Глава 11

2 Corinthians 11:1. Oh, if only you would be somewhat lenient towards my folly! But you also condescend to me. “Oh, yes, they didn’t put up with my madness much.” I know, says the Apostle, that those who are distinguished by high intelligence should not expand on their own praises; but I am forced to do it. Therefore, tolerate a little madness. Then he expresses himself more softly. “But bear with me.” It also shows the purpose of what he says. 2 Corinthians 11:2. For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God; because I have betrothed you to one husband, in order to present you to Christ as a pure virgin. 2 Corinthians 11:3. But I am afraid that, just as the serpent deceived Eve with his cunning, so your minds may be damaged, deviating from the simplicity in Christ. “I am jealous for you with God’s jealousy: for I have betrothed you to one husband to present a pure virgin to Christ. I am afraid that, just as the serpent deceived Eve with his wickedness, your minds will also be corrupted from the simplicity of Christ.” I was the promoter and mediator of your marriage; through me you received gifts from the groom; That’s why I work with you with jealousy, fearing and trembling, lest their cunning prevail over your simplicity. The Apostle called the entire Church “virgin,” so calling the purity of faith; for not all believers take a vow of virginity, but everyone should be adorned with the sincerity of faith. He very decently mentioned not the devil, but the serpent, showing that his opponents, like the serpent, became an instrument of the devil. And the Apostle called the damage itself corruption, because he called the Corinthians maiden 2 Corinthians 11:4. For if someone came and began to preach another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you received another Spirit, which you did not receive, or another gospel, which you did not accept, then you would be very lenient towards him. “If He who is coming preaches another Jesus, whom you did not preach, or if you receive another Spirit, which you did not accept, or another gospel, which you did not accept, you will sooner endure.” The Apostle addressed the accusation against those who had fallen into deception and clearly showed the absurdity of the deception. For he says: “What and how did you get carried away? Was there another Jesus preached to you? Have you taught other gifts of the Spirit? Did they offer a different Gospel?” 2 Corinthians 11:5. But I think that I have nothing lacking against the highest Apostles. “I hate to be deprived of anything before the Apostle.” But it is unnecessary, says the Apostle, to compare ourselves with them, for I think that we are no lower than the great preachers of the truth. However, he dissolved this too with modesty, for he did not say: I am equal to the “foremost Apostles,” but he says: “unfeeling,” that is, I think, “I will not be deprived of anything.” 2 Corinthians 11:6. although I am ignorant in words, I am not in knowledge. However, we are completely known to you in everything. “Even if one is ignorant in word, but not in understanding.” Although he could say that the supreme apostles were unlearned people, he did not say anything about them, but said about himself: “Although my tongue is unlearned, my mind is nevertheless adorned with the knowledge of God.” “But everything in you appears everywhere.” Of this you too are witnesses, because you have become aware of our cause. 2 Corinthians 11:7. Did I sin by humiliating myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the Gospel of God to you freely? “Or have I committed sin for myself in humiliating myself, so that you may be exalted, just as God brought the good news to you?” It is probably my fault that I behaved very modestly and, while preaching the Gospel to you, did not receive the necessary food from you. 2 Corinthians 11:8. I caused expenses to other churches, receiving from them maintenance for serving you; and, being with you, although he suffered from lack, he did not bother anyone. 2 Corinthians 11:9. For my lack was filled by the brethren who came from Macedonia; and in everything I tried and will try not to be a burden to you. “From other churches, we will accept the rent for your service.” Offering you a sermon, I received the necessary food from others. He used the word “rents” perfectly, because in what was said before he mentioned military service. He said: “from other churches,” because, preaching among the Corinthians, he received food from others. “And I came to you, and was in poverty, not having a cold for a single one: for the brethren who came from Macedonia fulfilled my poverty.” With all this, the Apostle proved both the stinginess of the Corinthians and his generosity. For he says: “I was with you, I offered you the Divine sermon and was in poverty, but I did not agree to burden you, for the Macedonians satisfied my need.” And this is the most serious accusation for the Corinthians, for the Apostle lives with them, and receives food from others. But, so that they would not think that he was saying this with the intention of getting something from them, of necessity he added: “And I have and will observe you in all things without reproach.” And so that no one would think that he was like that only in words, he added an oath. 2 Corinthians 11:10. According to the truth of Christ in me, I will say that this praise will not be taken away from me in the countries of Achaia. “There is the truth of Christ in me, for this praise will not be suppressed about me in the countries of Achaia,” that is, no one will stop my mouth and deprive me of praise for this generosity. Then, seeing that what was said is difficult, he makes it easier. 