For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed; lest I seem to terrify you by letters. ii. Verse 2 Corinthians 10:6. Yet the Corinthian Christians would not grant to Paul what they wanted for themselves. Every where defeated, the conquered submit, and are brought into captivity, , are led away captives; and thus the whole government is destroyed. They held on to every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. The work of the ministry is a warfare, not after the flesh indeed, for it is a spiritual warfare, with spiritual enemies and for spiritual purposes. These verses state a reality we all face: We are accountable to the Creator for our conduct. Probably because that is exactly what his opponents among the Corinthian Christians did. Are not carnal Here he refers to the means used by the false apostle in order to secure his party; he calumniated St. Paul, traduced the truth, preached false and licentious doctrines, and supported these with sophistical reasonings. (2.) The nature of his authority: it was for edification, and not for destruction. None of us want to be judged on mere outward appearance. WebCHAPTER 10. Verse 2 Corinthians 10:3. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Study Guide for 2 Corinthians 10 by David Guzik - Blue Johannine Writings Yet he does it all in the meekness and gentleness of Christ. Pauline Epistles He appears to think that every apostle had a particular district or province of the heathen world allotted to him, and which God commissioned him to convert to the Christian faith. Tents were something many people at that time were familiar with. Reasonings or opinions. 12:13; Rom. 1. The idea of the limits of the sphere comes from the lanes that were allotted for runners in a race. The carnal weapons Paul refuses were not material weapons such as swords and spears. The apostles destroyed heathenism wherever they came; the Protestants confuted popery wherever their voice was permitted to be heard. II. Prophets Earlier, Paul warned readers he was going to start sarcastically bragging about his qualifications as an apostle. The army of God comes against the place and attacks it; the strong holds , all the fortified places, are carried. Verse 2 Corinthians 10:8. False apostles and other critics were challenging Paul's role as a true apostle of Jesus Christ. The last five words give the meaning of one Greek verb 2 Corinthians 10:1, 2 Corinthians 10:10. Major Prophets WebClarke's Commentary. (12-18) Verses 1 Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? hom. The apostle's power to punish offenders (and that in an extraordinary manner) is asserted in v. 6. There are many who are ready to commend themselves; most do not do it publicly but do it privately in their own minds. 2 Corinthians 10 Here observe, (1.) WebBut 2 Corinthians 2:10 says that Paul expected the Corinthian Christians to forgive the brother first, then he would forgive. He pivots here in chapter 10 to bring correction to the false teacher (s). When the apostles came against their gods many and their lords many with the ONE SUPREME and ETERNAL BEING, they were confounded, scattered, annihilated; when they came against their various modes of purifying the mind-their sacrificial and mediatorial system, with the LORD JESUS CHRIST, his agony and bloody sweat, his cross and passion, his death and burial, and his glorious resurrection and ascension, they sunk before them, and appeared to be what they really were, as dust upon the balance, and lighter than vanity. i. It would seem by this that Paul's adversaries boasted of their relation to Christ as his ministers and servants. This interpretation agrees well with the following verse. 2 Corinthians 10 Bible Commentary 2 Corinthians 10 - Sermon Bible Commentary - StudyLight.org Paul will not class or compare himself with these carnal, worldly people at all. 2 Corinthians: authentic Christianity i. 2 Corinthians 10 Bible Commentary He declares his success in observing this rule. Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. It is amazing how feeble a resistance heathenism made, by argument or reasoning, against the doctrine of the Gospel! iii. In Ephesians 6, Paul lists the spiritual weapons he used: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. He that glorieth should glory in the Lord, v. 17. Verse 2 Corinthians 10:4. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. Note, 1. The New Testament b. Casting down imaginations . WebMatthew Henry's Concise Commentary 10:1-6 While others thought meanly, and spake scornfully of the apostle, he had low thoughts, and spake humbly of himself. They should use this power only as Jesus Christ used it-for the salvation, and not for the destruction, of souls.". The Bibles Tab is found in the Tools feature on Bible pages: Note: MLA no longer requires the URL as part of their citation standard. Though we walk in the flesh That is: Although I am in the common condition of human nature, and must live as a human being, yet I do not war after the flesh-I do not act the coward or the poltroon, as they insinuate. He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. See above. ii. Philippians 2:6-8 describes this: who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. What Does "I Believe! Luke-Acts 2. We know that standing between us and God is an internally generated pride that, if allowed, will greatly hinder our desire to please Him by submitting.. We must understand that God's calling of us, His granting of repentance to us, and His providing us No one is so low that they cannot glory in the LORD. Which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction: Paul recognizes that Jesus grants authority in the church for one reason. 