Paul makes it clear that he is a direct descendent of Abraham with the claim of the false apostles being that that they were Jews who were superior to the Jews and Gentiles of Corinth. It is Paul's contention by his own example and life that no one in serving the Lord is better than anyone else.

Further, Paul refutes the claims of the false prophets that they are even servants of Christ. Indeed, the consideration of the nature of his ministry and its cost to him in suffering will show that he is more Christ's servant than any or all of them.

When Paul says, 'often in danger of death', he means this literally, for the sufferings he mentions here and in the verses following were indeed life-threatening. In fact, as you will see following, the stoning that Paul received some scholars believe actually killed him; then, he was raised from the dead, and that is the subject of the 'Vision' Paul recounts in Chapter 12: 1-5.

Eight floggings are mentioned here, five at the hands of the Jews and three at the hands of the Romans, who used rods; these beatings by the Romans took place despite the fact that Paul, being a Roman citizen, was legally protected from such beatings. The 'forty stripes minus one' was instituted to avoid breaking the Law's limitation as recorded in Deuteronomy 25:3.

Paul indicates that he was stoned. Stoning was a form of Jewish execution. People who were condemned to be stoned, were indeed condemned to death. The stoning continued until the person was dead, or believed to be dead. If one looks back in Acts 14:19 which tells of Paul's stoning, we see that the Jews, '...having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.' Clearly, there were perhaps hundreds of people stoning Paul and kept stoning until they believed him to be dead. However, the very next Scripture indicates: 'However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.' Many scholars believe that Paul was describing this near death experience in 2 Corinthians 12:2-5. It is possible that when Paul rose up and went into the city, he was actually raised from the dead. At the very least, he was miraculously healed.

Paul continues to list his afflictions and perils, including shipwrecks, actually stranded in the ocean, robbed, hunger and thirst, no adequate clothing, and many other things which he does not list here. Paul was in constant danger and hardship almost daily.

Lastly, Paul makes the important point of his concern for all the Churches, not just Corinth. He had a deep association and identification with any and all the Churches. So closely did Paul identify himself with them that he felt the weakness of any member as his own weakness. If anyone was led into sin, Paul himself burned with indignation against the person responsible but also experienced the shame of the offense and longed for the restoration of the one who had stumbled. He cared.

Rather than boasting of his own strength and looking with contempt on those who are weak or who stumble, Paul identifies with them in their hurt.

Finally, Paul makes it clear his weakness opens the way for him to experience the superabundant strength of God's grace. Therefore, his boasting in its entirety, unlike that of the false prophets, is not in what he has done but in what God has done.