2 Corinthians 11:21

ἠσθενήκαμεν (אB 80) rather than ἠσθενήσαμεν (DFGKLMP).

21. κατὰ�, ὡς ὅτι ἡμεῖς ἠσθενήκαμεν. See critical note. By way of dishonour (2 Corinthians 6:8) I speak, as though we have been weak. This apparently means, ‘To my own discredit I admit that I was so weak as to be unequal to treating you in this way.’ But the passage is obscure, and the Versions vary very much. He is still very satirical. ‘It is a disgraceful confession to make; but in apostolic behaviour of this kind (such as is described in 2 Corinthians 11:20) I have been as wanting as you like to make me.’ The ἀτιμία is, no doubt, his own: had he meant ‘to your dishonour,’ he would have written κατὰ τὴν�. In ὡς ὅτι (comp. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 with Lightfoot’s note) the ὡς indicates that what is introduced by ὅτι is given as the thought of another, which may or may not be correct. Winer, p. 771. Comp. 2 Corinthians 5:19, which, however, is not quite parallel. Blass says that the combination is not classical (§ 70. 2); but it is found in Xen. Hellen. III. 2 Corinthians 2:14 and Isocr. Busir. Argum. The ἡμεῖς is in emphatic opposition to the sham διάκονοι δικαισύνης with their fraud and violence. The perf., ἠσθενήκαμεν sums up the general impression of the Corinthians about him.

ἐν ᾦ δʼ ἄν τις τολμᾷ. The δέ and the τολμᾷ mark a contrast to ἠσθενήκαμεν: But whereinsoever any is bold; ‘when it comes to real boldness, no matter when, or by whom, exhibited.’ The τις, like the πολλοί in 2 Corinthians 11:18, takes the statement beyond the limits of the false apostles. For τολμᾷ see on 2 Corinthians 10:2.

ἐν�. It is in folly that I speak. This parenthesis is in harmony with ὡς ἄφρονα δέξασθέ με (2 Corinthians 11:16). He inserts it, partly as a protest against the line of argument which (κατὰ τὴν σάρκα and οὐ κατὰ κύριον) he is taking; partly because he assumes that they will not believe in his being really bold. ‘Of course I am a fool to say this.’