1Ich wollteG3785, ihr möchtet ein wenigG3397 TorheitG877 von mirG3450 ertragenG430; dochG235 ertragetG430 michG3450 auchG2532. 2DennG1063 ich eifereG2206 um euchG5209 mit GottesG2316 EiferG2205; dennG1063 ich habeG718 euchG5209 einemG1520 ManneG435 verlobtG718, umG3936 euch als eine keuscheG53 JungfrauG3933 dem ChristusG5547 darzustellenG3936. 3Ich fürchteG5399 aberG1161, daßG3381 etwaG4458, wieG5613 die SchlangeG3789 EvaG2096 durchG1722 ihreG846 ListG3834 verführteG1818, [alsoG3779 ] auch euerG5216 SinnG3540 verderbtG5351 und abgewandt werde vonG575 der EinfaltG572 gegenG1519 den ChristusG5547. 4DennG1063 wenn G1487 G3303 der, welcher kommtG2064, einen anderenG243 JesusG2424 predigtG2784, denG3739 wir nichtG3756 gepredigtG2784 haben, oderG2228 ihr einen anderenG2087 GeistG4151 empfangetG2983, denG3739 ihr nichtG3756 empfangenG2983 habt, oderG2228 ein anderesG2087 EvangeliumG2098, dasG3739 ihr nichtG3756 angenommenG1209 habt, so ertrügetG430 ihr es gutG2573. 5DennG1063 ich achteG3049, daß ich in nichtsG3367 den ausgezeichnetsten G3029 G5228 ApostelnG652 nachsteheG5302. 6WennG1499 ich aberG1161 auchG2532 ein UnkundigerG2399 in der RedeG3056 bin, so dochG235 nichtG3756 in der ErkenntnisG1108; sondernG235 inG1722 jederG3956 Weise sindG5319 wir inG1722 allen StückenG3956 gegenG1519 euchG5209 offenbarG5319 geworden. 7OderG2228 habeG4160 ich eine SündeG266 begangenG4160, indem ich michG1683 selbst erniedrigteG5013, auf daßG2443 ihrG5210 erhöhtG5312 würdet, weilG3754 ich euchG5213 das EvangeliumG2098 GottesG2316 umsonstG1432 verkündigtG2097 habe? 8AndereG243 VersammlungenG1577 habe ich beraubtG4813, indem ich LohnG3800 empfingG2983 zuG4314 eurerG5216 BedienungG1248. 9UndG2532 als ich beiG4314 euchG5209 anwesendG3918 war undG2532 Mangel littG5302, fielG2655 ich niemand G3756 G3762 zur LastG2655 ( dennG1063 meinenG3450 MangelG5303 erstattetenG4322 die BrüderG80, die ausG575 MacedonienG3109 kamenG2064 ) undG2532 ich hieltG5083 michG1683 inG1722 allemG3956 euchG5213 unbeschwerlichG4, undG2532 werde mich also haltenG5083. 10Die WahrheitG225 ChristiG5547 istG2076 inG1722 mirG1698, daßG3754 mir G1519 G1691 diesesG3778 RühmenG2746 inG1722 den GegendenG2824 von AchajaG882 nichtG3756 verwehrt G4972 G5420 werden soll! 11WarumG1302? weilG3754 ich euchG5209 nichtG3756 liebeG25? GottG2316 weißG1492 es. 12WasG3739 ich aberG1161 tueG4160, werdeG4160 ich auchG2532 tunG4160, auf daßG2443 ich denen die GelegenheitG874 abschneideG1581, die eine GelegenheitG874 wollenG2309, auf daßG2443 sie, worin G1722 G3739 sie sich rühmenG2744, erfundenG2147 werden wieG2531 auchG2532 wirG2249. 13DennG1063 solcheG5108 sind falsche ApostelG5570, betrügerischeG1386 ArbeiterG2040, welche die GestaltG3345 vonG1519 ApostelnG652 ChristiG5547 annehmenG3345. 14UndG2532 keinG3756 WunderG2298, dennG1063 der SatanG4567 selbstG846 nimmt G1519 G3345 die GestaltG3345 eines EngelsG32 des LichtsG5457 anG3345; 15es ist daherG3767 nichtsG3756 GroßesG3173, wennG1499 auchG2532 seineG846 DienerG1249 die GestaltG3345 alsG5613 DienerG1249 der GerechtigkeitG1343 annehmenG3345, derenG3739 EndeG5056 nachG2596 ihrenG846 WerkenG2041 seinG2071 wird. 16WiederumG3825 sageG3004 ich: Niemand G3361 G5100 halteG1380 mich G1511 G3165 für törichtG878; wenn aber nichtG1490, soG2579 nehmetG1209 michG3165 doch aufG1209 alsG5613 einen TörichtenG878, auf daßG2443 auch ichG2504 michG2744 einG5100 wenigG3397 rühmenG2744 möge. 17WasG3739 ich redeG2980, redeG2980 ich nichtG3756 nachG2596 dem HerrnG2962, sondernG235 alsG5613 inG1722 TorheitG877, inG1722 dieserG5026 ZuversichtG5287 des RühmensG2746. 18WeilG1893 vieleG4183 sichG2744 nachG2596 dem FleischeG4561 rühmenG2744, so willG2744 auch ichG2504 mich rühmenG2744. 19DennG1063 ihr ertragetG430 gernG2234 die TorenG878, da ihr klugG5429 seidG5607. 20DennG1063 ihr ertragetG430 es, wenn jemandG1536 euchG5209 knechtetG2615, wenn jemandG1536 euch aufzehrtG2719, wenn jemandG1536 von euch nimmtG2983, wenn jemandG1536 sich überhebtG1869, wenn jemandG1536 euchG5209 insG1519 GesichtG4383 schlägtG1194. 