Commentary - 2 Corinthians 13:5-10

Bird's-eye view

In this potent conclusion to his severe letter, the apostle Paul turns the tables on the Corinthian church. They had been putting him to the test, demanding proof of his apostolic authority. Now, with pastoral authority and a touch of apostolic irony, he tells them to test themselves. The central issue is not whether Paul is a genuine apostle, but whether they are genuine Christians. The proof of Paul's apostleship was, in fact, their very existence as a church. If Christ was in them, then the man who brought them the gospel of Christ was surely sent by Christ. This passage is a masterful blend of pastoral concern and apostolic authority. Paul's ultimate desire is not to win an argument or vindicate his own reputation, but to see the Corinthians restored to spiritual health and maturity. He wields his authority not as a club to beat them down, but as a trowel to build them up, making it clear that his joy is found in their strength, even if it makes him appear weak or unnecessary.

The logic is straightforward: an authentic faith will produce authentic fruit. Therefore, they should examine the fruit in their own lives. Paul's prayer is that they would pass this test so thoroughly that he would not have to come and use his authority severely. He is willing to be thought of as "unapproved" or as having "failed the test" of a powerful apostle, provided they are doing what is right. His loyalty is not to his own reputation, but to the truth of the gospel. This section serves as a final, urgent call to repentance and self-examination before his impending third visit, a visit that would bring either joyous fellowship or severe discipline.

Outline

Context In 2 Corinthians

This passage comes at the very end of a long, painful, and complex correspondence with the church at Corinth. Paul had been forced to defend his apostolic ministry against the slander of "super-apostles" who had infiltrated the church, challenging his authority and preaching a different gospel. The entire letter is a passionate defense of the nature of "authentic ministry," which is characterized not by worldly power and flash, but by cruciform weakness and the power of God. Having laid out his case, Paul now delivers his closing argument and final warning. He has already stated that on his third visit, he will not spare those who persist in sin (2 Cor 13:2). The call to self-examination in verse 5 is therefore the last opportunity for the Corinthians to set their house in order before the apostle arrives in person to exercise church discipline. This section is the calm before a potential storm, a final appeal for repentance so that his visit might be for edification and not destruction.

Key Issues

The Test is the Gospel

When Paul tells the Corinthians to examine themselves to see if they are "in the faith," he is not encouraging them to engage in morbid, introspective naval-gazing. This is not a call to hunt for some mystical inner feeling or to rack up a sufficient number of spiritual brownie points. The test is objective, and the standard is the gospel itself. The question is simple: Do you recognize that Jesus Christ is in you? This is not a matter of subjective feeling but of objective reality. Christ dwells in His people by His Spirit. The evidence of His indwelling is not a perfect life, but a life oriented toward Him in faith and repentance. Do you believe the apostolic gospel that Paul preached? Do you trust in the crucified and risen Christ for your salvation? Are you at war with your sin? If the answer is yes, then Christ is in you. The test is not to see if you are good enough, but to see if you are resting in the one who is good enough. The Corinthians were looking for a "proof" of Christ in Paul, and Paul tells them the ultimate proof is Christ in them. If they have the real thing, they should be able to recognize the one who delivered it to them.

Verse by Verse Commentary

5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed you fail the test?

Paul turns the inspection back on the inspectors. The Corinthians, prompted by the false apostles, had been putting Paul on trial. He now summons them to the witness stand. The command is sharp and direct: Test yourselves. The word is the same one used for assaying metals, to see if they are genuine. The standard is "the faith," which means the body of truth that constitutes the gospel. Are you holding to the apostolic doctrine? Then he says, examine yourselves! The issue is not Paul's legitimacy, but their own. The central question of this self-examination is whether they recognize the objective reality of Christ's indwelling presence. This is something a true believer should know. It is not some esoteric, hidden knowledge. If Christ is in you, there ought to be evidence. The alternative is stark: "unless indeed you fail the test." The word for "fail the test" is adokimos, meaning disapproved, disqualified, or reprobate. If Christ is not in you, then you are not a Christian at all, no matter how many church potlucks you have attended.

