2 Corinthians 11:10

2Co 11:10-12. As the truth of Christ is in me — As sure as I am a true Christian, and an apostle. The expression has the nature of an oath. See on Rom 9:1. No man shall stop me of this boasting — For I will receive nothing from you. Wherefore — For what reason have I resolved on this? Is it, as my enemies tell you, because I do not love you, and will not be obliged to you? God knoweth that is not the case. But what I do, &c. — As if he had said, The true reason why I do so, and resolve to continue the same course, is this; that I may cut off occasion, namely, of reproaching me, or boasting of themselves, from them which desire occasion for so doing; that wherein they glory — Namely, of their preaching freely, at least sometimes, or some of them, or pretending to do so; they may be found even as we — To have no advantage over me in this respect. It would seem that the false teachers at Corinth, in imitation of the apostle, pretended to take nothing for their preaching, and boasted of their disinterestedness. Nevertheless, on other pretences they received presents from their disciples in private, nay, extorted them. See 2Co 11:20. Wherefore, to put these impostors to shame, and to oblige them really to imitate him, the apostle declared that he never had taken any thing, nor ever would take any thing from the Corinthians, whether in public or in private, on any account whatever.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co 11:10. Ἒστιν ἀλήθεια, there is truth) The verb is emphatically put first; it stands [fast as the (a) truth of Christ]. The expression refers to a special truth,[79] comp. Rom 9:1, note.—Οὐ, not) a metonymy or substitution of the consequent for the antecedent: my boasting will not be stopped, i.e., I will be in no way more burdensome to you hereafter than heretofore.

[79] Not to the truth in general: therefore the article is omitted.—ED.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co_11:10. Not in form an oath, but a very solemn assurance of the καὶ τηρήσω: there is truth of Christ in me, that, etc. That is to say: By the indwelling truth of Christ in me I assure you that, etc. The apostle is certain that as generally Christ lives in him (Gal_2:20), Christs mind is in him (see on 1Co_2:16), Christs heart beats in him (Php_1:8), Christ speaks in him (2Co_13:3), all, namely, through the Spirit of Christ, which dwells in him (Rom_8:9 ff.); so, in particular, also truth of Christ is in him, and therefore all untruthfulness, lying, hypocrisy, etc., must be as foreign to him as to Christ Himself, who bears sway in him. The ὅτι is the simple that, dependent on the idea of assurance, which lies at the bottom of the clause ἔστιν ἀλήθ. Χ. ἐν ἐμοί, and has its specific expression in this clause. Comp. ζῶ ἐγὼ, ὅτι, Rom_14:11. See Fritzsche, ad Rom. II. p. 242 f. Rückerts view is more far-fetched: that ὅτι κ.τ.λ. is the subject, of which Paul asserts that it is ἀλήθεια Χριστοῦ in him, i.e. what he says is a proposition, which just as certainly contains truth, as if Christ Himself said it. Olshausen attenuates the sense at variance with its literal tenor into: as true as I am a Christian. The thought is really the same in substance as that in Rom_9:1 : ἀλήθειαν λέγω ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐ ψεύδομαι, but the form of the conception is differen.

ἡ καύχησις αὕτη οὐ φραγ. εἰς ἐμέ] this self-boasting will not be stopped in reference to me. The gloriatio spoken of, namely as to preaching gratuitously, is personified; its mouth is not, as to what concerns the apostle, to be stopped, so that it must keep silence. Hofmann, not appreciating this personification, takes offence at the fact that the καύχησις is supposed to have a mouth, while Rückert resorts to an odd artificial interpretation of φραγ. εἰς ἐμέ (will not be cooped up in me). Just because the καυχᾶσθαι is an action of the mouth, the personified καύχησις has a mouth, which can be stopped. Comp. Theodore.

φραγήσεται] Comp. Rom_3:19; Heb_11:33; LXX. Psa_106:42; Job_5:16; 2Ma_14:36; Wetstein, ad Rom. l.c.; Jacobs, ad Anthol. XII. p. 297. It cannot surprise us that τὸ στόμα is not expressly subjoined, since this is obvious of itself, seeing that the καύχησις is conceived as speaking. There is nothing in the context to justify the derivation of the expression from the damming up of running water, as Chrysostom and Theophylact, also Luther (see his gloss), and again Hofmann take it. There is just as little ground for de Wettes suggestion, that φραγήσεται is meant of hedging in a way (Hos_2:6).

