have a long list of things that has happened to him as a result of his faith in Christ, then what he has to say is of no significance. If Satan doesn’t bother him, then he must not be a threat to his kingdom. Satan is god of this world; therefore, what matters to him is keeping the world in the dark about God, and those who shine the light of Jesus Christ in this world will be persecuted. 2Cor 11,10-12 (64j) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Weaknesses of God >> Foolishness of God -- These verses go with verses 1-3 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 2Cor 11,12-15 (54n) Paradox >> Opposites >> Seal of apostleship is to exceed the commitment of the false apostle – There were those who claimed to be apostles, and brought ulterior gospels and preached alternate truths, and the Corinthians bought into some of their messages. Meanwhile these false apostles were strongly averse to suffering for the cause of money, which Paul then used as a dividing line between true and false apostles. Wolves are not going to be beaten or whipped or imprisoned for the sake of deceiving the Corinthians. Wolves will get a real job before it comes to blows, but Paul had evidence of being a true apostle; he had been beaten many times, proving he preached the gospel because he believed it. See also: Paul suffered the gospel; 180c (112e) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Light >> Jesus light in us overcomes darkness >> The light of His truth (158a) Works of the devil >> Excerpts of the greatest verses of this chapter -- These verses go with verses 3&4 (169i) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Seeking the glory of man >> Loving the approval of men rather than the approval of God >> Coveting the favor of men (177e) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> False doctrine >> Doctrine that tickles your ears -- These verses go with verse 4 (179j) Works of the devil >> Practicing witchcraft >> Wolves >> Unworthy servant >> Unworthy of eternal life (180c) Works of the devil >> Practicing witchcraft >> Wolves >> Be shrewd as wolves and more innocent than they appear >> Fighting off wolves with a clever innocence >> Being more innocent than their self-righteousness -- These verses go with verses 23-30. Wolves pretend to be servants of righteousness, but are really servants of Satan disguising themselves as messengers of light. How does one pretend to be righteous? Mustn't he do acts of righteousness in order to give the appearance of caring? In fact, it is not that hard, and for this reason Paul did not use righteousness as his seal of apostleship. Instead, he used suffering. The Jews followed him around looking for reasons to incarcerate him, to beat him and whip him and stone him for proclaiming the gospel of Christ. The Jews were therefore his thorn in the flesh, and he also used them as his seal of apostleship, for no one would go through the torture that Paul did at the hands of the Jews unless they truly believed in Jesus, which wolves do not. See also: Paul suffered the gospel; 2Cor 11,16-30; 84e (184b) Works of the devil >> The origin of lawlessness >> Darkness >> Hiding behind your own imagination >> Hiding behind a false authority (197b) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Spiritual laziness >> Rebelling Against what God wants you to do >> Refusing to take on responsibility (198i) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Ordained by man >> Ministries ordained by men will falter (221j) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Kingdom hidden behind the veil from the world >> God hides from sin >> He hides behind disobedience 2Cor 11-12,13 (69i) Authority >> Righteous judgment (Outcome of Discernment) >> Judging the flesh by the Spirit 2Cor 11,13-15 (16aa) Sin >> The sin nature is instinctively evil >> Man’s flesh is related to the devil >> Unregenerate man is the son of Satan – It is unfortunate that we find sinners hiding in the Church. What is worse than using an institution goodness and faith to cloak their unbelief? Keep in mind that the Church acts as the world’s parameters for conduct, but after the Church’s morals have eroded, who will keep the world in check? (76g) Thy kingdom come >> Wicked motives >> Satan’s motives are inherent within him (163k) Works of the devil >> Being a slave to the devil (Addictions) >> Entertaining demons >> Disciplined by the devil as a son (196b) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Idolatry >> Worshipping the devil 2Cor 11-14,15 (48d) Judgment >> God judges the world >> Satan is under God’s eternal judgment (48e) Judgment >> Levels of judgment >> Judged according to your deeds >> In the day of judgment KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 2Cor 11,16-30 (84e) Thy kingdom come >> Words of your mouth >> Boasting >> It needs to be said and no one is saying it >> boasting of my weaknesses – The Corinthians forced Paul to boast about himself, but he never bragged about his accomplishments, but about his weaknesses. He could have