2 Corinthians 11:11. Why am I doing this? Is it because I don't love you? God knows! But as I do, so I will do. 2 Corinthians 11:12. so as not to give a reason to those who are looking for a reason, so that what they boast about may turn out to be the same as us. “What? Don't I love you? God knows." With this testimony I rejected any bad suspicion. So, why doesn't he take it? “And what I do, and I will do, will cut off the guilt of those who desire guilt, so that those who boast about it may find themselves as we do.” I do this for my opponents, preventing them from having any reason to slander us. The Apostle showed that they boast in words, but secretly collect money. For this says shortly after this: “You will accept it, no matter who enslaves you, no matter who. He devours, if anyone does not go through the motions” (2 Cor. 11:20). 2 Corinthians 11:13. For such false apostles, deceitful workers, disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:14. And no wonder: because Satan himself takes the form of an Angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:15. Therefore, it is not a great thing if his servants take on the appearance of servants of truth; but their end will be according to their works. “Such are the deceitful apostles, the workers of flattery, who transform themselves into apostles of Christ. And it is not surprising: for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light: it is not great, even if his servant is transformed as a servant of righteousness: their death will be according to their work.” It is the devil’s custom to imitate the Divine, to bring out hordes of false prophets against the prophets, to imitate Angels in appearance and to deceive people. Therefore, it is not surprising if they arrogate to themselves the identity of those called apostles and use deception that helps to deceive people. But they will not reap the fruits of their endeavors for a long time. 2 Corinthians 11:16. I will also say: almost no one makes me unreasonable; and if not so, then accept me, although as foolish, so that I too can boast somewhat. “I say again, but no one thinks I’m crazy: no matter what, accept me because I’m crazy, and I won’t boast of much.” The apostle repeatedly, having decided to describe his own works for the benefit of his disciples, again imposed on himself the reins of his own prudence and modesty. Therefore, here he begs that he not be considered to be doing the work of a madman. And if I don’t convince you of this, he says, then endure it as if you were crazy. 2 Corinthians 11:17. What I say, I will say not in the Lord, but as if in foolishness, given such courage for praise. “But what I say, I do not speak according to the Lord, but as if there is foolishness in this part of praise.” There is a Sovereign law that teaches: “When you have done all these things, say, as we are an unworthy servant; That is why the godly Paul said: “I do not speak according to the Lord,” that is, I do not say this according to His law. But so that no one would think that he was calling his teaching madness, I necessarily added: “in this part of praise,” that is, in these words I call myself mad. 2 Corinthians 11:18. As many boast in the flesh, so will I boast. “For many have boasted according to the flesh, and I will boast.” By this “according to the flesh” the Apostle here named external wealth, nobility, good speech; because the opponents, like the Jews, thought highly of this and exposed the Patriarch Abraham to the environment. 2 Corinthians 11:19. For you, reasonable people, willingly tolerate foolish people. “You kindly accept the mad, be wise!” 2 Corinthians 11:20. You endure it when someone enslaves you, when someone eats you, when someone robs you, when someone exalts you, when someone hits you in the face. 2 Corinthians 11:21. I am ashamed to say that we did not have enough strength for this. And if anyone dares to boast about anything, then (I will say foolishly) I dare too. “Receive it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone misleads you into blindness, if someone slaps you in the face, if someone boasts. I say out of annoyance." The apostle showed that it is in vain that the opponents boast of contempt for money; for this is why he used the expressions: “if someone devours, if someone does not trample into blindness.” And this: “if someone hits you in the face” means: if someone treats you with contempt, he curses at you. For the Apostle added: “I say out of annoyance,” that is, I said this because of the dishonor that they inflict on you. “For now we are exhausted and exhausted.” You think about us that we don’t do anything like that out of powerlessness. “If anyone dares, I say meaninglessly, I dare.” The Apostle softened what he intended to say, calling it madness, but makes it clear that he dares not to insult, devour, or trample them, but to exhibit his own works, and first of all, he exposes what they considered respectable, teaching that in this they have no advantage over him. 2 Corinthians 11:22. Are they Jews? and I. Israelis? and I. Abraham's seed? and I. “Is it Jewish? And az. Are they Israelis? And az. Is this the seed of Abraham? And az." The Apostle brought this up because they spoke so about themselves, and in this he showed his equality with them, and in arbitrary successes he shows an advantage. 