2 Corinthians 11:1-2 (WEL) 1 I wish you would allow me a little foolishness. Please bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy, for I have betrothed you to one husband so that I can present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Chapter summary:
UCRT:
- “The apostle excuses his self-condemnation; because he used it out of “godly jealousy” over those at Corinth, whom he had espoused to Christ; lest false teachers should pervert them, as Satan did Eve, 2 Corinthians 1-3.
- Their new teachers had not preached another Savior, or another Spirit, or another gospel, than he had done, 2 Corinthians 4.
- He was not at all inferior to the “chiefest apostles;” for though “rude in speech,” he was not so “in knowledge,” 2 Corinthians 5-6.
- He declined being chargeable to the Corinthians, not from want of love, but to counteract his opposers, 2 Corinthians 7-12.
- Who were “false apostles, ministers of Satan,” though apparently “ministers of righteousness;” even as “Satan transforms himself into an angel of light,” 2 Corinthians 13-15.
- As many gloried, and were borne with, even while overbearing and rapacious; he would, though reluctantly, “glory also,” 2 Corinthians 16-20.
- A most extraordinary account of his abundant labors, dangers, sufferings, and deliverances, 2 Corinthians 21-33.”
V1 I wish you would allow me a little foolishness. Please bear with me.
Paul is going to defend his apostleship and in doing so believes he must be foolish in talking about himself and his credentials. Paul admits that this is foolish bragging. He must do so because the false teachers/apostles boasted of many credentials and letters from some people in Jerusalem and were criticizing Paul.
(Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary (7 Vols.)) “As the Bridegroom’s friend, Paul was eager to bring the Corinthian church to the Bridegroom of souls. But false teachers disturbed the purity and simplicity of their faith, as in Eden Satan perverted Eve. There would have been excuse if these false teachers had given his converts another and a better Saviour or a greater Pentecost; but since these were impossible, he was well able to hold his ground, even though they were pre-eminent apostles in their own estimation. Paul was very conscious of the rudeness of his speech, of which apparently he had many reminders, but he was equally conscious of the direct knowledge that God had imparted to him.”
V2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy, for I have betrothed you to one husband so that I can present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
This is godly jealousy, that is, a jealous that is righteous, because he, Paul, is the true Apostle. Paul wants them to be faithful to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and preached by Paul instead of these false teachers.
(Dake Study Bible Notes-beware)
“The apostle here alludes to the custom of special care of virgins to see that they are educated and kept pure for marriage.”
(Holman Commentary)
“He explained that he promised the church to one husband, to Christ. Paul constructed a complex analogy in these words. Elsewhere he declared that the church was the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27), drawing on Hosea’s prophecies of Israel as the bride of God (Hosea 1:1-3:5). When Paul brought the Corinthian church into relationship with Christ through the gospel, they became Christ’s bride. In this passage, Paul described himself as the father who had promised his daughter in marriage to Christ.
“One aspect of this promise was the presentation of the church at Corinth as a pure virgin to Christ, the presentation of the bride to the husband on the wedding day. The New Testament describes the day of Christ’s return as a great wedding banquet (Revelation 19:7-9). Paul was jealous for the church because as their father he had promised to present the church as a pure virgin when Christ returned in glory.”
We learn:
- Sometimes we must engage in careful bragging to prove our commission. It must not be used to bully or gaslight someone. An example, “Well, I have a Master of Theology, so I know I’m right. You are just a pew sitter.”
- How to use Old Testament analogies.
Questions:
- Do you brag about yourself?
- Is it just to state your credentials or to impress someone how great you are?