Not the Jesus of the Bible (2 Cor 11:1-6)

Different Jesus, different Spirit, different Gospel (11:1-15). Paul's plea for tolerance and condemnation of his opponents.

• Paul's great concern about their gullibility forces him to make the 'fool's speech,' lest their minds be led astray from Christ by those who question his credentials and proclaim a different gospel (2 Cor 11:1-4).
• He responds to criticisms of him not asking for or accepting their financial support. He is criticised on two counts.
1. They felt affronted for his refusal to accept assistance, especially when he was forced to do menial work to support himself, which they regarded as degrading for an apostle (2 Cor 11:7).
2. This refusal was misconstrued as evidence that Paul didn't really love them. If he would not accept their money, surely that meant he had no real affection for them (2 Cor 11:11).
• Despite these criticisms, Paul informs them that he has no intention of changing his practice, in order to undercut his opponent's claims of being equal to him (2 Cor 11:12).
• There follows a strong verbal attack in which Paul dispenses with irony and reveals clearly his opinion of his opponents (2 Cor 11:13-15).

Their gullibility (11:1-6). "I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness" (2 Cor 11:1a). To Paul, parading his credentials in the 'fool's speech' (11:16-12:13) is foolishness, because, 'it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends' (2 Cor 10:18). Yet he felt forced to itemize his credentials, but not according to his opponents' criteria which was accepted by his converts. Paul 'answers the fool according to his folly.' When he says, "Yes, please put up with me!" (2 Cor 11:1b), it's his own embarrassment, rather than a concern that they'd see it as inappropriate.

Paul's deep concern leads him to indulge in the folly of self-commendation. "I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy" [lit., 'I am jealous over you with [the] jealousy of God'] (2 Cor 11:2a). Paul deeply shares the jealousy of God for his people (Exo 20:5; 34:14; Dt 4:24; 5:9; 6:15; Josh 24:19). 'For God is said to be jealous, not in a human way but so that everyone may know that he claims sovereign rights over those whom he loves and does what he does for their exclusive benefit. Human jealousy is basically selfish, but divine jealousy is both intense and pure' (Chrysostom).

A betrothal metaphor to express his concern: "I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him" (2 Cor 11:2b). There were 2 separate marriage ceremonies, the betrothal and the nuptial ceremony which consummated the marriage--usually a year between the 2, but during that time the woman was regarded legally as the man's wife, while socially she remains a virgin. The betrothal contract was binding, and could be broken only by death or a formal written divorce document. Unfaithfulness or violation of a betrothed woman was regarded as adultery and punishable as such. These marriage customs are at the same time recalling the OT where Israel is the betrothed of God (Hos 2:19-20).

Paul--God's agent through whom his converts were betrothed to Christ [the 'father' of the bride], and felt under obligation to ensure that they would be presented as a pure virgin to her one husband at the nuptial ceremony when the marriage will be consummated at the parousia (Eph 5:27; Col 1:22). It's not the physical, but 'spiritual virginity' of those sanctified by grace through faith in Christ.

Satan targets the minds of Christians. "But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ" (2 Cor 11:3). Paul compares their danger with the deception of Eve in the garden ['the serpent deceived me, and I ate' (Gen 3:13)]. The serpent's 'seduction' of Eve was not sexual, but the beguiling of her mind by denying the truth of what God said (Gen 3:1-7), aptly depicting the danger they faced (their minds will be led astray). [Minds (noemata) 6x in the NT, all in Paul, and 5 of 6 in 2 Cor; 'schemes' of Satan (2 Cor 2:11), hardening or blinding of the 'mind' (2 Cor 3:14; 4:4), taking captive of every 'thought' to obey Christ (2 Cor 10:5), and the 'mind' that is kept by the peace of God, which passes understanding (Phil 4:7).] Paul is concerned with their minds being beguiled [not the compromise of the morals] by others (2 Cor 11:4). Christians' minds are prime targets for the devil (2 Cor 11:14) to lead them astray from their devotion to Christ.

Another Jesus. "For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached" (2 Cor 11:4a). As Eve was deceived by the serpent twisting God's word, so their minds were led astray by those who preached another Jesus. Their criteria for apostleship were triumphalist with no room for weakness or suffering. Likely their preaching stressed the power and glory of Christ to the virtual exclusion of Jesus' weakness, humiliation, persecution, suffering and death, cf. Paul who preached Christ crucified as Lord.

