2 Corinthians 11:7 Commentary and Bible Study

Then the argument of Paul changes a little now. This is a most interesting verse. The apostle Paul never took a penny from the Corinthians. Why did he not do that? Well, it was not his way. He argues elsewhere that he had the right to be supported by them once they were saved, once they were Christ’s disciples, but he never took from any church, except for missionary work. So, for instance, he only took support from the churches of Macedonia when he was evangelising elsewhere and they could support him in that task, but he never took any support from them while he was with them. He either obtained his support from elsewhere, or he made tents and worked for his living. Not because he had no right to it, he tells us elsewhere, but he never wanted to give the wrong impression. God guided him. He knew what would happen – he is going to go into details in a moment. He knew that after he was gone, false teachers would come and they would exploit the people and they would suggest that Paul had robbed them and taken from them: that he only preached the gospel for gain. He did not want them to have any occasion to make those false charges, so, although he loved the Corinthians and he trusted them, he clung to his policy and he says here, ‘I am not going to give up my claim, that I took no support while I was with you. They will not be able to make these charges. You will indeed see them robbing you, but you will not see me taking from you, while I am with you.’ So here, he then says, ‘Have I offended you in abasing myself that ye might be exalted?’ In the Greek culture, the more an orator charged, the better he was. Is he a great orator, or only a fair orator? Oh, well, he charges so much and if he can command an enormous amount and people are willing to pay it, well, that proves he is great. If he is a very low down the scale orator, then he can only command a very small fee. ‘I know the way you think through your culture,’ says Paul, ‘and I come charging you nothing.’ You think he is nothing, he can’t command a worthwhile fee, so the apostle says, ‘Have I offended you, that I have come to you, a nothing person, a charge-nothing, a worth-nothing? No, you shouldn’t value the preachers, the servants of God according to that culture of yours.’ There is a principle behind this.