{"id":28981,"date":"2022-09-24T13:03:25","date_gmt":"2022-09-24T18:03:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-2-corinthians-1213\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T13:03:25","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T18:03:25","slug":"exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-2-corinthians-1213","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-2-corinthians-1213\/","title":{"rendered":"Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Corinthians 12:13"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 align='center'><b><i> For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except [it be] that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. <\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<p> 13. <em> For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches<\/em> ] ( <em> hadden lesse than<\/em>, Wiclif). There is no need to regard this, with some commentators, as &ldquo;bitter irony.&rdquo; There is nothing bitter about it. Ironical indeed it is, but it is irony of the very gentlest kind. &lsquo;Everything that an Apostle can do has been done amongst you, except the throwing himself upon you for his maintenance&rsquo; (which had been made by the Apostle&rsquo;s opponents one of the &lsquo;signs of an Apostle;&rsquo; see <span class='bible'>1Co 9:5-6<\/span>). &lsquo;Surely this is an offence which you might very readily forgive.&rsquo;<\/p>\n<p><em> I myself<\/em> ] St Paul&rsquo;s resolution to decline maintenance at the hands of the Corinthians seems to have concerned himself alone, and not to have extended to his companions.<\/p>\n<p><em> burdensome<\/em> ] See ch. <span class='bible'>2Co 11:9<\/span>.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><P STYLE=\"text-indent: 0.75em\"><B>For what is it &#8230; &#8211; <\/B>This verse contains a striking mixture of sarcasm and irony, not exceeded, says Bloomfield, by any example in Demosthenes. the sense is, I have given among you the most ample proof of my apostolic commission. I have conferred on you the highest favors of the apostolic office. In these respects you are superior to all other churches. In one respect only are you inferior &#8211; it is in this, that you have not been burdened with the privilege of supporting me. If you had had this, you would have been inferior to no others. But this was owing to me; and I pray that you will forgive me this I might have urged it; I might have claimed it; I might have given you the privilege of becoming equal to the most favored in all respects. But I have not pressed it, and you have not done it, and I ask your pardon. There is a delicate insinuation that they had not contributed to his needs (see the note, <span class='bible'>2Co 11:8<\/span>); an intimation that it was a privilege to contribute to the support of the gospel, and that Paul might have been burdensome to them (see the notes on <span class='bible'>1Co 9:1-12<\/span>); and an admission that he was in part to blame for this, and had not in this respect given them an opportunity to equal other churches in all respects.<\/P> <P STYLE=\"text-indent: 0.75em\"><B>Was not burdensome to you &#8211; <\/B>see this explained in the notes on <span class='bible'>2Co 10:8<\/span>.<\/P> <P STYLE=\"text-indent: 0.75em\"><B>Forgive me this wrong &#8211; <\/B>If it be a fault, pardon it. Forgive me that I did not give you this opportunity to be equal to other churches. It is a privilege to contribute to the support of the gospel, and they who are permitted to do it should esteem themselves highly favored. I pray you to pardon me for depriving you of any of your Christian privileges. What the feelings of the Corinthians were about forgiving Paul for this we know not; but most churches would be as ready to forgive a minister for this as for any other offence.<\/P> <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Albert Barnes&#8217; Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><P>  Verse <span class='bible'>13<\/span>. <I><B>For what is it wherein you were inferior<\/B><\/I>] This is a fine, forcible, yet delicate <I>stroke<\/I>. It was <I>your<\/I> duty and your interest to have supported your apostle; other Churches have done so: I did not require this from you; in this respect all other Churches are <I>superior<\/I> to <I>you<\/I>. I am the cause of your <I>inferiority,<\/I> by not giving you an opportunity of <I>ministering<\/I> to my necessities: <I>forgive me<\/I> the <I>wrong<\/I> I have done you.  It is the <I>privilege<\/I> of the Churches of Christ to support the ministry of his Gospel among them.  Those who do not contribute their part to the support of the Gospel ministry either care nothing for it, or derive no good from it.