Lesson 503

(Lesson 503)(01-01-13) 2 Corinthians 11:5-19, "For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things. Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise."

In this lesson, Paul appears to be solidifying his credentials as an Apostle of Christ and letting the Corinthians know that, so far as his doctrine is concerned, he will take a back seat to no man.

He goes on to again warn the Corinthians of the presence of those who would falsely use the Apostleship for personal gain.

In the latter portion of the lesson, Paul begins to speak "foolishly", literally poking fun at the Corinthians in regards to how gullible some of them had been in accepting false teachers.

He said, "Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting."
The essence of the lesson, to us , is that we not be taken in by materially motivated "televangelists", mega-church "pastors" or other obvious scam artists, but instead put all teaching to the test of the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ.~