εἰς ἐμέ] For, if Paul should so conduct himself that he could no longer boast of preaching gratuitously, the mouth of this καύχησις would, in reference to him, be stopped. In this εἰς ἐμέ, as concerns me, there is implied a tacit comparison with others, who conducted themselves differently, and in regard to whom, therefore, the mouth of καύχησις αὕτη would be stoppe.

ἐν τοῖς κλίμασι τῆς Ἀχ.] is more weighty, and at the same time more tenderly forbearing, than the direct ἐν ὑμῖν, which would be πληκτικώτερον (Chrysostom).

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co 11:10 . ἔστιν ἀλήθ . Χρ . κ . τ . λ .: as the Truth of Christ (we have ἡ ἀλήθ . τ . Θεοῦ , Rom 1:25 ; Rom 3:7 ; Rom 15:8 ; cf. Joh 14:6 , Eph 4:21 ) is in me (for the form of the asseveration see on 2Co 1:18 ; Rom 9:1 is not a true parallel to the constr. here), this glorying, sc. , in my independence, shall not be stopped, as far as I am concerned, in the regions of Achaia (see on 2Co 1:1 ); cf. 2Co 7:14 . The true reading is φραγήσεται ; φράσσειν is “to fence,” but in N.T. (Rom 3:19 , Heb 11:33 ; cf. also Dan 6:22 ) is used with στόμα in the sense of “to stop” the mouth.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This is a form of an oath, as if he said, let me not be thought to have any truth in me.

Shall be always open to me.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Greek, "There is (the) truth of Christ in me that," &c. (Rom 9:1).

no man shall stop me of--The oldest manuscripts read, "This boasting shall not be shut (that is, stopped) as regards me." "Boasting is as it were personified . . . shall not have its mouth stopped as regards me" [ALFORD].

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 10. As the truth of Christ is in me] εστιν αληθεια χριστου εν εμοι. The truth of Christ is in me. That is: I speak as becomes a Christian man, and as influenced by the Gospel of Christ. It is a solemn form of asseveration, if not to be considered in the sense of an oath.

In the regions of Achaia.] The whole of the Peloponnesus, or Morea, in which the city of Corinth stood. From this it appears that he had received no help from any of the other Churches in the whole of that district.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. The truth of Christ is in me. Lest any one should suspect, that Paul’s words were designed to induce the Corinthians to be more liberal to him in future, and endeavor to make amends for their error in the past, he affirms with an oath, that he would take nothing from them, or from others in Achaia, though it were offered to him. For this manner of expression — the truth of Christ is in me, is in the form of oath. Let me not be thought to have the truth of Christ in me if I do not retain this glorying among the inhabitants of Achaia. Now Corinth was in Achaia.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(10) As the truth of Christ is in me . .—The formula is almost, though not quite, of the nature of an oath. He speaks here, as in Rom_9:1, in the consciousness that the truth of Christ (the objective sense of the truth revealed in Christ seems almost merged in the subjective sense of the truthfulness that was of the essence of His nature) dwells in him, and that therefore he cannot but speak “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

No man shall stop me of this boasting.—Literally, This boast shall not be stopped for me. The verb for “stop” means primarily to “hedge round,” or “fence.” In the New Testament, as in Rom_3:19, it is always used of “stopping the mouth.” Here, with something like a personification, he says that his boast shall not have its mouth thus sealed.

In the region of Achaia.—The word (klima) is peculiar to St. Paul among the writers of the New Testament (Rom_15:23; Gal_1:21). Like our word “climate,” which is derived from it, it was originally a term of science, and had passed gradually into colloquial usage. He names the province and not the city—probably to include Cenchreæ. There is no evidence of his having preached in any other locality south of the Isthmus of Corinth.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. As the truth of Christ is in me] Rather, the truthe of Crist is in me (Wiclif, whom the Geneva and Rheims versions follow here) or if the truth (Tyndale and Cranmer). “There is no oath” (Dean Alford, who refers to Rom_9:1). “The mind of Christ is in him (1Co_2:16), the heart of Christ beats in him (Php_1:8), Christ speaks in him (ch. 2Co_13:3), and all this through the Spirit of Christ which dwells in him.” Meyer.

