🏆 2 Corinthians 12:9 | Boasting in All the Wrong Things

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Happy Wednesday, {{first_name | everyone}}!

Today, we’ll learn a little bit about Corinthian culture through one archaeological example. Then, it’ll be clear why the point Paul makes in 2 Corinthians 12:9 was so counter-cultural.

In today’s email…

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But he ____ to me, “__ _____ is __________ for you, for my _____ is ____ _______ in ________.”

_________ I will _____ all the more ______ of my __________, so that the _____ of ______ may ____ upon __.

2 Corinthians 12:9

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God does answer our prayers, just not always in the way or timeline we expect or want.

Our memory verse starts with 5 words that confirm this (“but he said to me”) — Paul’s prayer was actually ‘answered’ even if he did not get what he wanted.

The idea that Paul is talking about in 2 Corinthians 12:9 would have been counterintuitive to the church in Corinth.

This city of Corinth valued social standing and status very highly. It was a Roman colony obsessed with climbing the social ladder.

One tangible example we have is the limestone ‘Erastus Inscription’ (from around the same time 2 Corinthians was written), found near the Corinthian theatre.

The Erastus Inscription is a large stone inscription found near the theater in ancient Corinth.

It says that a man named Erastus, a city official, paid for paving a public area of the city with his own money.

The inscription publicly recorded both his office and his gift, placing his name before the people of Corinth.

And while we don’t know whether this Erastus was the same Erastus Paul mentions in Romans 16:23, it gives us a concrete picture of life in Corinth: important citizens could gain public recognition by funding projects that benefited the city.

Paul uses two contradicting ideas twice to build our memory verse:

Based on what we know about the culture from literature and archaeology, it makes sense why Paul made this point so strongly.

Many Corinthians cared greatly about social standing, status, and success. (Remember the “super apostles” from Monday?)

In his earlier letter, Paul already introduced the upside-down way of God:

In the typical Roman Corinthian worldview, this made no sense.

Weakness was associated with shame and failure - not honor, strength, and power.

Our memory verse is Paul’s way of explaining that worldly status is not equal to power in God’s Kingdom.

Many of us will agree that in some ways, modern culture is not much different from the city of Corinth. The way of God is still…very contrary to the way of the world around us.

🤔 Reflect

Search your own heart today:

Where do you place your measure of success or power? In your bank account? Investment portfolio? Job performance? How well your children are doing?

🏃‍♂ Act

The next time you are tempted to boast — to yourself, a friend, or a coworker — pause and remember 2 Corinthians 12:9. Boast not in your own strength or accomplishments, but in your dependence on Christ and his sufficient grace.

🙏 Pray

Father, help me to not find my hope and reason for boasting in anything other than you. You are strongest when I realize that it’s okay to be weak. Please fill me with power by your Holy Spirit to be a witness who lives your way in all I do. Amen.

Here are a few resources to help you dig deeper into our memory verse and its themes:

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But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:9