Not a Burden to You 2 Corinthians 12:16

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth, “ I will very gladly spend and be spent for you;

though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved”, and in chapter twelve and verse sixteen of Second Corinthians, Paul told the church members, “I did not burden you” where we read:

But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

The verse begins, “But be it so, I did not burden you:” Paul began with the word, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just written “” “be it so” or “let it exist that”, “I did not burden you” which means “Paul did not press down with an imposing weight, weigh down or impose upon the church members”. Even though Paul was “spent” for them, he did not “impose” himself upon the church members.

The verse continues, “nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.”. Paul added the words, “nevertheless” which means “notwithstanding, nay, rather and moreover”, “being crafty” or “beginning to be skillful and clever”, “I caught you” which means “Paul took, claimed, procured, laid hold of and seized the church members” “with guile” or “in craft, deceit and as a decoy”. Paul used “skillful” methods to catch the church members in their “deceit and craftiness”.

When we consider these words of Paul, we see how he did not back away from calling the church members out concerning their “deceit” with him. Though he was “spent” for them, they were “crafty” toward him. Jesus Christ desires truth to be within His church, and as a leader, Paul exhorted and rebuked the church members in Corinth for their “guile”. Christians must not be “a burden” to one another nor should they be “deceitful” with one another. Thank God through the Holy Spirit, He is able to clean and perfect any of these areas He deems lacking.

Next time Paul asks the church members, “Did I make a gain of you”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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