26 In frequent travels, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from outlaws, in dangers from my countrymen, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the town, in dangers in the waste land, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers;
Who put to death the Lord Jesus and the prophets, violently driving us out; who are unpleasing to God and against all men; Who, to make the measure of their sins complete, kept us from giving the word of salvation to the Gentiles: but the wrath of God is about to come on them in the fullest degree.
And I went not up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; but I went away into Arabia, and again I came back to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Cephas, and was there with him fifteen days. But of the other Apostles I saw only James, the Lord's brother. Now God is witness that the things which I am writing to you are true. Then I came to the parts of Syria and Cilicia.
For it is our desire that you may not be without knowledge of our trouble which came on us in Asia, that the weight of it was very great, more than our power, so that it seemed that we had no hope even of life: Yes, we ourselves have had the answer of death in ourselves, so that our hope might not be in ourselves, but in God who is able to give life to the dead: Who gave us salvation from so great a death: on whom we have put our hope that he will still go on to give us salvation;
Whenever I go to Spain (for it is my hope to see you on my way, and to be sent on there by you, if first I may in some measure have been comforted by your company)-- But now I go to Jerusalem, taking help for the saints. For it has been the good pleasure of those of Macedonia and Achaia to send a certain amount of money for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. Yes, it has been their good pleasure; and they are in their debt. For if the Gentiles have had a part in the things of the Spirit which were theirs, it is right for them, in the same way, to give them help in the things of the flesh. So when I have done this, and have given them this fruit of love, I will go on by you into Spain.
Then, after some days, the Jews made an agreement together to put him to death: But Saul got knowledge of their design. And they kept watch day and night on the roads out of the town, so that they might put him to death: But his disciples took him by night and let him down from the wall in a basket. And when he came to Jerusalem, he made an attempt to be joined to the disciples, but they were all in fear of him, not taking him for a disciple. But Barnabas took him to the Apostles and gave them an account of how he had seen the Lord on the road, and had given hearing to his words, and how at Damascus he had been preaching in the name of Jesus without fear. And he was with them, going in and out at Jerusalem, Preaching in the name of the Lord without fear; and he had discussions with the Greek Jews; but they were working for his death. And when the brothers had knowledge of it, they took him to Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus.
Then they gave us great honour, and, when we went away, they put into the ship whatever things we were in need of. And after three months we went to sea in a ship of Alexandria sailing under the sign of the Dioscuri, which had been at the island for the winter.
And when it was day, the Jews came together and put themselves under an oath that they would take no food or drink till they had put Paul to death. And more than forty of them took this oath. And they came to the chief priests and the rulers and said, We have taken a great oath to take no food till we have put Paul to death So now, will you and the Sanhedrin make a request to the military authorities to have him sent down to you, as if you were desiring to go into the business in greater detail; and we, before ever he gets to you, will be waiting to put him to death. But Paul's sister's son had word of their design, and he came into the army building and gave news of it to Paul. And Paul sent for a captain and said, Take this young man to your chief, for he has news for him. So he took him to the chief captain and said, Paul, the prisoner, made a request to me to take this young man to you, for he has something to say to you. And the chief took him by the hand and, going on one side, said to him privately, What is it you have to say to me? And he said, The Jews are in agreement together to make a request to you for Paul to be taken, on the day after this, into the Sanhedrin, to be questioned in greater detail. But do not give way to them, for more than forty of them are waiting for him, having taken an oath not to take food or drink till they have put him to death: and now they are ready, waiting for your order. So the chief captain let the young man go, saying to him, Do not say to anyone that you have given me word of these things.
And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the Temple, got the people together and put their hands on him, Crying out, Men of Israel, come to our help: this is the man who is teaching all men everywhere against the people and the law and this place: and in addition, he has taken Greeks into the Temple, and made this holy place unclean. For they had seen him before in the town with Trophimus of Ephesus, and had the idea that Paul had taken him with him into the Temple. And all the town was moved, and the people came running together and put their hands on Paul, pulling him out of the Temple: and then the doors were shut. And while they were attempting to put him to death, news came to the chief captain of the band that all Jerusalem was out of control.
