CHAPTER 11
2Co
11:1–33. Through Jealousy over the
Corinthians, Who Made More Account
of the False Apostles Than of Him, He
Is Obliged to Commend Himself as in Many Respects Superior.
1.
Would to God—Translate as Greek, “I would
that.”
bear
with me—I may ask not unreasonably to be
borne with; not so the false apostles (2Co 11:4, 20).
my—not in the oldest manuscripts.
folly—The Greek is a milder term than that for
“foolishness” in 1Co 3:19; Mt 5:22; 25:2. The Greek for “folly” here
implies imprudence; the Greek for “foolishness” includes the idea
of perversity and wickedness.
and
indeed bear—A request (so 2Co 11:16). But the Greek
and the sense favor the translation, “But indeed (I need not wish it, for) ye do
bear with me”; still I wish you to bear with me further, while I enter at large
into self-commendations.
2.
For I am jealous—The justification of his
self-commendations lies in his zealous care lest they should fall from Christ,
to whom he, as “the friend of the Bridegroom” (Jn 3:29), has espoused them; in
order to lead them back from the false apostles to Christ, he is obliged to
boast as an apostle of Christ, in a way which, but for the motive, would be
“folly.”
godly
jealousy—literally, “jealousy of God”
(compare 2Co 1:12, “godly sincerity,” literally, “sincerity of God”). “If I am
immoderate, I am immoderate to God” [Bengel].
A jealousy which has God’s honor at heart (1Ki 19:10).
I
… espoused you—Paul uses a Greek term
applied properly to the bridegroom, just as he ascribes to himself
“jealousy,” a feeling properly belonging to the husband; so entirely does he
identify himself with Christ.
present
you as a chaste virgin to Christ—at
His coming, when the heavenly marriage shall take place (Mt 25:6; Rev
19:7, 9). What Paul here says he desires to do, namely, “present” the Church as
“a chaste virgin” to Christ, Christ Himself is said to do in the fuller
sense. Whatever ministers do effectively, is really done by Christ (Eph 5:27–32).
The espousals are going on now. He does not say “chaste virgins”; for
not individual members, but the whole body of believers conjointly constitute
the Bride.
3.
I fear—(2Co 12:20); not inconsistent with
love. His source of fear was their yielding character.
subtilty—the utter foe of the “simplicity” which is intent on one object, Jesus, and seeks none
“other,” and no “other” and different Spirit (2Co 11:4); but loves him with
tender singleness of affection.
Where Eve first gave way, was in mentally harboring for a moment the
possibility insinuated by the serpent, of God
not having her truest interests at heart, and of this “other” professing friend
being more concerned for her than God.
corrupted—so as to lose their virgin purity through seducers (2Co
11:4). The same Greek stands for “minds” as for “thoughts” (2Co 10:5,
also see on 2Co 10:5); intents of the will, or mind. The oldest
manuscripts after “simplicity,” add, “and the purity” or “chastity.”
in
Christ—rather, “that is towards
Christ.”
4.
if, &c.—which in fact is
impossible. However, if it were possible, ye might then bear with them (see on
2Co 11:1). But there can be no new Gospel; there is but the one
which I first preached; therefore it ought not to be “borne” by you, that the
false teachers should attempt to supersede me.
he
that cometh—the high-sounding title assumed by
the false teachers, who arrogated Christ’s own peculiar title (Greek, Mt
11:3, and Heb 10:37), “He that is coming.” Perhaps he was leader of the party
which assumed peculiarly to be “Christ’s” (2Co 10:7; 1Co 1:12); hence his
assumption of the title.
preacheth
… receive—is preaching … ye are receiving.
Jesus—the “Jesus” of Gospel history. He therefore does not
say “Christ,” which refers to the office.
another
… another—Greek, “another Jesus … a different
Spirit … a different Gospel.” Another implies a distinct
individual of the same kind; different implies one quite distinct in
kind.
which
ye have not received—from us.
spirit
… received … gospel … accepted—The
will of man is passive in receiving
the “Spirit”; but it is actively concurrent with the will of God (which goes
before to give the good will) in accepting
the “Gospel.”
ye
might well bear with him—There
would be an excuse for your conduct, though a bad one (for ye ought to give
heed to no Gospel other than what ye have already heard from me, Ga 1:6, 7);
but the false teachers do not even pretend they have “another Jesus” and a
“different Gospel” to bring before you; they merely try to supplant me, your
accredited Teacher. Yet ye not only “bear with” them, but prefer them.
