Should Paul be glorified for his ministry?
No, Paul should not be glorified for his ministry. Everything that happened to him was for the sake of others, so that abundant grace through many thanksgivings might resound to God's glory, not Paul's. He was a common human being whom God saw fit to use, and all was to bring glory to the God of heaven.
Les explains that Paul's ministry and sufferings were not for his own exaltation. In 2 Corinthians 4:15, everything that happened to Paul was for the sake of the Corinthians, so that the abundant grace might, through the thanksgiving of many, redound or resound to God's glory, not Paul's. Les stresses, "We don't elevate Paul to glory." Paul was just a common human being like the rest of us, whom God saw fit to use. The purpose was always to bring glory to the God of heaven. Les then continues in verses 16–18: for this cause we faint not; though our outward man perishes, the inward man is renewed day by day; our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. We look not at the things seen but at the things not seen, because the things seen are temporal and earthly, not heavenly.
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
More Questions
Should Paul be elevated or glorified in the way we read his writings?
Paul is not to be elevated to glory, because he was just a common human being like the rest of us whom God saw fit to use.