23 ministrants of Christ are they? -- as beside myself I speak -- I more; in labours more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths many times;
but in everything recommending ourselves as God's ministrants; in much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in insurrections, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,
and by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace that `is' towards me came not in vain, but more abundantly than they all did I labour, yet not I, but the grace of God that `is' with me;
for I will shew him how many things it behoveth him for My name to suffer.'
Who, then, is Paul, and who Apollos, but ministrants through whom ye did believe, and to each as the Lord gave?
why also do we stand in peril every hour? Every day do I die, by the glorying of you that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord: if after the manner of a man with wild beasts I fought in Ephesus, what the advantage to me if the dead do not rise? let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die!
but we ourselves in ourselves the sentence of the death have had, that we may not be trusting on ourselves, but on God, who is raising the dead, who out of so great a death did deliver us, and doth deliver, in whom we have hoped that even yet He will deliver;
as unknown, and recognized; as dying, and lo, we live; as chastened, and not put to death;
but if also I am poured forth upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and joy with you all,
for also with my bonds ye sympathised, and the robbery of your goods with joy ye did receive, knowing that ye have in yourselves a better substance in the heavens, and an enduring one.
in which I suffer evil -- unto bonds, as an evil-doer, but the word of God hath not been bound;
may the Lord give kindness to the house of Onesiphorus, because many times he did refresh me, and of my chain was not ashamed,
These things placing before the brethren, thou shalt be a good ministrant of Jesus Christ, being nourished by the words of the faith, and of the good teaching, which thou didst follow after,
and did send Timotheus -- our brother, and a ministrant of God, and our fellow-workman in the good news of the Christ -- to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith,
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and do fill up the things lacking of the tribulations of the Christ in my flesh for his body, which is the assembly,
(according as it hath been written -- `For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long, we were reckoned as sheep of slaughter,')
many blows also having laid upon them, they cast them to prison, having given charge to the jailor to keep them safely, who such a charge having received, did put them to the inner prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks.
save that the Holy Spirit in every city doth testify fully, saying, that for me bonds and tribulations remain;
and he having come unto us, and having taken up the girdle of Paul, having bound also his own hands and feet, said, `Thus saith the Holy Spirit, The man whose is this girdle -- so shall the Jews in Jerusalem bind, and they shall deliver `him' up to the hands of nations.'
and at the same time also hoping that money shall be given to him by Paul, that he may release him, therefore, also sending for him the oftener, he was conversing with him; and two years having been fulfilled, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus; Felix also willing to lay a favour on the Jews, left Paul bound.
and as they were continuing there more days, Festus submitted to the king the things concerning Paul, saying, `There is a certain man, left by Felix, a prisoner,
And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered up the prisoners to the captain of the barrack, but Paul was suffered to remain by himself, with the soldier guarding him.
and Paul remained an entire two years in his own hired `house', and was receiving all those coming in unto him,
The things in presence do ye see? if any one hath trusted in himself to be Christ's, this let him reckon again from himself, that according as he is Christ's, so also we `are' Christ's;
for I reckon that I have been nothing behind the very chiefest apostles,
I have become a fool -- boasting; ye -- ye did compel me; for I ought by you to have been commended, for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles -- even if I am nothing. The signs, indeed, of the apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds,
For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you the nations,
Call upon you, then, do I -- the prisoner of the Lord -- to walk worthily of the calling with which ye were called,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Corinthians 11
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 11 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 11
In this chapter the apostle goes on with his discourse, in opposition to the false apostles, who were very industrious to lessen his interest and reputation among the Corinthians, and had prevailed too much by their insinuations.
2Cr 11:1-4
Here we may observe,
2Cr 11:5-15
After the foregoing preface to what he was about to say, the apostle in these verses mentions,
2Cr 11:16-21
Here we have a further excuse that the apostle makes for what he was about to say in his own vindication.
2Cr 11:22-33
Here the apostle gives a large account of his own qualifications, labours, and sufferings (not out of pride or vain-glory, but to the honour of God, who had enabled him to do and suffer so much for the cause of Christ), and wherein he excelled the false apostles, who would lessen his character and usefulness among the Corinthians. Observe,
In the last two verses, he mentions one particular part of his sufferings out of its place, as if he had forgotten it before, or because the deliverance God wrought for him was most remarkable; namely, the danger he was in at Damascus, soon after he was converted, and not settled in Christianity, at least in the ministry and apostleship. This is recorded, Acts 9:24, 25. This was his first great danger and difficulty, and the rest of his life was a piece with this. And it is observable that, lest it should be thought he spoke more than was true, the apostle confirms this narrative with a solemn oath, or appeal to the omniscience of God, v. 31. It is a great comfort to a good man that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is an omniscient God, knows the truth of all he says, and knows all he does and all he suffers for his sake.