9 For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.
11 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless;
12 and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;
13 when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
V. 9 - “God has exhibited us apostles last of all” - God called the prophets in “the old days”. But the people did not listen or obey. “But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.” (Zech. 7:11-12)
God send His Son to proclaim peace and salvation with God. But the people did not listen - they crucified Him. “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36) Jew or Gentile - both rejected the gift from God. See: “but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness” (1 Cor. 1:23) The end for those who rejected Him will not be pretty. “And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.” (Rev. 11:8) They did not just turn their backs on Him, they killed Him.
God has called the apostles to spread the gospel of forgiveness and love through His Son, Jesus Christ. As Paul said earlier in this letter, “servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.” The apostles and missionaries are not received any better than the prophets or the Messiah.
“Spectacle to the world” - Paul includes the fact they (Paul, and others) face opposition, including being jailed and executed (See: “condemned to death”). The apostles are not sneaking about in secret. They are proclaiming Christ publicly. Paul spoke to kings and religious leaders. He spoke to the learned scholars of the world in Athens. He spoke with the power leaders of Rome. He is out there, speaking for Christ in the spiritual and earthly realms.
V. 10 - “We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ” - Paul speaks of the mercy of Jesus Christ in order to be true to his calling. In the face of intense opposition and hatred, Paul preaches Christ. It would seem foolish to put yourself out there in danger. You can almost hearing people saying to Paul, “Are you nuts!?”
Paul has praised their prudence in Christ. This does not mean they are hiding their faith, huddled in the basement. It means they have listened and responded. They have not rejected Christ as did the religious leaders. Their prudence and wisdom is demonstrated in their faith.
“We are weak, but you are strong” - Paul is encouraging them to be faithful. He may appear to be weak because he is constantly persecuted. They have strength beyond their understanding because they have the Lord. Our strength in the Lord is dependent upon the amount of trust we are willing to place in Him. There is no need to rely upon our own will power to succeed in our spiritual life. That is the paradox we live in - the life and power of the Lord is ours, but we bumble along, trying to tough it out.
“We are without honorr” - (you are distinguished) - Again, more encouragement. In this case, Paul is building them up, while claiming no honor for himself.
V. 11-13 - “Hungry... thirsty... poorly clothed... roughly treated... homeless” - A litany of the trials and tribulations of being an apostle! He is not complaining, but pointing out he is not traveling by corporate jet, being chauffeured in a stretch limo, making his missionary headquarters in a Hilton hotel suite.
“We toil... work, when we are reviled... blessed, when we are persecuted... endure” - In spite of those things arrayed against his ministry, his mission, Paul is still at work.
“Slandered... conciliate, scum of the world, dregs...” - He knows what the world, the non-believing world, thinks of him. What the world thinks is of little import, because it is what the Lord judges that matters. Paul is not thumbing his nose at the world, but is remaining faithful to the call given him.
He is not denigrating his call as an apostle or missionary, but is letting them know what he goes through to remain faithful to that call. We whine and complain about the disrespect and disdain the secular world around us shows to Christians. Paul did not face just a bad attitude towards him. He faced persecution and death. We need have an attitude more like Paul.
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