2 Corinthians, 10:9-12
Hal Molloy · May 1, 2005
2 Corinthians (2004-05), No. 43
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/4826232572827

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

Okay. Turn to your Bibles, 2 Corinthians, chapter 10. I'm not going to set my sights far today. We're just going to cover four verses, starting at verse 9, and we'll go from verse 9 through verse 12. Paul says in verse 9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."

Okay, last week we started in verse 9. Didn't get very far, but just as a little review here. And what I've done is put an expanded translation here, because what I think Paul is saying is that he's quoting what these false apostles are saying. And so that he says in verse 9, he says, I'm saying this, they're saying that. So he's saying in verse 9, I'm saying this, in order that I may not seem or be reported or regarded as if I would terrify you by my letters.

And so these false teachers were saying, you know, Paul is just out to terrify you by his letters. And now he's quoting, I think, one of these false apostles. And we said last week in most translations, New American Standard, King James, it says, for they say. But if you look at the Greek, it says, for he says. So I think he's quoting one particular of these false apostles.

For he says, his letters are weighty and powerful or strong, but his bodily or physical presence is weak and sickly in the speech or his word. whether it be written or spoken, contemptible. And it's to be regarded as nothing. You can just discount everything that Paul says. Let such a one consider this, that what we are in word by letters, when we are absent, such persons we are also indeed when present. And Paul's saying, hey, there's no difference in us in terms of what we tell you by letter or when we're in your presence, what we tell you in your presence. Now you remember back in the start of this chapter, what was Paul's desire? Bob went through this.

What was Paul's desire when he would be with them? That he would be with them, what? Was his desire to come at them and lay and laid their correction upon them. What was his desire? Do you remember? That they be edified. And so he was going to come in meekness and he wanted to come to edify them and not correct them. So his letters were that of correction or his letter was that of correction, bold, but he wanted to come at them in meekness to edify them, to build them up. That was his purpose. But he's saying, if we have to, if we have to come in boldness in terms of correction, we'll come that way. It's just not that our letters are that way. We'll be that way in presence if necessary. But that's not what we want to do. OK.

So there's at least three accusations here made against Paul. that the purpose of his letters is to terrify believers, number one. Number two, that his word written or spoken, and I think that they're talking also about his delivery in terms of how he presents the word, that his delivery is also included, literally is of no account. it cannot be regarded as God's Word.

So that's where these false teachers are coming from, and that his physical presence is weak or sickly. So let's see what that looks like in terms of expanded of that. So as we go through this, we'll look at the the false charge against Paul, and then Paul's correction.

And remember, Paul is out to correct their mindset in terms of where they are. Because until that happens, he can't continue on with his real purpose is to edify them, to build them up in Christ. Because the foundation is not there yet, right? So he's got to correct and rebuild that foundation that somebody has come in and disrupted, if you will. These false teachers have disrupted that foundation.

So, when he says that, when they say that Paul was out to terrify the Corinthians because his letters were bold, and that word bold, remember, Bob went through it, in verses 1-6, there's confidence that Paul had the confidence in terms of what he was saying.

And what they're saying, that, you know, who's Paul? I mean, he doesn't have the authority, what grounds does he have to speak so confidently to you guys. It's like, who does he think he is? And so, Paul's desire now, in terms of correction, not to have to speak boldly concerning correction, but he wants to speak boldly or confidently concerning edification. when he's with them. Look at verse 2 in chapter 10. He says, but I beseech you that I may not be bold when I'm present with that confidence with which I think to be bold against some who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. So he doesn't want to have that boldness in terms of But he wants to have the boldness or the confidence in terms of edifying them, correcting them.

Then the second thing about his letters, not only were they bold, but they were weighty. They were heavy. And these false teachers are saying, look how these letters are just weighting you down. They're just burdensome in terms of how Paul's coming at you. So Paul knows this.

