Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Corinthians 10:1
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence [am] base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
Ch. 2Co 10:1-6. St Paul’s intention of overcoming all opposition to the Gospel
1. Now I Paul myself ] “Until now, Paul has addressed himself preeminently to the better intentioned in the Christian Church, but henceforth he addresses himself to those who had sought to lower his dignity and weaken his authority by representing him as weak in personal influence,” as well as in bodily strength and consistency of purpose, “although courageous and full of self-commendation in his letters.” Olshausen. The word ‘myself’ is difficult to explain. Deans Stanley and Alford explain it (1) of St Paul’s intention to enter upon personal matters. St Chrysostom seems to imply (2) that it refers to the emphasis with which he speaks, and he cites Gal 5:2, Phm 1:19. But (3) it seems more probable that it means ‘I, the very man who in absence am said to be bold, shew my consistency by preferring meekness even in my letters. I am meek, not because I am afraid, but because I ought to be meek. But if meekness fails, then I must be severe.’ Cf. 2Co 10:2 ; 2Co 10:9-10; also 1Co 4:21. It must be remembered that one main purpose of this Epistle is to vindicate the consistency of the Apostle. See ch. 2Co 1:17-19.
beseech ] Rather, exhort. See note on ch. 2Co 1:3.
meekness and gentleness] Myldnesse and softnesse, Wiclif. Tyndale introduced the translation meekness. The word gentleness is due to our translators. But it is not the exact equivalent of the original. Derived from a word signifying like the truth, and therefore fair, equitable, it came to be the equivalent (see Aristotle, Ethics 2Co 10:10, and vi. 11) for the habit of mind engendered by the practice of regarding the rights of other people as well as our own. Aristotle describes it as the principle which underlies justice and tempers it, and as resulting in sympathy. Its nearest equivalents in English are fairness, considerateness, reasonableness. It and the cognate word occur in the N. T. only in Act 24:4; Php 4:5; 1Ti 3:3; Tit 3:2; Jas 3:17; 1Pe 2:18. For meekness cf. Mat 11:29-30; Isa 42:2-3; Isa 53:7.
in presence ] Some translate by in personal appearance. See 2Co 10:7, and margin here. But the word seems in this verse to be opposed to absence. See 2Co 10:11. Also the Greek of Act 3:13; Act 25:16.
base ] See note on ch. 2Co 7:6, where the word in the Greek is the same as here. The word base signifies originally low in position. Cf. the word basement and the French bas. See also Act 17:5. So Spenser, in his View of the State of Ireland, distinguishes between the “lords and chief men,” and the “peasants and baser people.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Now I Paul myself beseech you – I entreat you who are members of the church not to give me occasion for the exercise of severity in discipline. I have just expressed my confidence in the church in general, and my belief that you will act in accordance with the rules of the gospel. But I cannot thus speak of all. There are some among you who have spoken with contempt of my authority and my claims as an apostle. Of them I cannot speak in this manner; but instead of commanding them I entreat them not to give me occasion for the exercise of discipline.
By the meekness and gentleness of Christ – In view of the meekness and mildness of the Redeemer; or desiring to imitate his gentleness and kindness. Paul wished to imitate that. He did not wish to have occasion for severity. He desired at all times to imitate, and to exhibit the gentle feelings of the Saviour. He had no pleasure in severity; and he did not desire to exhibit it.
Who in presence – Margin, In outward appearance. It may either mean that when present among them he appeared, according to their representation, to be humble, mild, gentle 2Co 10:10; or that in his external appearance he had this aspect; see on 2Co 10:10. Most probably it means that they had represented him, as timid when among them, and afraid to exercise discipline, however much he had threatened it.
Am base among you – The word used here ( tapeinos) usually means low, humble, poor. Here it means timid, modest, the opposite of boldness. Such was formerly the meaning of the English word base. It was applied to those of low degree or rank; of humble birth; and stood opposed to those of elevated rank or dignity. Now it is commonly used to denote that which is degraded or worthless; of mean spirit; vile; and stands opposed to that which is manly and noble. But Paul did not mean to use it here in that sense. He meant to say that they regarded him as timid and afraid to execute the punishment which he had threatened, and as manifesting a spirit which was the opposite of boldness. This was doubtless a charge which they brought against him; but we are not necessarily to infer that it was true. All that it proves is, that he was modest and unobtrusive, and that they interpreted this as timidity and lack of spirit.
But being absent am bold toward you – That is, in my letters; see on 2Co 10:10. This they charged him with, that he was bold enough when away from them, but that he would be tame enough when he should meet them face to face, and that they had nothing to fear from him.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Co 10:1
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.
The meekness and gentleness of Christ
These words recognise Christs character as an accepted standard of appeal among the Corinthians. To ourselves such an appeal would not be strange. But does it not strike you as remarkable here? For remember that only a few years before this the oldest of the converts were gross idolaters. The standard of appeal has not altered. The preacher refers back to Christ as the source of all authority and influence. As Christians, if we are in perplexity, we ask the question, What did Christ do? and when we discover that, our course is clear. There is to us no higher joy than to please Him. But notice what it is in Christ to which Paul refers.
I. The meekness and gentleness of Christ.
1. Men had been striving to overturn Pauls authority and destroy his influence. This was enough to excite the indignation of any true-hearted man, and no wonder if he had vindicated his character in stinging words. But he will not do this. He will conquer them by the gentleness which Christ ever manifested to those who had gone astray. Most thoroughly had he entered into Christs spirit. He can never forget how tenderly and patiently the Saviour had treated him. Years after, when writing to one who had never tried the patience of Christ as he had done, he said: I thank Christ Jesus our Lord (1Ti 1:12-16). Paul had experienced the power of Christs meekness and gentleness, and he was anxious that others should know it too.
2. Let us turn to the, life of Christ, and see how full it is of this Divine virtue. John the Baptist said, Behold the Lamb of God! and, though there is an idea of sacrifice, what is more meek and gentle than a lamb? He Himself declared, I am meek and lowly of heart. Think of all He suffered, and the manner in which He suffered it. He came into the world eager to bless and save it, but He was despised and rejected of men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And yet in no instance was He ruffled by the injuries wrought on Himself. When the helpless and the poor were oppressed, He stood ready to defend them. How He scathed the Pharisees! Yet even in their case tenderness and love were in His heart, for immediately after His tremendous exposure He breaks out in a wail like a mother for the child of her love, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, etc. And to the very close of life He remains the same. Isaiah (Isa 53:7) and Peter (1Pe 2:23)–the one in prophecy, the other in history–unite in bearing testimony to the meekness and gentleness of Christ.
II. The gentleness of Christ was not an amiable weakness. There are many who obtain credit for this virtue who have no manner of right to it. They are patient if any one wrongs them, and seem the incarnation of good humour. Often this disposition is simply a consciousness of helplessness or indifference. But Christ was gentle because He was strong. It was an awful power that Christ carried with Him; and were it not that we know how gentleness clothed that power, we should be ready to wonder that men did not shrink in fear before His presence. He had power enough to drive devils into the deep, yet gentleness to gather children in His arms.
III. Jesus was gentle, but it was not because he was ignorant of mens characters. We may often act towards others in kindness and forbearance because we do not know them. But Christ knew what was in men; He was never deceived; and this was one of the reasons of His gentleness. He saw good as well as bad. He understood all the difficulties that beset men. Allowances were to be made, and He made them; circumstances were to be considered, and He considered them. We are hasty in judgment, because we are so ignorant of what passes within the hearts of those we condemn. Christ was full of forbearance, because He knew the whole.
IV. Jesus was gentle, but not because he was indifferent to justice and purity. We often overlook sin, because we do not much care whether things are right or wrong. A child does wrong; a friend in amiable pity says, Oh, let him go this time. The friend cares very little about justice itself or the law of the household. When a criminal is taken, there are plenty of weak people who will urge you to let him go. They get credit for gentleness. But then, indeed, some people are always ready to forgive any wrong that has been done against some one else. People are careless because they have no hatred of what is evil in their own natures. They have sinned so much themselves that they readily condone sin in others. But all this is not true gentleness; it is indifference to righteousness. Now Christs gentleness was not of this nature. He did care what men did. He was perfectly pure, and every sin wounded His heart like a poisoned arrow. He loved righteousness, and hated iniquity. He was as just as He was loving; and it was to vindicate Divine justice that He came to Calvary. He died the just for the unjust.
V. This meekness and gentleness is the weapon by which Christ conquers us. It is the power of His love that subdues human hearts. He will bear with men until His very patience and gentleness shall make them ashamed of their sin. What argument can be more powerful than this? (W. Braden.)
The meekness and gentleness of Christ recommended to the imitation of the young
When this pathetic address is considered in connection with the circumstances that led to it, the character of Paul appears in a very interesting light. In writing to a church where party spirit was raging, the apostle expresses himself in a manner prudent and mild, yet firm and dignified. The meekness of Christ is a phrase expressive of the calmness and patience, the forbearance and humility by which He was distinguished.
I. In what way meekness and gentleness should operate in the young is the first topic that claims our attention.
1. Meekness and gentleness appear in modest and unassuming manners. Meekness and gentleness are directly opposed to the love of display, and this desire to have the pre-eminence. They delight in the shade of retirement, and shrink from the glare of public observation.
2. Meekness and gentleness appear in calmness and forbearance under provocations and injuries. The power of meekness and gentleness is sometimes affectingly manifested under domestic evils.
3. Meekness and gentleness appear in courtesy and kindness in the intercourse of life.
4. Meekness and gentleness, prompt to lenity and indulgence to others, and to abstinence from all measures of rigour and severity. The spirit of meekness and gentleness will preserve us from rigour and severity in judging of the actions of others.
5. Meekness and gentleness appear in patient acquiescence under the afflictions of life.
II. I proceed now to show that the meekness and gentleness of Christ present the most persuasive motives to the cultivation of these excellences.
1. Meekness and gentleness appear in the character of our Lord in the most winning form. If your hearts are at all open to the influence of good example, they must be gained now.
2. It is the meekness and gentleness of One whom you are under the strongest obligations to imitate. Reflect on what He endured for you.
3. Consider how much His honour and that of His religion are concerned in the regard which you pay to the meekness and gentleness of Christ. You wish the world to think well of the spirit of your Master, but you must know that they will judge of it from you.
4. Consider how much Christ is related to you. To beseech a child, by the virtues of his parents, will probably guard him against the opposite vices, and lead him to act as they did.
5. Consider the glory of His person and character. It is not the meekness and gentleness of one whose station is low, or whose influence is insignificant; nor are these solitary graces in His character.
6. It is the meekness and the gentleness of one who has connected the most important consequences with our imitation or neglect of his example: If any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of Hi (Rom 8:9). I conclude by recommending the imitation of this meekness and gentleness to other classes of persons. Ye who are old, I beseech you by the meekness and the gentleness of Christ, not to aggravate the sorrows of your evil days by peevishness and discontent. Ye parents, I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, to beware of provoking your children to wrath, and to endeavour to persuade before you attempt to compel. Masters, do your duty to your servants, forbearing threatening, knowing that your Master is in heaven, and that there is no respect of persons with Him. Ye who are at variance, I beseech you by these virtues of Christ to leave off contention. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God (Mat 5:9). Ye members of churches, follow after the things that make for peace, and things whereby one may edify another. Let political parties cease to distract the nation by their broils and their scurrilities; and let them in the spirit of the gospel direct their efforts to promote peace on earth and good-will among men. (H. Belfrage.)
The gentleness of God
I. Gentleness is the method by which strength manifests itself.
1. The greater the power of the being, the greater will be the marvel and the delicacy of gentleness. In a woman we expect gentleness. But in a warrior it creates an admiration that it does not in woman.
2. It is wonderful, too, in proportion to the provocation to contrary feelings. That all rude and hateful things should find themselves the subjects of gentleness, this is surprising.
3. It is likewise wonderful in proportion to the moral sensibility and discriminating purity of the mind which exercises it. Gentleness, springing from easy good-nature, which will not take the trouble to vindicate justice and right, will not command even respect.
II. Consider, then, with these interpreting remarks, what must be the nature of gentleness in God.
1. He dwells alone from eternity to eternity, because there is none other that can be of His grandeur of being. The whole earth is said to be but a drop of the bucket before Him. And that such a One, living in such a wise, should deal-with His erring children with gentleness is wonderful and sublime!
2. Consider also His moral purity and His love of purity, and His abhorrence of evil. That such a Being should carry Himself with gentleness toward those who have forfeited all claim to mercy and gentleness–this is wonderful! The life of every individual is a long period of moral delinquency. No one who has not had the experience of a parent can have any adequate conception of the patience and gentleness exercised by a mother in rearing her child. True mothers are only Gods miniatures in this world. How great will be the disclosure which shall be made when, in the great day, Christ shall enrol from the archives of eternity the history of each individual soul. It will be seen then how much patience must have been exercised by the Divine Being in rearing a single one of His creatures. Now consider national life. Judge from your own feelings how God, with His infinite sensibility, must feel when He sees men rising up against their fellow-men, waging wars and devastating society by every infernal mischief that their ingenuity can invent The Bible says that God is past finding out; not merely His physical power, but His disposition–His moral nature. If God cared for the misconduct of men no more than we do for the fiery strifes of an ant-hill, there would be no foundation for such a conception of Divine gentleness and Divine goodness. Evil is eternal in the sight of God, unless it be checked and cured. Sin, like a poisonous weed, re-sows itself, and becomes eternal by reproduction. Now God looks upon the human race in the light of these truths. And tell me what other attribute of God, what other influence of His character, is so sublime as this–His gentleness?
III. Now, while these statements are fresh in your mind, i desire to present to you a clear conception of God as your Personal God. He is not a Being that dwells in the inner recesses of the eternal world, inaccessible, incomprehensible. Men never find Christ, but are always found of Him. He goes forth to seek and to save the lost. It is the abounding love of His heart that draws us up toward Him. We love Him because He first loved us. It is this willing, winning, pleading Christ, who wields all the grandeur of justice and all the authority of universal empire with such sweet gentleness that in all the earth there is none like unto Him, that I set before you as your personal friend. He does not set His holiness and His hatred of sin like mountains over which you may not climb. He does not hedge Himself about by the dignities and superiorities of Divinity. All the way from His throne to your heart is sloped; and hope, and love, and patience, and meekness, and long-suffering, and kindness, and wonderful mercies, and gentleness, as so many banded helping angels wait to take you by the hand and lead you up to God. And I beseech you by His gentleness, too, that you fear Him no longer; that you be no longer indifferent to Him; that you wound Him by your unbelief no more, but that now and henceforth you follow Him–for there is none other name under heaven among men whereby we must be saved. Conclusion: I hold up before you that God who loves the sinner and abhors sin; who loves goodness with infinite fervour, and breathes it upon those who put their trust in Him. And remember that it is this God who yet declares that He will at last by no means clear the guilty! Make your peace with Him now, or abandon all hopes of peace. Be not discouraged because you are sinful. It is the very office of His love to heal your sins. Who would need a physician if he might not come to his bedside until after the sickness was healed? What use of schoolmaster if one may not go to school till his education be complete? (H. W. Beecher.)
The tenderness of Christ
I. In connection with what has been revealed to us concerning His mission and life.
1. It harmonises with the prophetic intimations.
(1) See this in the very titles bestowed upon Him. Lest the spirit should fail at the thought of the Ancient of Days, the Everlasting Father, the Mighty God, we are encouraged to look at Him as the seed of the woman, the consolation of Israel, the Prince of peace. Though He is the plant of Renown, He grows up a tender plant. Though He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, He is led as a lamb to the slaughter. And though speaking to us out of the bush burning with fire, it is a fire which only awes by its brightness, but consumes not a leaf with its flame.
(2) Still more does this come out in prophecies bearing more directly on His work and office (Isa 32:2; Isa 42:1; cf. Mat 12:18).
2. And such as prophecy declared Christ should be, such, in all the actings of His earthly life, do we find He was. With His own disciples He had to bear much. Yet rarely does His language rise to harsh reproof–scarcely even to upbraiding. It is rather that of a subdued, softened, melancholy tenderness. And was there less of tenderness in His dealings with those who were not disciples? with the penitent woman in Simons house? with the woman of Samaria? etc.
3. This tenderness of the Saviours character has accompanied Him into heaven, arching as with the mild splendours of a rainbow the throne of His mediation, and giving a softened light and lustre to the moral administration of God (Rev 1:1-20; Rev 2:1-29; Rev 3:1-22).
II. In its bearing on some of the experiences of the Christian life.
1. How should we be comforted by it under early convictions of sin, and doubts of the Divine forgiveness? None should despair whilst in the midst of the throne there stands the gentle Lamb of God whose blood cleanseth from all sin.
2. It should be very comforting when cast down by the weakness of our faith. The same weakness has been exhibited by our brethren in the world, but a gracious Saviour allowed for, pardoned them. Look at that agonised father as he brings his demoniac son to the Saviour. Weak faith, mixed faith, little faith–better this than none at all: Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief. Or see again how tenderly the Master deals with His fearful disciples in the storm. And therefore to all who are suffering from this infirmity, we say, Be not afraid, only believe.
3. Consider it as it bears upon our slow progress in the Divine life–our coldness in sacred exercises, our fluctuations and decays of religious feeling. Go to Gethsemane, and look on the disciples sleeping when they ought to have been praying; but the compassionate Saviour can excuse all. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
4. See the Christian under the pressure of outward adversity. More than thirty years did our Divine Master spend in that school. And we love to think of Jesus as touched with a feeling of our infirmities now that He reigns in heaven.
5. See the Christian again under the prevalence of temptation, and what a strong refuge has he in the Saviours tenderness: For in that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted. Yes, tempted in all points like as we are. And now, in heaven, He brings to bear on His work for us all the sacred memories and experiences of His earthly state.
6. Behold the Christian in that hour of natures greatest weakness, when he sees opening before him the doors of the unseen world. Then does he feel the power of the Saviours tenderness most; for it is His special office to deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (D. Moore, M. A.)
The gentleness of Christ
Gentleness is not so much the essence of goodness as it is its exquisite setting; it is a kind way of being good. It is not the tree itself, but the blossom upon its boughs; but the tree of which it is the blossom is the tree of life. There is none so gentle as the Lord God omnipotent. We see and feel His gentleness in the way in which He is daily conferring His bounties.
I. The way in which He exercised His power. We are almost afraid of power in the possession of man. When we think of the Pharaohs, the Herods, the Caesars, the Napoleons, we shrink from the committal of power to any human arm. He laid a gentle hand upon the sick; He spoke gentle words to those who appealed for His succour, quietly and graciously.
II. The way in which He taught Divine truth. Men of brilliant powers often like to flash them upon society; genius often drizzles and bewilders. But the Great Teacher, not neglecting the opportunity that offered, went quietly and meekly to His work of utterance, He chose the humble wayside, the upper room, the shaded garden, where He could teach His disciples.
III. The way in which He treated error and failure and sin.
1. Gently He excused the extravagant zeal of one of His disciples, discovering for her a justification she would never have found for herself. She has done it for My burial (Mat 26:12).
2. Gently He bore with infirm discipleship; correcting their misunderstanding, enlightening them in their darkness, and on one occasion most graciously accepting their intended but halting service (Mat 26:41).
3. Gently He rebuked and restored failure and fall (Luk 22:61; Joh 21:15-19).
4. Gently He dealt with those who rejected Him.
5. Gently He dealt with those whom all others spurned; admitting the publican into His kingdom.
6. Gently He bore Himself at the last sad scenes. We may beseech men by the gentleness of Christ–
(1) To have their own character and conduct clothed with this grace; that themselves and their life may be beautiful and attractive like their Lords.
(2) To yield their hearts to Him who is the rightful object not only of high regard, but of a true affection; this gentle Lord of truth and grace is one whom we can love and therefore serve.
(3) To shrink from the condemnation of Christ. We can afford to disregard the threatenings of the violent, but we may not despise the earnest warnings of the calm and true. (W. Clarkson, B. A.)
The apostles vindication
The Epistle has until now been addressed to those who at least acknowledged the apostles authority. But now we have St. Pauls reply to his enemies. Note–
I. The impugners of his authority.
1. We must distinguish these into two classes–the deceivers and the deceived; else we cannot understand the difference of tone, sometimes meek, and sometimes stern, which pervades the vindication; e.g., comp. verse 2 with verse 1. His enemies charged him with insincerity (2Co 1:12-13; 2Co 1:18-19); with being only powerful in writing (2Co 10:10); of mercenary motives; of a lack of apostolic gifts; and of not preaching the gospel. They charged him with artifice. His Christian prudence and charity were regarded as devices whereby he deceived his followers.
2. We must also bear in mind that the apostle had to deal with a strong party spirit (1Co 1:12), and of all these parties his chief difficulty lay with that which called itself Christs.
(1) Though these persons called themselves Christs they are nevertheless blamed in the same list with others. And yet what could seem to be more right than for men to say, We will bear no name but Christs; we throw ourselves on Christs own words; we throw aside all intellectual philosophy; we will have no servitude to ritualism? Nevertheless, these persons were just as bigoted and as blameable as the others. They did not mean to say only, We are Christs, but also, You are not Christs. This is a feeling which is as much to be avoided now as then. Sectarianism falsifies the very principle of our religion, and therefore falsifies its forms. It falsifies the Lords Prayer. It substitutes for our Father, the Father of me, of my Church or party. It falsifies the creed: I believe in Jesus Christ our Lord. It falsifies both the sacraments.
(2) However Christian this expression may sound, the spirit which prompts it is wrong. This Christ-party separated themselves from Gods order when they rejected the teaching of St. Paul and the apostles. For the phase of truth presented by St. Paul was just as necessary as that taught by Christ. Not that Christ did not teach all truth, but that the hidden meaning of His teaching was developed still further by the inspired apostles. We cannot, at this time, cut ourselves off from the teaching of eighteen centuries. We cannot do without the different phases of knowledge which Gods various instruments have delivered to us. For Gods system is mediatorial–that is, truth communicated to men through men.
II. His vindication.
1. St. Paul based his authority on the power of meekness, and it was a spiritual power in respect of that meekness. The weapons of his warfare were not carnal.
(1) This was one of the root principles of St. Pauls ministry. If he reproved, it was done in the spirit of meekness (Gal 5:1); or if he defended his own authority, it was still with the same spirit (2Co 10:1). He closes his summary of the character of ministerial work by showing the need of a gentle spirit (2Ti 2:24-26).
(2) Here, again, according to his custom, the apostle refers to the example of Christ. He vindicated his authority, because he had been meek, as Christ was meek. So it ever is: humility, after all, is the best defence. Do not let insult harden you, nor cruelty rob you of tenderness. You will conquer as Christ conquered, and bless as He blessed. But remember, fine words about gentleness, self-sacrifice, meekness, are worth very little. Would you believe in the Cross and its victory? then live in its spirit–act upon it.
2. St. Paul rested his authority not on carnal weapons, but on the spiritual power of truth. The strongholds which the apostle had to pull down were the old habits which still clung to the Christianised heathen. There was the pride of intellect in the arrogant Greek philosophers, the pride of the flesh in the Jewish love of signs, and most difficult of all–the pride of ignorance. For this work St. Pauls weapon was Truth, not authority, craft, or personal influence. He felt that truth must prevail. A grand, silent lesson for us now! when the noises of a hundred controversies stun the Church. Let us teach as Christ and His apostles taught. Force no one to God, but convince all by the might of truth. Should any of you have to bear attacks on your character, or life, or doctrine, defend yourself with meekness, or if defence should make matters worse, then commit yourself fully to the truth. Outpray, outpreach, outlive the calumny. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
CHAPTER X.
The apostle vindicates himself against the aspersions cast on
his person by the false apostle; and takes occasion to mention
his spiritual might and authority, 1-6.
He shows them the impropriety of judging after the outward
appearance, 7.
Again refers to his apostolical authority, and informs them
that when he again comes among them he will show himself in
his deeds as powerful as his letters intimated, 8-11.
He shows that these false teachers sat down in other men’s
labours, having neither authority nor influence from God to
break up new ground, while he and the apostles in general had
the regions assigned to them through which they were to sow
the seed of life; and that he never entered into any place
where the work was made ready to his hand by others, 12-16.
He concludes with intimating that the glorying of those false
apostles was bad; that they had nothing but self-commendation;
and that they who glory should glory in the Lord, 17, 18.
NOTES ON CHAP. X.
Verse 1. I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness] Having now finished his directions and advices relative to the collection for the poor, he resumes his argument relative to the false apostle, who had gained considerable influence by representing St. Paul as despicable in his person, his ministry, and his influence. Under this obloquy the apostle was supported by the meekness and gentleness of Christ; and through the same heavenly disposition he delayed inflicting that punishment which, in virtue of his apostolical authority, he might have inflicted on him who had disturbed and laboured to corrupt the Christian Church.
Who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you] He seems to quote these as the words of his calumniator, as if he had said; “This apostle of yours is a mere braggadocio; when he is among you, you know how base and contemptible he is; when absent, see how he brags and boasts.” The word , which we render base, signifies lowly, and, as some think, short of stature. The insinuation is, that when there was danger or opposition at hand, St. Paul acted with great obsequiousness, fearing for his person and authority, lest he should lose his secular influence. See the following verse.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Chapter Introduction Hitherto the apostle, who in his former Epistle had blamed this church for so many things, and dealt sharply with them, in this Epistle hath treated them as if they had been a people that had had no faults, or none but what, in obedience to his former Epistle they had reformed, and become a new lump: which argueth, that the major part of the members of it were a good and an obedient people, by whose prevalent vote they had reformed much that was amiss. But in these four last chapters, to let us know that there was yet some of the old leaven amongst them, he useth another style; taking notice, that he understood there was amongst them another (though possibly the lesser) party who had much vilified him; and justifying himself against their whisperings and calumnies, not witlmut some sharp reflections upon them.
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ: meekness respecteth the spirit or inward man, being a virtue that moderateth inward anger and rash passions.
Gentleness more respecteth the outward conversation. The apostle mentioneth both these virtues, as eminent in Christ, who is our great example, and to whom all Christians are bound to be conformable.
Who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: he here repeateth the words of those who, in this church, reproached him; they reported him a man, who, when he was there in presence with them, was lowly and humble enough; but when he was absent from them, then he wrote imperiously and confidently enough. The sense of the words is plainly this: I Paul, (of whom some amongst you say, that when I am there with you I am low and humble enough, even to some degrees of baseness; but when I am absent, then I write like a lord, boldly and confidently), I beseech you to consider the temper of our common Lord and Saviour, to remember how free he was from rash anger and passion, how gentle he was in his conversation; and by the obligation that is upon you, to love and practise those virtues which you saw, or have heard of, in him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
1. I Paul myselfno longer”we,” “us,” “our” (2Co9:11): I who am represented by depreciators as “base,”I, the same Paul, of my own accord “beseech you”; orrather “entreat,” “exhort” you for your sake.As “I beseech you” (a distinct Greek verb, 2Co10:2) for my sake.
by the meekness andgentleness of ChristHe mentions these graces of Christespecially (Psa 18:35; Mat 11:29),as on account of his imitation of them in particular he was despised[GROTIUS]. He entreatsthem by these, in order to show that though he must have recourse tomore severe measures, he is naturally inclined to gentle ones afterChrist’s example [MENOCHIUS].”Meekness” is more in the mind internally; “gentleness”in the external behavior, and in relation to others; for instance,the condescending yieldingness of a superior to an inferior,the former not insisting on his strict rights [TRENCH].BENGEL explains it, “Bythe meekness and gentleness derived by me from Christ,“not from my own nature: he objects to understanding it of Christ’smeekness and gentleness, since nowhere else is “gentleness”attributed to Him. But though the exact Greek word is notapplied to Him, the idea expressed by it is (compare Isa 40:11;Mat 12:19; Mat 12:20).
in presencein personalappearance when present with you.
baseGreek,“lowly”; timid, humbly diffident: opposed to “bold.””Am” stands here by ironical concession for “amreputed to be” (compare 2Co10:10).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now I Paul myself beseech you,…. The apostle having said what was necessary and proper to stir up the Corinthians to a liberal contribution for the poor saints at Jerusalem, returns to the vindication of himself against the false apostles; and earnestly entreats the members of this church,
by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, not to regard their reproaches, and join with them in them; for did they but consider the meek and gentle deportment of Christ, so worthy of his and their imitation, they would see there was no reason to reflect on him for that part of his conduct, in which he followed his Lord and master; whose meekness was to be seen in the assumption of human nature, in the whole of his life and conversation, and in his sufferings and death; and his “gentleness” of Spirit to be observed in his coming into this world, not to judge and condemn it, but that the world might be saved; in bearing all indignities and insults, without being provoked to wrath and revenge; in rebuking his disciples for the severity of their spirits, declaring he came to save, and not take away the lives of men; in praying for his enemies, and in his silence under all the ill treatment he met with from the worst of men. As the apostle had this excellent example before him, which served both to regulate his conduct, and support him under the hard measures he met with, so he was desirous to direct others to the observance of it, which might be a check upon the ill usage of him. He here speaks of himself in the language of his adversaries, who meant by these characters to expose him to scorn and contempt: “I Paul myself”; whose name the false teachers played upon, it signifying “little”; and he being of little stature, they reproached him for it, and would insinuate, that as his name was “little”, and his person mean, his bodily presence weak, and his speech contemptible, that he had a little soul, was a man of small knowledge, mean parts, and a very insignificant minister. Now it is as if the apostle should say, I am not ashamed of my name, nor of my person, and I am willing to own myself the least of the apostles, yea, less than the least of all saints; but I beg of you by the mild and gentle Spirit of my Lord and master, whom I am not ashamed to imitate, that you would not join in those sneers. I am Paul, , the “same” in my principles and practice, in my doctrine and life, when present and absent; though my enemies say the contrary, as that I am such an one,
who in presence am base, or “humble among you”: they suggested, that when he was at Corinth he was humble and modest in his conversation, mild and gentle in all his expressions and deportment; and which they interpreted of a meanness and baseness of spirit, as though he crept and cringed to curry favour with men, to avoid offence, and gain and keep an interest among them:
but being absent, am bold toward you; wrote blustering, hectoring, terrifying letters, threatening to come with his apostolic rod and deliver them up to Satan, to fright them into a compliance with him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Apostle’s Spiritual Authority. | A. D. 57. |
1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: 2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
Here we may observe,
I. The mild and humble manner in which the blessed apostle addresses the Corinthians, and how desirous he is that no occasion may be given him to use severity. 1. He addresses them in a very mild and humble manner: I Paul myself beseech you, v. 1. We find, in the introduction to this epistle, he joined Timothy with himself; but now he speaks only for himself, against whom the false apostles had particularly levelled their reproaches; yet in the midst of the greatest provocations he shows humility and mildness, from the consideration of the meekness and gentleness of Christ, and desires this great example may have the same influence on the Corinthians. Note, When we find ourselves tempted or inclined to be rough and severe towards any body, we should think of the meekness and gentleness of Christ, that appeared in him in the days of his flesh, in the design of his undertaking, and in all the acts of his grace towards poor souls. How humbly also does this great apostle speak of himself, as one in presence base among them! So his enemies spoke of him with contempt, and he seems to acknowledge it; while others thought meanly, and spoke scornfully of him, he had low thoughts of himself, and spoke humbly of himself. Note, We should be sensible of our own infirmities, and think humbly of ourselves, even when men reproach us for them.
2. He is desirous that no occasion may be given to use severity, v. 2. He beseeches them to give no occasion for him to be bold, or to exercise his authority against them in general, as he had resolved to do against some who unjustly charged him as walking according to the flesh, that is, regulating his conduct, even in his ministerial actions, according to carnal policy or with worldly views. This was what the apostle had renounced, and this is contrary to the spirit and design of the gospel, and was far from being the aim and design of the apostle. Hereupon,
II. He asserts the power of his preaching and his power to punish offenders.
1. The power of his preaching, 2Co 10:3; 2Co 10:5. Here observe, (1.) The work of the ministry is a warfare, not after the flesh indeed, for it is a spiritual warfare, with spiritual enemies and for spiritual purposes. And though ministers walk in the flesh, or live in the body, and in the common affairs of life act as other men, yet in their work and warfare they must not go by the maxims of the flesh, nor should they design to please the flesh: this must be crucified with its affections and lusts; it must be mortified and kept under. (2.) The doctrines of the gospel and discipline of the church are the weapons of this warfare; and these are not carnal: outward force, therefore, is not the method of the gospel, but strong persuasions, by the power of truth and the meekness of wisdom. A good argument this is against persecution for conscience’ sake: conscience is accountable to God only; and people must be persuaded to God and their duty, not driven by force of arms. And so the weapons of our warfare are mighty, or very powerful; the evidence of truth is convincing and cogent. This indeed is through God, or owing to him, because they are his institutions, and accompanied with his blessing, which makes all opposition to fall before his victorious gospel. We may here observe, [1.] What opposition is made against the gospel by the powers of sin and Satan in the hearts of men. Ignorance, prejudices, beloved lusts, are Satan’s strong-holds in the souls of some; vain imaginations, carnal reasonings, and high thoughts, or proud conceits, in others, exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, that is, by these ways the devil endeavours to keep men from faith and obedience to the gospel, and secures his possession of the hearts of men, as his own house or property. But then observe, [2.] The conquest which the word of God gains. These strong-holds are pulled down by the gospel as the means, through the grace and power of God accompanying it as the principal efficient cause. Note, The conversion of the soul is the conquest of Satan in that soul.
2. The apostle’s power to punish offenders (and that in an extraordinary manner) is asserted in v. 6. The apostle was a prime-minister in the kingdom of Christ, and chief officer in his army, and had in readiness (that is, he had power and authority at hand) to revenge all disobedience, or to punish offenders in a most exemplary and extraordinary manner. The apostle speaks not of personal revenge, but of punishing disobedience to the gospel, and disorderly walking among church-members, by inflicting church-censures. Note, Though the apostle showed meekness and gentleness, yet he would not betray his authority; and therefore intimates that when he would commend those whose obedience was fulfilled or manifested others would fall under severe censures.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Now I Paul myself ( ). Cf. Ga 5:2. Paul now turns to the third part of the epistle in chapters 10-13 in which he vigorously defends himself against the accusations of the stubborn minority of Judaizers in Corinth. Great ministers of Christ through the ages have had to pass through fiery trials like these. Paul has shown the way for us all. He speaks of himself now plainly, but under compulsion, as is clear. It may be that at this point he took the pen from the amanuensis and wrote himself as in Ga 6:11.
By the meekness and gentleness of Christ ( ). This appeal shows (Plummer) that Paul had spoken to the Corinthians about the character of Christ. Jesus claimed meekness for himself (Mt 11:29) and felicitated the meek (Mt 5:5) and he exemplified it abundantly (Lu 23:34). See on Matt 5:15; 1Cor 4:21 for this great word that has worn thin with us. Plutarch combines with as Paul does here. Matthew Arnold suggested “sweet reasonableness” for in Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch. It is in the N.T. only here and Ac 24:4 ( in Php 4:5). In Greek Ethics the equitable man was called , a man who does not press for the last farthing of his rights (Bernard).
Lowly among you ( ). The bad use of , the old use, but here alone in N.T. in that meaning. Socrates and Aristotle used it for littleness of soul. Probably Paul here is quoting one of the sneers of his traducers in Corinth about his humble conduct while with them (1Cor 2:23; 2Cor 7:6) and his boldness ( ) when away (1Co 7:16). “It was easy to satirize and misrepresent a depression of spirits, a humility of demeanour, which were either the direct results of some bodily affliction, or which the consciousness of this affliction had rendered habitual” (Farrar). The words stung Paul to the quick.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
I Paul myself. “This emphatic stress on his own person is the fit introduction to the portion of the epistle which, beyond any other part of his writings, is to lay open his individual life and character” (Stanley). “Paul boldly casts into the scales of his readers the weight of his own personality over against his calumniators” (Meyer).
Meekness – gentleness. See on Mt 5:5; 1Pe 2:18.
Base [] . Better, as Rev., lowly. The sneer of his opponents that he was unassuming in their presence, but bold when absent. “It was easy to satirize and misrepresent a depression of spirits, a humility of demeanor, which were either the direct results of some bodily affliction, or which the consciousness of this affliction had rendered habitual. We feel at once that this would be natural to the bowed and weak figure which Albrecht Durer has represented; but that it would be impossible to the imposing orator whom Raphael has placed on the steps of the Areopagus” (Farrar).
This is the only passage in the New Testament in which tapeinov lowly, bears the contemptuous sense which attaches to it in classical usage, an illustration of which may be found in Xenophon’s story of Socrates’ interview with the painter Parrhasius. “Surely meanness and servility [ ] show themselves in the looks (dia proswpou, the same word as Paul ‘s) and gestures of men” (” Memorabilia, ” 3, 10, 5). So Aristotle says that frequently to submit to receive service from another, and to disparage whatever he himself has done well, are signs of littleness of soul [] and meanness [] . In the Septuagint the words penhv poor, prauv meek, ptwcov destitute, and tapeinov lowly, are used interchangeably to translate the same Hebrew words; the reference ordinarily being to the oppressed, in contrast with their rich and powerful oppressors, or to the quiet, in contrast with lawless wrong – doers. Compare Deu 14:11; 2Sa 22:28; Psa 18 ( Sept. 17.) 27; Isa 26:6; Psa 10:17 (LXX 9 38); Pro 14:21; Pro 3:34; Num 12:3; Exo 23:6, 11; Isa 32:7; Exo 23:3; Rut 3:10; Isa 11:4; 2Sa 12:1, 3, 4; Pro 13:8; 1Sa 18:23. The Septuagint usage therefore goes to show that these four words are all names for one class – the poor peasantry of an oppressed country, the victims of ill – treatment and plunder at the hands of tyrants and rich neighbors. 153
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
VINDICATION OF PAUL’S MINISTRY (Of Divine Authenticity)
1) “Now I Paul myself beseech you,” (autos de ego Paulos parakalo humas) “Now I, myself, Paul beseech or entreat you all;” I appeal to you, as I now proceed to answer those who have sought to lower my dignity and hurt my influence, 1Ti 5:20.
2) “By the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” (dia tes prautetos kai epieikeias tou Christou) “Through the meekness and forbearance of Christ;” Remember how gentle Christ was and do not force me, his servant to be otherwise, thru receiving and making unworthy criticism of me, 1Co 4:21.
3) “Who in presence am base among you,” (hos kata prosopon men tapeinos en humin) “who in presence am humble or base among you all;” not of an imposing, charismatic presence, 1Co 2:3-4; 2Co 10:10; 2Co 12:5; 2Co 12:7; 2Co 12:9.
4) “But being absent am bold toward you “ (apon de tharro eis humas) “But being away I am bold toward you all,” in confidence that you will do what is right toward those who hurtfully and unjustly accuse me and impugn the motives and integrity of my ministry, especially the Judaizers of Corinth, 2Co 12:2; 2Co 12:10; 1Co 4:21. He believed that they would rebuke these erring accusers, 1Ti 5:20; Tit 1:13; Tit 2:15.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Having finished his exhortation, he now proceeds partly to refute the calumnies with which he had been defamed by the false apostles, and partly to repress the insolence (740) of certain wicked persons, who could not bear to be under restraint. Both parties, with the view of destroying Paul’s authority, construed the vehemence with which he thundered in his Epistles to be θρασοδειλίαν — ( mere bravado,) (741) because when present he was not equally prepared to show himself off in respect of appearance, and address, but was mean and contemptible. “See,” said they, “here is a man, that, under a consciousness of his inferiority, is so very modest and timid, but now, when at a distance, makes a fierce attack! Why is he less bold in speech than in letters? Will he terrify us, when he is at a distance, who, when present, is the object of contempt? How comes he to have such confidence as to imagine, that he is at liberty to do anything with us?” (742) They put speeches of this kind into circulation, with the view of disparaging his strictness, and even rendering it odious. Paul replies, that he is not bold except in so far as he is constrained by necessity, and that the meanness of his bodily presence, for which he was held in contempt, detracted nothing from his authority, inasmuch as he was distinguished by spiritual excellence, not by carnal show. Hence those would not pass with impunity, who derided either his exhortations, or his reproaches, or his threatenings. The words I myself are emphatic; as though he had said, that however the malevolent might blame him for inconstancy, he was in reality not changeable, but remained uniformly the same.
1. I exhort you. The speech is abrupt, as is frequently the case with speeches uttered under the influence of strong feeling. The meaning is this: “I beseech you, nay more, I earnestly entreat you by the gentleness of Christ, not to compel me, through your obstinacy, to be more severe than I would desire to be, and than I will be, towards those who despise me, on the ground of my having nothing excellent in external appearance, and do not recognize that spiritual excellence, with which the Lord has distinguished me, and by which I ought rather to be judged of.”
The form of entreaty, which he makes use of, is taken from the subject in hand, when he says — by the meekness and gentleness of Christ Calumniators took occasion to find fault with him, because his bodily presence was deficient in dignity, (743) and because, on the other hand, when at a distance, he thundered forth in his Epistles. Both calumnies he befittingly refutes, as has been said, but he declares here, that nothing delights him more than gentleness, which becomes a minister of Christ, and of which the Master himself furnished an example.
Learn of me, says he, for I am meek and lowly. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Mat 11:29.)
The Prophet also says of him,
His voice will not be heard in the streets: a bruised reed he shall not break, etc. (Isa 42:2.)
That gentleness, therefore, which Christ showed, he requires also from his servants. Paul, in making mention of it, intimates that he is no stranger to it. (744) “I earnestly beseech you not to despise that gentleness, which Christ showed us in his own person, and shows us every day in his servants, nay more, which ye see in me.”
Who in presence He repeats this, as if in the person of his adversaries, by way of imitating them. (745) Now he confesses, so far as words go, what they upbraided him with, yet, as we shall see, in such a way as to concede nothing to them in reality.
(740) “ L’insolence et audace;” — “The insolence and audacity.”
(741) “ Vne hardiesse d’vn vanterau;” — “The boldness of a braggadocio.” Θρασοδειλία is a compound of θράσος ( boldness) and δείλια ( timidity.)
(742) “ Qu’il pense auoir toute authorite sur nous;” — “That he thinks he has entire authority over us.”
(743) “ Auoit bien peu de dignite et maieste en apparence;” — “Had very little dignity and majesty in appearance”
(744) “ Il n’est pas nouueau a la pratiquer;” — “He is no stranger to the practice of it.”
(745) “ En contrefaisant les propos qu’ils tenoyent de luy;” — “By imitating the speeches that they uttered respecting him.” — See volume 1, p.65.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES
Remarkable change of tone here, and henceforward. So remarkable thatin last century, for the first time, then in beginning of this, and again, after a respite, during the last fifty yearsfrom time to time Higher Criticism has suggested, or claimed, 1013 as a distinct document, perhaps a letter between the two extant Epistles. But Textual Criticism knows of nothing but an unbroken connection with 19. The change [from we to I (generally); the conciliatory and affectionate strain of entreaty which pervaded the first part is here exchanged for a tone of stern command and almost menace; there is still the same expression of devotion to the Corinthian Church; but it is mixed with a sarcasm and irony paralleled in the First Epistle, but not up to this point in the Second (Stanley); also, the Corinthians are no longer commended for their penitent zeal, but rebuked for their want both of love and penitence (ib.). The confident hopes of the first part of the letter give place to gloomy forebodings] may be sufficiently accounted for by supposing a pause here in the writing of the letter. [Say, a new days dictation beginning here; or a new amanuensis to be found; or anything else which may conceivably have made a break, during which perhaps new tidings may have come from Corinth; or Pauls mood may have changed, and the darker aspect of matters may have reasserted a predominance over a more hopeful view, during the interval.] Romans 14, 15 in less degree contrast with 113 (Farrar). 2Co. 10:2; 2Co. 10:7; 2Co. 10:10 [if translate literally says he], 11, 12, 18, and 2Co. 11:4, by (e.g.) Farrar, Conybeare and Howson, are supposed, but not necessarily, to point out some pre-eminent opponent of Paul. Have to infer from Pauls languagecertainly once (2Co. 10:11), and perhaps in other cases (e.g. 2Co. 10:1), quoting the words and thoughts of opponentswho these were and what were their charges against him. [Like calculating the disturbing causeperhaps a new planetfrom the perturbations it originates in the path and movements of one already known.]
2Co. 10:1. Gentleness.Same as moderation (Php. 4:5); also in Act. 24:4; 1Pe. 2:18. Moderation which recognises the impossibility cleaving to formal law, of anticipating and providing for all cases that will emerge; recognises the danger that waits upon the assertion of legal rights, lest they should be pushed into moral wrongs; pushes not its own rights to the uttermost. [Php. 4:5 excellent example.] All Gods going back from the strictness of His rights as against men; all His refusals to exact extreme penalties, are the archetype and pattern of this grace in us. (Trench. Syn., xliii.) Also, meekness is passive; seated in the inner spirit; shown by the superior to the inferior; gentleness is active; exhibited in conduct; shown by man to man, without distinction of higher or lower. Meekness is that temper of spirit in which we accept Gods dealings with us without disputing or resisting; does not fight against God, and more or less struggle and contend with Him. (Trench, xiii.) He says, further, that this attitude before God makes us bear meekly [e.g. as David from Shimei] human provocation. See this in Mat. 11:29; hence Pauls appeal here. Q.d. Let me still have room to exhibit towards you the meekness and gentleness of Christ; do not oblige me to put these aside and bear myself otherwise toward you. I Paul myself.Think of me, me. ME; you know me; you did love me; you owe much to me. Perhaps latter part to be read as if quoted: Who am (as they go about saying) base. Base., lowly; this and meek found together in Mat. 11:29; significantly. This rendering, however, requires the verse to be read as Pauls own sentiments.
2Co. 10:2.I beseech you, so reform and change [before I come] that, etc. Notice, Show courage; not same word as in 2Co. 10:1. Count, reckon, for think. They have formed their judgment of me and my probable action; I too have considered my plan of campaign against these high-speaking and high-exalted gentlemen and their doings.
2Co. 10:3-4.Cf. Gal. 5:16; Gal. 5:25, Walk in the Spirit. Paul not afraid of a verbal inconsistency, with a real consistency underneath. According to (2Co. 10:3), same word as after (2Co. 10:4). Cf. Rom. 8:5-9. Flesh, here, for sake of antithesis, used first in a morally neutral sense, and then [after the flesh] with the more usual evil connotation. In the flesh, more than in the body, of course, but not more than, as conditioned by the limitations, liabilities, weaknesses, of innocent, non-moral, human nature; the conditions under which all human workers must do all human work. Carnal.See under 1Co. 3:1; 2Co. 3:3. Weapons.Includes defensive armour; not weapons of attack only. Fleshly lusts war against the soul. Its instruments (Rom. 4:12) are literally weapons.
2Co. 10:5.Note, not to the obedience of Paul, but of Christ. Also bringing into captivity conveys more than merely making captive; rather leading captive, as in a triumphal procession. Suggested that the form of the imagery here is local, with a colouring drawn from the ruined hill-forts of Rough Cilicia, the western half of the province. Paul may have heard old people in Tarsus tell how, sixty years before he was born, the mountains were infested with pirates, who swept the Levantine seas, sallying forth from many little ports and coves on the coast, and retiring with their booty to inaccessible hill-forts; till at last Pompey the Great had organised a formidable expedition and cleared out the nest of robbers, reducing a hundred and twenty forts to ruins, and carrying captive over ten thousand prisoners. [Must not make too definite or precise; language very general.]
2Co. 10:6.Note the happy adroitness of your; as if suggesting, You, of course, will not do anything but obey, fulfilling obedience to meand to Himcompletely. Those others, who will not,well, I shall be prepared, etc. A gentlemanly turn of thought.
2Co. 10:7. Appearance.Same word as in presence (2Co. 10:1). They say that, as to appearance, I look to be nothing and nobody. These very wise people, are they so superficial in their grounds of judgment as that? Do theyyouonly go by the surface look of a man, or of things? [Both indicative and imperative are supported strongly], Christs.Too definite to refer this to 1Co. 1:12 : I of Christ. Note [with Beet] that Paul does not allow any personal feeling, or heat of controversy, to lead him to deny that even his opponents may be Christs; he himself is, at all events, and that is all he insists upon. Think.Count, reckon, as 2Co. 10:2; and so thoughts (2Co. 10:5) is reckonings. Note small change of reading and rendering.
2Co. 10:8. Boast.First of sixteen occurrences of this word in this section. More abundantly.Than even in 2Co. 10:1-5. Does he revert to we, as expressing what is true of all apostles? A significant characteristic of apostolic authority. (Repeated in 2Co. 13:10.)
2Co. 10:9.Facts will justify Paul. His Master will see to that for him, so that his letters (generalised from the First) may not seem mere empty thunder.
2Co. 10:10.Keep say they; not says he, of an individual. Singular; but like on dit, man sagt.; was weighty and strong ironical? Or a real concession, not to be refused even by his opponents? Perhaps (ironically): He writes very effectively and with vigourdoes he not? Presence.His Parousia (literally); the word used of Christs appearing. But appearance. in our colloquial sense, is in the word, as well as appearing.
2Co. 10:12.tries to keep one of Pauls (favourite) assonances. Pair, or compare (Waite, in Speaker). His own type of man, and, above all, each man himself, was to each his standard of excellence; self-instituted, self-applied. A mutual-admiration and self-admiration society (Waite). We dare not [same word as 2Co. 10:2 : There is one thing I dare not do] take up our place in the ranks of such self-satisfied gentlemenoh, dear, no! Note the polished sarcasm at the end: are not wise. One expects something very caustic as the conclusion. What shall I say of these brethren? Theytheytheyarewithout understanding! We will not say more! The weakness of the remark is its strength and sting.
2Co. 10:13-16.Why do these men come to Corinth at all? They have their province; I have mine. [Perhaps appointed in Acts 15; see Gal. 2:7; Gal. 2:9]. Each of us has his measure, his boundary, marked out as with a measuring rod. [Cf. for the thought, Act. 17:26. Also, more than a verbal coincidence with the A.V. will be found in comparing Psa. 19:4 (Hebrew) with Rom. 10:18.] Yet in Antioch, in Galatia, as in Corinth, they dog my footsteps, and only work at undoing my work; on trespass the while! If I am at Corinth, or come to it, I am on my own ground (2Co. 10:14). God put you clearly within my part of the worlds field. Indeed, I am intending to make you my base of operations, if you will help me, for a new venture into regions beyond, as yet untouched by anybody, but mine to occupy. See Rom. 15:18; Rom. 15:24. Illyricum his limit. Nicopolis in Epirus he did perhaps reach, (Tit. 3:12). [Suggested that his Greek language would not carry him beyond, into Illyricum.] See this man, of no appearance, pushing back farther and farther the borderland between Gospel light and heathen darkness!
2Co. 10:17-18.Another of Pauls parenthetic escapes, from the oppressiveness of an unwelcome topic into a region of broader, clearer, freer, spiritual thought. Away from mens jealousies, narrownesses, enmities, rivalries; away even from my own enforced boasting! Let us all stand together a moment before Him. Who will boast there?
HOMILETIC ANALYSIS.Whole Chapter
In these two Epistles Paul reveals himself, more clearly than in any other of his writings. This section, 1013, is pre-eminent in this self-portraiture. [As Rousseaus, so these] Pauls Confessions. In this chapter two companion, complementary portraits of him and his work. In the first a soldier, armed, ready to go on a warlike expedition against his opponents. In the second a pioneer missionary, carrying the knowledge of his Lord into regions appointed as his sphere, where no other had as yet even named Him.
A. Paul going on campaign (2Co. 10:1-11).
1. This section is really the Ultimatum before War is declared and opened.He still hopes that it may be averted. He begs (2Co. 10:1-2) that the necessity of strong measures may not be forced upon him. He had rather come in civilian than in military array, wearing the meekness and gentleness of Christ. That very spirit, indeed, displayed for eighteen months when he was amongst them, had been misunderstood. The very unobtrusiveness of demeanour, the very silence as to any Apostolic claim to maintenance, the simple, unadorned presentation of the Gospel of a Crucified Saviour,had all been perversely interpreted as a consciousness of official and personal inferiority to some other apostles and teachers. Yet he is loth to do otherwise, or to bear himself otherwise amongst them, if he comes again. He is willing even yet to hopeagainst all he hears from his informantsthat (2Co. 10:6, latter clause), before he comes, all this big, boastful talkingso bitter against himself,and all the many shameful and disorderly doings in the very Church, will be put away, and the obedience of Christ fulfilled by them, at least by all but an insignificant minority of disobedient ones. The very mildness of such an appeal will, he knows, be again misinterpreted to his disadvantage; this very letter will hardly seem so weighty and powerful as usual. Yet he does not want to destroy. Anybody can cast a soul out of the fellowship; nothing is easier than to strike a refractory man off a Church roll; with a word he, as an apostle, can deliver a man to Satan, with all the awful consequences of such handing over; but this after all is not the main, or his favoured, use of Apostolic power and authority. [So, very rarely did Christ use His power otherwise than for beneficent ends, and never merely to vindicate Himself, or to punish an enemy.] It is given to build up, not to pull down, or to ruin (2Co. 10:8). It is the glory of an apostle not to destroy mens lives, but to save them (Luk. 9:56). Any hireling can abandon or scatter a flock; a shepherd loves to collect or recover them, even to recover one obstinate, persistent wanderer. It is far more difficult to keep a waverer, or a fallen one, in connection with the Church, and to bring him again into living union with the Head; such work is more congenial to Pauls heart. Why will they force matters to an extremity by their persistent wrongdoing? (2Co. 10:2). [As above suggested, how all this echoes and embodies the very spirit and attitude of Christand so of Godtowards rebel sinners. How many an ultimatum is sent, full of warning and appeal, before the doom at last falls. God wants peace; the name Immanuel is the expression of His desire and effort. If men will have it God against us, then they must know all the fulness of His power, moving to execute the sentence of His righteous wrath. That power, too, is in readiness to revenge all disobedience, when the obedience of the Church is fulfilled. How mighty to destroy; yet how unwilling to set destruction in motion! How lingering His anger; how loth to strike! See, e.g., Christ simply withdrawing Himself (Mat. 12:15), and the occasion of it (2Co. 10:14), and the reason (2Co. 10:17).] He is willing even to acknowledge that some of his self-constituted opponents are really Christs (2Co. 10:7), in a sense comparable to (even so) that in which he himself is so. They should be allies, not enemies. A very noble trait this in Pauls conduct of the controversy. A very high development of grace in a man, that he can hopefully include amongst those who, however erring or mistaken, belong to the Master, his own, even bitter, personal opponents. Difference of judgment too often dims the eyes of love, till it can recognise no brother in the opposite ranks.
2.
(1) Still he can, if occasion demand it, and the issue be forced upon him, come to Corinth travelling in the greatness of his strength. [Like his Lord again (Isa. 63:1).] Like the Gospel itself, his Apostolic power has two aspects, according as it looks upon those who are saved and those who perish (2Co. 2:15). [All goodness has its condemning aspect. It can kill, as well as make alive.] He can be the man of daring boldness (2Co. 10:2). The letters were a truer exposition of the man than was that weak bodily appearance because of which they had undervalued him. He has weapons in his hand; he is armed for a conflict to the uttermost,if it comes to that. (What is he thinking of as his weapons of warfare? He could inflict sickness, or death. Yet he can hardly contemplate any extensive use of such an awful prerogative. When he did use it, there was certainly nothing personal in the judicial act; but how easily does such excommunication become carnal!) They will find him fearless in condemnation, unmoved by the fear or the favour of any in the Church; they will find a force of will they hardly gave him credit for. The disorders in their midst, the sensuality, the party-spirit, the incipient rationalism (to use the modern word),these must, and should, be done away with. Authorityagainst authority,he would take care to make his prevail. [Again we are reminded of the certain, if delayed, victory of the holiness of God, let evil be borne with long as it may, perhaps only to grow bolder because of the very forbearance. See it exalting itself against the knowledge of God, in an extreme, an aggravated form just before the final crisis (2Th. 2:8). So the room in Jairuss house was filled with scornful laughter, not five minutes before Christ, with the Divine ease of Omnipotence, raised the maiden from death (Mat. 9:24, and || s).] There are evil days in every Church, when no discipline can be too sharp or prompt, no penalty too severe. There are cancers on the moral life of the Church, for which there is only the knife. Gentle means, gentle remonstrance, calm discussion, are no longer admissible. We pity the offender, but at all costs we must put him out of the ministry or out of the Church. So, also, we may be very sensible of the room there is for varying apprehensions of the same truth, and for varying presentations of it; hardly any one mind, or Church, or age, sees all round it; but there may be heresy, so obviously such, and so deadly to all spiritual life, or so full of real dishonour to Christ, that no considerations of liberality, of breadth, no fear of being called uncharitable, narrow, heresy-hunter, must prevent stern denunciation of error, or the most vigorous action against its teachers. Peace is worth much, but not worth the sacrifice of principle. [First pure, then peaceable (Jas. 3:17).] Reformation times, Disruption times, all times of conflict for Truth, are rough times. [Campaigning always is. No war is waged without wounds and death.] There must be many things to grieve those who love peace, to whom anything like conflict with brethren is anguish. Bearing witness can always be called obstinate self-pleasing. Discipline will always entail what some will represent as hardship or carnal revenge. But a Paul must go right on, marching against the stronghold of Falsehoodpractical or doctrinal; the builder-up must sometimes be a fighter, a conqueror, a destroyer.
(2) Yet as always remembering that, however personal the temporary, accidental occasions and issues may be, the deep underlying thing at stake is the obedience of Christ. Paul is only representative in this matter. He stands only for the Apostolic authority to rule or teach or exercise discipline. War against him, resistance to his word and authority, is no personal offence merely, or chiefly; it is resistance to Christ speaking in him (2Co. 13:3). Thoughts that exalted themselves against himself only,they would be nothing; but they exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. Paul is the temporary embodiment of the two principles of a Divine Revelation from God through His Son, and by His Spirit through His accredited human messengers; and, next, of the Government of the Church by Christ, through His Spirit and the Discipline of the Church,whatever form that may, from time to time and from Church to Church, assume. [Cf. the principle which explains many of the imprecations of the Psalms. In assailing Gods Anointed, Gods government was assailed. The righteous Sufferer is often suffering, only because men hate Righteousness. It is personal wrong indeed, but the serious aspect of it is the whole attitude towards God and goodness which it reveals; and on that account is God appealed to to punish it.] It is very hard to be thus impersonal, and indifferent qu the bearing of the matter upon oneself; but the aim must not be lower than, nor aside from, this. Paul is not engaging in the campaign on his own account. He is hardly the Commander, except as under his Chief, and as winning a victory for his King. It is hard to purify a Church, or to engage in controversy for the Truth, and yet to keep the motive pure! Very difficult to war for truth or for the purity of the Church, without warring after the flesh,very difficult for men who, the holiest and wisest of them, walk in the flesh, with all the limitations and liabilities of poor human nature! [The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God (Jas. 1:20).] The weapons must not be carnal. Passion must not be met with passion nor pride with pride. Intemperate language must be met with temperate; overstated orthodoxy will be no defence against overstated, crude unbelief. Discipline must be dispassionate. Force will be no remedy against doubt. Coercion will not save faith. Fulmination of anathemas and excommunications, petty parochial or domestic persecution,carnal all!
3. The enemy is personal at Corinth.[I.e. it is no mere vague teaching or spirit he has to deal with; but persons, though (see Critical Notes) it is not necessary to suppose that some one prominent man is singled out in these chapters.] Yet the Corinthian opponents are as representative as himself. The real enemy is the imaginations and high things which exalt and entrench themselves against God. It is the natural heart and the natural intellectvitiated by the root sin, Pridearraying themselves against Authority, the authority of God. Hence the form of the passage (2Co. 10:4-5), which makes it a declaration finding many fulfilments, apart altogether from the particular, historical occasion and exposition. The imaginations, the thoughts, of the natural heart are not morally neutral; the heart is in them. However it may be in mathematics or in natural science, in theology and ethics there is no dry light, or colourless. Everything is studied, accepted, criticised, rejected, in light which is coloured, either at its source, or by the intellectual or heart medium through which it passes. To bow to authority in any sense is repugnant, because of the proud heart. Independence seems noblest; [albeit a perfectly impossible ideal for life or thought;] each man, each faculty, will set up its own particular little hill-fort and stronghold within the man.
4. How calmly assured of victory is this Paul, of no imposing presence, with no rhetorical address, coming to a powerful, numerous, wealthy Church whose greater part rejected his authority and sneered at his words, only ironically indeed (?) allowing his written words to have force. Paul did clear away the hill-fortresses. Clements epistle to Corinth shows a Church of a wholly different character and temper.
B. Paul a pioneer worker.
I. He has his province.
1. Appointed by God (2Co. 10:13);
2. Suited to his natural capacities;
3. This he will occupy to the fullest of its extent (2Co. 10:16);
4. Readily accepting co-operation and support (2Co. 10:15).
II. His relations to fellow-workers in other fields.
1. He recognises that they have a sphere appointed to them (2Co. 10:15).
2. Will not interfere with theirs, and expects that they shall not interfere with his (2Co. 10:13-14).
3. Recognises theirs; not depreciating or envying, or boasting of his own (2Co. 10:17-18).
4. Does his own work, and gives little or no thought to any comparative estimating of men or of success (2Co. 10:12).
III. Principles applicable to:
1. Churches and their fields of labour;
2. Different types of workers in same field;
3. Different orders of work for God.
I.
1. Has his province: according to the measure marked out by Gods measuring-rule [rod]. For special reasons, Peter had the honour of first reaping in the Gentile harvest-field (Act. 15:7). He was the real pioneer both to Jews and Gentiles (Acts 2, 10). But at and after the Council, the field was apportioned (Gal. 2:8-9). The act of the United Church only recognised and ratified a Divinely-designed division of the worlds great field. In the central highlands of Asia Minor, on its western coast, in Macedonia, in Greece, Paul touched virgin soil, dealt with untouched heathenism [except so far as, e.g., in Lydias case, the presence of Judaism had sent some light into the otherwise unrelieved darkness]. Dangerous work [have hazarded their lives,said of the first missionary inroad into such unevangelised districts (Act. 15:26)], difficult work, but how honourable to bring the Gospel, and to mention the name of Jesus, for the first time to a country, a city, a soul! [Like the honour of the first captain to break through the boom at Derry and to bring supplies to the famishing people (Macaulay, History, chap. 7). Giving a joy like that of the discoverer of a new remedy, who offers it, and sees its success, in some despairing and desperate case.]
2. The work and the man were fitted for each other. It is not accident or caprice, what worker God chooses for a task. For every task, for every enterprise, there is somewhere the very instrument, the man or woman best of all suited by natural equipment, or by the training of education and surroundings, to accomplish it. It is part of the ever-present, all-complicating problem of evil, that the Churchand even Godoften seem to have to do the work with second-best agents. The best are not to hand, or discoverable, by us; He knows indeed where they are, He calls for their service, but they in their awful freedom disregard or refuse the call. Work seems sometimes to languish, because theobviously well-fittedworker is unconverted altogether, or, at best, is not entirely devoted to Christs cause. [Given natural adaptation, then the needful grace may be had, for the asking; prayer will always win this. The natural fitness is a prim facie call from God. Esthers fitness was Gods claim upon her (Est. 4:14). He had made her beautiful, and put her upon the throne, with unbounded influence over what heart Xerxes had, for such a time as this.] Paul had been trained for his special work. His Roman citizenship put him en rapport with the Empire; his thorough Jewish culture gave him entre to the Synagogue and the Jewish quarter of a town; the Greek influences of Tarsian boyhood, and, still more, the thoroughness with which he wasbeyond perhaps any other apostle or early Christian preacheremancipated from the prejudice of early training and honest Jewish conviction, so that he apprehended the Gospel with more nearly Christs own world-wide view of its adaptation and reach of offer, made him the best to be the pioneer in Gentile lands. [Of natural, physical suitableness, we should have said he had less than some others. Perhaps of no commanding presence; often in poor health; sensitive to slights; unhappy when without sympathetic companionships; soon depressed. His very courage is rather the boldness born of grace, than any special natural courage, which in, e.g., some pioneer travellers seems incapable of feeling fear, or indeed of appreciating danger.]
3. Like his Lord, he desires to say when he lays work down, It is finished. Literally this can never be. Work grows as it is being done. But, at least, he desires that no part of his special province shall be unvisited [even to utmost Spain (Rom. 15:24; Rom. 15:28)]; no part without its centre of light, to radiate illumination through the environing darkness; no mass of population without its lump of the new leaven deposited in its centre. He has a holy ambition to be the first to carry the Light of the Gospel of Christ. So, see him; eagerly hurrying hither and thither as the work calls, and openings (Act. 16:6-10) invite; never staying long in any one place [eighteen months in Corinth and three years in Ephesus were his longest voluntary residences in any one centre]; tasting continually the joy of firstfruits (Rom. 16:5, Asia; 1Co. 16:15, Achaia) in the harvest-field.
4. Yet he makes no unwise attempt to do everything himself. Even the pioneer will be stronger and more successful, if behind him there is a company of praying, sympathising supporters, whom first he led to faith, and whose faith is now increased, and who can now spare him, and enlarge him, i.e. can set him at liberty to strike out, and can support him abundantly with their contributions whilst he strikes out into (regions) beyond Corinth. [The pioneer first makes the Church, and then uses it as a basis. The Church should thank God for its pioneer agents, prize them, stand by them, supply the needful means for carrying on and extending the work. No more precious gift of God to His Church than men suitable to be pioneer-men.]
II.
1. Sometimes the pioneer is ensnared by his very consciousness of pioneer gifts and grace. He wants, with a covetousness which has its noble side, to cover all the field, and not simply his own special section of it. No man has a monopoly of Gods work. God has other labourers, as well adapted to their own apportioned province as he himself is to his. His intense preoccupation with his own work, and his very consciousness of special aptitude, prevent him from appreciating other mens work, or from recognising fully that he is not himself fitted for every field and for every form of service. Not so Paul. Another man has also his line; [not at all in the modern colloquial sense, but] the measuring-rod has apportioned a sectional field to him. No one manno one Churchcan do everything. Paul has none of that narrowness, which, e.g., cannot say a good word for another mans methods and work, and indeed cannot see them.
2. Hence he refrains from trespassing upon their ground, though he expects [he did not get it!] the like consideration.
3. His independence of spirit (2Co. 10:16) is by no means the subtle self-complacency, the vanity, which makes a man boast, Ah! I was the first to enter Corinth for Christ! No man had proclaimed Jesus in Galatia until I went! Everybody had missed such-and-such a man, until I took him in hand! That would be a spirit fatal to success, because cutting the man off from the Spirit of God, in Whose strength he can alone hope to succeed. He will not boast of what he is honoured to do even within his own line. The Lord does it all! (2Co. 10:17-18). Much less will he intrude into another mans, and then boast of what he has done without (i.e. outside) his measure. [As the Judaisers did: See how many more of Pauls people we have won over to circumcision as well as Christ! Gal. 6:13 : glory in your flesh.] Depreciation, envy, boasting,all these are strangers to his work and motives. No; it is the Lords errand, the Lords field, the Lords work, the Lords labourers, the Lords success. He will make his boast only in the Lord.
4. He therefore simply goes on with his Masters work. He will neither make himself the standard for others, nor for himself; his own ways and plans and even mannerisms of success shall not be made the absolute Right; nor will he trouble himself very much about the comparison which men are drawingand his own heart would naturally help thembetween him and his fellow-workers. The Lord keep him and them all humble together, and bless their labour with all success, even as he desires to be blessed in his own! [Real danger for workers, nervously anxious about their own qualifications and progress in work, to be continually looking away from themselvestheir own spiritual life and their own diligenceand eagerly scrutinising others. Very easily leads to distrust of God, to envy, to despondency, if they suffer by comparison; and to self-sufficiency, if the result of their examination seem flattering to themselves. Better to leave others to themselves and to their work and their Master; to go quietly on with our own, leaving nothing undone that we can compass, to fulfil our own task and cultivate our own special field. Comparison work is poor work, ill-spent time and thought!]
III. The Churches should carry out the principles,
1. In the arrangement of their work. In some mission-fields, and very often at home, there is waste of activity, of appliances, of plant, of men, by overlapping. There are, indeed, calls to enter, which no Church may refuse to listen to. Open doors of circumstance and providence compel new enterprises in towns, in mission-fields, where some workers at least are already labouring. But usually the special, temporary call (like that of Peter above) is soon superseded by the paramount considerations which the common sense and the right, catholic, heart of the Church, being herein the expression of the mind of the Lord, dictate; securing some mutual concession and arrangement, dividing the field, leaving each Church in possession of its own measure and line and province. The spirit which brought Pauls rivals to Galatia and Corinth,to reap where he had sownto pull up, rather, what he had sown, in order to put in their own seedto steal away from him for themselves, and for their own particular shape of the Gospel, the converts whom he had first won for Christ; the selfish competition that follows into a field already brought under cultivation, rather than begin on the untouched forest or the mere waste moorland, in some regions beyond the area occupied by the Churches;these have too often had their individual and their Church embodiment in later ages. Even intense zeal should respect the (perhaps very different kind of) work of other men.
2. God has embodied the principle of apportionment of province and work, in the history of the Truth in His Church. The Churchesthe local, national, confessional subsections of The Churchhave in the occasions of their divisions, and in their relations to each other, given reason for scorn to the World and pain to every heart which is true to the Unity of the Body. Yet, as always, the historical, providential fact has had its Divine as well as its human aspect. Namely this: Truth is too large a thing for any one mind, or Church, or age to grasp and present, in its all-round completeness. Men, Churches, centuries, have been complementary in their testimony and their work. They have emphasised (have often had their Divine raison dtre for origin and continuance as separate communions, in the need that they should emphasise) now this aspect, now that; perhaps one which was neglected by the rest, or which, by an undue emphasis upon some complementary aspect, had been obscured, or thrust into unmerited discredit; or perhaps one which was specially needed by the man or the time. [Hardly a heresy which has not been an attempt, at first, to recover or express some forgotten phase or portion of truth; becoming a heresy, erroneous or mischievous, because, in its turn, crude or ill-balanced in its representation, and failing to do justice to the part of the Whole which others saw and tried to utter.] We may conceivably hold a Church, one in Creed and in organisation, to be in ideal the Best. As matter of fact, the Churches, the ages, the teachers, have each borne their witness to the phase and portion of the Truth which Gods work needed. True Catholicity of spirit recognises that each has a measure, a line, a province.
3. True Charity as between worker and worker demands the recognition of the principle, to every man his work (Mar. 13:34). The pulpit will understand the students desk, the student will understand the preacher, the evangelist the expositor, the expositor the red-hot evangelist; the worker amongst the facts of criticism of Revelation will not in his library undervalue the country pastor, with his crudely simple, old-fashioned views of the Bible, nor will the plain, homely, believing worker be suspicious of the critic; the theologian will give and may ask patient, trustful respect for motives and work, in his relations with the man of science. Each is cultivating his own portion of the field, for the advantage of the Lord of the Whole field; there will therefore be mutual respect, reciprocal non-intrusion in any hostile sense, no mere self-centered comparison of worker and worker, with disparaging thoughts and words concerning the other as the issue. There are different types of worker and different orders of work for God.
Also IV. (2Co. 10:17-18). The end of the day of toil brings all the Churches, and the workers in all the ages and fields and methods, together before their Common Master. Each brings in his results; converts won; fields of knowledge and branches of inquiry secured for Christ; ages or countries and nationalities Christianised, in their literature, their legislation, their social life and its daily moralities; each lays all down before the Lord Christ; and even as His Well done is heard, acknowledges that all the success has been His Gift. To-day, and in that day, the man, the Church that glorieth, must let the glorying be in the Lord. [So that, as in my former letter (1Co. 1:31), I said to you of your own personal standing and life in and before GodHe that glorieth, etc.] Applause from our own Church, or contemporaries, or coterie, will be valued only as it bears bringing into the presence of Him Whose approval is the one absolute, eternally true verdict. His approval after His proving of the work and the worker,that only is the satisfying, safe ground of self-gratulation. If He say, Well done, then only, whatever be the verdict from others, may our heart say to itself, Well done.
SEPARATE HOMILIES
2Co. 10:5. The Conflict of Faith with Undue Exaltation of Intellect.
