2 Corinthians 11 - The Best Way to Spot a Lie is to Know the Truth!

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Paul and the False Apostles

11 I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

It seems foolish that Paul would have to "go to bat" for himself in relationship to his apostolic authority, but for the sake of the gospel he does it. As an apostle and one who played a key role in establishing the church in Corinth, he feels a real responsibility to the church. The devil is a cunning enemy. Just like he deceived Eve, he would not hesitate to do the same with the Corinthians. 

Remember Eve's primary sin was to deceive Adam into thinking it was okay for them to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The devil deceived Eve, and then she deceived Adam. The devil's favorite deception is to dilute or diminish the power of the gospel. It is to lull people into believing a "false gospel", not the "true gospel". This can happen through either "legalism" or "cheap grace". 

It seems as though the Corinthians did not understand how the false teachers where subverting the true gospel. Paul had preached a very clear and specific gospel that Jesus had died for their sins. They were dead in their sin, until Jesus went to the cross to pay a debt he didn't owe for them who owed a debt they could not pay. 

The church has the same problem today. It is not surprising that there are false teachers in the church today; the problem is that the church puts up with them and embraces them. Christians of this generation, like Christians of many generations, will have to answer to Jesus for their lack of discernment when it comes to the false teachers and leaders accepted and embraced by the church.

5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” 6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. 7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

Paul again returns to the debate about his apostleship. Apparently he was not the most eloquent speaker and some Corinthians held this against them. But more importantly than his style was the message he preached. Far too often today people are looking to be entertained by their pastor rather than given sound instruction and application. Do you go looking to be fed by your pastor, or by God's Word? 

As an evidence of Paul wanting to preach the pure gospel, he did not have an expectation to receive financial support from them. He didn't want it ever to look like he was "charging" them for the gospel. By nature the gospel is "free of charge". He says sarcastically that he didn't want to "rob" them. Fortunately other churches, like the church in Philippi, stepped up to meet his financial needs. 

As a true apostle, Paul could “boast” that he took no money and that he was more interested in the integrity of the message than in his own needs. - Guzik

12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

The people inciting this division and undercutting Paul's ministry among them were not true ministers of the gospel. If they were, they would be celebrating with Paul and the Corinthians the fruit of his ministry among them. These people were false apostles and a "scham". They were "scheisters". In this way they were like Satan, who is the father of all lies. The only power Satan has is to get people to buy into his lies.

This is why it is so important to be a student of scripture. The best way to spot a lie is to know the truth. Many people are not grounded in the basic doctrines of the Christian faith, so they become susceptible to buying into the lies the world and the devil are selling them wholesale. 

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. 19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! 20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!

Paul continues with more sarcastic rhetoric about the treatment they are giving him. He keeps contrasting what the Corinthians are boasting about and tongue in check what he is boasting about. 

It is easy to sense both Paul’s sarcasm and his hesitancy to promote himself. He would rather talk about Jesus, but that message is hindered by the Corinthians’ disregard of Paul’s credentials as a true apostle, a true representative of Jesus. - Guzik

The Corinthian Christians were so taken with their “super apostles” they would accept all kind of ill treatment from them. They were so impressed with the image of authority and power of the “super apostles,” they meekly submitted to this kind of treatment. - Guzik 

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.

Paul finally gives in and actually lays out his resume as a true apostle, who endured every hardship as a a minister of Christ. He mentions all the different types of persecutions, and also his concern for all the churches. Finally, he admits his own weakeness, which relates to his own sinfulness. He suffers, worries, and struggles just as much as all of them do. (verse 30)

So for them to somehow suggest Paul is not a true apostle, it simply ridiculous. 

 It wasn’t the mere fact of a hard life that made Paul a true minister of Christ. Many people have hard lives but are in no way servants of Jesus. But for Paul, all these perils and hardships were freely chosen because he could have lived differently if he wanted to. But he didn’t want to. He wanted to serve Jesus, and if these hardships were part of serving Jesus, he would accept them. - Guzik