On Preaching the Gospel Without Charge (2 Cor. 11:1–9)

2 Cor. 11:1. Oh, bear with me a little in my foolishness; indeed, bear with me!

“St. Apostle Paul, intending to speak in praise of himself, makes many disclaimers. And not once or twice does he make disclaimers, although the very necessity of the matter sufficiently vindicated him. For even from the fact that he mentioned his own sins which God did not mention, and that he called himself unworthy—for the very insensitive it is clearly visible that he will not speak in order to glorify himself. For it would damage his glory most to speak of himself; besides, this is offensive to many. Nevertheless he paid no attention to all this but had in view the salvation of the hearers. So that he not scandalize the unwise, he often made many disclaimers—and here he says: ‘I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.’ For to express a wish means to leave the matter to their will; but to say affirmatively shows that he firmly hopes on their love, and shows he loves them and is mutually loved by them. Not simply by ordinary love, but by the most ardent and irresistible love; he says that they should bear even foolishness of his.” (St. Chrysostom).

“Bear with me” ανεχεσθε μου – some translate thus: but you do bear with me. The Slavic translation agrees better with the words following: “I am jealous for you.” For the sake of such concern of mine for you, you ought to bear with me. And bear with me in the assurance that this is done for no other reason than my zeal for your salvation. He obliges them, speaking as it were: whether you wish or not – bear with me; this is necessary for you. Theodoret writes: “The Apostle knows that those who are distinguished by high minds ought not to dwell on their own praises, but I am forced to do this. Therefore bear with this foolishness of mine a little.”

2 Cor. 11:2. For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one Husband, that to Him I might present a holy Church, spotless and blameless.

As one who loves is jealous for the beloved, so that she belongs to no one else, or so that another does not try to draw her to himself, so I am jealous for you, he says, and cannot allow the thought that you belong to anyone else. Not because, belonging to no one else, you would belong to me; no—not to me but to God so that you belong: “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy,” – that by which God is jealous for you, not wishing that you be carried away by any false wisdom, but follow the one truth proclaimed by Him through us everywhere. – Saint Chrysostom says: “He did not say: because I love you, but used a far stronger expression. For jealous souls burn fiercely for those they love. And jealousy comes from nothing else but from strong friendship. Moreover, so that they might not think that he seeks their friendship for power, or honor, or money, or something like that, he added: ‘with a godly jealousy.’ For jealousy is ascribed to God not so that you might conceive of God some passion (for God is passionless), but so that all might understand that God does everything not for some other goal but for those about whom He is jealous; – not so that He might gain some profit for Himself, but so that He might save them. Not such is human jealousy: it has the goal of one’s own comfort, – not that the beloved should not be offended, but that the lovers should not suffer something and should not lose respect, or should not be humiliated in the eyes of the beloved. But here it is otherwise. The Apostle says: I am not concerned that I should not be humiliated in your opinion, but that I should not see you corrupted (by false teachers). Such is God’s jealousy, such is my jealousy, – it is strong and at the same time pure. Then follows the necessary reason for that.”

“I have espoused you to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” A betrothal occurs when the bride says to the groom: from now on I will belong to you alone; and the groom, having loved her already from before, receives her and makes her his own. Christ the Savior—redeemed all souls, having loved them from before, and prepared everything for them. Then He sent Apostles—to call souls to a marriage union with Himself. The Apostles went throughout the world and proclaimed this joy to all. Those souls who believed and, abandoning all, gave themselves to the Lord, the Apostles betrothed to Him through holy baptism and the laying on of hands (anointing with chrism). Every such bride received from the Lord, by virtue of the betrothal, remission of sins, renewal of life and the grace of the Holy Spirit, as a pledge of future eternal blessedness with Christ the Lord, if she remains faithful to the end. The Apostle did all this for the Corinthians and says now: behold in what relationship to Christ the Lord I have placed you,—and I am zealous, so that you forever preserve this position, not turning away from the union into which you have entered with the Lord Jesus Christ. “I was the helper and mediator of your marriage union; through me you received gifts from the Bridegroom; therefore I am zealous in your regard, fearing and trembling, lest craftiness might overcome your simplicity.” The Church is called “a virgin,” so calling this the purity of faith, for not all believers take a vow of virginity; but all must be adorned with sincerity of faith (Theodoret). The holy Chrysostom says: “What novelty! In the world virgins are ordinarily virgins only before marriage, and after marriage they are no longer virgins. But here it is not so. Though before marriage they were not virgins, yet after marriage they become virgins. Thus the entire Church is a virgin. For the Apostle says this to all,—to men and women who have entered into married life.”

