2 Corinthians 11:23

23. I speak as a fool--rather, as Greek, "I speak as if beside myself"; stronger than "as a fool." I am more--namely, in respect to the credentials and manifestations of my ministry, more faithful and self-denying; and richer in tokens of God's recognition of my ministry. Old authorities read the order thus, "In prisons above measures, in stripes more abundantly" (English Version, less accurately, "more frequent"). Ac 16:23-40 records one case of his imprisonment with stripes. Clement of Rome [First Epistle to the Corinthians] describes him as having suffered bonds seven times. in death oft--(2Co 4:10; Ac 9:23; 13:50; 14:5, 6, 19; 17:5, 13).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Verse 23. Are they ministers of Christ? Though Jews by birth, yet they claimed to be the ministers of the Messiah.

I speak as a fool. As if he had said, "Bear in mind, in what I am now about to say, that he who speaks is accused of being a feel in boasting. Let it not be deemed improper that I should act in this character; and since you regard me as such, let me speak like a fool." His frequent reminding them of this charge was eminently fitted to humble them that they had ever made it, especially when they were reminded by an enumeration of his trials of the character of the one against whom the charge was brought.

I am more. Paul was not disposed to deny that they were true ministers of Christ. But he had higher claims to the office than they had. He had been called to it in a more remarkable manner, and he had shown, by his labours and trials, that he had more of the true spirit of a minister of the Lord Jesus than they had. He therefore goes into detail, to show what he had endured in endeavouring to diffuse the knowledge of the Saviour--trials which he had borne probably while they had been dwelling in comparative ease, and in a comfortable manner, free from suffering and persecution.

In labours more abundant. In the kind of labour necessary in propagating the gospel. Probably he had now been engaged in the work a much longer time than they had, and had been far more indefatigable in it.

In stripes. In receiving stripes; that is, I have been more frequently scourged, 2Cor 11:24. This was a proof of his being a minister of Christ, because eminent devotedness to him, at that time, of necessity subjected a man to frequent scourging. The ministry is one of the very few places--perhaps it stands alone in this--where it is proof of peculiar qualification for office that's man has been treated with all manner of contumely, and has even been often publicly whipped. What other office admits such a qualification as this?

Above measure. Exceedingly; far exceeding them. He had received far more than they had; and he judged, therefore, that this was one evidence that he had been called to the ministry.

In prisons more frequent. Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, mentions only one imprisonment of Paul before the time when this epistle was written. That was at Philippi, with Silas, Acts 16:23; seq. But we are to remember that many things were omitted by Luke. He does not profess to give an account of all that happened to Paul; and an omission is not a contradiction. For anything that Luke says, Paul may have been imprisoned often. He mentions his having been in prison once; he does not deny that he had been in prison many times besides. 2Cor 11:24.

In deaths oft. That is, exposed to death; or suffering pain equal to death. 2Cor 1:9. No one familiar with the history of Paul can doubt that he was often in danger of death.

(*) "fool" "as one foolish" (a) "more abundant" 1Cor 15:10 (b) "above measure" Acts 9:16, 20:23, 21:11 (c) "deaths oft" 1Cor 15:30-32 (+) "oft" "often"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Verse 23 Are they ministers of Christ - So we find that these were professors of Christianity; and that they were genuine Jews, and such as endeavored to incorporate both systems, and, no doubt, to oblige those who had believed to be circumcised; and this appears to have been the bondage into which they had brought many of the believing Corinthians. I am more - More of a minister of Christ than they are, and have given fuller proofs of it. I have suffered persecution for the cross of Christ, and of the Jews too; and had I preached up the necessity of circumcision, I should have been as free from opposition as these are. In labors more abundant - Far from sitting down to take my ease in a Church already gathered into Christ; I travel incessantly, preach every where, and at all risks, in order to get the heathen brought from the empire of darkness into the kingdom of God's beloved Son. In stripes above measure - Being beaten by the heathen, who had no particular rule according to which they scourged criminals; and we find, from Act 16:22, Act 16:23, that they beat Paul unmercifully with many stripes. See the note on Act 16:22. In prisons more frequent - See Act 21:11, and the whole of the apostle's history; and his long imprisonment of at least two years at Rome, Act 28:16, Act 28:30. It does not appear that there is any one instance of a false apostle having been imprisoned for the testimony of Christ; this was a badge of the true apostles. In deaths oft - That is, in the most imminent dangers. See 1Cor 15:31; 2Cor 4:11. And see the apostle's history in the Acts.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain