11:17,18
Paul does not want to boast, indeed has no interest in boasting. Elsewhere he says that he does not care about other people’s judgement on him, nor even on his own judgement of himself. But since boasting seems to be the only language that the Corinthians understand he will boast, even though this is not the way of the Lord.
11:19,20
Paul’s boasting is in part a criticism of the Corinthians. They should not be impressed by boasting, yet it seems that they are. This is a sign of their immaturity, a sign of their foolishness. Instead of being impressed by those who boast they should reject them. Moreover, those who boasted enslaved them or took advantage of them. As well as the doctrinal content of people or organisations, we should also look at the attitude of them.
11:21
“To my shame ...” Paul is being sarcastic here when he says he was too weak to take advantage of the Corinthians. Moreover, on any of the areas where the super-apostles boasted, Paul could “out boast” them. He had no wish to do so, but since this was the only language the Corinthians seemed to understand he would do so.
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