New Testament Commentary - 2 Corinthians 11

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
              CHAPTER 11

Maintain the simplicity that is in Christ—Satan sends forth false apostles—Paul glories in his sufferings for Christ.

  1 WOULD to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
  2 For I am ajealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have bespoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
  3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the aserpent bbeguiled Eve through his csubtilty, so your minds should be dcorrupted from the esimplicity that is in Christ.
  4 For if he that cometh preacheth another aJesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another bgospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
  5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
  6 But though I be arude in speecha, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
 6a though I be rude in speech This is not that Paul spoken bad words, but rather he spoke in a common dialect and not polished, which when conpared to a trained orator of the high and most proper language, was contemptible to the 'high society' types of education and religious scholarship. Remember Saul's or Paul's profession was but a tent maker and he would have developed that common language of dealing with men at that level. Yet Paul taught in plainness of language by the spirit which was powerful to the communicating the word of God even though by a common tongue. And thus perhaps the better for one need not worry about becoming rapped around Paul's words to awe at but rather unto simple understanding. Remember Paul would rather speak five words with plainess and understanding that by the high and fancy tongues of men which could not be so simply understood.
  7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God afreely?
  8 I arobbed other churches, taking bwages of them, to do you service.
  9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was achargeable to no man: for that which was blacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia csupplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
  10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
  11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
  12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they aglory, they may be found even as we.
  13 For such are afalse apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
  14 And no marvel; for aSatan himself is transformed into an bangel of light.
  15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose aend shall be according to their works.
  16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool areceive me, that I may bboast myself a little.
  17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
  18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
  19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
  20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into abondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
  21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
  22 Are they aHebrews? so am I. Are they bIsraelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
  23 Are they aministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) bI am more; in clabours more abundant, in dstripes above measure, in eprisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
  24 Of the Jews five times received I aforty stripes save one.
  25 Thrice was I abeaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
  26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own acountrymen, in perils by the bheathen, in cperils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
  27 In aweariness and bpainfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
  28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
  29 Who is weak, and I am not aweak? who is offended, and I bburn not?
  30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmitiesa.
 30a I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities Paul could have spoken and boasted of his own religious training and his one time position in the Jewish religion of the law of Moses, but rather Paul would boast in those things in which he was but common and ordinarily living. He would not be a fancy pants unto the people but a simple honest straight forward minister, not living by any wage paid by the people and he would be long sufftering in those afflictions which others of such prideful natures would inflect upon him. And this to the good and benefit of God and man and not pridefully of himself. In this did Paul boast, like unto King Benjamin who stated that he had served his people all the days of his life to their benefit and not to his own, not laying any burden upon the people other than that of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pual was cut of that same fabric as all such honest servants of God, serving and even suffering of himself for the good of the people.
  31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
  32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to aapprehend me:
  33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.