2 Cor. 11:3. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds might be led away from the simplicity and purity that is in Christ.

Having betrothed you to Christ, I have become surety for you that you will remain faithful to Him. Meanwhile, all around are temptations: your very thoughts may be corrupted, and the purity of Christian character spoiled. I fear that you might turn aside from the right path. The enemy who deceived Eve does not sleep: then he used a serpent as an instrument; now he acts through false teachers, through the seductions of the world and the power of desires. How long will you be carried away?! – He deceived Eve with a false promise of excessive greatness and glory; with the same he deceives now, promising similar excesses – excess of knowledge, excess of pleasures, excess of happiness – and presents all this in so attractive a form, so easily attainable, as if he puts it into your hands. Meanwhile all this is a phantom and deception. Eve did not discern this illusoriness and was carried away. You might not discern it either – and like her be carried away. That is why I fear – “I fear that your minds may be led astray” – that you might be corrupted in sound judgment and spoil both a correct view of the work of salvation and a true understanding of following its path. “From simplicity,” – or on account of the simplicity which the soul acquires in Christ Jesus. For, seeing all in Christ as true, it forgets about deception and seduction – and, becoming filled with His goodness, it forgets about cunning and malice – and thereby in a sense acquires some such ignorance of evil which characterized the innocent state. The enemy may take advantage of this your disposition and lead you astray through his instruments. – Or – “from simplicity, which is in Christ Jesus,” should be understood thus: so that your minds might not be led astray, having departed from simplicity, that is, from the artless and pure faith with which you ought to remain in Christ the Lord (Oecumenius).

“See what wisdom,” – says Saint Chrysostom. – They have already been corrupted, but he says: I fear that you may be corrupted. For what reason? – So as not to plunge them into hardness of heart. He speaks thus, that he neither condemns, nor is silent. For to speak openly (of such a great disaster), and to be completely silent – are equally unsafe. Therefore he keeps the middle, saying: “I fear that somehow.” For this is how one ordinarily speaks who neither condemns too much, nor trusts too much, but holds the middle between one and the other. So he both quieted them and by reminding them of Eve brought them into unspeakable fear, and deprived them of any excuse. For although the serpent was cunning (πανουργος), yet Eve was simple, nevertheless, this did not save her from blame. So look, says the Apostle, lest you too fall into the same; then nothing will protect you.

2 Cor. 11:4. If the one coming preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or you receive another Spirit, which you did not receive, or another gospel, which you did not receive, you bore with it well.

This place is difficult for translation and understanding. After the preceding: I fear lest your minds be corrupted—one might expect: for if anyone comes to you, you are at once ready to receive him well—even if he preached another Jesus, promised another Spirit. But one cannot suppose that the Apostle, who throughout the epistle treats the feelings of the Corinthians so tenderly, made such harsh a representation. Therefore one must suppose another course of thoughts. In the same word of the Apostle is concealed both his wish and exhortation: do not receive anyone, with whatever teaching anyone comes. The reason why they should not receive any other teacher is: there is no need for you to receive; you already have all and have fully. Jesus alone the true one is preached to you—God the Son, incarnate for our salvation; the true grace of the Spirit has been given to you; the full gospel has been proclaimed to you with the offer of forgiveness of sins, renewal, adoption as sons and inheritance of the kingdom of heaven. What more do you desire?! If someone offered you what we have not communicated and granted, and yet it would be true and substantially necessary for salvation, then you would do nothing wrong in receiving such a teacher: “you would do well to bear” with him. But I assure you that such a circumstance cannot be; no one can either proclaim or grant to you more than what has been proclaimed and granted to you by us. You have all, and have fully.

Remember again, the Apostle speaks in such a manner as if he were warning them of a future danger; meanwhile, it is known that they had already accepted someone, and because of this, allowed discord among themselves, though it all came to nothing. Therefore the Apostle’s thought here is: it was a mistake for you to do this; you should not have accepted them and listened to them. ‘The Apostle has now turned his accusation against those who fell into deception and clearly showed the absurdity of the deception. For he says: how then and in what manner did you become enticed? Did they preach another Jesus to you? Did they impart different gifts of the Spirit? Did they offer a different gospel?’ (Theodoret).

