Episode Synopsis:

Paul has written a long letter dealing with on-going controversies in Corinth–his fourth letter to this congregation. We know this letter as 2 Corinthians. Among other things, Paul’s first Corinthian letter dealt with factions, lawsuits, idolatry, gifts of the Spirit, proper worship, and the nature of our Lord’s bodily resurrection in anticipation of our own. After Paul made a difficult visit to Corinth and sent the so-called painful letter to the Corinthians, word came to him in Ephesus that existing troubles continued and new ones had erupted.

Paul will need to go back to Corinth to deal with these matters, so he began making his way through Macedonia (where he encountered a number of unspecified trials) and began composing 2 Corinthians on his way to Corinth. One pressing matter is that an individual did great harm to Paul’s reputation and to the church, and while the Corinthians dealt with him, substantial damage was done among church members. Another even more pressing matter was that false teachers and boastful braggarts were doing their best to undermine Paul’s apostolic authority in the church. Paul addresses these matters head-on and prescribes a series of actions the Corinthians need to take.

While in Macedonia, Paul learned that the Corinthians had not followed through on their promise to collect an offering for the suffering saints in Jerusalem who were living through the effects of a severe famine in Palestine. Paul hoped that this offering would do two things. One is to provide badly needed relief to those suffering in the region. A second is that a generous offering from Gentile churches to the Jewish church in Jerusalem would do much to end any hostilities between Christian Jews and Gentile converts. The Macedonian churches were poor, but they gave above and beyond what they could to contribute to these offerings. But Paul has learned that the Corinthians, who were wealthy, had been working on this for a year, but still, their offering was not ready. So Paul challenges the Corinthians to make good on their promise.

About the time Paul and his companions were getting ready to make their way south from Macedonia to Corinth, Paul got news from Titus that a group of false teachers–whom Paul describes as false teachers and false apostles, and agents of Satan himself–were teaching a false gospel, a false Jesus, and a false Holy Spirit. Paul responds with a fair bit of righteous anger by adding four additional chapters to his letter–chapters 10-13 of 2 Corinthians. Paul has had enough of the Corinthian apathy toward the Christian life and doctrine, especially among those who continue in sexual sin and idolatrous practices, and who have been won over by these men who are doing everything in the power to undermine Paul and who seek to replace him.

This prompted Paul’s “Fool’s Speech” (2 Corinthians 11:21b-12:14)–a masterpiece of apostolic rhetoric. In the closing verses of this letter–our text for this episode–Paul informs them he is coming to Corinth for the third time. He does so in a manner which has the tone of an exasperated mother telling her disobedient children, “wait till your father gets home.” Well, Paul is an exasperated father returning to a church he founded, and ready to settle things once and for all. He hopes for the best, but is fully prepared to deal with an apathetic church which has tolerated agents of Satan for far too long in their midst. The Corinthians have been warned. “Your apostle is coming home.” Time to put a stop to their bad behavior!

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:

Paul’s “Fool’s Speech” is a masterpiece in ancient rhetoric. Under constant criticism from false teachers and apostles who thought of themselves wiser and superior to Paul, the apostle responds to their accusations by taking on the role of a fool. These men are braggarts who regard Paul as weak and ineffective. They see themselves as vastly superior to the apostle.

Rather than respond in kind, Paul offers a bit of bragging of his own. But instead of boasting about his own accomplishments (which are far greater than anything the false teachers claim)–he will play the fool and exalt in his weaknesses. This is how he has been portrayed by those seeking to undermine his role in the Corinthian church. Okay, so he will take on the role they’ve assigned to him. Paul will boast, but not in his strength. Instead, He will boast in his weakness. In doing so he will expose the false apostles for what they are–men who think the gospel is about power, success, and overcoming all the difficulties of life. And in playing the fool, Paul will also remind the Corinthians of their own foolishness in listening to such men with their false gospel, false Jesus, and false Holy Spirit.

In this remarkable speech Paul gives us a list of the incredible suffering which he has endured for the cause of Christ and the sake of the gospel. He has faced all sorts of physical danger–from near drowning, to being stoned and beaten nearly to the point of death. He’s been reviled by both Jews and Gentiles. He has taken great risks in his 10,000 miles of travel and suffered all sorts of physical deprivation and danger as a result. He’s borne the weight of worrying about the new churches–the fruit of his Gentile mission. He’s spent many a sleepless night. And all the while the false teachers seek a life of ease and luxury while exploiting the Corinthian’s foolishness in giving them free reign in the congregation. In playing the fool, Paul exposes the false teachers for who and what they are, as well as rebuke the Corinthians for being foolish enough to listen to them.

We also find several important biographical gems in Paul’s speech. The first is a catalogue of Paul’s trials and tribulations just mentioned. But we also find Paul’s account of his vision of the third heaven–that which he sees cannot be put into words. Paul is prevented from attempting to do so. What he saw he cannot reveal. But since such a vision carries with it the possibility of fostering pride, Paul was given an unidentified “thorn in the flesh” to remind him of his weakness, where his real power is to be found. Paul repeatedly asked for this thorn to be taken away, and each time, the Lord’s answer was “no,” my grace is sufficient for you. We learn much here about which otherwise we would not know. And we are reminded yet again that weakness is Paul’s secret weapon.

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:

After completing the first 9 chapters of the letter we know as 2 Corinthians, and even as he was preparing to leave Macedonia and head south to Corinth, Paul received word from Corinth that a group of men whom he describes as false teachers and false apostles were wreaking havoc in the church. Not good news, and certainly a cause for immediate action. In Paul’s estimation, these men were the agents of Satan who deceitfully disguises himself as an angel of light. As his agents, these men were able to do their master’s bidding, disguising themselves as servants of righteousness, taking credit for the work done by Paul, and all the while undermining his efforts and seeking to divide Paul from the church he had founded through the proclamation of the apostolic gospel of Christ crucified.

Although criticizing Paul’s speaking abilities and less than imposing presence, their real crime was introducing a false gospel, another Jesus, and another Holy Spirit–a heretical departure from what Paul had proclaimed. The true gospel (which had been revealed to Paul by the Lord himself), the true Jesus (who had appeared to Paul and commissioned him to his apostolic office as the apostle to the Gentiles), and the true Holy Spirit (who gave life to Paul’s preaching of Christ and him crucified) were replaced by counterfeits. The goal of the false teachers was to undermine Paul’s office and authority so that they would have a free hand to teach their distorted gospel, false Jesus, and false Holy Spirit while displacing Paul’s role in Corinth. These men and their names, as well as the specifics of their false gospel have been lost to history, but Paul’s warnings to the Corinthians and rebuke of these false teachers stands across time.

Satan never seems to weary of distorting the gospel and creating false doctrine just as he did in Corinth. He was a liar from the beginning and remains so to this day. In warning the Corinthians of his efforts, Paul is warning us. By identifying a false gospel, a false Jesus, and a false Holy Spirit, Paul is warning Christians of the methods used by Satan and his minions to disguise his intentions and his agents. No doubt these men were refined orators, addressed the issues of life in a way which appealed to Greco-Roman pagans, and they had been welcomed in the congregation. But Paul exposes their master, their false teaching, and their methods. How could the Corinthians allow themselves to be taken in by such men?

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/