Throughout the book of 2 Corinthians, Paul has hinted that there are people that have come to Corinth that are opposing him. He has been hinting that they are disingenuous and do not have the best interest of the Corinthians in mind. The first time this showed up was at the end of chapter 2, where Paul says,
For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
Now there is a theme that begins in 1 Corinthians 9 that Paul has refused any payment from the Corinthians. This rejection of payment from the Corinthians is not perceived by the Corinthians as an argument for Paul, but rather it seems to be perceived as an insult to them.
In 2 Corinthians 2 we begin to gather that there are people present that are now taking money from the Corinthians and Paul labels them as peddlers.
Then in the first part of chapter 3, Paul insinuates that these new people have come with letters of commendation from someone and are also asking the Corinthians for letters of commendation from them to take to other churches. Paul argues that he does not need these letters.
In chapter 10 we see that Paul is having to defend his ministry against charges that he is bold toward the Corinthians in his letters, but he is “humble” when he is physically with them. We might guess that it is these people who are new to Corinth might be the ones that are making these accusations.
But we learn the most about these people in Corinth in the last three chapters of 2 Corinthians. Here Paul uses two new terms to describe these people: “Super” (hyper) “Apostles” in chapter 11 verse 5, and “False” (pseudo) “Apostles” in chapter 11 verse 13. It is impossible to know what they called themselves, but if they are using any of these terms it is probably “Super Apostles.”
Paul continues his description of who they are in chapter 11 verse 13. He calls them deceitful workmen and ones who disguise themselves as apostles. In verse 15 he calls them servants of Satan. Then in verses 22 and 23, we learn they are Jewish Christians.
Paul does not tell us what the Super Apostles were teaching or doing. We gather this information by reading between the lines of 2 Corinthians. They were clearly teaching that they were superior to Paul. They were critiquing many things about his ministry: his changing of plans; his boldness in his letters, yet his timidity of his preaching; his lack of credentials; as well as other things.
It would not be their critique of Paul that would make them servants of Satan. The most likely teaching would be an emphasis on the law. We see this in Paul’s extended teaching in chapters 2 and 3 regarding the weakness of the law as compared to the “Ministry of the Spirit.” This would be consistent with other places that Paul ministered—that Jewish teachers came behind him teaching the converted gentiles that they must observe the law of Moses in order to be saved.
In the last chapters of 2 Corinthians, Paul defends his ministry. He gives evidence that his ministry of grace is approved by God. The teaching of the Super Apostles is not.
Chapter 11
I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that!
But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.
Chapter 12
I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!
Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?
Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.