“Do Not Boast” – 2 Cor 10:13-18; 11:1-3

Paul’s Defense Against the False Apostles and Boasting in the Lord

Remember this is where Paul has begun in earnest his defense of himself. Not so much to lift himself up not at all actually to lift himself up. But to protect the Corinthian Church from the false apostles.

Which have descended upon it and are bringing false doctrine and are attacking the scriptures. Attacking the deity of Christ attacking the Son of God attacking Paul's authority to bring God's Word to them.

So let's start with verse 10. Where they they begin for Paul where Paul retails one of their accusations against him. For they say that is the false apostles. His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.

Let such a person consider this that what we are in word by letters when absent such persons. We are also indeed when present for we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves but when they measure themselves by themselves and Compare themselves with themselves.

They are without understanding, but we will not boast beyond our measure. But within the measure of the sphere which God has apportioned to us as a measure to reach even as far as you. For we are not over extending ourselves as if we did not reach to you for we were the first to come even as far As you in the gospel of Christ.

Not boasting beyond our measure that is in other men's labors. But with the hope that as your faith grows we shall be within our sphere enlarged even more by you. So as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.

But he who boasts let him boast in the Lord for not he who commends himself is approved but whom the Lord commends. So there's a great many instructional bits of instruction here as Paul who is truly a man of humility and finds himself in the difficult position of defending himself.

Against the false accusations of those who would who would sweep the gospel out from under the feet of the Corinthians. There is nothing more important than to bring the Word of God and What is happening is these false apostles are attacking that very work that Paul did in some cases.

They're boasting as though it was their work that was done in Corinth when it was in fact Paul's work but in reality, it's the work of the Holy Spirit and Paul knows that and So he's going to continue his defense.

Last last time we were together.

He.

He kind of in some ways threw down a gauntlet to those who accused him of being weighty in person.

But.

Lily livered or excuse me weighty when he wrote a leather weighty and brash and Strong strong worded when he wrote a letter but Lily livered when in presence when he was physically present. And so he says let you you people consider this think about this.

That what we are in word by letters when absent such persons we are also indeed when present. Now, why would they. Paul didn't use his authority willy-nilly as he says it's the authority he had was to build up the Church of God and Anybody who is in a position of responsibility?

Leading a church. Attending to the needs of the people in the church. That is a position of servanthood. I That are in government today. What is the word servant mean to you? Just just quickly. What does it mean?

Excuse me giving what else? Slave. Correct. The word is due loss. It's bond slave. God didn't mince words when he when he gave titles to those who were in support in positions of responsibility.

The more.

Responsibility you have the more able you should be to serve more people at once. That's what a public servant. That's what a minister of God is. And these false apostles were not doing that they were using their authority to usurp and to cast and to cast doubt on the Word of God and so Paul In a little bit of sarcasm and irony here reminds these false apostles what they're doing.

He says for we are not bold. He uses that word that they used against him to class or compare ourselves with some of those who? Commend themselves. Look at me they said. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves They are without understanding.

Now with the remarkable application of this irony and sarcasm Paul deals with the false apostles claims. Clearly they were measuring Paul according to their own standard. And that standard was themselves the list on my refrigerator.

No one measured up to what they could do. They were remarkable people and they knew it. All you had to do was listen to them and they would tell you that. They believed their own press releases as it is said today.

And so Paul uses the very word that they accused him him of not demonstrating in person boldness. He would not stoop to comparing himself to those who set the standard as themselves or set the standard to themselves.

It's actually Pathological to compare ourselves with ourselves or to even compare ourselves with others. Sometimes we tend to see others in an improper and an uninformed light their lives seem perfect and ours.

Blemished I think I'm actually picking up where we were where we left off last time blemished so we we see them as. Sometimes we see people in a far different light than they actually are living in their lives look perfect when in reality They're struggling with just the same things that we struggle with.

And so Paul who is a man of deep humility Tries to give an example to the believers in Corinth here don't compare yourselves with yourselves. And so the false Apostles in Corinth were doing that and again as I mentioned earlier once you set yourself up as the standard everybody else is gonna fall short and Only you will meet that standard and it's a sad thing to see.

