2 Corinthians 11

2 Corinthians 11:1

YOu could,] that you would suffer me to set forth mine owne praises without being offended therewith, or contemning mee for a vaine glorious foole, 2 Corinthians 5:13. seeing that I doe it out of necessitie, to maintaine the authoritie of mine Apostleship 2 Corinthians 12:6. yet howsoever you take it I will doe it chiefely for your good.

2 Corinthians 11:2

For I am,] that which I doe is not through desire of glory for my selfe, but for a jealous care of you, that you may not be misled in your faith by the contempt which false Apostles lay upon my person, and ministery Godly,] a holy jealousie according to God. Or for Gods love and glory, Galatians 4:17-18 For I have,] he gives a reason for his jealousie, and why he called it godly: namely because he had bin as it were a meanes of their spirituall marriage with Christ, by enterchangeable promises and bonds; and therefore he endeavoured to have them on their side, keepe spirituall puritie and chastitie, that is to say a pure & sincere faith. Others translate it, I have wedded you to a husband namely to Christ, for to present a chaste Virgin unto him.

2 Corinthians 11:3

Simplicitie,] namely the pure and sincere faith.

2 Corinthians 11:4

For if,] the meaning is. You know that there is but one Gospell, one Christ, and one spirit: which you have learned, beleeved, and receaved by my ministery which in gifts, light, and power, hath beene equall to that of other Apostles: and therefore you have no reason to depart from me, to goe after other Docters, in hope of learning of them, any other saving truth, or more than you have learned of me He that,] he seemes to meane some one of the chiefe of those false Apostles, as a Cor. 10. 10, Another Iesus,] namely if there could bee any other: A condition altogether impossible, and abominable even to thinke upon, Galatians 1:7-8.

2 Corinthians 11:5

Very chiefest,] there were some of the Apostles which were endowed with more eminent gifts then the rest; though they were all equall in degree of office. Vnlesse hee meanes the twelve in comparison of other inferiour Ministers, who were also called Apostles, Romans 16:7. 2 Cor. 8. 33. Galatians 1:19. Philippians 2:25.

2 Corinthians 11:6

Rude,] without any rethoricall art, as a vulger and illiterate man. This was the odious terme with which the adversaries defamed his plaine, but most divine, incomparable and most effectuall eloquence, for which hee was held by the Pagans as a Mercurie, Acts 14:12 Made manifest,] all my conversation hath witnessed the gifts which I have received of God, be fitting mine office of Apostle.

2 Corinthians 11:7

Have I,] have you any reason to blame me for what I have done, having even submitted my self to work with mine own hands, whilest I have taught you the Gospell? Exalted,] above other Churches of which I have taken freely to supply my wants: to shew you the singular esteeme, in which I hold your salvation and edification: having laid aside all mine ease, and part of my worldly honour, to prevent malignant mens calumnies, and the scandall of the weake, that they might not say or imagine that I preached for my belly, or for gaine

2 Corinthians 11:8

I have robbed,] a pleasing kinde of speech. The meaning is I have taken reliefe of others, when I have served you and not them.

2 Corinthians 11:9

From Macedonia,] namely the Philippians, Philippians 4:10; Philippians 4:15. but not the Thssalonians who were in the same province, 1 Thessalonians 2:9. and 2 Thessalonians 3:8-9

2 Corinthians 11:10

The truth,] as true as I am Christs faithfull Minister in his Gospell: and that in every thing I endeavour to speake truth, being guided by the spirit No man shall,] though I should alter my minde and manner of proceeding, and should take a reward, yet should not that stopp my mouth, but that I would glory against mine adversaries for they abstain from taking rewards, dissimulately and cunningly, and I doe it sincerely Achaa,] a province of Greece in which Corinth was.

2 Corinthians 11:11

Because I,] and therefore disdaine to take any thing of you.

2 Corinthians 11:12

Occasion,] namely the occasion which the false Apostles sought after for to calumniate mee Wherein,] for some of them refrained to take their reliefe from the Churches, to get credit & entrance

2 Corinthians 11:14

Of light,] that is to say good and holy, partaker of the splendor of celestiall glory, living, and dwelling in it, whereas evill angels are confined into everlasting darknesse, 2 Peter 2:4. Iude 6.

2 Corinthians 11:16

Againe,] See v. 1. The maning is, I have already sufficiently protested, that it is not for any vaine glory that I publish my praises, yet you may believe what you please, onely heare mee first, and then judge of it.

