We know about three letters from Paul to the Corinthian church. In 1 Cor. 5.9 we read, “I wrote to you in the letter not to associate with the immoral…,” and goes on in v. 11 to indicate that he was referring to a Corinthian Christian who had been immoral. This letter we do not have and know nothing about except that it dealt with this matter of immorality. 1 Cor. 5 deals with this matter, where Paul seems to deal rather harshly with the sinner. This matter comes up again in 2 Corinthians, as we will see. Apparently there was bad feeling toward Paul from some of the Corinthians, but also harsh judgment of the sinner, such that he might be driven away from the church entirely rather than redeemed. Paul has to deal with this in 2 C 1.23-2.11:

But I call God as witness upon my soul that sparing you I did not come anymore to Corinth. ²⁴Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are fellow workers of your joy, for you stand firm in the faith. 2. But I determined this for my own sake, not to come to you in sorrow again. ²For if I make you sorrowful, who indeed is the one making me joyful except the one being made sorrowful by me? ³And I wrote this same thing, that having come I might not have sorrow from those who must make me rejoice, having confidence in you all that my joy is that of you all.  ⁴For from much affliction and distress of heart I wrote to you through many tears, not that you might be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly for you.

⁵But if anyone has caused sorrow he has not caused me sorrow, but in part – that I may not be burdensome – to all of you. ⁶Sufficient to such a one is this punishment, which is by the many, ⁷so that on the contrary rather you should forgive and comfort him so that such a one may not somehow be swallowed up by more abundant sorrow. ⁸Therefore I urge you to reaffirm love for him. ⁹For because of this I also wrote that I might know the proof of you, if you are obedient in all things. ¹⁰But to whom you forgive anything, I also, for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, it is for you in the face of Christ, ¹¹that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

This work is entitled The Heart of Paul. 2 Corinthians is the most personal of Paul’s letters and reveals his heart more than any other. In the passage above he says that to spare them he did not visit Corinth again. The Corinthian church was not the model church. There was a lot going on there that was not pleasing to God and Paul had to deal with it. When one loves a group of people, that is difficult for him to do. He says that he did not want to visit Corinth in sorrow again, indicating that there had been bad feelings in a previous visit or visits. He did not want to make the Corinthians sorrowful when he wanted them to make him joyful. He says that he wrote to them “from much affliction and distress of heart … through many tears.” It grieved him to have to deal hardly with these brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Then it comes out that this matter had to do with the one who had been immoral. Apparently in response to Paul’s statement in 1 Cor. 5.3 and 5 that he had already judged the sinner and decided to “deliver such a one to Satan for destruction of the flesh so that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord,” the church had tossed him out and refused to have anything else to do with him. Then in v. 11 he says not even to eat with such a person, adding to the punishment. Now in 2 Corinthians he has to say that the punishment was sufficient and they must forgive the sinner. This assumes that he had repented. He says that they should “comfort him so that such a one may not somehow be swallowed up by more abundant sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm love for him.” We see that church discipline is necessary, but its aim is to redeem the sinner, not destroy him.

In all of this we see Paul’s heart love for these people whom he had led to the Lord. Read about this in Acts 18. He grieved. He shed tears. He poured out his heart to them. He wanted them to learn the Lord’s ways “that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” Satan wants to destroy the Lord’s people or at least destroy their testimony. Paul’s weeps over them that they may maintain that testimony.

2 Cor. 4.7-15

But we have this treasure in vessels made of clay that the hyperbole of the power may be of God and not from us. ⁸In everything being afflicted, but not restricted, being perplexed, but not despairing, ⁹being persecuted, but not being forsaken, being struck down, but not being destroyed, ¹⁰always carrying around in the body the putting to death of Jesus that the life of Jesus also may be made manifest in our body. ¹¹For we the living are always being delivered to death that the life of Jesus also may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. ¹²So then death works in us, but life in you. ¹³But having the same Spirit of faith according to that having been written, “I had faith, therefore I spoke” (Ps. 116.10), we also have faith, therefore we speak, ¹⁴knowing that the one having raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and present us with you. ¹⁵For all things are for your sake so that the grace having abounded through the many may increase the thanksgiving to the glory of God.

