Being Criticised-2 Cor 1:12-24

• Do you remember being criticized? Was it done angrily? Respectfully? Why does criticism cause pain?
• How do you respond to criticism? Defensively? Aggressively? Reactively? Calmly? Reasonably?
• Do you criticize others as a Christian? Was the criticism of Paul fair?
• Why was Paul [and Jesus] criticized? How did Paul respond (2 Cor 1:12)? Does your conscience speak to you in how you think, feel and live?
• If you act nice, is it because that’s who you truly are, or is it because you like the person you’re nice to?
• Or, if you’re mean, impatient, rude and harsh, have you “forgetten” that you’re a Christian?

His converts [“sheep”] in Corinth regard Paul as an unreliable untrustworthy double–minded man, because he didn’t keep his promise to return to them as he had said. So they questioned:

• his conduct,
• his relations with them,
• his godliness,
• his sincerity,
• his wisdom (2 Cor 1:12);
• his un-understandable letter (2 Cor 1:13),
• his vacilation like a worldly man, saying Yes and No in the same breadth (2 Cor 1:17).

Despite knowing their highly critical negative judgmental view of him which seemingly would not change, Paul explains in detail his honorable motives for changing his plans.

Why Paul changed his plans (1:12-24). When the churches of Corinth and Ephesus were relatively stable, Paul plan was Asia -> Macedonia -> Archia -> Judea. But after writing 1 Cor and receiving Timothy’s [negative] report Paul felt it necessary to make an unplanned “painful visit” (2 Cor 2:1) to Corinth where he said he’d return (2 Cor 1:15-16). But instead he wrote a “severe” letter (2 Cor 1:23; 2:4), and reverted to his orinal plan to go first to Macednia and then to Achaia. To them, Paul changed his plans like a worldly vacillating man.

Paul’s conscience testifies to/defends his integrity in his conduct (2 Cor 1:12-24). [Sincere and Reliable; Respond to Criticism with a Clear Conscience (1:12-24)] before addressing the ‘severe letter,’ the offender’s reinstatement, and the nature of his apostolic ministry.

Paul’s response to news from Titus that the ‘severe letter‘ resolved the crisis from the offender attacking Paul during his ‘painful visit‘ (1:12-7:16). He:

• defends his personal integrity and explains his change of travel plans (1:12-24), and
• his purpose in writing the ‘severe letter’ (2:1-4),
• calls for reinstating the presumably repentant offender (2:5-11) and
• his disappointment at not meeting Titus in Troas (2:12-13).
• describes his God enabled competent ministry (2:14 – 4:6), which
• involves present suffering on the way to future glory (4:7 – 5:10).
• describes the ministry of reconciliation (5:11-21) and
• appeals to them for reconciliation (6:1-7:4).
• concludes with joy upon receiving news from Titus that the current crisis has resolved (7:5-16).

Paul defends his integrity in general terms (2 Cor 1:12-14) before specifically defending his integrity relating to changes of his travel plans and writing the ‘severe letter’ (1:15-2:4). “Now this is our boast: our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world … with integrity” (2 Cor 1:12). Paul uses boasting > any other NT writer combined. To boast is to take pride in something or someone. Paul uses it -ly [one’s own merits], and +ly [based on what God has done and enabled one to do] (Rom. 15:17-19).

Boast has an ugly and un-Christian ring to it. Boasting of achievement was common among Jews and Gentiles. Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee shows his confidence in his religious deeds (Lk 18:12). Paul’s critics boasted of their credentials and experiences to legitimize themselves in order to criticize Paul. They are boasting the way the world does (2 Cor 11:18). Using their style, Paul boasts of “weakness” (2 Cor 12:9) and of “the Lord” (2 Cor 10:17; Jer 9:27) and in “God’s grace” (2 Cor 1:12). Paul’s boasting inverts their practice and throws it back to them. His critics’ boasting reeks of arrogance, while Paul’s boasting reflects his humility before God. Even his motives–irreproachable as they are–do not come from himself or from worldly wisdom, but from God’s grace. This is the foundation of Paul’s argument which they and all Christians should know.

‘Conscience‘ (syneidesis) is the approval or disapproval of one’s actions (performed or intended) and those of others. [Cf. the Stoics and Gk, Paul didn’t regard conscience as the voice of God within, nor restrict it to one’s past acts (usually bad).] It’s not to be equated with God or the moral law, but it assesses human action in the light of the highest standard one perceives–to Jews the Mosaic law, halakhic tradition [religious laws]; to Christians God’s past and present revelation.

Sin affects all human nature–one’s perception of what’s required and the conscience itself–which can never be the ultimate judge of one’s behavior. The conscience may excuse one for that which God will not, and condemn one for that which God allows. The final judgment belongs only to God (1 Cor 4:2-5). Yet, NEVER reject your conscience; it invites spiritual disaster (1 Tim 1:19).

Paul’s boast: “Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity” (2 Cor 1:12a). Paul conducts himself (his mission) similar to his relations with them. He spent 18 months on his 1st visit, and was exemplary (1 Cor 4:16; 11:1). Why? To clearly represent the gospel and because of their critical attitude toward him.

“We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace” (2 Cor 1:12b). The contrast between operating with integrity and godly sincerity and relying on God’s grace–cf. worldly wisdom–is a frequent theme in Paul. He asserts, ‘Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God’ (2 Cor 2:17; 4:2). Worldly wisdom resorts to cunning (2 Cor 4:2) or cleverness with words (1 Cor 2:1) to impress. A ministry by the grace of God relies on the power of God (Rom 15:17-19; 1 Cor 2:2-5; 2 Cor 12:11-12). If God by his grace blesses, the ministry will be effective; if not, Paul won’t seek results by worldly means.

Straightforward writing: “For we do not write to you anything you cannot read or understand” (2 Cor 1:13a). They questioned his integrity by what he’d written–that in his letters he wrote one thing but intended another. It might be: the ‘previous letter’ (1 Cor 5:9), the ‘severe letter’ (2 Cor 2:3-4; 7:8- 12), or parts of 1 Cor where he refused support (1 Cor 9:12-18) and his travel plans (1 Cor 16:5-7)–why he changed those plans (2 Cor 1:15 – 2:4).

The day of the Lord (2 Cor 1:13b-14) when every person’s life work is subject to divine scrutiny: “And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus” (2 Cor 1:13b-14). Paul expresses his pride and joy in his converts at the coming of the Lord (Phil 4:1; 1 Th 2:19), but only here of the pride he expects his converts to have in him on that day. Paul’s pride in them is because they’re the seal of his apostleship–proof that he faithfully carried out his commission as apostle to the Gentiles (Rom 1:5). They’ll feel pride in him when on that day they realize all they owe him. Then they’ll understand fully what they have only understood in part.

Defence of changed travel plans (1:15-24). From a general defence of his integrity Paul now specifically addresses his change of travel plans, which they took as evidence of insincerity in his dealings with them.

Benefit you twice. “Because I was confident of this…” (2 Cor 1:15a, 14), Paul promised to visit them after passing through Macedonia (1 Cor 16:5). But he changed his plans and visited them before going to Macedonia to double benefit them: “I wanted to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea” (2 Cor 1:15b-16). “Benefit” may be the joy they experience when he visits them, or more likely the effect of his ministry among them (Rom 1:11-12). “…send me on my way” is to provide a person with things necessary for his intended journey to Judea–Jerusalem with the collection from the Gentile churches for the poor believers (Ac 20:1-21:17; Rom 15:25-27).

Criticism. Paul’s confidence (1 Cor 2:15) was misplaced, for they criticised him for his changed travel plans that forced him to ask. “Was I fickle when I intended to do this?” (2 Cor 1:17a), which expects a negative answer, ‘You don’t think I changed my plans in an off-hand manner, do you?’ Next question concerns Paul’s personal integrity: “Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both ‘Yes, yes’ and ‘No, no’?” (2 Cor 1:17b)–also expects a negative answer. Making plans in a worldly manner (‘according to [the] flesh’) is to renege on commitments if no longer beneficial, with little concern for how it’d affect them–changing his ‘Yes, yes’ to a ‘No, no’ if it so suited him. Paul’s questions was to evoke from them an emphatic denial that he’d act in such a way.

Straightforward. ‘Yes, yes‘ and ‘No, no‘ echoes Jesus’ teaching: ‘All you need to say is simply “Yes,” or “No” ‘ (Mt 5:37). [‘let your word [be] “yes yes”, “no no” ‘]. Also, ‘All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No” ‘ (Jas 5:12). ‘Yes, yes, no, no’ is Jesus teaching straightforward truthfulness and to warn against the (inappropriate) use of oaths. Paul uses it to deny that he was fickle when making his plans, being prepared to say ‘yes, yes’ and ‘no, no’ in the same breath.

“But as surely as God is faithful, our message [logos] to you is not ‘Yes’ and ‘No'” (2 Cor 1:18). This is an oath – Paul’s word to them was consistent with his intentions. He didn’t say 1 thing to them and then do something different if it suited him. Paul uses oaths often (Rom 1:9; 2 Cor 1:23; 11:10, 31; Gal 1:20; Phil 1:8; 1 Th 2:5, 10) when he defends or lays heavy stress on the truth of his assertions. In the early church Christ’s words against swearing (Mt 5:33-37) were likely a criticism of the improper use of oaths, not their prohibition. Christ was placed under oath when answering the high priest’s question (Mt 26:63).

Paul’s message (logos) to them with an oath relates to his travel plans. ‘Message‘ (logos) is Paul’s gospel preaching (1 Cor 1:18; 2:4; 1 Th 1:6). Logos here asserts that he’s not inconsistent. “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us – by me, Silas and Timothy – was not ‘Yes’and ‘No’, but in him it has always been ‘Yes'” (2 Cor 1:19). There’s no inconsistency in Christ–proclaimed in his gospel–is not ‘Yes’ and ‘No’, but always ‘Yes’, i.e., utterly reliable. Paul is similarly reliable in his preaching and in all he says or writes, including his travel plans.

Son of God–in only 3 places in Paul (Rom 1:4; Gal 2:20; Eph 4:13)–is a messianic title in the Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q246). This title shows the closest relationship between Christ and God (Rom 10:13/Joel 2:32; Rom 14:11; Phil 2:10-ll/Isa 45:23). From his conversion in the mid-30s, Paul preached Jesus as the Son of God, 1st in Damascus (Ac 9:19-20; Gal. 1:16), then Cilicia (Gal 1:16, 21-23). Jesus the Son of God is central to Paul’s gospel preaching (2 Cor 1:19; Rom 1:3-4, 9; 5:10; 8:3, 32; Gal 1:16; 4:4).

Paul includes Silas (‘Silvanus’ nrsv) and Timothy in the preaching of the gospel in Corinth. Silvanus, or Silas (Silas) in Acts, was a leader of the Jerusalem church chosen to carry the decision of the Jerusalem council to Antioch (Ac 15:22). He became Paul’s colleague on the 2nd missionary journey after Paul’s disagreement with Barnabas (Ac 15:36- 41). When Paul and Silas reached Lystra, Timothy, the son of a Jewish Christian mother and a Greek father, was recruited to join the small missionary team (Acts 16:1-3). Thus, when Paul came to Corinth for the 1st time, both these men were associated with him, and joined him in the ministry of the gospel there.

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes‘ in Christ” (2 Cor 1:20a). What does it mean that in Christ ‘it is always “Yes” ‘ (2 Cor 1:19)? Many OT promises of God never fail to find their fulfilment in Christ:

• the seed of the woman who will bruise the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15),
• the raising up of one like Moses (Dt 18:15; Jn 7:40; Ac 3:22; 7:37),
• one who will sit on David’s throne (2 Sam. 7:12-13), and
• the servant of the Lord who will bear the sins of the people (Isa 53:4-11).

There’s no equivocation with the promises of God. Balaam says to Balak: “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?” (Num. 23:19).

“And so through him the ‘Amen‘ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Cor 1:20b). This is the praise and worship of the early church offered ‘through him’ (Christ) and confirmed by their ‘Amen’ (assent). Ascriptions of praise in the NT (Rom 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 15:33; 16:27; Gal 1:5; Eph 3:21; Phil 4:20; 1 Tim 1:17; 6:16; 2 Tim 4:18; Heb 13:21; 1 Pet 4:11; 5:11; 2 Pet 3:18; Jude 25; Rev 1:6; 7:12) confirms the use of ‘Amen’ in the early church. Here (2 Cor 1:19) the “us” by whom the Amen is spoken refers to Paul and his missionary colleagues.

God‘s certain promises made Paul, his co-workers and they stand firm in Christ (2 Cor 1:21), and who also anointed them and sealed them with the Spirit (2 Cor 1:22). Criticizing Paul for changing his travel plans was God’s work in him, making him stand firm in Christ, which guarantees the trustworthiness of what he says. What is God’s work in Paul?

1. God makes Paul stand firm to be trustworthy. “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ” (2 Cor 1:21a). ‘Stand firm’ (bebaioo-verb) is a guarantee that commitments will be carried out. It’s connectied with proclaiming the gospel, ‘confirmed’ by miraculous signs or spiritual gifts (Mk 16:20; 1 Cor 1:6). It also indicates strengthening or establishing characteristics–believers kept firm to be blameless in the day of the Lord (1 Cor 1:8).
2. God “anointed us” (2 Cor 1:21b) [with the Spirit]. Anointing was used in commissioning rites in the OT (Exo 28:41; 1 Sam 15:1; 1 Kgs 19:16) and in the NT [Heb 1:9 (‘God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy’), in Luke’s writings (Lk 4:18; Ac 4:27; 10:38) and in 1 Jn 2:20, 27 [2 x])]–referring to the anointing of the Spirit.
3. God “set his seal of ownership on us” (2 Cor 1:22a). ‘To set a seal on’ (sphragizo-verb) is the sealing of commercial letters and sacks to prevent tampering. In the NT, ‘to seal‘ is to keep secret or stamp with a mark of identification or ownership (Rev 7:3-8). Christians are ‘marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit‘ (Eph 1:13; 4:30) at conversion when baptized (Ac 2:38).
4. God also “put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit” (2 Cor 1:22b). “Deposit” [arrabon–Gk], like sphragizo is a commercial term. It’s the pledge given by a purchaser to a seller as a guarantee that the purchase price will be paid. The Spirit God is a grarantee of his apostolic integrity.

