2 Corinthians 11:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

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?

"Before his other merits the Apostle first boasts of contempt for earthly goods. Worldly people especially demand this from preachers of the faith. It is worthy of wonder that the Apostle could have said that he procured his food by his own hands, yet he did not say this. Instead, he says what especially put the Corinthians to shame, namely, that he received from others. He did not say, 'I received,' but 'I robbed,' that is, I took the last they had. And what is more important, he took not for abundance, but to satisfy necessary needs. For by the word 'wages,' a soldier's ration, he means what is necessary for food."

"By the words, 'when I came to you and was in need,' he showed that he ought to have received food from the Corinthians. By the words, 'they supplied my need,' he shows that he did not require this from them. At the same time he states the reason, though not the true one. What reason? That he received from others. 'My need,' he says, 'was supplied by those who came from Macedonia' (cf. Phil. 4:15). Therefore I did not burden you, not because I had no hope in you. In reality he acted for the latter reason, that is, because he did not trust that they would not be scandalized if he received from them. He shows this further, though he speaks of it not directly but covertly: 'And in all things I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.' Do not think that I say this with the intention of receiving anything from you. By the word 'I will keep myself,' he shows still more strongly that he not only expects nothing from them now, but has even refused forever to take anything from them. He said something similar in the first epistle: 'I have not written these things that it should be so with me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void' (1 Cor. 9:15). And here again: 'I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.'"

Before this, St. Paul said, "We are known to you from every side." By this he gave them to understand that in his manner of acting he saw nothing by which the Corinthians could prefer anyone else to him. Yet here he seems to recall in what humble form he appeared among them and remained during the whole planting of the holy faith. This was because of material lack in his support, to remove which he did not wish to take anything from the Corinthians. Recalling this, he says: perhaps you will count this against me? That is, "that I conducted myself very modestly among you and, while preaching the Gospel to you, did not receive from you necessary food?" (Theodoret).

But I did this for your benefit. I humbled myself that you might be exalted. I humbled myself materially that you might be exalted spiritually. This cannot serve to diminish my apostolic ministry, but to exalt it.

St. Chrysostom places such speech in the Apostle's mouth: "I lived among you in extreme poverty. For this is the meaning of the words, 'humbling myself.' So, do you charge this against me? Do you exalt yourselves over me, or exalt others before me, because I humbled myself among you, begged alms, and endured hardship and hunger, in order to exalt you? How were they exalted when Paul was in extreme need? They received greater edification and not occasion for scandal. He had already said that they reproached him as abasing himself when present in person, but bold when absent. Now, defending himself, he again strikes them, saying, 'This too I did for your sake.'"