2 CORINTHIANS: DEFENDING GOD'S SERVANT TO HIS CRITICS

Part XIX: Expressing Great Selflessness To Disciple Spiritually Weak Believers

(2 Corinthians 12:11-21)

I. Introduction

A. 2 Corinthians was written "to defend the authenticity of" Paul's "apostleship and his message" to a church of believers who were susceptible to heeding false teachers who critiqued him, Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 552.

B. The spiritual weakness in the believers at Corinth coupled with their exposure to false apostles compounded the work load for the Apostle Paul in discipling them, requiring great selflessness in ministry. This fact is explained in 2 Corinthians 12:11-21, and we view it for our insight and edification (as follows):

II. Expressing Great Selflessness To Disciple Spiritually Weak Believers, 2 Corinthians 12:11-21.

A. In discipling the weak, Paul ministered though not being rightly honored by them, 2 Corinthians 12:11-12:

1. Paul admitted that he had just played the role of a fool by being forced by his readers to boast about his ministry achievements and vision from the Lord to counter the errant influence of false apostles, v. 11a.

2. Actually, his readers should not have put him in the position of having to boast like this, for he was not at all inferior to the "super" apostles who knew Christ in His earthly ministry, even though he and they were really nothing in themselves, 2 Corinthians 12:11b.

3. Indeed, the signs of a true apostle had been evidenced in his ministry so that the Corinthians were without excuse, for Paul had patiently produced supernatural signs, wonders and mighty works before them, v. 12.

B. In discipling the weak, Paul refused to be a financial burden though they critiqued him for it, 2 Cor. 12:13-14:

1. The only realm Paul could consider he had possibly been less gracious toward his readers than he had with the other churches was that he had declined to receive financial support from them, what gave them room to question and feel hurt, 2 Corinthians 12:13a.

2. Paul asked for their forgiveness for not receiving money from them (2 Cor. 12:13b), a very gracious thing to do in view of the fact that his refusal to receive money from them was itself an act of great care!

C. In discipling the weak, Paul gave of himself though the greater he gave, the less he was loved, v. 14-15:

1. Paul announced he was ready to come to the Corinthians for the third time, but that even again he would not be a financial burden to them as he was still not going to receive support from them, 2 Cor. 12:14a.

2. The apostle did not seek the possessions of his readers, but their hearts, so he would continue to act like a parent who lays up goods for the child rather than seek to be a financial burden to the child, 2 Cor. 12:14b.

3. Paul even wrote that he would gladly spend and be spent for their souls, and then asked ironically if they would love him the less the more he loved them, 2 Corinthians 12:15.

D. In discipling the weak, Paul did not financially cheat them though they charged him with doing so, v. 16-18:

1. To Paul's claim that he did not financially cheat his readers, some of them asserted he craftily gained advantage of them by deceit by taking a percentage of the offerings collected by his fellow workers who had received the offerings in the name of giving it to needy Jerusalem saints, 2 Corinthians 12:16-17.

2. Paul countered this charge by claiming he had urged Titus to collect the moneys along with the other credible, sanctioned brother in Christ, and that Titus had not taken financial advantage of them, v. 18.

E. In discipling the weak, Paul intended to edify them though they charged him with selfishness, 2 Cor. 12:19-21:

1. Paul asked his readers if they thought he and his co-workers had all along been trying to defend themselves to his readers as if they were wicked men, and added that they had truly been ministering unto the Lord for their edification, 2 Corinthians 12:19.

2. Proof of this fact was Paul's expression of fear that when he arrived on his next visit to Corinth that he would find them practicing all sorts of carnal sins (2 Cor. 12:20) so that Paul might have to mourn over many who sinned earlier and had still not repented of their gross carnal sins, 2 Corinthians 12:21. Had Paul and his ministry team been selfish, they would not have cared for the carnality of their readers!

Lesson: In discipling spiritually weak Corinthian believers, Paul expressed great selflessness in ministering to them though not properly honored by them, in refusing to be a financial burden to them though criticized for it, in continuing to give of himself to them though being loved the less for it, in not financially cheating them though wrongly charged by them as cheating them and in trying to edify them though charged by them with being selfish.

Application: If God calls us to minister to spiritually weak people, may we commit ourselves to a ministry that involves great selflessness, recalling as our example our Lord's infinite selflessness in our behalf on the cross!