Bible Commentaries
2 Corinthians 11

Verse 1

2Co 11:1. The original for folly is defined in the lexicon as "foolishness," but Paul is not using it in any radical sense. It is somewhat like a case of a doting parent over his child, where it is often remarked, "He is quite foolish about his boy or girl." Bear with me is rendered in the margin, "you do bear with me," which is endorsed by other commentators. The Corinthians generally had borne with Paul in his extreme earnestness and anxiety for them, but he wishes them to go along with him still further, because his concern for them is become more and more intense.

Verse 2

2Co 11:2. In old times the father or other near relative often arranged espousals (engagements) for another. When such an arrangement was made, the one who acted for the parties would be anxious that they be true to each other until the actual marriage time, and if any unfaithfulness should be indicated it would cause him to be jealous. Paul had led the Corinthians in obedience to Christ, which was the time they became engaged to Him, the marriage to be celebrated when the bridegroom comes for that purpose. (See Rev 19:7.)

Verse 3

2Co 11:3. Paul is continuing his comparison with the marriage relation and kindred subjects. A man who wishes to interfere with the engagement of a woman to some other man, will resort to deceptive means in order to seduce her. Likewise, the apostle fears that evil men may seduce the Corinthians by using the deceptive theories of the philosophers of Greece that the false teachers had adopted.

Verse 4

2Co 11:4. The last word of this verse has been supplied by the King James translators. The marginal reading gives it "with me," which is Justified by both the original Greek and the connection in the passage. If he that cometh, etc., does not express any ques-as to whether these false teachers came with their evil doctrines, but rather that they actually were doing so. (See verses 19, 20.) Paul is reasoning that since they have been tolerating these unworthy teachers, they certainly ought to listen to him. Moffatt translates the last phrase, "Why not put up with me," which makes good sense and is also in agreement with the context.

Verse 5

2Co 11:5. In this verse ,Paul begins to show some reasons why they ought to "put up" with him. He not only was an apostle, but ranked with the very chiefest apostles.

Verse 6

2Co 11:6. Rude means unlearned or ignorant in his use of language. Paul is not admitting that he is thus lacking, but his enemies were making the charge and urging it as a reason for belittling his teaching. The apostle is reasoning that even if such a criticism were acknowledged, it would not affect his knowledge which was furnished him by the Spirit on account of his apostolic appointment. This knowledge had been made manifest by the supernatural deeds which he had performed at Corinth.

Verse 7

2Co 11:7. Abasing myself does not denote he had done anything improper or undignified, but supporting himself in part by his own labor, his enemies charged that it showed he was not really an apostle.

Verse 8

2Co 11:8. To rob does not necessarily mean to take something wrongfully. A man will say he robbed his bees, and yet he would not have done any unlawful act. Paul means he called upon other churches to support him in his work for the people of Corinth. The church at Philippi was one that supported Paul in his labors in other places (Php 4:15). Wages means financial support for work in the Gospel field.

Verse 9

2Co 11:9. The preceding verse makes a general mention of receiving financial help from the church at Philippi, while this verse cites a more specific case of it. Philippi was in Macedonia, and the brethren from that country came to Corinth with a supply at a time when the apostle was in need; this made it unnecessary to call upon the Corinthians for help. He affirms further that he will continue to relieve them from such service, which was according to a special permit which he he had been granted by the Lord (1Co 9:17-18).

Verse 10

2Co 11:10. By looking to such sources for temporal support, he could still boast of giving the Gospel freely in Achaia, another name for Greece, of which Corinth was an important city.

Verse 11

2Co 11:11. Wherefore means, why am I doing this? He then affirms that God knoweth it is not through any lack of love for them. (It was rather for an opposite reason.)

Verse 12

2Co 11:12. This verse tells why Paul pursued the course described above; it was to prevent the enemies from having any occasion for evil claims. May be found even as we. The false teachers would like to. call upon the church for financial assistance on the ground they were preaching the Gospel. The example of Paul in preaching without charge would shame them out of making such an attempt upon the church.

Verse 13

2Co 11:13. These false teachers were able to mislead a great many brethren by trickery and other deceptive means, making themselves appear as apostles of Christ.