We all hold Paul in high regard. He suffered much for the Lord. He laid down his life for the Lord. He wrote much of the heart of the New Testament, teaching us many great truths. But as we look at Paul’s heart we see that he taught us more than truths. They are indispensable, but they can be head knowledge or sources of pride (1 Cor. 8.1: “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”). In this epistle Paul shows us not just truth, but his heart of love.

He begins in this paragraph by showing that he realizes that as great as he may be to us, in himself he was only a clay pot. He might even have said a cracked pot – we all leak, don’t we, and need to be refilled by the Holy Spirit! If we had the spiritual power that Paul exhibited we would probably be overcome by pride, but he had gotten hold of the truth that the hyperbolic power was of God and not of himself. It was worked deep into his being. Hyperbole is a great word. It is a transliteration of the Greek word – ὑπερβολὴ – hyperbole. In English it refers to gross exaggeration used to make a point or emphasize something. It is often used in poetry. In biblical Greek it means something beyond all comprehension. The power of God is more than beyond comprehension. It is infinite, having no limit whatever. We have seen many examples down through history of people who amassed great power and used it for their own benefit, many without any regard for people who were hurt or even killed by their lust for power. God had gotten hold of Paul and he knew that the power was not his, but God’s, and his desire was that God use the power through Paul for the accomplishment of God’s good purposes.

Then Paul shows something of what he went through to do the will of God: ^”In everything being afflicted, but not restricted, being perplexed, but not despairing, being persecuted, but not being forsaken, being struck down, but not being destroyed, always carrying around in the body the putting to death of Jesus….” On Paul’s side it was affliction, perplexity, persecution, being struck down, “always carrying around in the body the putting to death of Jesus.” But on God’s side in him it was no restriction, no despair, no being forsaken, no destruction. That last statement, “always carrying around in the body the putting to death of Jesus,” is of great importance and instruction to us. It is followed by, “that the life of Jesus also may be made manifest in our body.” Paul is carrying around the death of Jesus, but the life of Jesus is manifested in him? What does that mean? It means that Paul had learned God’s method.

What is God’s method? It is resurrection. God is the only being who can resurrect the dead. It may be someday that science will be able to restore the dead to life, but if so, it will be a restoring to the same old life. Those people will die again. That is not resurrection, but resuscitation. God can raise a person from death into a new kind of life, eternal life, no longer subject to disease, death, decay. In 1 Cor. 15.44 and 46 it is called a “spiritual body.” See also Phil. 3.21. Paul had learned that those who have been saved by trusting in the Lord Jesus have that life in them now, and that life was working through Paul to impart life to others. Death worked in Paul, but life in others. That means that as Paul laid down his life for the Lord others received resurrection life. Eternal life is resurrection life and that is what we all need, but there must be death to get resurrection life, for that is what resurrection life is, life out of death. Paul was willing to give his own life by experiencing the death of the Lord Jesus that others may find that life. The Lord Jesus was sinless so he was not subject to death. No one killed him or could kill him. He laid down his life. Mt. 27.50 says that he dismissed his spirit. When God’s time came for him to die he dismissed his spirit. He wasn’t killed. Because the Lord Jesus died sinless, and therefore not subject to death, he was able to be raised up into that new life, resurrection life, with a spiritual body. Paul got that truth, that the life of Jesus comes out of death, and he was willing to die himself to bring that life to others. In Rom. 8.36 he says, quoting Ps. 44.22, “For your sake we are being put to death all the day. We are regarded as sheep for slaughter.”

