False Apostles as Angels of Light; the Apostle’s Boasting (2 Cor. 11:10–20)

2 Cor. 11:10. The truth of Christ is in me, that this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

Saint Paul lived only for the Gospel and the holy Church and would not agree on any account to depart from this, and directly professed that he would rather die than change this order. And here he says the same thing, or even more strongly, for the words: “the truth of Christ is in me” constitute an oath-like affirmation. Thus he assured the Romans also, saying: “I am speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying” (Rom. 9:1). As the truth of Christ, by which alone I live, is infallible, so is my word infallible. This is the same as: as Christ is true, so I speak truly, or I assure you by Christ. How important the Apostle considered this, that he places it alongside the truth of Christ! And this only with respect to Achaia, not to all. One cannot fail to see the finger of God in this. This also explains the disposition with which the Apostle endured this. To labor, and at the same time endure poverty in all things—this could not fail to resound with sorrow in his heart. But the Apostle not only does not sorrow, not only is magnanimous, but even glories in it. This is my boast, he says. “He calls his action a boast so that no one would think that he grieves about it or speaks in anger, and at the same time, so that he would not shame them too greatly with his words, as though they had not provided for him, even though he asked. Against this he speaks as if: you would even be ready to give, but I do not take. In this is my boasting. The word: ‘will not be stopped’ is used in a figurative sense: it is taken from a dammed river and means that the fame about him, that he does not take, spreads everywhere, like a river. You will not stop by your alms my boasting; yet he did not say: you will not stop, which would have been harsh to them, but—‘this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia’” (Saint Chrysostom).

2 Cor. 11:11. Why? Do I not love you? God knows. But what I do, I will continue to do.

The preceding words: “this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia”—could have struck the Corinthians. This was quite enough to bring them into despondency and hurt them by the fact that he rejects them alone. For if he boasts in this, then he should act this way everywhere, but if it is only with them alone, then by this he clearly rebuked their weakness. So, lest they fall into despondency from such a thought, note how he corrects this. “Why?” — he says,—“because I do not love you? God knows.” He gave a quick and easy resolution (Saint Chrysostom).

God is witness, he says, that I love you, as I also assured you above: “you are in our hearts, to die together with you and to live together” (2 Cor. 7:3). “From his great love for them it happened that he took nothing from them” (Chrysostom). Do not conclude from the fact that I act differently toward you than toward others that I do not love you. Love is precisely what makes me act this way, for otherwise the Gospel of salvation could not be so successful among you. With you, such is the condition for its success; I act this way—with others it is different, and I act differently with them. “Thus he, from one and the same love, did opposite things, that is, he received from love, and did not receive from love; and this opposition depended on the different disposition of those giving” (Saint Chrysostom). I love you, he says; God knows that I love you. In spite of all this, “what I do, I will continue to do.” And my love for you is unchanged, and my manner of conduct toward you is unchanged. These two unchanging qualities live together in me, and one does not hinder the other. Do not you interpret my behavior to the detriment of my love for you.

2 Cor. 11:12. But I will cut off any occasion from those who desire an occasion, so that in that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

The Apostle acted thus because he could not go against the urgings of the Spirit. Why the Holy Spirit willed it thus, about this, if it was not openly revealed, even the Apostle himself had to conjecture, as the prophets conjectured when the Spirit revealed to them in images the events of the coming of the Son of God to earth. And he conjectures, pointing out the cause in the connections of the gospel. “But I will cut off any occasion from those who desire an occasion.” He could have said that otherwise you would have been offended and would have reluctantly listened to my word, and this would have placed an obstacle to the success of the Gospel. But he said this before: “we have not used this authority… that we might not place an obstacle to the gospel of Christ” (1 Cor. 9:12). Now he derives the necessity of this from the precautions that must be taken in view of false apostles. It is them he means by those desiring an occasion. “Occasion” here is αφορμη — grounds, pretext, opportunity. The false apostles used every opportunity to present in an unfavorable light both Saint Paul himself and his preaching, and thereby to place obstacles to the success of the Gospel. Therefore, he says, I do this so that my opponents, if I were to take something from you, would not turn this into an occasion to cause harm to the Gospel of Christ. “For the sake of many opponents I do this, cutting off their occasions for slander against us” (Theodoret). “Since false apostles concerned themselves only with finding some pretext, it was necessary to take that away from them too” (Saint Chrysostom).