<\/P><\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Adam Clarke&#8217;s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><P> Wherein have not you been used as any other gospel churches were, where Peter, or James, or any other of the apostles have laboured? Hath not the same doctrine been preached to you? Have not as great miracles been wrought amount you? Hath not the Holy Ghost been as plentifully shed abroad amongst you, to enrich you with all spiritual gifts, so as you have come behind in no gospel benefit? I know of nothing in which it hath not fared with you as with other churches, except in this; that whereas in other churches the apostles, or their pastors, have been burdensome to them, taking stipends and salaries for their pains, I have forborne it, and have not at all charged you. If this be a <B>wrong<\/B> to you, I hope it is not of that nature, but I may obtain a pardon for it. The reasons of the apostles thus sparing the church of Corinth more than some other churches, we have before guessed at. <\/P> <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><P><B>13. wherein you were inferior<\/B>thatis, were treated with less consideration by me than were otherchurches. <\/P><P>       <B>I myself<\/B><I>I made again of you<\/I> neither <I>myself,<\/I> nor <I>by<\/I> those others<I>whom I sent, Titus<\/I> and others (<span class='bible'>2Co 12:17<\/span>;<span class='bible'>2Co 12:18<\/span>). <\/P><P>       <B>wrong<\/B>His decliningsupport from the Corinthians might be regarded as the denial to themof a privilege, and a mark of their spiritual inferiority, and of hislooking on them with less confidence and love (compare <span class='bible'>2Co 11:9<\/span>;<span class='bible'>2Co 11:11<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown&#8217;s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><strong>For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches<\/strong>,&#8230;. The apostle here suggests, and appeals to themselves for the truth of it, that in nothing they came short of other churches; that as he was not behind the very chiefest of the apostles, and so they had no reason to be ashamed of him and despise him; neither were they inferior in gifts, grace, and knowledge, to other churches, all which were through his ministry; wherefore they ought to have spoken well of him, and not to have taken the part of the false apostles against him; since all the honour and credit they were in as a church were owing to him as an instrument. The Gospel was first preached to them by an apostle; they were converted under the ministry of an apostle; they were planted and settled as a church by the means of an apostle; and in which respects no church could go beyond them, or boast of more; they had the same Gospel preached to them, and with as much power and purity as other churches; they had received the same Spirit, the same graces, and the same gifts of the Spirit, both ordinary and extraordinary; so that they came behind others in no gift whatever; see <span class='bible'>1Co 1:7<\/span>, and had the same miraculous works done among them, as were in other places, for the confirmation of the Gospel. There was not one thing the apostle could think of, in which they differed from others, and which he mentions;<\/p>\n<p><strong>except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you?<\/strong> because he freely preached the Gospel to them, took no wages of them, but chose rather to work with his own hands, and supply his necessities, than to be troublesome to them; in this, indeed, they differed from other churches, who liberally contributed to their ministers, and honourably maintained them:<\/p>\n<p><strong>forgive me this wrong<\/strong>; not that the apostle seriously desired this, or thought that he had done them any real injury, and so acknowledges it; for if any wrong was done hereby, it was to himself, and not them; but it is an ironical way of speaking, and was a sharp rebuke to them, for their ignorance, ingratitude, and negligence.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: John Gill&#8217;s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><P> <B>Wherein ye were made inferior <\/B> (<span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"> <\/SPAN><\/span>). First aorist passive indicative of <span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"><\/SPAN><\/span>, the text of Aleph B D instead of the usual <span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"><\/SPAN><\/span> from the common <span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"><\/SPAN><\/span> to be inferior or less from the comparative <span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"><\/SPAN><\/span>. See <span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"><\/SPAN><\/span> in verse <span class='bible'>15<\/span>. <span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\">H<\/SPAN><\/span> is the neuter accusative with the passive verb (Robertson, <I>Grammar<\/I>, p. 479).<\/P> <P><B>Forgive me this wrong <\/B> (<span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\">    <\/SPAN><\/span>). Consummate irony to the stingy element in this church (cf. <span class='bible'>11:9<\/span>). <\/P> <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Robertson&#8217;s Word Pictures in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><P>Except that I was not a burden. Alluding to the possible objection that his refusal to receive pay was a sign either of his want of power to exact it, or of his want of affection for them (ch. 11 7). <\/P> <P>Forgive, etc. Ironical.