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Paul continues with a more general defense of his ministry. This section is not defensive but he still is clearly playing some defense.
Despite all of that happened along the way, and all of the opposition Paul can thank God.[1] God is victorious and in his victory parade, Paul himself willingly gets paraded around in his suffering, because his suffering spreads the victory. Paul may appear defeated but in reality he is exuding the sweet odor of Christ's sacrifice in his example and preaching.[2] Only those who are being saved have the discernment to correctly identify the smell, however. And to those who are not, it is the stench of death. Paul is not in this role because of any inherent quality he has, God has qualified him for this role and God sends them in contrast to others who may have less pure motives.
Why is Paul bringing this up? Is it to commend his ministry to the Corinthians? No, he isn't and he doesn't need to prove his credentials to the Corinthians or need a letter of recommendation from him. He already has a letter of recommendation, the Corinthians themselves, their lives transformed and made alive by the Spirit, are the letter written by God. What letter could ever compare? It points to the power and fruitfulness of a Spirit-centric rather than law-centric ministry since only the Spirit has the power to transform lives.[3]
So Paul is confident, but it's not a confidence in his own abilities, rather it is in the power of the Spirit. They are simply doing what God empowered them to do, preach the gospel and assist God in transforming lives, something the law could not do. While the Spirit gives life, the law brings about death because it does not empower the one who is trying to follow it.
Paul's defense is very focused on God and his activity through Paul. In essence God is defending Paul and Paul is purely pointing out the evidence. At least that is how he would want the Corinthians to see things.
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[1] Matera notes that the response 'Thanks be to God' is Paul's response to a threatening situation.
[2] See Matera for fuller, very helpful comments on verse 14.
[3] Additionally, Thrall notes that in Greco-Roman culture, needing a written law was seen as a negative. One should just know how to behave ethically.
Paul continues with a more general defense of his ministry. This section is not defensive but he still is clearly playing some defense.
Despite all of that happened along the way, and all of the opposition Paul can thank God.[1] God is victorious and in his victory parade, Paul himself willingly gets paraded around in his suffering, because his suffering spreads the victory. Paul may appear defeated but in reality he is exuding the sweet odor of Christ's sacrifice in his example and preaching.[2] Only those who are being saved have the discernment to correctly identify the smell, however. And to those who are not, it is the stench of death. Paul is not in this role because of any inherent quality he has, God has qualified him for this role and God sends them in contrast to others who may have less pure motives.
Why is Paul bringing this up? Is it to commend his ministry to the Corinthians? No, he isn't and he doesn't need to prove his credentials to the Corinthians or need a letter of recommendation from him. He already has a letter of recommendation, the Corinthians themselves, their lives transformed and made alive by the Spirit, are the letter written by God. What letter could ever compare? It points to the power and fruitfulness of a Spirit-centric rather than law-centric ministry since only the Spirit has the power to transform lives.[3]
So Paul is confident, but it's not a confidence in his own abilities, rather it is in the power of the Spirit. They are simply doing what God empowered them to do, preach the gospel and assist God in transforming lives, something the law could not do. While the Spirit gives life, the law brings about death because it does not empower the one who is trying to follow it.
Paul's defense is very focused on God and his activity through Paul. In essence God is defending Paul and Paul is purely pointing out the evidence. At least that is how he would want the Corinthians to see things.
----------------------------
[1] Matera notes that the response 'Thanks be to God' is Paul's response to a threatening situation.
[2] See Matera for fuller, very helpful comments on verse 14.
[3] Additionally, Thrall notes that in Greco-Roman culture, needing a written law was seen as a negative. One should just know how to behave ethically.
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