6 But I hope that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test.

Here is the gentle apostolic irony. Paul hopes that in the course of their own self-examination, it will dawn on them that he and his companions are not adokimos, not reprobates. Why? Because the proof of the planter is the fruit. If they find that they themselves are genuine believers, how could the one who brought them the gospel be a counterfeit? Their faith was the seal of his apostleship (1 Cor 9:2). If they pass the test, it necessarily implies that he passes it as well. His confidence is not arrogant; it is rooted in the gospel's power which he has seen at work in them.

7 Now we pray to God that you do no wrong, not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved.

This verse reveals Paul's true pastoral heart. His primary desire is not his own vindication, but their sanctification. He prays that they would "do no wrong." He wants them to be living righteously. And the motive is crucial. He does not want them to clean up their act simply so that he can look good when he arrives, so that his ministry "appears approved." He wants them to do what is right for its own sake, because it is honoring to God. He is so committed to this that he is willing to appear "unapproved" himself. What does he mean? If they all repent and get their lives in order before he comes, he will not need to come with a rod of discipline. He will not get to make a powerful display of apostolic authority. To his critics, this might look like weakness, like he "failed the test" of being a strong leader. Paul says he is more than willing to be seen as a failure in their eyes if it means the Corinthians are walking in obedience.

8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.

This is the foundational principle for all Christian ministry. Paul's authority, his actions, his very life are all tethered to the truth of the gospel. He cannot act in a way that contradicts the truth. He cannot use his authority to punish righteous behavior or to affirm sin. His power is not an arbitrary, personal power; it is a delegated authority that must always serve the truth. If the Corinthians are walking in the truth, then his authority has no "against" them. It can only work "for" them, to build them up. If they are opposing the truth, then he must act for the truth, which means acting against their sin. The truth is the absolute, the non-negotiable. Everything else, including Paul's own reputation, is secondary.

9 For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong. This we also pray for, that you be restored.

Here Paul summarizes the paradox of cruciform ministry. He rejoices in his own "weakness" if it coincides with their "strength." The weakness he refers to is the appearance of having no need to exercise his disciplinary power. The strength he refers to is their spiritual maturity and obedience. This is the opposite of the worldly mindset of the super-apostles, who sought to be strong so their followers would be weak and dependent. Paul wants the Corinthians to be so spiritually robust that he becomes, in a sense, unnecessary. His great prayer is for their "restoration." The word here is katartisis, which means to be made complete, mended, or perfected. It is the same word used for mending nets. He wants to see the torn fabric of their church mended and made whole.

10 For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

This verse explains the purpose of the entire letter, particularly its severe tone. He is writing sharply now so that he will not have to act sharply when he arrives. The letter is the warning shot. It is the tool he is using from a distance to bring about their restoration, so that when he is present, the visit can be one of joy and fellowship. He reminds them one last time about the nature of his authority. It is "from the Lord," not self-appointed. And its purpose is fundamentally positive: "for building up and not for tearing down." Even the act of discipline, of "tearing down" strongholds of sin, is ultimately for the purpose of building up the church in holiness and truth. Tearing down is sometimes a necessary part of building up, like clearing a foundation, but it is never the end goal. The goal is always a strong, healthy, and restored church.

Application

This passage puts the responsibility for spiritual health squarely on our shoulders. It is easy to become spiritual consumers and critics, sitting in the pews and evaluating the sermon, the music, or the pastor's leadership. Paul's admonition is timeless: stop testing the preacher and start testing yourself. The primary question for every Christian is not "Is my church good enough?" but "Is Christ in me?"

Healthy self-examination is not a descent into a swamp of subjective feelings. It is an objective look at our lives in the light of Scripture. Do we believe the gospel? Do we confess Jesus as Lord? Is there evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in us, producing a hatred for our sin and a love for righteousness? This is the test. If we find that we are "in the faith," then we should have a corresponding respect for the means God used to bring us there, including the faithful ministry of the Word.

Furthermore, this passage is a profound lesson for anyone in a position of leadership. True spiritual authority is never for self-vindication. It is for the truth. It rejoices when others are strong, even if it makes the leader look weak or unnecessary. A good father wants his son to be stronger than he is. A good pastor wants his congregation to be so mature that his job gets easier. The goal is always to build up, to restore, to mend. We must be willing for our own reputations to suffer if it means that the church is strengthened and the truth of the gospel prevails. Our ultimate loyalty must be to the King, not to our own petty kingdoms.