<\/P> <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Vincent&#8217;s Word Studies in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p style='margin-left:0.295em'><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1) <strong>&#8220;For what is it wherein ye were inferior,<\/strong> (ti gar estin ho hesiothete) &#8220;For what is it (in which) you all were treated less, inferior, or shorter;&#8221; <span class='bible'>2Co 11:7-9<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>2) <strong>&#8220;To other churches,<\/strong> (huper tas loipas ekklesias) &#8220;than the remaining churches,&#8221; of the fellowship and supporting group, <span class='bible'>1Co 16:11<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Gal 1:2<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Gal 1:13<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Gal 1:22<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>3) <strong>&#8220;Except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you?&#8221;<\/strong> (ei me hoti autos ego ou katenarkesa humon) &#8220;except it be that I was not encumbered (of) you all, or was not a burden of care to you?&#8221; This was the only &#8220;sign&#8221; of weakness Paul exhibited to the Corinth brethren. He ironically asks that they forgive him of this weakness, <span class='bible'>Act 20:33<\/span>.<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>4) <strong>&#8220;Forgive me this wrong &#8220;<\/strong> (charisasthe moi ten adikian tauten) &#8220;You all forgive me this wrong,&#8221; for I should have required you to learn that &#8220;the laborer is worthy of his hire,&#8221; and &#8220;he that is taught in the Word should contribute to the support of him that teacheth in every good thing,&#8221; <span class='bible'>1Co 9:12<\/span>; <span class='bible'>1Co 9:16<\/span>; <span class='bible'>1Co 9:18<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Gal 6:6<\/span>.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> 13.  What is there in which.  Here is an aggravation of their ingratitude &#8212; that he had been distinguished, that they might receive benefit &#8212; that they had derived advantage from the attestation furnished of his Apostleship, and had, notwithstanding, given their concurrence to the slanders  (930) of the false Apostles. He subjoins one exception &#8212; that he  had not been burdensome to them;  and this, by way of  irony,  for in reality this was over and above so many acts of kindness, which he had conferred upon them &#8212; that he had served them gratuitously. To busy themselves after this, as they did, in pouring contempt upon him, what was this but to insult his modesty? Nay, what cruelty there was in it! Hence, it is not without good reason, that he sharply reproves pride so frantic.  Forgive me this wrong,  says he. For they were doubly ungrateful, inasmuch as they not only contemned the man, by whose acts of kindness they had been brought under obligation, but even turned his kind disposition into an occasion of reproach. Chrysostom is of opinion, that there is no  irony  implied, and that, instead of this, there is an expression of apology; but, if any one examines the entire context more narrowly, he will easily perceive, that this gloss is quite foreign to Paul&#8217;s intention. <\/p>\n<p>  (930)  &#8220; Aux injures et detractions;&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;The insults and slanders.&#8221; <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Calvin&#8217;s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>(13) <strong>What is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches?<\/strong>His mind travels back to the insinuation that he cared less for them than he did for the churches of Macedonia, because he had maintained his independence and had received no gifts from them. If they complained of this, they should, at least, remember that this was the only point of inferiority. They had experienced fully all the advantages that flowed from his special power as an Apostle. For that wrong, so far as it was a wrong, he asks their forgiveness.<\/p>\n<p><strong>That I myself was not burdensome.<\/strong>He uses here, and in the next verse, the same characteristic word for sponging on them, which has been commented on in the Note on <span class='bible'>2Co. 11:9<\/span>. He obviously dwells on it with a touch of irony, as a word that had been used of him by some of his rivals.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Ellicott&#8217;s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> <strong> 4<\/strong>. <strong> By disinterestedness, both in declining compensation <\/strong> (<span class='bible'>2Co 12:13-15<\/span>) <strong> and in using no guile for gain<\/strong>, (<span class='bible'>2Co 12:16-18<\/span>,) <span class='bible'>2Co 12:13-18<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p> From his powerful apostolate among them to his declining to accept, St. Paul makes a very graceful transition. His apostolate had placed the Corinthians at the highest eminence among the Churches; but there is this drawback He had declined to be pecuniarily obligated to them. Under vail of apologizing for this slight, He asserts, gently, as if in view of his detractors, his own disinterestedness.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Whedon&#8217;s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> <strong> 13<\/strong>. <strong> <\/strong> <strong> What is it<\/strong> My labours and <strong> signs <\/strong> had placed you in a rank equal to the best. <\/p>\n<p><strong> Inferior<\/strong> But you complain, and I admit, that to labour for you and to place you on the gratuitous level, when I was aided by other Churches, was disparaging. <\/p>\n<p><strong> Burdensome<\/strong> See note on <span class='bible'>2Co 11:9<\/span>. <\/p>\n<p><strong> Forgive me this wrong<\/strong> As truly and persistently putting the Church in a disparaged position, there was a <strong> wrong <\/strong> justified by the facts, yet requiring some overlooking by the Corinthians. Their equivocal course towards their noble founder in dallying with his detractors had obliged him to place himself on high, independent ground.