Verse by Verse

¹⁹ Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification.

²⁰ For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults;

²¹ lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.

contentions (v.20) = quarrels, strife, wrangling

jealousies (v.20) = envious and contentious rivalry that causes outbursts and consequences

outbursts of wrath (v.20) = actions resulting from strong passions, impulsive anger

selfish ambitions (v.20) = rivalry, self-seeking, acting for one’s own gain regardless of the discord it causes

backbitings (v.20) = slander, defamation

whisperings (v.20) = gossip, secret slandering, secret attacks on a person’s character

conceits (v.20) = a puffing up, pride, arrogance

tumults (v.20) = disturbance, revolution, almost anarchy

humble (v.21) = bring low, humiliate, submit oneself in a lowly spirit to the power and will of God (in Paul’s case here, to have to resort to disciplining the Corinthians instead of building them up as he wished to do (v.19)

mourn (v.21) = to grieve over a personal hope that dies,

For a long time you are thinking that it is to you I am presenting my verbal defense. In the sight of God in Christ are we speaking. But all the things, beloved ones, [which we are speaking] are for your upbuilding. For I fear lest by any means, having come, I will find you such as I desire you not to be, and as for myself, i will be found by you such as you do not desire me to be [indignant to the point of severity at your backsliding], lest by any means there should be strife, jealousy, outbursts of boiling rage, factions, defamation of character, secret slanders, inflated egos, disorders, lest, having come again, my God should humiliate me before you, and I should grieve for many of those who have sinned previously and did not repent of their uncleanness, and fornication, and unbridled passionate craving which they committed. — Wuest, page 437

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Had [Paul] been excusing his conduct toward them? Far from it! “We speak before God in Christ,” he says, “but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying” (v.19). They were the ones making excuses for their behavior, but he spoke “before God in Christ,” so as to “edify” them (build them up) and make of them the kind of Christians they ought to be.

This whole verbal spanking had stemmed from his fear that when he arrived at Corinth, he would not find them to be what he had hoped for and that they would not find him to be what they had hoped for: “lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults” (v.20). Such had been their past; would it still be so with him in their midst? — Stam, pages 228-229.

In essence, Paul was telling the Corinthians to shape up and quit sinning so that, when he arrived, he could encourage them and build them up. Otherwise, when he arrived, he would have to discipline them—and they would not like that and neither would he.

¹¹ I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing.

¹² Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.

¹³ For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

¹⁴ Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

¹⁵ And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

¹⁶ But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning!

¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you?

¹⁸ I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

I have become foolish and am so now [boasting thus]. As for you, you drove me to it. For as for myself, I ought to have been by you commended, which obligation on your part you have not fulfilled. [Had you done so, you would have saved me from boasting], for in not even one particular was I behind the superfine apostles although I am nothing. Indeed, the miracles of the apostles, the purpose of which is to furnish credentials of that office, were fully performed among you in all patience, both by  means of attesting miracles and miracles of a startling, imposing, amazement-wakening character, and miracles that demonstrate God’s power.

For what is there in which you were treated in an inferior manner to the rest of the assemblies except that, as for myself, I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong. Look! This is a third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, for I am not seeking your possessions but you. For the children are under to moral obligation to be accumulating material resources for the parents, but the parents for the children. But as for myself, I will most gladly spend and be wholly spent for the sake of your souls. Assuming for the moment that I love you more abundantly [than I love other assemblies I have founded], am I being loved less [than I am being loved by other assemblies]? [Is that the way you are requiting my love?] But let it be so. [Let the former matter be dismissed.] As for myself, I did not saddle you with a burden. Nevertheless, [you say that] being crafty, I caught you [for my own enrichment from the collection for the poor saints] by means of a tricky bait. Of those whom I have sent to you, there was not one through whom I took advantage of you, was there? I exhorted Titus, and with him I sent the brother. Titus did not take advantage of you in anything, did he? Did we not order our behavior by means of the same Spirit, and in the same footsteps? — Wuest, pages 436-437.

perseverance (v.12) = steadfastness, constancy, endurance — unswerving from one’s deliberate purpose, even in the face of trials and suffering.

signs and wonders and mighty deeds (v.12) — Acts 14:8-10; 15:12; 16:16-18; 19:11-12; 20:6-12; 28:1-10

the third time I am ready to come to you (v.14) — This may refer to actual visits—Paul’s first visit is recorded in Acts 18:1. His second visit may have occurred on the journey from Ephesus to Macedonia (2 Corinthians 1:16), or be unrecorded. Or, he may mean that he had intended to visit them twice before but had been disappointed (1 Corinthians 16:5; 2 Corinthians 1:15-16). The second view seems more likely to be the correct one.

crafty (v.16) = doing anything to get one’s way

our brother (v.18) — 2 Corinthians 8:18-22

The apostle once more (v.11) returns—and for the last time—to the subject of his credentials as a true apostle. They might esteem him to be “nothing,” but he was, on the contrary, in nothing behind those very preeminent and self-made apostles of whom they were so proud. — Williams, page 908

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The duty of parents to provide for their children has here (v.14) Scriptural authority.

