2 Corinthians Week 20

Day 1 

READ 

2 Corinthians 12:5-7 

5 That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 6 If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, 7 even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. 

Paul refused to boast about the wonderful revelations he had heard and seen in paradise because he wanted the focus to be on Jesus. To keep him from becoming proud, God gave him a thorn in his flesh. Many conjecture about what that thorn might have been. Paul described it as “a messenger from Satan” to torment him and keep him humble.  

REFLECT 

Many wonder what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was. Do you have something you consider to be a thorn in your flesh? If so, read on in this passage to see how Paul responded to it. 

RESPOND 

Meet with a friend and pray for loved ones who struggle with some physical difficulty. They may consider it to be their thorn in the flesh.  

Day 2 

READ 

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 

8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

This tells how Paul responded to his thorn in the flesh. Three times he asked God to take it away. Did God do it? No, He told Paul His grace was all Paul needed and that His power worked best in weakness. Paul had described what he considered to be his weaknesses, now he boasts about his weaknesses. Notice what Paul added to taking pleasure in his weaknesses: “insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles” that he suffered for Christ. Paul came to realize that he was strongest when he was weakest. 

REFLECT 

Do Paul’s comments encourage you with whatever difficulty you are facing? 

RESPOND 

Surely you have friends who need this message from Paul. If God did not answer the apostle’s prayer to take away his thorn in the flesh, He may not do it for others even though He may. But the promise God gave to Paul can be claimed by others today—that the power of Christ can be seen more clearly in and through them because of the thorn and weakness involved.  

Day 3 

READ 

2 Corinthians 12:11-12 

11 You have made me act like a fool. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these “super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all. 12 When I was with you, I certainly gave you proof that I am an apostle. For I patiently did many signs and wonders and miracles among you. 

Now Paul seems to apologize for boasting as he had done. He had made his comments to contrast himself with the false teachers that had impressed the Corinthians. Paul had given them proof of his apostleship, which was far more than the false teachers could have done. He referred to the proofs as “signs and wonders and miracles” that he had done among them. 

REFLECT 

Think about the Corinthians having doubts about Paul even after he had given them proof of his apostleship. 

RESPOND 

With a friend, examine the Bible passages that tell of signs, wonders and miracles. Three specific ones stand out: Acts 2:22; 2 Corinthians 12:12; and Hebrews 2:3-4. The last passage is assumed to have been written shortly before the temple was destroyed in AD 70. The passage indicates the sign gifts had ended by that time as they were spoken of in the past tense. 

Day 4 

READ 

2 Corinthians 12:13 

13 The only thing I failed to do, which I do in the other churches, was to become a financial burden to you. Please forgive me for this wrong! 

Paul had done many things among them, but then admitted to failing at one thing—not being a financial burden to them. He used irony in begging for their forgiveness. He really had not done anything wrong but the Corinthians were acting as if he had. Other churches had supported his ministry in Corinth so in a sense he had been a financial burden to them but not to those in Corinth. 

REFLECT 

Consider how Paul worked so no one could think he was ministering for personal profit. This was in contrast to the false teachers. 

RESPOND 

It is not wrong for preachers/pastors to be paid (see 1 Timothy 5:17). The apostle Paul, however, had special motivation in this regard. Read 1 Corinthians 9:17-18 for what he told the Corinthians in a previous letter.  

Day 5 

READ 

2 Corinthians 12:14-15 

14 Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want what you have—I want you. After all, children don’t provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide for their children. 15 I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me. 

Paul had led many of the Corinthians to place their faith in Jesus. In this sense he was their spiritual father. He made it clear in this passage that what he wanted most was not the possessions they had but them personally. He had the same interest in them that any loving parent would have for his children. Paul then added this sad note that sounded like an unappreciated parent.   

REFLECT 

Do you share Paul’s heart as you witness to others about Jesus? Are you more concerned about them personally than anything they have? 

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend how Paul’s attitude reflected God’s attitude toward mankind. God sent His Son to die for us while we were sinners (see Romans 5:8). Nothing could be done to help God; He did not need the feeble help of humans. He did all of this because of His love (see 1 John 4:10).