21Ich redeG3004 bezüglichG2596 der UnehreG819, alsG5613 obG3754 wirG2249 schwachG770 gewesen wären. Worin G1722 G3739 aberG1161 irgendG302 jemandG5100 dreistG5111 ist ( redeG3004 inG1722 TorheitG877 ) binG5111 auch ichG2504 dreistG5111. 22SindG1526 sie HebräerG1445? ich auchG2504. SindG1526 sie IsraelitenG2475? ich auchG2504. SindG1526 sie AbrahamsG11 SameG4690? ich auchG2504. 23SindG1526 sie DienerG1249 ChristiG5547? ( redeG2980 als von SinnenG3912 ) ichG1473 über die MaßenG5228. InG1722 MühenG2873 überschwenglicherG4056, inG1722 SchlägenG4127 übermäßigG5234, inG1722 GefängnissenG5438 überschwenglicherG4056, inG1722 TodesgefahrenG2288 oftG4178. 24VonG5259 den JudenG2453 habeG2983 ich fünfmalG3999 empfangenG2983 vierzigG5062 Streiche wenigerG3844 einenG3391. 25DreimalG5151 bin ich mit Ruten geschlagenG4463, einmalG530 gesteinigtG3034 worden; dreimalG5151 habe ich Schiffbruch gelittenG3489, einen Tag und eine NachtG3574 habeG4160 ich inG1722 der TiefeG1037 zugebrachtG4160; 26oftG4178 auf ReisenG3597, in GefahrenG2794 auf FlüssenG4215, in GefahrenG2794 von RäubernG3027, in GefahrenG2794 vonG1537 meinem GeschlechtG1085, in GefahrenG2794 vonG1537 den NationenG1484, in GefahrenG2794 inG1722 der StadtG4172, in GefahrenG2794 inG1722 der WüsteG2047, in GefahrenG2794 aufG1722 dem MeereG2281, in GefahrenG2794 unterG1722 falschen BrüdernG5569; 27inG1722 ArbeitG2873 undG2532 MüheG3449, inG1722 WachenG70 oftG4178, inG1722 HungerG3042 undG2532 DurstG1373, inG1722 FastenG3521 oftG4178, inG1722 KälteG5592 undG2532 BlößeG1132; 28außerG5565 dem, was außergewöhnlichG3924 ist, noch das, wasG3588 täglichG2250 aufG1999 michG3450 andringtG1999 : die SorgeG3308 umG2596 alleG3956 VersammlungenG1577. 29WerG5101 ist schwachG770, undG2532 ich binG770 nichtG3756 schwachG770? WerG5101 wird geärgertG4624, undG2532 ichG1473 brenneG4448 nichtG3756? 30WennG1487 es gerühmtG2744 sein mußG1163, so will ich michG2744 dessenG3588 rühmenG2744, was meineG3450 SchwachheitG769 betrifft. 31Der GottG2316 undG2532 VaterG3962 des HerrnG2962 JesusG2424, derG3588 gepriesenG2128 istG5607 inG1519 EwigkeitG165, weißG1492, daßG3754 ich nichtG3756 lügeG5574. 32InG1722 DamaskusG1154 verwahrteG5432 der LandpflegerG1481 des KönigsG935 AretasG702 die StadtG4172 der DamascenerG1153, indem er michG3165 greifenG4084 wollteG2309, 33undG2532 ich wurdeG5465 durchG1223 ein FensterG2376 inG1722 einem KorbeG4553 anG1223 der MauerG5038 hinabgelassenG5465 undG2532 entrannG1628 seinenG846 HändenG5495.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 Here we may observe, 1. The apology the apostle makes for going about to commend himself. He is loth to enter upon this subject of self-commendation:
Would to God you could bear with me a little in my folly, 2Cor 11:1. He calls this folly, because too often it is really no better. In his case it was necessary; yet, seeing others might apprehend it to be folly in him, he desires them to bear with it. Note, As much against the grain as it is with a proud man to acknowledge his infirmities, so much is it against the grain with a humble man to speak in his own praise. It is no pleasure to a good man to speak well of himself, yet in some cases it is lawful, namely, when it is for the advantage of others, or for our own necessary vindication; as thus it was here. For, 2. We have the reasons for what the apostle did. (1.) To preserve the Corinthians from being corrupted by the insinuations of the false apostles,
2Cor 11:2,
2Cor 11:3. He tells them
he was jealous over them with godly jealousy; he was afraid lest their faith should be weakened by hearkening to such suggestions as tended to lessen their regard to his ministry, by which they were brought to the Christian faith. He had
espoused them to one husband, that is, converted them to Christianity (and the conversion of a soul is its marriage to the Lord Jesus); and he was desirous to
present them as a chaste virgin - pure, and spotless, and faithful, not having
their minds corrupted with false doctrines by false teachers, as
Eve was beguiled by the subtlety of the serpent. This godly jealousy in the apostle was a mixture of love and fear; and faithful ministers cannot but be afraid and concerned for their people, lest they should lose that which they have received, and turn from what they have embraced, especially when