mentioned how many people were healed at his touch or the signs Christ performed through his ministry that proved his apostleship. Instead, he bragged about his suffering. It is our weaknesses that should make us proud, the things we have been able to endure. These are the things that prove our identity as faithful Christians more than our accomplishments. Our strengths, what are they but talents that we were born with, but our weaknesses, these are the things that God uses to create avenues for our gifts. Paul admitted he was speaking out of his mind when he boasted about his accomplishments; we scratch our heads and wonder why he said these things, for in other places he said that boasting and arrogance was evil (2Tim 3,1-5). So why did Paul now boast about himself before the Corinthians? He did it because there was a noticeable lack of the Corinthians to acknowledge his success. It was the lack of gratitude that indicated pride and arrogance in the Corinthians. Paul was saying that it was evil to brag about one’s self, but it is more evil not to brag about someone else’s success when his accomplishments have personally benefited them. He was saying it wasn’t right that he should boast, but it was even worse that the Corinthians were silent about all the work he put into them, without expressing a bit of gratitude. He was waiting for them to say, ‘Thank you for risking your life to tell us about Jesus,’ but he never heard it, so he had to say it himself. See also: Paul suffered the gospel; 2Cor 11,23-31; 152a 2Cor 11,17-21 (96o) Thy kingdom come >> Having a negative attitude about sin >> Having an abusive attitude 2Cor 11-17,18 (54o) Paradox >> Opposites >> Boasting in the flesh to glorify God – Everything Paul said and did was for the sake of others. The man was totally in love with God and would do anything for Him. If there were something in his life that was out of place or an offense to God, he would repent and fix it. His primary goal in life was to become like Jesus and be the greatest evangelist the world had ever known, and he got no credit at all for accomplishing this goal. Paul boasted to the Corinthians for the express purpose of humiliating them for their lack of gratitude toward him. He didn’t care so much that they refused to acknowledge him, but that it was a sign of their immaturity. When we meet Jesus, He will be grateful for the service we rendered to Him and say, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Mat 25-21). He will acknowledge the work we did in His name, but the Corinthians showed no appreciation. He was saying that gratitude was one of the attributes of God and that they were fresh out of it. (122f) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Confidence in yourself as you die to sin >> Confident in what you are doing 2Cor 11,19-21 (3b) Responsibility >> Avoid offending God >> Get out of His way >> Quit believing lies (63g) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Sarcasm >> Be pretentious >> Pretending to be stupid -- These verses go with verse 1. Paul again picks up his sarcasm to point out that the Corinthians gladly tolerated the bondage of foolish men if anyone devoured their savings or abused them physically, emotionally or spiritually. Paul sarcastically said that the abuse the apostles have received, being whipped and beaten countless times they didn’t like, yet the Corinthians seemed happy to accept their exploitive treatment, yet resisted Paul's loving correction. He said in his sarcasm, “To our shame we have been weak by comparison.” (159b) Works of the devil >> Essential characteristics >> Counterfeit >> Counterfeit godliness >> Love sickening sweet >> The kind of love that replaces wisdom (163a) Works of the devil >> Being a slave to the devil (Addictions) >> Bondage >> Being slaves of men >> In bondage to peoples’ expectations of you – The Corinthians needed to stop putting up with people's abuse and stand up to these wolves for the sake of the truth. Meanwhile, Paul had to walk on eggshells in effort not to offend them. He didn’t have enough liberty with them to ask them even for a nickel without receiving accusations of ulterior motives. The Corinthians accepted harsh treatment from wolves, but from Paul they were offended at his correction. He preached a gospel of freedom, but wolves came and enslaved them with their flattering speech, offering a secular liberty, and the Corinthians bore with them beautifully. The Corinthians sounded much like American Christianity. Our discernment is absent, because wolves have effectively stolen the Holy Spirit from the Church through centuries of confusion through false doctrine. They have gutted the very essence of the gospel and left us with nothing but words and beliefs, and Christianity today bears with them beautifully, but when those with a remnant of the Spirit come and preach a more accurate version of the truth, they slam the door in their faces and want none of it. See also: American Christianity; 2Cor 11-8,9; 13h 2Cor 11-22 (148d) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Works