Author: Rev. Lek Aik Wee

2 Corinthians 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

Fasting brings the soul to an undistracted frame for worship and prayer. The Apostle Paul was in fastings often, putting aside the task of having to prepare and eat a meal so as to free the time and the body to a continual period of prayer and devotion to God. In the work of the gospel, fasting renders the soul to a higher consciousness of mental alertness and focus.

Daniel fasted that he may obtain wisdom to understanding God’s will for His people – Daniel 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

2 Corinthians 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

A sober reminder once again the true picture of Christian service. There is much to suffer for Christ’s sake. It fact, a study of the life of Christ will show us this truth. Jesus was born in a lowly manger. There was no room in the inn for his parents to lodge when He entered human history. King Herod was after His life.

Referencing 1 Corinthians 4:11, the Apostle Paul’s words were reflective of Christ’s ministry – Jesus said in Matthew 8:20 …The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

It must have come as an anti-climax to His followers. You mean this Great Master Who did all this wonder, did not even have a house to stay and have to be in the streets. The scribe did not directly accept nor yet flatly reject Jesus. Jesus’s words must have kept the scribe thinking. If he had wanted to follow Jesus because he is attracted to the power and prestige of healing, the power to cast out devils, to be the follower of a popular Master like Jesus is now, then he better think twice because He did not even have the basic comforts in life. He had no place of His own. In John’s gospel we are told that every man at the end of the day went unto his own house (John 7:58) but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, sleeping under the stars in prayer to the Father. It was a hard life.

2 Corinthians 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

There were many instances when he needed to rest but the demands of the gospel work piles in incessantly like the waves on the seashore so that he had to endure sleeplessness to see to the completion. Sentry work requires the watcher to be on the alert lest the enemy overtakes by surprise. A sleeping guard will endanger the camp whose well-being hinges upon his skill in watching. It is especially critical during the wearisome periods of the duty when the body’s alertness is put to the ultimate test.

The gospel work is a supernatural work that comes with it a supernatural enabling when it is God’s purpose to accomplish His holy purpose. As such, the servant of God is given the assurance that the grace of God that is sufficient to the task assigned. What consolation and encouragement.

2 Corinthians 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

There are much weariness and painfulness in the work of the ministry. Whether they are physical afflictions or emotional anguish, the Lord allowed His servants to partake of the afflictions of the gospel. The Apostle Paul truthfully recorded these afflictions so that God’s people may be prepared for such testings in the work of the ministry. It seemed here the afflictions could have been so acute yet the Apostle Paul did not flinch or give up. The Lord’s grace was the great enabler. There was overcoming in the way he presented these sufferings.

Isaiah 40:28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

It was the Lord and His presence and power that made all the work possible. As he said in Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. God not only energise the heart, providing the wisdom, but God also was with him in the doing, renewing his strength and providing for him the power to be refreshed and increaseth his strength to endure and overcome.

2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

A frightening prospect yet a reality in the local church – Persons who joined themselves to the Church, pretending faith in Christ, but intending to act as spies, hoping to get some matter of accusation against him. He no doubt suffered much also from apostates. [Clarke]

It is the Holy Spirit that reveals to His servants the false brethren perhaps through some giveaway in their actions, words or behaviour. The Apostle Paul was protected from such characters in his ministry work. It saved him from many hard aches that will come later if these were not exposed at critical moments.

2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

Chadwick correctly said, “Service of Christ is a warfare in which, of necessity, many wounds must be received. Well is it for us if we can regard these wounds as “trials” from a Divine source for some good purpose.” The dangers of a traveller, perils that must first be overcome before any good work can be done to reach the cities to preach the gospel. It would have been most probable to perish in the wilderness yet the Lord preserved him through all these perils.

Uninhabited countries through which he was obliged to pass in order to reach from city to city. In such places, it is easy to imagine many dangers from bandits, wild beasts, cold, starvation, etc. [Clarke]

2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

The Apostle Paul’s ministry began first with his own countrymen in the synagogue of the Jews. When his own people rejected the gospel, he would preach the gospel to the Gentiles. The new churches founded during his missionary journeys will consist of both Jew and Gentile converts. We recall when he was at Ephesus, there were many conversions, these began to put away idol worship and he came into conflict with the manufacturer of these idols whose business were impacted.

This was the account in Acts 19:23-29 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain mannamed Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

The Apostle Paul recounts in short staccato salvos the occupational hazards of an itinerant evangelist. These center around travel, which has always (until recent history) been a risky undertaking. Like most, Paul would have traveled on foot and been subject to cold, heat, dust, mud, and all the vicissitudes of capricious weather. For accommodation, Paul and his traveling companions (he would not have traveled alone, if at all possible) would have relied on the hospitality of local residents, inns, or sleeping in the open, if need be. Horace (65-8 B.C.) describes a journey that involved all three at various points. Though decent lodging could occasionally be found, inns were notorious for bed bugs, rough characters, and promiscuity. Bandits, too, were a perennial threat (Luke 10:35-35), and every precaution was taken to ensure safe passage.¹

This provides some background to the sufferings of the Apostle Paul so that the church in Corinth will make a sanctified choice to receive him and reject the false apostles. It is a plea from God’s servant to not spurn the grace and blessing of God. The psalmist warned in Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.