2 Corinthians 11:26 Komentář

In this chapter the apostle goes on with his discourse, in opposition to the false apostles, who were very industrious to lessen his interest and reputation among the Corinthians, and had prevailed too much by their insinuations. I. He apologizes for going about to commend himself, and gives the reason for what he did (Co2 11:1-4). II. He mentions, in his own necessary vindication, his equality with the other apostles, and with the false apostles in this particular of preaching the gospel to the Corinthians freely, without wages (Co2 11:5-15). III. He makes another preface to what he was about further to say in his own justification (Co2 11:16-21). And, IV. He gives a large account of his qualifications, labours, and sufferings, in which he exceeded the false apostles (Co2 11:22 to the end).

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CORINTHIANS 11 In this chapter, the apostle continues his discourse concerning the false teachers; blames the Corinthians for their connivance at them, and subjection to them; gives a true and ample description of them; compares himself with them, and by various instances shows, that he was greatly superior to them: and whereas self commendation was necessary, and could not be avoided in this argument, and this might look like folly, and by some be deemed such, he entreats the Corinthians that they would bear with him in it, as well as in his reproofs and admonitions to them, Co2 11:1 and assigns his godly jealousy over them, as the reason why he entered into this subject, and proceeded in such a way of reasoning on it; and the rather this might be bore with in him, since he had such a concern in espousing them to Christ; his end in which was, to present them a chaste virgin to him, Co2 11:2 and what this jealousy was he explains, lest their minds should be corrupted by the false teachers, and they should forsake the pure and simple Gospel of Christ; which he exemplifies in the instance of Eve being deceived by the serpent, Co2 11:3 and proceeds to blame them for preferring these false teachers to the faithful ministers of the word; seeing, put them in the best light they could, it was but the same Jesus they preached, and not another and a better Saviour; and it was but the same spirit of faith they received through their ministry, and not another and a better; and the same Gospel they brought, and did not come with better news, or more joyful tidings; had this been the case, there would have been some reason for extolling one above another, Co2 11:4 for which there was not the least foundation, especially with respect to the Apostle Paul, who was not inferior to the chief of the true apostles of Christ, and therefore could not be at all behind these men, Co2 11:5 and seeing it might be objected to him that he was rude in speech, when these were men of great eloquence, he allows it; but then affirms he was not so in knowledge, in which he exceeded them; for the truth of which, lie appeals to the Corinthians themselves, Co2 11:6 and he suggests, that it was very ungrateful in them, that inasmuch as he humbled himself when among them, by working with his own hands, that they might be exalted, that they should despise him on that account, and prefer these avaricious men before him, Co2 11:7 when that he might be able to preach the Gospel freely, he took of other churches, Co2 11:8 and particularly was supplied by the Macedonian brethren, and so was not at all chargeable and burdensome to them, and he was determined ever to remain so, Co2 11:9 and which he confirms by an oath, that no man should ever be able to prevail upon him to take anything of the churches in the region of Achaia, in which Corinth was, Co2 11:10 and whereas it might be insinuated that such a resolution showed that he had no true affection for them, this he denies, and appeals to the omniscient God for the truth of his love to them, Co2 11:11 but the true reason why he had so determined, was to prevent the false teachers having any opportunity to reproach him, and exalt themselves, Co2 11:12 and this leads him on to a description of them, by their ambition and arrogance, in assuming a title that did not belong to them; by their crafty, cunning, and deceitful manner of working, and by their hypocrisy in mimicking the apostles of Christ, Co2 11:13 nor need this seem strange to any, when Satan himself has been transformed into an angel of light, Co2 11:14 and whom, the apostle suggests, these men imitated; whose ministers they were, though they looked like ministers of righteousness, and on whom the apostle denounces severe punishment, Co2 11:15 and as he saw himself under a necessity of boasting, in order to stop the mouths of these men, to vindicate himself, and prevent mischief being done by them, he renews his entreaty in Co2 11:1 that the Corinthians would not reckon him as a fool; or if they did, that they would bear with his folly, and suffer him to boast of himself a little, Co2 11:16 and that the Christian religion, and the Gospel of Christ, might not come under any reproach and blame, for his conduct in this particular, he observes, that what he was about to say on this head of boasting, was not by any order or direction from the Lord, but of himself, and might have the appearance of folly in it, Co2 11:17 and the rather he might be indulged in it, seeing many, even the false teachers, had gloried in a carnal way, and of outward things, and which made it necessary that he should glory also, Co2 11:18 and which foolish boasting in them, even many of the Corinthians had bore with, and that with a great deal of pleasure; and therefore might suffer him, a single man, to boast a little of himself unto them, whom he ironically calls wise, Co2 11:19 of which he gives instances, by being brought into bondage, devoured, pillaged, insulted, and abused, by the false teachers, Co2 11:20 nor had they abused and reproached them only, but the apostle also, as weak and contemptible; but then he would not bear it, but would boldly engage and enter the lists with them, though this might be by some reckoned foolish boasting, Co2 11:21 and then follows the comparison between him and them, by which it appears that he was upon an equal foot with them, on account of nation, descent, and parentage, Co2 11:22 that he was superior to them as a minister of the Gospel, as was manifest by his more abundant labours in it, and by his sufferings for it, the dangers he was exposed unto on account of it, and the many hardships he endured in the ministration of it, of which he gives a variety of particulars, Co2 11:23 to which he adds, besides these things, and all other outward ones, that the daily care of all the churches of Christ was upon him, Co2 11:28 and such was his sympathy with all sorts of Christians, even the weak and offended brethren, that he was affected with them, bore their infirmities, and sought to reconcile and make them easy, which greatly increased the weight of business that was upon him, Co2 11:29 and seeing there was a necessity of glorying, he chose to glory in his infirmities and sufferings, and on which he had mostly enlarged, Co2 11:30 and for the glory of divine Providence, and to express his thankfulness for the mercy, he relates a particular instance of deliverance from imminent danger; for the truth of which he appeals to the God and Father of Christ, the eternally blessed One, Co2 11:31 the danger he escaped, the manner and means of the escape, and the place where, are particularly mentioned, Co2 11:32.

