2Cor 11:17-20 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 17. That which I speak . In praise of myself. I speak it not after the Lord . . The phrase here may mean either, I do not speak this by inspiration, or claiming to be inspired by the Lord; or more probably it may mean, I do not speak this imitating the example of the Lord Jesus, or strictly as becomes his follower. He was eminently modest, and never vaunted or boasted. And Paul probably means to say, "I do not in this profess to follow him entirely. I admit that it is a departure from his pure example in this respect. But circumstances have compelled me; and much as I would prefer another strain of remark, and sensible as I am in general of the folly of boasting, yet a regard to my apostolic office and authority urges me to this course." Bloomfield supposes that the apostle is not speaking seriously, but that he has an allusion to their view of what he was saying: "Be it so, if you think that what I speak, I speak not as I profess to do according to the Lord, or with a view to subserve the purposes of his religion, but as it were in folly, in the confidence of boasting, yet permit me to do it notwithstanding, since you allow others to do it." It is not easy to settle which is the true sense of the passage. I see no conclusive evidence against either. But the former seems to me to be most in accordance with the scope of the whole. Paul admitted that what he said was not in exact accordance with the spirit of the Lord Jesus; and in admitting this, he designed probably to administer a delicate hint that all their boasting was a wide departure from that spirit. As it were foolishly . As in folly. It is to be admitted that to boast is in general foolish; and I admit that my language is open to this general charge. In this confidence of boasting . In confident boasting. I speak confidently, and, I admit, in the spirit of boasting. (d) "speak it not after" (e) "confidence of boasting" (++) "boasting" "glorying"

2 Corinthians 11:17-20

Verse 17. That which I speak. In praise of myself.

I speak it not after the Lord. 1Cor 7:12. The phrase here may mean either, I do not speak this by inspiration, or claiming to be inspired by the Lord; or more probably it may mean, I do not speak this imitating the example of the Lord Jesus, or strictly as becomes his follower. He was eminently modest, and never vaunted or boasted. And Paul probably means to say, "I do not in this profess to follow him entirely. I admit that it is a departure from his pure example in this respect. But circumstances have compelled me; and much as I would prefer another strain of remark, and sensible as I am in general of the folly of boasting, yet a regard to my apostolic office and authority urges me to this course." Bloomfield supposes that the apostle is not speaking seriously, but that he has an allusion to their view of what he was saying: "Be it so, if you think that what I speak, I speak not as I profess to do according to the Lord, or with a view to subserve the purposes of his religion, but as it were in folly, in the confidence of boasting, yet permit me to do it notwithstanding, since you allow others to do it." It is not easy to settle which is the true sense of the passage. I see no conclusive evidence against either. But the former seems to me to be most in accordance with the scope of the whole. Paul admitted that what he said was not in exact accordance with the spirit of the Lord Jesus; and in admitting this, he designed probably to administer a delicate hint that all their boasting was a wide departure from that spirit.

As it were foolishly. As in folly. It is to be admitted that to boast is in general foolish; and I admit that my language is open to this general charge.

In this confidence of boasting. In confident boasting. I speak confidently, and, I admit, in the spirit of boasting.

(d) "speak it not after" 1Cor 7:12 (e) "confidence of boasting" 2Cor 9:4 (++) "boasting" "glorying" Verse 18. Seeing that many glory, etc. The false teachers in Corinth. They boasted of their birth, rank, natural endowments, eloquence, etc. 2Cor 11:22. Comp. Php 3:3,4.

I will glory also. I also will boast of my endowments, which, though somewhat different, yet pertain in the main to the flesh also. 2Cor 11:23, seq. His endowments in the flesh, or what he had to boast of pertaining to the flesh, related not so much to birth and rank, though not inferior to them in these, but to what the flesh had endured--to stripes and imprisonments, and hunger and peril. This is an exceedingly delicate and happy turn given to the whole subject.

(f) "Seeing that many" Php 3:3,4, 1Cor 4:10 Verse 19. For ye suffer fools gladly. You tolerate or endure those who are really fools. This is perhaps, says Dr. Bloomfield, the most sarcastic sentence ever penned by the apostle Paul. Its sense is, "You profess to be wondrous wise. And yet you, who are so wise a people, freely tolerate those who are foolish in their boasting; who proclaim their own merits and attainments. You may allow me, therefore, to come in. for my share, and boast also, and thus obtain your favour." Or it may mean, "You are so profoundly wise, as easily to see who are fools. You have great power of discernment in this, and have found out that I am a fool, and also that other boasters are fools. Yet knowing this, you bear patiently with such fools; have admitted them to, your favour and friendship; and I may come in among the rest of the fools, and partake also of your favours." They had borne with the false apostles who had boasted of their endowments, and yet they claimed to be eminent for wisdom and discernment.

(&) "suffer fools" "bear with fools" Verse 20. For ye suffer, etc. You bear patiently with men who impose on you in every way, and who are constantly defrauding you, though you profess to be so wise; and you may bear with me a little, though I have no such intention. Seriously, if you bear with boasters who intend to delude and deceive you in various ways, you may bear with one who comes to you with no such intention, but with an honest purpose to do good.

If a man bring you into bondage. καταδουλοι. If a man, or if any one, (ειτις,) make a slave of you, or reduce you to servitude. The idea is, doubtless, that the false teachers set up a lordship over their consciences; destroyed their freedom of opinion; and made them subservient to their will. They really took away their Christian freedom as much as if they had been slaves. In what way this was done is unknown. It may be that they imposed on them rites and forms, commanded expensive and inconvenient ceremonies, and required arduous services merely at their own will. A false religion always makes slaves. It is only true Christianity that leaves perfect freedom. All heathens are slaves to their priests; all fanatics are slaves to some fanatical leader; all those who embrace error are slaves to those who claim to be their guides. The papist everywhere is the slave of the priest, and the despotism there is as great as in any region of servitude whatever.

If a man devour you. This is exceedingly sarcastic. The idea is, "Though you are so wise, yet you in fact tolerate men who impose on you--no matter though they eat you up, or consume all that you have. By their exorbitant demands they would consume all you have; or, as we would say, eat you out of house and home." All this they took patiently; and freely gave all that they demanded. False teachers are always rapacious. They seek the property, not the souls of those to whom they minister. Not satisfied with a maintenance, they aim to obtain all, and their plans are formed to secure as much as possible of those to whom they minister.

If a man take of you. If he take and seize upon your possessions. If he comes and takes what he pleases, and bears it away as his own.

If a man exalt himself. If he set himself up as a ruler, and claim submission. No matter how arrogant his claims, yet you are ready to bear with him. You might, then, bear with me in the very moderate demands which I make on your obedience and confidence.

If a man smite you on the face. The word here rendered "smite" (δερει) means, properly, to skin, to flay; but in the New Testament it means to beat, to scourge--especially so as to take off the skin, Mt 21:35, Mk 12:3,5. The idea here is, if any one treats you with contumely and scorn--since there can be no higher expression of it than to smite a man on the face, Mt 26:67. It is not to be supposed that this occurred literally among the Corinthians; but the idea is, that the false teachers really treated them with as little respect as if they smote them on the face. In what way this was done is unknown; but probably it was by their domineering manners, and the little respect which they showed for the opinions and feelings of the Corinthian Christians. Paul says that as they bore this very patiently, they might allow him to make some remarks about himself in self-commendation.

(*) "suffer" "Ye bear with it"