Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Corinthians 11:5 - 11:9
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Paul is not inferior to the "great apostles":
v. 5. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
v. 6. But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.
v. 7. Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the Gospel of God freely?
v. 8. I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
v. 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 burden so me unto you, and so will I keep myself.
The apostle here proceeds to take up the reasons why his apostolic authority was being questioned by the false teachers, namely, that he was not a trained orator, and that he had not claimed support from the congregation at Corinth. With biting sarcasm he writes: I think that in not one whit have I been behind the very superior, these superfine apostles. The false teachers not only claimed apostolic rank, but attached an extravagant importance to their persons and rights. The longer he considers the matter, Paul declares with another ironical thrust, the more he is convinced that his apostolic authority was fully on a level with that claimed by these false teachers.
Taking up, now, the first charge, that he is rude, bungling, uneducated, uneloquent in speech, that he lacks professional training, he lets that stand; it is true, he speaks in plain, unadorned phrase, he does not strive after polished elegance of expression, which appeals more by the sound than by reason of its content. But he maintains that he is not rude, unlearned, in his knowledge and understanding of divine things, of the sound truths of the Gospel. As a matter of fact, Paul was a forceful speaker, Act_19:12; Act_22:1; Act_24:10; Act_26:2; but he purposely avoided the glittering methods of the professional speakers. And this method of his had been effective, as is proved by the fact that in everything he has made the knowledge of God and spiritual things manifest among all men toward the Corinthians, or, by a slightly different construction: He and his fellow-workers have been everywhere made manifest as such that know the truth of God.
So far as the second charge was concerned, Paul asks: Or have I committed a sin in humiliating myself that you might be exalted, because without charge I preached to you the Gospel of God? Do they consider it such a grievous wrong that he waived his right to maintenance, that he humbled himself in their midst, making his living by his own hands, while at the same time exalting them in spiritual privileges by committing to them the glorious message of salvation? Will they insist upon deeming it a fault that he charged them nothing for his maintenance while he worked in their midst? Has he disgraced the apostolic office by descending to servile labor for his own support? Are they going to complain because they have been treated with such exceptional kindness? Surely they would not think of being so foolish! Note that in the expression "preaching the divine, precious Gospel without charge" there is a most effective contrast between that which is free and that which is of the highest price and value.
Paul frankly states: Other congregations I despoiled, accepting wages from them, that I might minister to you. He purposely uses the strong term "robbing" or "despoiling," in order to awaken shame in their hearts. From other congregations he accepted wages for services performed for a livelihood, and all the while he was doing service for the Corinthians. Other Christians contributed to his maintenance, in order that the believers of Corinth might make headway in spiritual welfare. How humiliating for them! And Paul further explains: And being with you and suffering want, I was a burden on no man; he did not bring his financial troubles to their attention, he did not rely upon any one in Corinth for his support. For his lack the brethren that came from Macedonia supplied, probably Silas and Timothy, Act_18:5; Php_4:15. Consequently in everything he kept himself from being burdensome to the Christians at Corinth, and this he intended to continue, as he shows in the nest paragraph. His argument here is: If it was right that he, in the midst of wealthy Achaia, gave a proof of his selflessness, although this redounded to the disgrace of his opponents, then his accepting of assistance from the Christians of Macedonia could not have been wrong, since the latter thereby brought a willing and cheerful sacrifice for the glory and praise of the Gospel.