2 Corinthians 11:16–18

2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 11

Paul’s Boast of His Apostolic Calling. 2 Cor 11, 16–33.

Paul deprecates the necessity of boasting: V.16. I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me that I may boast myself a little. V.17. That which I speak I speak it not after the Lord, but, as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. v.18. Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

The apostle has now sufficiently characterized the nature of the false teachers and rejected their claims to consideration. He now, by way of contrast, records a testimony of his own apostolic labors and trials, not for self-glorification, cp. chap. 10, 17, but as a necessary defense against the charges and insinuations of his enemies. In doing so, he returns to the thought of v.1: I say again, Let no man think me to be foolish, lacking in good sense; but if it cannot be so, if you refuse to listen to my pleading, if you persist in regarding me as one bereft of his proper mind, yet receive me as a fool.

The section of the letter now following he wants to have considered with all seriousness, for he intends it as a defense; but if they mill regard it as utter nonsense, then let them at least extend to him the forbearance usually allowed to a witless fellow, let them listen to his ramblings, as they choose to regard them, in order that he also might boast himself a little. Here is a thrust at the false apostles, for they, as slaves of selfishness, were far too prudent to undergo human suffering, far too lazy and unwieldy for a flight of heavenly ecstasy.

Almost every sentence shows that the apostle is battling with his own humility and diffidence in bringing his own person forward into such a prominent position. This he expresses at the very beginning: What I speak, not according to the Lord speak I, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorying.

What he has arranged in his thoughts, what he has begun to express in words, is of a nature that he would rather not claim inspiration from the Holy Ghost for it, so thoroughly out of harmony with his own tastes it is. And yet the Spirit has moved him to write of his own labors, in order to confound the false teachers. For himself, he would prefer to regard it as a species of foolishness, this confidence of boasting, though confidence it is beyond doubt.

In further justification of his unusual spurt of boasting, he writes: Since many boast after the flesh, I also will boast.

That was the feature which stood out so prominently in the case of the false teachers; they made it a practice to brag and boast of their experiences and of their accomplishments. With them it was second nature, with Paul it required a special effort. They always took care to have all the praise strike their own persons; he, on the contrary, praises his office, his labors and sufferings, whereby the glory of the gospel was enhanced.