5.
For—My claim is superior to that of the
false teachers, “For,” &c.
I
suppose—I reckon [Alford].
I
was not—Greek, “That I have not
been, and am not.”
the
very chiefest apostles—James,
Peter, and John, the witnesses of Christ’s transfiguration and agony in
Gethsemane. Rather, “those overmuch apostles,” those surpassers of the
apostles in their own esteem. This sense is proved by the fact that the
context contains no comparison between him and the apostles, but only between
him and the false teachers; 2Co 11:6 also alludes to these, and not to the
apostles; compare also the parallel phrase, “false apostles” (see on 2Co 11:13
and 2Co 12:11) [Alford].
6.
rude—Greek, “a common man”; a “laic”;
not rhetorically trained; unskilled in finish of diction. 1Co 2:1–4, 13; 1Co
2:1–4, 13, 2Co 10:10, 11, shows his words were not without weight,
though his “speech” was deficient in oratorical artifice. “Yet I am not so in
my knowledge” (2Co 12:1–5; Eph 3:1–5).
have
been … made manifest—Read with the oldest manuscripts,
“We have made things (Gospel truths) manifest,” thus showing our “knowledge.” English
Version would mean, I leave it to yourselves to decide whether I be rude in
speech … : for we have been thoroughly (literally, “in everything”) made
manifest among you (literally, “in respect to you”; “in relation to you”). He
had not by reserve kept back his “knowledge” in divine mysteries from them (2Co
2:17; 4:2; Ac 20:20, 27).
in
all things—The Greek rather favors the
translation, “among all men”; the sense then is, we have manifested the whole
truth among all men with a view to your benefit [Alford]. But the Greek in Php 4:12, “In each thing
and in all things,” sanctions English Version, which gives a clearer
sense.
7.
Have I—literally, “Or have I?” Connected with 2Co 11:6, “Or will any of you
make it an objection that I have preached to you gratuitously?” He leaves their
good feeling to give the answer, that this, so far from being an objection, was
a decided superiority in him above the false apostles (1Co 9:6–15).
abasing
myself—in my mode of living, waiving my
right of maintenance, and earning it by manual labor; perhaps with slaves as
his fellow laborers (Ac 18:3; Php 4:12).
ye
… exalted—spiritually, by your admission to
Gospel privileges.
because—“in that.”
gospel
of God—“of God” implies its divine glory
to which they were admitted.
freely—“without charge.”
8.
I robbed—that is, took from them in order to
spare you more than what was their fair share of contribution to my
maintenance, for example, the Philippian Church (Php 4:15, 16).
wages—“subsidy.”
to
do you service—Greek, “with a view to
ministration to you”; compare “supplied” (Greek, “in addition”),
2Co 11:9, implying, he brought with him from the Macedonians, supplies
towards his maintenance at Corinth; and (2Co 11:9) when those resources
failed (“when I wanted”) he received a new supply, while there, from
the same source.
9.
wanted—“was in want.”
chargeable—Greek, “burdensome,” literally, “to torpify,” and so
to oppress. Jerome says it
is a Cilician word (2Co 12:14, 16).
the
brethren which came—rather, as Greek, “the
brethren when they came.” Perhaps Timotheus and Silas (Ac 8:1, 5).
Compare Php 4:15, 16, which refers to donations received from the Philippians
(who were in Macedonia) at two distinct periods (“once and again”), one at
Thessalonica, the other after his departure from Macedonia, that is, when he
came into Achaia to Corinth (from the church in which city he would receive no help);
and this “in the beginning of the Gospel,” that is, at its first preaching in
these parts. Thus all three, the two Epistles and history, mutually, and no
doubt undesignedly, coincide; a sure test of genuineness.
supplied—Greek, “supplied in addition,” namely, in addition
to their former contributions; or as Bengel,
in addition to the supply obtained by my own manual labor.
