DOUBT THE TEACHER. WEAKNESS AND POWER.
2Corinthians 13.1-14
Why some in Corinthian church questioned and have doubts about legitimacy of Paul and his companions concerning the Word of Christ? Corinthians themselves know that they have no other teachers except Paul and his companions? So, why they still questioning legitimacy of Paul, or they questioning Christ as GOD?
Paul started here (verse 1) from the Commandment of the Law of Moses: "Every fact is to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses." (Deuteronomy 17.6, 19.15) (Numbers 35.30) (Matthew 18.16) (John 8.17) (2Corinthians 13.1) (Hebrews 10.28).
In this case if the Corinthians looking for the "proof of Christ" (verse 3) existence, this make perfect sense, because no one except Paul and his companions did not preach Christ first to Corinthians, so, Paul and his companions are perfect witnesses, more than two or three, who testified about Christ and made their claims legit.
If Corinthians seeking proof of Christ in Paul: "Who speaks in me," (verse 3) this is very strange doubt, because Corinthians know about Christ only from Paul and his companions and from no one else. So, how they now doubt Paul who first spoke to them about Christ and brought them to Christ with His Gospel? It does not make any sense. If not for Paul, Corinthians would still worship their numerous Greek gods and bow to their idols like any other pagan worshipers.
Paul visited Corinthians already two times (verse 2) and promised to visit them and a third time (verse 1 and 2Corinthians 13.14). In verse 10 it seems that Paul losing some patience with them and promised them that then he will come to them (a third time) he will not use severity in accordance with his authority as the Apostle of Christ.
Paul cleverly using word "weakness" applying it first to Christ to show His physical weakness that led Him to the cross and comparing His physical mortal weakness to our own mortal physical weakness as mortal human beings.
But from physical mortal weakness always comes the Spiritual Power of GOD, meaning that if Christ died in His mortal physical weakness He is resurrected by the Power of GOD His Father in His Spirit continue live as Eternal Life forever. In other words, Christ overcome His physical weakness by the Spiritual Power of His GOD Father (4).
Now, in verse 5, Paul applying the same formula and to Corinthians, making them understand that they are also weak in their flesh and also very weak in their Spiritual attribute - the Faith, and without Faith they cannot gain the Spiritual Power of GOD for their resurrection into Eternal Life as it happened with Christ.
In verses 5-6 Paul call this notion also as a Test, and urged Corinthians to Test themselves if they have true Faith in Christ and in him - Paul and warned them not to fail the Test of their Faith (6). The point of all of these is this, how anyone can believe in Christ if they do not believe those who delivered them the Message of Christ?
In following verses Paul trying to convince Corinthians that he and his companions speak only truth about Christ and nothing but truth. Paul let Corinthians know that not he or any one else from his companions approved and install themselves and their teachers, but they are approved by GOD Himself, and this should put all doubts and arguments about them to rest (7-8). This resonates previous statement of Paul concerning self-approved and self-exaltation of people.
2Corinthians 10.18
18. "For, not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends."
In verse 9 Paul called himself and his companions as weak, means physically weak, because they able to do things only so far according to the power of their physical flesh, but at the same time called Corinthians, "but you are strong." Paul meant strong in Spiritual Faith in order to be complete in Christ as His disciple and follower.
This comparison and contrast between weakness and the Spiritual Power of GOD recalls the Statement of GOD mentioned in previous chapter.
2Corinthians 12.9
9. "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, power is perfected in weakness.' (KSB, NRSV). Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, that the power of Christ may dwell in me."
~ 9. "for My strength is made perfect in weakness." KJV, NIV, ESV, Gideons, Russian.
"My grace is all you need, for My power is greatest when you are weak." GNB.