To spend; to spend gladly; to spend very gladly; to be spent; to love more abundantly though to be less loved—such a depth of affection is impossible to fallen man (v.15). Its existence proves the fact and power of the New Birth, and was an overwhelming testimony to the apostle’s claims.

Paul with indignation (vs. 17-18) exclaims: “Did I get money from you either directly or through Titus and his companions?” The accusation was that his refusing money was a trick, for that he extracted it through second parties. How very painful it must have been to a noble heart like that of Paul’s to have been compelled to discuss the motives which govern the false and selfish hearts of unconverted men! But love must bear such things; it must think for others, though it cannot think with them.

“Spirit” and “steps” (v.18), i.e., the inward motives and the outward actions. — Williams, page 908.

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Paul had become a fool in glorying, but they had put him in such a position that he had to defend his apostleship or let God’s message of grace be rendered null and void. He ought to have been commended by them. They should have been proud of him, for in nothing had he been behind the greatest leaders at Jerusalem: in learning, in the working of signs, wonders and mighty deeds, in the evidences of his God-given apostleship; in nothing. And they should have recognized this. He was modest enough to add to his defense, “though I be nothing.” He understood that it was only by grace that “Saul, the sinner,” had become “Paul, the Apostle” (See Romans 1:5, 12:3; 15:15; 1 Corinthians 15:10).

But had he made of them an inferior church? In no way, except that he had labored among them without salary and, with a tinge of sarcasm he asks them: “Forgive me this wrong.”

And now the apostle is considering coming to them for the third time, and they must expect the same from him, for he never had sought theirs (i.e., what was theirs) but them. How earnestly he had desired to “present [them] as a chaste virgin to Christ.” He wanted them for Christ. And then, as to personal finances. “The children,” he says, “ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.” This was his conviction. He would gladly “spend and be spent” for them. But what had been the results of this care for them? Sadly, he had had to add the words, “… though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved” (v.15).

His “Be it so” (v.16) shows that the apostle accepted their unloving attitude as a matter of fact. He was not made bitter by it. But he presses home to them the fact that “I did not burden you.” This was important to his defense. As to the rest of the verse, Paul was most certainly not a crafty person. Indeed, it was his deep desire, “by manifestation of the truth,” to commend [himself] to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2). The thought is, and he says it rather humorously, that in this case, being crafty, he had caught them with guile. — Stam, pages 227-228.

⁷ And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

And with respect to the superabundance of the revelations, in order that I may not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to the end that he might constantly maltreat me lest I be exalted overmuch. Concerning this three times I begged the Lord that he might depart from me. And He has said to me, and His declaration still stands, My grace is enough for you, for power is moment by moment coming to its full energy and complete operation in the sphere of weakness. Therefore, most gladly will I the rather boast in my weaknesses in order that the power of the Christ [like the Shekinah Glory in the Holy of Holies of the Tent of Meeting] may take up its residence in me [working within me and giving me help]. Wherefore I am well content in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions, and in circumstances under which I am subject to extreme pressure on behalf of Christ, for when I am weak, then I am filled with ability and power. — Wuest, pages 435-436.

exalted (v.7) = conceited, lifted up by oneself, to raise oneself above measure

buffet (v.7) = lit. “to strike with the fist,” striking with something sharp and painful, sticking deeply in the flesh so it remains there, to treat with violence

I think it’s interesting that Paul repeated the phrase “lest I (should) be exalted above measure” twice in one short sentence (v.7). I wonder if he did that to remind himself of the danger of conceit.

sufficient (v.9) = enough, be content

infirmities (v.9) = weaknesses

reproaches (v.10) = insults, mental injury

Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was some kind of bodily weakness or disease; possibly it may have been an eye affliction (see Galatians 6:11). [Perhaps] the reason that its particular nature is not disclosed is so that Paul’s consolations may avail for all to whom any type of “thorn” is given. — Scofield, page 1262.

