Cb – Paul’s Apostolic Credentials 11:21b to 12:4

Paul’s Apostolic Credentials
11:21b to 12:4

Paul’s apostolic credentials DIG: What was Paul actually “boasting” about in this passage? In what ways did his boasting represent an instruction to his readers on how to guard their minds? What are some of the trials that Paul mentions? How did he suffer? How do you think he was able to preserve in sharing the Gospel in the midst of these crises?

REFLECT: What kind of life situations are the most difficult for you to endure? If critics attacked your character and faith, what “credentials” would you be able to offer to show the genuineness of your faith? Who in your life has made sacrifices so that you might be blessed spiritually? How can you thank that person? Who can you help this week?

Having established that in every way he was not at all inferior to the false apostles,
Paul presented his apostolic credentials that actually proved that he was superior to them.

By imploring the Corinthians to bear with him in a little foolishness (11:1) and, if they must, to receive him as a fool so that he could boast as a fool (to see link click Ca – Foolish Boasting), Paul had established the framework necessary for understanding what he was about to do. He would boast as a fool, but what he said would not be according to the Lord; rather this considered boasting is spoken as a fool would speak (11:17a). Therefore, in 11:21b, no longer able to delay the inevitable, he begins boasting.²⁶¹

Apart from the biographical insights it provides into the life of Paul, this section might seem to have little practical relevance for today. However, such is not the case. The tactics of the Adversary for assaulting the leaders of God’s people have not changed. And the issue of Paul’s apostolic authenticity is still fundamental today. He is an authoritative source of divine truth through all his writings, whatever may be the theme. And all Scripture is profitable (Second Timothy 3:16). This section also gives us insight into how Paul, the noblest of believers, handled the extreme adversity he faced.

Beginning in 11:23, Paul presented four apostolic credentials that set him apart from the false apostles (see Af – The Problem of the False Apostles): his experience of suffering, his experiences of empathy, his experience in submission, and his experience of the supernatural. They demonstrate powerfully that Paul was a genuine apostle of Messiah, and that his opponents were not.²⁶² We may infer from Paul’s defense that his rivals took great pride in their Jewish heritage, flaunted their various accomplishments that emboldened their tyranny, and touted their supposedly amazing visions and revelations.

Paul began his defense with a straightforward statement about his pedigree. Are they Hebrew-speakers? So am I. Are they of the people of Isra’el? So am I. Are they descendants of Avraham? So am I (11:22). Paul identified himself as a Jew, as do Messianic Jews today. Notice, he did not call himself “a Christian” (Acts 11:26). But he did proclaim himself as a servant of Messiah. Today, Messianic Jews do not, in their zeal to identify with their Jewishness, mute the fact that they serve Yeshua.²⁶³ Having established that in every way – socially, religiously, culturally, linguistically and convenantally – he was not at all inferior to the false apostles, Paul presented his apostolic credentials that actually proved that he was superior to them.

His experience of suffering (11:23-27): Paul might have defended himself by appealing to his impressive accomplishments and privileges. He could have pointed to his training under the famous rabbi Gamaliel, his association with the Jerusalem elite (Acts 22:5), or his obvious zeal for Judaism that resulted in the persecution of the Church (Acts 8:1-3; First Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13; Philippians 3:6). Also, Paul could have pointed to all God had done through him after his conversion, to the cities he had preached in, the converts he had made, and the churches he had planted. Instead, he gave very different credentials that, though unimpressive by the world’s standards, marked him as a true apostle.

His first credential, his suffering, seems a little unusual. But suffering was exactly what Yeshua predicted that His apostles would experience (Matthew 10:16-25, 21:33-39, 22:2-6). Therefore, they could expect arrests, beatings, betrayals, hatred, persecution, and slander. The shining light of the Gospel into the kingdom of darkness inevitably generates a hostile reaction. The false apostles had their letters of recommendation (3:1), but Paul had the scars on his body to prove that he belonged to Yeshua (Galatians 6:17). On the other hand, the false apostles had a life of ease and comfort. Since they were a part of the world, or the kingdom of darkness, Satan did not attack them.