stop me] This boasting shall not be stopped in me, margin. The Greek word signifies to wall or fence round. Bp Wordsworth thinks that an allusion is here made to the Isthmian Wall, and refers to several passages in ancient history which speak of the value of such a fortification in the defence of the Peloponnesus. But it is possible that no such allusion was intended. The word is used in the N. T. (as in Rom_3:19; Heb_11:33) of stopping the mouth.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As the truth of Christ is in me,.... To show the firmness of his resolution, and how determined he was to abide by it, he joins an oath to it; for these words are the form of an oath; and it is as if he should say, as sure as Christ is truth, who is in me; or as that the truth of grace, or the truth of the Gospel of Christ is in my heart and mouth, so sure will I constantly persevere in this determination; or let the truth of Christ never be thought to be in me, if I do not:

no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia; or this boasting shall not be stopped in me; of preaching the Gospel freely at Corinth, and that he had not been chargeable and burdensome to them; nor would he be for time to come, neither there, nor in any part of Achaia, of which Corinth was the metropolis; See Gill on Co2 9:2. No man should stop his mouth from boasting of this, by putting anything into his hands, for he was determined not to receive anything from any person in these climates; not but that he reserved a liberty in himself to receive from other persons and churches, for his comfortable subsistence, and so much the limitation of his resolution to these parts implies; for if he had not intended to have received a supply from any persons whatever, the restriction to the regions of Achaia would have been unnecessary; and he should rather have said, that no man should stop him of this boasting in any part of the world. The Vulgate Latin version reads, "this boasting shall not be broken"; and to the same sense the Syriac version, "this boasting shall not be abolished".

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

Ver. 10. As the truth of Christ is in me] He confirms it with an oath, that he will not take a penny of them while he preacheth in those parts. A minister should be careful of whom he receives a kindness. Note further from this text, that lawful things, when they prove inexpedient and gravaminous, may be forborne by the bond of a covenant.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As the truth of Christ is in me - That is, I solemnly declare this as in the presence of Christ. As I am a Christian man; as I feel bound to declare the truth, and as I must answer to Christ. It is a solemn form of asseveration, equal to an oath; see the note on Rom 9:1; compare 1Ti 2:7.

No man shall stop me ... - Margin, “This boasting shall not be stopped in me;” see the note on 1Co 9:15. The idea here is, that Paul was solemnly determined that the same thing should continue. He had not been burdensome to any, and he was resolved that he would not be. Rather than be burdensome he had labored with his own hands, and he meant to do it still. No man in all Achaia should ever have reason to say that he had been an idler, and had been supported by the churches when he was doing nothing. It was the fixed and settled purpose of his life never to be burdensome to any man. What a noble resolution! How fixed were the principles of his life! And what an instance of magnanimous self-denial and of elevated purpose! Every man, minister or otherwise, should adopt a similar resolution. He should resolve to receive nothing for which he has not rendered a fair equivalent, and resolve if he has health never to be a burden to his friends or to the church of God. And even if sick he may yet feel that he is not burdensome to others. If he is gentle and grateful; if he makes no unnecessary care; and especially if he furnishes an example of patience and piety, and seeks the blessing of God on his benefactors, he furnishes them what they will usually esteem an ample equivalent. No man need be burdensome to his friends; and all should resolve that by the grace of God they never will be. There is considerable variety in the mss. here (see Mill on the place), but in regard to the general sense there can be no doubt. Nothing should ever hinder this boasting; nothing should deprive him of the privilege of saying that he had not been a burden.

In the regions of Achaia - Achaia was that part of Greece of which Corinth was the capital; see the note on Act 18:12.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The truth of Christ is in me. This is a kind of asseveration; I assure you by the truth of Christ, which is in me, that what I say is true, and that no one can deny it in Achaia. (Theodoret)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The apostle often repeateth this, glorying much in it, that in this region of Achaia he had preached the gospel without charge to the hearers: he did so also at Thessalonica, 1Th 2:5,6,9; but concerning them, he saith, what he no where saith of the Corinthians, that they received the word in much affliction; which might, probably, be the cause. It is most likely that he either discerned this people to be more covetous, and too much lovers of their money: or that there was a generation among them, who, if he had taken wages for his labours, would have reproached him as one that was a hireling, and who did all that he did for money. And, indeed, himself seemeth in the next verses to give this as a reason.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. As—A solemn asseveration.

