The Epistle of Second Corinthians
Lesson Number 30
TRANSLATION LEGEND: AMPLIFIED or AMP = Amplified Bible, (1965), ASV=American Standard Version (1901), BBE=Bible in Basic English (1949), DRA=Douay-Rheims (1899), ESV=English Stand Version (2001), IE = International English, ISV = International Standard Version (1967), JPS = Jewish Publicatrion Society (1917), KJV=King James Version (1611), LIVING = Living Bible (1971), MONTGOMERY = Montgomery’s New Testament (2001), MRD = Peshitta-James Murdock Translation (1852), NAB=New American Bible (2002), NASB=New American Standard Bible (1977), NAU=New American Standard Bible (1995), NIB=New International Bible, NIV=New International Version (1984), NJB=New Jerusalem Bible (1985), NKJV=New King James Version (1979), NLT=New Living Translation (1996), NRSV=New Revised Standard Version (1989), PHILLIPS = J B Phillips New Testament (1962), PNT = BISHOP’S New Testament (1595), RSV=Revised Standard Version (1952), TNK=JPS Tanakj (1985), Webster=The Webster Bible (1833),WEYMOUTH=Weymouth’s New Testament (1903), WILLIAMS = William’s New Testament (1937), TNK = JPS Tanakh (1985), TYNDALE= Tyndale’s Bible (1526), WYCLIFFE= Wycliffe New Testament (1382), YLT=Young’s Literal Translation (1862).
LEXICON LEGEND: FRIEBERG=Friberg Lexicon, UBS=UBS Lexicon, LOUW-NIDA=Louw-Nida Lexicon, LIDDELL SCOTT=Liddell Scott Lexicon, THAYER=Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
THE MACEDONIAN EXPERIENCE
“ 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. 6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.” (2 Cor 7:5-7)
INTRODUCTION
As we are exposed to 1 the mind-set of the early church, 2 in the wake of the newness of life, 3 the empowerment of the Spirit of God, and 4 the direction of the Lord, we at once sense the priority of spiritual life. Let me be clear about this, a person cannot be alive toward God and indifferent to His truth, or oblivious of His will. Empty profession and lifeless procedures are not found where there is fellowship with the Father and with the Son (1 John 1:3; 1 Cor 1:9). This should not surprise us, for righteousness and unrighteousness cannot blend, and there is no concord between Christ and Belial. The thoughts and ways of the world cannot merge with the “pure river of the water of life” (Rev 22:1).
Certain traits immediately surfaced when the hearts of the those early believers were touched – when the Gospel first began to be preached.
☛ IMMEDIATE OBEDIENCE. “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).
☛ STEADFASTNESS. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).
☛ SOBRIETY. “And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles” (Acts 2:43).
☛ SELFLESSNESS. “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their
☛ CONTINUANCE. “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart” (Acts 2:46)
☛ EXPRESSIVE AND VISIBLE. “Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47).
☛ DEPENDENCY UPON GOD. “And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is” (Acts 4:24).
☛ UNITY. “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common” (Acts 4:32).
☛ THE FEAR OF THE LORD. “And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things” (Acts 5:11).
☛ SPREADING THE WORD. “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).
The question is whether or not these responses were unusual – unique to the reception of “the newness of life.” Were these the kind of reactions that sort of kick-started the church, but were not intended to continue. What about Kingdom beginnings? Is the greatest and most advanced evidences of spiritual life at the first? Are initial bursts of life the superior ones? Were these glorious beginnings revealing the real nature of spiritual life itself, or were they excessive demonstrations of Divine power?
Does spiritual life begin at its apex, then gradually wane until it is in a state of utter mediocrity and religious normalcy? Is there really a sort of plateau in spiritual life, beyond which the rank and file of believers are not intended to go? Is it the nature of the church to retrogress, so that the beginnings must be realized over and over again?
When we receive spiritual life, is it the life of God and of Christ? Is it not referred to as “the life also of Jesus” that is “made manifest in our body,” or “our mortal flesh” (2 Cor 4:10-11). Indeed, “we are made partakers of Christ” (Heb 3:14), and that is a very real participation! Let no one suppose for a moment that the “new man,” which is “created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph 4:24), can express himself in worldly or carnal ways. Who would dare to postulate such an absurdity, when we are categorically told “whosoever is born of God sinneth not. . . and that wicked one toucheth him not” (1 John 5:18). Thrust from you the imagination that this means whoever is born of God does not sin continually or habitually, as though the life that comes from God can sin a little, or occasionally.
That this is, in fact, the prevailing attitude in the professed “church world” is obvious, and cannot be denied. It is, however, a wholly erroneous view, and ought to be abandoned wherever it is entertained, either philosophically or by deliberate position. Further, this condition is the reason why the things taught in our text must be declared and embraced with determination.
You may be sure of this, the Christ of whom you have been made partakers does not sin in you, any more than He did when He walked among men! He will certainly not promote the sin that required Him to die, being made sin for us (2 Cor 5:21), and made a curse for us as well (Gal 3:13).
What, then, is the cause of sin among God’s people? It does not come from the Holy Spirit! It is not the result of the light that God commanded to “shine in our hearts with the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” (2 Cor 4:6). It is not the outcome of being “joined to the Lord” (1 Cor 6:17), or being made “partakers of the Divine nature” (2 Pet 1:4). When God gave “unto us His Holy Spirit” (1 Thess 4:8), that Spirit certainly did not cause sin, carnality, or a defection from God to occur in us! Living beneath the privileges we are afforded in Christ Jesus is not the result of the Word of Christ dwelling in us “richly” (Col 3:16). The Scriptures themselves do not contribute to morally or spiritually flawed lives, but were given in order that we might be made mature, and “thoroughly furnished for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17). If we are, in Christ, “the workmanship of God, created unto good works” (Eph 2:10), that “workmanship” can certainly not exhibit itself in sinful works or expressions.
What, then, causes sin to erupt among professed believers, as it did in Corinth? Why is it found within the church? We are not left to wonder about this. When James discovered uncomely traits among the people of God, he was straightforward in his explanation of them. “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:1-4). How sobering to ponder these words of inspired explanation. Sin is traced back to:
☛ “Your lusts that war in your members.”
☛ Desiring the wrong thing: “desire to have and obtain not.”
☛ Failure to pray: “Ye have not because ye ask not.”
☛ Praying amiss: “Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
☛ Unfaithfulness to God: “Ye adulterers and adulteresses.”
☛ Enemies of God because friends of the world: “Know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity against God.”