of the Church bear witness to Jesus >> Evangelism >> Natural advantage in the flesh regarding evangelism – Paul was a Jew, a Hebrew of Hebrews. Jesus was a Hebrew too, so were all the early apostles, and so it will be at the end of the age. It seems a requirement to be Hebrew in order to be one of God’s apostles. It is Israel who is ultimately in charge of God’s covenant of eternal salvation. Although they have rejected their purpose, it is the reason the gentile church is faltering. We can’t get one church to fellowship with another; they’re at odds with each other because they all believe different things; they all have their own interpretation of Scripture. A Jewish ministry of 144,000 will come in the last days, and the gentile believers will unite around them. They will have the same level of commitment that Paul had, and they will have the same thorn in the flesh that Paul had, his fellow unbelieving Jews. Some call this futurist fantasies, but that is what the Scribes and Pharisees said about Jesus' first coming. We know Israel was caught off-guard when God through a curveball at them, sending His Son as the Lamb of God, but we think we will never be caught off-guard and that God would never throw a curveball at us, such as a great endtime revival. What if He does? Will we be able to see it coming? Little people like Simeon did. He waited for Christ in the temple and blessed Him (Lk 2,25-36). All who are dressed in readiness when their Master comes will be blessed. See also: Great Endtime Revival (Jews will manage the gospel at the end of the age); Eph 2,11-22; 211a KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 2Cor 11,23-31 (152a) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> Witnesses of the father >> Apostles >> Enduring hardship proves apostleship – Paul’s physical credentials and seal of apostleship were the scars on his back. There was not a wolf in the pack who would go through what Paul did for the opportunity to exploit God's people. He labored far more than any false apostle; he experienced far more imprisonments and far more beatings. Five times he received from the Jews 39 lashes; just the threat of such ill-treatment would have caused any wolf to turn-tail and run, Paul's sincerity of faith measured five times with 39 lashes. No false apostle or wolf would go through a tenth of what he suffered. Paul didn’t just have a few rocks throne at him; he was stoned to death, and as the brethren stood around him, God raised him from the dead, and they went right back into the city and presented himself alive and well to his persecutors before he went to the next village and preached the gospel there (Act 14-19,20). See also: Paul suffered the gospel; 2Cor 11,23-30; 236a 2Cor 11,23-30 (5f) Responsibility >> Discipleship tested >> God tests your faith through hardship (11n) Servant >> Paul’s example of devotion – Paul boasted a little here, but he had reason to boast. He was setting a standard for apostleship. If false apostles were to come along and attempt to seize the Church, the people could remind the hirelings that Paul went through all kinds of terrible abuses to bring us the gospel to them, but these lying deceivers just seem to be concerned about themselves. (12f) Servant >> Nature of a bond servant (64i) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Weaknesses of God >> God subjects himself to human frailty >> His weakness makes Him small compared to men -- These verses go with verses 7-15 (72a) Authority >> Ordained by God >> We are ordained to walk in His authority (73b) Authority >> Respect your leaders >> Those in charge of the word -- These verses go with verses 5-13 (100j) Thy kingdom come >> Devotion >> In your ministry to God >> Fulfill God’s calling in your life (180c) Works of the devil >> Practicing witchcraft >> Wolves >> Be shrewd as wolves and more innocent than they appear >> Fighting off wolves with a clever innocence (192b) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Result of putting off the old man >> Gain by losing >> Life for life >> Losing your life to gain God’s purpose -- These verses go with verses 5-13 (234h) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Sold out >> Placing no boundaries on your commitment to God >> Going to any extreme to fulfill the will of God -- These verses go with verses 7-12 (236a) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> All things are for your sake >> We are fighting for you >> Our suffering is for your sake – Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their ingratitude. Apparently, it is not outside the will of God for anyone dedicated to Christ who feels unappreciated to brag about himself a little. Paul itemized the things he suffered as an evangelist and apostle to the churches of God, and bragged to those whom he hade dedicated his life, who took him for granted. When words need to be spoken and no one is saying them, we should speak-up and remind the people about our love for them and our dedication and the things we suffered for