Our Daily Scripture – 8/7/25 (Thursday)

SCRIPTURE:  2 CORINTHIANS 11

PAUL AND THE FALSE APOSTLES (vs. 1-15)

Paul’s account of himself to the Corinthian church:

  1. I am not in the least inferior to those “super-apostles. (v. 5)
  2. I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. (v. 6)
  3. I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge. (v. 7)
  4. I robbed other churches by receiving support from them, so as to serve you. (v. 8)
  5. I have kept myself from being a burden to you. (v. 9)
  6. 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. (v. 12)

PAUL BOASTS ABOUT HIS SUFFERINGS: (vs.16-33)

Sufferings that Paul encountered:

  1. I am a Hebrew, an Israelite, and Abraham’s descendant. (v. 22)
  2. I am a servant of Christ who worked much harder, had been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. (v. 23)
  3. I received from the Jews five times the forty lashes minus one. (v. 24)
  4. I was beaten three times with rods, stoned once and shipwrecked three times, spending a night and a day in the open sea. (v. 25)
  5. I have been constantly on the move and been in danger from rivers, from bandits, from my own countrymen, from Gentiles, in the city, in the country, at sea and from false brothers. (v. 26)
  6. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep. (v. 27a)
  7. I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food. (v. 27b)
  8. I have been cold and naked. (v. 27c)
  9. I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches,. (v. 28)
  10. I feel weak and am inwardly burned. (v. 29)

In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.  But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.

THOUGHTS:

Purpose of Paul in writing this letter :

  1.  He wanted to protect the Corinthian church from false teachers who tried to seduce the church from pure devotion to Christ.
  2.  He sacrificed for them in love by not receiving financial support at Corinth even when they did not show any appreciation.
  3.  He defended the gospel and the authority of his ministry by mentioning his sufferings.   Unlike the false teachers, they bragged about their triumphs, but Paul boasted about his trials.

The Corinthian believers like smooth talk and messages that sounded good.  Today there are many false teachings that seem to make sense.  Do not believe someone simply because he sounds like an authority or says words you like to hear.  Search the Bible and check his teachings against God’s Word.  The Bible should be your authoritative guide.  Do not listen to any “authoritative preacher” who contradicts God’s Word.

Paul was a brilliant thinker but not an eloquent speaker because he had not been trained in the Greek schools of oratory and speechmaking.  He made a simple presentation of the Good News so that some people thought that he was simple-minded.  Thus his speaking performance was often criticized by the false teachers.  But remember, in teaching and preaching, content is more important      than the presentation.

Paul sacrificed his life for the Good News.  He listed down the trials he had endured in his service for Christ.  As we serve the Lord, we may also experience trials and hurts.  But those can build our character and strengthen our faith for further service to God.