2 Corinthians 11:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consider how he suffered and forced himself when he spoke. Yet even in this case he approached the matter with modesty. He did not say, "in order to boast." Rather, when intending to boast a little, he again used another qualification, saying...

I do it to remove every right from covetous false apostles, who deceive you, to boast that they are like me. "For such false apostles are deceitful workers, disguising themselves as Apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light." And "you, being wise men," he says ironically, "gladly endure fools. You endure it if someone enslaves you, devours you, takes from you, exalts himself, or strikes you in the face. To my shame I say that we were too weak for that." He says this to their mutual shame: to his own, ironically, and to theirs, as a rebuke. The Apostle speaks as though saying: nothing can be done; I must confess that I was incapable of the deeds just listed. In general, among you I did not possess those showy qualities with which the false apostles tried to shine. Clearly they dazzled you by them. Yet how can you not be ashamed that you cannot distinguish true dignity from false? How could you forget all that revealed in me a true Apostle of Christ?

In this way he exposes their foolishness, reproaches those who accepted them, and opens a path for his word to both. He does this so that they may not think he acts from foolishness. They boast, and you listen; then allow me also to boast. They boast much and without measure; allow me to boast at least a little. Yet for all that necessity compels me, and this is useful for you, I will still say that this matter is not according to the Lord. Let no one think to imitate me in this. I only ask this: if you consider me foolish, limit my foolishness to this part of the boasting. Do not extend it to all my deeds and words, or to all my teaching, directives, and institutions. Explaining in what part of the boasting, he says: to boast according to the flesh. Here he does not mean what he has already said, that he troubled no one in anything. He means what he is about to say below, in verse 22: that he too is a Hebrew, an Israelite, and the seed of Abraham" (Theophan). "Observe Paul's prudence," Chrysostom exclaims. "He pointed to such advantages as, by his own proof, are nothing, and only then called his boasting folly. Indeed, if it is foolish to boast of substantial goods, it is still more foolish to boast of things that mean nothing. This very thing he calls 'not according to the Lord.' For being a Hebrew and the like brings no profit. Therefore do not think that I consider this a virtue. But since they boast, I am compelled in this also to compare myself with them. He does the same elsewhere" (Phil 3:4). "You receive it if someone enslaves you." "See in what servility he reproaches the Corinthians," says Blessed Theophylact. "Do you see that now he shows the false apostles take, and not only take, but take excessively? For this is what the word 'devour' means" (Chrysostom). "If someone strikes you in the face." The Apostle said this not because the false apostles actually struck them in the face, but because they despised and dishonored them. "You suffer no less than those who are struck in the face" (Chrysostom).

"I say again." The whole speech shows how compelled Saint Paul is when he speaks praise of himself. It is visibly contrary to his disposition and heart, but necessity forces him to act against himself. He began "to compare mutually his own merits and the evil deeds of his opponents, so that by such comparison the illegitimate teachers might be exposed" (Chrysostom). This was extremely necessary for the Corinthians, for nothing better could turn them away from the false teachers. He had already said something of this kind. "Now, intending again to praise himself, he first again reproves the false apostles, so that they may see what necessity makes him touch this subject, and so that no one can reproach him for speaking about himself. He had already made many reservations before, but, not content with what was said before, he says, I repeat again: Let no one think me a fool. Do not think that I do this without reasonable grounds. For this is what the false apostles did: they boasted without any cause. Boasting is unreasonable, he says, but I do this not from lack of reason, but from necessity. Therefore, even if you do not believe me, and even if, seeing the necessity, you still condemn me, I will not renounce my task. Do you see how he showed that there was a great necessity to speak? If he was not frightened even by this suspicion, then consider with what compulsion he intended to speak, how he suffered and forced himself when he spoke" (Chrysostom).

"It happens that someone speaks a word of folly without being foolish and without thereby committing a foolish deed. The foolish man is one who speaks grandly of himself in vain and boasts idly. Such a man, in his foolishness, not only utters words of folly, but also performs the deed of a fool. But one who speaks about himself, even of great things, if they are true and for the benefit of souls, seems to speak words of folly by the similarity of the utterance. Yet he is not foolish. On the contrary, he is very prudent and performs a deed proper to the wisest man, when for the benefit and salvation of others he disregards even being reproached for folly. Therefore he says, 'Let no one think me a fool.' I say what I say not for myself, but for you, compelled by the need to turn you away from the false apostles" (someone in Oecumenius, perhaps Photius).

"But if not," that is, if you cannot look at my deed and word in this way, and despite my assurance still consider my word of self-praise an act of folly, "receive me at least as a fool." The turn of speech is subtle, reproving, and persuasive. The false apostles came to the Corinthians and told them who knows what about themselves. They were received and honored, and their word was not despised or rejected. The Apostle, placing himself in their ranks as a fool, both exposes their folly and reproaches those who received them in folly. By both means he prepares the way for his own word, so that they may not think he acts from foolishness.

That he is truly transferring from himself to the false teachers the reproach of foolish self-exaltation is clear from the following words: "that I too may boast a little." "That I too" means: they boast, and you listen, so allow me also to boast. "A little" means: they boast much and without measure, so allow me at least to boast a little. "May boast" means: they boasted much, vainly, and in trifles. What Saint Paul said about himself was true, precious, and profitable for the soul. All this was known also to the Corinthians. It was also known to them that the self-praise of the false teachers did not correspond to reality. Keeping this in mind, what a strong exposure of those teachers they saw. What an impressive correction for themselves, and what a bright and consoling justification of Saint Paul in his pointing to his praiseworthy works. "If you do not believe, and despite the necessity for me to speak in this way still consider me not free from folly, then receive me as one speaking foolishly what I say, so that I too may boast, as the false apostles boast. For they compel me to speak such words by boasting to your harm" (the same author in Oecumenius).