"Or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received" (2 Cor 11:4b)). The spirit received from the false apostles is not the Holy Spirit, and very different from the Spirit they received when they responded to the gospel proclaimed by Paul (1 Cor 2:12; 3:16; 6:19). Paul's opponents spirit is different from Paul's [authoritarian, overbearing (2 Cor 11:20), cf. gentle caring Paul (2 Cor 10:1; 1 Cor 4:21)]. They were willing to accept an authoritarian and overbearing spirit. Also, Paul's opponents different spirit was their attitude of living before the congregation that betrays Paul's spirit of strength-as-weakness teaching and practice.

Jesus-Spirit-gospel is an apt summary of Christianity. Paul's kerygma is centred on:

• Christ crucified and risen,
• the gift of the Spirit of God or of Christ as the fulfilment of promise and the pledge of inheritance, and 
• the good news [gospel] of forgiveness and reconciliation in Christ as the instrument of God's saving power.

To Paul, these 3 elements stood or fell together, for 'another Jesus' would mean both a 'different Spirit,' since the Spirit is the Spirit of Christ (Rom 8:9; Phil 1:19), and a 'different gospel,' since the gospel is about Christ (2 Cor 2:12; 9:13; 10:14). His opponents apparently used the same 3 terms, but their content was so different that the message they were proclaiming amounted to a perversion of the gospel, indeed a false gospel, no gospel at all.

"Or a different gospel from the one you accepted" (2 Cor 11:4c). Paul used "a different gospel" describing the teaching the Judaizers brought to his churches in Galatia (Gal 1:6-9). A gospel stressing the need for Gentiles not only to believe in Christ, but also to take upon themselves the yoke of the law and submit to circumcision if they wanted to be the true people of God. Is it the same in Corinth? Paul's opponents in Corinth were Jewish (2 Cor 11:22), but unlikely for in 2 Cor 10-13, for:

1. there's no mention of keeping the law (food laws, Sabbath, special day observances) or to undergo circumcision.
2. the emphases is on skill in speaking and knowledge (2 Cor 11:6), displays of authority (2 Cor 11:20), visions and revelations (2 Cor 12:1) and the performance of apostolic signs (2 Cor 12:12-13), not found in Galatians.

'A different gospel' is thus as in 'another Jesus,' i.e., 'a different gospel' which stresses the power and glory of Christ with little place for Christ crucified as Lord.

"You put up with it easily enough" [lit. 'you bear with it well'] (2 Cor 11:4d)--same word as 'I hope you will put up with me' (2 Cor 11:1). He could ask them to put up with him knowing they were easily putting up with those who preached a different gospel.

"I do not think I am in the least inferior to those 'super-apostles' " (2 Cor 4:5a). Paul turns to personal defense. The super-apostles preach a different gospel (2 Cor 11:4) and whom Paul calls false apostles and servants of Satan (2 Cor 11:14-15). Not in the least inferior to them, is not Paul conceding that they are his equals (he's superior (2 Cor 11:21-33). He's just responding to their claims.

"I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge" (2 Cor 11:6a). Conceding that his rhetorical skills in public speaking is inferior to his opponents, he knows (and expects his converts to know) that he's not inferior to them. Paul's purpose, while conceding inferiority in the less important area of rhetorical skills, is to claim superiority in the far more important area of knowledge. Paul didn't mean that he didn't know how to speak but that commendation didn't depend on mere eloquence.

Make the truth clear in every way. "Knowledge" means insight into the mystery of the gospel (Eph 1:9; 3:1-6; Col 1:26-27) which his opponents lack. Paul says, "We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way" (2 Cor 11:6b), undoubtedly during the 18 months he spent teaching the word of God in Corinth during his first visit to the city (Ac 18:11), as well as by his letters.

• (11:1-6) Their gullibility. Paul the 'jealous father.' I promise you to Christ (11:1-4). The super-apostles (11:5-6).
• (11:7-15) The matter of financial remuneration. Your money (11:7-11). False apostles masquerade as Satan (11:12-15).

Reference:

1. Charles Hodge. 1 & 2 Corinthians. A Geneva Series Commentary. The Banner of Truth Trust. 1857, 1859.
2. Colin Kruse. 2 Corinthians. Tyndale NT Commentaries. 1987, 2005.
3. Geoffrey Grogan. 2 Corinthians. The Glories & Responsibilities of Christian Service. 2007.
4. David Garland. 2 Corinthians. The New American Commentary. 1999.