This is the third time Paul has mentioned some “seafaring” experience, in his relatively short (biographical) “Hardship List!”

Here they are:

He was three times involved in “shipwrecks!”

Then later … he was “a night and a day in the deep,” floating in the ocean! Likely holding onto a buoyant piece of the ship!

And now, he recalls even more …  “perils in the sea!”  2nd Corinthians 11:26

Most Jews had an aversion to the Sea, the Ocean!

They generally had never been an ocean traveling people.

God gave them LAND, not an Sea!

The Promised LAND, it’s called to this day!

Paul only traveled the maritime lanes (about 7,000 miles of them one scholar estimates) in order to preach the Gospel, found Churches, teach God’s Word!

The man was a veritable “sailor!”

And he thus faced many (often) “perils in the sea.”

(I am not even counting Paul’s “in perils of waters,” also included in his list! I figure that means “rivers,” not oceans.)

Surely these “dangers” (“perils”) include the broken ships!

The holding on “for dear life” as he gradually floated to land, to shore!

But maybe not! No one is positive. Paul can tell us more when we get to Heaven.

I know that once there was a “plot” to kill Paul, while sailing to Rome. Read Acts 27:24 here. “And the soldiers’ (the guards on board) counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.”

That sounds “perilous!”

And we know of one more shipwreck in Paul’s life (at least one more), recorded in Acts, when Paul was being “transported” to Rome, having appealed to Caesar. Folks, I mean one more not listed in 2nd Corinthians chapter 11.

Yes, “perils in the sea.”

Plus … who knows? (This list apparently leaves Paul 10-15 more years of life, of serving God! Time for many more “perils!”)

Experiences Paul never forgot!

But these did not frighten the Preacher, Apostle (Paul) from serving the Lord!

He remained faithful.

And do remember this … Paul is using this “list” to refute some back in Corinth who “doubt” he is a real Apostle!

The thinking goes like this … if a man suffers this much for a cause, for Christ Jesus, he SURELY must be sincere!

Yes, Paul’s sufferings (in his mind anyway) prove the sincerity of his faith.

I’ll tell you this much. Paul was no “hireling!” They “run” when danger comes. Jesus taught this in John 10:12 … “But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth.” Paul did not flee!

May we too be “real” in our faith, in our walk with the Lord.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

I checked the Greek word for “wilderness,” spelled “eremia.” It (a noun) is only used in the whole New Testament 4 times! It means “an uninhabitable place.” Or “wasteland.” But “eremia” derives from “eremos” (an adjective) which is found 50 times in the New Testament! With “eremos” similarly meaning “solitary, lonely, desolate.” A few times it is translated “a DESERT place,” still an adjective.

Paul is one of the writers who uses “eremia,” in 2nd Corinthians 11:26 and again (I believe) in Hebrews 11:38. Yes, the Apostle remembers being “in perils in the wilderness.”

In Hebrews 11:38, speaking of the great faithful Believers of ages past. “Of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered in DESERTS (desert places), and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” This fact “touched” Paul’s heart!

Yes, Paul faced “dangers” (likely life-threatening experiences) “in the wilderness.”

When?

We do not know, really, not for sure.

But I suspect it was (at least, partially) when he was gone 3 years to Arabia. Certainly, “desert!” Paul tells us himself, in Galatians 1:17-18 (shortly after he was saved), “Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; BUT I WENT INTO ARABIA, and returned again unto Damascus. Then AFTER THREE YEARS I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.”

Three years, in the desert!

Three years, in the wilderness.

Probably being tutored in the things of God!

Learning the Scriptures, the right way!

Not at the feet of Gamaliel this time, but at the Feet of the Lord Himself! The Holy Spirit being the Divine Instructor!

And there, in school, Paul faced dangers.

Three years!

Plus … though we have no record of any of them … many other incidences (in 15,00 miles of travel, preaching the Word of God) of similar close-calls. In the wilderness, in desolate places. Traveling through the desert, on the way to preach in a distant City?

But … Paul did not quit!

He plodded onward!

He gave evidence (tons of it) of being a genuine soldier of Christ.

An authenticate Ministry of the Gospel.

Yes, Paul was real.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

These events should spur us all … to be more diligent serving our Saviour.

 

Paul wants to tell us that he endured many a hard time, living for Jesus, “in the city.”

I wish we knew more. Did he, for example, mean just one City, which would undoubtedly have been Jerusalem? Or did he instead mean “city,” in the generic sense of the word, “not the country?” Rather, many cities?

Either way, a couple of observations about Jesus’ greatest Apostle need to be made.

First, Paul was a “city” man, by his very upbringing, certainly not the rural “outdoorsman” type.

Listen to a one verse biography of the man, hear his pride of origin. “I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, A CITY IN CILICIA, a citizen of NO MEAN CITY: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.” Acts 21:39

Tarsus, Paul’s Hometown.

And he later moved to Jerusalem, to get an education. A first-class education, I might add. Paul continues: “And I was brought up in this city, Jerusalem, at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.” Acts 21:39, continued.

And Paul visited and preached in such great Cities as Damascus, Antioch (in Syria), Ephesus, Corinth, Athens, Thessalonica, Rome, plus others.

And in nearly all these places … Paul suffered hardships of one kind or another!

Oh, let me again show you our text verse: “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.” 2 Corinthians 11:26, with today’s situation capitalized.

Second, God “led” (guided, directed) Paul to and from these Cities, as the need for his Ministry grew and subsided.

As follows: “And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to JERUSALEM, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and GET THEE QUICKLY OUT OF JERUSALEM: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.” Acts 22:17-18, for the sake of Paul’s safety! Leaving a City, under God’s directive!

Now watch the Lord point Paul toward a certain City! “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, ⁷ After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. ⁸ And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. ⁹ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. ¹⁰ And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.” Acts 16:6-10

The Holy Spirit would NOT let them go to Asia, not yet, verse 6 above.

Nor could they go to a region called Bithynia, with its cities.

Then, while sleeping one night in ancient Troy (Troas) … “There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.”

Macedonia?

Yes, to the critically important cities of PHILIPPI and THESSALONICA!

Where Paul again “suffered” for the work of our Lord!

Wow!

This “Hardship List,” 2nd Corinthians 22-31 (or so), virtually gives us a biography of Paul, his life and his Ministry!

Indeed, early in his Christian life he was told … “how great things he must suffer for Jesus’ Name!” See Acts 9:16, for proof.

Yet faithful, through one crisis after another, Paul remained. He did not quit, ever!

He, after all this, could still write, just prior to his death … maybe only hours … “The time of my departure (death) is at hand. I HAVE FOUGHT a good fight, I HAVE FINISHED my course, I HAVE KEPT the faith.” 2nd Timothy 4:6-7

Amen!

Thank you, Paul.

And thank You, Lord.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

Earlier in Paul’s “hardships suffered for Jesus” list he mentioned being “beaten with rods.” Now in a follow-up comment he adds that he had also experienced many (other) “perils by the heathen.”

That first comment is quite specific, three times so beaten! Or word for word, “thrice was I beaten with rods.” (Only Gentiles beat their prisoners with “rods.” The Jews used a whip with “lashes.”)

But that second phrase above is much more general. “In perils by the heathen,” with the noun “ethnos” being translated “heathen” 5 times in the New Testament. But 93 times “ethnos” is rendered “Gentiles!” And another 64 times, “nations.” Nations other than Israel, in fact.

It clearly seems that unsaved Jews regularly attacked Paul. But with hardly less frequency and determination than the Gentiles did. (And sometimes the two groups worked together, opposing the Gospel!)

