CHAPTER XI. _The apostle apologizes for expressing his jealousy relative to_ _the true state of the Corinthians; still fearing lest their_ _minds should have been drawn aside from the simplicity of the_ _Gospel_, 1-3; _From this he takes occasion to extol his own ministry, which_ _had been wit... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:2. _I AM JEALOUS OVER YOU_, c.] The apostle evidently alludes either to the שושבינים _shoshabinim_ or _paranymphs_ among the Hebrews, whose office is largely explained in the notes on John 3:29, and the observations at the end of that chapter _"_John 3:36_"_ or to the _harmosy... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:3. _AS THE SERPENT BEGUILED EVE THROUGH HIS SUBTILTY_] This is a strong reflection on the false apostle and his teaching: he was _subtle_, πανουργος and by his subtlety (πανουργια, from παν, _all_, and εργον, _work_; his _versatility_ of character and conduct, his _capability... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:4. _FOR IF HE THAT COMETH_] The false apostle, who came _after_ St. Paul had left Corinth. _PREACHETH ANOTHER JESUS_] Who can save more fully and more powerfully than that Jesus _whom I have preached_. _OR_ IF _YE RECEIVE ANOTHER SPIRIT_] And if in consequence of believing i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:5. _I WAS NOT - BEHIND THE VERY CHIEFEST APOSTLES._] That is: The most eminent of the apostles have not preached Christ, ministered the spirit, explained and enforced the doctrines of the Gospel in a more powerful and effectual manner than I have done.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:6. _BUT THOUGH_ I BE _RUDE IN SPEECH_] ιδιωτης τω λογω Though I speak like a _common unlettered man_, in plain unadorned phrase, studying none of the graces of eloquence; yet I am not unskilled in the most profound _knowledge_ of God, of spiritual and eternal things, of the na... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:7. _HAVE I COMMITTED AN OFFENCE IN ABASING MYSELF_] Have I transgressed in _labouring with my hands_ that I might _not be_ _chargeable to you_? and getting my deficiencies supplied by contributions from other Churches, while I was employed in labouring for your salvation? Does... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:8. _I ROBBED OTHER CHURCHES_] This part of the sentence is explained by the latter, _taking wages to do you service_. The word οψωνιον signifies the _pay_ of money and provisions given daily to a _Roman soldier_. As if he had said: I received food and raiment, the bare necessa... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:9. _AND WHEN I WAS PRESENT WITH YOU_] The particle και which we translate _and_, should be rendered _for_ in this place: _For_ _when I was with you, and was in want, I was chargeable to no man_. I preferred to be, for a time, even without the _necessaries_ of life, rather than... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:10. _AS THE TRUTH OF CHRIST IS IN ME_] εστιν αληθεια χριστου εν εμοι. _The truth of Christ is in me_. That is: I speak as becomes a Christian man, and as influenced by the Gospel of Christ. It is a _solemn form_ of _asseveration_, if not to be considered in the sense of an _oa... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:11. _WHEREFORE_] Why have I acted thus? and why do I propose to _continue_ to act thus? is it _because I love you not_, and will not permit you to contribute to my support? _God knoweth_ the contrary; I do most affectionately love you.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:12. _BUT WHAT I DO_, c.] I act thus _that I may cut off_ _occasion_ of glorying, boasting, or calumniating _from them_-the false prophets and his partisans, _who seek occasion_-who would be glad that I should become _chargeable_ to you, that it might in some sort vindicate the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:13. _FOR SUCH_ ARE _FALSE APOSTLES_] Persons who _pretend_ to be apostles, but have no mission from Christ. _DECEITFUL WORKERS_] They _do_ preach and labour, but they have nothing but their _own emolument_ in view. _TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES_] Assuming as far as they possibly... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 14. _AND NO MARVEL_] καιουθαυμαστον. And no wonder; it need not surprise you what the _disciples_ do, when you consider the character of the _master_. _SATAN HIMSELF IS TRANSFORMED INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT._] As in 2 Corinthians 11:3 the apostle had the history of the _temptation_ and _fall of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _WHOSE END SHALL BE ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS._] A bad _way_ leads to a bad _end_. The way of sin is the way to _hell_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 16. _LET NO MAN THINK ME A FOOL_] See the note on 2 Corinthians 11:1. As the apostle was now going to enter into a particular detail of his qualifications, natural, acquired, and spiritual; and particularly of his _labours_ and _sufferings_; he thinks it necessary to introduce the discourse _o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _I SPEAK IT NOT AFTER THE LORD_] Were it not for the _necessity_ under which I am laid to vindicate my apostleship, my present glorying would be inconsistent with my Christian profession of _humility_, and knowing no one _after the flesh_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _SEEING THAT MANY GLORY AFTER THE FLESH_] Boast of _external_ and _secular_ things.