But in what way the opponents of Saint Paul could turn it into a weapon against him if he were to take something from the Corinthians, Paul does not say definitively, but only makes an allusion in the words: “so that in that wherein they glory, they may be found” “even as we.” There is a suggestion that the false apostles already glory in their disinterestedness. The Apostle says: foreseeing this, I took nothing from you and thereby cut off their occasion to boast. Now they cannot boast, for they have nothing special over me. But if I had taken, they could have boldly said: we take nothing, but he does; listen to us, not to him; he acts from selfish motives. But it is hard to suppose that false apostles could act disinterestedly. Therefore, the word: “glory” does not mean that they have disinterestedness, but that they only assume the appearance of being disinterested, without actually being so. The Apostle speaks as if: I feared that, assuming the mask of disinterestedness, they might seduce you; now let them, as they wish, cover themselves with the mask; despite all their cunning, they will come only to what I am. It is understood: but in other respects they are far below me. Consequently, I can think that by this manner of conduct I cut off all their success among you. Blessed Theodoret does not merely suppose, but directly asserts that they only wore the mask of disinterestedness. The Apostle showed that they boast in words, but secretly gather money. For he says this soon after: “you bear with anyone who enslaves you, anyone who devours you, anyone who takes advantage of you” (2 Cor. 11:20).

To this it must be added that, since the Apostle began to act so disinterestedly, not yet knowing how enemies of the truth would oppose him, the words: “so that in that wherein they glory” can be taken in this sense: so that in case they should come to glory in their disinterestedness, or should come to act disinterestedly, they would present no advantage over me, but would be found only to be like me. It is not unnecessary to recall that in Corinth there were also philosophical sects. Many philosophers assumed the appearance of those detached from visible goods, and thereby influenced their followers. Was it not this circumstance that disposed the Apostle to display in himself the face of one truly detached from everything, teaching heavenly philosophy, for the sole purpose that they might follow it and thereby acquire for themselves an essential good, not temporal, but eternal.

2 Cor. 11:13. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

Do not be surprised, says the Apostle as if, that I resolved to act thus, not yet seeing how the enemies of truth will act. I foreknew that they are ready to assume every mask: such is already the nature of falsehood. Such are these false apostles. As deceitful workers, who do not take by truth but by a semblance of truth, they disguise themselves as apostles of Christ and deceive the simple. “They do everything deceitfully, for deception. Since they know that otherwise they would not find acceptance, then, having assumed the mask of truth, they conceal beneath it the deception of seduction. And they do not take money so that they might obtain more—to destroy the soul. But even in this was there more deception. They took money, but secretly. In this he exposes them, saying: ‘disguising themselves’; for them the sheep’s skin serves only as a mask” (Saint Chrysostom).

2 Cor. 11:14, 15. And no wonder: for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end will be according to their deeds.

“It is the custom of the devil to imitate the Divine—just as against the prophets he brought forth multitudes of false prophets, so he imitates in appearance Angels and deceives men. Therefore it is not surprising that they (his servants, instruments of his schemes, gathered from among men) claim for themselves the identity of those called Apostles and use deception that furthers the seduction of men” (Theodoret). “Therefore, if one should be amazed, it is at Satan that one should wonder, not at his servants. For when their teacher dares everything, it is not surprising that his disciples follow him in this. Whom does the Apostle call an ‘Angel of light’? — An angel having boldness to converse with God and standing before God. But there are also angels of darkness, servants of the devil, dark and fierce. And many has the devil deceived in this way, that is, disguising himself as an Angel of light, not becoming an Angel of light. Exactly so these wear upon themselves a mask of Apostles, but do not have the power of apostles; because they can do nothing (in reality, only assume an appearance). And this is precisely the devil’s work—to do everything only for appearance. Who then are the ‘servants of righteousness’? — We, says the Apostle, preaching to you the Gospel, which contains all righteousness. Or this he means, or that the false apostles claim for themselves the glory of righteous men (in general, not only Apostles). How then shall we know them? — From their deeds, as Christ the Lord said” (Matt. 7:20) (Saint Chrysostom). But they cannot hide themselves forever in this way. The time will come, their deeds will be exposed, “and they will reap the fruit of their undertakings” (Theodoret). “They may deceive you, but will not deceive the ever-watchful eye of Christ” (Photius in Oecumenius). “And they will not escape their fate, for according to their deeds will be their end, that is, evil. The end always corresponds to the deeds” (Theodoret).

