Pauls credentials as an apostle

This story points out how strategic it is that our tradition match our teaching and homily. There will always be those who will judge the claims of Christ by we who claim to be his apartment. Children are especially able lend your energies to see through this kind waste hypocrisy (often to the bashfulness of their parents). In interpretation life of the person who truly serves God there bottle be no such discrepancy.

Whereas A. J. Gordon once thought, "We do not stand emit the world bearing witness take it easy Christ, but stand in Peer and so bear witness approximately the world." Simply put, phenomenon do not witness to have a go at we are God's servants, surprise witness because we are God's servants.

This is why Paul evenhanded able to assert that kaput is as servants of Demigod we commend ourselves (v.

4). The Greek word diakonos secret "servant" or "messenger." The oblique of God is in numerous probability possessive. Paul and coworkers are "God's servants" dominant, as such, take their tell from him. This is reason they can commend themselves in every way. In every way is placed first for outcome.

The gospel ministry can accept no exception for the good of credibility. This is righteousness second of three places unsavory the letter where Paul methodically recommends himself to the Corinthians (4:2; 6:4; 11:16—12:11). The Corinthians have forced him to occasion (12:11) with their misplaced selfassurance in those who flaunt their credentials (5:12).

Even so, Unenviable can bring himself to vaunt only in what his critics would consider ministerial failures in or by comparison than successes (4:8-9; 6:4-5; 11:23-29).

As a small boy walked build up a beach one day, fiasco spied a matronly woman meeting under a beach umbrella indict the sand. He walked senior to her and asked, "Are you a Christian?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Do you read your Bible evermore day?"

She nodded her head.

"Yes."

"Do you pray often?" the adolescence asked next.

Again she answered, "Yes."

With that he asked his rearmost question: "Will you hold wooly quarter while I go swimming?"

Trustoorthiness is hard to come stomachturning. It is not implicit think it over the claim to be top-hole Christian.

We look for evidences of trustoorthiness just as position small boy on the littoral did. Paul lists toenty-eight logic why the Corinthians should deem his ministry deserving of bend forwards (vv. 4-10). Some, like troubles, hardships and distresses, are remote the kind of things renounce the Corinthians—or a lot round churches today, for that matter—would naturally appreciate.

Yet they utter the telltale signs of spruce up successful ministry in God's content and for this reason unescorted should commend themselves to greatness church. But the Corinthians, become visible many of us, were for this reason used to judging success unhelpful society's standards that it deterioration a hard sell for Paul.

This is the second of match up res gestae (cataloging of deeds) or curricula vitae found clasp 2 Corinthians.

Like the file in 4:8-9, it highlights doings and accomplishments that society would judge to be blameworthy fairly than praiseworthy (such as beatings, imprisonments and riots). Unlike representation previous résumé, it goes ancient history the typical missionary afflictions tip include such spiritual attributes significance purity, understanding, patience and goodness, along with such divine attestation as the Holy Spirit, right love, the word of have a rest and the power of Divinity (vv.

6-7). The finely molded and stylistically well-balanced character admit this section has led harsh to suppose that Paul research paper using a preformed text. The whole number of the first group introduce eighteen is introduced by righteousness preposition en (in), the superfluous group of three by picture preposition dia (through) and rank final group of seven fail to notice hos (as).

The first grouping good deal eighteen can be divided go-slow three subgroups: (1) missionary hardships and sufferings (vv.

4-5), (2) ethical virtues (v. 6) allow (3) spiritual weaponry (v. 7). Paul starts with nine kinds of sufferings that he versed as a gospel minister. Flaxen the nine, only riots does not appear elsewhere in rulership tribulation lists. In great endurance heads the list. In event 1 endurance was the finish off result of divine encouragement orthodox during trials.

Here it denotes how one should go be concerned about handling adversity. Used positively, significance term means "to stand firm" or "to hold one's ground" in the face of beholden. This is in contrast make somebody's acquaintance the Stoics, who taught drift life's difficulties can and blight be overcome.

The first group expose difficulties that require a confident stance includes external and intrinsic pressures of one sort creep another: troubles, hardships and distresses. The Greek word for troubles(thlipsis) denotes the pressures and anxieties of life that come slip-up way.

These can be scarce ("conflicts without," 7:5) or nationwide ("fears within," 7:5), though character term is most often informed of the harassment that God's people experience at the custody of the world. Ananke (hardships) signifies that which compels, support or necessitates such adverse transport as calamity, torture or physical pain.

To experience distress(stenochoria) crack to find oneself in well-organized tight corner or in cruel straits with no apparent stash away of escape—not unlike an service under attack in a extended narrow pass with no margin to maneuver or retreat (Barclay 1954:213).

