Matthew Henry Commentary 2 Corinthians 12:11-21

"I am become foolish: ye compelled me; for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty works. 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. Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a burden to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less? But be it so, I did not myself burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I take advantage of you by any one of them whom I have sent unto you? I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? walked we not in the same spirit? [walked we] not in the same steps? Ye think all this time that we are excusing ourselves unto you. In the sight of God speak we in Christ. But all things, beloved, [are] for your edifying. For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means [there should be] strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults; lest again when I come my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they committed." — 2 Corinthians 12:11-21 (ASV)

We owe it to good people to stand up in the defense of their reputation. We are also under special obligations to acknowledge those from whom we have received benefit—especially spiritual benefit—as instruments in God's hand for our good.

This passage gives an account of the apostle's behavior and kind intentions, in which we see the character of a faithful minister of the gospel. His great aim and design was to do good.

Here, several sins commonly found among professors of religion are noted. Falls and misdeeds are humbling to a minister, and God sometimes uses this way to humble those who might be tempted to become proud.

These significant verses show to what excesses the false teachers had led astray their deluded followers. How distressing it is that such evils should be found among professors of the gospel! Yet this is the case, and has been too often; indeed, it was so even in the days of the apostles.