deceivers have gone abroad, or have
crept in among them. (2.) To vindicate himself against the false apostles, forasmuch as they could not pretend they had another Jesus, or another Spirit, or another gospel, to preach to them,
2Cor 11:4. If this had been the case, there would have been some colour of reason to bear with them, or to hearken to them. But seeing there is but one Jesus, one Spirit, and one gospel, that is, or at least that ought to be, preached to them and received by them, what reason could there be why the Corinthians should be prejudiced against him, who first converted them to the faith, by the artifices of any adversary? It was a just occasion of jealousy that such persons designed to preach another Jesus, another Spirit, and another gospel.
5 After the foregoing preface to what he was about to say, the apostle in these verses mentions,
I. His equality with the other apostles - that
he was not a whit behind the very chief of the apostles, 2Cor 11:5. This he expresses very modestly:
I suppose so. He might have spoken very positively. The apostleship, as an office, was equal in all the apostles; but the apostles, like other Christians, differed one from another. These
stars differed one from another in glory, and Paul was indeed of the first magnitude; yet he speaks modestly of himself, and humbly owns his personal infirmity, that he was
rude in speech, had not such a graceful delivery as some others might have. Some think that he was a man of very low stature, and that his voice was proportionably small; others think that he may have had some impediment in his speech, perhaps a stammering tongue. However, he was not rude
in knowledge; he was not unacquainted with the best rules of oratory and the art of persuasion, much less was he ignorant of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, as had been
thoroughly manifested among them. II. His equality with the false apostles in this particular - the preaching of the gospel unto them freely, without wages. This the apostle largely insists on, and shows that, as they could not but own him to be a minister of Christ, so they ought to acknowledge he had been a good friend to them. For, 1. He had preached the gospel to them freely, (2Cor:11:7-10). He had proved at large, in his former epistle to them, the lawfulness of ministers' receiving maintenance from the people, and the duty of the people to give them an honourable maintenance; and here he says he himself had
taken wages of other churches (
2Cor 11:8), so that he had a right to have asked and received from them: yet he waived his right, and chose rather to abase himself, by working with his hands in the trade of tent-making to maintain himself, than be burdensome to them, that they might
be exalted, or encouraged to receive the gospel, which they had so cheaply; yea, he chose rather to be supplied from Macedonia than to be chargeable unto them. 2. He informs them of the reason of this his conduct among them. It was not because
he did not love them (
2Cor 11:11), or was unwilling to receive tokens of their love (for love and friendship are manifested by mutual giving and receiving), but it was to avoid offence, that
he might cut off occasion from those that desired occasion. He would not give occasion for any to accuse him of worldly designs in preaching the gospel, or that he intended to make a trade of it, to enrich himself; and that others who opposed him at Corinth might not in this respect gain an advantage against him: that wherein
they gloried, as to this matter,
they might be found even as he, 2Cor 11:12. It is not improbable to suppose that the chief of the false teachers at Corinth, or some among them, were rich, and taught (or deceived) the people freely, and might accuse the apostle or his fellow-labourers as mercenary men, who received hire or wages, and therefore the apostle kept to his resolution not to be chargeable to any of the Corinthians.