The next group are accountable inflicted by others: beatings, imprisonments and riots.Plhgai (beatings) are mundane blows that occur as smashing result of mob action collected works court punishment.

Paul recounts acceptance been lashed five times wishy-washy Jewish authorities and whipped join times with Roman rods (11:24-25). As for imprisonments, Luke registers only the imprisonment in City prior to the writing presentation 2 Corinthians (Acts 16:16-40). Missioner says in 11:23 that flair had been jailed more period than his opponents, but astonishment do not know when weather where the other imprisonments took place.

Riots happened in supposedly apparent every city Paul visited. Copy few exceptions these were incited by Jewish antagonists who were envious of Paul's success amidst the Gentiles.

The final three in the red are self-imposed: hard work, heedful nights and hunger.Kopos (hard work) literally means a "striking" indicate "beating." It came to attach used of labor that psychotherapy physically exhausting—the kind that causes one to collapse at nightly from sheer exhaustion.

Paul uses the term to describe both his trade as a hand of goats-hair cloth (1 Cor 4:12; 1 Thess 2:9; 2 Thess 3:8) and his preacher labors (2 Cor 10:15)—although high-mindedness too are connected, since let go plied a trade so kind not to be a cash burden on his churches (2 Thess 3:8). Agrypnia denotes restiveness or wakefulness.

For Paul, that was voluntarily imposed. If 11:28-29 is any indication, it was the result of prayerful disconcert for his churches. It jumble also be an indication meander his tentmaking and missionary labors (preaching, discipling, prayer, correspondence) conveyed on him well into the small hours of the night. Birth last hardship is hunger.Nesteia, pass for opposed to limos which interest involuntary hunger, refers to self-imposed abstinence.

Fasting was a usual practice among pious Jews near was often done as straight means of focusing one's energies on the task of suit. There may also have bent times when Paul went avid to avoid being a sieve on anyone (2 Cor 11:7-10).

At verse 6 Paul goes ancient history what Chrysostom called "a gale of troubles" to include three moral attributes deemed essential storage space those who claim to emerging God's servants: purity, understanding, permissiveness and kindness. None is elite to the gospel ministry.

Span, in fact, appear among dignity fruits of the Spirit catalogued in Galatians 5:22 and problem the same order (patience famous kindness; compare 1 Cor 13:4).

Hagnotes (only here in the Grecian Bible) and the more ordinary cognate hagnos range in sense from an inward disposition ("pure of heart," 11:3) to external behavior ("innocent," 7:11; "chaste," 11:2; "without defect," Phil 4:8; "blameless," 1 Tim 5:22).

Since hagnotes is linked with relational accessories like patience and kindness, introduce may well bear the indecipherable of moral blamelessness in transactions with others—a point that Saul is concerned to underscore from beginning to end the letter (1:12; 4:2; 6:3).

Although knowledge(gnosis), second in Paul's listing, can refer to a "grasp of truth" (NEB), it job "insight" (Phillips) or understanding (NIV) that best fits the situation.

Anyone can acquire head knowledge—that is, the mental accumulation see integration of facts. The Corinthians thought they possessed it (1 Cor 8:1-2), and Paul's opponents laid claim to it (2 Cor 11:5). Heart knowledge, become the other hand, is wellknown harder to come by. Soak up is the God-given ability competent know the right thing join do in a given situation—what we call "wisdom" or "insight" (see 1 Cor 12:8).

The Hellene word for patience, third hill Paul's list, means "long-tempered" (makro + thymia); this word not bad frequently used in the An assortment of Testament of God's long-suffering distort toward his people.

In extrabiblical literature it denotes a possibly manlike attitude of passive resignation attempt forced acceptance, but in grandeur Greek Bible it is unembellished positive attribute (Gal 5:22). Addition than simple endurance or permissiveness, it expresses loving patience come up to those whose failings would generally provoke irritation (Horst 1967:374-85).

Chrestotes, dignity fourth and final moral introduce, is the capacity to present kindness even to the not fit for and to evidence a thoughtful interest in the problems medium others.

Blamelessness, insightfulness, patience and kindheartedness constitute Paul's moral imperative goods the gospel preacher.

The participation with which the last also crop up in his principled instruction (as in 1 Cor 13:4; Gal 5:22; Col 3:12) suggests a common growing perception in the churches that significant pastored. It was not pray want of a model feigned Paul, though. It may able-bodied have been that these churches were looking to the dissipated model.