Stop me—Fence me off. Wordsworth suggests this as a happy image drawn from the wall across the isthmus of Corinth, fencing the regions of Achaia from Northern Greece, whence Paul was writing.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As the truth of Christ is in me. The strength of St. Paul"s feelings on the subject has already been expressed in 1Co_9:15. We have a similar appeal in Rom_9:1. The "as" is not in the original, but evidently the words are meant for a solemn asseveration truth of Christ is in me, that," etc. No man shall stop me of this boasting; literally, this shall not be stopped as concerns me. The verb means literally, "shall be fenced," and with that tendency to over elaboration which is frequent in commentators, some suppose that St. Paul referred to the projected wall across the isthmus of Corinth, etc. But the same word is used for simply stopping the mouth in Rom_3:19; Heb_11:33. In the regions of Achaia. He would not apply the rule to Corinth only, but seems to have felt the need for the utmost circumspection, and for cutting off every handle for suspicion or slander among these subtle, loquacious, intellectual Greeks. He could act more freely among the more frank and generous Macedonians.

Vers. 10, 21-30.

Apostolic boastings.

This is a most reproachful passage, and the intensity of St. Paul"s feeling can only be accounted for by some knowledge of the bitter and shameful treatment he was receiving from the antagonistic Jewish party at Corinth. Archdeacon Farter, in a very vivid and forcible manner, presents the kind of things that were being freely said at Corinth about the apostle. "He had shown feebleness in his change of plan; his personal appearance, feeble and infirm, did not match the authoritative tone of his letters; his speech had nothing in it to command admiration; he threatened supernatural punishments, but he did not dare to put his threats to the proof. What right had he to claim the authority of an apostle, when he had never seen the Christ in the flesh? Was it certain that he was a Hebrew, a Jew of the pure blood of Palestine, or even that he was of the seed of Abraham? Who was this Paul, who came without credentials, and expected to be received on the strength of his everlasting self-assertions? Was there not a touch of madness in his visions and revelations? Could he claim more than the tolerance which men were ready to extend to the insane?" "Conceive all these barbed arrows of sarcasm falling on the ears, and through them piercing the very soul, of a man of singularly sensitive nature, passionately craving for affection, and proportionately feeling the bitterness of loving with no adequate return; and we may form some estimate of the whirl and storm of emotion in which St. Paul began to dictate the Epistle." As a rule, boastings are only evil both for him who boasts and for those who hear the boasting; but no rule is without exception, and there are times when a man is absolutely driven to boasting it is the one thing that he can do, and that he ought to do. It becomes the plain duty of the hour. A man may never boast until he is thus driven to it, and then his boastings will have their foundation in his humility. The apostle"s boastings had direct reference to the accusations made against him.

I THERE WERE BOASTINGS OF HIS JEWISH BIRTH AND RIGHTS. These had been assailed. He was a foreign-born Jew, and the Palestine Jews rather looked down upon all such. It was easy to raise prejudice against the apostle on this ground. He therefore pleads the facts of his pure birth, his Pharisaic relationships, his Jerusalem training, and his manifest Jewish sympathies. He was proud of the fact that no Jew could plead superior Jewish birthrights to his. So far he did but boast of facts of his life that were beyond his own control

II THERE WERE BOASTINGS OF SUFFERINGS BORNE IN MINISTERING FOR CHRIST. See vers. 21-30, the most amazing catalogue of woes ever written. One wonders how so frail a body could have endured them all. But even this record we feel is holy boasting, for one can but feel that, under all the intensity of the utterance, there is a great sadness of heart in being thus compelled to speak of such things. He never would have said one word about them had it not been that attacks upon his apostleship meant dishonour to Christ, and mischievous hindrance to Christ"s work. St. Paul never would have boasted if he had not thus been compelled to boast for Christs sake. And this is the one law for us. Never put self in the front unless so putting self will glorify our Master. We may even boast if it is clear that our boasting will serve him. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This my boasting shall not be stopped - For I will receive nothing from you.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Paul insists upon observing this course on account of the false teachers:

v. 10. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

v. 11. Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knoweth.

v. 12. But what I do, that I will do that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion, that, wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

v. 13. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

v. 14. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

v. 15. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

It was no mere caprice of an erratic genius that caused Paul to act thus in the case of Corinth, as he now brings out. First of all, he states, with the greatest emphasis, that he intended to continue his course as he had begun, by pledging the truth of Christ which lived in him, in opposition to all falsehood and hypocrisy, as a security for his statement that this particular boast was not to be obstructed for him, should not be suppressed, so far as the regions of Achaia were concerned; no one should ever succeed in stopping his mouth, in changing the firmness of this resolve. And lest someone in the Corinthian congregation might think that there was a personal reason in this determination, directed against the members as such, he hastens to add: Why? Because I do not love you? God knows! He calls upon God to be witness of the fact that his resolution to receive nothing from them did not originate in any absence of love for them. His affection for the members of the congregation as such remained unaltered: it was in no way concerned in this matter.

