11. I have become a fool Hitherto he had, by various apologies, solicited their forgiveness for what was contrary to his own custom and manner of acting, and contrary, also, to propriety, and what was due to his office as an Apostle — the publishing of his own praises. Now, instead of soliciting, he upbraids, throwing the blame upon the Corinthians, who ought to have been beforehand in this. (916) For when the false Apostles calumniated Paul, they should have set themselves vigorously in opposition to them, and should have faithfully borne the testimony that was due to his excellences. He chides them, however, thus early, lest those, who were unfavorably disposed towards them, should put a wrong construction upon the defense which he brought forward, in consequence of his being constrained to it by their ingratitude, (917) or should persist in calumniating him.
For in nothing We are ungrateful to God, if we allow his gifts, of which we are witnesses, to be disparaged, or contemned. He charges the Corinthians with this fault, for they knew him to be equal to the chiefest Apostles, and yet they lent an ear to calumniators, when they slandered him.
By the chiefest Apostles some understand his rivals, who arrogated to themselves the precedence. (918) I understand it, however, as meaning — those that were chief among the twelve. “Let me be compared with any one of the Apostles, (919) I have no fear, that I shall be found inferior.” For, although Paul was on the best of terms with all the Apostles, so that he was prepared to extol them above himself, he, nevertheless, contended against their names when falsely assumed. (920) For the false Apostles abused this pretext, that they had been in the company of the twelve — that they were in possession of all their views (921) — that they were fully acquainted with all their institutions, and the like. Hence Paul, perceiving that they falsely gloried in these masks and counterfeit titles, and were successful, to some extent, among unlearned persons, (922) reckoned it necessary to enter upon a comparison of that nature. (923)
The correction that he adds — though I am nothing, means, that Paul was not disposed to claim any thing as his own, but simply gloried in the Lord, (2 Corinthians 10:17,) unless, perhaps, you prefer to consider this as a concession, in which he makes mention of what is thrown out against him by adversaries and slanderers. (924)
(916) “ Qui deuoyent les premiers faire cet office — ascauoir de le loyer;” — “Who ought to have been the first to discharge that office — that of praising him.”
(917) “The Apostle, in defending himself, was aware how near he approached the language of a fool, that is, a man desirous of vain glory, and how liable what he had written was to be attributed to that motive. It is on this account that he obviates the charge which he knew his adversaries would allege. ‘Yes,’ says he, ‘I speak as a fool [...] but ye have compelled me.’ This was owning that, as to his words, they might, indeed, be considered as vain glorying, if the occasion were overlooked: but, if that were justly considered, it would be found that they ought rather to be ashamed than he, for having reduced him to the disagreeable necessity of speaking in his own behalf.” — Fuller s Works, volume 3. — Ed.
(918) “ Qui s’attribuoyent le premier lieu et souuerain degre;” — “Who claimed for themselves the first place and highest rank.”
(919) “ Qu’on m’accompare auec lequel qu’on voudra des Apostres;” — “Let them compare me with whom they choose among the Apostles.”
(920) “ Faussement vsurpez et controuuez;” — “When falsely claimed and counterfeited.”
(921) “ Qu’ils entendoyent bien toute leur intention;” — “That they understood well their entire design.”
(922) “ Et par ce moyen ils acqueroyent credit enuers les simples et idiots “ — “And by this means they gained credit among the simple and unlearned.”
(923) “ Ne pouuoit faire autrement qu’il ne veinst a faire ceste comparaison de soy et des plus excellens Apostres;” — “Could not do otherwise than enter upon this comparison between himself and the most eminent of the Apostles.”
(924) “ Ce que les malueillans et detracteurs gazouilloyent de luy;” — “What malevolent persons and slanderers chirped respecting him.”