It's a very sad thing to see. So Paul says that they are without understanding. They were unable as he said to put two and two together they could not even understand the disparity that they were reeking of the or the The wreck that they were reeking on Corinth by comparing themselves with themselves and people will fall for it.

They'll fall for it. Well, yeah, he is he is pretty good. He's you know, there's always it's always a good thing to be brought down to measure. When someone gets to think more highly of themselves than they ought to and I think every day we think more highly of ourselves.

We ought to it is God who has done what has happened. Wonderful things that have happened in our lives he has brought the people into our lives that have that have built into us the skills that we have and if we are unable or Unwilling to give credit where credit is due then we will become like these false Apostles Self-esteemed and worthless without understanding.

So then Paul says he uses the word boast again in verse 13 moving on from last time, but we Will not boast beyond our measure but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure To reach even as far as you the false Apostles that apparently accused Paul of overstepping the bounds of ministry that God had assigned him.

But in fact he was commissioned to go to the Gentiles as well as to the house of Israel his primary mission was to bring the gospel as Far as he possibly could and most certainly to the Gentiles in Acts chapter 15.

The Lord said to him for he is a chosen instrument of mine when when Paul had had just been had his Damascus Road experience and Those people who were a bit concerned about the former church murderer Christian murderer Who now is a chosen instrument of God?

The Lord has to calm their hearts and bring them to an understanding of what he's going to use Paul for it. So in Acts 15 9 15, he says Go for he is a chosen instrument of mine To bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel and then in Romans 1 5 Through whom we have received grace and apostleship Paul says to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles.

For his name's sake and in Galatians 2 7 to 9 preaching and reading and speaking to that church that was having so many difficulties. But on the contrary seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised Just as Peter had been to the circumcised for he who effectually worked for Peter and his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked in me also for me also to the Gentiles and Recognizing the grace that had been given to me James and Cephas and John who were reputed to be pillars Gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

So it's it's it's common knowledge that Paul was sent to the Gentiles was sent with the ministry to the outer bounds of the world as it were to the Gentiles and then in Romans 15 verse 20 and Thus I aspired to preach the gospel not where Christ was already named.

So that I would not build on another man's foundation and that must have been a remarkable time to live when the gospel when you could go to a section of the world where a lot of the world where the gospel had never been Preached and so and so Paul was preaching the gospel to people who had never heard it before.

Paul was in fact Commissioned to go as far as possible and to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. But either way he was content to remain right inside the ministry that God had marked out for him. He didn't need bigger or better.

He just needed to do what he was called to do and that's a good instruction for us. Do what you're called to do. The false apostles on the contrary sought fame in many ways including the fame that comes with being known far and wide.

Everybody wants their name up in lights. Everybody wants their name to be spread far and wide. Paul wanted the name of the Lord Jesus Christ spread far and wide far different far different. The false apostles sought that fame that comes with being known far and wide.

Their pride was getting in the way of most likely their Salvation but for sure it was getting in the way of any good ministry that God might have had for them. But they were false apostles. So their only concern was for themselves not for the glory of God.

Had Paul actually established the church in Corinth and he was most certain Paul. Paul had actually established the church in Corinth and he was most certainly not building on another man's labors. And there was what appeared to be what Charles Hodge calls a matter of courtesy.

Among the Apostles not to intrude on each other's fear and sphere of influence. Nevertheless, we find Paul writing to the church at Rome even though he did not found that church and he wrote with all the Authority that the Holy Spirit gave him just as he already had authority in Corinth.

The other thing that the false apostles did was to take to themselves gifts and powers that they did not have. Paul simply reveled in what the Holy Spirit had given him and used it for the glory of Christ without parading it before others or Trumpeting it to the world.

It was actually the false Apostles who were appropriating to themselves the work that Paul had done in Corinth and Paul would have none of that. He began to defend himself about that Inspired by the Holy Spirit.

He tells the Corinthians that he does not intend to boast beyond his measure. But he will stay within the sphere that God appointed to him. Which even reached to Corinth? So that the gospel was brought to Corinth by Paul and the false Apostles were apparently trying to appropriate even that bit of information or that bit of Happening and Paul would have none of it.

I brought the gospel to you he had an authority that the Founder of a church only can have and he did not flaunt that authority. He used it only for the glory of God. Any questions about or comments about verse 13 verse 14 for We are not overextending ourselves as if we did not reach to you for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ.

Continuing he reminds them here that it was he that brought them the gospel. He was their spiritual father. He had founded the Corinthian Church. 1st Corinthians 3 6. I planted. The polis watered but God was causing the growth.

1st Corinthians 3 10 according to the grace of God, which was given to me like a wise master builder. I laid a foundation and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it and you would think that those false Apostles would have taken that to heart.

The foundation was laid which was the Word of God preached to the Corinthians and others came behind and worked on that foundation. These men whoever they were Were usurping the authority that God had given to Paul.

1st Corinthians 4 15 for if you were to have countless tutors in Christ yet, you would not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. He was not as he said overextending to himself by coming to them.

He was right inside the exact will of God in bringing the gospel to the Gentiles and in bringing this correction to them. Because as he said earlier He wasn't doing it to be famous. He was doing it to bring glory to God and is not a restoration of a wayward church going to bring glory to God.

And and Corinth is restored. We get to read the rest of the story. We get to see the last chapter well Not necessarily the last chapter but the last first century chapter where they kind of go quiet for 40 years because the church began to function it as much as we know Appropriately and profitably for the spirit for the the work of the gospel.

Verse 14 anybody any questions or comments about verse 14. Verse 15 not Boasting beyond our measure that is in other men's labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows We will be within our spirit our sphere enlarged even more by you.

What what is it about the growth that happens in a church that blesses those in positions of responsibility. It's that the church's influence grows. The church extends its influence into other spheres into other places.

Sends out missionaries sends out the teaching of God. Paul would never take credit for other men's worth as the of work as the false Apostles were doing. He would not as He says boast beyond his mother measure.

His other concern was that as the Corinthian faith grew he was hopeful that they would assist in sending him on even further to other Gentiles who needed the gospel. This verse tacitly challenged the false Apostles desire to take the glory of Other men's work.

John Calvin noted this in his comments. He said he now reproves even more freely the false Apostles who while they had put forth their hand in the reaping of another man's harvest. Had the audacity at the same time to revile those who had prepared a place for them at the expense of sweat and toil.

Paul had built up the Church of the Corinthians not without the greatest struggle and innumerable difficulties those persons afterwards come forward and find the road made the gate open. That they may appear persons of consequence.

They impudently claim for themselves. What did not of right belong to them and disparage Paul's labors now? How does that happen. Well there would be enough people in the church Paul had planted the church years before.

There would be enough people in the church who maybe weren't there for to firsthand see that and so they could be made to believe False things by these false Apostles if you're an eloquent enough speaker.

You can usually persuade people to your way of thinking unless They're grounded in the Word of God, and they're willing to question no matter who it is. They're willing to be as many have said be Bereans about it.

Did did Paul really say that if Eve had said that. When when Satan said did God really say that if he she'd put her foot down and said well yeah as a matter of fact he did. What a different world we would live in right now.

But by the by the providence of God. This is what we have. So Paul had laid the foundation for the church these people came in afterwards and pretended it was theirs and It sounds like quite a few believed him.

So verse 16 Paul says so as to preach the gospel. Even to the regions beyond you and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another and here it is His encouragement to the Corinthians that they be ready to send him further.

So that the gospel big gospel the gospel can be taken to the ends of the earth. Driving home the idea that he would not take credit for another's work. He tells them that he never intends to boast about what has been accomplished by some by someone else he would assist and Support but credit was always given to the one whom it was due by Paul.

Also note that Paul could never be content with going to one place or another and stopping. His desire was to continue to regions beyond as he calls him and to bring the gospel to even more who have not heard of the Savior.

How much good can be done? If people are not concerned about who gets the credit. But they're more concerned that all credit be given to the God to the father that all credit be given to the Savior. When we get tripped up where we get tripped up is when we want to have people think well.

