Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
This word “filth” means “dirt, garbage, rubbish”. The Greek word describes “the most abject and despicable men”. This was how the apostles were treated by those whom they sought to win for Christ and others who opposed their good work.
The apostles were maligned, wrongly accused, framed and suffer shame and yet they continued to bear it and were willing to suffer it. God was with them. They understood the gospel mission. They were willing to go through all suffering that the gospel might be advanced.
The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Philippians while he was in prison in Rome. He wrote, Philippians 1:12-14 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; 14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. He requested the church in Philippi to support him in prayer that God’s grace may abide and strengthen him not to give up but to persevere amidst imprisonment.
The apostles suffered reproach, scorned, being criticised in an abusive and angrily insulting manner for the gospel’s sake. Yet, retaliated not. This was Christ’ lot on earth. Isaiah’s prophecised of the fierce persecution that came against Jesus in Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. The disciples of Christ followed in His footsteps of suffering. Like Christ, the apostles did not fight back but suffered wrong.
When the Apostle Paul first came to Corinth, he worked as a tent-maker for his subsistence and preached in the synagogue on the Sabbath.
Luke wrote in Acts 18:1-4 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
The Apostle Paul speaks concerning the challenge of the gospel work whereby in his travelling and also his ministering, he experiences both hunger and thirst for the gospel’s sake. He is not writing in self-pity but rather he is highlighting the work of the gospel is hard work, self-sacrificial work. It has to roll up his sleeves and be about the Lord’s business in the nurture and care of God’s flock.
The Apostle Paul shared of the physical abuse that he experienced in the work of the gospel. He used the word “buffeted”. It means “to strike with the fist or being treated roughly”. The contention between light and darkness, between the Word and the World, is so great that God’s servants face incarceration for sharing the gospel.
Having no certain home to go back to in the night, the Apostle Paul lived as a missionary for many years carrying the message of the gospel to foreign lands. He came to Corinth, the gospel was preached, souls saved, the church began there!
Jesus saw that their faith was not genuine. They were not committed so much to follow Him as Lord or to do the work of the gospel but they are there for the prestige. The scribe was quick to declare his allegiance to Jesus but he did not count the cost of discipleship. Following Jesus involves self-denial, sacrifice and possibly even possibly being homeless. Jesus tested his true loyalty. He was loyal to his own comfort. He was not willing to pay the pace for his faith. He merely wanted to add excitement to his life, to have the prestige of following a popular leader. It was a self-centred objective that our Lord exposed.
The Apostles of Jesus Christ suffered much persecution for Christ’s sake. They willingly suffered fools that the gospel might be proclaimed and souls saved. He contrasted their suffering with the high honour that the Corinthian Christians seemed to be enjoying.
This is not the time to boast when the Apostles’ life is on the line. William MacDonald observed well, “He pictures them as thrown into the arena with wild beasts while men and angels look on. As Godet has said: “It was not time for the Corinthians to be self-complacent and boasting, while the church was on the throne and the apostles were under the sword.”