the privilege to minister to them. Christ recognizes our suffering, for it means just as much as our accomplishments, being the flipside of the same coin. That is, our ministry cannot exceed the sacrifice and suffering we endure for His namesake, being how we know we love Him. What did James say? “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (Jm 1-12). It is righteous to endure suffering; but to retaliate, we have our reward in full. To endure for His namesake and to become an example among the saints finds favor with God (1Pet 2,18-25). See also: Paul suffered the gospel; 2Cor 11-31; 155h 2Cor 11,23-29 (14f) Servant >> Ministry of helps >> Helpers obey Christ 2Cor 11,23-26 (242kb) Kingdom of God >> Opposition toward the Kingdom of God >> Persecuting the kingdom >> Reacting to persecution >> Enduring persecution >> Having a reputation of being persecuted 2Cor 11-23 (101h) Thy kingdom come >> Ambition >> Be an ambitious businessman for God >> Managing God’s business – This verse goes with verse 27 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 2Cor 11-26,27 (165g) Hardship (Key verse) (165j) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Hardship >> Troubles of this life 2Cor 11-26 (159c) Works of the devil >> Essential characteristics >> Counterfeit >> Counterfeit godliness >> Counterfeit Christian (172a) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Tares among the wheat >> Devils among the saints >> False brethren among the people of God >> Antichrists among Christians (180d) Works of the devil >> Practicing witchcraft >> Wolves >> Be shrewd as wolves and more innocent than they appear >> Wolves in sheep’s clothing 2Cor 11-27 (101h) Thy kingdom come >> Ambition >> Be an ambitious businessman for God >> Managing God’s business – This verse goes with verse 23 2Cor 11-28,29 (5m) Responsibility >> Jesus’ yoke of obedience >> Our obligation to shepherd the flock (69c) Authority >> Discernment >> Feeling the body’s infirmities (70b) Authority >> Righteous judgment (outcome of discernment) >> Sensitivity to the Spirit (123c) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Love >> Spiritual affection >> Compassion >> Compassion is the emotion of the Spirit (130e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Committed to caring for the needs of the body >> Committed to holding up one another (216g) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> Compelled by the Spirit >> God forces us by His love (247c) Concern (Key verse) (247d) Priorities >> God’s priorities >> God’s interests >> Concern >> Caring about the body of Christ -- These verses go with verses 2&3. Paul told the Corinthians that after enduring so much persecution, they added to his suffering by not serving the Lord, causing him mental anguish, invoking fear that they would cause all his efforts to be in vain. It incensed him that the Corinthians were so willing to receive false apostles but would not listen to him. After proving his dedication to them and enduring so much punishment, Paul wanted to enjoy the fruit of his labors, to see the Church flourish, happily serving the Lord. John the Baptist became concerned too that he had sacrificed his life for nothing, sitting on the floor of a dungeon wondering if Jesus was indeed the Christ. He spent his whole life preparing for his short but vital ministry, and then it came and went, leaving him with doubts if what he did with his life was worth the sacrifice and effort. He prepared the way for the Lord, and after being imprisoned, he inquired if Jesus was really the long awaited Messiah. John began to doubt. Jesus sent back the message to him saying, ‘who else can raise the dead, give sight to the blind and open deaf ears?’ After receiving the message John died contented that he had fulfilled his ministry. Paul was going through similar turmoil with the Corinthians, who were threatening to take away his purpose by going AWOL regarding the faith. It was extremely important that the Corinthians remained faithful to Christ, both for Jesus’ sake and for his own sake. Having been called by God to preach the gospel, he was also charged to keep the Church, punctuated by the punishment he endured. Had no one gotten saved or had all fallen away, what would be the point of his suffering and ministry? However, remember this, that whatever God tells us to do will bear fruit. Paul sacrificed his life to serve the Church of God; he was scarred from top to bottom and spent years in prison. He by no means had an easy life, but it was fulfilling, so long as there was fruit. See also: John the Baptist was the Prophet of transition; Heb 9-8; 118m KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 2Cor 11-29,30 (160e) Works of the devil >> Led by the devil into sin 2Cor 11-29 (161e) Works of the devil >> Wander >> Following the wrong leader 2Cor 11-30 (53m) Paradox >> Opposites >> God is made strong in our weakness 2Cor 11-31 (78b) Thy kingdom come >> Sincerity of heart >> Being honest >> Telling the truth (155h) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Witness of the believer >> The Father bears witness of the believer – Paul was saying that one day the Father will bear witness of all the things he has said and done and will testify that what he had written in Scripture was true. He was telling the Corinthians all the things he suffered: whippings that should have killed him that he received five times from the Jews. He was beaten with rods; he almost drowned at sea; he spent years in prison; he was tortured, and on top of all this was his concern for all the churches. He didn’t just want to obey the Lord; he also wanted his efforts to bear fruit, and he wanted his fruit to remain, so he would have something to offer the Lord when he entered the gates of heaven. See also: Paul suffered the gospel; 2Cor 11-7; 77n 2Cor 11-32,33 (78d) Thy kingdom come >> Sincerity >> Taking God to heart >> Having a genuine heart – This was the beginning of Paul's connection with his fellow saints; he felt their immediate love and acceptance after they learned of his conversion; the entire Christian community was amazed. Jesus could have appeared to other Pharisees or the chief priests or Caiaphas the high priest who had Him nailed to a cross, but they would not have responded the way Paul did. He admitted that he was a blasphemer, but a blasphemer is not the same as having a reprobate mind. In fact, the word blasphemer has many meanings, such as taking the Lord’s name in vain, while another meaning refers to sinning against the Holy Spirit, in which case it says there is no forgiveness, and so there is a wide spectrum of meanings of “blasphemy”, but Paul was not a blasphemer in the extreme sense of the word, like some of his pharisaical colleagues, who had a reprobate mind. Had Christ revealed His glory to them, they would not have repented of their belief as Paul did. (147i) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Works of the Church bear witness to Jesus >> Evangelism >> Solemnly testify about Jesus – This was Paul’s first experience as an evangelist; this story was close to Paul’s heart, because it happened to Him in his critical period. We all have a critical period, beginning on the day of our birth and ends around age five; by that time our personalities have already formed. Those who are born-again go though a second critical period. In the days following our spiritual birth we are very impressionable; the things that happen to us during that time become deeply embedded in our memories, just as this was a very fond memory to Paul, because it happened to him shortly after he got saved. The very people that he was intending to arrest on his way to Damascus, after Jesus appeared to him changed the course of his life forever. He still hunted for Christians, but now to fellowship with them; he held them, kissed them and apologized to them. He told them what happened to him, and from that moment he told everybody about Jesus he met, until everybody hunted for him as he once hunted Christians prior to his conversion. His fellow disciples helped him out the window in the city wall and let him down using a rope tied to a basket. See also: Born-again (Our spiritual identity); 1Pet 2-24; 141d (201g) Denying Christ >> Man chooses his own destiny apart from God >> Jesus is an offense >> Jesus offends the world >> The Church offends the world – Paul made himself so odious to the rulers of Damascus that they put the entire city under quarantine for the purpose of finding and killing him without a trial. This happened early in his life when he was first converted to Christianity; the account is in Act 9,19-24. His eyes needed first to recover from his blindness, and then he finished his journey to Damascus, but instead of seeking Christians to arrest them, he immediately started preaching Jesus to whomever would listen on the very first month of his conversion. He stirred up the city to such an extent that the governor wanted to kill him. Why does the gospel do this to people? The gospel carries an intrinsic offense, and God uses it to call sinners to faith in Jesus, who are unacceptable to Him until He saves them, placing His Spirit in those who will believe in His blood sacrifice on the cross for the remission of their sins. The offense of the gospel is in the fact that we must humble ourselves before Almighty God and admit that we are depraved sinners in His eyes, molding ourselves around His truth and forsaking all worldly passions and desires. To those in rebellion against God with an yielding heart, anything else would be easier; but to those who feel drawn to God, the gospel is irresistible. Jesus is a tremendous offense to the world, because it doesn’t believe it needs God's help. For us to tell them they need to repent and believe in Jesus is the ultimate slap in the face, because most people love this world and don’t want to quit sinning; they like their present situation; sin is a joy to them, which has a way of hardening man's heart against God. See also: Gospel (Salvation through the death of Christ); Act 28-22; 154e See next page