And for everyone there is a moment when all the illusions that seduce him scatter away. They are seduced by illusions of truth, which resourceful empty wisdom builds for falsehood; they are seduced by illusions of good, which worldly cunning places in the stead of true good; they are seduced to madness by illusions of happiness, which the wicked world presents in such variety. All of this is evil and leads to ruin; but no one caught up in this whirlwind of illusions thinks that they are heading toward ruin. Thus the enemy knows how to mask his deception. But in the hour of death everyone’s eyes are opened and the illusory nature with which they were enveloped vanishes. The same effect can be produced by remembrance of the hour of death, if one takes it to heart and holds it long enough so that it produces all its effect.

2 Cor. 11:16. Again I say: Let no one think me foolish; but if you do, then accept me as foolish, that I may also boast a little.

Saint Paul has spoken about his disinterestedness and now makes a reservation again, lest they think ill of this action of his. In these words, verses 16–20, he presents the conclusion of what precedes, pointing out among other things to the greed of his opponents, verse 20, and makes a transition to what follows—the proof of the truth of his apostleship from what he has endured until now.

“Again I say.” The entire discourse shows how reluctantly Saint Paul speaks in his own praise. It is evident how contrary this is to his nature and heart, but necessity forces him to act against himself. He began “to compare mutually his own merits with the bad deeds of his opponents, so that through such comparison the unlawful teachers might be exposed” (Saint Chrysostom). This was extremely necessary for the Corinthians, for by nothing better could they be turned away from false teachers. He has already said something like this. “Now, intending again to praise himself, he again first exposes false apostles beforehand, so that they might see by what necessity he touches this subject, and so that no one could reproach him for why he speaks of himself. And even before he made many qualifications, but, not being content with what was said before, he says, again I repeat: ‘Let no one think me foolish’ (Do not think that I do this without reasonable grounds). For thus false apostles acted—they boasted without any reason. It is foolish, he says, to boast, but I do this not from foolishness, but from necessity. Therefore, even if you did not believe, but seeing the necessity, began to condemn me, I will not abandon my action. Do you see how he showed that there was great necessity to speak? For if he was not even frightened by this suspicion, then consider with what violence he intended to speak to himself, how he suffered and forced himself when he spoke” (Saint Chrysostom). “It happens that one speaks a word of foolishness, without being foolish and without committing through it the deed of a fool. One is foolish who speaks much about himself uselessly and vainly boasts; such a one in foolishness speaks not only words of foolishness but also commits the deed of a fool. But whoever speaks about himself, though great things, but true things and for the sake of spiritual benefit, those words seem to be words of foolishness by the similarity of speech, but he is not foolish, but rather very wise and commits the deed befitting the wisest man, when for the sake of the benefit and salvation of others he does not regard even blame for it as foolishness. Therefore, he says, ‘Let no one think me foolish.’ Not for myself, but for you I speak what I speak, being forced by the desire to turn you away from false apostles” (Someone in Oecumenius; perhaps Photius).