I.
1. N.B. Undue exaltation. Religion can have no quarrel with really moral and reasonable intellect, or with human thought that recognises its own weakness and limitations. The arrogance of the pretensions of human thought speaks of a fall, an early, radical convulsion and upheaval which has disturbed the original harmony between reason and revelation. Intellect is the ally, and discoverer, of truth; its highest employment is to be the instrument of religious truth.
2. Also fallen reason is generally enslaved to desire; not free, but unconsciously working at the secret bidding of an irritated passion. Or, working half-conscious of its bondage, for that reason asserts its freedom especially as against the Revelation of God, with nervous, exaggerated vehemence.
3. There is
(1) Mercenary Intellect, in bondage to sharp necessity (as it, sometimes reluctantly, thinks), or to the mere spirit of gain. Cannot afford to have a conscience.
(2) Self-advertising Intellect. Will be original, at whatever cost. Takes some subtle delight in perturbing the religious world with its startling assertions, made to win notoriety.
(3) Sensualised Intellect. Whole literatures, with their fertility of thought, beauty of language, ample power, aiming to excite basest passions.
(4) Self-reliant, cynical Intellect; the slave of a sublime egotism. But its enslavement is disguised, and its cold, clear, incisive energy passes for the very bloom and majesty of perfect intellectual freedom.
4. True there are nobler types amongst the opponents. Their true house is the Church; but they have not yet found the way to Damascus. They may safely be left to God.
II. Note, intellectual opposition to Revelation, in the second generation, when the great occasions are over, and the great captains are gone, oftenest takes refuge on some natural heights, or behind some artificial earthworkssome unproved assumption, some disputed principle. E.g.
(1) Will admit no room for faith; assumes to know and command the whole field of truth; assumes that there is no higher sphere accessible to man than those of sense and reason. But science never fixes limits to its possible range of inquiry and knowledge. Above the reach of telescope, below that of microscope, it believes in regions of fact hitherto unexplored. No reasonable ground of jealousy if beyond the farthest reach of natural science there be a region real, but unknowable by its powers and instruments of observation. Reason can prove much: an immaterial soul; freedom of will; the righteousness of the judgment of conscience; a First Cause, Who is One, personal, infinite, free, to be obeyed by His creatures. This much, perhaps; with a progress assisted by supernatural guidance, but also disputed at every step. But no more. Death, the Trinity in Godhead, Sin, its removal; of these reason knows nothing that can help the deepest need of the soul of man. She should be faiths handmaid, not its substitute.
(2) Granted a supernatural, revealed sphere of truth; then, next, reason will have no mystery in it, nothing unverifiable or beyond the grasp of reason. An unreasonable assumption to take; we no judges beforehand of what a Revelation should contain. Further, a mystery is a truth, though one hidden from direct knowledge or unassisted inquiry. Also nature is full of mysteries; Life is a thing really unknown to us. So is Force. The higher we mount in the scale of being, the more there are of these hidden truths. To have rid our thought about these great truths of all objection because they are full of mystery, is to have cast down an entrenched fortress, with great powers of resistance.
(3) Granted a revelation, granted some mystery inevitable; then, next, reason will have no dogmatic form, propounded on authority. But impossible to assert definitely any one belief without dogmatically denying its opposite; without limiting intellectual liberty in regard to it. The real crime of dogma is that it treats as settled and certain that which unbelief would fain regard as doubtful or false. Prejudice against dogma the last stronghold of the enemy. If religion is to be practical, it must give truth in a form which will give strength for motive and resistance. If Christian truth had not been definite and dogmatic, it would not for eighteen centuries have satisfied the supreme necessities of the human soul.Condensed from Liddon, Univ. Sermons, 1869, sermon vii.
2Co. 10:3-5. Topic: The Victory of Christ over Thought; or, The Self-sufficiency of Christianity to fulfil its Mission. Note, the Gospel defined as the knowledge of God;knowledge, clear, systematic, defined, adapted to the constitution, circumstances, destiny, of man. Of God; its author, subject, end. Note, further, this Gospel is to bring mens thoughts into subjection to Jesus Christ; to enthrone Christ in the soul of humanity. Note, also, the Gospel recognises man as a thinker. Mans thought may be regarded in three aspects:
I. The distinguishing attribute of his nature.Therefore in seeking to purify and ennoble it, and through it to stir and rule the world, the Gospel is performing a noble function.
II. The great parent of his character.Man is what his thoughts are: false, true, feeble, or vigorous, independent, progressive,so the man. Nations obey, first Force, and then, as they advance, Thought. No durable prosperity where mens minds are dormant.
III. The chief instrument of his influence.No influence man can wield is like this. Can only remove corrupt thought by free and loving thought. Christ set His thoughts circulating; is influencing by His thought every part of the world, every factor of the worlds life. So, then, the noblest task of Christianity is to bring thought into subjection to Christ. How? Not by infringing upon freedom of thought or will. By
(1) Arousing thought into life and action. The first action of Christ on the mind is to make men think; there are some who had no thoughts until they knew Him. By
(2) Removing obstacles. Pulling down, casting down, bringing into captivity, human depravity. This depravity manifesting itself in (a) Sensuous materialism; the despotism of matter over mind. You cannot hope for, cannot touch, the sensuous man. (b) False philosophy; not this or that system, but the spirit of all wrong systems; proud, mystical, arrogant, forgetting or disdaining the necessary limitations of human mind. (c) Religious superstition; which is indolent; substitutes mechanical action for mental activity (Dont think; leave thinking to the priest, etc.); encourages idleness;in every religion. (d) Secular authority.
(3) On the other hand: Our weapons, etc. It is no secular principle that guides us. We lean on no material, visible power whatever, but the weapons we do use are mighty. No matter what the stronghold may be called, its dimensions, its resources, its popularity, down it must go! Mighty to pull down. We have only one thing to bear in mind, namely, to be on the side of Christ and truth and spirituality, and, whatever may become of us, our cause must rise and triumph. Have we confidence in spiritual weapons for the truth? Shall policy, earthly considerations and schemes and measures, however well intended, be able to sustain the religion of Christ, or the truth that came down from heaven? Shall the Bible, or shall something else, be our guide through the voyage of life? Thanks be to God, I have no difficulty in taking my side as the humblest of the humble in this war, and whatever fortifications may be erected against the truth a breach shall be made. The citadel shall be taken, and the peoples thoughts be made captive to Christ.Caleb Morris, Homilist, Third Series, vi. 216 (condensed).
2Co. 10:4-5. True Soldiership.The warlike instinct is in its usual embodiment no more justified by its persistence in human nature than is idolatry or falsehood. Yet there is lawful, urgent use for it. Not against his fellow-man, but, e.g., against nature, to subject it to his use; against his physical propensities; against ignorance, crime, disease, poverty. Plenty to fight against, without fighting man! So then:
I. The weapons of true soldiership.First, they are not carnal; as opposed to
(1) Miraculous agency; though employed at first, miracles are not the regular weapons with which Christianity fights her battles;
(2) All coercive instrumentality, by the civil power, or other;
(3) All crafty inventions, anything which, to exalt a man or forward a sect, accommodates Christianity to the sensuousness, prejudices, credulity, superstition, of mankind. Next, they are mighty.
(1) They are of GodHis productions.
(2) They are His instruments. Unlike men and their books, God goes with His ideas, and works by them. Mighty not through the enactments of law, force of eloquence, cogency of reasoning; not through imposing rituals and thrilling music; not through human zeal, however fervid; not through human sacrifices, however costly; not through human efforts, however adapted and persevering; but through God.
II. The victories of true soldiership.They are
(1) Mental. A storm or a wild beast will more readily overcome the body than you will; unless you conquer the mind, you have not conquered the man.
(2) Corrective. Pulling down the fortresses; prejudices, worldly maxims, associations, passions, habits; behind which the mind entrenches itself against God. Infidel thinkings, superstitions, selfish, dishonest, vain, sensual thinkings. Every anti-theistic feeling and passion. He who strikes at these root-evils of the world, pursues the best plan to conquer all the evils that afflict humanity.
(3) Christian. The forms of the universe come to man mirrored in his thoughts. The great God comes to him only in the reflections of his thoughts. The million forms of civilisation are thoughts embodied. Of thought man weaves his web of destiny, cultivates, his paradise, or kindles his hell; it is the millstone beneath which he shall sink, or the pinions on which he shall rise for ever. Now the work of a true soldier is to bring this fontal force into an entire subjection to Christto make all men like Christ; and then, what a world will this be!Homilist, iv. 32 (condensed).
HOMILETIC SUGGESTIONS
2Co. 10:1-2. A Christian
I. Must expect reproach.Can do very littlecertainly very little extended work for Godin which will not occur many things capable of diverse estimate and representation, by opposite types of mind, by equally honest judgments, or by those whose acquaintance with the facts is, in varying degree, partial and incomplete. John the Baptist and Christ Himself could not please everybody (Mat. 11:16-19), nor were understood by everybody. Must also take account of the worlds distinct bias against the spiritual man; it always presumes the most unfavourable interpretation. No undue perturbation or astonishment, therefore, if the thing most simply intended, with the most direct aim at doing right, and that as in the sight of God and of Christ, is the very thing made matter of severest and (as we feel and know) most unjust animadversion.
II. Must endure it meekly.Too easy for self-esteemwounded, and not without cause of just complaintto ruffle itself up, and becloud our judgment of our critics, and put us as utterly in the wrong as they, in our feelings towards them, or in our words about them, or in the method of our self-vindication.
III. Yet may meet it with the courage of conscious integrity.There is time, and occasion, for bearing in silence, and going quietly forward, taking little heed. But there comes time, and necessity for the Gospels sake, for simple, direct, bold avowal of what we know to be the truth of the case. (See further, under 1Co. 4:3.)
2Co. 10:3. Our Warfare; our Conditions, our Foes, our Weapons.
I. In the flesh.Weakness, ignorance, infirmity. Do not always do or say the wisest thing. If only we knew better
II. Against the flesh.
III. Not after the flesh.E.g.
1. Bodily austerities fail to subdue the evil heart.
2. Physical coercion, persecution to the death, are no right, or serviceable, methods of securing right opinion or right morals.
3. Human passions are no weapons for doing the work of our campaign against error or sin.
2Co. 10:3-5. A true application of this to the war whose purpose and whose issue is the subdual of our own inner self and its life to the yoke of Christ.
I. We are part of the world which is alienated from, and in revolt against, the mind and will of God. There is a world within us, as there is to be a kingdom of God within us; the Individual summarises, focusses as into a small, but very vivid, picture the world, or the kingdom, as seen on the larger scale in the Race. Spirit and flesh at ceaseless war within. [Gal. 5:17. Observe, not, So that ye are not in fact able to, etc., but, So that ye may not, etc.; each aiming to restrain the natural aim and action of the other.] The world within us is our first, hardest problem. We respond to Mat. 11:28-30, and find rest from guilty fear and shame, and from any necessary (Rom. 7:18-19; Rom. 7:21, etc.) obedience to sinful impulse and habit (Rom. 7:25). But only to find a new conflict arising, a new and deeperdeepeningappreciation of the presence and evil of sin cleaving to imagination, judgments, purposes, motives. Hate ourselves for the ignorance, pride, envy, jealousy, self-will, love of sin, indolence in service, inertness towards God and good, which we discover.
II. Enemy strongly entrenched.Sin native to us. A usurper, indeed, with no right to possession. [Sin no designed or necessary accompaniment of humanity. Christs sinless human life condemned sin in the flesh (Rom. 8:3). The foundation of all hope of our ultimate triumph in the struggle lies there,the Prince of this worldof this little world within usis judged, and shall be cast out (Joh. 16:11).] But it has made nearly every faculty and powerbodily or mentala stronghold. [As, in the days of Stephens weak rule, the barons covered England with their strong castles, each of which became a centre of revolt against authority, and of cruel, violent oppression.] Physical appetitesnatural, neutral, necessary, per sehave become its seat. Imagination, memory, curiosity, joy in new conquests and acquirements, fear, love, anger (which has a rightful sphere and exercise), ambition (which in itself is a tribute to the nobility of human nature, and has saved the world from stagnation),all have been fastened upon by sin; need reconquering for Christ. Yet, to measure hope by much of our past experience, or by our observation of others, is to say: The complete conquest is hopeless! A modus vivendi is all we can expect. Must be content that in the hill-country of Canaan there will to the last remain many unsubdued enemies, of whom the most we can expect is that they submit to tribute, and are kept in fairly continuous subjection. No absolute conquest, or perfect peace, until death puts an end to our strife.
III. Weapons divine.If it depended upon our watching, praying, effort, our fidelity as against ourselves, our untiring zeal in the warfare; then there would really be no hope of perfect victory; the inner battle-field will never thus be completely cleared of enemies. But remembering the Captain, under Whom we wage the war; the Spirit, our active Ally and Strength; remembering the Key to obtain all needed grace, which, in Faith and Prayer, is put into our hands; remembering the sanctifying power of the Truth (Joh. 17:17); there is hope, there is certainty, of
IV. Complete triumph for Christ.Everything intrinsically and of necessity evil, cast out, cast down; everything in itself natural, neutral, brought under the obedience of a new lawthe new thing, love to Christ, taking possession of, and regulating all the use and exercise of, every natural endowment, faculty, power, appetite; all that is compatible with loving God with all the heart, used, cultivated, indulged, within the limits of His design and law, within the limits where His smile can rest upon us in their indulgence and use. Imagination purified, and turning away from old, evil objects, with a new repulsion; old links of association broken, and new and holier ones set up; all the necessary laws of human thought made to work in new associations and to serve new purposes. [In the parliament of the inner life of the natural man, the government in power belongs to the side of evil; though there is a small, impotent, protesting minority of votes in opposition (e.g. conscience will bear its witness for God from time to time). In conversion Christ comes into power. His bills get passed, sometimes in the face of a dogged opposition, and by a narrow majority of votes. When every thought is brought into the obedience of Christ, the minority will have disappeared or been utterly silenced. All the votes then go for Christ, and for His will and purposes. He has captured the whole House by His love and by the spell of His cross, and leads all in His train, an absolute Master of all.] [When Christ has captured the fort, He will put a garrison in it, to keep it for Himself. Similarly, and in very close analogy, as to anxious thoughts, see Php. 4:6-7, made very clear in the R.V.]
2Co. 10:5. [Special application to] Wandering Thoughts.Older sense of phrase was wider than ours; equivalent to all thoughts which wandered from God, thus covering all the workings of the natural heart. Customary use to-day is rather for all thoughts which wander from the point in hand. Really the wandering of attention. Can the attention be perfectly brought into the obedience of Christ?
I. Analyse the process.[Great relief to some consciences to know that very largely, very frequently, wandering thoughts are not per se sinful, but are the consequence of want of that mental discipline, for which every student, on every subject, finds it necessary to struggle; the acquisition of the power of giving fixed attention, at will, for any length of time, being of the first necessity in all serious learning, and accounted by a student worth any price to obtain.] (Say) in prayer. In the morning, when going to ask for the coming days help, we consider the circumstances likely to arise, the persons likely to be met with. The thought of no one of these comes alone, but linked with memories of former occasions, difficulties, deliverances, failures. An undisciplined attention finds every one of these memories the possible beginning of a train of thought which is followed, one thing suggesting another, until some sudden recollection shows the person who is bowed in prayer that, for he hardly knows how long, he has forgotten the matter he began with, and has reached a point at which he can hardly understand how he arrived. Pulls himself together and begins again; only to find every new request, every memory of past need or help, becoming points on a railway which shunt his mind on to a siding, leaving him far away from his destination and his business. Or in reading the Word, or listening to a preacher; attention wanders. [Sometimes the preachers fault. Does not know his business; viz. how to speak so as to win attention for his topic and his message. Very often result of mere physical weariness, which God perfectly understands, and does not condemn. Too wearyquite blamelesslyafter a hard day, or a hard week, to give fixed attention to the reading or the sermon. Easy to test character of such wandering by seeing whether it also applies equally to some neutral or secular topic. Can attention, just then, be any better given to any other book, any other speaker? We may not altogether exclude the possibility of direct spiritual, evil agency, making suggestions, in order to distract and divert the attention.]
II. Suggest the help.
1. Do ones utmost to acquire the power of giving attention at will. If, e.g., a book is worth reading at all, read it with attention, master it; nor simply suffer the author to project so many images in succession upon the white sheet of our mind, which then pass away, leaving no more permanent trace than do the pictures of the lantern. So, listen with purpose to a speaker, watching oneself lest mere fortuitous suggestion tarry us away with it. Every effort will help a habit; a habit worth all the pains, especially when on ones knees.
2. Consider before prayer what is needed.Simply to plump down upon ones knees, without any special wants, is to invite wandering. An act of quiet recollection in entering upon public worship, will do much to fix thought.
3. Pray to Christ.The idolater wants something visible, to help to make his God real. To the Father we may attribute no form; hard, therefore, for some undisciplined minds to realise that they address a Person; prayer seems sent out into the mere vacancy of space. To meet, blamelessly, the craving for a visible object is one (by-) purpose of an Incarnate God. He has a form which we shall one day see, and may now, lawfully, image forth. It gives some help to fix attention, to pray to Him as if looking at Him,into His face. [Thus literally bringing thought into obedience to Christ.] [Such things as the position of the body, the place in the room, are not trivialities in this connection.]
4. So far as there is spiritual difficulty beneath the wandering, the remedy is in a quickened interest in the topics spoken of, read about, prayed for. What interests us holds attention. We do not wander when we care intensely about the matter of our prayer. Hence, again, whilst 1, 2, 3 may seem carnal weapons,prudential, natural helps,4 is distinctly a spiritual remedy. The heart wholly conquered and possessed by Christ will findphysical conditions being allowed forno great difficulty with thoughts wandering from, or averse to, or rebelling against, spiritual things and themes.
2Co. 10:5. This Subjection of Thought to Christ implies:
I. Forming all our plans as subject to His revision, or reversal, or supersession. [Cf. passing the plans of a new building through the surveyors office. Or a subordinate, managing his department with constant reference to the known instructions and leading principles of the Head of the firm.] Talking all over with Christ, our Friend, Counsellor, Master; not because we ought, but also because we love to do so. Not chafing, or rebelling, if He substantially modify them, or set them aside for something better of His own.
II. Making His revealed mind in the New Testament the standard of judgment and appeal, in all estimates of persons and questions of wrong and right. Not testing them by the shifting standards of our age, or our set, or the customary morality, or worldly expediency, which rules in current literature or business life. Bring conduct, persons, proposals in business, or the like, into His presence; look at them, speak of them, correspond about them, as under the eye, in the hearing, of Christ. What would Christ think, say, do; or wish me to say, think, do?
III. Taking any word of His as final and authoritative, in any question of revealed truth, or of Scripture history [or of Old Testament literary history]. Shall endeavour to appreciate with fullest justice what He says; but His word final; no going behind it. An unchallengeable datum of any problem into which it enters.
2Co. 10:7. I am Christs.This may be a word of
I. Simple, thankful, trustful dependence.An honour (as Paul feels it); a security (as the sheep feels under the care of the Shepherd),I am Thine [therefore I pray Thee, or, therefore Thou certainly wilt] save me. Or it may be a word of
II. Narrow, exclusive (though indirectly so) self-estimation (as with Pauls opponents).No monopoly in Christ for any Church, or sect, or person that holds him at all. Cannot say: The light of the sun, all of it, and only, shines through our one particular window. There are tests of His presence and work which ought to be fully recognised, outside our circle, in other patterns of Christian than that which we affect or exhibit.
2Co. 10:8. Ministerial Authority, a Reality.
I. Not to be boasted of, or needlessly paraded; but may rightly and without shame or reproach be appealed to and brought into use. [British officers, unlike the Continental, do not always wear their uniform; yet always invested with their authority, and may use it.]
II. Always as a trust from the Lord of the Church. No inherent, indefectible dignity making the minister something beyond a mere man. But
III. A trust for the edification of the Church. The minister has authority, that he may the more effectively keep, save, guide, the flock. To use it for destruction,for any selfish ends, or to punish some personal pique or wrong,a solemn breach of trust. Have I built up a single soul? No? Then my ministry a failure, if no more.
2Co. 10:9-11. They say. What do they say? Let them say. I will act. Said Aristotle: If what my enemies say is false, I will live so as to prove it so; if true, I will listen and amend. Paul had nothing to learn from his enemies. But how few have not something!
2Co. 10:14-16. [A True Missionary Policy may be expanded and illustrated by timely facts in any particular society, from this.]
I. There are always regions beyond.Work to be done always lies neighbour to work accomplished. The Church is only a small clearing surrounded by bush, or forest, or waste, which wants taking in, reclaiming, fencing, cultivating, for Christ.
II. There must always be in a healthy Church the hope of pushing farther back the border of the clearing. Go out into all the world. Pioneer work which breaks new ground; and quieter, less romantic work, which cultivates what would at once relapse into barrenness or waste if such work were remitted; are equally necessary and profitable. One undivided, indivisible work. But in a healthy Church there must always be the passion for the reclaiming of the regions beyond. The Evangelical Revival which regenerated England sent forth, far and near, missionary agencies of every type, in the widest sense of missionary.
III. The established work is to be the basis of the pioneer work.A flying column may make a raid into a hostile land; but ordinarily the advance should keep in close touch with its base. A solitary Livingstone may plunge into darkest Africa, and be lost sight of whilst he is exploring and discovering what there is to do and to be won. But the permanent mission work of the Church wants the organised, established, liberal Churches at home. [Hold the ropes at top of cliff, whilst the rescue party go over to save life in peril.] The obligation, the privilege of the Corinths, the Philippis, the Thessalonicas, is to send forth, to send supplies after, the pioneer Pauls. The missionary on the borderland, or pioneering over the border, is merely the stay-at-home Church embodied. In the differentiation of organ and function in the Body, he is only the particular organ of the Whole which happens to be best suited to do a work which is the work, the responsibility, of All. The whole Body must keep itself healthy, if the Hand which reaches out to gather from the regions beyond is to be strong for its work. An unspiritual home Church will not long sustain healthy mission work.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Butlers Commentary
SECTION 1
Spiritual (2Co. 10:1-6)
10 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of ChristI who am humble when face to face with you, but bold to you when I am away!2I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of acting in worldly fashion. 3For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, 4for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
2Co. 10:1-3 Supernatural: In an age gone wild on pragmatism, relativism and situation ethics, the devil is not adverse to tempting preachers to use ministerial methods befitting these philosophies. With gimmickry, media manipulation, emotionalism, and PR rampant and working for so many institutions and individuals, the preacher is tempted to justify the same methods for his ministry. Why? Because the church has succumbed to measuring itself by worldly standards of success and has brought ungodly pressure on its preachers to produce numbers in attendance, financial income, buildings, staff, and programs. But the Lord never, in all the word of God, approves of insincere, underhanded, or cunning methods of ministering his truth to sinful men (see 2Co. 2:17; 2Co. 4:2).
Some, in the Corinthian congregation, had evidently accused Paul of inadequate, and improper methodology in his ministries to them. The first thing he deals with is their accusation that he is a phony. They were saying that when he was with them, face to face, he was humble (Gr. tapeinos, lowly-minded), but when he was away, writing letters to them, he was bold (Gr. tharro, courageous, confident). They were accusing him of being inconsistent in his methods of approach. They were (probably urged on by the Judaizers) charging him of being a pseudo apostle because of his methods.
Paul appeals to them on behalf of the meekness (Gr. prautetos, same word as is used in the Sermon on the MountBlessed are the meek . .) and the gentleness (Gr. epieikeias, reasonable, suitable, fair, patient) of Christ that they not force him to come to them face to face and be as bold as he is capable! Their evaluation of his methods wasworldly! The Greek word is really, kata sarka peripatountas, according to flesh walking. According to them, Paul was using the methods the heathen teachers and philosophers used. Thus, according to them, he was not commissioned by God not an apostle with a spiritual ministry. Pauls method of appeal was to use a little sarcasm. He says, apparently quoting what he had heard some were saying of him in Corinth, I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold to you when I am away! The Old Testament prophets used much sarcasm; God speaks in the O.T. in the first person with sarcasm; Jesus used sarcasm; all the writers of the N.T. used it. Practically every preacher, writer, communicator, politician or person with any cause to proclaim uses sarcasm. The word sarcasm comes from the Greek word sarkasmos which means to tear flesh like dogs, biting, cutting, stinging. Satire is akin to sarcasm and both are speech methods used in the scriptures to rebuke what is wrong and direct the erring to what is right. Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Job, and even Psalms are filled with sarcasms and satirisms. So sarcasm definitely has its place in methods of ministering Gods word to sinful men. Sarcasm can be spiritual! It all depends on the motives for using it.
J.B. Phillips translates 2Co. 10:2 : I am begging you to make it unnecessary for me to be outspoken and stern in your presence. For I am afraid otherwise that I shall have to do some plain speaking to those of you who will persist in reckoning that our activities are on the purely human level. Paul was fully capable of using the sternest of methods, but he did not want to do so. Pauls preference for methods of edifying Christians was an approach of gentleness and kindness. The Corinthians were in his heart (2Co. 7:3; 2Co. 6:11). He wanted to spare them any necessity to feel the sting of the apostolic tongue because he was fearful they would shut him out of their hearts (2Co. 1:15 to 2Co. 2:4).
The sharp words of the remainder of II Corinthians were not addressed directly to the whole church, but to a small segment of false teachers and their followers who were destroying the spiritual stability of the church by disparaging Pauls apostolic authority. Paul is fully capable of showing boldness with such confidence (Gr. pepoithesei, to be persuasive, give assurance) as was necessary to persuade them of the propriety of his methods and the authority of his apostleship. He counted on (Gr. logizomai, to reckon, to make a record, to put on account) having to put on record his boldness face to facebut he did not desire to have to do so. Some of the Corinthians had been led to suspect (Gr. logizomenous, were reckoning, were recording) Paul of acting in a worldly fashion (Gr. kata sarka peripatountas, literally, walking around according to flesh). Ancient Greek teachers were peripatetics (walkers-around). That was their methodology of teaching. Thus the accusation against Paul is that he uses non-spiritual, non-apostolic, non-sanctioned methods. The apostle uses two different Greek words to promise boldness toward those who think he is a phony apostle. The first word is tharro (2Co. 10:1) (courageous, confident) which we have already discussed. The second word is tolmesai (2Co. 10:2) which means daring and denotes boldness in undertaking some forbidding task.
His answer is, While it is true, we all do live and walk around in the flesh, the battle we are fighting is in the realm of the spiritual. One can be in the flesh but not fleshly-minded (worldly in mentality and motives) (see Rom. 8:9; Gal. 2:20; Joh. 17:11-19). He replies to their accusations by affirming that he, like all Christians (and other apostles), is carrying on (walking around in) an other-worldly war. His war is not of this world. Therefore, his methods are not carnal (worldly). The Greek word for warfare is strateuometha. It is also the word used for soldier and army. Strateuo or strateia is the word from which we get the English word strategy. Paul claimed his strategy or warfare (or method) was not on the level of the world. His strategy was spiritual (gentle and meek, like that of Christ).
There is still a problem in the minds of some religious people about ministerial methods. While preachers are often tempted to practice worldly methods of ramroding or lording it over the flock under pressures to succeed or to stroke their own insecurity, some church members think preachers ought to be pastors (dictatorial, one-man executives), sort of arbitrary, autocratic superintendents of the congregation. They think a preacher who does not assert himself, make himself theologically and ministerially above the rest of the flock, and run things, is a phony. Paul refused to lord it over anyones faith (see 2Co. 1:24 ff). But that did not mean he was a phony spiritual leader. His ministry was as supernatural as that of any servant of Godand he would demonstrate it if necessary. He would rather they would accept the credentials he had already shown.
The office of apostle ceased with the death of the last apostle appointed by Christ. It was no longer needed when the church matured into one body from the two (Jew and Gentile) (see Eph. 4:11-16). But there is a sense in which every ministry of the gospel (whether by preacher, elder, deacon, S.S. teacher, Christian neighbor or Christian parent) is supernatural. All ministries of the word of God are strategies (warfares) or methods of fighting in the spiritual realm. Fundamentally and ultimately, the daily struggles of every Christian are in the realm of the Spirit, against the spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places Gal. 5:16-17; Eph. 6:10-20). The church is not in a war to conquer geographical territory or to capture human bodies or to amass worldly loot. It is aiming primarily at capturing peoples hearts (minds) and spirits. It is struggling for the victory of righteousness over wickedness, for the surrender to grace by faith. The kingdom of God is entered into voluntarily, through the peace Christ has made between God and man. It is not populated by coercion, by dictatorial methods. It is true, human beings are temporarily residing in earthen vessels (fleshly bodies). It is also true that the Lord wants his creatures to use those bodies only for his service and glory. But they cannot be coerced or manipulated into holy use. Therefore, the methods (strategies) of the Christians warfare is spiritual (mental, rational, persuasive, evangelistic); Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts (Zec. 4:6; 2Ch. 32:7; Act. 26:17-18; 1Ti. 1:18; Jas. 4:1-4; 1Pe. 2:11, etc.). The highly symbolized message of the book of Revelation discloses that the Christians warfare (although the wicked world wars against the flesh) is really against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the physically-invisible world of view-points and ideas.
2Co. 10:4-6 Strong: Paul now appeals to the weapons he has used as a demonstration he is carrying on a warfare that is equally spiritual to that of any other true apostle of Christ! The Greek word hopla is translated, weapons, and is sometimes translated instruments (see Rom. 6:13). The point is that the Corinthians must think of Paul as properly armed by God with implements capable of fighting a true, apostolic spiritual war and winning the victory! The same is true of every Christian in a non-apostolic sense. The Christians weapons are:
1.
Not fleshly (Gr. sarkika), not oriented or aimed at worldly ends or goals which all perish with the world.
2.
But have divine power (Gr. dunata to theo), powerful because of God
3.
To destroy strongholds (Gr. kathairesin ochuromaton), overthrow fortresses, or that which is fortified.
4.
To destroy arguments (Gr. logismos kathairountes), overthrow rationales or rationalizations.
5.
To destroy every proud obstacle (Gr. pan hupsoma epairomenon), overthrow every mountainous thing hoisted up
6.
Against the knowledge of God (Gr. kata tes gnoseos tou theou)
7.
Able to bring every thought captive (Gr. aichmalotizontes pan noema), able to make every perception a prisoner of warimprisoned to the control of the revealed mind of Christ (the Bible).
8.
To obey Christ (Gr. eis tev hupakoen tou Christou), unto the obedient hearing of Christ.
The instruments or weapons in the Christian strategy for conquest are all, without exception, mental (spiritual). They are not made of matter. They have to do with thought and with knowledge; specifically, the thoughts and knowledge of God! One has only to compare this text with that of Eph. 6:14-20; to see that the Christian is to arm his mind with the mentality of God for his spiritual struggle (e.g. truth, righteousness, gospel, faith, salvation, word of God, prayerall are implements of the mind and spirit). That is why there are so many exhortations for the believer to set his mind on the things of God (Rom. 8:5-11; Rom. 12:1-2; 2Co. 5:14-17; Php. 4:8-9; Col. 3:1-4; 1Pe. 1:13, etc.). When Christ engaged the devil in that great battle of the temptations in the wilderness (Mat. 4:1-11; Luk. 4:1-12) he fought with his mind and spirit focused on the word of God. He used no worldly strategies (no human philosophy, no psychology, no emotional appeals, no material things, exaltation of self, nothing mystical or subjective); he needed only knowledge of and faith in the objective, propositional revelation of God.
The revealed word of God (the Bible), because it is an inerrant and infallible record of the ultimate Truth (the person of God), has the power (dynamic) to defeat, cast aside, conquer, depose, pull down every argument (or rationalization) that stands in the way of any one who honestly wants to know God and live with him forever. There is no argument, from any source, no matter how erudite or sophisticated, no matter who or how many propound it, that can stand up to Gods word honestly studied. His word is able to take captive every thought of the human mind and direct it (idea, concept, precept) to the Source of all reality. Every human thought is to be taken captive to the mind of Christ, imprisoned to the constraint of Christs grace and love (2Co. 5:14-21).
The word of God, captured the minds of kings, philosophers, rabbis, fishermen, army officers, doctors, scientists, carpenters, financiers, merchants, murderers, homosexuals, adulterers, thieves, drunkards, slaves, freedmen, rich, poor, learned, ignorantall kinds of people from all races, cultures, languages, geographical locations, for millenniums. It continues to this day to overthrow the proud and arrogant rationalizations of human beings. It continues to this day to confirm that all humanly discovered information, honestly recorded, has its origins and its meanings in a Divine Being.
There is no philosophy (argument) so well fortified or exalted against God that it cannot be overthrown and captured and brought under obedience to the control and redemptive purpose of God. There is no human mind so well fortified or exalted against God that it (or, he) cannot be overthrown, captured and brought into obedience to the will of God and his redemptive salvation. The word of God is living and powerful, able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12-13; Isa. 55:10-11; Jer. 17:9-10; 1Pe. 1:23; 1Th. 2:13; Joh. 8:31-32).
This is one of the greatest texts in all the Bible! It promises the Christian that he has at his disposal divinely powerful weapons with which he may conquer for Christ every obstacle to the knowledge of God! There really is, therefore, no excuse for an evangelistic entrenchment of the church. The church, as Paul saw it, was to be militant, aggressive, on the offensive, capturing even the strongest and highest opposition to the knowledge of God. Yes! The church should be attacking false doctrines, false ideologies, immoral ethical philosophies, and deceitful hermeneutics. Remember, however, the Christians warfare is not against human beings but against thoughts and ideas that stand in opposition to peoples opportunity to know God. Christians hate falsehood, but love people. Falsehood has its origin in the devil, who is the father of lies and liars (Joh. 8:43-47).
One of the most frustrating problems a preacher faces is that of getting the members of his congregation to believe these weapons are for their use. Every Christian should arm himself with these weapons. Every Christian should be drilling and practicing and sharpening his expertise in the use of the divine weapons. The moment any person becomes a Christian, he has enlisted in the army of the Lord (see 1Co. 9:7; 2Ti. 2:3-4; Rev. 19:19; Rom. 13:12; 2Co. 6:7; Eph. 6:11; Eph. 6:13; 2Ti. 4:7). His life has been committed to militant assault upon falsehood. Christians are not to take a defensive position, but an offensive campaign against evil imaginations and anti-Biblical philosophies. He must speak up, speak out, debate, teach, argue (as did the early Christians) from the Scriptures, until the King calls him to his reward. As he does, using the divinely powerful weapons promised here, he will overthrow every opposition to the knowledge of God.
The fact is, however, even preachers are being seduced into waging the Christian warfare with weapons of the flesh. These are the weapons the world uses to try to solve the problems it recognizes in society. They are coercion, manipulation, legislation, pressure groups, compromises and demonstrations that ultimately result in raised voices, clenched fists and outbreaks of violenceboycotts, pickets and strikesall attempts to pressure people into doing what others want. The universal testimony of history is, these do not work. The world still has the same problems it has had since Eden. With fleshly weapons, the world will never get rid of its problemsit only rearranges them so that they seem to take another form for a little while. Vance Packard, in his frightening book, The Hidden Persuaders, p. 3), reveals that public-relations experts are advising churchmen how they can become more effective manipulators of their congregations.
The Church has no business focusing its energies, talents and funds on legislation and enforcement. Those are fleshly weapons. They are inadequate at best, and ultimately doomed to failure. Incarceration is only a temporary expediency. Bringing every thought into captivity to the mind of Christ so that people see one another no longer from a human point of view is the only divine and eternal solution. Ray C. Stedman writes:
The problem of history is not the world. It is the church. It is we who do not use the weapons at our disposal. Instead, we give way and go along with worldly approaches, using pressure-group tactics and petitions to seek to overcome with legislation the wrongs of our day. May God help us to understand the nature of spiritual warfare. The weapons of our warfare are not those worldly tactics. But, our weapons are mighty. They will destroy strongholds and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. . . . The cause is not hopeless. We are not helpless; there is much we can do. Let a Christian act along the lines of the revelation of Scripture in this regard and things will begin to change. Any one of us can change things, in our lives individually, in our homes, in our communities, where we work, in our nation itself. Let us begin to learn the truth about life from the Scriptures. . . . We will find tremendous changes beginning to occur quickly as God uses these weapons to destroy the strongholds of darkness and evil around us.
Do not forget! The mighty weapons of the Spirit overthrew fortified and exalted opposition to God in the Roman empire such as our modern world has never experienced! The book of Revelation predicted itand it came to pass! And the history of the church has testified ever since, that when she uses the weapons God provides she conquers and captures.
Appleburys Comments
Defense of Pauls Apostolic Authority
Scripture
2Co. 10:1-6. Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you: 2 yea, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence wherewith I count to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds); 5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; 6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full.
Comments
Now I Paul myself.This chapter begins the third and last section of the epistle. It is Pauls defense of his apostolic authority which had been given him to build up and not to tear down. In it he answers the false charges of the super-apostles who in his absence had come to Corinth and were seeking to undermine his influence and destroy the work which he had done.
There is a distinct change in the tone in this part of the letter. Since his apostolic authority was under attack and since this was the very foundation of the relation of the church to the Lord, it became necessary for him to deal sharply with the enemy and to remind all that unless false teachers were abandoned he would necessarily deal harshly with them on his forthcoming visit. Some have imagined that Paul could not have changed his mood so abruptly. As a result they have also imagined that this rebuke must have been from some other epistle. But the change of his mood is perfectly understandable in the light of the change of subject matter. There is no good reason for assuming that Second Corinthians is a synthetic epistle made up of sections from several other epistles of Paul. In the light of the sound reasons for Pauls change of mood as well as complete lack of manuscript support for the theory that attacks the unity of the epistle, we may be assured that we now have the epistle as Paul wrote it to the Corinthians.
In a most emphatic manner Paul lets his readers know that this defense is coming from him. He has frequently used the plural in his writings. In doing so, he is usually considering himself in connection with the rest of the apostolic group. But since this is an answer to the attack that had been made on him and his apostolic authority he emphatically declared that the appeal he was making to them was his own personal appeal. And since he wrote as an apostle, this was written under the control of the Holy Spirit as were all of his writings.
by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.Although Pauls tone grew harsh as he dealt with the false teachers who had wrought such havoc in Corinth and had so unfairly attacked his apostleship, he began this section in the same gracious manner in which he had sought to win the approval of the Corinthians on all the issues about which he had written.
We note the exalted view of the church which is presented in the opening words of First Corinthians, but which had to be followed by severe condemnation of the sinful practices that had been permitted to go on. The temple of God was being destroyed by them. In this section, Paul does not suddenly lash out at the enemy, but by gracious reasoning and encouraging appeal he urged his readers to look at the real facts of the case. Finally, he warned them of the result of failure to heed his appeal. He was coming to them a third time, and just as he had promised in his first letter (1Co. 4:18-21) so he made it clear again that he would not spare the wrong doer when he arrived.
Paul proceeded in all his dealings with man in the courteous and gracious manner that had characterized the ministry of our Lord. Isaiah prophesied of Him in these words He shall not strive, nor cry aloud; neither shall anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and a smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send for judgment unto victory (Mat. 12:19-20). He was gentle in dealing with the erring, urging them to sin no more. He reasoned with His critics who condemned Him for receiving sinners. But when compelled to do so by hardhearted hypocrisy on the part of those who would not listen to reason, He did not hesitate to pronounce severe judgment upon the willfully disobedient.
The Corinthians were familiar with our Lords methods of dealing with men. Paul had preached nothing among them save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He had upheld the Word of the Cross which is a symbol both of the love of God expressed toward those who repent and of awful judgment upon those who persisted in willful disobedience.
I who in your presence am lowly among you.Paul, parenthetically, reminded his readers that he was fully aware of the attitude of the false teachers toward him. It was they who were saying that Paul was lowly when he was with them but when he was absent he made a show of courage. Genuine humility is to be commended on the part of anyone at any time. Paul did not lack this virtue. The thought that is implied by the remark of his critics was that he was a person of low status and not to be compared with those whom he later designated as super-apostles. They considered themselves elevated above such as Paul because of their professional status as orators and teachers of wisdom. Paul prepared his readers to anticipate his answer to such unfair insinuations.
that I may not when present show courage.Now Pauls plea becomes more intense as he begs his readers to listen to his gracious appeal that he might not have to show boldness which he fully intended to do on his arrival against those who were claiming that he was conducting himself according to flesh. He did not conduct himself on the same basis as worldly-minded human beings. The description of his weapons of warfare shows how mistaken his enemies were.
we do not war according to the flesh.Paul never claimed to be other than a human being, but he did not conduct himself in the manner of the false teachers who were disturbing the brethren at Corinth. He did not carry on a campaign nor wage a war in the manner of men. While he does not specify at this point the nature of that warfare, it is easy to see what he meant by the description of the action of those who had arrayed themselves against him. They had resorted to unfair tactics. They had not hesitated to stoop to falsehood, boastful claims of importance, and hypocritical pretense of relation to Christ while in reality they were servants of Satan.
the weapons of our warfare.In carrying on his campaign for Christ, Paul did not use such weapons. By contrast, they were powerful in the sight of God. His mighty weapon, as the Corinthians well knew, was the truth of the revealed wisdom of God (1Co. 2:6-16). They had seen it demolish the claims of Greeks who placed their confidence in their own wisdom and of Jews who demanded signs. But both of these had rejected the Word of the Cross that exalted Christ who was made unto us wisdom from God.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians about the warfare against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. He urged them to take up the whole armor of God that they might be able to withstand the attack of the devil. He named the elements of that armor: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. See Eph. 6:10-18.
casting down strongholds.The Corinthians were familiar with the engines of war in use in their day. They enabled conquering armies to demolish fortresses that stood in the pathway of their progress toward victory. Paul likened the gospel to such instruments of victory.
casting down imaginations.The gospel which Paul preached was able to demolish the clever systems of thought that had been devised by the Greeks.
We need to turn the light of that same gospel upon the systems of thought devised by men in our day, for some have disregarded Gods wisdom which came down from above. Too frequently we strive to test the message of Gods Word by the theories of men. A careful reading of the first chapter of Romans in the light of the tragic things that are happening all over the world today will show the folly of such procedure. And a careful reading of the third chapter of Romans will indicate the remedy which we so desperately need. Paul wrote to the Philippians reminding them that he had at one time been led astray from the truth, but had long since considered everything loss that he had once held dear that he might gain Christ and know Him and the power of His resurrection. See Php. 3:10-11.
every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.With full confidence in the truth of the knowledge of God with which he was armed, Paul expected to capture the thought of men as a victorious army would take prisoners in battle and lead those thoughts to obedience to Christ.
and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience.Paul knew that there were those who would not submit to the truth of God and he was prepared to deal with such disobedience. This was a direct reference to the false teachers who had been disturbing the church at Corinth as well as those in the congregation who had sided with them. All disobedience would be punished as he had warned in 1Co. 4:18-21 and as he was about to repeat the warning in 2Co. 13:2. Paul was not bluffing; he intended to punish those who were attempting to destroy the church of God at Corinth.
when your obedience shall be made full.Once again he is indicating what he had plainly stated before that he had delayed coming to Corinth in order to give them ample time to comply with all that he had instructed them to do. He is now anticipating the necessity of dealing with the super-apostles. Those who had insinuated that his absence implied lack of courage to deal with the situation were reminded that he would delay sufficiently long for them to correct their ways, but that he would punish the disobedient upon his arrival.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
X.
(1) Now I Paul myself beseech you.His thoughts, as has been said, have travelled back to Corinth. The stinging words which Titus had reported to him (see Note on 2Co. 10:10) vex his soul. He speaks in the tone of the suppressed indignation which shows itself in a keen incisive irony. The opening formula is one which he reserves as emphasising an exceptionally strong emotion (Gal. 5:2; Eph. 3:1; Phm. 1:19).
By the meekness and gentleness of Christ.On the precise ethical significance of the former word see Note on Mat. 5:5; on that of the second, on Act. 24:4. The temper described by the latter is that of one who does not press his rights, but acts in the spirit of equitable concession. The use of the formula of adjuration implies (1) that he felt how the opponents of whom he is about to speak were lacking in those two excellencies; (2) that he could appeal to what they knew of the personal character of Jesus as possessing them. This knowledge, it is obvious, must have rested on a general acquaintance with the facts of the Gospel history, like that implied in his treatment of the Lords Supper in 1Co. 11:23-25; and of the Resurrection in 1Co. 15:1-7; and in his reference to our Lords teaching in Act. 20:35.
Who in presence am base among you.Literally, in personi.e., in personal appearance. Possibly, however, the translators may have used the word presence in this sense. So Bacon speaks of dignity of presence. The fact that outward appearance is given in the margin as an alternative reading, suggests, however, that though they changed the word, they meant what Cranmer and the Geneva version had expressed by when I am present with you. For base, read downcast, or of low estate. We have already seen, in 2Co. 7:6 a reference to the offensive word.
But being absent am bold toward you.This also was one of the taunts. It was easy to be bold at a distance; but would he have the courage to face them? Was not his delay in coming a proof that he was shirking that encounter?
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Chapter 10
PAUL BEGINS TO ANSWER HIS CRITICS ( 2Co 10:1-6 ) 10:1-6 It is I Paul who call upon you–and I am doing it in the gentleness and the sweet reasonableness of Christ–I, who, as you say, am a poor creature when I am with you, but a man of courage when I am absent. It is my prayer that, when I do come to you, I may not have to be bold with that confidence with which I reckon that I can boldly face some who reckon that we direct our conduct by purely human motives. It is true that we live in a human body, but for all that we do not carry on our campaign with human motives and resources (for the weapons of our campaign are not merely human weapons, but God has made them powerful to destroy fortresses). Our campaign is such that we can destroy plausible fallacies and all lofty-mindedness which raises itself up against the knowledge that God has given, such that we capture every intention and bring it into obedience to Christ, such that we are prepared to punish all disobedience, when your obedience has been fulfilled.
Right at the beginning of this passage are two words which set the whole tone which Paul wishes to use. He speaks of the gentleness and the sweet reasonableness of Christ.
Prautes ( G4240) , gentleness, is an interesting word. Aristotle defined it as the correct mean between being too angry and being never angry at all. It is the quality of the man whose anger is so controlled that he is always angry at the right time and never at the wrong time. It describes the man who is never angry at any personal wrong he may receive, but who is capable of righteous anger when he sees others wronged. By using that word Paul is saying at the very beginning of his stern letter that he is not carried away by personal anger, but is speaking with the strong gentleness of Jesus himself
The other word is even more illuminating. Sweet reasonableness is the Greek word epieikeia ( G1932) . The Greeks themselves defined epieikeia ( G1932) as “that which is just and even better than just.” They described it as that quality which must enter in when justice, just because of its generality, is in danger of becoming unjust. There are times when strict justice can actually result in injustice. Sometimes real justice is not to insist on the letter of the law, but to let a higher quality enter into our decisions. The man who has epieikeia ( G1932) is the man who knows that, in the last analysis, the Christian standard is not justice, but love. By using this word Paul is saying that he is not out for his rights and to insist on the letter of the law; but is going to deal with this situation with that Christlike love which transcends even the purest of human justice.
Now we have come to a section of the letter which is very hard to understand–and for this reason, that we are hearing only one side of the argument. We are hearing only Paul’s reply. We do not know accurately what the charges were which the Corinthians levelled against him; we have to deduce them from the answers which Paul gives. But we can at least try to make our deductions.
(i) It is clear that the Corinthians had charged Paul with being bold enough when he was not face to face with them but a pretty poor creature when actually there. They are saying that when he is absent he can write things that he has not the courage to say in their presence. Paul’s reply is that he prays that he may not have occasion to deal with them personally as he knows he is quite capable of doing. Letters are dangerous things. A man will often write with a bitterness and peremptoriness which he would never use to another person’s face. Exchange of letters can do a deal of harm which might well have been avoided by a face to face discussion. But Paul’s claim is that he would never write anything which he was not prepared to say.
(ii) It is clear that they charged him with arranging his conduct on human motives. Paul’s answer is that both his conduct and his power come from God. True, he is a man subject to all the limitations of manhood, but God is his guide and God is his strength. What makes this passage difficult to understand is that Paul uses the word flesh (sarx, G4561) in two different senses. (a) He uses it in the ordinary sense of the human body, flesh in its physical sense. “We walk,” he says, “in the flesh.” That simply means that he is, like anyone else, a human being. (b) But he also uses it in his own characteristic way for that part of human nature which gives a bridgehead to sin, that essential human weakness of life without God. So, he says, “We do not walk after, or according to, the flesh.” It is as if he said, “I am a human being with a human body, but I never allow myself to be dominated by purely human motives. I never try to live without God.” A man may live in the body and yet be guided by the Spirit of God.
Paul goes on to make two significant points.
(i) He says that he is equipped to deal with and to destroy all the plausible clevernesses of human wisdom and human pride. There is a simplicity which is a weightier argument than the most elaborate human cleverness. Once there was a house party at which Huxley, the great Victorian agnostic, was present. On the Sunday morning it was planned to go to church. Huxley said to a member of the party, “Suppose you don’t go to church; suppose you stay at home and tell me why you believe in Jesus.” The man said, “But you, with your cleverness, could demolish anything I might say.” Huxley said, “I don’t want you to argue. I want you just to tell me what this means to you.” So the man, in the simplest terms, told from his heart what Christ meant to him. When he was finished, there were tears in the great agnostic’s eyes. “I would give my right hand,” he said, “if I could only believe that.” It was not argument, but the utter simplicity of heartfelt sincerity which got home. In the last analysis it is not subtle cleverness which is most effective but simple sincerity.
(ii) Paul speaks of bringing every intention into captivity to Christ. Christ has an amazing way of capturing what was pagan and subduing it for his purposes. Max Warren tells of a custom of the natives in New Guinea. At certain times they have ritual songs and dances. They work themselves up into a frenzy and the ritual culminates in what are called “the murder songs,” in which they shout before God the names of the people they wish to kill. When the natives became Christian, they retained these customs and that ritual, but in the murder songs, it was no longer the names of the people they hated, but the names of the sins they hated, that they shouted before God and called on him to destroy. An old pagan custom had been captured for Christ. Jesus never wishes to take from us our own qualities and abilities and characteristics. He wishes to take them and to use them for himself. His invitation is to come to him with just what we have to offer and he will enable us, to make a finer use of ourselves than ever before.
PAUL CONTINUES TO ANSWER HIS CRITICS ( 2Co 10:7-18 ) 10:7-18 Look at what lies in front of you. If anyone confidently believes that he belongs to Christ, let him examine his own case again, because, just as he belongs to Christ, so do we also. If I make what might look like excessive claims about our authority–that authority which the Lord gave us to upbuild you and not to destroy you–I will not be put to shame. And I am going to do just that very thing so that I may not seem, as it were, to be striking terror into you through a series of letters, because, to quote my opponents, “His letters are weighty and strong but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible.” Let the man who makes statements such as that consider that, such as we are in speech through letters when we are absent, that very thing we are in deed when we are present. Far be it from us to include ourselves among or compare ourselves with some people who commend themselves, but when their only standard of measurement is to measure themselves by themselves, and when their comparison does not go beyond comparing themselves with themselves, they are not sensible. As for us, we will not boast beyond our measure, but we will boast according to the measure of the sphere God has apportioned to us as our measure, a sphere which extends as far as you. For we are not overreaching ourselves, as if our sphere did not reach to you, for indeed we were the first to bring the gospel of Christ to you. We do not boast beyond our measure, but we do cherish the hope, that, as your faith increases, we will be given a greater share of honour among you, in a sphere which belongs to us, and which will enable us to preach the gospel to the regions beyond, and not to boast about things which have already been done in someone else’s sphere. Let him who boasts boast in the Lord, for it is not the man who commends himself who is proved to be of sterling quality, but the man whom the Lord commends.
Paul continues to answer his critics; and we are faced with the same problem that we are hearing only one side of the argument and can only deduce what the criticisms were from Paul’s reply to them.
(i) It seems clear that at least some of Paul’s opponents asserted that he did not belong to Christ in the same way as they did. Perhaps they were still casting up at him the fact that once he had been the arch-persecutor of the Church. Perhaps they claimed special knowledge. Perhaps they claimed a special holiness. In any event they looked down on Paul and glorified themselves and their own relationship to Christ.
Any religion which makes a man look down upon his fellow men and think himself better than they, is no true religion. When revival came to the East African Churches in recent years, one of its features was the public confession of sin. While the natives willingly took part in that confession, Europeans tended to stand aloof, and one of the missionaries wrote, “It is felt that to hold back from it is to refuse to be identified with the fellowship of forgiven sinners. Europeans are often accused of being proud and unwilling to share fellowship in this way.” There can be no finer definition of the Church than a fellowship of forgiven sinners. When a man realizes that it is to such a fellowship he belongs there is no longer any room for pride. The trouble with the arrogant Christian is that he feels rather that Christ belongs to him than that he belongs to Christ.
(ii) It would seem that the Corinthians had actually sunk to taunting Paul about his personal appearance. His bodily presence, they jeered, was weak, and he was no speaker. It may well be that they were right. A description of Paul’s personal appearance has come down to us from a very early book called The Acts of Paul and Thecla, which dates back to about A.D. 200. It is so unflattering that it may well be true. It describes Paul as “a man of little stature, thin-haired upon the head, crooked in the legs, of good state of body, with eyebrows meeting, and with nose somewhat hooked, full of grace, for sometimes he appeared like a man and sometimes he had the face of an angel.” A little, balding, bandy-legged man, with a hooked nose and shaggy eyebrows–it is not a very impressive picture, and it may well be that the Corinthians made great play with it.
We might do well to remember that not seldom a great spirit has been lodged in a very humble body. William Wilberforce was responsible for the freeing of the slaves in the British Empire. He was so small and so frail that it seemed that even a strong wind might knock him down. But once Boswell heard him speak in public and afterwards said, “I saw what seemed to me a shrimp mount upon the table, but, as I listened, he grew and grew until the shrimp became a whale.” The Corinthians had sunk nearly to the ultimate depths of discourtesy and of unwisdom when they taunted Paul upon his personal appearance.
(iii) It seems that they accused Paul of making boastful claims to authority in a sphere in which his writ did not run. No doubt they said that he might try to play the master in other Churches, but not in Corinth. His blunt answer is that Corinth is well within his sphere for he was the first man to bring them the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul was a Rabbi and it may be that he was thinking of a claim that the Rabbis often used to make. They claimed and received a very special respect. They claimed that respect for a teacher should exceed respect for a parent, for, they said, a parent brings a child into the–life of this world, but a teacher brings a scholar into the life of the world to come. Surely no man had a greater claim to exercise authority in the Church of Corinth than the man who, under God, had been its founder.
(iv) Then Paul levels a charge at them. Ironically he says that he would never dream of comparing himself with those who are forever giving themselves testimonials, and then, with unerring precision, he puts his finger on the spot. They can give themselves testimonials only because their one standard of measurement is themselves and their one standard of comparison is with one another.
They had, as so many people have, the wrong standard of measurement. A girl may think herself a good pianist but let her go and compare herself with Solomon or Moiseiwitsch and she may change her mind. A man may think himself a good golfer but let him compare himself with Cotton or Hogan or Palmer or Nicklaus and he may change his mind. A man may think himself a good preacher but let him compare himself with one of the princes of the pulpit and he may feel that he never wishes to open his mouth in public again.
It is easy enough to say, “I am as good as the next man,” and no doubt it is true. But the point is, are we as good as Jesus Christ? He is our true rod of measurement and our proper standard of comparison and when we measure ourselves by him there is no room left for pride. “Self-praise,” says Paul, “is no honour.” It is not his own but Christ’s “Well done!” for which a man must seek.
Before we leave this passage we must look at a phrase which is characteristic of Paul’s heart. He wishes to get things straightened out at Corinth because he longs to go on to the regions beyond, where no man has yet carried the story of Christ. W. M. Macgregor used to say that Paul was haunted by the regions beyond. He never saw a ship riding at anchor or moored to the quay but he wished to board her and carry the good news to the regions beyond. He never saw a range of hills blue in the distance but he wished to cross it and to carry the story of Christ to the regions beyond.
Kipling has a poem called “The Explorer” which tells the story of another man who was haunted by the regions beyond.
“‘There’s no sense in going further–it’s the edge of
cultivation,’
So they said, and I believed it–broke my land and
sowed my crop–
Built my barns and strung my fences in the little
border station
Tucked away below the foothills where the trails run
out and stop.
Till a voice, as bad as Conscience, rang interminable
changes
On one everlasting Whisper, day and night repeated–
so:
‘Something hidden. Go and find it. Go and look
behind the ranges–
Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting
for you. Go!'”
That is precisely how Paul felt. It was said of a great evangelist that, as he walked the city streets, he was haunted by the tramp, tramp, tramp of the Christless millions. The man who loves Christ will always be haunted by the thought of the millions who have never known the Christ who means so much to him.
-Barclay’s Daily Study Bible (NT)
Fuente: Barclay Daily Study Bible
I. PRELIMINARIES TO THE MEASUREMENT, 2Co 10:1 to 2Co 11:21.
1. Insinuations of his foes; his weapons, and readiness to meet them, 1-11.
1. Now I Paul myself A very bold and emphatic presentation of himself. As he is calling his assailants perhaps his chief assailant to the front, so he presents his own breast to the issue. Timothy, Titus, and Luke are no longer at his side, for this combat touches alone himself the apostle.
Beseech you Never did battle begin more gently.
Meekness and gentleness Meekness is the inward temper; gentleness is its manifestation towards others. He could beg that he might be allowed to remain within the range of the gentle side of Christ’s being, and not be called to exercise its sterner judicial functions.
Who I. These words following are an ironical quotation of his opponents’ language.
Base Rather, humble, subdued: the opposite of bold, or confident.
Of these bitter assaults made upon St. Paul by his Ebionitic opponents we have some curious specimens in a work called “The Clementines,” a work composed some time in the last half of the second century, which is still extant. These Clementines, so-called from their claim, falsely made, to have been composed by Clement, bishop of Rome, consist mainly of professed conversations between apostles and apostolic men, as Peter, James, and the Elders. Stanley has selected therefrom a number of malignant passages, illustrative of their character. Paul is unnamed, but represented under the appellation, “Simon Magus.” Peter is alone both apostle of Gentiles and Jews, and his rival Magus, alias Paul, is a “deceiver.” “Although,” says Stanley, “Peter is spoken of as ‘the first of the apostles,’ and as appointing Clement to the See of Rome, yet James is described as superior in dignity both to him and Clement, and to all the apostles; as ‘the lord and bishop of the holy Church,’ ‘bishop of bishops, ruling the Churches everywhere,’ ‘the bishop,’ ‘the archbishop;’ ‘the chief bishop,’ as opposed to Caiaphas ‘the chief priest.’ So the Ebionites ‘adored Jerusalem as the house of God.’ (Irenaeus, Hoer., 1: 26.) Compare 2Co 1:24; 2Co 11:5 ; 2Co 11:20, and contrast Jas 1:1 ; 1Pe 5:2.
“St. Peter is represented as warning St. James against ‘the lawless and foolish teaching of the enemy,’ ( ,) who perverts ‘the Gentiles from the lawful preaching of Peter,’ and who misrepresents Peter ‘as though he thought with the Gentiles, but did not preach it openly.’ Compare Gal 2:12; Gal 2:14. The ‘enemy’ ( homo inimicus) takes part in a conspiracy against the life of James, and receives letters from the high priest to persecute Christians at Damascus. Compare Act 9:1.
“St. Peter warns his congregation to beware of ‘any apostle, prophet, or teacher, who does not first compare his preaching with that of James, and come with witnesses, lest the wickedness,’
which tempted Christ, ‘afterwards, having fallen like lightning from heaven,’ (comp. Act 26:13-14,) ‘should send a herald against you, and suborn one who is to sow error ( ) amongst you as it suborned this Simon against us, preaching in the name of our Lord, under pretence of the truth.’ Compare 2Co 3:1; 2Co 10:12-18 ; 2Co 5:12.” See further, note on Gal 2:21.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Paul Begins His Defence. When He Comes Among Them He Will Prove His Strength And Indeed They Already Have Evidence Of It In Their Own Conversion ( 2Co 10:1-18 ).
‘Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you, yes, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence with which I count to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to the flesh.’
‘Now I Paul myself entreat you.’ The reference to himself by name suggests that he is appealing to his known Apostleship. He wants them to think carefully about who is speaking to them. It may also indicate that he writes what follows in his own handwriting for emphasis. ‘Entreat you.’ He could command but he will not do so. He does not want to be harsh with them.
‘By the meekness and gentleness of Christ.’ Have his opponents been saying that he is too meek and gentle, or too gentle and gracious, too considerate? That he is not bold enough. Then let him remind them that Christ also was meek and gentle and gracious (Mat 11:29). In that then he is like Christ. Let that be a witness to him. ‘Of Christ.’ It is as the Christ that his opponents think of Jesus. Let them then consider that He was gentle and gracious too, just like Paul is. He follows his Master.
It is always the private opinion of the self-opinionated, whatever they say in public, that being considerate and gentle is a form of weakness. They believe rather in expressing themselves and letting people know who is in charge. They were thus unable to appreciate Paul’s gentleness and tenderness. They considered that it lacked authority. In their view he ought to have shown who was boss.
‘I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you.’ This is referring to the impression given concerning him by his opponents. That Paul does not really think this comes out later when he says he will be as bold in their presence as he is in his letters (2Co 10:11). Thus it can only be that he is here quoting his opponents’ words, who were pointing to his loving gentleness among the Corinthians as though it was weakness, as though it was obsequiousness, partly because he failed to use recognised methods of oratory in his preaching, and partly because he did not try to be forceful and flowery in getting over his point (because he preferred the Spirit to do His own work – 1Co 3:2-5).
But, they pointed out, once he was absent from them he ceased to be like that. He sent his strong letters, lording it over them and bold to admonish them. The ‘cringer’ when present became the tyrant when at a distance. They no doubt stressed that he had ‘run away’ when he had visited them the second time. They would not have done that. They would have stayed and fought (vindicating themselves and destroying the church by dividing and demoralising it). And where was Paul now. Had he come again to see them? No, he just wrote from a distance. (They were able to be present because not having been successful like Paul they had few responsibilities and could stay as long as they liked).
Well, says Paul. They are right in this, that like Christ I seek to be meek and lowly (Mat 11:29) in my presentation of my message, but I will also be as firm and strong as He proved Himself to be when necessary, when I come to you, as come I will.
‘Yes, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence with which I count (intend) to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to the flesh.’ When he does come he intends to be so bold and confident (compare 2Co 1:23) with his attackers, that he has to hope that it will not spread outwards and engulf others. He hopes that he will not need to be as bold before them all as he intends to be to some. Let them appreciate that his courage and boldness is not lacking. Indeed he begs that they may consider this for their own sakes. His concern is to prevent them all being swamped by the consequences of his courage. He would prefer rather that those consequences will be reserved for those who count him and his fellow-workers as walking in the flesh.
It would appear from this that his opponents were claiming that the Spirit was not truly at work through Paul and his associates, but that what they did was really in the flesh, and not a work of God at all (unlike his opponents of course). Their view was that the way in which Paul worked, and the attributes that he revealed, demonstrated that he was not a man of the Spirit.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Paul’s Defense Against False Charges In 2Co 10:1-11 Paul opens this argument as an apostle over the Corinthians by first defending himself against false charges of being weak and of poor speech. He boasts that his confidence is not in fleshly appearance, but in the power of God.
2Co 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
2Co 10:1
2Co 10:2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
2Co 10:3 2Co 10:3
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:4
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2Co 10:5
[80] Randy Morrison, A Common Sense Approach to Life (Speak the Word Church International, Golden Valley, MN), Lighthouse Television, Kampala, Uganda, television program.
2Co 10:4-5 Comments Tearing Down Strongholds – In 2Co 10:4-5 Paul lists a series of events in order to describe the process of tearing down strongholds. If we look at this list in reverse order, we can see how a stronghold develops in a person’s life. Satan begins his attack upon a human being by subtle thoughts to the mind. In the process of meditating upon these satanic thoughts, a person is foolishly allowing them to take priority over his knowledge of God’s ways. The process of meditating upon satanic thoughts leads to the mind creating imaginations, or images, which are thoughts that are carried out and developed in the realm of the mind. Once these imaginations are acceptable to the person, he begins to practice what he previously was only imagining. After practicing these habits enough times, they become demonic strong holds, by which a person becomes bound by particular ungodly habits. He has now become a servant of sin, and abandoned his knowledge of God.
2Co 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
2Co 10:6
Why does Paul want their obedience fulfilled before punishing those who will not obey. He seems to be giving the entire body of believers an opportunity, or time, to repent. He will then punish those who do not take advantage of this grace Paul gives them to repent. He had explained to them in his first epistle that if they would judge themselves, then they would not be judged (1Co 11:31-32). Thus, Paul is following this divine principle that he established in the church.
1Co 11:31-32, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
Paul will justify his right of authority to judge the Corinthians in the following chapters (10-13) in order to persuade all church members to obey, or suffer punishment. In these chapters Paul will confront the issue of “false apostles” who were attempting to take over the church at Corinth.
Once you become obedient, it becomes your responsibility to punish the disobedience in the Church. Another way to say this is, “first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” (Mat 7:5)
Scripture References – Note other verses that reveal Paul’s authority:
2Co 10:8, “For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:”
2Co 12:21, “And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.”
2Co 13:10, “Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.”
1Ti 1:20, “Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”
2Co 10:4-6 Comments – Spiritual Warfare 2Co 10:4-6 describes the spiritual warfare that every believer is to partake of in order to walk in victory.
1. Defining – Jack Taylor says that the term “stronghold” is a military term synonymous with the word “fortress.” The root verb means, “to make firm.” In military language, it refers to an area where the enemy is entrenched. In spiritual terms, it is a place where the enemy, the Devil, is entrenched. A stronghold is an area of thought, a fixation in the mind, a complex which occupies a vital area of thinking. It may be mostly the subconscious.
2. Detecting – Compulsions, obsessions, fixations, recurring involuntary thought processes, fear, hate, jealousy, temper, a driving, aggressive spirit, lust, appetite urges, indecision, lack of self-restraint, impatience.
3. Demolishing:
a. The Word of God:
Eph 6:17, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”
b. The name of Jesus and His blood:
Rev 12:11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
Weapons do four things:
1. Pull down strongholds
2. Cast down imaginations
3. Pull down high things
4. Bring into captivity of every though to the obedience of Christ. [81]
[81] Jack Taylor, “Sermon,” Fort Worth, Texas.
2Co 10:8 “which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction” Comments – The disciples wanted to misuse this authority to destroy others in Luk 9:54-56, but Jesus corrected them in love:
Luk 9:54-56, “And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Paul Declares His Authority In 2Co 10:1-18 Paul declares his rightful apostolic authority over the Corinthian church. He will defend himself against false charges brought on by a rebellious faction within the church (2Co 10:1-11), then stake his claim as the rightful apostle over this region (2Co 10:12-18).
Outline Here is a proposed outline:
1. Paul’s Defense Against False Charges 2Co 10:1-11
2. Paul’s Claim to Apostleship 2Co 10:12-18
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Paul Offers Reconciliation to the Church at Corinth Having explained his ministry of reconciliation in the previous section (1-7), Paul now tests the obedience of the Corinthians after calling them to be reconciled unto God. For those who answer his call, Paul gives them an opportunity to prove their loyalty to him by participating in the collection of the saints (2Co 8:1 to 2Co 9:15). For these church members Paul’s words are a sweet savour of Christ resulting in life (2Co 2:15-16) resulting in their edification (2Co 13:10). For those who reject his call, Paul launches into an apologetic message to defend his right as an apostle over the Corinthians (2Co 10:1 to 2Co 13:10). He then warns them of his upcoming visit in which he is ready to use sharpness according to the power which the Lord had given him for edification and for destruction (2Co 13:10). So, for the rebellious, Paul’s words are “the savour of death unto death” (2Co 2:15-16).
Outline – Note the proposed outline:
A. The Collection for the Saints 2Co 8:1 to 2Co 9:15
1. The Example of Christian Giving 2Co 8:1-6
2. The Exhortation to Give 2Co 8:7-15
3. The Arrangement to Give 2Co 8:16 to 2Co 9:5
4. The Benefits of Christian Giving 2Co 9:6-15
B. Paul Exercises Apostolic Authority 2Co 10:1 to 2Co 13:10
1. Paul Declares His Authority 2Co 10:1-18
a) Paul’s Defense Against False Charges 2Co 10:1-11
b) Paul’s Claim to Apostleship 2Co 10:12-18
2. Paul Boasts of His Credentials 2Co 11:1 to 2Co 12:21
a) Mental: A Godly Lifestyle 2Co 11:1-15
b) Physical: Jewish Ancestry & Christian Suffering 2Co 11:16-33
c) Spiritual: Revelations & Miracles 2Co 12:1-13
3. Paul Executes His Authority 2Co 12:14 to 2Co 13:10
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Paul Defends and Exercises His Apostolic Authority 2Co 10:1 to 2Co 13:10 forms the third and last major division of the epistle of 2 Corinthians. In this section Paul defends his apostolic authority over the churches he had founded. Now, for those in Corinth who will be reconciled to Paul as their spiritual authority, he gives them a charge of giving an offering to the poor saints in Jerusalem in order to prove their sincerity and to steer them into a deeper, more sacrificial walk with the Lord (2Co 8:1 to 2Co 9:15). For those who are still rebellious, Paul will execute his divine authority over them in these last four chapters of his epistle (2Co 10:1 to 2Co 13:10). In this section Paul will declare his apostolic authority (2Co 10:1-18), then boast in his credentials (2Co 11:1 to 2Co 12:13), and finally execute his office as an apostle and set those who are rebellious in order (2Co 12:14 to 2Co 13:10).
Outline – Note the proposed outline:
1. Paul Declares His Authority 2Co 10:1-18
a) Paul’s Defense Against False Charges 2Co 10:1-11
b) Paul’s Claim to Apostleship 2Co 10:12-18
2. Paul Boasts of His Credentials 2Co 11:1 to 2Co 12:21
a) Mental: A Godly Lifestyle 2Co 11:1-15
b) Physical: Jewish Ancestry & Christian Suffering 2Co 11:16-33
c) Spiritual: Revelations & Miracles 2Co 12:1-10
d) Final Plea 2Co 12:11-13
3. Paul Executes His Authority 2Co 12:14 to 2Co 13:10
Identifying Paul’s Opponents In 2Co 10:1 to 2Co 13:10 Paul exercises his apostolic authority over those dissidents in the church at Corinth. The traditional view sees these opponents as Jewish emissaries sent from the Church of Jerusalem to bring all Churches under its leadership. (For example, we see the Jewish leaders sending servants to John the Baptist [Joh 1:19-28 ] and Jesus Christ [Joh 7:32-53 ] during their public ministries to inquire about them or to challenge them or to seize them. Saul of Tarsus was sent out to various cities with authority from Jewish leaders in Jerusalem to carry out instructions in foreign synagogues.) These Jews had accused Paul of being fickle when he changed his travel plans (2Co 1:17), of needing a letter of commendation as was commonly used by others (2Co 3:1), of being weak and of poor speech (2Co 10:1; 2Co 10:10) and of not having proper clerical credentials (2Co 10:12). Paul will reply by revealing them as those who corrupt the Word of God (2Co 2:17), as ministers of the old, less glorious covenant (2Co 3:1-18) while masquerading as ministers of Christ (2Co 11:23), as being bold and overconfident (2Co 11:21) and as someone who was overstepping into another’s domain (2Co 10:3-16).
It is interesting to note that when Paul gives evidence of his office of an apostle and authority over the Corinthians that he does not appeal to letters of commendation from men. Rather, he appeals to the sufferings he has endured for Christ’s sake as the seal of God’s hand at work in his life and to the visions and revelations that he has received from God.
These adversaries looked upon Paul’s outward appearance and as a result challenged his physical appearance and his speech (2Co 10:7-11). Paul warns them not to look at things as they appear, but according to the divine power entrusted unto Him by God to carry out discipline to the churches (2Co 10:1-6).
