2 Corinthians 11:7-15 Study Guide: Humility of a SErvant Leader
Community Group Study Guide — The Humility of a Servant Leader
2 Corinthians 11:7-15
Study Information:
Most of us have had the experience of being embarrassed by our parents as a kid or by a friend, boss or coworker at some point in our lives. During those times we have a negative relational association, often from someone saying something weird or doing something that we feel awkward about. At a deeper level, that embarrassment may source to us not liking to associate with the image or identity of that person. Imagine growing up in the middle of nowhere with some poverty and moving to a place like New York and establishing really influential connections and then having your parents come visit, you may love your parents but be embarrassed by what they represent about your past. Jesus did not seem to experience any sense of embarrassment with associating with those the world considers lowly, but that is not the case with most of us. We’ve learned that the city of Corinth was a place that cared about wealth, power and success more than the average ancient city and our passage today highlights that the Corinthians were somewhat humiliated by being associated with someone like Paul. Today, most of us have a deeper respect for Paul than he had in the ancient world. The Corinthians specifically had some embarrassed with Paul’s his lack of formal training and that he worked in the trades and the false teachers jumped on that and accused Paul of being inferior. What we see in our passage is that the servant leaders are willing to be humbled to love others and selfish leaders want others to be humbled so they can be lifted up.
First Accusation: Paul is a bad Public Speaker
2 Corinthians 11:5-6
We covered this accusation in the previous study guide but it is worth going back for the context since it relates to the rest of our passage. Their first embarrassment was Paul’s lack of formal training. The word for “unskilled” in 2 Corinthians 11:6 was used for someone who was an amateur. That can imply that Paul had some training but was not employed as a public speaker, but likely they’re pointing out how he lacked the formal eloquence of entertaining dramatic speech. In a world filled with Netflix, youtube, music streaming, 24 hour news and social media, the idea of going to hear someone talk for an hour and paying for the experience seems kind of odd but in the ancient world that was big entertainment. Augustine, one of the 4th Century church fathers, got his start as a public speaker in this fashion and eventually landed a job in Milan training other public speakers. Later he was captivated by the preaching of Bishop Ambrose and the Lord used that among other providential circumstances to bring him to a place of faith in Jesus. Good rhetoric can be used in service of the gospel, but it is not enough to make one a servant of Christ. We do not have any video recordings of Paul speaking, but we can assume he was not flashy or at least not like what the Corinthians prized in their “super apostles.”
Essentially, the question the “super apostles” targeted against Paul was something like “can you trust someone who doesn’t have the right degrees or experience?” They were saying, “we’re the professionals here, can you trust this guy who doesn’t even have the right training?” Paul’s response to that accusation in 2 Corinthians 11:6 was “I am not an amateur in knowledge!” Even if he doesn’t have the entertaining speech of the “super apostles” he has debated Jewish theologians in dozens of synagogues and Greek Philosophers in Athens. Paul did not fit the conventional norms of Corinthian public speaking, but he was called by God and a great communicator of the gospel.
Second Accusation: Paul Preaches for Free
2 Corinthians 11:7-11
Their second accusation was “real speakers get paid!” This view tied the value of one’s message to the compensation they received. Paul’s response to this was “I have humbled myself to preach the gospel to you free of charge.” Paul acted as a missionary to the Corinthians, supported by the Macedonians so that he would not be accused of only preaching the gospel for a paycheck! The irony that he got accused of the opposite, preaching the gospel for free, should not be lost on us. Paul’s heart in preaching for no charge was to unburden the Corinthians from supporting him financially and to makes sure they understood that he wasn’t there to take advantage of them like the “super apostles” did (2 Cor 11:20). Yet the embarrassing thing for the Corinthians was not just that Paul wasn’t paid, it was that Paul also worked a “lower class” job as a tent maker. This upset the Corinthian elites who were offended by having a person from the trades be their teacher and preacher. Paul saw it as a positive because it unburdened the Corinthians, humbled him and was an act of love through sacrifice.
Paul’s Response: Do Not Trust These Deceitful Workmen
2 Corinthians 11:12-15
Paul preached the gospel as an amateur and for free to undermine the false ministry of the “super apostles.”
The desire was to make it clear that the “super apostles” and Paul were not on the same mission (2 Cor 11:12). Paul’s harshest words for them come in verse 13-15 where he makes it clear that they work an agenda that is not only contrary to the gospel but also empowered by Satan. Previously he warned the Corinthians not to be deceived by the cunning of the false apostles, like Eve in the garden, and now he specifically called them Satan’s servants. Followers of Jesus should take note here that these types of messengers are difficult to spot. Paul noted that they were deceitful and disguise themselves in three ways. First, they disguised themselves as apostles of Christ. Paul tells us in the next passage that true apostleship required suffering and weakness and that was something these “super apostles” would not embrace. Second, Paul made the comparison to how Satan disguised himself as an angel of light. The implication here is that they looked like they were bringing truth and a message from God, but it was a trick that even Satan used. Finally, they disguised themselves as servants of righteousness. If we look to 2 Corinthians 11:20 we learn that the goal of the “super apostles” was to enslave the Corinthians, gain from them and slap them in the face which was a sign of humiliation.
We will learn more about the nature of authentic ministry in 2 Corinthians 11 and 12, but right now it is important to see that humility and sacrifice are key components to gospel centered leadership. Paul was not just “boasting” about his weakness, he also gave us the marks of authentic Jesus shaped ministry. Jesus himself embraced humility and self-sacrificial ministry by serving us as he died for our sin. We should expect pastors, elders and leaders to have a similar mindset of ministry.
At your community group:
Take 15-20 minutes to share about how God has been at work in your life, prayer concerns and pray for one another.
How did God speak to you through the scripture and the sermon this week?
Discussion Questions:
2 Corinthians 11:5-15
What accusations did Paul respond to in our passage?
How did Paul’s ministry to the Corinthians differ from the “super apostles?”
It can be difficult to determine if someone is truly a godly leader or a selfish leader. How did Paul describe these “super apostles” and how can that make them difficult to spot?
What are some ways you can grow in servant leadership this week?
