T H R O U G H T H E B IBLE
New
Second
Testament
witk
Corinthians
DR. WILLIAM EVANS .
1
11
There are times when it is incum bent on the servant of God to seek vindication and defend himself against such insinuations and slanders. When and under what circumstances? When such attacks are representative rather than personal, when they are aimed at the cause rather than at the worker, or at the cause through the character and reputation of the worker. There are times when one may “ he angry and sin not.” When is that, and under what conditions? When such anger is against sin and not because of personal pique or hurt feelings. It is the com prehension of such a principle as this which must guide us in our under standing of some of the difficult pas sages in the Sermon on the Mount, and also the so-called “ Imprecatory Psalms.” Under such circumstances both Jesus and Paul defended them selves. The attack upon Paul in this epistle was with the intention of les sening his influence as an apostle of Christ upon the church of Corinth, and, indirectly, upon all the churches in that region. To he able success fully to impugn Paul would he to reflect upon his office and the gospel he preached. Of course, the worker for God must see to it that he is suf fering “ for Christ’s sake,” and not on account of his own faults and wrong doings (1 Peter iii. 8-17; iv. 12-19; Matthew v. 12). 1. The Insinuations Against the Apostle Stated and Vindicated (x. 1- 12 ). (a) The Charges of Cowardice and Weakness (x. 1-6). The “ gentleness and meekness” exhibited by the apostle
In our study of 2 Corinthians we have considered Introductory matters, the Synopsis of the book, the Intro duction (i. 1-14), the first main divi sion: “ Matters Concerning the Apos tle’s visit to the Church at Corinth” (i. 15-vii. 16), and the second main division: “ Matters Concerning the Collection for the Poor Saints at Jer usalem” (viii. 1-ix. 15). We now pre sent Sections 1 and 2 of the third main division. PAUL’S APOSTOLIC CHARACTER AND AUTHORITY VINDICATED (x. 1-xiii. 10) As we have already seen, this epistle has, as one of its primary purposes, the vindication of the apostolic character and reputation of Paul. Paul’s ene mies had made insinuations against his character hoping thereby to lessen his influence with' the Corinthian and other believers in Christ. The Epistle to the Galatians, also, is concerned with just such matters. No real and true goodness of char acter and life exempts a man from calumny and insinuation. Joseph (Génesis xxxix.), Job (Job ii. and iii.), Jeremiah (Jeremiah xxxvii. and xxxviii. ), and even Christ Himself (Matthew xxvi. and xxvii.; 1 Peter iii. 18-21) endured such contradiction of sinners against themselves. No ser vant of God can expect to he delivered from such temptation. He can glorify God in it, however (1 Peter iii. 13-18; iv. 12-16; Matthew v. 10-12; Acts v. 41; John xii. 31, 32), and may rest assured of final vindication (Job xix. 25, 26).
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