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§7 Self-Commendation (2 Cor. 6:3–10)

Having exhorted the Corinthians to recognize his God-given ministry of reconciliation (5:16–6:2), Paul continues the discussion of his ministry in 6:3–13 by declaring that he is completely innocent of any aspersions that have been cast on his ministry. Paul claims that, in word and deed, he commends himself as a genuine apostle who is motivated by sincere love.

6:3 / The new section opens quite defensively. Paul knows that his ministry has come under fire because of his alleged inconsistency and double-mindedness, and he has handled such accusations in 1:12–2:13. In the face of these accusations, Paul forcefully asserts with an unmistakable apologetic tone that he did not put a stumbling block in anyone’s way. Paul uses similar terms in admonitions to “strong” believers not to cause “weaker” believers to stumble, particularly with reference to food (Rom. 14:13, 20–21; 1 Cor. 8:9). The weak were being tempted to compromise their integrity by going against their conscience and participating in what they considered to be idolatry (1 Cor. 8:7, 10) or impurity (Rom. 14:14, 15). In 2 Corinthians 6:3 Paul completely exonerates himself from any wrongdoing in this regard, although he is aware that his gospel of a crucified Messiah is a stumbling block to Jews (cf. 1 Cor. 1:23; Gal. 5:11; Rom. 9:32–33).

The apostle puts no personal stumbling block in anyone’s way so that his ministry will not be discredited. The “ministry” to which Paul refers is, of course, the “ministry of reconciliation” mentioned in 5:18. His concern is that no one will be able to find fault with what he is doing and saying (cf. Philo, Allegorical Interpretation 3.180). The apostle wants it to be as blameless in this regard as the believers who, having been reconciled through his ministry of the gospel, will be presented “holy and blameless and beyond reproach” before God if they continue in the faith (cf. Col. 1:22–23).

6:4–10 / Far from discrediting his ministry through his allegedly scandalous behavior in word and deed, Paul presents his behavior in verses 4–10 as genuine and exemplary in every way. He is one of the servants of God (theou diakonos), a term that he applies elsewhere to the Roman emperor (Rom. 13:4; cf. Wis. 6:4). More to the point, Paul describes himself in 2 Corinthians 11:23 as a “servant of Christ” (diakonos Christou), and gives a list of his greater tribulations and sufferings to prove that he excels his opponents in this role (vv. 23–29).

As a servant of God, Paul commends himself. We have already seen that Paul walks a fine line in 2 Corinthians between self-commendation and defense. Fundamentally, he abhors any appearance of self-commendation (3:1; 5:12; 10:12, 18). By siding with the opponents and failing to commend Paul themselves (3:2; 5:12; 12:11), however, the Corinthians have forced the apostle into a kind of self-commendation that emphasizes both what the Corinthians already know about Paul in their conscience (4:2) and the evident power of God at work in him despite suffering (4:7–12; cf. 12:9). Hence, when Paul states in 6:4 that he commends himself in every way, the subsequent list of these ways (vv. 4–10) includes many references to suffering and tribulation, and the “power of God” is explicitly mentioned, together with Paul’s offensive and defensive weaponry (v. 7). By presenting this list, Paul wants to give the Corinthians an opportunity to boast in him, so that they can shun those who evaluate Paul’s apostleship on external factors (cf. 5:12).

The three-part list in verses 4b–10 is meant to exemplify all the ways and situations in which Paul commends himself by his behavior, often despite the circumstances. The first part (vv. 4b–7a; cf. 2 En. 66:6) gives a straight catalogue of various things organized, in part, into groups and introduced by the preposition in—persecutions (beatings, imprisonments and riots), deprivations (hard work, sleepless nights and hunger), fruits of the Spirit (purity, understanding, patience and kindness; Holy Spirit, sincere love, truthful speech, power of God). The second part of the list (vv. 7b–8a) gives a shorter catalogue of paired items introduced by the preposition with to describe the attendant circumstances (with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; glory and dishonor; bad report and good report). Finally, the third part of the list gives a series of contrasting pairs that begin with as and show Paul’s positive character in the face of negative circumstances (genuine, yet regarded as imposters; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything). In all these ways, Paul commends himself and his ministry as motivated by sincere love and as proven genuine. The underlying problem in the letter is that the Corinthians have come to doubt the legitimacy of Paul’s apostleship and particularly his motives for claiming authority. Under the influence of the opponents, they now regard their founding apostle as one of the imposters or as a “deceiver” (planos). Just as Jesus was executed as a messianic pretender, a “deceiver” (planos) of the people, so also Paul—the apostle of Jesus Christ who shares in Christ’s death and life (cf. 1:5, 9–10; 4:10–11, 14)—is also regarded as a planos (see on 5:16). Hence, as Paul goes on to say later in the letter, he has received forty lashes by the Jews and has even been stoned (cf. 11:24, 25). Yet, it is the apostle’s contention that his behavior is evidence of the working of the Holy Spirit in his heart. Indeed, the ministry that he defends is the “ministry of the Spirit” (3:8).