2 Corinthians 10:1

αὐτὸς δὲ ἐγὼ Παῦλος κ. τ. λ.: now (δέ marks a transition to a new subject, as at 2 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 15:1) I Paul myself (αὐτὸς ἐγὼ, calling attention to a specially personal matter as at 2 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 9:3; Romans 15:14; he writes ἐγὼ Παῦλος elsewhere at Galatians 5:2; Ephesians 3:1; Philemon 1:19 only, for the sake of emphasis) entreat you (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:4, and for the constr. παρακαλῶ διὰ cf. Romans 12:1; Romans 15:30; 1 Corinthians 1:10; the πραΰτης καὶ ἐπικίκεια τοῦ Χρ. are the example which gives point to the entreaty or exhortation) by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ. That the Messianic King should be πραΰς had been declared by Zechariah (2 Corinthians 9:9, cited Matthew 21:5), while πραΰτης had been associated with His royal progress by the Psalmist (Psalms 44:5); and Christ, when He came, declared that he was πραΰς καὶ ταπεινὸς f1τῇ καρδίᾳ, a claim which His life on earth abundantly exemplified (cf. Matthew 12:19; Luke 23:34). So too in the wonderful portrait of the Righteous Man in Wis 2:12 ff., ἐπιείκεια, “gentleness,” “sweet reasonableness,” is one of the qualities mentioned (Wis 2:19). In Greek Ethics (e.g., Aristotle, Nic. Eth., v., 10) the ἐπιεικής is the “equitable” man, who does not press for the last farthing of his rights (see reff.). St. Paul alludes to these qualities as well known to have belonged to the character of Jesus, even as they had been foretold of the Messiah. ὃς κατὰ πρόσωπον κ. τ. λ.: I Paul, who indeed (sc., as you say by way of reproach, the concessive μέν) before your face am lowly among you (he had admitted this before, 1 Corinthians 2:3 and chap. 2 Corinthians 7:6, and the lowliness of his demeanour had been made the subject of adverse comment, see further 2 Corinthians 10:10), but being absent am of good courage towards you, i.e., am outspoken in rebuke of you (a quite different phrase from θαρρῶ ἐν ὑμῖν of 2 Corinthians 7:16).