St. Chrysostom says: ‘From this it is evident that those who corrupted the Corinthians were not from among the Corinthians themselves, but that outsiders deceived them. Of course, they boasted that the Apostles taught imperfectly, while they, on the contrary, brought something greater. For probably, speaking much empty talk, they introduced into the doctrines of the faith silly trifles. So, since they, using external wisdom, probably spoke much that was empty, the Apostle says: if they had only said something extra and preached Christ more fully (fuller), while we said nothing, “you would have borne well.” For with this intention he adds: “whom we did not preach.” But if they have the same foundations of faith, what is the advantage? However much they speak, they will not say more than what we have already said. If, on the other hand, they spoke of what should not be spoken, and for that reason we also did not speak, then why listen to them? But you will say: if they speak the same things, why do you forbid them to speak?—For this reason: cloaking themselves in hypocrisy, they introduce a different teaching (between empty speech and excessive speech, falsehood slips in unnoticed). But Paul does not yet say this now, and will add it later, when he says that they transform themselves into Apostles of Christ (2 Cor. 11:13). Meanwhile he uses the lightest methods to weaken in the disciples their respect for them—and does this not from envy of them, but for the safety of the disciples. Otherwise, why does he not forbid Apollos, a man of eloquence and skilled in Scripture? Indeed, he himself asks and himself promises to send him?—Certainly, because the Apostle, along with learning, preserved the orthodoxy of doctrines, while the Corinthian teachers did not. Therefore the Apostle arms himself against them and makes it a charge to the disciples that they heed them, saying: if we have omitted anything that should have been said, and they have supplied it, we do not forbid you to listen to them. But if everything has been done by us and nothing omitted that benefits you, what draws you to them?’

2 Cor. 11:5. For I consider that I am in no way inferior to the most eminent apostles.

If we continue the Apostle’s speech in the preceding tone and spirit, we get: now, if you desire to know something more complete or to receive something more abundant, you should wish for the leading apostles to come to you, not some chance teachers; but even such a desire is unnecessary, because even they would not have taught you anything that was not taught by me, for I am in no way inferior to them. And with these foreigners I will not even compare myself, and you should not do so either. So, what need have you of them? ‘Comparing himself not with the Corinthian teachers, but with Peter and the other Apostles, St. Paul speaks as if: if they know more than I do, then they know more than the highest Apostles; but who would dare think that? See what humility is shown here too! He does not say: the Apostles said nothing more than I; but how? “I consider,” that is, I think that I have not fallen short of the highest apostles. Since probably, in denigration of Paul, they pointed out that the Apostles who came before him had a louder name and greater fame than he; and the Corinthian false teachers thought to equate themselves with them, St. Paul compares himself with the Apostles in a fitting manner; therefore he speaks of them with praise, not simply calling them Apostles, but “the most eminent,” having in mind Peter, James, and John’ (St. Chrysostom).

The words: “the most eminent apostles,”—των υπερλιαν αποστολων,—extraordinary, supreme, very first apostles—some refer not to the leading Apostles, but to these Corinthian newcomers, and translate των υπερλιαν ironically: these excessively grand apostles. But the Apostle had no need to compare himself with them, and the Corinthians’ fascination with them was entirely accidental and passing, so that it was sufficient to point them out to dispel their influence. The first epistle had already done this. Now the Apostle only finishes the correction begun, and pays little attention to the false teachers, being more occupied with the Corinthians themselves. But for them it was important to know and consoling to hear that their enlightener stood on equal footing with the leading Apostles.

