Not Inferior to Chief Apostles 2 Corinthians 11:5

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth they “might bear with” someone “that comes” “preaching another Jesus, whom we have not preached”, and he added, “or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted”. In chapter eleven and verse five of Second Corinthians, Paul told the church members that he was not inferior to,“the very chiefest apostles” where we read:

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

The verse begins, “For I suppose I was not a whit behind ...” Paul began with the words, “for” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “I suppose” or “Paul reckoned, counted, computed and calculated” “I was not a whit” which means “Paul was not at all” “behind” or “come late or tardily, fallen short to reach the goal or end”. Paul was not inferior to that which he is about to declare.

The verse goes on to say, “... the very chiefest apostles.” Paul added the words, “the very chiefest” which means “greatly and exceedingly beyond measure of” “apostles” which refers to “the delegates, messengers and ones sent forth with orders”. Paul considered himself “equal to” the “very best messengers sent forth by Jesus”.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we see how he did not think himself to be “behind” any of the “apostles” who were sent out by Jesus. The “apostles” were considered “great” in the kingdom of God, and Paul felt like his position aligned with them. Jesus Christ sent people to present and share the gospel, and Paul was among the “chief apostles” who ever lived.

Next time Paul tells the church members how he was, “rude in speech, yet not in knowledge”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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