When I was younger, my dad, probably because of his own blindness, leaned toward the idea that Paul’s thorn was an eye problem. It’s now become popular to doubt that. Paul doesn’t say, so of course there’s no way to know. But because Paul wrote about his eye problem in Galatia (Galatians 4:13-15) and seemed to be saying it was continuing when he wrote the letter (Galatians 6:11), I still think it’s possible (although unimportant).

Williams makes a connection between Paul’s three prayers to have his thorn removed and the Lord’s three prayers in the garden to let the cup pass from Him (see Matthew 26:36-44).

Being in the third heaven and seeing and hearing unutterable (both inexpressible and “unlawful” for man to utter) things would not provoke one to pride, but rather to humility. But having had this experience is another matter. Indeed, Paul himself was now tempted to boast, so that the Lord had to give him a “thorn in the flesh” to keep him humble. Exactly what this thorn was we are not told, so do not need to know.

Verse 7 explains why this affliction was called for, but the rendering” “the abundance of the revelations,” can hardly be correct. It was not the number of the revelations that tempted Paul to pride. [The word] has been variously rendered: “excellence,” “magnificence,” “per-eminence,” “transcendency,” “exceeding greatness,” “marvelous character,” etc., but the Greek word is hyperbole [which can be best translated] … “surpassingness.”

This thorn was given to Paul by God, who directed Satan to send a messenger to “buffet” him. It must have been painful indeed, added to the many sufferings he was already bearing. It reminds us of the words of Christ to Ananias at Paul’s conversion: “I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:16).

But this was in addition and might, in Paul’s view, prove a hindrance to his ministry. The Lord knew better, however. On an earlier occasion it had been “infirmity of the flesh” that had detained Paul among the Galatians, and this had not hindered his ministry there. Consider Galatians 4:13-14: “Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation [lit., “testing”] which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.”

And he adds in Galatians 4:15: “I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.”

Paul’s thorn in the flesh must have been painful, however, for he says: “for this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me.” … But the Lord answered him in a beautiful way regarding this painful affliction that he must bear, perhaps, for the rest of his life. “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (verse 9).

What a glorious revelation: not merely that God will strengthen Paul when he is weak, or work for him when he is weak, but that God’s own power is “made perfect,” or best demonstrated in Paul’s weakness. — Stam, pages 224-226.

1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:

² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.

³ And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—

⁴ how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

⁵ Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.

⁶ For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

Paul was walking a fine line here (in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit). On the one hand, he wanted to show indisputable evidence to the Corinthians that he, and not the Judaizers, was God’s appointed messenger to them. This evidence included his message, his sufferings for Christ, and the revelations he had received from the Lord—all powerful stuff. But on the other hand, Paul didn’t want the Corinthians to focus on him. All that he was, all he had to boast about, was entirely from Christ without any merit on Paul’s part at all.

third heaven (v.2) — where God is. The first heaven is the atmosphere. The second heaven is space.

Of the [“man in Christ,” Paul] could boast, for … having no conscious physical being, enjoying an experience of which a man in the flesh could not boast, for it was an exertion of Divine power in which man had no part. Self and everything that could exalt him as a man were forgotten. He, as a man, had no share in a power which raptured him into Paradise. It was “a man in Christ” that was so raptured. Of such a man he could boast; but of himself he would not boast except in his infirmities.

If he wished to boast (v.6) he could do so truthfully, for he had very much to boast about. — Williams, page 907.

Paradise (v.4) — another word for the third heaven. It’s from a Persian word meaning “beautiful garden.”

The apostle may be referring here to an event that had indeed taken place some 14 years previous. Having been stoned at Lystra he was dragged out of the city and left there, supposedly dead. But while the disciples stood around “he rose up and came into the city” (Acts 14:19-20). While Paul does not specify the place, but only the time when the experience of 2 Corinthians 12:3-4 took place, the details match closely.

He does not even state—though he implies—that this experience was his own; evidently because he is speaking of the new man “in Christ.”

Note that the word “glory,” used several times here at the beginning of 2 Corinthians 12, is the same Greek word as “boast” in 11:16. Actually the Greek here has two meanings, or two shades of meaning, according to the context in which it is used. In 11:16 it clearly means to boast, but here, in chapter 12, the sense is to rejoice as in victory, and this agrees with the context here. In today’s English, we might render verse 1 above: “It is not profitable, indeed, for me to rejoice too victoriously; I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord,” and this was far more important. — Stam, pages 219-220.

