Second Corinthians Chapter 10/Commentary

Second Corinthians Chapter 10

Outline: I.

Paul begins to answer his critics: 10:1-2

II.

The weapons of his warfare: 10:3-6

III.

Paul's consistency: 10:7-12

IV.

His appointed realm of service: 10:13-18

‘Regarding the coherence of II Corinthians, the sequence is as follows: Paul explains that his plan to visit Corinth earlier had been set aside in order to spare them; he had, however, crossed from Troas to Macedonia in his impatience to meet Titus with news from Corinth (1:23-2:13); there follows the great ‘parenthesis’ (2:14-7:4), and then the resumption of the account of his meeting with Titus (7:5-16); next he informs them that he is sending Titus with two brethren to organize the collection to its conclusion (chapters 8 and 9); and now, finally, he is preparing the way for his own coming to Corinth close on the heels of Titus and the two brethren (chapters 10-13)” (Hughes pp. 343-344). “The marked change in tone is to be attributed to the fact that the Apostle's sternest remarks refer not to the Corinthians in general but to the unscrupulous false teachers who were seeking to undermine his authority and to corrupt their faith, and to those of the Corinthians who were allowing themselves 1

to be misled by these intruders” (Hughes p. 343. “There is a definite break in the Epistle at the end of chapter 9 as the apostle turns to deal with the recalcitrant (disobedient) minority at Corinth who, in contrast to the great majority of the Corinthian Christians, have not been loyal to him but are listening all too eagerly to the specious claims of certain false shepherds who have intruded into the fold of the Corinthian church” (Tasker p. 131).

2 Corinthians 10:1 “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” “Now I Paul myself”: “As it is Paul's authority which they have questioned, he abandons the plural authorship in this verse, dissociates himself from Timothy (1:1), and makes a purely personal appeal to this group of dissentients. Similar personal appeals are to be found in Galatians 5:2, Ephesians 3:1, and Philemon 19” (Tasker p.

131). “The very Paul who is disparaged and misrepresented by his opponents is the one who speaks with the apostolic authority vested in him by Christ” (F.F. Bruce p.

229). “But as he now prepares to deal with his enemies and matters personal to himself, he disengages himself from all entangling fellowships and steps forth alone to defend his name and influence” (McGarvey p. 220). “If the language is stern and passionate, Paul is not to be condemned as self-conscious and ill-tempered. He believes that the life of the Corinthian church is at stake. He speaks not with personal pique (irritation) but as an apostle of Christ. He is not willing to allow the work of his Master to be destroyed by false teachers who have been attempting to corrupt the church” (Erdman p. 102). “Entreat you”: “Now I am going to appeal to you personally” (Phi). We should pay close attention to what type of attitude Paul is making this entreaty. Even though some of the Corinthians have believed the false accusations of his enemies, he is still giving some of the Corinthians a chance to repent. “He urges and begs the Corinthians not to put his courage to the test when he gets to Corinth, i.e. not to listen to his enemies who say that Paul is brave only when he is away from Corinth” (Lenski p. 1196).

“Meekness”: “Considerateness, unassumingness” (F.F. Bruce p. 229). “Is essentially an inward virtue, a grace of the Christian who is prepared to accept the discipline of God without dispute or resistance, remembering that He often uses the insults and injuries of evil men for the chastening and purifying of His people. The meekness of Jesus was preeminently shown in His submission to the wrongs inflicted upon Him in 2

the discharge of His ministry as God's suffering Servant” (Tasker p. 132). “Aristotle defined it as the correct mean between being too angry and being never angry at all.

It describes the man who is never angry at any personal wrong or insult or injury he may receive. By using that word Paul is saying at the very beginning of his stern letter that he is not carried away by personal anger and rage, that he is speaking with the strong gentleness of Jesus Himself” (Barclay p. 266). “Is the word in which strength and gentleness are perfectly combined, is the character which is at once passionate and gentle in the highest degree and has to do with that lowliness and humility in which there is no arrogance and in which there is only the delight to serve. It is the spirit in which to learn (James 1:21), the spirit in which a man knows his own ignorance, in which he is humble enough to know that he does not know, which can open the mind to the truth, and the heart to the love of God. The root meaning is self-control. It is the complete control of the passionate part of our nature. It is when we have meekness that we treat all men with perfect courtesy, that we can rebuke without rancor, that we can argue without intolerance, that we can face the truth without resentment, that we can be angry and yet sin not, that we can be gentle and yet not weak” (Flesh and Spirit. Barclay pp. 114-121).

