WWUTT 1707 No Way Inferior (2 Corinthians 11:5-10)

Paul continues to boast about himself before the Corinthians. And it's not because he's trying to develop a fan following.

He's doing it because he doesn't want them following false teachers to their destruction. When we understand the text.

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Pastor Gabe. Thank you Becky. We come back to our study of 2 Corinthians chapter 11.

Picking up where we left off yesterday. I'm going to begin by reading in verse 4. Which was the verse we covered yesterday.

We'll go from verse 4 through verse 10. Out of the Legacy Standard Bible. This is the word of the

Lord. Through the Apostle Paul. Writing to the church in Corinth. For if one comes and preaches another

Jesus. Whom we did not preach. Or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive.

Or a different gospel which you did not accept. You bear this beautifully.

For I consider myself in no way inferior to the most eminent apostles. But even if I am unskilled in word.

Yet I am not so in knowledge. In fact in every way. We have made this evident to you in all things.

Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself. So that you might be exalted. Because I proclaim the gospel of God to you without charge.

I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to minister to you. And when

I was present with you. And was in need. I was not a burden to anyone. For when the brothers came from Macedonia.

They fully supplied my need. And in everything I kept and will keep myself.

From being a burden to you. As the truth of Christ is in me.

This boasting of mine will not be stopped. In the regions of Achaia.

So once again this particular chapter. Paul boasts in himself a little bit. Which he calls foolish.

Because he doesn't want to boast in himself at all. The way that he concluded chapter 10. Was by saying.

He who boasts is to boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself that is approved.

But the one whom the Lord commends. But then Paul says. Bear with me in a little foolishness.

Let him boast about himself a little bit. Because apparently the Corinthians are won over by boasting.

That's how they have been bamboozled by these false apostles. These most eminent apostles.

To follow them. Because they boast in themselves. Alright. If that's what's impressive to you. Paul out of affection for the

Corinthians. Boasts in himself. So that they will follow his message. Which is the true gospel.

And not the false gospel of these false teachers. Now when we go through the boasting that Paul lays out.

It's going to be quite different. From what the most eminent apostles were doing.

They were boasting in themselves. Paul is boasting in Christ. And when we get to chapter 12.

He says where I am weak there he is strong. And even the things that Paul lays out. The stuff that he has been through.

It's not stuff that you would read and go. Wow. That's amazing that you have accomplished that for us.

No. The stuff that he lays out are things like. I've been shipwrecked. I've been beaten. I've been thrown in prison.

I have even been stoned to death. And was revived. Those are some of the things that Paul lays out.

That's not the resume of somebody who is triumphant in their accomplishments.

This is somebody who has sacrificed for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Which is exactly the point.

Because Christ sacrificed himself for us. Whoever believes in Jesus.

We are forgiven our sins and we have everlasting life with God. And so as Christ has sacrificed himself.

So we must be willing to lay down our lives for one another.

To love each other. Now Paul preaches the truth. These most eminent apostles. They preach a lie.

They come preaching a different Jesus than the apostles proclaimed. Verse 4. For if one comes and preaches another

Jesus whom we did not preach. Or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive.

Or a different gospel which you did not accept. You bear this beautifully.

Like you seem to be going along with it just fine. And Paul's previous statement in verse 3 was.

I fear that as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness. Your minds will be corrupted.

From the simplicity and the purity of the devotion to Christ. If you are persuaded by these most eminent apostles.

That they are more impressive than me. If that's the way that you view them.

Well they're so much flashier than Paul. They've got letters of authentication.

They're better orators than Paul is. Well if that's what it is that's going to persuade you. Then I'm afraid you're also going to be led astray by the message that they proclaim.

Which is a false Christ. A different spirit. And a different gospel. If you're going after a different gospel.

Then you are not saved. The message of the gospel from the Roman Catholic Church.

Is a different gospel. Because it is the proclamation that you're saved. Not just by grace through faith.

Now if you say that. You say that to a Catholic. Well I believe that I'm saved by grace through faith. You believe that we're saved by our works.

They'll deny that. They'll say no. We believe that we're saved by grace through faith. But there are also works that you have to do.