He's doing a great job, and he's this and he's that. Anybody who's in a position of responsibility that continually calls attention to themselves needs to be removed from their position of responsibility.

Because they're they're misusing it. God does the work in people's hearts. Which one of us we four elders can lay claim to anything that God has done in anyone's heart here not a one. But God has provided that we can work together.

To use whatever gifts God has in his gracious insistence given to us. To build up the church to glorify him and these false apostles were not doing that. They were they were calling attention to themselves and they were putting down the man.

That the Holy Spirit had sent to that church to found it. This should have been this should have been an egregious crime in the minds of the Corinthians at the church there but it apparently for many of them wasn't and so Paul finds himself in the Difficult position of telling them that you shouldn't commend yourselves and then he has to defend himself and and we're gonna see in verse 12 or not verse 12 in chapter 12 his Continued and if you if you would I don't know how else to describe it his apologetic defense of himself as he as he begins to walk through some of the things that the false apostles are doing and who they are what they are and what kind of Problems they will wreak in that church as he defends himself.

So then Paul in verse 16. He says that He's not gonna boast and what has been accomplished in the sphere of another he says in verse 17, but he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. Now, there's a couple of ways to do that and I Fall and pray to some of the worst misuses of that in my life.

Well, someone will say you did something nice and you just hang your head like like you're the worst thing that ever existed. And why would they even comment on something that you did good? That's not what this is talking about.

Then you make the person who gives you the compliment direct the glory to God and to those who who built into you. But but you can receive a compliment in a in a gracious humble way. That's not what these Apostles were doing these false Apostles do what we're doing.

They were boasting in them. So yeah, they were boasting themselves. Yeah, as a matter of fact, I'm glad you noticed I am pretty awesome. Would you like to touch my hand wait a minute your are your hands washed.

That's I mean, I'm kind of exaggerating but not really that is how that type of person thinks in their mind about themselves. Whereas a true servant of God knows that everything he has or she has everything that they have done has been provided by the mercy and the blessing and the teaching of God and of his Word and by the patient diligent Work in their lives by others who love God and so as they say we're all in this together.

So Paul says but he who boasts. But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. Now. This is all in caps in my Bible and that means he's shouting, right?

He's quoting.

Here Paul quotes Jeremiah 9 23 and 24, but he reduces it to a single phrase. False teachers will seek for ways to glorify themselves. They'll seek for ways to glorify themselves and to brag about themselves.

True humble teachers of God's Word will always seek to glorify God and others for the work that he has done in and through them. That he is doing in and through them. Throughout the Old Testament there are examples of this idea.

This would have been or should have been a Stinging rebuke to those false apostles in Corinth who actively who actively promoted themselves Comparing themselves to themselves and they drew great pride from the knowledge that they lived up to their own standards.

I Think I've talked to you about this before but even Ben Franklin who wasn't a Christian. But he he was evaluating himself on a series of character qualities. And one of the things he came to understand was it you really can't eval yourself.

Evaluate yourself on humility. I was pretty humble today.

Gong.

So It is others. We're to boast in the Lord We're to boast in the Lord. Jeremiah 9 says this in 23 and 24. Thus says the Lord let not a wise man boast of his wisdom and let not the mighty man boast of his might let not a Rich man boast of his riches.

But let him who boasts boast of this that he understands and knows me that I am the Lord who exercises loving-kindness Justice and righteousness on earth for I delight in these things declares the Lord.

He delights in loving-kindness Justice and righteousness on the earth. Those are the things that those false apostles should have been attempting by God's grace to live out and Paul was living it out.

Psalm 34 verse 2 my soul will make its boast in the Lord. The humble will hear it and rejoice. Psalm 44 8 in God. We have boasted all day long and we will give thanks to your name forever. And Isaiah 45 25 in the Lord all the offspring will of Israel will be justified and will glory.

And finally Isaiah 41 16 you will winnow them and the wind will carry them away and the storm will scatter them. But you will rejoice in the Lord you will glory in the Holy One of Israel. This is not a new concept and Those people in Corinth should have known they should have known better.

They should have known better because of what the scripture says they should have known better because of the example of the Savior. Who was the most humble man who lived and when he when he was given an opportunity?

