2 Corinthians 11

2 Corinthians 11:1

IN my folly] Gr. of folly. He granteth that after a sort he may seeme to incurre the censure of folly, but he addeth withall, that he doth it against his will for their profit, because he seeth them deceived by certaine cunning men through the craft and subtiltie of Sathan. To commend a mans self, though truly seemes to savour of folly and vain glory, yet in Saint Pauls case to speake the truth concering the infallible testimonies of his Apostleship, and to stop the mouthes of the Apostles, who traduced his person, and vilisied his ministery, with a sweet thetoricall insinuaiton and craving pardon, as he doth, was a part of godly wisedome.

bear with me] Or, you do bear with me.

2 Corinthians 11:2

with godly jealousie] Gr. the zeal God. He speaketh as a wocer, yet as one who seeketh them not for himself, but for God.

espouse you to one husband] The Greeke word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth, either I have fitted and prepated you, or I have espoused you: and the Apostle seemeth to allude to Hosea 2:19. the husband is Christ, Matthew 25:6. the Virgin Bride the Church of Corinith in repard of her faith, yet unspotted: the contract is made in this life, but the marriage celebrated in the life to come, Apose. 19. 7.

2 Corinthians 11:3

though his subtitie] Gr. in.

corrupted from the simplicitie that is in Christ] As perciou liquor is corrupted by mingling it with other water; so is the doctrine of the Gospel, by mingling therewith either Philosophicall speculations, or Jewish traditions, wherewith the false Apostles blened it. Chap. 2. 17. Col. 2. 8. 16.

2 Corinthians 11:4

preacheth another Jesus] A more perfect doctrine of Jesus Christ. In which words he sheweth that they deceive themselves, if they looke to receive of any other man, either a more excellent Gospel, or more excellent gifts of the holy Ghost, then they had received by his ministery: withall in the words, he that cometh, he taxeth the false Apostles, Galatians 1:8. 9. who came of themselves and were not sent by God.

2 Corinthians 11:5

suppose I] Gr. conceive, or reckon that I. Chap. 10, 11.

chiefest apostles] Gr. over and above or exceedingly above.

2 Corinthians 11:6

But though I be rude in speech] Saint Paul lacked not that kinde of eloquence which was meet for an Apostle of Christ, and fit for the Gospel, but he willingly wanted that painted kinde of speech, and affected straines which the false Apostles so much brag’d of. Though S. Jerome upon the third Epistle to the Ephefians, noteth certaine solucismes, hyperbara, & deficiences, in Saint Pauls manner of expressing of himself: yet S. Austin in his 4. book, De Doct. Chris. cap. 7. and S. Chrysostome in his Comments, and the same Jerome, Epist. 61. highly extoll Saint Pauls eloquence, to which few or none ever attained, but this eloquence proceeded not from the studie of rhetorick, nor was taught him in the Schooles, but given him by the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 11:7

Have I committed an offence] Among other aspersions which the false Apostles cast upon Saint Paul, this was one, that he was a poore silly man, getting his living by his handy-craft, and preaching gratis, not entertained by the Church, nor allowed any honourable stipend: whereunto the Apostle answereth, that the Corinthians in this behalfe were more beholding to him, that he was content to take any pains for their sakes, and when he jacked, to travell for his living with his own hands in part, and partly also when povertie constrained him, he chose rather to make use of the benevolence of other Churches, that he might not be any wayes burdensome to the Cerinthians.

2 Corinthians 11:8

I robbed other churches] It was lawfull for Saint Paul to receive a stipend for his labours in the ministery, yet because when he preached at Corinth, he received wages to defray his necessary charge from other poorer Churches, he by a metaphor calleth that a kinde of robbing them, because he received from them that which they could not well spare, and that he ought to have received it rather from the Corinthians, with whom he then resided, and exercised his ministery, and should have had his wants supplyed by them.

2 Corinthians 11:9

I was chargeable to no man] Or, I chill’d, or benummed none, or fainted not in any thing. See Chap. 12. 13. The word in the Originall, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as the Greeke Scholiast observeth, signifieth a fainting or slacknesse, chilnesse, or benummednesse: and the Apostles meaning is, that though he were in great want, when he preached to them, and was not supplyed by them; yet his zeale was no whit thereby cooled, nor his industry abated, he flagg’d not any way in his ministery, no nor solicited any of the Corinthians to afford him necessary maintenance, nor lay heavie upon them, though their bountie slackned to him.

2 Corinthians 11:10

no man shall stop me] Gr. this boasting shall not be stopped in me.

2 Corinthians 11:13

decertfull workers] Or, workmen. Who seeme to labour in the Lords vineyard, but indeed trifle out the time, and rather do hurt then good. Or, he calleth them deceitfull, because whatsoever maske of zeale they put upon them, as if they sought nothing but Gods glory, yet indeed they sought their own gain and wrought upon advantage.

transforming themselves into] Gr. transfigured into.

