2 Corinthians 10

Study Guide 138: 2 Corinthians 10-13 SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY Overview In 2 Corinthians Paul shared principles of his New Covenant ministry. That ministry leads to the inner transformation of believers, as promised in Jeremiah’ s ancient prophecy (Jeremiah 31:33-34). The New Covenant ministry is one of openness and transparency, for God the Spirit is at work within and we see Christ in each others’ lives as the process of transformation is revealed (2 Corinthians 13:1-14). New Covenant ministry relies on the reality of Christ in the heart to motivate change, and is not discouraged by apparent lack of progress. The New Covenant minister expresses confidence in others, “ not counting their trespasses,” sure that Christ will move believers to live a righteous life (2 Cor. 4-7). New Covenant ministry, as illustrated by grace giving, guards the freedom of each individual to respond personally to God, while teaching truths that release us to respond generously (2 Cor. 8-9). Now, in the last chapters of this most personal of Paul’ s books, we see how the apostle exercises spiritual authority in such a way that it builds others up rather than tears them down. AUTHORITY. The Greek word is exousia, and its basic meaning indicates “ freedom of choice.” A person with great authority has maximum freedom of choice; one under authority has his or her freedom limited. The secret of spiritual authority is that it creates rather than limits others’ freedom of choice.

Commentary “ Authority” is such a difficult word. We use it in so many ways. An encyclopedia is cited when someone asks, “ What’ s your authority for that statement?” Professor so-and-so is introduced as an “ authority on cybernetics.” “ Where’ s your search warrant?” is a demand for evidence of authority. “ By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife.” Yet, in our society, the idea of authority has had many negative connotations. To many it tends to imply control, restriction, coercion, and impersonal command. “ Authority” and “ authoritarian” can seem almost synonymous, and it’ s hard for most of us to imagine how we might exercise authority without somehow asserting a right to control or command. It’ s no wonder that spiritual leadership and authority are misunderstood. And it’ s no wonder that a parent’ s authority over a child can be distorted. No wonder those called to lead the church of God, and given His authority for that task, are often troubled and uncertain. No wonder we often resort to a worldly approach to the exercise of authority — and stimulate rebellion rather than response.

Paul’ s Approach to Authority: 2 Corinthians 10-13 We may not be aware of it as we read 2 Corinthians, but it is true that in this letter the apostle was exercising spiritual authority. We’ re not likely to realize it, because Paul did not even mention authority until 2 Corinthians 10:1-18. His second and final mention of authority came near the end of this letter, in 2 Corinthians 13:1-14. In each of these two contexts Paul gave a definition of the purpose of authority in the body of Christ. Authority was given to Paul by the Lord “ for building you up rather than pulling you down” (2 Corinthians 10:8; see also 2 Corinthians 12:10). How much Paul hoped, as he closed this letter, that when he visited he would not be forced to be “ harsh in my use of authority” (2 Corinthians 13:10). We tend to think of authority as something essentially harsh. But in the body of Christ, the use of authority is marked by a distinct gentleness. Even the Corinthians missed the authority in the apostle’ s approach. Deceived again by their reliance on their old ways of understanding, they could not understand why the apostle did not simply insist and command and demand. “ Why,” they must have wondered, “ doesn’ t this leader lead?” They mistook Paul’ s wisdom for weakness. We know that, from Paul’ s “ defense” in the opening of 2 Corinthians 10:1-18. By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you — I, Paul, who am “ timid” when face to face with you, but “ bold” when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to tear down strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:1-5God’ s approach to authority operates on divine power. Through God’ s methods, Paul would be successful in taking “ captive every thought” and making it “ obedient to Christ.” What are some of those methods? Listen, as Paul’ s letter itself unveils them: “ Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy” (2 Corinthians 1:24). “ I urge you, therefore to reaffirm your love for Him” (2 Corinthians 2:8). “ Dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). “ I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love” (2 Corinthians 8:8). “ Here is my advice about what is best for you” (2 Corinthians 8:10). “ Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you?” (2 Corinthians 11:7) And the freedom that Paul found to exercise his authority in such gentle ways was rooted both in his knowledge that this is God’ s way to use spiritual authority, and in the knowledge that it is God who exercised authority through him. In 2 Corinthians 13:1-14 Paul gave a warning: he would not “ spare” those who failed to respond to his letters. Yet even here Paul himself would not act. What Paul would do was expect God to act, because Christ truly was speaking through him. The Lord would enforce the spiritual authority of His servant — Paul would not rely on worldly ways to punish those who did not respond. On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 2 Corinthians 13:2-3LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Put the word “ authority” on the chalkboard. Divide into teams, and ask each team to come up with five things that might be said by a person with authority to those under him or her. These should be in the form of quotes: of words spoken by the one with authority. After a few minutes, come together and list the authority statements. Then distribute a sheet of paper on which you have copied Paul’ s authority statements, quoted in the commentary. Ask your group members to compare the two sets of statements. “ How are they alike? How do they differ?” Discuss: “ How would hearing each set of statements from an authority figure make you feel? Which authority figure seems strong? Weak? Which would you prefer in a spiritual leader? Why?” Finally, ask: “ Can you develop a tentative definition of spiritual authority from Paul’ s words to the Corinthians?”

