The Gospel according to Luke 1:1-4 comments: Luke, the historian

Luke 1:1 ¶  Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2  Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3  It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4  That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

Who was Luke? He was the physician who accompanied Paul.

Colossians 4:14  Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

Luke and Lucas are the same person, being two different forms of the same name as Timotheus and Timothy.

Philemon 1:24  Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

Luke wrote in an educated style and did the work of an historian. When someone says they have studied, for instance, the American Civil War or the history of the Federal Reserve Board in our time they usually mean they’ve read other people’s opinions and accepted those opinions if they agree with them, rejecting those they don’t. But an historian regards eyewitness accounts, testimonies and writings as paramount to getting at the truth, not just someone else’s opinion.

He or she collects many testimonies and sorts through them, considering what has been confirmed by other eyewitnesses. We believe that this was all done under the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the wisdom given to Luke by God, to give us what God wants us to have.

The twin doctrines of inspiration and preservation are very important to our faith and are usually discounted by those who do not believe. First, God gave wisdom and understanding to the men who wrote our Bible and then to the churches that preserved those writings down through the centuries, filtering, eliminating, and consolidating what was written. Preservation means that the action of God was not limited to the original autographs like fundamentalists and evangelicals like to believe.

First, the Bible is given by inspiration and just what is that? It is not word-for-word dictation.

Job 32:8  But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

What is understanding? Words linked by and are typically synonyms.

1Kings 4:29  And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

And so, inspiration is also wisdom.

2Peter 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

Often these words were written down by a third party, an amanuensis, as the giver of the words spoke them, moved by the Holy Ghost, the very mind of God.

2Peter 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Now that Luke feels his understanding is perfect or complete (see Colossians 4:12 for a definition of perfect as complete) on the entire matter of what happened he writes to an acquaintance or friend named Theophilus. Luke’s writing doesn’t end with his gospel. He wrote the Acts of the Apostles as well.

Acts 1:1  The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Theophilus is a name that means, “lover of God.” While Luke was writing, perhaps, to a Roman official who was a Christian by the use of the epithet most excellent the Holy Spirit was writing to all believers. This account is for you.

2Corinthians chapter 13 comments: Paul's closing remarks

13:1 ¶  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 2  I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: 3  Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. 4  For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. 5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6  But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

Paul likens his visits and letters to the Corinthians to eyewitness testimony. He gives a warning to those who are still engaging in the sins he has warned about. Apparently, some there keep questioning Paul’s spiritual authority. He tells them to examine themselves, to be self-critical. Do they have Christ in them? He assures them that he and his fellow-ministers do.

As these letters and Paul’s visits are a testimony to convict the Corinthians of sin so does the Bible serve that purpose as one of its uses. In this regard it is like a mirror we look into and see our faults and our weaknesses. In its characters and in its statements,  it reflects us. If we are not too proud and full of ourselves we can see how God can change us to reflect His will for our lives and His purpose for us.

Reprobate is defined in Romans 1:28 and context as an attitude that seeks to sin, to defy God. Reprobates would imply unsaved persons and as in Titus 1:16 someone professing to know God but in reality a hypocrite. In the only Old Testament reference in Jeremiah 6:30 it is like the refuse that comes from refining silver, the dross in other passages. It is rejected silver. Just think of those with a false profession of faith that Jesus refers to here;

Matthew 7:21 ¶  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Or think of the false ones in the parable of the tares and the wheat in Matthew 13. There were many people, even in those early days, who worked at cross-purposes to God even while professing to be representing Him. Paul had to deal with Judaizers of the Jews and Gnostics of the Gentiles.

    13:7 ¶  Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. 8  For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9  For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. 10  Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which

the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

Although this passage is self-explanatory I think it is interesting how Paul reinforces that whether he be harsh or not it is for the Corinthians’ edification not their destruction. This should remind us of the purpose of God’s sometimes hard reality we face. He never wants us to fall but to grow. Notice in the following verse that by its construction God never tests anyone of his people with the intention to make us stumble, with malicious intention.

James 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

For tempting as testing see Revelation 3:10 and compare Genesis 22:1 with Hebrews 11:17.

