That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
Gill thinks the Apostle meant to say that he had authority to be sharp and strongly corrective—and chose not to be. Barnes thinks he’s much more “threatening” than that. Barnes believes Paul implied that he’d been used of God to rain down miraculous judgments in the past, that he could and would do it again, and therefore had no need to be sharp and critical in his letters.
I lean more in the direction of Gill on this. After pastoring over 40 years, and having had occasion to exercise authority, preach boldly, stand for truth, direct the church in doctrinal matters, and at times correct, rebuke, and discipline—I find myself, in this season of life, to be more about letters than leadership.
On those occasions when I do preach, it’s not with the responsibilities—and therefore not with the authority—of the pastor. Many people don’t understand that difference. It’s why, especially among young believers, there’s often a gravitation toward evangelists and missionary preachers. They don’t realize that what appeals to them is the absence of pastoral authority. These men often preach excellent messages, but they do not carry the heavy burden of oversight and responsibility. They will not give an account of their ministry in the same way a pastor will.
These days, I spend most of my time with letters—books, blogs, reading and responding to comments on my material, mostly from people I’ll never meet this side of eternity. I have no authority over them, and they have no restraint in their responses. There’s no good to be done by trying to “terrify” anyone with my letters.
I choose instead to be faithful to the truth as I understand it, close to my Lord in my relationship, and friendly to all men, as best I am able.
#LettersNotLeadership #TruthWithoutTerror #FaithfulWithoutAuthority #MinistryInSeason #PastoralPerspective
The Weight Behind the Words: Not to Terrify, But to Testify
Paul chose not to terrify by letters, though he had the authority to do so. Why? Because true leadership isn’t about flexing power—it’s about faithfulness to Christ and love for His people.
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