2 Cor. 11:6. Even if I am untrained in speech, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.

Probably the false apostles, in denigration of St. Paul, said that he could not even speak properly. Or some other Corinthians, being carried away by the eloquence of these newcomers, said: what kind of teachers are these—but what sort of speech does that one have?!—St. Paul says to them: ‘Though my speech is uneducated, my mind is adorned with knowledge of God’ (Theodoret). I do not deny that I am unskilled in speech; but this in no way diminishes the significance of my apostleship, for the matter is not in eloquence, but in understanding of the truth. God gave us understanding from on high, while leaving us our own natural speech. Each one speaks as he is able, but speaks always the truth, and divine truth, without admixture of his own speculations, purely, as it is inspired, and without wrapping it in clever wordplay, which obscures more than it clarifies. In our lack of skill in eloquence, there is not a diminishing of apostleship, but its exaltation. This means that truth comes from our lips in its natural simplicity, as inspired by the Spirit. St. Chrysostom says: ‘Since the corruptors of the Corinthians boasted before the Apostle that he was an uneducated man, the Apostle mentions this too, showing that he not only is not ashamed of his lack of education, but also glories in it. He did not say, however: if I am untrained in speech, then the other apostles are also. For this would have been slander against the Apostles and praise for the false teachers. Instead, he diminishes the very advantage—that is, external wisdom. Therefore, in the first epistle, he strongly attacks it, saying that it not only does not help Gospel preaching, but even obscures the glory of the Cross of the Lord. For he says: “I came not in the excellence of speech or wisdom, lest the Cross of Christ be emptied of its power,” and much else of this sort (1 Cor. 1:1–31, 2:1–16). By which he shows that the false teachers were ignorant of knowledge, and this is the extreme degree of ignorance.’

“But in all respects we have made it evident to you” – actually: “but in everything we are revealed to all of you.” But it is not necessary for me, he says, to speak at length about what is in me and what is not. You yourselves know all this. I have acted among you openly, hiding in no respect. Neither with cunning speech did I cover up ignorance, as the eloquent do, nor with outwardly proper behavior did I hide ill-intentioned feelings and dispositions. Whatever I am, such have I shown myself in all respects, acting always openly. You know this – and you know all of me. Saint Chrysostom says: “And here again he reproves the false apostles for acting in a cunning manner. But he has spoken of himself before as well, that he did not feign, preached God’s word without deception and unselfishly. The false apostles are different in reality, and showed themselves as different, but he is not such. Therefore he glories everywhere that he does nothing for human glory and does not hide his deeds. So here too he says: we do everything openly before you. And he speaks thus much only because he is not at all afraid of the Corinthians and preserves truth in all his words. Therefore he refers to them as witnesses – both now, when he says: ‘we are revealed to all of you,’ and before, when he said: ‘we write nothing to you except what you read and understand’ (2 Cor. 1:13).”

2 Cor. 11:7. Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I proclaimed God’s gospel to you without charge?

All that has been said up to now was merely as a preamble. Now the Apostle touches upon the main subject of this section, in which, by displaying the disinterestedness of his Gospel preaching and strongly hinting at the opposite methods of his opponents, he aims to imprint upon their minds which side truth is on.

Before this the holy Paul said: you are well acquainted with me from all sides—meaning thereby that in his manner of action he sees nothing that would give the Corinthians reason to prefer someone else to him. But in this, as if remembering the humble manner in which he appeared among them and remained throughout the entire time of establishing the holy faith, because of material lack which he did not want to remedy by taking anything from the Corinthians—remembering this, he asks: might you perhaps hold this against me?—That is, ‘that I conducted myself with great modesty among you, and in preaching the Gospel to you, I did not use the necessary sustenance from you?’ (Theodoret). But I did this for your benefit; I humbled myself so that you might be exalted—I humbled myself in material things so that you might be exalted in spiritual things. This cannot serve to diminish my apostolic service, but to exalt it. St. Chrysostom puts into the mouth of the Apostle the following speech: ‘I lived among you in extreme poverty: for such is the meaning of the words—“humbling myself.” So, is this a charge against me? Are you making yourselves superior to me (raising others above me) because I humbled myself among you, begged for alms, endured hardship and hunger, so that I might exalt you?—How did they become exalted when Paul was in extremity?—Like this: they received greater edification, and not cause for offense. He had also said before that he was criticized, as if at face-to-face meetings he abased himself, while in absence he was bold. Now, defending himself, he again strikes at them, saying: and I did this for you.’

2 Cor. 11:8. I robbed other churches by taking wages from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. And I refrained from burdening you in any way, and will continue to refrain.

