2 Corinthians 11:10–12

2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 11

The True Apostle and the False Teachers. 2 Cor. 11, 1–15.

Paul insists upon observing this course on account of the false teachers: V.10. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. V.11. Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knoweth. V.12. But what I do, that I will do that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion, that, wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

It was no mere caprice of an erratic genius that caused Paul to act thus in the case of Corinth, as he now brings out. First of all, he states, with the greatest emphasis, that he intended to continue his course as he had begun, by pledging the truth of Christ which lived in him, in opposition to all falsehood and hypocrisy, as a security for his statement that this particular boast was not to be obstructed for him, should not be suppressed, so far as the regions of Achaia were concerned; no one should ever succeed in stopping his mouth, in changing the firmness of this resolve.

And lest someone in the Corinthian congregation might think that there was a personal reason in this determination, directed against the members as such, he hastens to add: Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!

He calls upon God to be witness of the fact that his resolution to receive nothing from them did not originate in any absence of love for them. His affection for the members of the congregation as such remained unaltered: it was in no way concerned in this matter.

The apostle now states the reason for his resolve: But what I am doing, that I will do in order that I may cut off the occasion from those that desire an occasion, that in the matter of their boast they may be found even as we.

Paul was firmly determined to continue his course of not accepting financial help from the Corinthian congregation because he wanted to take away every valid reason on the part of the opponents for continuing their career of malicious misrepresentation.

They boasted of their own unselfishness and disinterestedness without reason, and therefore Paul was determined by a course of absolute disinterestedness, not only to cut off all occasion for ascribing to him mercenary motives, but to compel them to assume a like position in actual practice.

Let them do what Paul was doing, and there would be some reason for listening to their claims; let them do at least so much before proclaiming themselves as the examples of superiority and excellence, as the paragons of true apostles and exemplary workers!