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[Paul] never speaks of “my gospels” (in the plural), but always of “my gospel” (Romans 2:16; 16:25; 2 Timothy 2:8). Nor does he ever say or imply that the revelation of Christ to him concerned different messages, but rather that one message was gradually committed to him in a series of revelations (Acts 20:24; 26:16; 1 Corinthians 9:17; 2 Corinthians 12:1-4; Galatians 1:11-12, 15-16; Ephesians 3:1-4; Colossians 1:24-26).

Soon after his conversion, when he returned to Jerusalem, he again saw the Lord and heard Him speak. Hear the apostle as he bears witness to this fact: “And it came to pass that when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple I was in a trance, and saw Him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me” (Acts 22:17-18).

So again, Paul both saw the risen, glorified Lord, and heard Him as He imparted further light on His program for the present dispensation of grace.

These are only two examples, but it is clear the that Lord often appeared to Paul with further revelations. It was when he was first converted that the Lord spoke to him, making him “… a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee” (Acts 26:16).

And now, 25 years later, he says: “I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 12:1). — Stam, pages 220-221.

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.

³¹ The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

³² In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me;

³³ but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity (v.30) — see also 2 Corinthians 12:5-10.

In Damascus (v.32) — Acts 9:19-25

Why did Paul choose this particular incident? We aren’t told, but it’s possible that he chose it because it was the first time he suffered persecution because of Christ. It’s also possible that he chose it because it was particularly humbling (see Williams’ take on this, below), and/or because in some way it had to do specifically with his infirmity.

Men boast of their strength but he boasted of his weakness; and appealed to God as to the truthfulness of the statement. Compelled by fidelity to the gospel, and by affection for the Corinthians, to establish his apostolic superiority to his opponents who had introduced themselves into the church at Corinth, he contrasts his being let down in a basket and his being lifted up in a vision (2 Corinthians 12:2). The one happened to a man in the flesh; the other to “a man in Christ.” — Williams, page 907.

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Note the words “must needs” in verse 30. They surely indicate that the apostle did not even wish to glory in his sufferings but was forced to do so in defense of his apostleship. His detractors could not begin to match the list Paul presents. They had asked much, and given little. But if it was necessary for him to glory, he would rather glory in his sufferings than in his accomplishments. — Stam, page 217-218.

At the time of the incident, Damascus was ruled by a governor (ethnarch—a common title for subordinate provincial governors) appointed by Aretas, the king of the Nabathaean Arabs whose capital was at Petra. Aretas was the father of the first wife of Herod Antipas. It’s possible that the governor was a Jew, or at least someone with whom the Jews had influence. It was the Jews who plotted to kill Paul and who watched the gates of Damascus “day and night, to kill him” (Acts 9:23-24).

²² Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.

²³ Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.

²⁴ From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.

²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;

²⁶ in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

²⁷ in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—

²⁸ besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

²⁹ Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

Paul had already included a similar passage in this letter — 2 Corinthians 6:3-10. My notes on that passage contain addition information on some of the trials Paul listed here.

In verses 21-29, [Paul] challenges these false teachers to prove their fidelity to the gospel and to suffering humanity, by a similar or a superior record of devotion, of affliction and of national privilege.

So real was his love for all his converts (vs. 28-29) that he consciously felt their weakness, and burned with shame or indignation when anyone was injured or caused to sin. — Williams, page 907.

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In defending his apostleship, Paul does not recall his great accomplishments, but his sufferings for Christ. … This was better proof of the quality of his ministry. … To the Galatians, who had also been induced to question his call of God as an apostle, he threw the certificate of his apostleship down on the table, as it were (Galatians 1:11-16) and, closing the epistle, says: “From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks (lit., the brand) of the Lord Jesus (Galatians 6:17).

Thus, the apostle did not wish to boast, but when forced to do so he had at least boasted of the right things.

Were these Judaizers Hebrews, Israelites, of the seed of Abraham? So was he. but in suffering for Christ he was more—much more. Speaking as the “fool” they thought him to be, he lists sufferings they had not even begun to endure. …

How did the lives of the self-important Judaizers compare with this? We have already had this answered for us in vs. 19-21 where he unquestionably refers to these men, who had already taken so much from them. — Stam, pages 216-217.

From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one (v.24) — The Law stated that a man could not be whipped more than 40 times (Deuteronomy 25:2-3). The Jews limited the number to 39 in case they accidentally miscounted and broke the law.

