2 Corinthians 13:1-4 – Strength under control

Paul, in these verses, prepared the Corinthians for his third visit. The first visit was his original mission. His second, as we have already discovered, was a painful one. Now that he was about to visit them a third time, he forewarned them concerning what he would be doing.

In 2 Corinthians 2:10, his opponents had claimed that he was weak when face to face but bold when absent. He now declared that he won’t be timid when he comes but would exercise stern discipline. He quoted the principle laid down by Deuteronomy 19:15 that says “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.” Here Paul was applying the principle to all his visits. The apostle had already made two visits to Corinth. He was now about to make his third visit, one that he would see as the equivalent of the third witness. While this Deuteronomy principle refers to two or three persons testifying on a matter, it had also been taken that three warning visits by the same person was regarded as three witnesses. This seems to fit the context better. Paul had already personally pointed out the sin of some people in his second visit. In verse 3, he now gave advance warning concerning the stern disciple he would exercise when he arrived if they still would not repent.

Apparently, some of the Corinthians were asking him to act sternly to prove that he was an apostle and that Christ was speaking through him. They could have insinuated that if Christ was in Paul, the apostle would have acted powerfully because Christ was powerful. Pointing to what the Corinthians failed to see, Paul told them that Christ had acted with self-control. He was not aggressive toward the people and even allowed the people to crucify Him. That was seen as weakness. This is human evaluation. But as far as Christ was concerned, that was God’s power demonstrated in love. Man might have estimated Christ as weak but in reality he was demonstrating the power of God.    

The Corinthians needed to see proof that Christ was speaking through Paul by the demonstration of power. They already had proof of that. Like Christ, Paul had acted in meekness and gentleness toward them. That was how Christ wield his authority and power under control. They failed to see that he was giving them time to respond and grow. However, he was about to discipline those who had not and would not change on his third visit.

Time and again God would give us time to change and act and to amend our flaws. The grace God accords us should not be taken for granted. It must not be misunderstood as His condoning of our compromise. Ultimately, God would have to ensure that we act for the better. When we are unwilling, God would allow painful experiences to help us make up our mind. That’s only because He truly loves us.