10. Greek, “There is (the) truth of Christ in me that,”
&c. (Ro 9:1).
no
man shall stop me of—The oldest manuscripts read, “This
boasting shall not be shut (that is, stopped) as regards me.”
“Boasting is as it were personified … shall not have its mouth stopped as
regards me” [Alford].
11. Love is often offended at its favors being not accepted, as
though the party to whom they are offered wished to be under no obligation to
the offerer.
12.
I will do—I will continue to decline
help.
occasion—Greek, “the occasion,” namely, of
misrepresenting my motives, which would be afforded to my detractors, if I
accepted help.
that
wherein they glory, they may be found even as we—Bengel joins
this clause with “the occasion,” namely, of glorying or boasting;
the occasion “that they may be found (a point wherein they glory) even as we,”
that is, quite as disinterested, or virtually, quite as gain-seeking and
self-seeking. It cannot mean that the false teachers taught gratuitously even
as Paul (compare 2Co 11:20; 1Co 9:12). Alford
less clearly explains by reference to 2Co 11:18, &c., where the “glorying”
here is taken up and described as “glorying after the flesh”; thus it means,
that in the matters of which they beast they may be found even as we, that is,
we may been a fair and equal footing; that there may be no adventitious
comparisons made between us, arising out of misrepresentations of my
course of procedure, but that in every matter of boasting we may be fairly
compared and judged by facts; for
(2Co 11:13) realities they have none, no weapons but misrepresentation, being false
apostles.
13.
For—reason why he is unwilling they
should be thought like him [Bengel].
such—they and those like them.
false
apostles—those “overmuch apostles” (see on
2Co 11:5) are no apostles at all.
deceitful
workers—pretending to be “workmen” for the
Lord, and really seeking their own gain.
14.
is transformed—rather, “transforms himself”
(compare Job 1:6); habitually; the first occasion of his doing so was in
tempting Eve. “Himself” is emphatical: If their master himself, who is
the “prince of darkness,” the most alien to light, does so, it is less
marvellous in the case of them who are his servants (Lu 22:54; Eph 6:12).
15.
no great thing—no difficult matter.
if
his ministers also—as well as himself.
righteousness—answering to “light” (2Co 11:14); the manifestation
wherewith God reveals Himself in Christ (Mt 6:33; Ro 1:17).
end—The test of things is the end which strips off every
specious form into which Satan’s agents may now “transform” themselves
(compare Php 3:19, 21).
according
to their works—not according to their
pretensions.
16.
I say again—again taking up from 2Co 11:1 the
anticipatory apology for his boasting.
if
otherwise—but if ye will not grant this; if
ye will think me a fool.
yet
as a fool—“yet even as a fool receive me”;
grant me the indulgent hearing conceded even to one suspected of folly. The Greek
denotes one who does not rightly use his mental powers; not having the idea of
blame necessarily attached to it; one deceived by foolish vanities, yet
boasting himself [Tittmann], (2Co
11:17, 19).
that
I—The oldest manuscripts read, “that
I, too,” namely, as well as they, may boast myself.
17.
not after the Lord—By inspired guidance he
excepts this “glorying” or “boasting” from the inspired authoritativeness which
belongs to all else that he wrote; even this boasting, though undesirable in
itself, was permitted by the Spirit, taking into account its aim, namely, to
draw off the Corinthians from their false teachers to the apostle. Therefore
this passage gives no proof that any portion of Scripture is uninspired. It
merely guards against his boasting being made a justification of boasting in
general, which is not ordinarily “after the Lord,” that is, consistent with Christian
humility.
foolishly—Greek, “in foolishness.”
confidence
of boasting—(2Co 9:4).
18.
many—including the “false teachers.”
after
the flesh—as fleshly men are wont to boast,
namely, of external advantages, as their birth, doings, &c. (compare 2Co 11:22).
I
will glory also—that is, I also will boast of such
fleshly advantages, to show you that even in these I am not their inferiors,
and therefore ought not to be supplanted by them in your esteem; though these
are not what I desire to glory in (2Co 10:17).
