BIG IDEA:
THE REALITY OF PAUL’S AUTHORITY – WHEN NECESSARY, SPIRITUAL LEADERS MUST DEFEND THEIR LEGITIMATE AUTHORITY AGAINST MISREPRESENTATIONS BY FALSE LEADERS
INTRODUCTION:
Beginning of a new section:
VINDICATION OF PAUL’S APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY (10:1 – 13:10)
Charles Ryrie: In spite of Paul’s general satisfaction with the Corinthian church, there were still some there who challenged his apostolic authority and followed certain leaders whom Paul calls “false apostles” (11:13). These leaders were apparently Jewish Christians (11:22) who claimed higher authority than Paul’s (10:7) and who lorded over the church.
R. Kent Hughes: At present a small unrepentant minority of such detractors and interlopers opposed Paul in Corinth. Guided by their inverted values, they judged Paul’s ministry to be fleshly. His unimpressive persona, his lack of rhetorical skills, his meek and humble demeanor, his poverty, his working with his hands, the absence of ecstatic experiences and visions, his incessant trials and difficulties (rather than “success”) were, to his opponents, incontrovertible evidence that his ministry was of the flesh and not of the Spirit.
Charles Swindoll: I didn’t have a class on handling criticism during my years in seminary. To my knowledge, there isn’t such a class in any seminary. It’s something you learn either by watching your mentors deal with it, or by enduring it yourself, “on the job.” This explains why 2 Corinthians 10 is so vital for those involved in ministry. As we work through this chapter, we will see Paul dive headfirst into the subject of ministry-related criticism. A close look at his words reveals several slanderous criticisms that had been hurled Paul’s way, and how he dealt with them. . .
So, what was Paul’s spiritual strategy in this desperate battle against the false teachers? First, he needed to gain the full allegiance of the true believers in Corinth. To be sure, many already were on his side. Nevertheless, far too many wavered in their loyalty between the orthodox Christians and the false brethren. That group needed to be won back to a fully obedient commitment to Christ (10:6). When that happened, Paul could confront the pockets of ingrown disobedience and rebellion with a united front, resulting in the Corinthian church being liberated from its deceptive oppressors.
George Shillington: Throughout his “fool’s speech” (11:1 – 12:13), as also in the rest of the Letter of Defense, Paul’s form of writing exhibits the basic elements of the classic orator: human character {ethos), emotions {pathos), and reason {logos). The literary contours and tones of the language of the Letter of Defense exhibit all three traits, using the overt literary devices of sarcasm, irony, and parody (Marshall: 381-391; Betz, 1972:17-19, 34-35; Crafton: 109-136).
- Sarcasm pierces the feelings of the audience as they sense their culpability. For example, Paul addresses the question of his refusal to take money from the Corinthians for his apostolic services, thus proving his weakness as an apostle; he says, How have you been worse off than the other churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! (12:13). The exclamatory answer is sarcastic.
- Irony invites the reader to consider the flip side of a perceived “truth.” When Paul engages two sides of an issue, such as weakness and strength, presence and absence, wisdom and foolishness, he is speaking ironically.
- Parody imitates the opposing character for the purpose of ridicule. Paul the fool parades the literary stage dressed like his enemies so as to ridicule them and thus render their authority inoperative at Corinth.
Why does Paul pull out all of these rhetorical stops in 2 Corinthians 10-13? Writing of this sort does not spring from tranquil reflection on a secluded island. Instead, Paul is engaged in a struggle to save his apostolic place as the “parent” of the Corinthian congregations (1 Cor. 4:15). He is fighting against a bitter invective his enemies have executed at Corinth. “Paul’s responses in 2 Corinthians must be viewed in the context of the enmity relationship. Paul has been the victim of a successful and damaging invective” (Marshall: 364). His sharp language in these four chapters calls for a reading in that light.
Frank Matera: The line of thought in 10:1–18 can be summarized in this way: Paul appeals to the Corinthians with the very meekness and clemency of Christ, so that he will not have to act boldly when he comes to Corinth. Although some accuse him of being servile and lacking the boldness that comes from the Spirit, he possesses the powerful weapons of the gospel that allow him to destroy false arguments, take minds captive for Christ, and punish the disobedient. The Corinthians only need to look at what Paul has accomplished in their midst to realize that he is Christ’s minister. In writing these things, Paul is not trying to frighten them by his letters, as if he were incapable of acting boldly in their midst; for the absent apostle portrayed through the letters is the same apostle who will be present in their midst. Paul, however, is not bold enough to commend himself, as do the intruding apostles, who do not understand the power of God. Rather, if he boasts it will always be within the limits established by the measure that God has assigned to him, an assignment authenticated by the indisputable fact that he was the first to preach the gospel to the Corinthians. If he boasts, therefore, it is in the Lord; for only the one whom the Lord approves is commended. Paul can claim such approval because he has been granted an assignment from the Lord, who guides his apostolic activity.
David Garland: The heart of the quarrel concerns Paul’s authority over the Corinthian church, but, as Paul himself insists, he is not simply engaged in a personal defense (12:19). Barrett is spot-on: “It is the nature of the apostolic Gospel, and the apostolic authority behind it, that are at stake.” Paul defends his reputation and his deportment, but it is more to save the community from fools and a false gospel than to save his reputation.