This is precisely why holy men of God always considered sin within the church to be a most serious matter. With unwavering consistency they summoned the people of God to separate themselves from iniquity.
☛ “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Rom 6:12).
☛ “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:12).
☛ “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor 5:7).
☛ “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame” (1 Cor 15:34).
☛ “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Cor 6:17).
☛ “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor 7:1).
☛ “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” (Eph 4:22).
☛ “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints” (Eph 5:3).
☛ “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col 3:5).
☛ “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thess 5:22).
☛ “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Heb 12:1).
☛ “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).
☛ “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings” (1 Pet 2:1).
☛ “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Pet 2:11).
The matter of sin is not approached academically in Scripture, as though definitions and suggested solutions were a sufficient manner in which to deal with it. Sin is rather approached with its nature in mine. It separates from God (Isa 59:2), alienates from Him (Col 1:21), and excluded one from the Kingdom of God (Eph 5:5). The notion that sin – which required the incarnation, humiliation, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, enthronement, and intercession of Jesus – makes any allowance for continuing in it betrays not only an abysmal ignorance of God, but a certain hardness of heart and deadness of spirit.
This is the reason for the fervent and thorough manner with which sin is treated in Scripture. This very manner confirms that returning to the bondage of sin will not be tolerated by the Lord. And, be sure of this, if a person who was once delivered from sin is again found in its clutches, that person “returned” to it. As it is written, “But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire” NKJV (2 Pet 2:22). That can only be done deliberately and willingly.
Our text is a confirmation of this fact, for Paul is calling the Corinthians back into the state of true spiritual normalcy – being “changed from glory to glory” (2 Cor 3:13), walking in new creatureship where old things have passed away and all things have become new (2 Cor 5:17), and living a life of separation from unequal yokes and defiling influences. These are not idealistic goals for which believers are to strive, thinking they will probably never be realized. Rather, this is what is essential to God receiving us, being a Father to us, and we being His sons and daughters (2 Cor 6:16-7:1). There is no room for philosophy on this point. It is stated with great clarity.
THE CORINTHIAN RECOVERY
Our text is the beginning of Paul’s response to the recovery of the Corinthians from their miserable state. As he will affirm, the report of their progress brought great joy and refreshment to him.
In all of my years of ministry (over fifty years now, as of 6/2005), and of my extensive involvement with the churches, I do not know that I have every heard of a church recovering from a fall into iniquity. I know I have never heard of any congregation recalling a minister they had maligned and rejected, or mourning over their past failures and disobedience in respect to that servant of the Lord. It may very well be that such churches exist, but they have managed to be well hidden. In fact, there are not many of them unveiled in Scripture.
Among other things, this confirms that great difficulty that is associated with recovering from the snare of the devil. If escape from his hold was easy to accomplish, the servants of God would not be warned about the manner in which such fallen souls are to be approached.
☛ “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal 6:1).
☛ “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Tim 2:24-26).
☛ “Snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” NIV (Jude 1:22-23).
We will now hear of a faltering church that was recovered by a letter – an epistle. It was a church that had to give heed to what was written to them. The secret to their recovery was this: when the truth was written to them by an understanding man with a tender heart, the Lord Himself empowered that word, and they received it.
OUR FLESH HAD NO REST
“ 7:5a For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest . . .”
This verse resumes the dialog concerning his itinerary that was suspended in 2:13: “I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia” (2 Cor 2:13). There is another independent series of thoughts developed from 2:14 through 7:4, and it is of remarkable length. Let me briefly rehearse how extensive that word was.
☛ God caused Paul to triumph under all manner of opposition (2:14-16).
☛ Paul establishes his integrity in the work of the Lord, confirming his experiences were not a form of punishment for wrongdoing (2:17).
☛ He establishes that the Corinthians were the result of his own ministry (3:1-5).
☛ The superiority of the New Covenant is established (3:6-18).
☛ He declares that his ministry is in perfect accord with the nature of the New Covenant and the objectives of God (4:1-6).
☛ Paul provides a view of the result of having a heavenly treasure in an earthen vessel (4:7-18).
☛ He affirms that God has wrought us for the world to come, where we will put on immortality. It ought not to surprise us, therefore, when we experience trouble in this world (5:1-13).
☛ The reality and nature of reconciliation is made known (5:14-21).
☛ Paul cites the areas in which he has been approved as a minister of God (6:1-13).
☛ He pleads for the Corinthians to separate themselves from the world (6:14-7:1).
☛ He urges the Corinthians to receive him, and not reject him or what he is doing (7:2-4).
Let me underscore the manner of the kingdom. This way of talking or writing reflects the inner involvements of the works of the Lord. Experience and personal character are wed to Divine purpose or objective, and do not stand independent of it. What God is doing, and what His servants are experiencing are not divided. Paul was able to see this, and spent time to ensure that the Corinthians also saw it as well.
Paul now tells the circumstances that preceded the good news he had received about the Corinthian brethren.
Something I want to draw to your attention now, and will address later, is the nature of the communications of Paul. They consistently centered around the work of the Lord. Personal experiences were related when they had to do with that work. His letters were not mundane, dealing with political and social affairs, and matters of mere novelty.
Introductory Thoughts
While I speak of this matter with cautious deliberation, I am growing in my persuasion that the tendency of the modern church to become involved in issues of the day has greatly neutralized its power and influence. I understand that some strong arguments can be presented for believers having a responsibility to be the “salt” and “light” of the world. However, I am not at all convinced that those arguments are built upon a solid foundation.
The Word of the Lord does not give us a mandate to shine, but announces that those who live by faith do, in fact, “shine as lights in the world” (Phil 2:15). That “light” is perceived because of its sharp contrast with the darkness that characterizes the world. The focus of the believers is what is made known in their conduct. They are, after all, in quest of “a better country” (Heb 11:16). Having received “exceeding great and precious promises,” and been “persuaded of them,” they have “embraced them” and confess “that they are strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (2 Pet 1:4; Heb 11:13; 1 Pet 2:11).
In this posture, they cannot become embroiled in “the affairs of this life” (2 Tim 2:4), for they are convinced that it is true, “the fashion of this world passeth away” (1 Cor 7:31).
Ponder political and social environments in which early believers found themselves. I mention these to establish that cultural and political issues were never an emphasis in the apostolic doctrine and writings.