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _YE SUFFER FOOLS GLADLY, SEEING YE_ YOURSELVES _ARE_ _WISE._] A very fine irony. Ye are so profoundly _wise_ as to be able to discern that I am a _fool_. Well, it would be dishonourable to you as _wise men_ to fall out with a _fool_; you will therefore gladly bear with his impertinence and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _FOR YE SUFFER_] As you are so _meek_ and _gentle_ as to submit to be brought into _bondage_, to have your property _devoured_, your goods _taken_ away, yourselves laid in the dust, so that others may _exalt_ themselves over you, yea, and will bear from those the most degrading _indignity_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 21. _I SPEAK AS CONCERNING REPROACH_] Dr. Whitby thus paraphrases this verse: "That which I said of _smiting you upon the_ _face, I speak as concerning_ the _reproach_ they cast upon you as profane and uncircumcised, whereas _they_ all profess to be a holy nation; _as though we had been weak_-... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _ARE THEY HEBREWS_] Speaking the _sacred language_, and _reading_ in the congregation from the Hebrew Scriptures? the same is my own language. _ARE THEY ISRAELITES_] Regularly descended from _Jacob_, and not from _Esau_? I am also one. _ARE THEY THE SEED OF ABRAHAM_] Circumcised, and in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _ARE THEY MINISTERS OF CHRIST_] So we find that these were professors of Christianity; and that they were genuine _Jews_, and such as endeavoured to incorporate _both_ systems, and, no doubt, to oblige those who had believed to be circumcised; and this appears to have been the _bondage_ in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 24. _OF THE JEWS FIVE TIMES RECEIVED I FORTY_ STRIPES _SAVE_ _ONE._] That is, he was five times scourged by the Jews, whose law (Deuteronomy 25:3) allowed forty stripes; but they, pretending to be lenient, and to act _within the letter_ of the law, inflicted but thirty-nine. To except _one_ s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _THRICE WAS I BEATEN WITH RODS_] This was under the Roman government, as their _lictors_ beat criminals in this way. We hear of the apostle's being treated thus _once_, namely at Philippi, Acts 16:22. See sec. 9 of the introduction. _ONCE WAS I STONED_] Namely, at _Lystra_, Acts 14:19, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. IN _JOURNEYINGS OFTEN_] He means the particular journeys which he took to different places, for the purpose of propagating the Gospel. IN _PERILS OF WATERS_] Exposed to great dangers in crossing _rivers_; for of _rivers_ the original, ποταμων, must be understood. _OF ROBBERS_] Judea itse... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _IN WEARINESS AND PAINFULNESS_] Tribulations of this kind were his constant companions. Lord Lyttleton and others have made useful reflections on this verse: "How hard was it for a man of a genteel and liberal education, as St. Paul was, to bear such rigours, and to wander about like a vag... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _BESIDE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE WITHOUT_] Independently of all these outward things, I have innumerable troubles and mental oppressions. _WHICH COMETH UPON ME_] Ἡ επισυατασις· _This continual press_ of business; this _insurrection_ of cases to be heard, solved, and determined, relative to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _WHO IS WEAK_] What Church is there under persecution, with which I do not immediately sympathize? or who, from his _weakness_ in the _faith_, and _scrupulousness_ of conscience, is likely to be stumbled, or turned out of the way, to whom I do not condescend, and whose burden I do not bear... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _I WILL GLORY - WHICH CONCERN MINE INFIRMITIES._] I will not boast of my _natural_ or _acquired powers_; neither in what _God_ has done by me; but rather in what I have _suffered_ for _him_. Many persons have understood by _infirmities_ what they call _the_ _indwelling sin_ of the apostl... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD_] Here is a very solemn _asseveration_; an _appeal_ to the _ever blessed God_ for the truth of what he asserts. It is something similar to his _asseveration_ or _oath_ in ver. 10 of this chapter; 2 Corinthians 11:10 see also Romans 9:5, and Galatians 1:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _IN DAMASCUS THE GOVERNOR UNDER ARETAS_] For a description of Damascus see the note on _"_Acts 9:2_"_. And for the transaction to which the apostle refers see Acts 9:23. As to King _Aretas_, there were three of this name. The _first_ is mentioned _2 Maccab. v. 8_. The _second_ by _Josephus... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:33. _THROUGH A WINDOW IN A BASKET_] Probably the house was situated on the wall of the city. See the notes on this history, Acts 9:23. IN ver. 2 of this chapter 2 Corinthians 11:2 the apostle most evidently alludes to the history of the _temptation_, and _fall_ of Adam and E... [ Continue Reading ]