Show Off like a Fool-2 Cor 11:16-33

2 Corinthians, New Testament, Sermons

Paul ironically describes himself as a fool (1 Cor 3:18-20; 4:9-10) and as scum and garbage (1 Cor 4:13). The whole point of irony is that, either in word or deed, the truth is presented in terms of it’s opposite. It’s like paradox, which Chesterton describes as truth standing on its head to attract attention. Verbal irony can be powerful when used wisely and not cruely.

Paul pens the ‘fool’s speech‘ (11:16-12:13) because of his concern for his converts being deceived by his opponents, whose true nature are ‘servants of Satan’ (2 Cor 11:13-15). Additionally, and against his better judgment, he demonstrates that, even using his opponents’ criteria, he’s a better servant of Christ than they are (11:16-12:13). So, in the ‘fool’s speech,’ he boasts of his

  • credentials (2 Cor 11:22),
  • apostolic trials (2 Cor 11:23-33),
  • visionary experiences (2 Cor 12:1-10) and
  • the mighty works he performed (2 Cor 12:11-13).

He knows such worldly boasting is foolish, but because his converts were swayed by the boasting of others, he feels compelled to boast a little himself. But he turns this boasting match on its head and boasts not of his strengths but of his weaknesses, for God’s strength is made perfect in human weakness (2 Cor 12:9-10).

Accept me as a fool (2 Cor 11:16-21a) opens the ‘fool’s speech.’ Paul asks–with biting irony–to bear with him as they readily bore with other fools, being so wise themselves! (2 Cor 11:19). What he says is as a fool and not as Jesus would (2 Cor 11:17). Others have acted most high-handedly and pretentiously, but Paul says ironically, ‘we were too weak for that!’ (2 Cor 11:21). “I repeat” (2 Cor 11:16a) repeats Paul already asking them to ‘put up with me in a little foolishness‘ (2 Cor 11:1). He repeats his request differently: “let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting” (2 Cor 11:16b). Boasting is foolish, so Paul doesn’t want to be regarded as foolish for doing so, for it’s only their gullibility to the false apostles’ claim that forces him to boast (2 Cor 12:11). But even if they regard his boasting as the act of a fool, let them accept him as such, and listen to his boasting as they listened to the boasting of the other fools (his opponents). “In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool” (2 Cor 11:17). Such boasting is not something Jesus would do. ‘God does not approve of boasting, so this mode of speaking does not come from him. But the content of what he is saying is still true’ (Ambrosiaster). Why does Paul do this?

“Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast” (2 Cor 11:18). Lit. ‘boast according to [the] flesh’–of human achievement, power, prestige, even of spiritual experiences–which isn’t pleasing to God. Paul’s opponents boast in this way, and his converts were won over by such boasting, so Paul feels forced to indulge in it too for their sakes, even though he’s painfully aware that such boasting is pure folly.

“You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!” (2 Cor 11:19). The fools they “gladly put up with” are Paul’s opponents. So, Paul asks that, even if they regard him as a fool, to put up with him as well. “Since you are so wise!” is a cutting allusion to their tendency to pride themselves on their own wisdom (1 Cor 3:18-20; 4:10; 6:5; 8:1-7; 13:2).

“In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you” (2 Cor 11:20a). Paul worked with them for their joy, not lording it over them (2 Cor 1:24). But the intruders brought those they influenced under their ‘lordship.’ Paul exposes their despicable authoritarianism and their misplaced forbearance, with 4 expressions depicting their enslavement. “…you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face” (2 Cor 11:20). Exploits (lit. ‘consumes’) probably is  their greedy demands for remuneration. Takes advantage of (lit. ‘takes’) as in: ‘Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught [elabon] you by trickery!’ (2 Cor 12:16). They were ‘taken in’ or ‘fleeced’ by Paul’s opponents. Puts on airs is a presumptuous lifting up of one’s self–also in ‘every pretension that sets itself up [lit. ‘every high thing lifted up’] against the knowledge of God’ (2 Cor 10:5). Slaps you in the face humiliates a person. The false apostles were so authoritarian that they actually slapped the faces of those who questioned their authority, or used metaphorically to mean his opponents acted in ways that dishonoured them. ‘He said this, not meaning that they were stricken on the face, but that they spat upon and dishonored them.’ [Chrysostom] [Paul may be depicting his opponents as ‘pretentious parasites,’ a figure well known and ridiculed in Greco-Roman comedies, to contrast their behavior with his own modest behavior, and as a reproach to those ‘taken in’ by such people.]

Scathing sarcasm: “To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!” (2 Cor 11:21a). They entertained the criticisms of Paul’s opponents that he was weak (2 Cor 10:10). Paul throws that back at them, saying in effect, ‘Yes, I admit, we were too weak to make such a despicable display of overbearing authoritarianism as that practised by those intruders!’