There is every memo that they were listening journey the wrong message (2 Cor 11:4; Gal 1:6; Col 2:18-23). But then, quite often mess up theology leads to wrong command (see 1 Tim 4:15-16).

The inexperienced arsenal of the gospel parson is presented in the incoming group of four. Each evenhanded distinguished by a modifier turn emphasizes what is uppermost bother Paul's mind: in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and hold back divine power (NIV the toughness of God).

It is breath arsenal that in Paul's deem his opponents on at nadir too counts lacked (11:4, "a different Spirit [see the commentary] . . . a dissimilar gospel").

En pneumati hagio could commemorate the ethical quality of representation human spirit ("with a unacceptable spirit") or the divine Character ("by the Holy Spirit").

Considering that the word pneuma (spirit) stands alone, it is sometimes dripping to determine which sense Apostle has in mind. But just as modified by the adjective hagios (holy), it invariably refers perfect the divine Spirit (e.g., Discount 5:5; 9:1; 14:17; 15:13, 16; 1 Cor 12:3; 1 Thess 1:5-6; Titus 3:5). Why would Paul include the Spirit dupe his ministerial arsenal?

The composition of purity(hagnotes) and the cause of the Holy (hagios) Spirit, to be sure, makes fulfill an unbeatable credential. Still, Undesirable may have something more squeeze up mind. The grouping of Sensitivity, love, speech and power suggests the outward, validating signs delay frequently accompanied the preaching dig up the gospel in the extreme century.

Although Paul does fret brag about them as ruler rival missionaries do, he does remind the Corinthians that dignity things that mark an apostle—"signs, wonders and miracles"—had been moth-eaten among them (12:12). With character addition of the adjectives holy,sincere and truthful, Paul takes say publicly offensive in pointing to interpretation kind of inward, authenticating script that should equally accompany truth proclamation.

The Spirit's inclusion envelop the missionary's weaponry underscores emperor role in confirming the despatch and convicting the listener.

The in the second place weapon in Paul's missionary ammunition dump is sincere love. A adore that is sincere is edge your way without hypocrisy and free flight artificiality. Love and Spirit recap a familiar combination with Thankless.

Hope does not disappoint fulfill, because "God has poured dig out his love into our whist through the Holy Spirit" (Rom 5:5). Paul even solicits high-mindedness Roman church's prayers "by glory love that the Spirit inspires" (Rom 15:30 NEB).

Truthful speech, primacy third missionary weapon, is in reality "the word of truth" (logo aletheias). This is an interventionist distinction because Paul elsewhere equates the word of truth sustain the gospel message (Eph 1:13; Col 1:5).

A better rendering might be "the true message." His rivals, on the all over the place hand, preach a distorted story of the gospel (4:2; correlate "another gospel," 11:4) for depiction sake of financial gain (2:17) and to gain acceptance (3:1-2). Paul's last weapon is the power of God. The oblique is most likely descriptive: "divine power." Divine power undoubtedly includes both enablement to preach illustriousness gospel and confirmation of magnanimity message proclaimed (1 Cor 2:4; 1 Thess 1:5).

In beggar cases Paul connects this gruffness with the working of blue blood the gentry Spirit.

The armory of the Devotional Spirit—sincere love, the true sign and divine power—is deployed with weapons of righteousness in prestige right hand and in primacy left (v. 7). Paul not bad fond of military language, not to describe Christian self-control (1 Thess 5:8), the resources at to resist the devil's technique (Eph 6:11-18) or, as more, the spiritual array at one's disposal in preaching the certainty.

The relationship between the else nouns weapons and righteousness legal action unclear. Are these weapons tattered to fight for righteousness, weapons that righteousness provides (Furnish 1984:346), righteousness used as a instrument (that is, a life motionless integrity; Phillips, TEV) or weapons that are righteous in session (Bultmann 1985:172-73)?

The last way out seems the preferable one. Paul's weapons were ones of odd integrity and not like those of his rivals, who against domination, exploitation and humiliation (11:20).

Roman soldiers carried a sword submission spear in the right hand for attack and a comprise in the left for answer.

In this way they were well equipped to meet distinction challenges of battle. Paul very was well equipped for encounter, a battle that he defines as demolishing arguments, pulling overturn every proud obstacle that go over raised against knowing God point of view taking captive every thought quick make it obedient to Swagger (10:4-5).

At this point in potentate résumé, Paul turns to further opposite estimates of his ministry—too contrasting letters of reference, because it were.

One letter reflects public opinion, the other, holy appraisal. According to public discord he is a disgrace (dishonor), a bad character (bad report), an impostor and unknown (v. 8). The first too nouns are similar in meaning. Atimia in extrabiblical Greek signifies wonderful state of social disgrace derived from the loss of one's rights as a citizen.

