2 Corinthians 11:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Since, as is likely, they also turned this to Paul's humiliation, that those who preceded him in time had a greater name and greater glory than he, and since the Corinthian false teachers imagined they could compare themselves with them, he compares himself with the Apostles in a way fitting for him. Therefore he speaks of them with praise, calling them not simply Apostles, but "chief," having Peter, James, and John in view.

I do this not from lack of love for you, that is, not from proud independence from you. I do it to remove every right from the covetous false apostles who deceive you, and who boast of being like me. "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into Apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light."

But "you, being wise men," with irony, "gladly endure fools. You endure it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes from you, if someone exalts himself, if someone strikes you in the face. To my shame I say that we were too weak for that."

I say this to mutual shame: to mine, in irony, and to yours, in rebuke. The Apostle is speaking as though he said: there is nothing to be done, I must admit it. I was not capable of the deeds just listed. In general, among you I was not distinguished by those showy qualities with which the false apostles strove to shine. As is clear, they blinded you by them. But how are you not ashamed that you cannot distinguish true dignity from false? How could you forget everything that revealed in me a true Apostle of Christ?

"It is clear that those who corrupted the Corinthians were not from among them, but outsiders. Of course, they boasted that the Apostles taught imperfectly, while they, by contrast, brought something greater. For probably, while speaking idly about many things, they introduced foolish trifles into the dogmas of the faith. Therefore, since they used external wisdom and, as is likely, spoke much emptiness, the Apostle says: if they had told you something beyond this, and had preached another Christ, more fully, while we had kept silence, 'you might well have endured it.' But if they have the same foundations of faith, what advantage is there? However much they speak, they will not say more than what we have already said. Why, then, do you listen to them?"

Yet because the false teachers, despite teaching empty things, boasted that they were better than the Apostles, Paul was unwillingly compelled to speak of his relation to the Apostles chosen before him. He says, first, that he is in no way less than the other Apostles. Second, he understands Christ's teaching just as they do. St. John Chrysostom explains this: "See what modesty there is here also. He does not say, 'The Apostles have said no more than I.' Rather, he says, 'I think,' that is, 'I think that I have in no way fallen short of the chief Apostles.' Since the Corinthian false teachers also imagined they could compare themselves with the Apostles, St. Paul compares himself with the Apostles in a way fitting for him. Therefore he speaks of them with praise, calling them not simply Apostles, but chief, having Peter, James, and John in view."

Turning again to compare himself with those who had deceived the Corinthians, the Apostle says that he is unskilled in speech. Yet he was far from being such. He had studied in Hebrew schools, not Hellenic ones. For this reason he could seem ignorant of Greek eloquence. Yet he possessed the power of speech common to all mankind. Above all, he had a true understanding of everything necessary to know for salvation. The Greek sophists, the talkers, knew how to speak elegantly and smoothly, but they preached false teachings (cf. 1 Cor. 1:2). According to blessed Theodoret, St. Paul is saying to them, as it were: "Though my tongue is not learned, my mind is adorned with the knowledge of God."

"Comparing himself not with the Corinthian teachers, but with Peter and the other Apostles, St. Paul speaks as though saying: if they know more than I, then they know more than the chief Apostles too. But who would dare to think this? See what modesty there is here also. He does not say, 'The Apostles have said no more than I.' Rather, he says, 'I think,' that is, 'I think that I have in no way fallen short of the chief Apostles.' Since, as is likely. They turned against Paul the fact that the Apostles who preceded him in time had a greater name and greater glory than he, and since the Corinthian false teachers imagined they could compare themselves with them, St. Paul compares himself with the Apostles in a way fitting for him. Therefore he speaks of them with praise, calling them not simply Apostles, but chief, having Peter, James, and John in view" (St. Chrysostom).

The words "chief Apostles," των υπερλιαν αποστολων, mean extraordinary, supreme, the very first Apostles. Some refer them not to the foremost Apostles, but to these Corinthian newcomers. They translate των υπερλιαν ironically as "these exceedingly apostolic men." But the Apostle had no need at all to compare himself with them. The Corinthians' infatuation with them was entirely accidental and passing. It was enough to point them out in order to dispel their influence. The first epistle had already done this. Now the Apostle is only completing the correction he began. He gives little attention to the false teachers, and deals more with the Corinthians themselves. For them it was important to know, and consoling to hear, that their enlightener stood on a level with the chief Apostles.