In order to be saved according to the Catholic Church. One of those works is that you have to acknowledge that the

Pope is the head of the church. And if you don't acknowledge that the Pope is head of the church. Then you're anathema. If you believe that we're saved only by grace through faith.

By grace alone through faith alone. The Catholic Catechism says you're anathema. If you do not venerate

Mary. Which is really worshiping of Mary. But you don't pray to Mary. You don't consider her the

Queen of Heaven. Those kinds of things. Then you're anathema. If you're not baptized in the

Catholic Church. Then you're anathema. You are cursed to hell. If you don't take the Mass.

The Catholic Mass. It has to be the Catholic Mass. It has to be the Eucharist that they claim.

That the priest can transform into the literal body of Jesus. It has to be the cup that they claim the priest can transform into the literal blood of Christ.

You have to literally eat his flesh and drink his blood. Cannibalize a re -sacrifice

Jesus in order to be saved. And if you don't do that then you're not a Christian. You're not saved. You're anathema and you're going to hell.

That's according to the Roman Catholic Church. So this is a different gospel.

It is not the true gospel. Greek Orthodox. Or Eastern Orthodox.

Russian Orthodox. Whatever other word is tacked on to Orthodox. Part of that Orthodox Church.

They too preach a different gospel. It is not the true gospel of our

Lord Jesus Christ. It is works that are paired with it. And I talked to a

Greek Orthodox guy one time. He was upset that I was saying this and so he contacted me and said,

No, you're speaking falsely about Greek Orthodoxy. You're claiming that we teach that you're saved by works.

And that's not what we teach at all. You're lying. And I said to him, Do you believe that you have to be baptized in order to be saved?

And he said, Yes. And even quoted to me something from a Greek Orthodox teacher that said exactly that.

If you're not baptized then you are not saved. And I said, Then there it is right there. You're proclaiming you have to do a work in order to be saved.

It's not by anything that we do. It is all of Christ. We are saved by Christ.

That is how we're saved. Now, as I mentioned yesterday, the works we do will demonstrate if we are really in Christ.

But the works don't save. They're the evidence of our salvation. They are not our salvation.

The work was done by Christ when he died on the cross for our sins and rose from the grave bodily for our justification.

And incidentally, if there's somebody that is saying that Jesus did not rise bodily from the dead, they're preaching a different Jesus, a different gospel.

If they're proclaiming that Jesus did not really suffer on the cross, he like transported his consciousness somewhere else.

So he would not actually have to endure the pain of the cross. They're preaching a different gospel because that's not what the scripture says.

If they say that Jesus resurrection was just something spiritual, if they say that Jesus did not really perform these miracles or some sort of natural explanation for these miracles, whatever it might happen to be, that's a different Jesus.

It's a different gospel. Don't listen to these different spirits.

Again, first John four, one do not believe every spirit as, as if every spirit has come from God for tests, the spirits for there are many false prophets that have gone out into the world.

Don't let yourself be deceived as Eve was deceived by the serpent in his craftiness, but instead know the true gospel, the true word that has been given to us in the word of God, which is the

Bible, what we're reading right here. So Paul goes on to say in verse five, I consider myself in no way inferior to the most imminent apostles.

Very sarcastic there with the way that he refers to them as most imminent apostles. If you have the English standard version, it's super apostles.

That's who they are. And that's most often how you'll hear them described as super apostles. I consider myself in no way inferior to them.

And there are some Corinthians who did think that Paul was inferior. We read previously in verse 10, here's how those super apostles were talking about Paul.

This is in chapter 10 verse 10 for, they say his letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is weak and his words contemptible.

So yeah, he might, he might write some weighty things in his letters, but there's nothing really that impressive about his presence.

He's not that intimidating. A guy is, he's not that strong. An orator, his presence is weak and his words are contemptible.

Where's the charisma of this guy. Whereas these most imminent apostles were all flashy, probably tall guys, handsome, good smiles, booming voices.

Cause that's what the Greeks really liked. They, they wanted good convincing orators. So they're not being convinced by the truth.

They're just being convinced by the way this is being packaged and presented to them. But Paul says,

I consider myself in no way inferior to them. You might think that they're better than me.

Paul is saying you, you might think that they are more convincing than me. It's as though Paul is saying here,

I respectfully disagree. I do not. I do not consider myself in any way inferior to those guys.