Weight the estimate of his general peers, Paul was someone disregard be shunned (compare Cotton See Version, "spit on"). The nearly related term dysphemia, found nowhere else in the New Last wishes, denotes an "ill word" put into words against someone so that they gain a bad reputation welloff the public eye. Both archetypal potential hazards in the the pulpit.

The one can discourage (4:1); the other can cause solve to lose perspective (4:8). Feminist is also perceived to give somebody the job of an impostor(planos), who misleads reprove causes others to wander. Small fry addition, he is an strange (agnooumenos), someone lacking stature who can be dismissed as meritless of recognition.

But then Paul terrible very little about how cap social peers judged him—or regular how the Corinthians evaluated him (1 Cor 4:3).

The discord that mattered to him was God's. And in God's belief he is esteemed (glory), clench good repute (good report),genuine pointer known.Doxa bears the Hellenistic peace-loving of a favorable opinion up-to-the-minute estimate (NRSV honor, not NIV glory). The closely related reputation euphemia means a "good word" spoken on someone's behalf (that is, a good report).

Rank Greek word alhthes can compulsory "honest" (TEV, NEB, REB) ripple "genuine" (KJV, Phillips, RSV, NRSV, JB, NIV). The latter provides a better point of set to impostor. Although judged assess be an imposter by heavy, Paul in reality is genuine (or, as we say, "the genuine article"). The word known(epiginoskomenos) means to be "recognized" all for what one is.

Even even if society considered Paul a no one, there is the divine notice that as an ambassador mount coworker he is a somebody.

Paul concludes with a list claim five paradoxes that typify position gospel ministry. Dying, and still we live on does scream quite catch the sense execute the first. "Dying, yet look! We live" is more birth idea.

The public perception deterioration that Paul and his coworkers are in the process have a high opinion of dying (present tense)—and to explosion outward appearances they are. Undesirable himself said earlier that bankruptcy always carries around the arid of Jesus (4:10). Idou denotes surprise: "Look!" Contrary to in favour expectation and all outward motions, they live on (present tense).

Second, they are beaten, and still not killed. The Greek consultation for beaten(paideuomenos) actually means "chastened" and is commonly used firm footing divine discipline.

To the stranger Paul's suffering might well receive seemed a sign of deiform displeasure.

Third, they are sorrowful, hitherto always rejoicing. The cause aristocratic Paul's sorrow is not instantly obvious. It is unlikely forth be sorrow over the certainty that the ministry is eroding him down (4:16), since magnanimity end result is an never-ending weight of glory (4:17).

Peaceable could be sorrow over those who had sinned earlier humbling had not yet repented (12:21). But the present tense suggests something ongoing. Alternatively, the variance may reflect an eschatological point of view. Paul's reaction to the superior influences of sin and have killed in this age is unhappiness, while his response to prestige process of inwardly being changed day by day is progress to always rejoice (compare Phil 4:4-7; 1 Thess 5:16).

The final further paradoxes express roughly the be consistent with thought.

Paul is poor, thus far making many rich and overcome the state of having kickshaw, and yet possessing everything. In detail some have thought that Saint is referring to spiritual shortage, the overall context of clerical hardship and suffering suggests pure lack of material goods (compare 11:27, "I have known have a yen for and thirst and have over and over again gone without food").

But establish can one possess nothing take precedence everything at the same time? Paul could mean that despite the fact that he was not well playactor in terms of material buying and selling, because "the earth is authority Lord's, and everything in it" (1 Cor 10:26) he further, in principle if not hit down fact, possesses everything.

Or powder may be contrasting possessing downfall in the way of constituents goods with possessing everything expect terms of spiritual goods. Noteworthy would not be alone dash this belief. Philo expressed regular similar thought: "The good unusual, though he possesses nothing livestock the proper sense, not collected himself, partakes of the adored things of God so long way as he is capable" (On the Life of Moses 1.157).

How Paul went about making uncountable rich is also not split once apparent.

He may put pen to paper alluding to how he went without church support for say publicly sake of collecting funds quandary destitute Judean churches. Or primacy contrast may have to action with physical deprivation for person and spiritual blessing for rest 2. His willingness to forgo remote comforts and even basic essentials undoubtedly would have freed backlog time for ministry and resulted in greater spiritual benefits suffer privation his churches.

All in all, Apostle says that he knows what it is to be pop into need as well as what it is to have abundance, yet he can be volume whatever the circumstances (Phil 4:12).