@2Co 10:1-18. HE VINDICATES HIS APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY AGAINST THOSE WHO DEPRECIATED HIM FOR HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE. HE WILL MAKE HIS POWER FELT WHEN HE COMES. HE BOASTS NOT, AS THEY, BEYOND HIS MEASURE.
1. I Paul myself--no longer "we," "us," "our" (@2Co 9:11): I who am represented by depreciators as "base," I, the same Paul,
of my own accord "beseech you"; or rather "entreat," "exhort" you
for your sake. As "I beseech you" (a distinct Greek verb,
@2Co 10:2) for my sake.
by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--He mentions these graces
of Christ especially (@Ps 18:35 Mt 11:29), as on account of his
imitation of them in particular he was despised [GROTIUS]. He entreats
them by these, in order to show that though he must have recourse to
more severe measures, he is naturally inclined to gentle ones after
Christ'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, "By the meekness and gentleness
derived by me from Christ," not from my own nature: he objects to
understanding it of Christ's meekness and gentleness, since nowhere
else is "gentleness" attributed to Him. But though the exact Greek word is not applied to Him, the idea expressed by it is (compare
@Isa 40:11 Mt 12:19,20).
in presence--in personal appearance when present with you.
base--Greek, "lowly"; timid, humbly diffident: opposed to "bold."
"Am" stands here by ironical concession for "am reputed to be" (compare
@2Co 10:10).
2. I beseech you--Intimating that, as he can beseech in letters,
so he can be severe in their presence.
that I may not be--that I may not have to be bold, &c.
with that confidence--that authoritative sternness.
I think--I am minded to be.
as if we walked according to the flesh--His Corinthian detractors
judged of him by themselves, as if he were influenced by fleshly
motives, the desire of favor or fear of giving offense, so as not to
exercise his authority when present.
3. For--Reason why they should regard him "beseeching" them (@2Co 10:2) not to oblige him to have recourse to "bold" and stern exercise of authority. "We walk IN the flesh," and so in weakness: but not "ACCORDING TO the flesh" (@2Co 10:2). Moreover, though we WALK in it, we do not WAR according to it. A double contrast or antithesis. "They who accuse us of walking after the flesh, shall find [to their cost] that we do not war after the flesh; therefore compel us not to use our weapons" [ALFORD].
4. A confutation of those who try to propagate their creed by force
and persecution (compare @Lu 9:54-56).
weapons--for punishing offending members
(@2Co 10:6 1Co 4:21 5:5,13); boldness of speech, ecclesiastical
discipline (@2Co 10:8 2Co 13:10), the power of the word, and of the
sacraments, the various extraordinary gifts of the Spirit.
carnal--Translate, "fleshly," to preserve the allusion to
@2Co 10:2,3.
mighty through God--Greek, "mighty to God," that is, mighty before
God: not humanly, but divinely powerful. The power is not ours, but
God's. Compare "fair to God," that is, divinely fair
(@Ac 7:20, Margin). Also above
(@2Co 2:15), "unto God a sweet savor."
"The efficacy of the Christian religion proves its truth"
[BENGEL].
pulling down--As the Greek is the same as in @2Co 10:5,
translate, "casting down." Compare @Jer 1:10: the inspired servants
of God inherit the commission of the Old Testament prophets.
strongholds--(@Pr 21:22); namely, in which sinners entrench
themselves against reproof; all that opposes itself to Christ; the
learning, and eloquence, and philosophical subtleties on which the
Corinthians prided themselves. So Joshua's trumpet blast was "mighty"
under God to overthrow the walls of Jericho.
5. imaginations--rather, "reasonings." Whereas "thought" expresses
men's own purpose and determination of living after their own
pleasure [TITTMANN].
high thing--So it ought to be translated (@Ro 8:39). A distinct
Greek word from that in @Eph 3:18, "height," and @Re 21:16,
which belongs to God and heaven from whence we receive nothing hurtful.
