Fathers

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What the Fathers say

2 Corinthians 11:8

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"I robbed other churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you." Here finally he speaks reproachfully, but his former words prevent these from seeming offensive; for he said, "Bear with me in a little foolishness:" and before all his other achievements makes this his first boast. For this worldly men look to especially, and on this also those his adversaries greatly prided themselves. …

Homily 23 on 2 Corinthians ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Although he could have said: I ate from the labor of my own hands; but, making his speech more expressive, he says: I received from others while serving you. The expression "I robbed" he used in the sense of: I stripped them and made them poor. He means the Macedonians: being extremely poor, they still supported him, though he was a burden to them, even though he did not need anything superfluous, but needed only what was necessary. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

Secondly, because they could say: where did you obtain your support? He answers that it came from the other churches, saying: I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. By this he convinces them that they could not say to the Apostle that it is unlawful for him to take from them. For if it is taken from others for serving them, it is much more lawful for him to take from them. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