2 Corinthians 11:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

On the contrary, he destroys the very advantage, that is, external wisdom. In the first epistle likewise he strongly attacks it, saying that it not only does not assist the Gospel preaching, but even darkens the glory of the Cross. "I came to you, brethren," he says, "not with excellence of speech or of wisdom," and, "lest the Cross of Christ be made of no effect," and much else like this (1 Cor. 2:1 and 1 Cor. 1:17). By this it is shown that the false teachers were unskilled in knowledge, and that this is the extreme degree of ignorance.

Therefore, when it was necessary to compare in what was important, he compares himself with the Apostles. But when it was necessary to show that the defect was only apparent, he makes no comparison. Instead, he directs attention to the matter itself and shows its excellence.

When there was no need to praise himself, he calls himself the least of the Apostles, and even unworthy of the apostolic name (1 Cor. 5:9). But here, when circumstances required it, he says that he is in no way less than the chief Apostles, because he knew that this would be especially useful for the disciples. Therefore he also says further, "We have been fully known to you in all things."

Here again he rebukes the false apostles for acting deceitfully. But about himself he had already said the same thing, that he did not play the hypocrite, but preached the word of God without deceit and without self-interest. The false apostles were one thing in reality and showed themselves as another. He was not so. Therefore he boasts everywhere that he does nothing for human glory and does not hide his deeds. So he had said earlier, "By the manifestation of the truth we commend ourselves to every man's conscience" (2 Cor. 4:2). And now he says, "We have been fully known to you in all things."

What does this mean? "We are unskilled," he says, "and we do not hide it. We receive from some, and we do not keep silent about it. So too we receive from you, and we do not pretend that we receive nothing, as these men do who receive from you. On the contrary, we do everything openly before you."

Only one who fully relied on them, the Corinthians, and observed truth in all his words could speak thus. Therefore he appeals to them as witnesses, both now, when he says, "in all things to you," and earlier, when he said, "We write no other things to you than what you read or understand" (2 Cor. 1:13).

What, then, of the fact that the Apostle humbles himself, calling himself unskilled in speech? And what of the fact that Festus says to Paul, "Paul, much learning is driving you mad" (Acts 26:24)? In saying the words cited here, Paul did not want anyone to understand that he did not know how to speak. He speaks of those preachers who sought to adorn themselves not with faith, but with eloquence. For this reason he called himself unskilled in that in which he had no fault.

In what Paul ascribed to himself, he has salvation. In that whose absence is unsafe, the Apostle did not declare himself unskilled. One unskilled in speech is not yet answerable before God. But whoever does not know God is answerable for his ignorance. One must not be ignorant, especially of what pertains to salvation. For this reason the Apostle despised eloquence and acted so as to convey the faith, supported by the witness of virtuous deeds. He did not adorn the faith with eloquence, but with virtue, before which even eloquence bows.

The simple explanation is that the Apostle here means the special skill and gift of eloquence proper to the Greek orators, with whom the Corinthians were acquainted. The false teachers, as is clear also from the first Epistle to the Corinthians, especially prided themselves on this skill. The Apostle placed the power of preaching in the manifestation of the Spirit and of power. He attached little significance to rhetorical adornments, dialectical subtleties, and oratorical turns in his speech. Therefore he himself called himself unskilled in speech and allowed others to call him so.

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."

He speaks it without admixture of his own speculations, purely as it is inspired, and without wrapping it in clever words that obscure more than they clarify. That we are not skilled in speech is not a humiliation of the apostolate, but its excellence. It means that truth comes forth from our mouths in its natural simplicity, as it is inspired by the Spirit.

St. Chrysostom says: "Since those who corrupted the Corinthians boasted before the Apostle that he was an unlearned man, the Apostle mentions this also. He shows that he is not only unashamed of his lack of learning, but even boasts in it. Yet he did not say, 'If I am unskilled in speech, the other Apostles are also so.' This would have been a slander against the Apostles and praise for the false teachers. On the contrary, he lowers the very advantage, that is, external wisdom. Therefore in the first epistle he strongly attacks it, saying that it not only does not assist the Gospel preaching, but even darkens the glory of the Cross of the Lord. For he says, 'I came not with excellence of speech or of wisdom,' and, 'lest the Cross of Christ be made of no effect,' and much else like this (1 Cor., chapters 1 and 2). By this he shows that the false teachers were unskilled in knowledge, and this is the extreme degree of ignorance."

"But in all things we have been made manifest among you," that is, truly, "we have been fully made manifest to you in all things." But, he says, I have no need to speak at length about what is in me and what is not. You yourselves know all this. I acted among you openly, hiding myself in no respect. I did not cover ignorance with clever speech, as orators do. Nor did I hide evil feelings and dispositions under outwardly seemly conduct. As I am, so I showed myself in everything, always acting openly. You know this, and you know my whole self.

St. Chrysostom says: "Here again he rebukes the false apostles for acting deceitfully. But about himself he had already said the same thing, that he did not play the hypocrite, but preached the word of God without deceit and without self-interest. The false apostles were one thing in reality and showed themselves as another. He was not so. Therefore he boasts everywhere that he does nothing for human glory and does not hide his deeds. Thus here also he says, 'We do everything openly before you.' Only a man who has no fear at all of the Corinthians and observes truth in all his words speaks so much in this way. Therefore he appeals to them as witnesses, both now, when he says, 'We have been made manifest to you in all things,' and earlier, when he said, 'For we write no other things to you than what you read and understand' (2 Cor. 1:13)."