Three times I was beaten with rods (v.25) — Acts 16:22-23; 21:32

Once I was stoned (v.25) — Acts 14:5, 19

Three times I was shipwrecked (v.25) — Acts 27:41-44

In journeys often (v.26) — The Acts records four visits of Paul to Jerusalem after his conversion: 1) Acts 9:23-30. This seems to be the same visit as that mentioned in Galatians 1:18-19. The apostles of Acts 9:27 were Peter and James, the Lord’s brother. 2) Acts 11:30. Paul may have been in Jerusalem during the events of Acts 12:1-24. See verse 25. 3) Acts 15:1-30; Galatians 2:2-10. and 4) Acts 21:17-23:35.

In addition, Paul took three long journeys to start churches around Asia and Europe.

In perils of my own countrymen (v.26) — Acts 9:23-24; 17:5

My deep concern for all the churches (v.28) — for example: Acts 15:36; 20:17-21; 2 Corinthians 7:12; 12:20; Galatians 4:11; 1 Thessalonians 3:10

¹⁶ I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little.

¹⁷ What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

¹⁸ Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.

¹⁹ For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!

²⁰ For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.

²¹ To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.

I say again, let no man think me to be foolish. But even if you do, as is the case, yet receive me as foolish in order that I also [as well as they] may boast a little. That which I am saying, not after the pattern of the Lord am I speaking, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. Seeing that many are boasting in accordance with human standards and in human attainments, I also will boast, for you gladly tolerate those who are foolish, being wise yourselves. For you tolerate a man, if, as is the case, he brings you to the point of abject slavery; if a man strips you of your possessions [by greedily demanding maintenance]; if a man takes you captive; if a man exalts himself; if a man slaps you in the face. I am speaking by way of disparagement [humbling of myself], as though, as for ourselves, we have been weak. And yet, whereinsoever a man is bold, I am speaking in foolishness, as for myself, I am bold also. — Wuest, page 434.

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“I say again” (v.16), i.e., “to return to what I was saying in verse 1:” that is, “don’t think I am foolish in speaking of myself; but if you do think me foolish, yet listen to me as you do to my detractors.”

“After the Lord” (v.17), i.e., not as commanded but permitted; and I speak as a fool in his foolish boasting speaks when applauding himself.

Verse 19 is ironical. Claiming to be wise they listened with good-humored conscious superiority to fools.

“Suffer” (v.20), i.e., accept or tolerate. “Devour,” i.e., lives at your expense. “Exalt himself,” i.e., claims priestly land divinely appointed authority. “Smite,” either with a hand or a foot. “Reproach,” i.e., in self-disparagement (v.21). This means that when with them, far from acting with such arrogance, he had lived among them as an ordinary, feeble man. — Williams, page 906-907.

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Again and again the apostle apologizes for his boasting in this epistle. He knows that boasting is foolish, but they have forced him to remind them of his qualifications. If his apostleship could be disproven it would mean that the gospel of the grace of God was nothing more than a product of his imagination, so this was necessary.

So, admitting that boasting is foolish, he says in verses 18-19: “Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.”

This was cutting sarcasm, but they well deserved it. In verse 20 he says in effect: “they make slaves of you” (he had served them), “they devour you, even financially” (he had labored without charge), “they take” (he had given his all), “they exalt themselves” (he had abased himself), “they ‘slap you in the face’ I speak concerning reproach” (they had insulted him).

So these “great men,” with their important recommendations, their eloquence—and their big salaries really did not amount to much when compared with this humble man of god who had first led the Corinthians to Christ and had caused them to rejoice in the riches of his grace. — Stam, page 214-215.

Paul’s manner and his message should have been enough to convince the Corinthians of his apostolic authority. But the Judaizers had come with impressive credentials, impressive words, and with scorn for Paul’s humility. Their foolish boasting had impressed the Corinthians and caused them to doubt Paul. So in response, Paul said, in essence, “Fine, if you want it that way, I can boast too. It’s foolish for me to have to do it, but it seems to be what you want. And even on this foolish level, I come out looking far more impressive.”

⁷ Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

⁸ I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you.

⁹ And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.

¹⁰ As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

¹¹ Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!

¹² But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.

¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

exalted (v.7) — raised to that state of mind which ought to characterize a Christian

God knows! (v.11) — God knew that Paul did love the Corinthians

The meaning of verse 12 is that Paul determined to continue his practice of preaching the Gospel at Corinth without payment so as to prevent the false apostles making the point against him that they preached gratuitously and that he did not; and so they could  hint that his object in preaching was to get their money.

In verses 13-15 Paul says that these preachers of “an ethical gospel” were sham apostles, deceitful workers, servants of the devil and doomed to the lake of fire. Such language shocks modern religious feeling; but the shock proves the existence of the immense gulf lying between the teaching of [Paul] and of those who profess to be [his] successors. — Williams, page 906.

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[Paul] could speak plain truths boldly. But with the self-important bishops from Jerusalem it was an altogether different matter. Were they not fully qualified to come to Corinth (from which Paul was now absent!) and ask the Corinthians whether Paul could prove that he was an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, that is, one of the twelve! If not, what right did he have to call himself an apostle? His lack of stature was evident from his simplicity of speech, his plainness of dress, his preaching without salary and his lack of letters of commendation from the Church at Jerusalem.

The authorities there, with James as their acknowledged head, had sent these emissaries to Corinth to discredit Paul and to teach the Corinthian saints that salvation without obedience to the Law was impossible. But what an argument they gave for legalism! “Just look at Paul,” they said, He is no qualified preacher, much less an apostle.” Ah, but they misjudged Paul, for his arguments here are to men parading their own questionable qualifications and recommendations.

Had he committed an offense, he asked, in preaching the gospel freely, i.e., without cost, thus abasing himself so that they might be exalted? He knew beforehand that this would cause much discussion about “the growing church at Corinth,” and less about himself. Will these Judaizers now condemn him for this? How self-effacing his ministry among them had been!

Some 12 years previously the apostle had gotten a job making tents with Aquila and Priscilla, to support himself and his coworkers, but as the Corinthian church was founded and rapidly grew, would one not conclude that they should have offered to support him, indeed should have insisted on doing so? But not the Corinthians! For 12 years, as he labored tirelessly among them, this thought, evidently, had not struck them. As the burdens of the work became greater and more time-consuming, it was the beloved Macedonians, especially the church at Philippi, who, out of their “great trials” and “deep poverty,” supported him financially (8:2, cf Philippians 4:15-16). “I robbed other churches,” he says, “taking wages of them to do you service” (v.8). Imagine, the poor, afflicted Macedonians supporting him while he worked for the rich Corinthians, yes, and lived among them making certain that he would not be in any way a burden to them (v.9).

But the overbearing Jerusalem bishops, with their haughty attitudes and their exorbitant demands actually convinced some of the Corinthian believers that all this proved that Paul was not qualified to be a preacher, much less an apostle.

Ah, but they were no match to a man of God such as Paul, for Paul pointed to his manner of life to “cut off occasion from them which desire occasion, that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we,” i.e., fragile human beings (v.12).

When the apostle declared that no one would stop him from this glorying in his way of life “in the regions of Achaia,” it was not because his love for the Corinthians had waned, but it does show that the Corinthians’ manner of life had spread throughout that whole region. — Stam, pages 208-209.

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It is rather frightening … that religious leaders of high repute, men who stand in the pulpit and preach from the Bible, may be “false” and “deceitful.” … At the great Jerusalem council of Acts 15, “false brethren” were “unawares brought in,” says Paul, “to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus; that they might bring us into bondage” (Galatians 2:4).

Think: False brethren … secretly brought in … to spy out the liberty from Moses’ law which the Gentile saints had so richly enjoyed, so as to bring them into the bondage of the Law, a yoke which neither these Judaizers nor their fathers had been “able to bear” (Acts 15:10).

Thank God for “our beloved brother Paul,” that “good soldier of Jesus Christ,” who could later write: “To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Galatians 2:5).

It was not merely Paul, writing to the Ephesians; it was the Holy Spirit speaking to believers of every generation, who said: “… be no longer children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14).

Indeed, 2 Timothy 3:13 warns us that: “… evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (This by no means indicates that they are innocently deceived. These are “evil men,” self-deceived, determined to believe what they wish to believe.) — Stam, pages 210-211

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Satan has an extensive wardrobe. He appears in many ways: a serpent, a roaring lion, a dragon, etc. but in the present dispensation of grace he appears as an angel of light and transforms his ministers into “ministers of righteousness” (vs. 14-15).

Therefore Enemy No. 1 to the world today is not the atheist, who belittles Christ and the Bible and does not believe that there even is a God, but the one who teaches his hearers to “be good and do good” so that they may “feel better about themselves.” Their outlook is wholly humanistic. — Stam, pages 212-213.

1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me.

² For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

³ But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

⁴ For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

⁵ For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles.

⁶ Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

To most men it is pleasant to speak of themselves and of their doings; to the Apostle Paul it was painful. Yet the anxiety of his love for the Corinthians compelled him to this humiliation. His love for them was a true affection, for it was charged with anxiety for their spiritual welfare. So he begged them to listen to him while he acted like a fool in speaking of himself.

His love for them was a jealous love; but he was not jealous of their affection for himself, but of their affection for Christ.

Satan is to be dreaded as a lion; more to be dreaded as a serpent (v.3); and most to be dreaded as an angel (v.14).

“The very chiefest apostles (v.5) i.e., not the Twelve Apostles, but these self-made and very preeminent apostles. The language is ironic.

Paul was not defective in knowledge both sacred and secular; and he reminds his converts that he had made that fact thoroughly manifest amongst them by his teaching in all the realms of the Christian faith. — Williams, page 906.

jealous, jealousy (v.2) — in Greek, an onomatopoetic word, imitating the sound of boiling water — to bubble over because so hot, “to burn with zeal,” “to be deeply committed to something,” “to be completely intent upon.”

betrothed to (v.2) = to join, to fit together,

Paul was naturally jealous over the Corinthians with Godly jealousy. They had truly been in love with Christ at the beginning, wholly taken up with Him. And, indeed, Paul still hoped to present them as a chaste virgin to Christ—to be His alone. But he feared that as the serpent had beguiled Eve through His subtlety so their minds might be corrupted from “the simplicity that is in Christ.” Then it would no longer be Christ only, Christ enough, Christ all.

The apostle was distressed, deeply distressed. For one thing, there were now Judaizers in the Corinthian church who sought to prove from the Scriptures that Christ was not enough, and gradually, with some of them, the all-sufficiency of Christ was being displaced by the Law of Moses.

Naturally, these Judaizers found Paul and his message of grace most distasteful. Indeed, they questioned his very apostleship. They represented a church of Jewish kingdom disciples.

Paul, thus, was obliged to defend his God-given position. If his apostleship could be discredited, so could his message, “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24), the message that had brought salvation, light, and blessing to these Corinthians.

And so, in 2 Corinthians 11 we have Paul vigorously defending his apostleship, so vigorously that he must begin by beseeching his readers: “Bear with me a little in my folly; and indeed [lit., “really”] bear with me.

We take it that Paul here uses the words “folly” and “foolish” by way of accommodation, for it would be more than strange to find divinely-inspired foolishness in the Bible! No, Paul was about to defend his apostleship with such vigor that it might, at times, seem foolish to them. Thus: “Bear with me in what may sometimes seem to you to be folly.” He writes this to prepare them for a maximum defense. — Stam, pages 203-204

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Few today know Christ as He should be known and this is because so many Christian leaders are preaching “another Jesus.” Comparatively little is said about the One who came from heaven’s glory to bear the disgrace and penalty for our sins and now dispenses to believing sinners the riches of His grace. Rather Christ is presented as One who is so nice to know, One with whom we can go down the road of life hand in hand so that we may have “happiness all the time,” as the modern hymn says. But this is not the Christ Paul preached. … Hear Paul’s Spirit-inspired words in 2 Corinthians 5:16: “… yea though we have known Christ after the flesh [as some of the Corinthian believers had known Him], yet now henceforth know we Him no more.”

We are to “know” or recognize our Lord, not as the earthly Jesus, who, while proclaiming His royal rights as Israel’s king, went about healing the sick, casting out demons and doing good generally, but as the glorified Lord at the Father’s right hand, dispensing the riches of His grace to all who will receive.

We believe that “another spirit,” here refers to “another spirit” from the Holy Spirit, who they had, by the grace of God received. We believe the context demands this interpretation. We do not believe that it refers to another attitude on the part of the Corinthian saints, for this would hardly harmonize with an allusion to the Lord Jesus preceding it and an allusion to the gospel following.

The Church today has surely perverted and “wrongly divided” the Scriptures where the person and work of the Holy Spirit are concerned. The Holy Spirit’s ministry in convicting men of sin, imparting eternal life to those who believe, sealing them and baptizing them into Christ and His  Body, bears little resemblance to the “Holy Spirit” whom false teachers have so thoroughly associated with emotionalism, sensualism, and outward demonstration. Theirs is “another spirit,” certainly not the Holy Spirit of the Bible.

As to “another gospel,” which they had not hitherto received, Paul had previously written—and by divine inspiration: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

And realizing fully that this was a strong statement, he repeated it for emphasis: “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (v.9).

And as Christian ministers have continued to mix Paul’s “preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery” [Romans 16:25] with the gospel of the kingdom, the preaching of the Law, the Sermon on the Mount, et al, their followers and they themselves have continued to reap the curse of Galatians 1:8-9. Rather than the clear, powerful proclamation of “the gospel of the grace of God” holding sway, all is a Babel of confusion in Christendom. — Stam, page 205-206.

manifested (v.6) = made clear, made known — Paul’s knowledge had been made completely clear to them “in all things.”

In verse 4, where Paul wrote “you may well put up with it!,” I believe he was admonishing the Corinthians with a little sarcasm and snark. It’s a continuation of his statement in v.3, which beings with “But I fear …” He was saying that he was afraid that Satan would deceive them and cause them to depart from the simplicity of the gospel to the degree that when the Judaizers told them something entirely different about Jesus, about the Holy Spirit, and about the gospel, that they would actually fall for it!

⁷ Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s.

⁸ For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed—

⁹ lest I seem to terrify you by letters.

¹⁰ “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.”

¹¹ Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present.

¹² For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

¹³ We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you.

¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ;

¹⁵ not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere,

¹⁶ to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment.

¹⁷ But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

¹⁸ For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

edification (v.8) means “building up,” while destruction means “tearing down.”

Williams has an interesting take (below) which I don’t know if I entirely agree with in this context, but it bears consideration.

“Authority” (v.8), i.e., his power to inflict sickness or death. The power was real, for when exercised, as in the case of Elymas [Acts 13:8-11], it was effective; and so the Apostle did not fear to be put to shame as he would have been if nothing followed upon his imprecation (v.15). — Williams, page 906.

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Don’t go by “outward appearance,” says the apostle (v.7). “If a man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him think again, that Paul is Christ’s too—and with greater evidence to substantiate his claim. — Stam, page 194.

In verse 12, when Paul wrote “we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those … ” I think he was being a little sarcastic. Those men were big shots, they had the recommendations, and their appearance and words, unlike Paul’s, were impressive. But Paul wasn’t about to attempt to play their game. God had appointed him to his role, and that’s the directions he would continue to follow. He restates this in verses 17-18.

Why always compare ourselves with others? (v.12). What matters is that the best of us “come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). It is “not wise” to compare ourselves with others for then, assuredly, we have taken our eyes off God.

It will be remembered that there was great rivalry among the Corinthian believers to promote the leaders they preferred. The really serious thing, however, was that some Judaizers and legalizers had infiltrated their ranks, questioning the apostleship of Paul, whom God had so mightily used to found the great church at Corinth.

These Judaizers came with recommendations from the Messianic Church in Jerusalem and asked, in effect, “How can Paul claim to be an apostle of Christ? Christ had twelve apostles when He was on earth, and Paul was not one of them.” — Stam, page 195.

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It was comparatively easy for these Judaizers to come into Corinth and build on the foundation laid by Paul and then belittle him for his lack of recommendations from “the mother church.” But when Paul had come to Corinth he, most assuredly, did not build upon another man’s foundation. Outside of the synagogue to which he had first come, and from which he had had to separate himself, his was entirely a ministry to the Gentiles, and here God had used him to establish what was probably the largest Christian assembly in the world at that time.

And he had done this according to a “rule” which God had “distributed” or “allotted” to him with respect to reaching out farther with the gospel. The rule was essentially this: “Reach out no farther than permitted by the funds supplied by God’s people.” Following this rule Paul and his co-workers had been able to reach as far as Corinth (v.14).

He had not had to “stretch”his funds to evangelize Corinth. He had not had to build upon other men’s foundations. He had not boasted of other men’s labors,  as though they were his own accomplishments. No, he had moved forward in his evangelistic efforts only as sufficient funds were contributed by God’s people. Indeed, it was his hope that now, with the Corinthian church established, their faith might be increased, and he might be “enlarged abundantly” by them, according to this rule to preach the gospel in regions beyond [them] (vs. 15-16).

Thus he replies to his detractors: “We have not had to boast of things ‘made ready to our hand’ by others” (as they had so freely done). Rather we can praise Him for His leading and for the fruit borne at Corinth—with funds provided by Him through His people.

But all this would be accomplished only “according to this rule,” not confusing faith with presumption, but looking to God to prosper him, through the financial support of His people. And thus he would always be able to practice what he had so long and so faithfully preached: “he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” — Stam, pages 197-198.