Useful Bible Studies > 2 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 13
It mattered very little to Paul what people thought about him. Elsewhere, he describes how everyone seemed to have their own opinion about him*. Few people actually approved of him.
Paul loved the Christians in Corinth, even as a father loves his own children*. However, even they were discussing whether Paul’s work for God was genuine or not. They complained that Paul did not seem impressive enough*. He refused their gifts*; and he did not seem powerful, like some other church leaders*.
Of course Paul wanted them to know the truth about him. However, in the end, it hardly seemed to matter. Paul had worked hard among them so that they could have a relationship with God. So, if now they were truly serving God, their opinion about Paul was unimportant. Paul had done his work; the work of God in their lives would continue without Paul.
Paul still prayed for them, and he would continue to pray for them. He was not praying that they would approve of him. He was praying that they would do the right things. He prayed that they would stop their wrong activities. Paul’s greatest desire was that they would learn to serve God better.
Paul saw himself as a witness of the truth about God*. As a witness, Paul cared only that people heard the truth. When people accepted Christ into their lives, they had received the truth. It was not necessary for them also to accept Paul as the leader of their church. If Paul had argued otherwise, he would have been arguing against the truth. So Paul considered it his duty simply to declare the truth that God had shown to him*.
Next part: Paul’s prayer for Corinth’s Christians (13:9)
* See complete article for these Bible references.
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© 2016, Keith Simons.