2 Corinthians 12:10 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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2 Corinthians 12:10

Comments

The apostle Paul says here, ‘Therefore I take pleasure’ – and he broadens out very quickly from the infirmity, if that’s what his thorn was – ‘in infirmities, [and also] in reproaches [the heavy criticism that comes to him], in necessities [in needs], in persecutions [organised persecution], in distresses for Christ’s sake.’ We may take pleasure in infirmities as long as it isn’t weakness which we have brought on ourselves. If we had liberty to do great and grand things and we didn’t do them; if we just shut ourselves in our little box of a church and made no effort, then there would be no strength in that. But if these restrictions for the sake of Christ have been imposed upon us, then God’s strength will be made perfect in our weakness. So the preaching of the Word – wherever we can preach it; however we can get it out, by print, by broadcast, by any means. We may be shut in to what they call ‘minor channels,’ but they will be the most powerful ones if God blesses. Therefore, we don’t attempt to engage in or to invent gimmicks. ‘For Christ’s sake’ is key. If we are in desperate need, because we haven’t provided, because we have brought the need upon ourselves; if we suffer hostility and criticism, because we are unpleasant and belligerent personalities and we bring it upon ourselves, that isn’t included. Anything we suffer, which is not our fault is borne for Christ’s sake. If you are very ill and it cannot be cured and there is no help for you, now that illness may not have come about because you are a servant of Christ but, however, you may conclude that you are called to bear it for Christ’s sake. It is the means by which you will prove his help to those around you, the strength of Christian character, your spiritual tastes that will sustain you. For Christ’s sake I have this illness to prove him and to serve him. That makes anything a thousand times more bearable.

Application

We have some troubles today, don’t we? And I’m not just talking about individual difficulties but as the people of God we have the fiercest, intellectual persecution that Christians have ever had. We don’t have the physical persecution, not in this land at any rate. We pray for believers who do suffer physical persecution and we must but we have intellectual persecution, cultural persecution in a sense. There are cultural and social barriers and the enemy has cunningly constructed them, so that our gospel is totally unwanted by the people. We have political persecution – limitations are put upon us in so many ways. We are shut out of public media, largely speaking, many, many limitations. And we think, ‘What can we do?’ But God’s strength will be made perfect in our weakness. We can still Sunday School; we can still engage people in the community; we can still visit. We can preach unmolested in our churches and seek to bring the people in. We can preach in the open air and you may say, ‘That is not enough, none of that is sufficient,’ but God’s strength can be made perfect in weakness.

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2 Corinthians 12:10 Commentary and Bible Study