2 Corinthians 11 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

2 Corinthians 11

Paul and the False Apostles

11:1 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 5 Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God’s gospel to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Paul’s Sufferings as an Apostle

16 I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17 What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would¹ but as a fool. 18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. 19 For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! 20 For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. 21 To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that!

But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food,² in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

Footnotes

[1] 11:17 Greek not according to the Lord
[2] 11:27 Or often in fasting

Commentary

v1: Paul was regarded as a fool by some (see 5.13); such was his love for the Lord, and his concern for the Corinthians.

v2-3: Paul's concern reflected Christ's own heart. He wanted to prepare the bride as a chaste and pure virgin to Christ; he is jealous with the jealousy of God. The image of sexual purity and monogamy would have been full of meaning to the Corinthians, with widespread sexual immorality.

Paul promoted purity, and sincerity; other loves are not to be tolerated. There are not levels of purity; it is absolute. Either we are pure, unmixed, or we are not.

The enemy is Satan; he deceives, he is crafty and corrupt; we must recognise that there is an enemy, and not be ignorant of his schemes (2.11). The particular danger is that false doctrines and wrong practice corrupt their minds.

v4: Another Jesus, another spirit, another gospel; no doubt the Corinthians would know exactly what Paul was referring to. Error very often sounds like truth, making reference to Jesus, the Spirit, the gospel, but meaning something quite different. We need to be discerning. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for being duped by false teachers. Their claim to spiritual gifts, including discernment, should strengthen them against such errors.

v5-6: Paul the apostle; despised by some, but he defends his apostleship. Whatever others may say, he has been called of God, and had been faithful to that call.

v7-9: Paul avoided taking money from the Corinthians, receiving money from Macedonia, to enable him to continue working. He was not a burden to them; as in 1 Cor 9.1-18.

Paul's implication is that the false apostles, so-called "super apostles," tried to take money from the Corinthians and presumably from others also. Many since then have taken money off people in return for claimed spiritual blessings and liberty. Paul's example is clear, he preached the gospel free of charge.

v10: Paul's boast was that he did what the Lord had commanded, and he happily boasted in the Corinthian church, even though there was much that needed putting right.

v11: His love for the Corinthians was his motivation for his devoted service. Their lack of appreciation, whether by ignorance or malice, made no difference.

v12: By his ministry and example, Paul cuts the ground from under the false apostles. He would not respect these people as true apostles, and he would not be diverted from his calling.

v13-15: Paul's conclusion about the false apostles is extremely clear; they are deceitful workers, ministers of Satan; they pretend to be apostles of Christ; they seek glory for themselves; they have the appearance of righteousness. Ultimately God will condemn them.

v16-19: Paul's words reflect the Corinthian's distorted views; they had rejected the wise and godly (v4), so Paul tells them to "receive me just as you would a fool". He goes on the boast, just as the false apostles boast, see v21-33.

v20-22: The false apostles brought them into bondage. They devoured and destroyed others, and they exalted themselves. They were bringing new Christians under bondage to man-made laws. In seems that they claimed Hebrew ancestry. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for putting up with such treatment.

v23-27: Paul feels obliged to boast of those things that set him apart as a servant of Christ. These verses list a catalogue of trials and suffering. The implication is that the false apostles would not have said such things; they would have spoken of their 'successes'.

v28: Not only had Paul endured much as he preached the gospel, but he held a deep concern for the churches. This burden is upon all leaders. The word used here indicates a distraction, rather then compassion; thus there is a real demand in leadership. The same word is translated "cares" in the parable of the sower, Matt 13.22; Mark 4.19; Luke 8.14, and in 1 Peter 5.7. We must cast our cares upon the Lord.

v29: Paul shared in the trials of the Christians throughout the many churches he had either planted, or ministered to. We are conscious of our own weakness, and our vulnerability to temptation.

v30: Paul's boast was clear, "my weakness". This was not just some strange humility, rather it is the lot of the servant of Christ, and proof of His grace (12.9-10).

v31: He can only say that he is speaking the truth.

v32-33: In closing, he adds a further testimony of suffering, in Damascus.