16 I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. 17 What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. 19 For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise! 20 For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. 21 To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.
Commentary
Vs. 16 "I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little."
Since the Corinthians were so confident in their "wisdom" in receiving the false apostles and putting up with all of their foolish boasting and counsel through which they exalted themselves while putting the Apostle Paul and His Holy Spirit given Word down. The Apostle Paul now says let no one think him a fool if he should also boast a little, for his boasting was not the self aggrandizement of the false apostles, but was only being done to show the Corinthians their folly in their receiving these people according to their own self boasting (consider Psalm 5:5). For it was by the false apostles carnal words and counsel that the Corinthians also started judging the Apostle Paul according to the flesh.
Vs. 17-18 17 What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.
But first the Apostle Paul wants the Corinthians to know that his "boasting" is not coming from the Lord. For Paul's doing so was only to bring an end to the false apostles boasting which began and ended with themselves. And thus was not based on what the Lord had done with them, or through them. Therefore since their boasting according to the flesh was being done to make themselves appear qualified in the Corinthians sight and the Apostle Paul disqualified. Paul was now going to entertain a little folly and also boast according to some of his own natural qualifications, but only to show the Corinthians just how foolish it is to look at ones outward appearance as qualifying or disqualifying anyone for the Lord Jesus Christ's service (consider 1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Cor 1:26-31).
Vs. 19 "For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!"
The Corinthians thought they were so wise in receiving and listening to the false apostles, prophets and teachers amongst them, and yet all they were doing was putting up with these unregenerate fools sent to them from Satan to deceive and mislead them; who when they weren't being abusive towards them, were only taking advantage of them.
Vs. 20-21 20 For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. 21 To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.
The Apostle Paul now chides the Corinthians for their lack of wisdom and discernment in allowing such people to not only "minister" amongst them, but also in allowing them too lord their own authority over them all. For though they themselves declared themselves being as apostles of Christ, in reality they were only slaves of their own sins corruption. And so it was through their rule over them they were only bringing the Corinthians into bondage to themselves (see 2 Peter 2:18-19). Very similar to what the Apostle had to contend with in Acts 15 where some of the Pharisees who "converted" outwardly, yet inwardly their hearts and agenda was still with making disciples of the Moses and the law. And so believers must not allow themselves to be brought into anyone's bondage by listening too those who either turn the Gospel into licentiousness, or at the other end of the spectrum into legalism, commanding that believers observe their doctrines and commandments, all which only leads to spiritual bondage, not liberty and life (see John 8:34-35; Matt 15:1-9; 16:5-12; Gal. 4:9-11; Col 2:20-22 etc.). Finally there is a third kind of spiritual bondage that can overtake one which comes by observing the doctrines (and or worship practises) of demons (see 1 Tim 4:1-3; Hebrews 13:9-10). And so the Corinthians needed to be both diligent and discerning about what was being taught to them; and thus compare it to what the Apostle Paul had taught them. As well they needed to be vigilant in just who it was that they were letting lead them, and thus who it was, and what they were preaching and teaching to them, because as the Apostle Paul goes onto to say there had crept in amongst them some very unscrupulous people who were also devouring them; literally this means they were taking complete advantage of them, whether this was financially or in other ways (see 2 Peter 2:1-3). Now Jesus fully condemned these kinds of people, saying they are those who devour widows houses, and on a pretense make long prayers, therefore they will receive greater condemnation (Matt. 23:14, 23-32). Now if that weren't enough the Apostle Paul lists three more things that were readily apparent to him that were being done to the Corinthians by the false apostles and teachers amongst them. The first one stated is that they were taking from them, the Believers Bible Commentary says of this; "The expression, one takes from you, is a metaphor for fishing or hunting. The false teacher tried to make these people his prey, leading them about as he desired." And so whatever else they had done to the Corinthians in bringing them into their spiritual bondage, they were also manipulating and exploiting their faith and beliefs so as to take complete advantage of them. All which marks the works of Satan, who only kills, steals, and destroys as opposed to a true Godly leader who is a fragrance of Christ's Person and life, and thus brings reconciliation and abundant life freely to all through Christ. Similarly the false apostles were marked by exalting themselves, and yet the Corinthians tolerated their doing so. The Apostle Paul on the other hand never felt the need to exalt himself in the presence of others, nor would he dare strike someone in the face, the reference here being not to the fist, but an open hand, which was only to cause someone to suffer a great indignity in ancient culture. And