In weariness and painfulness,.... Through long journeys and frequent preaching; or "in labour and trouble"; or in troublesome labour, for all labour is not so; as hunting, hawking, &c. though laborious, yet delightful; but the labours of the apostle were painful and troublesome to the flesh, though he had much inward spiritual delight and pleasure in them: in watchings often; being sometimes engaged at midnight, either in preaching, or praying, or staging psalms, and sometimes obliged to work early and late with his own hands to supply his necessities: in hunger and thirst; as when at sea, or in wilderness places, or where no notice was taken of him for preaching the Gospel; he doing that freely without asking the assistance of any, which in some places would have been prejudicial to his designs, and the spread of the Gospel: in fastings often; voluntary ones, which he engaged in, not as meritorious works, but to keep under his body, and as proper to attend the work of prayer at certain times: in cold and nakedness; when travelling in the winter season, and but poorly clothed to keep him from the inclemencies of the weather; and having no certain dwelling place to retire unto and abide in, during any severe season there might be, and wanting the comforts of life to support him under such inconveniences.

"In perils of rivers." For he was compelled also to cross rivers. "In perils of robbers, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness." 'Everywhere were contests set before me, in places, in countries, in cities, in deserts.' "In perils from the Gentiles, in perils amongst false brethren." Behold another kind of warfare. For not only did such as were enemies strike at him, but those also who played the hypocrite; and he had need of much firmness, much prudence.

Therefore, there are some who occupy the pastoral chair in order to care for the flock of Christ, but there are others who sit in it to gratify themselves by temporal honors and worldly advantages. These are the two kinds of pastors, some dying, some being born, who must needs continue in the Catholic church itself until the end of the world and the judgment of the Lord. If there were such men in the times of the apostles, whom the apostle lamented as false brothers when he said: “Perils from false brothers,” yet whom he did not proudly dismiss but bore with them and tolerated them, how much more likely is it that there should be such men in our times. Letter , To Felicia.

What great complaints the apostle Paul makes of false brothers. Yet he was not defiled by their physical companionship, because he was set apart from them by this distinction: purity of heart.

Paul was in danger from rivers in winter, when there was constant rain and rivers often overflowed their banks. The danger at sea which he is alluding to here was the danger that in a shipwreck the soldiers guarding prisoners on board would kill them all rather than risk letting them swim to safety..

What does the fact that you suffered shipwrecks have to do with the Gospel? He suffered shipwrecks while making long sea voyages for the sake of the Gospel. He spent a night and a day in the deep. Some, however, say that after the danger in Lystra, he hid in a certain well called Bythos, and he is speaking here about this circumstance.

For he was compelled to sail also on rivers.

Everywhere the devil raised up battles, and everywhere God offered rewards for struggles; for both from the pagans and from his fellow tribesmen the Jews, who were hardened against him out of envy, robbers were instigated. Was he safe, at least, in the city? Not at all. Finally, in the wilderness? Not there either, and when he escaped dangers on land, they met him at sea.

To be subjected to the snares of false and pretended brethren — this is another and most difficult kind of temptation, of which David also complained: "nor is it one who hates me who magnifies himself against me — from him I would hide myself; but it is you, who were for me the same as myself, my friend and my close one" (Ps. 54:13–14); and in another place: "the man at peace with me" (Ps. 40:10).

