Foolish Boasting
11: 16-21a
Foolish Boasting DIG: In 10:1 Paul made it clear how he would like to appeal to the Corinthians, so why did he sarcastically resort to boasting, as the false apostles were doing? What is the irony that galls Paul (see 12:11-13)? What things had Paul already boasted about (1:12, 9:2, 10:8, 11:10)? How was that any different from how the false apostles boasted?
REFLECT: Both Yeshua and Paul’s gentleness was misunderstood as weakness. How has that resulted in blessing (see Matthew 5:5)? Where do you need to embrace their example right now? What usually happens when you boast like a fool? How can you make sure you are not participating in any foolish boasting? How can you defend yourself against false accusations?
Answer a fool as his folly deserves, so that he won’t think he is wise.
Like most people, the Corinthians were slow to absorb the truth that divine standards differ radically from those of the world. Paul had tried to make this clear in his former letter concerning the message of the cross (see the commentary on First Corinthians, to see link click An – The Foolishness of Worldly Wisdom). If, however, the Corinthians persisted in looking at things from the world’s perspective, he would accommodate himself to their point of view.253 But reluctance was written all over Paul as he fell over the edge into a pool of foolish boasting. He was ashamed to do that sort of thing, and yet, he saw no other alternative.
Therefore, Paul resumed the theme of foolish boasting (see By – Being Deceived), after he had digressed to defend his policy regarding financial support and to reveal the true identity of his opponents (see Bz – Servants of Satan). He had decided to boast as his rivals did because he knew of the Corinthians’ determination to compare him with them (see Af – The Problem with the False Apostles) and their vulnerability after doing so. Consequently, Paul boasted about things that were not worthy of boasting, and in doing so, answered the fools according to their folly. As the TaNaKh says: Answer a fool as his folly deserves, so that he won’t think he is wise (Proverbs 26:5). There was a danger, however, that some of the Corinthians might not see, or wish to see, that Paul was simply playing a part.254
Boasting is foolish (11:16-17): I repeat. Paul had already asked his readers to bear with him in a little foolishness (11:1), and now, following his long diversion of verses 2-15, he repeats his request in slightly different terms: Don’t let anyone think I am a fool. But even if you do, at least receive me as a fool, as you received these other fools, the false apostles, so that I too, like them, may do a little boasting (11:16)! Paul is conscious that the boasting in which he was about to engage is an act of folly, but he doesn’t want the Corinthians to regard him as foolish in doing so. In fact, it is only their gullibility regarding the claims of the false apostles which forces Paul to boast at all (12:11). But even if they thought he was actually a fool and not just playing-the-fool, he asked for their indulgence as he did a little boasting of his own. After all, the Corinthians had put up with the foolish boasting of his rivals without objection, surely they could endure a little boasting from their own apostle.255
Having asked the Corinthians to accept him as a fool so that he could boast, Paul immediately qualified what he had said, lest there be any misunderstanding. What I am saying is not in accordance with the Lord; rather, this conceited boasting is spoken as a fool would speak (11:17). He was not speaking in accordance with, or in conformity with, a norm established by the Lord. For this reason, he would not be boasting in the Lord (10:17), except when he would boast in his weakness (11:30 and 12:9). Rather, he would boast foolishly because he will be boasting in those things that appeared of his own making.256
Boasting is fleshly (11:18-21): Many people boast in a worldly way, the way of human achievement, the way of power and prestige, and even spiritual experiences, in terms which do not take into account what is pleasing to God. It was because his opponents had boasted in a worldly way, and because his converts had been won over by such boasting, that Paul felt it necessary to indulge in it also for their sakes, saying: I too will boast this way (11:18), even though he was painfully aware that such boasting was pure folly.257
If the Corinthians would not put up with him when he was wise and spoke according to the Lord, then, Paul scoffed, perhaps they would listen to him when he acted the fool and boasted in the same manner as the false apostles they so admired. Ironically he appealed to their extraordinary tolerance, saying: For since you yourselves are so wise, you gladly put up with fools (11:19)! That statement is similar to First Corinthians 4:10, where he said: We are weak in Messiah, but you are strong! Things had not changed much in Corinth since Paul wrote those words. But neither had Ha’Shem’s response to the wisdom of the world. He will destroy the wisdom of the wise and make the wisdom of the world look foolish (see the commentary on First Corinthians Am – The World’s Wisdom vs the Good News). Here, Paul destroys the so-called wisdom of the wise by embracing it himself and in that process, showing it to be the folly of a fool. But even after Paul descended to the level of his rivals in boasting, he transcended them. He would boast about visible things. What was visible, however, pointed to his weaknesses – part of the problem as far as the Corinthians were concerned. However, boasting in his weakness allowed him to talk about the grace of God.258
Dear Heavenly Father, What a joy it is to have such a wonderful father as you! It is a delight to boast about You. You are: Holy, Almighty, All-powerful, All-wise, our forgiving Savior and our Loving Father! As we focus on eternity, we can see our earthly sufferings as soon to be over and then the glory of heaven forever! For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). In Your love things are seen so differently. You see our earthly sufferings for Your name, as opportunities for You to reward Your children (First Corinthians 3:13-15). Thank You for not judging our mistakes: For there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua (Romans 8:1). Rather, You look at our heart (First Samuel 16:7). In your holy Son’s name and power of His resurrection. Amen
The tolerance of the Corinthians apparently had no limits. They not only put up with foolish speech, but also with the despotism of the tyrants. The intruding false apostles had reduced them to slavery by robbing them of their freedom in Messiah (Acts 15:1), in order to bring them into utter bondage, the slavery of obedience to the 613 commandments of Moshe (see the commentary on Galatians Ax – False Brothers slipped in to Spy Out our Freedom in Messiah). They had exploited them by greedily devouring any and all financial support offered to them (Mk 12:40). The false apostles thought that they were superior to the Corinthians, insulted and humiliated them (11:20).259 The Corinthians, however, were not the first to prefer tyrants to more gentle leaders. The Israelites rejected Samuel for a self-willed and despotic king Sha’ul (1 Samuel 8).
With biting irony, Paul confessed: To my shame, I must admit that I have been too “weak” to do such things (11:21a). He owned up to his weakness (10:10). His opponents were absolutely right. He had utterly failed in that regard. But his dishonor was really theirs, not his, as far as God was concerned. His confession became a painful rebuke. As far as the world was concerned, he was dishonored; but according to ADONAI, he was honored (6:8). If being “strong” meant doing what his rivals had done, then he was unquestionably “weak.” Yet, it was a “weakness” that God approved of. The LORD never codones the tyranny, arrogance, and cruelty that church dictators have inflicted on the Church across the ages.
Paul will show that his “weakness” allowed God’s power to work more powerfully in him (see Cc – How God Uses Suffering). Who is of Messiah? The boastful tyrant who ascends to the throne of his own pride, coercing others to bow to his will and running roughshod over any opposition? Or the gentle and mild servant whose only badge of rule is his consideration of others and devotion to their spiritual welfare? This was Paul’s answer: Though He was in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God something to be possessed by force. On the contrary, He emptied Himself, in that He took the form of a slave by becoming like human beings are. And when He appeared as a human being, He humbled Himself still more by becoming obedient to death on the cross (Philippians 2:6-8). For even the Messiah did not please Himself; rather, as the TaNaKh says, “The insults of those insulting You fell on Me? (Romans 15:3). For you know how generous our Lord Yeshua Messiah was – for your sakes He impoverished Himself, even though He was rich, so that He might make you rich by means of His poverty (Second Corinthians 8:9).260
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