III. The false apostles are charged
as deceitful workers (
2Cor 11:13), and that upon this account, because they would
transform themselves into the likeness of the apostles of Christ, and, though they were the ministers of Satan, would seem to be the
ministers of righteousness. They would be as industrious and as generous in promoting error as the apostles were in preaching truth; they would endeavour as much to undermine the kingdom of Christ as the apostles did to establish it. There were counterfeit prophets under the Old Testament, who wore the garb and learned the language of the prophets of the Lord. So there were counterfeit apostles under the New Testament, who seemed in many respects like the true apostles of Christ. And no marvel (says the apostle); hypocrisy is a thing not to be much wondered at in this world, especially when we consider the great influence Satan has upon the minds of many, who
rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience. As he can turn himself into any shape, and put on almost any form, and look sometimes
like an angel of light, in order to promote his kingdom of darkness, so he will teach his ministers and instruments to do the same. But it follows,
Their end is according to their works (
2Cor 11:15); the end will discover them to be deceitful workers, and their work will end in ruin and destruction.
16 Here we have a further excuse that the apostle makes for what he was about to say in his own vindication. 1. He would not have them think he was guilty of folly, in saying what he said to vindicate himself:
Let no man think me a fool, 2Cor 11:16. Ordinarily, indeed, it is unbecoming a wise man to be much and often speaking in his own praise. Boasting of ourselves is usually not only a sign of a proud mind, but a mark of folly also. However, says the apostle, yet
as a fool receive me; that is, if you count it folly in me to
boast a little, yet give due regard to what I shall say. 2. He mentions a caution, to prevent the abuse of what he should say, telling them that what he spoke,
he did not speak after the Lord, 2Cor 11:17. He would not have them think that boasting of ourselves, or glorying in what we have, is a thing commanded by the Lord in general unto Christians, nor yet that this is always necessary in our own vindication; though it may be lawfully used, because not contrary to the Lord, when, strictly speaking, it is not after the Lord. It is the duty and practice of Christians, in obedience to the command and example of the Lord, rather to humble and abase themselves; yet prudence must direct in what circumstances it is needful to do that which we may do lawfully, even speak of what God has wrought for us, and in us, and by us too. 3. He gives a good reason why they should suffer him to boast a little; namely, because they suffered others to do so who had less reason.
Seeing many glory after the flesh (of carnal privileges, or outward advantages and attainments),
I will glory also, 2Cor 11:18. But he would not glory in those things, though he had as much or more reason than others to do so. But he gloried in his infirmities, as he tells them afterwards. The Corinthians thought themselves wise, and might think it an instance of wisdom to bear with the weakness of others, and therefore suffered others to do what might seem folly; therefore the apostle would have them bear with him. Or these words,
You suffer fools gladly, seeing you yourselves are wise (
2Cor 11:19), may be ironical, and then the meaning is this: Notwithstanding all your wisdom, you willingly suffer yourselves to be
brought into bondage under the Jewish yoke, or suffer others to tyrannize over you; nay, to
devour you, or make a prey of you, and
take of you hire for their own advantage, and to
exalt themselves above you, and lord it over you; nay, even to
smite you on the face, or impose upon you to your very faces (
2Cor 11:20), upbraiding you while they reproach me, as if you had been very weak in showing regard to me,
2Cor 11:21. Seeing this was the case, that the Corinthians, or some among them, could so easily bear all this from the false apostles, it was reasonable for the apostle to desire, and expect, they should bear with what might seem to them an indiscretion in him, seeing the circumstances of the case were such as made it needful that
whereinsoever any were bold he should be
bold also, 2Cor 11:21.
22 Here the apostle gives a large account of his own qualifications, labours, and sufferings (not out of pride or vain-glory, but to the honour of God, who had enabled him to do and suffer so much for the cause of Christ), and wherein he excelled the false apostles, who would lessen his character and usefulness among the Corinthians. Observe,
I. He mentions the privileges of his birth (
2Cor 11:22), which were equal to any they could pretend to. He was a Hebrew of the Hebrews; of a family among the Jews that never intermarried with the Gentiles. He was also an Israelite, and could boast of his being descended from the beloved Jacob as well as they, and was also of the seed of Abraham, and not of the proselytes. It should seem from this that the false apostles were of the Jewish race, who gave disturbance to the Gentile converts.