Having listed the evils inflicted from without, he then lists those he voluntarily assumed, when he says, on frequent journeys: first, external evils; secondly, internal evils (v. 28). He describes the external evils: first as to the evils that occur on journeys; secondly, as to those in houses (v. 27). In regard to the first he mentions his frequent journeys, saying on frequent journeys, namely, I am proved a minister of Christ by enduring many hard and difficult things patiently: "From Jerusalem and as far round as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ" (Rom. 15:19). Along with these he traveled along many roads, going to Rome and into Spain: "For the sake of the words of your lips, I have kept hard ways" (Ps. 17:4, Vulgate). Secondly, he mentions the dangers from journeys: first, the lesser ones; secondly, the more serious danger from false brethren. Among the lesser dangers he mentions three things, in regard to which he suffered many dangers. First, in regard to their causes, and these either from natural causes; hence he says, dangers from rivers, for streams naturally rise in the winter and are swift and very dangerous; or from malicious violence; as to this he says, in danger from robbers, whom the devil roused against him to rob him of his clothing: "His troops come on together; they have cast up siegeworks against me, and encamp round about my tent" (Job 19:12). Secondly, he lists the dangers that inspire fear either from his own; hence he says, in danger from my own people, i.e., managed by the Jews: or from outsiders; hence he says, in danger from Gentiles, who wanted to capture him for preaching the one true God. Consequently, he had no rest from his own or from others: "My mother, you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land!" (Jer. 15:10). Thirdly, he lists the dangers as to their places. First, as to cities he says, danger in the city, i.e., in cities stirred up against me, as at Ephesus and Corinth (Ac. 18 & 19); or as to a desert place; hence he says, danger in the wilderness, either from evil beasts, as when a viper bit his hand (Ac. 28:3) as he was collecting sticks; or from want of food. Secondly, as to danger at sea, such as perils from plunderers and pirates: "Let those who sail the sea tell of its dangers" (Sir. 43:26, Vulgate). But he mentions a more serious danger, saying, danger from false brethren, i.e., from false Christians and heretics and false apostles: "Let every man beware of his neighbor" (Jer. 9:4).

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, Co2 11:1-3; From this he takes occasion to extol his own ministry, which had been without charge to them, having been supported by the Churches of Macedonia while he preached the Gospel at Corinth, Co2 11:4-11. Gives the character of the false apostles, Co2 11:12-16. Shows what reasons he has to boast of secular advantages of birth, education, Divine call to the ministry, labors in that ministry, grievous persecutions, great sufferings, and extraordinary hazards, vv. 16-33.

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 itself, and perhaps every other country, was grievously infested by banditti of this kind; and no doubt the apostle in his frequent peregrinations was often attacked, but, being poor and having nothing to lose, he passed unhurt, though not without great danger. In perils by mine own countrymen - The Jews had the most rooted antipathy to him, because they considered him an apostate from the true faith, and also the means of perverting many others. There are several instances of this in the Acts; and a remarkable conspiracy against his life is related, Act 23:12, etc. In perils by the heathen - In the heathen provinces whither he went to preach the Gospel. Several instances of these perils occur also in the Acts. In perils in the city - The different seditions raised against him; particularly in Jerusalem, to which Ephesus and Damascus may be added. Perils in the wilderness - Uninhabited countries through which he was obliged to pass in order to reach from city to city. In such places it is easy to imagine many dangers from banditti, wild beasts, cold, starvation, etc. Perils in the sea - The different voyages he took in narrow seas, such as the Mediterranean, about dangerous coasts, and without compass. False brethren - Persons who joined themselves to the Church, pretending faith in Christ, but intending to act as spies, hoping to get some matter of accusation against him. He no doubt suffered much also from apostates.

THROUGH JEALOUSY OVER THE CORINTHIANS, WHO MADE MORE ACCOUNT OF THE FALSE APOSTLES THAN OF HIM, HE IS OBLIGED TO COMMEND HIMSELF AS IN MANY RESPECTS SUPERIOR. (2Co. 11:1-33) Would to God--Translate as Greek, "I would that." bear with me--I may ask not unreasonably to be borne with; not so the false apostles (Co2 11:4, Co2 11:20). my--not in the oldest manuscripts. folly--The Greek is a milder term than that for "foolishness" in Co1 3:19; Mat 5:22; Mat 25:2. The Greek for "folly" here implies imprudence; the Greek for "foolishness" includes the idea of perversity and wickedness. and indeed bear--A request (so Co2 11:16). But the Greek and the sense favor the translation, "But indeed (I need not wish it, for) ye do bear with me"; still I wish you to bear with me further, while I enter at large into self-commendations.

In--rather, "By": connected with Co2 11:23, but now not with "in," as there, and as in Co2 11:27, where again he passes to the idea of surrounding circumstances or environments [ALFORD, ELLICOTT and others]. waters--rather, as Greek, "rivers," namely, perils by the flooding of rivers, as on the road often traversed by Paul between Jerusalem and Antioch, crossed as it is by the torrents rushing down from Lebanon. So the traveller Sport lost his life. robbers--perhaps in his journey from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia. Pisidia was notorious for robbers; as indeed were all the mountains that divided the high land of Asia from the sea. the heathen--Gentiles. in the city--Damascus, Act 9:24-25; Jerusalem, Act 9:29; Ephesus, Act 19:23. false brethren-- (Gal 2:4).