Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

11:2 As their "father" in the faith (see 1 Cor. 4:15; 2 Cor. 6:13; 12:14), Paul feels the same divine (i.e., godlike; Ex. 20:5; 34:14; Deut. 4:24; 5:9; 6:15) jealousy that a father experiences toward his daughter. In Jewish culture it was the father's responsibility to commit at his daughter's betrothal that he would present her as a pure virgin at her wedding (Deut. 22:13-24; see 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1). Here the "betrothal" was the Corinthians' conversion through Paul's ministry, the husband is Christ, and the "wedding day" is the day of Christ's return (see 1:14; John 14:3; Eph. 5:27; Col. 1:22; Rev. 19:6-9). Paul's picture of the church as engaged to Christ (cf. Eph. 5:25-27; Rev. 19:7-8) carries on the OT view of Israel as betrothed to God.

11:3 As at the time of Eve's fall in the garden (Gen. 3:1-13), the serpent's (i.e., Satan's; see 2 Cor. 4:4; 6:15; 11:14-15) cunning, now represented by Paul's opponents, consists in calling into question the sufficiency of God's provisions and the truth of his word, which is now focused in Christ (see 1:20).

11:4 The instrument of Satan's deception is the opponents' preaching of another Jesus (instead of the Jesus proclaimed by Paul), a different spirit (not the Holy Spirit but some false or demonic spirit), and a different gospel (rather than the gospel of salvation by faith in Christ alone). The "gospel" of Paul's opponents may have promised everyone health and wealth but no suffering, contrary to Paul's message and experiences noted in 4:5; 5:14-15, 18-19; etc.

11:5-6 super-apostles. Paul was probably using a sarcastic title to describe the false apostles who were troubling the Corinthian church, by preaching "another Jesus" and "a different gospel" (see vv. 4, 13-15; see also 12:11). Although Paul may have been unskilled in speaking (lacking formal training in rhetoric), his knowledge of the gospel greatly surpassed that of his opponents.

11:7 Paul's practice of self-support in Corinth, so that he preached God's gospel . . . free of charge for the sake of the Corinthians (which exalted them), was a humbling experience for Paul because it entailed not only physical suffering as a result of his hard work and insufficient earnings as an itinerant craftsman, but also the cultural disdain that the upper classes had for manual laborers (see 1 Cor. 4:11-13; 9:4-18; 15:10; 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:23).

11:8-9a I robbed other churches is an example of hyperbole. Paul received financial help from the Macedonian churches to preach the gospel in Corinth.

11:9-10 Macedonia. Northern Greece, where Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea were located. Achaia. Southern Greece, where Corinth was located.

11:9b-14 Paul refused to accept money from the Corinthians because it was imperative that he distinguish his ministry from that of the false apostles who labored in Corinth out of greed (cf. 2:17). They claimed to be messengers of light (i.e., truth and salvation), but they were masquerading their true origin (from Satan) and destiny (hell).

11:13 false apostles. Cf. 2 Pet. 2:1-3 and notes.

11:15 disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Paul's opponents, in claiming to be apostles, must also claim to be what Paul truly is, a servant (Gk. diakonos) of the new covenant, with its ministry (Gk. diakonia) of righteousness (3:6, 9; 5:21). On judgment that will correspond to one's deeds, see 5:10; Rom. 2:6; 3:8; 1 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 6:7-9; Eph. 6:8; Phil. 3:18-19; Col. 3:23-24; 2 Tim. 4:14.

11:16-18 In his arrogance the fool boasts in himself, not in the Lord (see 10:17-18), for which he is condemned (see, e.g., Ps. 14:1; 53:1-2; Prov. 9:13-18). Almost like a fool, Paul is about to boast a little in his own identity to make his point (see 2 Cor. 11:21b-23). Paul recognizes that he does so not with the Lord's authority (lit., not "according to the Lord," i.e., not following out a direct command from the Lord; see note on 1 Cor. 7:12-13) but as a result of the severe situation in Corinth in which many boast according to the flesh, i.e., according to a life lived devoid of the Spirit. But Paul's "boasting" is in what the Lord has done (2 Cor. 11:21b-12:21).

11:20-21a strikes you in the face. A reference to the Jewish opponents insulting the Gentile Corinthians, probably by literally striking them (cf. John 18:22; Acts 23:2). All five actions listed in 2 Cor. 11:20 are signs of an arrogant, domineering attitude on the part of these false leaders. In another statement of irony or sarcasm, Paul says that he was too "weak" to act like his opponents.