2 Corinthians 11:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But it is worthy of wonder that the Apostle, although he could have said that he procured his food by his own hands, did not say this. Instead, he says what especially shamed the Corinthians and did not even serve for his praise, namely, that he received from others. He did not say, "I received," but, "I caused expense," that is, "I took the last they had and made them poor." And what is more important, he took not for abundance, but to satisfy necessary needs. By the word "support" he means precisely what is necessary for food. And the most important thing is, "for your service." That is: "We preached to you, and when I should have received food from you, I received it from others."

The accusation is double, or even triple, since while he was among them, serving them, and needing necessary support, he nevertheless received it from others. These others therefore had a great advantage over them. They remained unconcerned, while the others showed zealous care. They sent to him from afar, while the Corinthians could not feed him when he was among them.

Having thus reproached them severely, the Apostle again imperceptibly softens the reproach and says, "When I was with you, though I suffered want, I burdened no one." He did not say, "You did not give to me," but, "I did not take." He still spares them. Yet even in the very softening of his speech he again imperceptibly strikes them. The words "when I was with you" and "suffered want" are very expressive. So that they would not say, "What were we to do, when you had what you needed?" he added, "Though I suffered want, I did not burden you."

Here again he gently reproaches them because they gave such help slowly and, as it were, unwillingly. Then he shows the very reason, one most reproachful to them and at the same time stirring them to emulation. Therefore he presented this reason not directly, but as though explaining whence and from whom he received food. Thus, without raising any suspicion in them, he again moved them to almsgiving.

"And when I was with you, although I suffered want, I burdened no one." The accusation is threefold. First, while he was with them, serving them and suffering want, he received no respect. They not only failed to send him anything, as the Macedonians did, but even when he was with them they did not support him.

The expression "I burdened no one" means: I was a burden to no one. By this he shows that they help hesitantly and weakly. Some take the word "I did not burden," ου κατενάρκησα, to mean: I did not grow negligent, nor was I careless toward the preaching. Rather, as much as was required of me, everything was done for your salvation. I lived in need and asked for nothing. I did not grow weak in endurance, having trained myself in it.

This is the heaviest accusation against the Corinthians, for the Apostle lives among them but receives food from others. Yet, so that they would not think he says this with the intention of receiving something from them, he necessarily added: "And in all things I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself." And so that no one would think he is such only in words, he added an oath.

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.'"

St. Chrysostom says: "Before his other merits, he first boasts of contempt for earthly goods. Worldly people especially demand this from preachers of truth, and by this they are especially inclined to faith. Therefore St. Paul begins his discourse not with dangers and not with miracles, but with contempt for earthly goods. It is worthy of wonder that the Apostle, although he could have said that he procured his food by his own hands, did not say this. Instead, he says what especially shamed the Corinthians and did not even serve for the Apostle's praise, namely, that he received from others. He did not say, 'I received,' but 'I robbed,' that is, I took the last they had and brought them to poverty. And what is more important, he took not for abundance, but to satisfy necessary needs. For by the word 'wages,' οψωνιον, a soldier's ration, he means what is necessary for food. What is more important even than this, the Apostle says, 'for your service.' That is: we preached to you, and when I should have received food from you, I received it from others. There are two, or even three, charges against them. While he was among them, serving them, and needing necessary support, he received it from others. Those others therefore had a great advantage over the Corinthians. The Corinthians remained unconcerned, while those cared for the Apostle. Some sent to him from afar, while others could not feed him when he was among them. But, sensing the severity of such a reproach, the Apostle again imperceptibly softens it and says, 'I was not burdensome to anyone.' He did not say, 'You did not give to me,' but, 'I did not take.' For he was still sparing them. Yet even in softening his speech, he again imperceptibly strikes them. For the words, 'when I came and was in need,' are very expressive. So that they would not say, 'What were we to do, when you had what you needed?' he added, 'being in need, I did not burden you.'"