2 Corinthians 11:23. Servants of Christ? (I say in madness) I am more. I was much more in labor, immensely wounded, more in prison, and many times near death. 2 Corinthians 11:24. From the Jews five were given to me, forty blows minus one. 2 Corinthians 11:25. Three times I was beaten with sticks, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, and spent a night and a day in the depths of the sea. “Are they servants of Christ? I speak not in wisdom, but rather I.” Again he used the expression: “not in wisdom,” letting him know that he was forced to say this against his will. He explains the very image of superiority, showing not miracles, not the dead raised, not the lame walking, not the flight of demons, not the salvation of the universe, but his suffering for the Gospel. “In labor you are multiplied, in wounds you are sore, in prisons you are abundant, in death you are many. From the Jews five times fourty were received. I was beaten with clubs, I was lashed with a single stone, the ship was broken with me three times, I created night and day in the depths,” that is, when the boat was broken and I then carried the whole night and the whole day hither and thither in the waves. And it was the custom of the Jews to inflict forty blows without one. 2 Corinthians 11:26. I have been on journeys many times, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from fellow tribesmen, in dangers from pagans, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the desert, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers. “In traveling in multitude”: because for the sake of preaching I undertook the labors of traveling. “Trouble in the rivers”: because during his travels he was forced to cross rivers. “Trouble from the robbers” who attacked along the way. “Trouble comes from relatives,” the Jews understood. "Trouble from the tongue". It goes without saying what the Apostle says. “Trouble in the city,” this meant the indignation against him. "Trouble in the Desert". For many times he was forced to pass through deserted places alone. "Trouble at Sea". He also delved into navigation, trying to fill the islands and land with piety. "Trouble in false brethren". For from ancient times the devil sowed tares. 2 Corinthians 11:27. In labor and exhaustion, often in vigil, in hunger and thirst, often in fasting, in cold and nakedness. “In labor and struggle” - in the work of learning and in the feat of handicraft. “In the vigil of many”; for even in prison he did not indulge in sleep, as what happened in Philippi testifies to this. “In Hunger and Thirst” is one of the involuntary works. “In fasting there are many” – and this is one of the arbitrary ones. “In winter and nakedness” - this was a consequence of scarcity and extreme poverty. 2 Corinthians 11:28. In addition to extraneous adventures, I have a daily gathering of people, caring for all the churches. "Except external". Of the many things, says the Apostle, I am forced to retell a few. “The hedgehog attack all the days”, that is, every day they lead me and transfer me from place to place, now to the host, now to the dungeons, now to the judgment seat. "And the care of all churches". And if, when the persecutors calm down, my very concern for the churches consumes me, because concern for the whole universe always haunts me. 2 Corinthians 11:29. Who is exhausted, with whom would I not be exhausted? Who is tempted, for whom would I not be inflamed? “Who is fainting, and yet I am not fainting?” He didn’t say: “I’m exhausted with others,” but simply: “I’m exhausted.” As if surrounded by weakness itself, I grieve and lament. “Who is tempted, and I am not relieved?” When others are tempted, I become inflamed and burned. 2 Corinthians 11:30. If I must boast, then I will boast in my weakness. “Even though it is fitting for me to boast, I will boast about my weakness.” The apostle made it clear that he could point out what he had accomplished by grace, but he thought that the feats of patience were most fitting for him. 2 Corinthians 11:31. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, blessed forever, knows that I do not lie. “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ proclaims, He is blessed forever, for I lie not.” The word “God” again separates from the word “Father,” for He is God to us, but Father to the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 11:32. In Damascus, the regional governor of King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus to capture me; and I was lowered from the window along the wall in a basket and escaped his hands. “In Damascus, the pagan prince Arefa of the king guarded the city of Damascus, although he was with me: and with the window in the chest he was hung along the wall and escaped from his hand.” The Apostle allowed us to see the greatness of the danger in the very method of escape. You might be interested in: