2 Corinthians 12:11

ἄφρων (אABDFGK, Latt. Copt. Aeth. Arm.) rather than ἄφρων καυχώμενος (LP, Syrr. Goth.), which Rec. adopts.

11. The Apostle pauses and looks back at what he has been saying in this most distasteful contest with his opponents, as to whether they or he had better reasons for glorying. He had begged the Corinthians not to think him a fool; or at any rate to give him not less attention than they would give to a fool (2 Corinthians 11:16). Now that he considers what he has been driven to say, he admits that he has become a fool.

Γέγονα ἄφρων. The verb is emphatic: ‘it has come to pass that I am’; ‘I have proved to be’; ‘I verily am become.’ The words are certainly not a question; nor are they concessive, ‘suppose that I am become.’ And perhaps they are not an ironical adoption of his critics’ point of view. He admits that he has really been acting foolishly in this glorying. (But the καυχώμενος of the Rec. is an obvious gloss: see critical note.) Receptui canit, says Bengel; but, although he draws to a close, there is no retreat or retraction: Γέγονα ἄφρων might possibly mean ‘I have done making a fool of myself’: comp. Revelation 16:17; Revelation 21:6. See Blass § 82. 9.

ὑμεῖς με ἠναγκάσατε· ἐγὼ γὰρ ὤφειλον κ.τ.λ. Both nominatives and ὑμῶν are very emphatic: ‘you compelled me (it was not my choice); for I (not my adversaries) ought to have been commended by you.’ He would never have been driven to this folly of glorying, if the Corinthians had supported him loyally. Could S. Paul have written this reproach, ὤφειλον ὑφʼ ὑμῶν συνίστασθαι, in the same letter in which he had told them, ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἡμῶν [συστατικὴ] ὑμεῖς ἐστὲ (2 Corinthians 3:2)? Assume that the reproach was made in an earlier letter, before they had submitted, and that 2 Corinthians 3:2 was written after they had submitted, and then all is consistent. While δεῖ (2 Corinthians 5:10) points to the nature of things or a divine decree, ὀφείλειν (here and 2 Corinthians 12:14) expresses a special personal obligation of the nature of a debt (Luke 17:10). See Westcott on 1 John 2:6.

τῶν ὑπερλίαν�. See on 2 Corinthians 11:5. Here it seems to be still more clear that ‘the super-extra apostles’ refers sarcastically to the hostile teachers, not literally to any of the Twelve. Bat there are some who doubt whether S. Paul would have condescended to say that he was not at all inferior to the Judaizing teachers. The aor. ὑστέρησα, in nothing was I behind, refers to the time when the Apostle was in Corinth. The γάρ means, ‘you could have commended me with perfect sincerity and justice.’ With the tone comp. Galatians 2:6.

εἰ καὶ οὐδὲν εἰμι. It is possible, with Tyndale and Coverdale, to take this clause with what follows; but all other English Versions agree with the Vulgate and the Reformers in taking it with what precedes. He is not claiming to be anything, when he asserts that he was not inferior to his opponents. That he was οὐδέν may have been a phrase of theirs. For εἰ καί comp. 2 Corinthians 7:8, and for οὐδὲν εἶναι comp. 1 Corinthians 13:2; Galatians 6:3.