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Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 12:19-21; 13:1-10
In 12:19 Paul says, “All this time you are thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Before God, in Christ we speak; but all things, beloved, are for your building up.” Along with the Corinthians, we may think that in these chapters Paul is defending himself. The title of this group of messages even speaks of Paul’s vindication of his apostolic authority. Apparently in these chapters Paul is vindicating himself; actually, he is neither vindicating himself nor defending himself.
In this verse Paul says that he speaks before God and in Christ. “In Christ” denotes the life by which the apostles speak; it refers to the means and substance of their speaking. “Before God” denotes the atmosphere in which the apostles speak; it refers to the sphere of their speaking.
It may seem that Paul is not consistent. In 11:17 he says that he speaks not according to the Lord, but as in foolishness. Now he says that he speaks before God in Christ. I do not think Paul would defend himself against the charge of being inconsistent. Either we understand him or we do not. Paul knew what he was doing and what he was saying. Today we also are accused of being inconsistent and contradictory.
Consider Paul’s situation in 2 Corinthians. When he was speaking as it were in foolishness, he said that he did not speak according to the Lord. In other words, Paul was saying that his foolishness, and not the Lord, was the motivation of his speaking. But in 12:19 he says that he speaks in Christ, by Christ as his life. He also says that he speaks before God, that is, in God as the sphere of his speaking. Here Paul seems to be saying, “I am not defending myself. Rather, I am speaking by Christ as my life and before God as my atmosphere. Furthermore, I speak for the sake of your building up. All things, beloved, are not for our vindication, but are for your building up. I would like to spend and be spent utterly for you. I don’t care to defend myself. I care for you and for your building up. This is the focus of my concern. I am not trying to convince you to receive me as an apostle. My concern is that you be built up. As long as you are built up, I will be satisfied. I am willing to give anything for this.”
Verse 20 says, “For I fear, that perhaps when I come, I may find you not such as I wish, and I may be found by you not such as you wish: that perhaps there may be strife, jealousy, angers, rivalries, backbitings, whisperings, puffings up, disorders.” Paul’s desire for the Corinthians was that they would be in Christ, live Christ, and be built up as the Body. However, Paul was concerned that when he came to them, he would find them not such as he wished. Moreover, he realized that the Corinthians might find him not such as they wished, for it might be necessary for Paul to be bold toward them and to discipline them. Hence, it would seem that he was not tender or loving.
In verse 20 Paul mentions strife, jealousy, angers, rivalries, backbitings, whisperings, puffings up, disorders. All these are characteristics of people living in the flesh for their own interests. The Greek word rendered strife also means debate, contention, quarrel. Likewise, the word for backbitings means detractions or evil speakings, and that for whisperings means secret slanders. By “puffings up” Paul means inflated arrogance. In Greek the word is a kindred word to “puffed up” in 1 Corinthians 4:6. The word for disorders may also be rendered disturbances.
In this verse Paul is saying to the Corinthians, “If you are such persons, I will be put to shame when I come to you again. I have been serving you and ministering to you. I have already written one epistle to you. If I find that you are full of strife, jealousy, angers, rivalries, backbitings, whisperings, puffings up, and disorders, I will be put to shame. God would humble me, and I would have to ask Him for mercy because of the pitiful result of my ministry. It would surely be a shame to me if these things are still among you when I come.”
In verse 21 Paul continues, “Lest when I come again my God should humble me in regard to you, and I shall mourn over many who have sinned before and are not repenting of the uncleanness and fornication and debauchery which they practiced.” In this verse there is no doctrine or theology. What we have in this portion of 2 Corinthians is something related to the practice of the church life. Many of today’s Christians do not pay attention to these chapters, because they do not feel the need for them. The reason they do not sense a need is that they do not have the church life. But these chapters are needed by those in the practical church life. We thank the Lord that, under His mercy, we do know our need for these chapters. To be conscious of our need is a sign that we are under the Lord’s mercy.
