2 Corinthians 10:1-6. St Paul's intention of overcoming all opposition to the Gospel 1. _Now I Paul myself_ "Until now, Paul has addressed himself preeminently to the better intentioned in the Christian Church, but henceforth he addresses himself to those who had sought to lower his dignity and wea... [ Continue Reading ]
_I beseech you, that I may not be bold_ Literally, I ENTREAT THE NOT BEING BOLD. Compliance or non-compliance with this request rested entirely with the Corinthians. The word here translated _beseech_is not the same as the one used in the last verse. _with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bo... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the flesh_ To walk _in_the flesh is to possess the fleshly nature with its many infirmities (see Romans 7). To walk _after_the flesh is to neglect the dictates of the higher spiritual nature, and to live as though the desires of the body were the only ones that needed satisfying. _war after the... [ Continue Reading ]
_carnal_ See note on 2 Corinthians 10:2. Also on 1 Corinthians 3:1. _mighty through God_ Either (1) as in the text, or (2) mighty _to_God, i.e. in His sight, or (3) mighty _for_God, i.e. on behalf of Him, or perhaps (4) an Hebraistic construction, like the one in Acts 7:20, where it is equal to _ex... [ Continue Reading ]
_casting down_ This is not spoken of the _weapons_, but of the _Apostles_. _imaginations_ Rather, as margin, REASONINGS (_consilia_, Vulgate, _counceilis_, Wiclif).The rendering -imaginations" comes from Tyndale. St Paul refers to the efforts of human reason to deal with things beyond it, the best... [ Continue Reading ]
_and having in a readiness_ The expression is equivalent to our _holding ourselves in readiness_. _to revenge_ Better, TO AVENGE. Literally, TO DO JUSTICE, EXECUTE SENTENCE upon. _when your obedience is fulfilled_ St Paul was ready to wait until his exhortations and rebukes had had time to work. He... [ Continue Reading ]
Caution to those who judge by outward appearance 7. _Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?_ The words here translated _outward appearance_are translated _when I am present_in 2 Corinthians 10:2. They may be rendered in three ways, (1) as in the text, (2) _ye look on things after the ou... [ Continue Reading ]
_boast_ The word is translated -glory," -rejoice," elsewhere. See note on ch. 2 Corinthians 1:12. _somewhat more_ Literally, SOMEWHAT IN EXCESS. _edification_ Literally, BUILDING UP. The English word comes from two Latin words signifying to _build a house_. See note on 1 Corinthians 8:1, and cf. 1... [ Continue Reading ]
_that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters_ Literally, by means of THE letters, i.e. this and the two former. See note on 1 Corinthians 5:9. The connection of thought is not clear at first sight, but a little consideration will serve to bring it out. St Paul is about to boast of his a... [ Continue Reading ]
_his bodily presence is weak_ The bodily weakness of the Apostle seems clearly indicated by many passages in Scripture. We may perhaps gather from Acts 14:12 (though this is doubtful) that he was of less dignified presence than St Barnabas. He refers to his infirmity in 1 Corinthians 2:3. It was pro... [ Continue Reading ]
_such a one_ i.e. the man who speaks in this way. See note on ch. 2 Corinthians 2:7. _that, such as we are in word by letters_ It is evident that St Paul's opponents were not very measured in their opposition to him. Not only did they deny his Apostolic authority (1 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Corinthians 9... [ Continue Reading ]
_For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves_ i.e. ironically, _we dare not venture to number or compare ourselves_with certain persons who have of late been claiming great authority among you. After St Paul's manner (see ch. 2 Corinthians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 3:2) there is a p... [ Continue Reading ]
_of things without our measure_ Literally, UNTO THE MEASURELESS THINGS, i.e. -beyond the measure which God has meted out to us," -beyond the region of our own work, which was ever, save in the case of Rome, among Churches which we ourselves have founded." Nor was Rome really an exception. For the Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
_For we stretch not_ The meaning is, For we are not straining ourselves beyond our due limits in claiming you as our charge, for it is an undeniable fact that we came (the tense is the simple past in the original and the word has the sense of _anticipating others_in coming) as far as you in our work... [ Continue Reading ]
_not boasting of things without our measure_ The Apostle now repeats what he has before said in 2 Corinthians 10:13, but directs his remarks more pointedly against the false teachers by adding - _in other men's labours_." For they, as Meyer remarks, were adorning themselves with strange feathers as... [ Continue Reading ]
_to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you_ i.e. the rest of Greece, Italy and Spain. Cf. Romans 15:19; Romans 15:24; Romans 15:28. St Paul here attributes his further progress in the Gospel not to his own energy, but to their faith, another instance of his identification of himself with those... [ Continue Reading ]
_But he that glorieth_ See note on 2 Corinthians 10:8. This passage occurs in 1 Corinthians 1:31, where it is prefaced by the words -it is written." It is in fact a paraphrase of Jeremiah 9:24. Meyer remarks that a noble example of this kind of glorying is given by St Paul himself in 1 Corinthians 1... [ Continue Reading ]
_For not he that commendeth himself is approved_ St Paul's self-commendation is only wrung from him by circumstances. The Corinthians will not judge of things except -after the appearance" (2 Corinthians 10:7). St Paul, bearing in mind the wise man's advice to -answer a fool according to his folly... [ Continue Reading ]