That is the heart of Paul – a man with such a love for God and people who desperately need him that he was willing to live a living death or a dying life that the life of the Lord Jesus might come to others from his dying. He knew “that the one having raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and present us with you. For all things are for your sake….” And the ultimate goal: “that the grace having abounded through the many may increase the thanksgiving to the glory of God.” The glory of God.

2 Cor. 6.3-13

… giving no cause of stumbling in anything, that the ministry may not be blemished,⁴ but in everything commending ourselves as ministers of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, ⁵in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleepless nights, in fastings, ⁶in purity, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unhypocritical love, ⁷in a word of truth, in God’s power, through the weapons of righteousness of the right hands and the left hands, ⁸through glory and dishonor, through bad report and good report, as deceiving yet true, ⁹as being unknown yet as being well known, as dying yet look, we are alive, as being disciplined yet not being killed, ¹⁰as being sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.

¹¹Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart has been enlarged. ¹²You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your affections. ¹³But by the same return – I am speaking as to children – you also be enlarged.

Paul shows his concern for the ministry, not HIS ministry, but the work of God through him. He does not want it to be blemished in any way by his activities. He commends himself as a minister of God, not in a bragging way, but as showing that his concern is for what God wants through him. Then he gives the long list of the things he has suffered, with some of the good mixed in. He was willing to be poor if thereby he might make many spiritually rich.

Then he pours his full heart out through his mouth that is open in telling the Corinthians how much he longs for them to be wholly open to the Lord and wholly yielded to him. He is distressed that they are restrained. He is not restraining them. He is trying to bring them into fullness. They are restraining themselves by going by their feelings, not by the truth of God. Oh, he fairly cries, my heart has had to be enlarged to hold all the love I have for you. In the same way, you be enlarged, too! Open up your heart fully to God. Open up your heart to me as I have opened mine to you. He is speaking to Christians who have been born spiritually, but they are still immature baby Christians. Grow in the Lord, he says. Open your heart! Such was the heart of Paul.

7.2-16

Make room for us. We wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one. ³I am not speaking for condemnation, for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. ⁴Great is my confidence in you. Great is my boasting about you. I have been filled with encouragement. I am being made to abound exceedingly with joy in all our affliction.

⁵For even having come into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but being afflicted in every way, fightings without, fears within.⁶But the one comforting the lowly, God, comforted us in the coming of Titus. ⁷But not only by his coming, but also with the comfort with which he was comforted by you as he told us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced the more. ⁸For even if I made you sorrowful in the epistle I don’t have regret, even if I was having regret, for I see that that epistle did make you sorrowful if even for an hour. ⁹Now I am rejoicing, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful unto repentance, for you were made sorrowful according to God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything because of us. ¹⁰For the sorrow according to God works repentance unto salvation without regret, but the sorrow of the world works death. ¹¹For look how much earnestness this very same thing, to have been made sorrowful according to God, worked in you, and not that only, but defense, but indignation, but fear, but longing, but zeal, but vindication. In everything you showed yourselves to be pure in the matter. ¹²So even if I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one having done wrong or for the sake of the one having suffered wrong, but for the sake of your earnestness for us being revealed to you before God. ¹³Because of this we have been comforted.

But besides our comfort we rejoiced more abundantly at the joy of Titus because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you, ¹⁴for if I have boasted anything to him about you, I was not put to shame, but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting to Titus was proved to be truth. ¹⁵And his affections are toward you more abundantly, the obedience of you all being called to his mind, as you received him with fear and trembling. ¹⁶I rejoice that in everything I am of good courage concerning you.

Paul continues to reveal his heart by crying out to the Corinthian, “Make room for us,” that is, in your hearts. He had already said in 2 Cor. 6.11 that his heart was open to them, indeed, had been enlarged. He says that “We wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one,” not so much in defense of himself, but as showing that his ministry to them was to help them, to build them up in Christ. “I am not speaking for condemnation”: his letters to them were not intended to condemn them, but to say again that they were on his heart. He was willing “to die together and to live together” with them. Paul just pours his heart out: “Great is my confidence in you. Great is my boasting about you. I have been filled with encouragement. I am being made to abound exceedingly with joy in all our affliction.”

