2 Corinthians 11:28 Commentary and Bible Study

This was a unique responsibility given only to an apostle – the care of all the churches. Prophets also had a ministry to all the churches, but it was not the same as the ministry of care given to an apostle. All other church officers, whether pastors, ruling elders, or deacons were appointed to one single local church via the vote of the people. But apostles were appointed directly by Christ and they were appointed over every local church, not just one. No church voted an apostle into office, but they were appointed by divine authority. An apostle had a heavy responsibility and Paul took this extremely seriously. He had to be so concerned for the churches: the heretics (as in the case of Corinth) getting in and upsetting the teaching; the behaviour of minorities of people that were spoiling the church and had to be corrected; the persecution of Gentiles – churches that were disrupted because their men were being thrown out of their jobs, because they wouldn’t worship idols, the idols of the trade guilds; the persecution of the Jewish community; the death of leaders, the need to send people to very young churches to teach them; and the many, many questions that were asked, such as we see reflected in 1 and 2 Corinthians.There were very many churches. There were those in the great metropolitan areas, which the apostle had brought about through his evangelisation, and then there were the churches that they had founded in their turn, as well as churches planted by others who Paul sent. There were so many and he had the care and concern of them all.