2 Corinthians 11:15 - Paul and the False Apostles
It is not surprising, then,
Paul is addressing the Corinthian church, warning them about false apostles. The phrase suggests that the behavior of these false apostles is expected, given their alignment with Satan. This reflects the broader biblical theme of spiritual warfare, where deception is a common tactic of the enemy (Ephesians 6:12).
if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.
The "his" refers to Satan, who is described earlier in the chapter as disguising himself as an angel of light. This deception is a recurring theme in Scripture, where false prophets and teachers appear righteous but lead people astray (Matthew 7:15). The term "masquerade" implies intentional deceit, echoing the serpent's deception in Genesis 3. The cultural context of Corinth, a city known for its diverse religious practices, would have made the church susceptible to such deceit.
Their end will correspond to their actions.
This phrase underscores the biblical principle of divine justice, where individuals are ultimately accountable for their deeds (Galatians 6:7-8). The "end" refers to the final judgment, a consistent theme throughout Scripture, where the righteous and the wicked receive their due (Revelation 20:12-15). This serves as both a warning and a reassurance to believers that God will ultimately vindicate His truth and righteousness.
Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of 2 Corinthians, addressing the church in Corinth. He is concerned about false apostles misleading the believers.
2. False Apostles
Individuals who are deceitfully presenting themselves as true apostles of Christ, leading believers astray.
3. Corinth
A major city in ancient Greece where the church Paul is addressing is located. Known for its diverse culture and moral challenges.
4. Satan
Referred to earlier in the chapter as one who disguises himself as an angel of light, setting the context for the deception by his servants.
5. Servants of Righteousness
Those who falsely present themselves as righteous, but are actually serving Satan's purposes.
Teaching Points
Discernment is Essential
Believers must be vigilant and discerning, recognizing that not everyone who claims to be a servant of righteousness truly is.
Examine the Fruits
Just as Jesus taught, the true nature of a person is revealed by their actions and the fruits they produce.
Guard Against Deception
The church must be on guard against false teachings and those who distort the gospel for their own purposes.
Accountability and Consequences
There is a divine accountability for actions, and those who masquerade as righteous will face consequences that align with their deeds.
Spiritual Warfare Awareness
Understanding that deception is a tool of spiritual warfare, believers must equip themselves with the truth of God's Word.
(15) If his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness.--The words seem to point to one of the special characteristics of the Apostle's rivals. They represented themselves as the preachers of a righteousness which was, they asserted, neglected in St. Paul's teaching. They claimed the authority of one who was known as James the Just, or Righteous, and who had insisted emphatically on the necessity of a righteousness showing itself in act. They presented themselves as a kind of revival of the Chasidim, or righteous ones. (See Note on Acts 9:13.) It may be noted that the latter developments of the same school, as seen in the Clementine Homilies and Recognitions, present, in the midst of much that is both false and malignant, an almost ostentatiously high standard of morality.
Whose end shall be according to their works.--What the works were is stated, or implied, in 2Corinthians 11:20. Hero he is content to rest on the eternal law of God's government, that what a man sows that shall he also reap. The abruptness with which the next verse opens indicates that here again there was a pause in the dictation of the letter. After an interval--during which, led by the last words he had spoken, his thoughts had travelled to the contrast between their works, of which they boasted so loudly, and his own--he begins again, half-indignant at the necessity for self-assertion which they have forced upon him, aware that all that had been said of his "insane" habit of "commending himself" was likely to be said again, and yet feeling that he must once for all remind the Corinthians of what he had done and suffered, and then leave them to judge between the rival claims.
Verse 15. - Whose end shall be according to their works. Whatever their fashion (schema), they shall be judged, not by what they seem, but by what they are, as shown by their works. Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
[It is] not
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.
surprising,
μέγα (mega)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3173: Large, great, in the widest sense.
then,
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.
if
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.
his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
servants
διάκονοι (diakonoi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1249: Probably from an obsolete diako; an attendant, i.e. a waiter; specially, a Christian teacher and pastor.
masquerade
μετασχηματίζονται (metaschēmatizontai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3345: From meta and a derivative of schema; to transfigure or disguise; figuratively, to apply.
as
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.
servants
διάκονοι (diakonoi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1249: Probably from an obsolete diako; an attendant, i.e. a waiter; specially, a Christian teacher and pastor.
of righteousness.
δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosynēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1343: From dikaios; equity; specially justification.
[Their]
ὧν (hōn)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.
end
τέλος (telos)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5056: (a) an end, (b) event or issue, (c) the principal end, aim, purpose, (d) a tax.
will correspond to
ἔσται (estai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.
their
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
actions.
ἔργα (erga)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2041: From a primary ergo; toil; by implication, an act.
Links
2 Corinthians 11:15 NIV
2 Corinthians 11:15 NLT
2 Corinthians 11:15 ESV
2 Corinthians 11:15 NASB
2 Corinthians 11:15 KJV2 Corinthians 11:15 BibleApps.com
2 Corinthians 11:15 Biblia Paralela
2 Corinthians 11:15 Chinese Bible
2 Corinthians 11:15 French Bible
2 Corinthians 11:15 Catholic BibleNT Letters: 2 Corinthians 11:15 It is no great thing therefore if (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)