Bible Commentaries
2 Corinthians 10

Verses 1-16

X-XIII St Paul vindicates Himself against the False Apostles and gives a Last Warning to their Friends — The tone of persuasive appeal in ch 9 suddenly changes to a very stern one, which prevails to the end of the letter. The main problems of this section have been dealt with in the Introduction. We need only repeat here the conclusions arrived at there: (1) One main purpose of the whole letter is to deal squarely and firmly with the party of False Apostles. This is done in these chapters, and much of the first seven chapters are a preparation for them. (2) Although he does not speak directly to this party, except apparently in most of ch 13, yet it would become clear from 10:2 that the whole of this part of the letter is directed at them. (Introd. D 2 [9].) (3) On the postponement of this subject see what is said in § 883d and note on 6:11. 890a

X 1-11 Denial of some Mean Slanders —The slanders call up a very ugly picture of their, authors, men of vulgar spite and base cunning.

1. ’I Paul myself’. Perhaps he wishes here to speak strictly in his own person, excluding Timothy the joint author, cf.1 Thessalonians 2:18; Colossians 1:23. ’Who’, etc.: this description is obviously false and must be an ironical repetition of a sneer of his enemies. ’Lowly’: ’Insignificant’.

2. ’Wherewith’, etc.: more likely: ’Wherein I consider myself able to take strong action against some who reckon’, etc. This would be readily understood as a reference to the False Apostles and thus would introduce them clearly as the subject of this part of the letter. ’According to the flesh’: in a wordly manner. Ambition, avarice, etc., are probably meant.

3. ’In the flesh’: in the body and subject to its infirmities, including his chronic disorder, cf. 11:30; 12:7. ’War’: we should have expected ’walk’, but it is very like him to introduce this new idea which fills the next three verses.

4. ’Carnal’ of human make and strength. ’mighty in or through God’.4-5. ’destroying’, etc. loosely joined participle—see 9:13. ’We destroy reasonings and every lowering structure that is erected against the knowledge of God’. Probably refers not so much to heretical doctrine as to unseasonable reasoning such as is noticed in 1 Corinthians 8:1-6. (See 11:4 below.)

5. ’Bringing’, etc.: i.e. we bring, etc.

6. We shall be ready to punish all disobedience, as soon as your obedience has reached its height’— the highest point to which it can be brought by persuasion and warning. Those who were still rebellious after receiving this letter would be excommunicated as he says more clearly in ch 13. 7. ’See’, etc. Uncertain, but probably ’Look at what is before your eyes’, i.e. at the plain facts. ’Whoever trusts . . .’: this refers to the False Apostles. Paul admits that they are, or were, ’ministers of Christ’ (11:23). Others have taken these words to refer to the ’Christ party’ (1 Corinthians 1:12 last note).

8. ’More’, i.e. more than the modest claim he had made in v 7. ’Edification’: lit. ’building up’ of a Christian community, as of a spiritual temple to God. ’Not . . . ashamed’—his boast could be made good.

10. ’Say they’: more likely: ’says he’—a quotation from one of his enemies whose name he does not think worth giving us. ’Bodily presence . . . speech’: the False Apostles themselves may well have approached much nearer than Paul did to that rather theatrical figure which was already becoming fashionable in Greece, the popular oratorphilosopher, like Euphrates with his ’tall stature, noble features, waving hair, and immense white beard’ (Pliny Ep 1, to). Paul, it seems, was without these charms. He was also without the artificial eloquence which was then in vogue and was possessed by many Jews, such as Philo. Paul had a finer but less fashionable eloquence, and certainly made a deep impression on many, even on educated and unsympathetic persons like Felix and Agrippa II.

12-18 The False Apostles are Braggarts and Intruders —St Paul drops his defensive tone and becomes aggressive. This continues till it reaches a climax at 11:15. Paul had done with hints and skirmishing, and was resolved on battle.

12a. ’Match’: ’Put ourselves on a level with’. 12b. The more probable Greek text means: ’They foolishy measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves’, i.e. they make themselves the pattern of perfection.

13. ’beyond our measure’: ’inordinately.But (we will glory) in accordance with the size of that portion which God has given us as our share, a size large enough to reach as far as you’.

14. ’For (in order to touch and include Corinth) we do not stretch our hands unduly as if’, etc. ’For we’, etc., more likely: ’We were the first to come preaching to you the gospel of Christ’. It was this prior arrival of his which made Corinth his domain, and made his enemies intruders and busybodies.

15. ’having hope’, etc. From here to the end of 16 the DV is very confused. Read: ’having hopes that with the increase of your faith we may so prosper within our allotted sphere as to overflow it and preach in still more distant regions—instead of entering another’s territory and bragging about gains which have cost us nothing’. This complaint about intrusion had already been made in a gentler form in 1 Corinthians 4:15. He refers here to his desire to preach in the west. He was thinking chiefly of Spain, but he wished to visit Rome on his way there. (Romans 15:19-28.)

17. Summary of Jeremiah 9:23-24, cf. 1 Corinthians 1:31.18. ’Is approved’: ’passes the test’, when judged by the true (i.e. divine) standard. God’s ’commendation’ then must be the various forms of grace given for sanctification and effective influence.