He does not rely upon letters of commendation from men (2Co 10:12), which implies that his adversaries had done so. This would suggest Jews, who sent representatives to their synagogues throughout the Empire with such letters. Nor does he boast about work started by others (2Co 10:13-15 a), which implies that his adversaries had encroached upon his work in the Lord. He hopes that the Corinthians will approve him (2Co 10:15 b-16), and he relies upon approval from the Lord (2Co 10:17-18).
Perhaps our clearest hint as to the identity of Paul’s adversaries is found in his statement, “Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.” (2Co 11:22). Thus, they prided themselves in being Jewish. His next statement, “Are they ministers of Christ?” (2Co 11:23) implies that these were Jews who had embraced Christ as the Messiah. These Jewish converts seem to have been on a mission; for the idea that they were Jewish emissaries is implied in the statement, “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus,” (2Co 11:4) and in Paul’s statement, “or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you.” (2Co 3:1) These Jews had apparently brought with them letters of commendation to Corinth, perhaps from the church at Jerusalem, or even some leading synagogue. When Paul says, “For such are false apostles,” (2Co 11:13) we sense that this group of Jews carried Christian titles with which they had been commissioned by those that sent them. They made some sort of claims to be ministers of righteousness; for Paul says, “Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness,” (2Co 11:15). They claimed in some way to be ministers of Christ; for Paul says, “Are they ministers of Christ?” (2Co 11:23) They seemed to be different in the Judaizers that troubled the Galatian churches in that we find no reference in 2 Corinthians to their interest circumcision, in the keeping of the Sabbath or other holy days and in laws of purification.
2Co 11:13 suggests that these adversaries of Paul entered the church of Corinth cloaked with letters of recommendation from those who sent them. They came with the titles of “apostles.” Within Jewish circles, an “apostle” was not a title used in the specialized sense of the word to mean a missionary who was anointed and sent out by the elders of a local Church to evangelize the heathen world; but rather, it was used in the normal, more general, secular sense of the Hebrew word “shaliah,” which was an agent of those who commissioned him. These Jews were originally given the charge to unite the Jews of the Diaspora with the religious circles seated in Jerusalem. These Jewish Christians came to Corinth cloaked with the title of an apostle while believing that they were sent with just as much, or more, authority as Paul carried in his ministry.
Thus, Paul attempts to tell the Corinthians rather bluntly that such emissaries are “false apostles”, meaning that they did not carry the true office of an apostle that Christ Jesus placed within the Church. Paul says that they were “deceitful workers” because their motives were not pure. Perhaps they were sent to unite the Gentile churches under the authority of one leading church in Jerusalem. We can only speculate as to who sent them. He explains that they were “transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ” because of the confusion brought when they attempted to identify themselves with the true office of an apostle. They too, were sent out from a church. They too, agreed with the Gospel message that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. I am sure these “false apostles” made their appealed to the believers in Corinth with many such comparisons. Thus, they attempted to transform themselves into apostles of Christ.
The Sorrowful Letter Many scholars suggest that 2Co 10:1 to 2Co 13:14 contains a part of an earlier letter that Paul wrote to the church at Corinth called the “Sorrowful Letter,” mentioned in 2Co 2:4; 2Co 7:8-9. They suggest that this portion of 2 Corinthians is out of place with the first nine chapters. The basis for this suggestion is that 2 Corinthians 10-13 is filled with criticism and abuse, while 2 Corinthians 1-9 is characterized by gratitude for a restored relationship with Paul and deep affection for the Corinthians. However, conservative scholars make a strong case for the unity of 2 Corinthians.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Paul’s Apostolic Authority.
Paul does not care to use his authority with severity:
v. 1. Now I, Paul, myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but, being absent, am bold toward you;
v. 2. but I beseech you that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
v. 3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh,
v. 4. (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds,)
v. 5. casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ,
v. 6. and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. While Titus had brought encouraging news from Corinth with regard to the case of church discipline and the continued willingness of the Corinthian Christians to take part in the collection for the poor at Jerusalem, his report was less favorable in so far as it represented the Judaizing teachers, the opponents of Paul, still dangerously active. We find, therefore, that the tone of the apostle’s discourse is decidedly altered in this last section of his letter. While his devotion to the Corinthian congregation is still apparent, he finds himself compelled to resort to stern commands, not unmixed with irony and sarcasm. While he still shows the tendency to deal tenderly with the members of the congregation, he is determined to use all severity against those that attacked his authority.
It is an urgent appeal which Paul addresses to the Corinthians: I myself, Paul, entreat you, by the humility and gentleness of Christ. He places his person in the foreground, and deliberately so; he makes the authority which he has received the issue for which he is contending. Therefore he drops the plural number, in which he commonly included also his fellow-workers, and places himself, singly, in opposition to these false teachers. He still entreats or beseeches, though he might well have commanded. And he does so by the meekness, or humility, and by the gentleness, or lenity, of Christ. The spirit of Christ, which was always benign and gentle, slow to anger and eager to forgive, lived in the apostle and actuated him in this trying situation. With some tinge of sarcasm he includes the saying which the opponents had spread concerning him: Who, indeed, before your face am humble among you, but, being absent, am daring toward you. That was the sneering speech to which the Corinthians had given ear, since his personal enemies had construed the weakness with which he came to Corinth as cowardice, as a lack of confidence and courage, v. 10.
So Paul repeats his appeal: But I beg you, lest I, being present, show daring courage with the confidence with which I am minded to be bold against some that think of us as though we walked according to the flesh. By using the word “beg” or “pray” the apostle here indicates his growing earnestness; he pleads with them to consider well their course of thinking and acting. For if they continue to listen to the detractors of his good name, nothing will be left for him to do but to show courage and severity in dealing with the situation, on the basis of that confidence which seems required under the circumstances. He will find himself compelled to be resolute, to step forth boldly against certain men in their midst. These men he characterizes as calumniators, since they intimated, in giving their opinion of Paul and the other true teachers, that Paul’s behavior and course of conduct was not governed solely by spiritual considerations, but that weakness, fear of men, the desire to remain in the good graces of all men, and other carnal motives were the ruling factors.
Paul’s answer to these insinuations is brief, but emphatic: For though walking in the flesh, yet we do not wage war according to the flesh. Paul was indeed living here on earth, in the body of this weak flesh, with all the sinful infirmities with which this instrument is obliged to battle always. But his conduct as apostle is not according to the dictates of a weak and sinful nature. And, what is more, although he does indeed engage in a warfare, his whole ministry in its numerous conflicts with the various hostile powers being a battle against evil, yet he is not governed by fleshly considerations, as his enemies intimate, being themselves animated by them. The situation rather is this: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but powerful through God for the destroying of fortifications. This is added by way of parenthesis, to explain the fact of waging war. In the spiritual warfare which must be carried on by the Church of Christ and by every believer, not only actual physical, political power is excluded, but incidentally every weapon which trusts in mere human ability, intellect, and power, and is actuated by any carnal motive, the love of honor, of riches, of influence, and others. Such weapons the Church of Christ and the individual preacher will never make use of; they do not belong to the armor of the soldiers of Christ. Our instruments of warfare are rather such as receive their extraordinary power from God, through His almighty strength, Eph 6:11-18. With these weapons, among which the Word of God stands first, as our armor, all the fortifications and strongholds of the adversaries, especially those that are intended to obstruct the progress of God’s cause and the work of salvation, are overthrown and utterly destroyed, such as heathen idolatry, Pharisaic self-righteousness and hypocrisy, Greek pride of wisdom, Rome’s many heresies, and the host of modern enemies of Bible-truth.
The apostle now continues the thought of v. 3: Casting down reasonings and every lofty wall erected against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought into the obedience of Christ. The reasonings of human wisdom are the very centers of the enemy’s force, because they are unalterably opposed to the revealed Word of God. The Gospel is not a summary of doctrines which can be reasoned out: although not an irrational system, it is above and beyond the capacity of human reason. Therefore all reasonable philosophies must be discarded if the Word of the Gospel is to find entrance into the heart. Thus, also, every high place, every human speculation, that is erected against the knowledge of God, as revealed in Scriptures, must be broken down and removed. Of the enemy’s wall one stone after the other must be pulled down, no matter how hard he strives to maintain his ground. The military figure of destroying prominent fortresses or strongholds, of razing the walls of hostile cities, is continued also in the words: And leading captive, subjecting, every thought into the obedience of Christ. Instead of permitting reason to usurp authority and to master the Word of God, the intellect, the reason of man must, in all things, be guided by the revealed truth of the Lord. It is only when human reason, through the power of the Spirit in the Word, is made subject to the obedience of Christ and defers in everything to revealed truth, that it in reality can apply its powers, chiefly in the service of Christ, direct or indirect. Reason, enlightened by the knowledge of God, does not attempt to penetrate into the secrets of God’s essence, finding its delight rather in unfolding the beauties and powers of the Gospel and of the revelation of God in all its particulars.
This demand, that all should be subject to the apostolic preaching, the apostle followed to that point that he held himself in readiness to avenge all disobedience when the obedience of the Corinthians would have been fulfilled. Not all the members of the Corinthian congregation were obedient to the Gospel as Paul wanted them to be; for the power of the Gospel is not that of an irresistible compulsion. But if there were such as persisted in their disobedience, Paul here declared himself ready to use the extreme measure of avenging the disobedience by excommunication. He expects the whole congregation to complete their obedience to Christ, to be firmly and finally established in their loyalty to the Lord. Should any be found still resisting when he came, their punishment would certainly follow in the way which the Church has ever employed in dealing with such as refused obedience to the Gospel by faith.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
EXPOSITION
With this chapter begins the last great section of the Epistle (verse 1-2Co 13:10), which contains an impassioned vindication of the apostle’s position as compared with that of his opponents. It is so much more vehement and severe than the former part of the Epistle, and the whole style and tone of the Epistle at this point change so completely, that many have supposed that this is in reality another letter, and some have even identified it with the letter alluded to in 2Co 7:8-12. There is no trace of external evidence in favour of this view. It is much more probable that St. Paul would here have ended his letter but for fresh information given him by Titus, or the arrival of some new messenger from Corinth, from whom he learnt the bitter way in which his enemies spoke of him. The most flagrant offender seems to have been one teacher from Jerusalem (verses 7, 10, 11, 12, 18; 2Co 11:4). This man and his abettors and other party opponents spoke of St. Paul as mean in aspect (verses 1, 10), untutored in speech (2Co 11:6), bold at a distance and cowardly when present, a man of mere human motives (verse 2), and not quite sound in intellect (2Co 11:16, 2Co 11:17, 2Co 11:19). They had been introducing new teaching (2Co 11:4), and had shown themselves boastful (verse 7), insolent, rapacious, violent (2Co 11:20, 2Co 11:21), intrusive (verse 15), and generally dangerous in their influence (2Co 11:3), which had succeeded in alienating from St. Paul the minds of many (verse 18; 2Co 11:8, 2Co 11:20; 2Co 12:13, 2Co 12:14). Such accusations and such conduct now roused the deep indignation of St. Paul, and his Apologia pro vita sua is mainly given in these chapters.
Plunging at once into his subject, with a solemn appeal, he declares his apostolic power (verses 1-8), and that he will exercise it in person as well as by letters, in answer to the taunt of his opponents (verses 9-11). He then shows that his estimate of himself is formed on very different methods from those of his adversaries (verses 12-16), and that he referred all grounds of boasting solely to the judgment of God (verses 17, 18).
2Co 10:1
Now I Paul myself. The words, as Theodoret says, express the emphasis of apostolic dignity. He is going to speak of himself and for himself. “I, the very Paul, with whose name you make so free.” The conjecture may not even be impossible that this portion of the letter may have been written with his own hand. Perhaps he began without any intention of writing more than a few concluding words, but he was carried away by his feelings, and the subject grew under his hands (comp. Gal 5:2; Eph 3:1; Phm 1:19). Beseech; rather, exhort. By the meekness and gentleness of Christ. The conduct which he is obliged to threaten might seem incompatible with this meekness and gentleness (Mat 11:29, Mat 11:30). It was not really so, because even Christ had been compelled at times “to burst into plain thunderings and lightnings.” Still, severity and indignation were not in themselves after the inmost heart and will of Christ, though human perversity might compel love itself to assume such tones. He entreats them, however, not to force him to stern measures. Gentleness. The word epiekeia means “fairness, forbearance, sympathetic consideration for others,” or, as Mr. Matthew Arnold prefers to render it, “sweet reasonableness” (see Act 24:4; Php 4:5; Jas 3:17; 1Pe 2:18). Who in presence, etc. Here, and in many similar passages of this section, he is evidently adopting or quoting the actual taunts of his adversaries. In modern times the words would be enclosed in inverted commas. Base; rather, humble (see note on 2Co 7:6; 2Co 12:7). Being absent am bold. The charge, if true, would have been the mark of a coward; and it naturally awakens an indignant echo in the language of St. Paul.
2Co 10:2
I beseech you. The “beseech” is here right (deomai). The “you” is not in the Greek, but is rightly supplied. It rests with them to avert the necessity of personal severity, and he entreats them to do so. Against some. He leaves these undefined till the vehement outburst of 2Co 11:13, 2Co 11:14. As if we walked according to the flesh (see note on 2Co 5:16). To say this of St. Paul was to charge him with being insincere and not disinterested.
2Co 10:3
We walk in the flesh. St. Paul does not disclaim the possession of human infirmities, but maintains that such trials and temptations were not the guiding force of his life. We do not war after the flesh. His campaigns (Luk 3:14) were fought with spiritual weapons. The metaphor is a constant one with St. Paul (2Co 2:14-16; 1Co 9:26; Eph 6:10-17, etc.).
2Co 10:4
Weapons (see 2Co 6:7; Rom 6:13). Not carnal. He did not rely on the mere “arm of flesh,” or on earthly sword or panoply. Mighty through God; literally, powerful for God; i.e. either
(1) powerful for the cause of God, or
(2) powerful in his estimate.
To the pulling down of strongholds. The word for “pulling down,” which implies the entire clearance of an obstacle, is only found in the New Testament in this Epistle (2Co 10:4, 2Co 10:8; 2Co 13:10). The word for “strongholds” is found here alone. These “fortresses” were the opposition aroused by factious and hostile partisans, and he hoped to subdue them by the strong exercise of apostolic authority (lCo 4:21; 2Co 5:1-5). Dean Stanley suggests a reminiscence of the hundred and twenty Cilician fortresses pulled down by Pompey; but I think that these general allusions are often pressed too far.
2Co 10:5
Casting down. This agrees with “we” understood, not with “weapons.” Imaginations; rather, disputations, or reasonings. Every high thing that exalteth itself; rather, every height that is exalted. Against the knowledge of God (see 1Co 15:34). There, however, we have passive ignorance, here active opposition. Bringing into captivity. When the fortresses are razed, their defenders will be taken prisoners, but for a beneficent end. Every thought. Even intellectual result. The word (noema) is not common in the New Testament. It occurs five times in this Epistle (2Co 2:11; 2Co 3:14; 2Co 4:4; 2Co 10:5; 2Co 11:3), but elsewhere only in Php 4:7.
2Co 10:6
Being in a readiness; i.e. being quite prepared. My sternness of purpose is ready, but my hope is that it may not be called into action. To revenge; rather, to do justice upon. In any case, in this infliction of justice, whatever form it might take, he would only be an agent of God (Rom 12:19). When your obedience is fulfilled. St. Paul is confident that he will overcome the mazes of those opposed to him, and win them to Christ’s obedience; but if there were any who should obstinately refuse to submit, they must be reduced to submission by action, not by words.
2Co 10:7
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? Like many clauses in this section, the words are capable of different interpretations. They might mean,
(1) as in the Authorized Version, “Do you judge by mere externals?” or,
(2) “You judge by things which merely lie on the surface!” or,
(3) “Consider the personal aspect of the question.” The Authorized Version is probably right (comp. Joh 7:24). If any man. Perhaps alluding to some party ringleader. That he is Christ’s. If a man holds this in an exclusive and partisan sense (1Co 1:12). Some manuscripts (D, E, F, G) read, “a slave of Christ.” Of himself. The true reading is probably ), not ), but in either ease the meaning is, “by his own fair judgment.” Even so are we Christ’s. In a true and real sense, not by external knowledge and connection (which he has already disclaimed), but by inward union. This he proceeds to prove by the fact that he was the founder of their Church (2Co 10:13-18); that he had always acted with absolute disinterestedness (2Co 11:1-15); that he had lived a life of toil and suffering (2Co 11:21-33), and that he had received special revelations from God (2Co 12:1-6).
2Co 10:8-11
Assertion of his intentions.
2Co 10:8
Should boast. In this section St. Paul is thoroughly haunted by this word. The fact that a word could thus possess and dominate over his style and imagination shows how deeply he was moved. The Corinthian Church, with its inflated factions and their fuglemen, recked with beasting, and St. Paul is driven, with utter distaste, to adopt in self-defence language which, to the uncandid and indiscriminating, might seem to wear the same aspect. The word, which is unfrequent in other Epistles, occurs eighteen times in these chapters alone. Other haunting words are “tolerate,” “bear with” (2Co 11:1-33 :l, 4, 19, 20), and “senseless,” “fool” (2Co 11:16, 2Co 11:19; 2Co 12:6, 2Co 12:11); see note on 2Co 1:3. Somewhat more; something more abundantly. For edification, and not for your destruction; for building you up, not pulling you down. The word kathairesin is from the same root as the verb in 2Co 1:5. I should not be ashamed; rather, I shall not be ashamed. No shame shall ever accrue to me from my “boast” being proved false.
2Co 10:9
By letters; rather, by the letters. He had certainly addressed two letters to them (1Co 5:9).
2Co 10:10
Say they; literally, says he. The phrase may, indeed, imply “it is said” (on dit); but it may refer to one main critic and opponent. Perhaps it would have been wiser and kinder if no one had reported to St. Paul all these subterranean calumnies and innuendoes. Weighty and strong. This could not be denied, considering the immense effect which had been produced by his first letter (2Co 7:7). His bodily presence is weak. This is usually taken to mean that St. Paul’s personal appearance was unprepossessing (Gal 4:1). This, indeed, we should infer from many other passages (1Co 2:1-16 :34; Gal 4:13, Gal 4:14), and as a natural result of his “stake in the flesh.” It is, too, the consistent though late tradition respecting him (see my ‘Life of St. Paul,’ 2:628). Here, however, the words may mean no more than that “he adds nothing to his cause by being present in person, since he shows vacillation and want of energy.” Contemptible; rather, despised (see 1Co 2:3, 1Co 2:4).
2Co 10:11
Such a one. A formula used to avoid mentioning a special name (see note on 2Co 2:7). Such will we be; rather, such are we. The verb is not expressed, but it would have been if the future tense had been intended. In this verse St. Paul is not saying what he would do hereafter, but is rebutting with calmness and dignity the false charge that he was in any way different when absent from what he was when present.
2Co 10:12
We dare not. They are in this respect of self-praise much bolder than I. Make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves; literally, judge ourselves among or judge ourselves with. There is a play on the words, like the Latin, inferre or conferre, or the German, zurechnen oder gleichrechnen. That commend themselves. The verb rendered “commend” is that from which is derived “the commendatory letters” (2Co 3:1) at the arrogant and intrusive use of which he had glanced already. St. Paul is once more rebutting the charge of self-commendation (2Co 4:2; 2Co 5:12; 2Co 6:11). But they measuring themselvesare not wise. The clause is difficult; for
(1) to compare ourselves with others in order to learn what we can and cannot do is usually accounted wise;
(2) some manuscripts and editions, omitting , render, “But we ourselves (), measuring ourselves by ourselves, and comparing ourselves with ourselves, will not boast above measure;”
(3) some, for (they are not wise) read (with ourselves, who are not wise). The reading, however, of the Authorized Version is undoubtedly right, and most probably the rendering also. The meaning is that the little cliques of factious religionists, never looking outside their own narrow circles, became inflated with a sense of importance which would have been annihilated if they had looked at higher standards. Hence they thought themselves at liberty to intrude and lay down the law and usurp a claim to infallibility which there was nothing to justify. Such conduct is the reverse of wise. It is a mixture of selfishness, Pharisaism, and conceit, and there have been abundant examples of it among religious parties in all ages. St. Paul, on the other hand, keeps within his own measure, because he has learnt to adopt larger and loftier standards.
2Co 10:13
Will not boast of things without our measure. This might be rendered, “will not indulge in these immeasurable boastings;” but 2Co 10:15 points to the sense, “we will not glory beyond our measure.” Of the rule; i.e. of the measuring line. I will keep to the province and limit which God has assigned to me in my proper mea- sure. St. Paul declines the favourite office of being “other people’s bishop )” (1Pe 4:15). Hath distributed; rather, apportioned.
2Co 10:14
As though we reached not unto you. In including you within the reach of our measuring line, we are guilty neither of presumption nor of intrusion. Your Church is a part of our legitimate province and range of work (Act 18:1, Act 18:4). We are come as far as to you; rather, we anticipated others in coming to you; “we were the first to come as far as unto you.” To St. Paul belonged the undisputed glory of having first introduced the gospel into the regions of Macedonia and Achaia.
2Co 10:15
That is, of other men’s labours. Not to thrust himself obtrusively into spheres of labour which legitimately belonged to others was a part of St. Paul’s scrupulously chivalrous rule (2Co 3:10; Gal 2:9; Rom 15:20). It contrasted with the usurping arrogance of these Jerusalem emissaries. When your faith is increased; rather, increases or grows. He delicately implies that their lack of faith prevents the extension of his labours. He could not leave in his rear an unstormed fortress of opposition to the gospel. The spread of the gospel depends on them. We shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly. The Revised Version renders it more clearly, “We shall be magnified in you according to our province unto further abundance.”
2Co 10:16
In the regions beyond you. Even to Rome and Spain (Rom 15:19, Rom 15:24, Rom 15:28).
2Co 10:17
But he that glorieth, etc.; literally, he that boasteth, etc. (see note on 1Co 1:31; Jer 9:24).
2Co 10:18
But whom the Lord commendeth.
HOMILETICS
2Co 10:1, 2Co 10:2 – Self-vindication.
“Now I Paul myself beseech you,” etc. Paul, as we have frequently intimated, had detractors in the Corinthian Church, men who sought to gain power by calumniating him. We are not in possession of all the calumnies. Paul knew them all. Throughout these two Epistles we find him constantly on the defensive; here again we find him standing up for himself. In his defence he manifests
I. A STRONG DESIRE TO DEAL WITH THEM IN THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. “Now I Paul myself beseech [entreat] you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” He seems to shrink from the idea of so defending himself as to act contrary to the mild and gentle spirit of Christ. Whatever I say in my defence, I would say in the spirit of him “who, when he was reviled, reviled not again.” Thus we should always act, even in reproving others and defending ourselves; in all we should be actuated and controlled by the spirit of Jesus Christ. No reproof will go so thoroughly home to the heart of the offender as that which breathes and echoes his spirit.
II. A KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTEMPTUOUSNESS WITH WHICH HIS DETRACTORS REGARDED HIM. “Who in presence am base [lowly] among you, but being absent am bold [of good courage] toward you.” This does not seem to be the estimate he forms of himself, but the character which his slanderers had given him. In 2Co 10:10 it is so stated: “For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.” It would seem that they spoke somewhat thusflow bold and courageous this man is in his “letters;” but how mean and contemptible in his appearance and conduct! He here intimates that when he comes amongst them he would be “bold” and courageous. They shall know that I am no coward, and with indomitable fearlessness I shall administer the necessary rebuke.
III. A DREAD OF EXERCISING SEVERITY TOWARDS THEM. “But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.” It is the characteristic of a great soul, especially of a great soul inspired with the spirit of Christ, to shrink from inflicting pain on any heart. Yet when duty calls it must be done.
2Co 10:3-6 – The true soldiership.
“For though,” etc. The passage leads us to notice the weapons and victories of a true soldiership.
I. THE WEAPONS OF TRUE SOLDIERSHIP. The apostle states two things concerning these weapons.
1. They are not carnal. The word “carnal” here may be regarded as standing in contradiction to three things.
(1) To miraculous agency. Miracles, though employed at first, are not the regular weapons by which Christianity fights her battles.
(2) To all coercive instrumentality. The civil magistrate now for fifteen centuries has sought by exactions and penalties to force Christianity upon the consciences of men. Such weapons disgrace and misrepresent it.
(3) To all crafty inventions. In nothing, perhaps, has the craftiness of men appeared more than in connection with the profession of extending Christianity. What are the tricks of rhetoric, the assumptions of priests, and the claptrap of sects but craft?
2. Though not carnal, they are mighty. “Mighty through God.”
(1) They are mighty through God because they are his productions. Gospel truths, the weapons of which the apostle speaks, are God’s ideas, and those ideas are mightymighty with truth and love.
(2) They are mighty through God because they are his instruments. God goes with his ideas and works by them.
II. THE VICTORIES OF TRUE SOLDIERSHIP. What are the victories?
1. They are mental. Paul is speaking about imaginations and things pertaining to mind. They are not over body. There is not any glory in destroying the bodily life of man. The lion, the bear, a poisonous gust of air, will excel man in this. The victories of a true soldiership are over mind. And indeed you do not conquer the man unless you conquer his mind. If there be a future world, then the men you slay upon the battlefield may hate you in the great eternity with a profounder hatred than ever.
2. They are corrective. These victories do not involve the destruction of the mind nor any of its native faculties, but certain evils that pertain to it. What are they?
(1) The evil fortifications of the mind. “The pulling down of strongholds.” What are they? Prejudices, worldly maxims, associations, passions, habits; behind these “strongholds” the mind entrenches itself against God.
(2) The corrupt thinking of the mind. “Casting down imaginations.” The word “thinking” comprehends this, for the faculty which we call imagination thinks as well as the intellect. It is against evil thinkings, therefore.
(3) The antitheistic impulses of the mind. “And every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.” Every feeling and passion that rises against God. These are the victories of true soldiership.
3. They are Christian. They “bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Thought is everything to man. Now, the work of a true soldier is to bring this fontal force into entire subjection to Christ.
2Co 10:7 – Paul’s special power.
“Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?” These words point to two evils.
I. JUDGING FROM ATTENDANTS. “Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?” or that “are before your face.” The teachers at Corinth who were opposed to the apostle prided themselves on their external advantages, and regarded themselves as superior in appearance, rank, and manners to Paul. They judged from appearance, This judgment led them to regard Paul as their inferior. But was he inferior? Was he not, in all that is intrinsically excellent, in mental capacity, in spiritual knowledge, in Christly enthusiasm, and supernatural power, their superior, the very prince of the apostles? Men judged Christ by the “outward appearance,” and how false, wicked, and pernicious their judgment turned out to be! The only true test is the fruit. “By their fruits ye shall know them;” fruits, not actionswhich often misrepresent the character of the soulbut productions that are the natural, complete, and spontaneous outgrowth and expression of the leading moral principles of man’s life. Because men judge from “the outward appearance,” wolves in society pass for sheep, paupers for princes, devils for saints, churls for philanthropists, etc.
II. ARROGATING SUPERIOR CHRISTLINESS. “If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.” Whilst there were those in the Corinthian Church who said some of them were of Paul, of Apollos, of Cephas, there were some who said they were of Christ. They wished to be regarded as superior to all, as knowing more of Christ, being more intimate with him, having a stronger claim upon him. It might be that some of the members of this party had (not like Paul) been with Christ while on earth, had talked with him, walked with him, feasted with him, and of this they would boast. But thousands could boast of this who had no vital fellowship with Christ. There always have been men in Churches who have arrogated superior piety. I have known not a few, not distinguished by any spiritual nobleness, who were accustomed to speak of him as “my Christ,” “my Saviour.” “my Redeemer,” implying that he was more to them than to others.
2Co 10:8-10 – God’s gift of special power to man.
“For though I should boast,” etc. These verses present to our attention God‘s gift of special Power to man. The “authority” of which the apostle here speaks was, in all probability, a supernatural endowment. Such an endowment be both claimed and manifested (see Act 13:8-11; Act 14:8-10; Act 15:9-12). Having this power he was superior even to the ablest of his censors in Corinth, and he felt that should he “boast somewhat” of this there was no reason for him to be ashamed. The words suggest three remarks concerning such special gift of power to man.
I. IT IS UNDER MAN‘S CONTROL. Paul’s language seems to imply that he might or might not use his “authority” or power; it did not coerce him; it did not make him a mere instrument; it did not overbear his will or infringe in any way his freedom of action. God has given exceptional power to some mento Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Peter, etc.; but in all cases it seemed to leave them freefree to use it or not, to use it in this direction or in that. The Maker and Manager of the universe respects evermore the free agency with which he has endowed his rational and moral offspring. We may enslave ourselves, but he will not. He will always treat us as responsible for all we do.
II. ITS GREAT DESIGN IS USEFULNESS. “The Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction.” He gives power to men, not to pull down, but to build up. Usefulness is the grand end of our existence. We are formed, not to injure, but to bless our fellow creatures. Whatever endowments we have, be they ordinary or transcendent, all are given by our Maker to promote truth and virtue and human happiness through the world. Alas! how extensively men pervert these high gifts of Heaven!
III. IT IS NO PROTECTION FROM MALICE. Though Paul was thus so distinguished by signal endowments, he was nevertheless the subject of bitter envy and cruel slander. “For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible,” Did the supernatural power with which some of the old Hebrew prophets were endowed shield men from the malice of men? How were Moses, Elisha, and Elijah treated? The fact is, the higher gifts a man has the more he is exposed to the malice of others; the more distinguished a man is in gifts and graces, the more he will arouse among his contemporaries the spirit of detraction and hate. It was so with Christ himself.
2Co 10:11-13 – The false and true method of estimating men.
“Let such a one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.” In these verses we have two subjects worthy of notice.
I. THE FALSE AND TRUE METHOD OF ESTIMATING THE CHARACTER OF OTHERS. “Let such a one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters,” etc.
1. To judge by public report is a wrong method. It would almost seem that there was a general impression in Corinth that not only was Paul’s “bodily presence” somewhat contemptible, but that his letters were not a fair representation of himself, that they displayed an elevation and a heroism of which the writer was destitute, and from this general impression he was judged and considered to be something of a boaster and charlatan. How common it is for people to judge those they have never seen by general report! But a miserably false standard of judgment is this. Not unfrequently have I received impressions concerning a person whom I have never seen, which a subsequent personal acquaintance has completely dispelled. As a rule, the public estimate of men, both in Church and state, is most fallacious and unjust.
2. To judge by personal knowledge is the true method. “Let such a one think [reckon] this, that, such as we are in word by letters such will we be also in deed when we are present.” The meaning of this seems to beWait until I come amongst you, and you will find that I am true to the character of my letters, that I will act out their spirit. A man’s own letters, even when rightly interpreted, will not give a free and a complete idea of the author. The author is greater than his book, the man greater than his productions. One hour with an author will give me a better idea of him than I could obtain from all the productions of his pen, however voluminous.
II. THE FALSE AND TRUE METHOD OF ESTIMATING OUR OWN CHARACTERS.
1. The false method is comparing our own character with the character of others. “Measuring themselves by themselves.” This the Corinthians seem to have done, and this, perhaps, is the general tendency of mankind. We judge ourselves by the characters of others. When we are accused we are prone to say we are not worse than So-and-so. A false standard this, because:
(1) The mass of mankind are corrupt.
(2) The best of men are more or less imperfect.
(3) There is only One perfect characterJesus Christ.
In these words Paul indicates:
(a) That it is a terrible thing thus to judge ourselves. “We dare not [are not bold enough to] make ourselves of the number.” Truly it is a terrible thing, for it leads to fearful issues.
(b) That it is an unwise thing thus to judge ourselves. Those who compare themselves with others “are not wise,” or are “without understanding.”
2. The true method is judging ourselves by the will of God. “According to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us.” Though the apostle by the expression, “rule which God hath distributed,” primarily refers to the Divine limits of his apostolic work, as will appear again, the “rule” applies also to his personal character, God’s will is the standard or canon by which all characters are to be determined.
CONCLUSION. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
2Co 10:14-18 – The true sphere of human usefulness and the source of human glory.
“For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly. To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” Here are two subjects for meditation.
I. THE TRUE SPHERE OF HUMAN USEFULNESS.
1. It is a sphere in which we are placed by Divine appointment. Paul teaches that his sphere of labour in Corinth was according to the Divine will. “We stretch not ourselves beyond our measure [overmuch], as though we reached not unto you.” As if he had said, “I am not come to Corinth merely by my own inclinations, or as a matter of impulse or caprice, or as an intruder. I am come here by the will of God. I am licensed by him to this sphere.”
2. The consciousness that we are in this sphere is a just reason for exultation. “Not boasting of things without our measure.” As if Paul had said, “My boasting, or my exultation, is not that I have entered into the sphere of other men’s labours, but that I am in the sphere to which I have been divinely commissioned.” The opponents of Paul, in Corinth, boasted of the influence they had gained in the Church which he himself had founded by his self-sacrificing labours, and whose members owed, either directly or indirectly, their conversion to him; whereas his rejoicing was that he was doing the work of God in the sphere to which he had been sent.
3. It is a sphere which widens with our usefulness. Although Paul felt that Corinth was the sphere to which he had been sent, he knew that the field would be widened according to his spiritual success. “Having hope, when your faith is increased [that as your faith groweth], that we shall be enlarged [magnified] by you according to our rule [province] abundantly.” The increase of their faith would lead to an enlargement of his sphere of labour. The true method of extending the sphere of labour to which we have been sent is by the multiplication of our converts. Each soul which a minister bring to Christ enlarges the field of his usefulness, enables him to break up new ground still further on.
II. THE TRUE SOURCE OF HUMAN EXULTATION. In what did Paul exult or “boast”?
1. Not in crediting himself with the labours of other men. He did not “boast in another man’s line [province] of things made ready to our hand.” How common it is for men to credit themselves with the labours of others! We find this in every department of labour. In literature there are plagiarists, in scientific discoveries and artistic inventions there are unjust claimants, and even in religion one minister is often found to claim the good that others have accomplished. Paul was above this. The genius of Christianity condemns this mean and miserable dishonesty.
2. Not in self-commendation. “For not he that commendeth himself is approved” That conscience approves of our conduct, though at all times a source of pleasure, is not a true source of exultation; for conscience is not infallible. Conscience sometimes deceives. What, then, was his true source Of exultation? “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross.”
HOMILIES BY C. LIPSCOMB
2Co 10:1-7 – Change in the Epistle; spirit of his defense.
No one can fail to notice the change in the tone of the Epistle which appears in this chapter. Every thoughtful reader of St. Paul knows how abrupt his transitions frequently are, and how rapidly he digresses from his main point to something incidental to his topic. His mental associations are governed by two distinct lawsfirst, by ideas exciting feelings which lead him to diverge from his main line; and next, by emotions arising from some occult source that vary his action of intellect. In this instance there may have been a pause in writing after he had finished the subject of the collection. Naturally a reaction would set in. One of his excitable temperament could not have been relieved of oppressive solicitude, as he had been by the return of Titus, nor given such an expression to his joy as we have in ch. 8. and 9. without subsequent exhaustion of nervous energy. If, meantime, news came to him of the renewal of Judaizing zeal at Corinth, and of some sudden accession of strength to the party so inflamed against him, we can readily see why his indignation should be aroused. To have his hopes dashed in this way, in such a conjuncture and by such unscrupulous opponents, would put a terrible strain on a nature organized as sensitively as his, all the more so since a new era seemed about dawning in the history of the gospel. Europe and Asia appeared ready to join hands most heartily in the work of evangelizing the world, and just at this most auspicious period, to witness a fresh outbreak of discord was the severest of trials that could have befallen him. Whatever the cause, it was a sad thing for this noble spirit to be sorely chafed in an hour when it was rallying from an unusual depression and girding itself for special endeavours to cement the Asiatic and European Churches closer together. Here, in the very heart of Achaia, were agents from the Judaizing party at Jerusalem, who appear to have become more jealous than ever of his growing influence, and were heated to fiercer hostility against the apostle because of the recent triumph of his authority. While he was exerting every nerve to help the Church in Jerusalem, men from that very community were working in Corinth to disparage his ministry and undermine his personal character. It was shocking ingratitude. In itself it was rankling jealousy; in its connections, base partisanship. At that moment the interests of Christianity hung on the precise work he was doing. The liberal gospel he was preaching, the gospel of free grace and of equal honour and privilege to Jew and Gentile, was attesting its Divine excellence in the “exceeding grace of God” manifested by means of the abounding charity of Macedonia and Achaia. And yet all the promise and hope of this inspiring movement were thrown into the utmost peril by these fanatical zealots. Had he not felt this wrong keenly and resisted it courageously, he would have shown a want of manliness; for no character can have force that lacks indignation when its own integrity and a great cause identified with that integrity are ruthlessly assailed. It is under such circumstances that the true man appears in the way his sense of injustice operates. Quite as plainly the wise leader will display himself in the perception of what the emergency requires and in the decision with which his measures are executed. Now, the apostle is before us again as a study in this particular aspect of his character and ministry. Much as we have learned of him, something remains to be seen, and we may feel assured that the additional insight will amply reward us. The first utterance of his soul enkindles our admiration. Wronged, vilified, St. Paul appeals to the Corinthians “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” It is not “we” but “I Paul,” for he was the person singled out for these malicious attacks and he would reply from his own heart. It is not that sort of “meekness and gentleness” which craft and conventionality often assume to hide their art and malignity. It is the spirit of Christ, the meekness which acts by turning inwardly upon the mind and soothing its faculties, and the gentleness that exhibits itself in outward tranquillity. St. Paul cannot speak of these except as Christ’s virtues. They are his; they have his life; they take their power and beauty from him. “I Paul myself”his individuality emphasized in an unusual manner”beseech you,” at the instant when the lion was more likely to show itself in human nature than the lamb, that it may not be necessary for me to exercise my authority over these offenders. If, as my enemies say, I am base in presence among you and bold only when absent, I pray you not to let this matter go to such an extremity that I shall have to use “the rod.” When one’s courage has been challenged and his heroism derided, it is extremely hard for a brave man like St. Paul to forbear. But had he not said, “Love suffereth long and is kind”? Words were things to him and here was the proof of love, side by side with the irony that was not to be concealed. Would he announce an inflexible determination to punish? No; further discipline might be needful for him, further forbearance might be desirable in the case of his assailants; and all he ventured to affirm was, “I think to be bold against some.” Who were the “some”? Evidently those who impeached his motives and openly reviled his ministry. How does he describe them? By the thoughts they entertained of him as an apostle. “They think of us as if we walked according to the flesh,” referring to a course of conduct “determined by the fear of men or the desire of pleasing men, and hence a personal bearing disgraced by cowardice or servility. The human nature referred to was therefore one enfeebled, not merely from the want of Divine support, but from sin” (Lange’s ‘Commentary’). Such an opinion respecting the apostle indicates clearly enough the evil source whence it sprang. It happens often that the judgments we pronounce on others are most true in application to ourselves, and, unawares, we have disclosed what our own hearts are in estimating outside parties. A politician who is always charging other politicians with being demagogues is generally a demagogue himself, and the man who never hesitates to apply the epithet of a liar to others is quite sure to be a liar himself. But how does St. Paul meet the charge of being carnally minded in his high office? “Though we walk in the flesh [live a corporeal life], we do not war after the flesh,” or “according to the flesh,” the contrast being in the words “in” and “according.” And forthwith he proceeds to show the difference between walking in the flesh and warring according to the flesh. A warrior he is, an open and avowed warriora warrior who was to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; a warrior too who would punish these Judaizers if they continued their disorganizing work; but a prudent and considerate warrior, deferring the avenging blow till “I am assured of your submission” (Stanley) “that I may not confound the innocent with the guilty, the dupes with the deceivers.” What kind of a preacher he was he had shown long before; what kind of an apostle he was among apostles as to independence, self-support, and resignation of official rights in earthly matters, he had also shown; further yet, what kind of a sufferer and martyr he was had been portrayed. Step by step he had gone on with this faithful unfolding of himself, giving the most unique spiritual biography in the world of literature, and that too on no preconceived plan. How many aspects of his character had been sketched! The man as ambassador, representing the majesty of a glorified King, and labouring to reconcile a world to his Divine sceptre; the man as coworker with all the blessed ministries of earth and heaven; the man as philanthropist sharing the poverty of his countrymen in a far off city; and now the man as warrior, leading on his hosts to battle against alien spirits;what a wide activity, how minute, how full, how varied, how comprehensive. At no point does this personal narrative draw its interest from self alone. Self is always subordinate. The biography interweaves with a history that infinitely transcends all private fortunes and all earthly affairs, and is nothing less than the history of providence in the development of Christian doctrine coincident with the work of the Holy Ghost in glorifying the ascended Christ of the Father. “Casting down imaginations.” The reference is to reasoning or disputings of the natural man in the pride of his intellectual power. Yet they are imaginations, the products of the imaging faculty, the fond conceits of creative ingenuity. All these were religious beliefs or connected in some way with them, so that what the apostle said at Athens was true elsewhere: “I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.” Men who held these beliefs were earnest supporters of them and were always ready to defend their tenets. No matter in what province or city he preached the gospel, these disputants appeared. It was a battle on all occasions, and hence a battle figure, “casting down,” or the destruction of bulwarks. Philosophy, art, manufactures, trade, husbandry, seamanship, military life, domestic life, statesmanship, were all intimately associated with these religious beliefs. Paganism occupied the ground. Or, if Judaism had found lodgment over the empire at every prominent centre of industry, it was the Judaism that had crucified Jesus of Nazareth. So then there was battle everywhere. The “wisdom of the world” and of “the princes of the world,” backed by social influence and civil authority, was arrayed against the gospel. In the land of its birth, Christianity had nothing to show but a few Galilean fishermen, with a community of poor disciples, and behind these a malefactor’s cross. In the lands to which it came on its mission of grace, it summoned men to repent of sin, to practise self-denial, to become new creatures, to abandon idolatries that were in league with lust and cruelty, and, in lieu thereof, accept a faith which demanded a pure heart and a holy morality. It could only make its way by “casting down imaginations,” by telling men that they were deluded by sophistries, and further by destroying “every high thing” that exalted itself against the knowledge of God communicated to man by the revelation of the gospel. No compromise could be allowed; every thought was to be brought into” captivity” to the “obedience of Christ.” What captivity meant they fully understood. It was a military word, and he uses such terms that they might have clear and vivid ideas of Christianity as a war, and nothing less than an exterminating war, on whatever stood opposed “to the obedience of Christ.” The “weapons” he used were not “carnal.” All the world knew his weapons. He made no disguise of them. Boldly, constantly, in every place, he proclaimed Christ, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God, nor had a mob occurred, nor had perils gathered about him, nor had Roman officers interfered for his protection, except on the single issue of preaching Christ crucified. No heathen would charge him with using carnal weapons. Philosophers of Athens, inhabitants of Lycaonia, Demetrius and his workmen at Ephesus, would make no such accusation against his ministry. Only the Judaizers had done this thing. Let them understand that these weapons were “mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” Neither a false Judaism nor a colossal idolatry could offer any effective resistance to the gospel. Let these Judaizers know that his weapons were “mighty through God,” and that in due time he would show “a readiness to revenge all disobedience.” And let the Corinthian Church look deeper than the “outward appearance.” To construe his manner of “meekness and gentleness” into imbecility and cowardice was not truth, but falsehood. And whence came this evil way of judging? Not from themselves, but from some wrong teacher who professed to have external advantages in favour of his teaching. Let that conceited man know that, if he is Christ’s, so also am I.L.
2Co 10:8-11 – Continuation of his defence.
What he had just claimed was no more than other apostles claimed. If he were to boast in stronger terms of the authority the Lord had conferred upon him, there would be no risk of personal shame by his overstating the matter. Power had been given, not for their destruction, but for their edification. It is his favourite figure once moreedification, building up, and that power should be used for this object. To terrify them by letters was not his aim; edification, not destruction, led him to write. By the admission of his enemies, the letters from him were “weighty and powerful.” On the other hand, his “bodily presence” was “weak,” and his “speech contemptible.” This is the only notice we have in the New Testament of an apostle’s personal appearance. Had it occurred in the case of St. Peter or St. John, we should have been surprised, but it falls in naturally with the order of events and the play of circumstances connected with St. Paul’s apostleship. His call, position, and career were singular; the individuality gives a colouring to the minutest details of his life; and accordingly, as he was subjected to an exceptional kind and degree of criticism, even his bodily infirmities came under inspection and were made matters of public notoriety. By itself, this reference to his appearance would not attract more than a passing notice. Yet it has a broader meaning, since it serves to illustrate the fact that nothing about him escaped the closest scrutiny. Enemies in the Church, enemies out of the Church, officials, centurions, proconsuls, procurators, find something in the man to study, and their opinions of him come into the public thought of the day. The plan of Providence, we may infer, was that St. Paul should be well known, thoroughly well known, and that we should hear from both sidesfriends and foesall that could be known of him, even to his “presence” and “speech.” He thought the matter of sufficient importance to recognize it so far as to say that, what he was in his letters, he would be in his deeds. Beyond this he has no concern about it.L.
2Co 10:12-18 – Limits and labours.
Was the apostle a great letter writer only? So his enemies had declared; but he would not put himself among those who had no higher standard of what they ought to be than what they were, nor would he compare himself with such men. Instead of measuring themselves by a Divine rule, these persons thought it enough to measure themselves by themselves or by others; and this mode of judgment, originating in self and ending with self, was without understanding. Yet there was a measure, and he acknowledged it whenever ha thought or spoke of himself. If he referred to his labours, if he enumerated his sacrifices, if he cited his sufferings, it was not with any human standard in view, but in the sight of God and with respect solely to the sphere of activity to which God had appointed him as an apostle. Had he come to Corinth? Corinth had been given him of God as a field of apostolic effort. “The surveyor’s chain” had laid off the territory, and he had traversed Macedonia and Achaia only because Providence had assigned the ground to him, and the Holy Spirit had inspired him to undertake the task. “As far as to you;” so far in the warfare of the West the campaign had extended, so far had he gone in the great fight of pulling down strongholds, and in demonstrating that the weapons were not carnal, but mighty through God. If he had reached Corinth as a place within the boundaries of his province, would he pause there? Was this the outer line of the vast battlefield? He hoped not. There he was only waiting till another territory had been marked out, and he should hear the signal to arise and possess the land. Was he looking across the sea of Adria and wondering when he should visit Rome? And when would that glad opportunity come? But one thing was clear to him just then, and this was that, if the faith of the Corinthians were increased, he would have his own heart enlarged, and be further endowed and qualified for apostolic labour. One moment, a glance at the Judaizers and their presumptuous occupancy of fields delegated of God to him (2Co 10:15), “not boasting of things without measure, that is, of other men’s labours;” the next moment, a thought of new work so soon as the Church at Corinth should recover from its troubles and he should find it safe to leave them. Already his heart was burning to preach the gospel in the regions beyond Corinth, and “not to glory in another’s province in regard to things ready to our hand.” Observe how often this last idea recurs: 2Co 10:13, “We will not boast of things without our measure;” 2Co 10:14, “We stretch not ourselves beyond our measure;” 2Co 10:15, “Not boasting of things without our measure;” 2Co 10:16, “Not to boast in another man’s line of things [see Revised Version, above] made ready to our hand.” Two things here are noteworthy.
1. The apostle is willing and ready to wage the holy war in new territories. He is not tired of fighting the Lord’s battles. Nor is he afraid of greater and more numerous enemies. Probably his eye was on Rome. If God will, he shall go further West. His weapons have been tried and proved. He himself has been tested. Grace has been sufficient. Cast down, he has not been destroyed. Dying, he has lived. The promises of God have been Yea and Amen to his soul, nor could any experience happen that would not bring the strength and consolation of Christ to his heart. How much he had lived and how rapidly! What years had been compressed into each year! Before the dilating eye of intellect, what vistas had spread afar in the light that brightened towards the perfect day! And then the blessed realizations, ability increasing perpetually, and capacity growing even faster so as to supply fully the expanding spheres of ability, consciousness of self enlarging as self in Christ, deep opening into deep, wonder springing afresh from wonder, and, with every victory gained by the weapons of his warfare, a larger assurance that, if he had been “mighty through God” at Ephesus and Corinth, he should be mightier still “in the regions beyond.” Here is a most useful lesson to teach us what we are slow to learn, namely, that no natural endowments, no amount of culture, no inspiration of knowledge, no miracles wrought in his behalf, can set aside the necessity of Christian experience, a personal work of grace in the soul, a profound sense of that work as from the Holy Spirit, in the ease of one called to the highest office of ministration.
2. We see how we are, am Christians, “members one of another.” Although St. Paul was so highly endowed and so remarkably successful in the apostleship, yet he depends on the Church at Corinth for his enlargement to the work opening before him in Europe. “We shall be enlarged by you.” This was conditioned on their conduct. If their divisions were healed, their false teachers silenced, their energies set free from exhausting strife and concentrated on building up Christ’s kingdom, would Corinth and Achaia be the only gainers? Nay; he himself would be liberated from restraints that clogged his feet. A fresh impulse would be given his apostleship. A new current of life would flow from their hearts into his heart, for it was not his working nor any other apostle’s working, but the coworking, the hearty union of Church and apostles, the cooperation of the “diversities of gifts,” the oneness of the mystical body of Christ, by which the world was to be evangelized. The schism that had been threatened between the Asiatic and European Churches was in a fair way to be arrested. Jewish and Gentile believers were getting reconciled to the peculiarities of each other; the collection for the mother Church at Jerusalem was doing much to effect this most important unity. Yet this is not before him now. Nor does he allude to the singular advantages of Corinth as to geographical location and commercial opportunities. Situated on a narrow strip of land between northern and southern Greece, and connected with two seas by its harbours of Lechaeum and Cenchreae, it was a great emporium of trade for the East and West, and hence offered extraordinary facilities for the diffusion of Christianity. No doubt St. Paul felt that it was a centre of commanding influence. But he was extremely cautious as to using local motives, and in the present case he made no allusion to them. What occupied his whole thought was the increase of grace among them as a Christian community, and to this he looked for a happy furtherance in his contemplated missionary, tour. If they were revived and consecrated anew to Christ, he knew well that, when obstacles were thrown in his future pathway, when persecutions even fiercer than those already undergone came upon him, they would afford him sympathy and assistance while getting foothold in “the regions beyond.” Obviously a prevailing idea in his mind was that Christianity must have a central home in every great section of country, and thence draw its human supplies during its conquests of outlying territory. And he longed for the Corinthian brethren to attain a richer experience of grace, so that they might magnify his office. Instead of being independent of their fraternal support, the stronger he felt himself the more he leaned on their sympathies. Heaven never gets so close to a man that earth does not get closer also. How the blessed Jesus leaned on his friends in the Passion week! How he needed the chosen among them to watch with him in the garden for one hour! The weary days of the apostle had not yet come, and his soul was having glorious visions of apostolic work, but amid it all, the pressure of uncertainty was upon his hope, and he would gladly hasten away from the present scene of anxiety just as soon as Providence permitted. We can enter into his solicitudes. We can imagine how Kirke White felt when he wrote the closing lines of the ‘Christiad’:
“O thou who visitest the sons of men,
Thou who dost listen when the humble pray,
One little space prolong my mournful day
One little lapse suspend thy last decree!”
And we can realize Dr. Arnold’s emotions when he made the last entry in his diary: “Still there are works which, with God’s permission, I would do before the night cometh; especially that great work, if I might be permitted to take part in it.” So too we can form some conception of St. Paul’s anxiety to widen the field of his ministrations, But he could not go alone; the heart of the Corinthian Church must go with him; and he must wait till they were sufficiently “increased” in “faith” to enter on the future enterprises of his universal apostleship. How humble in his greatness! Not what St. Paul accomplished, but what God accomplished in him, was his boast and commendation. This was his strength and glory, and therefore, “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”L.
HOMILIES BY J.R. THOMSON
2Co 10:4 – Spiritual weapons.
The Apostle Paul was naturally of a combative, soldier-like disposition. Before his conversion this temperament displayed itself in opposition to the cause of truth, to the Church of Christ. After his conversion his warfare was directed against the error, sin, and evil that afflicted and cursed mankind. As a soldier of Christ he fought a good fight and gained an honourable reputation. In the text we have, upon his own authority, the acknowledgment and explanation of his victories.
1. THE NATURE OF THE WEAPONS CHRISTIANITY EMPLOYS AND SANCTIONS. It is evident from this and other passages that Paul did not place his main reliance upon the miraculous and supernatural powers which he possessed, and sometimes wielded.
1. Carnal weapons are disclaimed; e.g. the appeal to force of arms or of law; the appeal to the superstitious fears of men; the address to interest and selfishness, in the use of worldly policy and craft.
2. Spiritual weapons are relied upon. The truth of God, the gospel of Christ,this was the arm in which inspired apostles were wont to trust.
3. These weapons are mighty. In fact, there are no means of combating error and sin, of promoting the cause of truth and righteousness, so powerful as those which are taken from the armoury of the New Testament. They are “mighty through God,” i.e. their power is of Divine origin, the Holy Spirit accompanying them to the souls of men.
II. THE EFFICACY OF THE WEAPONS WHICH CHRISTIANITY EMPLOYS AND SANCTIONS.
1. They are mighty to demolish. As in warfare fortresses and cities are taken by a victorious army, and are then demolished, razed to the ground, so when the religion of Jesus went forth, conquering and to conquer, it attacked and brought low every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God. Thus sin, ignorance, error, superstition, vice, crime, bigotry, malice, were again and again vanquished by the victorious energy of the gospel.
2. They are mighty to subjugate. Captivity was the common lot of the conquered foe. And as thoughts are the motive power of life, the gospel attacked these; and rebellious, disobedient, indifferent, ungrateful thoughts were captured, and, by the gentle but mighty force of Divine truth, were brought into subjection to Christ, whom to obey is liberty, peace, and joy.T.
2Co 10:5 – The captivity of the thoughts.
Spiritual warfare is represented as leading to spiritual victory, and this as involving spiritual captivity. As the Roman general, having vanquished his foe and taken multitudes of prisoners, reserved his captives to grace his triumph, so the apostle, commissioned by Christ, regards himself as contending with all lawless and rebellious forces, and as resolved with Divine help to bring all such forces into subjection to his great Commander and Lord.
I. THE FORCES WHICH ARE BROUGHT INTO CAPTIVITY. Christianity does not contend with physical powers, does not aim at the mere regulation of outward and bodily acts. It strikes at antagonists far more powerful than any which are dealt with by the powers of this world. Thoughts, i.e. the desires and purposes of the souls of men,these are the foes with which the spiritual religion of the Lord Jesus contends. Disobedient thoughts, selfish thoughts, worldly thoughts, murmuring thoughts,these it is that the religion of the Lord Jesus assails. These are the source and spring of all the outward evils that afflict and curse mankind. If these can be mastered, society may be regenerated and the world may be saved.
II. THE SUBJECTION AND SUBMISSION INTO WHICH THESE FORCES ARE TO BE BROUGHT.
1. It is to the obedience of Christ, the rightful Lord of thoughts and of hearts, that the spiritual forces of humanity are to be rendered subject. A grand future is in this view opened up before humanity. The Son of man is King of man; and he will then ascend his royal throne when men’s hearts bow loyally before him, acknowledge his unique spiritual authority, and offer to him their grateful and cheerful allegiance.
2. It is a willing captivity into which human thoughts will be led. In this it is utterly unlike the subjection from which the metaphor is taken. Not brute force, but the convincing authority of reason, the sweet constraint of love, the admired majesty of moral excellence, secure the submission of man’s nature to the control of the Divine Lord
3. It is a lasting captivity, not temporary and brief. Whom Christ governs he governs forevermore. Time and earth cannot limit his empire. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.T.
2Co 10:8 – Apostolic authority.
Paul had to contend with difficulties, not only from without, but also from within, the Churches. There were rivals to his authority and claims. It happened that sometimes these rivals met with a certain measure of success. And this drove the apostle into the assertion of his rightful position and demands.
I. THE SOURCE OF APOSTOLIC POWER AND AUTHORITY.
1. It was not in himself, in any personal gifts and qualifications, that this power lay. Paul was indeed by nature a highly gifted man; but he laid no stress upon his abilities. He was by education a man of learning and culture; but he did not rely upon his knowledge for his influence.
2. It was not in any human commission that Paul confided. A king commissions an ambassador; a university confers a degree and right to teach; a Church licenses and authorizes a ministry. But the apostles were forward to declare that they had not received their commission from man.
3. It was by the Lord Jesus himself that the apostles were empowered and appointed to fulfil their high office. If Paul was the latest thus to be commissioned, none the less did he receive his authorization from the Divine Lord himself.
II. THE SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF APOSTOLIC POWER AND AUTHORITY,
1. As negatively described, it was not for casting down, for destruction. The power of the warrior is too often employed for this end. And even religious leaders and rulerspopes, defenders of the faith, and othershave too often bent their energies rather to destroy than to save. The apostle had occasion sometimes to threaten that he would put forth his power to silence and crush the rebellious. But he had no delight in “casting down,” neither did he regard this as the ultimate end of his ministry.
2. As positively described, it was for edification. We must understand by this the rearing of the structure of Christian doctrine, and at the same time the building up of Church life. And as doctrine is intended to produce results in character, and as every true Church is built up of renewed natures and holy lives, obviously edification is a moral and personal process.
APPLICATION. Apostolic power and authority give an assured basis for the faith of a Christian believer and for the teaching of a Christian minister. For the foundation is laid, not by human ignorance, but by Divine wisdom.T.
2Co 10:10 – Letters, weighty and strong.
In this passage St. Paul records the impression which, according to his adversaries, was made by his personal presence and by his epistolary writings. Although the reference is to the feeling at Corinth as a result of his First Epistle to the Church in that city, the language applies to the apostle generally as a minister discharging his ministry by the pen. There was nothing commanding in Paul’s appearance, and there were in his delivery some drawbacks to the impressiveness of his speech; but with regard to his letters, there was no room for difference of opinion. They were masterpieces, and their effectiveness was undeniable. In what does this effectiveness consist?
I. ST. PAUL‘S EPISTLES ABOUND IN VIGOROUS REASONING. It is sufficient to refer to the First Epistle to the Corinthians in order to establish this assertion. On a doctrinal question such as the resurrection of the dead, on a practical question such as that connected with the sacrificial feasts, he proved himself a master of argument. As Christianity is a religion appealing to the intelligence, it has been wisely ordered that in its authoritative documents there should be much reasoning which commends itself to the wisest understanding and the soundest judgment.
II. ST. PAUL‘S EPISTLES ABOUND IN MANIFESTATIONS OF THE FINEST FEELING. Far from sentimental, the apostle was yet a man of tender affections, of emotional susceptibilities. Take, for example, the panegyric of charity in his First Epistle to these Corinthians. Take the personal references to his friends and fellow labourers, to be found in most of his letters. Many readers or hearers, who were not capable of appreciating his argumentative power, would feel deeply the appeals to their best and purest sentiments. If we feel thus now, at this distance of time, and when imagination is necessary in order to throw ourselves into the circumstances in which these letters were written and read, how much more must this have been the case when all was fresh and recent!
III. PAUL‘S EPISTLES HAVE PROVED THEIR POWER BY THE PRACTICAL RESULTS THEY HAVE PRODUCED. They were not written to be approved and admired, but to convince, to persuade, to induce to prompt and cheerful action in compliance with their counsels. And this result followed these documents when first perused. And every age attests their moral authority, and proves that their weight and power are still undiminished.T.
2Co 10:17 – Glorying in the Lord.
Boasting is universally denounced as a petty and a vulgar fault. Yet it is a fault not uncommon. It imposes upon the unthinking and the unwary, but it awakens the suspicion and the distrust of those who have a larger experience of life. But in the region of spiritual service, boastfulness is a serious offence, not only against society, but against God himself. The apostle protests against it, and in this verse exhibits the true remedy.
I. MEN ARE TEMPTED TO GLORY IN THEMSELVES. What men have they are in danger of over estimating, and thus taking credit to themselves when no credit is due. Some glory in natural endowments, strength of body, or mental ability. Some in the accidents of birth or of fortune. Some in their position in society, etc.
II. FROM THIS TEMPTATION TO BOASTFULNESS SPIRITUAL LABOURERS ARE NOT FREE. Some religious teachers, preachers, writers, officials, pride themselves upon their “gifts,” and the esteem in which they are held; boast of their credentials, their learning, their acceptance. If the persons to whom the apostle referred were the first, they were certainly not the last, of this order of men.
III. THE ONLY ADMISSIBLE GLORYING IS GLORYING IN THE LORD.
1. Christians may glory in the Divine grace to which they owe their spiritual position. This they do when they askWhat have we that we did not receive? Who hath made us to differ?
2. Christian ministers may glory in opportunity of service and in the Divine bestowal of ability for its fulfilment. The apostle felt that the Head of the Church had put honour upon him in commissioning him as the messenger of life to the Gentiles, and in qualifying him for a mission so sacred and glorious. Every bishop, pastor, and evangelist may well acknowledge the condescension of the Eternal in counting him faithful and putting him into the ministry.
3. All true labourers may glory in their success by attributing it to the Divine Author. Paul had abundant reason of this kind for glorying. He needed no letters of commendation; his own converts were epistles witnessing to his faithfulness and zeal, known and read of all men. Joy and thanksgiving, glorying and congratulation, may justly follow when Heaven has smiled upon the labourer’s toil, and has suffered him not only to sow, but also to reap.T.
2Co 10:18 – Commendation, human and Divine.
A good man’s difficulties do not always come from avowed adversaries. It sometimes happens that those who are professedly upon his side trouble and harass him. So the Apostle Paul found it, for he had to complain of perils among false brethren, and he frequently had to contend with the undermining influence of those who disparaged his ability and authority, and asserted and praised themselves.
I. THE VANITY OF SELF–COMMENDATION ON THE PART OF CHRISTIAN LABOURERS.
1. Such a habit is a flaw in personal character. True dignity and self-respect dictate modesty in estimating one’s self and reticence in speaking of one’s self.
2. It has an injurious effect upon the ministry. They who commend themselves in words are not likely to commend themselves in deeds. The estimation in which others hold them is probably in inverse ratio to that in which they hold themselves.
3. It is displeasing to the Lord and Judge of all, who regards the lowly and meek and raises them up in due time.
II. THE LORD HIMSELF COMMENDS AND WILL COMMEND HIS FAITHFUL SERVANTS. He is not unjust; he is not ungenerous; he is not unmindful.
“All works are good, and each is best
As most it pleases thee;
Each worker pleases when the rest
He serves in charity;
And neither man nor work unblest
Wilt thou permit to be.”
1. This commendation is bestowed here and now. In the success of the labourer is evidence of the approbation of the Master.
2. Hereafter shall be a public and pronounced commendation. In the day of account those who have done their Lord’s will shall be accepted. “Then shall every man have praise of God.”
III. IT IS NOT THE SELF–COMMENDED, BUT THE COMMENDED OF THE LORD, WHO ENDURE THE TEST AND COME OUT FROM IT APPROVED. Work is put to the proof; and not only the work, but the workman, is thus submitted to a decisive trial. If it be askedWho stand the test, and are brought out with honour and acceptance? the answer isNot the boastful, the self-confident, those who are loud in their own praise; but those who, by patient continuance in well doing, by diligent devotion to the service of the Lord, secure his commendation. Such shall abide in the judgment, and shall receive the recompense of reward.T.
HOMILIES BY E. HURNDALL
2Co 10:1 – “The meekness and gentleness of Christ.”
How different was Christ to
(1) the anticipations of the chosen people!
(2) the heathen conceptions of deity!
I. THE MEEKNESS OF CHRIST. Illustrated in:
1. His lowly birth. The manger prefigured the whole life.
2. His humble station. Highest in heaven, lowliest on earth.
3. His obedience to Joseph and Mary. Obedience was new to him. He was the Ruler, and yet he submitted to be ruled.
4. His manual toil. The Jews looked for a conqueror and saw a carpenter.
5. His endurance of scorn and insult. Scorn and insult were much more to him than they ever can be to us. Remember he was the adored of heaven!
6. His earthly poverty. He possessed all things, and yet bad nothingnot even a place where to lay his head.
7. His bearing before the Sanhedrim, Pilate, Herod, the soldiers, etc. How little and mean they must have seemed to him! and yet he did not crush them.
8. His submission on the cross. The infinitude of meekness! Nothing could transcend this. This was the culmination of a meekness which shone throughout the marvellous earthly life.
“Ride on, ride on in majesty;
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
Bow thy meek head to mortal pain;
Then take, O Christ, thy power and reign.”
9. His burial. He went, not only to death, but to the grave. He lay in a borrowed sepulchre.
II. THE GENTLENESS OF CHRIST. Exhibited in:
1. His treatment of children. How immortal have those words become! how typical they are of the Christ heart, “Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me” (Mat 19:14)!
2. His conduct towards the poor, the sick, the bereaved, the penitent. What compassion and tenderness! “A bruised reed shall he not break” (Isa 42:3).
3. His words. “He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street” (Isa 42:2). Well might they marvel at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.
4. His forbearance towards his disciples. Few things illustrate his gentleness more strikingly than this. How much had he to bear from those nearest to him! How gentle he was to the impulsive, blundering, often almost insolent, Peter! How gentle even to Judas!
5. His dealing with sinners. Except to the hopelessly hardened, upon whom gentleness would have been thrown away, and to whom it would have been an evil rather than a good. His general attitude towards the sinful is expressed by those memorable words, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Mat 11:29).
6. His care of his mother. History has no more touching incident than that at the cross, “Woman, behold thy son!” (Joh 19:26).
III. THOUGH SO MEEK AND GENTLE, CHRIST WAS FULL OF POWER AND MAJESTY, NO student of his life can question this; enemies and friends alike confess it. Force and noise are not synonymous. Silent forces are often mighty. To be meek is not to be weak. Simplicity, tenderness, humility, are marks of the truly great. These flowers grow upon the top of the mountain. A man who is ever anxious to “assert himself” usually shows how very little he has to assert.
IV. THOSE WHO BEAR CHRIST‘S NAME SHOULD PARTAKE OF CHRIST‘S NATURE. It is for us to be meek and lowly followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. When the apostle would be most forceful to the Corinthians, he claimed for himself these attributes of his Master. We are strongest when we are most like Christ. We shall be better, live better, worship better, work better, if we possess the “meekness and gentleness of Christ.”H.
2Co 10:4 – “Our weapons.”
I. THEY ARE FOR USE IN THE GREATEST OF ALL CONFLICTS
1. Not a physical conflict. These are poor, of comparative unimportance, often very contemptible, can effect little.
2. Not for the destruction of men. What labour, thought, skill, genius, are expended by man for man’s destruction!
3. Not a mere mental conflict. Intellectual battles are not chief.
4. A spiritual conflict.
5. A conflict in which the honour and glory of the Eternal are contended for.
6. A conflict in which man’s highest interests are sought.
7. A conflict against evil in every form.
II. THEY ARE HERE DESCRIBED.
1. Negatively. They are not carnal.
(1) They are not physical. Physical weapons have often been used in the cause of religion, but always by mistake. Peter’s blunder in cutting off the ear of Malchus has had many repetitions.
(2) They are not carnal, for they are not of man. The apostle did not carry on his conflict by using
(a) cunning and trickery in order to secure converts. Some unwisely think that, if converts be obtained, it is no matter how. But Paul desired to “strive lawfully” (2Ti 2:5).
(b) Nor did he rely upon human eloquence. He came not with “wisdom of words” (1Co 1:17).
(c) Nor upon human reason. Philosophical subtleties he discarded. He had a revelation, and, whilst willing to demonstrate to human intelligence that this was a Divine revelation, he then employed it, and hoped for victory only as the Divine Spirit blessed his efforts. The apostle preached the gospel by his words, by his deeds, by his spirit, by his life; and using these weapons he relied pre-eminently upon that supreme weapon, Divine power, to secure the victory.
2. Positively. Carnal weapons seem strong. They impress men. Paul’s weapons, which are ours, are apt to excite ridicule on the part of fleshly men, who judge by outward appearance. But the apostle contends that these weapons are mighty. They have done what all others have failed to do.
(1) They cast down strongholds. By these Satan is hurled from his seats, from his fastnesses in the hearts of men.
(2) They triumph over sceptical human philosophies and false religions (2Co 10:5). This is the conflict between truth and error. Truth has won. Truth will win. Though these are high things exalted against the knowledge of God (2Co 10:5), they find something higher and mightier in the gospel and in the accompanying power of God. They are but Dagons; before the ark they must fall.
(3) They make captive human thought (2Co 10:5). Illustrated in a true conversion. Thought is then dominated by Christno more a boastful foe, but a servant, a captive. The wise man becomes a fool that he may be truly wise (1Co 3:18). Pride, boastful and arrogant in the realm of human thought, is smittensmitten to the death.
(4) They are mighty before God. Through God, but also before God, i.e. in his judgment. They come from his armoury. They are specially fashioned by him for this strife.
III. WE SHOULD RELY ONLY UPON THESE WEAPONS IN THE GREAT CONFLICT. Our strength is here. There are many temptations to use others. The devil loves to furnish us with weapons wherewith to attack his kingdom! With what strange weapons has the Church fought! No wonder the strife has so often gone against her. With what weapons are we fighting?
IV. WE SHOULD SEEK SKILL IS THEIR USE, ‘Tis not enough to have good weapons, we must know how to employ them. The best weapons are the worst in unwise hands. We must enter the military school of Christ.H.
2Co 10:7 – Judging from appearances.
I. A VERY EASY WAY OF JUDGING. A sound judgment often involves hard labour. Many jump to conclusions because the jump is so easy and so soon over. But a judgment lightly got may generally be lightly valued. Few things are more difficult than terming accurate judgments. The importance of correct judgment is, however, so all important that we should spare no pains to secure it.
II. A VERY COMMON WAY OF JUDGING. Surface judgments are popular. Many people are fatally prejudiced by appearance, whether good or bad; of the former they will hear no blame, of the latter no praise. We need remember this when we estimate human judgments generally.
III. A VERY PERILOUS WAY OF JUDGING. It leads to constant errors and evils. Note one or two.
1. Gentleness is mistaken for weakness. This was the case with the apostle. That which was kindest and best in him was esteemed a fault.
2. The physical and external are over estimated. The voice, manner, appearance, language of a preacher are unduly regarded. The “outward appearance” often goes for much more than the inward grace and power.
3. The flashy and dazzling are more esteemed than the solid and weighty. Sensational religion triumphs in the realm of shallow judgment,
4. The religious life suffers in comparison with the worldly. The deep, quiet, permanent joys of the former are unconsidered. The pleasures of the latter are thought to be as great as they seem: a fatal blunder.
5. God‘s dealings with us are misunderstood. He is often kindest when he seems most unkind. God’s “No” is often a far greater good than God’s “Yes” could be; but a hasty superficial judgment does not perceive this. We often complain most when we have most cause to bless.
6. The more striking forms of Christian worship and work eclipse other and more important. The shallow judgments of Corinth were all for speaking with tongues. “Prophecy” was little accounted of. “Giving money” is often attractive when true charity is not. The grand choral service is more popular than quiet consistent living. To be a “great preacher” is the object of ambition rather than to be a real teacher of men.
7. Christ was rejected and is today by those who judge according to the outward appearance. He is “a root out of a dry ground” to such; they have no spiritual insight. The Gospels which speak of him are full of inconsistencies to those who will not examine them. Yea, the Bible itself, which is one revelation of him, must be rejected by these weak surface judges. But what said he? “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (Joh 7:24).H.
2Co 10:12-18
Boasting, wrong and right.
I. WRONG BOASTING.
1. That we excel some others. We are very apt, like some at Corinth, to compare ourselves with certain around us. This is measuring by a false standard, and measuring by a false standard is likely to lead to enormously erroneous results. The question is not whether we excel others, but whether we have attained to the measure for which God created and endowed us. The true measuring rod is not found in the stature, physical mental, or moral, of our fellows; the true measuring rod is held in the hands of the Almighty. If a man were to judge of himself by comparing himself with a mouse or a molehill, we should say he was a fool; and the apostle says, “They themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding” (2Co 10:12). It has been said, “The one-eyed is easily king among the blind.”