If I might word it this way to describe himself to describe his character with one word in John chapter 11 he described himself as meek as meek controlled strength humble. Any comments or questions about verses.

I got carried away there verses 16 and 17, so we'll finish up this chapter with verse 18. Because that's where it ends. For it is not he who commends himself that is approved. But he whom the Lord commends.

How do you know when the Lord's commending you pardon he says so how do you know when the Lord's commending you? This is going to be an interactive Sunday school. Yes your fruit and What kind of fruit are we looking for?

Pardon.

Good for love joy patience kindness. Those things in Galatians chapter 5 that are outlined as well as another sections of scripture. But if you're bragging about the fruit, then it's not the Lord commending you.

If other people are noticing the fruit. That is the Lord commending you. That is the Lord commending you. True approval. The approval of that that matters. Is that which comes from the Lord himself. People who seek the approval of others are frankly not to be trusted.

They're just not to be trusted. People who boast about their own successes are to be viewed with suspicion as well in fact. There are those who believe it should be an indicator that the teacher should be disqualified from their position.

One of the.

One of the commentaries I was reading in the Christian Church. He says this in the Christian Church indeed. Self commendation should be viewed with suspicion as a mark of disqualification. God's commendation of a person is shown not by verbal boasts.

But by the testimony of the consciences of those who have experienced the blessing. Attendant upon that person's labors and by the continuing and increasing fruits of their labors. This is from Philip Philip Hughes first second epistle of Commentary on the second epistle to the Corinthians.

Why I can't even read my own writing here, and it's typed It's to be shown through The blessing attended upon the person's labors and by the continuing and increasing fruits of his labors. And even there you have to be careful.

Well didn't I do a good job today. Weren't my labors really you can really get it. It's really easy very very easy to become a boaster. It's very very spirit-controlled and difficult to remain aloof from that to stay away from that and God would have us do that all the glory needs to go to him.

He will not share his glory with another he says in Isaiah chapter 45. I forgot to push that one in here. I Am the Lord and my glory will I not share with another. Doesn't matter who you are. Doesn't matter how important you think you are all the glory must be given to God.

And that is that is attended upon those who are serving him and who are serving him the hardest should acknowledge him the most. So chapter 10 is quite a long journey quite a journey leaving off from Paul's encouragement to the Corinthians to participate in the gift.

To the Jerusalem Church in chapter 9 Paul embarks on a careful defense of his ministry. He intends to show the Corinthians that the false apostles are just that they are false. And he's gonna he's gonna even call them worse things.

True worse things in chapter 12 and and as he finishes up this book this epistle and they are disrupting the Church of God and Not only that they're disrupting the work of God if that can be done these men are trying to do it.

God will use that he will use that to strengthen Corinth. And we'll see that as we have pointed out earlier that the church at Corinth seems to have gained The knowledge necessary and the repentance necessary to become a useful Group of people in the hands of the Living God during this period of time in history, but right now.

They're struggling. They are braggarts. They are thieves and they are heretics and must be shown as such. Their accusations are against Paul are actually a laundry list of their own lack of character and This chapter begins that defense so you've all heard the saying if one fingers pointing at you.

How many are pointing back at me? That's a fair statement. It really is it's kind of colloquial and it's kind of Sometimes overstated, but it's a fair statement. Especially if someone is in the habit of pointing fingers.

It's it's one thing to to try to to bring someone to repentance proper repentance. It's another to be an accuser. God does not want us to be accusers. They're braggarts. They're thieves. They're heretics and they needed to be shown as such.

This chapter begins that defense. Paul compares himself to the character qualities of the Lord Jesus Christ that are most wonderful meekness and gentleness. He then alludes to the concept of war in dealing with the false philosophies that might mitigate Against the gospel and against scripture in general.

Remember Chapter 10 verses 3 and 4 for though we walk in the flesh. We do not war according to the flesh He said for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

So he uses the language of war in Dealing with the false philosophies that mitigate against the gospel and against scripture in general and there's plenty of that today more I want to say more than ever but probably not.