☛ Different countries or regions: Cyprus (Acts 4:36), Galatia and Phrygia (Acts 18:23), Asia (Acts 16:6), Judaea and Samaria (Acts 8:1), Lycaonia (Acts 14:6), Achaia (2 Cor 11:10), Syria and Cilicia (Gal 1:21), Spain (Rom 15:24,28), Bithynia (Acts 16:7), Macedonia (2 Cor 9:2), Italy (Acts 27:1; Heb 13:24), Greece (Acts 20:2), Phenicia (Acts 21:2), Lycia (Acts 27:5), Pontus and Cappadocia (1 Pet 1:1), and others.
☛ Different islands: Claudia (Acts 27:16); Melita (Acts 28:1-9).
☛ Different cities: Jerusalem (Acts 1:4), Samaria (Acts 8:5), Joppa (Acts 11:5), Philippi (Acts 16:12), Thyatira (Acts 16:14), Myra (Acts 27:5), Lasea (Acts 27:8), Damascus (2 Cor 11:32), Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:13), Iconium (Acts 14:4), Ephesus (Acts 19:35), Corinth (Acts 18:1), Colosse (Colo 1:2), Acts 17:1), Salamis (Acts 13:5), Rome (Rom 1:7), Babylon (1 Pet 5:13), Lystra and Derbe (Acts 14:6), Berea (Acts 17:10-13), Caesarea (Acts 18:22), Athens (Acts 17:22), and others.
All of these cities, and many more, are mentioned in the Word of God – particularly in Acts and the Epistles. They represented vastly differing cultures, and differing rulers, laws, and customs. Yet, if you were to seek from Scripture to know of the then-current social and political issues of those locations, you would not find them. If you made a diligent search to identify the various cultural customs and trends in those areas, you would also find very little information, if, indeed, you were fortunate to find any at all.
Although there were Grecian and Roman sports and games, you read of no reference to any of the better known participants. If there were military campaigns under way, there is no reference to them. Famous teachers and philosophers of that time are not mentioned, or military men, or government officials. When an earthly dignitary is mentioned, it is because of related to matters pertaining to God’s people – i.e. “And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them” (Acts 18:2). Men like Felix and Agrippa are mentioned only because of their association with Paul (Acts chapters 23,24,25). The same is true of “Caesar” (Acts 25:8,11,12,21,32; 27:24; 28:19; Phil 4:22).
This somewhat lengthy diversion is intended to be a foundation for the remarks that follow.
We are living in a day when Christianity has been secularized. The word “secularized” means “to make secular; to transfer from the ecclesiastical to civil or lay use, possession, or control; to convert to or imbue with secularism.” MERRIAM-WEBSTER The word “secularism” means “indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion and religious considerations.” MERRIAM-WEBSTER
Religion has been “secularized” when this world becomes the primary one, and life “in the flesh” becomes fundamental. In such a case, “heaven” is given only a token place in men’s thinking, and is generally viewed philosophically rather than as the place of our citizenship. An “eternal inheritance” becomes of little consequence, and “death” and “the day of judgment” are rarely considered. An interceding Christ and the “exceeding great and precious promises” of God are not principle considerations, and the resurrection of the dead is thought to be a subject of little relevance. Living in the world is more important than getting through the world, and living for the present overshadows living by hope.
The result of this distorted approach to life is reflected in the manner of communication. When, for example, the things of God are the subject, a strange silence descends upon such people, and their interest fades. When, particularly in a “church” setting, the things of this world are the subject, no matter how elementary they may be, the tongues of the dumb are loosed, their eyes are brightened, and we hear of all manner of their experiences and interests.
Paul’s Testimony
In this intensely personal testimony of Paul, it will become apparent that the work of the Lord took the precedence over fleshly indulgence and pleasure. The difficult circumstances that he encountered were directly related to his labor in the Lord. A mind-set is being reflected that is the result of the dominance of faith and hope. For those who have been duly initiated in the “church world,” this kind of perspective on life is exceedingly rare. It does not take into consideration current social crises or governmental corruption. Worldly fads and trends, or topics that dominated worldly minded people, have no place in such a dialog. Possessing and maintaining faith and joy in the Lord is everything.
COME INTO MACEDONIA
“ 7:5a For, when we were come into Macedonia . . .” Other versions read, “For indeed, when,”,” NKJV “For even when,” NASB “For even when we have come,” NRSV “For also, when we were come,” BBE “after we came,” MRD “When we arrived in,” NLT and “for also we, having come.” YLT
Macedonia was the original kingdom of Philip and Alexander the Great. The rise of this great empire formed by Alexander the Great was revealed to the prophet Daniel (Dan 8:3-8), and was also revealed to Nebuchadnezzar in his dream of a great statue (Dan 2:39). This was the Grecian empire, described by Daniel as the third of the great world kingdoms, and characterized as one of brass (Dan 2:39). It was also described as swift leopard to whom dominion was given (Dan 7:6). Additionally, it was also depicted as a he-goat with one “notable horn” that crushed the Persian empire (Dan 8:3-8).
In the time of Paul, Alexander’s kingdom had been crushed by the Romans, and the region of Macedonia had become a Roman province. Yet, the remnants of the spiritual powers that ruled that region under the spiritual “prince of Grecia” (Dan 10:20) remained. Now, instead of the Romans invading the political entity of Macedonia, a heavenly prince, the Apostle Paul, was invading it with the Gospel of Christ. He would engage in throwing down imaginations, high thoughts, and the spiritual principalities and powers of that region would fight back.
The Background for Coming Into Macedonia
Originally, Paul was called into Macedonia by a vision. Prior to that call, the Gospel was rapidly spreading throughout the world. However, the Holy Spirit forbade them to go into Asia. Then, when the disciples made every effort to go into Bithynia, the Spirit did not allow them to do so. It was at that time that “a vision appeared to Paul in the night.” In that vision, “There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us.” Immediately after that, and after due consideration of the vision, the brethren concluded that the Lord had called them “to preach the Gospel” to that region (Acts 16:6-10).
Philippi
During that initial visit to this area – once dominated by an evil spiritual principality, and which was the citadel of the spread of the Grecian empire with its false gods – much was accomplished. When they came to the city of Philippi, they found a gathering of holy woman at a river, where they were praying. There the Lord “opened” Lydia’s heart, she was baptized together with her household, and Paul and company spent some time in her home. Following that, Paul confronted the woman with a “spirit of divination,” who “brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.” For “many days” she followed Paul, crying out, “These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.” Being grieved with this devilish testimony, Paul commanded the evil spirit to come out of the woman, “and he came out the same hour.” As a direct result of that incident, Paul and Silas were arrested, falsely charged, grievously beaten, and thrown into jail. It was at that time, following a Divinely focused earthquake and the opening of the prison, that the very jailor who had charge of them was converted, together with his household. They were finally released, and departed from Philippi, going to Thessalonica, which was also in Macedonia (Acts 16:19-40).
Thessalonica
In Thessalonica Paul reasoned in the local synagogue “for three days”, “opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead.” The outcome of it all was that the unbelieving Jews gathered together a company of “lewd fellows” and “set all the city on an uproar.” The house of Jason was assaulted at that time, and the brethren “sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea,” another city in Macedonia.
Berea
In Berea certain “noble” people “received the word with all readiness of mind,” and “many of them believed,” including some “honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.” However, the Jews from Thessalonica, upon hearing of Paul being in Berea “stirred up the people.” The brethren then sent Paul away, with Silas and Timotheus remaining in Berea. Paul then
went to Athens, where he confronted the local philosophers. From there, Paul went to Corinth (Acts 17:10-34).
Corinth
In Corinth, Paul found Aquila and Priscilla and abode with them, working with them as a tentmaker. Every Sabbath, he reasoned in the synagogue, “persuading the Jews and the Greeks.” Soon “Silas and Timotheous” came “from Macedonia,” joining Paul in Corinth. It was then that Paul, “pressed in the spirit,” devoted himself exclusively to testifying to the Jews “that Jesus was Christ.” The Jews opposed Paul and blasphemed him. It was then that Paul “shook his garment, and said unto them, ‘Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go to the Gentiles.’” Following that “Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.” Later, in a “night vision,” the Lord appeared to Paul saying, “Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.” (Acts 18:1-). As a consequence, Paul remained in Corinth “for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” Thus the church at Corinth was birthed under the ministry of Paul. From there, Paul went to Syria, and ultimately began preaching in Ephesus (Acts 18:18-19). Eventually, Paul “stayed in Asia for a season” (Acts 19:22).
Ephesus
During Paul’s stay at Ephesus, he encountered the silversmiths of the area, who earned their living by making idols of Diana, goddess of the Ephesians. These men caused a great tumult in the city because Paul’s preaching was impacting upon their trade. At that time, “the whole city was filled with confusion,” and a great gathering was called against Paul. This is when “all with one voice cried out, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians.’” Finally “the town clerk” toned the people down, telling them they would be “called in question” for the uproar, and that they ought to proceed in a more orderly fashion. It is then written, “And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia” (Acts 20:1). This is the point in time that is now bring referenced by Paul.
En Route to Macedonia
Before actually entering into Macedonia, Paul traveled throughout that area, giving the people “much exhortation.” He then “came into Greece” (Acts 20:2). He remained there for “three months.” When he found that the Jews “laid wait for him, as he was about to sail to Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia” – or, “decided to go back through Macedonia.” NIV His trip took him through Troas, where he remained seven days, and preached to them on the first day of the week (Acts 20:3-7). Later, he met the company he had originally taken with him in Assos, a seaport- town in Asia. Then coming to Miletus, he called for the elders of Ephesus, exhorting them, and bidding them farewell, for he knew he would never again see them face to face (Acts 20:8-38).
Other References to the Occasion
It is apparently this trip to Macedonia (Acts 20:1) to which our text refers. Paul also referred to this trip when writing to Timothy: “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine” (1 Tim 1:3).
In his first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul referred to this trip: “Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia” (1 Cor 16:5). Earlier he mentioned it in this same epistle: “And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea” (2 Cor 1:16). And again in chapter two: “Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia” (2 Cor 2:13).
I mention this only to underscore that this does not refer to Paul’s first trip to Macedonia, which was related to initial conversion of the Corinthians and the formation of their congregation. Even the first trip was related to all manner of disruption and trouble. I take it that this was like the death throes of the spiritual hosts that had so long dominated that region – first through the Grecians, and, at the time of Paul, through the Romans.
OUR FLESH HAD NO REST
“ . . . our flesh had no rest . . .” Other versions read, “our bodies had no rest,” NKJV “this body of ours had no rest,” NIV “our flesh had no relief,” ASV “there was no rest for our body,” MRD “there was no rest for us,” NLT “no relaxation hath our flesh had,” YLT “our bodies had no rest at all,” IE “my frail human nature could find no relief,” WILLIAMS “our bodies had no ease or rest,” AMPLIFIED and “we had a wretched time.” PHILLIPS
Paul has already reminded the Corinthians what he experienced in Asia (2 Cor 1:8). In his first Epistle he mentioned how, after the manner of men, he fought with beasts in Ephesus (1 Cor 15:32). He has spoken of his restlessness in Troas, when he did not find Titus (2 Cor 2:12-13). Now, he says the trouble and agitation continued in Macedonia, perhaps even in increased levels. This evidences the dominance of that area by the devil.
Paul and company experienced relentless attacks from the wicked one. Here, he focuses particularly upon those that were external, having to do with “our flesh” – the body, or “the earthly house of this tabernacle” (2 Cor 5:1,4). Peter also referred to the body as “this tabernacle,” and spoke of the prospect of putting it off (2 Pet 1:13-14). Elsewhere Paul spoke of living in this world as being “in the body” (2 Cor 5:6; 12:2-3; Heb 13:3).
The Body – Our Flesh
While our earthly frame is, indeed, a “vile body” (Phil 3:21), and “the body of this death” (Rom 7:24), it still belongs to the Lord, having been purchased by Him. As it is written, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's” (1 Cor 6:19-20). Again it is written, “Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body” (1 Cor 6:13). And again, “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?” (1 Cor 6:15).
Living In Prospect of Change
We love in the prospect of our bodies being redeemed at the time of the resurrection, when we will receive a body like unto Christ’s glorious body. As it is written, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself” (Phil 3:20-21). The resurrection is the time when we will “put on immortality,” and have done with living in a frail and temporal body (1 Cor 15:53). That is the time when death will be “swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor 15:54). It is the time when “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). Then we will experience the promised “redemption of the body” (Rom 8:23), also referred to as “the redemption of the purchased possession” (Eph 1:14).
A Proper View of the Body
It is imperative that we have a proper view of our bodies. They are not the focus of the New Covenant, nor are the benefits of the New Covenant fulfilled in the body of flesh itself. Let me remind you of the precise wording of the New Covenant. This does relate to our subject, for Paul is teaching within the context of the New Covenant, which is the covenant of greater and more excellent glory (2 Cor 3:10-11) – the “ministration of the Spirit” and “the ministration of righteousness” (2 Cor 3:8-9).
☛ THOUGHTS IMPACTED. “I will put my laws into their minds.”
☛ AFFECTIONS ALTERED. “I will . . . write them in their hearts.”
☛ A PERSONAL ACQUAINTANCE WITH GOD REALIZED. “ . . . for all will know Me, from the least to the greatest.”
☛ PROVISION FOR REMISSION AND CLEANSING. “I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses.”
☛ THE RECORD OF SIN CLEARED. “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb 8:8-13; Jer 31:31-34).
That is a revealed summation of the New Covenant – promised through Jeremiah, and confirmed and expounded by Paul. In both the articulation and exposition of this covenant of greater glory, our present bodies are never the focus. The hope of a new and glorified body is set before us. A charge to maintain our present bodies in a state of holiness is delivered to us. But there is no promise of the body being the focus of blessing in the New Covenant – none whatsoever! Rather, it is declared to be the place of fierce inner warfare (Rom 7:14-25; Gal 5:16-17), and the part of us that we must control (1 Cor 9:27).
While this may appear quite clear to some, there is a considerable amount of corrupt theology within the professed church that actually places a focus upon the body – the part of us that is characterized by corruption, and that is targeted for replacement. Let me mention three of these doctrinal emphases.
☛ The “Baptism of the Spirit,” or “the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues” – as some say. Neither expression is used in any standard version of the Scripture. Aside from that arresting consideration, this doctrine focuses almost exclusively on a bodily experience, ranging from sensations to unintelligible expressions. Whatever may be said about texts that seem to infer such things, being “baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Matt 3:11; Mk 1:8; Lk 3:16; Acts 1:5; 11:16) is never presented in a doctrinal form that contains such teachings – never! The emphasis is rather placed upon being “endued with power from on high” (Lk 24:49) – “power” that was related to being Christ’s insightful witnesses (Acts 1:5,8).
☛ Inordinate emphasis on healing. While no person of understanding will contest the reality of healing, and the presence of such a benefit in Christ Jesus, healing is not integral to the New Covenant. By that I mean the New Covenant offers no guarantee of soundness of bodily health. The major translations of the Scriptures (KJV, NKJV, ASV, NASB, RSV, NRSV, NIV) contain a single reference to “health” – 3 John 1:2: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 1:2). Even then, the matter of “health” is tied to the prosperity of the soul – the inward man – and is not a guarantee, but a desire.
☛ Promise of prosperity in the body. These days, much is being made of the supposed promise of “prosperity” – particularly in affluent societies. There is a single verse in the Epistles that expresses a desire for any believer to “prosper.” It is the same verse that mentions “health,” and is also tied to the prosperity of the soul (3 John 1:2). Paul said he had “learned” how “to live in prosperity” NASB – but he had also learned “how to get along with humble means” NASB (Phil 4:12). Paul instructed the Corinthian brethren concerning the collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come” (1 Cor 16:2).
There is not a syllable of Apostolic doctrine that suggests health and prosperity are promises within the New Covenant, or that they are tokens of special advantage or blessing. James goes so far as to say the Lord has “chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him” (James 2:5). Consider the following. Within the writings of those who lived under the blazing light of the New Covenant (Matthew through Revelation):
☛ No one was ever commended for having consistently good health.
☛ No one was ever rebuked for being in bad health.
☛ No one was ever commended for prospering or being wealthy.
☛ No one was ever rebuked for not prospering, or being poor.
☛ There is not a solitary promise from Jesus, or those who wrote to the churches, that affirms “health” to be integral to the New Covenant.
☛ There is not a solitary promise from Jesus, or those who wrote to the churches, that affirms “prosperity” in this world is part of the New Covenant.
☛ There is no exposition of the advantages of “health” or “prosperity” by Jesus of the Apostles.
☛ In Christ there is no promise of a trouble-free life – not do much as a hint that this condition is available.
☛ In Christ there is no promise of freedom from opposition or persecution.
These are just the rudimentary facts of the matter. It is inconceivable that these conditions could exist if Christ’s vicarious death had purchased such things for us. If Jesus died to make our bodies well, then why is that fact not affirmed to the churches? Why are not believers apprised of such a singular benefit? If being delivered from “the curse of the Law” means we are delivered from poverty, then why is that matter not declared and expounded to the churches? Why didn’t Jesus charge His disciples to preach that? Why is there not so much as a single word on this matter in letters to individual believers (Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Gaius [3 John] and “the elect lady” [[2 John])? Why is there no record of preaching and teaching on heath, wealth and the trouble-free life in the book of Acts?
Promises Under the Law
Even though we have been “delivered from the Law,” we still have professing Christians telling us the promises found within that Law are now being fulfilled in Jesus. Here are some of them:
☛ The Lord would “take away” “all sickness” from the people, and none of the diseases God placed upon Egypt would be placed upon Israel (Ex 15:26; Deut 7:15).
☛ Blessed in the city and field; blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, ground, the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine [oxen], and the flocks of thy sheep, thy basket, and thy store [kneading bowls] (Deut 28:3-5).
☛ Blessed when coming in, and blessed when going out (Deut 28:6).
☛ Their enemies would be totally and thoroughly frustrated (Deut 28:7).
☛ The Lord would command a blessing upon their storehouses, everything they set their hand to do (Deut 28:8).
☛ All the people of the earth would see they were blessed, and would be afraid of them (Deut 28:10).
☛ The Lord would so bless their provisions that they would lend, and never borrow (Deut 28:12).
☛ The Lord would make them “the head, and not the tail,” and they would be ONLY above, and never beneath (Deut 28:13).
That God can, in fact, do all of these things is not to be questioned for one moment. The issue here is whether or not this is the manner of the New Covenant – whether or not Jesus died to secure these benefits for those who are in Him.
A Qualifying Consideration
All of these promises were very real, and reflected the nature of the Old Covenant. The fulfillment of them was not conditioned upon what Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did. They were not associated with the promise God to Abraham bless the whole world through his Seed, which seed is Christ (Gal 3:16). Rather, these promises were strictly contingent upon the total and unflawed obedience of Israel – without so much as a single deviation. “And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep ALL His statutes . . . Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them . . . And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day . . . if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in His ways . . . if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and do them: and thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them” (Ex 15:26; Deu 7:12; 28:1,9,14).
