2 Corinthians 11:18

18. It is hard to decide between κατὰ τὴν σάρκα (א3BD3KLMP) and κατὰ σάρκα (אDFGR 17, 71, 73).

18. κατὰ[τὴν]σάρκα. See critical note. Everywhere else, and very frequently (2 Corinthians 1:17; 2 Corinthians 5:16; 2 Corinthians 10:2-3; 1 Corinthians 1:26; 1 Corinthians 10:18; &c.), S. Paul writes κατὰ σάρκα, which might account for τήν being accidentally or deliberately omitted in some early copies. If the article is original, it is inserted to mark a difference, which may be this, that κατὰ σάρκα is ‘from a low point of view,’ and κατὰ τὴν σάρκα, ‘from their low point of view.’ There may be many points of view, all κατὰ σάρκα, which are taken by different people. The R.V. reads κ. τὴν σ., but makes no change in translation. The πολλοί includes others besides the false teachers: many people, from their own worldly points of view, glory of their birth, possessions, performances, &c. The Apostle can do the same. Comp. Philippians 3:3-5. With the construction ἐπεὶ πολλοὶ … κἀγώ comp. ἐπειδήπερ πολλοὶ … ἔδοξε κἀμοί (Luke 1:1-3).

κἀγὼ καυχήσομαι. Understand κατὰ τὴν σάρκα μου. He is going to show the Corinthians what this kind of rivalry in glorying involves. See the analysis of what follows (2 Corinthians 11:19-31) in Appendix D.