“Gentleness”: “Yieldingness” (F.F. Bruce p. 229). “Fairness, forbearance, sympathetic consideration for others, sweet reasonableness” (P.P. Comm. p. 238). ‘The man who does not press for the last farthing of his rights” (Robertson p. 251). Even though Paul has been insulted and wronged, he is letting the Corinthians know that he is ready to forgive. They are being given a chance to separate from the false teachers, before he arrives. “It must be noted that, however passionate he may attack his opponents, he never loses his self-control, or his consciousness that he is a servant of Jesus Christ” (Erdman p. 103). This lets the Corinthian's know that Paul is not out for personal revenge or retaliation. Even attacks aimed at our character and person, don't give the Christian the right to respond in a sinful manner. In this section we also learn something about "meekness and gentleness".

“The popular misconception that meekness and gentleness are incompatible with sternness is refuted by the example of Christ Himself, who not only could imperiously drive the grasping money-changers out of the temple with a scourge (John 2:14ff), but could also denounce false teachers and hypocrites in the severest possible terms (cf.

Matthew 23)” (Hughes p. 345).

“Of Christ”: See Matthew 11:29. “The spirit and example of Christ provide the norm which should govern all Christian conduct” (Hughes p. 345). “I who in your presence 3

am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you”: “I, so feeble (you say) when I am face to face with you, so brave when I am away” (NEB).

‘The Paul who is humble when face to face with you, but so bold in dealing with you when he is far away!” (Gspd). “It is the cruel sneer of his enemies which he quotes.

His conduct had been basely misconstrued as weakness and cowardice” (Erdman p.

104). “This is a quotation. This is what those enemies say regarding Paul: ‘Yes, when he is here with you in Corinth he puts on a lowly face and acts, oh, so humble!

Brave?---well, only when he is away at a safe distance from you he becomes brave and sends brave, strong language in his letters! He has not the courage to face you in regard to anything; he struts courageously only when he is far away” (Lenski p.

1199). Paul's enemies had made the mistake of thinking that Paul's humility (1 Corinthians 2:3) was cowardice. Unfortunately the same misjudgments are made today. Unfaithful Christians still take advantage of the kindness, trust, humility and patience of faithful Christians today.

2 Corinthians 10:2 “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” “That I may not when present show courage with confidence”: “I implore you not to drive me to show my boldness when I do come” (TCNT). “What I ask is, that you will not force me to deal boldly with you when we meet” (Knox). “Wherewith I count to be bold”: “With which I propose to be courageous” (NASV). “Which I expect to have to adopt towards some of you” (TCNT). Paul is telling the Corinthians, please set things in order, separate yourselves from sin and these false teachers, so he will not have to be stern and severe when he comes. Again, their actions will determine how Paul will act when he finally arrives (1 Corinthians 4:21). “Against some”: In this phrase I see Paul saying to the Corinthians, separate yourselves from the false teachers and repent, because I will be severe against "some", and you don't want to be in that number. “These fellows will get their full dose of it; and Paul begs only that he may not have to include a few deceived Corinthians” (Lenski p. 1201). Paul does not relish confrontation, neither does he thrive on humiliating people and tearing down opponents. He would rather see people repentant than rebuked harshly.

“Who”: This is the opinion of Paul that "some" in Corinth were entertaining, and here is what the false teachers thought of Paul personally. “Count of us”: “Who 4

regard us” (NASV). “As if we walked according to the flesh”: “Who are expecting to find us influenced in our conduct by earthly motives” (TCNT). “Who suspect me of acting from worldly motives” (Gspd). “Who think we rely on merely human powers” (Knox). “Who will persist in reckoning that our activities are on the purely human level” (Phi). Since Paul's opponents were worldly minded themselves, they thought that Paul was governed by the same hidden motives that governed them. They took Paul's patience and gentleness to be fear and cowardice. They were "counting" on the fact that he was governed by self-interest. The world often misjudges the Christian. They think that we are into religion for selfish purposes or they think that we have an angle or that all our dedication arises from sinister motives. Many nonChristians, especially those individuals who are skeptical or antagonistic to the gospel message are completely unprepared to deal with a sincere Christian.