19.
gladly—willingly. Irony. A plea why they
should “bear with” (2Co 11:1) him in his folly, that is, boasting; ye are, in
sooth, so “wise” (1Co 4:8, 10; Paul’s real view of their wisdom was very
different, 1Co 3:1–4) yourselves that ye can “bear with” the folly of others
more complacently. Not only can ye do so, but ye are actually
doing this and more.
20.
For—Ye may well “bear with” fools; for
ye even “bear with” oppressors. Translate, “Ye bear with them.”
a
man—as the false apostles do.
bring
you into bondage—to himself. Translate “brings,” not
“bring”; for the case is not merely a supposed case, but a case actually then
occurring. Also “devours” (namely, by exactions, Mt 23:24; Ps 53:4), “takes,”
“exalts,” “smites.”
take
of you—So the Greek for “take” is
used for “take away from” (Rev 6:4). Alford
translates, as in 2Co 12:16, “catches you.”
exalt
himself—under the pretext of apostolic
dignity.
smite
you on the face—under the pretext of divine zeal.
The height of insolence on their part, and of servile endurance on yours (1Ki
22:24; Ne 13:25; Lu 22:64; Ac 23:2; 1Ti 3:3).
21.
as concerning reproach—rather,
“by way of dishonor (that is, self-disparagement) I say it.”
as
though we … weak—in not similarly (2Co 11:20)
showing our power over you. “An ironical reminiscence of his own
abstinence when among them from all these acts of self-exaltation at their
expense” (as if such abstinence was weakness) [Alford].
The “we” is emphatically contrasted with the false teachers who so oppressively
displayed their power. I speak so as though WE had been weak when with you,
because we did not show our power this way. Howbeit (we are not really weak;
for), whereinsoever any is bold … I am bold also.
22.
Hebrews … Israelites … the seed of Abraham—A
climax. “Hebrews,” referring to the language and nationality;
“Israelites,” to the theocracy and descent from Israel, the
“prince who prevailed with God” (Ro 9:4); “the seed of Abraham,” to the claim
to a share in the Messiah (Ro 11:1; 9:7). Compare Php 3:5, “An Hebrew of
the Hebrews,” not an Hellenist or Greek-speaking Jew, but a Hebrew in tongue,
and sprung from Hebrews.
23.
I speak as a fool—rather, as Greek, “I speak
as if beside myself”; stronger than “as a fool.”
I
am more—namely, in respect to the
credentials and manifestations of my ministry, more faithful and self-denying;
and richer in tokens of God’s recognition of my ministry. Old authorities read
the order thus, “In prisons above measures, in stripes more abundantly” (English
Version, less accurately, “more frequent”). Ac 16:23–40 records one case of
his imprisonment with stripes. Clement of
Rome [First Epistle to the Corinthians] describes him as having
suffered bonds seven times.
in
death oft—(2Co 4:10; Ac 9:23; 13:50).
24. De 25:3 ordained that not more than forty stripes should be
inflicted To avoid exceeding this number, they gave one short of it: thirteen
strokes with a treble lash [Bengel].
This is one of those minute agreements with Jewish usage, which a forger would
have not been likely to observe.
25. The beating by Roman magistrates at Philippi (Ac 16:23) is
the only one recorded in Acts, which does not profess to give a complete
journal of his life, but only a sketch of it in connection with the design of
the book, namely, to give an outline of the history of the Gospel Church from
its foundation at Jerusalem, to the period of its reaching Rome, the capital of
the Gentile world.
once
was I stoned—(Ac 14:19).
thrice
… shipwreck—before the shipwreck at Melita (Ac
27:44). Probably in some of his voyages from Tarsus, where he stayed for some
time after his conversion, and from which, as being a seafaring place, he was
likely to make missionary voyages to adjoining places (Ac 9:30; 11:25; Ga
1:21).
a
night and a day … in the deep—probably
in part swimming or in an open boat.
26.
In—rather, “By”: connected with 2Co
11:23, but now not with “in,” as there, and as in 2Co 11:27, where again he
passes to the idea of surrounding circumstances or environments [Alford, Ellicott
and others].
waters—rather, as Greek, “rivers,” namely, perils by the
flooding of rivers, as on the road often traversed by Paul between Jerusalem
and Antioch, crossed as it is by the torrents rushing down from Lebanon. So the
traveller Sport lost his life.
robbers—perhaps in his journey from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia.
