2 CORINTHIANS 10 STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
2 CORINTHIANS 10:1-6
10:1 Paul replies to the changes of his opponents: far from being weak, he is extraordinary strong: But strength is spiritual warfare sometimes appear as weakness to the world: The meekness and gentleness of Christ is sometimes communicated in a lowly or humble fashion, and sometimes boldly-(see vv. 10, 11):
10:3: In the flesh refers to fallen human nature:
10:4-6: The battlefield of spiritual warfare includes entrenched spiritual fortresses-(strongholds), human reason-(arguments, v. 5), human and angelic powers-(every high thing that exalts itself), ideas-(thoughts), and the will-(obedience): Our weapons include the Cross, prayer, and the Word of God: Both our thoughts-(v. 5) and our actions-(v. 6) are to be submissive to Christ: The Church is God's fortress, marching against the strongholds of disobedience:
PAUL'S AUTHORITY IN CHRIST
2 CORINTHIANS 10:7-11
10:7-8: Some teachers in Corinth had claimed a special knowledge of or an esoteric relationship to Christ: Paul here counters their claim by boasting somewhat more of his authority-not because he wants to boast-(2 Corinthians 11:1, 16-19; 2 Corinthians 12:1, 11), but because the boastfulness of his enemies must be shown to be not only empty, but ruinous for those who believe them:
THE SPHERE OF LABOR
2 CORINTHIANS 10:12-18
10:12-18: Paul's opponents had stepped into his sphere-(v. 13) after he had evangelized and established the church in Corinth: They then claimed they were responsible for raising up this church and commanded themselves-(v. 18) for doing so:
2 CORINTHIANS 11 STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN
PAUL PREACHES THE TRUE GOSPEL
2 CORINTHIANS 11:1-6
11:1-3: Paul compares the reality of the New Covenant to the Garden of Eden, where Christ is Adam and the Church is Eve, and where Satan is up his same craftiness-(v. 3): Paul's desire is to present a pure Church, a chaste virgin-(v. 2), to Christ at the Second Coming:
11:4-6: The first element of a chaste virgin-(v. 2) is the purity of orthodox doctrine: Not human persuasiveness-(v. 6) but apostolic content is important: Paul is a part of the apostolic college-(v. 5), which continues in line with the original twelve apostles:
SERVING OUT OF LOVE
2 CORINTHIANS 11:7-15
11:7-12: Pure doctrine is taught out of pure motives: A mark of apostolic authenticity is the refusal of excessive money: The clergy draw their living from the Church, but not to the point of getting rich-(see 1 Corinthians 9:4-18; 1 Timothy 6:3-10; and Titus 1:11): Paul's opponents dared not to make this claim:
11:13-15: Although Satan-(v. 14) imitates the Kingdom of God, telltale signs such as non-apostolic doctrine-(vv. 4-6) and a lucrative ministry-(vv. 7-12) reveal his sham:
PAUL'S RELUCTANT BOASTING
2 CORINTHIANS 11:16-21
11:16-21: The Corinthians thought they were wise-(v. 19) enough to evaluate church leaders: They had become enamored with false apostles who championed themselves using the methods and values of the world, full of outward show and crafty talk: They disparaged Paul, seeing him as a weakling without credentials: As a result they were in bondage-(v. 20), defrauded and even brutalized: Paul, playing the devil's advocate, takes up the methods of these false apostles to show them as fools-(v. 19): He satirizes them in hope the Corinthians will thereby see through their charade:
JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN CREDENTIALS
2 CORINTHIANS 11:22-33
11:22-33: Using his opponents' level of argument, Paul lists his Jewish and Christian credentials: if genealogy means anything, which it does to the Jews, Paul has it-(v. 22): If "Christian experience" means anything, no one can compare with him in his sufferings-(vv. 23-27), his compassionate, involved concern for his people-(vv. 28, 29), or even his bizarre adventures-(vv. 30-33):
PSALM 29 (30) STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN
PSALM 29 (30): SPEAKS OF THE RESUURECTION OF CHRIST, Who is The End-(v. 1), and together with Him, the resurrection of the Church: Man's dilemma is the death and decay of his body in the grave-(v. 10) and the dwelling of his soul in Hades-(v. 4): As a result, these enemies rejoiced over him-(v. 2), and his life was filled with weeping-(v. 6), trouble-(v. 8), lamentation and sackcloth-(v. 12), and sadness-(v. 13): But through Christ's Resurrection-(lifted me up, v. 2), (1): The Church will be healed-(v. 3), that is, the body will be raised in beauty and power-(v. 8) to immortal life forever-(vv. 7, 13) at "the resurrection of the dead the life of the world to come..."-(Nicene Creed); (2): The souls of the righteous in Hades were brought out from there at His Resurrection-(v. 4); and (3): The Church is filled with praises-(vv. 5, 13), thanksgiving-(vv. 5, 13), great joy-(v. 6), dancing and gladness-(v. 12):
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
"At your highest moment be careful, that's when the devil comes for you."
-Denzel Washington, said that to Will Smith at the Oscars!!!
Spiritual warfare is real and it seems I'm getting my dose of it...I'm pressing forward to do the Will of My Father in Heaven, He is control and He is both the Beginning and the End...What I'm facing is what others have faced before me and have their writings here in the Bible to turn to for my answers!!! Our faith is all about endurance and submitting ourselves to His Will and only
His Will- The Spirit is strong but the flesh is weak!!!
END WITH THE LORD'S PRAYER: WE DEPART IN PEACE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!!!
PEACE BE WITH YOU ALL!!!