The image that we often have of a robust and unwavering Paul, totally devoid of emotional conflict, collapses before his Second Letter to the Corinthians In none of his thirteen letters are the weaknesses of the great apostle as obvious (and declared) as in this one. And it sums it up very well when you say that your tribulations have resulted in “battles abroad”?And? (2Co 7. 5).
At the beginning of the letter, does the Apostle give us any clues about some of the grave dangers to which he was subjected?”Fights abroad”. We are told that on their journey back to Asia, Paul and his companions were overwhelmed by superhuman and desperate tribulation.
- Because.
- Brethren.
- We do not want you to ignore the nature of the tribulation that happened to us in Asia.
- Because it was above our strength.
- To the point of despair of life itself (2Co 1.
- 8?My fat).
The idea in the original Greek for “Above Our Strengths?”It is someone who is under pressure above measure; Commenting on this passage, Calvin notes that “this metaphor is derived from a person who succumbs to the pressure of a heavy cargo or ships sinking due to its overload” [1], a very appropriate metaphor, since Corinth was a We do not know what specific event(s) Paul is referring to, but it is very likely that he alluded to his stay in Ephesus , which was quite turbulent (at 7:23 pm), although Lucas did not left However, in parallel passages, Paulo informs us, for example, that he fought with “beasts”. to Ephesus (1 Cor 15:32) and that “many opponents have risen to close it?great and timely bear that God had opened him to evangelization (1C 16. 9).
Is there strong evidence that these? Those Paul alluded to were his fellow Jews. In reminding the elders of Ephesus of what his conduct and permanence had been like in this city, Paul reminds them of the trials that, because of the traps of the Jews, took place in them (Acts 20. 19). It is likely that the Jews were the executioners of some of the possible prisons Paul faced during his work in Ephesus, as he included in his list of afflictions the “numerous prisons” he had faced in his ministry up to that point. (2Co 11. 23) [2] . But wasn’t it just the fights outside? Which the Apostle of the Gentiles faced. Responding to those who questioned his apostolic authority, Paul presents his credentials, including his sufferings because of the Gospel:
[?] in many more jobs; much more and prisons; on the lashes, without measure; endangered, often. Five times I received about forty lashes from the Jews minus one; I was beaten three times with sticks; once, stoned; sink three times; one night and one day I spent in the maelstrom of the sea; Traveling, often in the dangers of rivers, in the dangers of thieves, in dangers among compatriots, in dangers among the Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the desert, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers; work and fatigue, often in vigils; hunger and thirst, often empty-headed; in the cold and nudity. (2C 11. 23?27)
The Apostle calls all these “external things”. (2C 11. 28). Paul is so adamant in this question that he himself saw all these tribulations as a true “death sentence,” and offers his deliverance as if it were his own resurrection from the dead, performed by the God of resurrection (2C 1. 9, 10). Calvin points out that when Paul says he was desperate for his own life, he does not take divine help into account, but tells us that he was assessing his own conditions, and there is no doubt that every human force falters in fear. Death? [3]. Paul recognized his total inability to overcome the whole situation, and was only certain that he would succumb if God did not approach him, he concludes that the purpose of all this was that he did not trust himself, but God (2C 2. 9), because it is in our weakness that the power of Christ is perfected (see 2C 12. 9).
These battles abroad were accompanied by violent “internal fears [phobias]” that consumed the peace of the Apostle. Everything indicates that on his journey back to the province of Asia, Paul was overwhelmed by a deep depression, and it was precisely The Church of Corinth that was at her heart. The Apostle’s relationship with this church has always been very difficult, because it was a very problematic church. Paul had sent a letter, “in the midst of many pains and pains of heart,” with many tears?(2Co 2. 4), through Tito, his collaborator. This map is between 1 and 2 Corinthians, and has not been preserved (we do not have it). Paul’s purpose with this “severe” letter, as many call it, was simply for the Corinthians to “know the love I greatly dedicate?”(2 Co 2. 4). Paul was anxiously awaiting Titus’ report to find out what effect the letter had had on the Corinthians, but it appears that Titus had lost the last ship to Macedonia, forced to travel by land, without the Apostle (see 2 Corinthians 2. 12?13 and 20: 1?2).
This helped further increase Paul’s apprehension. “Did things come out in Corinth so bad that Paul was more concerned about his results than usual?The Apostle himself tells us that he was so anxious that he could not even grasp the “door” that the Lord had opened to him to preach the gospel to Troas (?However, I had no peace in my mind, why didn’t I find my brother Titus?2Co 2. 12, 13). Paul tells us that this concern was caused by his extreme “concern of all the churches”, which weighed on him daily, “in addition to the external things”?(2C 11. 28).
However, nothing was lost. In the same way as him? God who raises the dead? freed the apostle from “death sentences”? (2Co 1. 9? The “battles on the outside?”) Was this same God about to ease the fears on the inside? Of the apostle who himself instructed, sending Titus to them. The arrival of Titus was so comforting to Paul that He even said it was another intervention of “God who comforts the dead” (2Co 7,6). The news brought by Titus of Corinth revived the apostle and restored his ministerial spirit. The message contained in the “Severe Letter” had an effect in Paul he was glad that the letter saddened the Corinthians, but not with a “pain according to the world”, which “produces death”, but with a “pain according to God”, which “produces repentance for salvation. ” 2 Corinthians 7. 10) Did the Corinthian church (or at least a good portion of it) finally accept Paul as a true apostle of Christ, unlike many other? False apostles? Who rebelled against him and persuaded the Corinthian church of follow his practices (2Co 11). Titus informed Paulo that “llo raba “,” wished “and? jealous? that the Corinthians still sheltered Paul (2Co 7. 7), and was that enough for most? fears? of the apostle to dispel.
Paul’s example is encouraging to God’s people of all ages. The same God who helped the apostle in his weaknesses remains the same yesterday, today and forever. (cf. Heb 13,8). Unfortunately, we sometimes see biblical stories as insurmountable gulfs, more than two thousand years in diameter, as if God is no longer helping those who belong to him. “Fears outside and fighting inside? This is the cause of the discouragement of many pastors today, which sometimes even leads to abandonment of the ministry. This is further compounded when the “opportunists of faith”, many of whom call themselves “apostles” and? prophets? Today they engender success, personal fame, and prosperity at the expense of their sheep, causing temple numbers to fill up (even if sheep’s pockets are empty for this) indicate the failure of those who insist on staying true to strategies Word and Resilient Marketing as a means of promoting your ministries. For Paul, such people are nothing more than “false apostles, fraudulent workers”, who become ministers of Christ, but who are only true emissaries of Satan (2 Cor 11: 13-15).
It is urgent that sincere and devoted shepherds of the Word raise their voices from the pulpit against these things, protecting their sheep from wolves, even if they must use “hard words”. Certainly, this will bring “fights on the outside and fears inside. “However, it is necessary to believe that Christ’s grace will triumph over the pain that will triumph them?thorns in life and ministry cause good and faithful servants (2C 12:7-10).
[1] Calvin, John, 2 Corinthians (Faithful Editor, 2008), p. 33. [2] For more details, see Bruce, F. F. Paulo, the Apostle of Grace, His Life, His Letters and His Theology (Shedd Publications, 2003), p. 289. [3] Op. Cit. , P. 34. [4] Calvin, John, Op. Cita. , P. 72.