Thomas Aquinas Commentary 2 Corinthians 11:9-15

"and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and [so] will I keep [myself]. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia. Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works." — 2 Corinthians 11:9-15 (ASV)

Having shown that he preached to them without charge during his first visit, he now shows that he did not accept any payments from them even during his long stay. First, he demonstrates this; second, he answers an unspoken question (from verse 9b).

He says, therefore, that he took no payments from them, not only when he first came, but also when he was with them for some time and was in need. This was to show that he did not forgo payments because he was rich; rather, as he says, "I did not burden anyone by taking anything from anyone."

This reveals the reason he forwent support: the Corinthians, in their innate avarice, considered it a burden to provide for him. As he says elsewhere, “We have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:12).

But they could ask, "Where did you get what you needed?" He answers that it was from other churches. He took nothing from the Corinthians because his need was supplied from the wages he earned by working at night with Aquila and Priscilla—for he practiced the craft of tentmaking to provide for his necessities: “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me” (Acts 20:34).

Therefore, what was lacking, you did not give. Instead, his needs were supplied by the brothers who came from Macedonia—namely, the Philippians, who were very generous. The Apostle commended them for this in his letter to the Philippians: “No church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving except you only” (Philippians 4:15). The Corinthians, however, were avaricious.

Then when he says, "So I refrained," he shows how he plans to act toward them in this matter in the future, saying that he does not want to be a burden to them. In this regard, he does two things. First, he gives his general reason; second, he confirms it (in verse 10).

He says, therefore: Just as I have preached the gospel to you without charge and was a burden to no one, so I have refrained and will continue to refrain from burdening you in any way. Thus, I will restrain myself by not rebuking you sharply, not correcting you severely, and not accepting anything from you.

In this, he echoes other scriptures. Paul himself said, “I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel” (Acts 20:33). Moses said, “I have not taken one ass from them, and I have not harmed one of them” (Numbers 16:15). And Samuel says, “Testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose ass have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it?” (1 Samuel 12:3).

He confirms that he will continue to act this way in two ways. First, by reason of the one who speaks in him—namely, Christ, who is the truth from which nothing false can come. Hence, Paul says, "As the truth of Christ is in me." It is as if he is saying that what he says is true because the truth of Christ speaks in him: “Since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me” (2 Corinthians 13:3).

Alternatively, this can be taken as an oath, as if to say: "God, who is truth and who is in me searching my heart, is my witness that I will conduct myself in this way." This is similar to another passage: “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son” (Romans 1:9).

Second, he confirms it by the fact that he does not intend to diminish his glory, but to increase it. The Apostle considered it his great glory before Christ that he alone, of all the apostles, preached to the Corinthians without payment. Hence he says, "I will not burden anyone; this boast of mine shall not be silenced."

This boast is that he preached to them free of charge and refrained from what was lawful for the sake of their salvation—an act which is to Christ’s glory, because Christ is glorified in Paul by this, or because Paul particularly shares this glory with Christ. This boast would have been silenced in the regions of Achaia, where Corinth was the main city, if he had taken anything from them, because they were avaricious: “For I would rather die than have any one deprive me of my ground for boasting” (1 Corinthians 9:15).

When Paul asks, "And why?" he presents the reason he did not take payment from them. First, he excludes the false reason; second, he gives the true one (in verse 12). Regarding the first point, it should be noted that the false apostles accused the Apostle of not taking payment from the Corinthians because he did not love them and did not intend to help and serve them. He says, therefore, "Why do I do this? Is it because I do not love you?" That is, is it from any hatred I have for you, as the false apostles claim? God knows that I love you and that I do not do this out of hatred: “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you” (John 21:15).

Therefore, having removed the false reason, he gives the true one: "And what I do I will continue to do." First, he states the true reason; second, he explains it (in verse 13).

Regarding the first point, it should be noted that the false apostles, as has been stated, were seeking their own profit and glory. Therefore, to be held in high regard, they tried to follow the Apostle’s example outwardly, or even excel him if they could. The Apostle’s point is this: if they wish to imitate me, let them imitate me in taking nothing.