2 Corinthians 11:17

I speakt not,] I doe not speak this as a publike person, as an Apostle, who ought not to praise himselfe nor seek his own glory: but Christs glory only I do here produce my selfe as a private person imitating mine adversaries vanity in exalting my selfe: but they doe it to blind and seduce you: and I to refell their art, and to take away the vaile of admiration from before your eyes: that they may have no advantage above mhe in any laudable qualitie, to exalt themselves by my depression.

2 Corinthians 11:18

After the flesh,] that is to say of outward and worldly qualities or peradventure also of Gods gifts, and offices belonging to his service, onely to gain credit & honour to their own persons which is opposite to the glory in spirit, which is a joyfull and upraised profession of Gods grace, to his glory only.

2 Corinthians 11:19

For yee,] an ironicall kinde of biting sentence, against their presuming of their own wisdom, as if hee said. I hope you will beare with this defect in me, which is very innocent and harmelesse, seeing that for all you are so wise, you do beare with greater faults in mine adversaries, who are blemished with these following vices.

2 Corinthians 11:20

Bring you,] that is to say tyrannizeth over you and oppresseth you under pretence of Ecclesiasticall power, Take of you,] by way of presents, pretending to take nothing by way of recompence.

2 Corinthians 11:21

I speake,] that which I speake in mine owne praise, is to your shame and reproach: you having not knowne, or at the least not been willing to know the expresse signes of Gods power working in me to hold mee in such esteem and degree as is due unto me, wherupon I must in despight of my selfe beg this small prop and stay of my qualities, against mine adversaries whom you favour. St Paul doth not here speake of the whole body of the Church, of which hee had witnessed otherwise, but onely of some part, which might be of the false Apostles followers Weake,] base, and wanting courage, to beare up the dignitie of our ministery Wherein-soever,] whatsoever these men can alledge to put themselves forward, and gaine authority, I can say as much or more, and with better reason.

2 Corinthians 11:22

Are they,] hence it appeares that those Doctors were of the Iewish Nation, and did insinuate into the Churches, as if they were sent by the Apostles at Ierusalem, to sow a mixture of Iudaise with Christianitie which was condemned by St Paul in other Epistles.

2 Corinthians 11:23

Are they,] doe they professe themselves to bee ministers of the Gospell I speake,] if it bee a foily to exalt ones selfe in these holy offices, in which the chiefe vertue is humilitie, I shall seeme more foolish unto you, in boasting my selfe, not of dignities, and greatnesses, but of miseries, and sufferings: which I produce for honourable marks of mine Apostleship In deaths,] namely deadly accidents, and dangers.

2 Corinthians 11:24

Save one,] for the Iewes by tradition not to exceed the number of forty appointed by the law, Deuteronomy 25:3. gave one stripe lesse to those whom they did beate in their Synagogues by the Romans permission, Matthew 23:34. Acts 5:40.

2 Corinthians 11:25

With rods,] they were small rods, or wands with which the Romans used to beate malefactors, for here the Apostle seemes to intimate some such punishment of the Romans, as the former was of the Iewes Thrice,] these ship wrackes of the Apostles are not mentioned in the history, for that of Act 27:42. can be none of these seeing it happened afterwards Night and day,] he seems to meane some shipwrack where he saved himselfe upon some parcell of the wrack In the deepe,] the Italian, In the deepe Sea,] the Greeke, in the depth: which by some is understood to be some cave, or dungeon, into which the Apostle was let downe as Acts 16:24.

2 Corinthians 11:28

That are without,] it should seeme that the Apostle likeneth himselfe to some Chiefetaine of War in a besiedged Citie who is in perpetuall danger of the enemies assault abroad, and of some conspiracie or treason within, And by the things without, he meanes either corporall evills, or enemies which are strangers to the Church, to which he opposeth inward evills.

2 Corinthians 11:29

Weake,] that is to say, wavering in faith, constancie, and patience, and such like vertues And I,] namely that I doe not tremble for him, and for the danger of his fall Offended,] that is to say, riven through the folly, rashnesse, or sins of others into danger of falling, which is opposite to the weaknesse of others, who of themselves did strive to keepe themselves upright.Burne,] Namely with griefe and holy indignation.

2 Corinthians 11:30

Of the things,] namely of my miseries suffered for Christ, and not of worldly honours.

2 Corinthians 11:32

Aretas,] it was a name common to the Kings of Arabia, who after the race of the Seleucides Kings of Syria failed, they of Damascus had taken for their Soveraigne Lords.