2 Corinthians 10:3 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh” “For though we walk in the flesh”: In the sense of living in the physical body (Galatians 2:20). “In this latter sense the flesh is the equivalent of the frail earthen vessel (4:7), of our outward man which is decaying (4:16), and of the earthly house of our tabernacle which is dissolved in death (5:1)” (Hughes p. 349). “we do not war according to the flesh”: Paul's opponents are expecting Paul and his fellowworkers to fight with the same type of methods which they have used against Paul, such as, slander, trickery, and false accusations. Paul does not have to resort to such tactics.

2 Corinthians 10:4 “(for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds)” “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh”: “Carnal weapons, such a human cleverness or ingenuity, organizing ability, eloquent diatribe, powerful propaganda, or reliance on charm or forcefulness of personality. Such carnal weapons may win superficial or temporary victories, but it soon becomes evident that evil has not been driven from its fortress” (Tasker p. 134). “But mighty before God”: “Mighty in God's estimation or mighty for God's service” (Tasker p. 134).

“Divinely powerful” (NASV). The Christian is involved in a warfare (Ephesians 6:1118; 2 Timothy 2:3-4; 4:7). “This constitutes an admonition to the Church and particularly to her leaders, for the temptation is ever present to meet the challenge 5

of the world, which is under the sway of the evil one, with the carnal weapons of this world--with human wisdom and philosophy, with the attractions of secular entertainment, with the display of massive organization--a secularized Church is a Church which, having adopted the standards of the world, has ceased to fight and is herself overshadowed by the powers of darkness” (Hughes p. 350.)

“To the casting down”: “Demolish strongholds” (NEB). “The word for ‘pulling down’, which implies the entire clearance of an obstacle” (P.P. Comm. p. 239).

“Strongholds”: The strongholds under consideration are specified in the next verse.

Yet basically, all such strongholds are human attempts to hide from God and to deny one's accountability to Him (Romans 1:18-32). Lenski has a fine thought when he says, “Paul lost some whom he could not win or could no hold for Christ. He grieved over these. Jesus shed tears over Jerusalem. But none of these losses, not even the loss of Jerusalem and of the Jews as a nation, constituted a defeat of the gospel.

The victories went on and on” (p. 1206).

2 Corinthians 10:5 “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” “Imaginations”: “I demolish theories” (Mof). “Our battle is to bring down every deceptive fantasy” (Phi). “We are destroying speculations” (NASV). “Reasonings or imaginations are treated as forts or citadels to be conquered” (Robertson pp. 252251). “They may be impressive philosophies, findings of science (or so-called science)” (Lenski p. 1207). “The strongholds which the Christian assails and overthrows with his spiritual weapons are now more precisely defined, and it is noticeable that they belong to the realm of will and intellect, man's inner motives are the fount of his action; mind and will determine his conduct. This is true of all men without exception the Christian warfare is aimed at the casting down of the reasonings which are the strongholds whereby the unbelieving mind seeks to fortify itself against the truths of divine grace” (Hughes pp. 351-352).

The most important battles have always been waged within the minds of each individual. Who will control your life? To whom will you yield allegiance? Satan or God? What will you believe, truth or error? (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). All apostasy begins in the mind. Rebellion against God always starts in the thoughts (Romans 1:21; Ephesians 4:17; 2:3; 2 Timothy 2:26). Hence, a person cannot become a 6

Christian until they start thinking differently.