Verse six. But even if I am unskilled in word. And so that's all in a very humble approach here.

That's almost like Paul is he's owning the fact that he's really not that imposing a presence.

He doesn't walk into a room and people just go, Oh, the apostle Paul. Can you just feel the electricity in the room?

Right, man. The, it just oozes from this guy, his, his charisma, how he just owns the room.

You would probably be sitting in that room looking around going, okay, now, which one's Paul? And we don't really think about this all that often.

But Jesus was not immediately known by his appearance. Because when

Judas betrayed Jesus, what was the sign that he gave to the Pharisees as to which one was

Jesus whom they needed to arrest? What was the sign that he gave to them? The one I kiss is the man.

They would not have even been able to tell Jesus apart from the rest of his disciples. The concern was that one of his disciples in defense of Jesus would step forward and say,

I'm the man that you're looking for. And Judas is saying, no, it's the one that I kiss. He's the man.

They would not have been able to tell Jesus apart from any other Galilean. Now, how do we see

Jesus depicted, though? In every picture you see of Jesus and the disciples, you know which one's

Jesus and which ones are the disciples. There's always something about the picture or the painting that will delineate him apart from everybody else.

And it's probably because he's whiter than they are, longer hair, has a white robe and a purple sash or something like that, which would not have been the case.

Isaiah 53 says that there was no form or majesty that we should look at him.

In fact, he was one from whom men hide their faces. He was a poor carpenter.

He wasn't somebody prestigious or charismatic who owned the room. Now, I do believe that he spoke in a certain way that certainly got people's attention.

For, as it said at the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, chapter seven, the people were amazed at his teaching because he spoke as one with authority and not as their scribes.

So Jesus may very well have been an incredible orator. Just as far as his appearance went, there was nothing that great about him.

Paul, the same way. There was nothing about Paul that was just immediately impressive to you about him.

You could read his words and you would think, wow, his letters are awesome. But when you met him, you would be like, this is him?

This is the guy that wrote such weighty things in his letters? Yet, Paul says,

I do not consider myself inferior to those most eminent apostles, even if I am unskilled in word.

Yet, I am not so in knowledge. In fact, in every way, we have made this evident to you in all things.

So Paul says, even if I am unskilled in word. We knew that he was skilled in word. He may not have had like the charismatic orators voice, but he was skilled in word.

He was a debater. He was a public debater and he would debate in the synagogues and he would debate in the public square and was really, really good at it.

So it's not that he was unskilled in word. He just didn't sound all that impressive compared to these most eminent apostles.

But Paul humbly saying, even if I am unskilled in word, yet I am not so in knowledge.

These false apostles do not have the knowledge that Paul had.

Because Paul was given the gospel that he proclaimed from Christ himself. Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus.

Then Paul goes into Sinai, into the wilderness. And he's with Jesus for a time, for three years.

Learning from the Lord himself. These things that he would proclaim, these deep doctrines and theological truths that would make up these letters that we have of Paul in the

New Testament. So much more he would have spoken that we don't have record of as well. But he got those things from Jesus.

Where did these super apostles, these most eminent apostles, where did they get their knowledge from? It's all just from themselves.

It's not of Christ. So Paul says, I may be unskilled in word. I'm not in knowledge.

I'm not unskilled in knowledge. In fact, in every way, we've made this evident to you in all things. Now, Paul just had to say that.

And the Corinthians should have been nodding their heads. Well, yeah, that's true. The things that Paul proclaimed are not the things these most eminent apostles proclaimed.

They don't even know the stuff that Paul proclaimed. So it has been evident to them these truths of the gospel.

In fact, Paul preached the full counsel of God in the synagogue there in Corinth.

Before the teachers of the law rejected it, Paul shook out his garments and said, your blood is on your own heads.

Because he had given them everything that they needed to know from the Old Testament to recognize that Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise of the

Messiah who was to come. It's Christ. The Old Testament's pointing to Christ. The teachers, the priests, the

Pharisees did not accept that testimony. And so Paul shakes his garment out and says, your blood is on your own heads.

Which was a reference back to Ezekiel 33 concerning the watchman on the wall. They did not receive the full counsel of God that was proclaimed to them.

