And when I was present with you, and in want, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
All Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 11:9 Go To 2 Corinthians 11
John Chrysostom
AD 407
For he did not say, 'ye did not give to me,' but, 'I did not take,' for as yet he spares them. But nevertheless even in the subduedness of his language he covertly strikes them again, for the word, present, is exceedingly emphatic, and so is in want. For that they might not say, 'what matter then, if you had [enough]?' he added, and was in want.
I was not a burden on you. Here again he hits them gently, as making such contributions reluctantly, as feeling them a burden. Then comes the reason also, full of accusation and fraught with jealousy. Wherefore also he introduced it, not in the way of a leading point , but as informing them whence and by whom he was supported, so as to stimulate them again, in an unsuspicious way, as to the point of almsgiving;
For the measure of my want, he says, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied. Do you see how he provokes them again, by bringing forward those that had ministered to him? For inspiring them first with a desire of knowing who these could be, when he said, I robbed other churches; he then mentions them also by name; which would incite them also unto almsgiving. For he thus persuades those who had been beaten [by them] in the matter of supporting the Apostle, not to be also beaten in the succor they gave to the poor. And he says this also in his Epistle to the Macedonians themselves, For in my necessities ye sent unto me once and again, even in the beginning of the Gospel; Philippians 4:16 which point also was a very great commendation of them, that from the very beginning they shone forth. But observe how everywhere he mentions his necessity, and no where a superfluity. Now therefore by saying present, and in want he showed that he ought to have been supported by the Corinthians; and by the words, they supplied the measure of my want, he shows that he did not so much as ask. And he assigns a reason which was not the real one. What then is this? That he had received from others; for, says he, the measure of my want those that came supplied. 'For this reason,' he says, 'I was not a burden; not because I had no confidence in you.' And yet it is for this latter reason that he so acts, and he shows it in what follows; but does not say it plainly, but throws it into the shade , leaving it to the conscience of his hearers. And he gives proof of it covertly in what follows, by saying,
And in every thing I kept myself from being burdensome, and so will I keep myself. For think not, says he, that I say these things that I may receive. Now the words so will I keep myself, are severer, if he has not even yet confidence in them; but once for all had given up the idea of receiving anything from them. He shows, moreover, that they even considered this to be a burden; wherefore he said, I have kept myself from being burdensome, and so will I keep myself. He says this in his former Epistle also, I write not this that it may be so done unto me; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. 1 Corinthians 9:15 And here again, I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
6. Then, that he may not seem to speak these things for the sake of winning them on the better [to do this],