2. That we possess what we are destitute of, and that we have done what we have not done. Wrong boasting is the twin brother of downright lying. The false teachers at Corinth boasted of gifts which they did not possess, and took to themselves the credit of other men’s labours. It is astonishing what powers of appropriation the boastful spirit possesses. When a man once gets addicted to vain glory it is useless to attempt to predict to what excesses he will be led. He clears the barriers of truth as though they were straws. What he is, is what he can persuade people to think him; what he has done is what he can by any means induce them to credit. The braggart knows no restraint. His parish is the worldthe worlds of fact and fiction rolled into one, and he is as much at home in the one as in the other. His domain has only one boundarythe credulity of his listeners.
3. That the praise of our good actions is to be ascribed to us. This strikes at the root of wrong boasting. A boasting which robs God must be of the devil, The man who knows himself knows that there is no good thing in him. If he finds anything good he immediately concludes that it did not spring from himself, and he looks about for the originator and owner. It is only the very bad who think themselves very good. If we are disposed to take the praise of our good actions to ourselves it is strong evidence that these actions were not really good. “Good” actions cannot be done by those who are so utterly out of true relation to God.
II. RIGHT BOASTING. This is boasting or glorying in the Lord (2Co 10:17). We may boast of God, and the more boastful we are in this direction the better. There will be no danger of running to excess; after we have boasted to our utmost we shall have fallen far short of the truth. Alas! few things are more uncommon than this boasting in God. Fallen human nature finds it easier and more reasonable to boast of the mud puddle than of the crystal oceanof the dim rushlight than of the glorious sun.
1. We may well boast of the Divine perfections. Here we shall find an inexhaustible subject. The glories of our God will exhaust our powers of glorying. Whilst carnal men applaud their little gods, the saints may well extol Jehovah. “Who is a God like unto our God?” we may proudly cry. Pride becomes one of the chiefest virtues when it is centred in God. Christians are not half boastful enough in the right direction, and twice too boastful in the wrong. Shame upon us that we boast so little of our God!
2. We may well boast of the great redemptive work of God. So loud should be our boasting as to make all men hear it. Here the perfection of God finds highest and most beautiful expression. Here each Person in the adorable Trinity works a matchless work of grace and power. Upon us especially, since we are the subjects of redemption, rests the burden of boasting respecting it. This is our peculiar province of glorying. Of all creatures in the universe we are bound to this service. If we were silent, surely the stones would cry out. As God has wrought this great thing for us, we must never let men or God hear the last of it! What a subject for boast! Where is there aught that can for a moment compare with it? Boast, ye Christians, of redeeming love till all your powers of boasting fail.
3. We may well boast of God‘s work in us and through us.
(1) In us. When we joyfully recognize that we are growing in grace we must exult in the God of all grace. This thing is not of us, but of him. To him must all the praise be accorded. The “old man” within us is the child of our fall and our folly; the “new man” is God’s special creation. Clearly should we realize this, and concentrate all our boasting in him from whom this “unspeakable Gift” (which is “Christ in us”) emanates. Humility and abasement in respect of ourselves; boastfulness in respect of him who has wrought the marvel in us.
(2) Through us. To depreciate what is accomplished through us is but lying humility. Paul was not guilty of it. It is professedly abasing ourselves and really abasing God. When the work accomplished is undoubted, the only right course is to glory to our utmost in the God who has accomplished it. We must reserve no praise for ourselves, since we have deserved none; all the praise must be his. We need care, however, when glorying in God for what he has accomplished through us, lest, whilst ostensibly praising him, we should be covertly praising ourselves. There is a mouth of hell which lies near the gate of heaven. We must guard against feeding conceit by supposing that we are of ourselves instruments so fit that God could not have so well performed the work through others; or that through personal merit we are favourites of God, and that therefore he has specially wrought his will through us; or that, having been so honoured, we may now hold our heads high. Whilst extolling God we must abase ourselves; whilst boasting in him we must refuse to glory in the least in the unworthy instrument. That he has so greatly distinguished what was so greatly unworthy should but deepen and intensify our humility.H.
HOMILIES BY D. FRASER
2Co 10:4 – Holy weapons.
One style of weapon for one kind of conflict, another for another. For the common battlefield, cannon and rifle with their horrid din, the bayonet, and the sword. For contests of opinion, weapons of argument and intellectual precisionwritings, lectures, and debates. For successes in the sphere of spiritual thought and life, spiritual weapons mighty through God. St. Paul was much addicted to the use of military metaphors. To him a zealous missionary was a good soldier of Christ; a well-equipped and disciplined Christian was a man armed in the panoply of God. His own course of service in combatting errors and publishing the truth of the gospel was as the march of a warrior, nay, of a victor, triumphing in every place. So be regarded both the ordering of things within the Church and the aggression of the Church on the world around as parts of his military duty, in which he was bound to war, but not according to the flesh. There is still need to make war. On every side are obstinate hindrances to the gospel of grace, and to the health and peace of the Church. The most formidable of these are in the region of thought and feeling; strongholds of prejudice and self-righteousness, and entrenchments of unbelief. And those who propagate the gospel, and guard the purity and peace of the Church, must surmount those obstacles, or pull down those strongholds, so as to lead away the convictions of the delivered ones as happy captives to the obedience of Christ.
I. NOT BY CARNAL WEAPONS OR ANY FORM OF PHYSICAL COACTION. Though St. Peter drew his sword to defend his heavenly Master, he was bidden at once restore it to its sheath. When Pontius Pilate interrogated our Lord about his being King of the Jews, he received for answer, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.” Extremists have inferred from this language that the followers of Christ may not, in any circumstances, wield a weapon of war; but this is mere folly. The subjects of the kingdom of Christ are also for the time subjects of an earthly kingdom also, or citizens in an earthly community, and have the same natural and civil rights as other men, and the same warrant and obligation to defend them. They may not delight in war; but even to that dire extremity they may proceed if there be no other way to keep order and secure justice and liberty. To do otherwise would be tamely to surrender the earth to the most unscrupulous and aggressive of its inhabitants. But weapons of worldly warfare do not advance that spiritual power which is the highest of all; nor is it permitted to use them for direct furtherance of Christ’s kingdom of the truth. This, of course, condemns all forms of persecution; and when we say, “all forms,” we mean, not merely imprisonment, pillage, and death, but the imposition of civil disabilities, or social and educational penalties, or any abridgment of political rights. On all such coercive measures the gospel frowns. Equally inadmissible is the use of misrepresentation. Those “pious frauds” which have been practised and propagated for the supposed glory of God have been very carnal weapons. So are all the misleading phrases and cajoleries by which it is still attempted to draw men into adherence to some form of religion without conviction of the understanding or real allegiance of the heart.
II. BUT BY WEAPONS THAT ARE AFTER THE MIND OF CHRIST. See the catalogue of such weapons as they had been used by St. Paul at Corinth: “In pureness, in knowledge,” etc. (2Co 6:6, 2Co 6:7). Come honour or dishonour in this world, good report or evil, with such weapons must all the soldiers of Christ be content in the warfare to which they are called. The strongholds they assail may make a formidable resistance, but nothing is gained by changing the spiritual weapons for the carnal. They are mighty in God’s sight and in God’s strength. Paul knew them to be so. With them, though he was but one man and a man reproached and afflicted, he had pulled down many strongholds and won many victories. It is not a simple question of conversion. The truth has many a struggle in the heart after conversion as well as before. When Jericho fell, the holy war of Israel was well begun; but there still remained many holds and fenced cities to be taken. So, when the first opposition is surmounted, and a sinner yields to the power of the saving truth as it is in Jesus, much is gained, but not everything. The work of grace has to be pressed further ere every thought is brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Little worldly stir or eclat attends the warfare of which we speak, but it awakens in heaven and through all the heavenly kingdom the liveliest interest and the noblest joy. There are shouts and Te Deums there, when evil is defeated and pulled down in the world, in the Church, in the breast of the individual man; when sinners repent; when rebels submit to God; when thoughts that were lifted up in scorn are cast down at the feet of Jesus, and affections that sin had beguiled and the pride of life enchanted, are fixed on truth, on duty, and on the things which are above.F.
HOMILIES BY R. TUCK
2Co 10:1 – “The meekness and gentleness of Christ.”
It is important to notice that this chapter begins a new section of the Epistle. St. Paul has hitherto been addressing the better, the more spiritual, portion of the Corinthian Church; but now he turns to the section that impugned his authority, misrepresented his conduct, and spoke evil things of himself. Olshausen says, “Until now Paul has addressed himself preeminently to the better intentioned in the Christian Church; but henceforth he addresses himself to those who had sought to lower his dignity and weaken his authority by representing him as weak in personal influence,” as well as in bodily strength and consistency of purpose, “although courageous and full of self-commendation in his letters.” Dean Plumptre says, “The stinging words which Titus has reported to him vex his soul. He speaks in the tone of the suppressed indignation which shows itself in a keen incisive irony. The opening formula is one which he reserves as emphasizing an exceptionally strong emotion (see Gal 5:2; Eph 3:1; Phm 1:19).” Conybeare indicates that the party with which St. Paul now deals was the Christian section of the Judaizing partya section which, throwing off all authority, even though it was apostolic, declared that they received Christ alone as their Head, and that he alone should communicate truth directly to them. There is some ground for the supposition that “they were headed by an emissary from Palestine, who had brought letters of commendation from some members of the Church at Jerusalem, and who boasted of his pure Hebrew descent, and his especial connection with Christ himself. St. Paul calls him a false apostle, a minister of Satan disguised as a minister of righteousness, and hints that he was actuated by corrupt motives. He seems to have behaved at Corinth with extreme arrogance, and to have succeeded, by his overbearing conduct, in impressing his partisans with a conviction of his importance and of the truth of his pretensions. They contrasted his confident bearing with the timidity and self-distrust which had been shown by St. Paul. And they even extolled his personal advantages over those of their first teacher; comparing his rhetoric with Paul’s inartificial speech, his commanding appearance with the insignificance of Paul’s ‘bodily presence.'” Conybeare gives a translation of verses 1 and 2, which effectively expresses the spirit in which the apostle began his pleading with this malicious party. “Now I, Paul, myself exhort you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ(I, who am mean, forsooth, and lowly in outward presence, while I am among you, yet treat you boldly when I am absent)I beseech you (I say), that you will not force me to show, when I am present, the bold confidence in my power, wherewith! reckon to deal with some who reckon me by the standard of the flesh.” Archdeacon Farrar says, “There is (in these closing chapters) none of the tender effusiveness and earnest praise which we have been hearing, but a tone of suppressed indignation, in which tenderness, struggling with bitter irony, in some places renders the language laboured and obscure, like the words of one who with difficulty restrains himself from saying all that his emotion might suggest. Yet it is deeply interesting to observe that the ‘meekness and gentleness of Christ’ reigns throughout all this irony, and he utters no word of malediction like those of the psalmists.” By the term “meekness” we are to understand the habit of putting self aside, which was so characteristic of Moses, and the supreme grace of the Lord Jesus. By the term “gentleness” is not meant “softness of manner,” but “fairness,” “considerateness of the feelings of others.” It indicates the habit of mind that is engendered by the practice of regarding the rights of others as well as our own. Meekness and gentleness belong to those passive graces which it was a great part of our Lord’s mission to exemplify, to set in prominent place, and to commend. Bushnell speaks of the sublime efficacy of those virtues which belong to the receiving, suffering, patient side of character. They are such as meekness, gentleness, forbearance, forgiveness, the endurance of wrong without anger and resentment, contentment, quietness, peace, and unambitious love. These all belong to the more passive side of character, and are included, or may be, in the general and comprehensive term, “patience.” “These are never barren virtues, as some are apt to imagine, but are often the most efficient and most operative powers that a true Christian wields; inasmuch as they carry just that kind of influence which other men are least apt and least able to resist.” Considering St. Paul’s naturally sensitive and impulsive temperament, it must have cost him much effort and prayer so to restrain himself that he could speak, even to such active enemies, with the “meekness and gentleness of Christ.”
I. THE MEEKNESS OF CHRIST IN ST. PAUL. The word seems unsuitable for him unless we give it the proper meaning, which isnot self-assertive, willing to bear quietly, more anxious for others than for self. St. Paul was not even anxious, first of all, for his own imperilled reputation. The honour of Christ was involved in his self-vindication, and for Christ’s sake he undertook it.
II. THE GENTLENESS OF CHRIST IN ST. PAUL. Save to hardened scribes and Pharisees, our Lord ever spoke softly and persuasively, or, at most, reproachfully. He, in his considerateness for others, would not break the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax. And nothing is more striking in the Apostle Paul than the gentlemanly delicacy with which he considers the feelings of others. His hand trembles when it holds the rod, And the words of reproof and reproach break forth from a grieved and troubled heart. F.W. Robertson says, “He vindicated his authority because he had been meek, as Christ was meek; for not by menace, nor by force, did he conquer, but by the might of gentleness and the power of love. On that foundation St. Paul built; it was the example of Christ which he imitated in his moments of trial, when he was reproved and censured. Thus it happened that one of the apostle’s ‘mightiest weapons’ was the meekness and lowliness of heart which he drew from the life of Christ. So it ever is; humility, after all, is the best defence. It disarms and conquers by the majesty of submission. To be humble and lovingthat is true life.”R.T.
2Co 10:3 – In the flesh, but not of it.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.” This expression recalls the corresponding words of our Lord, with which we may assume that St. Paul was familiar. Addressing his disciples during thorn closing hours of communion with them in the “upper room,” Jesus had said, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” And, in his sublime high priestly prayer, Jesus spoke thus: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” The thought expressed m the passage now before us seems to have been a cherished one with the apostle. He enlarges upon it in writing to the Romans (Rom 8:4-9). He speaks of “us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” He explains that “to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” And he firmly declares, “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.” By “living in the flesh” we are to understand, simply our possessing this fleshly, bodily nature, with its frailties, limitations, and infirmities. By “living, or warring, after the flesh,” we are to understand neglecting the higher dictates of the higher spiritual nature, and living as though the desires of the body were the only ones that needed satisfying. But the precise thought of the apostle here may be that he will not be moved against the evil party at Corinth by those natural feelings of indignation which their conduct towards him had aroused, but will reprove and exhort only upon the great Christian principles, and only in the Christly spirit. Self shall not rule even his warfare with such unreasonable foes. Christ shall rule.
I. THE CHRISTIAN POSSIBILITIES OF OUR FLESHLY CONDITION. “We walk in the flesh.” God is pleased to set us in this human body, to give us this vehicle of communication with other men and with the surrounding world; and it is possible for us to win this body for Christ, to possess and rule it so that all its powers shall be used, and all its relations sustained, only in Christly service. In fact, the work of human life may be spoken of as thiswinning our bodies and our life spheres for Christ. Our bodies, our fleshly natures, include
(1) natural faculties, such as eating and drinking;
(2) passions, affecting the relationship of the sexes;
(3) mental emotions; and
(4) powers of acquiring knowledge.
It is possible to dominate the whole machinery of the body with the sanctified and Christly will.
II. THE LIMITATIONS OF OUR FLESHLY CONDITION. It is not a merely dead machine that we have to move by the force of the regenerate life. Nor is it a machine in full efficiency and repair. If the figure may be used, the body is a machine of too limited capacity for the work which the renewed soul wants done; and even taking it for what it is, it is sadly out of repair, rusted and worn, so that we have continually to complain that “we cannot do the things that we would.” Illustrate in St. Paul’s case. The body would have so affected him, if he had yielded to it, that he could not have been noble towards his traducers at Corinth. The body would have urged a passionate reply. So we find the body such a drag upon the high and holy aims, purposes, and endeavours of the soul, that we are often saying, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
III. THE CHRISTIAN MASTERY OF FLESHLY CONDITIONS. This is precisely the discipline of life. Christ wins our soul. Christ regenerates our will. Christ assures us of his own spiritual presence as our inspiration and strength; and then seems to say, “Go forth, win your flesh, your mind, your body, your associations, for me, so that henceforth no fleshly ends are sought, and no carnal, self-seeking tone rests on any of your doings and relations.” It is inspiring to find how fully St. Paul could enter into Christ’s thought for him, but it is comforting to observe how very near he was to failure in his endeavour to gain the mastery over self, again and again. Through much tribulation and conflict only can any one of us gain the mastery of the spirit over the flesh.R.T.
2Co 10:5 – Captivity of thoughts for Christ.
Probably the apostle makes special reference to the confidence of Christians at Corinth in their learning and philosophizing; “to the efforts of human reason to deal with things beyond it, the best corrective of which is, and always will be, the simple proclamation of God’s message to men.” But our thoughts are the springs of action, as well as the means of acquiring knowledge; so they may be treated in a comprehensive way.
1. THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR THOUGHTS. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Note:
1. The defiling power of cherished evil thought.
2. The inspiring and ennobling power of cherished good thought.
3. The relation of thought to
(1) conduct,
(2) culture,
(3) associations.
Right thoughts make openness to God, give graciousness to our conversation, enable us to be considerate of and helpful to others. As we must keep the fountain pure, if the stream is to run sweet and clear, we must recognize the supreme importance of taking heed to our thoughts.
II. OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR THOUGHTS. On this point a sentiment prevails which greatly needs correction. It is assumed that we cannot help thoughts coming up before us, and that they may be the suggestions of our soul’s spiritual enemy, and so we cannot be held responsible for them. This is one of those half truths that are oftentimes more mischievous than downright error. We are not responsible for the mere passing of thoughts, as in a panorama, before our mental vision; but we are responsible for what we select of them for consideration; we are responsible for what we cherish. We are further responsible for the materials of our thought, and for the circumstances in which we place ourselves, so far as they may suggest thought. Therefore we have the counsel so earnestly given us, “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.”
III. THE SECRET OF CONTROLLING OUR THOUGHTS. That secret is made up of parts. It includes:
1. The full surrender of our will to Christ, so that he may rule all our choices and preferences, even the very choices of our thoughts.
2. The cherished consciousness of Christ’s living presence with us gives tone and harmony with him, to all cur preferences.
3. The culture of mind, disposition, and habits, which involves the resolute putting away from us of all associations and suggestions of evil.
4. The freeness of access to God in prayer for strength whenever temptation seems to have an overcoming rower.
5. The occupying of heart, thought, and life so fully with the things of Christ that there can be no room for evil. There is no more practical way of mastering doubting, sensual, corrupt thought than by turning at once to good reading or engaging at once in works of charity. While we pray to God to “cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit,” we must also remember that the apostle teaches us to make personal efforts of watchfulness and good endeavour, and so “bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” In every age sincere hearts have prayed the psalmist’s prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”R.T.
2Co 10:7 – Mistaken judgment by appearances.
“Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?” In the mind of the apostle was, no doubt, the evident disposition of the community at Corinth to “attach undue weight to the outward accidents of those who claimed their allegiance rather than to that which was of the essence of all true apostolic ministry.” Bold and forward men, who make great boasting and pretension, whose appearance and manners are taking, often do incomparable mischief in Christian Churches. So easily are people carried away with the “outward appearance.” The Divine teaching on this subject is given in connection with Samuel’s visit to the house of Jesse, for the selection and anointing of Jehovah’s new king. Samuel looked on the stately figure of Eliab, Jesse’s firstborn, and said to himself, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him. But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” Plutarch says, “We ought to be candid enough to extol the merits of him Who speaks, but not suffer his address to lead into incaution; to regard his talents with pleasure, but investigate strictly the justness of his reasonings; not to be influenced by the authority of the speaker, but to scrutinize accurately the grounds of his argument; the orator’s subject should be considered rather than his eloquence admired.”
I. THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE OUGHT TO EXPRESS THE INWARD FACT. Outward and inward should be in perfect harmony. They should be related as are thought and word. A man’s words should clearly, precisely, worthily, express to men his thought. And so his outward appearance should exactly correspond with his inward condition. Only then can a man be “sincere.” We speak of a man as being “always the same.” He can only be so if he will let what be really is find due expression in his life. The consciously sincere man makes no show. Without restraint he lets the life speak freely what message it pleases. The life of the Lord Jesus Christ is so sublimely attractive, because we feel that it was through and through true; and whatever were its appearances they were but manifestations of his life.
II. THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE IS OFTEN UNTRUE TO THE INWARD FACT. Of this the familiar illustration is taken from the usual description of the fruit grown near the Dead Sea, and called “apples of Sodom.” Beautiful to all appearance, but dry and unpleasant to the taste. Hypocrisy is real “part acting,” representing ourselves to be other than we are. It is a very subtle form of sin, especially in what are called “civilized times,” when so much depends on “keeping up appearances.” Illustrate in relation to house, dress, society; and show that it may even concern personal religion. The assumption and the show of piety are not always faithful transcripts of the heart’s love and devotion. But sometimes the outward appearance is untrue by being below the reality. This seems to have been the case with St. Paul. His insignificant appearance, and his modesty and considerateness of manner, gave little indication of the force that was in him, or the bold and valiant defence of the truth which he could give upon occasion. So the outward appearance may be unworthy of the inward, without being wrongfully so; unworthy by reason of infirmity, and not of hypocrisy.
III. THEREFORE WE ARE ALWAYS BOUND TO TEST THE IMPRESSIONS MADE BY OUTWARD APPEARANCES. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” The testings can often be done
(1) by patient waiting;
(2) by observing the whole of a man’s conduct;
(3) by comparing our impressions with those made on others’ minds;
(4) by the standards given us in Holy Scripture;
(5) by cultivating our own sensitiveness to that which is truly Christ-like.
In order to find unworthy men out, and in order to esteem aright good men, we must go beyond their form, feature, and outward show, and we must know them. St. Paul will bear thoroughly knowing.R.T.
2Co 10:16 – The gospel for the regions beyond.
“To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you” (comp. Rom 15:19-24). The apostle, filled with the true missionary spirit, was longing to be free from the care of Churches already founded, so that he might be free to go again upon his journeyings, and preach the gospel in Western Greece, in Rome, and even away in distant Spain. St. Paul was first and chiefly a missionary. The genius of the missionary is a Divine restlessness, a constant impulse forward into new spheres, a passion for finding some one else to whom the gospel message might be told. The men who settle down in Churches situated in heathen districts are ministers and pastors and clergymen; they cannot properly be called missionaries, since these are men who are always hearing a call from “regions beyond,” saying, “Come over and help us.”
I. MISSIONARY WORK AS HERALDING A MESSAGE, The word for “preaching” properly means “heralding”going forth to make a royal proclamation. Explain the work of the Eastern herald. He would go through the land, and, wherever he could find people, deliver the king’s message. We need a fuller and worthier impression of the gospel, as the royal proclamation of the King of kings, entrusted to us for delivery to “all the world,” to “every creature.”
II. HERALDING WORK AS TEMPORARY. It is done when the message is declared and delivered. The heraldas a heraldhas no more to do there; he must pass on his way. There is abundant work left behind for others to do; but his is over. And we are told that the gospel heralds will not have gone all over the world when the kingdom shall come. So we need fear no lack of work for missionaries and heralds.
III. HERALD‘S DUTY TO FIND REGIONS BEYOND. A glance at the map of our world will show what vast masses of mankind have never heard of the true God, the redeeming Son, and the eternal life. We rejoice that, especially in Africa and China, the Christian Church is showing that it keeps the true missionary idea, and is ever reaching out to “regions beyond.”R.T.
2Co 10:17 – Man’s only true glorying.
“But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” The apostle used the simpler and stronger word, “boasteth.” Dean Plumptre complains of the besetting weakness for variation which characterized our English translators. And oftentimes force of utterance is gained by dwelling on a word, even at the peril of tautology. Reference is made, no doubt, to the boastings of this leader of the party at Corinth that was antagonistic to St. Paul, and also to the accusation which this man made against the apostle, that he was always boasting of his authority, his superior knowledge, and the great things he had done. St. Paul firmly urged the distinction between glorying in what a man is or in what a man has done, and glorying in what God has made a man to be and in what God has done by him. The first kind of boasting is wrong and dangerous. “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” The other kind is right, is honouring to God, and may be our proper form of testifying for him. There is then a sin of boasting, against which we require to be duly warned. And there is a service of boasting which may, under certain circumstances, be our most effective mode of resisting evil and witnessing for God. On the whole, however, it may be fully urged that a man’s life, rather than his lips, should do all his boastings for him. These distinctions may be further elaborated and illustrated.
I. GLORYING IN WHAT WE ARE IS ALWAYS A SIGN OF CHRISTIAN WEAKNESS. A man had better not even think about himself, but put all his effort into higher attainments in the Divine life. There is danger for us when we find that we have anything in ourselves to talk about or to glory in. All the finest and most delicate Christian graces are so fragile that they break with a touch, so sensitive that they fade if we only look on them. Do not even think about what you are; fill your thoughts with what you may be, what you may become, in the grace and strength of Christ. Christian progress stops as soon as we begin to boast. He that is satisfied with his attainments falls from the Christian ideal, which is this, “Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if so be that I may apprehend that for which also I was apprehended by Christ Jesus” (Php 3:12, Revised. Version). Show the peril that lies in habits of introspection and self-examination with a view to finding subjects of self-satisfaction. And also of meetings in which Christians are encouraged to boast of religious feelings and experiences. The text suggests an altogether “more excellent way.” “Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord.”
II. GLORYING IN WHAT WE HAVE DONE PUTS CHRISTIAN HUMILITY IN PERIL. Because it directs men’s thoughts to us, sets them upon praising us, and so lifts up our minds, gives us undue notions of our own superiority and excellence. When he gains the applause of an unthinking multitude, Nebuchadnezzar can forget himself, and, in uttermost pride, cast God wholly away, and say, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have builded?” Boastfulness of our doings is always perilous. God does not need it, since he knows all about it. And man does not need it, for he can see the doings well enough without our telling. “Let thine own works praise thee.” Let thine enemies praise thee. Let thy friends praise thee. But if you would keep fresh the great grace of humility, never praise yourself.
III. GLORYING IN WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US AND BY US IS ALWAYS INSPIRING AND HEALTHY. Such was the glorying of the apostle, and such are the narratives of labour given us by great missionaries. All true records of our life work should lead men to say, “What hath God wrought?”R.T.
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
2Co 10:1. Now I Paul, &c. St. Paul having finished his exhortation to liberality in the collection for the Christians at Jerusalem, he resumes his former argument, and prosecutes the main purpose of this epistle; which was, totally to reduce and put a final end to the adverse faction,which seems not yet to have been entirely extinct,bybringing the Corinthians wholly off from the false apostle, to whom they had adhered; and to re-establish himself and his authority in the minds of all the members of that church. Thinking it fit to forbear all severity till he had, by fair means, reduced as many of the contrary party as he could, (see 2Co 10:6.) he begins his discourse here by conjuring them by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, as an examplewhichmightexcusehisdelayofinflictingpunishmentupontheringleadersand chief offenders, without giving them reason to think it was for want of power. It seems very probable that they had upbraided and reflected upon him in some such language as that in the close of the verse: but there was a sense in which he was indeed lowly among them, his presence having nothing majestic. See 2Co 10:10. Instead of base, Dr. Heylin reads mean.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Co 10:1 . leads over to a new section, and its position lays the emphasis on ; comp. on Rom 7:25 : ipse autem ego , I, however, for my own self , independently and without bias from the action of others among you. See what follows. With this , Paul, in the feeling of his elevation above such action, boldly casts into the scales of his readers the weight of his own personality over against his calumniators. The expression has something in it nobly proud and defiant; but the (Theodoret, comp. Chrysostom, Theophylact, Oecumenius, and others, including Billroth) lies not in , but in simply. While many , as Beza and Olshausen, have left the reference of quite unnoticed, and others have arbitrarily imported what the context does not suggest, such as Erasmus, Bengel, and also Hofmann; [298] Eminerling and Rckert assume that Paul wrote from 2Co 10:1 onward with his own hand , so that the was explained to the readers by the altered handwriting. Comp. Ewald, according to whom Paul meant only to add a short word of conclusion with his own hand and therewith to end the letter, but on beginning this concluding word, felt himself urged to enter on a detailed discussion of the matter itself in its personal relations. But, seeing that Paul has not added anything like (1Co 16:21 ; Col 4:18 ), or at least written instead of , there is no sufficiently certain hint of this explanation in the words themselves, the more especially as the is frequently used by him elsewhere (2Co 12:13 ; Rom 7:25 ; Rom 9:3 ; Rom 15:14 ). Rckert finds a confirmation of that hypothesis in the fact that this Epistle does not, like the First, contain some concluding lines in his own hand. But most of the apostle’s letters contain nothing of the sort; and this Epistle in particular, on account of its whole character and on account also of its bearer, stood so little in need of any authentication, if there was to be such a thing, from his own hand, that his enemies would have made themselves ridiculous by doubting the authenticity of the composition. Apart from this, it remains very probable that Paul himself wrote the conclusion of the Epistle, possibly from 2Co 13:11 onward, without mentioning the fact expressl.
, by means of the meekness and gentleness of Christ; i.e . assigning a motive for compliance with my exhortation by pointing to the fact , that Christ, whose example I have to imitate, is so gentle and meek (Mat 11:29-30 ; Isa 42:2 ; Isa 42:8 ; Isa 52:4-7 ). Comp. Rom 12:1 ; 1Co 1:10 . The gentleness and meekness of Christ belong to the divine love manifested in Him (Rom 8:39 ; Tit 3:4 ff.), and are continually shown by Him in His heavenly government, in the working of His grace, in His intercession, etc. Estius designates rightly the ground of the motive assigned: “quia cupiebat non provocari ad severitatem vindictae” (which would not be in harmony with Christ’s meekness and gentleness). On , clementia (Act 24:4 ), which is often found in connection with (as Plut. Pericl . 39, Caes . 57; Philo, de Vita Mos . p. 112), comp. Wetstein. It is attributed even to God ( 2Ma 10:4 ; Bar 2:27 ) and to Wisdom ( Wis 12:18 ). Bengel gives the distinction of the two words: “ virtus magis absoluta; magis refertur ad alios.” It is the opposite of standing on one’s full rights, Plato, Def . p. 412 B: . .
. . .] I who, to the face, am indeed humble , of a subdued, unassuming character among you, but in absence have courage towards you a malicious opinion of his opponents, designed to counteract the influence of the apostle’s letters, which he here appropriates to himself . Comp. 2Co 10:10 . , coram , is not a Hebrasm, but see Wetstein on the passage; Hermann, ad Soph. Trach . 102; Jacobs, ad Ach. Tat . p. 612. There is no need to supply anything after , neither nor . On , comp. Xen. Mem . iii. 10. 5, where it is connected with ; Dem. 1312. 2.
[298] Erasmus: “ille ipse vobis abunde spectatus P., qui vestrae salutis causa tantum malorum et passus sum et patior.” Bengel, however, hesitates between three references: “ ipse facit antitheton vel ad Titum et fratres duos, quos praemisit P., vel ad Corinthios, qui ipsi debebant officium observare; vel etiam ad Paulum ipsum majore coram usurum severitate, ut , ipse , denotet ultro .” Hofmann, still referring to the collection , makes the apostle lay emphasis on the fact that this exhortation comes from himself, in contradistinction, namely, from what those others (chap. 9) will do in his stead and by his order (comp. Bengel’s 1st). But the whole matter of the collection was completely ended at 2Co 9:15 . After the exclamation of thanksgiving in 2Co 9:15 , a of his own in this matter is no longer suitable; and, besides, the emphatic vindication of the apostolic authority in that case would be uncalled for.
REMARK.
Rckert is wrongly of opinion that the assertion of the opponents had been true, and just on that account had been so ill taken by Paul; that he belonged to those in whom natural impetuosity is not united with personal courage. Against this there is the testimony of his whole working from Damascus to Rome; and outpourings like 2Co 6:4 ff. al. do not lack internal truth. Comp. besides, passages like Act 20:22 ff; Act 21:13 ; Act 24:25 ; 2Co 11:23 ff. al. That assertion of his opponents may be explained from the fact that, though there were not wanting disturbing phenomena even at his second arrival in Corinth (2Co 2:1 , 2Co 12:21 ), it was only subsequently that the evils had become so magnified and multiplied as to necessitate his now writing (in our first Epistle) far more severely than he had spoken in Corinth.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
After the introduction of 2Co 10:1-2 , which plunges at once in medium rem , Paul, in the first place, makes good against his opponents the power of his genuinely apostolic working (2Co 10:1-8 ), in order to repel the malicious attack that he was strong only in letters (2Co 10:9-11 ). This leads him to set forth in contradistinction the very different modes of self-judgment, which are followed by him and his arrogant opponents (2Co 10:12-16 ), after which there is further held up to the latter the Christian standard of self-boasting (2Co 10:17-18 ).
REMARK.
The difference of the subject-matter with the importance of that which had now to be decided and the emotion excited in the high and pure self-consciousness of the grievously injured Paul, so sufficiently explain the change of tone which at once sets in, and this tone, calculated for the entire discomfiture of his enemies, is just in the last part of the Epistle after the church as such (as a whole) had been lovingly won over so suited to its object, that there is no ground at all for the hypothesis of ch. 10 13:10 having formed a separate Epistle (see Introd. 2).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
XV.DEFENCE OF HIS APOSTOLIC ENERGY, POWERS AND ACTS AGAINST THE ASSAULTS OF HIS ARROGANT OPPONENTS
2Co 10:1-18
1Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence [indeed] am base [lowly] among you, but being absent am bold toward you:2But I beseech [entreat] you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if wewalked according to the flesh. 3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war afterthe flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare1 are not carnal, but mighty through Godto the pulling down of strong holds:) 5Casting down imaginations, [reasonings, ] and every high thing that exalteth itself [is raised, ] against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought [every thought intocaptivity] to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, [every failure in obedience, ] when your obedience is fulfilled.7Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to [in] himself that he is Christs, let him of himself think [conclude,] this again, that,8as he is Christs, even so are we Christs [om. Christs].2 For though [even if, ]3 I should boast somewhat more [abundantly, ] of our authority,4 which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, Ishould not be ashamed: 9That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters:10For his letters, say they,5 are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak,11and his speech contemptible. Let such a one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be [are we] also in deed when we arepresent. 12For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they, measuring themselves by [among, ] themselves, 13 and comparing themselves among [with] themselves, are not wise. But we6 will not boast7 of things without our measure, [boast without measure, ] but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed [apportioned] tous, a measure to reach even unto you. 14For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though8 we reached not unto you: for we are come [came foremost, ] as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ. 15Not boasting of things without our measure [boasting without measure], that is, of other mens labors; but having hope, when your faith is increased, [that as your faith increases, ] having hope, when your faith is increased, that [as your faith increases, that] we shall be enlarged by you [among you, ] according to our rule abundantly antly, 16To preach the gospel in the regions [as far as the parts, beyond17you, and not to boast in another mans line of things made ready to our hand. Buthe that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
In passing to a new section (), the tone of the Apostles discourse becomes much altered. [The conciliatory and affectionate strain of entreaty which pervaded the first part, is exchanged for that of stern command, and almost menace: there is still the same expression of devotion to the Corinthian Church; but it is mixed with a language of sarcasm and irony which has parallels in the First Epistle, but none up to this point in the Second. With this change in the general tone agrees also the change in details. Instead of the almost constant use of the first person plural, he here almost invariably (and in some instances with unusual emphasis) employs the first person singular; the digressions no longer go off to general topics, but revolve more closely round himself; the Corinthians are no longer commended for their penitent zeal, but rebuked for their want both of love and penitence. The confident hopes which he had expressed for the future are exchanged for the most gloomy forebodings. This change is not to be accounted for by supposing this section to be a distinct fragment between his First and Second Epistles; for, after all, the differences between the different parts are no greater than those between other portions of his writings: nor by supposing that he is addressing a different portion of the Corinthian congregation, for no intimation of this is given; but it is possible that some considerable pause, either of time or thought, now took place, during which additional news or recollections of an unfavorable character came before him, and gave a new turn to his discourse. As the time drew near also in which he was to visit and test his apostolic power among them, he was perhaps haunted by the fear that he should have to visit them in anger and not in love. Such a feeling is the basis of this, as that of gratitude was the basis of the first portion of the Epistle. It is from this that he starts (2Co 10:1-7), from this the digressions fly off (2Co 10:12; 2Co 12:10), and to this his conclusion returns (2Co 12:11; 2Co 13:13). Stanley (abridged)]. His object now is to vindicate his Apostolic character and authority against those hill-disposed and arrogant opponents who had made light of them. The tendency of what he says is still to draw off the Church, with which he was anxious to deal tenderly, from those antagonists on whom he had determined to exert the Apostolic powers they had depreciated.
2Co 10:1-6. Now I Paul myself, beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence, indeed, am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you (2Co 10:1).[In no other part of his Epistles has he made his individuality so prominent. He usually says, I Paul, (Gal 5:2; Eph 3:1; Phm 1:19), or uses simply the first person (singular or plural) of some verb]. Here is added, and by way of emphasis is placed at the head of the sentence. It should be construed neither in the sense of ultro (of my own accord), nor in that of idem (always the same) in opposition to those who reproached him that he had been fickle or inconsistent in his conduct, nor in contrast with those who had charge of the collection, with the poor saints who were to be relieved, with his calumniators, or with him who hitherto had been associated with him in the composition of the Epistle (2Co 1:1). With respect to this last suggestion, we have nothing in the remainder of the Epistle which indicates that the Apostle wished to make prominent that he was sustaining any new relation to them, or that he was now more than before addressing the Corinthians with his own hand or especially authenticating what he was about to write. The word has reference rather to the prayer in 2Co 10:2, which is brought out in a somewhat gentler form by the exhortation in 2Co 10:1, and it relates to what is said in the relative sentence in 2Co 10:1, as if he would say: I myself admonish and pray you; even I, who in personal appearance am so mean among you, but when absent am so bold toward you; i.e., even I who, according to the disparaging insinuations of my opponents, (for these are evidently aimed at), am bold only when at a distance, and so submissive (cringing, fainthearted) when personally present with you, now exhort and pray you, to save me by your conduct the necessity of being bold and overbearing when I shall be present with you. With the words e , on which the main emphasis should be placed, he meets them in that Apostolic and personal character which was so familiar to them, to which they owed so much, and on which his admonition now depended for all its power. He strengthens this, however, by the addition: by the meekness and gentleness ( ) of Christ. This gentleness and benignity, or mildness (Act 24:4) of Christ (comp. Mat 11:29 f.; Isa 47:2 f.), ought move them to comply with his exhortation. As this was the ordinary spirit and manner of Christ, they ought to see that Christs Apostles might also be gentle, and they should not make it necessary for him to proceed against them with severity. Ewald takes it as an admonition to the Corinthians, that they should not, like his opponents mistake for weakness that meekness and humility which he carefully copied in all his conduct from the example of Christ. Neither does the scope of the passage nor analogy require that we should construe in the sense of a solemn protestation (Osiander). with a genit. often indicates the means or accompaniments; as if the action were passing through them, and receiving a peculiar coloring from the medium. Pauls entreaty is here supposed to acquire a special tenderness by being . [Jelf, & 905. 3 B. 1]. The distinction between and , according to Melancthon, consists in this: the former means non temere irasci, and the latter facile placari. Bengel makes the former virtus magis absoluta, (willingness to suffer and to forgive), and the latter magis refertur ad alios. According to Meyer the contrast is between what was actually experienced and what was strictly just. Heubner: Meekness endures the pain, but gentleness corrects the faults of others with forbearance. [Webster and Wilkinson say that is natural mildness of disposition; . a habit arising from considerateness, exemplified by our Lord in Luk 9:56, and Mat 26:41. Comp. Trench, Synn., First Part, pp. 20710]. The idea (of Rchert) that Paul felt especially touched by the insinuation contained in the relative sentence, inasmuch as he was conscious that notwithstanding all his vehemence he was really deficient in personal courage, must have originated in a sad misapprehension of the Apostles character as presented in his life and Epistles. Those opponents who urged this objection in order to weaken the impression which his severe reproofs had produced, had found a plausible reason for their assertion in the fact that, for fear of aggravating the evil, he had spoken of some things within the Church itself with a degree of hesitation. It is possible, too, that after his second visit to Corinth (and before our first Epistle) the state of things had become so much worse, that he had felt obliged to write with more severity than he had displayed when he was among them (Meyer). It would be hardly correct to go back as far as his first visit among them (1Co 2:3), for the observation of his opponents had probably been made at some later period. But the matter on which the Apostle exhorts his readers is contained in the prayer () which follows in 2Co 10:2.But I pray that I may not when present have to be bold with that confidence with which I think to be bold against some.[By translating . of 2Co 10:1, and of 2Co 10:2, by the same word (beseech) our common version fails to preserve the growing earnestness indicated by the latter word. For a similar interchange of these words see chap.2Co 5:20-21; 2Co 6:1; 2Co 8:4]. The not only indicates that he was taking up again what had gone before, but it introduces a contrast to the sentence implied in the relative sentence. The prayer itself, as the context and the want of the accusative of the object shows, was directed not to God (for then in 2Co 10:1 would have no significance) but to the Corinthians. [The terms in which this is expressed are taken from the description which the detractors were accustomed to give of him (2Co 10:1), which, although apparently incidental, is the key note of all that follows, in which the ideas . and . in various turns of thought and phraseology continually and prominently recur. Stanley.] The article serves to make the infinitive sentence especially prominent. corresponds in signification with in 2Co 10:1. The thing prayed for is, that they would not allow it to become necessary for him to be bold among them. The was that confidence in his official authority and rights which was connected with good conscience, and whose dependence was indeed upon God, but need not be understood here. is not in the passive (I am reckoned) to express the way in which he was estimated by his opponents (Luther). Beza not only regards it as a passive, but takes as a preterite, which, however, would have called for some additional word () to imply this (comp. Meyer). It denotes here, as it often does in Euripides and Herodotus, the intention, the design or determination of the mind. [Chrysostom thinks the word does not imply a full or settled purpose. Paul said not wherewith I am prepared, but where with I think, for he had not yet resolved upon this, though his opponents had given him occasion enough. Bloomfield notices a paronomasia in and , which if introduced into English might perhaps be best expressed by reckon]. As the case is different with , the word there has the meaning of, to reckon for, or as something. should be connected not with but with , which must here be taken absolutely and in the sense of, to have courage, to be resolute, to step forth boldly (as in Homer, Pindar, the tragic poets and Thucydides). [It has also something of the signification, to venture, to have the heart, as if the agent endured or suffered something, because he acted in spite of natural feeling, or under great difficulties. This idea may be traced in the use of the word here].namely, those who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. (2Co 10:2 b.)He does not name these persons, but he immediately characterizes them from the way in which they were in the habit of judging him. is here used as in 1Co 4:1. [ etymologically signifies, to walk about, hither and thither, and Stanley thinks that we have here a reference to this original meaning]. here signifies, a course of conduct, characterized by the (i.e., by the psychic-corporeal life), destitute of a spiritual character, and not merely dependent upon external influences, and of course feeble, but in positive antagonism to the spirit, and of course sinful; i.e., the organ and principle of sin (Beck, Christl., Lehrwiss, p. 278). The idea of weakness probably predominates, but the expression describes a course of conduct determined by the fear of men, or the desire of pleasing men, and hence a personal bearing disgraced by cowardice or servility (). The human nature referred to was therefore one enfeebled, not merely from the want of Divine support, but from sin (comp. on 1Co 12:17).For though we walk in the flesh, we do not make war according to the flesh (2Co 10:3).A reason is here given for the prayer in 2Co 10:2, and at the same time he exonerates himself from what had been charged upon him by his opponents ().. I beg of you not to allow me to be placed in such circumstances that I shall be obliged to venture on an unpleasant part when I shall be present with you. For although we are walking in the flesh, we do not take the field, or carry on war according to the flesh, i.e., we are not determined by fleshly considerations as those persons imagine. (1Co 9:7), understood in the more comprehensive sense implied by its contrast with , designates the Apostles whole ministry in its numerous conflicts with hostile powers, under the figure of a warfare. Comp. 2Co 2:14; 1Ti 1:18. The emphasis lies upon the two contrasted prepositions and . The flesh ()
is indeed the sphere in which we move, i.e. the psychical and corporeal life with all its sinful infirmities is the instrument by which and the department in which we act (comp. in Gal 2:20), but it is not the influence which determines our movements. The reason for this assertion is given in 2Co 10:4.For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty before God for the pulling down of strong holds.The Apostle here describes the kind of weapons he used, i.e. the means by which he carried on his ministry ( 2Co 6:7) in contrast with those of his adversaries. As his weapons bore not the stamp of the flesh, there was no reason for saying that his action as a Christian warrior was under the direction of the flesh., W. F. Besser: The text must certainly give a strong testimony against the mingling of ecclesiastical authority with the civil power of the sword (comp. Augsb. Conf. p. 64, Art. of Smalc. p. 344].The Apostle brings into positive contrast with the carnal ), comp. 2Co 1:12) not the spiritual () but the mighty in Gods sight ( ). The fleshly is also that which is feeble, and especially when it is in conflict with the world for the cause of God, it is entirely powerless. however is not precisely equivalent to, feeble, but the only thing which in this case is powerful is that which proceeds from, and bears the impress of the Spirit. For a notice of the spiritual panoply see Eph 6:11 ff. Similar contrasts may be found in 2Ch 32:8; Isa 31:3; Ps. 88:39. Power is directly related to spirit also in 1Co 2:4; Luk 1:17. is more particularly defined by to mean that which is powerful in Gods esteem, before God. Comp. in Act 7:20, and also Jon 3:3. And yet the phrase is not intended to be simply a superlative, but to signify the truth or the reality (Osiander: acceptable to God) of the power. Neander: mighty, because God gave them, and overthrows strong holds by means of them. In opposition to the explanation which makes this phrase mean: through or for God, it may be said that the former would be superfluous, being self-evident; and although the latter might seem appropriate in the sense of: to the honor, or, for the use of God, (i.e. to show forth his power) there is nothing in the context to call for such a remark.9The end which these weapons were to subserve, and to which they were adapted, is announced in . They are the instrumentalities by which the , or its , the god of this world ( 2Co 4:4), endeavors to obstruct the progress of Gods cause and the work of salvation. signifies castles or fortresses. [They are things intended to serve in the mind as strong holds do in warfare. Comp. Pro 21:22. Stanley (p. 500) thinks that the peculiar imagery here used was suggested by the Mithridatic and Piratical wars which took place in Cilicia; the latter only 60 years before the Apostles birth. One hundred and twenty such strong holds are said to have been in existence and to have been taken in the war with these pirates. Each word here used strikingly carries out the metaphor]. The way in which this overthrow was effected is more particularly described in 2Co 10:5.Casting down reasonings and every lofty thing which is erected against the knowledge of God.As the first and most prominent of these strong holds, he mentions , intellectual bulwarks which were probably not so much projects or hostile plans as unevangelical thoughts or fixed conclusions of human (Hellenistic or Judaistic) philosophy, in direct opposition to the Christian faith, 1Co 3:20. [Our English imaginations is hardly the proper word here. The idea is rather reasonings. It refers to theoretic subtilties or argumentations]. Comp. the contrasted . is anacoluthic; comp. 2Co 9:11. To connect it with 2Co 10:3 so as to make 2Co 10:4 a parenthesis, seems not only unnecessary but unallowable inasmuch as 2Co 10:4 is essentially a continuation of the main thought, and is most naturally referred back to . [As all the prominent words of this passage are evidently military we must suppose the allusion in was to the use of the crow which pulled (not cast) down the walls or towers of an enemy. Stanley gives several instances of such a use of the word in classic writers. (See also Cobbin)]. In , etc., (every high thing, etc.) he reverts to the metaphor he had left in and which had been only hinted at in . Y signifies an elevation, something made high, as a tower, wall or anything of the kind. In sense it is much the same as in 2Co 10:4 i.e. it is something by which the enemy strives to maintain his ground. By it becomes a general term in which even the are included, and it then signifies every kind of human greatness which could be made use of in such a warfare; according to Osiander, wisdom, eloquence, power, righteousness, honor, wealth.Agreeably to the metaphor, [opposite of ] should be construed not in the middle but passive voice. That against which these high things were erected, and whose progress, and ascendency was thus to be prevented, was the knowledge of God ( ); not (subjectively) as it existed in the minds of his opponents, and was opposed by the darkness of human wisdom, but objectively, something which met men in common life, and called forth their opposition: that revelation of the plan and work of salvation, in which Christ was proclaimed and God was manifested in Christ. In addition to the negative acts by which the fortresses obstructing the progress of Divine knowledge were overthrown, we have those which were positive, when the Apostle adds,and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, (2Co 10:5 b.)When the enemy is thus captured, the victory must be complete. This enemy is ; which is here not the same as design, and then to be joined with , so as to mean every design in opposition to the obedience, etc., for even if we do not take into consideration the want of the article (), and the use of instead of the foregoing , we should find that in this sense would be no proper object of captivity, and that a much better sense would be afforded by supposing the fortress to which they were carried. Thus obedience was as it were the place to which the captive enemy was brought and hence we have instead of a dative, as in Rom 7:23. As the intellectual element predominates in the whole context, we have no reason to take in the sense of intention [Alford] or disposition; and still less of the spiritual mind itself which exercises thought, i.e. the understanding; Luther: all human reason.10 This obedience of Christ, in the sense of a subjection to Christ, is in other passages called the obedience of faith Rom 1:5; Rom 15:18. The idea is: to bring every thought or understanding which is otherwise opposed to Christ, into subjection to Him. and are contrasted in 2Co 10:6. [The former signifies (strictly) a failing to hear or a hearing amiss, and so a want of obedience; the latter a listening to authority, and so a subjection to another. See Webster, synn. p. 225, also Trench, Synn. 2d Ser. p. 73.] Although the Apostle does not entirely forsake the line of thought which he had pursued in the preceding paragraph, i.e., of contention generally with hostile powers, he now returns more decidedly to the affairs of the Corinthian Church. And having in a readiness to punish every failure in obedience when your obedience shall have been fulfilled (2Co 10:6).He evidently regarded that Church as specially subject to his Apostolical authority, and it was only in their return to him that he expected the completion () of their obedience to Christ. Upon that obedience he made to depend the time in which he should exercise his disciplinary power upon those Judaistic corrupters who might persist in opposing his authority. For this he was even then ready ( =in promptu habere), and he was only waiting for the completion of the Churchs obedience. Comp. 2Co 2:1; 2Co 13:10. A delicate hint seems here conveyed that he would make a distinction between these seducers and those who had been seduced; and an admonition is expressed that the latter would do well by their entire submission to his instructions, to escape the punishment he was about to inflict (perhaps excommunication, or at least something which would be a proof of his miraculous powers as an Apostle) on those who might continue disobedient. It would be incorrect to understand this fulfilment of their obedience as referring to the Apostles call for a collection. He says that he was in readiness, in opposition to those who might suggest that he was not in earnest in the matter (comp. Osiander [also Jelf, & 622, 2]). [Stanleys paraphrase well expresses the idea of this passage: I conjure you not to compel me to break the bounds of the gentle and forgiving character of Christ. But be assured that, if I do exercise when I am present, the authority which some think I shall never venture to exercise but at a distance, it will be a real authority. I shall come against you like a mighty conqueror, though with Weapons, not of earthly, but of heavenly warfare; and every alien thought and imagination shall fall before me, like fortresses before a victorious army, and shall be reduced to submission, like captive hands: and those who resist shall be punished like the last remnants of a defeated insurrection. To effect all this, I wait only till I am assured of your submission, that I may not confound the innocent with the guilty, the dupes with the deceivers. He speaks as if his opponents were not members of the Corinthian Church, but foreign to it; and hence as if they were not addressed in this epistle, and were only awaiting the obedience of the Corinthians that he might exercise his vengeance on them].
2Co 10:7-11. In this passage the Apostle maintains that his relations to Christ were of an intimate nature, in opposition to his opponents, who professed that they alone stood in such relations; and he adds the assurance that when he should come to Corinth in person, and not merely by his letters, as they asserted, he would give them a proof of his Apostolical authority.Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? (2Co 10:7 a)The way in which we interpret this sentence must depend upon the sense we give to . If it means things lying in sight before their eyes, from which the Corinthians might recognize, if they were disposed to do so, his Apostolical dignity, the idea would be that he was calling upon them to attend more carefully to things obviously before them. In this case would be construed in the imperative [: Look at what is before your own eyes]. The analogy of other passages, however, would require that this verb should have stood at the head of the sentence, comp. 1Co 1:26; 1Co 10:18; Php 3:2. If that expression, however, means that which is merely apparent, it may refer to something in his opponents which gave them an external advantage; or to something external in the Apostle himself, which made the Corinthians postpone him to them. In this case, must be construed in the indicative, either as a direct assertion, and a severe reproach to them [Vulgate, Stanley], or as a question (with Theodoret, Erasmus, Meyer [Alford, Hodge, and our English A. V.]) in accordance with the lively and earnest spirit of the general passage. The context (2Co 10:1-10), is certainly in favor of referring the expression to the Apostle himself. [In this case, however, many think that would be quite as much required at the commencement of the sentence, and to be preceded by a or some similar word. The signification finally attained is much the same, whether the indicative is taken annunciatively or interrogatively. Adopting the latter as the most probable, the Apostle] intended to speak of his outward manner, which, when he was at Corinth, had not been bold or confident, and hence had afforded ill-disposed persons an occasion for suspecting him of weakness and timidity. The question was directed not to his principal antagonists, but to the Church itself; at least, to that portion which had listened to the pretensions of these opponents. In the next verse, however, he changes his address and fixes his eye upon these opponents themselves.If any man trusts in himself that he is Christs, let him conclude this again of himself, that as he is Christs, so also are we (2Co 10:7 b). The word makes the personal vanity and self-conceit of such a confidence very prominent, inasmuch as it is a confidence in ones own self. In we have the idea of belonging to Christ, but the context does not imply that this was in the sense of kindred (perhaps through James), or of a particular fellowship with Peter; nor does it refer merely to the general relationship of all believers, but to the special ownership implied in (which indeed a number of authorities add to the reading of this passage, though it is evidently a gloss), or (2Co 11:23). To this corresponds (Lachmann =in, though the reading is not sufficiently authenticated) , which is made emphatic by , again (not, on the other hand). But this phrase, of his own self, may mean either, proceeding from himself, i.e., referring to what he might see of himself, inasmuch as he would find the same evidences of this being Christs in Paul as in himself; or by himself, without any suggestion or assistance from the Apostle; as if the meaning were: we should expect that those who assume such high grounds with respect to themselves, would need no suggestions from others, but that they would apply the same principles and come to a correct conclusion here. This last explanation seems the more probable. The first reminds us of the supposed Christ-party in Corinth which claimed a special relation to Christ on account of their Jewish descent (comp. 2Co 11:22), or on account of some intercourse with him by mysterious visions, such as are referred to in 2Co 12:1 ff.; and according to it, the Apostle was maintaining that they would find the same marks of intimacy with Christ in him. But the alleged facts are altogether too uncertain to exercise any influence upon our exposition. There is no necessity of assuming that Paul had any where reference in x to such a party or its leaders, and the utmost that we can infer from what is here said is that he might possibly have some allusion to the name of that party. Neander thinks that Paul must have referred here to some opponents who claimed to belong exclusively to Christ on account of having received their Christianity directly from the Apostles of the original Church. The claim of these persons, whatever it might be, Paul met with the assertion that he also could speak of himself in the same terms in which those earliest Apostles said they were Christs. The words, as he himself is, so also are we, are intended to be a conciliatory and a moderate presentation of his true claims. When he speaks unreservedly and tells the whole truth on this subject, he goes beyond what is implied in such a comparison (2Co 11:23). E (delicately, instead of ) is not necessarily against the idea that his opponents were probably a number of persons. The equality or the title to an equality of position which he had claimed in 2Co 10:7, he makes clear in 2Co 10:8, by addingFor even if I should boast somewhat more abundantly of the power which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I should not be put to shame.He means to say, that if he should go much further in his claims of official authority, he would never be found an idle boaster. The particle is not designed to concede that he was about to boast in this manner, and has the sense of, for even as in Rom 1:26; Rom 7:7. The object of is to indicate that some other member of a sentence stands in harmony with it or in a reciprocal relation to it. In the present case it points out such an agreement or correlation between and (Passow, Tr. A. B. I. 2 a. bb. B.). [On the use of with the Aorist subjunctive when something objectively possible is thought of in the future, but not conceived of as exactly certain, see Winer 43, 3 b. We may here render like the Latin fut. exact and as the fut. simpl. as in our common English version. The word includes both the ideas of power and of right or authority. Hodge]. (accus.) should be taken in a comparative sense. According to some, the comparison has reference to what had been said in 2Co 10:4-6; but according to others, it has reference to his opponents (more than they boast). It is most natural to suppose that he is putting himself on an equality with those opponents mentioned in 2Co 10:7, and his meaning would then be: yet more than I just now did when I made myself the equal of such as claimed to be Christs servants. In the words, for edification and not for destruction, the church is represented as if it were a house or a temple of God (1Co 3:16) [and Paul and his associates in the ministry are supposed to be artificers in the construction of the whole and of each part. It was no part of his mission to destroy, but only to save and put in order (a true conservatism). Howson calls attention to the fact that out of the twenty-two times in which the words edify, and edification are used figuratively in the New Testament, they are in every instance but one used by Paul; and the one exceptional instance (Act 9:31) is in a book composed probably under his superintendence, and by a writer of his school. It is possible that his predilection for the trope may have sprung from his craft as a Cilician tent-maker. But Howson is of the opinion that the word has always a social character, i.e., that it is always applied to the progress of a community, not of an individual. Hence believers are not severally a building, but only parts (living stones) of a common structure (Metaphors of St. Paul in Sund. Mag. for Jan., 1867, pp. 25763)]. The expressions here used incidentally also suggest that his opponents had not edified but had rather pulled down (comp. 1Co 3:17), and that they had arrogated to themselves powers which Christ had not bestowed upon them. The of 2Co 10:4 had been of a different nature from that which is here spoken of, for the object of that had been to destroy only what obstructed the Christian faith and to animate and assist such as were living a life of faith ( in 1Co 8:1). The communicative indicates that there were others who shared in this power, and who were his genuine associates, and not unworthy intruders into this high office. The words I shall not be ashamed, are very concise and emphatic. They refer to what he was doing, or to the results of his labors as an Apostle, in consequence of which all his boasting on this subject would be proved to be the sober truth. With this is immediately connected a final sentence (2Co 10:9).That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.This is introduced by no , or anything of the kind. The aim which is implied in the must be that of God who would not allow him to be put to shame. It was by an appeal to the results of his Apostolic power that he justified himself from the charge of using expressions in his Epistles which could never be carried into execution, and had been, therefore, thrown out for mere intimidation. There is no need, therefore, of commencing a new period with , which, after a parenthesis in 2Co 10:10, comes to a conclusion in 2Co 10:11 (that I may not seem to terrify you by my Epistles, let such a one think, etc.). There would certainly be something abrupt in the way in which such a sentence would be introduced (and hence some manuscripts insert a after ), and the idea itself would be inappropriate (since nothing is, in fact, brought forward in 2Co 10:11 to obviate the objection which 2Co 10:9 supposes). [A clause with , as we have seen before in this Epistle (comp. also Gal 2:10), often depends on some word or words omitted, but easily supplied from the context. This is the only instance in the New Testament where , after a conjunction, is used with the infinitive. Winer ( 43 6) resolves it into , as if I might wish to terrify you, which agrees with our translation. Hodge]. In later usage has the sense of the simple with the , i.e., of tanquam quasi (as if), and it is here employed to modify the force of , or to indicate that Paul was acting like one who terrifies. The plural seems to imply that Paul had already written to the Corinthians more than one Epistle. Neander: We may reckon up, first, an Epistle now lost; secondly, that which we now call the first; thirdly, that upon which we are now commenting, and, perhaps, finally, the one which was sent by the hands of Titus. [Barnes and Stanley think that the Corinthians might have seen some of Pauls Epistles to other churches, and been so well acquainted with them as to make this general remark respecting them. Four large Epistles (two to the Thessalonians, one to the Galatians, and one to the Corinthians) among those now extant had been written (the two first in the city of Corinth) before this time. Alford also suggests that Paul may have included the letter he was then writing, by way of anticipation].For his letters, they say, are indeed weighty, and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible (2Co 10:10).He here introduces his opponents, urging an objection founded on the objection which had been presented in 2Co 10:9. The speakers who are the subject of , are his opponents, and this verb is equivalent to the impersonal of later usage (Passow, II. 2, p. 2238). There is no reason for confining this to some single person. B has the sense of, gravis, significant, important, impressive, inspiring respect, the opposite of . While his letters were important and forcible (mighty), his bodily presence was feeble (not weak on account of disease or smallness of size, but on account of a personal presence which lacked power, the opposite of ), and his oral discourse (instructions of all kinds, exhortations) commanded no respect, and were received with contempt (comp. 1Co 2:3 f.). There is no intimation that he was destitute of those bodily organs which were needful to a good oral expression, or of Grecian refinement and culture. Let such an one conclude this, that such as we are in word by Epistles when absent, such are we also in deed when present (2Co 10:11).Those who insinuated such things respecting him, might be assured that he would exhibit the same character in all his apostolical conduct as in his writings, and that no one would have reason to reproach him for acting the double part ascribed to him in 2Co 10:10 (comp. 2Co 10:1). The omission of the conjunction (asyndeton), and the position of , at the beginning of the sentence, are emphatic. is here contrasted with the inconsiderate judgment mentioned in 2Co 10:10, and it has the sense of, to weigh well. To we must supply , not as if he had intended to say that he would actually fulfil his threatenings (). What he meant was, that the influence which he exerted personally as an Apostle would seem to one who carefully observed it, and reflected upon it, quite as important and energetic as that which he exhibited in his writings.
[It cannot after all be denied, as Alford concedes, that some allusion is here made to a deficiency in the apostles personal appearance and delivery. It does not seem that his opponents, objection was founded wholly on his reserve in the use of his apostolical powers. Without conceding that he was precisely , and even if we receive the descriptions given in Pseudo-Lucian, Malalas, Nicephorus and the Apocraphal Acts of Paul and Thecla as either caricatures or exaggerated traditions of a modern date, we are yet compelled to yield something to the almost universal agreement of antiquity. The general notion which the whole ancient church appears to have preserved of our Apostle was, that he was of a short stature, and that his body was disfigured by some lameness or distortion; that his head was long and bald, his complexion transparent, his forehead high, his nose aquiline, his eyes sparkling, and his eyebrows close and prominent. And yet that there was nothing in his person which amounted to a very unsightly deformity, we have a right to conclude from Act 14:12, from his public influence before his conversion, from the power he often exhibited as an orator, and from the impression he appears everywhere to have produced. It is not improbable, however, from such passages as 1Co 2:3, 2Co 2:13, and others in the epistles to the Corinthians and Galatians, that his temperament was more than commonly liable to nervous agitations; and it would not be strange if his enemies had seen something when he was at Corinth, which they could pervert to his disadvantage. See Conybeare and Howson, chap. 7. p. 224. Smiths Diet. Art. Paul; Ad. Clarke, and Stanley.]
2Co 10:12-18. To show that his personal influence was as energetic as his epistolary discourses and exhortations, he now appeals to what he had actually done as an Apostle. He calls attention to the fact that, unlike his arrogant opponents, he had confined himself to those limits which were appointed to his calling, and within which the church of Corinth properly fell, etc.For we venture not to number ourselves among, or compare ourselves with, some who commend themselves (2Co 10:12).The words signify either, not to have a heart for something, from a moral repugnance to such a proceeding (1Co 6:1); or, better, ironically, not to venture; [in this matter we are indeed timid], with a severe implication that his opponents were vain enough to do so. A paronomasia may be noticed in , signifying, to place in a line with, and , to liken, to place by the side, to make equal. The words signify with certain persons (comp. 2Co 10:2) of the class that commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves among themselves and comparing themselves with themselves are not wise [understand it not.] In this sentence with all its subsequent qualifications, appears to apply most appropriately to the Apostle himself (comp. Gal 4:4). It then appears to be the regular positive expression, corresponding to the subsequent negative in 2Co 10:13, [they measuring themselves, etc., but we will not boast ourselves of things without measure,] and finds its further development in the assertion ( . . .) but we will boast according to the measure, etc. It was for this reason that we are able to account for a reading of the text which arose in the earliest times, according to which . was left out. It seemed difficult to apply what was said in connection with to Pauls opponents, and would make no good sense if were applied to Paul himself (they commend themselves; but we, measuring ourselves by ourselvesi.e., by what we really find ourselves to beand comparing ourselves with ourselves, not with those wise men, those pretended knowing ones; or, comparing ourselves with ourselves, who are so unwise, in the opinion of our opponents!). They also found that on this interpretation the words not only seemed superfluous, but injurious to the sense of the passage, and that on the other hand the sentence read smoothly and with an appropriate meaning if . were left out (they commend themselves; but we measuring ourselves by ourselves, etc., will not boast as to things beyond our measure). It is evident, therefore, that the reading of the Respectus which has those words is the most difficult reading, and hence was most likely to have been the true one and altered to get rid of the difficulty. This also accounts for the fact that the abbreviated reading is sustained only by Occidental manuscripts, and that even these are by no means in agreement, since some of them have . But even the reading of the Receptus which is much better sustained is capable of a very appropriate sense. Let be applied to Pauls opponents. Then the measuring themselves among themselves, is not the correct estimate which people form of themselves and their performances in contrast with a more uncertain one from a comparison with others, but a proud self-conceit springing from a constant fixing of the thoughts upon themselves and their fancied excellences and performances, and from never observing those who are superior to them, and who have distinguished themselves by more exalted achievments; in other words, it is an idle self-satisfaction and self-admiration. Nor is to be construed as a participle in the dative plur. (anacoluthic), but a verb in the 8d pers. plur. Ind. of , like , the more common Attic form (adopted by Lachmann on the authority of B. and some other MSS.). The word stands here in an absolute sense: (they not understanding, not reaching a clear discernment, being deficient in understanding;) like the participle =those who understand, and Rom 3:11, and Mar 6:52. It implies either that the course they take is the reason for their want of intelligence, or that it is the way in which they exhibit this want. Others explain it: they do not observe or perceive that they are measuring themselves. by their own selves; or they do so without being aware of it; but such a sense is agreeable neither to the order of the words, nor to the general sense of the passage. For the Apostle is speaking not of the way in which they were blinding themselves, but of the folly of their proceeding, in contrast with his own course. With that measuring of themselves by themselves which is sure to lead off into unbounded self-laudation, (inasmuch as no objective limits can be assigned to a mans exaltation of himself), the Apostle contrasts that boasting of ones self which is confined to the limits assigned him by God. is to be taken in the sense of but, either like the Germ. sondern, completely reversing or giving the negative to the previous clause, or like the Germ. aber, only partially doing so. The former is preferable on account of the preceding . As he now wishes to carry out the contrast of persons which had been given already in , he brings up in strong light the kind of conduct which is most opposed to the pretensions of which he had been speaking. But offers an obvious explanation of (Meyer.) [It must be confessed that there is on this interpretation an appearance of defect in that sharp contrast which seems demanded by the at the commencement of the passage. That particle seems to require that what he was about to say should be in direct opposition to the self-commendation of those of whom he had just spoken. By referring to the Apostle, this would be clear, since he would oppose his way of proceeding to theirs; but if that word is referred to his opponents, we have the conduct of the same persons shown in contrast]. Osiander endeavors to avoid this difficulty, by making especially emphatic [giving it an exclusive power] equivalent to soli [they alone, by themselves, separate from all other men. Kuehner. Gram. Am. ed. 302, 6; Jelf. 656, 3. a.]. This would make the Apostle say, that he would not venture to put himself among or even by the side of such persons, but that he would leave them to themselves and to their own folly. In this case a severe and bitter irony would be expressed: but they, for their own special part, since they measure themselves, etc., are not wise; but we, etc. Something of this kind was undoubtedly intended by the Apostle in whatever way his language is construed; but it is questionable whether it is implied in . [The contrast implied in referring to Pauls opponents is in the very spirit of this section, and seems demanded by the argument. The very object he had in view was to put himself personally in opposition to them. The complete meaning developed by such a construction may be expressed thus: we confess we have not the boldness which some have shown; and hence we shrink from numbering ourselves, or even comparing ourselves with them. On the other hand, we think that they are far from showing wisdom when they resort to self-commendations, and seek for credit by comparing themselves not with true Apostles, but with one another, and with their ownselves at different periods. Their self-love is sure to flatter them when they look solely at their own and others accomplishments, instead of comparing themselves with the standard which God has given us.See a sermon on this text by Dr. Chalmers].Nay, neither will we boast without measure[as far as to things which have no limit] (2Co 10:13). The authorities are here in favor of (Rec.) and are sufficiently strong to prove it genuine. The future [absolute, looking to indefinite time and to an ethical impossibility, Webster, chap. 6. p. 84; Winer, 41, 6] implies that such a boasting could never by any possibility take place (comp. Rom 10:14). If we leave the word out of the text, we must suppose that the Apostle in 2Co 10:15, by an anacoluthon () turned back in his thoughts to . Fritzsche, who prefers the shorter reading of the text in 2Co 10:12, and who concludes that originated in some marginal gloss, and then created a necessity for inserting , is in favor of such an explanation. But the Receptus has been triumphantly defended by Reiche (Commentar. I.) and Meyer.But we boast according to the measure of the rule which God apportioned to us.Opposed to (on to the unmeasured, implying the extent or boundaries toward which the boasting tended, and which formed its measure or limit), stands here (according to the measure). This latter measure is more particularly defined by the additional , which signifies [properly, a reed, rod or staff, to keep anything erect, firm or upright, and then] the measure of the line, or the space determined by the measuring line [Robinsons Greek and Eng. Lex to the N. T.]. We prefer the latter signification in the sense of a measured space accurately defined; and hence, in this place, in accordance with what follows, the department of influence, or of official duty, assigned him by God.11A measureeven unto you. in the words we have an instance of a bold attraction in the sense of (in apposition with ) . The reason it is joined thus with probably was, because the Apostle wished to give prominence to the thought that the measure was precisely determined, inasmuch as the field of his activity had been marked out for him by God, as if by a surveyors chain, when the Spirit within him, as well as external providential circumstances, had shown him in what direction and how far he should go (comp. Act 16:6 ff.). In (to extend even unto you) he meant to say, that in this distribution of parts (1Co 7:17), God had made his measure extend even to
Corinth. The infinitive is connected with , in which is contained the idea of an intention. , etc., i.e., to Corinth, which was then the extreme limit of Pauls preaching in the West. He proceeds, in 2Co 10:14, to show that he might, without presumption, regard them as within the sphere of his influence, and to confirm what he had said in 2Co 10:13.For we stretch (over-extend) not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you.The phrase properly signifies to stretch ones self over or beyond the measure, which had been assigned him (by the measuring instrument); and in thus using it, the Apostles object was to meet the objection that he had arrogated to himself in Corinth something which did not belong to him. We must not construe (the readings or have very feeble authority in their favor), as if it were in the preterite, but take it as a designation of those who do not come, i.e., do not reach to you. The denies the idea supposed, and implies that it was only an ideal case which he was supposing, viz: that he had not in fact reached to the Corinthians. He informs them what the real fact was, and confirms what he had before asserted, when he addsFor even as far as you did we come foremost in preaching the gospel of Christ. suggests that the priority of influence in Corinth properly belonged to him, and that he had been before his opponents in preaching the Gospel and in establishing a Church there. Even if it were proved that in Rom 9:31; Php 3:16; Dan 4:8, should have the meaning simply of to come to a place generally, we think its more fundamental meaning [in the aorist: we have already come, or have come beforehand] should be re tained in this passage. implies that the announcement of salvation was the element in which he moved in all his apostolic journeys; or it simply means, while we were preaching Christ.Not boasting without measure in other mens labors (2Co 10:15 a)These words must be joined to 2Co 10:13, so as to make 2Co 10:14 not merely the second half of 2Co 10:14, but a parenthesis. He resumes the subject contained in , and grammatically connects what he here says with , which had to be understood in , etc., in 2Co 10:13. The participial sentence must therefore be joined with and not with (Rckert).But having a hope that as your faith increases we shall be enlarged among you according to our rule abundantly (2Co 10:15 b).We have here a further development of the Apostles discourse. In the first place an object is given to the , which he had disclaimed for himself when he says: . This contains an indirect allusion to his opponents, who in fact boasted of other mens labors, and arrogated as their own what had been done by others (, Joh 4:38; 1Co 3:8). With this negative he goes on to connect the prospect of an extension of his sphere of labor beyond Corinth, in consequence of an anticipated increase of their faith; is a more forcible expression than the simple participle would have been, and it signifies a firm, habitual confidence. The present indicates not only that their faith would be increased (Engl. A. V.), but that it was then actually increasing. He had an assurance that their faith would have a steady, pure and vigorous progress, and hence that he would not much longer be contracted and held back by his care for them. On this assurance he entertained a confident hope in a short time, , etc. does not belong especially to that which had just been said, as if the Apostle had intended to say that he hoped their faith would be increased either in their hearts (in distinction from their outward growth among the people) or in the common fellowship of believers; for in either case would be superfluous. He hoped that when their faith had been increased, he would be magnified among them, and would be assisted by their growing congregations to accomplish further and more important results. There is evidently nothing in the language used to imply that the Apostle was thinking of the geographical position of Corinth or of the favorable opportunities which would be presented there for more extensive enterprises ( is in the sense of per). [And yet, as Grotius and Rosenmueller suggest, such an idea would have been peculiarly appropriate to the Corinthians, who were great navigators, and had peculiar facilities for assisting him on his journey to countries farther West and South. Not unreasonably, Osiander concludes from this passage that no Apostle had before this been further West]. Even the metaphor of a man of extraordinary stature, who could therefore reach further without going beyond his measure (Meyer), is probably foreign to the passage. Still less appropriate is the explanation of , which makes it signify: celebrari (to be praised, although in other places the word may have that meaning), or rather: to be glorified among you. The context, however, favors the idea that the Apostle was thinking of an enlargement or exaltation of his power to perform his duties, in consequence of which he would be able to press further on, and enlarge the sphere of his labors. That this increase of his greatness would only be in conformity with his calling as an Apostle, he indicates by the words, according to our rule ( ). This rule has no reference to the general principle expressed in Rom 15:20, for the connection (2Co 10:13) required him simply to say that he was confining himself to the limits God had assigned him (according to our measuring line, i.e., never to go beyond the space God has distinctly marked off for me). He is careful, however, to inform his readers that these limits did not abridge his free action and did not make his very great enlargement impossible. This he lets us know in . He was well aware that he had been ordained to an Apostleship which was universal in its object (comp. Rom 1:13 ff; Rom 15:23 f., 28), and which called for an extraordinary energy. Rckerts idea, that . has a tincture of irony about it, appears to be without foundation (comp. Meyer).To preach the Gospel as far as the parts beyond you (2Co 10:16 a). He here informs us more definitely what would be the result of the enlargement of which he had just spoken, and what he would become capable of. is here the infinitive either of the design or of the result to be accomplished by the enlargement; it is not simply epexegetical of what that enlargement was to be (q. d., that is, to make known the Gospel), but to tell us what would follow that enlargement, or why he hoped for it (in order that). As in 1Pe 1:25; 1Th 2:9; Joh 8:26, is here used to imply the making known to, and bringing the Gospel into, those countries. is a word used in a corrupted Greek style for . In the next clause he proceeds to give us the negative description of the same result or designnot to boast ourselves of things prepared for our hands in anothers line (2Co 10:16 b.). In this additional qualification of what he had said, he intended to signify that in such an extension of his Apostolical influence he did not mean to boast like his opponents of something already prepared for him in the sphere of other mens labors, i.e., to appropriate to himself the fruits of other persons, labors, and thus to acquire a false reputation for greatness. [In our common English version a comma should be placed after the word line, so that no one should read the passage as if it were, another mans line of things]. The words have here the sense of, what is marked off by a measuring line; properly, the extent of space intended for another and assigned to him by the measuring line. The meaning of the word is not changed here, though the general idea it conveys is affected by the context. In contrast with this false and censurable self-glorification, he now presents in a general sentence the glorying which is proper and commendable. The general rule with respect to this he announces thusBut he that I glorieth let him glory in the Lord (2Co 10:17). Comp. 1Co 1:31. The reason for this glorying which is mentioned in 2Co 10:18 makes it evident that, (God) is here represented to be not so much the object of the glorying as the reason on account of which one glories. To a selfish and arbitrary self-commendation, to a false boasting, stands opposed a glorying in a fellowship with the Lord, as the true source of all ability, or on account of that approbation which God bestows upon us and which is revealed in the blessing attending our labors. Such a glorying is shown in the confession that whatever success we have comes from God (comp. 2Co 3:3).For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth (2Co 10:18). With respect to this commendation of ourselves, comp. 2Co 10:12. The person who presumes to commend himself thus is brought before us with a special emphasis in . , in this connection, where the Apostle is speaking of Christs ministers, signifies one who is approved or authenticated as a faithful minister of the Lord (2Ti 2:15). Meyer draws from the whole passage a somewhat different sense; for in his view is a glorying in God as the Being through whose grace and power he has and does every thing (comp. 2Co 12:9 ff.; 1Co 15:10). The opposite of this is the commendation of our own selves: for not he who acts differently from this, and instead of glorying in the Lord, commends himself, is approved (tried experimentally by Christian tests), but he whom the Lord commends (by His blessing, and not by any literal or direct praise). Neander: Only that which the Lord accomplished by the instrumentality of a man is really his commendation, not his own commendations of himself, or dead letters of commendation like those which the Judaizing teachers carried. [Comp. 2Co 3:1, and above 2Co 10:12].
