2 CORINTHIANS ~ Chapter 11/Thursday Bible Study

As I was finishing up my physical exercises for today …

10 Min Ageless Arms Workout (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYzWrI4Lr70)

I thought how good it is to also exercise our spiritual muscle, so that we can stand strong in The Faith; and cross the Finish Line with victorious confidence 😊

In this study of 2 Corinthians, chapter 11, we will look into the depth of Paul’s love for the Corinthians brethren – and his zeal that they not forget the purity of the Gospel’s simple message.

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2 CORINTHIANS ~ Chapter 11

Paul’s Godly Jealousy for the Corinthians

“I wish you would put up with a little folly from me. Please, do be patient with me! I am jealous (protective, watchful, trusting) for you. It is like the jealousy of *Elohim, Himself. I myself espoused (advocated, promoted, championed, backed up) you to one Man, **Christ, presenting you as a chaste (virtuous, faithful) virgin (not yet touched, used, or exploited). Yet I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning (calculating, scheming, inventive, astuteness, trickery), somehow or other your thoughts also will be corrupted and led astray from their simple (straightforward, uncomplicated, clear-cut) devotion to Christ. For if someone comes along and preaches another Jesus that the One we proclaim (declare, state publicly, assert, broadcast, make known), or if you receive a spirit that you had not accepted from us, you will submit to it readily. (vv. 1-4)

Still, I do not consider myself at all inferior to these “outstanding” apostles of yours. And even if I am not a polished speaker, I surely am not lacking in knowledge. For this has been made plain to you in every way, and on every question. Maybe I committed sin when I preached God’s Gospel to you without pay, thereby degrading myself in order that you might be exalted. I did take money from other congregations for my support in order to serve you. When I was with you there were times when I was in need, yet I did not burden any one of you, and my wants were completely supplied by the brethren who came down from Macedonia. So I refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue that way. (vv. 5-9)

As sure as the truth of Christ is in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced in the land of Greece. Why? Does it mean that I do not love you? Elohim knows that I do. (vv. 10-11)

The Warning Against False Teachers

I shall continue to do what I am doing, so that I may not give any chance (opening, prospect) to those who are looking for opportunity (occasion, chance break) to make claim in their boasting that they work on the same terms (relations, positions, standings) as we do. They are false (bogus, sham, insincere, misleading) apostles, deceitful (untrustworthy, faithless, lying) workmen, in disguise (camouflage) passing (superficial, circulating, overstepping) as Christ’s Apostles! And no wonder, for ***Lucifer himself comes along disguised as an angel of light! So, it is not remarkable that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. But their end will correspond with their works. (vv. 12-15)

Paul’s Enforced Boasting

I repeat, let no one think I am vain. But if you do, then look upon me as a fool, and let me also boast a little. What I am now saying, I say not by order of the Lord; I am speaking as a fool, boastful and confident. And since men generally boast of their personal affairs, I, too, will do the same. Since you are so wise, you enjoy being tolerant of fools. You submit to it when they make slaves of you, when they prey upon you and rob you, when they exalt themselves and slap you in the face. To my shame, I admit that we are that weak. I am going to speak foolishly now. I, too, will dare to boast of anything about which anyone dares to boast. (vv. 16-21)

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am too, and more so – now I am talking like a madman (enthusiast, extremist). I have more work than anyone else, have been oftener in prison, have been beaten times without number, have often faced death. Five times the orthodox Jews gave me a whipping of forty-lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods, and once I was stoned. I have been shipwrecked three times, and I have spent a night and a day in the watery deep. On my frequent journeys I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my own people, and in danger from the Gentiles. I have faced perils in the city, the desert, at sea, and among false brethren. I have experienced hard work and weariness, many a sleepless night, hunger and thirst; have often been without meals, exposed to cold, and poorly clad. (vv. 22-27)

And in addition to such external things, the anxiety for all the Churches has rested on me. If anyone is weak, have I not sympathized with his weakness? Who has been upset without my burning desire to help him? And if it is right for me to boast, I should like to boast of things that show my own weakness! Elohim, the Father of our Lord Yeshua Ha’Mashiach – He Who is blessed for ever and ever – knows that I am not lying. This happened in Damascus. Under ****King Aretas, the governor guarded the city, wishing to capture me. But I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his clutches.” (vv. 28-33)

*Elohim (from the Hebrew word, Elohim/el-o-heem & the Greek word, Theos/theh-os) = the Supreme God. Exceedingly great and mighty.

**Christ (from the Hebrew word, Ha’Mashiach ישוע המשיח & the Greek word, Christos/khris-tos) = The Anointed, Yeshua the Messiah, in both languages.

***Lucifer: The Septuagint rendersהֵילֵל in Greek as Ἑωσφόρος (heōsphoros), "bringer of dawn" – the ancient Greek name for the morning star; The Septuagint, as the translation of the Hebrew Bible, was a landmark of antiquity. It is the first translation in the history of the Bible. It became the central literary work of Hellenistic Judaism (Greek speaking/living Jews) and Early Christianity.

Similarly, the Vulgate renders הֵילֵל in Latin as Lucifer, the name in that language for the morning star.

Lucifer was created a beautiful angel, who defied God and fell from grace. Isaiah declared, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!” (Isaiah 14.12) Ezekiel goes into more detail in Ezekiel 28:12-19.

****King Aretas, aka Aretas IV Philopatris (as inscribed in Nabataean Aramaic: Ḥārīṯat Rāḥem-ʿammeh) was the King of the Nabataeans of the east bank of the Jordan River and the Sinai Peninsula, from roughly 9 BC to AD 40.

**2 CORINTHIANS 10:

https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/05/2-corinthians-chapter-10thursday-bible.html