What does 2 Corinthians 11:28 mean?
"Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches." - 2 Corinthians 11:28
2 Corinthians 11:28 from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible reads, "Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches." This verse is a part of a larger passage in which the apostle Paul is defending his apostolic authority and ministry to the Corinthian church, addressing the challenges and hardships he has faced in his mission to spread the gospel.
This verse reveals the overwhelming responsibility that Paul feels for the churches under his care. It speaks to the weight of pastoral ministry and the burden of caring for the spiritual well-being of others. The phrase "that which cometh upon me daily" indicates that Paul's concern for the churches is a constant and ongoing reality in his life. This verse also suggests that this burden weighs heavily on Paul, as he speaks of it in terms of "care" or anxiety.
The theme of pastoral care and responsibility is one that runs throughout the New Testament, as Jesus himself taught his disciples to care for and feed his sheep (John 21:15-17). In Paul's letters, we see a deep concern for the spiritual growth and well-being of the churches he has founded, as well as a recognition of the challenges and pressures that come with this responsibility.
The context of this verse is important for understanding its significance. In the preceding verses, Paul recounts a list of sufferings and hardships he has endured in his ministry, including beatings, imprisonments, and shipwrecks. He contrasts these physical sufferings with the daily pressure of his concern for the churches. This juxtaposition emphasizes the emotional and spiritual toll of pastoral ministry, as well as the personal sacrifices Paul has made for the sake of the gospel.
In addition to the theme of pastoral responsibility, this verse also carries a broader message about the Christian life. It reminds believers of the call to bear one another's burdens and to care for the spiritual well-being of the church community. The verse also serves as a reminder of the challenges and struggles that can come with leadership and service within the church.
Symbolically, Paul's daily burden for the churches can be seen as a representation of the weight of the gospel and the spiritual welfare of believers. It speaks to the deep love and concern that Paul has for the churches under his care, as well as the sacrificial nature of his ministry. This burden can also be seen as a reflection of the burdens that all believers may carry as they seek to follow Christ and care for one another in the context of Christian community.
In conclusion, 2 Corinthians 11:28 is a powerful and poignant reminder of the challenges and responsibilities of pastoral ministry and the Christian life. It reflects the deep concern and sacrificial love that Paul has for the churches under his care, as well as the weight of the gospel and the spiritual well-being of believers. This verse serves as an encouragement and exhortation to all believers to bear one another's burdens and to care for the spiritual welfare of the church community. It also reminds us of the personal sacrifices and challenges that may come with leadership and service within the church.
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2 Corinthians 11:28 - "Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches."
"Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches." - 2 Corinthians 11:28
1 Corinthians 11:28 - "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup."
2 Corinthians 11:11 - "Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth."
2 Corinthians 6:11 - "O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged."
2 Corinthians 2:11 - "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."
2 Corinthians 11:14 - "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
2 Corinthians 11:5 - "For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles."
2 Corinthians 11:13 - "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ."
2 Corinthians 11:19 - "For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise."
2 Corinthians 11:29 - "Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?"
2 Corinthians 3:11 - "For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious."
2 Corinthians 11:24 - "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one."
2 Corinthians 11:27 - "In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness."
2 Corinthians 11:33 - "And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands."
2 Corinthians 11:8 - "I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service."
2 Corinthians 11:10 - "As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia."
2 Corinthians 11:17 - "That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting."
"Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth." - 2 Corinthians 11:11
"But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." - 1 Corinthians 11:28
2 Corinthians 11:30 - "If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities."
2 Corinthians 11:1 - "Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me."
2 Corinthians 11:32 - "In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:"
2 Corinthians 11:31 - "The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not."
2 Corinthians 9:11 - "Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God."
2 Corinthians 8:11 - "Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have."
2 Corinthians 11:22 - "Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I."
2 Corinthians 2:8 - "Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him."
2 Corinthians 11:15 - "Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
2 Corinthians 13:11 - "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."