Paul’s Jewish ancestry (2 Cor 11:21b-22) cf. his opponents’ claims to impeccable Jewish ancestry, asserting that his own Jewish credentials are just as good. “Whatever anyone else dares to boast about–I am speaking as a fool–I also dare to boast about” (2 Cor 11:21b). Paul mentions things of which his opponents boast [2 Cor 11:21b, 23a; 11:30; 12:1, 11 shows how uneasy Paul is about boasting — “I am speaking as a fool.” ]:

  • their Jewish pedigree and their being servants of Christ (2 Cor 11:22-23),
  • visions and revelations experienced (2 Cor 12:1),
  • the performance of signs and wonders (2 Cor 12:12),
  • indulging in a little boasting of his own to show that he is in no way inferior in any of these areas.

“Are they Hebrews? So am I” (2 Cor 11:22a). (i) Denotes ethnic purity–‘a Hebrew of Hebrews’ (Phil 3:5)–distinguishing Jews by birth from proselytes; OR (ii) distinguish Hebrew and Aramaic-speaking Jews who generally lived in Palestine (Hebrews) from Greek-speaking Jews generally of the dispersion [Hellenists] (Ac 6:1). But even Jews of the dispersion regard themselves as ‘Hebrews.’ Paul has the same pure Jewish ancestry as that of his opponents, whether Palestinian or Hellenistic Jews is not known.

“Are they Israelites? So am I” (2 Cor 11:22b) possibly distinguished from Hebrews in that Gentile proselytes could be incorporated into Israel, but could never claim to be Hebrews (born of Hebrews). ‘Israelite’ should denote the religious and social rather than ethnic characteristics of being a Jew.

“Are they Abraham‘s descendants? So am I” (2 Cor 11:22c). Paul says, ‘I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham’ (Rom 11:1), using the terms synonymously. How are we to distinguish Abraham’s descendants from Israelites? Hebrews is understood ethnically, Israelites religiously and socially, Abraham‘s descendants theologically related to God’s call and promises to Abraham’s offspring. There are difficulties in discerning the precise nuances of these 3 terms. But Paul’s main thrust is clear. Whatever boasting his opponents indulge in as far as their Jewish pedigree is concerned, Paul can boast of the same. A better servant of Christ (11:23-33). Paul concedes for the sake of argument that his opponents are servants of Christ, but claims that he is more so (11:21b-23a) by providing a list of his apostolic trials (11:23b-29):

  1. imprisonments, beatings and being near death, including a detailed explanation of what these involved (2 Cor 11:23b-25);
  2. frequent journeys, with a description of the dangers of travel (2 Cor 11:26);
  3. toil and hardship of the privations involved (2 Cor 11:27);
  4. anxiety for all the churches, with an example of what caused it (2 Cor 11:28-29);
  5. his ignominious flight from Damascus as a further illustration of his ‘weakness’ as an apostle (2 Cor 11:30-33).

“Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more” (2 Cor 11:23a). Regarding Jewish ancestry, Paul simply claims to be their equal, to their claim to be servants of Christ Paul says that he is more than their equal. For the sake of argument, Paul concede what he elsewhere denies (2 Cor 11:13-15)–i.e. that they are servants of Christ–because he shows that he is more than their equal anyhow because he has worked much harder and suffered much more in his service of Christ. “I am out of my mind to talk like this” shows again his reluctance to be responding as such. He’d already warned them against comparing one with another (1 Cor 1:11-16; 3:4-9, 21-22; 4:1), but now through dire new circumstances he engages in it himself.   How is Paul a better servant of Christ than his opponents? Paul’s list of hardships and sufferings open with:

