14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
Commentary
Vs. 14 "I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you."
The Apostle Paul's previous exhortation which was filled with comparative irony about himself and the other apostles with the Corinthian believers was not meant to shame them, but to warn them by revealing to them their less then Christ like attitudes and values. And so Paul's doing so was done out of his parental love and concern for them all, so that they not be swayed into trying to authenticate in their Christian lives and experiences the false and misleading values that they themselves had been reared under, and thus had brought into the faith from their past lives. For clearly the Corinthians placed some high priorities on what were essentially some pretty carnal or worldly, and thus non-substantive things. Yet it was through their own misguided values that they were making some very wrong assessments of the Apostle Paul and others with him. And so here it is again through Paul's parental concern for them all that he warns them all to be careful whom they follow. For the broad road of this world (i.e. it's way of life) and the wide gate the opens onto it (i.e. it's values), is not from God the Father, but is of the world, and the world is passing away and the lusts of it (see 1 John 2:15-17).
Vs. 15 "For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."
The Apostle Paul begot the Corinthians to Christ Jesus through the Gospel, in that sense he was their "father." And having brought them into the faith, Paul, like the ancients often did in committing their children to special tutors to teach and instruct them how to best represent their fathers until they were
mature, so the Apostle Paul also had to give the Corinthians tutelage in our faith into the hands of others. His work for Christ which took him everywhere demanded as much. And so, though the Corinthians may have "ten thousand"instructors in Christ during their pilgrimage down here as Jesus' disciples, yet it was Paul who begot them through the Gospel. Thus it was the Apostle Paul who they (and we) are to ultimately look to, for either an example in sound conduct, or for sound doctrine.
Vs. 16 "Therefore I urge you, imitate me."
Again as a concerned father for their faith and well being the Apostle Paul urges them all to imitate him, just as he himself imitates Christ (see 1 Cor. 11:1; Phil 3:17-19; 4:9; 1 Thess. 1:6; 2 Thess. 3:9).
Vs. 17 "For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church."
An individual who lives out the Living Word of God is a cherished person indeed. Now Timothy was such a man. A man whom Paul calls "my beloved and faithful son in the Lord." Beloved because of their unbreakable bond in Christ, faithful because of Timothy's obedience to the Word of God in Christ. Thus Timothy was being sent to Corinth by Paul to remind the Corinthians of Paul's ways in Christ. Ways which he says "I teach everywhere and in every church." The Apostle Paul then did not have "regional" or "cultural" commandments or teachings which he taught to some and not to others. For whatever is commanded of one, is commanded of us all, regardless of the cultures or generations or societies in which we believe and live and dwell. For the Word of God given to us in the Scriptures, and specifically in N.T., has been given by the Holy Spirit of God through Christ's Biblical Apostles for us all to follow, in whatever generations or cultures or societies we find ourselves in. No one then should ever seek to diminish or refute any of Christ's commandments.
Vs. 18-20 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
Apparently some had heard that Paul was not going to come in person to deliver this epistle. Now we know that Paul never shunned confronting sin within the church (consider Gal 2:11). And so his absence this time apparently made some of his detractors even more arrogant in their boasts against him (vs. 18). However their arrogance would be short lived, for though the Apostle would not be there this time, he was going to shortly come to them, if the Lord willed, and at which time he says "I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power" (vs. 19). That is if Paul's arrogant detractors were claiming to be something, while seeking to undermine Paul who was something, an Apostle of Christ, then Paul is essentially saying to the Corinthians, let us see whether or not the Power of the Holy Spirit works through them or through me. For as Paul says in verse twenty one "the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power." For though they may have been mighty in word (logos), yet the Kingdom of God is not in word (logos), but in power. Power which the Holy Spirit had already worked through the Apostle Paul (Acts 19:11-12) to make the Gentiles obedient to the faith (Rom 15:18-19). And power which He would manifest again through Paul to the Corinthians (2 Cor 2:12). All which is the power of God which also saves, transforms, and empowers us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Vs. 21 "What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?"
Obviously the Apostle Paul wants the Corinthians to respond positively. For Paul would have no joy in having to chastise them. Indeed Paul's desire was to come to them in love and spirit of gentleness, and not have to come to them with a rod and rebuke in hand. For Paul, though an apostle, was always mindful not to abuse his authority in Christ (1 Cor 9:18). Now in contrast to how Paul handled them, consider how Paul's detractors and the false apostles treated the Corinthians (see 2 Cor 11:18-21).
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Additional Resources Consulted
MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Edited by Arthur Farstad. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.
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