Those were the Old Covenant conditions. There was no reference to believing, only to doing. The doing could not be sporadic or seasonal, but had to be consistent, and at all times. The promises were not contingent upon trying to do better. The whole of Law had to be done, always, at all times, and in every way. No grace or assistance was offered to the people to fulfill their obligation. They had to do it on their own, all of the time, and without a single deviation.
The Dread of Law’s Curse
One other caveat: if the people did not thoroughly and consistently obey, they did not merely miss the blessings, they got all of the curses! “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee” (Deut 28:15). The curses were an exact reversal of all of the blessings (Deut 28:16-46). The staggering curses were followed by these words: “Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and He shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until He have destroyed thee. . .” (Deu 28:47-57). He continued, “If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. Moreover He will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God. And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you” (Deu 28:29-68).
Does this sound like an appealing covenant to you? This is emphatically NOT the covenant that is given to us in Christ Jesus! If people balk at this statement, it is only because of their own ignorance! God has said of the New Covenant, it is “Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD” (Jer 31:32; Heb 8:9). We have a “better covenant” that is “established upon better promises” (Heb 8:6). Woe to that foolish preacher or teacher who attempts to mingle the promises of the Old Covenant with the “better covenant” which Jesus is presently mediating!
The Old Covenant did not set forth a single promise that extended beyond the grave! The inheritance it offered was temporal, and all of its blessings were as well. But it is not so under the New Covenant! We have received “eternal life” (1 John 5:13), and focus our attention on unseen things that “are eternal” (2 Cor 4:18). Our sufferings are working for us “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor 4:17). We have an “eternal inheritance” (Heb 9:15), and have “an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor 5:1). Unlike the Old Covenant, to a people delivered from Egypt, our covenant is accompanied with “eternal glory” (2 Tim 2:10). Unlike Israel, we have “obtained eternal redemption” (Heb 9:12), and have been called “unto His eternal glory” (1 Pet 5:10). There is not so much as a syllable or hint of such glorious things under the Old Covenant – not so much as a single word or the faintest whisper!
It is no wonder that insightful souls rejoice when told we have been “delivered from the Law” (Rom 7:6), and from its “curse” as well (Gal 3:13).
WHY SAY THESE THINGS?
Why take the time to say such things? I will tell you why. Because the nature of the passage before us contradicts the notion that physical well being is integral to the New Covenant, or that hardship, sickness, opposition, poverty, and the likes are always the result of disobedience – or that they are always curses from God. Nothing Jesus said, and nothing the Apostles said, taught people to expect that once they came into Christ, there would be a cessation of all inconvenience, opposition, physical debility, and poverty. An enemy has introduced these heretical and seriously damaging doctrines!
Who is the soul bold enough to declare the guarantee of health to the beggar Lazarus (Lk 16:20), or Timothy, who had chronic infirmities (1 Tim 5:23), or Trophimus, whom Paul “left at Miletum sick” (2 Tim 4:20), or Epaphroditus who was “sick nigh unto death” (Phil 2:27). What would they say to Paul who said, “I take pleasure in infirmities” (2 Cor 12:10), and gloried in his “infirmities” (2 Cor 11:30; 12:5)?
What would those who spout their doctrine of now being the head and not the tail, say to James, whom Herod had killed by the sword (Acts 12:2)? What comforting words would they give to Antipas, described as Christ’s “faithful martyr” (Rev 2:13)? What counsel would they deliver to Paul himself, who was chased out of cities by his enemies (Acts 9:25; 17:10,14), stoned (Acts 14:19), beaten (Acts 16:37; 21:32; 2 Cor 11:25), and thrice suffered shipwreck (2 Cor 11:25)? What would they say to those early disciples who were “scattered abroad” by persecution (Acts 8:1-4), or to Aquila and Priscilla who were, with other Jews, forced to leave Rome by the ruler Claudius (Acts 18:2). Would they rebuke the poor saints in Jerusalem, rather than taking up a collection for them (Rom 16:26).
Oh, this is a “damnable heresy” 2 Peter 2:1 that is being vomited out upon the church of our day! It teaches people to lie, misrepresent their own condition, and assess their progress improperly. It places the stress on the very thing from which faith removes the emphasis. It makes “this present evil world” as something from which we have not been delivered (Gal 1:4). This teaching has defiled what is being built upon the Foundation, and it will not go unnoticed by heaven. God has made a promise, and it will be fulfilled: “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Cor 3:17).
A CONCLUDING THOUGHT
The whole situation is further complicated when we consider the nature of the “trouble” Paul now mentions. The trouble was in unusual measure, but it was not experienced while he was disobedient! This was not “trouble” that came upon Paul because of a lack of faith, or a failure to be wholly committed to the Lord. Rather, Paul refers to suffering for righteousness sake – something Jesus associated with blessing. “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:10). Peter also takes up the refrain, “But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled” (1 Pet 3:14).
Here, then, is “trouble” that Paul experienced in the process of serving the Lord! His “flesh had no rest.” Jesus did not shield him from this fatiguing oppression because he was an apostle. His faith, as great as it was, did not enable him to avoid this outward difficulty, making him the head and not the tail. He certainly did not “appear” to be the victor before the eyes of men, and his opponents were not certainly afraid of him – something the Old Covenant promised upon the perfect fulfillment of the Law (Deut 28:10).
Paul’s experience reflected the very nature of the New Covenant, confirming how radically different it is from the Old Covenant. In Christ we are made “new creatures” (2 Cor 5:17), delivered from the world (Gal 1;4), and constituted strangers and pilgrims in it (1 Pet 2:11). In that whole process, we are set at variance with the world – a world that has been cursed, while we have been “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 1:3). The world cannot possibly survive, for God has determined that “heaven and earth shall pass away” (Matt 24:35). It will not pass away of old age, but by the deliberate purpose and word of the Lord. It is written, “Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain” (Heb 12:26-27). However, as eternity rolls its ceaseless cycles onward, the saints of God will remain “forever with the Lord,” having charge of “the world to come,” as glory is brought to God “through the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end” (Eph 3:21).
What we see in Paul is a war of the worlds – the conflict of the seen with the unseen, of the perishing with one who has “eternal life.” Then, while Paul was going about the business of the Christ who called him, his flesh “had no rest.” But consider Paul now – now that he has “fought a good fight” and “finished” his course” (2 Tim 4:7). Tell me if he has any cause for regretting that he served the King of kings! Tell me if he is sorrowful about refusing to succumb to the devil! Yea, in him the word is fulfilled, “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them” (Rev 14:13).
