Useful Bible Studies > 2 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 12

Why Paul wrote about himself

2 Corinthians 12:11

Paul was not a proud man, and he really did not want to write so much about himself*. He does not do that in his other letters. In the Book of 1 Corinthians, for example, Paul wrote only two verses about his current situation at Ephesus*.

However, the attitude of Corinth’s Christians had forced Paul to write about himself. If the problem had only been a matter of Paul’s honour, Paul would not have written like that. Paul did not need to defend himself. God knew the truth about him - and so did Corinth’s Christians*. Paul was not claiming authority over Corinth’s church; he did not need to do that, because God had already given him authority*.

The real reason why Paul wrote about himself was to protect Corinth’s Christians. He cared very much about them, and God had given him responsibility for them*. He had heard reports about the teachers who wanted to control their church. He knew that many of those teachers were not teaching the true message about Christ*. He also knew that Corinth’s Christians were eager to serve Christ well in every way*. They were so eager that they had accepted those evil teachers as genuine servants of Christ*.

Paul would have much preferred to carry out his work for God quietly, so that only God would see it*. However, he had to show how his attitudes and his actions differed from those evil teachers. All the apostles (first Christian leaders) and all Paul’s companions behaved like him*. Their attitudes were like his attitudes. That is the correct way for a servant of God to think and to act.

Next part: The wonderful things that God did at Corinth (12:12)

* See complete article for these Bible references.

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