This chapter begins Paul’s boasting - but as we shall see, it is diametrically different from the boasting of his opponents.
The idea that God is ‘jealous’ - like a husband - is present in OT (Ex 34:14) and prophetic writings (see for example Hosea 2:4.7–9). This jealousy motivates Paul to ‘fight’ for the Corinthians - for the purity of their faith.
11:2 - “I betrothed you” - acting as a presider of their marriage or as a father, who gives his daughter to the groom. The metaphor of marriage describes the covenant between Christ and the baptized in the sacrament of baptism. It has roots in the Old Testament. Like Israel was portrayed as a “wife” of God, so the Church is portrayed as the wife of Christ (see Eph 5:32). Paul acted here - by proclaiming the Gospel - as the one, who brought to groom - Christ and the bride - the Corinthians together.
11:3–4 - Now, seeing them wavering in their faith, he is afraid that a ‘divorce’ may happen - breaking the covenant. The Corinthians are being deceived. The first covenant established in the garden of Eden between God and the first man was broken, because the woman got deceived. The same seems to be going on in Corinth (See Gen 3:4.13; Gal 1:8–9).
11:5 - The ‘super-apostles” - those, who came to Corinth with the letters of recommendations. They were of Jewish origin (11:22), and they acted in a very arrogant way (11:20). Yet, apparently, they seemed to be able to discredit Paul in the eyes of the Corinthians.
11:6 - “Unskilled in speech”. The rhetorical skills were highly valued in Greece - an the entire ancient world (like today public speaking). It seems that it was one among many statements about Paul circulated by the “super-apostles”.
Yet, one among the greatest plague of Greek society were highly skilled in speech teachers, but their speeches were either with no content or contain false content - false truths.
11:13–15 - Paul characterizes them as follow:
The last accusation connects with 11:14 and is a play on the word “transform”. Like Satan transformed himself into an angel of light, so those false preachers transforms themselves into the apostles of Christ (see Is 14:12 - from this passage we have the word Lucifer - Latin translation of the Hebrew “Day Star”).
11:19–21 - Another opinion of Paul about his adversaries: “fools”. Then, we have a glimpse into their bully attitude:
Paul has never done such things and he is surprised (so are we) how the Corinthians tolerate such treatment.
Paul could be “unskilled in speech”, but not short of knowledge (1 Cor 2:4–5).
11:7–12 - Why was it a problem for the Corinthians that Paul preached them the Gospel free of charge? (See 1 Cor 9:14–15) Or was it a problem for those ‘false apostles’? If they wanted to enjoy the support of the community, the example of Paul - the founder of that community, who worked with his own hands to support himself - was a problem. The Corinthians compared both attitudes. However, since Paul’s approached was ‘strange’ - not common - it was easy to claim that he had some hidden agenda - that there was something fishy about his attitude.
Another mystery - why would Paul refuse any financial help from the Corinthians and got the support he needed from those in Macedonia. That could indeed create a suspicion that Paul does not really ‘love’ the Corinthians, at least not as much as those communities in Macedonia (Phil 4:10.15).
There seemed to be a constant comparison between Achaia (Corinth) and Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica) in these two letters. One wonders, whether those communities - all established by Paul - felt that Paul treats them differently
Paul is going to maintain this stand - he want to burden to them in the future as well.
Note:
When comes to the collection for the poor in Jerusalem Paul had no problem to ‘motivate - forced’ them to contribute a lot.
11:16–18 - Now, Paul describes himself as “foolish”. A beautiful play on the word “fool”. In view of Paul, his opponents are “fools” and he speaks about himself also as “fool”. But, there is a huge difference between these two “foolishness”. Moreover, in between these two “foolishness” - that of Paul and that of his opponents - are the “wise or prudent” Corinthians, unable to discern, which “foolishness” is the right one and allow themselves to be deceived.
Now comes Paul’s boasting.
11:22–23a
We have four questions here. The answers to the first three places Paul on the same level with those super-apostles. However, the last answer shows a huge difference between Paul and them in the area of being the “ministers -diakonoi of Christ”.
Hebrews - see Gen 14:13 - an ethnic group distinct from others (Gen 39:14).
Israelites - indicates its religious and cultural aspect;
The seed of Abraham - (see Gen 15:6). Both according to the flesh - a descendant from one of the tribe of Jacob, from the tribe of Benjamin (Phil 3:5) - like the first king Saul, Benjamin - the second child of Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob; and according to faith - having the same like Abraham (see Rom 4:11–12) - Paul was the seed of Abraham.
11:23b
How does Paul ‘beat’ his opponents in being far more a minister of Christ? In four aspects:
11:24 - Deut 25:3. In order not to go beyond this number, the punishment was usually stopped at 39 stripes.
11:25 - Acts 16:22 - this one was administered by the Romans. Stoning (Acts 14:19).
Shipwreck three times (see Acts 27:8–38 as an example)
11:26 - seven perils. They indicate through which terrains Paul traveled during his missionaries trips: city, wilderness, sea; and what kind of people he could encountered: robbers, his own country men, pagans, and false brothers.
11:27 - the challenges of apostolic life
11:28–29
Paul worries about the welfare of the Churches he established - the most important the purity of the Gospel he preached to them.
Then, he also felt for those weak and ‘scandalized’ Christians. The example is in Rom 12–14 and 1 Cor 8 (1 Cor 8:13).
11:30–33
Now comes not a flattering example about Paul - running away from Damascus. The Nabatean king Aretas, who was controlling Damascus during that time, did not like the Jews. At first, he was the father-in-law of Herod Antipas, but then Herod fell in love with Herodias - the wife of his brother Philip - so the daughter of Aretas came back home. It cost Herod a lost war with Aretas and deep resentment between the two nations. The even had to happen around 39 CE, three years after Paul’s conversion (Gal 1:17–18). An apostle who is afraid to die for Christ?
Notice, however, that Luke presents a different picture. It was not Aretas but the Jews who wanted to kill Paul (Acts 9:23). Luke writes around 30 years later than Paul and nearly 40 years after the event. Situations changed. Aretas was gone, so was his control over Damascus, but the Jewish party in the Roman Empire was strong.