Authority Principles The issue of spiritual authority is complex and important enough to warrant an entire book, not just part of a chapter in this Teacher’ s Commentary. But we can sketch basic characteristics of spiritual authority as demonstrated by Paul, which will give us perspective and help to sensitize us to what is behind the last, most intimate chapters in this very personal epistle. Source. Spiritual authority, unlike secular authority, is not rooted in position. An officer in the army or the president of a corporation has authority by virtue of his or her office. Spiritual authority, however (even though it may be associated with an office in the church, or one’ s position as a parent), is actually rooted in one’ s gift. Paul relied on “ the authority the Lord gave me” (2 Corinthians 13:10) in his dealings with the Corinthians. This is important to grasp. If our authority is truly given us by the Lord, then He will be responsible for authenticating it! This is why Paul could say to those who demanded proof that Christ was speaking through him, “He [Christ] is not weak in dealing with you” (2 Corinthians 13:3, italics added). Jesus will vindicate the authority He has given. Goal. Paul made it very clear that the purpose or goal of spiritual authority is to “ build up.” His authority was exercised purposefully and wisely: he used the spiritual weapons in God’ s arsenal to “ take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). A very important concept is expressed here. It is Jesus who is the Head of the church. And He is the Head of every man. The spiritual leader does not use authority to bring believers to obey the leader. Instead, spiritual authority is always exercised to lead the local body and individual believer to obey Christ. The spiritual leader is not to attempt to exercise control over others; instead, he seeks to free them to be responsive to Jesus. There are a number of reasons why this concept is vital. Authority that seeks to control focuses on externals. A person can “ exercise authority” to manipulate or control an other’ s behavior through all the secular motivation methods looked at in the last study guide. One reason why these methods are so often adopted by Christian leaders is that they are successful! But this is true only if we measure success by conformity. It is true that many leadership methods are adapted to produce different kinds of achievement. Using them, we can raise money, build bigger buildings, increase attendance in Sunday Schools. But the one thing that such methods cannot do is to produce commitment. Commitment is a change within the human personality, an aspect of transformation. Commitment comes when a person freely chooses to respond to God. All this underlies Paul’ s statement that authority has been given him to “ build up.” Rather than gain control over others’ behavior, Paul’ s exercise of authority was designed to free them to choose God’ s way willingly. This thought also finds expression in Paul’ s confident assertion that “ Christ’ s love compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). It was the reality of Christ with in, not external pressures, that Paul relied on to motivate believers to respond to the Lord. Relationships. Paul had also, in relinquishing any claim to a supposed right of authority to control, helped us to see more clearly the relationships appropriate to spiritual leadership. Paul did more than hint when he spoke of meekness and gentleness and insisted to the Corinthians that he would not “ lord it over your faith” (2 Corinthians 1:24) but rather would “ lower myself in order to elevate you” (2 Corinthians 11:7). Rather than be relationally over others, the person with spiritual authority takes his or her place alongside the other and thus lifts them up. The “ chain of command” diagram represents the leader as between God and the person under his or her authority. This is the kind of structure used to chart military or business (and too often church) organizations. It indicates lines of control and responsibility. But this concept significantly distorts the biblical concept of authority. An approach charting authority actually requires two diagrams. The first represents the fact of authority. While the leader is “ above,” and the led “ under,” the leader is not between the individual and God. Instead, both the leader and the follower recognize Christ’ s lordship over each of them, and over both of them together. The fact of authority does admit the right of the leader to lead, but it denies the right of the leader to control. Instead, the leader’ s influence flows from his or her gift (the fact that Christ is speaking through this person), and it flows from the example the leader gives as a person who has experienced significant growth and transformation. But even this chart is inadequate to represent how the leader exercises spiritual authority. We need another diagram for this; one that shows the leader choosing to humble himself, even to “ lower myself in order to elevate you.” How did Paul lower himself? LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Use the charts in a minilecture summary of the implications of Paul’ s view of spiritual authority. Then break into teams, divided by sex, to attempt to diagram the appropriate relationship between a husband and wife and God. After about five minutes, have each team draw its diagram on the chalkboard and explain why they chose their particular representation. Discuss as a group: “ What are the implications for husband/wife relationships of the traditional chain of command diagram? What are the implications of the alternative diagrams drawn on the board? How might spiritual authority be best exercised in the home by husbands? By husbands and wives as parents?” Finally, pair off by couples. Ask each husband and wife to first agree on a diagram which represents the present situation in their own relationship. Then ask them to agree on a diagram which represents the ideal situation in their relationship. Each spouse can then share with the other what he or she thinks they need to do to work toward the ideal, or to strengthen the ideal which is being realized. Paul requested rather than ordered. He gave advice rather than commands. Paul shared his weaknesses, and thus took a stand beside men and women who knew themselves to be weak. Paul refused to “ lord it over your faith,” even when the Corinthians’ worldliness made them critical of Paul’ s shameful lack of “ boldness” ! The characteristics which the Corinthians associated with leadership were as foreign to true spiritual leadership as are the traits that we associate with it today!What Paul had done was to take to heart, and to put into practice a servant leadership demonstrated by Jesus, and commanded by Jesus for those who would minister in His church. You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:25-27Attitude. What is the appropriate attitude of the leader? A servant attitude. A servant who sees others, not himself or herself, as important. A servant who humbles himself, concerned only with doing his master’ s will. A servant who willingly sets aside every outward symbol of power and relies completely on the power of God within the men and women he or she leads to stimulate response. It almost seems embarrassing to read the words Paul writes in these last chapters of this letter. We’ re almost ashamed for him as he speaks out of the intensity of his love and pain. He seems almost, well . . . weak. And yet Paul was strong. Strong in God’ s way. “ For Christ’ s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). This was Paul’ s perspective. And it should become ours. God’ s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. And so our greatest need is to learn His ways. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT A seminary has officially adopted the concepts of spiritual leadership sketched here, and seeks to train its students to become servant leaders. But now that many graduates have found their way into the denomination’ s churches, the seminary is experiencing a grassroots backlash. The people in the churches are complaining that this seminary’ s graduates are “ weak” leaders! Have your group members discuss as if they were on the board of this seminary: “ Why are our grads considered weak leaders? What can we do to correct this situation?”

Comments on the Text The marks of leaders (2 Corinthians 11:1-33). The Corinthians, still superficial and still evaluating by worldly criteria, were attracted to “ strong” leaders. These were persons who as “ trained speakers” (2 Corinthians 11:6) seemed very impressive. They claimed the right of support, and like most of us the Corinthians seemed more impressed by that for which they paid than that which came at little cost (2 Corinthians 11:7). But they presented a distorted Gospel (2 Corinthians 11:4), and Paul called them “ false apostles” who were masquerading as Christian leaders. What are the marks that we see in Paul of one who is a true Christian leader? Paul first of all cared deeply about the Corinthians’ spiritual welfare (2 Corinthians 11:1-3). He refused to burden anyone financially in order to demonstrate that he was no spiritual profiteer (2 Corinthians 11:7-11). Paul’ s commitment has led to deep suffering — floggings, hunger, thirst, danger after danger (2 Corinthians 11:16-27). Paul felt deeply with the weakness of the weak; was in anguish when he heard of a believer’ s sin (2 Corinthians 11:28-30). In short, Paul not only identified with those to whom he ministered, he cared enough for them to accept personal hardship in order to benefit them. What an example the apostle left for you and me. Ministry to others is not just a matter of sharing our knowledge of the Word. It is a matter of sharing ourselves: of being the caring, self-sacrificing kind of person whose spiritual authority is matched by his or her commitment to others out of full commitment to Christ. Overcoming weakness (2 Corinthians 12:1-10). Bible students agree that Paul suffered from some unidentified disease. How did it happen that Paul, whom Acts tells us did miracles of healing (see Acts 14:8), was not himself healed? Despite Paul’ s prayer God chose this physical disability as the apostle’ s lot. Finally God revealed to Paul, “ My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’ s grace worked through Paul despite his weaknesses: the Gospel’ s power did not rely on human strengths or abilities. What a wonderful lesson to us, not only in our times of sickness, but also as we contemplate spiritual leadership. God does not rely on the strengths that our society exalts. God’ s power can and will flow through even those who are “ weak” in the qualities secular leaders count on to make them effective. Christ is speaking though me (1 Corinthians 13:1-10). This is the ultimate secret of the Christian leader’ s authority, and of his or her power. Christ does speak through leaders, and Christ is “ powerful among” His people. Christian leaders do not need to rely on merely human means to motivate or to discipline. God Himself authenticates the Christian leader, moving believers to respond, and acting in those who will not respond to discipline and to change.

Teaching Guide Prepare Read these chapters carefully, and check a good verse-by-verse commentary if you have specific questions.

Explore

1. Begin by having your group members work in teams to develop five typical things that a person in authority might say to someone “ under” him or her. Then have your group compare these statements with statements by Paul in 2 Corinthians. See “ link-to-life” above.
2. Follow up with a minilecture on the characteristics of Christian spiritual authority drawn from the commentary.

Expand

1. Divide into teams by sex, for group members to apply the biblical concept of spiritual authority to the husband/wife relationship. See “ link-to-life” above.
2. Or divide into teams that take the role of the board of a seminary that taught its students a biblical concept of spiritual authority — and found people in the churches perceived its graduates as “ weak leaders.” What should the seminary board do? See “ link-to-life” above.

Apply Pair husbands and wives to agree on a diagram that represents how their relationship does, or should, function. Or if group members are unmarried, have them diagram the relationship that existed between their parents. See “ link-to-life” above for ideas.