God makes Paul and his colleagues stand firm and have been anointed with his Spirit (2 Cor 1:21-22). Why does Paul assert this? Their integrity and the truthfulness of their gospel rests on God’s work. The Spirit of God makes them stand firm and anoints them, as the authenticating seal on their mission and message. If the work of God in them guarantees their trustworthiness in the greater matter of gospel proclamation, then surely they’re also trustworthy in the lesser matter of their travel plans. Any changes is not the result of fickleness, but of genuine concern for them.

“I call God as my witness–and I stake my life on it” (2 Cor 1:23a) was used in Greco-Roman tradition and in their literature. In this solemn oath, Paul asserts the purity of his motives. Because his motives were questioned (2 Cor 1:23b), he insists that his changed travel plans was with them in mind. “And I stake my life on it” (‘upon/concerning my life‘) is an imprecatory oath. Paul calls God as witness against him if he’s not speaking the truth, and as a character witness that he speaks the truth. [Paul calls God as his witness in 4 other places (Rom 1:9; Phil 1:8; 1 Th 2:5, 10)].

“…it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth” (2 Cor 1:23b)–spare them disciplinary action (2 Cor 13:1-4, 10).

“Not that we lord it over your faith” (2 Cor 1:24a), lest they accuse Paul of spiritual tyranny over them. An apostle (all pastors) is a servant of God’s people (2 Cor 4:5), not a tyrant. This doesn’t mean doing only what pleases them (2 Cor 1:23). It may involve disciplinary action as well. While called to serve, they do so by carrying out the will of their Master.

“…but we work with you for your joy” (2 Cor 1:24b) attractively describes Christian ministry (lit. ‘but we are fellow workers of your joy‘). “…because it’s by faith that you stand firm” (2 Cor 1:24c) is why Paul doesn’t lord it over their faith. Though they came to faith through his ministry, their faith was their own, and rests on God’s power (1 Cor 2:5; 15:1-2; Rom 1:16). They have their own standing before God (Rom 5:1-2; 11:20), and in this respect they are subject to no-one else (Rom 14:4).

“Faith should be completely free of any bondage to men. [If ever any mortal had a right to claim such lordship, it was Paul.] Thus faith should have no master but the Word of God and isn‘t subject to human control. Spiritual lordship belongs to none but God alone. This is always a settled principle–that pastors have no special lordship over men’s consciences because they are ministers and helpers and not lords.” Calvin, comments on 2 Cor 1:24. The 2nd Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians.

Christian ministry (1:12-24) must have integrity, godly sincerity, rely on the grace of God, reject worldly wisdom–violence, scapegoating, blaming, tribalism, manipulation (2 Cor 1:12). The message–proclaimed or written must be straightforward, unambiguous, readily understood (2 Cor 1:13-14), and is never ‘lording over’ people’s faith, but with a view to promoting their joy in the Lord (2 Cor 1:24).

How God works to establish believers firm in the faith (2 Cor 1:21). Paul strengthens them to stand firm in Christ, anoints them with the Holy Spirit as a seal that they belong to him and as a pledge guaranteeing their salvation at the appearing of Christ (2 Cor 1:22).

Paul emphasizes the centrality of Christ in the purposes of God for all the promises of God find their ‘Yes’ in him (2 Cor 1:20). All the promises –

• the coming of a prophet like Moses (Dt 18:15),
• one who will sit on David’s throne and establish an everlasting kingdom of peace and justice (2 Sam 7:16),
• the Servant of the Lord who will bear the sins of God’s people (Isa 53:12b),
• the new covenant under which people’s sins will be remembered no more (Jer 31:31, 34) and
• the law of God that will be written in their hearts by the Spirit (Jer 31:33)

– all these promises and more find their fulfilment in Christ.

Reference:

1. Charles Hodge. 1 & 2 Corinthians. A Geneva Series Commentary. The Banner of Truth Trust. 1857, 1859.
2. Colin Kruse. 2 Corinthians. Tyndale NT Commentaries. 1987, 2005.
3. Geoffrey Grogan. 2 Corinthians. The Glories & Responsibilities of Christian Service. 2007.
4. David Garland. 2 Corinthians. The New American Commentary. 1999.
5. Paul Barnett. The Message of 2 Corinthians. 1988.