Then Paul shows them his relief in his distress in Macedonia when Titus came to him from the Corinthians with the news that they had longing, mourning, and zeal for him. Then he turns to the letter he had sent, whether the one mentioned in 1 Cor. 5.9 or 1 Corinthians itself we do not know, that caused them sorrow, obviously in dealing with the one who had been immoral. He says that he does not regret it, though he did for a while. The regret was that he had caused them sorrow. The rejoicing in its place came because the sorrow it caused them resulted in their repentance. In v. 10 he says that there is sorrow according to God that leads to repentance and there is the sorrow of the world that leads to death. The sorrow according to God is sorrow that one has hurt the Lord and a genuine desire to make things right. The sorrow of the world is sorrow that one got caught or perhaps sorrow that does not know the grace of God and repentance toward him, but sinks into the misery of regret. This will lead to ultimate spiritual death if one does not come to know the Lord.

Again the thoughts just pour out of Paul’s heart in torrents as he says, “For look how much earnestness this very same thing, to have been made sorrowful according to God, worked in you, and not that only, but defense, but indignation, but fear, but longing, but zeal, but vindication.” Defense of the actions of the Corinthians in doing the right thing in disciplining and then forgiving the sinner and restoring him. Indignation with sin and with the devil, “for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2.11). Fear, the healthy fear of God, the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9.10). Longing, for Paul and his companions and for the Lord. Zeal for the spread of the good news and the application of it in the Corinthians church. Vindication, not of the Corinthians, for we have just seen their defense, but of God for avenging sin by the death of his Son so that the sinner might be forgiven.

Then Paul says that his motive in writing was not for the offender or even the one offended, “but for the sake of your earnestness for us being revealed to you before God,” that is, that the Corinthians might see themselves before God. It is very easy for us to compare ourselves with others and see ourselves as rather good compared to some, but when we see ourselves as God sees us, if we are honest we can only repent in dust and ashes. Paul does say that the earnestness of the Corinthians for him and his companions was revealed as a good thing before God in this case, but always remember that Christ is the one by whom we are to be measured, not others. Thus Paul’s heart was comforted.

He was also comforted and rejoicing because the spirit of Titus was refreshed and given joy by the Corinthians. No shame comes out of this. Love abounds. “I have been filled with encouragement. I am being made to abound exceedingly with joy in all our affliction.”

11.1-11

It ought to be that you were bearing with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are bearing with me, ²for I am jealous for you with God’s jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband to present a pure virgin to Christ. ³But I fear that somehow as Satan deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that are in Christ. ⁴For indeed if the one coming preaches another Jesus whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or different good news which you did not accept, you bear with it well. ⁵For I consider myself not at all to have been inferior to the “exceedingly high apostles.” ⁶But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not in knowledge, but in everything having made it manifest among all things to you.

⁷Or did I commit a sin, humbling myself so that you might be exalted, that I preached to you the good news of God at no charge? ⁸I robbed other churches, having taken wages from them for service to you, ⁹and being present with you and in need I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers having come from Macedonia filled my need, and in everything I kept and will keep myself from being burdensome to you. ¹⁰It is truth of Christ in me that this boasting will not be fenced in with regard to me in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹Because of what? Because I do not love you? God knows.