II. He makes mention also of his apostleship, that he was more than an ordinary minister of Christ,
2Cor 11:23. God had counted him faithful, and had put him into the ministry. He had been a useful minister of Christ unto them; they had found full proofs of his ministry:
Are they ministers of Christ? I am more so. III. He chiefly insists upon this, that he had been an extraordinary sufferer for Christ; and this was what he gloried in, or rather he gloried in the grace of God that had enabled him to be more
abundant in labours, and to endure very great sufferings, such as
stripes above measure, frequent imprisonments, and
often the dangers of
death, 2Cor 11:23. Note, When the apostle would prove himself an extraordinary minister, he proves that he had been an extraordinary sufferer. Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles, and for that reason was hated of the Jews. They did all they could against him; and among the Gentiles also he met with hard usage. Bonds and imprisonments were familiar to him; never was the most notorious malefactor more frequently in the hands of public justice than Paul was for righteousness' sake. The jail and the whipping-post, and all other hard usages of those who are accounted the worst of men, were what he was accustomed to. As to the Jews, whenever he fell into their hands, they never spared him.
Five times he fell under their lash, and received
forty stripes save one, 2Cor 11:24. Forty stripes was the utmost their law allowed (
Deut 25:3), but it was usual with them, that they might not exceed, to abate one at least of that number. And to have the abatement of one only was all the favour that ever Paul received from them. The Gentiles were not tied up to that moderation, and among them
he was thrice beaten with rods, of which we may suppose once was at Philippi,
Acts 16:22.
Once he was stoned in a popular tumult, and was taken up for dead,
Acts 14:19. He says that
thrice he suffered shipwreck; and we may believe him, though the sacred history gives a relation but of one.
A night and a day he had been in the deep (
2Cor 11:25), in some deep dungeon or other, shut up as a prisoner. Thus he was all his days a constant confessor; perhaps scarcely a year of his life, after his conversion, passed without suffering some hardship or other for his religion; yet this was not all, for, wherever he went, he went in perils; he was exposed to perils of all sorts. If he journeyed by land, or voyaged by sea, he was in perils of robbers, or enemies of some sort; the Jews, his own countrymen, sought to kill him, or do him a mischief; the heathen, to whom he was sent, were not more kind to him, for among them he was in peril. If he was in the city, or in the wilderness, still he was in peril. He was in peril not only among avowed enemies, but among those also who called themselves brethren, but were false brethren,
2Cor 11:26. Besides all this, he had great weariness and painfulness in his ministerial labours, and these are things that will come into account shortly, and people will be reckoned with for all the care and pains of their ministers concerning them. Paul was a stranger to wealth and plenty, power and pleasure, preferment and ease; he was in
watchings often, and exposed to
hunger and thirst; in
fastings often, it may be out of necessity; and endured
cold and nakedness, 2Cor 11:27. Thus was he, who was one of the greatest blessings of the age, used as if he had been the burden of the earth, and the plague of his generation. And yet this is not all; for, as an apostle, the
care of all the churches lay on him,
2Cor 11:28. He mentions this last, as if this lay the heaviest upon him, and as if he could better bear all the persecutions of his enemies than the scandals that were to be found in the churches he had the oversight of.
Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? 2Cor 11:29. There was not a weak Christian with whom he did not sympathize, nor any one scandalized, but he was affected therewith. See what little reason we have to be in love with the pomp and plenty of this world, when this blessed apostle, one of the best of men that ever lived, excepting Jesus Christ, felt so much hardship in it. Nor was he ashamed of all this, but, on the contrary, it was what he accounted his honour; and therefore, much against the grain as it was with him to glory, yet, says he,
if I must needs glory, if my adversaries will oblige me to it in my own necessary vindication,
I will glory in these my infirmities, 2Cor 11:30. Note, Sufferings for righteousness' sake will, the most of any thing, redound to our honour.
In the last two verses, he mentions one particular part of his sufferings out of its place, as if he had forgotten it before, or because the deliverance God wrought for him was most remarkable; namely, the danger he was in at Damascus, soon after he was converted, and not settled in Christianity, at least in the ministry and apostleship. This is recorded,
Acts 9:24,
Acts 9:25. This was his first great danger and difficulty, and the rest of his life was a piece with this. And it is observable that, lest it should be thought he spoke more than was true, the apostle confirms this narrative with a solemn oath, or appeal to the omniscience of God,
2Cor 11:31. It is a great comfort to a good man that
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is an omniscient God, knows the truth of all he says, and knows all he does and all he suffers for his sake.