The apostle now states the reason for his resolve: But what I am doing, that I must I do in order that I may cut off the occasion from those that desire an occasion, that in the matter of their boast they may be found even as we. Paul was firmly determined to continue his course of not accepting financial help from the Corinthian congregation because he wanted to take away every valid reason on the part of the opponents for continuing their career of malicious misrepresentation. They boasted of their own unselfishness and disinterestedness without reason, and therefore Paul was determined by a course of absolute disinterestedness, not only to cut off all occasion for ascribing to him mercenary motives, but to compel them to assume a like position in actual practice Let them do what Paul was doing, and there would be some reason for listening to their claims; let them do at least so much before proclaiming themselves as the examples of superiority and excellence, as the paragons of true apostles and exemplary workers!

This was, of course, out of the question in men that sought only their own advantage, and so Paul characterizes them in their true colors: For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves outwardly into, assuming the appearance of, apostles of Christ. That is their proper place, that is their true character. Professing to be apostles of Christ, they were lying; urging their work in the interest of the Lord, they were deceiving; although nothing but base hypocrites, they were assuming the form of Christ’s emissaries. As one commentator has it: "They disguised themselves, first, in respect to doctrine, inasmuch as they retained many words and names which belonged to Christianity, but which were only like empty husks wrapped around some seeds which belonged not there; secondly, in respect to conduct, inasmuch as they outwardly imitated the works which Christ’s apostles wrought, but they were destitute of that benevolence which constituted the perfection of a Christian’s doings."

This the apostle finds altogether natural: And no wonder! For Satan himself assumes the form of an angel of light. So it is no great surprise that his servants assume the form of the ministers of righteousness; whose end will be according to their works. The disguise assumed by the false prophets accords altogether with their character. Satan is a power of darkness, Eph 6:12; Act 26:18, but for reasons of his own, as in the various temptations, he assumes the form and appearance of a pure and holy angel. And, so his agents, the false teachers, having learned to dissimulate just like their master, appear in the guise of messengers of righteousness: they resent the idea of their being impostors with a great show of righteous indignation. But the doom of such false apostles will be that of their lord, Php 3:19; Rom 6:21; 1Pe 4:17. Their assumed form of saintliness will be removed at the Last Judgment, and they will suffer the punishment of the hypocrites of all times. Mark: The spirit of our times aptly illustrates Satan’s ability to convert himself into the form of an angel of light, for the very words which are in the mouth of so many reformers today: enlightenment, progress, liberty, equality, culture, -are baits used to snare the unwary for unbelief. Mark also the uncompromising attitude of the apostle toward false teachers, entirely at variance with the false charity and unionism of our day which finds it expedient to accept even error for the sake of an outward union.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia .

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. No man shall stop me of this boasting. As he has done, so he will do. It shall be his boast that his gospel was freely preached in Achaia.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

As the truth of Christ is in me, this

Paul is emphasizing that because his readers know that he tells the truth about Christ, they can know that he is telling the truth here. "As surely as you know that I truly know and proclaim the truth about Christ, you can know that what I am about to say is true. This"

this boasting of mine will not be silenced

This can be stated in active form. AT: "no one will be able to make me stop boasting and stay silent" (See: Active or Passive)

this boasting of mine

This refers to what Paul spoke about in (2 Corinthians 11:7-9).

parts of Achaia

"regions of Achaia." The word "parts" speaks of areas of land, not political divisions.

Why? Because I do not love you?

Paul uses rhetorical questions to emphasize love for the Corinthians. These questions can be combined or made into a statement. AT: "Is it because I do not love you that I do not want to be a burden to you?" or "I will continue to keep you from paying for my needs because this shows others that I love you" (See: Rhetorical Question)

God knows

You can make clear the understood information. AT: "God knows I love you" (See: Ellipsis)

translationWords

true

Christ

boast

love

God

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

10. φραγήσεται (אBDFKLMP) rather than σφραγίσεται, which Rec. has de conjectura vel errore (Tisch.).

