HIS DEFENCE AGAINST HIS OPPONENTS AND HIS HEARTFELT PLEA TO HIS ‘CHILDREN' NOT TO BE LED ASTRAY. Paul Now Lays Down The Gauntlet Against Some Of His Opponents Who Have Seemingly Arrived In Corinth (2 Corinthians 10:1 to 2 Corinthians 12:13) Up to this point Paul's letter has been written on a fairl... [ Continue Reading ]
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 (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... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thou... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full.' The weapons of he and his fellow-workers being so effective Paul is sure of victory. These weapons will bring the Corinthians in obedience to him and to God. And they can be sure that once they have guarant... [ Continue Reading ]
‘You look at (or ‘Look at') the things that are before your face. If any man trusts 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.' It was ‘before their face' (in their presence) that Paul was seen as lowly (2 Corinthians 10:1)... [ Continue Reading ]
‘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, that I may not seem (or ‘lest I should seem') as if I would terrify you by my letters.' In this sentence fitting in the last c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For his letters, they say, are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.' Using letters to exert his authority would indeed only serve to justify the words of his opponents who accuse him of being able to issue powerful written edicts, but when present amon... [ Continue Reading ]
‘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.' But let those who see him thus be aware that when he comes he will come with all the weight and strength revealed in his letters, for that is how he will act among th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘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 he uses different measurements from them. He has no intention of boldly... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But we will not glory beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the province (boundary, area within boundaries) which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even to you.' Paul on the other hand will not glory beyond measure. He does not need to do so to prop up a failing image. He... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For we stretch not ourselves overmuch, as though we reached not to you, for we came even as far as to you in the gospel of Christ, not glorying beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labours, but having hope that, as your faith grows, we shall be magnified in you according to our province to f... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.' In context this is not just a general statement, true and right though such a general statement might be. It is applicable to what he has been saying. In his case his glorying is not in himself but in the Lord. All that he has achieved has been throu... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For it is not he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.' Because the value of a commendation lies in who makes it. Those who are, or should be, approved are those whom the Lord commends by His effective working through them. Those who commend themselves deserve no approv... [ Continue Reading ]