They loved to brag about themselves and their credentials (2 Cor. 10:12; 11:22ff). They were most likely Jewish (2 Cor. 3:1-11; 11:22ff), and they may have claimed to have authority from the Jerusalem church itself. It wasn’t uncommon for false teachers to claim to have authority from the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:24; Gal. 2:12). Indeed, they showed up to Corinth with “letters of commendation” (2 Cor. 3:1) intended to usurp leadership authority from the true apostles (2 Cor. 10:15-16) or at least to place themselves on par with them (2 Cor. 11:12). It’s possible that they called themselves “super apostles” (2 Cor. 11:5; 12:11 NLT), or perhaps this was Paul’s sarcastic term to describe them.
They accused Paul of being aggressive in writing, but not in person. To borrow a modern expression, Paul was “all bark and no bite.” Paul writes, “You think I am timid in person and bold only when I write from far away” (2 Cor. 10:1 NLT). Later, he writes, “Some say, ‘Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!’” (2 Cor. 10:10 NLT). This would’ve been an easy accusation to make against Paul, because he travelled frequently, and he had recently changed his travel plans. The false teachers likely leveraged this to make Paul look like a weakling.
They taught a false gospel (2 Cor. 11:4). Indeed, Paul considered them “false apostles” (2 Cor. 11:13). Paul compares their deceit with Satan himself (2 Cor. 11:3, 13-14). They were abusive leaders, taking advantage of the Corinthians (2 Cor. 11:20-21).
They accused Paul of being deceitful (2 Cor. 6:8; 12:16). This would’ve placed the Corinthians in a bind: Paul is calling these men liars, but they are calling him a liar. Whom could they trust? Paul was preparing a trip to Corinth to confront these men personally (2 Cor. 13:2; cf. 2 Cor. 10:2, 6, 11; 12:20-21). Garland summarizes the situation well, “The guilty parties did not accept his discipline passively. His bold rebukes caused them to lose face and sparked deep resentment. They counterattacked by impugning his motives, methods, and person to undermine his authority in the church. The result: some members continue as avid supporters of Paul, some waver, and some comprise a determined element of resistance to his leadership.”[]
James is an elder at Dwell Community Church, where he teaches classes in theology, apologetics, and weekly Bible studies.
