2 Corinthians 11 Footnotes

11:5 Paul addressed two problems related to newly-arrived preachers, whom he called “super-apostles” (v. 5; 12:11). First, they were peddling a back-to-Moses righteousness (3:1-18; 11:13-15), setting aside “the righteousness of God” based on the death of Christ (5:21). The covenant that came through Moses was one that brought only condemnation and death (3:7,9). An error of the new preaching was that it diminished the person and work of Christ, the activity of the Spirit, and pushed the emphasis back on human achievement. Paul responded to this theological challenge by pointing to: (1) the onset of the new covenant in Christ and the Spirit (3:4-18), (2) the magnificent hope of glory in Christ (4:16–5:5), and (3) the sufficiency of Christ’s death for the forgiveness of sin (5:14–6:2).

Second, the “super-apostles” proclaimed their superiority over Paul, pointing to their own eloquence (11:5-6). They may well have claimed to have more visions and revelations (12:1). Perhaps, too, they pointed to missionary success and to greater distances traveled. But Paul defended his ministry based on his faithfulness and effectiveness in persuading unbelievers to be reconciled to God (5:11,18–6:2). He argued that his sufferings in ministry were not a sign of his inferiority but were consistent with and an extension of Christ’s sufferings at Golgotha (2:13-17; 4:7-12; 6:3-13; 11:1–12:13). He suffered as Christ suffered (though not redemptively) because he came pleading with his hearers on account of the One who became sin in their place (5:18-21). Paul’s sufferings for Christ revealed his close identification with Christ and his cross, and God’s deliverances identified him with Christ’s resurrection (1:10; 4:7-11; 12:7-10). Paul’s sufferings served as authentication of his ministry—against the triumphalism of the “super-apostles.” His catalog of missionary sufferings (as an extension of Christ’s sufferings) is a stunning and ironic subversion of the claim of “super-apostles” to superiority (11:21–12:13).