To answer his critics and prove the extent of his own service and sufferings for Christ, Paul related many of his painful experiences as an apostle.
11:16 Paul apologized again for having to resort to mentioning these experiences (cf. v. 1). He did so to prove to the skeptical minority in the church that he had suffered as much as, if not even more than, the false apostles. The false teachers had impressed the "wise"Corinthians with their boasts. Consequently Paul answered these fools according to their folly (Prov. 26:5). However, he stressed that he was not a fool but was only speaking as one (i.e., boasting) to make his point.
"The key term is aphron, fool': not a dim-witted person or clown, a jester (as in play the fool'), but in the technical sense of the person in hellenistic-Roman society who had lost the correct measure (metron) of himself and the world around him . . ."262
11:17-18 These two verses are probably parenthetical. Paul evidently knew that only such "boasting"would convince the minority of his own genuineness. Straightforward claims such as the Lord Jesus made would not.
"The reason for Paul's embarrassment at this juncture is now given: self-commendation is not after the Lord' [cf. Rom. 15:5; Eph. 4:24; Col. 2:8] but, the exact opposite, after the flesh' [cf. 5:16], that is, typical of the old unregenerate nature whose values are dictated by the external, self-centered standards of this fallen world."263
11:19-21a The apostle was most ironical in these verses. The Corinthians considered themselves unusually wise, but they were being unusually foolish by not only humoring the fools in their midst but doing so gladly. They were absurdly tolerant. They submitted to the teaching of the false apostles even though it resulted in their own enslavement. Probably this teaching involved the Judaizing error (i.e., submission to the Mosaic Law is necessary for justification and or sanctification, cf. Gal. 2:4; 5:1). The false teachers had evidently devoured the Corinthians' financial contributions. They had abused them and exalted themselves at their expense. Hitting in the face may have occurred (cf. Acts 23:2; 1 Cor. 4:11), but it definitely pictures the most insulting and harmful conduct. How inconsistent this behavior was with the manner of the Savior.
Ironically Paul feigned shame that he had behaved so weakly among them. His conduct had been Christ-like. Now he was experiencing abuse for such gentleness, as his Master had.
11:21b-22 After repeated warnings that he was going to boast (10:8; 11:1, 6, 16), Paul now finally began. At first he matched each of his critic's claims: "So am I."
"It is probable that this Speech' mirrors, but so as to parody and also correct, the claims of the newly arrived false apostles."264
"Thus the Speech' proper has elements of antitriumphalism as well as of triumph, characteristics that inexactly replicate those in the remarkable victory parade metaphor set out in 2:14."265
The term "Hebrew"had three connotations. A "Hebrew"was a pure-blooded Jew and or one who could read the Old Testament in the original languages and speak Aramaic as contrasted with one who knew only Greek (cf. Acts 6:1; Phil. 3:5).
"Hebrew' . . . denotes Jews whose family ties were Palestinian, if they were not wholly resident in Palestine. . . . It looks very much as if Paul's opponents at Corinth were of Palestinian provenance."266
As an Israelite, Paul was a member of God's chosen people, as his critics were. Paul traced his descent all the way back to Abraham. He probably did so to connect himself with the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant and circumcision both of which were of cardinal importance to the Jews. Thus in his upbringing, his citizenship, and his ancestry Paul was not inferior to any of his Jewish critics.
11:23-25 The apostle listed general afflictions he had suffered in the service of Christ (v. 23) and then cited specific examples (vv. 24-25). He turned from nationality (v. 23) to achievements (vv. 24-29). Here he claimed superiority to his critics, not just equality with them. He proceeded from speaking as a fool (vv. 16, 17, 21) to talking like a madman (v. 23).
His opponents claimed to be servants of Christ (v. 23), but really they were masquerading as such (v. 13). Paul alone was the true servant of the Lord. However instead of citing successes that he had experienced in his ministry, the awards that he had received from others, he listed his apparent defeats. Thus he boasted in his weaknesses (v. 30; cf. 12:5, 9, 10).
". . . Paul is not in fact magnifying self in the passage which is now beginning--in this, too, there is complete disparity between himself and his adversaries--but he is magnifying, as he does throughout this epistle, the amazing grace of God which in the midst of afflictions and sufferings is sufficient for his every need."267
Paul's writing of 2 Corinthians fits into Luke's chronology of his life at Acts 20:2, so everything that Paul described here occurred before Acts 20:2. Paul's life involved many more dangerous experiences than we read about in Acts. Paul referred to many imprisonments (v. 23), but Acts only records one before this time (i.e., in Philippi, Acts 16:23-40). He mentioned numberless beatings (v. 23), whereas Acts only records one by now (also in Philippi, Acts 16:22-23). The only record of a near fatal experience in Acts before this was Paul's stoning at Lystra (Acts 14:19), though Paul said he had often been in danger of dying (v. 23). Paul claimed to have received whippings by the Jews five times (v. 24), but Acts says nothing about any of these. It does not mention the three beatings (by the Gentiles, v. 25; cf. 2 Tim. 3:11) either.
"The fact that St Paul was thrice treated in this way is evidence that being a Roman citizen was an imperfect protection when magistrates were disposed to be brutal."268
Paul had already experienced shipwreck three times by now, though Luke recorded none of these in Acts. Paul's night and day in the sea (v. 26) also comes as news to the reader of Acts. Obviously in Acts Luke gave us only a highly selective account of the Apostle Paul's very difficult life.
11:26-27 Paul broadened his description from specific hardships to general types of danger (v. 26) and privation (v. 27) that he had experienced as an apostle. Paul's sufferings on his journeys as a missionary merited special mention (v. 26) as did his labors when he settled in an area to plant a church (v. 27). Again Luke recorded only a few of these in Acts (cf. Acts 9:23, 29; 13:14; 14:19, 24; 16:16-40; 18:12; 19:23-41)
11:28-29 All the previous trials that Paul enumerated were temporary, but what follows remained with him always. Internal pressure (v. 28) harassed Paul on top of all the external difficulties that he endured. Specifically concern for the weak and the moral failures of his converts disturbed Paul (v. 29).
"And so it should be with every faithful pastor of Christ's flock: he should lovingly identify himself with those who have been committed to his care, showing himself deeply anxious for their spiritual well-being, compassionate with them in their frailties and temptations, and resisting and resenting every one who seeks to entice them away from the purity of their devotion to Christ. This compassion is not of man: it is the divine compassion of Christ Himself, burning in the heart of His servant, and blazing forth in love to reach and to bind to the one Bridegroom the hearts of those to whom he ministers."269
11:30-31 Rather than boasting about his strengths, as his critics did, Paul boasted in his weaknesses, humiliations, and sufferings. These would not initially impress others with his qualifications as an apostle, but these afflictions had come upon him as he had served others and Christ faithfully. They were evidences that God had supernaturally sustained His servant through countless discouraging circumstances. They were, therefore, the greatest possible proof that Paul was an apostle (cf. 1:8-10; 3:5; 4:7, 10-11; 12:5, 9-10). Paul called God as his witness that his claims, which probably seemed incredible to those who did not know him well, were true.
It may be that Paul anticipated what he was about to say in verses 32 and 33 with his strong claim in verse 31.270
11:32-33 Perhaps Paul mentioned the final experience he cited because it was his first experience of suffering for the gospel. It provided a pattern for Paul's life that continued. Paul's critics may have charged him with cowardice in his escape from Damascus, though there is no basis for this revealed in the text. That may be an additional reason he mentioned it, though I doubt it. It may also have been that it would have reminded his readers of his supernatural call and appointment as an apostle on the Damascus road. It was undoubtedly a humbling memory for Paul too.
Aretas IV was the father-in-law of Herod Antipas. He lived in Petra and ruled the kingdom of Nabatea (called Arabia in Gal. 1:17) between 9 B.C. and 40 A.D. Damascus at the time of Paul's conversion may have been under Nabatean rule.271Alternatively it was under Roman rule, and a colony of Nabateans controlled it.272The historical evidence is incomplete. Aretas evidently wanted to arrest Paul because the apostle began evangelizing in that region immediately after his conversion (cf. Acts 9:20; Gal. 1:17, 22-23). His activity antagonized the Jews living in the area who obtained official support for their opposition to Paul (cf. Acts 9 23-25). Aretas himself may have been a Jew.273
In many of his examples Paul presented himself as one who did not fit the pattern of "successful"ministers of the gospel. Like the Corinthians we modern Christians tend to evaluate a person's success on the basis of the standards of the world. Rather than playing down the events in his ministry that made him look inferior, Paul emphasized them because they glorified God's remarkably sufficient grace. In view of all Paul's calamities there is no way he could have been so effective unless God was with Him.
