You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us. Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves.
2 Corinthians 2:17-3:2
There is a continuing refrain through out the Corinthian letters relating to Paul and his team and the “super apostles”. He has indicated before this that others are questioning their apostleship. What right do they have to be apostles. (1 Cor 2:1-7 4:1-10, 9:1-6ff, 2 Cor 11:5, 12:11) Clearly there were a group of other “super apostles” who were claiming apostleship and rejecting Paul as an apostle for various reasons. In this context Paul writes something amusing by asking if he needs a letter of recommendation from them to them. What? Yes you read it right, a letter of recommendation from the Corinthian church for the Corinthian church acknowledging Paul as an apostle. That’s ridiculous! That right Paul’s point exactly. Why would they need letters of recommendation when the Corinthians themselves know them so well and are in fact proof of Paul’s apostleship on the basis of all that has been accomplished among them. This segment indicates the crazyness of what was going on among the factions and interest groups following different leaders.
Paul said “we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.” Clearly from what Paul said in 1 Cor 9 these “super apostles” were demanding money. Paul says we don’t peddle the Word of God for profit.
- (AMP) For we are not, like so many, [like hucksters making a trade of] peddling God’s Word [shortchanging and adulterating the divine message]
- (ASV) For we are not as the many, corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity,
- (CEV) A lot of people try to get rich from preaching God’s message. But we are God’s sincere messengers,
- (GNB) We are not like so many others, who handle God’s message as if it were cheap merchandise;
- (GW) At least we don’t go around selling an impure word of God like many others.
- (ISV) At least we are not commercializing God’s word like so many others.
- (KJV) For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God:
- (LITV) For we are not as the many, peddling the Word of God;
- (MKJV) For we are not as many, hawking the Word of God;
- (MSG) No–but at least we don’t take God’s Word, water it down, and then take it to the streets to sell it cheap.
- (Murdock) For we are not like others, who dilute the words of God;
- (NASB) For we are not like many, peddling the word of God,
- (YLT) for we are not as the many, adulterating the word of God,
Like many other verses which appear confusing when we compare the versions, there is depth in the meaning behind this text which is brought out when comparing the versions. The sense of what Paul is saying is all of the above. The word καπηλευοντες, from καπηλος, a tavern keeper, signifies acting like an unprincipled innkeeper; notorious for adulterating the wine, mixing them with liquors of no worth, that thereby they might increase their quantity; and thus the mixture was sold for the same price as the pure wine. The word is used in Isa 1:22, “Thy wine is mixed with water” signifying the false prophets and corrupt priests who adulterate the word of God, and render it of none effect, by their explanations and traditions. The word has been used, both among the Greeks and Latins, to signify a prostitution of what was right and just, for the sake of gain.
Paul is saying these other super apostles are profiting from preaching the Word to you as well as mixing it with false truth. We are on the other hand are preaching the Word with God’s authority. This is clear to you if you really think about it. You see and know the quality of what we have done among you. So ask yourselves for a letter of recommendation on our behalf!
Isn’t it interesting? Not much has changed. The same thing is true today. Many attack Paul’s teaching today. When people encounter hard challenging sayings or things offensive to their pride or personal habits they either water down the teaching or launch attacks on the teacher. Enough said.
Anyone who will lie or steal FOR you will also lie and steal FROM you.
Louis Goldblatt
When people FEAR losing an argument due to weak logic or incompetence, they begin to attack you personally with FULL emotion.
Rick Warren
It’s not enough to rage against the lie. You’ve got to replace it with the truth.
Bono
It doesn’t matter how gifted you are, if you’re not trustworthy God cannot use you.
Bob Gass