yet the Corinthians were putting up with being treating in such a horrible manner. And so the Apostle Paul says in verse twenty one, "To our shame I say that we were too weak for that!" Paul's words here have a touch of sarcasm since the Corinthians thought they were so wise in receiving and listening to the false apostles, who after they had turned the Corinthians against the Apostle Paul by belittling his person through his weak bodily presence, only began treating them in such a horrible manner. Now the Apostle Paul having concluded his exposing the false apostles and teachers works and ways, says that in whatever else they, or anyone else is bold in, he is bold in also. That is whatever they held up to the Corinthians as evidence as their being apostles, the Apostle Paul, though reluctantly, will now declare all that marked him as being not only their equal in regards to all these things, but also their superior in regards to his service for Christ. All which we will look at in the next blog posting starting at verse twenty two.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
The Apostle Paul now chides the Corinthians for their lack of wisdom and discernment in allowing such people to not only "minister" amongst them, but also in allowing them too lord their own authority over them all. For though they themselves declared themselves being as apostles of Christ, in reality they were only slaves of their own sins corruption. And so it was through their rule over them they were only bringing the Corinthians into bondage to themselves (see 2 Peter 2:18-19). Very similar to what the Apostle had to contend with in Acts 15 where some of the Pharisees who "converted" outwardly, yet inwardly their hearts and agenda was still with making disciples of the Moses and the law. And so believers must not allow themselves to be brought into anyone's bondage by listening too those who either turn the Gospel into licentiousness, or at the other end of the spectrum into legalism, commanding that believers observe their doctrines and commandments, all which only leads to spiritual bondage, not liberty and life (see John 8:34-35; Matt 15:1-9; 16:5-12; Gal. 4:9-11; Col 2:20-22 etc.). Finally there is a third kind of spiritual bondage that can overtake one which comes by observing the doctrines (and or worship practises) of demons (see 1 Tim 4:1-3; Hebrews 13:9-10). And so the Corinthians needed to be both diligent and discerning about what was being taught to them; and thus compare it to what the Apostle Paul had taught them. As well they needed to be vigilant in just who it was that they were letting lead them, and thus who it was, and what they were preaching and teaching to them, because as the Apostle Paul goes onto to say there had crept in amongst them some very unscrupulous people who were also devouring them; literally this means they were taking complete advantage of them, whether this was financially or in other ways (see 2 Peter 2:1-3). Now Jesus fully condemned these kinds of people, saying they are those who devour widows houses, and on a pretense make long prayers, therefore they will receive greater condemnation (Matt. 23:14, 23-32). Now if that weren't enough the Apostle Paul lists three more things that were readily apparent to him that were being done to the Corinthians by the false apostles and teachers amongst them. The first one stated is that they were taking from them, the Believers Bible Commentary says of this; "The expression, one takes from you, is a metaphor for fishing or hunting. The false teacher tried to make these people his prey, leading them about as he desired." And so whatever else they had done to the Corinthians in bringing them into their spiritual bondage, they were also manipulating and exploiting their faith and beliefs so as to take complete advantage of them. All which marks the works of Satan, who only kills, steals, and destroys as opposed to a true Godly leader who is a fragrance of Christ's Person and life, and thus brings reconciliation and abundant life freely to all through Christ. Similarly the false apostles were marked by exalting themselves, and yet the Corinthians tolerated their doing so. The Apostle Paul on the other hand never felt the need to exalt himself in the presence of others, nor would he dare strike someone in the face, the reference here being not to the fist, but an open hand, which was only to cause someone to suffer a great indignity in ancient culture. And yet the Corinthians were putting up with being treating in such a horrible manner. And so the Apostle Paul says in verse twenty one, "To our shame I say that we were too weak for that!" Paul's words here have a touch of sarcasm since the Corinthians thought they were so wise in receiving and listening to the false apostles, who after they had turned the Corinthians against the Apostle Paul by belittling his person through his weak bodily presence, only began treating them in such a horrible manner. Now the Apostle Paul having concluded his exposing the false apostles and teachers works and ways, says that in whatever else they, or anyone else is bold in, he is bold in also. That is whatever they held up to the Corinthians as evidence as their being apostles, the Apostle Paul, though reluctantly, will now declare all that marked him as being not only their equal in regards to all these things, but also their superior in regards to his service for Christ. All which we will look at in the next blog posting starting at verse twenty two.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Word Studies
Vs. 20 devour, κατεσθίω, Str 2719; GK 2983; LN 88.145
Vs. 20 devour, κατεσθίω, Str 2719; GK 2983; LN 88.145
Additional Resources Consulted
Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1861). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
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