Neal Pollard
There are incentive programs, like frequent flyer, cash back, and membership, which reward people for patronizing their business or services. They find ways of recognizing the customer or client to try and ensure their continued loyalty. Such perks are positive reinforcements, motivation for continuing that allegiance.
The apostle Paul is defending his apostleship by pointing to his unparalleled battle scars in service to Christ. To answer unnamed critics among the Corinthians, Paul lists at least 27 distinct difficulties and sufferings as a servant of Christ (2 Cor. 11:23-28). Paul repeats two words in the list, moved by the Holy Spirit, making them significant rather than redundant. The first is the word “perils,” repeated eight times in verse 26 to show how constantly he faced danger to proclaim the good news. Yet, it is a subset of the other word in this context. That’s the word “often” (the NKJV does the best job of consistently translating the original word).
πολλάκις (pollakis) ia an adverb that simply means “many times, again and again, constantly” (Swanson, DBL Greek). Other versions may say “frequent” or “many” (NASB, ESV) or “again and again” (NLT). All these words point to more than an isolated incident. Paul repeatedly faced these ordeals to share his faith.
He faced death often (23). Some of the incidents and circumstances he mentions no doubt put him face to face with death, whether the floggings, certainly the stoning, or the shipwrecks (23-25). While none of these things “moved him” to avoid his mission (Acts 20:24; Phil. 1:21-24), each of them obviously left their mark on his psyche.
He faced perilous journeys often (26). The missionary journeys alone required modes of travel in the ancient world that often proved deadly. Shipwrecks were common place, armed robbers on highways ever-present, and encounters with men whose belief systems were challenged and rebutted frequently endangered the man on his mission. Hitting the road or the waterways promised threatening circumstances “often.”
He faced sleeplessness often (27). That despite the “labors more abundant” (23), the “weariness and toil” (27). Surely, his lodging left much to be desired, but how often did he go to bed and wake up with sobering matters on his mind. Have you ever found sleep difficult when something weighed on you? Paul often found himself unable to go to sleep, though the rigors of a new day stared him in the face.
He faced fastings often (27). As a devout Jew, Paul had voluntary fasting in his background. We have examples of Pharisees like the one in Jesus’ parable who fasted twice every week (Luke 18:12). Yet, in a parallel list (6:5), he refers to being “in hunger.” Was Paul speaking of all fasting here, deliberate and involuntary? Many of the other sacrifices, including prison, may have brought him face to face without basic necessities.
What an example of a living sacrifice (cf. Rom. 12:2)! Before becoming a Christian, he “often” punished Christians (Acts 26:11). After His conversion, he was often punished for being a Christian. Paul challenges us to examine our own lives. What do we “often” face for living our faith? It need not be physical assault. But it should move me to share often, study often, worship often, serve often, pray often, visit often, encourage often, and defend Him often! Something describes our “oftens.” May it be God-honoring, as Paul’s were.
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