And Paul, after waiting some days, went away from the brothers and went by ship to Syria, Priscilla and Aquila being with him; and he had had his hair cut off in Cenchrea, for he had taken an oath. And they came down to Ephesus and he left them there: and he himself went into the Synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews. And being requested by them to be there for a longer time, he said, No; And went from them, saying, I will come back to you if God lets me; and he took ship from Ephesus. And when he had come to land at Caesarea, he went to see the church, and then went down to Antioch. And having been there for some time, he went through the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, making the disciples strong in the faith.
And after Paul and Barnabas had had no little argument and discussion with them, the brothers made a decision to send Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them to the Apostles and the rulers of the church at Jerusalem about this question. So they, being sent on their way by the church, went through Phoenicia and Samaria, giving news of the salvation of the Gentiles, to the great joy of all the brothers. And when they came to Jerusalem, they had a meeting with the church and the Apostles and the rulers, and they gave an account of all the things which God had done through them.
Now there were at Antioch, in the church there, prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon who was named Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, a relation of Herod the king, and Saul. And while they were doing the Lord's work, and going without food, the Holy Spirit said, Let Barnabas and Saul be given to me for the special work for which they have been marked out by me. Then, after prayer and going without food they put their hands on them, and sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia; and from there they went by ship to Cyprus. And at Salamis they were preaching the word of God in the Synagogues of the Jews: and John was with them, helping them. And when they had gone through all the island to Paphos, they came across a certain wonder-worker and false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus; Who was with the ruler, Sergius Paulus, an able man. This man sent for Barnabas and Saul, desiring to have knowledge of the word of God. But Elymas, the wonder-worker (for that is the sense of his name), put himself against them, with the purpose of turning the ruler from the faith. But Saul, whose other name is Paul, being full of the Holy Spirit, looking hard at him, said, O you, who are full of false tricks and evil ways, a son of the Evil One, hating all righteousness, will you for ever be turning people from the right ways of the Lord? And now, see, the hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind and not able to see the sun for a time. And straight away a dark mist came down on him; and he went about looking for a guide. Then the ruler, when he saw what was done, had faith, being full of wonder at the teaching of the Lord. Then Paul and those who were with him went by ship from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia: and there John went away from them and came back to Jerusalem. But they, going through from Perga, came to Antioch in Pisidia; and they went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath and were seated.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Corinthians 11
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 11 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 11
In this chapter the apostle goes on with his discourse, in opposition to the false apostles, who were very industrious to lessen his interest and reputation among the Corinthians, and had prevailed too much by their insinuations.
2Cr 11:1-4
Here we may observe,
2Cr 11:5-15
After the foregoing preface to what he was about to say, the apostle in these verses mentions,
2Cr 11:16-21
Here we have a further excuse that the apostle makes for what he was about to say in his own vindication.
2Cr 11:22-33
Here the apostle gives a large account of his own qualifications, labours, and sufferings (not out of pride or vain-glory, but to the honour of God, who had enabled him to do and suffer so much for the cause of Christ), and wherein he excelled the false apostles, who would lessen his character and usefulness among the Corinthians. Observe,
In the last two verses, he mentions one particular part of his sufferings out of its place, as if he had forgotten it before, or because the deliverance God wrought for him was most remarkable; namely, the danger he was in at Damascus, soon after he was converted, and not settled in Christianity, at least in the ministry and apostleship. This is recorded, Acts 9:24, 25. This was his first great danger and difficulty, and the rest of his life was a piece with this. And it is observable that, lest it should be thought he spoke more than was true, the apostle confirms this narrative with a solemn oath, or appeal to the omniscience of God, v. 31. It is a great comfort to a good man that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is an omniscient God, knows the truth of all he says, and knows all he does and all he suffers for his sake.