Paul mentions foolishness. He then goes to something more serious, so we will come back to the foolishness. He tells the Corinthians that he is “jealous for you with God’s jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband to present a pure virgin to Christ. But I fear that somehow as Satan deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that are in Christ.” Several times in the Old Testament God is called a jealous God. Ex. 34.14 says that God’s name is Jealous because he is a jealous God. What is he jealous about? Other gods. Idols. The Jewish people of the Old Testament, up to the time of the Exile, were often guilty of idolatry. The Old Testament pictures God as the husband of Israel (see Is. 62.4-5, Jer. 2.2, Ezk. 16.6-14, Hos. 2.16, 19-20). But they had other lovers than God and he was jealous for all their love, as we would be if our beloved loved someone else, or even liked someone else too much. Here Paul is jealous for the Corinthians with this same jealousy of God, but not for himself. He is jealous on Christ’s behalf, that he have all their love, for in the New Testament the church is to be the bride and wife of Christ (see Mt. 25.5, 10, Jn. 3.29, Rev. 19.7, 21.2, 9). He had betrothed them to one husband, Christ, and wanted to present them to him as a pure virgin. We are reminded of Eph. 5.25-27 where Paul writes that Christ “loved the church and gave himself up for her that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the spoken word, that he might present to himself the glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she might be holy and blameless.” Paul’s heart was for God and his Son and he wanted the Lord Jesus to have a pure virgin who loved only him as much as the Lord himself did, if that is possible.

Then we see why Paul is so jealous: ^”But I fear that somehow as Satan deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that are in Christ. ⁴For indeed if the one coming preaches another Jesus whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or different good news which you did not accept, you bear with it well.” There were false apostles who preached “good news” other than what Paul preached, and he preached Christ. His readers do not need other “good news” or other apostles who preached it. They needed only the simplicity and purity that are in Christ, not some complicated and adulterated message with myths and genealogies and old wives tales and commandments of men turning away from the truth (see 1 Tim. 1.4, 4.7, Ti. 1.14). This was like some of the Jews of the Old Testament going after the gods and idols that revealed God’s jealousy. Then he says that the Corinthians are bearing well this false teaching. Paul is jealous for Christ.

Next Paul says that he is not inferior to these “exceedingly high apostles.” He does not say that he is superior to them, though he certainly is, but he did say that though he might not be skilled in speech, a great orator, yet he had an advantage – knowledge. He knew the truth of God, and not just head knowledge, but he knew God himself intimately, and he knew not just the spiritual facts, but he knew the facts in a living way that changed his life and gave him a grasp of what God is dong in the world. He was not preaching another, supposedly superior, good news, but the only real good news, which is just Christ himself. Christianity was not a religion to him. It was Christ, period!

Paul then touches on a bit of the foolishness he mentioned at the beginning of this chapter by adding what we might call a bit of godly sarcasm: ^”Or did I commit a sin, humbling myself so that you might be exalted, that I preached to you the good news of God at no charge?” Was it a sin to humble himself, to preach at no charge? He points out that he was supported by other churches so that he might not be a financial burden to the Corinthians, even saying that he “robbed” other churches. He adds to the foolishness by saying that his boasting will not be fenced in, the literal meaning of the Greek. The boasting he refers to is the knowledge we have just seen. What Paul had was truth in Christ, not the new “good news” that the “exceedingly high apostles” preached. He was not boasting of himself as though he were something great, but of the truth that came from Christ. Achaia of course was the region of Greece around Corinth. Why would the boasting not be fenced in, but allowed to roam over all the world? Because Paul did not love them? On the contrary, because he did love them and wanted them to know and grow in the knowledge of God, and again, not just head knowledge, but knowing God. Such is the heart of Paul, a heart of love.

11.16-29

Again I say, no one should think me to be foolish, but if otherwise, even as a fool receive me so that I also may boast some little bit. ¹⁷What I am saying I am saying not in accordance with the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. ¹⁸Since many boast according to flesh I also will boast. ¹⁹For being prudent you gladly bear with the foolish, ²⁰for you bear with it if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours you, if anyone ensnares you, if anyone exalts himself, if anyone strikes you in the face. ²¹By way of disparagement I speak, as that we have been weak, but in what someone may be daring – I speak in foolishness – I also am daring. ²²Are they Hebrews? I also. Are they Israelites? I also. Are they Abraham’s seed? I also. ²³Are they servants of Christ? I speak as being beside myself, I more: in labors more abundantly, in imprisonments more abundantly, in beatings beyond measure, in deaths often. ²⁴From Jews five times I received forty lashes but one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have been a night and a day in the deep. ²⁶In journeys often, in dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my race, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers, ²⁷in labor and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. ²⁸Besides the things not mentioned there is the daily pressure on me, the care of all the churches. ²⁹Who is weak and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble and I do not burn?