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
[1. The Christian and especially the Christian pastor, should be a man of combined strength and gentleness. The one quality without the other produces a distorted character. Without strength there can be no real gentleness, to the very idea of which the conception of a reserved force is necessary, an energy which on occasion forbears to exert its appropriate qualities. The Apostle had been gentle and meek in the former part of this Epistle, but it was not from feebleness of character. He could be, like his Lord, a lion or a lamb, as circumstances called for such qualities. The Church needs heroes as well as martyrs; to contend sometimes for truth and rights, as well as sometimes to surrender themselves to the smiter. There may be more danger that Gods people should fait in benignity or meekness, but there have been seasons where they have shown an equally painful lack of a magnanimity which sympathizes with great enterprises and with oppressed humanity, and a fervent zeal which cannot bear them that are evil (Rev 2:2; Jdg 5:23)].
2. The minister of Christ is a spiritual warrior, in arms against every thing which is in the way of the progress of Christs kingdom, of the truth and of the knowledge of God; or which tends to impede or impair their exclusive and complete authority. He is often compelled to experience that his natural powers are weak and Sinful, but his sinful infirmities and afflictions are never allowed to control his method of warfare. The Spirit of that God, in whose cause he maintains the conflict, supplies him with weapons of Almighty power, which pierce every covering, overcome all opposition, and overthrow the strongest holds. This sword of the Spirit, the enlightening and quickening word, cuts through the most ingeniously contrived knots which the mind of man, however aided by Satanic art has been able to form, and batters down and destroys the most powerful defences which the reason of man has been able to construct against God. This is the light which penetrates the darkness of the human understanding, awakens in men a consciousness of their weakness and their errors in Divine things, convinces them of the infallible and exclusive certainty of the revelation God has made of Himself in Christ and so completely subjects their mental powers to Christ that that revelation becomes their only authority in matters of faith. In opposition to an enemy Whose equipment is great power and much craft, the spiritual combatant or commander has not only a Divine energy but a wisdom which is superior to all human craftiness. But before punishing the refractory, he distinguishes accurately between the seducers and the seduced, and he is careful kindly and thoroughly to win the latter and to draw them away from their dangerous associates. In such a work his love will be quite as prominent as his wisdom, for he will remember that his official power was intrusted to him by God not to destroy but to save and benefit his fellowmen.
2. The true minister of Christ can easily be distinguished from all arrogant intruders into the sacred office, in the first place, by his abstaining from all self-laudation, and by his leaving it entirely to God to justify him and to authenticate him as a servant of the Lord; so that if he ever boasts it will be a glorying in the Lord by whose grace he is qualified for his work, and without which he is and can do nothing: and in the second place, by his confining himself strictly to the sphere to which his Lord has called him, in which he makes all he does subservient to the Divine glory, and beyond which he never attempts to pass into new fields until he has performed all that had been previously required of him and is led and strengthened by the Divine hand.
[3. The conflict of truth with error, of sin and holiness, can never cease until all sin and error are exterminated from the earth. While true benevolence will allow of no such intolerance as resorts to carnal weapons against the life, reputation or outward prosperity of ungodly men, it can never be wanting in inclination, wisdom or power to pursue its conquests while any degree of sin or error remains in the world. This conflict is therefore truly irrepressible until the kingdom of darkness shall be utterly destroyed].
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Starke:
2Co 10:1. Christs faithful ministers will endeavor to deal with souls as Jesus Himself dealt with them (Mat 12:17-20).It is right to meet all evil reports, but let it be always with becoming modesty.
2Co 10:2. Hedinger: Gentleness may and ought sometimes to be followed by sharpness and severity. In a world which is filled with wrong and outrage, who would be perpetually administering consolation (1Ti 5:20) ?
2Co 10:3. Gods people and servants are spiritual soldiers who must war a good warfare (1Ti 1:18), and for this God alone can provide adequate weapons.
2Co 10:4. Ibid: A fortress is what makes resistance and is not easily taken. In the unsanctified heart it is: wilfulness, a proud spirit, inveterate wickedness, habitual sins, the old Adam with all his defences, subterfuges and pretended rights; or it is: everything which Satan and the world sets up in opposition to the kingdom of Christ, such as power, great names, craft, fraud, calumny, wealth, great numbers, philosophy and eloquence.Chrysostom: Carnal weapons are wealth, fame, worldly power, fluency of speech, severity, circumventive arts, flatteries and hypocrisies.
2Co 10:5. Ibid: That which is lofty is also proud, established. Here it stands for all opposition to the word of God, to Christ, to repentance and to faith; inasmuch as men are ashamed of the humble requirements and the cross of Christ, ridicule the duties of self-denial, and resist the progress of Christs kingdom with all their subtility and power.Reason is one of the noblest of Gods gifts, but when it is abused, when it sets itself against Gods word, and claims to be the supreme judge and arbiter in matters of faith, etc., it must be rejected.
2Co 10:6. The revenge which springs from a carnal and embittered spirit should always be repressed, but that which comes from a spiritual desire to rebuke and faithfully punish wickedness is commendable and desirable.A faithful minister should endeavor to unite, edify and strengthen his people before he attempts to scatter and punish those who are opposed to him.
2Co 10:7. Teachers and preachers should not be directed by the mere outward semblance of things, but act honestly, faithfully and suitably to their calling.
2Co 10:8. A good Christian will always be grateful to those who faithfully tell him the truth and never flatter him.Spiritual power should be exercised with no other desire than to edify and benefit Gods people (2Co 12:19).
2Co 10:9. An upright servant of God will be especially careful to avoid every appearance of that which has been laid to his charge (1Pe 2:12).
2Co 10:11. We should strive never to make an improper use of the gentle dealings of pious people, lest we compel them to exchange gentleness for severity.It is a great thing for a preacher never to contradict his words by his works, and to be always the same, present or absent, etc.
2Co 10:12. No man can judge himself correctly, if he looks only at himself. He must compare himself with those who possess more excellent gifts, that he may learn to think moderately of himself.
2Co 10:13. God has measured out to every faithful preacher, the precise limits of his official duty, and he should strive to occupy these with all fidelity, and to leave nothing undone within his measure!
2Co 10:14. A grandiloquent style of speaking however common and favored by worldly people, is peculiarly offensive to the servants and the children of God.
2Co 10:15. Blessed is that congregation which, for a long time, has a faithful pastor, and has grown and strengthened under his ministrations.But the minister who has been successful in saving and building up the people of his charge, may be convinced on right principles, that God has called him to go further, and enlarge his field.The great business of Christianity is to have faith. This is the true bond by which our souls are spiritually united with God, and through which we become and continue branches of Christ, derive spiritual nourishment from Him, and so are able to advance in goodness.
2Co 10:17. Everything without Christ is nothing; and nothing with Christ is everything.-2Co 10:18. Spener: To praise ones self is to derogate just so much from Gods glory, and is an insolence which God will assuredly resist. Great indeed is the commendation which God bestows; by showing to an assembled universe, that He is pleased with our works, by the testimony of a good conscience in our own hearts, and by the successful result of what we have done.
Berlenb. Bible:
2Co 10:3. Christians live in the flesh among their fellowmen, not to obey, but to overcome their fleshly inclinations.
2Co 10:4. Before anything can be built up in the kingdom of God, whatever is opposed to it, as pride and false prejudices must be discovered and removed.
2Co 10:5. Carnal wisdom, vain thoughts, and the conclusions of unassisted reason, are the principal obstacles with which the gospel has to contend. They can never be subdued by external force, nor by counter opinions of men, but by the sword of the Spirit. Our great work is to learn to wield this sword with faithfulness and skill.The right knowledge of God will always lead to a subjugation of ourselves to Him, for it will show what are our true relations to Him. Whoever follows not the Lord Jesus as a little child, but proudly adheres to the conceited maxims of human wisdom, will certainly fall into darkness. It must be our constant care to humble every high thing and bring it into subjection to the simplicity of Christ. It will be easy to do this if we allow the Holy Spirit to work freely in our hearts.
2Co 10:7. Whoever sees only what the outward eye naturally rests upon, will never observe the Spirit, and the footsteps of Christ.
2Co 10:8. If the appointed overseers in the Church would use their power in the wisest manner, they should insist upon nothing but what will promote the growth of real piety, and they should exclude from visible fellowship none whom Christ has thought worthy of an invisible fellowship with Himself and His people.If each one would give his attention to the measure which God hath measured to him, and be faithful in that without disturbing others in their proper spheres, the peace and unity of the Christian world would never be broken.
2Co 10:15. Our first business is to learn what is the peculiar work to which God calls us.
2Co 10:17. As long as you imagine you have something to boast of, you know neither God nor yourself, and you are making a god of yourself.
2Co 10:18. We have here a little text of great importance. Great and small, strong and feeble, come within its range, that the one may not be discouraged, and that the other may not be presumptuous.
Rieger:
2Co 10:1-2. Nothing is more difficult than for a man to speak much of himself. If, however, circumstances demand it, let him show that a good conscience is not necessarily a feeble or timid one.Our Lord always endeavored to make the way of repentance and amendment as easy as possible, and He never threw needless impediments in the path of those who were seeking for truth.
2Co 10:5. We should never hesitate to break in pieces all carnal weapons, but we should strive to bring those who once used them, to accept of the easy yoke of Christ, and to learn of Him that they may find that rest which their souls never knew while contending against God.
2Co 10:7 ff. We are very liable falsely to suspect others, when our judgments are guided by wrong principles, and are formed according to appearances. How cruel have been the imputations under which the most excellent of the earth have sometimes been obliged to live! Wicked men have not been afraid to trample under foot those whom God has prepared to sit with His Son on the throne of His glory. Teach us, O God, so to use Thy grace, that we may meekly submit to ignominy, and yet hope for glory!
2Co 10:12 ff. Where God helps, there only can the believer find a path to walk.
2Co 10:17 f. Something we must have to support us while all around us are judging and despising us. But if thou wilt glory, glory only in the Lord who has accepted of thee, and counted thee worthy of His high calling, with whose pounds thou art trading, and for whom thou art to live and die.Even in the judgment of common sense it is a contemptible thing for a man to praise himself. But there are many arts by which it is consistent with good manners and intelligence to draw upon ourselves the observation of those around us.The Lord can praise us, sometimes by opening doors which no art or power of man could previously open, and sometimes by quieting those who before had thought unfavorably of us (Rev 3:9). But in general our cause must be reserved for that great day when the Lord will judge every secret thing.
Heubner:
2Co 10:1. The good qualities of those who act as spiritual shepherds are sure to be misrepresented. Their gentleness will be called weakness, and their earnestness, arrogance and rashness. Even those who commonly appear retiring and diffident, when necessity calls for it, sometimes put forth great energy.
2Co 10:3. The Christian must always be at war with the world, but his weapons must be spiritual and very different from those of worldly prudence.
2Co 10:4. Only the pure in heart have courage to attack sins which are rooted deeply in the spirit of the world, and sustained by public laws and usages (wicked maxims, established customs and erroneous opinions).
2Co 10:5. Mans pride rebels against the Gospel, but those who are enlightened and strengthened by the Spirit of God can get the victory over it.That reason which exults itself against Christianity and will learn nothing from Christ, is false (Luther: Satans harlot).
2Co 10:6. All who are in favor of right and order in the Church must ordinarily rally around their ministers.
2Co 10:7. There are other and perhaps better Christians than yourself (against exclusiveness).
2Co 10:8. There is a salutary power which belongs to the pastoral office, which is not for condemnation, but for edification, and which ought always to be cheerfully acknowledged by the people. Ministers should never attempt to drive their people by slavish fears.
2Co 10:10. Extraordinary talents or merits are not always connected with an imposing presence or a remarkable eloquence.
2Co 10:11. The truest respect of our fellowmen is acquired by showing them that we have been called of God and are led by His Spirit; not by exhibitions and a consciousness of our own powers, which too often engender pride.
2Co 10:12. Great as thou mayest be, there are probably some much greater! Nothing can be more idle than for a man to make himself his standard and then measure himself by it.
2Co 10:13. God gives to every man the sphere of action in which his talents may be best employed; this he should strive to occupy, and never break into that of his neighbor and arrogate to himself something which is not his.
2Co 10:15. Those who occupy well a small sphere will be very sure to be Divinely called to a larger (Luk 19:17).
2Co 10:17. No garment is so beautiful and no honor so illustrious as humility.
2Co 10:18. What if you are commended by yourself and by all men? One word from your final Judge may turn it all to shame. How different will be His estimate of all human merit!
W. F. Besser:
2Co 10:3. The Spirit of Christ enables us not only to mortify the deeds of the body (Rom 8:13), but to subject the flesh in which we live and walk (Gal 2:20) so completely under the seal of the Spirit, that our tongue, eyes, ears and all our members, our reason, and all our minds and hearts, shall be consecrated to the service of God (Rom 6:13). But whoever serves God in this life must be a warrior. If this is true of all Christians (Eph 6:10), it is in a double sense true of ministers. But he wars a good warfare if, while walking in the flesh, he wars not after the flesh, with passion, vindictiveness, pusillanimity, unworthy artifices and vain ambition.
2Co 10:4. In the eye of the world, carnal weapons are mighty, and the spiritual weapons of the Church (the word of God, preaching, faith, confessions, patience and spiritual gifts) are of no consequence; but in Gods sight, carnal weapons are powerless and vain, and those which come from the holy armory, where David obtained his equipments (Psa 18:35-36), are mighty. What bulwarks has the god of this world erected to keep men in their wicked ways! The idolatrous systems of heathen nations, the self-righteous prejudices of the Jew, the philosophic arrogance of the Greek, the civil grandeur of the Roman, the haughty power of the world, the whole manner of life sanctioned by ancestral usages and deeply rooted popular prejudices, strongly fortified errors of heretics,these are the strongholds which the Church has had to storm, with no other weapons than the trumpet of the Gospel and the sword of the Spirit.
2Co 10:5. As a beleaguered enemy builds up one wall behind another, and erects many towers in his defence, so rises up from the carnal institutions assailed by the Gospel, one high thing after another to maintain their life, their purposes, their honor, and their loves and pleasures against the word of God, which demands an unconditional surrender. What was it that subdued me and made me renounce myself, die to myself, and thus become my own enemy; made me depend entirely upon Jesus, lose myself in Him, and find my all in Him? Nothing but the word of God, whose power is so wonderful. This it was which destroyed every high thing which my imagination erected, and behind which I had intrenched myself. As long as reason, with its power of thought and will, remained in the service of the flesh (Eph 2:3), she was Gods enemy and Satans harlot (Luther); but no sooner was she taken captive to the obedience of Christ, than she became a submissive handmaid, performing precisely the opposite service for, not against, the knowledge of God. For faith is in its essential nature obedience to Christ (Rom 1:5; Rom 16:26).
2Co 10:8. This text appeals to all ministers: For edification and not for destruction! This admonishes us that we should make such a use of the power which the Lord has committed to us that we may be commended as faithful stewards.
[The Christian Church is engaged in a conflict, and every Christian is a warrior. I. For what? 1. For the knowledge of God; and 2. for the obedience of Christ (2Co 10:5). This conflict can never cease while a hurtful error, or a disobedient person, remains on earth. Strongholds must be demolished (2Co 10:4); rational powers taken captive (2Co 10:5); and incorrigible ones cast out (2Co 10:6). II. Some principles according to which it must be conducted. 1. Christ must be over all, all must be His, and exclusive Christ-parties among such as belong to Him are schismatic (2Co 10:7); 2. Christs Spirit must animate all; (a) his meekness and gentleness (2Co 10:1), or (b) his severity (2Co 10:2) according to the occasion; 3. Spiritual weapons alone must be used: every mans freedom and external position must be respected, but whatever truth and love can do must be done (2Co 10:4); 4. Nothing but the good of individual men and of society must be sought (2Co 10:8-9); 5. Men must be valued not by their own or others estimate of them, but by the standard of Divine truth (2Co 10:12; 2Co 10:17-18); 6. Each one must be confined to the sphere to which Providence assigns him, and yet this should be continually enlarging (2Co 10:15), 16].
Footnotes:
[1]2Co 10:4.Rec. has , but its authority is feeble. [Internal evidence would seem strong in favor of both here and in 1Ti 1:18, for ordinarily (though by no means uniformly) it is used for military service or warfare, while signifies rather an army: but they are often used interchangeably, and the external evidence against it is too strong to be forsaken. (Tisch.). Lachm. however (sustained only by Cod. B.) adopts it.]
[2]2Co 10:7.Rec. has after ; but it is thrown out by the majority of the best MSS. [Tisch. after rejecting it in ed. 3d, restores it in ed. 7th with the remark: at ut molestum omnino omissum videtur: addidisse quemguam vix credibiu videtur. And yet the documentary evidence against it (B. C. D. (1st hand) F. G. Sin. many cursives, Vulg. Goth. Syr. Arm. with most of the ancient expositors) is very strong.]
[3]2Co 10:8.The predominance of evidence is in favor of after ; it is easier to conceive of its omission than of its insertion. On the other hand before has the weight of authority against it, and it is probably a supplementary addition. [Tisch. now restores it and thinks it more likely to have been omitted than added by a foreign hand.]
[4]2Co 10:8. after is uncertain. It might have seemed superfluous after , and yet very appropriate after . The best MSS. do not have it.
[5]2Co 10:10.[ is placed before by Lachm. after Codd. B. and Sin.]. is better sustained than ; it is also the more difficult reading.
[6]2Co 10:12-13. are thrown out by a number of critics, but on the sole authority of Occidental MSS., some of which have , although these last words seem like an incomplete restoration when they stand alone. The transcribers eye easily passed from before or after , and it was difficult to explain the passage without omitting these words. See critical remarks [and Stanley’s extended discussion.]
[7]2Co 10:13.. has satisfactory evidence in its favor; and is neither to be left out nor exchanged for nor .
[8]2Co 10:14.Lachm. has instead of , but his authorities are weak [only Cod. B. and two very recent cursives. As he plaees the mark of interrogation after , the sense remains the same.]
[9][This seems hardly conclusive, for the Apostle might very properly call attention to the agency of God through which his weapons were so powerful. Is there any greater call for his mere assertion that his weapons were powerful in Gods sight (i.e. truly)? The ancient Greek Expositors (whose opinions on such a question are entitled to weight, favor the meaning given in our common version, as e.g. Chrys.: Paul here refers the whole power to Godhe says not we are mighty, but our weapons are mighty through God. So also Bloomfield,conybeare and Stanley (in his translation). Wordsworth less appropriately renders the phrase, God-ward in contrast with man-ward or in the direction of, in respect to, men. He refers to Act 7:20. Comp. Jelf, 611, b.]
[10][This is one of those passages which became so important in the controversy with Rationalism. The etymological construction of the word is certainly in favor of the meaning: a thought, an intellectual perception as it is formed in the mind; and yet a very extensive usage in classic writers favors the meaning, the faculty of the understanding, or even the mind itself. The sense, too, if we adopt this meaning, would be highly appropriate; for while it is the , which were demolished, the mind itself which once entertained them, is here supposed to be taken captive to the obedience of Christ. We are compelled, however, by the connection which deals entirely with the products of human action against Divine knowledge, to adopt the etymological signification].
[11][Thereis no evidence beyond the vaguest tradition that before their separation at Jerusalem the Apostles portioned out the different provinces of the world to one another, and yet there was doubtless an understanding, perhaps silently acquiesced in by them all, that only one Apostle, or supreme authority, was needful on any field. In some special sense, the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to Paul and that of the circumcision to Peter (Gal 2:7); and in consequence of this, James, Cephas and John went unto the circumcision, and Paul and Barnabas unto the Gentiles (Gal 2:9). Paul appears also to have adopted the rule that he would leave the minor details of labor to inferior hands, when the Gospel had once been planted in a place, while he pressed forward to new countries. Hence he proposed to visit even Rome, where a Church had been formed by others, only by the way (Rom 15:20; Rom 15:24). If, then, any persons came to Corinth in the character of Apostles, or professing to act under the authority of other Apostles, while Paul was still alive and active on that field, and especially if they resisted his authority, it was a decided infringement of this express or implied arrangement, or a plan denial of his right to the name of an Apostle. Comp. Stanley].
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
CONTENTS
The Apostle enters upon this Chapter with one of the most endearing Expressions of Entreaty, to enforce what he wrote to them, in holding forth the Meekness, and Gentleness, of Christ. And he follows it up, with several very interesting Arguments.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
(1) Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: (2) But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
It should seem, by what the Apostle here saith, in the opening of this Chapter, and by several circumstances, in what follows in the body of it, that some had spoken slightingly, both of his person, and ministry; and had endeavored to lessen the reputation of his doctrine, and to render him contemptible. It is truly worthy the Reader’s observation, that though Paul felt the unkindness of it as a man, he wished to pass it by, as a Christian, and a minister. Yea, he endeavored to turn it to some advantage, in passing away from the consideration of himself, to the cause of his Master. And, in a most interesting, and affectionate manner, he entreats them, on the best of all possible motives, the meekness, and gentleness of Christ, that they would attend to those grand, and most momentous truths, he had been bringing before them. Reader! pause over the unanswerable argument: the meekness and gentleness of Christ. Contemplate the Person, grace, loveliness, of the Redeemer! When he was upon earth, he fulfilled the prediction God the Father had given of him, in the most minute point: so that had any one taken Isaiah’s prophecy in his hand, and read that part, which referred to the Lord Jesus, as the Redeemer passed by; his mind would have been instantly struck, with the Prophet’s picture, compared to the original. I shall not strive, nor cry, nor cause his voice to be heard in the Streets: the bruised reed he shall not break, nor quench the smoking flax. Compare Isa 42:2-3 with Mat 12:19-20 . And, as these were the great features of his character, when in our nature the Son of God appeared on earth: so the Holy Ghost, in glorifying Christ, manifests in every heart of the redeemed, that the fruits of the Spirit, is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, Gal 5:22 . It is very blessed to he enabled by the Spirit, to behold Christ, and by his sweet influences, to have the Spirit of Christ in our hearts, Rom 8:9 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Spiritual Gravitation
2Co 10:5
The thought of the Apostle in this passage is a very simple and natural one; it is a contrast between the warfare of the hands and the warfare of the mind and soul. There were many things to remind him of the warfare of the hands. But, like all men of fine contemplative genius, he was aware of a force mightier than the force of armies which was always working in the world, viz., the force of ideas. If the world is hostle to Christ today, it is because Christians have not been obedient to Christ, because with us those staple thoughts and ideas, out of which temper and conduct grow, have not been brought into captivity to Him.
I. The first thing to observe, then, is that any conformity to Christ which does not include the thought by which I mean the innermost intents of the mind and will is vain and partial, and vain because it is partial. The reason for the comparative failure of Christianity is simply the failure of Christians to be Christians.
II. The second thing to be observed is, that the thought can be disciplined; and it is necessary to say this, and to insist on it, because many of us assume that there is something elusive in thought, something so wayward, subtle, and intractable, that it lies quite outside the control of the will. Professor Huxley once defined genius as a mind under perfect control a servant always at heel, ready at any call to do its duty, and quick to respond to any demand that the will can legitimately make upon it The process of education itself is nothing more or less than the art of controlling and disciplining the thought And so it is in the Christian life: we must begin by the discipline of the thought.
III. But, thirdly, we need to ask by what means this captivity of thought may be gained? We may answer the question by asking another. What is the nature of that force which alone can control a man’s thought with any adequacy, or can give him an impulse and mandate for its discipline? The only captivity which thought endures is the captivity of the ideal. Every man has some ideal, and his ideal is the governing factor in his thought Three final suggestions we may think over at our leisure. First, goodness is a fine art, and is not a matter of magic. Secondly, the thought is not brought into captivity to Christianity, but to Christ. Lastly, learn to recognise the vast scope of the Christian religion.
W. J. Dawson, The Comrade Christ, p. 207.
2Co 10:5
Mr. Gladstone wrote at the age of twenty an account of his religious opinions in which the following prayer occurs: ‘O heavenly and most merciful God, implant in me a godly fear of Thee, root out from me my ungodly fear of men; let the blessed Spirit, who despises not so humble an office, condescend to purge my unclean heart, to take away from it my own wavering and vacillating resolutions, and place in their stead a permanent and habitual sense of Thy presence, a lively faith, a love hearty and unconstrained, a looking unto Jesus for redemption, unto the Spirit for grace. May every thought be brought into the obedience of Christ, and may I walk in the footsteps of my beloved sister, my once suffering but now glorified sister, though in heaven still my sister.’
References. X. 5. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxv. No. 1473. H. C. Beeching, Seven Sermons to Schoolboys, p. 64. Newman Smyth, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xliv. p. 245. H. P. Liddon, Sermons Preached on Special Occasions, p. 96. J. R. Illingworth, University and Cathedral Sermons, p. 144. H. P. Liddon, University Sermons, p. 156. W. Pulsford, Trinity Church Sermons, p. 24. J. H. Jowett, From Strength to Strength, p. 103. Expositor (4th Series), vol. iii. p. 367; ibid. (5th Series), vol. vii. pp. 31, 142.
Individuality
2Co 10:7
The intensity of human individuality is for ever surprising and shocking our anticipations. It overleaps all our categories; it refuses to conform to our conventions. Individuality is under obligation to declare and fulfil itself. It can no more be bound down by our schemes of classification than Samson by the withes of the Philistines. Try to tie it up to a beam of your own invention, and it will walk off with the beam and all. You can but accept the facts. By the same right by which you are what you are, he is what he is. Why should you wish to impress yourself upon him? Why should you require him to conform to your anticipation?
God alone can judge him, for God alone has made him for Himself. God has thrown into him a distinct and separate purpose of His own devising. God alone knows what the purpose is, and to God alone he answers for what he makes of it.
I. God has not exhausted His creative powers in creating us. He has new things in view, and here is one of them. The very certainty with which you yourself recognise the Divine intention in your own making ought to render you anxious to recognise the freedom and elasticity with which that same Divine intention expresses itself in others. They are so different from you, so strange, so odd, so incredible, so unintelligible, so incalculable, so funny. Yes, but you and they all witness to one God, who commits to each his special destiny. Each has his own equal right to exist. No one can override any other’s claims.
So, gazing out at the endless swarms of individuals who pass before us, in infinite variety of surprise, unable to account for their peculiarity and diversity, we fall back, again and again, on this recognition by St. Paul of our common origin, and of the common authority to which we all lay our claim, and say: ‘If any man trust to himself that he is God’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is God’s, so are all these’.
II. ‘As he is God’s, so are all these.’ Is not this the only true democratic principle? Is not this what we mean by the equality of all men? We think that we have all arrived at this recognition of equality. It is a commonplace, a platitude. But, if so, do we also recognise the religious ground on which it rests, the spiritual assumption which justifies it? This equal right of every individual man to be himself has God for its background. How else is it explained? It is the Divine origin of each separate personality that endows it with this inalienable sanctity.
III. Belief in God, in and through Christ, has endowed every separate personality with this sacred right to be itself. Yet, it is just where we get to conscious belief in God that we find it most difficult to recognise this right. This is the exact point which my text brings out. It is because we are convinced of our own true relationship to Christ that we cannot but suppose that this relationship must be universal. In other and minor matters, in the rough and tumble of ordinary affairs, every individual may have his own strange way of saying things. We can allow, perhaps, for a mixed hubbub of voices in the world’s business, or in politics, or in matters of sentiment; but when we come to the Eternal God, when we are dealing with loyalty to Jesus Christ, when we come to the realities of spiritual faith, then, surely, we must expect to find our own experiences verified in others.
Just as this man knows Christ for himself alone, so all may know Him. In this Christ shows Himself absolute and universal, not in the sameness of His manifestation, but in its utter diversity. He, the same Christ, can cover every individual difference There is no one individuality for which He has not a special and individual disclosure of Himself to make. His revelations will be as varied as the individuals who receive them. His fertility of resource will be adequate to every new demand and level with every fresh variation in human nature. Therefore, let the true believer who trusts that he is Christ’s own be perfectly prepared to find that others whom he cannot understand, with whom he inevitably collides, whose judgments he disputes, whose sentiments are wholly the reverse of his own, are, nevertheless, just as much Christ’s as he is. There is no reason why this same loyalty to one Lord should not express itself in a thousand divergent ways through a multitude of differing characters.
H. Scott Holland, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxxvii. p. 353.
References. X. 10. Expositor (4th Series), vol. x. p. 99; ibid. (5th Series), vol. iii. p. 384; ibid. vol. x. p. 20; ibid. (6th Series), vol. iv. p. 119; ibid. (7th Series), vol. vi. p. 226. X. 15. Ibid. vol. viii. p. 75. X. 15, 16. Archbishop Temple, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lviii. p. 321. X. 16. Expositor (5th Series), vol. vi. p. 300. XI. 2. Expositor (6th Series), vol. ii. p. 250; ibid. vol. X. p. 186; ibid. (7th Series), vol. vi. p. 278.
Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson
Weapons of Warfare
2Co 10:4
The last idea that occurs to some professing Christians is that Christianity or that Christian life is a warfare. It has been noticed by observing and discerning persons that almost as soon as a man joins the Church he settles down into indifference or personal and selfish enjoyment, as if a man should enlist into the army, and then go home and sit down all the rest of his days on the sunny side of his house and in the favourite spot in his garden. What kind of enlistment is that? Do you call that a soldierly spirit and a soldierly service? Whenever the idea of soldierliness took hold of Paul’s imagination he elaborated the figure with marvellous energy. We know the quality of writers and speakers by the kind of trope and metaphor they most indulge in. When Paul saw a race, a contest, as between runners, he instantly made an analogy about it respecting Christian running and prize-winning, and when the idea of soldierliness occurred to him he showed that he was a born soldier. Whatever he did he did in a soldierly way. If he wrote letters he wrote them with the point of the sword; when he stirred men up out of their laggardness, he said, “Endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.”
In addition to this the next mistake that is made is that persons who enter the Christian service imagine that all the fighting is to be done outside. You cannot fight outside until you have fought inside. The first man you have to kill is yourself. You are too much on the streets; the wonder is that you are alive, considering the number of meetings you attend for the purpose of making other people better. You are walking miracles. Where the long self-communion; where the bath into the love of God; where that self-wrestling that means public conquest? It makes one’s heart ache to know how many miles some people walk who ought to have been at home. The children longed for them, the good wife felt lonely, or vice versa, as the circumstances may be. If you have no home life, no long communion with God and with one another at home, you are not soldiers, you are vagabonds, wanderers, adventurers. No sooner do some men rise in the morning than they must be out. They have had no bath in heaven, they have not been washed with the dew of loftiest, divinest fellowship. Hence they do no work that abides. By doing much they do nothing; they fail through excess of misdirected industry. On the other hand, there are those who spend such long time in silence and communion and abstention from public activity, that we begin to doubt their sincerity, their loyalty to the Cross. Christ was not slain in secret; his Cross is the most public object under heaven; nay, more, it darkens the sun! Poor indeed is the thought, and poorer still the love, that is self-communing, self-expanding, self-considering, that never goes out on the damp, dark, cold night, never searches the mountains for lost ones, never loses a night’s rest that some other man may have one. So there must be no recrimination, we must know nothing about reprisals in this case; every man must judge himself and come to his own conclusion, not in the presence of other men, but in the sight of the great white throne of God. There is nothing so subtle as selfishness. Many a man supposes himself to be a philanthropist, who is the most selfish reptile on the face of the whole earth. He can be very philanthropic in public; I ask, How many sick people does he visit? how many blind people does he lead over the thoroughfare and the crowded crossing? when does he open his eyes that he may see opportunities for doing good by stealth? It is possible to be a magnificently grand philanthropist in public, and to let your own family starve for want of sympathy. On the other hand, it is possible for men to be so generous at home as to have no larger charity, not to care about those who are far off and at present unknown; possible for a man to be so pottering about his own little affairs in a little four-cornered house, as to forget that God has made constellations, universes, infinite spaces, and countless myriads multiplied by countless myriads of mankind. It is needful for the Christian teacher to explain these things and to enlarge them, that men may not run away with false ideas. We see our own side of the case best.
Are we at war? If the Church is not at war, it is unfaithful to Christ. Was Christ the Prince of Peace? Truly he was, yet the Prince of Peace, for the very reason that he was the Prince of Peace, never ceased from war. No such soldier ever lived as Christ. Your Hannibals and Alexanders and Csars cannot stand before him who came that he might send a sword upon the earth. Christ is against every bad thing: against foul air; against false Weights and measures and balances, against all trickery in trade, all insincerity in social life; against all show, fashion, glitter, that has not behind it the bullion of eternal truth and everlasting grace. Christ never met evil without smiting it in the face. Dare we show Christ our list of guests when we make a feast? Did we first submit the guest-list and the toast-list to the Saviour? Let us show him one of our lists. He reads it, and gives it back to us, saying, And thou, when thou makest a feast, call not the rich and the men that can have thee back again, and rival thy lavish expenditure; but call the halt and the blind, the poor, the maimed, and the friendless: they cannot recompense thee, but thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the dead. O holy Jesus, gracious Saviour! thou wast the Friend of the friendless. Such agony of sympathy must die, but must also rise again. In the Cross of Christ the resurrection is the complement of crucifixion.
Supposing the Church to be at war; has the Church the right instruments or weapons in hand? I think not. The metal is bad, the forging is faulty, the whole conception of the panoply is vicious. There are many wrong weapons in the Church. There is disputativeness. Some men will haggle over words until they be almost too late for their own burial. They are mere literalists, wordmongers; splitting hairs, and forgetting the sun, and all its wealth of summer. They could talk controversially at noonday when the sun is at its meridian; they could talk controversially, especially in a theological way, in walking up and down a garden, when June empties her lap upon the blessed spot. They must dispute, or they will not think themselves Christians. That is a miserable weapon, and never brings home any prey. It is always associated with love of victory. To call a man by a polysyllable is thought to be a kind of negative conversion of the man; to puzzle him by learned references that have not been verified is a kind of bewilderment, which they look upon as having brought him almost into a right state of mind. Some questions want to legislate men into goodness. Why does not the State take up this matter? Because the State has no right to the use of such weapons. The State is not necessarily a soldier of Christ; the State is a constable, or a stipendiary magistrate, or even a judge in one of the superior courts; but the State, as such, knows nothing about the unwritten law, the everlasting righteousness that can only be discovered by the spirit of righteousness. The State is the lamest creature that ever claimed identity. The State cannot make people sober, it can only punish them for having been drunk; the State cannot make men honest, the State can only punish men for having been thieves. The work of the State is negative. You cannot have Sunday observed by law. If the people will not rend their hearts, it is in vain that you compel them to rend their garments. If Sabbath be not kept in the soul, you cannot have it kept by Act of any reign of any monarch born or unborn.
All this, therefore, points to the necessity of something other. What is that something other? It is the spiritual element, it is the ghostly force. You can only get at men by getting at their souls. You can do little or nothing with their bodies; these you have to keep and clothe and variously preserve and defend, but the men are not yours until you have conquered their souls: and you cannot conquer men’s souls by fleshly instruments or weapons, you can only get at souls through something that is of their own quality.
How will Paul, chief of the soldiers of the Cross, deport himself in this war? Hear him: “Now I Paul myself beseech you.” Is that the fighting tone? Yes, in the Church it is the only fighting tone. In other fields, gory and shameful, there is a tone of a totally opposite quality, but you must learn from the true soldiers what the true soldierly tone is; and here is the very chief commanding officer of all, who says, “Now I Paul” the invincible, the inflexible “I Paul myself beseech you”; I lie down at your feet and pray you, entreat you, saying with my heart and through my choking voice, Will you? Has he nothing still deeper behind this? He never concealed the fountain of his sympathy or the fountain of his power: “I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” Is that a soldier’s tone? Why, soldiers have trumpets, they have throats of iron, lungs of steel, voices of thunder; simply because they require vulgarity with which to do vulgarity’s work. But here are men who want to conquer hearts, souls; and they lie down, beseech, and make their meekness part of their panoply; and their gentleness is the very strength of their sword. Do not suppose that you can whip children into church. You may get them within the four walls, but they are not at church for all that; they are miles and miles away from your church. You must bring them there because they love to be there above every other place in the world, and you must come with them, you must be little children along with them, and if the little children are not tall enough to stand up and share your hymn book, you must sit down with them and give them full half of the page, and go along the lines with your finger, and you must all be little children together. Have you the right spirit? then you must conquer: not to-day, or tomorrow, but on the third day you will come with great prey, which the Lord hath delivered into your hands because you fought in his own spirit.
Then there is the beautiful life. What a sturdy old weapon is that! The mother converts the children without saying much to them. Her patience is an argument; her night-and-day love wins in the issue. Sometimes the sweet old mother does not know how many she has taken in war, unless such intelligence is communicated to sainted ones in the better land. Many a time a man has allowed his mother to die without owning that she had won his soul, without indeed her having done so in fact, until after she was gone; then he thought, How lovely she was; the door was then never shut in his face, the midnight was not filled with the darts of reproach; he did not know what she was until she went away from him; blessings brighten in their flight, and now he says, cursing his ungrateful past, God be merciful to me a sinner! I could not understand the theologians, but I can understand that motherly love that I once despised. Has that mother no prey? Is she not mighty to the pulling down of the strongholds of selfishness and ingratitude and rebellion of heart? Is there a man amongst us who would not love to have just one more day with his old mother, that he might make up for neglect? She won through the beautiful life.
Then there must be spiritual conviction and spiritual persuasion, and you must get a hold upon the heart. The pastor who has hold of his people’s hearts can never be dethroned. People outside may speak against him, but the answer is, They do not know the man; if they had seen him as I have seen him in sorrow and trouble and difficulty, if they had heard his prayer at the bedside, they would have been his just as much as I am. Thus Christ wins, not by the blare of battle trumpets and the crash of carnal metal, but by love and tears and tenderness and sympathy and patience, so that he constrains all the great houses of history to say, His mercy endureth for ever. There is a war that is not blazoned in the gazettes of this world. Some men’s war they find in regular steady work, but the world does not know such work to be of any real value; the world loves processions and banners and demonstrations. The world does not know the energy of peace. Let our war, therefore, be according to our capacity and our opportunity. Let us go steadily forward with quiet work, steady giving, constant sympathy, perpetual readiness to do the very next thing that is to be done, though it be of the very simplest character. How foolish is the Church! Only get up something romantic, and you may command any amount of attention, and any amount of response for the time being. But romance has no deepness of earth, and therefore it soon withers away. When will men be steady workers? When will they be keepers at home? When will they find in their own houses a home mission-field? When will they in their own business quietly shed about them and around them an influence, which will compel men to say, This is not earthly, this is not a matter of calculation; there is something about this policy that can only be explained by the greatest words in human language, such as justice, love, pity, God.
Prayer
Almighty God, grant unto us thy Holy Spirit, that we may know the meaning of thy word, and that we may obey the same, with all humility, diligence, and thankfulness. May thy word dwell richly in us; may we not know it in the letter only, but in the spirit; not in the part, but in the whole; and may our souls be so filled with the spirit of thy revelation that we shall not live by bread alone, but have meat to eat that the world knoweth not of. Thy word is meat, thy word is drink; may we eat and drink abundantly of thy word that our souls may be satisfied with fatness. Thine is a wonderful word to this intricate, busy, tragic life. We thank thee that thy word touches our life at every point, appeals to every necessity, offers a prize to every holy ambition, and points out to every sorrowing soul the great all-explaining, all-reconciling Beyond. We need all thy word, its doctrine, and counsel, and exhortation, and reproof, and judgment; as we are not always the same, so we need a word that varies its appeals and yet covers the whole necessity of life. May the man of God be throughly furnished unto every good work, well equipped, fortified at every point, wise in the whole circle of his mind; lest being wise in many points he be a fool in others, and thus defeat his own life and make his own prayers vacant. We thank thee for all thy goodness to us along the road; we should have seen nothing but for thine illumination; we should have heard nothing that is not of the earth, if thou hadst not touched our ear and caused us to hear music from heaven; the road would have been very long without thee, but with thee we forget the journey; we saw the city at the farther point, and were drawn to it by an ennobling fascination. Thou dost strike down whom thou wilt, and whom thou wilt thou dost spare, and none may say unto thee, What doest thou? for thou wilt not render a reason unto the children of men. We are woebegone, and dumb; we try to say, Thou didst it, and yet our unbelief outruns our prayer. But thou wilt give us time, thou wilt not drive us with great stress of energy, thou wilt not hurl upon us thy great power; thou wilt remember our frame and our origin, and thou wilt spare us, that we may recover our strength and expend that vigour in new praise. Help us to believe that all things are under God’s control. They do not seem to be so; there seems to be much standing ground for the unbeliever, and even for the scoffer. Yet give us time, O God, and cut us not down when we are atheistic. In our hearts we believe in thee; our souls are sure of thy goodness; and yet the things that are round about us stagger and bewilder us, and create in our soul tremendous revolt. Help us to be quiet; give unto us the sight that sees most clearly through blinding tears, and help us to believe that in the end every sorrow will prove to be the root of a new joy. As families we come before the Lord, thanking God for the sacred household, beautiful home, deepest rest, fullest and tenderest trust, the very gate of heaven: help us to spread this spirit abroad, and being happy ourselves to make other people glad. May no man live unto himself, or keep his wine in his own cup; let the wine of gladness overflow that they who have no cup may catch somewhat of it and thus be made at least momentarily glad. Enlarge our thought, our love, our life, and make us like Christ, pure, saintly, tender, good, beneficent, living always that somebody else may live. Make the old man young with hope; make the strong man modest because his days are measured, and though they be many, yet they may be gone in a moment; and grant unto all the little children, and all the sick and the weary, such messages as they can receive, and may a strange beauteous joy like an unknown but ever-welcome angel come into their hearts and give them some foretaste of heaven. We pity those who pity not themselves, the ignorant, the out-of-the-way, the rebellious, the far-wandering; we know not how to approach them, they resent even the look of love; we leave them in God’s hands; they are the mysteries which tax our faith, they may become contributories to our highest, deepest confidence. The Lord be round about us, in the Church, in the house, in the marketplace, and show us that as our days are dwindling our love should be increasing, and that now there is no time but for union and chivalry and nobleness and Christlikeness: may this spirit be amongst thy children all over the world and they shall show what is meant by a Church redeemed and inspired. Good Lord, come quite near to those whom no one dare now approach. Thou knowest who are sorrowing in deepest sorrow and trying to sing through their choking emotion; thou knowest who at this moment may need special realisation of thy presence and special confidence in thy sovereignty and love: the Lord come near to such, and interpret new words to them. Thou knowest how to say “Widow” that it shall not be so lonely, and “Orphan” that it shall not be so desolate. Oh, thou who didst give us Jesus and the Christ, thou wilt not withhold from souls that are darkened and burdened the only solace which they can now receive. The Lord hear us at the Cross; the Lord make Calvary to us more precious than ever; the Lord show us that our Christ is not dead; the Lord take us from Calvary to heaven, that there we may hear One saying, I was dead; but I am alive for evermore. Amen.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
XXXI
EXPOSITION PAUL’S REPLY TO HIS ENEMIES
2Co 10:1-12:21
This discussion, commencing at 2Co 10 , closes up the second letter to the Corinthians. This closing section of the book is so utterly unlike the preceding part, that a great many people try to make it a part of a different letter, but they are very much mistaken. The difference arises from the fact that the first nine chapters were addressed to the working majority of the church, and these last chapters refer to the incorrigible minority. The object of the last section is to defend the apostleship and gospel of Paul from the charges made by certain Jewish emissaries who came from Jerusalem to that place, as at other places where he had been, and endeavored to wreck his Work. We have considered this matter somewhat in our exposition of the former letter. We will consider it much more in the next two letters Galatians and Romans. In these four letters the great controversy is discussed.
The charges of these Jewish brethren with their letters of recommendation were about these: First, he was not coming to them; he kept saying he would come, and even if he should come, he would be very humble when present, though bold in his absence. Second, that he boasted too much of his apostolic authority, trying to overawe the people with his letters, though when present his person was insignificant and his speech contemptible. Third, that he was not in his proper sphere not a true apostle, not even a true Jew; that he virtually confessed he was not an apostle by not asserting his apostolic authority, as Peter in killing Ananias and Sapphira; that he confessed it in not exacting support from the people to’ whom he preached, but that while he did not exact any money while he was there, he was arranging for a very large collection. Why should those poor people at Corinth be taking up a collection for some interest away off yonder, unless Paul wanted to scoop the money into his own hands? Of course, his not taking money when he was there was that be might send Titus, his henchman, and take a big collection for himself. In other words, being crafty, he caught them with guile to make gain of them.
Of course, these charges are inferred from his defense. We see into his very heart, so sensitive and so deeply wounded, that he is forced to the seeming folly of boasting. We, in our day, rejoice that their assault led to so many rich disclosures of his life and heart that otherwise his modesty would have concealed. It is never a pleasant thing to expose rascality. But we have this pleasure if these men had not preferred these charges, we never would have had the statement in these chapters which are of imperishable value to the world.
He commences by making his reply to the charges that be was a very humble, modest man when he is present, but when he is absent he is bold: “Now I, Paul, myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you; yea, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence wherewith I could be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to the flesh.” In other words, he did not want to assume this boldness, because God did not give him this power except for the purpose of building up. Only with great reluctance did Paul ever use his apostolic power to vindicate himself, and never unless the gospel was jeopardized and needed vindication. He had this power, which was not carnal, but was of God. In the exercise of this power he could reach any wicked imagination of their hearts; he would pull down any strong- hold of opposition. He had but to speak the word and God would attest the truth of the word. But for himself, in his love for them, he deprecated such use of the power. They had judged according to the external appearance when they concluded that because he was a modest and humble man, therefore he did not have the apostolic power. Some people parade their authority and want to show it off. Paul preferred to reach men by persuasion, to govern by gentleness, always to win and not to drive.
With reference to his personal appearance and his speech, he uses this language: “That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. ‘For, his letters,’ they say, ‘are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is of no account.’ Let such a one reckon this, that, what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.” They made the mistake of using the wrong standard of measurement, and this gives us a fine text to preach from. In the King James Version it reads: “They, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” Whenever any fallible test is made a standard of measurement we are certain to bring about a wrong result.
When I was a young preacher I preached on that text. I stated that I decided to put up a picket fence around my place, and as I needed exercise, I thought I would saw the pickets for myself. I sawed off one just long enough to measure by, then the next one by that, and the third by the second, and so on. When I put up my pickets I found there was an inch and a half difference in the height. Every variation that you make repeats and magnifies itself. We must have one fixed standard of measurement and use that standard every time we saw a picket. God has given one standard.
We don’t say that everybody must come up to the measure of Sam Houston or Daniel Webster. When we hear religious experiences we do not say that they must all be alike. We may not have had the same length of despondency as someone else. All we have to do is to tell our experience and let it be measured by God’s Word. No human standard can be good. Some people imitate others. Some preachers select an ideal preacher, and try to imitate him. There used to be a Negro preacher that tried to imitate Dr. Burleson. He would enter the house carrying his big silk hat, bow, and sit down like Dr. Burleson, and strange to say, measuring by human standards, people more often imitate the follies than the excellencies. Paul says, “These men have come here on the field of my labor and set up an arbitrary standard of measurement, and they want to make me fit it. I will only be measured by God’s standard, not man’s.”
Continuing his argument, he says with reference to the sphere, “But we will not glory beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the province which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves overmuch, as though we reached not unto you; for we came even as far as unto you in the gospel of Christ.”
I think the greatest missionary sermon I ever preached was from that text: “We came even as far as you in the gospel of Christ, having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall preach the gospel in the regions beyond you.” I drew an histopical picture of the progress of the gospel, commencing at Jerusalem, until at this time it had reached Corinth in Europe. It represented many long journeys and varied experiences of Paul. Paul’s rule was when he reached a place not to conduct all of his campaign from the original base, but to make the new church a new base: “I have this hope, that I shall establish a missionary church at Corinth, and that through that missionary church, I shall reach out to the region beyond, and establish other missionary churches beyond you, and use them as a base to reach others yet beyond.” That discloses Paul’s method of work. That province had been assigned to him by the Lord Jeans Christ. They claimed that he was out of his sphere. Peter and James recognized that God had sent Paul to the Gentiles. They gave him the right hand of fellowship on that. God’s providence had met him there. God’s Spirit had blessed him there, and he was not building on any other man’s foundation.
The next chapter commences this way: “Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness.” They claimed that he was foolish. “Well, hear a little foolishness. You bear with people who are more foolish.” Notice what he says about what they had borne. If one should even slap them in the face they would bear it. “Now bear with me. I am indeed jealous over you, but it is a godly jealousy. I haven’t that envy and jealousy that one preacher has for another preacher lest the one beat me preaching. My jealousy is one that God approves. There come preachers to you who do not preach the true gospel, who come in another spirit and preach another Jesus, and as the serpent beguiled Eve with subtlety, so will they seduce you. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear with him. For I reckon that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.” Their next objection was that Paul was not a trained orator: “But though I be rude in speech, yet I am not in knowledge.”
As to that question of support, he says, “Did I commit a sin . . . because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought? I did receive wages from other churches. Part of the time I supported myself and part of the time the Macedonian churches supplied my necessities while I preached to you. Instead of being led to refrain from claiming support because I distrusted my apostolic right to do that, my object was an entirely different one. I had a number of lessons I wanted to teach you. One reason was that I might take away from anybody who sought occasion to object to my ministry on that account. I wanted to teach you lessons as I taught the Thessalonians, that men ought to work; that industry is a good thing.” He says, “It was wrong I did you and I ask you to forgive the wrong.”
It is a sin for the gospel to be preached contrary to the declaration of Christ that “they that preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”
Every enterprise should pay its own expenses and yield its fruits to the laborer. “I made you inferior in this, that I took away from you the dignity of paying for the gospel preached to you.”
I discussed that question before the Southern Baptist Convention once when there was such a hue and cry against agents. I told this anecdote: An Irishman had only one load of powder and shot, and he had to have something to eat. He saw a coon up a tree and fired at it. The coon fell out and hit the ground so hard that it burst open. The Irishman said, “Faith, and what a fool I was to waste that load of ammunition; the fall would have killed him.” There are people who talk about a waste of ammunition, but coons don’t fall out of the tops of trees unless someone wastes a load of shot on them.
Let us look at 2Co 11:20 : “For ye bear with a man, if he bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth you, if he taketh you captive, if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth you on the face.” Those fellows with those letters of recommendation were very exalted beings, and demanded high recognition; there was no humility about them. They claimed money, and they got money, and they brought the people from gospel freedom into bondage, and they would even insult them by slapping them in the face. There are some people who are never influenced by gentle means. The old Webster spelling book tells us that a man may talk softly to a boy up an apple tree and he won’t come down. He may throw turf at him and he won’t come down. He has to rock him to get him down. There are some people who want a leader that will knock them down and drag them out, and they have no respect for a leader that can- not fight and call somebody a liar. The one who shot down the most men in western towns used to be a hero. Paul says that these people were like those who cringe before their masters like dogs. That reminds me of Aesop’s fable of King Log.
As to the charge that he was not a Jew, here is his reply: “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I am more.” Now follows a passage of Scripture that ought to be written in letters of gold and carried with every preacher. It shows what Paul had suffered for the gospel up to this time: “In labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily anxiety for all the churches.” I suppose if we put together the labors and sufferings of all the other apostles, they would not equal the sufferings of this one man. When we read the book of Acts, we do not read about any of these shipwrecks, and only one on the scourgings, the one at Philippi by the Roman lictors. Scarcely any of the other perils are mentioned.
No wonder John Mark got scared when they left the Isle of Cyprus and went on to the mainland. Up those mountains, and swimming those river torrents, and meeting those robbers, Paul’s every step was into the jaws of death, always the Spirit of God bearing witness with his spirit that bonds and imprisonments awaited him. He counted it the same as breathing, and more certain than food, for often he did not know he would get any food. How many times do we preachers suffer real hunger in doing our duty as preachers? Do we ever swim creeks? How many times have we been in jail and whipped by the magistrates?
They used to whip Baptist preachers in Virginia, and in ungodly New England it was a devout exercise to banish Quakers and whip Baptists. I have the history of the old Philadelphia Association. Within four years of the time that the battle of Lexington was fought, and almost within sight of the battleground, a large community of Baptists were taxed to build a meeting house for the Congregationalists in a community where there were no Congregationalists. Whenever they did not pay the tax readily, law officers came and attached the center acre of their farms or gardens, and then under forced auction sales, their enemies would bid in their property for a song.
We are living in a good, easy time. But our fathers have been tested. It is certainly true that throughout the dark ages whoever was true to the gospel of Jesus Christ walked at least somewhat in the steps of Paul. There are historians who are unable to see any connection between the Baptists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and the preceding sufferings for Christ, but they are very dim-eyed. The gospel is always transmitted by men. Paul says, “What I commit to you, do you commit to faithful men who shall come after you.” Somebody carries the gospel, and it always broke out in the places where these faithful preachers went. They could not publish books and preach in houses. They had to preach in the caverns of the earth, and even in pious Switzerland where John Calvin laid the foundation of Presbyterianism, the men who insisted on immersion as baptism were condemned to be drowned: I you will dip, we will dip you.”
In 2Co 12 he comes to another proof of his authority the revelations made to him. We have read nothing of this in the preceding history. It occurred during his Cilician ministry, to which there are only two New Testament references: “I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth) ; such a one caught up even to the third heaven. And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth) how that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for man to utter.” In other words, “You say I am not an apostle. This is only one of the many experiences that I have had with my Lord.” This man was selected as a special medium of divine revelation, and God honored him by catching him up to the third heaven the paradise of God. The word “paradise” occurs here, and where the Saviour spoke it on the cross: “This day shalt thou be with me m paradise,” and in the third chapter of Revelation: “To him that overcometh to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” These are the only three places where the word occurs in the New Testament, and from these passages it is easy to see where Paul was carried. The tree of life was in the midst of the paradise of God, and the last of Revelation locates that tree of life: “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” That is paradise regained the paradise that the original paradise typified. The first Adam lost the type, and the Second Adam gained the antitype. Paul says, “I do not know whether it was just my spirit taken out of my body and carried up there cannot answer that psychological question but I know that God caught me up into the paradise of heaven. I heard things not proper to tell now.” Notice that Lazarus told nothing as to his experiences the other side of the grave. Our revelation must come from God.
Now Paul says, “By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me.” Of course, everybody wants to know what that thorn in the flesh was, but we can only conjecture. I infer from some statements in the letter to the Galatians that it was his weak eyes. He had to be led around, and have his letters written. He wrote the letter to the Galatians with his own hand, and calls attention to the “sprawling letters.” He says the Galatians were so much in love with the gospel he preached that they would have plucked out their own eyes and given him. So I infer that the devil was permitted to afflict him. He prayed three times that the affliction might be taken away. There are two other cases where three prayers were made to God like this case, and where those praying did not get the request in the form they asked for it. God did not take away the thorn in the flesh, but he answered Paul’s prayer by giving him grace to bear it.
In regard to that money business he says, “I did not myself burden you, but, being crafty, I caught you with guile.” We must understand these words as quoted by him. It was the charge of his enemies to which he replies: “Did I take advantage of you by any one of them whom I have sent unto you? I exhorted Titus, and I sent the other brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Walked we not in the came spirit? Walked we not in the same steps?” I don’t suppose any man ever acted more prudently than Paul did in the management of money.
QUESTIONS
1. What can you say of the closing section (2 Corinthians 10-13) and from what does the difference arise?
2. What is the object of this last section, and where may we find the discussion extended?
3. What are the charges of the Judaizers, and how did they say that he acknowledged that he was not an apostle?
4. What is Paul’s reply to the charge that he was humble and modest when present, but bold when absent?
5. What is his reply to the charge that his letters were weighty and strong, but his bodily presence was weak, etc.?
6. What the mistake of the accusers on this point, what illustration from the experience of the author, and what the application to the Christian experience?
7. What is Paul’s reply to the accusation that he was out of his sphere, what great missionary text in this connection, what was Paul’s method of work as revealed in this reply, and what recognition was given Paul in this sphere?
8. What his reply to the charge that he was foolish?
9. What his answer to the objection that he was not a trained orator?
10. What his reply to the charge that he did not demand a support?
11. What is the teaching here on ministerial support? Illustrate.
12. What is the character and methods of Paul’s Judaizing accusers, and how does this method seem to fit some people? Illustrate.
13. What is his reply to the charge that he was not a. Jew, and, briefly, what were Paul’s sufferings for the gospel up to this time?
14. How does this paragraph from the life of Paul fit our case, and what, briefly, some of the sufferings of our forefathers?
15. What proof of his authority does Paul present in 2Co 12 , and how does it prove it?
16. What three passages in the Bible contain the word “paradise,” and where is paradise?
17. What was Paul’s “thorn in the flesh,” and why was it given him?
18. What God’s answer to his prayer respecting it, and what other similar cases in the Bible?
19. How did Paul reply to their charge respecting the money matter?
NOTE: For the first part of the discussion of the revolt against apostolic authority, see 1Co 16:1 .
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
Ver. 1. By the meekness and gentleness ] Whom in those sweet virtues I desire to imitate. The praise of Christ’s meekness recorded by the prophet, and explained by Philip, converted the eunuch, Act 8:27-39 .
Who in presence am base ] i.e. Despicable, because I take not upon me, and bear a port, as the false apostles do. Meekness of spirit commonly draws on injuries. A crow will stand upon a sheep’s back pulling off wool from her sides.
Am bold toward you ] So mine adversaries report me, as if I were over bold and busy by my letters.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1 6. ] He assures them of the spiritual nature, and power, of his apostolic office: and prays them not to make it necessary for him to use such authority against his traducers at his coming .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1. ] marks the transition to a new subject, and points on to the personal characteristics mentioned below, ‘Ego idem Paulus, qui ;’ the words setting his Apostolic dignity in contrast with the depreciation which follows. Sometimes however we have used, where the only object seems to be to bring out the personality more strongly : so 1Th 3:11 ; 1Th 4:16 ; 1Th 5:23 ; 2Th 2:16 ; 2Th 3:16 . See also Rom 7:25 ; and ch. 2Co 12:13 : and such may be the case here: but the rather favours the former interpretation.
. . . .] as in Rom 12:1 , using the meekness and gentleness of Christ ( Mat 11:29-30 ) as a motive whereby he conjures them . And most appropriately: he beseeches them by the gentleness of Christ, not to compel him to use towards them a method of treatment so alien from that gentleness: “Remember how gentle my Master was, and force not me His servant to be otherwise towards you.”
“ , lenitas, virtus magis absoluta: , quitas, magis refertur ad alios,” Bengel. See many examples in Wetst.
.] Who in personal appearance indeed (am) mean among you (he appropriates concessively, but at the same time with some irony, so Chrys. Hom. xxi. p. 583, , , the imputation by which his adversaries strove to lessen the weight of his letters.
. is not a Hebraism: Wetst. quotes several instances of its usage by Polybius), but when absent am bold (severe, outspoken in blame) towards you;
CHAP. 2Co 10:1 to 2Co 13:13 . ] THIRD PART OF THE EPISTLE. DEFENCE OF THIS APOSTOLIC DIGNITY, AND LABOURS, AND SUFFERINGS, AGAINST HIS ADVERSARIES: WITH ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS INTENDED COURSE TOWARDS THEM ON HIS ENSUING VISIT.
2Co 10:1-6 . HE BEGS THEM NOT TO FORCE HIM TO EXERT HIS AUTHORITY WITH SEVERITY WHEN HE COMES. He first expresses the hope that their conduct will be such as to admit of his being “meek and gentle” when he arrives at Corinth, of his coming in a “spirit of meekness,” and not “with a rod” (1Co 4:21 ).
2Co 10:1 . . . .: now ( marks a transition to a new subject, as at 2Co 8:1 , 1Co 15:1 ) I Paul myself ( , calling attention to a specially personal matter as at 2Co 12:13 , Rom 9:3 ; Rom 15:14 ; he writes elsewhere at Gal 5:2 , Eph 3:1 , Phm 1:19 only, for the sake of emphasis) entreat you ( cf. 2Co 1:4 , and for the constr. cf. Rom 12:1 ; Rom 15:30 , 1Co 1:10 ; the . are the example which gives point to the entreaty or exhortation) by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ . That the Messianic King should be had been declared by Zechariah (2Co 9:9 , cited Mat 21:5 ), while had been associated with His royal progress by the Psalmist (Psa 44:5 ); and Christ, when He came, declared that he was f1 , a claim which His life on earth abundantly exemplified ( cf. Mat 12:19 , Luk 23:34 ). So too in the wonderful portrait of the Righteous Man in Wis 2:12 ff., , “gentleness,” “sweet reasonableness,” is one of the qualities mentioned ( Wis 2:19 ). In Greek Ethics ( e.g. , Aristotle, Nic. Eth. , v., 10) the is the “equitable” man, who does not press for the last farthing of his rights (see reff.). St. Paul alludes to these qualities as well known to have belonged to the character of Jesus, even as they had been foretold of the Messiah. . . .: I Paul, who indeed ( sc. , as you say by way of reproach, the concessive ) before your face am lowly among you (he had admitted this before, 1Co 2:3 and chap. 2Co 7:6 , and the lowliness of his demeanour had been made the subject of adverse comment, see further 2Co 10:10 ), but being absent am of good courage towards you, i.e. , am outspoken in rebuke of you (a quite different phrase from of 2Co 7:16 ).
2 Corinthians Chapter 10
From the exhaustive treatment of giving and receiving according to Christ which filled the two preceding chapters, the apostle turns to vindicate the authority given him in the Lord. This Satan had been bringing into question among the Corinthians, not merely to discredit the servant, but thereby to undermine the testimony and separate the saints from Him whose grace and glory were interwoven with it most intimately.
In the beginning of the epistle, now that they had begun to judge themselves in God’s sight truly, if as yet imperfectly, he could open his own heart and speak of his ways and his motives which had been so basely misconstrued; he had just alluded to his authority enough to indicate his possession of it with calmness of spirit but also unwillingness to exercise it with severity. He even appeals to God as a witness upon his soul that it was to spare them, not through fear or levity or any other unworthy reason, he had not come as yet to Corinth, but with marvellous tact and gracious skill he binds up, with his explanation of what had been misunderstood, the divine certainty we enjoy in Christ by God’s word and the power of the Spirit given to us. And then, just touching on the case of discipline which Satan had used and was still seeking to use to separate the Corinthians from the apostle, not only in judgment but in affection and in the mutual confidence which springs from it, he lets them know how that an evangelistic door, even opened to him in the Lord, failed to turn his loving heart from themselves at this critical juncture; but spite of all, he thanks God for always loading him in triumph in Christ, as in an ancient procession of victory where sweet spices were being burnt, harbinger of death to some of the captives and of life to others. This gives occasion to the admirable setting forth of the gospel of the glory of Christ, the ministration of the Spirit in an earthen vessel in contrast with that of the law which false teachers would ever mingle with it, and to the manifestation of the superiority of life in Christ over all that can obscure, menace, hinder or destroy, which runs through 2 Corinthians 3 – 2Co 6:10 . Thence he returns to his relations with the Corinthian saints, but not without exhortation to keep them clear of every association of Satan, flesh and world, inconsistent with Christ.
After this, to the end of 2Co 7 , he freely speaks of what had tended to make a practical breach between him and them. Then in true grace and wisdom he who took nothing for himself from the saints at Corinth proves how his heart beat freely toward them by informing them of the grace displayed in Macedonia notwithstanding their well-known and deep poverty in liberally contributing to the poor saints in Judea, and by giving the Corinthians an opportunity of proving the genuineness of their love, especially as they had begun a year ago but had not yet given effect to it; a work in which Titus shared the gracious desires of the apostle, not only as to the help itself for the suffering poor but also that the saints in Corinth should not fall behind their boasting about them. But therein he manifests with equal strength the avoidance of all reproach on the part of those engaged with himself in administering the relief, and the manifold blessing of such liberality, and God’s delight in it, whether one thinks of the saints that give or of the saints that receive through His grace who is Himself the unspeakable gift of God.
The apostle did not love to speak of himself or even of his authority, high as it was and most surely conferred by the Lord. But there was a necessity for the Corinthians as for the Galatians; but here he reserves it for and pursues it to the close of the epistle; whereas there he could not but begin with it, the call being yet more urgent.
“But I myself Paul entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ, [I] who according to appearance [am] mean among you but absent am bold toward you – but I beseech that present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I count to be daring against some that count of us as walking according to flesh. For walking in flesh we do not war according to flesh. For the arms of our warfare [are] not fleshly but powerful with God to the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down reasonings and every height that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought unto the obedience of Christ, and being in readiness [or ready] to avenge every disobedience when your obedience shall have been fulfilled.” (Vers. 1-6.)
It seems that Paul physically had nothing of a showy presence, such as men like generally, most of all perhaps Greeks. But besides his was a lowly and gracious bearing which judged self and set it aside, as in everything, so particularly in the delicate task of dealing with others; which did not suit the Corinthian mind, nor seem in keeping with the apostolic office: especially as the apostle could and did to them write severely now and then in his first epistle. His adversaries accordingly took advantage of all this in seeking to aggrandise themselves and to lower the apostle and his teaching. He appears here and elsewhere to take up their words and meet them in the Spirit, as one who had learnt the lesson, if over saint did, of death and resurrection with Christ. He therefore introduces himself, now that they had morally compelled it, with straightforwardness and dignity; and he entreats them by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ, which had as great price in his eyes, as it seemed to have none in theirs. Did detractors tax him with a mean appearance, but withal boldness when absent, that is, in his letters? Well, he says, I beseech that I may not when present have to be bold () with the confidence with which I am (not “reckoned,” but) minded, or think to be daring () against some that think of us as walking according to flesh. Whatever the energy and fervid zeal and depth of feeling and strength of will found in his natural character, Paul had borne himself among the Corinthians with a self-forgetting humility and the forbearance of active love. It was what he had seen in the Master he served, and this reproduced itself in his adoring heart and in his ways. Let men beware of despising in the servant what was the fruit of the perfection of Christ. But who also so unsparing in his words? Is there the least incongruity? What can be so outspoken as love – the love of Christ? Did Paul find pleasure in blaming his “beloved sons” in the faith? It was and must be due to their state if he came with a rod, or in love and the spirit of meekness. So far from liking to censure, as enemies insinuated, he beseeches that he may not when present have to exercise his authority with a power withering to those who opposed the Lord and sought to cloak their own carnality under such an imputation against him. Revelling in the grace of God for his own soul, it was his deepest grief to see saints misled by Satan, forsaking their own mercies, grieving the Spirit, and putting the Lord’s name to disrepute. It was not of Paul to lord it over the faith of any; he was a workman, and a fellow-workman, of their joy. And it was his joy far more than theirs. But he was servant in all he had received of the Lord Jesus, and responsible to use his authority where requisite. And as he had spoken out in his letter, so he would act when present; but he would rejoice if no such need arose. For he sought not himself, nor his things, not theirs, but them.