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Whedon&#8217;s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> &lsquo;For what is there wherein you were made inferior to the rest of the churches, except it be that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.&rsquo;<\/p>\n<p> Indeed the only Apostolic &lsquo;sign&rsquo; that he did not work among them was that of making himself a burden to them, of imposing on them for hospitality over a long period. This he would not do. And that was the only thing that made them &lsquo;inferior&rsquo; to other churches! What folly! Sarcastically he begs them to forgive him that wrong.<\/p>\n<p> Alternately he may have realised that the Corinthians really were upset about the fact, having been stirred up by the pseudo-apostles. If so the request for forgiveness may be genuine, and not sarcastic. But what follows suggests that this is not so.<\/p>\n<p> Having Completed His Exercise in &lsquo;Foolishness&rsquo; Paul now Finalises His Position (<span class='bible'>2Co 12:14-21<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p> He begins by assuring them of his care for them and then penetratingly analyses what he fears is their own deteriorating situation in all this. For in the end his concern is not so much the false apostles as the effect their visit has had on the church themselves. That is what matters most to him. And he wants them to know that he is very fearful about what he will find, and will consequently have to do in reply. Let them be assured that there will be no strategic withdrawal this time. The false apostles will have to be dealt with, but even more the church itself will have to be sorted out, and he will not spare. So let them consider their own position and consider what they will do.<\/p>\n<p> The very intensity of his words demonstrates how he sees the picture changed by the arrival and activity of the false apostles.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> <span class='bible'>2Co 12:13<\/span> .      ] Bitterly ironical justification of what was said in <span class='bible'>2Co 12:12<\/span> . <em> For what is there, in which you were placed at a disadvantage towards the other churches<\/em> (in which I wrought), <em> except<\/em> , etc.? that is to say: for in nothing have you come behind, as compared with the other churches, except, etc. Quite arbitrarily Grotius limits this question, which embraces the <em> whole<\/em> blissful apostolic working, to the <em> communication of gifts by the laying on of hands<\/em> .<\/p>\n<p> ] means nothing else than <em> beyond<\/em> , but in the direction downward (reference to the <em> minus<\/em> ) which  specifies. Comp. Winer, p. 376 [E. T. 502]. Rckert, overlooking the <em> comparative sense<\/em> of  , says: there is here an ironical confession that all churches had disadvantage from Paul, and it is only denied that the disadvantage of the Corinthian was greater than that of the other churches. This would not suit at all as <em> assigning a reason<\/em> for <span class='bible'>2Co 12:12<\/span> . In assigning a reason, Paul could not but say: <em> ye have in nothing come off worse<\/em> ; but to say, <em> for your disadvantage has not been greater<\/em> , would, with all its irony, be inappropriate. On the <em> accusative<\/em> of more precise definition with  , comp. Xen. <em> Cyr.<\/em> i. 4. 5 :   . The more usual construction  or   .<\/p>\n<p>    .  .  .] In this exception (&ldquo;specie exceptionis firmat quod dieit,&rdquo; Grotius) lies the painful bitterness of the passage, which in the request that follows   .  .  . becomes still sharper. It is the love, deeply hurt in its pure consciousness, that speak.<\/p>\n<p>  ] <em> I myself<\/em> ; this places his <em> own person<\/em> over against the apostolic <em> services<\/em> indicated in    . Comp. in general on <span class='bible'>Rom 9:3<\/span> . Rckert (so also Bengel) holds that Paul has already had in his mind what he subjoins in <span class='bible'>2Co 12:16-18<\/span> . Such an arbitrary prolepsis of the reference is the more untenable, seeing that with <span class='bible'>2Co 12:14-15<\/span> another train of ideas intervene.<\/p>\n<p>   ] See on <span class='bible'>2Co 11:8<\/span> . Only by the fact <em> that he has not been burdensome<\/em> to them in accepting payment and the like, has Paul asserted himself as an apostle less among them than among the other churches! For this <em> injustice<\/em> they are to <em> pardon<\/em> him!<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer&#8217;s New Testament Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> 13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except <em> it be<\/em> that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. <strong> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/strong><\/p>\n<p> Ver. 13. <strong> Forgive me this wrong<\/strong> ] A pleasant irony, such as whereof this Epistle is full. It is said of a wise man, <em> Quod obiecta probra ut visus nocturnos, et vanas somniorum imagines digno supplicio puniat, festive scilicet contemptu et oblivione, vel si tanti est, misericordia elevet.