    13:11 ¶  Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 12  Greet one another with an holy kiss. 13  All the saints salute you. 14  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. « The second epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi, a city of Macedonia, by Titus and Lucas. »

   

In this final goodbye to the Corinthian church Paul gives a clear statement of what people call the Trinity, the three parts of God, although the word itself is not in the Bible. Here in 14 it is listed as the Lord Jesus Christ, God, suggesting God the Father, and the Holy Ghost.

In the following verse the Trinity is listed as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Again, in the following verse it is listed as the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost.

1John 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

By comparing the word substitution in these three verses we see the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son and the Word by which all things were created as well.

John 1:1 ¶  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2  The same was in the beginning with God. 3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

There are many references to these three parts of the same God in the Bible; Matthew 3:16-17, Matthew 12:28, Luke 3:22, John 14:26, John 15:26, Acts 1:4-5, Acts 2:33, Acts 10:38, and others. One of my favorites is Romans 8:9 which shows that Christ is God.

Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The references in the Old Testament are to the plural nature of the Godhead which is in evidence even though God is one such as Genesis 1:26 and 11:7.

In Genesis we have the three parts of God; the Father, the Word by which all things were created, and the Spirit, working together.

Genesis 1:1 ¶  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

    3 ¶  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

This is the end of my discussion on Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. I hope to revisit it again to look for the things I missed on this go-round.                  

An Implacable Spirit - sermon notes

In the religious history of the world given to Paul by the Holy Spirit he lists many things that God gave men and women over to because they turned their backs on Him. One section of this list, one verse, says;

Romans 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

What does implacable mean sandwiched as it is between without natural affection and unmerciful?

The word is only used once in the Bible but the Lexicons of Early Modern English Database online informs us that in 1611 it meant obstinate, can’t be appeased, can’t be pacified, can’t be reconciled, and cannot be pleased. Do we know someone in our personal lives, perhaps even ourselves, who is possessed of an implacable spirit?

It is sin and wickedness, not just a personality quirk. It is listed in a long line of things mankind is given over to by God for their rejection of Him. It is something we who are implacable need to repent of, not something that you who are not need to walk around on eggshells because of lest you incur our unreasonable and unrighteous wrath. Let’s read the entire history of mankind’s self-worshipping religious impulses carefully to get a better understanding of what we are talking about in context of unrighteousness.

Romans 1:16 ¶  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

    19 ¶  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

    1 ¶  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 

Paul noted that someone who is implacable is worthy of death. Does that underscore the seriousness of this sin mentioned in context with murder and homosexual behavior?

An example of an implacable person in the Bible is the churlish fool, Nabal, who died of a heart attack of some kind. You can read about him in 1Samuel 25 starting in verse 2 up until his heart died and he became as a stone in 38, dying ten days later.

David did Nabal’s sheepshearers a kindness but Nabal was not only ungrateful he insulted David and would have suffered for his indiscretion had not his wife, Abigail, intervened on his behalf. His response to David’s kindness was the following.

1Samuel 25:10  And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.11  Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

We can call him ungrateful, ungracious, arrogant, stupid, and even self-righteous, all symptoms of implacability.

Nebuchadnezzar shows us another side of implacability when he gives his magicians an impossible task, recorded in Daniel, chapter 2, which he knows is impossible and then commands their deaths when they cannot perform. The implacable person you know, perhaps it is you, sets up conditions that cannot be met and no reasonable person expects them to be met. You have no chance of pleasing them and they know this.

In these two examples we have clues as to what an implacable nature is like. It is ungrateful, ungracious, even arrogant, stupid, self-righteousness, and sets up conditions that it knows cannot and will not be met thereby making it impossible to please them, to gain their approval.

Some of us have had experience with a parent who would never be pleased. Nothing you could do ever satisfied them. A child living under those conditions has no foundation in what is acceptable behavior as nothing he or she can do will ever please that parent. It can become a lifetime pain in that child’s heart. It can give them a lifetime filled with anxiety and the doubting of every decision they make with a constant nagging in their hearts that nothing they ever do will ever be good enough. Or, they will just grow to hate that parent and do everything possible to avoid them.