The father corrects his son who he loves. So this letter and these words are that of correction. Is correction good? We won't go to Hebrews, but correction is okay because the father loves us and he corrects us. And so he's always doing, like when we launch spacecraft, to go to the moon. We always had to do mid-course corrections because we'd figure out a flight trajectory. And then as the spacecraft gets closer and closer to the moon, you see, hey, it's off trajectory. So you have to do a mid-course correction. So the correction was always good. It was to correct to get back on the path.

And so that's what God does. corrects us to get us back on our feet. He's not there with a two-by-four hitting us over the head. That's not His purpose. And as Hebrews goes on to say that the Father's chastising, it may seem grievous, it may seem heavy at the time, but it's for our profit and for our gain. And look what it yields. It yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Is correction good? Correction is wonderful. It's wonderful.

So not only were his letters weighty, but they said they were powerful and strong. And powerful and strong means firm, sure, severe. And their question is, Where does Paul get this authority to come at us this way? Where does he get this authority? We have the authority. Why is Paul coming at you with this authority, this confidence? Why does Paul have the power and the authority? Why does he have the power and the authority? He's an apostle. And an apostle is what? Chosen by God, a sent one, right? An apostle is a sent one, chosen by God, and God gives an apostle authority.

He gives him power. He gives him authority. He gives him the Word of God. And the Word of God is powerful, quick, and sharper than any two-edged sword. So he's got that authority. And it's not that he's abusing any authority. He's just manifesting the authority that he has given to him by the Word.

Look at chapter 13 in verse 10, where Paul says, Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distress, in distresses, for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, I am strong." And he's strong because God has given him that strength. He's given him the strength to to do what God wants them to do. He can come at them with authority and power.

Okay. What did I say? What did I read? I don't know. Oh, I read 12, didn't I? Thank you. See, this was a test to see if you were really listening. But what's interesting is, you know, as I read through that, I said, boy, that's funny that I did pick that passage of Scripture. It has the word strong in there, but is that? So 1310. Ah, 1310. Therefore, I write these things being absent, lest, being present, I should use sharpness according to the power which the Lord has given me to edification, and not to destruction. So Paul's desire is to edify them. Thank you. Okay, here's the other charge. Paul's written or spoken word and his delivery of it cannot be regarded from God. Right? They're saying it's weak, and that's the charge.

But let's do this. When it talks about Paul's speech, the word there for speech, his speech, is halagas. And lagas is the word. In the beginning was halagas, the word, and the word was with God. It's the word. So literally, if you want to translate this literally, you could say the word. If we go back to the passage for where it says, and his speech contemptible. You could translate it and the word contemptible. But the word oftentimes or word is oftentimes used for speech. I think personally, it means both. It means the word that he's speaking. and the manner and the way he's speaking it. So when it says contemptible, it means it's nothing. It's brought to naught. And it's being despised. It's with scorn.

And the interesting thing, it's a perfect passive participle. Perfect tense means that the action was completed in past time, when they received the letter, some, this is not all the Corinthians now, some of these Corinthians, when they received the letter, and these false teachers came along, these false apostles, That's the way they received it, with scorn. Who does Paul think he is? And perfect tense, continuous action up into the present time, avoiding results up into the present time. And they were still that way. So here's what Paul has already told them.

And in 1 Corinthians 2 verses 1 and 4, And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech, would that be talking about the word or the manner in which he was presenting the word? The manner. Not with excellence of speech or wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony or the word of God. They're talking about the way he's presenting it or the word itself. So that's why I think when it says his speech, it's talking about both the word he's presenting and the actual word itself and the way he's presenting it. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words. What's this talking about? The manner or the word itself? The manner of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and power. You think, what's that talking about? About the word.

In 2 Corinthians 11.6, for though I be rude, And the word there, for rude, is unskilled.

What does the New American Standard say in 2 Corinthians 11.6? Unskilled. Unskilled? Oh, OK. So I quoted out from the New American Standard. Though I'd be unskilled in my speech, what's that talking about? Manner or the word of God? Manner. Yeah. unskilled in speech, the way I'm communicating to you, yet not in knowledge. What do you think knowledge has to do with? The Word itself.

But we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things. We've been an open book to you guys. We've been, you know, we've been made manifest. What you have seen through us is the very life and the very ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what you've seen because that's who we are. And you see nothing more and nothing less. Okay.

Then the third charge, the last charge here, is that his physical presence is weak, sick. And so what they're saying, therefore, since his bodily or physical presence is weak, sickly, therefore he cannot be effective for God. There's no way that he can be effective for God.

I can remember when I first became a believer and I realized that I was in the wrong church and I needed to get into a church where they taught the Word of God, and I did. It was two blocks away from where I was going. I can remember we had a Wednesday night service or Bible study, whatever, but they had this fellow come in.

He was probably about 92 years old in a wheelchair. They wheeled him in and put him up on the platform. I'm saying to myself, I don't have a clue. Here's a guy that's weak and sickly. What's he going to do? And then he started speaking just from his heart. And I would imagine that he had the entire New Testament memorized. And he just started speaking. And you say, wow. It just flawed me. I'll never forget that. It was that experience. So you can never judge. by someone's outward appearance. Never, never, never. And say that they can't be effective for God. So, the word weak, the ah negates it. Stinnas means strength.

So the word is without strength. and you're in a wheelchair and somebody has got to help you, you're totally without strength. And by the way, where are we? Verse 9 or 10, does it say without strength or sick of the body? Okay, bodily presence. So it's strength, it's without strength, and it's modified of the body. And it's not about the body as a whole. It's just an instrument of life. So the weak...

Now, understand that this is coming from these false apostles. and they're looking at their bodily appearance and their outward appearance and it's pretty good. And they're looking at Paul. Depending upon whether you want to believe some of these early writers that found these coins that had a picture of Paul on it in terms of what he looked like. He was small, bald-headed, hooked nose, had this eye disease. He didn't look very well. And so, if you're a false apostle, and you're one of these Judaizers, you pride yourself in your outward appearance.

And you look over at Paul, and you say, whoa, he ain't got it. I've got it. He ain't got it. And so, certainly it was talking about weak in comparison to them. Now, here's the interesting thing. Paul acknowledges, this is a true charge. Paul acknowledges that charge. He says, you're right. You're absolutely right.

And in Galatians 4, verse 14, and I quoted from the Amplified, and it says this, and yet, although my physical condition was such a trial to you, he's talking to these believers in Galatia, it was a trial to them to look upon him, you did not regard it with contempt or scorn.

What did these guys do? They treated his outward appearance, his physical appearance, with contempt and scorn, or scorn or loathe and reject me. What were these guys doing, these false teachers? They were rejecting Paul. Rejecting him because of what he was saying, rejecting him because of what he looked like.

But you received me as an angel of God. And this guy, sitting up in that wheelchair with his head bent over and he couldn't keep his head up, was like an angel of God. This is the way they treated him, or they considered him, but as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus himself.

And Paul is saying, There's no difference in one's outward appearance in terms of what he looks like. It doesn't matter. If he is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and he's coming to edify you, that the way you'll see him is independent of what he or she looks like, is as an angel of God or as Christ himself. And what was said about Christ in terms of his looks back in Isaiah 53? Spies rejected, no comeliness to look upon him, right? Nothing we should desire? Nothing.

You don't look too good either. Hey, should we feel OK now? OK. Now, but But here's the interesting thing. Did Paul say, Lord, you know, I'm not accepted. And one of the reasons why I'm not accepted, and one of the reasons why, you know, I'm teaching a word and it's not accepted. And one of those reasons is because I just don't have the looks. I don't have the Benny Han look. And if I only had that look, right, and if I only had that presence, then I wouldn't You know, is that the way Paul felt? No. Look what he says. He glorifies God for his weakness because God's grace was sufficient for him.