They have no excuse not to recognize that Jesus is the Christ. And then Paul said, from now on,

I'm going to the Gentiles. And that was where he continued to testify safely while he was there in Corinth.

No harm came to him. But for that year and a half that he was there, he proclaimed the gospel. So they've heard these deep theological truths.

Even the things that we read in Romans, Paul would have said that same stuff to the Corinthians. In every way, we have made this evident to you in all things.

Or did I commit a sin? Paul goes on in verse 7. Did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted?

Because I proclaim the gospel of God to you without charge. Paul is saying,

I didn't even ask for an honorarium. We didn't even take up a love offering. For himself, anyway.

Now, he has instructed them. Excuse me. But he has instructed them to take up an offering which he's going to take to Jerusalem.

That's not for Paul. That's for the Christians that are there in Jerusalem who are struggling in the midst of famine and persecution.

But he did not take a salary while he was there in Corinth. Paul was a tent maker by trade.

So he made tents, repaired tents, and took a wage from that to provide for himself.

He did not take anything from the Corinthians. There were other churches that helped Paul on his journey and in his ministry even while he was there in Corinth.

The Corinthian church didn't help him. He took those offerings from other churches. So, Paul goes on to say in verse 8.

I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to minister to you. There were other churches that helped him on his way so that he might come into Macedonia and Achaia and preach the gospel to them without charge.

Now, when you contrast what Paul is saying here with the most eminent apostles, they were taking a wage for what they did.

They were telling the Corinthians, hey, pay us some more money and we'll teach you some more. You like what it is that we have to say?

Well, give us some money and we'll tell you more things. You'll get to hear more eminent things, impressive things that we have to share.

So, they were preying, P -R -E -Y -I -N -G.

They were preying on the Corinthians to make themselves rich.

They were using the position that they had and the gifts that they had. They were very gifted and skilled orators, but they were using those things for their benefit and not for the

Corinthians' benefit. Paul did everything that he did for the benefit of the Corinthians. It was not a burden to them at all.

They didn't even take their money from them. So, was I sinning by not humbling myself?

Are these most eminent apostles better because they charge you for the message that they teach? And, therefore,

I sinned because I didn't take money from you. Is that what you're going to accuse me of? Because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you without charge?

Now, there are some that will take this passage to say, see, all preachers should be willing to do that. No one should take money for preaching the gospel.

But Paul argues with Timothy in 1 Timothy 5 that a worker is worthy of his wages. So, especially those elders that labor in preaching and teaching, they're worthy of double honor and they should be provided for.

Those preachers and teachers provided for, the church provides for them and for their families that they may labor in this particular work.

And that's what they devote themselves to. They devote themselves to this ministry for building up the flock of God according to the word of God.

So, this is not an argument for how preachers shouldn't take a salary. Paul is just simply making the case before the

Corinthians. I didn't take any money from you, but these most eminent apostles are robbing you and preaching you lies and you're paying for it.

Paul goes on in verse 9, And when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone.

For when the brothers came from Macedonia, they supplied my need and everything

I kept and will keep myself from being a burden to you. In other words, when I come to you again,

I'm not even going to expect money from you the next time. Verse 10, As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

Again, Paul boasting so that he may win the

Corinthians from these false teachers. Because the most eminent apostles are leading them in lies and ultimately to their destruction if they follow them.

Whereas what Paul is proclaiming is the truth that leads to eternal life.

Don't go after another Jesus. Don't receive a different spirit. Don't listen to another gospel.

We have the truth that is given to us here in the text. And we can understand it by the

Holy Spirit that has been poured into our hearts through Jesus Christ our Lord. Heavenly Father, thank you for this word.

And as I prayed yesterday, may we understand these things and know how to apply them and live according to this.

So that we may grow in righteousness and holiness in Christ likeness before you.

And encourage our brothers and sisters in the Lord in the same way. May we be a protection to one another.

So we do not let a brother or sister go after lies. But we're all holding fast to the truth and growing in these things in Jesus name.

And we ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Pastor Gabe keeps a regular blog sharing personal thoughts, alerting readers to false teachers, and offering commentary on the church and social issues.

You can find a link to the blog through our website, www .utt .com.

Thank you for listening and join us again tomorrow as we continue our study in God's word, when we understand the text.