1. They who praise themselves are fools according to the views and
speech of the world. The saying is, "Self-praise is unsavory." It is
forbidden by Solomon in Proverbs 27, 2: "Let another man praise thee,
and not thine own mouth." And Christ says (Jn 8, 54), "If I glorify
myself, my glory is nothing." Paul acknowledges that he had to become
a fool, something for which he had no desire, by reason of the
necessity laid upon him to praise himself. The false apostles, as
false spirits habitually do, delivered great, fine, splendid speeches
to the multitude, in their vainglorious attempt to raise themselves
above Paul, thereby to make contemptible and insignificant that
apostle and his doctrine.
2. Paul was little concerned that he personally should be lightly
esteemed and the false apostles highly honored, but he could not bear
to have the Gospel perish in that way and his Corinthian converts
seduced. Therefore he exerts himself to the utmost, at the risk of
becoming a fool by his boasting. But he, in his strong spiritual
wisdom, glories in a masterly manner, and skilfully puts to shame the
boasts of the false apostles.
First, he shows them he can glory in the very things wherein they
glory, and in even more. At the same time he declares himself a fool
for glorying. He might have said: "Foolish, indeed, are they, and
boorish creatures, who glory in themselves. They should feel shame to
the very depth of their heart. No true, sane man boasts of what he is.
The wicked and the frivolous do that." But the apostle's attack is not
quite so severe and harsh. He addresses them civilly and delicately in
that he makes himself appear a fool, as if to say: "Look! how becoming
self-praise is in myself, although I have grounds for my glorying. But
how much more disgraceful for you to boast when perhaps none of your
claims are true." So Paul wears the foolscap, that those coarse fools
might have a mirror in which to behold their real selves. This is
wisely making foolishness minister to the good of the neighbor and to
the honor of the Gospel. To the just, even folly is wisdom, just as
all things are pure and holy unto him.
3. Second, Paul deals the false apostles a stout blow when he shows
them to be ignorant of the grounds in which a true Christian seeks his
glory. For, as he teaches them, a Christian glories in the things
whereof other men are ashamed--in the cross and in his sufferings.
This is the true art of glorying. To this he refers when he says (Gal
6, 14), "Far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ." But the false apostles are careful to avoid glorying
thus; for they flee with alacrity from reproach and affliction, rather
seeking a life of ease and honor. They ever would have prominence over
their fellows, be superior to and unlike others--certain indication
that they lack the right spirit and are not of God. Christ testifies
(Jn 5, 44), "How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and
the glory that cometh from the only God ye seek not?"
4. The main point of this lesson is that in a preacher or a teacher no
vice is more injurious and venomous than vainglory. It is true,
however, that avarice also is an evil characteristic of false
teachers, being found hand in hand with vainglory. For the sake of
profit, for the purpose of gain, the false teachers aspire to
prominence, to honor and position. With them, nothing but current coin
will pass, and what does not pay dividend is unprofitable. Any other
vice is more endurable in a preacher than these two, though none is
compatible with goodness, blamelessness and perfection being required
in the ministry according to Paul, Titus 1, 7. This is not surprising,
for the two vices under consideration are essentially and directly
opposed to the nature of the ministry. The ministry is ordained to
have as its aim the glory of God and its promotion. Psalm 19, 1
affirms, "The heavens declare the glory of God." And ministers must,
for God's glory, suffer reproach and shame. Jeremiah complains (ch.
20, 8), "The word of Jehovah is made a reproach unto me, and a
derision, all the day." The world will not endure the Word. For him
who in preaching seeks his own honor, it is impossible to remain in
the right path and preach the pure Gospel. Consequently he avoids
striving for God's honor; he must preach what pleases the people, what
brings honor to himself and magnifies his skill and wisdom.
5. Avarice, too, is, according to its very nature, opposed to the
interests of the ministry. Just as the ministry is to be devoted to
God's honor at the expense of our own, so is it to be devoted to the
interests of our neighbor and not to our own. Otherwise it is an
injury rather than a benefit. With the false teacher seeking only his
own good, it is impossible for him to preach the truth. He is
compelled to speak what is pleasing to men in order to gratify his
appetites. Therefore Paul (Rom 16, 18) says of such preachers that
they serve their own bellies. And in many places the Scriptures
reprove avarice. Let him, then, who would be a preacher guard
vigilantly against vainglory and avarice. But, should he feel himself
in the clutch of these sins, let him avoid the ministry. For under
such conditions he will accomplish no good; he will only dishonor God,
seduce souls and be a thief and robber in the acquisition of property.
With this explanation, the lesson is now easily understood, but we
will consider a few points.
"For ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves."
6. Paul commends the Corinthians for their patience and wisdom in six
points: as wise men, they cheerfully endure the foolish; they bear
with those who bring them into bondage and oppress them; with those
who devour them; with those who take from them [or take them captive];
with those who exalt themselves; with those who smite them in the
face. But his commendation is meant to pave the way for his folly--to
prepare them to suffer him the more readily. He would say, "Since you
suffer so much from them who injure you--and you are wise in that--I
trust you will bear with me who have wrought you only good, when I act
the fool for a little; particularly when my object in it is your
good--to preserve the Gospel among you in opposition to the false
apostles." Note how tenderly and patiently he deals with the
Corinthians when he might have severely reproved them for tolerating
the false apostles. He commends them as does a father a timid child,
and yet, while commending them he censures both them and their false
teachers. He handles them as tenderly as if he held a raw egg in his
hand, in order not to distract or terrify them.
7. Paul delivers a masterly stroke when with the same words he praises
the Corinthians and rebukes them and their false apostles. His
commendation of their patience is in reality reproof, blows and wounds
for the false teachers. He would say:
"I have preached the Gospel to you at my own expense and jeopardy. By
my labor have ye attained to its blessing. Ye have done nothing for me
in return, and I have been no tax upon you. Now, upon my departure,
others come and exploit you, and seek honor and profit from my labor.
They would be your masters and I am to be ignored. They boast as if
the accomplishment were all theirs. Of these ye must be disciples and
pupils. Their preaching ye must accept, while my Gospel must become
odious. My case is that of the bee who labors to make honey and then
the idle drones and the earthworms come and consume the sweet not of
their making. In me is illustrated Christ's proverb (Jn 4, 37), 'one
soweth, and another reapeth.' Continually one enters into the fruits
of another's labor. One must toil and incur danger, while another
reaps the benefit in security.
8. "Ye can suffer these false apostles, though they be fools and teach
only foolishness. In this ye display wisdom and patience. But ye do
not so suffer me, who taught you true wisdom. Nor do ye permit me much
enjoyment of my labor. Further, ye can permit them to make servants of
you, to be your lords and to order you to do their bidding. And ye
obey. But I who have made myself your servant, I who have served you
without profit to myself, that ye might be lords with Christ, must now
be ignored and all my labors be lost. They rule you at their pleasure,
and their pleasure is all they consult. You suffer yourselves to be
devoured. That is, your property is consumed; for ye bestow it upon
them abundantly, as Psalm 14, 4 has it, 'Who eat up my people.' Upon
such as these ye can shower goods and gifts, and can permit them to
devour you as they please. But I have never enjoyed aught of your
property. All my service has been without recompense, that ye might
become rich in Christ.
"Again, ye suffer the false teachers to take from you beyond your
consent; to exalt themselves above you, to esteem themselves better
than you and me, and to exercise their arrogance upon you. But ye deal
not so with me, who have sacrificed my own substance, and have taken
from others, that I might bring the Gospel to you; who have not
exalted myself above any, but have yielded to all and served them. The
false apostles permit you to serve them; in fact, trample you beneath
their feet. They even smite you in the face; that is, they reproach
you publicly, put you to shame, and abuse you with rude and insolent
words. They act as if ye were beasts of burden and they your real
masters. All this ye suffer. But my patience with you, my parental
tenderness, past and present, is remembered no more. Paul is now
represented as having wrought no good at Corinth."