He went to the Lord, how many times? Three times, and said, Lord, take this thorn from my flesh. The Lord said, no, Paul. Lord, you don't understand. You know, I could be a much more effective teacher and communicator if you would take this thorn. Paul, no. And the third time, but Lord, you really don't understand what I'm telling you. Because I've been out there and I know the rejection I've gone through.

And if I only had the bodily presence of these others, I would be accepted as, Paul, my grace is sufficient for you. Did Paul accept that? He says, Lord, it doesn't matter, right? It doesn't matter what infirmity I have. It doesn't matter how I look. That's not where it's at.

It's that His grace was sufficient. And so when Paul realized that God's grace was sufficient for him, then, what does he say? in his weakness, in that physical weakness that he has, he was strong. Strong physically, strong spiritually. Boy, that made him strong spiritually. Okay, last one. And this is the way God operates.

He chooses the weak things of the world. in 1 Corinthians 1.7, for God selected, deliberately chose what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. So the world and all of these false apostles call bodily presence weak, and they are strong. And God uses the weakness to put the ones who think they're strong to shame. Isn't it wonderful to know, whatever infirmity we have, whatever sickness we have, whatever problem we have in life, the Lord is going to use that weakness to put the strong to shame, the Lord is going to use that weakness to make us strong. Isn't that a wonderful objective that the Lord has? And boy, I don't know a better way to do it, to cause us to really rest and trust in Him until He puts us through whatever trial and infirmity that we might have for all of our life. But it's a great thing. Okay. Look at verse 12. Chapter 10, 2 Corinthians, verse 12.

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. did is take a look at the inner linear, and as you read the inner linear, Greek could read it this way, for we do not dare to classify or to compare ourselves with some of the ones who are commending themselves But when they are measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves with themselves, they're without understanding. And I think the new American standard uses without understanding.

But just to look at some of these words here in terms of what they mean. What does it mean when it says to classify themselves? The word there just means to reckon or to count among to place in the same category with. Paul says we do not dare. to place ourselves in the same category with these false apostles. Or to compare ourselves. The word to compare means to judge or to discriminate by comparison. So it's comparing similarities and differences. Similarities and differences in in ministry, in life. Paul says, we don't dare do that.

Then the other word is commending. He says, they're commending themselves. That word commending means to meet with approval, to present oneself as worthy. These false teachers were presenting themselves as worthy to these Corinthian believers. And they were measuring themselves against themselves. And the word measure means...

What word do we get out of our English here? Look at the word. Here it is. Here it is in English, transliterated. Meter. We get our word meter from this to measure out. And a meter is a standard of measurement, isn't it? And so to meter out is a standard. So there's a measure.

And the Judaizers set themselves up as the standard of spirituality. You look at our life, and you look at our ministry, and we're the standard. We're the meter that you measure. You want to know how spiritual you are? Here's the measure. It's look at us. Look at our life. And look at our ministry, that's the measure. And guess what?

Did they always meet the standard? Because they were the standard, right? They always met the standard. Did Paul meet the standard? No way. Did he meet that standard? Okay. So what I tried to do here is to picture this and what this looks like. Now, here's their mindset, right? Here's these false apostles' mindset. Their mindset is, in terms of how they evaluate one's life and ministry.

They have a standard of measurement. In order to measure anything, you have to have a standard. So we have the Bureau of Standards, right? And locked in this Bureau of Standards is every measure that you can think of, every weight that you can think of. You want to know what a pound is? Well, you go to the Bureau of Standards, and they have a measure of a pound. You want to know what a yard is? They have a precise measure of a yard, and they keep it under temperature control so they can't expand or contract, so they have a precise measurement of, you know, for the standard.

Okay. So that's in the physical realm. We have these standards. And in the spiritual realm, these Judaizers say, here's your standard, here's your measure, look at us. Just look at us. So, now, so this is what they're saying. And this is what they were doing. They were measuring one's ministry. or their performance, and they were measuring Paul's ministry or performance.