Fundamentalist preachers often misrepresent God as in implacable parent. If you aren’t doing what that preacher wants you to do they will say you are cold towards God and need revival regardless of your relationship with God. They will call you worldly if you don’t have their convictions. They’ll say that you need to ‘get right’ with God when they have no idea of your prayer life or your time in God’s word or how you treat others.

The fact is, while we all need to draw closer to God, He loves us. We can do nothing to earn our salvation or to pay for it as we go. We’re not renting God’s love and in danger of being evicted from His kingdom for not paying. God has already performed all the parts of the drama and we are justified by what He has done not by anything we can do.

Romans 8:31 ¶  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Titus 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Now, I am certain we disappoint God at times. It is certain that we can grieve the Holy Spirit and dampen its influence in us.

Ephesians 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

1Thessalonians 5:19  Quench not the Spirit.

And while God, who often covers our debts keeping us from the consequences of our sins we commit after becoming a Christian sometimes leaves us to have to deal with our unfaithfulness to Him. But, that doesn’t mean He isn’t joyful when we sing a hymn to Him, pray to Him, or read His word believing. God is not an implacable being. He has placated Himself for His righteous wrath at our sin and He delights in our seeking a relationship with Him. Our faith pleases God. Propitiation is the act of appeasing God for His wrath at sins against Him.

Romans 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

1John 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1John 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

God delights in showing mercy to us.

Micah 7:18  Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

God wants to show you mercy and He wants to show you His love.

But, the person possessed of an implacable spirit only wants to show you judgment. And this, in spite of;

James 2:13  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

An implacable spirit is a prideful spirit. The world revolves around them. In fact, the more helpless they seem, the more victimized they act, the more egotistical they are. This is evident in an implacable person who is dominant and oppressive and demanding as it is in one who seems weak and a victim. You cannot please them so they will hurt you physically or you cannot please them so they will hurt you emotionally.

Every glance, every word, every failed action reveals your disrespect for them or an attempt to hurt them. There is no winning with the implacable person.

King Ahab sought counsel from so-called prophets in 1Kings 22. The only condition was that they say what he wanted to hear. He even demanded of a prophet to tell him the truth and then punished him for doing so because it was not what he wanted to hear. This is another trait of the implacable spirit. They only want to hear what approves of their opinion, bigotry, hatred, and prejudice. Any information to the contrary is met with anger and wrath. You can’t win with these people. They are never satisfied with your response unless it is exactly what they wanted to hear. They will demand the truth and then lash out when the truth contradicts their own fantasy.

A person might be engaged in sin or dancing recklessly close to the edge. They will ask you about what they are doing or want to do and even though you might say it is none of your business they make it your business by demanding your opinion. But, when you call them on their sin they attack you for sticking your nose in their business, judging them, or being a hypocrite. It is impossible to satisfy their perverted need for self-justification.

A consequence of an implacable spirit is the infecting of others with the same. A parent, a spouse, or an employer even for that matter, can be so unreasonable that their victim becomes so suspicious and so wary of their dealings with them that they themselves start to doubt everything that is said or done. Everything begins to have a hidden motive represent an unseen agenda. This is a grave result of being oppressed by an implacable spirit.

Now, how do you deal with this implacable, unappeasable spirit?

Some people simply ignore the implacable person. But, you can’t do that if it’s a parent or an employer and you are dependent on them. And it takes a mighty thick skin to keep being told what you are doing or saying is not good enough, never good enough, or worse an attack on their importance, their dignity, or their authority.

Remember before how I said that in Paul’s letter to the Romans, in chapter 1, that implacable was sandwiched between without natural affection and unmerciful?

A person without natural affection shows contempt for those they should love and cherish, for instance, their own family. We don’t need an explanation of what unmerciful is and I’ve spoken at length about how damaging being unmerciful can be. The implacable person is between those two, lacking in the natural care and love they should feel and being unmerciful.

An implacable spirit is caused by an angry heart, a wrathful disposition, and even envy. What has God said about those things?

We are warned not to dwell on our anger, that it surrenders us to the Devil.

Ephesians 4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27  Neither give place to the devil.

We have been warned about the twisted power of envy.

