Did Paul boast?
When I read these scriptures at age 16 or so, I did not like Paul much either. I kept reading them through my late teens and twenties, still no seeing what was there. Recently, I read them again and saw something quite different. There's more preceding these that give even more 'weight' to what I saw, but I'll start here. The verses are from various translations because I looked at several to verify the meaning and could not always remember which one I had used previously. The
italics are my attempt at a paraphrase. Maybe this will help.
2Co 11:16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
Don't think of me as a fool. But if you do, take what I'm saying as the words of a fool so I can boast a little too (like those mentioned in preceding verses). 2Co 11:17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
What I'm about to say, I don't say it like the Lord would have us talk, but foolishly like the boasting I've been talking about for two chapters now. 2Co 11:18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
2Co 11:19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
Since others seem to glory in their flesh, I'm going to do it too--speaking as a fool. You enjoy their boasting, being, of course, so very wise yourselves. 2Co 11:20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
You put up with it if a man brings you into bondage, or eats you for lunch, or takes from you, or exalts himself, or smacks you on the face. 2Co 11:21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
I'm talking to you about disparagement as if we had been the ones doing it. But if they dared to do it, then let me do it too, speaking as a fool. 2Co 11:22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
Did they tell you they were Hebrews? Well, so am I (truly). Are they Israelites? Me too (truly). Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I (truly). The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, Who is blessed for the eons, is aware that I am not lying. I am ALL these things, and you are not. How's that for some disparaging?
2Co 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more;
Are they ministers of Christ? (Remember...I'm speaking as a fool. I've already called them false apostles, fraudulent workers, being transfigured into apostles of Christ. 2Co 11:14,15 And no marvel, for Satan himself is being transfigured into a messenger of light. It is no great thing, then, if his servants also are being transfigured as dispensers of righteousness - whose consummation shall be according to their acts.
Well, I AM a minister of Christ doing an imitation of their boasting.
in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
2Co 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
2Co 11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2Co 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
2Co 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2Co 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
2Co 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
2Co 11:30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
I've been through an awful lot in the course of ministry. If I'm being forced to 'glory', then I'll glory about my weaknesses.2Co 11:31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, Who is blessed for the eons, is aware that I am not lying.
Do you think it's a remote possibility that just perchance those false apostles, and fraudulent workers are?2Co 11:32 In Damascus the ethnarch of Aretas, the king, garrisoned the city of the Damascenes, wanting to arrest me, "
2Co 11:33 and I am lowered in a wicker basket through a window through the wall, and escaped his hands."
That time I got away. 2Co 12:1 If boasting must be, though it is not expedient, indeed, yet I shall also be coming to apparitions and revelations of the Lord.
If I'm still being 'forced' to boast, though it's not easy to keep this up, let me tell about visions and revelations of the Lord.2Co 12:2 I am acquainted with a man in Christ, fourteen years before this, (whether in a body I am not aware, or outside of the body, I am not aware - God is aware) such a one was snatched away to the third heaven. "
2Co 12:3 And I am acquainted with such a man (whether in a body or outside of the body I am not aware - God is aware)
2Co 12:4 that he was snatched away into paradise and hears ineffable declarations, which it is not allowed a man to speak. "
2Co 12:5 Over such a one I shall be boasting; yet over myself I shall not be boasting, except in my infirmities.
Snatched away...got that? Nothing to 'boast' about being 'snatched away'. I'll speak of him as if he wasn't me. The 'me' that's writing to you I won't boast about, except about my weakness.2Co 12:6 For if I had a desire to take credit to myself, it would not be foolish, for I would be saying what is true: but I will not, for fear that I might seem to any man more than he sees me to be, or has word from me that I am.
If I ever had the desire to boast, I wouldn't be talking nonsense. I'd be telling you what is true about these things. But I won't boast for fear I would be making myself seem to be something a man can't tell by watching me or reading me.2Co 12:7 And because the revelations were so very great, in order that I might not be overmuch lifted up, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, one sent from Satan to give me pain.
2Co 12:8 And about this thing I made request to the Lord three times that it might be taken away from me.
2Co 12:9 And he said to me, My grace is enough for you, for my power is made complete in what is feeble. Most gladly, then, will I take pride in my feeble body, so that the power of Christ may be on me.
The revelations were so great...got it? 2Co 12:10 So I take pleasure in being feeble, in unkind words, in needs, in cruel attacks, in troubles, on account of Christ: for when I am feeble, then am I strong.
2Co 12:11 I have been forced by you to become foolish, though it was right for my praise to have come from you: for in no way was I less than the chief of the Apostles, though I am nothing.
You've made me talk this way, acting like an idiot bragging on myself. It's good to hear YOU say good things about me, however, because when I was with you, I was not less than the chief of the Apostles, even though I'm nothing.Paul spoke as a fool--imitating those "false apostles and fraudulent workers" to differentiate himself (AND the Chief of the Apostles, for that matter) from them. I have been around long enough to know that some 'universalists' think they are all the same. If you think they are all the same, then you do not know what the gospel of the kingdom is--the same gospel preached (and lived) by Christ, Paul, Peter, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Jude.
Here's some required reading, I believe.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html What is the Gospel of the Kingdom?
So did Paul boast? Concerning himself, I think only when he was doing an imitation of those who did.