Now, the standard is what? The Judaeitis' life and ministry, right? That's the standard. And then there's these other fleshly ministries. and here's this person, here's this person, and boy, they're all trying to get up and meet the standard, right? And everybody's attempting to meet this standard. And so what they're doing is they're measuring themselves by themselves. So here's the standard, and here you are, and boy, you've got a little bit more to go now to get to meet the standard, okay? measuring themselves by themselves.

And when they measured Paul's ministry, I would like to have put that on the other side of the axis, make it negative, because in their mindset, this was not even positive. His ministry was negative. And the thing is this, how can this be positive if it's grace, when the standard is law. Right? They are diametrically opposed. As the East is from the West, they are diametrically opposed. So this should have been on the other side, but I didn't have room to do it. Okay.

Then, So not only were they measuring amongst themselves, they were comparing ministries. They were looking at similarities and differences. And so here's the standard, the Judaizer's life and ministry, and here's all these false teachers, false apostles. They were comparing themselves with themselves. and they were looking at their similarities and differences and saying, okay, you know, there's some, well, let me ask you, let me ask the question this way. They were looking at similarities and differences. What do you think the focus was on, similarities or differences, when they were comparing themselves with themselves?

Okay, so then let me ask you this question. When they were measuring or comparing pulse ministries, were they looking at similarities or differences? Differences. You want to change your answer on the first question? They were looking at similarities. They wanted to be the same, right? They wanted to be the same. They wanted a copy. Okay, so they were comparing ministries. They were commending one's ministry as whether it was worthy or not. And here's their commendation. Obviously, here's the standard, right? The Judaizer's life and ministry, 100% worthy, right? And what do you think about all of these other false teachers? Worthy, worthy, worthy.

How about Paul? Now, Paul should have been on the other side. See, this should be flipped on this side of the axis. Unworthy. Because, again, how can you possibly compare or commend when the focus here is on law, how can you commend or count grace as worthy if law is the rule of life?

Right? Okay. Yes. Okay. Keep in mind what Jack said. The law forces you to make self the object of your life. Keep that in mind. We're going to hit right on that point in just a minute. Jack has read the notes. No. Just teasing. I want you to turn in your Bibles to John chapter 5. John chapter 5. And I thought it was neat in terms of reading what Christ had to say to the Jews as he was teaching, as he was ministering, and he was talking to the Jews.

Look at verse 43. He says this, I am come in my Father's name, and you receive me not. If another shall come in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe who receive honor of one of another and not seek the honor that comes from God only. Does this sit home in this whole passage of scripture? And look at the logic here, in terms of what Christ is saying.

So, you know, these false teachers or apostles are saying, you know, Paul doesn't measure up. He doesn't measure up, he doesn't compare, or has the commendation or the worthiness in his life and ministry, right? We're the standard, we're comparing him to the standard, he ain't got it. So the question is, why is Paul's ministry being rejected by some? Why would your ministry be rejected by some? So look at the comparisons. Here's Christ.

He came in His Father's name. And when it talks about name, one's name has authority with it. So name has authority with it. So when you talk about Bush, you hear the name. Is there authority with the name Bush? Sure is. Schwarzkopf. Is there authority with the name Schwarzkopf? Sure is. So Christ came in His Father's name.

They did not receive Him, what the passage says. They do not seek the glory that's from God. And then, here come others. Here come the false teachers. Here come the Judaizers. Whose name do they come in? They come in their own name. Christ says, those who come in their own name, or their own authority, guess what? They are received.

They receive glory from one another. They glorify each other. They don't seek the glory from God. They seek the glory from each other. Oh, brother, you have done such a wonderful job. So, let's look at Paul. Paul comes in the name of Christ. He's an apostle. He's a set one. He has the authority of an apostle. So he comes in the name of Christ, with Christ's authority.

So I want you to fill in the blank. What do you think happens here? So look at these two boxes in terms of the result. What do you think the result is here? They did not receive Him. Well, if they did not receive, if Christ came in His Father's name, right, and they did not receive Christ, certainly they're not going to receive Paul, who comes in the name of Christ. Right? Okay.

So then, what happens here? Fill in the blank for me. In this last box. In this last box. So, he comes in the name... So, they did not receive him. Right? They did not receive Him, so fill in this box. They didn't give glory to God. Or they didn't seek the glory from God? I mean, isn't it equivalent to over here? Okay. Alright. Did we have a first bell or second bell? First bell. Now, to all of this, remember this.

Here's the false apostle's mindset, right? How they evaluate one's ministry, right? And by measuring, comparing, and commending, right? Now Paul comes along and he's going to correct the mindset. And so here's Paul's ministry, and he says, I don't dare. I don't dare to classify or count myself among them. I'm not in the same class. Or to compare. I don't look at any similarities or differences in my ministry versus theirs. I wouldn't dare do that.

And here's the reason. his commendation or his worthiness is not in himself and you can look these scriptures up later and they're not from others because over in 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 he says I don't come with any commendation from me nor do I need letters from someone else to commend me to you Remember what he says? You are my letter. You are my epistle. Right?

But his only commendation is by manifesting the truth. And he's an apostle. He's a sent one. He comes with the truth to edify believers. That's his commendation. The only commendation that he has. But that's from God. So he goes on to talk about God's commendation or how God considers one worthy. Somebody read verse 18 in chapter 10. Okay, one more time, a little louder. He who commends himself is approved, but who the Lord approved. So He doesn't come in man's commendation. but who the Lord approves, dakimasu, who the Lord has proven as a vessel that comes from Him. Okay, Jack's point, and we're done.

Now we want to get at the practical end of it. in terms of each one of us here sitting in this room, because we can look at these false apostles and say, oh yeah, that's pretty bad. That's not me, right? But you think about your life and your ministry, and think about how often you might wind up where these guys were in terms of their life and ministry out from the flesh.

Their life and ministry centered on man versus Paul's ministry, life and ministry centered on God. They majored on man's performance or on man performing. Over here, the Life and Ministry of the Spirit majors on God performing. He's the one that wills and to do and performs. He has begun the good work in you and He is the one that performs it until the day of Jesus Christ. not us. And the focus over here is on what you are doing. And the focus is here on what God's doing.

So when I find myself in somebody's saying, asking, what's happening in your life? Oh, well, I'm doing this and I'm counseling and I'm teaching. And I say, Oh, Lord, hold it. Hold it. Thank you. And there's a conviction there that the focus goes on me as opposed to what God is doing. So life and ministry of the flesh, acceptance by God depends upon doing. Over here, acceptance by God depends upon being. in terms of who we are. It's just who we are in Christ.

Nothing about our doing. Over here, this ministry shouts to us, you have to achieve. And over here, it exhorts us to rest. Just to rest. This doesn't mean we don't do anything. Because remember a couple weeks ago we looked at scripture, Jesus healing the man on the Sabbath, right? He says, yeah, that's right. Heal the man on the Sabbath. God's working, right? And so am I. He's always working. But we're resting in His work and not ours. The watchword over here is legalism. The watchword over here is grace. The glory over here is in self. The glory over here is in God.

There are no questions, I know. Let's close in a word of prayer. Our Father, we are again just so thankful for this time together. And Lord, we just thank you for the life of Paul and his ministry. Because as we look at his life and his ministry, it should be no different from ours. And we're no different from Paul. And you want us to have the life and the ministry that he has. That's your design.

And Father, we just thank you for this. We pray, Father, that through this, that each of us would grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And as we grow in His grace, knowing that others would ask us for the hope that's in us, and that we might be able to respond that it's you and it's not us. And we just thank you now in Christ's name. Amen.