“Would that ye would bear with me in a little folly; but indeed bear with me, For I am jealous as to you with a jealousy (which is) of God; for I have espoused you unto one man, to present you a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craft (so) your thoughts should be corrupted from simplicity as to the Christ” (verses 1-3 JnD).
It was “folly” to Paul to speak of himself, even as a servant of Christ, but he was compelled to do it here, because the truth of Christ was at stake. The Corinthian saints had not discerned the Satanic character of the teaching that had been allowed an entrance among them in the apostle’s absence; to dishonor Christ, and corrupt the Church or assembly of God was their aim, and as a direct way to accomplish this, the false leaders were attacking Paul.
All through both of his letters to the saints at Corinth, one purpose is evident; to correct the things in their lives that stood in the way of likeness to Christ. Perhaps they had not thought of the letters in that light until they came to verse 2,
“For I am jealous as to you with a jealousy which is of God; for I have espoused you unto one man, to present you a chaste virgin to Christ.”
Nor was it for the Corinthians only that the apostle wrote these impressive words with the pen of the Holy Spirit; it was for others too, so that we, believers in the twentieth century, may also be exercised in our souls to the end that we shall put away every thought, every habit, every word, every association unsuitable in one with such a high destiny.
Christian reader, this is addressed to you; may it, in view of the difficult times in which we are living, find and retain a large place in your heart.
The apostle’s reference to the serpent, and Eve, in the third verse is, of course, to the third chapter of Genesis where Satan so easily deceived the unsuspecting bride of Adam, that she believed the fair appearing enemy who cunningly led her to distrust and disobey God, to Whom she owed everything. This enemy, Satan, is our enemy and has lost none of his cunning; can he corrupt the thoughts of young (and old) Christians from simplicity as to Christ, from what a faithful heart would retain in simplicity, as taught in the truth? O, yes! there is no safety apart from holding fast to the truth of God’s Word, being always watchful against the wiles of the devil.
Verses 4, 5. If the Corinthians had received another Christ from the teachers who had been received among them, or if they had received another Spirit, or another gospel, not what Paul had made known to them, they might well bear with it. But these teachers had nothing new, only to decry Paul, and praise the twelve in their ignorance of God’s ways.
“For I reckon that in nothing I am behind those who are in surpassing degree apostles,” is his answer. He had not failed in setting forth among them, all that was needed for their instruction, and they had felt its power.
Verse 6. “But if (I am) a simple person in speech, yet not in knowledge, but in everything making (the truth) manifest in all things to you” (JND). To the worldly-minded Corinthians, there was in Paul, we conclude, a lack of the fine polished style of a Greek orator, and for this he offers no word of apology, nor was it needed. Need it be said that to tickle the ear with attractive sounds after the manner of man, has no place in the work of God?
In verse 7, the apostle asks if he had committed sin, abasing himself that they might be exalted, because he announced the gospel of God to them without charge. No doubt this was offensive to those who loved display, but Paul, guided by wisdom from above, in Corinth would receive nothing from those to whom he ministered Christ. (Read in this connection Acts 18, verses 1-11).
“I spoiled other assemblies, receiving hire for ministry toward you, and being present with you and lacking, I did not lazily burden anyone (for the brethren, who came from Macedonia supplied what I lacked), and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will keep myself. The truth of Christ is in me, that this boasting shall not be stopped as to me in the regions of Achaia” (Verses 8-10, JND).
In 1 Corinthians 9, the right of the Lord’s servants to the support in natural things of those to whom they minister spiritual things, is made altogether plain, though Paul, there as here, declared that he had not used that right. In so acting he was cutting off “the opportunity of those wishing for an opportunity” that wherein they boasted, they should be found even as he; the false teachers lately come in at Corinth, had no advantage of the Lord’s servant in this respect, that he, long before they had labored there, receiving nothing for his work.
It was time now to speak without reserve about these teachers, and (verse 13) Paul did so; such were false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And, he adds, “It is not wonderful, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (verses 14-15, JND). Solemn word!
But again Paul asks, as at the beginning of the chapter, to be borne with while he speaks as a fool, in speaking of himself.
“What I speak, I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in folly, in this confidence of boasting” (verse 17). It was not possible to tell of the ministry of Christ which he bore, without speaking about himself and his service.
“Since many boast according to flesh, I also will boast. For ye bear fools readily, being wise. For ye bear if anyone bring you into bondage; if anyone devour (you), if anyone get (your money), if anyone exalt himself, if anyone beat you on the face” (verses 18-20, JND). This then was the character and the behavior of the false teachers, when once established in the Corinthian assembly. Nor would it be difficult to find in our own times, such a situation as this, where man has been allowed to take the place of the Spirit of God, and the light of God’s truth has been dimmed by human imposition.
As to dishonor, says the apostle, I speak as though we had been weak. His course, taken in subjection to his Master, was the opposite of that of these self-exalting men. But if anyone is bold, or daring (he speaks in folly), he also is daring. Were they Hebrews? He also. Were they Israelites? He also. Were they seed of Abraham? He also. All that they could claim as being of the ancient people of God, was equally true of Paul. But this was low ground indeed to him. He turns to something vastly higher.
Were these men (really ministers of Satan), ministers of Christ? The apostle has been saying, “I speak in folly,” so far was he from his wishes in speaking of himself; now he says, “I speak as being beside myself”—as wandering away from a right mind; his own heart, as another has said, did not allow him to say, “I above measure so” (verse 23, JND) without judging the expression, though forced to use it for these foolish Corinthians.
And at this point Paul begins an account, not of his miracles, nor of the number of souls converted to God by his preaching, or aught else which might have served to exalt himself, but of his labor and suffering for Christ which we never should have learned of, had it not been for the low spiritual state of the Corinthians. What a pattern of Christian devotedness we trace in the apostle’s reluctantly given account! Never, we may be sure, has another servant of Christ equaled Paul’s measure of devotion through suffering.
Concluding his brief statement of suffering and care, the apostle says,
“If it is needful to boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows—He who is blessed forever—that I do not lie” (verses 30-31, JND).
All that we have been reading is inspiration; all the language is chosen of God; it was far from Paul’s desire to speak of himself and his ministry, but the bad state of those to whom he wrote, made it necessary, and he calls it folly, though all true, and needful, and for our profit, too.