Because he knew that the false apostles preached in order to take payment and, consequently, would not preach if their profit ceased, he says, "And what I do I will continue to do." He explains that his actions are not out of hatred, but "in order to undermine the claim of those"—the false apostles—"who desire from my example to have an occasion for taking what is yours." For he knew, according to Ambrose, that they would not preach very willingly if they received nothing. This is in contrast to the proverb: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning” (Proverbs 9:9).

He does this so that these false apostles "may be found on the same terms as we are"—that is, not receiving money, just as we do not. They glory in the fact that they imitate the apostles. But Paul's desire is that if they are to imitate him, they must do so completely by not receiving payment, for he says, “I wish that all were as I myself am” (1 Corinthians 7:7), namely, not receiving payment.

The phrase "that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do" can be interpreted in three ways:

1. That they may be found to be like us by not receiving payment, just as we do not. In this—that is, in being like us—they may glory, for they strive to be like the apostles.
2. That in the very thing in which they glory—namely, receiving payment, which is all they seek—they may be found to be like us by ceasing to receive it.
3. That in the very thing in which they glory—namely, not receiving payment (for they claim to receive nothing)—they may be found to be just like us and not better, so that they cannot claim superiority over us in this matter.

The subsequent phrase, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen," can also be connected to the preceding argument in three corresponding ways:

1. They do not glory and strive in the way we do, for such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen.
2. And indeed, they stop receiving payment in order to be like us, for such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen.
3. So they glory in not receiving payment in order to seem like us, for such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen.

Having stated the true reason, he proves it by saying, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen." In this regard, he does three things. First, he states the reason; second, he proves it (in verse 14); third, he shows the difference between false and true apostles (in verse 15).

He says, therefore: I am right to say that I do this to cut off their opportunity, for such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen. They are false, as it is written, “Look out for the dogs, look out for the evil-workers” (Philippians 3:2).

They are also deceitful workmen—that is, shrewd and sly, deceiving others under the guise of religion: “Your prophets have been like foxes among ruins, O Israel” (Ezekiel 13:4); “Catch us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards” (Song of Solomon 2:15); “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). This is what Paul means when he says they are "disguising themselves as apostles of Christ"—that is, they bear the outward signs of good apostles while “holding the form of religion but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:5).

He proves this by explaining that just as true apostles are sent by God and transformed by him, their leader and instigator, Satan, disguises himself as an angel of light, showing himself to be an angel of God or sometimes Christ. Therefore, it is not strange or surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness—that is, pretend to be righteous: “Like the magistrate of the people, so are his officials” .

It should be noted that Satan sometimes transforms himself into a visible form to deceive people, as he did with St. Martin. To counter this, the gift of discerning spirits, which God gave in a special way to St. Antony, is necessary and sufficient. One can know that it is Satan by the fact that a good angel urges one to good works from the very beginning and continues to do so. A bad angel, however, pretends to suggest good things at first, but later—to fulfill his desire and accomplish his goal of deception—he induces and provokes one to evil: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1). As Joshua said when he saw an angel in the field, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” (Joshua 5:13).

Another sign is that a good angel, even if he causes fear at first, immediately comforts and consoles, as he did with Zechariah (“Do not be afraid, Zechariah,”Luke 1:13) and the Blessed Virgin (“Do not be afraid, Mary,”Luke 1:30). But an evil angel stuns and leaves one desolate in order to more easily deceive and persuade him.

Sometimes, however, Satan transforms things without being seen. This happens when he makes things that are evil in themselves appear good by perverting a person’s senses and inflaming sinful desire: “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12). This is how he deceived a certain monk who had resolved never to leave his cell. The devil suggested that it would be good to go to church and receive the body of Christ. Consenting to this, the monk broke his resolve by going. Later, recognizing it was the devil, the monk congratulated himself for not being deceived, because he had left for a good purpose.

Later, the devil suggested that the monk's father had died and left great riches to be distributed to the poor, and that he should go to the city. When he went there, he never returned and died in sin. Hence, it is very difficult for a person to be too careful; one must turn to God for help. As Job says, “Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror” (Job 41:14). This is as if to say: no one can, except God.

Then he indicates the difference between good and bad ministers, which is that their end—both that of Christ’s ministers and of Satan’s—will correspond to their deeds. The end of the good will be good, and of the evil, evil: “Their end is destruction” (Philippians 3:19). Furthermore, the good will receive good things and the evil, evil things: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10).