10. ἔστιν ἀλήθεια Χριστοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ ὅτι. The truth of Christ is in me that. This is not exactly an oath; ‘I swear by the truth of Christ’; but it is an appeal to a spirit of truthfulness in him, which is not his own but Christ’s, and which guarantees his sincerity. Comp. κατέναντι θεοῦ ἐν χριστῷ λαλοῦμεν (2Co 2:17, 2Co 12:19), ἀλήθειαν λέγω ἐν χριστῷ (Rom 9:1); and conversely, τοῦ ἐν ἑμοὶ λαλοῦντος Χριστοῦ (2Co 13:3). As the νοῦς χριστοῦ (1Co 2:16) and the πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ (Rom 8:9) dwells in him, so also the ἀλήθεια Χρ. Thus all possibility of hypocrisy or vanity is excluded. For the ὅτι comp. Rom 14:11; Jdt 12:4. See note on 2Co 1:18.

ἡ καύχησις αὕτη οὐ φραγήσεται εἰς ἐμέ. See critical note. This glorying shall not be stopped with regard to me. He will never do anything that will hinder him from glorying that he has not been a burden to the community. The metaphor is from blocking a road with a fence or a wall (Hos 2:6; Job 19:8; Lam 3:7-9), and hence of having the mouth stopped (Rom 3:19; Heb 11:33). An allusion to the wall across the Isthmus of Corinth is not likely. Chrysostom refers the metaphor to rivers rather than roads.

ἐν τοῖς κλίμασι τῆς Ἀχαίας. This unusual expression possibly indicates that his rights as Apostle to the Gentiles extend further than Corinth; or it may be used as less personal than ἐν ὑμῖν, which (immediately after εἰς ἐμέ) would have been πληκτικώτερον (Chrys.). The word κλίμα is found only in Paul in the N.T. (Rom 15:23; Gal 1:21); in the LXX. in a variant of Jdg 20:2, ἔστη τὸ κλίμα παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, and in Symmachus of ‘the corners of Moab’ (Num 24:17). It occurs several times in Polybius.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10.] The truth of Christ is in me, that …; i.e. ‘I speak according to that truth of which Christ Himself was our example, when I say, that …;’—there is no oath, nor even asseveration, as E. V. and most Commentators introduce. The expression is exactly analogous to Rom 9:1.

ἡ καύχ.…] this boasting (not = καύχημα, here or any where else) shall not be stopped (supply τὸ στόμα, which is not expressed, because καύχησις being itself a matter of utterance, suits the sense of the verb without it) as regards (or against) me (καύχ. is as it were personified—shall not have its mouth stopped as regards me) in the regions of Achaia (where the καύχησις is imagined as being and speaking).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. ἔστιν ἀλήθεια Χριστοῦ ἐν ἐμοί. He elsewhere claims that the νοῦς Χριστοῦ (1Co 2:16) and the πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ (Rom 8:9) abides in him. This is a guarantee against conscious deceitfulness and empty boasting. Cf. 2:17, 12:19, 13:3; Rom 9:1. ‘You have not my word only, but the truthfulness of Christ, to assure you that.’* With this use of ὅτι comp. ζῇ ἡ Ψυχή σου ὅτι οὐ δαπανήσει ἡ δούλη σου κ.τ.λ. (Judith 12:4). See on 1:18.

ἡ καύχησις αὕτη οὐ φραγήσεται εἰς ἐμέ. ‘This glorying shall not be stopped with regard to me,’ or ‘so far as I am concerned.’ Chrysostom derives the metaphor from the damming of rivers; ὥσπερ εἴ τις πηγὴν φράσσοι (Pro 25:26), and τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῶν ἐνέφραξεν χειμάρρους (Judith 16:3). More probably it comes from barricading a road; φράσσω τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτῆς ἐν σκόλοψιν (Hos 2:6), and ἀνῳκοδόμησεν ὁδούς μου, ἐνέφραξεν τρίβους μου (Lam 3:9). The stopping of the mouth (Rom 3:19; Heb 11:33) might come from either, but more easily from blocking a road; and there is no personification of καὐχησις in either case.

ἐν τοις κλίμασι τῆς Ἀχαίας. Κλίμα is rare in N.T. (Gal 1:21; Rom 15:23), and perhaps is not found in LXX at all; Jdg 20:2 is doubtful. His opponents had probably not confined their operations to the city of Corinth. See on 1:1.

The σφραγίσεται of T.R. is possibly a conjecture, ‘seal’ in the rare sense of ‘limit.’ A few cursives have σφραγήσεται.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

No man shall stop me of this boasting [η καυχησις αυτη ου φραγησεται εις εμε] . Lit., this boasting shall not be blocked up as regards me. The boasting is that of preaching gratuitously. For the verb, compare Rom 3:19; Heb 11:33.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.