“And every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God”: “And every barrier of pride which sets itself up against the true knowledge of God” (Knox). “And all that rears its proud head against the knowledge of God” (NEB). “He is equipped to deal with and to destroy all the plausible cleverness of human wisdom and human pride” (Barclay p. 268). “Paul aims to pull down the topmost perch of audacity in their reasonings against the knowledge of God. We need Paul's skill and courage today” (Robertson p. 253). “This metaphor emphasizes the defiant and mutinous nature of sin: sinful man does not wish to know God; he wishes himself to be the self-sufficient center of his universe” (Hughes p. 352). “High” or “lofty” thing (NASV), infers that all falsehoods start with and are spread by those people who are too full of themselves.

“And bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”: “We make every mind surrender to Christ's service” (Knox). “We compel every human thought to surrender in obedience to Christ” (NEB). “Every thought”: “Every intellectual result” (P.P. Comm. p. 239). “That is Paul's conception of intellectual liberty, freedom in Christ” (Robertson p. 253). “These prisoners are the thoughts--the cogitations and intentions--of man's mind, and they are led captive, every one of them, into the obedience of Christ. In this way the genuine Christian position is established. The rebellion of the human heart is quelled, the truth of God prevails, and the divine sovereignty is acknowledged” (Hughes p. 353).

2 Corinthians 10:6 “and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full” “Being in readiness to avenge all disobedience”: “And are fully prepared to punish every act of rebellion” (TCNT). “I am prepared to court-martial anyone who remains insubordinate” (Mof). “In readiness”: “Being quite prepared” (P.P. Comm. p. 239).

“Avenge”: To met out justice. “Paul is now holding himself in readiness to arraign and punish every case of disobedience and treachery” (Hughes p. 354). “When your obedience shall be made full”: Paul has the power of passing sentence, whether the effects of such sentence will be immediately evident (as in the case of Peter and Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5:10), or Elymas (Acts 13:6-12), or not. Ye Paul wants the Corinthians to know that the time to repent is now available before he arrives in person. “The punishment he administers will not be indiscriminate, for the true7

hearted will have ample opportunity for displaying their loyalty by openly taking their stand with him” (Hughes p. 354). God is kind, the opportunity to repent is available (2 Peter 3:9). “The military metaphor continued. After most have surrendered and thus fulfilled their obedience, some rebels may remain, and these will be punished” (Vincent p. 341).

Despite all appearances, his apostolical authority is weighty: 2 Corinthians 10:7 “Ye look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ's, so also are we” “Ye look at the things that are before you face”: “You are looking at things as they are outwardly” (NASV). “Look at this obvious fact” (Mof). “Look these facts in the face” (Mon). “He warns the Corinthians against being misled by appearances and by superficial judgments. They should look deeper. They should not be so easily misled by the foolish boasts of the false teachers” (Erdman p. 105). “Paul's critics may disparage him, but if only the Corinthians reflect on what they know of him (cf.

12:12), they must conclude that his credentials are as valid as any that his critics can claim” (F.F. Bruce p. 231). “Face the obvious facts, the facts so well known to them regarding Paul and his apostleship” (Hughes p. 355). “If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ's”: “Let any one, who is confident that he belongs to Christ” (TCNT).

“Any man” probably doesn't refer to any specific opponent in Corinth (11:13). For reasons best known to themselves a segment of the Corinthian Church seemed to look down on the Apostle Paul. It is hard to imagine, but the truth is that certain professed Christians claimed to have a superior spirituality to that of the Apostle Paul. “He is Christ's”: “Prides himself on specially belonging to what he regards as the party of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:12)” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 96). This may have reference to the false teachers in Corinth, but if it does, then it is a statement of irony, Paul absolutely denies that these false teachers have any relationship with Christ (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Yet a more plausible view seems to be that Paul is addressing those in Corinth who have been deceived by these false teachers. “Let him consider this again with himself”: “Let him think this out for himself” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 96). Paul says you need to re-think this. “Even as he is Christ's, so also are we”: “That we belong to Christ every bit as much as he” (Phi). “The whole Corinthian congregation got its Christianity from Paul and his assistants. They learned from Paul what really 8

makes a Christian. Any man in Corinth who thus judged himself a Christian would certainly not deny that Paul and his assistants were likewise Christians” (Lenski p.

1214). At this juncture, it is well to note a few observations concerning Paul's enemies: (1) They were intruders from without: (3:1) (2) They appear to have taught "judaizing doctrines" (i.e. trying to bind the various laws of the O.T. upon Christians): (3:6) (3) They were mercenary-minded: (11:7-9, 12:13-18).

2 Corinthians 10:8 “For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame” “For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority”: “Somewhat abundantly”: ‘Even if I should boast somewhat further about our authority” (NASV). “Somewhat more abundantly than I have” (Robertson p. 253).

“Than I have already done in vv. 3-6” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 96). “Paul's ‘glorying’ was never hollow or self-centered. He is, in fact, preparing the way for a ‘boastful’ section which is necessary for the purpose of vindicating his own apostolic authority” (Hughes p. 359). “Which the Lord gave”: “It was not an authority he had usurped or assumed to himself. Hence he was in no sense guilty of infringing the precept, so much emphasized by him, that he who glories should glory in the Lord (10:17; 1 Corinthians 1:31)” (Hughes p. 359). See Acts 26:16.

“For building you up”: Before edification (spiritual building) can take place, false concepts must be removed (10:3-5). Proper attitudes are essential for good spiritual growth (James 1:21; 1 Peter 2:1-3). The truth isn't destructive, but error is (2 Timothy 2:17; Titus 1:10-11). “And not for casting you down”: “Not for demolishing you” (Mof). Yet these false teachers will destroy them (2 Peter 2:1-3; 18-22). “I shall not be put to shame”: “I don't think I have done anything to be ashamed of” (Phi).

“He could do so without any sense of shame due to exaggeration or false pride. For the facts spoke for themselves” (Tasker p. 137).

2 Corinthians 10:9 “that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters” “If I would terrify you by my letters”: “So you must not think of me as one who scares you by the letters he writes” (NEB). This is what his opponents claimed (10:10). But this accusation is obviously untrue. The authority that Jesus had given Paul wasn't given to terrify Christians, but to build them up (10:8). “His purpose in 9

writing so severely is not to terrify them, but to build them up” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 97).

“He has no intention of terrifying them out of their wits by the letters he writes, as though putting on a show of authority from a safe distance” (Hughes p. 361).

2 Corinthians 10:10 “For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account” “Letters”: Notice the plural. By this time Paul had written many letters and these were in the hands of the early Christians. Even the false teachers had read these letters. “They say”: The false teachers. “Are weighty”: Burdensome, grievous, and heavy. “Impressive and forceful” (Wms). ”He sounds big, but it's all noise” (Tay). “So as to scare one” (Lenski p. 1218).

The term here also could mean "oppressive, painful". Often people claim that the Bible is a document that "oppresses" people, yet such is false (1 John 5:3). The Scriptures liberate man (John 8:32). “As Menzies remarks, we have here ‘a valuable testimony to the impression the Epistles of Paul at once produced when they were written; they were felt to be grave and important utterances’. This characteristic they have never lost” (Tasker p. 138).

“But his bodily presence is weak”: “His personality is weak” (Mof). “But his personal appearance is insignificant” (Gspd). “When he gets here you will see that there is nothing great about him” (Tay). “It is unlikely that one who was so inured (accustomed) to incessant hardship and journeying could be described as a weakling” (Hughes p. 362). Considering what Paul went through to preach Christ (2 Corinthians 11:22-33), it is clear that he was in good physical health. Hence, the bodily presence here must refer more to the impression, general deportment and impact that Paul made when in person (1 Corinthians 2:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 2:7).

This indicates how Paul interacted with Christians. He did not toss his apostolic weight around or insist that everyone serve him, rather he often was the servant, who was trying to help others. He was not harsh, brash, offensive, caustic or aloof.

In fact, this accusation seems to suggest, that Paul was too "kind, merciful, compassionate, tender and gentle" for the tastes of the selfish false teachers. “Like so many who judge things according to the outward display of this world, Paul's opponents interpreted meekness as weakness, forbearance as cowardice, and gentleness as indecision” (Hughes p. 362).

