The Corinthians were guilty of judging by appearances. They were too easily taken in by the persuasive charms of the false apostles. We need to be wise, and not to take everything at face value.
So Paul calls on the Corinthians to look more closely at his life. Paul had been accused of being bold in his writing, but timid in reality. We need to be aware that acting in a Christian spirit can sometimes be construed as weakness. Paul warns them that they would be mistaken to make such an assessment. He was being patient with them, giving them the chance to repent, a chance that most of them took.
It is the same with God. Often when He seems to be slow in acting, what He is actually doing is giving people the chance to repent (2 Peter 3:9,10).
The false apostles compared themselves to each other and commended themselves. They are foolish to do this. Jesus is the only standard by which we should compare ourselves. Paul would boast only of what God had given him to do. Paul had spent a considerable amount of time with the Corinthians, so was perfectly justified in speaking to them, and taking an interest in their spiritual development.
It is the Lord's approval alone that counts in the end.
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