Chapter 628 of 957

Paul And The False Apostles

PAUL AND THE FALSE APOSTLES

2 CORINTHIANS 11:1-6

Paul wants to make sure his readers are not led astray from a pure devotion to Christ.

One of the difficulties we face as we read Paul’s correspondence with the churches of his time is that we do not know the precise background of the expressions he uses. It’s true that we have a good picture of the overall scene at Corinth, but some smaller details remain—and perhaps must always remain—obscure to us. The present chapter, along with chapter 12, is a good illustration of this difficulty.

Obviously, at places Paul is ironical (11:1,8,11). He finds it necessary, if distasteful, to explain why he is required to justify himself and put his actions in the clear. But it is necessary because of the close link that he claims with the church (11:2), likened here to the bride of Christ. Which other passages concerning the marriage dignity of the church come to mind?

Because he cares so much for Christ’s people, he is most careful that they should not be led astray (11:3). How could this happen?

Some important verses sketch in the character of the people who are later severely reprimanded (11:13-15). Three descriptions of their work are given in 11:1-6:

Their most dangerous work was that of enticing the believers away from a singlehearted devotion to Christ, and in attempting this (see Mark 13:22) they were doing the devil’s work for him, as the serpent did in Eden (11:3,14: both texts are based on Genesis 3:4,13). If this seems a staggering thought, recall Mark 8:33!

These people who were Paul’s opponents are heretics, preaching a different gospel which centered in a different Jesus from the Person of the apostolic message (11:4). It’s true that Paul introduces his statement with an “if,” but “he is not likely to cherish real fears on the ground of imaginary suppositions” (Strachan), so “if” (11:4) really means “as is the case.” It is difficult to be sure what this warning is intended to refer to. Was it a purely human Jesus whom the false teachers presented, or a heretical picture altogether, like the later Gnostics, who turned him into a sort of demigod? We cannot tell.

These people claimed the authority of the Jerusalem apostles, surnamed ironically “extra-special messengers” (JBP). They bolstered their opposition to Paul by appealing (perhaps on their own initiative) to Peter, James and John against him. But Paul knows of no such rivalry or inferiority (11:5-6).

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