Really? We think this is the worst time ever. You know, I think history recycles itself the bad things in history recycle it's themselves and this is just another period in history where The people of God who are willing to stand firm on the what the scripture says are going to be maligned.

They're going to be vilified. They're going to be. It may very well come that they'll be harmed. We need to be ready for that in this country. It's been an easy ride so far as he said to the Thessalonians.

He said you haven't strived you haven't striven unto blood yet. Now there are some that have and so we need to keep that in mind as we pray for them. He challenges the false apostles who who claim that when he is brave that he is brave when he is absent.

But timid would present this is clearly not who Paul is and then he takes him to task for irrigating to themselves. The work at Corinth that Paul himself actually did he finishes this chapter by reminding the Corinth's the Corinthians that all the glory of whatever happens in life must go to the Lord himself and That is something that we would all do well to remember.

Regularly, so I was wasn't sure if we'd make it to chapter 11 today. But we're going to at least get started on chapter 11. So let's read. Let's read the first five verses of Chapter 11.

Paul’s Jealousy for a Pure Bride and the Danger of False Devotion

So now.

In chapter 11 Paul begins his defense in earnest at the end of chapter 10 Paul had made a statement against boasting and Now he must defend himself and he finds that Bothersome and disconcerting throughout chapter 11 and chapter 12 whenever he makes some defense of his apostolic authority He begs them to bear with him as he resorts to what he calls a little foolishness.

Three variations of the word foolish are used in this chapters in these two chapters in chapter 11 verses 1 16 17 19 21 and 23 where he uses the word insane which is a Form of the same word and then in chapter 12 verses 6 and 11 While it does bother him to toot his own horn if you will.

He feels he must make certain the Corinthians know that he actually has apatholic apostolic authority while the false apostles That are attempting to subvert the Corinthian Church. Not only do not have any authority but are very evil.

In this Paul apologizes, but he details not only his apatholic apostolic authority But the link but the lengths that he went to to bring the gospel to the Corinthians. So he's going to talk to them about his authority.

But he's also going to talk to them about all the things that he endured to bring the gospel to them. His great desire is only that the Corinthians would respond to the gospel either in repentance and Salvation or in correction and there will be both there will be those in the Corinthian Church that need to respond to his words and come to faith in Christ and there will be those who will need to respond to his words and repent of the foolishness that they've been involved in and Begin to seek the the true things of the Word of God.

So let's read chapter 1 chapter 11 verses 1 through 5. I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness. But indeed you are bearing with me. For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy for I betrothed you to one husband that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin but I am afraid lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached or you receive a different spirit Which you have not received or a different gospel, which you have not accepted. You bear this beautifully for I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent Apostles.

I'm gonna I'm gonna read through verse 6. But even if I am unskilled in speech yet, I am not so in knowledge. In fact in every way we have made this evident to you in all things. So in verse 1, he says I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness.

Oh, I forgot this is this is the quote from that Remarkable bit of commentary on the New Testament in the Christian Church indeed, so and That's the next one. So I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are bearing with me.

So Paul starts out immediately in this chapter requesting that the Corinthians would bear with him in the foolishness. He must exhibit in defending himself. It is only a small foolishness. But nevertheless he identifies it as such he is about to launch into a fairly lengthy Description of the wickedness of the false Apostles compared with his desire for the Corinthian Church to be pure and holy before God.

Their desire the false Apostles is avaricious. His is holy. That is the first distinction. So he he he has to defend himself. He has to tell them what he has done and he feels in some ways kind of foolish about doing it.

Especially after he just said that let he who boasts boast only in the Lord. So he's gonna remind themselves of that remind them of that. He'll remind himself. I'm sure as well. For I am jealous and we'll probably finish up here or in the next verse or two.

But he says I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy for I betrothed you to one husband so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin the word for jealousy. Here is the word from which we get the word zealous.

Paul is desirous that the church be presented to Christ as a wonderful and delightful pure bride. He uses the word picture that depicts marriage as it is laid out in the Old Testament. It will become evident to the Corinthians right away as they read this letter that his apparent boasting is actually a deep concern for the welfare of the believers in Corinth they knew he loved them and Even though they were recalcitrant.