2 Corinthians 10:14

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: 'We are not stretching ourselves beyond our measure, as if we should not have come unto you; for as far as even to you have we in fact come in preaching the Gospel.' The fact and the effect produced proves that Corinth is within the measure assigned to me by God. So 'Aleph (') Delta G f g, Vulgate. But B omits "not;" then read interrogatively, Do we stretch ourselves, etc.? Certainly not....

14._For we do not overstretch. _He alludes to persons who either forcibly stretch out their arms, or raise themselves up on their feet, when wishing to catch hold of what is not at their hand, (784) for of this nature is a greedy thirst for glory, nay more, it is often more disgusting. For ambitious persons do not merely stretch out their arms and lift up their feet, but are even carried headlong with the view of obtaining some pretext for glorying. (785) He tacitly intimates that his rivals were of this stamp. He afterwards declares on what ground he had come to the Corinthians — because he had founded their church by his ministry. Hence he says, _in the gospel of Christ; _for he had not come to them empty, (786) but had been the first to bring the gospel to them. The preposition _in _is taken by some in another way; for they ren

12-18 If we would compare ourselves with others who excel us, this would be a good method to keep us humble. The apostle fixes a good rule for his conduct; namely, not to boast of things without his measure, which was the measure God had distributed to him. There is not a more fruitful source of error, than to judge of persons and opinions by our own prejudices. How common is it for persons to judge of their own religious character, by the opinions and maxims of the world around them! But how different is the rule of God's word! And of all flattery, self-flattery is the worst. Therefore, instead of praising ourselves, we should strive to approve ourselves to God. In a word, let us glory in the Lord our salvation, and in all other things only as evidences of his love, or means of promoting his glory. Instead of praising ourselves, or seeking the praise of men, let us desire that honour wh...

Verse 14. _FOR WE STRETCH NOT OURSELVES BEYOND_] We have not proceeded straight from Macedonia through Thessaly, and across the Adriatic Gulf into Italy, which would have led us _beyond_ you _westward_; but knowing the mind of our God we left this direct path, and came _southward_ through _Greece_, down into _Achaia_, and there we planted the Gospel. The false apostle has therefore got into our _province_, and entered into our labours, and there boasts as if the conversion of the heathen Achaians had been his own work. As there is an allusion here to the _stadium_, and to the Olympic games in general, we may consider the apostle as laying to the charge of the disturber at Corinth that he had got his name surreptitiously inserted on the military list; that he was not striving lawfully; had no right to the _stadium_, and none to the _crown_. See the observations at the end of...

FOR WE STRETCH NOT OURSELVES BEYOND OUR MEASURE - In coming to preach to you we have not gone beyond the proper limits assigned us. We have not endeavored to enlarge the proper boundaries, to stretch the line which limited us, but have kept honestly within the proper limits. AS THOUGH WE REACHED NOT UNTO YOU - That is, as if our boundaries did not extend so far as to comprehend you. We have not overstepped the proper limits, as if Greece was not within the proper sphere of action. FOR WE ARE COME AS FAR AS TO YOU ... - In the regular work of preaching the gospel we have come to you. We have gone from place to place preaching the gospel where we had opportunity; we have omitted no important places, until in the regular discharge of our duties in preaching we have reached you and have preached the gospel to you. We have not omitted other places in order to come

EXPOSITION With this chapter begins the last great section of the Epistle (verse 1-2 Corinthians 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 2 Corinthians 7:8. 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

FOR WE STRETCH NOT OURSELVES BEYOND OUR MEASURE,.... They did not go beyond the bounds set them by the purpose and providence of God, by going to Corinth; nor did they boast of things without their measure, when they spoke of their labours, and of the success of their ministrations among them; nor did they assume and arrogate to themselves what did not belong to them, when they claimed an authority over them, and a right of exercising their apostolical office among them: AS THOUGH WE REACHED NOT UNTO YOU; by right, or according to the will of God, and the measuring line and bounds he drew and fixed for them: FOR WE ARE COME AS FAR AS TO YOU ALSO IN PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. The case is clear, it is a plain matter of fact, that they were not only come to other places, where they had preached the Gospel, and planted churches, but as far as to Corinth also, where they came "in, by,...

III. THE APOSTLE'S SELF-DEFENSE AND VINDICATION. CHAPTER S 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 d...

PAUL'S CLAIM IS ABSOLUTE, YET LIMITED IN ITS SCOPE; FOR IT ARISES FROM AND IS GOVERNED BY HIS DEPENDENCE UPON GOD. This paragraph is full of allusion to the assertions, claims, and criticisms of his opponents. They claim superiority to Paul on the ground of some special relation to Christ, possibly that they had been actually His disciples (_cf._ 1 Corinthians 1:12 *). They asserted that Paul used his authority to humiliate the church (2 Corinthians 10:8), that he browbeat them in his letters, whereas his personal appearance was feeble (2 Corinthians 10:9 f.), that he claimed what we should call a jurisdiction practically unlimited. On each point Paul replies vigorously, indignantly. L

PAUL BEGINS TO ANSWER HIS CRITICS (2 Corinthians 10:1-6)...