2 Corinthians 11:22

Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 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' (); "the seed of Abraham," to the claim to a share in the promised () Messiah (; ). Compare , "an Hebrew of the Hebrews;" not an Hellenist or Greek-speaking Jew, but a Hebrew in tongue, sprung from Hebrews (cf. )....

22.He now, by enumerating particular instances, lets them see more distinctly, that he would not by any means be found inferior, if matters came to a contest. And in the first place, he makes mention of the glory of his _descent, _of which his rivals chiefly vaunted. “If,” says he, “they boast of illustrious _descent, _I shall be on a level with them, for I also am an _Israelite, _of the _seed of Abraham.” _This is a silly and empty boast, and yet Paul makes use of _three _terms to express it; nay more, he specifies, as it were, _three _different marks of excellence. By this repetition, in my opinion, he indirectly reproves their folly, inasmuch as they placed the sum-total (852) of their excellence in a thing that was so trivial, (853) and this boasting was incessantly in their mouth, so as to be absolutely disgusting, as vain men are accustomed to

22-33 The apostle gives an account of his labours and sufferings; not out of pride or vain-glory, but to the honour of God, who enabled him to do and suffer so much for the cause of Christ; and shows wherein he excelled the false apostles, who tried to lessen his character and usefulness. It astonishes us to reflect on this account of his dangers, hardships, and sufferings, and to observe his patience, perseverance, diligence, cheerfulness, and usefulness, in the midst of all these trials. See what little reason we have to love the pomp and plenty of this world, when this blessed apostle felt so much hardship in it. Our utmost diligence and services appear unworthy of notice when compared with his, and our difficulties and trials scarcely can be perceived. It may well lead us to inquire whether or not we really are followers of Christ. Here we may study patience, courage, and firm trust...

Verse 22. _ARE THEY HEBREWS_] Speaking the _sacred language_, and _reading_ in the congregation from the Hebrew Scriptures? the same is my own language. _ARE THEY ISRAELITES_] Regularly descended from _Jacob_, and not from _Esau_? I am also one. _ARE THEY THE SEED OF ABRAHAM_] Circumcised, and in the bond of the covenant? _So am I_. I am no _proselyte_, but I am a _Hebrew of_ _the Hebrews_ both by father and mother; and can trace my genealogy, through the tribe of _Benjamin_, up to the father of the faithful....

ARE THEY HEBREWS? - This proves that the persons who had made the difficulty in Corinth were those who were of Hebrew extraction though it may be that they had been born in Greece and had been educated in the Grecian philosophy and art of rhetoric. It is also clear that they prided themselves on being Jews - on having a connection with the people and land from whence the religion which the Corinthian church now professed had emanated. Indications are apparent everywhere in the New Testament of the superiority which the Jewish converts to Christianity claimed over those converted from among the pagan. Their boast would probably be that they were the descendants of the patriarchs; that the land of the prophets was theirs; that they spake the language in which the oracles of God were given; that the true religion had proceeded from them, etc. SO AM I - I have as high claims as any of them t...

AN APOSTLE DRIVEN AGAINST HIS WILL INTO A SEMBLANCE OF BOASTING. EXPOSITION An apology for the "foolishness" of boasting (2 Corinthians 11:1). He is not afraid of comparisons (2 Corinthians 11:5, 2 Corinthians 11:6). He will not recede from his despised practice of teaching gratuitously (2 Corinthians 11:7). A second apology, drawn from the outrageous conduct of his opponents ...

ARE THEY HEBREWS? SO AM I,.... The nation of the Jews were called Hebrews, not from Abraham, as some have w thought, through ignorance of the Hebrew language, which will by no means admit of such a derivation and etymology of the name; wherefore the Jewish writers never make mention of this opinion as among any of them; had they took their name from Abram or Abraham, they would rather have been called Abramires or Abrahamites, and not Hebrews; besides, Abraham himself is called an Hebrew, Genesis 14:13 and to be so called from himself, and not denominated from some other person or thing, can never be imagined, it would be most absurd and ridiculous; to which may be added, that the apostle in this verse makes mention of being the seed of Abraham, as a distinct character from that of Hebrews: others have been of opinion that the name is derived from עבר, "Habar", which signifies, "to pass...

2. ANSWERING HIS ADVERSARIES. HIS BOASTINGS. CHAPTER 11 _ 1. The Danger Through False Teachers. (2 Corinthians 11:1)_ 2. Answering His Adversaries. (2 Corinthians 11:7) 3. His Boastings of Labors and Sufferings. (2 Corinthians 11:16 .) Inasmuch as he did not want to boast, he tells the Corinthians to bear with him a little while he acts foolishly in speaking of himself. It had become necessary to do so in order to answer his adversaries, who were making havoc among the Corinthians, but he looks upon his vindication and boasting as nothing less than folly. He is about to do what he had exposed in others in the previous chapter ...

COMPARISON BETWEEN PAUL AND HIS OPPONENTS (_cf._ 2 Corinthians 11:6). Under the pressure of intense feeling he will break through his inclination and self-imposed resolve of silence, to let his character and his sufferings in the cause of Christ speak for themselves. But in doing so, he makes it clear that he waives all authority of one who speaks in the Lord. Speaking simply as a frail man, he pleads that he may receive at least such a hearing as the Corinthians have given to the other men who have tyrannised over them, exploited them, even buffeted them. If such high-handed arrogance as they have practised be what they mean by strength, then he admits (ironically adding to my disgrace) that he had been weak. The passage which follows (2 Corinthians 11:22 to...

THE PERIL OF SEDUCTION (2 Corinthians 11:1-6)...