2 Corinthians 11:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Indeed, only a foolish man would boast in this. And see how he ridicules them.

You compel me, he says, to say this. For if you had not received them, and if I had not seen from this that you had fallen into error, I would not have gone so far.

He calls those who boast in fleshly things foolish. For if boasting in spiritual things is a sign of foolishness, how much more is boasting in what does not exist. The words "wise people" seem flattering, yet they contain the highest degree of rebuke. For, he says, you possess knowledge and yet you sin. If you were foolish, you would be worthy of condescension.

If you yourselves are prudent, then by your wisdom show condescension and willingly listen to boasting, as they put themselves forward among you.

He calls foolish those who boast in circumcision according to the flesh. Since such people were received with honor by the Corinthians, the Apostle wants to distinguish himself from them. Therefore he shows that he himself has what they have, but that boasting about this does not accord with God. For this reason the Apostle calls such boasting foolishness. The Apostle also calls every boasting in oneself boasting according to the flesh.

"For you receive it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes what is improper, if someone strikes you in the face, if someone exalts himself. I speak by way of reproach." The Apostle showed that his opponents boast in vain of despising money. For this reason he used the expressions, "if someone devours" and "if someone takes what is improper." The phrase, "if someone strikes you in the face," means: if someone treats you contemptuously and mocks you. For the Apostle added, "I speak by way of reproach," meaning, I said this because of the dishonor they inflict upon you. "For we were as though weak." You think of us that we do nothing of this kind because of weakness.

Verses 18-21. "They boast according to the flesh." The Apostle placed his dignity in the Lord, in service to Christ, and in the knowledge of the Lord. The false teachers, by contrast, sought fleshly advantages, consisting in the gift of eloquence, in the strength of knowledge, in descent from Abraham, and the like.

The Apostle considers that one can boast in such advantages only through foolishness. But since the Corinthians are so trusting and pliable that outward and fleshly advantages affect them more strongly, he himself resolves to speak with them about his fleshly advantages.

St. Paul is authorized to speak with severity by his apostolic rank (2 Cor 10:12-12:18). The Apostle defends and proves the certainty of this high rank by pointing to his preaching without payment (2 Cor 11:1-21). "I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ." "I think that I am not in the least inferior to the chief Apostles." "Did I sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted. Because I preached the Gospel of God to you without charge?" "In everything I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from being burdensome to you. This boast shall not be taken from me in the regions of Achaia." I do this not from lack of love for you, that is, not from proud independence of you.

In verses 16-20 he again makes qualifications concerning his disinterestedness. He does this to present the false apostles as its complete opposite and thereby finally turn the Corinthians away from trusting the false teachers. According to Bishop Theophan, the Apostle speaks here as though saying: we are disinterested and gentle, while they are covetous, pompous, and power-loving. Judge now on whose side the truth must be. "Let no one think me foolish." "It is senseless," he says, "to boast; but I do this not from senselessness, but from necessity" (Chrysostom). "But if not, receive me at least as foolish." The turn of speech is subtle, reproving, and persuasive. The Apostle places himself among them, the false teachers, as foolish.

This should have been said directly after the words, "receive me at least as foolish." But certain explanatory ideas had to be inserted, and after doing so he returns to that word. By it he placed himself among the false apostles, who boast foolishly. This foolish boasting is boasting not according to the Lord, but only in fleshly advantages. The false apostles boasted in this way, and you received them graciously. The fact that you thus graciously receive the foolish gives me boldness to stand among them and to hope that you will receive me also. How much reproach and rebuke there is here, both against the false apostles and against the Corinthians. It would have been good if they had received the foolish as foolish, out of compassion.