<\/em> (John Wover in Polymath.) <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: John Trapp&#8217;s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> <strong> 13 15.<\/strong> ] <em> His disinterestedness, shewn in his past, and resolved in his future dealings with them<\/em> . The question    .  .  . is asked in bitter irony. It is an illustration of    , and of the distinction conferred on them by so long manifestation of the signs of an Apostle among them. &lsquo; <em> Was this endurance of working which I shewed, marred by the fact that I worked gratuitously among you?<\/em> &rsquo;  . <strong> <\/strong> does not imply that all churches suffered loss, and that the <em> loss<\/em> of the Corinthians was only not greater than that of other churches: but the comparative, implied in.  is carried out by the  , &lsquo; <em> ye suffered loss in comparison with the other Churches<\/em> .&rsquo;<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Henry Alford&#8217;s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> <strong> 13.<\/strong> <strong>   <\/strong> ] except <em> that one point<\/em> , in which of all others they had <em> least<\/em> reason to complain. This one is put forward to indicate their deep ingratitude, if they did complain, seeing that the only point of difference in their treatment had been a preference: &lsquo; <em> die ties gefrnfte Liebe redet<\/em> .&rsquo; Meyer.<\/p>\n<p> On <strong> <\/strong> . see ref.<\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong> <strong> . <\/strong> <strong> <\/strong> <strong> . <\/strong> <strong> <\/strong> <strong> . <\/strong> <strong> <\/strong> <strong> . <\/strong> <strong> <\/strong> ] The irony here reaches its height.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Henry Alford&#8217;s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> <span class='bible'>2Co 12:13<\/span> .      .  .  .  .: <em> for what is there wherein ye were treated as inferior<\/em> ( <em> cf.<\/em> <span class='bible'>2Pe 2:19<\/span> ) <em> to the rest of the churches, except indeed that I myself did not burden you? Cf.<\/em> <span class='bible'>Act 20:33<\/span> , <span class='bible'>1Co 9:12<\/span> and <span class='bible'>2Co 12:16<\/span> . The emphatic   may indicate that it was only he himself (and not his colleagues) who refused maintenance (see on <span class='bible'>2Co 11:12<\/span> ). This was the only    which he did not exhibit at Corinth, and he ironically adds, <em> Forgive me this wrong<\/em> .<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>were inferior. Greek. hetiaomai. Only here and 2Pe 2:19-20. Literally, &#8220;were worsted&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p>to = beyond. Greek. huper. App-104. <\/p>\n<p>Other. = the rest of. App-124 2Co 124:3. <\/p>\n<p>churches. App-186. <\/p>\n<p>except. Greek. ei me. Some as &#8220;but&#8221;, 2Co 12:5 <\/p>\n<p>was . . . burdensome. Greek. katanarkao. See 2Co 11:9. <\/p>\n<p>forgive. Greek. chartizomai. App-184. <\/p>\n<p>wrong. Greek. adikia. App-128. <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>13-15.] His disinterestedness, shewn in his past, and resolved in his future dealings with them. The question   &#8230; is asked in bitter irony. It is an illustration of   , and of the distinction conferred on them by so long manifestation of the signs of an Apostle among them. Was this endurance of working which I shewed, marred by the fact that I worked gratuitously among you? .  does not imply that all churches suffered loss, and that the loss of the Corinthians was only not greater than that of other churches: but the comparative, implied in.  is carried out by the ,-ye suffered loss in comparison with the other Churches.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: The Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>2Co 12:13. , what) This word refers both to the antecedents and the consequents.-, other churches) planted either by me or by the other apostles.- -, unless-this) a striking Asteismus [instance of refined pleasantry].-, I myself) The antithesis follows, nor by others, 2Co 12:16-17. I did not burden you myself, nor make a gain of you by those others whom I sent, Titus, etc.-, wrong) The apostle might rightly [as opposed to ] have accepted his maintenance from the Corinthians, and when he did not avail himself of this right, he imputes it to himself, as a wrong; and he gives it this name, not in the way of irony, with which the language of the apostle is inconsistent, but in the way of amphibology, for he uses  in this passage, in a very unusual sense, which may be expressed in Latin by non-jus, and it has a in the privative sense, as , , are sometimes used [without law; not contrary to law], Rom 2:12; 1Co 9:21 : so  [not subjected, instead of insubordinate], Heb 2:8 : and yet it admits at the same time the idea of injustice, deprecating thereby all suspicion of want of love to the Corinthians [in his not accepting maintenance from them]; forgive me, comp. 2Co 11:11.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>2Co 12:13<\/p>\n<p>2Co 12:13 <\/p>\n<p>For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the churches,-If they had all the teaching and received all the gifts bestowed by the apostles on the churches, why should they think him inferior to other apostles?<\/p>\n<p>except it be that I myself was not a burden to you?