  • “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again” (2 Cor 11:23b). Strenuous exertions, far greater than his critics, and even of other apostles (1 Cor 15:10). Acts records only 1 imprisonment before this was written – the overnight stay in the prison at Philippi (Acts 16:19- 40). So he had many more imprisonments than Acts records. We know not the full details of his entire missionary career.
  • Severe flogging, exposed to death again and again explained (11:24-25). “Five times I received from the Jews the 40 lashes minus 1” (2 Cor 11:24). Beating must not exceed 40 lashes (Dt 25:1-3). So and the Jews limited the number to 40 minus 1, lest an error in counting occurs and the law broken by an impetuous executioner, and the offender disgraced. Jesus warned his disciples that they’d be flogged in synagogues (Mt 10:17; Mk 13:9). Pre-conversion, Paul instigated such floggings (Acts 22:20; 26:11). After conversion, by the time he wrote 2 Cor, he received judicial floggings 5x in synagogues. Despite much opposition, Paul didn’t give up his connection with Judaism or the synagogue and lose himself in the Gentile world.
  • “3 times I was beaten with rods” (2 Cor 11:25a). 1 took place in Philippi (Acts 16:22-23). Likely Paul wrote shortly after this of having ‘suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi’ (1 Th 2:2). The scars on Paul’s body from his beatings (Gal. 6:17) weren’t like the battle wounds of soldiers, regarded as badges of honour, but were marks of humiliation and submission.’ Paul’s boast about the beatings would be seen as a sign of weakness, not valor, which is what he intended.
  • “Once I was pelted with stones” (2 Cor 11:25b). Stoning is a Jewish judicial execution (Lev 24:14, 16) or from mob violence, as in Lystra where Paul was stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19).
  • “3 times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea” (2 Cor 11:25c). Acts records 1 shipwreck after 2 Cor was written, while recording 9 sea voyages prior to this, and there were almost certainly others, with plenty of chances for shipwreck. Spending a night and a day in the open sea was to be face to face with death, as had his stoning at Lystra.
  • “I have been constantly on the move” (2 Cor 11:26a) sheds light on the dangers of his travels: “I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers” (2 Cor 11:26b)–are self-explanatory. ‘Danger from rivers,’ occurred ‘in winter, when there was constant rain and rivers often overflowed their banks’ (Ambrosiaster). Danger from false believers were from those who opposed Paul and his gospel (Gal 2:4), such as those who opposed him in Corinth.
  • “I have labored and toiled” (2 Cor 11:27a)–a general description followed by examples. “And have often gone without sleep” (2 Cor 11:27b), probably not because of anxiety, as with the pressure of his concern over the churches (2 Cor 11:28). Labor, toil, and sleepless nights were from preaching and teaching into the early hours (Acts 20:7-12, 31) for when day workers would be free, or when he had to work at night to support himself when he used the day for missionary activity (2 Th 3:7-8). “I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked” (2 Cor 11:27c). Despite income from manual work and gifts from Macedonia, Paul suffered from a lack of food, drink and adequate clothing (Phil 4:10-13; Rom 8:35; 1 Cor 4:11; 2 Tim 4:13).
  • Subjective rather than objective trials: “Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches” (2 Cor 11:28). This isn’t the unwarranted anxiety (Mt 6:25-34), but a healthy concern for the welfare of others which Jesus experienced (Lk 13:34). 1,2 Cor abundantly expresses pressure from Paul’s pastoral heart: “Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?” (2 Cor 11:29)–for the weak in faith, caused to stumble and fall from those who pride themselves on being strong in faith (Rom 14:1-23; 1 Cor 8:1-13). Paul felt their vulnerability, and seeing them made to fall, he burned with indignation against those who caused it. ‘What wonderful affection in a pastor! Others’ falls accentuate his grief, others’ obstacles inflame the fire of his suffering’ (Chrysostom).
  • Ignominious flight. Paul narrates an incident from the earliest days of his experience as a Christian (30-33), supplementing the list of trials of which he has boasted, but also parodies the whole business of boasting. “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness” (2 Cor 11:30), again showing his distaste for boasting, and foreshadows the fact that he is about to turn the whole thing on its head. 11:23b-29 might be construed as triumphalist (i.e. ‘all these difficulties I overcame to fulfil my commission’), but his flight from Damascus contains little of which to be proud.

“The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised for ever, knows that I am not lying” (2 Cor 11:21) is Paul appeal to God as his witness that he’s speaking the truth. “In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me” (2 Cor 11:32). King Aretas IV (9 bc – ad 40) — was ruler of the Nabateans, whose capital was at Petra. The governor is a royal official charged [by Aretas] with oversight of the Nabatean commercial colony at Damascus. Paul says that following his conversion, ‘I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus’ (Gal 1:17). It’s likely that Paul began preaching the gospel in Arabia and aroused the antagonism of Aretas, who then ordered his governor in Damascus to arrest him. According to the account of Paul’s escape (Acts 9:23-25), hostile Jews who reacted against his preaching of Jesus as Messiah plotted to kill him and were watching the gates of Damascus so as to seize him when he tried to leave. As Paul’s own testimony identifies the governor as the one who guarded the city, it appears that the Jewish and Nabatean communities acted in concert to seize Paul. On later occasions, Jews in other cities brought charges against Paul (Acts 18:12; 25:7, 15).

Humiliation. “But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands” (2 Cor 11:33). Thiss departure from Damascus was very different from his earlier approach as persecutor. He was a zealous Jewish crusader ‘breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples,’ and carrying letters Jewish synagogue leaders in Damascus authorizing him to bring bound to Jerusalem any who ‘belonged to the Way’ (Acts 9:1-2). But now he’s hunted down by his fellow Jews because he preached Jesus as Messiah. Thus he was forced to flee Damascus, escaping by being lowered down over the wall in a basket like a bundle of merchandise. This may be Paul’s 1st taste of the ignominy of persecution, which left an indelible imprint on him. It was humiliating, and its inclusion here constitutes a parody of the whole purpose of boasting.

  • (11:16-13:14) The weak fool. The fool‘s speech (11:16-12:13).
  • (11:16-33) Christ’s fool. Paul’s constant sufferings.
  • (11:16-21a) Accept me as a fool.
  • (11:21b-33) Paul’s Jewish ancestry and apostolic trials/sufferings. His weakness (11:30-33).

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.
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