More foolishness! Paul shows that he is willing to be considered a fool if it will advance the good news. He will boast like a fool. Many boast according to the flesh. He will, too, though his boasting will not be according to the flesh. Then he throws in a bit more sarcasm: ^”for you bear with it if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours you, if anyone ensnares you, if anyone exalts himself, if anyone strikes you in the face. ²¹By way of disparagement [of himself] I speak, as that we have been weak” by not doing those things to the Corinthians. 

The “exceedingly high apostles” boast in their credentials: They are daring or bold. He is, too. They are Hebrews (racial). He is, too. They are Israelites (national). He is, too. They are Abraham’s seed (pedigree). He is, too. They claim to be servants of Christ. “I speak as being beside myself, I more.” Then Paul shows who the real servant of Christ is. They boast of their fleshly credentials. He has suffered for the Lord: ”in labors more abundantly, in imprisonments more abundantly, in beatings beyond measure, in deaths often. From Jews five times I received forty lashes but one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have been a night and a day in the deep. In journeys often, in dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my race, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers, in labor and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” Have they suffered for the Lord? No, they have tried to make life difficult for Paul and have tried to capture people he has led to the Lord for their own benefit.

Then Paul adds a final word that again shows his heart even beyond these sufferings: ^”Besides the things not mentioned there is the daily pressure on me, the care of all the churches. Who is weak and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble and I do not burn?” In addition to all that he has just listed of his sufferings he says that there is more that has not been mentioned. Then he adds the inward heart burden he bears daily of care for the churches. His concern is not for himself in his sufferings. He is willing to bear that and more for the Lord. His burden is for the people he has led to the Lord, that they might remain faithful to him and grow in him. That they might not fall prey to the “exceedingly high apostles” and other false prophets and teachers who want to use them. If any of them are weak in their faith he feels the weakness, too, knowing that he is also weak. It is the grace of God that empowers, not Paul’s intelligence or knowledge or willingness to work. If one of those whom he has led to the Lord should stumble, he burns, feeling the searing pain, just as with the brother who was immoral and had to be dealt with. Paul’s heart is for the Lord and the Lord’s people and he is willing to go to any length to further that cause.

12.1-21

It is necessary to boast, not profitable indeed, but I will go to visions and revelations of the Lord. ²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I don’t know or out of the body I don’t know, God knows – such a one having been caught up to the third heaven. ³And I know such a man – whether in the body or without the body I don’t know, God knows – ⁴that he was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible speakings not being permitted for a man to say. ⁵About such a one I will boast, but about myself I will not boast except in the weaknesses. ⁶For if I should want to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking truth, but I refrain so that no one will credit me with more than what he sees in me or hears from me. ⁷And with the hyperbole of the revelations, that I may not exalt myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, that he may strike me with the fist, that I may not exalt myself. ⁸Concerning this I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me, ⁹and he has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of God may tabernacle over me. ¹⁰Therefore I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, in necessities, in persecutions and difficulties, for Christ, for when I might be weak, then I am powerful.

