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Paul’s Apostolic Service
To understand Paul’s role as an apostle of Jesus Christ, there is perhaps no better place to look than Paul’s own description in 2 Corinthians. In this letter, Paul reveals the heart of his ministry. Paul was God’s special messenger for the establishment and nurture of churches in the Gentile world. His service was marked by seriousness and sincerity, and his message raised life and death issues (2 Cor 2:15-17). As a pioneer missionary, he took the Good News to places where Christ’s name was not yet known (see Rom 15:20-21).
Paul’s message of Good News was clear and incisive (see, e.g., 2 Cor 5:1-21), and it was backed up and illustrated by his own life. He always sought to minister with truth and integrity (2:17; 4:2). And as Paul carried the message of Christ, the cross served as the pattern for his ministry to others (11:16-33).
Paul’s authority was apparently disputed, so he needed to offer a personal account of how God had called him as an apostle and established his ministry at Corinth (10:12-18). For those who demanded proof of Paul’s credentials (13:3) and who criticized his weaknesses, he simply pointed to the cross of Jesus (13:4) and to the lessons he had learned from it (see 4:10). Paul was quite conscious of his own limitations and that he needed divine grace to accomplish his work. But true apostolic authority expresses itself precisely in human weakness reinforced by divine strength (12:1-10).
Paul also performed miraculous works to verify his claim to apostleship (12:12). These works apparently were not enough to prevent doubts from arising in the young church at Corinth. Yet Paul exercised his ministry with great patience, not giving up when the Corinthians challenged him. This patience replicates that of Jesus, who endured much hositility from others (Heb 12:2-3).
Paul’s example provides a few lessons for all those who are involved in Christian service: (1) Christian leaders should take criticism as a summons to self-examination, to see if any accusation is well-founded. (2) Christian leaders should be patient in the face of groundless opposition, staying focused on the task at hand. (3) There is a place for reasoned defense and explanation of one’s motives, while at the same time recognizing that the Lord is the ultimate Judge.
Passages for Further Study
Matt 10:5-42; 28:18-20; Mark 1:17; 2:14; 3:14-15; John 21:15-17; Acts 1:2-8, 20-26; 2:42-43; 4:33; 5:12; 6:2-4; 10:39-43; 14:3; Rom 1:5; 15:17-21; 1 Cor 4:8-13; 12:28-29; 2 Cor 2:17; 4:2; 6:3-12; 10:12-18; Eph 2:20; 3:4-5; 4:11-13; 1 Thes 2:7-12
7. Paul defends his apostolic authority (10:1–13:10) * The true standard for boasting (10:1–18)Some translations set quotations from the Old Testament farther to the right on the page than the rest of the text. The ULT does this with the quoted words in 10:17, which are from Jeremiah 9:24.
In this and the following chapters, Paul defends himself and his authority against people who said that they were better than Paul and that the Corinthians should listen to them instead of to Paul. These people either lived in or were visiting Corinth. Paul does not state who these people are or refer to them directly. However, he does refer indirectly to what people are saying about him. Consider whether your readers would notice and understand Paul’s indirect references to his opponents. If not, you may need to make some of his references more explicit. See the notes for specific issues and translation options.
In 10:1, 10, Paul states that some people think that he is meek and gentle in person but bold and forceful when he is away from them. In 10:7, Paul hints that his opponents might say that they are “of Christ” but that Paul and his fellow workers are not. It is very likely that Paul knew more things that people said about him, but he does not state anything more directly. Make sure that your translation shows that Paul knew that people were saying at least these two things about him.
In 10:8, 13, 15–17, Paul speaks about boasting. In Paul’s culture, not all boasting was considered bad. Instead, there were good and bad kinds of boasting. In these verses, Paul explains what counts as good boasting, and he explains that he boasts in a good way. He also implies that his opponents boast in a bad way. You should use a word or phrase that refers to saying that someone or something is great, and make sure that this word or phrase could refer to something good or to something bad. (See: boast)
In 10:12–16, Paul speaks about “measures” and “limits.” He is referring to standards with which people compare themselves and rules according to which people act. He argues that he and his fellow workers have compared themselves to a standard that God has provided and work according to rules that God gave. He suggests that his opponents compare themselves to standards they have invented and do not follow the rules that God has given. Further, Paul argues that the rules God gave to him and those with him require them to be the ones who teach the Corinthians. Consider what words and phrases would express these ideas clearly in your language.
In 10:1, Paul describes himself as “meek” when he is with the Corinthians but “bold” when he is away from them. He is speaking ironically, that is, describing himself as his opponents do when he does not really believe it. This is clear from 10:10, where Paul states that this opinion comes from others, not from himself. Further, it is possible that what Paul says in 10:10 is also ironic speech: “we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of the ones commending themselves.” It is likely, however, that Paul actually means this and is not speaking from another person’s perspective. Consider a natural way to express the ironic speech in 10:1 so that your readers know that Paul is speaking from the perspective of his opponents.
In verses 10:3–6, Paul speaks of preaching the gospel and opposing God’s enemies as if he and his fellow workers were fighting a war. While he and those with him do not try to kill their enemies, he does mean that they fight and struggle very hard. If possible, preserve this metaphor or express the idea in simile form. See the notes on these verses for translation options. (See: figs-metaphor)
Throughout this chapter, Paul uses the words “we,” “us,” and “our” to refer to himself and those who work with him. He does not include the Corinthians. You should assume that Paul only means himself and his fellow workers unless a note specifies otherwise. (See: figs-exclusive)
The word translated “limit” in 10:13, 15 and “area” in 10:16 most generally refers to a straight stick that could be used for measuring things. In these verses, it could refer primarily to the standard by which things are measured or to the things that are measured. If the word refers to the standard by which things are measured, it refers primarily to what God has called Paul and his fellow workers to do. The UST generally follows this interpretation. If the word refers to the things that are measured, it refers primarily to the people or areas in which God has called Paul and his fellow workers to preach the gospel. The ULT generally follows this interpretation. Before you translate these verses, you should read 10:13–16 and consider which interpretation best fits with what Paul is arguing.