Now Jesus says to us, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:19). And again, “ In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). That is our lot while we labor together with God in this world!
What we are reading about in this text is Paul’s experience of Christ’s promise – “in the world you shall have tribulation.” It is a microcosm, or little world, in which the conflict between the powers of darkness and the children of light is seen.
In the conflict, Satan’s objective is to drive Paul out of the Lord’s vineyard. God’s objective is to sift, try, and fortify His worker. Paul’s objective is to glorify God and lay up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust does not corrupt, and thieves do not break through and steal.
Let the apostle Paul be an example to you (as he is intended to be (1 Tim 1:16), and take heart when you read of how the Lord cared for him during such times! These things are written for your comfort. Remember, Paul is speaking of a time when his flesh “had no rest,” or he experienced “no relief.” The trouble was incessant – continual and with increasing pressure!
TROUBLED ON EVERY SIDE
“ 5b . . . but we were troubled on every side . . . ”
The more important the work, the more relentless is the trouble. Here, Paul is seen to be contending with battle horses. As Jeremiah said, “If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?” (Jer 12:5). The idea is, “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?” NIV And again, “And if [you take to flight] in a land of peace where you feel secure, then what will you do [when you tread the tangled maze of jungle?” AMPLIFIED
If, in the ordinary pursuits of life, uninvolved in the “good fight of faith,” and not seizing the kingdom with violence (Matt 11:12; Lk 16:16), a person blunders, stumbles, and falls, what will happen when he confronts the hosts of hell, and the rulers of the darkness of this world? If a person cannot contend with the day-to-day difficulties that all men confront, being born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward (Job 5:7; Eccl 1:8; 2:22; 5:15-17), how will he be able to engage in the work of the Lord, where one becomes a special target of the old serpent (Rev 12:17)?
WE WERE TROUBLED
“ . . . but we were troubled . . .” Other versions read, “we were afflicted,” NASB “but we were harassed,” NIV “we were afflicted,” NRSV “we suffered,” DOUAY “we were distressed,” MRD “we are in tribulation,” YLT “We have all sorts of trouble,” IE “We suffered in a number of ways,” ISV “I was crushed with sorrow,” WILLIAMS and “we were oppressed and afflicted.” AMPLIFIED
The word “troubled” is translated from the Greek word qlibo,menoi, which can also be translated “afflicted.” NASB/NRSV The lexical meaning of the word is “to press hard upon . . . a compressed way; i.e. narrow, straitened, contracted,” THAYER “restricted,” FRIBERG “difficulty,” UBS “To press against or crowd against,” LOUW-NIDA and “to squeeze or pinch.” LIDDELL-SCOTT
There are at least three kinds of trouble. The first is “trouble” that comes simply because we are in a fallen world, amidst the throes of death. As it is written, “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). The second is “trouble” brought on because of sin, when we are chastened of the Lord. As it is written, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor 11:31-32). The third is “trouble” that is the direct result of doing the will of the Lord, when there is a reaction caused by sanctified work, whether through nature of persecution. As it is written, “Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me” (Phil 2:30). And again, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mat 5:10).
In this text, Paul is speaking of “trouble” that is induced by involvement in the work of the Lord. Here, the idea is that everything was difficult, and nothing went, so to speak, “smoothly.” Everything seemed to be against what Paul was doing. What is experienced within the believer, was being experienced without as well: “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me” (Rom 7:21).
Being in Christ, commissioned and empowered by Him, and being in the very heart of His will, does not insulate us from “trouble.” In Christ Jesus we are “kept by the power of God through faith” (1 Pet 1:5). That keeping, however, is not from trouble, but IN trouble.
Paul told those who were, under the “present distress” in Corinth, considering marriage, would “have trouble in the flesh” (1 Cor 7:25). He spoke to them who were “in any trouble” (2 Cor 1:4), and mentioned some special “trouble” that came to him in Asia (2 Cor 1:8). Earlier he spoke of himself being “troubled on every side” (2 Cor 4:8). The churches in Galatia had some among them who were troubling them (Gal 1:7; 5:10,12). The Thessalonians were also experiencing trouble from oppressors (2 Thess 1:6-7). Let no one suppose for a moment that the salvation of God insulates us from “trouble!” Those who have been taught that in Christ, while we remain in this world, we realize a trouble-free life have simply been taught wrongly.
ON EVERY SIDE
“ . . . on every side . . . ” Other versions read, “at every turn,” NIV “in every way,” NRSV “on every side,” ASV “in everything,” MRD “on all sides,” NJB “from every direction,” NLT “on every hand,” LIVING “all sorts,” IE “in a number of ways,” ISV and “in every way . . . at every turn.” AMPLIFIED
When Paul was in Macedonia he did not experience occasional trouble, or only trouble from certain quarters. That would have been difficult enough to bear. He was “troubled on every side,” so that wherever he turned, and whatever he did, he faced agitation, opposition, difficulty, and hardship. The expression can be literally translated, “but in everything being afflicted.” One seasoned commentator said of this passage, “The style, in its picturesque irregularity, almost seems as though it were broken by sobs.” ARCHDEACON FARRAR
In other words, this surrounding and pressing trouble had a very real effect upon Paul. It depleted his strength and diminished his joy – not because he was weak, but because of the strength and longevity of the trouble. Keep in mind, this is trouble endured while engaged in the work of the Lord. He will speak more of the nature of this trouble, and of the calculated impact it had upon his sensitive and devoted spirit.
FIGHTINGS WITHOUT, FEARS WITHIN
“ 5c . . . without were fightings, within were fears.”
Among novices and the spiritually uninformed there exists a sort of naivete that is most uncomely. Knowing in part that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh 8:10), it is supposed that the saints can be strong and able to withstand the vicissitudes of life only when they are “happy.” This is a kind of idealism that does not comport with the stark realities of life in Christ Jesus. The King Himself wept over Jerusalem (Lk 19:41), was “grieved” for the “hardness” of men’s hearts (Mk 3:5), “sighed deeply” in His spirit (Mk 8:12), and looked at a hard-hearted people “with anger” (Mk 3:5). When He approached the time during which He would lay down His life He said, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful unto death” (Mk 14:34). It should not surprise us when we, in measure, participate in such sufferings. We are told that this kind of suffering has been left behind for those who serve the Lord’s Christ. “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church” (Col 1:24). There is no atoning efficacy in such sufferings, but they are an appointed way through which we are “counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which [we] also suffer” (2 Thess 1:5). Now, behold the specificity with which Paul speaks of the trouble that surrounded him.