Proverbs 27:4  Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

These things can rise up from a root of bitterness that we let fester in our hearts. There are warnings about bitterness, the disappointment and anger that comes from frustrated and usually false and unreasonable expectations.

Colossians 3:19  Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Continuing in Ephesians, chapter 4 we find;

Ephesians 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Part of the problem is pride, the ultimate sin of Satan. The tyranny of the weak or the dominant personality is that the entire universe revolves around them, their needs, and their desires, their expectations, their frustrations, their disappointments.

Proverbs 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

“Who do they think they are? Not showing me the respect I deserve! After all, I’ve worked so hard, given so much, had to put up with so much. I’ll show them.”

Now, that we’ve laid the groundwork let’s take this airplane out of the hangar.

You cannot honestly consider your behavior as glorifying to Christ and evidence of your faith with an implacable spirit.

Are you possessed of an implacable spirit? Are you possessed by it? What does it take to please you? What do other people have to do to satisfy you that their words or behavior are not threatening, insulting, or filled with contempt?

If it is a matter of just showing decent respect and consideration for you then most people are going to fall short. For instance, I hate surprises; surprise parties, surprise visits, surprise anything. But, a lot of people love surprises. They might want to throw a party to show their affection or stop by unannounced when they are in the neighborhood. It is not meant to be insulting or demeaning or controlling or disrespectful even if it makes you feel dreadful. I don’t handle surprises well but go into fight or flight mode.

We who have an implacable spirit tend to be paranoid, ascribing mean motives to people around us. The implacable employer has contempt for his employees. The implacable mother has contempt for her children, sons and daughters in-law, and husband. The implacable father can never be pleased by any action his children or wife take, any words they say, as they all fall short of his expectations, which are always moving away from them.

The implacable pastor is always telling you that you don’t measure up and that you are a big disappointment to God.

So, the next time you feel righteously indignant because someone didn’t show you what you consider proper respect or even just decent consideration or the next time you feel your spouse didn’t show you the respect that even a roommate deserves think about it. Are your feelings truthful, the true result of a hateful and mean-spirited action by another? Or are they a consequence of your own inability to be pleased, appeased, and satisfied?

The next time your employer makes a decision that impacts you negatively was it an effort directed at making you want to quit? Or was it just something he felt was necessary based on the information he had that you didn’t and wasn’t even thinking about you when he decided it?

The next time your neighbor’s dog relieves himself in your yard was it an expression of contempt by your neighbor through his dog or was it just one of those things that really had nothing to do with you at all?

The next time a child spills a glass of milk in the living room was it them showing their rebellious spirit in defiance of you or was it simply a matter of you allowing things in your home that are a disaster waiting to happen and the child wasn’t even thinking of you or anything else, for that matter.

Examine yourself. Then, plead with God for deliverance from the sin that so easily controls you and hinders your relationship with Christ and with those around you.

If you live with a person possessed of an implacable they need your prayers. But, they do not need your acquiescence. Don’t be an enabler. Don’t encourage them in their sin. You wouldn’t encourage them to lie or commit adultery so why help them in their festering implacable spirit that leads to bitterness, envy, and contempt for others? When that implacable spirit rises up it is imperative that you stand against it.

There are many more things that can be said about the implacable spirit having to do with the sins of envy and wrath and other things that God has condemned in our lives but each of them merit a separate discussion. So, please consider this rough outline. Consider what I’ve said and ask God to deal with it in your life.

2Corinthians 12:11-21 comments: Paul's complaint against the Corinthians

    12:11 ¶  I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. 12  Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. 13  For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. 14  Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15  And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. 16  But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. 17  Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? 18  I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? 19  Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. 20  For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: 21  And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

Paul may have made a fool of himself in spelling out his credentials as an Apostle but it was because the Corinthians, in their willingness to believe false teachers didn’t appear to regard him very highly and they should have defended him to those who put him down. He says that even though he is nothing he is not less than people like Peter, for instance. When he was with them they saw the mighty works of God done through him. He only is concerned about their welfare in saying all of this.

What concerns Paul is that when he returns to them for the third time he might find them acting as many congregations today do; with arguments, envy, wrath, and on and on. When he comes he will convict them of their wicked sins and not hold back.

 

It is easy to be reminded of Moses here. It is said of Moses;

Numbers 12:3  (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

Now, this is a guy who killed an Egyptian and led a couple of million people through the Sinai so he doesn’t seem meek in our understanding of the word. But, meek can refer to one’s attitude toward God’s will based on the context.

The wording after the colon in the following verse defines one aspect of meekness towards God.

Psalm 22:26  The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

Zephaniah 2:3  Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.

Moses’ authority, his legitimacy was often challenged by the rebellious Hebrews who were willing to follow those who opposed Moses.

Numbers 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

Even his own brother and sister questioned criticized him.

Numbers 12:1  And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

And while no one that we know of who questioned Paul’s spiritual authority was swallowed up by the earth or got leprosy temporarily as they did in those examples when Moses’ physical authority was held in contempt Paul was put in the position of defending the correctness of his teaching, his doctrine, and questioning why the Corinthians had not defended him against the false teachers, intruders in their church.

2Corinthians 11:16 - 12: 10 comments: God's power shines through our weakness

    11:16 ¶  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. 17  That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18  Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. 19  For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. 20  For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. 21  I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.

Paul sets up an argument here admonishing the Corinthians who he says would permit false teaching to pollute their faith. He is referring to Judaizers who would try to put the Corinthians back under the Law as we will see.

    11:22 ¶  Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 23  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 30  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 31  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 32  In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 33  And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

The Judaizers who are trying to put the Corinthians back under the Law have nothing on Paul’s pedigree. He also is a Hebrew, an Israelite. He has suffered a great deal for the gospel. These are his credentials; prison, beatings, shipwrecks, and in grave peril for his life in many places. He barely escaped death in Damascus.

Acts 9:22  But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews

which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

    23 ¶  And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: 24  But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. 25  Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down

by the wall in a basket.

   

His argument continues in trying to explain to the Corinthians what he, Paul, has seen….

Chapter 12

12:1 ¶  It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2  I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3  And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4  How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5  Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6  For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Paul had a vision of being caught up to heaven. Could it have happened when he was near death at Lystra as reported in Acts 14:8 through 20? We simply do not know if it was that occasion or perhaps when he was first blinded in his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus as reported in Acts 9.

Paul uses the phrase the third heaven. This would suggest that the first heaven is the atmosphere of earth where life can exist, the second heaven would be our understanding of outer space containing stars and planets, the third heaven would be where God dwells and the origination point of the heavenly New Jerusalem, that giant cube of a city that is at some point headed toward us.

Revelation 21:16  And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

It is to there that God has placed Paradise, what we call Abraham’s Bosom from Luke 16:22, and the Tree of Life.

Revelation 2:7  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Revelation 22:1 ¶  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

It is there that sorrow and suffering end for those who have trusted in God, who have believed His word, and who are depending on Christ’s righteousness and not their own for sanctification and justification before God.

Revelation 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Paul can’t talk about it probably because we would not understand it nor would we have any thing on earth to connect it to from our own experience or understanding. It is beyond our comprehension. To explain something we must have some sort of parallel or reference from experience. As Isaiah noted;

Isaiah 64:4  For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

Which Paul paraphrased as;

1Corinthian 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

To keep Paul from getting a swelled head over this privileged experience from God he was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to afflict him. This gives us some suggestion of the origination of disease, at least in some cases. We only see temporal causes; unsanitary conditions, a disease agent, injury, or genetic factors but there is also a spiritual explanation. Here is a reason for suffering that is not linked to Paul’s sin but to his triumph in Christ and to his mission.

What was Paul’s condition? Well, we know that he was blinded on the road to Damascus.

Acts 9:8  And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

Which he was delivered from….

Acts 9: 17  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

And yet, he seemed to be plagued with vision problems after that.

Galatians 4:15  Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

He asked three times, thrice, for the Lord to deliver him from his infirmity. But, he received…

My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

God’s power shines through us in our disabilities, our weakness, our infirmity, and our inability. It is in these circumstances that our desire for preeminence and to have power over our world is severely diminished and then God shines through our finite, frail vessels. It is a great testimony to the world for them to see God’s power in your frailty.