2Cor 11:7-9, 12:14 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 7. Have I committed an offence . Have I done wrong. Greek, "Have I committed a sin." There is here a somewhat abrupt transition from the previous verse; and the connexion is not very apparent. Perhaps the connexion is this: "I admit my inferiority in regard to my manner of speaking. But this does not interfere with my full understanding of the doctrines which I preach, nor does it interfere with the numerous evidences which I have furnished that I am called to the office of an apostle. What then is the ground of offence? In what have I erred? Wherein have I shown that I was not qualified to be an apostle? Is it in the fact that I have not chosen to press my claim to a support, but have preached the gospel without charge? "There can be no doubt that they urged this as an objection to him, and as a proof that he was conscious that he had no claim to the office of an apostle. , . Paul here answers this charge; and the sum of his reply is, that he had received a support, but that it had come from others, a support which they had furnished because the Corinthians had neglected to do it. In abasing myself . By labouring with my own hands; by submitting to voluntary poverty, and by neglecting to urge my reasonable claims for a support. That ye might be exalted . In spiritual blessings and comforts. I did it because I could thus better promote religion among you. I could thus avoid the charge of aiming at the acquisition of wealth; could shut the mouths of gainsayers, and could more easily secure access to you. Is it now to be seriously urged as a fault that I have sought your welfare, and that in doing it I have submitted to great self-denial and to many hardships? , seq.

2 Corinthians 11:7-9

Verse 7. Have I committed an offence. Have I done wrong. Greek, "Have I committed a sin." There is here a somewhat abrupt transition from the previous verse; and the connexion is not very apparent. Perhaps the connexion is this: "I admit my inferiority in regard to my manner of speaking. But this does not interfere with my full understanding of the doctrines which I preach, nor does it interfere with the numerous evidences which I have furnished that I am called to the office of an apostle. What then is the ground of offence? In what have I erred? Wherein have I shown that I was not qualified to be an apostle? Is it in the fact that I have not chosen to press my claim to a support, but have preached the gospel without charge? "There can be no doubt that they urged this as an objection to him, and as a proof that he was conscious that he had no claim to the office of an apostle. 1Cor 9:3, 1Cor 9:4-18. Paul here answers this charge; and the sum of his reply is, that he had received a support, but that it had come from others, a support which they had furnished because the Corinthians had neglected to do it.

In abasing myself. By labouring with my own hands; by submitting to voluntary poverty, and by neglecting to urge my reasonable claims for a support.

That ye might be exalted. In spiritual blessings and comforts. I did it because I could thus better promote religion among you. I could thus avoid the charge of aiming at the acquisition of wealth; could shut the mouths of gainsayers, and could more easily secure access to you. Is it now to be seriously urged as a fault that I have sought your welfare, and that in doing it I have submitted to great self-denial and to many hardships? 1Cor 9:18, seq. Verse 8. I robbed other churches. The churches of Macedonia and elsewhere, which had ministered to his wants. Probably he refers especially to the church at Philippi, (see Php 4:15,16,) which seems to have done more than almost any other church for his support. By the use of the word "robbed" here, Paul does not mean that he had obtained anything from them in a violent or unlawful, manner, or anything which they did not give voluntarily. The word (εσυλησα) means, properly, "I spoiled, plundered, robbed;" but the idea of Paul here is, that he, as it were, robbed them, because he did not render an equivalent for what they gave him. They supported him when he was labouring for another people. A conqueror who plunders a country gives no equivalent for what he takes. In this sense only could Paul say that he had plundered the church at Philippi. His general principle was, that "the labourer was worthy of his hire," and that a man was to-receive his support from the people for whom he laboured, (1Cor 9:7-14;) but this rule he had not observed in this case.

Taking wages of them. Receiving a support from them. They bore my expenses.

To do you service. That I might labour among you without being supposed to be striving to obtain your property, and that I might not be compelled to labour with my own hands, and thus to prevent my preaching the gospel as I could otherwise do. The supply from other churches rendered it unnecessary, in a great measure, that his time should be taken off from the ministry in order to obtain a support.

(+) "robbed" "spoiled" Verse 9. And when I was present with you. When I was labouring in order to build up the church in Corinth.

I was chargeable to no man. I was burdensome to no one; or more literally, "I did not lie as a dead weight upon you." The word here used, which occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, (κατεναρκησα,) means, literally, to become torpid against, i.e., to the detriment of any one; and hence to be burdensome. According to Jerome, its use here is a cilicism of Paul. The idea is, that he did not lead a torpid, inactive life at the expense of others. He did not expect a support from them when he was doing nothing; nor did he demand support which would in any sense be a burden to them. By his own hands, (Acts 18:3,) and by the aid which he received from abroad, he was supported without deriving aid from the people of Corinth.

And in all things, etc. In all respects I have carefully kept myself from being a burden on the church. Paul had no idea of living at other men's expense when he was doing nothing.' He did not, as a general thing, mean to receive anything for which he had not rendered a fair equivalent--a just principle for ministers and for all other men. See 2Cor 12:13.

(a) "was chargeable" Acts 18:3, 1Thes 2:9 (*) "lacking" "wanting" (b) "brethren" Php 4:10,15

2 Corinthians 12:14

Verse 14. Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you. That is, this is the third time that I have purposed to come and see you, and have made preparation for it. He does not mean that he had been twice with them, and was now coming the third time; but that he had twice before intended to go, and had been disappointed. See 1Cor 16:5, 2Cor 1:15,16. His purpose had been to visit them on his way to Macedonia, and again on his return from Macedonia. lie had now formed a third resolution, which he had a prospect of carrying into execution.

And I will not be burdensome to you. I resolve still, as I have done before, not to receive a compensation that shall be oppressive to you. 2Cor 11:9,10.

For I seek not your's, but you. I desire not to obtain your property, but to save your souls. This was a noble resolution; and it is the resolution which should be formed by every minister of the gospel. While a minister of Christ has a claim to a competent support, his main purpose should not be to obtain such a support. It should be the higher and nobler object of winning souls to the Redeemer. See Paul's conduct in this respect explained in the. Acts 20:33.

For the children, etc. There is great delicacy and address in this sentiment. The meaning is, "It is not natural and usual for children to make provisions for their parents. The common course of events and of duty is for parents to make provision for their offspring. I, therefore, your spiritual father, choose to act in the same way. I make provision for your spiritual wants; I labour and toil for you as a father does for his children. I seek your welfare, as he does, by constant self-denial. In return, I do not ask you to provide for me, any more than a father ordinarily expects his children to provide for him. I am willing to labour as he does, content with doing my duty, and promoting the welfare of those under me." The words rendered "ought not" (ουοφειλει) are to be understood in a comparative sense. Paul does not mean that a child ought never to provide for his parents, or to lay anything up for a sick, a poor, and an infirm father; but that the duty of doing that was slight and unusual compared with the duty of a parent to provide for his children. The one was of comparatively rare occurrence; the other was constant, and was the ordinary course of duty. It is a matter of obligation for a child to provide for an aged and helpless parent; but commonly the duty is that of a parent to provide for his children. Paul felt like a father toward the church in Corinth; and he was willing, therefore, to labour for them without compensation.