What is the meaning of 2 Corinthians 11:13? For such men Paul has just warned the Corinthians about “super-apostles” who preach “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4-5). Here he turns the camera on the impostors themselves. They are real people active in the church at that moment, not hypothetical threats. Acts 20:29-30 records a similar warning that “savage wolves will come in among you,” showing the ever-present reality of internal danger. are false apostles • An apostle, in the New Testament sense, is one personally commissioned by the risen Christ (Acts 1:21-22; Galatians 1:1). • These men claimed the title but lacked the divine call and the sound doctrine that must accompany it (Galatians 1:8-9). • Revelation 2:2 praises believers in Ephesus for testing “those who call themselves apostles and are not,” proving that Scripture expects us to examine credentials and message alike. deceitful workers • The problem is not merely honest misunderstanding; the term “deceitful” points to deliberate trickery. “We are not like so many who peddle the word of God for profit” (2 Corinthians 2:17). • Such workers twist Scripture for gain, mirroring the “impostors” who “will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13). • Their methods include flattering speech, half-truths, and emotional manipulation—contrary to Paul’s transparent ministry (1 Thessalonians 2:3-5). masquerading as apostles of Christ • They wear a convincing costume. “Even Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14), so his servants naturally imitate the disguise. • Jesus warned, “Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). • Believers must therefore “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) and compare every message with the written Word, like the Bereans who examined the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11). summary 2 Corinthians 11:13 is a sober proclamation, not a passing remark. Paul identifies real men infiltrating the church: • their identity—pretending to belong to Christ’s inner circle; • their status—false, lacking the true apostolic commission; • their character—deceitful, intentional in their fraud; • their tactic—masquerade, wrapping error in the garb of truth. The verse urges believers in every generation to exercise discernment, cling to the plain teachings of Scripture, and refuse any message or messenger that departs from the gospel once delivered to the saints. |
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