In verses 20 and 21 Paul mentions eleven negative things: strife, jealousy, angers, rivalries, backbitings, whisperings, puffings up, disorders, uncleanness, fornication, and debauchery. Some may wonder how it is possible for such things to be found in the church life. Oh, we need to wake up and not have a dream concerning these matters. Furthermore, we need to consider our own situation. With you is there ever any backbiting or criticizing? Perhaps when a certain person stands up in the meeting, you may say quietly to yourself, “There he is again.” Is this not a kind of whispering? Do you have any strife or jealousy, any anger or rivalry? Can you say that in the church life you have not been in rivalry with others? The items mentioned in verse 20 may be somewhat polite sins rather than gross sins. Those who are more cultured will criticize others behind their backs. Those who are cultured and refined do not criticize others in a crude way. Instead, they may whisper about them and backbite. Furthermore, we need to check whether or not we are puffed up. Inwardly we may have a puffed-up spirit, and we may display this outwardly in our attitude. Even though you may be educated, refined, and cultured, you cannot hide your arrogant attitude. Along with the more refined sins in verse 20, Paul names three gross sins in verse 21. It is possible for all these sinful things to creep into the church life. This was the reason Paul said that he feared coming to Corinth and seeing such things still present among the believers. That would have been a shame to him and to his ministry.
Chapter twelve of 2 Corinthians has no ending. With the kind of practical speaking we have here, it is difficult to have a conclusion. The matter is left open for further consideration. Hence, in chapter twelve Paul does not give a concluding word.
In 13:1 Paul goes on to say, “This third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” According to my knowledge, Paul never went to Corinth the third time. He was in Corinth in Acts 18 and again in Acts 20. Not long after that, he went to Jerusalem, where he was arrested, and then to Rome. Therefore, he did not have the opportunity to come the third time to Corinth.
In verse 2 Paul says, “I have previously said as present the second time, and I say beforehand, being absent now, to those who have sinned before and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare.” This indicates that Paul has been tolerating the situation. But should he come back the third time, he will not tolerate it any longer. He will not spare.
In verse 3 Paul continues, “Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak unto you, but is powerful in you.” Christ is powerful in the believers while He is speaking in the apostle. This is indeed a strong and subjective proof to the believers that Christ speaks in the apostle.
Verse 3 indicates strongly how much some of the Corinthians were questioning concerning Paul. They were asking for proof of Christ’s speaking in Paul. No doubt, this kind of questioning opened the way for the Judaizers to come in.
It is rather difficult to understand Paul’s answer in verse 3. Here Paul says that Christ is not weak unto the Corinthians, but is powerful in them. What Paul seems to be saying is this: “Corinthians, you are questioning the proof of Christ speaking in me. While I am speaking, is Christ not in you? Who ministered Christ to you? Was it the Judaizers? You must admit that I am the one who ministered Christ to you. If Christ does not speak in me, how could you have Christ in you through my ministry? Before the Judaizers came to you, you already had Christ in you. When I came to Corinth, I ministered Christ to you. I imparted Christ to you. It is a fact that Christ has been imparted into you through me, in particular, by my speaking. Furthermore, the Christ who is in you is not weak unto you. On the contrary, He is powerful in you. Surely you would not say that you have a weak Christ. You know that Christ is powerful in you. Through whom did you receive this powerful Christ? You did not receive Him through the Judaizers. You must confess that it was through me that this powerful Christ came into you. Isn’t this a strong proof that Christ speaks in me?” Here we see Paul’s wisdom in catching the Corinthians. Being proud, they would never admit that they had a weak Christ. Paul knew they would say that the Christ in them was powerful. This would give him the ground to point out that they received this powerful Christ through his speaking. This was a proof of Christ’s speaking in Paul.
In verse 4 Paul says, “For indeed He was crucified out of weakness, but He lives by the power of God. For indeed we are weak in Him, but we shall live together with Him by the power of God toward you.” The weakness in this verse is that of the body, the same as in 10:10. For Himself Christ did not need to be weak in any way, but for accomplishing redemption on our behalf He was willing to be weak in His body that He might be crucified. However, now He lives, after being resurrected, by the power of God. In verse 4 Paul says that the apostles are weak in Christ, but live together with Him by the power of God toward the believers. The apostles followed the pattern of Christ, willing to be weak in the organic union with Him, that they might live with Him a crucified life. Thus, they would live together with Him by the power of God toward the believers. Apparently they are weak toward them; actually they are powerful.
If Christ had not been weak, He could not have been arrested, much less nailed to the cross. Only one who is weak can be crucified. For the accomplishment of redemption, Christ purposely became weak, so weak that He could be arrested and crucified. But now that redemption has been accomplished and Christ has been resurrected, He is no longer weak.
In verse 4 Paul points out to the Corinthians that the apostles are weak in Christ. Through the organic union, they are one with Christ to be weak. The purpose for their being weak in this way is for the sake of the building up of the church. When the apostles came to Corinth, they did not come in a way of strength, but in a way of weakness, for the purpose of imparting Christ into the Corinthians and of edifying them, perfecting them, so that they may be built up as the Body of Christ. Actually, the apostles were not weak. But they voluntarily became weak and, according to verse 4, continued to be weak in Christ.
