2 Corinthians 11:5

λογίζομαι γὰρ μηδὲν ὑστερηκέναι τῶν ὑπερλίαν�. For I count (2 Corinthians 10:7; 2 Corinthians 10:11) that I am not a whit behind those preeminent apostles. The rare compound ὑπερλίαν (here and 2 Corinthians 12:11 only) has been variously translated and explained; ‘overmuch,’ ‘superlative,’ ‘superfine,’ ‘extraordinary, ‘very chiefest.’ Almost certainly οἱ ὑπερλίαν� refers to the ψευδαπόστολοι (2 Corinthians 11:13), the seducing leaders who had been acting as if they had apostolic authority, if not something superior to that. The verse has been used as an argument against the supremacy of S. Peter, as if by ‘the preeminent Apostles’ S. Paul meant Peter, James, and John: and to this Roman commentators have replied that S. Paul claims to be equal to S. Peter in gifts, but says nothing about equality of jurisdiction. Both argument and reply are beside the mark. For S. Paul would hardly have used a word which implies excess or extravagance of any of the Twelve; Galatians 2:6 is no proof that he would have done so. In both passages he is depreciating, not the Twelve, but those Judaizers who professed to have the authority of the Twelve for their bigotry. Here the Twelve are not in question. It is the contrast between S. Paul and the rival teachers that is pointed out. These rivals denied Paul’s authority, and themselves claimed to have the authority of the Twelve. It is more probable that he calls the rival teachers themselves ‘superextra-apostles’ than that he styles the Twelve such. S. Paul has coined the compound on the model of ὑπεράγαν (2Ma 8:35; 2Ma 10:34; 2Ma 13:25), ὑπέρευ (Plat., Xen., Dem.), ὑπέρφευ (Aesch., Eurip.), being fond of compounds of ὑπέρ. In this letter we have ὑπεραίρομαι, ὑπερβαλλόντως, ὑπερβάλλειν, ὑπερβολή, ὑπερέκεινα, ὑπερεκτείνω, ὑπερπερισσεύω, and there are ten or twelve more in his other letters: but this one is unique. But perhaps the possibility that S. Paul is here borrowing a phrase from his detractors at Corinth ought not to be excluded: οἱ ὑπερλίαν� may have been a cant expression there for the Jewish Apostles who had seen the Lord. Although he would never himself have invented such a designation of the Twelve, he might take it up when current. For ὑστερηκέναι see Hebrews 4. with Westcott’s note. The perfect marks not only a past (2 Corinthians 12:11, ὑστέρησα) or present inferiority (Romans 3:23, ὑστεροῦνται), but an abiding one. The gen., τῶν�, comes from the idea of comparison involved in the verb: comp. ἵνα μηδʼ ἐμπειρίᾳ ὑστερῶσι τῶν ἄλλων (Plat. Rep. VII. 539 E).