Verse 14

2Co 11:14. Satan is a supernatural being, and at times in the history of the world has manifested his power in various forms. He appeared to Eve in the form of a serpent (Gen 3:1). Sometimes he assumes the form of a roaring lion (1Pe 5:8). In our verse he is said to appear as an angel of light. It will not do to say this merely means evil men who are the agents of Satan, for the next verse mentions those characters as a separate group. We are not specifically told when Satan ceased making his appearance in these disguised forms to men on the earth. Evidently it was at the same time that other miraculous characters (both good and bad) passed out of the land (Zec 13:2). He now does his work through evil human beings, to be mentioned in the next verse.

Verse 15

2Co 11:15. Ministers is from the same Greek word that its rendered "deacon" in other passages. Thayer's primary definition is, "one who executes the commands of another, especially of a master; a servant, attendant, minister." Hence Paul accuses these false teachers with executing the orders of Satan, but doing it under the guise of righteous workers. Whose end . . . their works; will reap as they sowed (Gal 6:8).

Verse 16

2Co 11:16. Paul does not admit being a fool to the extent charged; yet, be that as It may, he requests to be tolerated in his feeling. (See comments at verse 1.)

Verse 17

2Co 11:17. Paul does not put this privilege which he is claiming on the basis of a direct instruction from the Lord. He claims it only as a personal liberty, and on that ground reserves to himself the right to indulge himself in that enjoyment.

Verse 18

2Co 11:18. After the flesh is not said in the bad sense commonly attached to fleshly things. Paul is applying it to his personal experiences, which though they were unpleasant, yet since they were endured for the sake of the Gospel, he found a joy in them and of such an experience he boasts.

Verse 19

2Co 11:19-20. These verses are referred to in the comments on verse 4. The argument Paul is making is that, he is entitled to the friendly consideration of the brethren for his whim (as they seemed to think his ideas were), when they were giving these other persons such tolerance. Especially since the apostle had nothing questionable in his case, while these other men did have. This paragraph describes what they were doing and the Corinthians were "putting up" with it. The brethren considered themselves wise, yet they endured those they considered as fools; they even tolerated many injustices from these fools. An instance is that of being brought into bondage to the ordinances of the old law. Not that they literally were led to adopt those institutions, but suffered themselves to become confused over them. (See chapter 3.)

Verse 21

2Co 11:21. Paul had been reproached because of his bodily weakness (chapter 10:1, 10) but he was not allowing that to humiliate him. Instead, the very weaknesses concerning which his enemies said he was acting foolishly, were a valid source for his boasting, for he will now show that he endured untold trials in spite of those supposed handicaps. Through several verses the apostle will state the truly worthy qualifications he possessed, even while undergoing the fleshly inconveniences of which he boasts.

Verse 22

2Co 11:22. In the Bible there are three terms applied to the same people, namely, Hebrews, Israelites and Jews. However, they were not all derived from the same source. The first came from Heber, a distinguished man in the blood line (Gen 10:21). The second is from the extra name given to Jacob by the angel (Gen 32:28). Since Jacob was preferred before the elder brother Esau, to be in the blood line for the Messiah, it was an honor to be called an Israelite. The third is derived from Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, through whom the blood line was to flow. A man called by any of these names could boast of being of the seed of Abraham, as Paul does in this verse. Since some distinctions could be made between all of these names due to immediate circumstances, some persons might claim an importance out of one or the other according as his personal interests would suggest. Paul shows that none of his critics could boast of any advantage over him, for he could lay claim to all of the names.

Verse 23

2Co 11:23. See the comments on verse 1 for the sense in which he speaks as a fool, also those on verse 21 for the relation between the weaknesses of which he boasted, and the services he was rendering to Christ in spite of those supposed defects. Paul was more of a minister (servant) than his critics, and he specifies a number of facts as proof. His labors were more in that he carried the Gospel to a multitude of countries, whereas his objectors were located around Corinth. The stripes will be noticed at verses 24 and and 25. Acts 16 gives an account of one imprisonment, but secular history relates a great many times at which Paul was placed in prison because of his work for Christ. In deaths oft is figurative, meaning he was frequently in danger of death. (See 1Co 15:30-32.)

