Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Corinthians 11:29

"Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not?" — 2 Corinthians 11:29 (ASV)

Who is weak, etc. I sympathize with all. I feel what others feel, and their sorrows excite deep sympathetic emotions in my heart. Like a tender and compassionate friend, I am affected when I see others in circumstances of distress. The word weak here may refer to any lack of strength, any infirmity or feebleness arising either from body or mind. It may include all who were feeble due to persecution or disease, or it may refer to the weak in faith and doubtful about their duty (1 Corinthians 9:22), and to those who were burdened with mental sorrows. The idea is that Paul had deep sympathy for all who needed such sympathy from any cause. This statement shows the depth of feeling of this great apostle and what the feeling of every pastor should be (see Barnes on Romans 12:15).

And I am not weak? I share his feelings and sympathize with him. If he suffers, I suffer. Bloomfield supposes that Paul means that, in the case of those who were weak in the faith, he accommodated himself to their weakness and thus became all things to all people (see Barnes on 1 Corinthians 9:22).

But it seems probable to me that he uses the phrase here in a more general sense, denoting that he sympathized with those who were weak and feeble in all their circumstances.

Who is offended. skandalizetai. Who is scandalized. The word properly means to cause to stumble and fall; hence, to be a stumbling block to anyone, to give or cause offense to anyone. The idea here seems to be, 'Who is liable to be led astray; who has temptations and trials that are likely to lead him to sin or to cause him to fall, and I do not burn with impatience to restore him, or with indignation against the tempter?' In all such cases, Paul deeply sympathized with them and was prompt to aid them.

And I burn not? That is, with anger or with great agitation of mind on learning that anyone had fallen into sin. This may mean either that he would burn with indignation against those who had led them into sin, or be deeply excited in view of the disgrace that would thus be brought on the Christian cause.

In either case, it means that his mind would be in a glow of emotion; he would feel deeply; he could not look upon such things with indifference or without being deeply agitated. He sympathized with all; and the condition of everyone—whether in a state of feeble faith, feeble body, or falling into sin—excited the deepest emotions in his mind.

The truth taught here is that Paul felt a deep sympathy for all others who bore the Christian name, and this sympathy for others greatly increased the cares and toils of the apostolic office he sustained. But, having given this exposition, candor compels me to acknowledge that the whole verse may mean, 'Who is feeble in the faith regarding certain observances, rites, and customs (1 Corinthians 9:22), and I do not also show the same? I do not arouse their prejudices, or wound their feelings, or alarm them. On the other hand, who is scandalized, or led into sin by the example of others regarding such a custom—who is led by the example of others into transgression—and I do not burn with indignation?' In either case, however, the general sense is that he sympathized with all others.