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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2 Corinthians 11:18-33

St Paul permits himself to enumerate his labours for the Gospel's sake

18. after the flesh See note on after the Lord, and Philippians 3:4. Also note on ch. 2 Corinthians 10:3. St Paul means after the manner of those who judge only by what is outward and visible, or perhaps he may mean boasting of things, such as "high birth, wealth, wisdom, of being circumcised, of Hebrew ancestry, of popular renown" (Chrysostom), on which fleshly men set high value.

I will glory also "It is remarkable that St Paul does not glory in what he has done, but what he has borne." Robertson.

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See also 2 Corinthians 11:18-33 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 18. _SEEING THAT MANY GLORY AFTER THE FLESH_] Boast of _external_ and _secular_ things....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    SEEING THAT MANY GLORY ... - The false teachers in Corinth. They boasted of their birth, rank, natural endowments, eloquence, etc.; see 2 Corinthians 11:22. Compare Philippians 3:3. I WILL GLORY ALSO...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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 a...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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 charac...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

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

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Again I say, let no one think me a fool. But, even if you do, bear with me, even if it is as a fool that you do bear with me, so that I too may boast a little. I am not saying what I am saying as if t...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SEEING THAT. Since. I, &c. Read. also, U....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    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 Corint...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    16–21. Like 2 Corinthians 11:1-6, these six verses are ‘again’ introductory to the glorying which follows, apologizing for the folly of it....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    GLORYING ABOUT HIS SERVICES AND SUFFERINGS...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _ BOASTING DONE WITH GREAT RELUCTANCE -- 2 CORINTHIANS 11:16-21:_ Paul did not want these brethren to think he was a fool. But even if they did accept him as a fool he needed to boast a little. Paul u...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΚΑΥΧΏΝΤΑΙ _praes. ind. med. (dep.)_ ΚΑΥΧΉΣΟΜΑΙ _fut. ind. med. (dep.) от_ ΚΑΥΧΆΟΜΑΙ (G2744) хвалиться. О самовосхвалении в риторике _см._ Forbes, "Comparison, Self Praise and Irony" NTS 32 (1986): 8-1...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTS SECTION 3 Unaccredited, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 16 I repeat, let no one think me foolish; but even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17(What I am say...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    APPLEBURY'S COMMENTS _Scripture_ 2 Corinthians 11:16-21 a. I say again, Let no man think me foolish; but if ye do, yet as foolish receive me, that I also may glory a little. 17 That which I speak, I...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. MANY - including the 'false teachers.' AFTER THE FLESH - as fleshly men boast; namely, of external advantages, their birth, doings, etc...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    11 Even forbearance and gentleness have their limits. The apostle makes it clear that. when he came to them again he would act quite as severely as he wrote in dealing with those who still opposed him...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    AFTER THE FLESH] i.e. of their worldly advantages: cp. 2 Corinthians 11:22; 2 Corinthians 11:23....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    _(B) 11:1-15. DEFENCE OF HIS GOSPEL AND OF HIS INDEPENDENCE_ St. Paul says that he also will now boast a little, for he is as much an Apostle as those whom they prefer. If he refuses monetary support...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD SHOWS HIS POWER WHEN WE ARE WEAK 2 CORINTHIANS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 11 V1 I will now write some words about myself, like those fools who recommend themselves. Be patient, and you will under...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SEEING THAT MANY GLORY AFTER THE FLESH. — To glory, or _boast,_ after the flesh, as interpreted by 2 Corinthians 5:16 (where see Note), is to lay stress on things which are the accidents of the spirit...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 25 FOOLISH BOASTING. 2 Corinthians 11:7 (R.V) THE connection of 2 Corinthians 11:7 with what precedes is not at once clear. The Apostle has expressed his conviction that he is in nothing inf...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    HIS APOSTOLIC LABOURS AND TRIALS....