But "high thing" is not so much "height" as something made high, and
belongs to those regions of air where the powers of darkness ::exalt
themselves" against Christ and us (@Eph 2:2 6:12 2Th 2:4).
exalteth itself--@2Th 2:4 supports English Version rather
than the translation of ELLICOTT, &c., "is lifted up." Such were the
high towers of Judaic self-righteousness, philosophic speculations,
and rhetorical sophistries, the "knowledge" so much prized by many
(opposed to "the knowledge of God"), which endangered a section of the
Corinthian Church.
against the knowledge of God--True knowledge makes men humble.
Where there is exaltation of self, there knowledge of God is wanting
[BENGEL]. Arrange the words following thus: "Bringing every thought
(that is, intent of the mind or will) into captivity to the
obedience of Christ," that is, to obey Christ. The three steps of the
apostle's spiritual warfare are: (1) It demolishes what is opposed to
Christ; (2) It leads captive; (3) It brings into obedience to Christ
(@Ro 1:5 16:26). The "reasonings" (English Version, "imaginations") are utterly "cast down." The "mental intents"
(English Version, "thoughts") are taken willing captives, and tender
the voluntary obedience of faith to Christ the Conqueror.
6. Translate, "Having ourselves (that is, being) in readiness to
exact punishment for all disobedience," &c. We have this in store for
the disobedient: it will be brought into action in due time.
when your obedience, &c.--He charitably assumes that most of the
Corinthian Church will act obediently; therefore he says
"YOUR
obedience." But perhaps some will act otherwise; in order, therefore, to
give all an opportunity of joining the obedient, he will not prematurely
exact punishment, but wait until the full number of those gathered out
to Christ has been "completed," and the remainder have been proved
incorrigible. He had acted already so at Corinth (@Ac 18:6-11;
compare @Ex 32:34 Mt 13:28-30).
7. Do ye regard mere outward appearance (mere external recommendations,
personal appearance, voice, manner, oratory of teachers
present face to face, such as they admired in the false teachers to
the disparagement of Paul, @2Co 10:10;
see on 2Co 5:12)?
Even in outward bearing when I shall be
present with you (in contrast to "by letters," @2Co 10:9) I
will show that I am more really armed with the authority of Christ, than
those who arrogate to themselves the title of being peculiarly
"Christ's" (@1Co 1:12). A Jewish emissary seems to have led this
party.
let him of himself think this again--He may "of himself," without
needing to be taught it in a more severe manner, by "thinking again,"
arrive at "this" conclusion, "that even as," &c. Paul modestly demands
for himself only an equal place with those whom he had begotten in the
Gospel [BENGEL].
8. "For even if I were to boast somewhat more exceedingly
(than I do, @2Co 10:3-6) of our (apostolic) authority
(@2Co 10:6 2Co 13:10) . . . I should not be put
to shame (by the fact; as I should be if my authority proved to be
without foundation: my threats of punishment not being carried into
effect)."
for edification . . . not for . . . destruction--Greek, "for
building up . . . not for . . .
CASTING DOWN" (the same Greek as in
@2Co 10:5):the image of a building as in @2Co 10:4,5. Though we
"cast down reasonings," this is not in order to destroy, but really to
build up ("edify"), by removing those things which are hindrances to
edification, and testing what is unsound, and putting together all that
is true in the building [CHRYSOSTOM].
9. I say this lest I should seem to be terrifying you, as children, with empty threats [BENGEL]. ESTIUS explains, "I might boast more of my authority, but I forbear to do so, that I may not seem as if," &c. But this ellipsis is harsh: and @2Co 10:10,11 confirm BENGEL'S view.
10. letters--implying that there had been already more letters of
Paul received by the Corinthians than the one we have, namely, First
Corinthians; and that they contained strong reproofs.
say they--Greek, "says one," "such a one" (@2Co 10:11) seems
to point to some definite individual. Compare @Ga 5:10; a similar
slanderer was in the Galatian Church.
weak--(@2Co 12:7 1Co 2:3). There was nothing of majesty or
authority in his manner; he bore himself tremblingly among them, whereas
the false teachers spoke with authoritative bearing and language.
11. think this--"consider this."
such will we be--or "are," in general, not merely shall we be at
our next visit.
