“I am become a fool in glorying [proving myself faithful]; you have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chief apostles, though I be nothing” (vs11)
Paul is a nothing, but he is an apostle, and he has obtained grace to be faithful.
He proves his ministry by the sufferings, stripes, and near death’s that he endured. He proves it by exaltations from God to see glorious things. And, He proves it by God’s power to him as the nothing that he is, enabling him to honor God and prosper amidst trials that send unbelievers away to the world in rebellion and self-salvation. Paul proves himself faithful, sheepishly, not glorying in having to commend himself, but he does it for our good, that we might prove ourselves FAITHFUL and share in the ministry - (2 Cor 11:16-21) “I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise! For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. To our shame, I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold––I speak foolishly––I am bold also”.
He suffered as an apostle, and it wasn’t all sweets on the way to heaven. False prophets brag about talent and success, Paul gloried in being shipwrecked, beaten, hungry, and naked - (vs22-33) “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? ––I speak as a fool––I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness–– besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands“.
He says, This is what I’ve endured for faithfulness, so I prove by my afflictions that I’m faithful, because they came BECAUSE of Christ and BY Christ they were endured.
Secondly, he commends his special revelations, also. He declares that he knew someone taken up to the third heaven who saw things TOO wonderful to be described and unlawful to be spoken. Yet, he doesn’t glory in the man’s merit, but in the man’s exaltation by grace. God PRIVILEDGES some to be examples and shows them marvelous things, proving we’re godly - (2 Cor 12:1-5) “It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago––whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows––such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man––whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows–– how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities”.
Thirdly, Paul glories in the power of Christ to nobody’s, failures, and the tempted. He glories that when he’s WEAK, the Son of God is strong to him, like when a person can’t go on, they get strength from God to continue MORE marvelously, more humbly, and more LOVINGLY than before - (2 Cor 12:6-10) “For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong”.
He didn’t see trials as abandonment but as opportunities for God to fulfill the promise in Christ that His grace is SUFFICIENT for every need. So, he proves his ministry by the power he’s obtained to be content, faithful, and godly, amidst the greatest emptying of self-strength.
Thus, we are nothings, but God saves nothings and produces faithfulness in us. He makes us endure rejection and grief for Christ’s sake. He gives us visions of Christ and gospel emotions indescribable. And, He is strength to us in our weakness, proving that as the nothings we are, we can serve God.
A godly man is thus HOLY (he does what God says in spite of trouble), humble (he knows himself to be nothing), and happy (because the power of Christ rests upon him and weakness only makes way for supernatural power, help, and strength).
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