WITHOUT WERE FIGHTINGS
“ . . . without were fightings, . . . ” Other versions read, “Outside were conflicts,” NKJV “disputes without,” NRSV “without combats,” DARBY “external conflicts,” NAB “there were quarrels all around us,” NJB “fighting and contentions without,” AMPLIFIED and “wrangling outside.” PHILLIPS
Under the old covenant, God spoke of outward and inner trouble, sent by the Lord as punishment for Israel’s waywardness: “The sword without, and terror within” (Deut 32:25). This passage, however, is speaking of the reaction of the world to the messenger and message of the Lord. He was superior to the trouble itself, but not to the experience of it.
The word “fightings” is a military term meaning, “battle . . . strife, contentions, a quarrel,” THAYER “physical battle or a contest fought with weapons, battle, conflict, fight . . . also a battle fought with words,” FRIBERG and “conflict, either physical or non-physical, but clearly intensive and bitter – ‘to clash severely, struggle, fight.” LOUW-NIDA
Here, “fightings” refers to outward assaults – “without.” Some of them were physical, and others took the form of wrangling and fierce debate. The book of Acts does not provide the details of this brief stay in Macedonia, but he doubtless, as on other occasions, endured assaults and disputation from the heathen (Acts 16:19-34), the Jews (Acts 23:12-15), and false brethren (2 Cor 11:26; Gal 2:4-5). Paul had been involved in violent outbreaks of confusion – “fightings without” – as in Ephesus where an “uproar” occurred and “the whole city was filled with confusion,” inhibiting the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 19:23-40).
I understand these “fightings” to be public commotions and disruptions, as when the whole city of Thessalonica was set “on an uproar” (Acts 17:5). Another time, when Paul was in the Temple, “all Jerusalem was in an uproar” (Acts 21:31). Now, Paul says, when he came into Macedonia he was assaulted with all manner of “fightings without.” These were outward circumstances that were hostile and pressing – things over which Paul had no control. Among other things, this meant that the apostle had to be versatile in warfare, fighting in many different manners, and against all kinds of opposition.
WITHIN WERE FEARS
“ . . . within were fears.” Other versions read, “inside were fears,” NKJV “terrors within,” GENEVA “internal fears,” NAB “misgivings within us,” NJB “inside there was fear,” NLT “our hearts were full of dread and fear,” LIVING “inwardly there were fears,” ISV and “anxiety within.” PHILLIPS
The word “fears” is translated from the Greek word fo,boi (pho-boi), from which the word “phobia” comes. As used in this text, it means “fear, dread, terror . . . that which strikes terror,” THAYER “fear, dread, alarm,” FRIBERG “a state of severe distress, aroused by intense concern of impending pain, danger, evil, or possibly by the illusion of such circumstances,” LOUW-NIDA and “an terror to hear,” LIDDELL-SCOTT
This is the kind of “fear” that fell on Zecharias when he saw the “angel of the Lord” (Lk 1:12). On the day of Pentecost, this kind of fear “came upon every soul” (Acts 2:43). When Ananias and Saphirra were smitten for their lie, this kind of “fear came upon all them that heard” (Acts 5:5,11).
This is a wholesome fear that is induced when one realizes things are being confronted over which no man has power. Suddenly the soul is aware of an environment or a circumstance that is of an order that is not controlled by men – an order that cannot be managed by the will or ability of mankind. If God does not work favorably in this area, it will be the undoing of the individual.
What These Fears Are Not
This is not the kind of fear that is excluded in our salvation – “the spirit of fear” (2 Tim 1:7), or “the spirit of bondage again unto fear” (Rom 8:15). It is not the “fear” that is “cast out” by “perfect love” (1 John 4:18). That is a “fear” that has to do with drawing near to God – a “fear” brought in when Adam sinned and was “afraid” at the presence of the Lord, and hid himself (Gen 3:10). That is a “fear” for which there is no place in Christ Jesus.
Real Fears
The fears of which Paul speaks are very real. They have to do with our present frail state – while we remain in the body. These are fears that are not sinful, but rather drive us to the Lord in faith, who alone can deal with the matters causing the fear. David spoke of this kind of fear when he said, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee” (Psa 56:3). Unlike “the fear of the Lord,” these are “fears” from which we can be delivered. As it is written, “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psa 34:4).
These fears are of such a potent nature that they can thoroughly disrupt the human constitution. Again David writes, “My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me” (Psa 55:5).
There is still a sense in which we serve the Lord “with fear and trembling” (Eph 6:5; Phil 2:12). Thus Paul once said he was with the Corinthians “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Cor 2:3).
For the apostle Paul, he knew there were eternal ramifications involved in his labors with the Corinthians. His dealings with them were not that of a mere man. Both heavenly and hellish influences were being directed toward them, and their eternal destiny was in the balance. The real issue was not if they were a successful church, or a large congregation, or a prosperous one. It was not if they constituted a strong affirmation of the validity of Paul’s ministry.
When dealing with spiritual life Divine approval and acceptance is at stake, and it is not to be taken for granted. Paul had a keen sense of the ultimate outcome of unbelief as well as of a strong faith. He knew the outcome of a spiritually sloven life as well as one lived with godly zeal and faithfulness.
Paul’s fears were doubtless associated with his concerns about how Corinth received his first epistle, and how they received Titus. He later expressed some of these fears in words: “For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: and lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed” (2 Cor 12:20-21). And again, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor 11:3).
The apostle had similar concerns for the churches of Galatia: “I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain” (Gal 4:11).
I do not doubt that this kind of “fear” is included in the disruptive “care” that came upon Paul “daily” – a care that was grouped with all manner of trials, oppositions, and hardship: “Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches” (2 Cor 11:28).
A FINAL WORD ON THIS MATTER
Much of what goes on in the name of the Lord totally lacks this kind of experience. This is because eternal issues have been obscured by the dreadful institutional emphasis that dominates the religion of our day. The spirit that pervaded “the land of Shinar,” moving people to “build a city and a tower” had come into the professed church. The cry is again heard in the land, “Let us make for ourselves a name” NASB (Gen 11:2-4). And thus churches are seeking to be known in the community, the city, the state, and possibly the world. They have tailored their schools of higher learning to facilitate these plans, and structured their church staffs to meet this objective. Their real aim is NOT to separate people from this world and get them ready to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Their purpose is lead people into a more trouble-free life, and to resolve all manner of domestic and social issues. All of that is involved in making a name.