12. "We do not presume (irony) to judge ourselves among, or in
comparison with, some of them that commend themselves." The charge
falsely brought against him of commending himself (@2Co 3:1 5:12),
really holds good of the false teachers. The phrase, "judge ourselves of
the number," is drawn from the testing of athletes and senators, the
"approved" being set down on the roll [WAHL].
measuring themselves by themselves--"among themselves": to
correspond to the previous verb, "judge ourselves among them."
Instead of measuring themselves by the public standard, they measure
themselves by one made by themselves: they do not compare themselves
with others who excel them, but with those like themselves: hence their
high self-esteem. The one-eyed is easily king among the blind.
are not wise--with all their boasted "wisdom" (@1Co 1:19-26),
they are anything but "wise."
13. not boast . . . without . . . measure--Greek, "to unmeasured
bounds." There is no limit to a man's high opinion of himself, so long
as he measures himself by himself (@2Co 10:13) and his fellows, and
does not compare himself with his superiors. It marks the personal character of this Epistle that the word "boast" occurs twenty-nine times
in it, and only twenty-six times in all the other Epistles put together.
Undeterred by the charge of vanity, he felt he must vindicate his
apostolic authority by facts [CONYBEARE and
HOWSON]. It would be to
"boast of things without our measure," were we to boast of conversions
made by "other men's labors" (@2Co 10:15).
distributed--apportioned [ALFORD].
a measure--as a measure [ALFORD].
to reach--"that we should reach as far as even to you": not that he
meant to go no further (@2Co 10:16 Ro 15:20-24). Paul's "measure" is
the apportionment of his sphere of Gospel labors ruled for him
by God. A "rule" among the so-called "apostolic canons" subsequently
was, that no bishop should appoint ministers beyond his own limits. At
Corinth no minister ought to have been received without Paul's sanction,
as Corinth was apportioned to him by God as his apostolic sphere. The Epistle here incidentally, and therefore undesignedly, confirms the
independent history, the Acts, which represents Corinth as the extreme
limit as yet of his preaching, at which he had stopped, after he
had from Philippi passed southward successively through Amphipolis,
Apollonia, Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens [PALEY,
Horæ Paulinæ].
14. "We are not stretching ourselves beyond our measure, as (we should be) if we did not reach unto you: (but we do), for as far as even to you have we come in preaching the Gospel."
15. "Not boasting to unmeasured bounds (that is, not exceeding our own
bounds by boasting) of
(literally, 'in') other men's labors."
when--"As your faith goes on increasing." The cause of his not yet
reaching with the Gospel the regions beyond Corinth, was the weakness as
yet of their faith. He desired not to leave the Corinthians before the
proper time, and yet not to put off preaching to others too long.
enlarged by you--Greek, "in your case." Our success in your case
will give us an important step towards further progress beyond you
(@2Co 10:16).
according to our rule--according to our divinely assigned
apportionment of the area or sphere of our work; for "we stretch not
ourselves beyond our measure" (@2Co 10:14).
abundantly--Greek, "unto exceeding abundance": so as to exceed
the limits we have yet reached (@2Co 10:16).
16. To--that is, so as to preach . . . beyond you (and) not to
boast, &c.
in another man's line of things made ready to our hand--Do not connect
"line of things," &c.; but "boast of things," &c. To make this
clearer, arrange the words thus, "Not to boast as to things (already
made by the preaching of others) ready to our hand in another man's line
(that is, within the line, or sphere of labor, apportioned by God to
another)."
17. glorieth--Translate, to accord with @2Co 10:16, "boasteth." In contrast to his opponents' practice of boasting in another's line or sphere, Paul declares the only true boasting is in the Lord (@1Co 1:31 15:10).
18. (@Pr 27:2).
whom the Lord commendeth--to whom the Lord has given as His "Epistle
of commendation," the believers whom he has been the instrument of
converting: as was Paul's case (@2Co 3:1-3).
is approved--can stand the test of the final trial. A metaphor from
testing metals (@Ro 16:10 1Co 11:19). So on the other hand those
finally rejected by the Lord are termed "reprobate silver"
(@Jer 6:30).