Useful Bible Studies > 2 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 12
The apostles were the men whom God sent to establish the first Christian churches. Paul did not claim to be a great apostle; he even described himself as the least important apostle*. However, he did insist that God had sent him. Paul even described himself as ‘nothing’ *. He meant that he had no desire to impress anyone. He did not want Christians to be loyal to him, but to Christ*. Paul considered himself to be a servant of Christ*. It was Paul’s duty, therefore, always to obey Christ. God had given great responsibility to Paul in his work for Christ. However, Paul’s work could only be successful when God worked through him.
So, when Paul declared God’s message in Corinth, God worked powerfully there*. It was important for Corinth’s Christians to know that fact. They needed to be strong and to remain loyal to God when people declared different messages to them*. God had done some very wonderful things in Corinth, and these things had happened in public. The Book of Acts does not record these incidents in Corinth, but all of Corinth’s Christians would know about them. Probably, God had cured ill people. Blind people were able to see; deaf people were able to hear. God had freed people from the power of evil spirits. That was clear evidence that God was working*. What God was doing through the other apostles, he was doing through Paul.
Paul only mentions this subject briefly. It is more important to know God and to serve him than to do these wonderful things*. However, when God does such a thing, we must be careful always to give him the honour for it.
Next part: Corinth’s Christians lost nothing when Paul refused their gifts (12:13)
* See complete article for these Bible references.
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