What is the meaning of 2 Corinthians 11:7? Was it a sin for me Paul opens with a rhetorical question that drips with irony. • He is answering critics who hinted that his refusal of financial support proved he was no real apostle (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:13 – “For what is it in which you were inferior to the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!”). • By asking whether it was “a sin,” Paul exposes the absurdity of treating a loving sacrifice as moral failure. • Scripture repeatedly shows that godly leaders sometimes waive legitimate rights for the sake of the flock (1 Corinthians 9:12 – “But we did not exercise this right; instead, we endure everything so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.”; 1 Thessalonians 2:5). to humble myself Paul’s “humbling” was practical, not merely emotional. • He worked with his own hands (Acts 18:3 – “He stayed and worked with them, for they were tentmakers by trade.”). • Choosing the low place echoes Christ’s pattern (Philippians 2:7 – “but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant.”). • His meek posture stood in sharp contrast to the self-promoting “super-apostles” troubling Corinth (2 Corinthians 10:1). in order to exalt you The paradox of leadership: Paul lowers himself so the church can rise. • He saw himself as their servant for Jesus’ sake (2 Corinthians 4:5 – “we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”). • Every decision aimed at building them up, not magnifying himself (Romans 15:2; Ephesians 4:12). • By declining money, he removed any barrier to their spiritual growth, ensuring no one could accuse him of preaching for profit. because I preached the gospel of God to you The message came straight from God, not human invention (Galatians 1:11-12). • Paul’s priority was crystal clear: “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). • Since the good news belongs to God, it must remain untainted by commercial motives. • He carried this stewardship with holy fear, echoing Romans 1:16—“I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation.”. free of charge? Refusing support was deliberate, not accidental. • The Lord allows ministers to live from the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14), yet Paul voluntarily laid that right down (1 Corinthians 9:18 – “What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge.”). • His own hands supplied his needs (Acts 20:33-34; 2 Thessalonians 3:8). • Doing so silenced accusations, distinguished him from peddlers of religion, and showcased grace—because salvation itself is a gift, not a transaction. summary 2 Corinthians 11:7 shows Paul turning worldly values upside down. By laboring without pay, he models Christlike humility that lifts others up, guards the purity of the gospel, and shames those who measure ministry by money. His “free of charge” approach proves that the true treasure is Jesus Himself, offered without cost to all who believe. |
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