2 Corinthians 11:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

By the words "when I was with you" and "suffered want," he showed that he ought to have received food from the Corinthians. By the words "my need was supplied," he shows that he did not require this, while at the same time he explains the reason, though not the true one. What reason? That he received from others. "My need," he says, "was supplied by those who came." "Therefore," he says, "I burdened no one, not because I had no hope in you."

In reality he acted for the latter reason. He shows this further, though he speaks of it not directly but covertly, leaving it to the conscience of his hearers to infer. He unobtrusively points to it in the following words: "And in all things I kept myself, and will keep myself, from being a burden to you." "Do not think that I say this with the intention of receiving anything from you."

The word "I will keep myself" shows still more strongly that he not only does not hope in them now, but has once for all refused to take anything from them. At the same time he shows that they considered helping him burdensome. Therefore he said, "In all things I kept myself, and will keep myself, from being a burden to you."

He says something similar in the first epistle: "I have not written this so that it should be done for me. For it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void" (2 Cor. 9:15). And here again: "I kept myself, and will keep myself, from being a burden to you."

"And in all things I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from being a burden to you." He shows that they considered it a burden to provide him food. He says well, "I will keep myself," so that you do not think, he says, that I said this with a view to receiving from you later. But both "I kept myself" and "I will keep myself" from being a burden to you are a strong rebuke to them. Although he does not yet finally despair of them, he has absolutely no thought of receiving anything from them.

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.'"

"And in all things I kept myself from being burdensome to you." In all things, in food, clothing, and lodging, he burdened no one with anything. He did not allow anyone among you to sacrifice anything or do anything for him. The Apostle kept himself in such detachment from all.

This was not only at the time when he planted the faith among them. He resolved to keep himself thus among them forever. "I kept myself," he says, "and I will keep myself from being burdensome to you." "He added this so that they would not think that he speaks to them about his former lack of burden with the intention of receiving something from them now" (Theodoret).

How many-sidedly St. Chrysostom examines this circumstance. "See what a sensitive blow he deals them by presenting those who served him. First, he awakened in the Corinthians a desire to know who they were by saying, 'I robbed other churches.' Only afterward does he name them. He wrote of this to the Macedonians themselves, saying, 'Even once and again you sent to me for my need,' and this at the beginning of the Gospel (Phil. 4:15-16). This served as their greatest praise, because they distinguished themselves so at the very beginning. But note that the Apostle everywhere sets forth his need and nowhere speaks of abundance. 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, while at the same time he states the reason, though not the true one. What reason? That he received from others. 'For my need,' he says, 'was supplied by those who came from Macedonia.' 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 not directly but covertly. He leaves this to the conscience of his hearers to infer, and unobtrusively points to it in the following words: '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. The word 'I will keep myself' is said to show still more strongly that he not only expects nothing from them now, but has even refused forever to take anything from them. It also shows that they considered helping him burdensome, and therefore he said, 'I kept myself and will keep myself from being burdensome.' He says 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.'"