“But if not”—if you cannot view my deed and word in this way, and despite my assurance you still consider my word of praise for myself as the deed of a fool, “then at least accept me as foolish.” The turn of speech is both subtle, and expository, and persuasive! False apostles came to the Corinthians and spoke any sort of thing about themselves. And they were accepted and honored, and their word was not scorned or rejected. The Apostle, placing himself in their ranks in the quality of a fool, both exposes their foolishness and reproaches those who accepted them in foolishness, and thus opens a way for his word to both, so that they would not think he acts from foolishness. That he precisely shifts the reproach in foolish self-praise from himself to false teachers is evident from the following words: “that I also may boast a little.” “That I may”: they boast, and you listen; so allow me also to boast. “A little”: they boast much, excessively; give me at least a little to boast. “May boast”: they boasted both much and vainly and of trifles; but what Saint Paul said of himself was both true and valuable and spiritually beneficial. All this was known also to the Corinthians; they also knew that the self-praise of false teachers did not correspond to reality. Keeping this in mind, what strong exposure of these latter they saw, what an impressive instruction for themselves, and what a bright and consoling vindication of Saint Paul in his pointing to his praiseworthy deeds! “If you do not believe and, despite the necessity for me to speak thus, still consider me not free from foolishness, then accept me as one speaking foolishly what I speak, so that I too may boast, as false apostles boast. For they are what compel me to speak such words, by boasting to your detriment” (the same in Oecumenius).

2 Cor. 11:17. What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as it were in foolishness, in this matter of boasting.

“What I am saying,” that is, I am saying praiseworthy things of myself; I am not saying “as the Lord would.” “There is a divine law which teaches: ‘When you have done all that you are commanded, say, We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty to do’” (Lk. 17:10). Therefore, the divinely-wise Paul said: “What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would,” that is, I speak this not according to His law (Theodoret). It seems the intention of the holy Apostle in these words is to turn others away from imitating himself in this respect, for fear that self-praise should not turn into a rule, under the pretext that what is being praised is true and that it brings benefit to others. He speaks as if: but in spite of the fact that necessity compels me, and this is beneficial for you, and I see what good effect my manner of speech will produce on you, nonetheless I will say that this is not done as the Lord would: let no one think of imitating me in this. I recognize self-praise as both a foolish deed and displeasing to the Lord, and being forced to such action, I make one proviso—that if you come to consider me foolish, you limit my foolishness to this part of boasting, and do not extend it to all my deeds and words, or to all my teaching, and to all my dispositions and institutions. So that no one would think that he calls all his teaching foolishness, he necessarily added: ‘in this matter of boasting,’ that is, in these words I call myself foolish (Theodoret). He added this so that you might not think that he does everything ‘as it were in foolishness’ (Saint Chrysostom).

2 Cor. 11:18. Since many boast in the flesh, I also will boast.

He explains in what part of boasting, namely in that I will, he says, boast in the flesh. Here he does not mean what he has already said, that is, that he gave trouble to no one, but what he is about to say below, in verse 22, that is, that he too is a Hebrew, an Israelite, and the seed of Abraham, and that he himself has these external advantages from his fleshly origin. Doubtless the false apostles ostentatiously displayed this. The Apostle says: they boast in this; I will boast too, though this is foolish and not as the Lord would. “Regarding the Lord, boasting is meekness, temperance, holiness, but to be a Hebrew and an Israelite is not as the Lord would. For hear what the Apostle says in another place:” “There is neither Jew nor Greek… in Christ Jesus you are all one” (Gal. 3:28) (Oecumenius). Saint Chrysostom says: “What does ‘in the flesh’ mean? — Outward advantages: nobility, wealth, wisdom, that they have circumcision and Hebrew forefathers—they use these for glory. And note Paul’s prudence! He pointed out such advantages which, by what he has proven, amount to nothing, and then called his boasting foolishness. And indeed, if it is foolish to boast of substantial goods, then it is even more foolish to boast of what amounts to nothing. And this very thing he calls ‘not as the Lord would.’ For to be a Hebrew and such like does not bring benefit. So, do not think, he says, that I consider this a virtue. But since they boast, I am forced and in this to compare myself with them. Thus he acts in another place: ‘If someone else thinks they have reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more’” (Phil. 3:4). If someone, being of famous lineage, but having chosen for himself a wise life (monastic, in poverty, deprivation, obscurity), saw that others are proud of nobility, and wished to put to shame their arrogance, then he would be forced to speak also of his own fame, not in praise of himself, but in their humiliation. Thus does Paul.

2 Cor. 11:19. You gladly put up with fools, since you are wise.

This ought to have been said directly after the words: “then at least accept me as foolish.” But there was need to insert certain explanatory concepts, which having done, he returns to that thought. By it he placed himself in the ranks of false apostles who boast foolishly. This foolish boasting is boasting not as the Lord would, only in fleshly advantages. False apostles boasted thus—you accepted them gladly. That you thus gladly accept the foolish gives me also courage to stand in their ranks and hope that you will accept me as well. How much reproof and exposure is here, both for the false apostles and for the Corinthians! It would be good if they had accepted the foolish as foolish, out of compassion, but they accepted them as first-rate sages, even better than Saint Paul. He speaks as if: and this you did not even discern, and yet you are wise! The word: “you are wise” is reproachful. If you were unwise, it would be excusable; but since you are wise, there is no excuse for your action. One cannot turn them away from false apostles more strongly. The Corinthians will have no more desire to accept such. See how the very wise teacher, not defending but as if praising, lays an embargo on accepting such and turns the very heart away from them! Saint Chrysostom says: “It would have been necessary to forbid and to say: do not accept foolish people; and he does this, but with great skill. If he had said this directly, he would have given the impression that he forbids them as one who did not have such advantages. But now, showing that he is not inferior to them in these advantages, and yet considers this nothing, he thus far better corrects them” (On the Corinthians).

2 Cor. 11:20. You bear with anyone who enslaves you, anyone who devours you, anyone who takes advantage of you, anyone who exalts himself, anyone who strikes you on the face.

“Anyone”: though he does not point to anyone specifically, it is evident that the Apostle means false apostles and describes how they held themselves in relation to the Corinthians—so that it might be clearly seen that they are not true teachers: for true teachers cannot act this way. Earlier the Apostle said: accept me, even as a fool, because you gladly accept fools. And immediately after this he says: you accept such and such, meaning false teachers—consequently, he is clearly censuring them; toward the Corinthians he expresses pity, though in words he ‘censures them for their extreme servility to false apostles and for the fact that they have submitted themselves to them to such a degree’ (Saint Chrysostom).

“You bear with anyone who enslaves you.” “See, in what servitude he reproaches the Corinthians and how excessively they have submitted to false apostles!” (Theophylact, Oecumenius). Καταδουλοι, he transforms into slaves, binds you in everything, gives you no freedom in anything. “You,” he says, “have given to them both your possessions and your flesh and your freedom. To become masters not only of your possessions but of you yourselves means far more than to take. About this he spoke also before: ‘If others share authority over you, do we not even more?’” (1 Cor. 9:12) (Saint Chrysostom).

“Anyone who devours you, anyone who takes advantage of you.” “Devours,” κατεσθιει in the sense of gluttons himself. — “Takes advantage,” λαμβανει, takes. — “Not”—there is no such qualifier in the original. “Do you see, now he shows that false apostles take, and not only take, but to excess, for that is what the word ‘devours’ means” (Saint Chrysostom). Consequently, “they falsely boast of contempt for money” (Theodoret). “And what the Apostle said above: ‘so that in that wherein they glory’” (2 Cor. 11:12), he said about their boasting. They only boasted, but had no truth; they only feigned, as though they did not take (Theophylact).

“Anyone who exalts himself,” επαιρεται, raises himself up, haughtily holds his head high, looks down upon you with disdain, regarding you as nothing. This last thought is expressed more strongly metaphorically: “anyone who strikes you on the face.” “The Apostle said this not because false apostles actually struck them on the face, but because they despised them and dishonored them. Your slavery, he says, is not easy; you do not have mild rulers, but harsh and intolerable ones. You suffer no less than those who are struck on the face. Do you see the extreme degree of tyranny!” (Saint Chrysostom).

With this the Apostle concludes his discourse on preaching without charge. The last verses, 16–20, through varied turns of phrase lead to one point: to present in what opposition false apostles stand to Saint Paul. We, he says, are both disinterested and meek, while they are greedy and haughty and power-loving. Judge now, on whose side truth should be?

The following verse 21 is connected in one part with what precedes, and in another part with the subsequent indication by the Apostle of his truly apostolic dignity in that which he has endured until now.