Why did Paul refuse to water down his message to something that tickles people's ears?
Paul refused because a message designed to tickle ears would be watered down, adulterated, corrupted, and cheap. He was not a hawker selling suspect goods. He insisted on handling God's word without deceit, manifesting the truth and giving the real thing.
Les explains that Paul would not water down his message with something that would tickle people's ears or merely make them feel good. That kind of approach would have been an adulteration and a corruption. The Greek idea behind "corrupt" in verse 17 pictures a street salesman or hawker whose goods are suspect because they are adulterated. Paul says he is not like those people and is not coming with something corrupted, adulterated, or cheap; he is coming with the real thing. In verse 2 he says they do not handle the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth. Les also notes that truth can be elusive, yet searching the Scriptures brings it out, as people who checked the Book found they had been under false teaching.
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
More Questions
Did Paul soften his preaching to make people feel good?
Paul did not water down his message with something that would tickle people's ears or merely make them feel good, because that would have been an adulteration and corruption of the message.
What did Paul say about the kind of message he came with?
Paul distinguishes himself from hawkers of corrupt goods, saying he does not come with something corrupted, adulterated, or cheap but with the real thing.
What does Paul mean by saying he did not come with a product likened to wine watered down with water?
Paul's image of not coming with watered-down wine means he did not present an adulterated, diluted version of the Word of God.
Who are the people Paul had in mind when he said he was not like the many who corrupt the Word of God?
The false teachers described in Jude are the kind of people Paul had in mind when he said he was not like the many who corrupt or hawk an adulterated product, and Paul's point was that he was bringing the real thing.