-He intimates that it would have been best for the church at Corinth had he required them to help him from the beginning, but better for him and the truth that he refrained from burdening them with the support of him and his companions in labor. He sent Titus and others to Corinth, but none of them burdened the church with their support.<\/p>\n<p>forgive me this wrong.-If he meant it was an injury, he considered that other good was accomplished which more than compensated for the injury done them. <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>I myself: 2Co 12:14, 2Co 11:8, 2Co 11:9, 1Co 9:6, 1Co 9:12, 1Co 9:15-18 <\/p>\n<p>forgive: 2Co 11:7 <\/p>\n<p>Reciprocal: Num 18:31 &#8211; your reward Neh 5:15 &#8211; so did Act 20:35 &#8211; how that Rom 12:3 &#8211; according 1Co 1:7 &#8211; ye 1Co 9:18 &#8211; when 2Co 10:2 &#8211; we walked 2Co 12:16 &#8211; I did not 1Th 2:9 &#8211; chargeable 3Jo 1:7 &#8211; taking<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>2Co 12:13. Inferior to other churches. It was the Lord&#8217;s plan that preachers should be supported by the people to whom they gave the Gospel (1Co 9:14), and to accept such support from a group was one important item in recognizing it as a church of the Lord. By preaching to the Corinthians free of charge, they had been deprived of that advantage and so might have complained of a spiritual &#8220;inferiority complex.&#8221; Because of such an unintentional wrong having been done them the apostle asks their forgiveness. However, since he asked permission to make an exception to the rule for support of the preachers of the Gospel (1Co 9:18), he proposed to maintain that course toward them of Corinth.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>2Co 12:13. For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to (placed at a disadvantage as compared with) the rest of the churches, except it be that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this wrong. Cutting irony this!<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><strong> Verse 13<\/strong> <strong> <\/strong> In fact, the church at Corinth had the same blessings and gifts as any church started by an apostle. The only thing they lacked was a demand of high wages by Paul, like the false apostles had made. <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the churches, except it be that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this wrong. [And you are without excuse in thus compelling me to defend myself by proving my apostleship, for it was proved long since among you by the miracles which I wrought among you as signs and evidences of it (evidences which his enemies wholly lacked); and also by the patient spirit in which I wrought the miracles, for I have again and again forborne to use my power to crush my wicked opposers (2Co 1:1-3; 1Co 4:21). And I so fully proved my apostleship among you, that you showed to no disadvantage whatever when compared with other churches founded by any others, for you had all the signs, gifts, graces, etc., which they had, unless it be that I myself did not aid my opposers in the good work of extorting wages from you&#8211;forgive me for thus wronging you! These last words, though ironical, are superbly dignified and pathetic. By his disinterested kindness to them, the apostle had favored them above all other churches&#8211; 2Co 11:8] <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>Verse 13 <\/p>\n<p>This wrong; if this be a wrong, forgive it.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Abbott&#8217;s Illustrated New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>12:13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except [it be] that I myself was not {m} burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.<\/p>\n<p>(m) I was not slothful with my own hands, so that I might not be burdensome to you.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>In irony again Paul appealed to his readers for forgiveness because he had not treated them as he had a right to do as an apostle. It was only in refraining from demanding his rights of support as an apostle that Paul had not treated the Corinthians as an apostle would normally do (cf. 2Co 11:5-12; 1Co 9:1-18). He had given them special privileges. This treatment had led some to criticize him.<\/p>\n<p>Paul&rsquo;s focusing on the signs (evidences) of an apostle rather than on the rights of an apostle is helpful for all servants of the Lord to observe. We, too, should concentrate on demonstrating the proofs of our ambassadorship in our works, especially our perseverance, rather than expecting those we serve to follow us because we claim our rights. We need to earn the respect of those we serve with our works rather than demanding it because of our position.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except [it be] that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. 13. For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches ] ( hadden lesse than, Wiclif). There is no need to regard this, with some commentators, as &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-2-corinthians-1213\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Corinthians 12:13&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28981"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28981\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}