So essential did Saint Paul consider this manner of conduct that nothing could make him deviate from it. He says he became a financial burden to (εσυλησα — as if plundering) other churches, he himself was worn down by poverty, yet he would not allow himself to trouble any of you. Nothing makes the countenance of preachers shine so brightly as when they appear completely detached from all earthly things. For this directly demonstrates that they themselves did not embark on their work in an earthly manner. Therefore, Saint Paul treasured the manifestation of this quality, especially in Corinth, being assured by the Spirit’s guidance that it was fundamentally necessary for their conversion. Saint Chrysostom says: “Before all his other merits, first and foremost he glories in contempt for earthly goods. For this is what (worldly people) demand most of (preachers of truth)—by this they are most inclined to believe. Therefore Saint Paul does not begin his discourse with dangers, nor with miracles, but with contempt for earthly goods. It is worthy of wonder that the Apostle, though he could have said that he worked with his own hands to provide for himself, did not say this, but speaks of that which was especially shameful to the Corinthians and did not even serve as a boast for the Apostle, namely, that he received from others. And he did not say: I received, but: ‘εψα’, that is, he took even the last and brought them to poverty. And, what is still more important, he took not for abundance, but to meet necessary needs. For by the word ‘provisions’ (οψωνιον, a soldier’s rations) is meant what is necessary for sustenance. And what is greater still, the Apostle says: ‘for your service to me’; that is, we preached the gospel to you, and when I ought to have received sustenance from you, I received it from others. Two or even three reasons condemning them: when he, being among them, serving them, having need of necessary sustenance, received it from others, who thus held great advantage over the Corinthians. For the Corinthians remained carefree, while those took care of the Apostle; some sent to him from afar, while others could not provide for him when he was among them. But, sensing the harshness of such reproach, the Apostle again imperceptibly softens it and says: ‘I gave trouble to none of you’. He did not say: you did not give to me, but—I did not take. For he was still sparing them. But again, even in the very softening of his speech, he imperceptibly wounds them. For the words: ‘coming to you and being in need’ are very expressive. Lest they say: what could we do when you had everything with you? he adds: ‘being in need, I gave trouble to no one of you.’”

2 Cor. 11:9. For my need was supplied by the brothers who came from Macedonia. And in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and so I will continue to do.

The Macedonians came to the Apostle in Corinth, probably not once, and each time with gifts. Such is the nature of the Macedonians (Slavs)! They loved the holy faith and its herald and were ready to sacrifice everything for him, forgetting themselves. Though they themselves were not wealthy, but knowing that the Apostle had nothing, they could not bear to refrain from sharing with him what they could, and even more than they could, and not only with him but with all needy believers. This is unreasoning and self-forgetful simplicity!

“And in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you”. — “In everything”,—in food, in clothing, in lodging: he burdened no one with anything; he did not allow anyone of you to sacrifice anything or do anything for me. In such complete detachment did the Apostle keep himself from all! And this was not only at the time when he was planting faith among you, but he established this principle for himself to maintain among you forever. “I kept myself,”—he says,—“and I will continue to keep myself” without troubling you. “He added this so that they would not think he was speaking to them of past forbearance with the intention of obtaining something from them now” (Theodoret).

How comprehensively does Saint Chrysostom examine this matter! “See what a sensitive blow he strikes them by presenting those who did serve him. First, having aroused in the Corinthians the desire to know who these were, by saying: ‘I became a burden to other churches’,—then he names them. He wrote about this to the Macedonians themselves, saying: ‘you even sent once and again for my need’, and this at the beginning of the gospel (Phil. 4:15, 16). This served them as the greatest praise, because right at the beginning they so distinguished themselves. But note that the Apostle everywhere displays his poverty and nowhere speaks of abundance. By the words: ‘coming to you and being in need’, he showed that I ought to have received sustenance from the Corinthians, but by the words: ‘my need was supplied’ he shows that he did not demand this, saying at the same time the reason for it, though not the true reason. What is it then? — That he received from others. ‘My need was supplied,’—he says,—‘by the brothers’ ‘who came’ ‘from Macedonia.’ Therefore I did not trouble you, and not because I did not trust you. But in fact he acted according to the true reason (that is, that he did not trust, lest they be offended if he took from them), which he shows later, though not directly, but obscurely, leaving it to the conscience of the listeners to understand and imperceptibly pointing to it with the following words: ‘and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you’. Do not think that I am saying this with the intention of obtaining something from you. And the word ‘will keep’ shows even more strongly that he not only now expects nothing from them, but has even renounced forever taking anything from them. And equally shows that they considered it burdensome to help him, which is why he said: ‘without trouble to you I have kept and will keep myself’. He speaks similarly in the first epistle: ‘I did not write this to you to act in this way, for it would be better for me to die than to have anyone rob me of my ground for boasting’ (1 Cor. 9:15). And here again: ‘without trouble to you I have kept and will keep myself’.”