2 Corinthians 11

Chap. XI. Ver. 1—15. St. Paul’s judgment of false teachers.—On the early part of this chapter we offer the following remarks:—ter such espousal is an aggravated species of spiritual adultery. Dr. Doddridge says, ‘This is much illustrated by recollecting that there was an officer among the Greeks, whose business it was to educate and form young women (especially those of rank and figure) designed for marriage, and then to present them to those who were to be their husbands; and if this officer permitted them, through negligence, to be corrupted between the espousals and the consummation of the marriage, great blame would naturally fall upon him.’ So it would be a matter of great grief to the apostle, if, instead of preparing themselves for the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven, any of them should be corrupted by anti-Christian er- 2.

The apostle compares the seduction of the Corinthians, by their false apostles, to the old serpent (the devil) beguiling Eve to her ruin, and that of her posterity. This may lead us to inquire, by what means was Eve deceived? It is to be recollected that the serpent did not directly contradict the declaration of the Almighty, “Thou shalt surely die;” but, he began with insinuating doubts and queries.—“Yea,”—indeed! “Hath God said so and so?” and, when he found that she listened to his insinuations—then he boldly adds, “Ye shall not surely die”—On the contrary, ye shall be immortalized, and become wise as gods. ((Genesis 3:1-5).) So it is highly probable that these instruments of Satan did not directly contradict the doctrine of the apostle; but first queried his divine authority, and then proceeded to insinuate that he was deceiving them, or was at least himself ignorant and deceived.

3. St. Paul guards the Corinthians against listening to any other doctrines than those which had been the means of leading them to conversion. “If, indeed, (as though he had said,) your new teacher could present you with a new Saviour, whose miracles were more convincing, or his doctrines more sublime; if another gospel were revealed, or another and more divine spirit poured from on high; then, indeed, you might have some pretence for listening to your new apostles; but as you know there is ‘no other name given to men by which they can be saved, but that of Jesus,’ (see (Acts 4:12),) listen not to their vain pretensions or seductive reasonings.”

4. One thing, indeed, by which St. Paul gave great umbrage (as it should seem) to these teachers, was his refusing to receive any regular support from the churches, as the others did, and which unquestionably he had a right to do.

But he gloried in making the propagation of the gospel as free as was the grace in which it originated; and therefore laboured hard in a common handicraft business, rather than burden any of the churches, and particularly the Corinthians; choosing rather to subsist on the voluntary donations of the poor Macedonians, than to be dependant on them, who, though more wealthy, were evidently less generous. (See ch. ix. 2—4.) This he calls robbing the churches to spare them.

5. Both Satan and his emissaries frequently transform themselves into angels of light, for the better accomplishment of their dark designs. Of the former there can be no doubt, and of the latter there are too many unhappy proofs. It is not for us, who have not the gift of discerning spirits, to point out individual characters; but when men show more zeal to support a party than for the conversion of souls—when they evince more anxiety to please their hearers than to profit them—when they aim to exalt themselves and debase the characters of their brethren—then, assuredly, are they “false apostles and deceitful workers, whose end shall be according to their works.”

Ver. 16—33. Paul compelled to self-defence.—“Seiad (save) compelled to self-defence It must be Dr. Watts) that there are some occurrences in life, which make it proper, and almost necessary, to speak of one’s self to advantage; prudence and religion should direct us how to distinguish those seasons and occasions. A wise man, when he is constrained to speak of his own character, or to support his own honour, feels a sort of inward uneasiness, lest he should be taken for a vain-glorious fool; and is even ashamed to speak what is necessary for his own vindication, lest it should appear like vanity and boasting. See this notably exemplified in the conduct of Paul…..

This very man, who counts himself less than the least of all the saints, was once reviled by some upstarts in the Corinthian church……. Then he is compelled to produce his own credentials, to display his own divine commission, and to make his superior qualifications known to the people. I suppose (says he) I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles; though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge, &c.; and then he recounts his abundant labours, his abundant sufferings, and his service to Christ and souls: but mark, how often this man of heavenly wisdom represents this, his conduct, as acting like a fool; and he seems to blush while he boasts himself a little: Let no man think me a fool indeed; but, if you will think me so, yet as a fool receive me….