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἐπεὶ πολλοὶ καυχῶνται κ. τ. λ.: _seeing that many, sc._, of the Corinthian Judaisers against whom this whole polemic is directed (_cf._ 2 Corinthians 2:17, where they are also alluded to as οἱ πολλοὶ,...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    CONSTRAINED TO SILENCE BOASTERS 2 Corinthians 11:10 In vivid language, which proves how greatly he had been moved, the Apostle contrasts the false teachers who were injuring his converts with himself...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Having thus stated the true grounds of glorying, and being about to make his boast (such action having been made necessary by the opposition), the apostle has so little love for it that he commences w...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    VERSE 18 The false teachers had boasted about fleshly things while downgrading Paul in the same. He now turns to show the weakness of their argument....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (16) I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. (17) That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    illing them to overflowing, though surely not to cease in the ages to come. "Unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    18._Since many glory. _The meaning _is _— Should any one say to me, by way of objection, that what I do is faulty, what then as to others? Are not they my leaders? Am I alone, or am I the first, in _g...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In Chapter 11, jealous with regard to his beloved Corinthians with a godly jealousy, he carries yet further his arguments relating to false teachers. He asks the faithful in Corinth to bear with him a...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    SEEING THAT MANY GLORY AFTER THE FLESH,.... Or with respect to things external, such as their high birth and parentage, carnal descent, circumcision, learned education, and the like; of which the fals...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. Ver. 18. _Glory after the flesh_] Or in the flesh,Galatians 6:13, or have confidence in the flesh, Philippians 3:4 ....

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Seeing that many glory after the flesh_ In circumcision, Jewish extraction, and other outward privileges and qualifications; _I will glory also_ In the same manner; nor can my seeming folly offend yo...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    MANY GLORY AFTER THE FLESH; in their birth, rank, and worldly distinctions....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    SEEING THAT MANY GLORY AFTER THE FLESH, I WILL GLORY ALSO....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    PAUL'S BOAST OF HIS APOSTOLIC CALLING. Paul deprecates the necessity of boasting:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    If it seems strange that Paul asks the Corinthians to bear with a little folly in him, yet let us still remember that it is God who inspires him to write as he does. Paul considered it folly to speak...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    16-21 It is the duty and practice of Christians to humble themselves, in obedience to the command and example of the Lord; yet prudence must direct in what it is needful to do things which we may do...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    By THE FLESH is meant, carnal and external things; which though they be the gifts and favours of God, yet do not at all commend a man to God. The apostle saith, there are MANY THAT GLORY AFTER THE FLE...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. [I am about to follow the carnal example of the boasters, that I may defeat them with their own weapon.]...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Tertullian On the Apparel of Women Book II ; but (it will be) when it has endured laceration for Christ's sake,[35]...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 Corinthians 11:18 that G1893 many G4183 boast G2744 (G5736) according G2596 flesh G4561 also G2504 boast...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.' His opponents are boasting like human beings because of their unspiritual nature, boasting in their human status and behaviour, glorying af...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    PAUL DEFENDS HIS APOSTLESHIP AND COMPARES HIMSELF WITH HIS OPPONENTS (2 CORINTHIANS 11:1). An exact determination of who the visiting preachers were who constituted the new grave threat to Paul's mini...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    2 Corinthians 11:16-18 . I SAY AGAIN, LET NO MAN THINK ME FOOLISH; BUT IF YE DO SO, YET AS FOOLISH RECEIVE ME, THAT I ALSO MAY GLORY A LITTLE, etc. He feels the conflict between what may be called leg...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    AFTER THE FLESH (κατα σαρκα). It is κατα σαρκα not κατα Κυριον.I ALSO (καγω). But he knows that it is a bit of foolishness and not like Christ....

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Paul's godly jealousy for Christ's cause. Warning against false teachers. Paul's enforced boasting. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Paul, Satan, Eve, Abraham, Aretas, governor of Damascus. CONCLUS...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    2 Corinthians 11:1. _Bear with me a little in my folly;_ for I must glory a little when the advocate of self-applause. I know it is folly for a man to applaud himself; and I doubt not but you will bea...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    I WILL DO THE SAME. "I can boast about worldly things also!" _See_ 2 Corinthians 11:30....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 2 CORINTHIANS 11:16 In his arrogance the FOOL boasts in himself, not in the Lord (see 2 Corinthians 10:17). He is

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 11 SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER i. After declaring his love for the Corinthians, he proceeds (ver. 4) to defend his apostleship against the false apostles, pointing out that they had bestowed no...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ 2 Corinthians 11:16. AGAIN.—After 2 Corinthians 11:1. “You can very well let a foolish fellow like me be in the fashion, and do a bit of boasting.” 2 Corinthians 1

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    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 ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let's turn to II Corinthians, chapter eleven. Paul's authority as an apostle has been challenged in the Corinthian church by certain Jewish teachers who had come in behind Paul, as they so often did,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 4:10; 1 Peter 1:24; 2 Corinthians 10:12; 2 Corinthians 11:12;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    After the flesh — That is, in external things....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Here our apostle, with some kind of salt and smartness, reflects upon the Corinthians (whom ironically he calls wise men) for suffering themselves to be imposed upon by their false teachers, to be tyr...

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