2 Corinthians 11:18

Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(18) Seeing that many glory after the flesh.—To glory, or boast, after the flesh, as interpreted by 2Corinthians 5:16 (where see Note), is to lay stress on things which are the accidents of the spiritual life, not of its true essence—on descent, prerogatives, rank, reputation, and the like. There is a touch half of irony, half of impatience, in the way in which the Apostle says that he too will for once descend to their level and do as they do.

Benson Commentary

2 Corinthians 11:18-21. Seeing that many glory after the flesh — In circumcision, Jewish extraction, and other outward privileges and qualifications; I will glory also — In the same manner; nor can my seeming folly offend you; for ye — The disciples of the false apostles; suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wonderfully wise — And in your extraordinary wisdom can cherish that arrogant temper in others. As if he had said, Being such very wise men, I hope you will bear with this piece of folly in me as you bear with it in others. This is written in the highest strain of ridicule, as is plain from the next verse, where, in mockery, he mentions their abjectly bearing the contumelious and injurious behaviour of the false teachers, as an example of their wisdom in bearing. But it was a bearing, not with fools, but with knaves, to their own cost. By taking notice of that circumstance, therefore, the apostle placed their pretended wisdom in a truly ridiculous light. For, &c. — Your patience in bearing is indeed very great; for ye suffer — Not only the folly, but the gross abuses of those false teachers; ye take it patiently if a man — Any of the false teachers; bring you into bondage — Lord it over you in the most arbitrary manner. If a man devour you — By his exorbitant demands, notwithstanding his boast of not being burdensome; if he take of you — Gifts and presents, pretending to exact nothing as due; if he exalt himself — By the most unbounded self- commendation; if he smite you on the face — Treat you as disgracefully as if he did so. I speak — What I have now said; concerning reproach — Namely, the reproach which they cast upon you Gentiles as uncircumcised and profane, while they are all of a holy nation: or, I mean it of those reproaches with which they load me and my fellow-labourers; as though we had been weak — Or contemptible, in comparison of them, and could have used no such authority over you. Howbeit, whereinsoever any is bold — Thinks he may value and extol himself; (I speak foolishly — That is, in appearance;) I am bold also — I have as much to say for myself, as he has for himself.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:16-21 It is the duty and practice of Christians to humble themselves, in obedience to the command and example of the Lord; yet prudence must direct in what it is needful to do things which we may do lawfully, even the speaking of what God has wrought for us, and in us, and by us. Doubtless here is reference to facts in which the character of the false apostles had been shown. It is astonishing to see how such men bring their followers into bondage, and how they take from them and insult them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Seeing that many glory ... - The false teachers in Corinth. They boasted of their birth, rank, natural endowments, eloquence, etc.; see 2 Corinthians 11:22. Compare Philippians 3:3-4.

I will glory also - I also will boast of my endowments, which though somewhat different yet pertain in the main to the "flesh" also; see 2 Corinthians 11:23 ff. His endowments "in the flesh," or what he had to boast of pertaining to the flesh, related not so much to birth and rank, though not inferior to them in these, but to what the flesh had endured - to stripes and imprisonments, and hunger and peril. This is an exceedingly delicate and happy turn given to the whole subject.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

18. many—including the "false teachers."

after the flesh—as fleshly men are wont to boast, namely, of external advantages, as their birth, doings, &c. (compare 2Co 11:22).

I will glory also—that is, I also will boast of such fleshly advantages, to show you that even in these I am not their inferiors, and therefore ought not to be supplanted by them in your esteem; though these are not what I desire to glory in (2Co 10:17).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

By the flesh is meant, carnal and external things; which though they be the gifts and favours of God, yet do not at all commend a man to God. The apostle saith, there are

many that glory after the flesh; and there needs must be such in all places, because there are many that walk after the flesh: now, it is but natural for men to boast and glory in those attainments, which it hath been the business of their lives to pursue after. Such there were, doubtless, in this famous church, who gloried that they were native Jews, or in their riches, or in their knowledge and learning. Now, though (saith the apostle) I know there is nothing in these things truly to be gloried in, yet, others glorying in them:

I will glory also; and let them know, that if I thought these things worth the glorying in, I have as much to glory in of that nature as any of them have.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Seeing that many glory after the flesh,.... Or with respect to things external, such as their high birth and parentage, carnal descent, circumcision, learned education, and the like; of which the false apostles, being Jews, boasted, who it seems were many; and though a multitude is not to be followed to do evil, yet the apostle thought, that since there were so many who were indulged by this church in this way, he might be allowed to boast also of such like things, so far as he could with truth and a good conscience, and in order to secure some valuable ends:

I will glory also; for he was of the seed of Abraham as well as they, of the stock of Israel, and tribe of Benjamin, circumcised the eighth day, and brought up at the feet of Gamaliel; but these are not all the things he could, and would, and did glory of; he gloried of these, and of others besides them, which the false apostles could not, and thereby proved himself to be superior to them, even in external things, of which they bragged so much.

Geneva Study Bible

Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

2 Corinthians 11:18. That which carries him away to such foolishness, 2 Corinthians 11:16 : ἵνα κἀγὼ μικρ. τι καυχήσ.

Seeing that many boast according to their flesh, so will I boast too, namely, κατὰ τ. σάρκα.

Since κατὰ τὴν σάρκα is opposed to the κατὰ κύριον in 2 Corinthians 11:17, and is parallel to the ὡς ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ, it cannot express the objective norm (comp. 2 Corinthians 5:16), or the object of the boasting (comp. Php 3:3 ff.; Galatians 6:13), as Chrysostom and most expositors, including Emmerling, Flatt, and Osiander, explain it: on account of external advantages,[332] but it must denote the subjective manner of the καυχᾶσθαι, namely: so that the καυχᾶσθαι is not guided by the Holy Spirit, but proceeds according to the standard of their natural condition as material, psychically determined, and striving against the Divine Spirit, whence they are urged on to conceit, pride, ambition, etc.[333] Comp. Rückert: “according to the impulse of self-seeking personality;” also de Wette, Ewald, Neander. Billroth, in accordance with his philosophy, takes it: “as individual, according to what one is as a single human being.” κατὰ ἄνθρωπον in 1 Corinthians 9:8 is not parallel. See on that passage.

Rückert denies that Paul after κἀγὼ καυχήσομαι has again supplied in thought κατὰ τ. σάρκα, and thinks that he has prudently put it only in the protasis and not said it of his own glorying. But it necessarily follows, as well from the previous οὐ λαλῶ κατὰ κύριον, in which the κατὰ τ. σάρκα is already expressed implicite, as also from the following ΤῶΝ ἈΦΡΌΝΩΝ, among whom Paul is included as ΚΑΤᾺ ΤῊΝ ΣΆΡΚΑ ΚΑΥΧΏΜΕΝΟς. It is otherwise in John 8:15.

[332] To this category belongs also the interpretation of Baur, who, however, refers σάρξ quite specially to Judaism as what is inherited, and therefore understands a boasting, the object of which is only inherited accidental advantages. The διάκονοι Χριστοῦ, ver. 23, and the apostle’s subsequent glorying in suffering, ought to have dissuaded Baur from adopting such a view.

[333] Osiander is quite wrong in objecting to this interpretation that the article is against it, since Paul, when he means σάρξ in this sense, never puts the article after κατά. Paul, in fact, has the article only in this single passage, and elsewhere writes always κατὰ σάρκα (i.e. conformably to flesh) whether he uses σάρξ in the subjective or objective sense; hence, so far as the article is concerned, there is no means at all of comparison. Besides, τήν here is very doubtful critically, because it is wanting in D* F G א* min. Chrys. Dam., and is at variance with the Pauline usage. Osiander’s further objection, that κατὰ τὴν σάρκα, as understood by us, is in the apostle’s mouth unworthy of him for the apodosis, is likewise incorrect, for he is speaking ironically; he wishes, in fact, to deal in boasting like a fool! As to the distinction between κατὰ σάρκα and κατὰ τὴν σάρκα, we may add that the one means: “after the manner of natural humanity,” the other, “after the manner of their natural humanity.” Comp. on Php 1:24; Php 1:22. In substance they are equivalent; the latter only individualizes more concretely.

Expositor's Greek Testament

2 Corinthians 11:18. ἐπεὶ πολλοὶ καυχῶνται κ.τ.λ.: seeing that many, sc., of the Corinthian Judaisers against whom this whole polemic is directed (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:17, where they are also alluded to as οἱ πολλοὶ, glory after the flesh, i.e., in external circumstances which are really no fit subject for glorying (see, on ἐν προσώπῳ, chap. 2 Corinthians 5:12 and reff.), I too will glory, sc., after the flesh; i.e., he proceeds to explain how much better external grounds he has for boasting than his Judaising rivals.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

18–33. St Paul permits himself to enumerate his labours for the Gospel’s sake

18. after the flesh] See note on after the Lord, and Php 3:4. Also note on ch. 2 Corinthians 10:3. St Paul means after the manner of those who judge only by what is outward and visible, or perhaps he may mean boasting of things, such as “high birth, wealth, wisdom, of being circumcised, of Hebrew ancestry, of popular renown” (Chrysostom), on which fleshly men set high value.

I will glory also] “It is remarkable that St Paul does not glory in what he has done, but what he has borne.” Robertson.

Bengel's Gnomen

2 Corinthians 11:18. Πολλοὶ, many) What is allowed to many, is the more easily granted as an indulgence to one.—κατὰ σάρκα, according to the flesh) for example, that they are Hebrews, 2 Corinthians 11:22.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 18. - After the flesh (see note 2 Corinthians 10:3; comp. Philippians 3:4). I will glory also. But, as Robertson admirably observes, he "does not glory in what he has done, but in what he has borne." 2 Corinthians 11:18