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“And his speech of no account”: “His delivery is beneath contempt” (Mof). “And as a speaker he amounts to nothing” (Gspd). “And you have never heard a worse preacher” (Tay). Other audiences had a different impression of Paul as a speaker (Acts 14:12). “The Greek veneration of human wisdom and of eloquence for the sake of eloquence made it relatively simple for his calumniators in Corinth to pour scorn on his unprofessional manner of speaking in public. Paul, however, was not concerned with superficial finesse which charms the ear without touching the heart” (Hughes pp. 362-363). “The man who made the addresses which Luke sketches in Acts, which on occasion were very dramatic, some of them impromptu at that, was indeed no shallow, glittering Tertullus (Acts 24:1-8) but a real speaker.

What else could a man be who stormed the citadels of the great pagan world with indomitable courage and established churches everywhere in spite of fierce opposition? Let no Corinthian slander deceive us in regard to Paul” (Lenski pp.

1218-1219).

2 Corinthians 10:11 “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” “Let such a one”: “Such people had better understand” (Gspd). Anyone who believes and sides with such slander as mentioned in the previous verse. “I will say to him that he had better count on this” (Lenski p. 1219). “Such are we also in deed when we are present”: Which he has already informed them concerning (1 Corinthians 4:21), and warns them at the end of this letter (13:2,10). When push comes to shove, when repentance is spurned, Paul can manifest as much severity as he needs to deal with the unrepentant in Corinth. Paul certainly had no problem in being severe (Acts 13:6-12; 46; Acts 16:37). Or in standing up to the opposition (Acts 26:24-26).

Paul’s appointed sphere of service 2 Corinthians 10:12 “For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding” “For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with”: “I do not indeed 11

venture to class or compare myself with” (Gspd). “Bold”: “The apostle has been accused by his opponents of cowardice. He here makes an ironical confession that in one matter he is indeed a coward! He will not dare to class himself among, or to compare himself with those who make self-commendation, unsupported by any corroborating evidence” (Tasker p. 139). “Number or compare”: “To place in the same category with” (Vincent p. 343). “Certain of them that commend themselves”: That is, the false teachers. “Certain individuals who approve of themselves” (Gspd). “As those who write their own testimonials” (Phi). “Measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves”: “Is to measure themselves by their own standards or by comparisons within their own circle” (Phi). “Measuring themselves against their own little ideas” (Tay). “To find in themselves their own standard of comparison” (NEB). “These enemies of the apostle form a mutual admiration society. Their own achievements constitute their standard of excellence” (Erdman p. 108). “That is the mark of so many deceivers: they everlastingly sing their own praises. Yet they always find foolish people who accept them on that basis” (Lenski p. 1221). So many people in the world, even in the religious world are of the same stripe as these false teachers. The only "standard" they recognize is "themselves". Their opinion, view, actions are always right, for the very simple reason such things are what they want to think and how they want to act. Thus such people never seem to be convicted to change, for they always measure up 100% to their own standard.

“Are without understanding”: “And that doesn't make for accurate estimation, you may be sure” (Phi). “They don't show good sense” (Beck). They are without understanding, because such people are blinded by pride (Proverbs 8:13; 11:2; 16:18; 29:23).

2 Corinthians 10:13 “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” “But”: In contrast to those who use a short-sighted and arrogant standard of measure. “We”: Paul and his co-workers. “Will not glory beyond our measure”: “Will not boast beyond our due limits” (Wey). “With us there will be no attempt to boast beyond our proper sphere” (NEB). “Measure”: The conceit of Paul's opponents knows no bounds. “But according to the measured of the province which God apportioned to us as a measure”: “But within the measure of the sphere 12

which God apportioned to us as a measure” (NASV). “But will keep within the limit of the field which God has assigned to us as a limit” (Wey). “It is determined by limits of the sphere marked out for me by God” (Mof). “Our goal is to measure up to God's plan for us” (Tay). “Measured”: “In this verse, it has the sense of the area measured out and allotted to Paul” (Tasker p. 141). “Province”: A standard, boundary or sphere. Paul is saying that a sphere of evangelism had been given him

by God and he confines himself to measuring himself by how well he has performed in this area apportioned by God. Certain "rules" governed Paul's preaching: (1) Gentiles had to be included in those to whom he preached (Acts 9:15), a fact that was recognized by other apostles (Galatians 2:9). (2) He was to avoid building on other men's foundations (Romans 15:20), which meant that he was to break into new territory with the gospel.

