1 Corinthians 12:14: Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a burden to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
2 Corinthians 12:14 begins with Paul’s words to the early Christian church at Corinth indicating that he is preparing to visit them (“the third time I am ready to come to you”).
As an Apostle (2 Corinthians 2:11), Paul made several visits to the early Christian churches to help his brethren understand God’s word and to encourage them to remain faithful to their vows of consecration to God. His attitude was one of service to his brethren, and he emphasized to the Corinthian church that he intended his visit to be a blessing to them, not a burden (“I will not be a burden to you”).
He reinforces this thought by clarifying to them that the purpose of his visit isn’t to take anything from them, but that he is coming to them to help them in their effort to remain faithful to God (“for I seek not yours, but you” – in other words, “I, Paul am not coming to visit you to take any tribute or goods or physical resources from any of you; the only purpose of my visit is to help you in your spiritual progress”).
As he often did, Paul then used an analogy to emphasize his point. It is the role of parents to provide for the welfare of their children, not the other way around (or, as Paul worded it, “for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children”). Paul used this analogy to illustrate that he, as an Apostle, intended to serve his brethren at Corinth, and did not expect, or even desire, the church at Corinth to think they somehow needed to provide or serve him.
Paul’s attitude of concern for the genuine welfare of his brethren and his unselfish and unswerving will to serve them, even at his own personal great cost in time, health, resources, and ultimately his very life, remains a beautiful example for all of God’s followers even in the present day.