Speaking of his opponents, he asked: Are they servants of the Messiah? But it seems like the more Paul thought about it, even to call them servants of Messiah was so repulsive to him that he quickly added the disclaimer: I feel like I’m talking like a madman when I say that! Servants of Messiah? I’m a better one! I’ve worked much harder (1 Cor 15:58), been imprisoned in Philippi (Acts 16:23-24), in Jerusalem (Acts 22:24-29, 23:10, 18), in Caesarea (Acts 23:35, 24:27), and Rome (Acts 28:16-31); suffered more beatings, been near death over and over (11:23). Knowing that every day could be his last, he wrote: Brothers, by the right to be proud which the Messiah Yeshua our Lord gives me, I solemnly tell you that I die every day (1 Cor 15:31). Almost from the moment of his conversion, Paul’s enemies plotted to kill him (Acts 9:23 and 29, 14:3-5, 17:4-5, 21:30-32, 23:12-21); mobs formed to hunt him down (Acts 17:5-9) and rulers sought his life (11:32-33). Yet, he never wavered in this commitment or compromised the message that he preached.²⁶⁴

Five times I received “forty lashes less one” from the Jews (11:24a). This was a set phrase in Jewish law. For certain offenses, the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law) demands forty lashes. The practice was to give thirty-nine, allowing a margin of one error in counting, lest the imposed punishment be unjustly exceeded, which would be far worse than meting out slightly less. Why would the Jews, that is, a non-Messianic Jewish court, have ordered him to be lashed? Because of the reactions he stirred up as he proclaimed the Good News – that is, on trumped-up charges or for no good reason.²⁶⁵

Three times I was beaten with rods. This was specifically a Roman punishment with which the Corinthians were familiar, so that he did not need to add, “by the Romans.” Once I was stoned by a mob of Jews and Gentiles (see the commentary on Acts Bq – Paul’s Message in Lystra). Three times I was shipwrecked. We know from Acts that Paul traveled extensively, and yet the one account of him being shipwrecked (Acts 27) would have happened after he wrote Second Corinthians. This is just another reminder of how little Acts tells us of Paul’s experiences on his journeys! The apostle tells us that he spent a night and day in the open sea (11:25), probably clinging to floating debris from one of the three shipwrecks mentioned.²⁶⁶

Paul’s movements across the Roman Empire exposed him to endless dangers and hardships. He next lists dangers from having to ford rivers, presumably swollen by floods, to danger from bandits. In my many travels I have been exposed to danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, most notably at Philippi (see the commentary on Acts Bz – Paul and Silas in Prison) and Ephesus (see  Acts Ch – Idol-Makers Start a Riot in Ephesus); danger in the city, danger in the desert, danger at sea, danger from false brothers. Then Paul referred to the physical deprivation he suffered from his devotion to his calling. I have toiled and endured hardship, often not had enough sleep, been hungry and thirsty, frequently gone without food, been cold and naked (11:26-27).²⁶⁷ Paul’s suffering set him apart from the money-hungry, comfort-seeking false apostles, and marked him as a true apostle of  Yeshua Messiah.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that You are very wise and totally loving. You will turn things right-side-up in heaven when You give out rewards. Those who boast about their “great” achievements that they did with no love for You, will receive nothing from You. Not only will they miss out on getting a reward, they will not even be able to live with you in your holy heaven if they did not love you. Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord!” will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?” Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:21-23)! Loving you and living for You is the most important thing we do! Those who are persecuted because of Your name will receive a great eternal reward. 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). How much better is an eternal reward from You than any fleeting earthly success. Our momentary problems and trials will soon be over. Then will come the eternal joy of life in heaven with You! For our trouble, light and momentary, is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison (Second Corinthians 4:17). Our trials are much easier to bear when we fix our gaze on the peace and joy we will have for all eternity with You in heaven. Thank You for the huge price You paid for my ransom (Mark 19:45, Revelation 5:9) and for giving me the costly gift of Your righteousness (Second Corinthians 5:21). In holy Yeshua’s name and power of His resurrection. Amen

His experience of empathy (11:28-29): Like all false apostles, the one’s Paul was dealing with manipulated and abused the Corinthians for their own selfish ends. Paul, on the other hand, was deeply concerned for their well-being. And besides these external matters of suffering mentioned above, there was the daily pressure of my anxious concern for all the congregations of God (11:28). Yet Paul didn’t violate the teaching of Yeshua about anxiety (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Dt – Do Not Worry About Your Life, What You Will Eat or Drink, or What You Will Wear). His concern arose from seeking first the Kingdom of God. He was grappling realistically with the present, not the future, problems; and he had no anxiety about the relatively trivial matters of food or clothing. But as a faithful undershepherd he shared the constant burden of the Chief Shepherd with regard to the welfare of all the sheep.²⁶⁸ Paul further expressed his passionate concern for the congregations of God by asking two rhetorical questions. First, Who is weak without me sharing his weakness? expressed his empathy (First Corinthians 12:26) with the pain and suffering of the weak, immature believers (First Thessalonians 5:14; Romans 14:1 and 15:1; First Corinthians 9:22). Selfish, prideful false teachers do not care about people’s struggles. Far from helping the weak, they were oppressive and ruthlessly took advantage of them (Jeremiah 23:2; Ezekiel 34:2-6; Zechariah 11:16; Matthew 23:2-4; Luke 20:47).

The apostle was also concerned about the unruly unbelievers (Greek: ataktos, meaning out of order or out of place), as his second rhetorical question: Who falls into sin without my burning inside (11:29)? reveals. Paul burned with righteous indignation when God’s people were led into sin, as did Yeahua, who solemnly warned: And whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust Me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the open sea (Matthew 18:6)! Love is not the enemy of moral indignation but its partner. Holy indignation toward those who lead believers into sin is an expression of the purest kind of love.²⁶⁹

His experience of humiliation (11:30-33): To the Greeks and Romans, a leader was someone with an attractive, overpowering presence, one who could dominate a situation through sheer force of his personality. Thus, the Corinthians probably would have expected Paul to defend his apostleship by showing off his ability to take charge of any situation. Surprisingly, Paul gave a humiliating illustration instead. He related how he fled from Damascus in the dead of night to avoid those who sought to kill him (Acts 9:25). As always, if he had to boast, Paul would boast only about things that show how weak he was (11:30).

Paul would introduce the seemingly mundane account of his escape with the forceful declaration: God the Father of the Lord Yeshua – blessed be He forever – knows that I am not lying (11:31)! One would have expected such a vehement declaration of Paul’s truth to lead directly into the dramatic account of his trip to the third heaven. That he used the declaration here, emphasizes the significance of this event to him.²⁷⁰

Immediately after Paul’s experience on the Damascus road (see the commentary on Galatians Am – Damascus during the Time of Paul), he went away to Arabia where for three years he was taught the gospel of grace by Messiah (see Galatians An – Arabia during the Time of Paul). Only after his apprenticeship under the Master did he return again to Damascus (Galatians 1:16b-17). Enraged by his bold and fearless preaching of Yeshua as the Messiah, the unbelieving Jews in Damascus plotted to take his life (Acts 9:23-24). It was extremely ironic that the city to which Paul had made his way to arrest believers before his conversion (Acts 8:3) was the scene of this memorable attempt to cut short his witness for Messiah. Yet the attempt to silence him was as fruitless as his attempt to destroy the Church (Galatians 1:13).²⁷¹

When Paul was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas, ruler of the Nabatean kingdom southwest of the Dead Sea, had the city guarded in order to arrest and kill him (11:32). But with the aid of fellow believers (Acts 9:25), he was lowered in a basket through an opening in the wall, escaping the clutches of his enemies (11:33) and then fled to Jerusalem (Acts 9:26). Now, many years later, he used the event to illustrate how humiliating that undignified experience was for him, lowered like a dead fish in a smelly basket. Unlike the false apostles, who would never allow themselves to be humiliated, Paul mirrored the humiliation of his Master. Yeshua was born in a manger (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Aq – The Birth of Jesus), rejected by His own hometown of Nazareth (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Fj – Isn’t This The Carpenter’s Son? Aren’t His Brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Jude?) and His own people (Matthew 27:30). But Messiah’s ultimate humiliation was being crucified while being naked and mocked (see The Life of Christ Lu – Jesus’ First Three Hours on the Cross: The Wrath of Man).

His experience of the supernatural (12:1-4): At first glance, the account of Paul’s vision seems to be out of place in a section dealing with his suffering and weakness. But the Greeks believed that those who truly represented the gods would experience mystical visions, which some tried to induce through drunken orgies (see the commentary on First Corinthians Ce – The Pagan Background of Counterfeit Spiritual Gifts). Undoubtedly, then, the false apostles claimed visions and revelations of their own. Many of the Corinthians, swept away by their phony claims, groveled before them. Thus, even though he did so reluctantly, Paul felt it was necessary to relate his own vision.

Paul’s “I have to boast” serves as a reminder of the rhetorical exercise in which he had engaged from the beginning of his fool’s discourse (see By – Being Deceived). He realized that his boasting was necessary because much could be lost if he did not somehow cancel the seductive tyranny of his rivals, but stressed that there was nothing to be gained by it, but that he would reluctantly go on to explain his visions and revelations of the Lord as best he could (12:1). His boasting did not benefit the church because it was not verifiable nor could it be repeated, and could lead to pride (12:7). What is profitable is Scripture, which is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living (Second Timothy 3:16). Therefore, in the past Paul urged the Ephesian elders not to trust in visions and extra biblical revelations, but to the Word of His grace, which was able to build them up and to give them the inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:32). The Bible is complete and does not need to be supplemented by any further revelation, except the Lord Yeshua Messiah at His Second Coming (see the commentary on Isaiah Kg – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ to Bozrah).²⁷²

Paul’s vagueness about the incident and his use of the third person seems to reflect his genuine humility and uncertainty about the details of the experience. I know a man, in union with the Messiah, who fourteen years ago was snatched up to the third heaven. He was taken up to the third heaven, which is beyond the earth’s atmosphere (the first heaven) and the stars (the second heaven). If Paul was quite certain of the location of the vision, he was equally uncertain about whether the experience happened to him in his body or apart from it.²⁷³ Whether he was in the body or outside the body I don’t know, God knows. Paul was not sure whether he was physically present in heaven or whether his spirit experienced it. And I know that such a man – whether in the body or apart from the body I don’t know, God knows (12:2-3). He talked about it as though it had happened to another man and not himself. Thus, the idea of Paul’s boasting about himself is completely removed.²⁷⁴

. . . was snatched up (Greek: harpazo, meaning to carry off by force), is the same word used by John to describe the Rapture in First Thessalonians 4:17 (see the commentary on Revelation By – The Rapture of the Church). However, what is seen in being snatched up here is more like either the snatching up of Philip (see the commentary on Acts Bb – An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah), or perhaps Ezeki’el being transported to Jerusalem (Ezeki’el 8:3) to see the abominations that were happening within the holy Temple itself (Ezeki’el Chapters 8-10).

. . . into the third heaven, or Paradise. You and I are not going to Paradise until we die or until the Lord returns. But we have a marvelous encouragement in the fact that we are seated with Him in heaven (Ephesians 2:6b). We have a position of authority and victory far above every ruler, authority, power, dominion or any other name that can be named either in this world or the world to come (Ephesians 1:21). While we have not seen God’s glory as Paul did, we do share in God’s glory now (John 17:22), and one day we shall enter into heaven and see the glory of Messiah (John 17:24). Such an honor as this would have made most people very proud. Instead of keeping quiet for fourteen years, they would have hired a publicist and wrote a best-selling book about it. But Paul didn’t become proud. He simply told the truth – it was not empty boasting – and let what he could recall speak for itself. His great concern was that nobody rob God of the glory and give it to Paul.

. . . and heard things that cannot be put into words. He says so much, yet says so little. The words he heard were in a language unlike anything on earth. Although the apostle understood what was said, there were no words in human language to convey what he had heard, nor would he have been permitted to speak about what he had heard even if that were possible. (12:4). They were intended only for his ears and not as a revelation to be communicated to others. For this reason, Paul had never spoken about it. The veil between heaven and earth remains in place. What the LORD wants us to know about heaven is in the Bible, as for the rest: The things which are hidden belong to ADONAI our God. (Deuteronomy 29:29).

True believers do not measure their walk with God on claims of visions or ecstatic experiences, the force of their personalities, the size of their ministry, educational degrees, or any other human criteria. Their walk is marked by how much they have suffered in the war against the kingdom of darkness, how concerned they are for God’s children, how humble they are, and how accurately they handle the supernatural revelation found in God’s Word. Do all you can to present yourself to God as someone worthy of His approval, as a worker with no need to be ashamed, because they accurately handle the Word of Truth (Second Timothy 2:15). Like Paul, those who patiently endure the suffering and humiliation of this life, know that such light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory whose weight is beyond description (4:17).