But though I be unskilled in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.
All Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 11:6 Go To 2 Corinthians 11
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Rude in speech. Unskilled in the polished and rhetorical eloquence of the Greeks, such as we find in Isocrates, Demosthenes, Lucian. Hence we find in S. Paul so many sudden transitions, ellipses, and solecisms (Chrysostom and Theophylact). S. Jerome ( Ephesians 151ad Algas. qu10) says: "I have frequently said and I repeat it now, that when S. Paul spoke of himself as being "rude in speech yet not in knowledge," he was not merely using the language of humility, but was speaking from a consciousness of the truth. For in his writings there are many profound passages unexplained in words, dealing, with truths evident enough to himself, but incapable of being conveyed to others." He says the same in his epistle to Hedibia, where he adds that for this reason Paul kept Titus by him, who was a Greek scholar, just as S. Peter had S. Mark. Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:1-4, notes. On the other hand, S. Augustine (de Doct. Christ. lib. iv. c7) thinks that Paul calls himself here rude in speech, not as giving his own opinion but that of his detractors. S. Augustine there dwells at length on the eloquence of the Apostle, and shows that he has his own lively and nervous style, and an orderly arrangement of his materials. This is true. The Apostle"s rhetoric was not mere wordiness, but was earnest, persuasive, manly, Divine, and therefore he was "rude," not so much in rhetoric as in grammatical niceties. It was evident to all that the Apostle by his eloquence stirred the hearts of all who heard him, smote them with the fear of God, and with wonderful skill almost drove them to faith, godliness, and mercy, and wheresoever he wished to lead them.
S. Augustine (Senten. No266) says beautifully: "It is an evident token of a good disposition when the truth contained in the words of controversialists is loved, and not the mere words themselves. For what is the use of a golden key if it cannot accomplish our desire and open the door, or why should we think less of a key because it is of wood? All that we want is to have that opened which was shut."