The incident with that little “fortune-telling” girl in Philippi serves as a good Gentile-incited example of persecution … directed at Paul and his coworkers. Read this brief account, please. I’ll capitalize the “gentile” markers. “And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us (Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, having now joined Paul and his company), which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: ¹⁷ The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. ¹⁸ And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. ¹⁹ And when her masters (the Jews would have never owned soothsayers like her) saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught (laid hold of, forcefully) Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, ²⁰ And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews (unlike us Gentiles, these “Jews,” being a term of derision) , do exceedingly trouble our (Gentile) city, ²¹ And teach customs, which are not lawful for us (Gentiles) to receive, neither to observe, being Romans (proof for sure). ²² And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. ²³ And when they had laid many stripes (would have only been 39 stripes if the Jews had been in charge) upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor (a Gentile, an employee of the Roman government) to keep them safely: ²⁴ Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.” Acts 16:16-24

And Paul remembers that ordeal, that suffering, that pain, that humiliation!

“In perils by the heathen …”

Another such event (recorded in Acts) occurred at Ephesus. This is nearly a riot, folks! And Paul could have been killed! Had not his “friends” withheld him from entering that arena! And these Ephesians are Gentiles. “And the same time there arose no small stir (commotion) about that way (Christianity). ²⁴ For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana (a Gentile goddess), brought no small gain (money) unto the craftsmen; ²⁵ Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation (a labor union), and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. ²⁶ Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul (a Jew) hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: ²⁷ 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. ²⁸ And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. ²⁹ And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught (seized) Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia (fellow Christians along with Paul), Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. ³⁰ And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered (allowed) him not. ³¹ And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. ³² Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused (mixed up); and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. ³³ And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. ³⁴ But when they knew that he was a Jew (they all being Gentiles), all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” Acts 19:23-34

Paul promptly had to leave town, due to the imminent danger!

“In perils by the heathen, the Gentiles …”

Just two examples, but enough to prove the accuracy of Paul’s memory.

Enough to prove the sincerity and authenticity of Paul’s faith as well!

Many, actually most, “lesser” men would have quit in the face of such difficulty.

But not Paul.

“And let us not be weary in well doing,” he wrote in Galatians 6:9.

He meant it, too!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“Lord, may we be faithful to Thy cause as well.”

 

 

Though there is not an anti-Semitic bone in Paul’s body, he here again (always being starkly truthful) tells us that his own people, the Jews, tried to hurt him again and again, “often.”

Bear this in mind, however. These enemies represent only a small portion of the Jews Paul met in his ministry. A “remnant,” he would have said.

And his love for that Nation was astounding. He would have been willing to die and go to “Hell,” had Israel only seen the truth about Jesus and been saved! Read with me the opening verses of Romans chapter nine. “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, ² That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. ³ For I COULD WISH THAT MYSELF WERE ACCURSED FROM CHRIST FOR MY BRETHREN, my kinsmen according to the flesh: ⁴ who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises.” Wow!

Still, as Paul relates his career of suffering for Jesus he reminds us that often he experienced “perils by mine own countrymen.” 2nd Corinthians 11:26

Dangers (perils), in another word.

The noun “countrymen” is “genos” in Greek. Those whose “genes” (we would say today) are compatible with Paul’s! His blood relatives.

And Paul should know these Christ-hating Jews. He once walked in harmony with them! “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: ⁵ Circumcised the eighth day, of THE STOCK OF ISRAEL, of  THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN, an HEBREW OF THE HEBREWS; as touching the law, a PHARISEE; ⁶ Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in THE LAW, blameless.” Philippians 3:4-6

But long ago now, Paul (who preached salvation by Grace) and those old Jewish “friends” (who preached salvation by the Law of Moses), parted company.

And they have hated him and tried to do him harm ever since!

“Perils by mine own countrymen.”

In fact, Paul’s arrest that led him (as a prisoner) to Rome and ultimate execution (by Nero) … was engineered by a bunch of Jews who sought Paul’s harm.

I wish Paul had obeyed Acts 22:17-18, the voice of the Lord expressed there. “And it came to pass, that, when I was COME AGAIN to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; and saw him (the Lord Himself) saying unto me, MAKE HASTE AND GET THEE QUICKLY NOUT OF JERUSALEM: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.”

Wow!

Paul loved his people!

They (again, some of them) hated him.

He was indeed a minister unto the Gentiles.

But alas, as we shall see tomorrow … they (many of them) hated him too.

Oh, how he endured hardship for the sake of our Lord!

Paul, a “hero” in the faith!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell