In Search Of Truth, 2 Corinthians 11:7-15

In Greek culture at this time, teachers and philosophers were expected to receive payment from patrons. It was considered disgraceful by the upper-class Greeks for a teacher to teach for free and perform manual labor for a living. Although Paul received support from other churches, he did not ask for support from the Corinthian or surrounding Achaean churches. He also helped create income for himself by making tents. (Acts 18:3)

Because money has been abused by church leaders in some cases, we can tend to think that Pastors should not be paid, should be paid very little, or that they are somehow more holy if they do not accept payment. But you may remember that, by contrast, Paul taught that teachers should be paid.(1 Cor. 9:6-12) So why was Paul not taking payment from the church in Corinth?

Paul responds to the accusation that he was doing wrong by preaching for free.(v.7) He even recognized that it was not the normal expectation by saying that he was "robbing" the churches that were supporting him even though it was the Corinthians who were benefiting.(v.8) But he preached for free for just that reason: To benefit the Corinthian church. To avoid being a financial burden to them.(v.9) He also wanted to differentiate himself from the many false teachers in Corinth who were abusing their status for financial gain.(2 Cor. 2:17) And Paul emphatically stated that he would continue to be able to say he took no payment from Corinth or the surrounding Achaean region.(v.10)

So what about Pastors today? Should they be paid or should they volunteer? We've looked at this issue before, so there's no need to exhaustively treat the issue here. But based on the teachings of Paul we've looked at so far and his behavior here, we can say that paying Pastors is right and should be the norm. Some Pastors may choose not to take payment or may be paid very little, but this should only be true when it is of spiritual benefit to those being taught. Once a congregation has grown enough in number and maturity to provide financial support of any kind for their pastor, they should do so.

Verse 11 implies that the Corinthians doubted Paul's love for them, or that his love was being brought into question by some. There are a couple possible reasons for this. The first is that the upper-class Corinthian Greeks would have been embarrassed that their teacher was not "professional" enough to accept payment. To them, Paul may have seemed uncaring about their honor. Another possible reason is that Paul was being inconsistent with the expectation he himself established regarding the payment of preachers. We've already seen that Paul's consistency was being brought into question. (2 Cor. 10:10) To their minds, perceived hypocrisy in teaching might also indicate insincerity in Paul's love for them. In either case, Paul denies insincerity, saying that God (if no one else) knows that Paul genuinely loves them.(v.11)

Paul also commits to continue teaching without pay from them so that he can keep the false teachers from gaining equal footing with him in the eyes of the Corinthians.(v.12) And doing this was so important to Paul because these other teachers that were gaining a voice with the Corinthians were teaching them false ideas and were deceitful about themselves and their motives! (v.13)

Paul is a great example and inspiration to us in his behavior here. He was making financial sacrifices and looking bad to others so that he could serve those who were calling his character into question. If that isn't a sentence describing the lives of so many good Pastors, I don't know what is! Why not send a quick e-mail to your Pastor and thank them for all the ministry they do that we get to see, and for the private pains they endure that no one sees? I served as a Worship Pastor for only two years, but I can tell you from even that small amount of experience, it would mean a great deal to them and be a wonderful encouragement to help them through the week.

Paul observes that it makes perfect sense for these false teachers in Corinth to portray themselves as genuine teachers of truth. This is the very nature of Satan himself.(v.14) And those who follow him will often follow a similar pattern in their teaching.(v.15)

But were these false teachers really serving Satan, as Paul says?(v.15) One does not have to worship Satan or even believe in his existence in order to serve his agenda. Jesus told some religious leaders that they were following the desires of the devil and that he was their father! (John 8:39-44) Although they had convinced themselves that they were among the spiritually elite worshipers of God, they were actually servants of Satan without even realizing it.

I had a friend in high school who subscribed to a particular religious view based on a subjective spiritual experience that he'd had. When I asked him how he knew that experience was given to him by God, he said that he would have known if it was from an evil source. He would have "sensed" it. (Though he dodged being specific regarding how he could know that he would accurately sense something like that.) The truth is that false ideas can and do often come to us in ways that seem right and good and are spiritually moving. But this is the way Satan operates. So we need something other than our feelings or spiritual senses to determine what is true and what is false.

This is why Paul worked so hard to validate his teaching. The word of God has proved its reliability again and again. It not only fulfills the needs of the heart, but also stands up to the harshest intellectual criticism. It provides the most effective "screening technique" for evaluation of experiences and ideas.

Next Week- Paul's Suffering

Coffee House Question- Do you feel comfortable with the idea of Pastor's being paid for their work? Why or why not?