When we concluded yesterday we found Paul sorrowfully commenting that the believers of Corinth quite easily put up with teachers who are adding to or taking away from the gospel. Apparently these men are proclaiming themselves to be the top apostles, or as Paul calls them in today's passage: "super apostles". These men are impressive in looks, in speech, and in education. They look as distinguished as the famous philosophers whose lectures the citizens of Corinth have been accustomed to attending, so in a way it's natural (according to the flesh) that the Corinthians immediately give these teachers their attention and respect. They were brought up in a culture that values philosophy and debate. They are used to judging people by the outward appearance instead of by the character. It's easy to see how these false apostles managed to creep in and distort the thinking of some of the church members of Corinth. But as we will learn today, there is a dark force behind the ministries of these men. They are being used by Satan himself.
Unfortunately, a love of sophistication and modern culture is causing some to value the teaching of these false apostles over the teaching of men like Paul who are sincere and trustworthy. It's likely the false apostles themselves criticize Paul for his appearance, his poverty, his habit of teaching the gospel for free, and his lack of training in public speaking. So Paul reminds the people of Corinth that he taught the gospel to them free of charge out of love, while the false apostles charge admittance to their speeches. "I do not think I am in the least inferior to those 'super-apostles'. I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?" (2 Corinthians 11:5-7)
I think the false apostles may have been saying to the people of Corinth, "If the gospel Paul preaches was worth listening to, wouldn't he charge admission to his lectures? Wouldn't he be able to make a living by preaching the gospel instead of sitting up late at night sewing tents? Why is he living off the work of his own hands and off the donations the other churches send to him? If he was any good at speaking, he would never have to work another day with his hands or accept love offerings from the churches."
It was not Paul's practice to accept aid from a church while he was founding it and building it up. He didn't want to be a burden to a new church. But whenever he left one region for another, it was the habit of the churches he had already founded to regularly take up a collection to help support his ministry. This is why he says what he says next, "I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!" (2 Corinthians 11:8-11) Of course Paul did not literally "rob churches" and he was not doing anything wrong by accepting donations from churches he had already founded. In our day we find missionaries doing the same thing Paul was doing: accepting donations from a home church in order to found a church in another area of the world. The original Greek more clearly explains what he is saying, for the expression he uses is an expression used for the provisions given by the Roman government to a Roman soldier while he is deployed on active duty. Paul is on active duty when he is bringing the gospel to a new region, and regions that have already accepted the gospel from him are sending him provisions while he is deployed.
Now the apostle has some very chilling words to say about these false apostles: they are the servants of Satan himself. "And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve." (2 Corinthians 11:12-15)
If the devil showed us his true face and his true intentions, we would run from him as fast as we could. So he dresses sin up in attractive ways in order to entice us. Remember how he presented the forbidden fruit to Eve as something good and desirable? That's how he presents all sin to mankind. How did he present the sin of false apostleship to the men who infiltrated Corinth with a perverted gospel? We can't say for sure, but he may have lured them with easy money. This method was probably especially effective with those who knew what it was like to do without. He may have tempted men who had a deep need for acceptance, perhaps caused by something in their past, by promising them popularity and an entrance into the top levels of society. Whatever Satan promised them, it was like a package wrapped with beautiful paper and fancy ribbons. But on the inside it was filled with death. Paul says the men who fell for Satan's lies, and who allowed him to use them to cause people to fall from the truth, will get the reward they deserve.
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