2 Corinthians 11:14

transformed] Or, transfigured.

an angel of light] A good and holy one, partaking of the brightnesse of the celestiall glory, living and dwelling in the same, whereas the evill angels are consined to everlasting darknesse, Colossians 1:13. 2 Peter 2:4. Jude 1:6. Now Satan may be said to transform himself to an angel of light, either when he assumes unto himself a lightsome body, as if he were an Angel of heaven; or when he suggesteth things that seeme to savour of pietie, zeale, and holinesse, as if the motion proceeded from a holy and blessed Angel: whereas those things which he suggesteth, as he suggesteth them, tend indeed and truly to the dishonour of God, and the ruine of their soules.

2 Corinthians 11:15

tranformed] Gr. transfigured.

2 Corinthians 11:16

receive me] Or, suffer.

2 Corinthians 11:17

I speak it not after the Lord] Whatsoever Saint Paul wrote in his Epistles, he wrote by divine inspiration, yet when he delivereth that for which he hath no expresse commandement from God, he saith he speaketh by permission, and not by command, 1 Corinthians 7:6. and v. 12. to the rest speake I, not the Lord, and so in this place, because the Spirit of God in Scripture no where adviseth to commend our selves, or glory of our gifts, but the contrary rather, he saith, he speaketh not this according to the Lord, but as it were by way of folly; not by way of folly indeed, but as it were foolishly: take the words as they found by themselves, they seeme to savour of folly and vain glory, but consider upon what occasion they are spoken, and to what end, and what profitable truth is contained in them, and so they savour of nothing lesse then folly.

confident of boasting] Or, ground of my boasting. See Chap. 9. 4.

2 Corinthians 11:20

bring you into bondage] Here he describeth the insolent carriage of the false Apostles, and toucheth also upon the Corinthians themselves, who perswading themselves that they were very wise men, did not marke in the meane season, how their new Teachers abused their simplicitie for advantage.

2 Corinthians 11:21

I speak foolishly] Gr. in foolishnesse.

2 Corinthians 11:22

so am I] See Phil. 3. 5.

2 Corinthians 11:23

I am more] Paul being honourable indeed, not only defendeth his ministery openly, but magnifieth it also: not for his own sake, but because they wounded the Gospel through his sides, and by the vilifying of his person and office, he saw his doctrine come into hazard.

in deaths oft] In the pangs and sorrows of death, or in danger of present death.

2 Corinthians 11:24

fourtie stripes save one] The Apostle alludeth to the 25. of Deuteronomie, v. 3. But then it may be demanded, why in scourging Saint Paul they abated one lash, and gave him but 39. stripes. Manahcmus Ricinenfis saith, that the Jews inflicted 39. stripes, with a reference to the curses mentioned in the Law, which were precisely 39. Others conceive that out of some pitie, and that they might be sure to keepe within compasse, and the number of stripes permitted by the law, they abated one. Abenezra bringeth their cabala or tradition for it; and most likely it is, that such a custome was among them, or else out of their hatred to the Apostle, they would not in five beatings have omitted five stripes.

2 Corinthians 11:25

beaten with rods] See Acts 16:22.

once was I stoned] See Acts 14:19.

suffered shipwrack] See Acts 27.

I have been in the deep] Some by the deep, here understand deep dungeon whose name was Bythos, where Saint Paul lay hid for a time at Lystra. Others more probably that by deep is meant the Sea in which he floted, or swam after divers his shipwracks: thus the Greeke Scholiast understandeth it: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and Sulpitius epist. 1. Non minor mihi videtur Gentium pradicator quem fluctus absorbuit & post triduii totidem(que noctes emergentem ex fundo unda restituit.)

2 Corinthians 11:26

waters] Gr. rivers.

2 Corinthians 11:28

that are without] The Greeke word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifieth not properly the things that are without, but the things that are besides, and over and above: and the meaning is, besides those things which I have now reckoned with the rest, the care of all the Churches lyeth upon me.

that which cometh upon me daily] Gr. my cumberance is daily.

2 Corinthians 11:29

Who is weak] That is, wavering in his faith, corstancie, or patience, who is ready to stumble or fall, and I my self am not weak? that is, do not tremble for his sake, and for the danger of his falling? By weaknesse, in the second place he meaneth not the imbecillitie of his own faith, or want of Ghostly strength or courage, he being to comfort and strengthen them all, but a tender taking to heart, and a compassionate care of those that are weak in the Church.

who is offended, and I burn not] Gr. scandalized, 1 Corinthians 8:13. That is, who is distempered, or scandalized by any offence, imprudencie, temeritie of others being in danger of falling, and I burn not with sorrow and holy indignation, and with ardent zeale, for the glory of God and the salvation of those that are scandalized?

2 Corinthians 11:30

If I must needs glory] He turneth that against the Adversaries which they objected against him, as if he should say, they alledge my calamities to take away my Authoritie from me, but if I would boast my self, I would take no better argument then my sufferings for the Gospel, and God himself is my witnesse, that I devise and forge nothing.

2 Corinthians 11:32

In Damascus the governour under Aretas the king] See Acts 9:24.