“To reach even unto you”: Corinth came within the sphere given him by God. It was new territory for the gospel and it was predominately Gentile in composition. And God wanted Paul to preach here (Acts 18:10).

2 Corinthians 10:14 “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” “We stretch not ourselves overmuch”: “For we are not overextending ourselves” (NASV).”There is no straining of authority on our part” (Wey). “Nobody can say that we are encroaching” (Knox). In coming to Corinth to preach, Paul had not overrun the prescribed limits. He was not an intruder (which apparently his opponents claimed), and he was not meddling in the affairs of a congregation. After all, it was he who had first preached the gospel in this city. Hence he had every right to write to them, correct and rebuke their sinful ways and attitudes and expect obedience.

“We are not crowding into other men's labors, into Christian congregations which other men have built, stealing the fruits of their work, and then boasting about ourselves by making our own selves the standard of measurement. This is what Paul has in mind in v. 7 when he tells the Corinthians to look at what is right before their eyes. A blind man could see this” (Lenski pp. 1223-1224).

2 Corinthians 10:15 “not glorying beyond our measure, that is, in other men's 13

labors; but having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our province unto further abundance” “That is in other men's labors”: “Not taking credit to ourselves for what is not our business” (Bas). “We are not trying to claim credit for the work someone else has done among you” (Tay). “But his Corinthian opponents were not so scrupulous about intruding into another man's sphere” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 99). This reveals something about the false teachers that Paul faced in Corinth. They were religious parasites who tried to take the credit for the success that had been achieved through the efforts of sincere Christian workers. “But having hope”: Paul, always optimistic, and especially with the Corinthians since many of them have embraced his authority (Chapters 2,7). “As your faith growth”: “My hope rather is that the growth of your faith will allow me to enlarge the range of my appointed sphere” (Mof). “We shall be magnified in you”: “Enlarged even more by you” (NASV). “Shall enlarge our sphere of influence” (Ber).

“Paul means that, as the faith of the Corinthians increases, he hopes that his apostolic efficiency will increase, so that Corinth shall become the basis of larger efforts, extending into other regions” (Vincent p. 344). Which means, “At present your vacillation and infidelity confine our labors to you” (McGarvey p. 224). “How could Paul go on into new territory and leave behind a congregation like Corinth that was still a prey to disaffection, still listening to deceivers?” (Lenski p. 1230). “A spiritually unsettled state of affairs in Corinth constitutes a hindrance to his moving on further afield” (Hughes p. 368).

2 Corinthians 10:16 “so as to preach the gospel even unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another's province in regard of things ready to our hand” “So as to”: What the increase of their faith could accomplish. “Even unto the parts beyond you”: “He thinks perhaps of other parts of the Balkan peninsula (cf.

Illyricum, Romans 15:19) and even the western Mediterranean (more particularly Spain, Romans 15:24,28)” (F.F. Bruce p. 233). “Regard of things ready to our hand”: “And not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another” (NASV).

Like the false teachers who invaded Corinth had done.

2 Corinthians 10:17 “But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” 14

“Let him glory in the Lord”: See Jeremiah 9:23-24 and 1 Corinthians 1:31. “Never did he yield to the temptation that besets every evangelist, to over-estimate his own powers, or to pay undue attention to the applause and flattery of men. To have God's approval is his sole desire” (Tasker p. 143). Boasting in the Lord means giving God the credit (1 Corinthians 3:6). It also means preaching exactly what God wants preached, we glorify God when we manifest respect and love for His will (Leviticus 10:1-3).

2 Corinthians 10:18 “For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth” “Commendeth himself”: “For the Lord's approval of a man is not dependent on his opinion of himself” (Bas). “It is not self-commendation that matters; it is winning the approval of God” (Phi). The letters of commendation possessed by these false teachers (2 Corinthians 3:1), did not impress God. Human praise is of very little value. In the end, it cannot save us. The praise, approval, and favor we must always seek is God's. (2 Corinthians 5:9; Romans 2:29; 1 Corinthians 4:3-5).

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