提要
保羅在本章十六至卅三節繼續他的自誇。他這樣做的目的是在提醒哥林多人他的「資格」(因為有假教師在哥林多人中間破壞保羅的威信)。保羅有何可誇呢?他是猶太人(22節);他更配算為「基督的僕人」,因為他比別人「多受勞苦,多下監牢,多受鞭打,多次冒死的危險」。保羅五次被鞭打卅九下;被棍打三次;被石頭打了一次;三次遭遇船難,還有一次在鯊魚猖獗的地中海渡過一晝一夜(24~25節)。事實上,他的生命常暴露於危險中,即使在沒有危險的時候,也要忍受生活中許多的不便(26~27節)。更有甚者,為眾教會掛心的事「天天壓在他的身上」(29節)。
在以上的經歷為前提下,保羅說:「有誰軟弱我不軟弱呢?有誰跌倒我不著急呢?」換句話說,「你們所經歷的,我也經歷過;我受過苦,我忍受過不公平的待遇;我瞭解……。」
我們通常聽到別人誇耀的是自己的成功。但在這裡我們看到保羅誇自己的失敗、困苦、損失。保羅已經付過代價了。因此誰會反對他的那種自誇呢?
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Overview
Paul continues his boasting in verses 16-33. In so doing, he is reminding the Corinthians of his credentials (as compared to false teachers who are undermining Paul's credibility). What does he boast about? He is a Jew (v.22). He is "more" than "a servant of Christ" in that he has "worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again" (v.23). He has received thirty-nine lashes five times. Three times he has been beaten with rods, once he has been stoned, three times he has been shipwrecked and treaded water for a night and a day in the shark-infested Mediterranean Ocean (vv. 24, 25). In fact, his life has been one constant danger (v.26) at worst, and a collosal inconvenience (v.27) at best. Then, on top of it all, he has lived with "the pressure of [his] concern for all the churches" (v.19).
It is in this context that Paul says, "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?" In other words, "there is nothing you have experienced that I don't know something about. I have been there. I have suffered. I have been angry at injustice and the object of injustice. I understand."
This is a bit of a twist on boasting. Usually we hear boasts about successes. Here we read boasts of failures, hardships, and deprivations. Paul has paid the price. And who is going to object to that kind of boasting?
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