“For walking in the flesh we war not according to flesh.” All who live here below can say the former; how few, the latter – at least as the apostle could. But it was because the weapons of his warfare were not fleshly but mighty “with” God, “before,” “according to,” or “for,” Him.* Flesh prides itself on its own resources within which it entrenches itself against God, who works in His children when dependent, least of all in His own when independent. The enemy was seeking to bring back again fleshly wisdom, which like all that is of the first man attracts nature and exalts itself against the knowledge of God, for this is inseparable from Christ, and from Christ dead and risen. If we war not according to flesh, it must be by pulling down reasonings and every high thing exalted (or exalting itself thus) and leading captive every thought unto the obedience of the Christ. This is the object and effect of dependence, as wrought by the Spirit of God. For there is nothing harder to man than contentedness with being nothing; nor does aught hinder the obedience of Christ more than subtle self-seeking.
* It is the dative which admits of all these shades, of which it is not easy to decide which is best.
We may see in the first how the apostle employed those arms with God to the overthrowing of strongholds, whatever the reasoning or the high thing that was lifted up against the knowledge of God. Take their fleshly zeal for Paul, Apollos, or Cephas: he brings in Christ and His cross to judge its roots, declaring that the former were but ministering servants through whom they themselves believed and as the Lord gave to each; and in fact all theirs, and they Christ’s and Christ God’s. It was a carnal corruption of their privileges. Take their worldly ease: with such an unbelieving anticipation of the day when we shall all reign together, he contrasts the apostles set by God as the last appointed to death, despised, suffering, and become as the world’s offscouring until now. Take their appeal to law courts: he confronts the indignity of saints, who are to judge the world and angels, prosecuting suits one against another before the unjust. Take their laxity about temple feasts: he shows that their boasted intelligence about the vanity of idols was exposing them to Satan’s snare, and drawing them into communion with demons. Take lastly their denial that the dead rise: he proves that it virtually upsets the resurrection of Christ, and consequently the gospel with all their heavenly privileges and hope. Thus admirably does the former epistle lead captive every thought into the obedience of Christ.
But the apostle adds another word which yet more brings out the grace and wisdom which wrought in and by him. “And being in readiness [or, as we say, being ready] to avenge every disobedience when your obedience shall have been fulfilled.” (Ver. 6.) He loved the saints, and even more Christ’s glory in the church. Therefore he could stay away and be mis-represented, but still wait till the word was brought home by the Spirit. This had been in part at least: the gross evil had been not only got rid of, but the saints in Corinth had been deeply moved in judging their own haughty and insensible state, and were now in danger really of’ veering to the opposite extreme of judicial hardness toward the one who had not only sinned without shame but ensnared them also. Grace becomes the church as well as righteousness, yea it should characterise us now as earthly righteousness was looked for in Israel. But grace in the apostle could wait, not with indifference at any time, but in all patience now that conscience was working, till their obedience should be fulfilled, never giving up Christ’s title to punish every sort of disobedience, and not merely what was scandalous. He would have them all with himself united for the Lord against every evil thing. The church must renounce Christ if it sit down in quiet acceptance of what denies His name. But grace knows how to hail a little that is of God, and looks for all according to His will in due time, in the solemn judgment of what is repugnant to His nature and word.
Such is the way the apostle sets forth beseechingly the authority he had received in the Lord against the detraction of adversaries who were even yet exercising a poisonous influence over the saints. Nothing was farther from him than the fleshly, vacillating, and tortuous policy they attributed to him. But these are the common tactics of the enemy. The first to brand others with lack of spirituality, of fidelity or even integrity, are those who are themselves guilty in these very respects, and spend their breath in a restless endeavour to imbue all they meet with their own surmisings; until they seem at last not only to believe their every impression, but to be satisfied that rancour is true love and invective nothing but faithfulness to Christ. The apostle, after showing that it is one thing to walk in flesh, another to walk according to it, declares that we do not wax according to flesh. He puts it not as a merely personal question of fact, but as a matter of general christian principle and practice. The warfare of the saint derives its character from Christ. The liberty to which we are called gives no licence for flesh, as if violence or vituperation were consecrated in His service. His name gives no just plea to war according to flesh, but on the contrary reproves such carnality, and ought to awaken suspicion of the end because of the way. The arms of our warfare, powerful as they are with God to overthrow flesh’s strongholds, are of small value in carnal eyes. The apostle insists on all being reduced to the obedience of Christ, and on readiness to avenge every disobedience when their disobedience should have been completed. What are we here for if not for that obedience? Yet grace and wisdom would first deal with what most openly and seriously dishonours God; and then, when conscience answers to the word, would look for more, yea for all that is pleasing in His sight. God is in the assembly, His dwelling, His holy temple (however men may forget or fritter down the solemn fact), and surely there to give efficacy to His own word and will, as He then was to vindicate by His power the authority of His servant when undermined or denied.
“Do ye look on things according to appearance?* If any one hath trust in himself that he is of Christ, let him of himself consider this again, that even as he [is] of Christ, so also we.|| For even if I should boast somewhat more abundantly of our authority which the Lord gave for building up and not for your overthrowing, I shall not be ashamed; that I seem not as it were to terrify you by letters: because his letters, saith one,**[are] weighty and strong, but the presence of the body weak and the speech contemptible. Let such a one consider this, that such as we are in word by letters when absent, such also in deed when present. For we dare not class or compare ourselves with some of those that commend themselves; but they, measuring themselves among themselves and comparing themselves with themselves, are unintelligent [or without understanding].” (Vers. 7-12.)
* The Latins and some of the Greeks took this as an exhortation, not as a question. Others understand it indicatively.
Sundry copies as Dp.m. Ep.m. F.G., etc., add , “bondman.”
. B. L., etc., . almost all others with Greek fathers. Lachmann originally inclined to the first, afterwards to the last.
|| Most cursives with a few uncials support , “of Christ,” as in the Text. Rec.
even is omitted by B F G, etc., as is by the best MS and most versions. A few also read, “I shall boast.”
“to us” Text. Rec., is not in the oldest copies.
** B with the Latin copies give “they say,” and so Lachmann, though Tischendorf says that he omits it.
The critics strangely differ, as do the copies, in the last phrase, not only as to form, but as to arrangement. The renderings proposed singularly differ also.
It seems clear that Paul had nothing in presence or action, any more than in rank or position, to attract the fleshly or worldly mind. So we see elsewhere that the heathen who were struck by the miracles wrought called Barnabas Zeus, and Paul Hermes. Some of the Corinthians indulged in similar depreciation. They could not understand an apostle of such mean appearance, and a style of speech so little suitable to an ambassador of Christ. In this last respect they were much more fastidious than the Lycaonians who felt the force of Paul’s words. External manner had an egregious over-value in Achaian eyes. The apostle at once brings in Christ, who reduces all men and all things to their true level. “Do ye look on things according to appearance? If any one hath trust in himself that he is of Christ, let him of himself consider which answers to it. Bathe goes farther. “For even if I should boast somewhat more abundantly of our authority which the Lord gave for building up and not for your overthrowing, I shall not be ashamed; that I seem not as it were to terrify you by letters.” Now he quietly, but with firmness, lets them know how much more he might have put forward his apostolic authority. He had not talked, we may be sure, of the blindness he had inflicted on Elymas; he had written in his first epistle of delivering the incestuous offender to Satan, as well as of coming with a rod for the refractory in general. But he had not come, and these vain men treated the warning as vain words. But the Lord gave not in vain the function of acting as His spiritual right hand on earth, though its prime aim was for blessing, not punishment. Still the hand that can wield the trowel can use the scourge; and it were better to fear for their own bold irreverence than to put him to the proof, whether the Lord was with him now.
The apostle’s call was to build up, not to cast down; and love it is which builds up. But there was opposition to the Lord quite as much or more than to Paul in questioning the authority given him. And in order to sap and destroy it, advantage was taken of his words and ways to impute fickleness, vacillation, and untruthfulness, as we gather from the first chapter; lack of moral courage when present and despicable weakness in person and ministry, as we see here, aggravated by the heroic style of his letters when absent; craft, guile, and self-seeking, as it would seem from 2Co 12 . Self-will never did lack material for disparaging the person, character, office and work of a servant beyond all example used, kept, and honoured of the Lord. If he refrained then from saying more, as he easily might and naturally would, of his authority in and from the Lord, it was that he might not seem as if he would frighten them by his letters. And this because his letters, said one, are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence weak and his speech of no account. Such was the carping of his adversaries or of one in particular. We can understand it well. Neither spirituality nor unworldliness nor faithfulness vaunts itself nor seeks to lower others; but flesh betrays thereby its pretensions and its party-spirit.
There were various parties in the Corinthians, and some who strove to stand clear in grace and truth; but of all this schismatic activity the Christ-party, I should gather, was the most obstinate. Certainly we have no allusion in the second Epistle to any other; but there appears to be a trace that the spirit of those who said, “I am of Christ,” claiming a peculiar and exclusive connection with Him, was not yet extinguished. The root of this error is judged in 2Co 5 , especially verse 16. We can readily understand how it might creep in among men boasting of having seen, heard, and perhaps followed the Lord in the days of His flesh. Here the apostle bids the man (who is confident in himself that he is of Christ) of himself to think this again, that even as he is of Christ, so is Paul. How simple is the truth, how destructive of airy dreams which would misuse even Christ to flatter self! Nor is anything so holy or humble as the faith which cleaves to Him. Similarly of his authority from the Lord, as of his relationship to Him, he bids such a detractor think (ver. 11) that “such as we are in word by letters when absent, such also in deed [we will be] when present.”
It was the adversaries who had nothing to boast but words or manners, show or position. When he came, the apostle would know not the word of those puffed up, but the power; but he desired earnestly that it might be, through self-judgment on their part, a visit in love and in a spirit of meekness. But their state might compel him to use a rod, as it did to speak of himself when he would rather discourse only of Christ. Their boastfulness about themselves, their alienation from him, went along with real evil and error in some who misled them, with whose vaulting ambition he deals afterwards. For the present he contents himself with this severe rebuke: “For we dare not class or compare ourselves with some of those that commend themselves; but they, measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves with themselves, are unintelligent.” With this clique of self-satisfied men the apostle did not venture (he severely says, though with courtesy) to rank or compare himself and brethren like him; but he retires with a Parthian shaft, for he lets them know that to measure or compare themselves thus is the reverse of that intelligence on which they most plumed themselves.
Another thing forgotten by his adversaries the apostle here introduces. The sphere of work is not a question of human choice or judgment, but of the divine will. There were those who slighted the labours of Paul, and their fruit at Corinth; but as he had not entered on that field of his own will, so he had toiled in the face of difficulty and with signal blessing guaranteed for his encouragement from the first.
“We however will not boast as to things”.* unmeasured, but according to the measure of the rule which God distributed to us, a measure to reach as far even as you. For we do not, as though not reaching unto you, overstretch ourselves, for even as far as you we advanced in the gospel of Christ, not boasting as to things unmeasured in another’s toils, but having hope, while your faith increaseth, to be enlarged among you according to our rule unto abundance, to preach the gospel unto the [quarters] beyond you, not to boast in another’s rule as to things made ready. But he that boasteth, in the Lord let him boast; for not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” (Vers. 13-18.)
* The singular is in D F G, and in several Latin copies.
Lachmann strangely follows the Vatican (B), etc., in omitting the first and objective negative, which necessitates an interrogative force “For do we overstretch,” etc.
The saving grace of God widely as it goes forth, even to all, falls nevertheless under the ordering hand of God who has His will about the sphere as well as the character of His service.
Others might boast immoderately. This is natural to the flesh, especially in vain minds. But the apostle laboured as he lived in the fear of God. Not a thought crossed him of displaying abilities; he was a servant, a bondman, of Jesus Christ; and so to him it was no question of liking or disliking, but of doing the work assigned to him, “according to the measure of the rule which God distributed to us, a measure to reach even to you.”
In truth as all the christian life is meant to be a matter of obedience, so in particular the work of the Lord; else will it speedily degenerate into vain glory or slighting others, and often better men than our. selves. So certainly it was here. The Lord had not called them as he did Paul to Corinth. They at their ease had followed where Paul had wrought with constant self-denial, and not outward labours only but deep exercise of soul; a labour in which grace alone could sustain by the Holy Ghost in continual dependence on the Lord. And the Lord had rejoiced his heart with much people, even in that corrupt city, brought to the knowledge of Himself. This was a work of divine power and goodness; but some had risen up or entered in since the apostle’s departure, whose worldly spirit depreciated the work, and claimed superior power. If Paul had begun, they were the men to finish. Was he not indeed too ready to begin and leave his work incomplete as he roved from place to place? For their part they preferred the chiefs who stayed and reared a statelier edifice, as in Jerusalem. This they now strove to do at Corinth.
Such vapouring the apostle simply and thoroughly disposes of by the great truth that God apportions the sphere of labour. Those who venture on an enterprise of the sort without God, must not wonder if their service be without His honour and blessing. Happy the man who is wont to look to God, not only for his soul and in his walk, but also in his work. Nor does God fail to vouchsafe His guidance in this as in all things where His servants wait on Him. It was a. new language doubtless to the self-exalting men of Corinth, jealous of the power and authority of the apostle. Power belongs to God, but He loves to use it in and by those who walk by faith; and now was the fitting time and place to make known the secret to the saints. It was “according to the measure of the rule which God dealt to us, a measure to reach as far even as you.” There was no overstraining in the apostolic word or work, as though not reaching to the Corinthians; “for even as far as you we advanced in the gospel of Christ.” None could deny this. The apostle had traversed many lands, planting the standard and proclaiming the good news of Christ in them all. He had done so as far as Corinth to the joy of many hearts. Let others boast then of lengths without measure; he and those like-minded would not boast of anything of the sort, more especially if it were taking advantage of other men’s toils, which he was careful to avoid. “But having hope, while your faith increaseth, to be enlarged among you according to our rule unto abundance.”
Thus admirably does the apostle rise above the pettiness of human conceit or pride in divine things, nowhere more offensive than there, on the one hand laying bare those cheap pretensions which turned to selfish account the toil of others; on the other, cherishing confidence in the grace of God that the faith He had given would grow and thus afford him an opportunity of being enlarged as he says among them, instead of being chilled and straitened by having to deal with serious and growing evils. For thus would he be set free in fact and in spirit to preach the gospel unto the quarters beyond them, instead of boasting in another’s rule as to things made ready. This his adversaries were doing, as we have seen, and as the apostle here says quietly, but none the less cuttingly.
But the Christian has a just ground of boasting There is One in whom we may and ought to boast, not self, but the Lord. So said the prophet of old, when the Jews were either glorying in idols or distrustful of Jehovah, who was laying bare their vanity and punishing their departure from Himself. So repeats the apostle now to the saints at Corinth. To glory in the Lord is due to Him and good for us; to glory elsewhere is a danger as well as a delusion. It connects more or less immediately with self; and not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2Co 10:1-6
1Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ-I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! 2I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.
2Co 10:1 “Now I, Paul, myself urge you” Paul does not use the “we” of previous chapters because he is defending himself personally before the accusations of the false teachers. Paul used autos and ego (cf. 2Co 12:13; Rom 7:25; Rom 9:3; Rom 15:24; and in Gal 5:2 eg and Paulos) to emphasize that this was his personal plea.
For “urge” see full note at 2Co 1:4-11.
“by the meekness and gentleness of Christ” Paul used the appropriate attitude and methodologies even with these false teachers (cf. Mat 11:29). Meekness was not seen as a virtue by Greek thinkers (i.e., Socrates, Aristotle, Stoics). This reflects one of their criticisms of Paul. M. R. Vincent’s Word Studies, vol. 2, asserts that in the Septuagint that “meekness” (praus, 2Co 10:1), “meek” (tapeinos, 2Co 10:1), and “poor” (pens, 2 Corinthians 10 :2Co 9:9) are used to translate the same Hebrew words. They contrast the rich and powerful vs. the lowly and down-trodden (p. 832).
“who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent” This evaluation may refer to Paul’s severe letter that was lost (cf. 2Co 1:9-11). Notice his play on the concept of “meekness.” He calls Christ meek (i.e., praus used of the Messiah in Mat 21:5 and of believers in Mat 5:5; 1Pe 3:4; 1Pe 3:15). In this phrase he uses the synonym tapeinos (cf. Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon, vol. 1, p. 748), which is also used of Jesus (cf. Mat 11:29) and of Paul (cf. 2Co 11:7; 2Co 12:21).
“bold” See note at 2Co 5:6.
2Co 10:2 “I ask” This is the Greek term deomai, which means to ask with urgency or to plead. It is synonymous to the term (i.e., parakale, cf. Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon, vol. 1, p. 408) Paul used it in 2Co 10:1 (cf. 2Co 2:8; 2Co 5:20; 2Co 6:1; 2Co 8:6; 2Co 9:5; 2Co 12:8; 2Co 12:18; 2Co 13:11). He is urgently pleading with these believers to reevaluate what they have heard from the false teachers.
“that when I am present” Paul did not want to return to Corinth until things had changed. He did not want to be bold, but gentle.
“I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some” There is a play on the Greek word for “flesh.” The false teachers were accusing Paul of acting from the lowest, base human motives (i.e., in the flesh). While Paul admits that he is in the flesh (i.e., physical body, cf. 2Co 10:3), he strongly asserts that he is not acting from fleshly motives (cf. 2Co 1:17; 2Co 2:17; 2Co 4:3; 2Co 7:2; 2Co 10:3-4).
For “confidence” see note at 2Co 3:4.
“propose. . .regard” This is a play on the Greek word logizomai. Paul uses the verb (present middle [deponent] indicative) to describe his thoughts and the participle (present middle [deponent]) to describe the false teachers’ false accusations. This may even have been a technical term from the Sophists (see Bruce W. Winter, Philo and Paul Among the Sophists). See fuller note of the term at 2Co 3:5.
“walked” This is a Hebrew idiom for lifestyle behavior (e.g., Eph 4:1; Eph 4:17; Eph 5:2; Eph 5:1).
“according to the flesh” They were judging Paul in light of their society’s norms (cf. 1Co 9:8; 1Co 15:32; Rom 3:5; Gal 1:11; Gal 3:15). Believers have a different standard-the revealed word of God: (1) Old Testament; (2) Christ; and (3) New Testament. See Special Topic at 1Co 1:26.
2Co 10:3-6 Paul uses a series of military metaphors to describe the daily struggle between the Christian and spiritual wickedness (cf. Romans 7; Rom 8:3-11). This spiritual wickedness is defined in 2Co 10:5 as human logic, wisdom, and argumentation against the gospel (cf. Eph 6:10-18).
2Co 10:3 “in the flesh” See Special Topic at 1Co 1:26.
“war” This is the term strateu, from which we get the English term strategy. It was used of a soldier (cf. 1Co 9:7; 2Ti 2:4) or metaphorically of a spiritual battle (cf. here and 1Ti 1:18). There is an ongoing conflict in the spiritual realm.
2Co 10:4-5 There is a series of things mentioned in 2Co 10:4-5 which Paul attacks.
1. destruction of fortresses (ochurma)
2. destruction of speculation (logizomai)
3. destruction of every lofty thing (huphma)
4. taking captive every thought (noma)
These things possibly refer to the Sophists’ rhetoric, which Paul had depreciated in 1 Corinthians 1-4 (cf. Bruce W. Winter, Philo and Paul Among the Sophists, pp. 180-202).
2Co 10:4 “the weapons of our warfare” Paul has alluded to this spiritual warfare earlier in 2Co 6:7. The book of Romans was written from Corinth about this same time. He also mentions this warfare in Rom 6:13; Rom 13:12. Peter uses the verb form in 1Pe 4:1, where he encourages believers to arm themselves in their fleshly struggles.
A good resource book in this area is Three Crucial Questions About Spiritual Warfare by Clinton E. Arnold, published by Baker.
“for the destruction of fortresses” This may be an allusion to Pro 21:22 (larger context 2Co 10:13-18). There has been much discussion about the meaning of this phrase among commentators, but it is obvious that 2Co 10:5 is a description of what spiritual fortresses Paul is referring to. It appears he is addressing the false theology of the false teachers.
2Co 10:5
NASB”destroying speculations”
NKJV”casting down arguments”
NRSV”destroy arguments”
TEV”pull down”
NJB”It is ideas that we demolish”
See note at 2Co 3:5.
NASB”and every lofty thing”
NKJV”and every high thing”
NRSV”and every proud obstacle”
TEV”every proud obstacle”
NJB”every presumptuous notion”
This is the word for “height” used in the sense of lofty, human thinking. This reflects the false teachers’ over-emphasis on
1. knowledge and human reasoning (cf. 1Co 1:18-25; Col 2:8)
2. legalism (cf. Col 2:16-23)
“taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” The verb is a compound of “spear” and “to capture in battle.” These false teachers were capturing the thought and minds of the Corinthian believers. Paul would have us “renew our minds” (cf. Rom 12:2; Eph 4:23); protect our minds (cf. Php 4:7). Salvation is free, but the Christian life is characterized by obedience, service, worship, and perseverance. These are covenant responsibilities. There is an ongoing spiritual conflict!
Paul uses the word “thought” (noma) often in 2 Corinthians (cf. 2Co 2:11; 2Co 3:14; 2Co 4:4; 2Co 11:3), but only one other time, in Php 4:7. The Corinthian over-emphasis on knowledge may have been the reason for his recurrent use of the term. The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised, Harold K. Moulton, ed., lists several connotations (p. 280).
1. the mind, the understanding, intellect – 2Co 3:14; 2Co 4:4
2. the heart, soul, affections, feelings, disposition – 2Co 11:3
3. a conception of the mind, thought, purpose, device – 2Co 2:11; 2Co 10:5
2Co 10:6 Paul warns the false teachers and their followers that their day of reckoning is coming. They accused him of being weak, but they simply misunderstood his patience with them (1) for Christ’s sake and (2) for the corporate health of this church. Paul is warning this church to deal with its problems before he arrives or else he will deal with them (cf. 1Co 5:3-5).
beseech. Greek parakaleo. App-134.
by. Greek. die. App-104. 2Co 10:1.
meekness. Greek. praotes. See 1Co 4:21.
gentleness. Greek epieikeio. Only here and Act 24:4. (clemency). The adjective epieikes occurs in Php 1:4, Php 1:5 (moderation).
Christ. App-98.
in presence = according to (Greek. kata. App-104.) outward appearance (prosopon).
base = lowly. Greek. tapeinos. See Rom 12:16.
among. Greek. en. App-104.
am bold. Greek. tharred. See 2Co 5:6.
toward. Greek. eis. App-104. This refers to what his opponents said of him (2Co 10:10).
CHAP. 2Co 10:1 to 2Co 13:13.] THIRD PART OF THE EPISTLE. DEFENCE OF THIS APOSTOLIC DIGNITY, AND LABOURS, AND SUFFERINGS, AGAINST HIS ADVERSARIES: WITH ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS INTENDED COURSE TOWARDS THEM ON HIS ENSUING VISIT.
Chapter 10
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent [I am] bold toward you ( 2Co 10:1 ):
This is one of the charges that are made. “Hey, when he gets away he can write these terrifying letters, but when he’s here, he’s just so meek and you know, just so mild mannered and all. But he gets away, and then he writes these terrifying letters to you. But when he’s around, he’s an ugly little runt.” And they were making fun of his appearance.
And according to one of the early books of the Apocrypha written about the year 200, the Acts of Paul it was called, I think it is. It does describe Paul, and it said he was a short little fellow, heavy eyebrows that came together, a hooked nose and sort of bandied bow legs, you know, bow-legged and sort of bandied little knee, knobbing knees and just not much to look at. And that’s what they were saying in Corinth. “Hey, this guy’s not much to look at but he gets away, man, he becomes dynamic and powerful. With us he’s a ninety-seven pound weakling. He’s gets away and he’s an atlas.” And so they were making these kind of accusations against Paul. And so he says, “I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence I am base among you, but being absent I am bold toward you.”
But I beseech you ( 2Co 10:2 ),
Twice now, the beseeching, not demanding, but just appealing to them.
that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh ( 2Co 10:2 ).
They were accusing Paul of walking according to the flesh. They were making all kinds of bitter accusations against him and he’s warning that when he comes, he doesn’t want to really come down heavy on them. However, if the necessity is there, he will.
For though [he said] we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but [they are] mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ( 2Co 10:3-5 );
So we walk in the flesh; that is, we are in a body of flesh. However, our real warfares are not fleshly warfares. Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. Paul, writing to the Ephesians, said, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and powers, and spiritual entities in high places” ( Eph 6:12 ). Our real battles, our real warfare are not physical battles. They are spiritual battles with these spirit entities that surround us, and there is spiritual warfare constantly going on. We do not and cannot imagine the extent to which this spiritual warfare is being waged in the universe around us.
You remember when Daniel set his heart to seek the Lord in fasting and in prayer. And after twenty-one days, the angel came to Daniel and said, “From the day you first called unto God I was dispatched to bring you the answer; but lo, the prince of Persia captured me and held me until finally Michael, that great prince, came and set me free and now I am come to reveal unto you those things that you desire to know of God.”
This great spiritual warfare that was going on hindering the answer to Daniel’s prayer for twenty-one days, as this angel dispatched from God was held and captured by the prince of Persia, by the powers and the spirit forces of darkness and held until Michael came and delivered him. We are not really cognizant of the spiritual warfare that does go on in the universe around us. It would be well if we would be more sensitive to the fact that there is a spiritual warfare going on, and many times, we get the flack of that spiritual warfare. The by-product of it oftentimes are feelings that we really don’t understand and can’t really define. A feeling of heaviness, a feeling of depression, a feeling of discouragement or a feeling of despair, despondency. A feeling of restlessness, just a feeling of agitation. These feelings can often result from the by-product really of the spiritual warfare that is going on around us.
There is a tremendous battle over the souls of men being waged by the Spirit of God and by Satan. That desire to control the mind and the soul of man. And many a time a person is in the midst of that conflict as it is their soul that is in the balance. God’s Spirit tugging; Satan holding on. Tremendous spiritual battle. And to be aware of them is vital for us as Christians if we’re going to maintain a life of victory.
One of our problems is that we do not always recognize when Satan is attacking. And quite often, we’re prone to just pass it off on just, you know, our own nature or our own just feelings or, “I just woke up this morning feeling horrible, and I just get in these cranky moods sometimes. You’re just going to have to forgive me and all.” And we’re not aware of the fact that we are under a spiritual attack. And because we’re not aware of the fact that it is a spiritual attack against us, we just go on, rather than standing against it and resisting it. For the Bible tells us if we resist the devil he’ll flee from us. But I’ve got to recognize that it is Satan’s attack before I resist it.
So, there are really the three R’s I call the spiritual victory. And the one is to recognize the source of the attack. This is the enemy at work. He’s attacking me. Having recognized it, then I can deal with it by resisting it in the name of Jesus. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. And then the third key to victory is to rejoice in the victory of the Lord over the powers and the forces of darkness, and as you rejoice you find the depression goes; you find that the irritation leaves, and you begin to really feel victory in Christ. And what a difference the day becomes because you have taken that victory that is yours through Christ over this attack of the enemy against you.
But too many times we just bow our head and we, you know, go on being battered and beaten, feeling lousy and don’t know why. Complaining to God because things are going so horribly. Failing to recognize that it’s actually a spiritual attack of Satan against you, against your home, against the family. And they can be manifested in so many ways.
So, we walk in the flesh but we really don’t war after the flesh. The warfare is a spiritual warfare, and for this spiritual warfare it takes spiritual weapons. And God has provided us those spiritual weapons. And in Ephesians chapter six, Paul said, “Therefore recognizing that we’re wrestling against these spirit forces and powers, put on the whole armor of God, that you might be able to withstand the works of the evil one.” That you might stand against them. And he talks about the helmet of salvation; he talks about the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God; the shield of faith whereby we quench the fiery darts of the wicked one. And then having armed you completely, he then concludes by saying, “Praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, let your requests be made known unto God” ( Php 4:6 ).
So the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. The weapons of the spiritual warfare are spiritual weapons, the word of God, faith, prayer. And by these we come against the attacks of the enemy, and by these we can defeat the enemy. None of you as a child of God need to go on being harassed by Satan. You have the authority and the power through Jesus Christ to put the enemy to flight. And when you come against him in that victory of Christ that was wrought at Calvary, Satan must yield. “Resist the devil and he shall flee from you. Draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh unto you” ( Jas 4:8 ).
Our problem is that so often, rather than coming against the enemy with spiritual weapons, we come against him with the weapons of the flesh. “I’m going to conquer over this. I’m going to, you know, lift myself out of this depression. I’m going to . . . ” And we come with our own fleshly devices and schemes rather than with the spiritual weapons that God has placed at our disposal. And so the fight goes on and on and on and on. And I live in a quasi world constantly battling, constantly being harassed and attacked by the enemy, because I’m trying in my flesh to ward off his power and his attacks against me. The “weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they are mighty through God pulling down the strongholds.” And that’s exactly what we can do through prayer is pull down the strongholds of the enemy.
Now, the area of the battlefield is in the imagination of man and in his thoughts. Satan battles you in your mind. The spiritual battles are waged in your mind. That’s where Satan challenges God. “Hath God said? Does God know? Is there knowledge in the most high? Does God see?” And quite often we are deceived by Satan thinking that we are getting by. God doesn’t see.
“If God sees, then why didn’t He do something about it?” And because God doesn’t instantly strike we think, “Well, we’re getting by with it.” And we’ve deceived ourselves into thinking that we are somehow getting by with our evil. It’s going unnoticed by God. We seem to be prospering in our wickedness. But as the old adage goes: The wheels of justice grinds slowly but exceedingly fine. And it will come out.
But in our minds Satan will plant thoughts, ideas, fantasies. What do I do with them? Do I say, “Oh, I like that. Um-hmm.” And I begin to fantasize and see myself in this experience, and I begin to go on in my mind and play with it and, “Oh, you know, it would be so good and I could be so happy. And oh, it’s so ideal.” And you continue to fantasize, and Satan takes that imagination, that fantasy, and he uses it to trip you up. The law of metaphysics, the visualization. What do you desire? Put it in your mind. Put it before your mind. Write your goal on a piece of paper. Put it on your mirror. And when you shave in the morning, look at it and just see yourself now in this position of power. See yourself in this position of authority. See yourself sitting behind the desk, president on the you know . . . And as you are visualizing, your subconscious will take over and will begin to device the methods and the means whereby your visualization can become an actualization.
And so Satan works. You begin to visualize yourself in these things, doing these things. And your subconscious begins to develop the schemes and the methods whereby it becomes a reality. And suddenly you find yourself caught up in that which you really thought I would never do. But you see, you first of all did it in your mind. That’s what Jesus was talking about when He said, “You’ve heard that it hath been said, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.’ But I say unto you, Whoever lusts after a woman in his heart” ( Mat 5:28 ). You see, there is where it starts: in the mind, in the fantasizing. You’re already guilty. You’re on the road. You’re on the way. You’ve already in your mind done the act. And so that’s where it has to be checked.
That’s where we need the spiritual weapons. To check those imaginations. And “casting down every imagination and anything that would exalt itself against the law of God,” that would put me in opposition to what God hath said. “Bringing every thought into captivity unto the obedience of Jesus Christ.” If that thought that you have doesn’t measure up and match what Jesus would have you to be or to do, then get rid of it. Don’t play with it. Don’t flirt with it, because it can bring you into damnation.
So the weapons of our warfare. We need the spiritual weapons to fight this spiritual warfare. We may walk in the flesh, but that isn’t where the real war takes place. It takes place in my mind. The spiritual battle for the control of my mind. And if I have the mind of the flesh, then I’m going to reap corruption. But if I have the mind of the Spirit, then I’m going to reap life and joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. But the battle is for the mind and Satan is trying to captivate your mind.
And look at the tools that he has today to captivate your mind and to plant things into your mind that would take you away from the Lord. Look at the abundance and the availability of pornography today. Satan is working overtime to bring out things to capture your mind and to cause these fantasies to start going. And you’ve got to stand in the strength and in the power of the Holy Spirit against these onslaughts of the enemy, or else you will find yourself brought into captivity and in the bondage of your flesh.
My heart goes out to you. It’s not easy to live the right kind of life today, because every ungodly pressure in the world is against you. And you cannot in your flesh maintain a spiritual experience. You must take and use everything God has made available for you if you’re going to stand in these days.
And that’s how Paul concludes this little talk in Ephesus to the Ephesians on the same subject. He said, “Stand ye therefore, and having done all, stand” ( Eph 6:13 ). And God knows sometimes that’s about all we can do. I mean, after Satan has been through and the battering and the blasting, just the fact that I’m still standing, man, that’s all right, you know. Thank God. It’s only by the grace of God that I’m standing, because surely Satan is out to destroy you and to pull you down.
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled ( 2Co 10:6 ).
Paul is again referring to those in Ephesus in whom he plans to, if they do not change, bring revenge upon their disobedience. Now,
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance ( 2Co 10:7 )?
And this is where they were making fun of Paul’s outward appearance. You know, “He’s weak and contemptible in his presence. His speech is contemptible.” Paul said, “Do you look on the outward appearance?”
If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s ( 2Co 10:7 ).
So these people who were saying, “Well, we are really of the Lord.” Paul says, “Wait a minute. I’m also of the Lord.” “Oh, we have the mind of Christ.” Paul said, “We also have the mind of Christ.” “We have received a revelation.” Paul said, “I have received a revelation.” So these people, they say they’re of Christ, but just put this down. “We also are of Christ.”
For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed ( 2Co 10:8 ):
Now Paul’s authority was given to him of the Lord to build up the body of Christ. And so be careful. You see, when a person is speaking authoritatively and he is using that to tear down the body of Christ, then that’s a dangerous thing. To destroy. Paul said, “My gift wasn’t given to me to destroy, but to build up. If I have the anointing of God’s Spirit and the word of the Lord in my heart, that word was given to me to build up the body of Christ. These people are going around trying to destroy or to tear down the body of Christ.”
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak ( 2Co 10:9-10 ),
Spinally little guy.
and his speech contemptible. Let such a one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present ( 2Co 10:10-11 ).
When I come in the deeds I will be powerful and weighty. Paul wasn’t really one to be messed with. When Paul was on a particular island–and it’s in the book of Acts and it doesn’t come clearly, you can go and get the details–but there was this governor of the island, Sergius Paulus. And Paul was sharing with him the things of Jesus Christ. And there was a certain sorcerer, I think Elymas the sorcerer who was speaking against the things that Paul was saying. And Paul turned to Elymas and said, “God smite you with blindness, brother.” And the guy went blind. So that old Sergius and all of them were really amazed at the power demonstrated through this man Paul.
Paul says, “Hey, as I am in my letters: powerful, weighty; that’s the way I’m going to be in my deeds when I deal with these guys when I get there.” Man, if I were one of those speaking against Paul, I think I’d take a leave of absence and leave town for a while.
For we dare not make ourselves of the number [of those who are guilty of the mistake of] comparing themselves with others: for by measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, they’re not wise ( 2Co 10:12 ).
Now this is often a mistake that people make. You see, we look around and say, “Hey, I’m not too bad.” Because I’m comparing myself with you. And as we use each other as our standard for comparison, we can sometimes feel very heady, very proud, you know, because I’m using another man as my standard for comparison.
But Paul said that isn’t wise. Why? Because no man is my standard. Jesus Christ is my standard. God doesn’t call me to be like any man; He calls me to be like Jesus Christ. And though I may look at some man and say, “Well, you know, I’m not too bad.” When I look at Jesus Christ, I say, “Woe is me; I’m a sinful man. God help me.”
So here in Corinth there was this little group puffed up because they were comparing themselves with each other, using each other as the standard for comparison. And thus being puffed by that, but that’s a mistake. That’s not wise. God help us that we don’t fall in that trap. That we don’t measure ourselves by others, but let’s look at Christ as the standard. For an interesting scripture in John, chapter sixteen where Jesus said, “When the Holy Spirit is come, He’s going to reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, [He said] because they don’t believe in Me” ( Joh 16:8 , Joh 16:9 ). Interesting statement, because we would think of sin because they’re liars and cheaters and adulterers and fornicators and murderers and thieves. But not that, a sin because they don’t believe in me. Why? Because Jesus through His death paid the price for every sin.
There’s only one sin that can condemn a man now, and that is the rejection of Jesus Christ. He “didn’t come to condemn the world but to save the world. For the world was already condemned and this is the condemnation, light came into the world but men wouldn’t come to the light” ( Joh 3:17-19 ). That’s the condemnation. Sin, because they don’t believe in Me.
But then He said, “Of righteousness, because I ascend into my Father” ( Joh 16:10 ). Now, that again is an interesting statement. Why would He equate righteousness to His ascension into heaven? The ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven in the sight of the disciples was God’s statement to mankind: This is the righteousness that can be received into heaven. Nothing less. If you want to be accepted into heaven, then that is the righteousness that God accepts into heaven.
You say, “Woe is me; I’m out.” No, for by faith in Jesus Christ, God imputes to us that righteousness which is of Christ through faith. But it does immediately eliminate any work that I might be seeking to do to be accepted by God. It does eliminate works as a method to gain entrance into heaven completely. The ascension of Jesus Christ puts the standard of righteousness so high that I cannot attain it by my own effort. I must accept it as the gift of God through His grace. “Of righteousness because I ascend unto heaven.” God’s declaration, This is the standard.
So He is the standard by which we must measure ourselves, not each other.
But [Paul said] we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you; for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labors; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly ( 2Co 10:13-15 ),
And so Paul says, “I’m not going to, you know, measure myself by other standards. The work that I did, it’s sufficient. The labor that I had among you, that’s the measure. Your faith in Christ, your following after Him, that’s the testimony. That’s the witness to the authenticity of my ministry. You yourselves, the fruit of my ministry attest to the fact that my ministry is valid.” And Paul said,
To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand ( 2Co 10:16 ).
And so Paul talks about his ministry. He wasn’t really interested in going around and building on another man’s foundations. He wasn’t really interested in going where the gospel had already been declared. He was interested in going to regions beyond, and when he had come to Corinth, they had never heard before. Now that they had heard and believed, there were always those fellows ready to move in and to put Paul down and try to build their own little popular followings. And that is always the case.
You know, when people see a marvelous work like God has done here at Calvary Chapel, there’s always a thousand and ten ministers around the country that suddenly feel called to Orange County. “Maybe we can catch some fallout. Or maybe we can pull some out.”
Whereas it is interesting that every week we get calls and letters from all over the country of people pleading to have a Calvary Chapel-type ministry in their area. Hundreds of requests every year come in. For they say there is nothing like Calvary here where we can go and just be taught the word of God. But yet why isn’t God, you see, why doesn’t He call people to those places where there, you know, there hasn’t been already a work established. Why are they called to come five blocks away or nearby and establish a work and then come in and say, “Folks, why don’t you come over. We’ve got a little . . . Calvary’s good, but you know, they are just lacking a little bit. And so God’s called us to complete the work. They’re just little.” It’s a shame really when there are thousands of areas around the country pleading for someone to come and teach them the word that these people don’t hear a call of God to go there.
And so Paul is faced with this in Corinth. All of these guys moved in. They weren’t going to unreached regions. They were going in and trying to build on the foundation that he established. Why is it that they go into the church and try to take away from the church, rather than going down to the beach? Or going to the public marketplaces?
Amazing how, many times, while we’re sitting here studying the word of God, people are out there plastering your cars with invitations to some event in their church that’s going to be happening. We have a crew that’s out there every service to take the things off of the windshields that are put on by these people that come around when the cars are parked there. You’ll never know what you’ve been invited to.
But we will call these people and we’ll say, “Why would you come to our parking lot to pass out your literature? Why don’t you go over to the South Coast Plaza mall? Why don’t you go down to the beach? Why are you trying to take away from the body of Christ? You know, if you’re really valid, why aren’t you going out and winning the lost?” And Paul says, “That’s the validity of my ministry is to go to regions beyond where the gospel hasn’t been heard.” The call of God upon Paul’s heart: go out where the need is. Don’t go and build another church and duplicate another ministry. But go out where the need is. “To preach the gospel in the regions beyond, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.” Not to come in and try and just take off from someone else’s work.
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth ( 2Co 10:17-18 ).
It’s not what I think about myself that counts; it’s what God thinks about me. It’s not what I say about myself that really matters; it’s what is God saying about me? So with you. It’s not what you have to say about yourself that is really important; it’s what does God have to say about you? Not what you have to say about your calling or your ministry or whatever; what is God saying about it? It isn’t he who commends himself. That isn’t where it’s at. But the commendation of God, that’s the thing we need to see. If we want to glory, let’s not glory in our works or in our efforts, but let’s glory in what the Lord has done.
I feel so embarrassed many times, because as I meet people from around the country, ministers and all, and they’ll say, “You’re sure doing a great work there in Costa Mesa.” And I always correct them, I say, “The Lord is indeed doing a fabulous work, and I have the privilege of watching what He is doing.” I don’t look at this as my work. God knows what I can do. I can make a mess out of anything. Like we used to say, “Our kids could get juice out of anything when they ate, you know little kids. Eat dried crackers, but they get juice out of them.” And even as they could get juice out of anything, I can make a mess out of anything.
This is a work of the Lord. It’s marvelous in our eyes. We have the joy and the blessing of seeing God work. And “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” for what God has done. And let us not seek man’s commendations, man’s approvals. Let’s seek the Lord’s approval.
What does God think of me and of my service? Men might be hailing me, saying how wonderful I am. Hey, that doesn’t matter. They could be wrong. What is God saying? That’s what I’m concerned with. What’s God’s opinion? That has me deeply concerned. God help us.
Father, we thank You again for Your word, standard for life. The light for our path. May we walk in Your truth. And O God, may we live after the Spirit and after the things of the Spirit. A life that is pleasing and acceptable, Lord, unto Thee. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
May the Lord be with you and may He bless you through the week as God ministers unto you those infinite riches of His love and grace wherewith He loved you before the world ever existed. And may you come to have a fresh insight of God’s love and concern for you. That you, in turn, might have a new depth of love and relationship with Him. May this be a blessed week. Blessed of God in every way. “
2Co 10:1. , now I Paul myself) An expression very demonstrative and emphatic. Myself forms an antithesis, either to Titus and the two brethren, in reference to what Paul premised [2Co 8:18; 2Co 8:22, 2Co 9:3]: or, to the Corinthians, who of themselves were bound to attend to their duty; or, even to Paul himself, who was about to use greater severity when in their presence [2Co 10:2; 2Co 10:11], so that , myself, may signify, of my own accord.-) exhort, advise, for your sake; when I might command and threaten. The antithesis is , but I beseech, for my own sake, in the next verse [Engl. Vers. loses this antithesis by rendering both verbs, I beseech].-, by) A motive equally applicable to Paul and the Corinthians.- , the meekness and gentleness) , meekness, a virtue more absolute: , leniency, gentleness, is more in relation to others. Each of these is the true source of even his severest admonitions [and ought to be so in ours also].- , of Christ[60]) This signifies, that he did not derive his meekness from nature. Or else, , by, is used as at Rom 12:1 [I beseech you by the mercies of God], so that the meekness and gentleness of Christ Himself seem to be understood; but the objection to this view is, that , gentleness, appears to be predicated of Christ Himself in no other passage, and this is a usual mode of speaking with Paul, to represent Christ as working and exerting His power in him and by him. Comp. the phrase, the truth of Christ [is in me], i.e., the truth in Christ, 2Co 11:10; and add Php 1:8, note.-, who) This is a pleasant mimesis or allusion to their usual mode of speaking, 2Co 10:10, a figure which is also here repeated more than once in the verb .[61]-) humble [lowly. Engl. Vers., base], timid.
[60] i.e. By the meekness and gentleness derived by me from Christ.-ED.
[61] , I am thought, , 2Co 10:5; , 2Co 10:7; 2Co 10:11, all refer to the of the Corinthians (2Co 10:2, ) by Mimesis.-ED.
2Co 10:1
2Co 10:1
[In this section Paul defends his apostolic authority against his detractors and slanderers who sought by all means, whether fair or foul, to undermine his authority and destroy his influence, and thus the more certainly capture the churches he had been instrumental in founding, and impose upon them the Judaistic and legal principles and practices they advocated. There was a small minority in the churches under their influence; some were living, apparently, in gross sin. (2Co 12:20-21). The one resource with which he had to encounter the situation-his own standing ground alike against the church and those corrupting it-was his apostolic authority; and to the vindication of this he first addresses himself.]
Now I Paul myself-Up to this point in this epistle, Paul has used the plural we, now he not only uses the singular, but I Paul myself, and in these concluding chapters there is a severity, which is in striking contrast with the gentleness manifested in the preceding chapters, in which he was addressing the church which had cleared itself of guilt; but there was a faction who joined with the Judaizers, who denied his being an apostle. He now deals with them. This explains his change in tone. His authority and apostleship have been challenged; and with boldness he puts his personality into the forefront of the discussion.
entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ,-This is one of the few references in Pauls epistles to the earthly life and character of Jesus. There can be no doubt that it is to the life of Jesus he refers. Jesus was at times most stern and outspoken in his demonstrations. The language which follows is very strong, but he reminds them that the motive which inspires it is the highest; he speaks in the name and spirit of Christ who claimed to be meek and lowly. (Mat 11:29-30).
I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you:-His enemies charged that he was a coward in close quarters, a brave man at a distance; he was one who could write bold letters, but lacked authority and courage when he came in person-such was their description of Paul. We have already seen that he was accused of fickleness and indecision (2Co 1:17); his conduct was easily misrepresented by those who had no love for him, and did not understand his inspiring motives. His caution and tenderness were mistaken for cowardice. Courage was the motto of his life (2Co 4:16; 2Co 5:6-7), and his courageous life is the best answer to this charge of cowardice (Act 19:30; Act 21:13; Act 24:24-25).
Here begins the third division of the epistle, in which the writer vindicates his authority. Here he seems to have more especially in mind the minority who have been opposed to him. While walking in the flesh, that is, of course, living on human levels and being conscious of all the limitations of his body, he assures them that he does not war according to the flesh, but that his warfare is in “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
They have been looking at the outward things. This he explains later by quoting their own words. “His letters . .. are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” In all probability those who were his chief opponents, and with whom he deals in this section, are those who constituted the Christ party referred to in his first epistle.
The apostle declares that if a man make such a claim, “even as he is Christ’s, so also are we.” Thus he does not exclude this man from relation to Christ, but claims that the man has no right to exclude him. The apostle declines, however, to adopt the principle of self-glorying on which his opponents were acting. The whole motive and method of their work is self-centered, and their glorying is therefore of the same nature. His sphere lies even beyond the Corinthians, and, moreover, he is looking to entering into that through their co-operation.
Here again is revealed a true principle of work, that its enlargement grows out of itself. Every toil undertaken under divine direction creates new forces for still larger opportunities. Thus the true object of glorying is the Lord. Workers who are obedient to His arrangement have something to glory of, while those arrogating to themselves places and programs are, for lack of authority, driven to the expedient of self-commendation. The apostle finally declares that self-commendation does not mean approval. That comes only from the commendation of the Lord.
10:1-13:10. ST PAULS VINDICATION OF HIS APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY; THE GREAT INVECTIVE
Whatever view may be taken of the origin of these four chapters, it is universally admitted that the third main portion of the Epistle, in the form in which it is found in all extant authorities, begins here. Having with much tenderness and affection effected a complete reconciliation between himself and his rebellious converts at Corinth (1-7.), and having felt his way, with diffidence amounting almost to misgiving, to an urgent request for bountiful support to the collection for the poor Christians at Jerusalem (8., 9.), he now, without any explanation of the change of topic and tone, suddenly begins a vehement assertion of his Apostolic authority as superior to that of those who oppose him, ending with something which is almost a declaration of war against those who shall have failed to submit when he pays his next visit to them, which will be soon.
Like the earlier parts of the Epistle, this portion is written under the influence of strong feeling, but, as again is universally admitted, the feeling is of a very different kind. Instead of yearning affection and a desire not to seem to be straining his Apostolic authority (1:23, 24, 2:4, 4:15, 5:12, 13, 6:11-13, 7:2-4, 8:8, 9:1, 11), he now exhibits fierce indignation and asserts his authority to the uttermost. Although there is no clear evidence that in his indignation he had carefully arranged the subject-matter of his invective, we can trace changes of subject, and there seem to be three main divisions; 1. the Apostles authority and the area of his mission (10:1-18); 2. the glorying, a folly which has been forced upon him (11:1-12:10); 3. his credentials and his final warnings (12:11-13:10). For convenience of investigation we can make further sub-divisions, but this does not imply that such sub-divisions were in the Apostles mind when he dictated the letter. He takes up charges which have been brought against him and answers them as they occur to him.
10:1-6. Reply to the Charge of Cowardice
When I come to Corinth, I may be obliged to take strong measures against those who disturb the peace of the Church.
1 Now this is an intensely personal matter. I, Paul, in all earnestness appeal to you by the meekness and unfailing fairness of Christ,-I, whom you accuse of grovelling when face to face with you, and of being fearlessly outspoken only when I am far away: 2 I pray you not to drive me, when I do come to you, to be fearlessly outspoken with the sure confidence with which I am persuaded that I can muster courage against certain persons who are persuaded that we think and act on worldly and carnal principles. 3 True that it is in the world and in the flesh that we do think and act, but it is not on worldly and carnal principles that we conduct our campaign. 4 For the weapons of our campaign are not those of feeble human flesh. No, they are full of power, in Gods service and with His blessing, for the demolition of the strongholds which defy His Gospel; 5 seeing that we demolish confident persuasions and every high structure that is being lifted up to oppose the revelation which God has given of Himself, and by making captives of every rebellious device bring them into submissive obedience to the Christ. 6 We are quite prepared to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.
1. . It is sometimes suggested that St Paul here takes the pen from his amanuensis and writes the rest of the letter with his own hand, as he tells us that he did in the case of his concluding salutations (2Th 3:17; 1Co 16:21; Col 4:18). It is likely enough that he sometimes wrote other portions of his letters. Gal 6:11 seems to imply that the last eight verses, and possibly more, were written with his own hand, and we may infer from Phm 1:19 that in writing that short and very intimate letter he did not employ an amanuensis at all. But we cannot safely infer from that here he dismisses his amanuensis and begins to write himself; no such inference can be drawn from Rom 7:25, Rom 9:3, or 15:14, in all which places occurs. If it means this here, what does it mean in 12:13? It is possible that dismisses Timothy. Hitherto Timothy has been associated with him in writing the letter (1:1) as being one of his colleagues in forming the Corinthian Church; but now he is about to speak of purely personal matters with which Timothy has nothing to do. It is Paul and not Timothy who has been misrepresented and calumniated, and it is Paul alone who answers the slanders; the responsibility and the authority are his. It is some confirmation of this view that, whereas in the first nine chapters he commonly uses the 1st pers. plur., while the 1st pers. sing. is exceptional, in these four chapters the sing. is the rule, and the plur. is exceptional. Nevertheless, this does not carry us very far, for in this chapter the plur. is freq.; see also 11:12, 12:19, 13:4-7. Moreover, this explanation gives rather a full meaning to . Another possibility is that merely prepares the way for the words which follow; The very Paul, who seems to you so meek and mild when he is face to face with you, and so resolute and brave when he is far away, this same Paul exhorts you, etc. For this we should perhaps have = . *
The best parallel to is Gal 5:2; , where is partly an assertion of authority, partly an indirect refutation of calumnies (see Lightfoot). Here the makes the refutation more emphatic and perhaps somewhat scornful. St Paul rarely introduces his name in the body of a letter, and where he does it always has special emphasis (1Th 2:18; Eph 3:1; Col 1:23; Phm 1:19). In Gal 5:2 and Eph 3:1. it cannot be meant to exclude those who are named in the opening salutation, for no one is coupled with the Apostle in the salutation.
Those who regard 2 Cor. as only one letter sometimes endeavour to find a connexion between 9. and 10. in some such way as this; I exhort you to be kind and considerate to the brethren in Jerusalem because of the gentleness and considerateness of Christ; and I pray God that I may not be forced to do more than exhort. But this reads into the words a good deal which is not expressed. The subject of the collection is absolutely dropped; in these four chapters there is no further allusion to it. And it is difficult to see how the grateful ending of 9. affords an easy platform of approach to the unpleasant matter of 10-13. It is more reasonable to say that the writer moves on, without indicating any connexion, to another matter (Denney). Whatever be our view of these four chapters, it is clear that we have a fresh start. The preceding topic is now dropped and another one is begun. Three elerrents which are conspicuous in the four chapters find expression in these two introductory verses; the strong personal feeling, indignation at the calumnies of his opponents, and the intimation that, if the opposition continues, he will not spare. See on 1Co 4:21, where the same question is raised.
. The extraordinary change of tone which suddenly begins here is sometimes explained by the assertion that in the first two-thirds of his letter the Apostle is addressing the loyal Corinthians, and in the last third his opponents. Of this change of address there is not the smallest intimation; in both portions we have and throughout, and in both portions, as in 1 Cor., the whole Corinthian Church is addressed. In v. 2 the opponents are mentioned separately as . The sudden change is in the Apostles attitude towards the Corinthians. And is here exhort rather than entreat; it has almost a minatory tone, I strongly advise you. In v. 2 he lowers the tone to beseech.
. This appeal has nothing to do with the collection; it refers to the warning entreaty which follows. In Aristotle is the mean between and , and the opposite of (Eth. Nic. 11. vii. 10, iv. v., Hist. An. ix. 1. 1). Plutarch (Peric. 39, Sertorius, 25, Caes. 57) combines it with , as St Paul does here, and makes it the opposite of . The Scriptural is not in mans outward behaviour only; nor yet in his mere natural disposition. Rather is it an inwrought grace of the soul, and the exercises of it are chiefly towards God (Mat 11:29; Jam 1:21). It is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us without disputing or resisting (Trench, Syn. xlii.). is that sweet reasonableness (Matthew Arnold) which prevents summum jus from becoming summa injuria, by admitting limitations and making allowances for special circumstances: magis absoluta, magis refertur ad alios (Beng.). Cf. 2 Macc. 10:4. Vulg. is capricious in its renderings of both terms. Here it has modestia for , but Act 24:4. clementia. Here and in some other places it has mansuetudo for , but Gal_6. lenitas, Eph 4:2. and 2Ti 2:25, modestia. In O.T. we find reverentia and tranquillitas (Wisd. 2:19, etc.).
The appeal shows that St Paul must have instructed the Corinthians as to the character of the Redeemer, whose words and actions must therefore have been known to himself. The Gospels were not yet written, but the oral tradition was there in its fulness. That the Messiah would be had been foretold (Zec 9:9), and He had proclaimed Himself to be so (Mat 11:29), and had declared the blessedness of those who are so (Mat 5:5). The appeal reads somewhat strangely as a prelude to one of the most bitter and vehement paragraphs in the writings of St Paul. What follows reads rather like an echo of the wrath of the Lamb. We might have expected him to say (4:10, 11; Rom 8:11; 1Th 4:14) when speaking of the earthly life of Christ. But may have point, because some of them professed to be in a special sense (1Co 1:12).
. Here is used in a bad sense, which is unusual. He is quoting the words of his accusers at Corinth. They had said that, when he was there, he was a Uriah Heep, very humble and cringing and artful; when he was away from them, he could pluck up his courage and be very resolute-on paper. See on 7:6.
Here and throughout both LXX and N.T. we should read ( * B G P 17) rather than ( C D E K L). In LXX both (Num 12:3 and often in Psalms) and (Pro 3:34; Zep 2:3; Isa 11:4) are used to translate the same Hebrew, anav.
2. . The appeal to the meekness and gentleness of Christ influences the Apostle himself, and he drops from magisterial exhortion to earnest entreaty. RV. does not sufficiently mark this with intreat and beseech, nor Vulg. with obsecro and rogo, while AV does not mark it at all, but has beseech for both verbs. takes up and repeats it in a lower key; I exhort, nay I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage. Lit. I beg of you the not, when I am present, showing courage. Chrys. has . On the constr. see Blass, 71. 1; is attracted to the nom. of . Cf. (Php 4:11), (Rom 1:22). Bachmann follows Rckert and B. Weiss in thinking that is addressed to God, which is not probable. As must be distinguished in translation from , so also must from , and here again AV ignores the change. The change of word is probably neither accidental nor merely for the sake of variety, but marks the difference between the feigned courage which his critics attributed to him and the uncompromising boldness which he is confident of exhibiting if his opponents render it necessary. He beseeches them so to behave that he may be spared the distress of proving that he can be unflinching when he is face to face with them.
… With the confidence (1:15) wherewith I count on being bold against certain persons who count of us as, etc. The Corinthians of course would understand who the , quosdam, whom he does not care to mention, are, cf. 3:1; 1Co 15:12. They are a malignant coterie in the Church which he is addressing. The thought of them changes his tone once more, and he again becomes minatory. We must give the same rendering to and , both of which are midd. and not pass. Nevertheless there is a difference of signification, the one meaning I reckon = I expect, the other meaning who reckon = who suppose. The verb is very freq. in Paul, esp. in Rom. and 2 Cor. Vulg. here has qua existimor audere in quosdam, qui arbitrantur nos, etc., using two different verbs and taking as passive. It uses both these verbs elsewhere, and also cogito (vv. 7, 11, 3:5; etc.), reputo (5:19; Gal 3:6; 2Ti 4:6; etc.), imputo (Rom 4:3, Rom 4:8), cui accepto fero (Rom 4:6), and aestimo (Rom 8:36, Rom 9:8). Rom 4:3 is remarkable, for in Gen 15:6 Vulg. has reputo.
. As if our conduct were guided by carnal principles; see on Rom 8:4. His opponents attributed to him unspiritual and worldly motives and conduct; that he was capricious and shuffling, verbose and vain-glorious, at once a coward and a bully, and so forth. That they accused him of unchastity is not probable; had they done so, he would have been more definite. Nor is there any reference to his physical infirmities. See on 1:17, last note; and for the Hebraistic of daily conduct see on 4:2 and 1Co 3:3, also on , 2Co 1:12. The metaphor which follows suggests that refers, among other things, to a charge of being a coward.
3. . In the flesh (emphatic) no doubt. we walk, but not according to the flesh do we carry on our warfare. The implies a tacit contradiction; That is not true, for, although of course we walk in, etc. Like all human beings, he is subject to the limitations and weaknesses of humanity, such as timidity, indiscretion, love of influence; cf. 4:7; Gal 2:20; Php 1:22. An Apostle, in his missionary work, has to reckon with these drawbacks, but they do not regulate his conduct. They constitute the condition in which he must labour, but they are not its regulating principle. Its principles are not worldly but spiritual.
That a Christians life is warfare is often pointed out by St Paul (6:7; 1Th 5:8; Rom 13:12, Rom 13:13; Eph 6:11-17; 1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 2:3, 2Ti 2:4). Cf. Wisd. 5:17-20, a book with which St Paul seems to have been familiar. The metaphor would be natural enough, even if the Apostle had not had frequent experience of Roman soldiers. Here it has special point, if he is rebutting a charge of cowardice; and he is certainly beginning to carry war into his opponents camp. Durandus (Rationale Divinorum Officiorum, iv. 16), after saying that when the Epistle is read we do not kneel but sit, adds that Soldiers, however, are accustomed to stand when the Epistles of Paul are read, in honour of him, because he was a soldier. See V. Staley, Studies in Ceremonial, p. 80.
4. In form this verse is a parenthesis to confirm the truth of the preceding statement, and in v. 5 goes back in grammatical constr. to in v. 3. But in idea is obviously connected with in v. 4, and the const. of v. 3 seems to be forgotten.
. For the weapons of our campaign are not fleshly. He probably refers to the artifices which his critics said that he employed in gaining converts. Adopting as the right spelling (see below), we must treat it as equivalent to , campaign,, not , army. It is really superfluous to collect proofs of the fact that could also be written (Deissmann, Bib. St. p. 132). For see on 1:2; for , on 6:7.
. It is the idea of power that is wanted in opposition to the weakness of the flesh. The extraordinary effectiveness of the weapons is evidence that there is something more than mere human force in them; and hence perhaps the use of rather than , the common antithesis to . The force of the dat. is uncertain; either for God, in Gods service (dat. com.), or before God, in His eyes (RV). From the latter the transition would be easy to the Hebraistic use for exceeding, as in , exceeding fair (Act 7:20). Erasmus has afflatu Dei, Beza divinitus, divinely powerful.
. To the demolition of strongholds, the fortresses which hinder the success of the campaign, i.e. all the prejudices and evil practices which resist the influence of the Gospel. In 70, esp. in Maccabees (cf. 1 Macc. 5:65), is freq., but occurs nowhere else in N.T., and possibly St Paul is thinking of Pro 21:22; . Thackeray (St Paul and Jewish Thought, p. 239) quotes from Philo, De Confus. Ling. 26. There is probably no special reference to the fences about the Law, or the Law itself, although the Law was often a great obstacle to the success of Christian missionaries.
It is difficult to decide between ( C D G) and (B).
5. . The constr. is doubtful. We can take it back to and , making v. 4 a parenthesis (AV, RV., WH.); but St Paul so frequently has nominative participles without any regular connexion (, 7:5; , 8:20; , 9:11), that it is likely that we have a similar feature here; Seeing that we demolish seducing reasonings, i.e., sophistries and plausible fallacies with which Jews and Gentiles evaded the teaching of the Apostles. Cf. Pro 21:30. There is nothing personal in the warfare which the Apostles wage. They assail arguments and ideas in order to win over those who hold them. They do not attempt to destroy the reasoners in order to stop the arguments. And in demolishing reasonings St Paul did not use , thought some missionaries did according to their ability; the spiritual power with which he was endowed sufficed. It is not likely that is meant to refer to , and in translating the one we need not consider the other. These specious and arrogant belong to a class of which he goes on to speak. Cf. Rom 2:15, the only other passage in which is found in N.T.
. Every high thing that is lifting itself up. In 11:20 is midd., and so it probably is here. The metaphor is from walls and towers standing defiantly, rather than barriers hastily thrown up to check progress; but the pass, is possible, that is erected, set up, as a towering obstacle.
. In opposition to the knowledge of God, that true knowledge of Him which comes through acquaintance with One who was the image of God (4:4). St Paul is sure that he possesses this. Cf. (Rom 1:19), and (Wisd. 14:22). St Pauls acquaintance with the Book of Wisdom has been already noted. See on v. 4 and v. 1.
. Military metaphors still continue, and in N.T. this metaphor of making prisoners or taking captive is peculiar to St Paul (Rom 7:23; 2Ti 3:6). In Luk 21:24 there is no metaphor. These two military expressions are found in conjunction 1 Macc. 8:10; , . Cf. (Judith 16:9). In Eph 4:8 we have , from Eze 12:3. Both forms of the verb are very freq. in 70; is used by Josephus, Plutarch, Arrian, etc.
. Every device; see on 2:11. Neither here, where Luthers alle Venrunft has led some people astray, nor 1Co 4:4, where AV has done the like, does St Paul express disapproval of human reasoning, or deny the right to think for oneself. It is those and which oppose or corrupt the truth to which he here declares hostility. But (v. 1) does not justify our taking with , every device against the obedience; for this we should have had , as in .
. These words go with , taking every opposing design prisoner and bringing it into the condition of submissive obedience to the Christ.* Cf. Luk 21:24. Submission to Christ is the new land into which they are carried captive; 1Ki 8:46; Judith 5:18; Tobit 1:10. That the imagery of the passage was suggested by the wars of Pompey against Mithridates and the Pirates (Stanley) is less likely than that the wars of the Maccabees were in the Apostles mind. But no actual campaign is needed to suggest the metaphors. Cf. Rom 1:5.
6. … And being quite prepared to avenge all disobedience, whenever your obedience shall have been completed. This reads oddly after 7:4, 16. There he is enthusiastic about them; here their obedience is still incomplete. See also 8:7. The is emphatic; he fully expects that, after the interval which he means to allow, the Corinthian Church will be found to be obedient to Christ and submissive to His Apostle. But there may be exceptions, and with such cases he is prepared to deal severely. We have , 12:14, and is found in Philo, Polybius, etc. See Wetstein. Such expressions, like , are usually followed by the aor. infin. (12:14; Act 21:13, Act 23:15, etc.).* The legal expression, , to do justice, may be compared with those in 1:22, 2:6, 8, 7:11, 12. The play on words between and and between and may be compared with those noted in 1:13, 3:2, 4:8, 6:10, 7:10, 8:22. Note also the emphatic repetition in , and the alliteration in and . Alliteration with is specially freq. (9:8, 11). In LXX is not found, and in N.T. it occurs only here, Rom 5:19, and Heb 2:2, and St Paul would probably have used (Rom 11:30, Rom 11:32; Eph 2:2, Eph 2:5:6; Col 3:6) here had he not wished to make a verbal antithesis to , for , failing to listen or listening amiss, implies less deliberate disobedience than .
These two verses exhibit the Apostles severity and consideration, and his authority is manifest in both. The threat of severity anticipates 12:20-13:1, and if these four chapters are part of the lost letter which was sent before 2 Cor. 1-9., then 2:9 may refer to this passage. The claim to a Divine commission and to the power to decide what is contrary to the knowledge of God is conspicuous here as in 2:14, 4:6, 5:18. In what way he will punish those who still oppose him when he comes is not stated. He is probably thinking of the Judaistic teachers, anticipating that those whom they have misled will submit and return to their allegiance, but that these alien teachers will not do so. He passes on to deal with some of the sneers which they had employed in order to undermine his authority, and some of the claims which they had made in order to establish their own. Some of the latter may have been true enough. They came from the country of the Messiah and from the primitive Christian congregation. They had personal acquaintance with some of the Twelve and with James, the Lords brother. That they had known Christ Himself is less probable.
10:7-11. Reply to the Charge of Weakness
My Apostolic Authority will be found to be as effective in fact as it looks on paper.
7 It is at the outward appearance of things that you look. There may be a certain person who is convinced in himself that he is Christs man. Well then, let him, on second thoughts, be persuaded of this with himself, that just as truly as he is Christs, so also are we. 8 That is no idle boast; for even supposing that I glory somewhat extravagantly about our authority, which was given me by the Lord for your upbuilding and not for your demolition, I shall not be put to shame as an impostor when I come to Corinth. 9 I will not say more than that, that I may not seem (as it were) to terrify you by means of my letters. 10 For I know what people say; Oh, yes, his letters are impressive and forcible enough; but his personal appearance is weak, and his manner of speaking is worth nothing. 11 Let the man who talks in this manner be persuaded of this, that such as we are in word by means of letters, when we are absent, just such also, when we are present, are we in act. Our words and our conduct exactly correspond.
7. . It is impossible to decide with any certainty whether is imperative or indicative (cf. Joh 5:39, Joh 5:14:1; 1Jn 2:27, 1Jn 2:29, 1Jn 2:4:2), and, if we decide for the indicative, whether it is interrogative or categorical (cf. 12:5, 11:19; 1Co 6:4, 1Co 6:6, 1Co 6:7:18, 21, 27). All three renderings, Ye look (RV), Do ye look? (AV, RV. marg.), and Look ye (Vulg. videte), make good sense. Wiclif, Tyndale, and the Genevan agree with the last, and commentators, both ancient and modern, are much divided. If were imperative, it would probably have come first; but this is not decisive. Let us follow RV. It is at the things which lie before your face that you are looking. They ought to take a more comprehensive view, and also try to see a little below the surface. If self-commendation, plausibility, and adroitness suffice, then the Corinthians are quite right in accepting the Judaizers, but they ought to look to more solid things than that. One can get much the same meaning, if is imperative, Look at the facts; not what these teachers say, but what you all can see. Das, was vor Augen liegt-ja das fasst ins Auge (Bachmann).
, If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christs, let him count (v. 2) this again, with himself, that even as he is Christs, so also are we. It is in himself, in his own mind, that he has his confidence, and just there he ought also () to make his reckoning. The vague , like the vague (v. 2), points to the Apostles opponents, but the sing. is no proof that he is now thinking of a particular individual. Cf. 11:4, 20. It is scarcely possible that has any reference to the Christ party (1Co 1:12). St Paul would not use language which would almost inevitably be understood to mean that he was a member of the Christ party. These parties seem to have died out; for there is no mention of them in 2 Cor., not even in 12:20, where he speaks of strifes and factions. We may conclude that the rebukes in 1 Cor. proved effectual. here means being Christs man, servant, or minister. With comp. 1Co 12:21, and with , 1Co 6:1.
D * E* F G, d e f g add after the first ( B L, Latt. intra se) rather than (C D E G K P). after (D3 E K L, Copt.) is probably not genuine; B C D* F G P, Latt. omit.
8. Confirmatory evidence that he is Christs minister in as true a sense as his opponents are. Cf. Rom 14:8. He begins with an if, but he ends with a confident assertion. Even if he should use stronger language than he has done about his authority, there is not the least prospect that he will be put to shame as a convicted impostor. There will be ample justification of his claims. It is not certain that refers to vv. 3-6, more abundantly than I have just done: it may mean no more than somewhat abundantly. In any case we notice here his abstention from denying that his opponents are in any sense Christs ministers. All he says is that he can give ample evidence that he is a minister of Christ, invested with His authority. Contrast 11:13-15. In this verse we have the transition from the plur. to the sing. It is still our authority, but the glorying is his own. The mixture of sing. and plur. continues for a while, and then in 11., 12., 13. the sing. prevails.
. Which the Lord gave me for your up building and not for your demolition. We must have the same rendering of here and in vv. 4 and 5. Here building you up and not casting you down seems more effective; but we talk of demolishing arguments () rather than of casting them down. Exactly the same expression is found again 13:10, and in both places it fits the context so well that there is no need to suspect an editorial insertion from either place to the other. The aor. refers to the commission given at Sauls conversion (Act 9:6, Act 9:15, Act 9:22:15, Act 9:26:16). The clause may intimate that his critics said that his teaching was destructive, or that he holds that theirs is destructive. But we cannot be sure of either; it may be a plain statement of fact.
. I shall not be put to shame, by being exposed as a pretentious boaster. The change from subjunctive to indicative (shall not, not should not) marks his confidence. That will never happen. Some commentators here add, as to be understood, and I do not say anything stronger than this, in order to account for the which follows. The constr., thought not quite regular, is intelligible enough.
B G 17, Syr-Pesh. Copt. omit after . We may safely omit before with (* B C D* E* G P, Latt. Copt. Syr-Hark. (B C D F K) rather than ( L P). C* P, Syr-Pesh. Copt. omit after , perhaps as apparently out of harmony with the sing. verb. D3 E G K L ins. after , P before it; B C D* 17, d e omit. Note the divergence between E and e, which usually agrees with d independently of the Greek of E.
9. … This depends on v. 8 as a whole, not on any one clause or word. To make v. 10 a parenthesis and carry on to v. 11 is an intolerable constr.; That I may not seem let such a one, etc. But it is perhaps in order to ease such a connexion that Chrys. inserts and Vulg. autem* after , for if has no connexion with v. 8, is felt to be very abrupt. Ne videar without autem would be right.
. As it were, to terrify you. The compound verb has a strong meaning, to scare you out of your senses, and to tone this down is prefixed; quasi perterrefacere vos. It is freq. in LXX (Job 7:14, 33:16; Wisd. 11:19, 17:6, 19; etc.), esp. in the phrase (Lev 26:6; Deu 28:26; Mic 4:4; Zech. 3:13; Eze 34:28, Eze 39:26), but is found nowhere else in N.T. It is doubtful whether we ought to count this as a very rare instance of c. infin. We perhaps ought to write , which occurs in mod. Grk.; as also , = as, like, or when. Moulton, p. 167.
. By my letters. We know certainly of two letters, 1 Cor. and its predecessor (1Co 5:9). Unless these four chapters are part of the severe letter (1:23, 2:3, 9, 7:8), we know of three before these words were written, and there may have been others. But the strict injunctions about fornicators in the first letter (1Co 5:9), and the severe sentence on the incestuous person in 1 Cor. (1Co 5:3-5), would justify the expression terrifying by my letters, without the addition of another severe letter.
10. . It is difficult to decide between and (see below). The (v. 7) and (v. 11) might cause to be corrected to . On the other hand, might be corrected to , because the context shows that this contemptuous criticism of the Apostles letters was not confined to an individual. In either case we have interesting contemporary evidence of what some people thought of the Apostles letters and of his personal effectiveness. Either or might be rendered it is said, on dit, man sagt. Winer, p. 655.
