2 Corinthians 11:3-6 (WEL) I fear lest in some way, as the serpent deceived Eve through his trickery, your minds might be corrupted from the open honesty that is in Christ. 4 For if someone comes preaching another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different Good News which you have not accepted, you might well enough put up with him. 5 I consider myself not to be inferior in any way to these very super “apostles.” 6 For though I may be unrefined in speaking, I am not in knowledge. We have made this very clear to you in everything.
V3 I fear lest in some way, as the serpent deceived Eve through his trickery, your minds might be corrupted from the open honesty that is in Christ.
In the first temptation, satan (the serpent) deceived Eve by asking a question that made her doubt God’s words. The same happens today. People interpret the Bible by their theological framework, personal theories, philosophy, pet teachers, etc.
We must interpret and believe the Words of God in the plain, normal sense the Holy Spirit gave them.
In the deception and exposure by God, who knows all our sin, Eve was honest: “I was deceived and ate.” Those words are the truth (Genesis 3:13). Adam was not honest and blamed God and Eve for his sin.
Deception is accomplished by a lie of some type (distortions, outright lies, half-truths, flattery, etc.), diversions, doubt, appeal to pleasure, threats of abuse to a person if they don’t comply (gaslighting, ghosting, debunking, murder, physical abuse), etc.
Everything that Jesus Christ said was true; there is no need to explain it away or redefine words. The words of God can bring life if believed and obeyed or death in disbelieved and disobeyed.
Truth is one of the attributes of God, so it should be of us. The opposite is duplicity, a deceitful action and attitude. A person’s words may not match their private vs public life. They may promise but not fulfill. They may define a word differently than what the hearer defines it.
V4 For if someone comes preaching another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different Good News which you have not accepted, you might well enough put up with him.
False Jesus’s abound. There is the false Jesus of Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, LDS, New Age, and many others.
There are many false Gospels as many who teach regeneration (born again) is before faith, a need for sacraments, “priests”, tongues, good works, etc. Salvation is based on God’s work, not human works. God initiates salvation (prevenient grace), provides salvation, accomplishes salvation, sets the conditions for salvation (personal choice after God opens the mind and brings conviction (John 16:8)).
V5 I consider myself not to be inferior in any way to these very super “apostles.”
And in summary, Paul is not inferior to these self-appointed apostles who believe themselves and judge themselves to be superior.
The “super apostles” have not been commissioned by God or gifted by God. They are clever, masquerading liars seeking to distort and make people doubt what they believe and have been taught.
The standard for judgment is the Bible. It teaches what is true. The false apostles and teachers judge themselves by others similar to them instead of the Scriptures.
V6 For though I may be unrefined in speaking, I am not in knowledge. We have made this very clear to you in everything.
The ability to be present a clear oration is not proof of God’s blessings, nor are education, looks, money, position, or endorsements.
Paul was instructed by God Himself for 3 years in particular (Galatians 1:17-18).
Regarding this instruction:
Bible Knowledge Commentary:
“Paul had emphasized that he did not receive his message from men before or at the time of his conversion. Now he affirmed that he was free from human influences afterward as well. Though Paul met other Christians after his conversion, he did not consult them on doctrine. If he had been uncertain about the gospel, he could readily have gone to Jerusalem for a seminar with the apostles, but he did not. Rather, he went immediately into Arabia. It is doubtful that he went there to evangelize but rather to be away from men and alone with the Lord for personal study, meditation, and to receive further revelation. This zealous student of the Law now pondered the meaning of his conversion and looked for the things concerning Christ in the Old Testament (cf. Luke 24:27). The product of these days in Arabia was the Christian theology that Paul explained in his epistle to the Romans.”
We learn:
- Paul is among the authentic Apostles.
- Personal traits, education, looks, or abilities do not qualify a person.
- If one is commissioned by God for service, then He might very well guide them to education or gift them with speaking ability.
Questions:
- Do you accept Paul as an Apostle?
- Do you believe and teach a false Gospel with a false Jesus?