The phrase “in Him” in verse 4 is very important. Probably you have never heard that we can be weak in Christ. Our concept is that to be in Christ is to be strong, not to be weak. Nevertheless, in this verse Paul says that we are weak in Him. Why are we weak in Christ? We are weak in Him in order to live a crucified life.
In these verses Paul seems to be saying, “Dear believers at Corinth, don’t you know how much you have caused me to be crucified? Many of you are still crucifying me. You put me on the cross when you accuse me of cheating you or of acting with guile. I have never done anything to cheat you. I have been weak in Christ and I continue to be weak in Him so that I may live a crucified life.”
In verse 4 Paul says not only that the apostles are weak in Christ; he also says that they will live together with Christ by the power of God toward the believers. We cannot understand fully what Paul means. My understanding is that in coming to the Corinthians a third time, Paul is telling them that he would no longer be weak toward them. On the contrary, he would be powerful to avenge.
In verse 5 Paul says to the Corinthians, “Test yourselves whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves; or do you not recognize yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are disapproved?” To test is to determine our condition; to prove is to qualify our status. Here Paul tells the Corinthians to test themselves whether they are in the faith. This is the objective faith (Acts 6:7; 1 Tim. 1:19). If anyone is in the objective faith, he surely has the subjective faith, and believes in Christ and the entire content of God’s New Testament economy. This is what the apostle asks the Corinthians to test.
Paul specifically asked the Corinthians whether they recognized that Jesus Christ is in them. As long as a believer realizes that Jesus Christ is in him, he is qualified, approved, as a genuine member of Christ. In verse 5 the word disapproved means disqualified. Here Paul is saying, “Is Jesus Christ in you or not? If He is not in you, you are disapproved, and you cannot pass the test. But if He is in you, you are qualified.”
Based upon the facts implied in verse 5, Paul could prove to the Corinthians how far they had gone astray. On the one hand, they realized that Christ was in them. On the other hand, they doubted or questioned Paul’s ministry. Actually, they were the ones who were contradictory.
In verse 6 Paul goes on to say, “But I hope that you will know that we are not disapproved.” By this word the apostle turns to himself and the apostles, indicating that they, having Christ living and speaking in them, are fully qualified and not disapproved, especially among the troublesome Corinthians. The apostle earnestly hopes that they might recognize this and that they may have no further questions about him.
In verses 5 and 6 Paul seems to be telling the Corinthians, “You need to know that we are not disapproved. Some of you may be disapproved, but I am certain that we are not disapproved. We have Christ in us, and we have Him speaking in us. Now I am asking you to test yourselves whether you have Christ in you. This will determine whether you are qualified. I have proved myself, and I am assured that I have Christ in me and speaking in me. Hence, I can pass the test and have the approvedness of Christ truly speaking in me.”
Verse 7 says, “Now we pray to God that you do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do what is good, and we may be as disapproved.” This indicates that the believers’ doing good proves the qualification and teaching of the apostles. However, the apostle does not care for this as a standing to exercise his apostolic authority to discipline them. He cares for their doing good that they may be established and built up.
The word “evil” in verse 7 refers to the matters covered in 12:20 and 21. For the Corinthians to do no evil is for them not to be involved with the eleven sinful things listed in these verses. It was not for the purpose that the apostles would be approved that Paul prayed for the Corinthians to do no evil. Rather, he would have the believers do what is good and the apostles appear as if they were disapproved.
In verse 7 Paul is speaking ironically, not in a straightforward way. The fact that he must speak the way he does is rather shameful to the Corinthians. Suppose someone would say to you, “I pray to God that you would not do evil.” That would not be a pleasant word, would it? Such a word implies that what you are doing now is not good. Furthermore, suppose the same person also said, “My reason for praying that you not do evil is not that I may appear approved by God or that I may have a positive result from my work, but that you may do what is good.” To be sure, this way of speaking is not pleasant. But this is the way Paul addressed the Corinthians in this verse. He was encouraging the believers to be concerned about themselves, not about Paul’s situation.
In verse 8 Paul continues, “For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but for the truth.” The word “for” at the beginning of this verse indicates that verse 8 is an explanation of what is mentioned in the preceding verse. What the apostle expects is that the Corinthian believers may do good, not that the apostles may appear approved. To edify the believers to do good is for the truth, but for the apostles to cause themselves to appear approved and to defend themselves to the believers (12:19) is against the truth. The Lord would not enable the apostles to do this. Hence, they are not able to do it.