¹¹I have become foolish. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in no way was I inferior to the “exceedingly high apostles,” even if I am nothing. ¹²The signs of the apostle were performed among you in all endurance, both signs and wonders, and powerful works. ¹³For what is it that you were treated as inferior to rest of the churches if not that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong. ¹⁴Look, this third time I am ready to come to you and I will not be a burden, for I am not seeking what is yours, but you, for the children ought not to treasure up for the parents, but the parents for the children. ¹⁵But I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent for your souls. If loving you more abundantly am I loved less? ¹⁶But let it be. I myself did not burden you, but being crafty I caught you with bait. ¹⁷Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you? No. ¹⁸I urged Titus and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? No. Did we not walk in the same spirit, in the same steps?

¹⁹Are you thinking all along that we are defending ourselves to you? We are speaking before God in Christ, but all the things, beloved, are for your edification. ²⁰For I am afraid that somehow, having come, I may find you not such as I wish and I may be found by you not such as you wish, that somehow there are strife, jealousy, passions, rivalries, slanders, whisperings, pride, tumults; ²¹that my having come, my God may humble me again before you and that I may mourn over many of those having sinned before and not having repented at the impurity and immorality and sensuality which they practiced.

Paul was a man who received incredible revelations from the Lord. This may be a bit speculative on my part, but it seems to me that God chose Paul as a kind of founder of Christian truth. We cannot know God by reason or experience, but only by revelation. We can know that there is a God by observation (Rom. 1.20), but we cannot know him unless he reveals himself. Furthermore, we cannot know Christian truth except by revelation. There are many religions in the world that believe in God or gods or a god and believe all sorts of things about him or them. The truth that we as Christians know did not come from man’s deductions or speculations or Satan’s deception, largely the same thing, but from the Bible, the written word of God. Where did this revelation come from? From men who received revelation directly from God, the Old Testament prophets, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the writer of Hebrews, James, Peter, Jude … and Paul. The passage we are now considering appears to me to reveal how such revelation came: “It is necessary to boast, not profitable indeed, but I will go to visions and revelations of the Lord. ²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I don’t know or out of the body I don’t know, God knows – such a one having been caught up to the third heaven. ³And I know such a man – whether in the body or without the body I don’t know, God knows – ⁴that he was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible speakings not being permitted for a man to say.”

Have you been called up to the third heaven or to paradise and heard inexpressible speakings? I certainly haven’t! I think the Lord chose men to give these revelations to so that they could pass them on by way of the Bible, and by their own verbal teaching when they were alive on this earth.

Back to Paul’s heart. These incredible experiences he had and these revelations that he received could have made him unbelievably proud. He could have tried to set himself as “the head of the church,” or some such. But Paul said that he would not boast in these things, even though he could have because they were true. He knew where they came from – not from himself. He knew himself so he would boast in his weaknesses. The Lord helped him with this by giving him a thorn in the flesh a messenger from Satan, to beat him if need be. We are not told what the thorn was and I will not speculate.

Paul says that he begged the Lord three times to remove this thorn, but the Lord spoke to him immortal words that really are addressed to all of us, that we all need at one time or another: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” If we try to work for the Lord or deal with our trials in our own strength we will fail. It is only the power of God that can accomplish these things and we are beset with weakness. Paul accepted that word and accepted his weakness as an opportunity for the power of God to work through him.

In vs. 11-21 he makes several statements that show his heart. He says that he is nothing, that he has not been a burden to them, but supported himself, that he was not seeking what the Corinthians had, but them, that he might lead them to the Lord and help them grow in him. He says that he is like a parent with children, not expecting the children to support him, but himself to support them spiritually. He says that he was willing to spend and be utterly spent for their souls to heal and mature them in the Lord.  He was working for their edification. A finally he says that he mourns over those who sin.

Paul had a heart that was wholly for the Lord (Num. 32.12), willing to humble himself, to suffer, to spend and be utterly spent, even to die, to accomplish his will, and for the people of God. That is the heart of Paul.

Copyright © 2020 by Tom Adcox. All rights reserved. You may share this work with others, provided you do not alter it and do not sell it or use it for any commercial purpose. “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10.8). Also you must include this notice if you share it or any part of it.

Quotations from the New Testament are the author’s translations.