2 Corinthians 10:7-18

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. Let them look facts in the face (2 Corinthians 10:7). He belongs to Christ as really as any other man (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:12). If he does make a proud claim to authority, he will be able to show the ground for it. His confidence rests on very different grounds from theirs. He refuses to compare or rank himself with those who are their own trumpeters. Neither is it true (2 Corinthians 10:13) that he claims authority without measure, boundless and unlimited. The province of his authority is both appointed and delimited by God, and beyond doubt it includes the Corinthian church. For to the Corinthians, whatever others might insinuate, he had introduced the gospel of Christ. Beyond this Divinely assigned province he makes no proud claim to authority, where other men have pioneered. What he does hope is that through their increasing faith, his claim may be justified, first within the province already occupied, and then in the regions beyond, but always provided that it did not invade another's province, or craftily appropriate the results of other men's labours.

Attentive examination of this passage, bearing in mind that by glorying or (AV) boasting Paul means making a (proud) claim, will provide striking evidence of his fine feeling and scrupulousness in respect of other men's work. With a terse summary of two verses in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 9:23 f.) he exposes the foundation of his own claim and confidence. It is to the Lord that he stands, from Him alone he derives his authority (cf. Romans 14:12; 1 Corinthians 4:3).