2 Corinthians 11:23

Are they ministers of Christ?] St Paul here cannot be content with the simple -so am I." These men (see ch. 2 Corinthians 10:7; 1 Corinthians 1:10) claimed to be in some special sense Christ's ministers. But when the Apostle thinks of the singleness of his devotion to Christ's cause, of which he had so frequently boasted (ch. 2 Corinthians 2:17 2 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Corinthians 6:4-10; 2 Corinthians 7:2, &c.), and of the nature of his services as compared with theirs, his spirit rises within him. -I may speak like a madman," he cries (see next note), -but I cannot contain myself at such a charge. What have theydone for the cause of Him whose name they falsely arrogate to themselves, compared to the services I have rendered? I use no mere words of vaunting, but appeal to the devotion of a life to His Gospel."

I speak as a fool Rather as a madman(scarse wise, Rhemish. Our translation is Tyndale's). The word in the original is stronger than that in 2Co 11:16; 2 Corinthians 11:19. St Paul is not thinking here so much of the impression his words may produce on the Corinthians, as of the fact that all -boasting" in God's sight is -excluded" by the -law of faith" (Romans 3:27; cf. Luke 17:10). Mad indeed is it to boast of anything as constituting a claim on God for reward. But facts are facts, and they may be appealed to, not for self-glorification, but (ch. 2 Corinthians 12:11) to confute pretensions which ought never to have been advanced.

in labours more abundant Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:10. He now commences the proof of this assertion, and it consists not in words but in deeds. He appeals to "a life hitherto without precedent in the history of the world. Self-devotion at particular moments, or for some special national cause, had been often seen before; but a self-devotion involving sacrifices like those here described, extending through a period of at least fourteen years, and in behalf of no local or family interest, but for the interest of mankind at large, was up to this time a thing unknown." Stanley. De Wette would translate more abundantly(the word is an adverb in the original) and connect it with what has gone before, -in labours I am more abundantly a minister of Christ than they."

in prisons more frequent "What is left out is more than is enumerated." Chrysostom. There is but oneimprisonment mentioned up to this time in the Acts (ch. Acts 16:23). So there is but onebeating with rods (see below). The Acts of the Apostles, being written with a special purpose (see note on ch. 2 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 6:5), does not attempt to give a fullaccount of St Paul's labours and sufferings. See Stanley's note on 2 Corinthians 11:21 and Paley, Horae Paulinae, Ep. to Corinth. 9. Estius accounts it a proof of St Paul's modesty that he had never mentioned these things even to a friend so intimace as St Luke.

in deaths oft Cf. ch. 2Co 1:9-10, 2 Corinthians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 15:31. "Perils containingdeath," i.e. as a possible event. Chrysostom.