Thomas Aquinas Commentary 2 Corinthians 12:11-13

"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." — 2 Corinthians 12:11-13 (ASV)

Having commended himself, the Apostle now asks for pardon for what he has said, showing that he was compelled to say these things which pertain to his glory. First, he lays the blame for his boasting on the Corinthians; second, he explains and clarifies this (verse 11b).

Therefore, he first says, "I confess that in all these commendations I have been a fool," meaning, "it seems to you that I have acted like a fool." But this was not done of my own accord or willingly. Rather, I was compelled, and it was your fault because you forced me to it—that is, you gave me the occasion. For people often compel their leaders to do things that seem unwise, although considering the time and place, they were done wisely.

Then he explains what he had said in a general way—that they were the cause of his self-commendation—when he says, for I ought to have been commended by you. Here he says that they were the cause of his self-commendation: first, by neglecting the good they should have done, through which he elaborates on their ingratitude; and second, by committing evil, through which he condemns their malice (verse 20). Regarding the first point, he does two things. First, he reminds them of what they should have done by showing the reason (verse 11c); second, he rejects their excuse (verse 13).

He says, therefore, "Yes, you compelled me, because you should have done what I have done." Thus, he says, for I ought to have been commended by you. You failed to do this when it was necessary—that is, when the false apostles, by belittling me and promoting themselves, devalued the doctrine and gospel of Christ that I delivered. Therefore, because you did not commend me, I undertook to commend myself so that the faith of Christ would not die among you.

But this conflicts with his earlier statement (2 Corinthians 3:1): Do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? So why would he wish to be commended by them? I answer that the Apostle did not need commendations for his own sake, but for the sake of others—specifically, so that by his self-commendation, his doctrine would be held in greater authority and the false apostles would be refuted.

But because they could say, "We did not commend you because there is nothing commendable about you," the Apostle proves to them that they had good reason to commend him. He does this when he says, For I am not at all inferior to these superlative apostles, thus showing that there was much in him that was commendable. He shows this first, concerning the good things he did in the past, and second, concerning the good things he intends to do (verse 14). He addresses the first point by speaking first, in general, about all the churches, and second, in particular, about what he did among them (verse 11d). Third, he refutes a potential objection (verse 13).

He says, therefore, "I deserved to be commended by you, because there are many things in me worthy of commendation, for I am not at all inferior to them"—namely, Peter, James, and John, who are the "superlative apostles," that is, those who seem to some to be worthier apostles than I. For the false apostles claimed that they had been taught by Peter and John, who had been taught by Christ, and that Peter and John observed the ceremonies of the Law. Therefore, they argued, the Corinthians should also observe them. But because I have done just as much among you—in preaching, converting believers, performing miracles, and undertaking labors—and in fact have done more, because I worked harder than any of them (1 Corinthians 15:10), for that reason I am more to be commended.

Alternatively, they were called "superlative apostles" (that is, Peter, James, and John) because they were the first ones converted to Christ, whereas Paul says, Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me (1 Corinthians 15:8). If it is taken in this sense, even then I have done nothing less than they did, because in the short time after I was converted, I labored more.

But even granting that I did nothing in the other churches for which I might be commended, I have nevertheless done many special things among you, and for these you could have commended me. Thus he says, even though I am nothing—that is, granting that I did nothing in comparison to them—nevertheless, the effect of my power is present among you.

This is evident in three ways:

1. First, regarding my preaching, by which you were converted to the faith, making me your apostle. Indeed, the signs of a true apostle—that is, of my preaching—were performed among you by God, inasmuch as by believing, you were converted: You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord (1 Corinthians 9:2); For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel (1 Corinthians 4:15).
2. Second, regarding my manner of life, through which faith is strengthened. For when a person's life agrees with their doctrine, the doctrine has greater authority, and the virtue of the preacher is more apparent through patience: The learning of a man is known by patience (Proverbs 19:11, Vulgate). Therefore, he says, in all patience.
3. Third, regarding the working of miracles. Thus he says, with signs and wonders and mighty works. As it is written: And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it (Mark 16:20).

These three things are distinct. "Power" (Latin: virtus) is common to all miracles, for power is the full extent of an ability. Therefore, something is called a "mighty work" (virtuosum) because it proceeds from great power (virtute). Because miracles come from great power—namely, divine power—they are called "powers" (virtutes). A "sign," however, refers to a lesser miracle, and a "wonder" to a greater one. Alternatively, he says "signs" for miracles related to the present and "wonders" for miracles concerning the future. Or, "signs and wonders" refer to miracles performed contrary to nature, such as giving sight to the blind or raising the dead. But "mighty works" are things done in accordance with nature, yet not in the way nature performs them. An example is a sick person being healed immediately when hands are placed on him, whereas nature produces the same effect gradually. Alternatively, "mighty works" could mean virtues of the mind, such as chastity and so on.

Then he refutes a potential objection when he says, For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches? The Corinthians could have answered, "It is true that you have done many good and great things, but others have done more and greater things than you. Therefore, we are not willing to commend you over them or in comparison with them." But he refutes this by saying, For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches?—that is, what have the other churches of Christ obtained through him in spiritual matters that you have not? He implies the answer is "nothing," because just as the other apostles preached the faith, so did Paul; just as they performed signs and wonders, so did he.

In fact, not only did you receive nothing less, but you received even more. This is because the other apostles lived on the support of those to whom they preached, but the Apostle did not. He took nothing from the Corinthians, and so he says, except that I myself did not burden you by taking what was yours. It is as if he is saying, "You received nothing less, unless perhaps you consider it a lesser thing that I have not taken anything from you—which is actually a greater thing." He supports this with other scriptures: You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me (Acts 20:34); With toil and labor we worked night and day (2 Thessalonians 3:8); Who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe (Isaiah 33:15). But if you consider this an injury—namely, that I refused to take anything from you because (as you might wrongly think) I did not love you—and it seems to you that I have done wrong, then forgive me. Thus, he says with irony, forgive me this wrong! In a similar way, it says in Ephesians 4:32: Forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.