2 Corinthians 10 Now, &c. Hitherto St. Pauls discourse, in this epistle, was chiefly directed to those at Corinth who acknowledged his apostleship, and who had obeyed his God had granted him a sphere of authority, and that sphere included the Corinthian Christians, especially since he had founded that church (for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ). For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 puts it this way: Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? When you have in the fullest manner, discountenanced those men, This he had mentioned before (v. 6), and now he tells them that he might speak of it again, and that with some sort of boasting, seeing it was a truth, that the Lord had given it to him, and it was more than his adversaries could justly pretend to. Web2 Corinthians 10, Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible, James Burton Coffman's commentary on the Bible is widely regarded for its thorough analysis of the text and practical application to everyday life. Herein I give my advice For I speak not by way of commandment, 2 Corinthians 8:8.. For this is expedient for you It is necessary you should do this to preserve a consistency of conduct; for ye began this work a year ago, and it is necessary that ye should complete it as soon as possible.. Not only to do, but also It may have been merely a vocal minority. 2 Corinthians 10 They exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. Paul tackles one of their arguments against him Major Prophets The light of God penetrated its hidden works of darkness, and dragged its three-headed Cerberus into open day; the monster sickened, vomited his henbane, and fled for refuge to his native shades. Do not be carried away with appearances; do not be satisfied with show and parade. The power of his preaching, v. 3, 5. Someone might object: I dont want my thoughts to be captive to anyone. As they were not aided in their endeavours to Christianize the world by Instead of the sword of the Spirit, they fought with human schemes and programs. The troublemakers among the Corinthian Christians probably wanted a consistently gentle Paul, whom they felt they could freely despise and push around. He who glories, let him glory in the LORD: By using this quotation from Jeremiah 9:24, Paul rebukes the Corinthian Christians who found their glory either in Paul or against Paul. Stop comparing yourselves among yourselves. ii. The conquest which the word of God gains. c. Who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you: Here, Paul reveals a matter of great contention between him and the Corinthian Christians. Perhaps Paul wanted to jog their minds to remember the context of his quotation from Jeremiah: Thus says the LORD: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. Even if I should boast somewhat more: It seems that Paul is uncomfortable writing about his own authority. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point Web1. 12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ who in presence am lowly among you, but And the writer found in the works of Chrysostom, in making the apostle little more than a pigmy, has rendered his account incredible. If we can credit some ancient writers, such as Nicephorus, we shall find the apostle thus described: An old Greek writer, says the same author, whose works are found among those of Chrysostom, tom. Web4. The evidence was that Paul seemed to be tough in his letters but weak and unimpressive in person. d. Let such a person consider this: Paul writes to his despisers with perfect clarity. Paul does not argue either point. Web2 Corinthians 10:12 - For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. In speaking of our spiritual warfare, Paul says that we take every thought captive and subject all thinking to Christ Jesus. He asserts the power of his preaching and his power to punish offenders. The Whole Bible This indeed is through God, or owing to him, because they are his institutions, and accompanied with his blessing, which makes all opposition to fall before his victorious gospel. WebEllicott's Commentary for English Readers (12) We dare not make ourselves of the number. 8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. We must not, by the most charitable allowances we make to others who differ from us, cut ourselves off from Christ, nor deny our relation to him. II. Pauls joy about the change of attitude by the Christians at Corinth. Just as he is Christs, so we are Christs, Which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, Lest I seem to terrify you by letters.