2 corinthians 11:21 - I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.
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What does "2 corinthians 11:21" mean?
This verse from 2 Corinthians 11:21 is a tricky one to understand without considering the broader context of Paul's writing in this chapter. Here's a breakdown of what it likely means:
"I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak."
"Disparagement": Paul is sarcastically belittling himself and his team. He's using irony.
"As though we had been weak": The "weakness" here refers to not boasting or pushing their credentials as aggressively as others. Paul's opponents (false apostles) in Corinth were likely promoting themselves with great fanfare and self-praise, emphasizing their impressive backgrounds and abilities. Paul and his team had deliberately chosen a different approach, focusing on serving humbly and letting their actions speak for themselves. Paul is pretending that this humble approach was a weakness.
"Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also."
"Bold": Here, boldness refers to boasting and self-promotion.
"I speak in foolishness": Paul is aware that boasting is generally considered foolish and unbecoming of a Christian leader. He acknowledges that he's about to lower himself to the level of his opponents and engage in the kind of behavior he usually avoids. This is a deliberate choice he's making to reach the Corinthians.
"I am bold also": He's saying, "If you want to play that game, I can play it too. If boasting is what impresses you, I can boast just as well as anyone else."
In essence, Paul is saying:
"I've been holding back from boasting, acting as though our humility was a weakness. But if you're impressed by those who boast and brag, then fine. I'm going to act foolishly and boast too, just to show you that I'm capable of it. However, I know that this is foolish behaviour."
Why is Paul doing this?
He's trying to defend his apostleship to the Corinthian church. Some members of the church were being swayed by these "super-apostles" who were likely charismatic speakers and self-promoters. Paul is reluctantly engaging in this boasting as a last resort to prove that he's not inferior to these opponents. He's demonstrating that he could boast if he wanted to, but he has chosen a different path. He uses this "foolish" approach to get the Corinthians to reconsider their values and see through the shallow self-promotion of his rivals.
Key takeaways:
Irony and Sarcasm: Paul heavily uses irony and sarcasm in this passage.
Defense of Apostleship: His boasting is not out of pride, but out of a desperate need to defend his authority as an apostle and protect the Corinthians from being led astray.
Critique of Self-Promotion: Underneath the boasting, Paul is subtly critiquing the value system of the Corinthians, who seem to be impressed by superficial displays of power and charisma.
Humility vs. Strength: Paul argues that true strength lies not in self-promotion but in humble service and faithfulness to the gospel.
2 corinthians 11:21 - I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.
What does "2 corinthians 11:21" mean?
This verse from 2 Corinthians 11:21 is a tricky one to understand without considering the broader context of Paul's writing in this chapter. Here's a breakdown of what it likely means:
"I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak."
"Disparagement": Paul is sarcastically belittling himself and his team. He's using irony.
"As though we had been weak": The "weakness" here refers to not boasting or pushing their credentials as aggressively as others. Paul's opponents (false apostles) in Corinth were likely promoting themselves with great fanfare and self-praise, emphasizing their impressive backgrounds and abilities. Paul and his team had deliberately chosen a different approach, focusing on serving humbly and letting their actions speak for themselves. Paul is pretending that this humble approach was a weakness.
"Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also."
"Bold": Here, boldness refers to boasting and self-promotion.
"I speak in foolishness": Paul is aware that boasting is generally considered foolish and unbecoming of a Christian leader. He acknowledges that he's about to lower himself to the level of his opponents and engage in the kind of behavior he usually avoids. This is a deliberate choice he's making to reach the Corinthians.
"I am bold also": He's saying, "If you want to play that game, I can play it too. If boasting is what impresses you, I can boast just as well as anyone else."
In essence, Paul is saying:
"I've been holding back from boasting, acting as though our humility was a weakness. But if you're impressed by those who boast and brag, then fine. I'm going to act foolishly and boast too, just to show you that I'm capable of it. However, I know that this is foolish behaviour."
Why is Paul doing this?
He's trying to defend his apostleship to the Corinthian church. Some members of the church were being swayed by these "super-apostles" who were likely charismatic speakers and self-promoters. Paul is reluctantly engaging in this boasting as a last resort to prove that he's not inferior to these opponents. He's demonstrating that he could boast if he wanted to, but he has chosen a different path. He uses this "foolish" approach to get the Corinthians to reconsider their values and see through the shallow self-promotion of his rivals.
Key takeaways:
Irony and Sarcasm: Paul heavily uses irony and sarcasm in this passage.
Defense of Apostleship: His boasting is not out of pride, but out of a desperate need to defend his authority as an apostle and protect the Corinthians from being led astray.
Critique of Self-Promotion: Underneath the boasting, Paul is subtly critiquing the value system of the Corinthians, who seem to be impressed by superficial displays of power and charisma.
Humility vs. Strength: Paul argues that true strength lies not in self-promotion but in humble service and faithfulness to the gospel.