2 Corinthians 11:30-33 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.
Paul comes to the end or at least takes a pause in his catalogue of suffering. Verse 30 sounds more literal than the ironic boasting of the above verses. This is an honest answer the real Paul speaking now. If he boasts, it is only to show his weakness in order to show God’s grace and strength. Paul is not trying to put himself on a pedestal of honor. His list of suffering actually is a sign of shame in the eyes of the world. The world honors people who look beautiful and have power, position, and wealth. In our day, the “celebrities” are those from Hollywood and the media who have all of these worldly qualities. Our news is full of such stories, everyday, relentlessly lifting up people like this. Paul takes the opposite route, the one of shame before the world. But in doing this, he himself steps out of the picture so that the grace of God in Christ can be seen. Thus, Paul’s suffering is a testimony. Not many people see their suffering as a testimony, although once in a while we hear of stories like this.
Often when Paul steps aside, puts away his pride and position, and confesses his weakness or sin, he ends up with a testimony of praise (example in 1 Timothy 12-17). This verse is a form of simple doxology with the phrase “blessed forever.” He does similar here in how he begins v. 31 with a long description of God as the “Father of the Lord Jesus.” This key phrase shows several things. One is the crucial connection between Father and Lord. Two is that Paul even mentions Jesus here without the title Christ. He may be thinking of Jesus’ suffering. The Father of Jesus took care of Jesus while on earth and in suffering and death. This Father will also take care of his children through the suffering and even death.
This idea of God’s protection leads Paul to recall his earliest days when he had to escape Damascus. This may be the incident Luke recounts in Act 9:23-25, or at least a similar situation. This episode left a big mark in Paul’s mind that he would bring it up here specifically in this list. The key word is “escaped.” Although God is not specifically mentioned in vv. 32-33, with v. 31 coming immediately before, it is a safe conclusion that Paul attributes this escape to the hand of God. King Aretas was in charge of Damascus at the time. The governor was given instructions to watch for Paul. The ways of escape was to be let down from a window in the wall. This must have been traumatic, especially if this was immediately after Paul’s vision on the road to Damascus. This would have been the first major test of faith through suffering.
This chapter offers a strong message for 1) those who are experiencing suffering for their faith and 2) those who are specifically involved in ministry in response to the call of God. Few people have to experience the extent of Paul’s suffering, but there are still believers today who put their lives at risk every day for being a follower of Jesus. The darkness does not like the light. If the world hated Jesus, it will hate us as well. In the midst of our suffering and questions of “why is this happening to me?” we can put our trust in God’s grace to sustain us through this suffering. If this suffering comes to the point of death, we can have the assurance of resurrection. Even in those times of discouragement, when things are not going very well, we can look for God’s way out. God will give us the Holy Spirit to bring encouragement and shows us the way of righteousness.
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