"If it looks too good to be true, it probably is." I've often used that statement regarding advertizements that I've seen. Dig a little deeper and you find there's a catch, a trick up someone's sleeve. Paul is making a similar arguement here. He refers to "super-apostles" who are leading the Corinthians away from the Gospel.
Exactly who these "super-apostles" were we don't know. From what Paul goes on to talk about it sounds like they were Jewish people who were very righteous in their outward behavior, but had lost the understanding that they were forgiven sinners, or they taught that it wasn't enough to believe in Jesus, you also had to obey certain laws of the Old Testament.
Paul was a Pharisee by training, and he had lived a life where his outward behavior was impeccable. He decided to go toe-to-toe with these guys and lays out his pedigree. He says straight up that he is being foolish, but basically says, "Okay, if you want to play that game, I can play. . . and win." So he lays out his experiences suffering for the Gospel.
What do we boast about? When we play the comparison game with others how do we "win"?
Each of us has something in us that wants to be loved, wants to be glorious, and we'll do all kinds of things to be noticed, appreciated, and praised. I think it was Dave Ramsey who said that we spending lots of money to buy things to impress people that we don't even like. How stupid is that? But we crave the attention. The irony is that in Christ, we already have all those things - love, glory, appreciation, praise. We have them from our Father in Heaven, and they're eternal.
Paul puts things on their ear here and says, "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." Paul understands that he is not sufficient before God because He's so cool, or good, or . . . whatever. Paul stands right along side us and says, "Jesus is my only hope." And what a hope He is!
Exactly who these "super-apostles" were we don't know. From what Paul goes on to talk about it sounds like they were Jewish people who were very righteous in their outward behavior, but had lost the understanding that they were forgiven sinners, or they taught that it wasn't enough to believe in Jesus, you also had to obey certain laws of the Old Testament.
Paul was a Pharisee by training, and he had lived a life where his outward behavior was impeccable. He decided to go toe-to-toe with these guys and lays out his pedigree. He says straight up that he is being foolish, but basically says, "Okay, if you want to play that game, I can play. . . and win." So he lays out his experiences suffering for the Gospel.
What do we boast about? When we play the comparison game with others how do we "win"?
Each of us has something in us that wants to be loved, wants to be glorious, and we'll do all kinds of things to be noticed, appreciated, and praised. I think it was Dave Ramsey who said that we spending lots of money to buy things to impress people that we don't even like. How stupid is that? But we crave the attention. The irony is that in Christ, we already have all those things - love, glory, appreciation, praise. We have them from our Father in Heaven, and they're eternal.
Paul puts things on their ear here and says, "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." Paul understands that he is not sufficient before God because He's so cool, or good, or . . . whatever. Paul stands right along side us and says, "Jesus is my only hope." And what a hope He is!
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