. Weighty and powerful.* The truth of this is seen by the description of the effect of the severe letter in 7:8-11, a description which must be truthful, for it is sent to the Corinthians themselves, who knew the facts. His critics could not deny the solid and effective character of his letters. probably does not mean burdensome, grievous (Mat 23:4; Act 20:29; 1Jn 5:3), but weighty, impressive (Mat 23:23 and perhaps Act 25:7); yet the latter meaning is less common. Illustrations in Westein. Used for persons, has commonly a bad signification, oppressive, cross-grained; but it sometimes means dignified, grave, like . Cf. 1Th 2:6. Yet it is possible that the two epithets are not meant to be complimentary; they might mean that in his letters he was tyrannical and violent.
. Bodily presence (AV, RV) can hardly be improved; but personal presence, personal appearance, personality have been suggested. There is chiasmus in the contrasted epithets, being the antithesis of and of , and each pair helps to determine the meaning of the other. It is not certain that there is here any allusion to the personal appearance of the Apostle; that he was short and insignificant, an ugly little Jew, and that he had revolting infirmities, such as ophthamia and epilepsy. The contrast seems rather to be between the character of his letters and the character of the man himself. In his letters he was bold as a lion and firm as a rock; when he came face to face with you, he gave way at once, trying to please everybody (1Co 9:20), and what he said was not worth listening to (see on 1Co 2:3).* This looks like a reference to the intermediate and unsuccessful visit.
. Despised, of no account (1Co 1:28, 1Co 1:6:4; Ecc 9:16; Mal 2:9; Dan 4:28; Dan_2 Macc. 1:27). No doubt the Apostles powers were not always the same; his letters show that. At times his eloquence seemed godlike (Act 14:8-12), but he had not the brilliancy of Apollos, and he did not keep Eutychus awake (Act 20:9). Ramsay, St Paul, p. 84, Church in the Roman Empire, p. 57. A personality of such polar contrasts made a very different impression on different people. Seldom perhaps has any one been at once so ardently hated and so passionately loved as St Paul (Deissmann, St Paul,. p. 70). As Bousset remarks, the personality of St Paul must have indeed been great, if, in spite of infirmities which would be specially distasteful to Greeks, he nevertheless was to them the Apostle.
Of the descriptions which have come down to us of the personal appearance of the Apostle the only one which is at all likely to be based upon early tradition is the well-known one in the Acts of Paul and Thekla, a document which Ramsay (Church in Rom. Emp. xvi.) assigns to the first century. These Acta exist in Syriac, Latin, Greek, and Armenian, and the Syriac is believed to embody the earliest form of the story. The description in the Syriac is as follows; A man of middling size, and his hair was scanty, and his legs were a little crooked, and his knees were projecting (or far apart); and he had large eyes, and his eyebrows met, and his nose was somewhat long; and he was full of grace and mercy; at one time he seemed like a man, and at another he seemed like an angel. The Armenian version says that he had blue eyes and crisp or curly hair. Later writers give him an aquiline nose. See. F. C. Conybeare, Monuments of Early Christianity, p. 62; Smith and Cheetham, D. of Chr. Ant. ii. p. 1622; Farrar, St Paul, exc. xi.; Kraus, Real. Enc. d. Christ. Alter. ii. pp. 608, 613.
(* B, r) rather than (3 D F G K L P, Latt.). ( D E F G K L P, d e Copt.) rather than (B, f g r Vulg. Syrr.). Note the divergence between F and f.
11. . Count this. It is worth while to have the same rendering in vv. 2, 7, 11; RV. has count, consider, reckon. is emphatic, just this.
. Not the person in question, but such a one, would include the thought as well as the expression.
a person of this kind. The Apostle is not alluding to a definite individual, but quoting a current criticism.
. What we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in act when we are present. Menzies and Moffatt follow AV in supplying with which confines the meaning to his intended visit to Corinth. RV. is almost certainly right in supplying , which makes the statement apply to his whole character and conduct. He is not one in whom the inconsistency of writing forcibly and acting feebly is found. So Alford, Bachmann, Bernard, Lietzmann, McFadyen, Schmiedel. The antithesis between and , so freq. in Thucydides, is found Rom 15:18; and Act 7:22 we have . In the antithesis here, we again have chiasmus; , : cf. 4:3, 6:8, 9:6, 13:3. Baljon needlessly suggests that is a gloss.
12-18. A passage, the difficulty of which was very early felt, and hence the variations in the text, some of which are obviously the result of efforts to make things clearer. That St Paul deliberately wrote obscurely in order to avoid making definite charges against his assailants (Theodoret) is not probable.* He is satirical, and we must beware of taking his irony literally. Under cover of mock humility he shows that he is a very different kind of person from those who criticize him from a pinnacle of assumed superiority. They say that at close quarters he is a coward. Well, he must own that he has not the courage which they possess. He does not venture to put himself on a level with people who sing their own praises and try to get themselves accepted at their own valuation. Conduct of that kind is folly. His glorying has limits not of his own choosing; they are the limits of the sphere assigned to him by God, who sent him to Corinth. And he was the first in the field there. He did not come after others had laboured there and take the credit of what they had done, although there are people who have tried to reap where he has sown. He hopes that as the Corinthians faith increases he will be able to enlarge his sphere of influence and carry the Gospel to regions farther West, always avoiding the fields of other mens labours, so as not to seem to plume himself on work which was not his own.
The Western text (D* F G, d e f g, Ambrst.) omits (), , and then the sentence … runs; but we measuring ourselves by ourselves and comparing ourselves with ourselves are not going into spheres beyond our measure and glorying there, etc. This makes good sense and runs smoothly, with carrying on the constr. of : and it may be an instance of what WH. call Western non-interpolations (ii. pp. 175 ff.). But more probably the omission is an attempt to make the original text clearer. The Apostle is not likely to have declared that he made himself his standard of excellence. To adopt the reading and make it a dat. () agreeing with – compare ourselves with ourselves, unwise people, as they hold us to be-is objectionable for the same reason, and in that case we should have . We must retain , and then refers, not to the Apostle, but to his critics.* And we may safely reject the reading ( *), which would mean that they compare themselves with themselves without being aware that they do so, which is very poor sense.
10:12-18. The Area of His Mission Includes Corinth
Self-praise is worthless; but I do claim that Corinth lies in the sphere of work which God has assigned to me.
12 I am accused of being a coward. Well, I really cannot muster courage to pair myself or compare myself with certain persons who are distinguished by much self-commendation. They fix their own standard of excellence, and are lost in admiration of themselves and one another for conforming to it. That is really not very sagacious. 13 We, however, who do not fix our own standard, will not glory beyond our legitimate limits, but will keep within the limits of that sphere which God has assigned to us as a limit, and which certainly meant that we should extend our labours so as to include you. 14 For we are not, I repeat,-as would be the case if we had no commission to come as far as you,-we are not straining to exceed the limits of our province. Why, we pressed on even to you, and were the first to proclaim in Corinth the Glad-tidings of the Christ. 15 Our glorying does not go beyond legitimate limits, does not take credit for what other men have done. But we do cherish a hope that, as your faith goes on growing, we may through you get an enlargement of influence-still keeping to the sphere allotted to us-an enlargement on a great scale; 16 viz. to carry the Glad-tidings to the region beyond you, without glorying (as some people do) in another mans sphere of labour of things already done before we came. 17 But in any case there is only one right way of glorying; he who glories, let him glory in the Lord who alone can make work fruitful. 18 For he who, instead of giving all glory to God, commends himself, is not the man that is accepted; the only one who wins real approval is he whom the Lord commends.
It will perhaps be as well to give a paraphrase of vv. 12 and 13 on the hypothesis that the Western text is correct, and it is preferred by some commentators.
12 You may call me a coward, for I really do not possess boldness enough to pair myself or compare myself with certain persons who are distinguished by much self-commendation. On the contrary, I fix my own standard and compare myself with it, 13 and so my glorying will never go beyond legitimate limits, but will keep, etc.
12. . One suspects that for the sake of a play upon words the Apostle has used an expression which might otherwise have been clearer. For we have not the boldness (v. 2) to pair or to compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. The play on words ( ) is as obvious here as in vv. 5, 6, and the meaning of seems to be judge amongst, estimate amongst, class with, and it is stronger in meaning than , so that pair and compare fairly well preserves the similarity of sound and change of meaning. I could not venture to put myself in the same class with, or even compare myself with, is the sarcastic declaration. Vulg. gives the sense, without preserving any play of words; non enim audemus inserere aut comparare nos. Beza has nos adjungere ved conjungere, which sacrifices the sense in order to preserve the play. Bengels aequiparare aut comparare is better than either this or inserere aut conserere. Cf. Wisd. 7:29; 1 Macc. 10:71. St Paul had been accused of singing his own praises (3:1); he here intimates that this is just what his critics are fond of doing.
. If we retain in v. 13, and it is best to do so, the must refer to the hostile critics; But they themselves measuring themselves by themselves. They are a mutual admiration and self-admiration society (Waite). They set up their own conduct as a standard of excellence, and find their conformity to it eminently satisfactory and admirable. They are a community of Pecksniffs. Calvin takes the monks of his own time as an illustration; sibi enim intus plaudebant, non considerantes quibus virtutibus constaret vera laus.
. Are without understanding; they are (Eph 5:17), who are not intelligent enough to put two and two together. These self-satisfied critics, who have no external standard, but judge everything by comparison with their own practice, come very far short of wisdom. Non intelligent, says Augustine, adding neque quae loquuntur neque de quibus affirmant (from 1Ti 1:7). Others supply, how ridiculous they are, or what they are talking about, or what are the marks of a true Apostle. But needs no supplement. Cf. ; (Mar 8:17).
The spelling . and is supported by B * D *; for the former G has . Nabers suspicion of dittography is not needed; the play on words is thoroughly Pauline. D E add after the first verb, while omits before . ( 1 B 17) rather than (D 3 D K L P or (*) D FG, d e f G oimit . , but the words should be retained with B D 3 E K L P, 1 Syrr. Copt. Arm. Aeth. Goth.
13. . But we will not glory beyond our measure. He does not fix his own standard, and he does not exceed the limits fixed for him; moreover, he has a settled determination never to exceed these limits. is indefinite; it may refer to the excessive self-admiration of his opponents, or it may mean in respect of things beyond our scope; but this is less probable. Cf. .
… But according to the measure of the length which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach as far as even you. RV. and other authorities render province, and the rendering is so suitable to the context that we may perhaps regard it as admissible; a specified sphere, definitely marked out, is the meaning required, and province expresses this very well. But is generally used of length, and would mean the length of ones tether, the length of the radius from ones centre. In this case it would mean the distance which God told the Apostle to go in his missionary work. But seeing that means (1) the rod which measures, and (2) the amount which is measured, and seeing that fixing the bounds of territory may require measuring rods, it is possible that may be used of the territory thus measured. Lightfoot on Gal 6:16, the only other place in N.T. in which the word occurs, seems to take this as certain. There, however, the term is used of line, and not of surface; all those who shall guide their steps by this rule.* In Judith 13:6 it seems to, mean a bedpole. More akin to the use here Isa_4 Macc. 7:21, , where might be rendered sphere, or province, although rule may be better. Westcott, Canon of N.T., App. A, gives a history of the word.
. Which God apportioned to us as our measure. St Paul did not determine his own province any more than his own standard of excellence. God did that. Cf. 1Co 7:17; Rom 12:3; Heb 7:2. Some editors bracket as probably as gloss, but is another alliteration, and St Paul is harping on the idea of measure. Vulg. omits; quam mensus est nobis Deus. Both and are attracted in case to .
. This was what God intended; that his line should reach as far as even you; pertingendi usque advos. This was indisputable. St Paul was the first to preach the Gospel in Corinth, and it was God who had turned him from a persecutor into a preacher. The verb is common enough in class. Grk., but it is found nowhere else in N.T., and perhaps nowhere in LXX.
( B D* G K L P) rather than D3 E). ( B D3 K L P) rather than (D * G) in immensum (Latt.). ( B G K L P) rather than ( D E F).
14. We again have several doubtful points to consider; text, arrangement, and punctuation are all uncertain. At the outset all these must be regarded as tentative.
. Adopting this reading, we will treat the verse as not a mere parenthesis to explain v.13, and will connect v.15 with v. 14; moreover, we will regard no part of v. 14 as interrogative. For we are not overstretching ourselves, as (we should be doing) if we did not reach unto you, for as far as even you we were the first to come in the Gospel (8:18; Rom 1:9) of the Christ, not glorying beyond our measure, etc. Or, without supplying anything, we may take the first part of v. 14 thus; For we are not, as if we did not reach unto you, overstretching ourselves. If the reading is adopted, then the first part must be a question; For are we overstretching ourselves, as if we did not reach unto you? Are we exceeding our commission in claiming authority in Corinth? Facts speak for themselves; he founded the Church there.
It is not certain that here, as in 1Th 4:15, retains its class. signification of come first, precede, anticipate. In later Greek it commonly means simply come (1Th 2:16; Rom 9:31; Php 3:16); so in papyri and perhaps here (RV). Nevertheless, the fact that he not only came as far as Corinth with the Glad-tidings, but was the first to do so, has point.
Unless v. 14 is treated as a parenthetical explanation of v. 13 (WH.), we need only a comma at the end of it.
( D F G K L M, Latt.) rather than (B and two cursives).
15, 16. These verses are connected with v. 14 rather than with v. 13. The clumsiness of expression is due to dictation, in which the sentence has become unduly prolonged. The Judaizing teachers had intruded into his province and taken credit for what was his work, and he aims at showing that he himself has done nothing of the kind.
… Not glorying beyond our measure in other mens labours, but having hope that, as your faith grows, we shall be magnified in you according to our province unto still greater abundance, so as to preach the Gospel unto the regions beyond you, and not to glory in another mans province in respect of things ready to our hand. At present Corinth is the Western limit of his sphere of missionary work. When the Corinthian Church is more firmly established, he hopes to extend his labours still farther into Europe.
15. . The words are amphibolous, but they have more point if they are taken with . They are almost superfluous if taken with (Luther, Calvin); if their faith increases, it must increase in them and among them; but it is not superfluous to remind them that it lies in their power to make it quickly possible for him to extend his sphere of work. Both and are participiabsoluta, of which St Paul makes freq. use. See on 8:20. With comp. Php 1:20, with , 8:2.
16. . The expression may be coined for the occasion, for has been found nowhere else.* It may have been a current popular word which has not found its way into literature; (Act 7:43 and LXX) is classical. A little later St Paul had intentions of going to Rome and Spain (Rom 15:24, Rom 15:28), and such ideas may have been in his mind when he wrote this letter. Regarding Antioch as his original centre, he might vaguely describe such regions as in reference to Corinth. But, if these chapters are part of the severe letter written at Ephesus, the parts beyond Corinth would be a natural expression for Rome and Spain. See Introduction, p. xxxiii.
. In these verses (14-16) we have and , expressions and ideas which are in a high degree Pauline. The former occurs in all groups of the Epistles, 60 times in all, and indeed in every Epistle, excepting that to Titus. The latter is found chiefly in this group, but also in 1 Thess. and Eph., 20 times in all, and its usual meaning is preach the Gospel, whether be added (11:7) or not; but in a few passages it means simply preach, and hardly differs from (Gal 1:23; Eph 2:17, Eph 2:3:8; 1Th 3:6). more often than not has no defining adjective or genitive, as here and 8:18; contrast 2:12, 4:4, 9:13, 11:7; and seeing that the verb is a technical word to indicate the work of a Christian missionary, the noun indicates the substance or contents of mission preaching. In other words, it is Gods plan of salvation, contained in the O.T. as a promise, and realized through Jesus Christ (Harnack, Constitution and Law of the Church, pp. 292 f.).
. To glory in respect of things ready to our hand, i.e. done by other persons before we came on the scene and claimed the credit of it, a condensed expression, the meaning of which would be obscure without the context. The constr. . is found in Arist. Pol. v. x. 16. We know that St Paul on principle avoided centres where other missionaries had been working (Rom 15:20); he was commissioned to be always a pioneer, and he regarded his extraordinary success as a proof that he was commissioned by God. It was never his desire to find things ready to his hand, still less to claim the merit for what had been already done. Indeed there was no merit to be claimed even when, in the province apportioned to him, great results were produced. Therefore he again quotes (see on 1Co 1:31) an adaptation of Jer 9:24.
17. . But he that glorieth, in the Lord let him glory; that is the only safe principle. If faith has been planted and made to grow, it is God who gives the increase. It is probable that here means God rather than Christ. But it is remarkable with what readiness N.T. writers transfer what in O.T. is said of Jehovah to Jesus Christ, and this may be a case in point. See on 1Co 15:10; Rom 15:17; Eph 3:7; and cf. Gal 2:8: in all these passages St Paul carefully disclaims merit for what he has been enabled to accomplish.
18. , . For it is not the man who commends himself that is the one to be accepted () as of sterling character. See on 1Co 9:27, 1Co 9:11:19; as in Rom 14:14. St Paul had been forced by the attacks made on him to glory about himself, but it was not on this self-praise that he relied. The Corinthian Church was his letter of commendation, and over and above this there was the manifest blessing which God both in Corinth and elsewhere bestowed upon his work. His assailants had no such confirmation of the praise which they bestowed on themselves. Cf. , (Pro 27:2). Augustine (in Ps. cxliv. n. 7) says, Ecce inventum est, quomodo et to laudare possis et arrogans non sis. Deum in te lauda, non te; non quia to es talis, sed quia ille fecit te; non quia tu aliquid potes, sed quia potest ille in te et per te.*
* Cassian expands thus: I whom you know to be an Apostle of Christ, whom you venerate with the utmost respect, whom you believe to be of the highest character and perfect, and one in whom Christ speaks.
(Thdrt.). There is something of defiance in the expression.
(Fourth century). Codex Sinaiticus; now at Petrograd, the only uncial MS. containing the whole N.T.
* information respecting the commentator is to be found in the volume on the First Epistle, pp. lxvi f.
B B (Fourth century). Codex Vaticanus.
G G (Late ninth century). Codex Boernerianus; at Dresden. Interlined with the Latin (in minluscules). The Greek text is almost the same as that of F, but the Latin (g) shows Old Latin elements.
P P (Ninth century). Codex Porfirianus Chiovensis, formerly possessed by Bishop Porfiri of Kiev, and now at Petrograd.
17 17. (Evan. 33, Act_13. Ninth century). Now at paris. The queen of the cursives and the best for the Pauline Epistles; more than any other it preserves Pre-Syrian readings and agrees with B D L.
C C (Fifth century). Codex Ephraemi, a Palimpsest; now at Paris, very defective. Of 2 Corinthians all from 10:8 onwards is wanting.
D D (Sixth century). Codex Claromontanus; now at Paris. A Graeco-Latin MS. The Latin (d) is akin to the Old Latin. Many subsequent hands (sixth to ninth centuries) have corrected the MS.
E E (Ninth century). At Petrograd. A copy of D, and unimportant
K K (Ninth century). Codex Mosquensis; now at Moscow.
L L (Ninth century). Codex Angelicus; now in the Angelica Library at Rome.
* This is what Deissmann has called the mystic genitive, where of Christ almost=in Christ; ef. 2Th 2:5; Eph 3:19. Eph 3:5:21; Col 3:15 (St Paul, p. 141).
* and , followed by infin., are found in papyri.
Lachmanns proposal to put a full stop after , and take with what follows, is extraordinary. whenever your onbedience shall have been completed, look at what lies before your eyes is scarcely sense; and the usua; punctuation makes excellent sense.
If this is correct, then these verses were written before 3:1, which seems to imply that the Judaizing teachers had left Corinth.
F F (Late ninth century). Codex Augiensis (from Reichenau); now at Trinity College, Cambridge.
d d The Latin companion of D
e d The Latin companion of E
f d The Latin companion of F
g d The Latin companion of G
* Ut autem non existimer tamquam terrer dos per epistolas.
* German rederings vary cosiderably: gewichlig and gewaltig (Bachmann): schwer and wuchtig (Bousset); wuchtig and kraftvall (Lietzmann); gewichtig and stark (Heinrici-Meyer).
* would include the thought as will as the expression.
r r (Sixth century). Codex Frisingensis; at Munich. Fragments.
* , .
* Bousset takes the opposite view; that is an insertion to ease the sense, oin Notbehalf.
* We use line in a similar sense. To be the Apostle of the Gentiles was St Pauls line, and it extended to Corinth.
M M (Ninth century). Codex Ruber, in bright red letters; two leaves in the British Museum contain 2Co 10:13-5.
* Thomas Magister condemns it as a vulgarism used only by .
* Two feelings are compounded all through this passage; an intense sympathy with the purpose of God that the Gospel should be preached to evey creature; and an intense scorn for the spirit that sneaks and poaches on anothers ground, and is more anxious that some men should be good sectarians than that all men should be good disciples(Denney, p.309)
Mighty with Spiritual Weapons
2Co 10:1-7
Paul here makes his defense. Some who resisted his authority spoke disparagingly of his weak body and uneloquent speech. Why should they yield so absolute a submission to his words? Others suggested that he was little better than a schemer for his own ends, and that he walked after worldly maxims, 2Co 10:2. There is considerable comfort to others who are placed in the driving storm of adverse criticism, to know that this great saint passed by the same road. Be of good cheer, comrade, if you are misunderstood and maligned! It is best to leave these reproaches with your Lord. He will shield and vindicate you. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn, Isa 54:17.
In reply Paul quotes the spiritual results that have accrued from his ministry, and argues that they attest the purity and spirituality of his methods. He could not have attained to such great usefulness, if his motives had been those which his enemies imputed. What a lesson 2Co 10:4 contains! In the gospel there are weapons which no human reasonings or workings can withstand; but we too often trust carnal methods, and do not avail ourselves of this invincible panoply.
Paul Vindicates His Apostleship
2Co 10:1-18
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: but I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christs, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christs, even so are we Christs. For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other mens labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another mans line of things made ready to our hand. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. (vv. 1-18)
What a very practical portion of the Word of God this is, and how grateful we can be for some of the unpleasant experiences that came to the apostle Paul, because of the lessons that we may glean from his attitude regarding them. He had ministered, as we have seen, for a long time in this famous Greek city. For a year and six months he had worked and prayed and toiled, laboring with his own hands to support himself and those associated with him, while he preached publicly and from house to house, striving to reach lost sinners and bring them to Christ, and once they were saved, to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. He had seen the work grow and develop in a marvelous way. He had seen men of marked ability come in among them who could build them up, and then, as a true missionary, he had left them and moved on to other fields, that he might still carry the gospel to those who had not heard it. And now having been away from them, he had learned of a preconcerted movement among certain enemies of the gospel of the grace of God to try to turn his own converts away from confidence in him as an inspired and duly authorized apostle, in order that thereby they might weaken the faith of those converts in the glorious declaration of the grace of God which he had proclaimed. Paul here had to insist very strongly upon the authority that had been given him. He had to defend his apostleship, to magnify his office. And though it was the very last thing he delighted to do, he had to call attention to the work that God had wrought through him and show that he was truly a sent-one of Christ. They had seen a lowly tentmaker, his hands often begrimed with toil. They had seen him put away his rough garments to get ready for a preaching service, and go down to the meeting place to minister Christ after his working hours.
They had seen a common workingman, and now they used this against him. Why, they said, he is not an apostle, a man who exists in the lowly way he lives. How ordinary, how commonplace, his calling is from day to day! Do you call him an apostle? Do others of the apostles of Jesus Christ have to work as he does, with their own hands? And so they despised him the more because of his very humility. He replies, I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. What did they think of Christ? He was a carpenter and used the saw, the hammer, and the adze in the carpenters shop at Nazareth, and took the lowest place here on earth that He might exalt us to the highest. Well, by His meekness, by His gentleness, I who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. You see, he had to write them a very strong letter in order to point out and reprove serious things that were being done in the church at Corinth. There was party strife there and, among other things, they were setting one servant of God against another. Some were saying, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and others were declaring, We alone are of Christ. And Paul had to rebuke all that and rebuke it sternly. And then there were brethren going to law one with another, and there were other things that had to be dealt with, and so his letters were sharp and strong. But now he has to deal with those who are his detractors. They were saying, It is all right, he can sit down in the privacy of his own study and write boldly, but if he had to meet you face to face, he would not dare to talk like that. And Paul says, as it were, I hope there will not be any occasion for it. I write you a letter rather than to come to see you, because I do not want to have to say these stern things to you: I love you too tenderly to wish to hurt you. I thought I might help you with my letters, but if you do not respond to them I will have to tell you face to face what I mean, and show that we have divine authority backing up everything we have to say.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. We are in the flesh, it cannot be otherwise, but, he says, we do not war according to the flesh. We are not men who, as servants of Christ, are actuated by mere fleshly motives. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We do not behave in a fleshly way, but our weapons, which are those given us by the Holy Spirit of God, are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. What an ideal that is for the servant of God! The minister of Christ is not sent to preach eloquent sermons with beautiful resounding platitudes, but to give men the truth of God; and the effect of this truth upon the conscience is intended to bring every thought into subjection to the obedience of Christ, that all human reasoning may come to an end when God speaks, and that there may be absolute subjection to His will. If you are not ready to obey the Word of God, then I have to be in readiness to revenge every disobedience, he says.
Next he warns them against looking on the outward appearance. I judge Pauls physical appearance was not that of a great statesman or a great leader. The Greeks particularly admired splendid physique, as we may see from the many magnificent statues they have left behind. But Paul was probably a very small man. The name Paul means little one, and people naturally received names in those days that intimated what they were. His outward appearance was weak and his speech contemptible. It may be there was a hesitancy in his speech, caused possibly when he was stoned at Lystra, and perhaps he could not speak with freedom or fluency. So they despised him because of physical infirmities. But that little man, though physically weak, was filled with the power of the Spirit of God, and through that power had done wonderful things for Christ, and so he could say, If any man trust to himself that he is Christs, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christs, even so are we Christs. In other words, I am not much to look at, but I belong to Christ just as much as the fine-looking teachers with heroic figures. I am His servant, and He uses me in spite of my physical infirmity. It is He Himself who has given me direct authority. Though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction. He would not claim authority in order to avenge himself of them, but his authority was for their blessing. In obedience to Him he had brought them the gospel, and now he desired to build them up in Christ. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak. Well, he says, wait until I get there, and see. I think there is a little bit of grim humor here. I think the apostle rather smiled as he wrote the next verse: Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. We dare not compare ourselves with others, saying, Well, I can do it better than someone else. Paul says, No, that is not it. It is not a question merely whether I am able to preach better than others or not. We are all Christs servants. We dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not [intelligent]. It is a very foolish thing to compare or contrast ourselves with others. To every man his work. Every servant of God has some special gift. Whitefield said, Other men may preach the gospel better than I can, but no man can preach a better gospel.
But now the apostle says, I have had one definite aim and nothing is going to turn me aside from that. We will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. Rule might be translated canon. Canon law is the law or rule by which churches are governed. Paul seems to say, This is the canon that God has given me, a measure to reach even unto you, and that is, that we should preach the gospel in the regions beyond. He says, My rule as a missionary is not to be occupied so much with churches already established, and certainly not to go where other men have labored, and then add my little to it. I do not want to build on another mans foundation. But my business is to preach the gospel where Christ is not named. It is not wrong to build on other mens foundations. I stand here today, and what am I doing? Well, the best I can do is to build on other mens foundations. But Paul recognizes that. He says, I have laid the foundation, and another [man] buildeth thereon. But he declares, My rule is not to build on other mens foundations. He was a foundation layer. He went from country to country, from city to city, from village to village, carrying the gospel of the grace of God. He sought to lead souls out of darkness, who had never heard the message of light before. Then he would gather them together by the Spirits power into little groups. We hear that word indigenous used so much these days, referring to missionary work. The natives are encouraged to establish indigenous churches. This was Pauls mode of operation. He had preached at Corinth, and away he went. Other men could come now and build them up, but he must carry the gospel to the ends of the earth. What a missionary Paul was! He was a pattern foreign missionary for our entire age. There have been many since then who have gone forth in the same spirit that actuated him. This is the business of the church, and if we cannot all go, we can help those to go who are free to do it, and we can pray and give that they may work on unhindered by want. We are not, says Paul, to boast in another mans line of things made ready to our hand. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Whether one is building on another mans foundation or seeking to tell men and women in distant lands of Christ, it is all the same: He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. Here, then, is the ideal missionary as exemplified in the life of the apostle Paul. May we all in some measure at least enter into it. How wonderfully Paul sought to follow his Master. He said, Follow me, as I follow Christ. Christ came from the heights of glory down into the depths of sin and woe, and He trod the path of humiliation and shame, and at last went to the cross and there gave His life for the redemption of guilty men. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
2Co 10:5
I. The power of thought. The ability to think is (1) man’s great distinction, (2) the instrument of all his work, and (3) the great material with which he works.
II. For our thoughts to possess true value, we must learn to lead them. If a man does not lead his thoughts, some other power will, some power of the world, of the flesh, or of the devil, or all these powers combined. Now the central character of the power of our thoughts makes it a first necessity that we should lead them, if we are to remain in possession of ourselves. Thought determines the man. It arrests the attention, awakens feeling, inflames the passions, subdues the will, and commands action. Thoughts, therefore, unled, will be to a man what winds and waves are to a ship under canvas, but without a rudder, or what steam is to an engine without the guiding rail: a driving and destructive power.
III. But if we would lead our thoughts, we must know how to make them interesting. Thoughts wedded to the affections and carried in the congenial currents of the heart so rapidly multiply associations that the difficulty is to abstain from thinking, for thought is captivated, and captivated thought must be active.
IV. But how may we lead our thoughts into captivity? To lead our thoughts we must present to the mind that which is agreeable to its nature, and simply ask for obedience to an authority which, though it speaks without, appeals to its own Amen within us. The authority is (1) conscience; (2) the Divine word; (3) He who speaks in the word.
W. Pulsford, Trinity Church Sermons, p. 24.
Subjection of the Reason and Feelings to the Revealed Word.
The question may be asked, How is it possible to live as if the coming of Christ were not far off, when our reason tells us that it probably is distant? It may be said that we cannot hope and fear, and expect and wait, as we will, but that we must have reasons for so doing; and that if we are persuaded in our deliberate judgment that Christ’s coming is not probable, we cannot make ourselves feel as if it were probable. In considering this objection, I have an opportunity of stating a great principle which obtains in Christian duty: the subjection of the whole mind to the law of God.
I. I deny, then, that our feelings and likings are commonly moved according to the dictates of what we commonly mean by reason, so far from it that nothing is more common, on the other hand, than to say that reason goes one way and our wishes another. There is nothing impossible, then, in learning to look out for the day of Christ’s coming more earnestly than according to its probability in the judgment of reason. What Almighty God requires of us is to do that in one instance for His sake which we do so commonly in indulgence of our own waywardness and weakness, to hope, fear, expect our Lord’s coming, more than reason warrants and in a way which His word alone warrants; that is, to trust Him above our reason.
II. Only reflect, what is faith itself but an acceptance of things unseen, from the love of them, beyond the determinations of calculation and experience? Faith outstrips argument. If there is only a fair chance that the Bible is true, that heaven is the reward of obedience and hell of wilful sin, it is worth while, it is safe, to sacrifice this world to the next. It were worth while, though Christ told us to sell all that we have and follow Him and to pass our time here in poverty and contempt-it were worth while on that chance to do it. Faith does not regard degrees of evidence. Though it is quite certain that Almighty God might have given us greater evidence than we possess, than we have in the Bible, yet, since He has given us enough, faith does not ask for more, but is satisfied and acts upon what is enough, whereas unbelief is ever asking for signs, more and greater, before it will yield to the Divine word. What is true of faith is true of hope. We may be commanded, if so be, to hope against hope, or to expect Christ’s coming, in a certain sense, against reason.
III. As it is our duty to bring some things before our minds and contemplate them much more vividly than reason by itself would bid us, so, again, there are other things which it is a duty to put away from us, not to dwell upon and not to realise, though they be brought before us. Judging by mere worldly reason, the Christian ought to be self-conceited, for he is gifted; he ought to understand evil, because he sees and speaks of it; he ought to feel resentment, because he is conscious of being injured; he ought to be doubting and hesitating in his faith, because his evidence for it might be greater than it is; he ought to have no expectation of Christ’s coming, because Christ has delayed so long; but not so: his mind and heart are formed on a different mould. He goes by a law which others know not, not his own wisdom or judgment, but by Christ’s wisdom and the judgment of the Spirit, which is imparted to him. This it is which gives so unearthly a character to his whole life and conversation, which is “hid with Christ in God.”
J. H. Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons, vol. vi., p. 255.
References: 2Co 10:5.-Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxv., No. 1473. 2Co 10:7.-Bishop Temple, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxviii., p. 237. 2Co 11:1-3.-F. W. Robertson, Lectures on Corinthians, p. 418; Homilist, 3rd series, vol. ix., p. 223.
III. THE APOSTLES SELF-DEFENSE AND VINDICATION. Chapters 10-13
1. The Vindication of His Authority
CHAPTER 10
The apostle now turns to vindicate the authority, which he had received from the Lord. This had been brought into question by the enemy. In doing this Satan aimed at three things: He attempted to discredit him as a true minister of God; he tried to damage the great truths the apostle preached, and he endeavored also to bring about a separation between the apostle and the Corinthians. Assuredly the great man of God was troubled and did not want to speak much of himself and his authority. But he was forced to do so in this epistle and also in the epistle to the Galatians, for the truth of God and the honor of the Lord were at stake. The defense of his apostolic authority stands in the foreground in Galatians; here he puts it at the close of his letter, for it was necessary to deal with other matters first, and to assure the Corinthians of his deep concern for them and thus pave the way for an answer to the accusations brought against him.
He begins by entreating them by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. The three words Now I, Paul, were to remind them of his own person. It was the Paul who had come amongst them to preach the gospel, and through his preaching wonderful results had been brought about. And now attacked and belittled among the same people, who, next to God, had to thank him for everything, he begins to entreat them and vindicate his authority and character. He states, Who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you. These words make partly reference to his personal appearance, which was not of a character which appealed to the Corinthians, who admired the athletic physique of the Greeks. Not alone was his outward form lowly, but he was equally so in his manner and conduct. From this we learn that his accusers, who tried to influence the Corinthians against him, had thrown contempt on his person and character. We shall find that he takes up repeatedly their false charges and insinuations, to meet and refute them. When he writes, but being absent am bold toward you, he has in mind what his enemies had said about the epistle he had written them; they belittled his personal appearance and his character, and sneeringly said, he is bold when he is absent; he knows how to write strong letters when he is away, but otherwise he is a coward. He answers by saying,
But I beseech you that I may not be bold when I am present with the confidence with which I think to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walk according to the flesh.
He beseeches them that he may not be obliged to use his authority as an apostle when among them, against those who had wronged him by their false charges. He had written in boldness, yet he could also act in boldness and with authority when he was present with them. They had accused him that he was walking on the same level with them, that is, according to the flesh. This he repudiates by saying that he walks in flesh, (note in the Greek the word flesh is without the definite article; not in the flesh, but in flesh), which is quite a different thing. He was a man like other men; but when it came to warfare, he waged no fleshly conflict. He acknowledges that he has no wisdom in himself; as to flesh he is powerless, he is cast upon God. How different from these false teachers, his accusers who walked in pride and boasted of wisdom and were governed by selfish motives. The weapons he used were not fleshly, but mighty through God; the weapons which the Holy Spirit supplies. And this spiritual warfare means the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Well has it been said, repression of the natural will, which is the seat and vehicle of Satans machinations, is the true aim of spiritual warfare. Mere fleshly, independent reasonings and imaginations are inconsistent with a real subjection to God. The natural man thinks his own thoughts and follows his own imaginations, but not so the believer: he abandons his own thoughts and imaginations; he casts down all that exalteth itself against the true knowledge of God, and brings into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. The Corinthians had not done this; they walked in a carnal way and the enemy got an advantage over them. And so it is largely today among Gods people.
After stating that he was ready to avenge all disobedience, in virtue of his apostolic authority, when their obedience was fulfilled, he asks, Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? This is what they had done. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. But he answers that just what he was in his letters when not with them, so would he also be when he is present with them, He speaks of his authority given to him by the lord for edification and not for their destruction; he wanted them to know that he was not terrifying them by his letters. He did not dare to do as others did, commending himself. Those who opposed him constantly measured themselves among themselves, and not in Gods presence. He acted differently. But we will not boast of things without measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. He disavowed all connection and comparison with those whose glory was of themselves, and though he had greater gifts bestowed upon himself than others, yet he would not boast of it. The measure which God had given to him had reached unto the Corinthians, for they were the fruit of his labors. He did not boast of other mens labors, and hoped that with an increase of their faith there would also be an increase of his labors even to the regions beyond.
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. If there is any glorying it must be in Him, who is the only proper object. He must be glorified by the true minister; He must be praised and exalted, and not the instrument. Self-praise and self-commendation do not mean approval from the Lord, but the opposite. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. Self-commendation, the love of human praise in some form, disguised or undisguised, are prominent characteristics with many who preach and teach a great deal of truth in our days of boasting. Happy is the servant who hides himself, whose aim is to please the Lord and who looks to Him for approval.
I Paul: 1Co 16:21, 1Co 16:22, Gal 5:2, 2Th 3:17, Phm 1:9, Rev 1:9
beseech: 2Co 10:2, 2Co 5:20, 2Co 6:1, Rom 12:1, Eph 4:1, 1Pe 2:11
by: Psa 45:4, Isa 42:3, Isa 42:4, Zec 9:9, Mat 11:29, Mat 12:19, Mat 12:20, Mat 21:5, Act 8:32, 1Pe 2:22, 1Pe 2:23
presence: or, outward appearance, 2Co 10:7, 2Co 10:10
base: Rather, lowly, or humble, [Strong’s G5011], which some think refers to his lowness of stature. 2Co 10:10, 2Co 11:30, 2Co 12:5, 2Co 12:7-9, 2Co 13:4, 1Co 2:3, 1Co 4:10, Gal 4:13
bold: 2Co 3:12, *marg. 2Co 7:4, 2Co 11:21, 2Co 13:2, 2Co 13:3, Rom 10:20, Rom 15:15
Reciprocal: Num 12:3 – very Psa 18:35 – gentleness Isa 11:4 – for the meek Mat 18:10 – heed Luk 22:51 – And he Joh 13:14 – ye also Joh 18:23 – If 1Co 1:10 – I beseech 1Co 4:21 – and 1Co 5:3 – as absent 2Co 11:7 – in Gal 6:1 – in the Eph 3:1 – I Phi 4:12 – how to be 1Th 2:6 – when 1Th 2:7 – we 1Th 4:1 – we 2Ti 2:24 – but Tit 3:2 – gentle Phm 1:8 – bold Heb 13:22 – suffer Jam 3:13 – with meekness Jam 3:17 – gentle 1Pe 2:18 – the good 1Pe 3:4 – a meek 3Jo 1:10 – I will
THE LAST FOUR CHAPTERS of this epistle are mainly concerned with matters of a more personal sort, that lay between Paul and the Corinthians. To write so much of such matters may appear to be egotism on the part of Paul. Paul himself speaks of it as his folly (2Co 11:1). Still what he wrote is as much inspired as the rest of the epistle, and as full of profit also. Much that is of deep importance for all saints, and for all time, is embedded in these chapters; and we gain immensely by having it presented to us, not from a theoretical standpoint, but as a matter of actual practice, worked out as between the Apostle and some of his fellow-believers.
During Pauls absence from them, the Corinthians had been influenced and sadly misled by other workers who had visited them. Some of these may have been true but ill-instructed believers of Judaizing tendencies; but others were deceitful workers (2Co 11:13), real agents of Satan. Anyway they had done their best to discredit Paul, making all kinds of charges and insinuations against him. They said, for instance, that though he might be able to write weighty and powerful letters, when he appeared on the scene he was weak and insignificant in appearance and his speech was uncultured and contemptible. From this they deduced that he possessed no particular authority, and his instructions might be disregarded. This particular insinuation Paul takes up and meets at the beginning of Chapter 10.
He pleads guilty, with the utmost frankness, to being base or mean in his outward appearance. He was quite undistinguished to look at: when converted he took the name Paul, which means Little. Now he was absent from them, and he was bold toward them. But further he expected presently to visit them, and he besought them so to carry themselves that he need not come amongst them with bold and powerful discipline which might be to their discomfiture. This he besought them by the meekness and gentleness of Christ-a very delicate yet powerful lever!
Meekness is not weakness, neither is gentleness that pliable softness that can be twisted in any direction. Meekness and self-assertiveness stand in contrast to each other: so do gentleness and harshness. Meekness is a matter of character-the Lord Jesus said, I am meek and lowly in heart -and so it comes first. Gentleness is more a question of ones manner. He who is meek in character will be gentle in manner. He who is self-assertive in character will be harsh in manner. Supreme meekness and supreme gentleness were found in Christ; and yet no one was bolder than He, when it was a question of maintaining the right or opposing the evil. In a very large measure the Apostle was following His steps, and hence boldness as well as meekness and gentleness were found in him.
True to this character, Paul beseeches the Corinthians rather than issuing peremptory commands to them. There were some however who thought of him as though he were a man who walked according to the flesh. This led him to give us the important statement that follows as to the character of both his walk and warfare. Verse 2Co 10:3 is instructive, inasmuch as both senses in which the word flesh is used are brought together in it. We walk in the flesh; that is, in the bodies of flesh which we have derived from Adam. But we do not war after the flesh; that is, according to the Adamic nature which is connected with our bodies.
In so saying Paul of course referred to himself and his co-workers, and also he stated what normally should be true of every Christian. But is it true of us? Do we recognize the true character of the flesh-that is, of the Adamic nature-and treat it as a condemned thing? It is normal for Christians to walk after the Spirit (Rom 8:4), but that is not mentioned here, only inferred.
The point here is not exactly our walk, but rather our warfare. Is the believer then called to warfare? He is: and to warfare of a very aggressive sort. His weapons however like the warfare are not fleshly but spiritual.
Every servant of Christ gets involved in warfare. All evangelistic labour has that character, for the Gospel is preached that it may overthrow human pride and bring men to the feet of Christ. All the teaching imparted within the assembly has to overthrow merely human thoughts. And, evil teaching having invaded the Christian profession, there must of necessity be contention for the faith, which partakes of the character of warfare. All warfare however tests us, for it is very easy to slip into the use of purely natural and fleshly weapons. The practiced political speaker, who wants to swing men round to his point of view, has many weapons in his armoury- argument, ridicule, graphic exaggeration, and the like. But he contends merely with other human beings, and upon equal terms.
Our warfare is upon another plane altogether. With us there are strongholds to be overthrown. Who holds these strongholds? The great adversary himself. He it is who has entrenched himself in human hearts, so that they are filled with imaginations or reasonings, so that they exalt themselves on high against the knowledge of God, and are filled with lawlessness. All these lofty thoughts have to be brought low into captivity to Christ, so that lawlessness is exchanged for obedience to Him. What weapons are sufficient to produce that result?
Merely human weapons must be perfectly futile. Fleshly weapons can no more subdue flesh than Satan can cast out Satan. Spiritual weapons alone can prevail; and they must be used in a way that is according to God, if they are to be effectual.
What spiritual weapons are at our disposal? In this passage the Apostle does not pause to specify, though the succeeding verses seem to show that he was specially thinking of those powers of discipline which were vested in him as an Apostle, powers peculiar to himself. There are however, spiritual weapons which all may use: those for instance, which were mentioned by the Apostles in Jerusalem when they said, We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word (Act 6:4). Every saint can pray, and every saint can in some way speak forth the Word.
The Apostles recognised the extreme value of both these weapons, and refused to allow anything, however good in itself, to divert them from wielding them. Again and again have servants of God found themselves face to face with some human fortress of pride and unbelief like unto Jericho. And yet when encircled by prayers of faith a moment has come when the Word of God has been sounded out as from a rams horn, and the walls of unbelief have crashed, the stronghold has been overthrown. The
Lord Himself indicated another spiritual weapon when He spoke of a certain kind of demon which only could be cast out by prayer and fasting. Fasting is a weapon but very little used in these days.
Would to God that we all were alive to these things! Take for instance the preaching of the Gospel. Do we recognize that the work involves conflict of this order? If we did we should simply flock to the prayer meetings for the Gospel-that is, if we have any heart for the glory of Christ, any love for the perishing souls of men. As things are, a tiny group of two or three, or perhaps half a dozen, usually turn up for the prayer meeting, and the majority of those who attend the preaching do so in the spirit of those who have come to hear a nice address, which they expect to enjoy, as if the enjoyment of saints were the chief end of the Gospel service. If once we caught the spirit that breathes in the verses before us, our prayer meetings, our Gospel meetings, and many other meetings, would speedily be transformed.
The Apostle made a very personal application of these things to the Corinthians. The discipline that he was empowered to exercise was, as we have said, a spiritual weapon, and they might very soon be feeling its sharp edge. The word translated, destruction in verse 2Co 10:8, is the same as that translated pulling down in verse 2Co 10:4. The word overthrowing is possibly better in both places. There is the power of God to overthrow strongholds of unbelief, and the same power can, if the sad necessity arises, overthrow carnal and disobedient believers. Yet the normal and proper use of that power is for the edification, or building up of the saints.
The Apostle had authority, given to him of the Lord, and power in keeping with that authority. The Corinthians, not being very spiritual were inclined to concern themselves a good deal with outward appearance (see verse 2Co 10:1, margin). Paul might be mean to look at, but let them remember that he was Christs, and that at least as much as those who were his opponents and detractors, and he had an authority which they had not. Let them know too that when present amongst them they would find him to be just what his letters evidently were-weighty and powerful. Here we have, thrown in by the way, a tribute to the effect that his inspired writings had upon the people of his own day. They were the Word of God, and they authenticated themselves to be such in the hearts of those who had any spiritual sensibilities. They do just the same today. We recognize them as far too weighty and powerful to be the mere word of man.
In speaking thus of his authority Paul was not for one moment entering into a kind of competition with those who opposed him. They were anxious to commend themselves, and so get a footing with the Corinthians; and in doing this a spirit of competition got among them, and they began measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, which was a very unwise proceeding. In so doing they got no higher than themselves. It was all self. One man might be distinguished by this feature, another by that; but in comparing themselves with one another they never rose up to God, and to the measure which He had ordained.
In verse 2Co 10:13 Paul continues to use the word, measure, but with a rather different significance, coupling it with the word rule which occurs again in verse 2Co 10:15, and also in verse 2Co 10:16, where it is translated line. It almost looks as if he were alluding to Gods work in creation, as stated in Job 38:5, where God Himself asks, of the earth, Who laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? He is a God who works by measure and by line, whether in creation or in the administration connected with His grace. Now God had measured things out and appointed a line or rule in connection with Pauls apostolic service.
From other scriptures we know what the measure and rule of Pauls service was. He could say, I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle… a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity (1Ti 2:7). The line allotted to him was a very extensive one. The whole Gentile world was within the circumference of his measure. Of course then he had not stretched beyond his measure in coming to the Corinthians; his measure reached even to them. They came well within the scope of his apostolic commission.
Indeed, Pauls eye of evangelistic zeal looked beyond Corinth to more distant regions beyond them, where he expected yet more abundantly to preach the Gospel. In the epistle to the Romans he speaks of having fully preached the Gospel of Christ from Jerusalem round about unto Illyricum, the district we now know as Albania, on the shores of the Adriatic; and ultimately he went to Rome. The true evangelist always has his eye on the regions beyond.
We must not fail to notice the short clause in verse 2Co 10:15, when your faith is increased. There was a connection between the increasing of their faith and the enlargement of Pauls own service, at all events as regards the geographical spread of it. As long as they were feeble in faith their whole state would be feeble, and this would have its effect upon Pauls activities and service. When he saw them strong in faith he would be the more free to push on from them into the regions beyond. In this way the state of the saints affects the activities of the servant of God. We are members one of another, and not even an apostle can be wholly unaffected by the state of others. This fully applies to us today, of course. God help us each to diligently and conscientiously enquire as in His presence whether we are helping to enlarge or to contract the work of His servants. One or the other it must be.
Several of the remarks which the Apostle makes in these verses were intended to point out that the men opposing him, and endeavouring to turn the Corinthians from him, were working on very different lines. They were boasting of things without their measure. They held no commission from the risen Lord, as he did. They were not pushing out into the regions beyond, and suffering the privations and persecutions that were involved in such labour. They were boasting… of other mens labours for they were meddling with his work; or as he puts it in verse 2Co 10:16, boasting in another mans line of things made ready to their hands.
It is very noticeable how false religious cults often have this feature strongly marking them. They find their happy hunting ground amongst other peoples converts. They boast in that which after all is the work of others.
The boasting of the Apostle was not in man, nor even in work. As in the first epistle, so here he declares, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. If the Lord gives the measure and the rule it is well. If the Lord prospers the work so that men are brought to faith in Christ, and in due course their faith is increased, again it is well. But even so our only boasting must be in the Lord, whose servants we are.
And, on the other hand, the commendation which comes from the Lord is the only commendation worth having. Men may push themselves forward, and commend themselves, as Pauls opponents were doing, but it is all worthless. It is very natural for us to receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only (Joh 5:44), but it is very fatal. To have the Lords commendation when the great day of the judgment seat arrives, is worth everything. Let us live our lives as those who have their eyes upon that day.
2Co 10:1. Up to the present passage Paul has used the pronoun of the first person in both the plural and singular forms. That was because most of his statements could apply to himself and the brethren associated with him, even though some of them may have applied to him in a special sense. (See the comments at chapter 6:11.) But the words I Paul in this verse show he is speaking about himself only, and will be through the rest of the book. That is because certain Judaizing persons in the Corinthian church were opposing the apostle, making various accusations and complaints against him. He meets those charges in some very strong language. Paul refers to the meekness of Christ, and desires to be influenced by it in his approach to the brethren. Presence am meek . . . absent am bold; this was one of the complaints.
2Co 10:1. Now I Paul myself:Hitherto I have addressed you for the most part as associated with others in the work of the Lord; but understand me now as speaking exclusively in my own person
entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. These words convey merely different shades of that unruffled placidity of temper which was so wonderfully displayed by the Lord Jesus, that even He Himself holds it up as the outstanding feature of His character, in which He would have His followers to learn of Him (Mat 11:29 : and see Isa 53:7; Joh 18:23; Mar 14:60-61; Luk 23:8-9; Luk 23:34);
I who in your presence am lowly among youreferring, as we think, to the almost shrinking way in which he carried himself after his disappointing experience at Athens, in ministering to so renowned and luxurious a people as the Corinthians, who doated as much on showy oratory as the Athenians on philosophy (see on 1Co 2:3-4),
but being absent am of good courage toward you,have the fall courage both of the truth itself and of my office to proclaim it:
Division 6. (2Co 10:1-18; 2Co 11:1-33.)
The overcoming of the difficulties, and of the power of the enemy, which would hinder the work.
1. The apostle goes on now to meet the difficulties which were manifesting themselves from the spirit of rivalry among those who professedly, at least, were ministers of Christ themselves. He entreats them by that meekness and gentleness of Christ which, with all the positive and supreme claim which He had over His people, and which He never hesitated to enforce, yet nevertheless manifested itself in all His ways towards them. So also will the apostle be lowly among the people of God and assuming nothing, while able to be bold, nevertheless, with the confidence of what God was working by him. He besought them, however, that he might not have to manifest the boldness which he expected to show against some who were putting him down as walking upon their own level, which was according to the flesh. He walked indeed in flesh, a man like other men, but he maintained no fleshly conflict. The weapons of his warfare were not fleshly, and yet mighty through God to the overthrowing of Satan’s power and the strongholds of human pride and reasoning, exalting themselves against the knowledge of God. His aim was not to establish a principle of obedience to himself, but of obedience to Christ, and there he desired to lead captive every thought. All else that would not yield to this in the way of gracious ministry he would be ready to avenge when the spirit of obedience, on the other hand, had been manifested, and those in whom it was were thus separated from the rest.
2. He reasons with them all now, however, as having amongst them those who thus questioned the authority which God had given him. Were they judging by outward appearance, mistaking the lowliness of grace for the consciousness of incapacity? If any one trusted in himself that he was of Christ, let him think this too, that whatever he might be, this the apostle could surely claim nay, if he were to boast more abundantly of the authority the Lord had given him, he would not be ashamed; but it was for edification, not for destruction, and thus he did not want to seem as if he were frightening them by letters. His adversaries took occasion to assert that while the letters truly were weighty and strong, when the man himself was seen there was not what was corresponding to this. He maintains that just what he was in his letters, so would he manifest himself to be when he was present with them. The deed would make good the word. The profession would not be found, as in the case of others it might be, to be beyond the reality.
3. For he did not dare to make himself one of those who were continually commending themselves, people who measured themselves among themselves, and not in the presence of God, or by the results of ministry which God had made apparent. For his own part, he would not imitate this folly, but would go no further than the measure of that which God had apportioned to him; a measure which the Corinthians knew reached even to them, for they themselves were the fruit of what God had done by him. He was not boasting of other men’s labors, and he hoped that, with the enlargement of their own faith, the character of his labors would be enlarged also, and indeed that they would thus prepare his way for an announcement of the gospel in the parts beyond themselves, a kind of enlargement which would be indeed according to his desire. In himself he did not desire to glory, but in the Lord; for self-commendation could not approve the one who used it, but the Lord’s commendation was the whole matter.
4. Provoked himself to a little of what might be considered this sort of folly, he could trust that they would bear with him. After all, in it was really the jealousy which he had with regard to them as those whom he had espoused to one husband, that he might present them, as it were, a chaste virgin to Christ. He feared lest, as man had been seduced from God at the beginning, so now their minds were being corrupted from simplicity as to the Christ. But was there another Jesus than the One he preached, or was there a different Spirit from Him they had received, or was there a different gospel which was truly that? If so, indeed they might well bear with this; but he reckoned that in nothing was he behind, in this respect, those who were pre-eminent as apostles, and if he discarded the excellency or the ornaments of speech, he was not deficient in knowledge, but in every way had made himself manifest in all things to them.
5. Searching around for cause, then, for offence he might have given them, he can only find it possible in his having preached freely to them the gospel of God, taking nothing from them. He had, in fact, at the same time received front other assemblies, as if as he puts it, he had been hired by others to minister to them; all that was deficient being supplied by those from Macedonia, and his own labor being, as we know, for the most part his own support. Thus he had not been a burden upon them as he might reasonably have been; nor was he going now to be such. There was a special reason for this exceptional conduct, and he was glad at Corinth to be able to boast himself in this respect; but why? For want of love to them? No, but to cut off occasion from those who desired occasion, deceitful workers, who had come in with really apostolic pretensions, -but baseless, and inspired of Satan himself; who could readily transform himself into an angel of light, which once he was, but is not. As the accuser of the brethren, Satan’s great plea indeed is righteousness. We see that in his accusation of Job; and his followers were likely enough on his ground to be as false accusers of others as he is. Their end would declare it, but he does not hesitate to speak plainly of what indeed must have been a terrible thing with him, to find those who were the fruit of his own labors thus carried off away from him. A very great length, it is evident, had things gone in Corinth; and even as yet there was not the thorough deliverance which he counted on for them.
6. He turns unwillingly once more to speak of himself. Fool as they thought him, even as a fool, they who were so wise might listen a little. Foolish indeed boasting was, yet it was a folly to which one might be compelled, -a sorrowful thing that they, of all people, should be compelling him to this. But in what, then, in comparison with others, did he fail? If they were Hebrews, so was he. If they were the seed of Abraham, so was he. Were they ministers of Christ? How thoroughly had he been proved as that! The abundance of his labors spoke for him, the sufferings that these ever brought him into, -stripes and imprisonments, death facing him in every form. The record follows here, a record which far exceeds such history as we have in the Acts, which was indeed but an example of much else. Perils he had met in every form, from enemies, from false brethren, from fellow-countrymen, from strangers, amid the concourse of men, in wilderness desolations, in perils from what men call accidents, amid labor and toil, in watchings, in fastings, in cold and nakedness. Amid all this there was that which, for such as he was, was a pressure beyond it all, the burden of all the assemblies. Who was there with whose weakness he did not sympathize? Who was there whose stumbling did not make him burn? But if he gloried, he would glory rather in that which showed him to be the helpless creature that he was, cared for of God as such, but still left to the realization of this helplessness. He mentions but one point here, the ignominious way in which he had to take flight from Damascus, the city being shut up with a garrison to apprehend him, he himself let down from a window in the wall, in a basket, to escape his persecutors, -no miracle intervening for him, as we see, no dignity imparted by such a manner of escape as this; yet how much comfort may we sometimes find in these glimpses of the condition in which might be found so great an apostle as was Paul!
DEFENSE OF HIS APOSTLESHIP
At this point Paul begins his personal defense which concludes the epistle. And here we perceive more particularly that interchange of gravity and irony to which reference has been made, and which causes these chapters to be so difficult of explanation.
The apostles critics had reflected on his personal appearance (2Co 10:1; 2Co 10:7; 2Co 10:10); on what they were pleased to consider his carnality (2Co 10:3); his lack of eloquence (2Co 11:5) and his lack of dignity (2Co 11:7-10). We shall find it inconvenient to deal with these subjects otherwise than as they come before us in the chapters.
CHAPTER 10
They said that in their presence he was base or lowly, but that absent he was bold as indicated in his letters (2Co 10:1). He besought them therefore, to heed his words that he might not have occasion to be bold against them when he was present (2Co 10:2). He had particular reference to some who regarded him as walking according to the flesh. They would see that any spiritual weakness in his conduct did not show itself in the weapons or results of his spiritual conflicts with the enemies of the truth (2Co 10:3-6).
They were looking on the outward appearance, despising him and conceitedly claiming some special relationship to Christ for themselves. He meets this by a presentation of his true claims, as to which he might go further without idle boasting and justify any expressions of apostolic power in his letters (2Co 10:7-11). In proof of this he appeals to facts including his work among them in Corinth (2Co 10:12-14); and delicately intimates that when the present trouble was at an end, they would assist him to extend his ministry further (2Co 10:15-18). (See Rom 1:10; Rom 15:28).
CHAPTER 11
His pleadings continue because of his love for them and his fear of their beguilement. They were tolerating those who were preaching another gospel to them, and surely they might bear with him, since he was in no respect inferior to those over much apostles (2Co 11:1-6). 2Co 11:2 is very interesting. For an explanation of a godly jealousy, see Exo 20:5, and Jos 24:19. For one husband and chaste virgin, see 1Co 1:12. The espousal in this case took place when they were converted to Christ, the presentation will take place when He comes again. 2Co 11:3 is interesting from another point of view, since it shows that Paul regards the fall (Genesis 3) as historical. Note also that the tempter did not propose to take Eves allegiance away from God entirely, but only to corrupt her faith, which was enough. At this point he refers to their assumed contempt because he had not demanded pay from them, explaining the reasons for his conduct (2Co 11:7-12), plainly characterizing the false apostles (2Co 11:13-15). They had compelled him to boast (v. 16-33) for which he apologizes. 2Co 11:23-27 reveal a life of hardship far beyond anything told of Paul in the Acts. 2Co 11:19 is ironic.
CHAPTER 12
Here we come to visions and revelations vouchsafed to him. In these there could be no self-commendation, but only that of a man in Christ lifted out of his own individuality, and thought worthy of such grace on account of being in Christ. His only object in boasting of such an one was to bear witness to the supernatural life he was living and that such glorious things had been granted him. In behalf of himself he would boast only in his infirmities (2Co 12:1-6). 2Co 12:7-10 are self-explanatory except as to the nature of the thorn in the flesh. It has been spoken of as chronic ophthalmia, inducing bodily weakness and a repulsive appearance (Gal 4:15), but no one knows what it was. The Corinthians should not have made it necessary for him thus to speak of himself; they should have spoken on his behalf (2Co 12:11), for the signs of an apostle were wrought by him among them (2Co 12:12-13). The insinuation about his having ministered to them without monetary gain is once more referred to, in order to say that he will continue to do so. He is their parent, and parents lay up for the children (2Co 12:14-15). Those he had sent to them had followed his example in this respect (2Co 12:16-18).
The church, however, must not suppose that in what he was saying he was excusing himself to them. On the contrary he was doing all things for their edifying (2Co 12:19), and in the hope that when he visited them the third time, it might not be with a rebuke and with sorrow because of their sin (2Co 12:20-21).
CHAPTER 13
He emphasizes the rebuke and chastening that await some on his third coming if they do not repent (2Co 13:1-10), closing with an exhortation (2Co 13:11), salutation (2Co 13:12-13) and benediction (2Co 13:14).
QUESTIONS
1. What is the general theme of this lesson?
2. In what four ways had Pauls critics reflected on him?
3. Why had Paul declined material support from the church at Corinth?
4. What kind of apostles were these who were comparing themselves with Paul?
5. What kind of life was Paul really living?
6. Why should the Corinthians have commended Paul?
7. With what does he threaten the church on his next visit?
Observe here, 1. The charge brought in unjustly against St. Paul by the false apostles, namely, that when he was present with the Corinthians, he was low and humble enough to some degree of baseness; but when absent, that then he writes like a lord to them, and exercises an authority with pride and imperiousness over them. The greatest apostle, no more than the meanest minister of Jesus Christ, cannot expect protection from slander and false accusation.
Observe, 2. The pious and prudent course which the apostle takes for his own necessary and just vindication; he beseeches them, by all that meekness and gentleness, which, according to the command and example of Christ, he desired to express towards them, firmly to believe that he desired nothing more, than not to be forced to use his power with that boldness towards them, which he feared he must use against the false apostles, who accused him of too much servility and meanness in his behaviour amongst them, and reproached his ministry as carnal and self-seeking.
Verse 1 Most of the earlier part of this letter has been addressed to that part of the church loyal to Paul. The apostle now turns to deal with his accusers. He had included Timothy in previous thoughts, but now stands alone (1) for his defense. To show the spirit of his writing, Paul accepts their charge that he was weak in their presence. He says he is writing in the meekness and gentleness of Christ.
2Co 10:1-3. Now, &c. Hitherto St. Pauls discourse, in this epistle, was chiefly directed to those at Corinth who acknowledged his apostleship, and who had obeyed his orders, signified to them in his former letter. But in this and the remaining chapters he addresses the false teachers, and such of the faction as adhered to them, speaking to them with great authority, and threatening to punish them by his miraculous power, if they did not immediately repent. The different characters therefore of the two sorts of persons who composed the Corinthian Church, must be carefully attended to, otherwise this part of the epistle will appear a direct contradiction to what goes before. I Paul myself A strongly emphatical expression; beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ Our lowly and condescending Saviour; that meekness and gentleness which I have learned from his example, and desire to exercise toward the most unreasonable of my enemies; who in presence am base among you According to the representation of some, and despised for the meanness of my appearance; but being absent am bold toward you Using great freedom and authority in my letters. The false teachers, it seems, and their party, ridiculing the apostles threatenings in his former letter, had said that he was all meekness and humility when present among them; but very assuming and bold by letters, when absent, which they represented as wise carnal policy. To this the apostle here refers, and beseeches them that they would not compel him to be bold, and to exert his apostolical authority against some, who, on account of his meekness when present with them, had calumniated him as a person who walked after the flesh, or acted in a cowardly and crafty manner. For (he says) though he walked in the flesh Inhabited a mortal body, and consequently was not free from human weakness, yet he assured them he did not war against idolaters and unbelievers, against the world and the devil; after the flesh By any carnal weapons or worldly methods; but by such as were far more powerful. Though the apostle here, and in several other parts of this epistle, speaks in the plural number, for the sake of modesty and decency, and because he had associated Timothy with himself in this address to the Corinthians, yet he principally means himself. On him were these reflections cast, and it is his own authority which he is vindicating.
[The two previous parts of this epistle have been mainly addressed to that portion of the congregation at Corinth which was loyal to the apostle. This third part, however, is especially addressed to his enemies, though he at times evidently speaks to his friends. The apostle in neither case formally indicated which party he was addressing, for he rightly assumed that each would wisely appropriate to itself the sentiments which properly belonged to it.] Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you:
2 Corinthians Chapter 10
The apostle returns to the subject which pre-occupied him-his connections with the Corinthians, and the truth of his apostleship, which was questioned by those who seduced them, throwing contempt on his person. He was weak, they said, when present, and his speech contemptible, though bold when absent (his letters being boastful, but his bodily presence contemptible). I beseech you, says the apostle, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ [shewing thus the true character of his own meekness and humility when among them], not to compel me to be bold among you, as I think of being with regard to some who pretend that I walk after the flesh. The strength of the war that he waged against evil was founded on spiritual weapons, with which he brought down all that exalted itself against the knowledge of God. This is the principle on which he acted, to seek to bring to obedience all who hearkened to God, and then severity to all disobedience, when once obedience should be fully established, and those who would hearken were restored to order. Precious principle! the power and the guidance of the Spirit acting in full, and with all patience, to restore to order, and to a walk worthy of God; carrying the remonstrances of grace to the utmost, until all those who would hearken to them and willingly obey God were restored; and then to assert divine authority in judgment and discipline, with the weight which was added to the apostolic action by the conscience and common action of all those who had been brought back to obedience.
Observe, that the apostle refers to his personal authority as an apostle; but that he uses it in patience (for he possessed it for the purpose of edification and not for destruction) in order to bring back to obedience and uprightness all those who would hearken; and thus, preserving Christian unity in holiness, he clothes the apostolic authority with the power of the universal conscience of the assembly, guided by the Spirit, so far as there was a conscience at work.
He then declares that such as he is in his letters, such shall they find him when he is present; and he contrasts the conduct of those who took advantage of his labours, beguiling a people who had already become Christians, in order to stir them up against him, with his own conduct in going where Christ had not yet been known, seeking to bring souls to the knowledge of a Saviour of whom they were ignorant. Also he hoped that, when he visited the Corinthians, his ministry would be enlarged among them by their increase of faith, in order that he might go on beyond them to evangelise regions that still lay in darkness. But he who gloried, let him glory in the Lord.
DEFENSE OF HIS APOSTLESHIP.
We now enter upon another field, in which the apostle finds it necessary to defend his claims to the apostolic office from the assaults of his adversaries, at the same time announcing his purpose to deal with them in a summary way when he arrives. During his long absence many preachers had come from Juda, and not only propagated heresies among them, but had done their utmost to sow dissension, especially by impeaching his apostolic authority, advocating the position which many do this day, that there were no apostles but the original Twelve which our Savior called out early in His ministry (Matthew 10). That hypothesis would exclude James and Jude, the brothers of our Lord, and authors of epistles that bear their names, as well as Paul, Barnabas and Apollos. Were these preachers from Juda Christians? They claimed so to be, and probably some of them were in reality, while others were Satans counterfeits, though doubtless thinking that they were all right. Much help you will find in your efforts to understand especially the historic phases of revealed truth, if you will remember that humanity, grace, sin, Satan and God are uniform in all ages. Church license had never yet been given to the preachers, being a post- apostolic invention. Therefore it was optionally with men to assume the ministerial office at will, and go forth on their own responsibilities. Though license was instituted purposely to fortify against ministerial counterfeits, like everything else it has long ago been usurped and manipulated by the enemy to the detriment of the cause. Corinth was the great metropolis of all Southern Greece, and one of those innumerable, beautiful and fruitful islands constituting the Grecian archipelago. It was the greatest commercial emporium in the world, situated on the Aegean Sea, giving it the commerce of Asia, the Ionian, and that of Rome. Hence it was an attractive center, into which everything, bad as well as good, focalized. Therefore, during his absence of three and a half years, peregrinating (to travel or journey)
through Asiatic Christendom, and visiting the churches of Northern Greece, while the Corinthians had enjoyed the glorious gospel of Peter, Apollos, and many other true heralds and exemplars of the genuine article, they had been terribly preyed upon by a diversity of preachers from Juda, and other countries in infantile Christendom, who had not only propagated many errors, but had actually undertaken to supplant the apostolic authority of Paul altogether; of course, in hopes of capturing them for their own aggrandizement. The same state of things is now going on throughout Christendom. This laid upon Paul the unpleasant duty of defending his own claims to the apostolic office, as well as his ministerial character. This duty was not only obligatory on him for the sake of the cause in all ages, but it was especially incumbent on him to protect the faith of his spiritual children, which was being shaken by these heretical inroads.
1. But I myself, Paul, exhort you through the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in personal appearance am indeed mean among you, but being absent I am bold toward you. Paul was not only a little, ugly man, quite unimpressive in his personal appearance, but dressing in the very cheapest and plainest style, impressing a stranger like a poor old tramp; while, of course, many of his adversaries were tidy and magnanimous in their physique and manner. Yet the fullness of the Holy Ghost and the majesty of Heavens commission made him bold as a lion.
2. But I pray that being present I may not be bold towards you with that confidence with which I consider that I am bold towards some that reckon us as walking according to the flesh. Carnal people always judge others by themselves, imputing carnal motives to Gods true people, and thus utterly misunderstanding them. That is the reason why they killed the Son of God and two hundred millions of His faithful followers. They misunderstood them, explaining their deportment from a carnal standpoint. See what a time Paul had with these big, cultured, fine looking preachers, who hounded him everywhere, upsetting his converts, playing sad havoc with his churches and doing their best to undermine not only his ministerial influence but even supplant his apostolic office, to which the glorified Savior in person had called him, both on his way to Damascus and in the temple at Jerusalem.
4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty unto God for the pulling down of strongholds. Only a short time before Pauls day, Mithridates had conquered and expelled the pirates from the very country where he was born and reared, reducing a hundred and twenty strongholds and capturing more than ten thousand prisoners. Hence it is believed that he had his mind on these notable events when he dictated this verse, so vividly describing the omnipotence of grace in capturing the citadels of sin and Satan.
5. Casting down reasoning and every edifice which is being raised against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every intent into the subjection of Christ. Here we see the felicitous, gracious possibility of complete subordination of spirit, mind, body and life to the perfect and holy will of our glorious King. This great work is to be diligently, vigilantly, sedulously and indefatigably sought after, an we receive the experience of entire sanctification, which simply turns over the heart unreservedly to the Holy Ghost, who thoroughly purifies and occupies it contemporaneously with complete consecration. The spirit or the heart is the man properly so called, the mind and body being his servitors. Hence it is incumbent on the sanctified soul to constantly and appreciatively utilize Gods Word, providence and Spirit to bring about this complete subordination of all our mental faculties and corporeal organs to the will of God. Primarily in the Divine administration is the Holy Ghost Himself, sanctifying and dwelling in the heart during the experience of entire sanctification, completely illuminating, subduing, perfecting and occupying the human spirit, i. e., the king of the human organism. Then through the human spirit, His happy and willing ally, He reaches the mind, quickening the memory, illuminating the intellect, fortifying the judgment and purifying the sensibilities, thus bringing into meek and beautiful subordination every intent into subjection to Christ. This is a grand achievement, gradually wrought by the Holy Spirit through the co-operation of the human spirit after the latter has been sanctified and become permanently occupied by the Former. Now the mind having been captured and all of its faculties subordinated to the reign of Christ, i. e., every stronghold now in the possession of the King of kings, then this grand conquest reaches the body, literally capturing every member and bringing all into sweet and harmonious conservatism to the will of God.
6. And being ready to avenge every disobedience when your obedience shall have been completed, i. e., when the Divine obedience shall have reached not only your spirit in entire sanctification, but passed on into the great dominion of mentality, bringing all your intellectual faculties, judgment, memory and sensibility into beautiful, harmonious conservatism with the Divine administration established in the domain of spirituality and the empire of mentality, then, reaching down, literally capturing your animal body and interpenetrating the one thousand nerves and five hundred muscles and all the members, so tuning up this harp of a thousand strings that none but Jesus can play on it, thus forever spoiling it for the world and the devil; then, instead of listening to the siren song of the tempter, you simply walk out a gigantic warrior, armed with full panoply and ready to attack and smash the very conception of disobedience on the faintest presentation of the enemy.
