2 Corinthians 5:12 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

For we commend not ourselves again— From this place, and several others in the epistle, it cannot be doubted but that St. Paul's speaking well of himself had been objected to him as a fault; and in this lay his great difficulty, how to deal with this people. If he answered nothing to what was talked of him, his silence might be interpreted guilt and confusion. If he defended himself, he was accused of vanity, self-commendation, and folly. Hence it is that he uses so many reasons to shew, that his whole carriage was upon principles far above all worldly considerations; and tells them here, once for all, that the account which he gives of himself is only to furnish them who are his friends, and adhered to him, with matter to justify themselves in their esteem of him, and to reply to those who opposed him. Of this also the last clause may be understood; for it is manifest from ch. 2 Corinthians 10:7; 2 Corinthians 10:15 and 2 Corinthians 11:12; 2 Corinthians 11:22-23 that his opposers pretended to something in which they gloried, though St. Paul assures us that they were satisfied in conscience that they had no solid ground of glorying