Day 252

Isaiah 3:1–5:30; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15; Psalm 53:1-6; Proverbs 22:28-29

ALTHOUGH SCHOLARS HAVE debated for centuries about who Paul was talking about when he discussed “super apostles” in our reading from 2 Corinthians today, this is the likely scenario: People who had a different set of convictions about Jesus had begun visiting churches that Paul had established with great persecution and difficulty. Their teachings were different from Paul’s and were apparently being validated by their association with some of the men who had walked with Jesus during His ministry (“super apostles”) —a claim Paul couldn’t make because he had never met Jesus during His earthly ministry. The gospel they taught was nuanced in a way that was disturbing to Paul.

Since Paul considered their self-validation boastful and self-serving, he, too, felt the need to boast in response. But this put Paul in a strange position, because boasting isn’t usually considered a good thing —especially boasting about oneself. But he didn’t feel like he had a choice. He didn’t want the Corinthians to be swept into teachings that he hadn’t given them from the beginning. This was a matter of great concern to him.

Yesterday and today, we watched Paul squirm over this, because he didn’t want to get into a boxing match over who was the most authentic follower of Jesus —a no-win contest of validation by comparison. On the other hand, the Corinthians were being influenced negatively, so Paul felt the need to tell the people of his struggles to bring the gospel to them in the first place.

What can we make of all of this? Was Paul simply a very insecure man? Maybe —after all, he was a human being with the same struggles we each face. But this had nothing to do with why he felt the need to “boast.” Paul told the Corinthians exactly why he was going through this uncomfortable exercise, confessing, “I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband —Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2).

Tomorrow, we’ll begin to hear Paul’s “boasting.” And as we prepare for that, let’s consider how we validate ourselves. Are we legitimized because of whose names we can drop? Or is our validation found in the knowledge that we are nothing without Jesus?

MEDITATION:

Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!