Bible Questions Answered:
Did not Paul say that the evil ones of his day, enslaved the people, and that they were false teachers!
Pili/ Cairo Egypt
Bible Text:
II Corinthians 11:1-33 NLT
False Apostles
1 I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me.
2 For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ.
3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.
4 You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.
5 But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these “super apostles” who teach such things.
6 I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way.
7 Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God’s Good News to you without expecting anything in return?
8 I “robbed” other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost.
9 And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be.
10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all of Greece will ever stop me from boasting about this.
11 Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows that I do.
12 But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours.
13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
Trials
16 Again I say, don’t think that I am a fool to talk like this. But even if you do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little.
17 Such boasting is not from the Lord, but I am acting like a fool.
18 And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too.
19 After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools!
20 You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.
21 I’m ashamed to say that we’ve been too “weak” to do that! But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too.
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.
26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.
27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.
29 Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?
30 If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.
31 God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying.
32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me.
33 I had to be lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall to escape from him.
Bible Answer:
Yes, but the Apostle Paul, here was not referring to the complete subjugation of the Grecian people by the Romans (similarity or not), but rather to false teachers, who had infiltrated the Corinthian church.
Individuals who bragged of their wisdom and beguiling powers, which did not come from God.
The Apostle stated that “ I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ,” but that false teachers like the serpent in the garden of Eden, have stealthily come in to turn them, like Eve, from the simple truth of Christ to that of the serpent's lies.
The Apostle lists the “ways of the serpent” (II Corinthians 11:3):
II Corinthians 11:4 “... if they preach a different Jesus...”
II Corinthians 11:4 “... or a different kind of Spirit...”
II Corinthians 11:4 “... or a different kind of gospel...”
Galatians 1:6-9 KJV
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
II Corinthians 11:13-15 NLT
13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
Ephesians 6:12 KJV
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
The Corinthian church had been too ready to hear, too open minded to take in, too lenient to permit, too tolerant to accept, false teachers to come in and lead them astray, even though they berated them, once they were received.
Preaching a Christ of the law, imputing the spirit, according to the learning and culture of Corinth. False teachers, who claimed for themselves Apostolic rank, remonstrated that their gospel was the only true gospel, and certainly not Paul's.
Because false teachers never miss an opportunity to boast about themselves, and even though they are the serpent's workers of iniquity, and yet so gladly entertained by the church, the Apostle decides, he too can state his qualifications, even though it is against his nature to do so.
And so the Apostle tells all he has had to endure, for the cause of Christ and the church.
What will be the fate of False Teachers?
Philippians 3:18,19 KJV
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Romans 6:21 KJV
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
I Peter 4:17 KJV
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
Whoever the leaders, God's word tells us...
Proverbs 14:34 KJV
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
Isaiah 9:6,7 KJV
6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end..."
