Page 17 - PT Winter 2021-2022

Was the Apostle Paul

a cheat and liar?

That’s what the Bible implies...or does it?

hen we read the Bible most of its food from them for his service, only because of his plans to
message seems very clear. But there are cheat them out of money at a later date. They are spreading
Wtimes when we come across a scripture rumours that any money collected under the guise of
that can be quite perplexing and confusing. One helping the poor congregation in Jerusalem will line his
pocket, along with Titus.
of our Plain Truth readers recently asked us to When we reach 2 Corinthians 12, Paul is in the process
explain a problematic verse that’s caused many of writing to the Corinthian church once again. Even
to be concerned about what it’s saying. though he loves the congregation and is glad they repented
The scripture is found in 2 Corinthians 12:16. of their previous wrong behaviour, he now has to address
Using the the New International Version (NIV) these latest charges against him personally.
So, Paul begins to offer his defence, including his right
of the Bible, where the Apostle Paul states: ‘Be to be fed and paid, as any minister should. Yet he didn’t ask
that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, the Corinthians to give him anything. And this is where we
crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!’ come to 2 Corinthians 12:16, where Paul seems to admit
that he’s ‘crafty’.
What? Is this true? It seems as though Paul is admitting But here comes a crucial point. We must understand that
to being crafty and tricking the congregation at when the New Testament was written, there was no such
Corinth, doesn’t it? And to do so would put his whole thing as punctuation. All the scriptures were just a long
Apostleship into doubt. line of text – no commas, full stops, or quotation marks. It
But be assured, that isn’t the case. However, in order is the context of a verse or passage of scripture that must
to understand this verse, we need to delve a little into the determine who is saying what.
background of what has led up to what Paul is saying. In this case, Paul is actually quoting what his accusers are
Paul made his first visit to the Corinthian church in saying, not what he is saying about himself. In other words,
around 54AD. The congregation were happy to receive Paul is writing about how he did not ask for any kind of
him, and it was here, after the Jews rejected his preaching, support for his labours, yet he sarcastically states his accusers
that he turned to the Gentiles (Acts 18:6). Such was his love have claimed he is crafty and deceitful.
and concern for the congregation, Paul stayed in Corinth If we use modern punctuation, the verse would read
for over a year before leaving for Ephesus. correctly if it was written like this:
But although things had gone well in Corinth at the ‘Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet,
time, later reports came back to him that the Corinthian according to them, I’m a “crafty fellow, and I caught you
church had started to engage in improper conduct. He by trickery”’!
learned there were divisions, disagreements, quarrels and Some Bible translations already acknowledge the need
even sexual immorality taking place. As a result, Paul writes to make this verse clearer. For example, the Amplified
a scathing letter to them, telling them to repent and start Bible’s version states: ‘But be that as it may, I did not burden
re-dedicating themselves to Christ. you [with my support]. But [some say that] I was sly and took you
Paul’s letter was a painful lesson to the congregation, and by trickery.’
Titus, who had delivered the letter now returned to Paul The Good News translation says: ‘You will agree, then, that
with the good news that they had sorted out their problems I was not a burden to you. But someone will say that I was tricky,
and were now back on track with following Christ. and trapped you with lies.’
However, this wasn’t going to last. Whilst the issues Paul The New Living Translation translates it like this: ‘Some of
addressed had seemingly been resolved, a bigger problem you admit I was not a burden to you. But others still think I was
had arisen. Other preachers had started to lead the Corinth sneaky and took advantage of you by trickery.’
church and launched a savage attack on Paul. They accused And the English Standard Version writes it thus: ‘But
him of being an ineffective preacher, hard to understand granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say,
and weak in body and mind. and got the better of you by deceit.’
In 2 Corinthians 10:10, Paul is talking about the Adding the correct punctuation makes Paul’s writing
detractors: ‘For some say, “His letters are weighty and very clear. If we read the whole of 2 Corinthians 12, we can
forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking see that Paul is doing exactly the opposite of being crafty or
amounts to nothing.”’ deceitful. He is, in fact, making great personal sacrifices
Their efforts to discredit Paul culminates in a serious in order to be an Apostle of Christ – and he will maintain
allegation. They accuse him of being untrustworthy, crafty, his leadership and authority despite those who try to
tricking the congregation by refusing to take payment or undermine him.

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