In saying that the apostles were not able to do anything against the truth, but for the truth, Paul was telling the Corinthians that to be for the truth is to edify the believers to do good, and to be against the truth is to do something for ourselves to be approved. To defend ourselves is to be against the truth. The truth in verse 8 refers to the reality of the content of the faith. Self-vindication is contrary to the truth; it is not for the truth. For this reason, we must forget about defending ourselves and vindicating ourselves and care for the edification of the believers. This is for the truth.
Verse 9 says, “For we rejoice whenever we are weak and you are powerful; this also we pray for, your perfecting.” Weak here is the same as appearing disapproved. When the apostles appear disapproved, they are weak in administering discipline to the believers. When the believers do good, they are powerful and make the apostles powerless to discipline them. The apostles rejoice over this and pray for this, that is, for the believers’ perfecting.
Literally, the word rendered “perfecting” is restoring. It implies repairing, adjusting, putting in order again, and mending, perfectly joining together, thoroughly equipping, well furnishing, thus perfecting, completing, educating. The apostles pray for the Corinthians that they may be restored, put in order again, and thoroughly equipped and edified to grow in life for the building up of the Body of Christ.
In verse 10 Paul concludes this section by saying, “Therefore I write these things being absent, in order that being present I may not use severity, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for overthrowing.” This verse indicates that Paul did not assume authority. He would not even admit that he was defending himself or vindicating himself. Of course, there is the implication in these chapters that Paul was an apostle. However, he did not assume his apostleship with respect to the Corinthians. What, then, has he been doing in chapters ten through thirteen? He has been seeking to perfect the believers and build them up. In these chapters Paul is not defending himself; he is perfecting the saints. He is not vindicating his standing as an apostle or his apostolic authority; he is perfecting the saints. In other words, according to Paul’s actual ministry, here he is working to reconcile the distracted Corinthian believers back to God in full. As long as their relationship with those who ministered Christ into them had not been rectified or adjusted, the Corinthians would still be away from God. They would remain in a condition of being separated from the full enjoyment of God. What Paul is doing here is trying to remove the last separation between the believers and God and to bring them wholly back into God so that they may have the full enjoyment of Him.
We have seen that the Apostle Paul is a pattern for all believers. In chapter twelve he tells us how he enjoys Christ to the uttermost as his sufficient grace, as his power, and as his overshadowing tabernacle. When Paul wrote this Epistle to the Corinthians, most of them had not come into such an enjoyment of Christ. Thus, in the last part of chapter twelve and the first part of chapter thirteen, Paul is trying to bring the believers into such an enjoyment of Christ as their sufficient grace, their daily strength, and their overshadowing dwelling place. Paul has no intention of assuming his apostleship, exercising his apostolic authority, or vindicating his apostolic standing.
When Paul uses the word apostle, he means one thing, but when Christians use this word today, they mean something else. The vocabulary is the same, but the dictionaries or lexicons are different. When Paul refers to himself as an apostle, he means one sent by God to minister Christ into sinners so that they may become sons of God and members of Christ, and then be edified to grow and become the Body of Christ. This is Paul’s understanding of what an apostle is. Paul does not use this word with a connotation that an apostle is a powerful person authorized by Christ to control and overrule. No, in Paul there is no such concept of apostleship. This concept is altogether despicable. However, when many use the word apostle today, they have in mind someone like a pope or at least an archbishop. Some even have this concept about the word elder. Hence, they give the words apostle and elder a very unpleasant and distasteful connotation. Our understanding of these terms must be biblical, that is, according to the pure Word of God, not according to religious tradition.
I wish to testify that I have never assumed to be an “apostle.” I definitely am not an apostle in the sense of being one who assumes authority and position to rule. But I would surely agree if you would say that I am an apostle in the sense of being sent by God to minister Christ to others and impart Christ into them, so that they may become sons of God and members of Christ and be caused to grow in life and built up as the Body of Christ. We need to use the word apostle with the proper understanding and definition. As we have pointed out before, we all can be apostles in the sense of being those who are sent to minister Christ to others and to help them grow that they may be built up as the Body of Christ. But none of us should be an apostle in the sense of taking the position to exercise authority over others. Instead of referring to me (or to any of the Lord’s servants) as being an apostle, it is better to speak of me as a slave of Christ. May we all be apostles not in the sense of being popes, but in the sense of being slaves who minister Christ to others. We all are qualified to be this kind of apostles.