Verse 24

2Co 11:24. Forty stripes, save one. The law of Moses limited the number of lashes that could be inflicted upon a victim to forty (Deu 25:1-3). The whip by which it was done was originally single, and the punishment required forty operations of the administrator. For some reason the act was changed, and I shall quote from Prideaux's Connexion, Year 108, for explanation: "This punishment among the Jews was not to exceed forty stripes, and therefore the whip with which it was inflicted [after the change mentioned above] being made of three thongs, each blow giving three stripes, they never inflicted upon any criminal more than thirteen blows, because thirteen of those blows made thirty-nine stripes; and to add another blow, would be to transgress the law, by adding two stripes over and above forty, contraray to its prohibition. And in this manner was it that Paul, when whipped by the Jews, received forty stripes save one, that is, thirteen blows with this threefold whip." The verse means that Paul suffered this treatment on five different ocassions.

Verse 25

2Co 11:25. Not all of the details of Paul's adversities are recorded, but his tabulation of them in this chapter is authentic, for he is writing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. One case of his being beaten with rods is related in Act 16:22-23. The one instance of stoning is stated in Act 14:19. The case of shipwreck that Paul suffered (Acts 27) was after this epistle was written, hence the three occasions referred to here are not recorded elsewhere. Been in the deep means he was forced out by shipwreck to float in lifeboats or on boards, such as Act 27:44.

Verse 26

2Co 11:26. We should bear in mind that Paul is giving a list of his experiences that happened as a result of being a "minister" or servant of Christ (verse 23). Journeyings were done on behalf of the Gospel, and that exposed him to the dangers from robbers who infested many of the lines of travel. His own countrymen were the Jews who often persecuted him (verse 24). Perils by the heathen means the mistreatment from the Gentiles, such as were inflicted upon him at Philippi (Acts 16). The perils in the city, the wilderness and the sea include the trials already referred to in the verse and elsewhere in the chapter. An instance of his trouble from false brethren is recorded in Gal 2:4.

Verse 27

2Co 11:27. Weariness and painfulness. The Englishmen's Greek New Testament renders this, "labor and toil." It refers to the difficult tasks the apostle performed frequently in his work for the Master. Thayer defines the original for watchings by "sleeplessness." Paul lay awake for hours, thinking and pondering over the situation, wondering what was coming next. Hunger and thirst refers to the times when Paul's friends were prevented from administering to his needs, and he was left to suffer for the things necessary for his bodily comfort. Fastings is similar to the thought just explaind, with the added idea of a more extended abstinence from food. Cold was a result of the nakedness, or the shortage of necessary clothing, brought about by the conditions similar to those causing the hunger and thirst.

Verse 28

2Co 11:28. Things that are without. Most of the trials Just recorded affected Paul's body externally, and were the direct result of his work for Christ, and of the activities of his enemies. On top of all those tribulations, he was daily burdened with the care of all the churches. The word means anxiety or worry for the spiritual condition of all the congregations, not only those with whom he was permitted to labor personally. (See Col 2:1.)

Verse 29

2Co 11:29. This verse is Paul's comment on the preceding verse. Weak refers to the disabilities and misfortunes of his brethren; offended denotes the mistreatment that is imposed upon his fellow disciples wherever they were located. Paul sympathized with all of them, and that is why he felt such care (anxiety) for the churches.

Verse 30

2Co 11:30. Paul regarded his sympathy for the troubled and tried as a worth-while sentiment. His own infirmities and misfortunes would enable him the more to have such a feeling for others, hence he would glory or boast of his own infirmities.

Verse 31

2Co 11:31. The greatest motive one can have for always telling the truth, is the realization that God knows all about his heart.

Verse 32

2Co 11:32-33. Before closing this phase of his epistle, the apostle cites a specific instance of his afflictions that were imposed by his enemies. The significant thing about this case is that it was at the very start of his service for Christ. The account of it is in Act 9:23-25, where the Jews were so eager to seize the apostle that they watched the gates day and night.