The basic assumption underlying this post is that Paul’s 7 letters are authentic mid-1st century CE texts and are adequately intact for detailed analysis.
Therefore I delight in weaknesses (ἀσθενείαις) … for when I am weak (ἀσθενῶ), then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
Weakness is a good thing? In Paul’s letters, that characterization is only found in the Corinthian correspondence. I think I know why. But first some background.
Four closely related forms of the term are used by Paul --- two nouns, a verb, and an adjective (see End Notes). Either some aspect of weakness or illness is an appropriate translation for Paul’s uses of these forms of the term. Of the 42 occurrences of these forms of the term in Paul, 29 are found in the Corinthian correspondence. And of the 13 occurrences found in the other letters, all are used in some negative sense of weakness or illness.
For example in Galatians 4:13-14, when Paul was among the group he suffered from some illness or weakness of the flesh (ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς) and he praised them for not despising or rejecting him because of his condition. In Galatians 4:9, Paul chastised the group for turning again to weak and destitute (ἀσθενῆ καὶ πτωχὰ) elementary principles. In 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Paul admonished the group to encourage the faint-hearted and to help the weak (ἀσθενῶν). And in Philippians 2:26-27, Paul relates that his envoy Epaphroditus had been sick (ἠσθένησεν) and almost died.
The terms have a reasonably wide range of uses. Though some occurrences require a judgement call, overall in the Corinthian correspondence about half of the occurrences of the four forms of the term are spun by Paul to represent some positive attribute, mostly for himself but also a few for his Jesus Christ. (see End Notes for a summary of the occurrences in all the letters)
In Paul, weakness as a positive attribute is a Corinthian thing.
Why would Paul go to such lengths with his Corinthian congregation to make being weak a good thing?
I think a solution can be found within the Corinthian correspondence.
When Paul, Timothy, and Silvanus conducted their evangelizing work among the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 1:19), Paul may have been ill. Or maybe Paul was just acknowledging the impression of him expressed by the congregation ---
And I was with you in weakness/illness (ἀσθενείᾳ), and in fear, and in much trembling. (1 Corinthians 2:3) [See End Notes about the fear and trembling]
Paul received a lot of feedback after his evangelizing visit with the Corinthians before writing the letter 1 Corinthians. Paul heard from Cloe’s group (1 Corinthians 1:11), he received a written response from the congregation (1 Corinthians 7:1), and while in Ephesus he met with 3 members of the Corinthian congregation (1 Corinthians 16:17). And Paul likely also received extensive input and impressions from Timothy after Timothy returned from delivering the letter 1 Corinthians. Apparently, Paul had been informed that the congregation thought he was weak and his speaking contemptible ---
For they say, "The letters indeed are weighty and strong, but the presence of the body is weak (ἀσθενὴς) and his speech contemptible." (2 Corinthians 10:10)
Paul was stuck with being perceived as weak by the Corinthians. And Paul did what he did often did --- put lipstick on a pig. Paul tried to make the best of a bad situation. We can see Paul beginning to defend his weakness and to spin positive aspects in his first letter to the group ---
But God has chosen the foolish things of the world that He might shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things (ἀσθενῆ) of the world that He might shame the strong. (1 Corinthians 1:27)
And Paul continued with the concept of weakness as a positive attribute in 2 Corinthians in chapters 10-13 ---
If it behooves me to boast, I will boast in the things of my weakness (ἀσθενείας). (2 Corinthians 11:30)
Paul used the deity to defend his own weakness --
And He [the Lord] said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness (ἀσθενείᾳ)." Therefore will I boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses (ἀσθενείαις), so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
And because Paul’s Jesus Christ suffered in weakness, Paul claimed that all are weak “in Him” ---
For indeed He was attached to a stake in weakness (ἀσθενείας), yet He lives by God's power. For we also are weak (ἀσθενοῦμεν) in Him, but we will live with Him by God's power toward you. (2 Corinthians 13:4)
In none of his letters to other congregations is the concept of weakness clearly presented in such a manner as a positive attribute. But, since the Corinthians informed Paul that they thought he was weak --- weakness became a good thing.
Certainly Paul’s mixed positive/negative uses of the terms for weakness created contradictions in his letters. But Paul was good at that.
robert j
End Notes:
The Terms ---
The Strong’s number is given for reference, along with the number of occurrences in the letters and the number of uses that are spun in some positive sense ---
Total Occurrences /Number of Positive Uses For Each Strong’s Number
Letters in Order Of Length | 769 --- Noun | 770 --- Verb | 771 --- Noun | 772 --- Adjective |
| Romans | 2/0 | 4/0 | 1/0 | 1/0 |
| 1 Corinthians | 2/1 | 2/0 | 11/3 | |
| 2 Corinthians | 6/5 | 7/5 | 1/0 | |
| Galatians | 1/0 | 1/0 | ||
| Philippians | 2/0 | |||
| 1 Thessalonians | 1/0 |
Fear and Trembling ---
To serve the Lord (God) with fear and trembling may have been a common concept in Paul’s Jewish upbringing ---
Serve the Lord with fear (φόβω), and rejoice in him with trembling (τρόμω). (Psalm 2:11, LXX)
Paul used the phrase in that manner in Philippians ---
… but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear (φόβου) and trembling (τρόμου), for it is God who is at work in you … (Philippians 2:12-13)
But Paul also used the phrase for interpersonal interactions as found in 1 Corinthians 2:3 as cited in the body of the text above.
And oddly (or perhaps not oddly at all), Paul also claimed that the Corinthians had received his envoy Titus with fear and trembling (2 Corinthians 7:15). I suspect the Corinthians were wary of Titus. After Paul had sent Titus on two failed missions to Corinth to garner a collection for the “saints” in Jerusalem, the congregation apparently accused Paul and Titus of trying to take advantage of them and of trying take them by deceit (2 Corinthians 12:16-18).