Pisidia was notorious for robbers; as indeed were all the mountains that
divided the high land of Asia from the sea.
the
heathen—Gentiles.
in
the city—Damascus, Ac 9:24, 25; Jerusalem,
Ac 9:29; Ephesus, Ac 19:23.
false
brethren—(Ga 2:4).
27.
fastings—voluntary, in order to
kindle devotions (Ac 13:2, 3; 14:23; 1Co 9:27); for they are distinguished from
“hunger and thirst,” which were involuntary [Grotius]. However, see on 2Co 6:5. The context refers solely
to hardships, not to self-imposed devotional mortification. “Hunger and
thirst” are not synonymous with “foodlessness” (as the Greek of
“fasting” means), but are its consequences.
cold
… nakedness—“cold” resulting from “nakedness,”
or insufficient clothing, as the Greek often means: as “hunger and
thirst” result from “foodlessness.” (Compare Ac 28:2; Ro 8:35). “When we
remember that he who endured all this was a man constantly suffering from
infirm health (2Co 4:7–12; 12:7–10; Ga 4:13, 14), such heroic self-devotion
seems almost superhuman” [Conybeare
and Howson].
28.
without—“Beside” trials falling on me externally,
just recounted, there is “that which cometh upon me (literally, the
impetuous concourse to me of business; properly, a crowd rising up
against one again and again, and ready to bear him down), the care of all
the churches” (including those not yet seen in the flesh, Col 2:1): an internal
and more weighty anxiety. But the oldest manuscripts for “that which cometh,”
read, “the pressure”: “the pressing care-taking” or “inspection
that is upon me daily.” Alford
translates, “Omitting what is besides”;
namely, those other trials besides those recounted. But the Vulgate,
Estius, and Bengel, support English Version.
the
care—The Greek implies, “my anxious
solicitude for all the churches.”
29.
I … weak—in condescending sympathy with the
weak (1Co 9:22). “Care generates sympathy, which causes the minister of
Christ personally to enter into the feelings of all his people, as if he stood
in their position, so as to accommodate himself to all” [Calvin].
offended—by some stumbling-block put in his way by others: the
“weak” is most liable to be “offended.”
I
burn not—The “I” in the Greek is
emphatic, which it is not in the former clause, “I am not weak.” I not only
enter into the feeling of the party offended, but I burn with
indignation at the offender, I myself taking up his cause as my own.
“Who meets with a stumbling-block and I am not disturbed even more than
himself” [Neander].
30.
glory of … infirmities—A
striking contrast! Glorying or boasting of what others make
matter of shame, namely, infirmities; for instance, his humbling mode of
escape in a basket (2Co 11:33). A character utterly incompatible with that of
an enthusiast (compare 2Co 12:5, 9, 10).
31. This solemn asseveration refers to what follows. The
persecution at Damascus was one of the first and greatest, and having no human
witness of it to adduce to the Corinthians, as being a fact that happened long
before and was known to few, he appeals to God for its truth. Luke (Ac 9:25)
afterwards recorded it (compare Ga 1:20), [Bengel].
It may also refer to the
revelation in 2Co 12:1, standing in beautiful contrast to his humiliating
escape from Damascus.
32.
governor—Greek, “Ethnarch”: a Jewish
officer to whom heathen rulers gave authority over Jews in large cities where
they were numerous. He was in this case under Aretas, king of Arabia. Damascus
was in a Roman province. But at this time, a.d.
38 or 39, three years after Paul’s conversion, a.d.
36, Aretas, against whom the Emperor Tiberius as the ally of Herod Agrippa had
sent an army under Vitellius, had got possession of Damascus on the death of
the emperor, and the consequent interruption of Vitellius’ operations. His
possession of it was put an end to immediately after by the Romans [Neander]. Rather, it was granted by
Caligula (a.d. 38) to Aretas,
whose predecessors had possessed it. This is proved by our having no Damascus
coins of Caligula or Claudius, though we do have of their immediate imperial
predecessors and successors [Alford].
Excerpt from:
A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
by Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
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