7. Whether do you look at things according to appearance? In that case those big, fine looking preachers would floor poor, little, old, weak-eyed Paul every time. The same is true to-day. The world is cheated and gulled by good looks. Did you ever see a fine-looking preacher who amounted to a picayune? I have preached from ocean to ocean, from the Gulf to the Lakes, and found this principle everywhere verified. As a rule, it is the shabby- looking men and women that put the devil to rout, while it is our great work to fight him off from the good-looking people. If any one has confidence to himself that he belongs to Christ, let him reckon this again from himself, that as he is of Christ, so are we. Most important is this constant recognition that Gods people are a unit, and hence the folly and inconsistency of adverse criticism. Diversity is the glory of Gods kingdom. He has made no two things alike. If some of His saints are to you most repellent in speech and manner, remember that God has a great work for them to do for which they would be utterly incompetent if they were like you. Hence you ought to rejoice in this infinitesimal dissimilitude. In the Holiness Movement we have all denominations, all theologies, all races, colors and nationalities. This is a glorious adaptation to the work of Gods holy people in all lands. We ought to rejoice over it and give God the glory, and not waste time and opportunity in criticism. So rest assured that will be attended to without you, for it is the devils job, and he never neglects his business. Then please rest easy about all of the Lords oddities, for He has use for them.
8. For if we were to boast somewhat more abundantly concerning our power which the Lord gave us for edification, and not for your destruction, I shall not be put to shame. The grand end in view throughout the Bible is edification, i. e., the building up of Gods kingdom. Hence we should always pray with that grand end in view. This is an argument for entire sanctification, without which preachers and people in all ages have enthusiastically rushed forth to the literal destruction of Gods Church in their glowing enthusiasm to build it up, such is the fond hallucination of Satan.
9. In order that I may not seem as it were to terrify you by my letters. While his writings were exceedingly bold and utterly uncompromising on all lines of truth and righteousness, he wants them to know that the grand end is not destruction, but edification.
10. Because they say, Truly his letters are weighty and powerful, but the presence of his body is weak and his speech contemptible, i. e., they charged him with writing, when at a distance and the great sea intervening, like a mighty man with tremendous authority, but when he came among them they were surprised to see a little, ugly, untidy, meanly dressed, shabby-looking man. Then his speech, so plain, straight, hard, rough and uncompromising, contrasted vividly with the studied oratory and beautiful and flowery rhetoric of his adversaries, it put them in quite a dilemma. While no photographs or statues of our Savior or any of His apostles have come down to us, in case of Paul and Barnabas we actually have an exception. When they concluded they were gods at Lystra and proceeded to worship them, they called Barnabas, Jupiter, and Paul, Mercury. This gives us a clear testimony as to the physique of these two noted apostles. When I was at Athens I saw the marble statues of many Grecian gods, having survived the wreck of two thousand years. I saw the marble temples of Jupiter and others still standing. Besides, we have been looking at the pictures of the statues of these Grecian gods all our lives. Jupiter to them was the supreme god of Heaven and earth, enthroned upon the highest pinnacle of Olympus, giving law to the universe. Hence his statue and all of his pictures represent him as a large, fine-looking man. Consequently we may rest assured that Barnabas was a big preacher in more ways than one, and possessing a commanding physique. Now, what do we know about Paul? I am happy to say that we have here very clear information qualifying us to answer this question. The very fact that they thought Paul was Mercury is demonstrative proof that he was like him in speech, manner and appearance. Mercury was the Grecian god of eloquence, who inspired all the orators and gave the poets their immortal songs. His statue represents him as a little, ugly, hump-shouldered man with a head twice as large as the proportion of his body, a sharp, prominent face, anything but handsome. Hence we have from this incidental historic notice positive information corroborating this verse, which certainly speaks for itself. As my books have gone before me into many lands, I now meet no strangers, but am hailed everywhere by people who feel that they are acquainted with me by reading my writings, yet I find them on all hands on meeting me expressing general surprise, and observing, Why, we expected to see a large, fine- looking man, with a bald head and snowy white beard, thus ever reminding me of the criticism on the physique of the worlds greatest apostle. [Pardon the apparent comparison, as I am certainly unworthy to black his shoes. I ran into it inadvertently, simply pursuing matters of fact. God grant me at least a participation in the enviable humility of our hero.]
11. Let such an one consider this, that such as we are through our letters, being absent, such also are we in work, being present. Paul here makes no reply to their scathing criticism on his person and speech, but assures them that they may depend on it that he will carry out the severity of his doctrine and discipline to the letter. That is a matter in which there can be no flicker.
2Co 10:1. Who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold towards you. Paul retorts ironically the unworthy insinuations of the false teachers, sent out by the sanhedrim of Jerusalem, and in the full pay of the synagogue, to bring back the people to the ceremonial law. These, it would seem, made a genteel appearance, while Paul appeared in humbler dress, often labouring with his own hands.
2Co 10:2. I beseech you; yea, to cut off occasion from those that seek occasion, I beseech you then by the meekness and gentleness, or benignity of Christ, that you disregard those false apostles, who insinuate that we walk after the flesh, seeking the ease, the honours, and riches of this world.
2Co 10:3-4. For though we walk and sojourn in the flesh, humble and abject, we do not war after the flesh, as is the way of the world. Our armour is the armour of righteousness, and mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; the castles, citadels, and fortresses of the enemy. In other words, our weapons are mighty in forcing down the pride of gentile philosophy, in storming the forts of spiritual wickedness in high places, and in counteracting all the lawless habits of concupiscence.
2Co 10:5. Casting down imaginations. Here we find many opinions. The margin of Montanus reads, destroying counsels. This reading is adopted by La Haye; and Theophylact expounds it of philosophical argumentations against the faith of Christ. But Menochius understands it both of counsels against the apostles, and against the gospel. The expression fairly refers to the guile and sophisms of judaizing teachers.
2Co 10:7. Do ye look on things after the outward appearance, the genteel and reputable figure of those false apostles. If they are, as they affect to be, the ministers of Christ, let them by all fairness and candour allow that we also are his ministers. The character of the workmen is demonstrated by their work.
2Co 10:8. Though I should boast, of the apostolic powers, I should not be ashamed. Those powers were conferred for the salutary defence of discipline, and for the edification of the church. There was then a power, not only of expulsion, but also to visit with sickness and death. 1Co 11:30. The last are punishments of a high and miraculous nature, which the Lord who searches the heart keeps chiefly in his own power. Was not Herod slain by the angel, in unison with the prayers of the church? Acts 12. Queen Marys reign, after burning almost five hundred martyrs, was short. Here, case may be opposed to case. Raviliac, a jesuit, assassinated Henry the fourth of France, amidst his guards, when getting into his coach. True, but the protestants had engaged in the civil wars to place him on the throne. The final judgment of those cases belongs to Him who cannot err.
2Co 10:10. His letters, say they, [the false apostles] are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech, in regard of elocution and utterance, is contemptible. They spoke well of his letters, for no man could say otherwise, that they might speak ill of his appearance with the better grace. As to the person of Paul, we have cited the priest of Asia, in the book called Paul and Thecla, a book named by four of the fathers, in the introduction to the Acts of the apostles. Chrysostom describes him thus. A little man, scarcely three cubits high, the wonder of the world. Whatever I know of theology, I owe it all to St. Paul. Of his eloquence, converted Greece and proconsular Asia are his witnesses. At Lystra, the priests of Jupiter called him Mercury. At Csarea, Felix trembled under his word; and where he could be fairly heard, his eloquence never sustained defeat.
After all those high encomiums, we must admit that Paul had some defects in elocution, and many difficulties to surmount, before he attained to the sublime and beautiful in Grecian eloquence. The Greek was so far from being his native language, that when he first began to preach in it, he made, according to Jerome, very many bulls and blunders in his words. He scarcely knew how to construe a hyperbatic phrase, nor how to close a sentence. This father affirms farther, that St. Paul at first did not know how to express his own profound conceptions in the Greek language; that his elocution was defective, and that he laboured under difficulties in communicating his ideas. Iste qui Solcismos in verbis facit, qui non potest hyperbaton reddere, sententiamque concludere, audacter sibi vindicat sapientiam, &c. Hieron. Comm. in epis. ad Ephesians tom. 6. p. 384.
Illud, &c. etsi imperitus sermone, &c. nequaquam Paulum de humilitate dixisse; profundos enim, et reconditos sensus lingua non explicat, et cum ipse sentiat, quid loguatur, in alienas aures puro non potest transferre Sermone. Epis. 15. ad Algas. Q. 10.
2Co 10:12. We dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves. Paul here attacks with a masterly stroke of irony, their boasted learning in the talmud, and sciences of the Hebrew schools. But in boasting, I doubt whether they are wise to measure themselves by themselves. Because, if they follow us in the sphere of our labours in Asia, in Macedonia, in Thessalia, in Achaia, and into Asia again and Syria, and back to Macedonia, their line of measure might possibly be found short, and shame would be the result. Rather, Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord.
REFLECTIONS.
Many jews of some learning went about troubling the churches, and most artfully affected to be christians. They are generally called false apostles by the fathers, and by St. Paul: 2Co 11:13. Yet they are allowed to be Israelites, and Hebrews of the seed of Abraham: 2Co 11:22. These men slandered St. Paul as walking after the flesh, and exercising an extravagant authority over the churches. We generally find the church of Christ like a ship at sea, exposed to waves and troubles. Some proud and ambitious mind which resolves to have the preminence will ever be rising up, and troubling the heavenly repose of the saints.
St. Paul conducted himself in a tender, but dignified manner towards the ministers at Corinth, who had received and encouraged those judaizing teachers. He besought them by the tender and gentle spirit of Christ to stop the proceedings of those men, and emboldened them to do it by all the sanction of the Lords mission in the hands of his apostles. The weapons of their warfare, comprising the doctrine and discipline of Christ, were not carnal, but were the mighty power of God to pull down all rebellious irregular proceedings, and injurious inuendos. Every thing must give way to the truth and order of Christ, who has not left the glory of his church to the selfish caprice of man. St. Paul was resolved that they should find his rod of expulsion equal to the power of his letters. He would come to revenge all disobedience, and put those to shame who commended themselves.
2Co 10:1-6. A Warning to Those who Misunderstand and Misrepresent Paul.The abruptness and emphasis of the opening words, as well as their want of connexion with what precedes, are best explained on the hypothesis that we have here a portion of another letter. The description of himself that follows, humble when he is at Corinth, overbearing when he is at a safe distance, is probably one of the several echoes (or quotations) in this chapter from the language used of Paul by his critics at Corinth. They have sneered at him as a very human person (walking according to the flesh). He prays that he may not have to prove on their persons (cf. 1Co 5:3-5) that both his courage and his power are from God. It is his business to destroy sophistries, the strongholds of disobedience, and to bring every operation of the mind into subjection to Christ. And this he is prepared to do, taking vengeance on every form of disobedience so soon as the congregation as a whole has completely manifested its submission.[The military vocabulary of this section is well brought out in Moffatts translation.A. J. G.]
Though his First Epistle had had good effect upon “the many” at Corinth, yet Paul finds it necessary, as led of the Spirit of God, to earnestly press the serious matter of God’s establishing him as an apostle, and therefore of the authority of God in the ministry entrusted to him. These last four chapters being so occupied, indicates the great importance of this matter in the eyes of God. No other apostle writes in this way. And through the centuries it is Paul’s ministry that has been ignored, opposed, criticized, refused by many claiming to be Christian. The Spirit of God anticipated such unbelief, and leaves no shadow of excuse for it.
How tender and gracious however is Paul’s appeal in verse 1. He entreats them “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” False apostles put on a show of power and arrogant pride, so contrary to the character of their Lord. Paul had not done so; indeed was evidently a man of no impressive physical appearance, and acted only simply and sincerely. Fleshly men would despise this as weakness. But Paul writes boldly, though kindly, for there is power here not merely natural. He had said before that to spare them he had not yet come to Corinth; and now he pleads with them that when he is eventually present with them, he may not be compelled to use bold, firm discipline against some who considered things only from a fleshly viewpoint. They had mistaken his meek and gentle character for weakness; but if they would not allow God to enlighten them in this, they might be rudely shocked when Paul came.
Not that his action would be fleshly; for though he walked in flesh, this is, in bodily condition, his warfare was not according to flesh, the mere selfish, vain principles that unregenerate man understands. Paul had higher weapons than those fleshly: they were in fact the opposite of self-assurance and pretentious pride; and yet “mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” In fact, it is these very things – the haughtiness and pride of man, the determined exalting of the flesh – that God’s weapons cast down. Men’s imaginations, or reasonings, the rationalistic wisdom of philosophy, “and every high thing,” that which man considers high, but is merely pretense, everything that seeks self-exaltation, which after all is really “against the knowledge of God;” all of this is brought to nothing by “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Moreover, God’s warfare does not stop on this negative note: it is also that which can bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Precious, wonderful weapons indeed!
But supposing such ministry of grace is resisted, and some refuse obedience? Verse 6 shows that, though patience was graciously shown in seeking a proper result, yet when time had been given in which to secure the obedience of the assembly generally, the same weapons of God would be ready to “revenge all disobedience,” by the discipline of His hand toward those who resisted. God is in no way going to be defeated by the pride of man.
Did the Corinthians assume that “the outward appearance” of things was a reliable guide? Most men know better than this when considering the purchase of a used car; and many have learned to their deep regret that trusting appearances is not a safe rule in marrying a wife. Merely looking at the surface of things, a believer might say that he himself is of Christ, and therefore his opinions must be right. But let him stop and think. Paul also is “of Christ,” and his opinions are opposed to those of the self-confident believer. Both cannot be right.
Moreover, as an apostle, the Lord had given him an authority that was not to be ignored, and though as to this, Paul will “boast” in pressing it, he will not be ashamed, for it is a vital matter that does not merely involve him, but their own spiritual welfare. Not that he is given authority simply to put them down, but with the object of their building up. It is this that he emphasizes. So his writing is not to terrify them, but with motives of their purest blessing.
Evidently some among the Corinthians, while admitting that Paul’s letters were weighty and powerful, yet discounted this because Paul did not have an imposing personal appearance, and eloquent speech. How poor an index by which to judge! One might have such natural gifts along with extraordinary brilliance, and yet be a cunning enemy of God. It would have been far wiser to say that, though Paul was a man of humble, self-effacing character, not naturally standing out among men, yet his letters were weighty and powerful. And so the apostle reminds them that as he is by letter, so will he be in action when coming among them: it would be no matter for his looking for an admiring audience, but of his acting for God; and mere fleshly attraction would be reduced to its proper level.
Paul will not dare to link himself with those who take the attitude of comparing themselves with others. What measuring stick do they use? Nothing but one another! This is empty vanity. One will vaunt himself because he thinks he has the advantage over another in some fleshly way; and the atmosphere becomes merely that of rivalry, jealousy, arrogance. Are believers self-made individuals? Or are they not the product of the pure grace of God?
Paul refuses to boast of anything without a proper measure: it is in fact this, God’s measure, that he has been throughout insisting upon: it is this that will put everything, and everyone, in proper place. God has distributed such a measure. It would remind us of “the measure of the gift of Christ,” spoken of in Eph 4:7. This is distributed according to God’s grace, not according to the strength of man’s pride. Each should act simply in the measure God gives, and not pretend to go beyond.
And the apostles did not stretch themselves beyond, but were within God’s measure in the labour He had given them in reaching as far as the Corinthians in preaching the Gospel of Christ. They, being the fruit of his work, could not dispute this.
If Paul boasts, he will not boast out of measure (as indeed false apostles were doing at Corinth, for they had slipped in to take advantage of Paul’s labours); but consistently with the measure God had given, not taking the glory for what was actually the labour of another. And more, they had hope that, when the faith of the Corinthians was increased, these saints would heartily support the further work of the apostles in declaring the gospel in new areas beyond them; still depending upon the God of wise measure, who gives them ability for such labour, and not taking advantage of another man’s line of things made ready for them. This missionary zeal of the apostle is precious indeed, so contrary to the self-satisfaction that was so infecting the Corinthians. But while Paul must in this way speak of his Cod-given labours, yet his glorying Was not in this, but “in the Lord.” And this they too must take to heart. For if one commends himself today, he may find at the judgment seat of Christ that he has no such commendation.
Verse 1
Am base. This expression is supposed to refer to some personal peculiarities of the apostle, such as have often characterized men of uncommon intellect, and which are more distinctly alluded to in 2 Corinthians 10:10.
DIVISION III.
PAULS REPLY TO HIS OPPONENTS CHAPTERS 10.-13.
SECTION 14. HE BEGS THEM NOT TO FORCE HIM TO USE HIS DIVINELY-GIVEN AUTHORITY, THE LIMITS OF WHICH HE HAS NEVER EXCEEDED. CHAPTER 10.
I Paul myself exhort you by the meekness and clemency of Christ, who, though face to face lowly among you yet when absent am bold towards you. But I beg that I may not when present be bold with the confidence with which I reckon it needful to be daring towards some who reckon us as walking according to flesh. For, though walking in flesh, not according to flesh do we make war. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful before God for pulling down of strong places, while we are pulling down reasonings and every high thing which lifts itself up against the knowledge of God and are leading captive every thought to the obedience of Christ, and are holding ourselves in readiness to avenge all disobedience, whenever your obedience may be made full.
At the appearances, do you look? If any one trusts to himself to be Christs, this let him reckon again in himself, that as he is Christs so also are we. For even if something more abundantly I boast about our authority which the Lord gave for building up and not for pulling you down, I shall not be put to shame; that I may not seem as though terrifying you with the letters. Because the letters, says one, are heavy and strong; but the bodily presence is weak, and the utterance despised. This let such a one reckon, that such as we are in our word by letters when absent such also when present in our work.
For we dare not place ourselves among, or compare ourselves with, some of those who recommend themselves. But they, measuring themselves with themselves, are not intelligent. We, however, not in reference to the measureless things will we boast, but according to the measure of the standard which God has measured to us, a measure to reach even as far as you. For not as not reaching to you do we stretch ourselves beyond bounds. (For as far as even you we have advanced in the Gospel of Christ.) Not in reference to the measureless things boasting in other mens labours, but having hope, while your faith is increasing, among you to be enlarged according to our standard, to abundance, to preach the Gospel as far as the places beyond, not to boast in another mans standard touching the things already done.
But he that boasts, let him boast in the Lord. (Jer 9:24.) For not he who commends himself, not that man is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
Placing himself suddenly and conspicuously before his readers, Paul opens DIV. III.; in which he defends himself, not as in DIV. I. against general suspicion and by a general proof of the grandeur of the apostolic ministry, but against specific misrepresentations by definite persons. And, just as the joyful ending of DIV. I. opened a way for the financial business of DIV. II., so the grateful ending of DIV. II. affords an easy platform of approach to the unpleasant matter of DIV. III.
That DIV. III. is a reply to calumnies known now only by this reply, makes it in part obscure to us. As we pass along we must gather, as well as we can, the nature of these calumnies, and then endeavor to understand Pauls reply to them.
2Co 10:1. I myself Paul: the great Apostle, condescending to plead, alone his own cause before his children in the Gospel.
Meekness: see under 1Co 4:21. Christ on earth (Mat 11:29; Mat 21:5) constantly refrained from asserting Himself. This appeal reveals Pauls consciousness of the danger, when reproving others, of indulging a self-assertion unworthy of Christ; a beautiful trait of his character.
Clemency: a disposition to temper justice with equity, kindness, and benevolence. Same word in Act 24:4; 1Pe 2:18; Php 4:5. Paul strengthens his appeal (cp. Rom 12:1) by pointing to the known character of Christ. Do not compel me to lay aside the meekness and clemency so conspicuous in Christ, my Master and Pattern.
Who face to face etc.: the very reproach of his enemies (2Co 10:10) used as an additional plea.
Lowly among you: during his previous visit to Corinth; a beautiful picture of the apostle, going about unobtrusively among his converts, asserting as little as possible his apostolic authority, and not even claiming from them maintenance. Cp. 1Th 2:7. He had thus imitated the meekness of Christ. But he fears that he must now act otherwise.
Am bold (or courageous, 2Co 10:6) towards you: in the strong and fearless language of the First Epistle and in the rest of this. Pauls habitual gentleness when at Corinth claims respect for his present fearless severity. This verse suitably and modestly introduces DIV. III., where more than anywhere else in his writings he puts himself prominently before his readers.
2Co 10:2. But I beg; takes up and strengthens I exhort in 2Co 10:1. Paul entreats them not to compel a man who has hitherto been gentle in their midst and bold only from a distance to be now bold when present with them.
With the confidence; explains the boldness he is reluctant to manifest.
I reckon: Pauls calculation about his own conduct when he shall come to Corinth. [Cp. judge in 2Co 2:1; 1Co 2:2; 1Co 7:37.] The inserted word needful is necessary for English idiom and gives the evident ground of his calculation.
Daring: same word in 1Co 6:1; Rom 10:20; Rom 5:7. It is stronger than bold in 2Co 10:1, and suggests peril. It makes therefore a climax. Paul has resolved to trample under foot, if need be, fear of man and of consequences. But he begs his readers not to compel him to do this.
Towards some etc.; introduces definite opponents, whose presence we shall feel throughout DIV. III. Their opposition arose from false reckoning about Pauls conduct. They have made their reckoning about him and he has made his reckoning about what he will do to them. Cp. 2Co 12:20; 2Co 13:2.
According to flesh: as in 2Co 1:17, which refers to the same false estimate. Cp. Rom 8:4. They supposed that Pauls steps were directed by the needs and desires of the present bodily life.
This verse implies that there may be occasions requiring the Christian to lay aside the meekness and clemency which Christ loved to manifest, and to assert himself and act with severity. Sometimes (Joh 2:15) Christ did so. But Pauls example warns us to do this, as he did, reluctantly and only after efforts to avoid it have failed, as something abnormal caused and justified by abnormal circumstances.
2Co 10:3-5. These verses justify Pauls confidence, and thus both support his request and disprove the false reckoning of his opponents.
Walk, carry on war: a climax. His path is beset with foes: and therefore his march is a battle.
In flesh, according to flesh: conspicuous contrast. A body of flesh is the surrounding element in which, (cp. Gal 2:20; Gal 5:17,) but not the directive principle according to which, he carries on the conflict of life. See under Rom 8:4.
According to flesh; with aims, means, and methods, suggested by the needs and desires of bodily life.
The weapons: Rom 6:13 : an important element in all war, determining almost all else. According to our weapons will be the aim and the method of our warfare.
Fleshly: Rom 15:27; 1Co 3:3. The means on which Paul relies for victory do not belong to our present bodily life. It is needless to say but are spiritual. Paul therefore adds as a contrast what is practically a proof that the weapons are not fleshly, viz. their supernatural effectiveness.
Powerful before God: literally to God, i.e. in Gods estimate. Cp. Act 7:20.
Strong-places: a common word for fortresses. Same word in Pro 10:29; Pro 21:22.
While we pull down etc.; depicts the actual efficacy of these weapons in the hands of Paul.
Reckonings: calculations about things around and about our own conduct.
And every high thing: wider than reckonings. All lofty thoughts about ourselves and our powers hinder us from knowing God. For we cannot know Him as the supply of all our needs, as our strength and joy and life, until we have seen ourselves to be needy and helpless and lost, i.e. until every high thought within us has been brought down to the dust. Therefore every high thing in man lifts itself up against the knowledge of God. Cp. 1Co 1:20; 1Co 1:27 ff.
And leading-captive, etc.: another aspect of the victory which Paul is gaining.
Thought: result of perception, or mental vision. Formerly our thoughts raised themselves up, thus keeping out the knowledge of God. Now, they not only bow down into the dust but bow to Christ who died for us that He may be our Lord. Not only ourselves but every thought in us must bow to Him. The present participles do not imply actual universal achievement, which 2Co 10:6 contradicts; but, according to Greek usage, the meaning and purpose of the work in which Paul was actually engaged. Cp. 2Co 5:19; Rom 2:4. God permits men to resist both His own influences and His servants efforts.
2Co 10:6. Another element in Pauls warfare, and another proof that his weapons have superhuman power.
Every disobedience; implies that some professed Christians do not surrender themselves to obey, but actually resist, Christ.
Avenge: merited and conspicuous punishment. Cp. 2Co 13:2 ff; 1Co 4:21; 1Co 5:5; Act 13:11; Act 5:5; terrible proofs of apostolic power.
Holding ourselves in readiness etc.: but not actually avenging. This suggests that Paul was not accustomed to vengeance, though he was prepared for it.
Your obedience: in contrast to these opponents whom Paul is careful throughout DIV. III. to distinguish from his readers. This suggests that they were few, and perhaps foreigners, i.e. Jews. For them Paul betrays no hope: upon them he is able and ready to inflict severe punishment.
Your obedience made full: by shaking off all connection with those who resist Paul. Else they would be involved in the punishment. Therefore Paul delays to punish till his readers have cleared themselves from complicity with the crime: and with this motive (2Co 1:23) he postponed his visit to Corinth.
The opposition of his enemies suggests to Paul a military metaphor. To him life is not only a walk but a warfare. But he is equipped with superhuman weapons, with which he pulls down whatever in man lifts itself up, thus hindering men from knowing God, and brings every thought to bow to God; and with which he is able to punish all that resist. This reveals the error of those who look upon Paul as acting merely from human motives and with human powers. And it gives immense force to his appeal to be allowed to leave unused these great punitive powers and to imitate the meekness and clemency of Christ. Thus Paul begins his self-defence by an entreaty that his opponents will not compel him to punish them; and gives proof of his power to do so by pointing to the spiritual triumphs of blessing, far above human power, which he obtains day by day in the hearts of men. For these triumphs prove that the power of God is with him. Similarly in 2Co 1:19, he claims credit for veracity by pointing to the truthfulness of Christ whose word he preaches.
2Co 10:7-8. After pointing to the spiritual victories which prove his divine mission, Paul reasserts (2Co 10:7-11) in contradiction to his opponents his authority and power; and declares (2Co 10:12-18) that in exercising it among the Corinthians he is keeping within the limits marked out for him by Christ.
Appearances: same word as, and recalling, face to face in 2Co 10:1. Cp. 2Co 5:12. Some despised Paul because of his lowly appearance and demeanor among them. He asks whether it is on the outside of things that they fix their attention; and then directs them to something which merits their thoughtful calculation.
Trusts to himself to be Christs; is easily understood apart from, and therefore does not of itself imply, any reference to the Christ-party (1Co 1:12) at Corinth. Whether this party was actually in Pauls thought, we cannot now determine. He bids his opponents, instead of looking at externals and reckoning accordingly, to make another reckoning from the solitude of their inner selves. He does not think fit to deny here that his opponents are Christs servants, but he claims to have given proof that he also is such. This appeal derives its force from the proof given in 2Co 10:5 that Paul and his colleagues are doing with superhuman weapons Christs work. And it is worthy of thoughtful consideration by all who engage in religious controversy. 2Co 10:8 asserts that Paul not only is Christs but has received from Christ special authority.
Somewhat more abundantly; even than he has done in 2Co 10:3-6.
Building up, not pulling down: 2Co 13:10. He may have to pull down; but only in consequence of abnormal circumstances and with a view to further building up. Therefore he will pull down as little as possible. The contrast, I boast, our authority, found throughout the Epistle, suggests that the plural is chosen, not as in 1 Thessalonians 3 : if probably for Paul alone, but to include others. They share the authority: the boast is his only.
Shall not be put to shame: facts will justify even this larger boast.
2Co 10:9-11. God will make good even this larger boast in order that His servants written words may not seem to be empty terrifying; as they would seem if he were put to shame.
The letters: the First Epistle, the lost one, (1Co 5:9,) and possibly others unknown to us.
Heavy: severe.
Strong: such as influence men.
Bodily presence weak; does not necessarily mean that Pauls personal appearance was even by his enemies thought to be undignified. For this taunt will be disproved (2Co 10:11) when he comes. Cp. 1Co 2:3. It is sufficiently accounted for by Pauls unobtrusive demeanor (2Co 10:1) among his converts. Nor can reliance be placed on uncertain traditions about his small stature and bodily weakness: although the latter is not unlikely. For they are sufficiently explained by his name (Paulus: a little one) and by this verse.
Despised: by his opponents; perhaps owing to his studied simplicity (1Co 2:1) of style. Another verdict is given in Act 14:12.
Let such a one reckon: Let him reasonably infer from the character revealed in my letters how I shall act when present. Paul made his presence little felt among the Corinthians because there were then no gross offences requiring punishment. And he preferred to do good in an unostentatious manner, not even (1Co 1:16) baptizing his own converts. He now bids his opponents infer from his letters how he will act in altered circumstances.
2Co 10:12-16. Exposition, after expounding the word terrify in 2Co 10:9, of the authority claimed in 2Co 10:8. Paul thus supports the foregoing threat.
We dare not; suggests the peril of the conduct of his adversaries. Cp. Rom 15:18.
Or compare ourselves: place ourselves among or place ourselves beside.
Some of those; singles out definite persons whom Paul has in mind. But they: in contrast to Paul who dares not measure himself thus. Among themselves; includes each with himself, and each [cp. Eph 4:32; Col 3:13; Col 3:16] with others of the same class. They take themselves and their companions as a standard of what men ought to be; and having no other standard they form a senseless estimate.
Intelligent: same word in Rom 3:11; Rom 15:21; Eph 5:17; 1Co 1:19; Rom 1:21; Eph 3:4 : so to put things together as to interpret rightly their significance and to understand their real nature. These men, by taking themselves as their measure, showed that they did not rightly interpret conduct and character.
But we: in conspicuous contrast to the foregoing.
The unmeasured things: the indefinite and undefinable fancies which were all that the boasting of the opponents had in view. Paul declares that he will not boast in reference to such phantoms.
But according to the measure etc.: the standard by which Pauls boasting shall be measured, viz. the divinely marked out limits of his apostolic work.
The standard: literally the canon, which is a Greek word denoting a straight wooden staff, then a measure of any material, then an authoritative rule of conduct. Paul represents God as marking out, as if with a measuring staff, his apostolic field of labor, (cp. Gal 2:7,) and declares that according to the measure thus marked out his boasting shall be. Of anything beyond these limits, he will not speak. His highest boast will be I have finished the work Thou gavest me to do.
A measure etc.; specifies the measure thus marked out, viz. that it includes Corinth.
2Co 10:14. Proof of the last words of 2Co 10:13. The argument is: Corinth is within our limits; for beyond these we do not stretch ourselves; yet we have actually come to Corinth. [Yet: best rendering of , when, as here and often, it introduces the minor premise. It has thus its usual confirmatory force.] That Paul does not go beyond his divinely-appointed limits, he leaves his readers to judge from the divinely-given success of his labors. And, if not, Corinth is within his appointed sphere. In other words, in coming to Corinth he was sent by God.
In the Gospel: as in 2Co 8:18; Rom 1:9; 1Co 9:18. It expounds the spiritual and soul-saving significance of as far as even to you we have advanced.
2Co 10:15-16. Not in reference to the unmeasured things boasting; takes up the same words in 2Co 10:13, and continues the description of the boasting in which Paul will not indulge. Consequently, 2Co 10:14, needful to prove the last words of 2Co 10:13, is a parenthesis.
In other mens labours: cp. Rom 15:20. The opponents boasted of the influence they had gained in a church which Pauls toilsome and weary labors had founded and among men who directly or indirectly owe to him their conversion.
Having however hope: Pauls actual feelings about the Corinthians. The continued increasing of their faith was a needful condition of the enlargement of Pauls field of labor.
In you to be enlarged: same phrase in Php 1:20, but in a different sense. It is explained in 2Co 10:16. Paul suggests, though perhaps he does not necessarily imply, that their faith is already increasing. And, if so, he will be able to leave them and go to preach to others beyond. Thus in them, i.e. through their growing faith, Pauls field of labor, and therefore himself, i.e. his own influence and success, will be enlarged. But even this hoped-for enlargement will be according to his divinely-given standard. For to all the Gentiles (Rom 1:5) he is sent.
For abundance: something beyond and above. See under 2Co 9:12. It is explained in 2Co 10:16, which gives Pauls purpose in cherishing this hope, viz. to preach the Gospel in places still further off than Corinth. He is thinking probably of his projected (Rom 15:24; Act 19:21) journey to Rome and Spain: an interesting coincidence of thought. The repetition in 2Co 10:16 b reveals Pauls deep sense how unjust is his opponents boasting. While his thoughts about the Corinthians, whom he had led to Christ, were that their increasing faith would enable him to break up new ground still further off, his opponents were exulting about things in a field allotted by God to Paul, and in reference to work which they found already done. With such men Paul dares not compare himself. And, since he is acting, as he has asserted and in some measure proved, within his appointed limits, his readers may expect to find him carrying out when present at Corinth the threats of his letters.
2Co 10:17-18. A general principle suggested by the contrary conduct of Pauls opponents, supported by another general principle, and suitably preparing the way for Pauls boasting in sections 15-18. Same words in 1Co 1:31. 2Co 10:18 is a reason why they who exult should have Christ, for whom they labor and from whom they expect reward, as the element of their exultation.
Who recommends himself: as (2Co 10:12) these men did.
Approved: proved to be genuine, as in 1Co 11:19.
The Lord commends; by evident marks of approval. If we remember that the only proofs of real worth are those which Christ gives, all our exultation will have Him for its element, and all mere human boasting will be shut out.
Paul begins his defence by threatening reluctantly to lay aside his accustomed and Christlike lowliness, and fearlessly to punish his opponents. That he is able to do this, is proved by the superhuman power with which he is accustomed to overcome in his converts the spiritual forces of evil. With the same power he is prepared to inflict punishment. But he waits till his readers have shaken themselves free from all connection with his enemies, lest the blows which will fall upon these also strike them.
Men must not look at externals, but must reason intelligently about realities. To Paul, Christ has given authority over His Church. About this he might say more than he has said, without exceeding what will be proved to be true. For he is not one who terrifies merely from a distance. But he remembers that the purpose of his authority is not to pull down but to build up. His readers have abundant proof that he will make good the threats of his letters. How great the contrast between himself and his opponents! All their boasting is reckless self-commendation. No standard except themselves and their companions have they for their self-measurement; which is therefore no measurement at all. All their boasting is about their influence over men who but for Paul would not have been Christians. But, when speaking about his readers, Paul speaks about those who are within the bounds specially marked out for him by God. For, in view of his spiritual success, none can say that, when he came to Corinth, he exceeded those bounds. So far is he from boasting without a measure and about other mens labors that his chief thought about his own converts at Corinth is that their increasing faith will enable him to enter the fresh ground which still remains untouched within the marked out boundaries of his apostolic work. He concludes by reminding his opponents and himself remembering that all boasting must have Christ for its element: for the only commendation which is proof of real worth comes from Him.
CHAPTER 10
SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER
i. In this and the two next chapters Paul defends his apostleship against the false apostles, who held him up to contempt as vile and despicable, and accused him of over-harshness, audacity, and insolence. Paul here points out that his arms are not carnal but spiritual, and therefore all the more powerful, because it is theirs to cast down all the strongholds, counsels, and wisdom of the world, as well as to inflict punishment on all disobedience.
ii. He contrasts (ver. 12) the boast of the false apostles of the provinces traversed and converted by them with the actual journeyings and conversions wrought by himself.
Observe that these false apostles envied the glory of Paul, and wished to destroy it by their own eloquence, boasting, and calumnies. It appears, from xi. 22, that they were Jews, and were greedy of gain and glory, braggarts, and self-assertive. Fro m xi. 4 it also appears that they preached Christ in appearance, but were endeavouring to gradually subvert the Gospel by Judaism and its errors (xi. 3; xii. 13). Of this class were Cerinthus, Ebion, and other Judaisers, who bitterly persecuted S. Paul as an apostate from their law. 1Cor. 15 was an exposition of the resurrection against the teaching of Cerinthus.
Ver. 1.-Now I Paul myself beseech you. Hitherto I have pleaded the cause of others, the poor; now I am going to speak for myself. I beseech you to observe my admonitions and the precepts which, as your Apostle, I have given you concerning a true Christian life.
By the gentleness of Christ. He beseeches them, says Theophylact, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, that reverencing them they may lovingly hear, receive, and obey the entreaty of Paul. In the second place, he does it to signify that he imitates the meekness of Christ, not His severity. I do not order you, he seems to say, although by virtue of my apostleship I might, but I beseech you by the gentleness of Christ, which I imitate and ever keep before me. For Christ in rebuking, teaching, and guiding men, showed wondrous patience, kindness, and gentleness, as when He received into grace Matthew, the Magdalene, and other sinners, and most lovingly forgave them all their guilt and punishment without harsh words or blows.
In presence am base among you. When I am with you, I seem in outward appearance mean and base (cf. ver. 10); but when away from you, I am bold and confident. He speaks ironically; for, as the next verse tells us, the false apostles, who held him up to execration, used to say: “Why do you make so much of Paul? He is a base and worthless fellow. Apollos and others have far more grace and eloquence; there is no comparison between them. By the side of them he is ignorant and unpolished. Why, then, does he take upon himself, why does he presume, when away from you, to send you such threatening letters, rebuking you, ordering, scolding, excommunicating you?” S. Paul imitates the false apostles, and repeats their words, as much as to say. “I am not the domineering, insolent, severe, threatening man, when absent, that my detractors make me, but I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” Cf. vers. 9, 10 (Chrysostom).
Ver. 2.–But I beseech you that I may not be bold. I beseech you to lovingly receive my admonitions, lest when I come to you and see your disobedience, rebellion, and contumacy, I use my boldness and power to inflict excommunication and other spiritual. punishment, which I am thought to have already inflicted arbitrarily (Anselm). The Latin version reads the passive, I am thought, but Theophylact takes it actively-I think, I propose to boldly punish some evil-disposed persons.
Which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. As though we lived a carnal life, or better, as though we used carnal means, such as fleshly, human, and political wisdom, in doing by letter what I dare not do in person.
The Apostle says that they walk, fight, and glory according to the flesh, who, after the manner of carnal and, crafty men, walk and boast in outward gifts, such as birth, prudence, eloquence, good looks, sagacity, and by means of these seek to gain the applause of men, and so win them to their side and overthrow their enemies. That this is his meaning is evident from the contrast drawn between these arms and spiritual arms in ver. 4. So, in xi. 18, he says that the false apostles boast according to the flesh, i.e., of external gifts. In v. 15, 16, again, he says that he knows no one, not even Christ, according to the flesh. In 2 Cor. 1, he contrasts the natural and carnal wisdom of philosophers and orators with the spiritual wisdom of Christians, and especially of Apostles. Cf. also Gal 3:3.
Ver. 4.-For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Carnal weapons are such as serve for carnal and bodily warfare and life, as the honours, pleasures, and power of this world. This the Apostles did not use in their task of subduing the world to Christ. Or rather, as said above, carnal weapons are human arts, sciences, reasonings, systems, eloquence, flatteries, boasting, hypocrisies, affected gravity and prudence, all of which are used by men of the world to gain influence and respect; while true and solid authority, such as Paul and the other Apostles had, is the gift of God, and is not to be obtained by external gifts or by assumed gravity, but rather by the display of virtue, wisdom, and holiness.
But mighty through God. Or, are the power of God. Through them God works powerfully in the minds of the hearers-converts them to the faith, makes them accept our preaching, brings them under subjection to Christ, so that we gain credence to what we say, and obtain what we want. These weapons are, says Anselm, (1.) Vehement spiritual zeal; (2.) Efficacious preaching, through God seeming to lend weight and force to our words; (3.) Wisdom; (4.) Courtesy; (S.) Holiness; (6.) Miracles; (7.) Frequent prayer; (8.) Purity of intention; (9.) Patience; (10.) Charity. When they see us men of the most blameless life, seeking not their wealth or honours, but their salvation only, and that by many labours, sacrifices, afflictions, daily death and martyrdom, and preaching to them with such zeal and ardour that all acknowledge Christ, and glorify Him and His Father-by all these things, as though by a most powerful dart, they are struck and wounded in their consciences, they yield, and believe our words and our doctrines. By these weapons do we Apostles destroy the vices and storm the kingdom of the devil, even the whole world. Hence apostleship and preaching of the Gospel are rightly called a warfare. Cf. 1Ti 1:18.
To the pulling down of strong holds. All reasonings, syllogisms, sophisms, eloquence, philosophic virtues, worldly power, grace, friendship, and all that the Gentiles and devils opposed to the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles (Chrysostom and Anselm).
Ver. 5.–Casting down imaginations. Or, with Theophylact reasonings. The Syriac and Erasmus give imaginations; the Latin version, counsels. By our weapons we destroy all the counsels of the prudent of this world, by which they strive to overthrow the Gospel, to strengthen against it their heathenism, and to put their philosophers before Christ and us.
And every high thing. Every height, both of human and philosophic wisdom, as well as of diabolic magic, such as of Simon Magus and others, and of royal and imperial power. Imaginations and heights were the two towers set up by the Gentiles against the Apostles, one of which seemed impregnable through its intricate wiles, and the other by its height and strength. Yet both yielded to the weapons of the Apostles.
That exalteth itself against the knowledge of God. That knowledge of God given to us by Christ, and which we, His Apostles, teach throughout the world; faith, that is, in the Three in One, in the Son of God, in His Incarnation and death, in the Cross and its Redemption.
And bringing into captivity. Every thought, every intellect, however full of resources, however exalted in wisdom, must surrender as a conquered foe, and obey the Gospel of Christ.
When S. Paul says “every thought” or “every intellect” he does not mean to imply that all the philosophers and mighty men of the world who heard the Gospel preached were converted, but that the weapons of the Apostles were so powerful that they were able to subdue to the faith of Christ any thoughts and reasonings of the human intellect, however full of wiles, however highly exalted. As a matter of fact, they did subdue these powers in those who took these weapons, and admitted them into their soul, and so were converted. Many of all classes of philosophers and orators, illustrious for their learning and wisdom, were subdued by the weapons of the Apostles, and brought to believe in Christ. Such were Dionysius the Areopagite, Clement of Rome, Paul the proconsul, Justin the philosopher, Athenagoras, and others.
Ver. 6.–And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience. Paul had said that his weapons were powerful to subdue any Gentiles or heathen wise men. He now goes on to say that this same power is able to punish all disobedience on the part of the faithful, or amongst heretics. I am ready, he says, and it is easy for me, to punish the disobedience of the false Apostles who depreciate me, by excommunicating them.
When your obedience is fulfilled. For I am unwilling to involve you in the same punishment. I would rather that you yourselves correct what needs correction and I am waiting until you fulfil what you have been ordered. Then when you have done that, I will unsheathe the sword of excommunication against those contumacious detractors. From this doctors lay down that this sword should not be drawn except against the disobedient, and those who, after having been warned, are still rebellious and obstinate.
Ver. 7.–Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? The Latin version takes this in the indicative. Ye see how openly and manifestly the truth has been set before your eyes, that I am not only a disciple of Christ, but also an Apostle endowed with such spiritual power as you see with your own eyes (Anselm).
Ver. 8.–Of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification. The Council of Trent (sess. xxv. c. 3) lays down from these words that the sword of excommunication should be soberly and cautiously drawn for edification; otherwise we see that it is rather despised than dreaded, and produces ruin rather than salvation, not only to the excommunicated, but also to the whole Church.
Ver. 10.-For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful. My detractors, the false apostles, say that my letters are hard and bitter, severe and threatening, but my appearance is mean, contemptible, and puny. Nicephorus (lib. ii. c. 37) thus describes the stature and form of S. Paul from tradition and early representations. “Paul was small of stature, spare in form, round-shouldered, and somewhat inclined to stoop. His face was pale, and showed the marks of years. His head was small, and his eyes shone with a pleasant light. He had bushy eyebrows, a nose beautifully curved and somewhat long, and a thick and long beard, which, like his hair, was plentifully interspersed with white.” S. Chrysostom (Hom. de Princip. Apost.) says that “Paul was but three cubits high, and yet he touched the heavens.” Lucian again, in his Philopater, laughs at Paul for having a head bald in front.
And his speech contemptible. Unlearned, inelegant, unadorned. Cf. 1Co 2:1-2.
Ver. 12.–For we dare not make ourselves of the number. I do not, like the false Apostles, boast of what I do not possess. I measure myself by my own foot, by the gifts of God, and by the things God’s grace has done for me, says Photius, and so I do not arrogate to myself more than God has given me.
Paul speaks ironically. The false Apostles were in the habit of disparaging Paul’s words and deeds, as though in him there was nothing great but his letters, which were high-flown enough, but were not borne out by his presence, than which nothing was more despicable. They would boast that in this they far excelled him. Therefore, says Paul, in scorn of their pride, I, a mere dwarf, do not dare to class myself with these giants, or to compare myself with them. None the less their boast of their greatness is baseless; while whatever I declare is true, and I measure myself by my own greatness, the grace I have received, and the things that I have really done.
The Latin version omits the last clause, “are not wise.” The Syriac, Vatablus and others apply it to the false apostles, not to Paul. They commend themselves, but they do not see that they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves among themselves. They do foolishly in thus exalting themselves and making themselves giants. They act like a man who should measure his height by himself, instead of by a yard-measure, like a pigmy who boasts of his gigantic size; they have no other cause for their boasting than their self-delusion. Photius supplies after “they do not understand,” that they are ridiculous to all, or, as S. Augustine says, in Ps. xxxv., they do not understand what they say and what they boast of.
Ver. 13.-But we will not boast of things without our measure. This is the second charge brought by S. Paul against the false Apostles. They boast so largely that one would think they have preached the Gospel in every part of the world (Theophylact). I, however, boast not falsely, or beyond my measure; I measure myself by the true measure of the gifts and provinces that God has marked out for me. This measure reaches from Juda through the intervening countries to Corinth. Just as kings glory in having extended their realms far and wide, so do I, as a doctor sent by Christ, glory in having extended His sway, and I hope to extend it still further.
Rule here denotes the measuring-line used by surveyors to fix the boundaries of fields and other grounds (cf. ver. 16). Measure denotes (1.) that by which anything is measured, as a yard-measure or a foot-measure; (2.) it denotes the quantity of the measuring-line; and (3.) the act of measuring; (4.) it stands for the thing measured, a bushel of wheat or an acre of land; i.e., corn to the amount of a bushel, land to the amount of an acre. In any of these last three senses the word may be used here, but best of all in the second.
Ver. 14.-For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure. This is his third scornful charge against the false apostles. They stretch out themselves and more than that by their boastful words, but let us see what good as a matter of fact they do. Whom have they converted? What cities or countries have they visited? They have never left their own home. Did they bring you into the Church? Ye are not their work, but mine in the Lord. It is I who have taken you and subdued you: you are my lot, the possession assigned me by the Lord. I can triumph over you and other provinces reaching to Juda that I have subdued. And just as P. Scipio was called Africanus, and L. Scipio, Asiaticus, from the provinces they conquered, so might S. Paul have the agnomen of Corinthiacus, Achaicus, Macedonicus, Thracicus, Asiaticus, &c.
Ver. 15.-Without our measure. The provinces not assigned us by God. This is again a blow aimed at the false apostles, who were in the habit of boasting, groundlessly of the many regions they had visited and converted.
Not boasting . . . of other men’s labours. A fourth charge against the false apostles, who had entered into his labours at Corinth, where he had laid the foundations of the faith (Chrysostom). Doctors remark that heretics never go to unbelievers from zeal for the Gospel and for martyrdom, and convert them first of all to Christianity, but content themselves with endeavouring to attract the faithful. It may be said: Surely the Emperor Valens, when the Goths were anxious to be converted to Christianity, sent Arian Bishops, who made them Arians (Freculphus, lib. iv. c. 20). I reply. This is true; but the Arians did not themselves take the initiative and go to the barbarous Goths from zeal for the faith, to plant among them the true faith, after the Apostolic manner, in hunger, thirst, persecutions, and deaths. The Goths invited them, and Valens consented. There is no difficulty in instilling poison into those who wish for it. Moreover, most of the Goths had previously been of the orthodox faith; but Ulphilas their Apostle, having been deceived by the Arians, deceived them in his turn and made them Arians, as Theodoret expressly says (Hist. lib. iv. cap. ult. ).
But having hope when your faith is increased. I hope that when your faith is increased you will have no need of me; then I shall be able to go on to other nations to preach the Gospel (Chrysostom).
That we shall be enlarged by you. Or magnified in you. (1.) I hope that in those more distant regions I shall preach and bring back great glory. The teacher, says Theophylact, is magnified when his disciples grow in wisdom. (2.) It is better to refer the words magnified in you to what follows-according to our rule abundantly. I hope, as you increase in the faith, to be magnified through you according to our rule, i.e., to extend our rule, the bounds of my apostolate, to the regions beyond you, so that they, seeing your faith, holiness, and grace, may be provoked by your example, and eagerly await me and receive the Gospel.
As the Holy Land was divided by lot among the twelve tribes by fixed boundaries (Ps. lxxviii. 54), so was the whole earth divided as by a measuring-line among their antitypes, the twelve Apostles, that they might bring it under subjection to Christ. Thomas, e.g., evangelised India; Andrew, Achaia; John, Asia.
Abundantly. That my lot may be increased and spread further and further. I have not yet fixed any certain bounds to my province, nor has God, but I am always looking for and striving after its extension.
Ver. 16.-Not to boast in another man’s line. I do not meddle with the bounds, the provinces, and districts measured out and assigned, or occupied by other Apostles, so as to enter into things got ready by others, and to boast of other men’s labours as if they were mine. He calls “made ready to his hand” those regions which had already received the Gospel from others; he refuses to seize upon the tilled fields of others, but rather chooses to be the first to plant the faith in any place he goes to. Cf. Rom 15:20.
The Greek denotes the measuring-line of surveyors. Here the Apostle calls all those regions measured out to him, as it were, by God his rule. This “rule” he was daily extending, from his desire to preach everywhere; “as though,” says Chrysostom, “he had come into possession of the earth and a fat inheritance.” “Paul was,” says Theophylact, “like a builder of the world, measuring it by his rule and building accordingly.” The Greek stands also for the builder’s measuring-rod, but seems by S. Paul to be referred rather to the surveyor’s.
Ver. 17.-But he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Let him glory in truth as before the Lord. Secondly, and better, to glory in the Lord is to glory with the glory given by the Lord, which alone commends a man, and vouches for him by the wonders which it works through him. This is the genuine meaning, for S. Paul contrasts glorying in one’s self with glorying in the Lord. To glory in self is to commend self; to glory in the Lord is to be commanded by the Lord, and to glory in that commendation. Still it follows from this, thirdly, that he who truly glories should glory not in himself but in the Lord, by referring all that has been received to Him, whose gifts they are, by giving to Him all the glory, and directing everything to His praise and glory (Chrysostom).
By these words the Apostle shows where, when, and in what we should glory, and at the same time clears himself of all charge of ostentation and desire of vain-glory. He says implicitly: These great and fine things I say about myself, not because I wish to glory in myself, but because I wish to give the praise to the Lord, from whom I have received all my glory, and the ground of my glorying. Cf. 1Co 1:31, note.
Learn from this that true praise and glory come from God alone, and far excel all human glory; for, (1.) man’s praise is but small and poor, men being but worms of earth; but God’s glory is, as He is, boundless. (2.) Man’s glory is outward and apparent only-within it is empty and ready to vanish away; but God’s glory is inward and substantial; hence it fills and satisfies the soul. (3.) Man’s glory is untrustworthy, feigned, and hypocritical-many laugh at you behind your back while praising you to your face; but God’s glory is faithful and true. (4.) Man’s glory is unstable, and, like a reed, is shaken by the slightest breath of rumour-they who praise you to-day will rail at you to-morrow; but God’s glory is stable and constant. (5.) Man’s glory is short-lived: mortals to die to-morrow praise you, and your praise will die with them. Where now are the praises of Csar, Pompey, Augustus? They have passed away-they are gone like smoke; but the praise of God is eternal. God will praise thee for ever before the angels and blessed ones, because thou didst despise the worlds glory, and sought for that true glory which lasts for ever with God. (6.) Man’s glory is imperfect, maimed, and alloyed; a man is praised by some, blamed by others; as many men as there are, so many opinions and judgments are there. God’s glory is entire and perfect, for whoever God praises is praised also by the inhabitants of heaven. (7.) Man’s glory is erroneous and groundless. Men glorify the high-born, the rich, the powerful, even if they be villains, crime-stained, and tyrants. God’s glory is most true and most certain, for He praises none but those endowed with virtue and true wisdom. Again, men glory in themselves, in their sagacity, virtue, fortitude-all things of naught; and therefore they glory in what is false, in nothing, in what is not. God’s glory is to glory in God, of whom is all good and from whom flow all things to us, and to say, “Not unto us, not unto us, 0 Lord, but unto Thy name give the praise.” (8.) Man’s glory stands in the mouth of them that praise, confers no benefit on thee, impresses on thee no good. Therefore it is not in thee, but in Him that glorifies thee; just as honour is not in him that is honoured, but in him that confers it. But God’s glory is both in God and in thee, for it is efficacious and fruitful. God does not merely beatify thee in thy soul with the light of glory, and in thy body with glorious gifts, but He communicates to the Blessed His own very Divine and uncreated glory, to be possessed and enjoyed. Oh, blind and insensate children of Adam, by nature greedy of praise, created and born to glory! Why do ye not seek after glory instead of its smoke and shadows? Why strive for what is false and fallacious and leave the true? Why seek for glory where it is not? You seek it on earth: it is not there, but in heaven. You seek it among men: it dwells among the angels and before God. You seek it in time: it is found in eternity. Thou, then, 0 Lord, art my glory; Thou art the joy of my heart. In thee will I glory and exalt all the day long. For myself I will glory in nothing save my infirmities. Let Jews, let worldly men seek glory from one another. I will require that which is from God alone. All human glory, all worldly honour, all temporal heights, when compared with Thy eternal glory are but vanity, foolishness, and reproach. 0 my Truth, my Mercy, my Glory, my God, 0 Blessed Trinity, to Thee alone be praise, honour, and glory; to Thee alone be blessing, wisdom, and thanksgiving; to Thee, our God, be honour, virtue, and strength for ever and ever. Amen.
Ver. 18.-For not he that commendeth himself is approved. How is it, then, that Saints have sometimes commended themselves, as, e.g., Hezekiah, in Isa 38:3, and S. Paul in the next chapter, and in 2 Tim. 4.? I answer, They do indeed commend themselves, but at the same time they tacitly refer all their praise to God’s grace as its first cause, and say: “By the grace of God I am what I am.” Again, this self-commendation came not from themselves, but was inspired into them by the Holy Spirit, who spoke by their mouth. The Holy Spirit suggested to each writer of the Holy Scriptures what he should write.
10:1 Now {1} I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and {a} gentleness of Christ, who in presence [am] base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
(1) He returns to the defence of his apostleship, but in such a way that he uses his authority in his defence: for he warns them earnestly and gravely, using also terrible threatenings, to show themselves to be those who are able to be instructed. And he reviles certain proud men who made no better account of him, than of a bragging proud man, in that he used to be sharp against them when he was absent, because they saw no great majesty in him after the manner of men; and besides, he had proved his gentleness, even though in his absence he had written to them sharply. Therefore first of all he professes that he was gentle and moderate, but after the example of Christ: but if they continue still to despise his gentleness, he protests to them that he will show indeed how far they are deceived, who judge the office of an apostle in the same way that they judge worldly offices, that is, according to the outward appearance.
(a) That nature which is inclined to mercy, rather than to rigor of justice.
A. Replies to charges made against Paul 10:1-18
Paul responded to charges of cowardice, weakness, and intrusion that one or more critics in Corinth had evidently leveled against him. Failure to submit to apostolic authority could have dangerous consequences, such as disregarding his inspired writings. It was to spare his beloved readers from these ill effects that Paul wrote as he did, not out of a carnal sense of wounded pride.
IV. APPEALS CONCERNING PAUL’S APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY 10:1-13:10
In this third and last major division of his epistle the apostle Paul defended his apostolic authority. He did this to silence his critics in Corinth and perhaps elsewhere permanently and to confirm the united support of the Christians there. One of Paul’s major purposes in writing this letter was to prepare the way for his next visit. He had just referred to that "anticipated visit" (2Co 9:3-4). Consequently he felt compelled to establish his apostolic authority firmly.
". . . the reason for the new subject (as in 1Co 7:1; 1Co 12:1; 1Co 15:1) lies primarily in the situation [Paul faced in Corinth] rather than in Paul’s logic." [Note: Keener, p. 216.]
Broomall’s observation on the tone of 2 Corinthians generally is especially true of chapters 10-13.
"The progress of thought in this epistle is like the movement of a mighty army advancing over rugged terrain still inhabited by pockets of stubborn resistance." [Note: Broomall, p. 1261.]
". . . 2 Corinthians 10-13 presents us with what might almost be called a new kind of Judaizing: a Hellenistic Jewish movement that opposed Paul but was less concerned (so far as we know) with circumcision and with detailed observance of the Mosaic law than with prestige and power in accord with the contemporary values of Corinthian society. Paul’s response (2 Corinthians 10-13) is the most intense, revealing, and emotional of all his writings." [Note: Carson and Moo, p. 447.]
1. Reply to the charge of cowardice 10:1-6
Paul may have identified himself by name here so his readers would have no doubt that what he proceeded to say indeed came from him. Whenever he described himself as "I Paul" (and here "myself"), he made his point with strong emphasis (cf. Gal 5:2; Eph 3:1; Col 1:23; 1Th 2:18; 2Th 3:17; Phm 1:19). He began by gently asking his readers to respond to his appeal to submit to his apostolic authority. This was important so that when he came he would not have to deal severely with those who opposed him (cf. Act 5:1-10). The description of himself in 2Co 10:1 b is his critics’. Those individuals were saying that Paul was behaving as a carnal Christian (2Co 10:2; cf. 2Co 1:12-24). He sent forceful letters to them, especially his "severe letter," but when he was with them in person he was less aggressive. However his meekness (mercifulness) and gentleness were characteristics of Christ rather than signs of personal timidity (2Co 10:1; cf. Matthew 23; Joh 2:14-22). Paul did not want to have to be critical when he arrived in Corinth, yet he was ready to be if necessary.
"In 2Co 10:2 Paul gives the probable clue to his critics’ basis of opposition to him. Judging his attempted discipline of moral offenders in Corinth to have been ineffectual, they ’reckon’ that Paul must be a man who ’walks according to the flesh.’" [Note: Barnett, p. 461.]
Chapter 22
WAR.
2Co 10:1-6 (R.V)
THE last four chapters of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians stand as manifestly apart as the two about the collection. A great deal too much has been made of this undeniable fact. If a man has a long letter to write, in which he wishes to speak of a variety of subjects, we may expect variations of tone, and more or less looseness of connection. If he has something on his mind which it is difficult to speak about, but which cannot be suppressed, we may expect him to keep it to the end, and to introduce it, perhaps, with awkward emphasis. The scholars who have argued, on the ground of the extreme difference of tone, and want of connection, that 2Co 10:1-18; 2Co 11:1-33; 2Co 12:1-21; 2Co 13:1-14, of this Epistle were originally a separate letter, either earlier (Weisse) or later (Semler) than the first seven chapters, seem to have overlooked these obvious considerations. If Paul stopped dictating for the day at the end of 2Co 9:1-15; if he even stopped a few moments in doubt how to proceed to the critical subject he had still to handle-the want of connection is sufficiently explained; the tone in which he writes, when we consider the subject, needs no justification. The mission of Titus had resulted very satisfactorily, so far as one special incident was concerned-the treatment of a guilty person by the Church; the tension of feeling over that case had passed by. But in the general situation of affairs at Corinth there was much to make the Apostle anxious and angry. There were Judaists at work, impugning his authority and corrupting his Gospel; there was at least a minority of the Church under their influence; there were large numbers living, apparently, in the grossest sins; {2Co 12:20 f.} there was something, we cannot but think, approaching spiritual anarchy. The one resource the Apostle has with which to encounter this situation-his one standing ground alike against the Church and those who were corrupting it-is his apostolic authority; and to the vindication of this he first addresses himself. This, I believe, explains the peculiar emphasis with which he begins: “Now I myself, I Paul entreat you.” is not only the grammatical subject of the sentence, but if one may say so, the subject under consideration; it is the very person whose authority is in dispute who puts himself forward deliberately in this authoritative way. The (“now”) is merely transitional; the writer moves on, without indicating any connection, to another matter.
In the long sentence which makes up the first and second verses, everything comes out at once-the Apostles indignation, in that extreme personal emphasis; his restraint of it, in the appeal to the meekness and gentleness of Christ; his resentment at the misconstruction of his conduct by enemies, who called him a coward at hand, and a brave man only at a safe distance; and his resolve, if the painful necessity is not spared him, to come with a rod and not spare. It is as if all this had been dammed up in his heart for long, and to say a single word was to say everything. The appeal to the meekness and gentleness of Christ is peculiarly affecting in such a connection; it is intended to move tile Corinthians, but what we feel is how it has moved Paul. It may be needful, on occasion, to assert oneself, or at least ones authority; but it is difficult to do it without sin. It is an exhilarating sensation to human nature to be in the right, and when we enjoy it we are apt to enlist our temper in the divine service, forgetting that the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God. Paul felt this danger, and in the very sentence in which he puts himself and his dignity forward with uncompromising firmness, he recalls to his own and his readers hearts the characteristic temper of the Lord. How far He was, under the most hateful provocation, from violence and passion! How far from that sinful self-assertion, which cannot consider the case and claims of others! It is-when we are in the right that we must watch our temper, and, instead of letting anger carry us away, make our appeal for the right by the meekness and gentleness of Jesus. This, when right is won, makes it twice blessed. The words, “who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you,” are one of the sneers current in Corinth at Pauls expense. When he was there, his enemies said, face to face with them, he was humble enough; it was only when he left them he became so brave. This mean slander must have stung the proud soul of the Apostle-the mere quotation of it shows this; but the meekness and gentleness of Christ have entered into him, and instead of resenting it he continues in a still milder tone. He descends from urging or entreating () to beseeching (). The thought of Christ has told already on his heart and on his pen. He begs them so to order their conduct that he may be spared the pain of demonstrating the falsehood of that charge. He counts on taking daring action against some at Corinth who count of him as though he walked after the flesh; but they can make this face-to-face hardihood needless, and in the name not of his own cowardice, but of his Lords meekness and considerateness, he appeals to them to do so. .
The charge of walking after the flesh is one that needs interpretation. In a general way it means that Paul was a worldly, and not a spiritual, man; and that the key to his character and conduct-even in his relations with Churches-was to be sought in his private and personal interests. What this would mean in any particular case would depend upon the circumstances. It might mean that he was actuated by avarice, and, in spite of pretences to be disinterested, was ruled at bottom by the idea of what would pay; or it might mean-and in this place probably does mean-that he had an undue regard for the opinion of others, and acted with feeble inconsistency in his efforts to please them. A man of whom either of these things could be truly said would be without spiritual authority, and it was to discredit the Apostle in the Church that the vague and damaging charge was made.
He certainly shows no want of courage in meeting it. That he walks in the flesh, he cannot deny. He is a human being, wearing a weak nature, and all its maladies are incident to him. As far as that nature goes, it is as possible that he, as that any man, should be ruled by its love of ease or popularity; or, on the other hand, should be overcome by timidity, and shrink from difficult duties. But he denies that this is his case. He spends his life in this nature, with all its capacity for unworthy conduct; but in his Christian warfare he is not ruled by it-he has conquered it, and it has no power over him at all. “I was with you,” he wrote in the First Epistle, “with weakness and fear and much trembling”; but “my speech and my preaching were with demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” This is practically what he says here, and what must be said by every man who undertakes to do anything for God. No one can be half so well aware as he, if he is sincere at all, of the immense contrast between the nature in which he lives and the service to which he is called. None of his enemies can know so well as he the utter earthenness of the vessel in which the heavenly treasure is deposited. But the very meaning of a divine call is that a man is made master of this weakness, and through whatever pain and self-repression can disregard it for his works sake. With some men timidity is the great trial: for them, it is the flesh. They are afraid to declare the whole counsel of God; or they are afraid of some class, or of some particular person: they are brave with a pen perhaps, or in a pulpit, or surrounded by sympathizing spectators; but it is not in them to be brave alone, and to find in the Spirit a courage and authority which overbear the weakness of the flesh. From all such timidity, as an influence affecting his apostolic work, Paul can pronounce himself free. Like Jeremiah {Jer 1:6-8} and Ezekiel, {Eze 2:6-8} he is naturally capable, but spiritually incapable of it. He is full of might by the Spirit of the Lord: and when he takes the field in the Lords service, the flesh is as though it were not. Since the expression refers to the whole of the Apostles life, it seems natural to take as referring to the whole of his ministry, and not solely to his present campaign against the Corinthians. It is of his apostolic labours in general-of course including that which lay immediately before him-that he says: “The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strong holds.”
Nobody but an evangelist could have written this sentence. Paul knew from experience that men fortify themselves against God: they try to find impregnable positions in which they may defy Him, and live their own life. Human nature, when God is announced to speak, instinctively puts itself on its guard; and you cannot pass that guard, as Paul was well aware, with weapons furnished by the flesh. The weapons need to be divinely strong: mighty in Gods sight, for Gods service, with Gods own might. There is an answer in this to many of the questions that are being asked at present about methods of evangelizing; where the divinely powerful weapons are found, such questions give no trouble. No man who has ever had a direct and unmistakable blessing on his work as an evangelist has ever enlisted “the flesh” in Gods service. No such man has ever seen, or said, that learning, eloquence, or art in the preacher: or bribes of any sort to the hearer; or approaches to the “strong holds,” constructed of amusements, lectures, concerts, and so forth, were of the very slightest value. He who knows anything about the matter knows that it is a life-and-death interest which is at stake when the soul comes face to face with the claims and the mercy of God; and that the preacher who has not the hardihood to represent it as such will not be listened to, and should not be. Paul was armed with this tremendous sense of what the Gospel was-the immensity of grace in it, the awfulness of judgment; and it was this which gave him his power, and lifted him above the arts, the wisdom, and the timidity of the flesh. A man will hold his own against anything but this. He will parley with any weapon flesh can fashion or wield; this is the only one to which he surrenders.
Perhaps in the fifth verse {2Co 10:5}, which is an expansion of “the casting down of strong holds,” a special reference to the Corinthians begins to be felt: at all events they might easily apply it to themselves. “Casting down imaginations,” the Apostle says, “and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God.” “Imaginations” is probably a fair enough rendering of . though the margin has “reasonings,” and the same word in Rom 2:15 is rendered “thoughts.” To what it applies is not very obvious. Men do certainly fortify themselves against the Gospel in their thoughts. The proud wisdom of the Greek was familiar to the Apostle, and even the obvious fact that it had not brought the world salvation was not sufficient to lower its pride. The expression has sometimes been censured as justifying the sacrificium intellectus or as taking away freedom of thought in religion. To think of Paul censuring the free exercise of intelligence in religion is too absurd; but there is no doubt that, with his firm hold of the great facts on which the Christian faith depends, he would have dealt very summarily with theories, ancient or modern, which serve no purpose but to fortify men against the pressure of these facts. He would not have taken excessive pains to put himself in the speculators place, and see the world as he sees it, with the most stupendous realities left out; he would not have flattered with any affected admiration that most self-complacent of mortals-the wise of this world. He would have struck straight at the heart and conscience with the spiritual weapons of the Gospel; he would have spoken of sin and judgment, of reconciliation and life in Christ, till these great realities had asserted their greatness in the mind, and in doing so had shattered the proud intellectual structures which had been reared in ignorance or contempt of them. “Thoughts” and “imaginations” must yield to things, and make room for them: it was on this principle Paul wrought. And to “thoughts” or “imaginations” he adds “every high thing [] that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” The emphasis is on “every”; the Apostle generalizes the opposition which he has to encounter. It may not be so much in the “thoughts” of men, as in their tempers, that they fortify themselves. Pride, which by the instinct of self-preservation sees at once to the heart of the Gospel, and closes itself against it; which hates equally the thought of absolute indebtedness to God and the thought of standing on the same level with others in Gods sight,-this pride raises in every part of our nature its protest against the great surrender. It is implied in the whole structure of this passage that “the knowledge of God” against which every high thing in man rises defiantly is a humbling knowledge. In other words, it is not speculative merely, but has an ethical significance, which the human heart is conscious of even at a distance, and makes ready to acknowledge or to resist. No high thing lifts itself up in us against a mere theorem-a doctrine of God which is as a doctrine in algebra; it is the practical import of knowing God which excites the rebellion of the soul. No doubt, for the Apostle, the knowledge of God was synonymous with the Gospel: it was the knowledge of His glory in the face of Jesus Christ; it was concentrated in the Cross and the Throne of His Son, in the Atonement and the Sovereignty of Christ. The Apostle had to beat down all the barriers by which men closed their minds against this supreme revelation; he had to win for these stupendous facts a place in the consciousness of humanity answering to their grandeur. Their greatness made him great: he was lifted up on them; and though he walked in the flesh, in weakness and fear and much trembling, he could confront undaunted the pride and the wisdom of the world, and compel them to acknowledge his Lord.
This meaning is brought out more precisely in the words with which he continues-“bringing every, thought, into captivity” to the obedience of Christ. If we suppose a special reference here to the Corinthians, it will be natural to take (“thought”) in a practical sense-as, e.g., in 2Co 2:2, where it is rendered “devices.” The Corinthians had notions of their own, apparently, about how a Church should be regulated-wild, undisciplined, disorderly notions; and in the absence of the Apostle they were experimenting with them freely. It is part of his work to catch these runaway thoughts, and make them obedient to Christ again. It seems, however, much more natural to allow the wilder reference of to the whole of Pauls apostolic work; and then also will be taken in a less restricted sense. Mens minds, and all that goes on in their minds ( covers both: see 2Co 2:11; 2Co 3:14; 2Co 4:4), are by nature lawless: they are without the sense of responsibility to guard and consecrate the sense of freedom. When the Gospel makes them captive, this lawless liberty comes to an end. The mind, in all its operations, comes under law to Christ: in its every thought it is obedient to Him. The supremacy which Christ claims and exercises is over the whole nature: the Christian man feels that nothing-not even a thought-lies beyond the range in which obedience is due to Him. This practical conviction will not paralyse thinking in the very least, but it will extinguish many useless and bad thoughts, and give their due value to all.
The Apostle descends unmistakably from the general to the particular in 2Co 10:6 “Being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” Apparently what he contemplates in Corinth is a disobedience which in part at least will refuse to surrender to Christ. There is a spirit abroad there, in the Judaists especially, and in those whom they have influenced, which will not bend, and must be broken. How Paul means to take vengeance on it, he does not say. He is confident himself that the divinely powerful weapons which he wields will enable him to master it, and that is enough. Whatever the shape the disobedience may assume,-hostility to the Gospel of Paul, as subversive of the law; hostility to his apostolic claims, as unequal to those of the Twelve; hostility to the practical authority he asserted in Churches of his founding, and to the moral ideas he established there,-whatever the face which opposition may present, he declares himself ready to humble it. One limitation only he imposes on himself-he will do this, “when the obedience of the Corinthians is fulfilled.” He expressly distinguishes the Church as a whole from those who represent or Constitute the disobedient party. There have been misunderstandings between the Church and himself; but as 2Co 1:1-24; 2Co 2:1-17; 2Co 3:1-18; 2Co 4:1-18; 2Co 5:1-21; 2Co 6:1-18; 2Co 7:1-16 show, these have been so far overcome: the body of the Church has reconciled itself to its founder; it has returned, so to speak, to its allegiance to Paul, and has busied itself in carrying out his will. When this process, at present only in course, is completed, his way will be clear. He will be able to act with severity and decision against those who have troubled the Church, without running any risk of hurting the Church itself. This leads again to the reflection that, with all his high consciousness of spiritual power, with all his sense of personal wrong, the most remarkable characteristic of Paul is love. He waits to the last moment before he resorts to severer measures; and he begs those who may suffer from them, begs them by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, to spare him such pain.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: William Kelly Major Works (New Testament)
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible
Fuente: International Critical Commentary New Testament
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
Fuente: The Sermon Bible
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: F. B. Hole’s Old and New Testaments Commentary
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Grant’s Numerical Bible Notes and Commentary
Fuente: James Gray’s Concise Bible Commentary
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: John Darby’s Synopsis of the New Testament
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Grant’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Beet’s Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament
Fuente: Cornelius Lapide Commentary
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary