1.
Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2.
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Verse 2
Jealous; watchful and solicitous. --I have espoused you, &c.; from his peculiar relation to them as their spiritual father, he felt himself responsible in some sense for their purity, and for their preparation for a final union with Christ.
3.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4.
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Verse 4
He that cometh; referring probably to other teachers who came and attempted to supersede Paul in his influence and ascendency over the church.--Preacheth another Jesus; that is, if there were really another Jesus to preach. The idea is, that, if they imagined that there could be two Saviors, two spirits, and two gospels, then they might have some reason for listening to one who came to form and lead among them a new influence diverse from that of Paul.
5.
For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
6.
But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
Verse 6
Rude in speech; unskilful in oratory.--Made manifest; made known; that is, they had had abundant opportunities to try and prove his character.
7.
Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
Verse 7
In abasing myself; referring to his laborious services, and the reproach and danger which he had incurred in their behalf.
8.
I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
Verse 8
I robbed other churches, that is, I took from them, as is specified in the 2 Corinthians 11:9.
9.
And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: 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.
Verse 10
In the, regions of Achaia. For certain reasons intimated in 2 Corinthians 11:12, Paul appears to have been particularly unwilling to receive any pecuniary aid from the churches in Achaia. It was in Corinth that he labored in his occupation of tent-maker, (Acts 18:3;) and from this passage it appears that, though he was willing to receive supplies from the Macedonian Christians he would not do it from those of Corinth. We often have occasion thus to observe that the apostolical arrangements were not conformed to any settled and uniform system, but were accommodated to the varying circumstances of each individual case.
11.
Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
Verse 11
The idea is, that his unwillingness to receive pecuniary aid from them, did not arise from want of affection or confidence, but from other reasons.
12.
But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
Verse 12
That wherein they glory, inasmuch as they glory.--They may be found, &c.; they may feel bound to follow my example in this respect.
13.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14.
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Verse 15
His ministers; his servants; those who execute his purposes.
16.
I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
Verse 16
Receive me, that I may boast; allow me to boast.
17.
That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
Verse 17
After the Lord; after or according to the proper spirit of a follower of the Lord.
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 bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
Verse 20
Smite you on the face; treat you in the most injurious and insolent manner.
21.
I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
Verse 21
This language is obscure; no satisfactory explanation of it has been given.
22.
Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
Verse 22
Are they; that is, the enemies who had attempted to supplant him at Corinth.
23.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
Verse 23
Above measure; above the measure of such sufferings inflicted upon them.--In deaths; in imminent exposure to death.
24.
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
Verse 24
Forty--save one. By a command recorded in Deuteronomy 25:2,Deuteronomy 25:3, the punishment of scourging is limited to forty stripes. It was the custom of the Jews to stop short, by one, of the permitted number, in token of their desire to keep unquestionably within the law. Very few of the instances of suffering and danger here referred to are mentioned in the book of the Acts.
25.
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
Verse 25
With rods. One case of this nature is mentioned Acts 16:22,Acts 16:23.--Stoned; Acts 14:19. Besides this, the apostle, on another occasion, narrowly escaped being stoned. (Acts 14:5.)--Shipwreck. He suffered shipwreck after this, on his voyage to Rome, (Acts 27:1-44:) which makes four instances in which he encountered this terrible form of danger.--In the deep; floating in the sea, sustained by some frail support, probably after shipwreck.
26.
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27.
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Verse 27
In reading this formidable catalogue of perils and calamities, (2 Corinthians 11:24-27,) we cannot but be impressed with the care of divine Providence manifested in the wonderful preservation of the apostle through a series of dangers of so extraordinary a number and character. We must remember, too, that the apostle persisted in a course of life which uniformly led to these results, in simple attestation of the fact of his supernatural interview with the Savior, as recorded Acts 9:3-8, and as repeatedly narrated and alluded to by himself. (Acts 22:6-11,26:Acts 22:12-19; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Corinthians 9:1.) This interview was the origin and foundation of his belief. The circumstances were such that he could not have been mistaken in regard to it, and the description which he here gives of the mode of life which he had led in consequence of his testimony, is evidence, which it would be difficult to question, that he was honest and sincere. So that here is a point where the question of the miraculous origin of Christianity is brought within a very narrow compass.
28.
Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Verse 28
The care; that is, the solicitude and interest which he felt in them all.
29.
Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
Verse 29
Burn not; am not troubled. The idea is, that he felt in himself every reproach or suffering which affected any brother Christian.
30.
If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
Verse 30
Infirmities; dangers and sufferings.
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 apprehend me:
Verse 32
In Damascus, &c. The apostle here mentions a case of imminent danger that he had incurred, which had been omitted in the 2 Corinthians 11:24-27.--Kept the city--with a garrison; guarded the gates with armed men. This was done at the instigation of the. Jews, as would appear from the account of Luke. (Acts 9:24,Acts 9:25.)
33.
And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.