Boasting of one’s self, in the judgment of a great apostle, is so foolish a thing, that, when wisdom itself requires him to practise it, he is quite ashamed of it, and almost expects that he shall be taken for a fool.” In looking over his list of Paul’s sufferings, in the latter part of this chapter, we cannot but feel admiration at the number and weight of calamities which he sustained in the cause of Christ; but a small portion of which are recorded in the book of Acts. For instance, we have only on record one instance of his imprisonment, (viz. at Philippi,) and one of his being scourged with rods. ((Acts 16:20).) The shipwreck at Melita was long after his writing this Epistle, and therefore could not be one of the three here named. So numerous, so several other things in this chapter; and this, perhaps, is what the apostle various, so long continued were the sufferings of this indefatigable apostle, unjustly censured and reproached as he was, by those who carefully avoided the like sufferings.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 4. Not carnal.—The gospel disowns all worldly means of propagation or conquest—especially such as have been improperly and falsely called holy.

Ver. 6. And having in readiness to revenge.—Macknight, “And are prepared [by our miraculous power] to punish all disobedience [as I shall do at Corinth] when the obedience [of such of you as are disposed to repent] is completed.”

Ver. 7. He is Christ’s—i.e. Christ’s minister.

Ver. 8. I should not be ashamed—i.e. “by its failing me when I try it on the disobedient among you.”—Macknight.

Ver. 9. As if I would terrify you.—It was a dozen years, or more, before this, that St. Paul had smitten Elymas with blindness; ((Acts 13);) and he anticipated that they might construe some of his remarks into a threat of some similar judgment.

Ver. 10. His letters.—Doddridge, “Epistles.” So ver. 9 and 11. The epistle before us seems to have been the sixth written by Paul; it is very possible, therefore, that these Corinthians might have seen two or three of them.—Powerful.—Doddridge and Macknight, “strong.”

Ver. 12. For we dare not make, &c.—Doddridge, “For we presume not to number (Macknight, rank) ourselves with some who recommend themselves;” i.e. look only to their own supposed merits, and those of their own.

Ver. 13. Not boast of things without our measure—That is, we restrain our labours within the bounds prescribed to us of God. [The expressions in these verses appear to be agonistical, taken from the Isthmian and Olympic games.

The measure was the length of the course; the race or line, was probably the same with the white line, which marked the boundaries of the stadium; and the verbs reach unto, stretch out, &c., refer to the exertions made to win the race.]—Bagster. But perhaps the allusion may be to the division of the land of Canaan. See (Psalms 78:55). Compare (Romans 10:18), with (Psalms 19:4).

Ver. 15. Enlarged by you.—Doddridge, “Magnified by you.”

Chap. XL. Ver. 2. For I, &c.—Macknight, “Because I have betrothed you [by faith and holiness] to one husband, to present you [in affection and conduct spotless, as] a chaste virgin to Christ.”

Ver. 5. For I suppose.—Doddridge, “I reckon.” The same word is thus rendered, (Romans 8:18).—I was not whit behind.—Macknight, “I am in nothing inferior.”—The very chiefest apostles—That is, Peter, James, and John; see (Galatians 2:9). It is evident from this that Paul did not acknowledge the supremacy of Peter, as t

Ver. 6. Rude.—Doddridge, “unskilful.” Macknight, “unlearned.” Raphelius cites a passage from Xenophon, in which (using the same word, idiotes) he calls himself “a plain (or ordinary) man.”

Ver. 17. I speak it not after the Lord.—The apostle appears so jealous lest, by this appearance of boasting, he should bring any reproach upon the Spirit of inspiration, that he takes it upon himself; as if he had said, ‘If I seem guilty of vain boasting, attribute it to my own weakness only, and not to the Lord by whom I am sent.’

Ver. 18. Many glory after the flesh.—See chap. x. 13; xii. 5,6. (Philippians 3:4).

Ver. 19. Ye suffer it gladly, seeing ye yourselves are “wise”—i.e. you readily suffer yourselves to be made fools (as in the next verse) by other teachers and why or” me? This is evidently spoken satirically, as also means by speaking foolishly, or, as it were, in jest.

Ver. 20. For ye suffer, if a man, &c.—Doddridge, “For you bear it, if,” &c. So Macknight.

Ver. 22. Are they Hebrews?—See (Philippians 3:5).

Ver. 24. Forty stripes save one.—See note on (Deuteronomy 25:3).

Ver. 28. Cometh upon me.—Doddridge, “rusheth in upon me.”

Ver. 29. And I burn not—i.e. with indignation.

Ver. 32. In Damascus…. Aretas the king.—(This Aretas was an Arabian king, and the father-in-law of Herod Antipas, upon whom he made war in consequence of his having divorced his daughter.

Herod applied to Tiberias