I. (:1-6) HIS READINESS (AND RELUCTANCE) TO EXERCISE HIS AUTHORITY – SPIRITUAL LEADERS CARRY A BIG STICK
REPLY TO CHARGE OF WEAKNESS
A. (:1) Don’t Confuse Meekness for Weakness
“Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ –
I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!”
Paul speaking sarcastically here, answering the charge that he was only bold on paper but was nobody to be reckoned with in person.
Anthony Thiselton: Paul begins, “I, Paul, myself, appeal (Greek, parakalō) to you.” Bjerkelund argues in his book Parakalō that the verb denotes something a little stronger than “please” but falls definitely short of “I command.” It means appeal, beseech, or request, but with both moral discernment or moral authority and respect for the spiritual independence of the addressees. Paul’s approach is with confidence but also with the meekness and gentleness of Christ. Hughes comments that meekness and gentleness are not incompatible with sternness, and that Paul had shown sternness in his letter to the Galatians. Guthrie entitles vv. 1–2 as “Meekness Not Weakness.”
Frank Matera: “Meekness” (prautēs) according to BDAG is “the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance.” Thus it often has the meaning of “gentleness,” “humility,” “courtesy,” or “consideration,” as well as “meekness.” In Gal 5:23 Paul lists prautēs among “the fruit” of the Spirit, and it occurs in Eph 4:2 and Col 3:12 as one of the virtues or qualities that should characterize the Christian life. . .
“Clemency” (epieikeia) according to BDAG is “the quality of making allowances despite facts that might suggest reasons for a different reaction.” Thus it is translated as “gentleness,” “graciousness,” “courtesy,” “indulgence,” “tolerance,” as well as “clemency.” Wisdom 12:18 describes God as governing “with great forbearance,” and in 2 Macc 10:4 Maccabeus and his followers pray that God will discipline them “with forbearance” should they sin. In Phil 4:5 Paul exhorts his converts to let their epieikeia be known to everyone, whereas in the Pastorals, epieikeia is listed as one of the qualities required of a bishop (1Tim 3:3). James 3:17 employs epieikeia to describe “the wisdom from above,” and in Acts 24:4 the orator, Tertullus, asks the Roman governor Felix to hear him briefly with his customary epieikeia.
John MacArthur: Before wielding his apostolic might, Paul first manifested his compassion. He urge[d] the insubordinate minority by the meekness and gentleness of Christ to end their rebellion and be reconciled to the truth. Instead of seeking personal vengeance on his enemies, Paul showed them the same patience that the Lord Jesus Christ had shown him (1 Tim. 1:16). Prautēs (meekness) is usually translated “gentleness” in the New Testament. It refers to the humble and gentle attitude that results in the patient endurance of offenses. Prautēs marks those free of anger, hatred, bitterness, and a desire for revenge. The word denotes not weakness, but power under control. Epieikeia (gentleness) is translated “kindness” in its only other New Testament appearance (Acts 24:4). When applied to those in authority, it means “leniency” and describes those who graciously refuse to insist on the full measure of their legal rights.
Richard Pratt: By beginning this section in this way, Paul pointed to the irony of his opponents accusing him of timidity. What they saw as a liability was evidence that Paul was like Christ, and therefore substantiated the legitimacy of his apostleship.
Charles Swindoll: The first verse addresses the accusation of two-faced hypocrisy. They criticized Paul for being bold with his letters but lacking courage in person. Paul’s language needs to be read with a tone of sarcasm, as he virtually quotes the crowd of critics in Corinth. They were saying, essentially, “You’re meek when you are with us, but you write bold letters when you’re away from us. You’re two-faced! When you actually have to face people, you’re Mr. Nice Guy, but when it’s just a pen and a piece of paper, you boldly unleash! Would the real Paul please stand up?
B. (:2) Don’t Make Me Use the Big Stick —
Spiritual Leaders Only Use the Big Stick as a Last Resort
“I ask that when I am present I may not be bold with the confidence
with which I propose to be courageous against some,
who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.”
Charles Swindoll: The second verse combats the criticism of fleshly motives. They accused him of walking in the flesh, of harboring impure motives, and of using manipulative methods.
Mark Seifrid: Paul uses more than one term for “boldness” in this verse. He begins with a term (tharreō) that connotes daring or courage, i.e., a bold spirit. He concludes with a term (tolmaō) that is associated with action. Between the two, he again uses the term “confidence” (pepoithēsis), which, as we have noted, conveys the passive idea of trust in something. It has an object. The term again recalls the Gospel, with which the apostle has been entrusted.
David Garland: Paul’s purpose is not to get into a squabble with his detractors but to recapture the goodwill of his listening audience so that they might make a favorable judgment about him and the gospel he exemplifies. He does so by establishing his character as a genuine apostle, pushing emotional buttons, drawing on irony to show the foolishness of his opponents, and presenting sound arguments with which no reasonable judge could disagree.
C. (:3-4) Spiritual Leaders Don’t Fight Fairly –
i.e. they use weapons that are divinely Powerful
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,
for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh,
but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”
- Cf. the weapons of David vs. Goliath – sling shot and some stones
- Cf. the weapons of Gideon
- Cf. the weapons of Joshua – literally knocking down fortresses
Anthony Thiselton: In this passage, “in the flesh” means simply living an ordinary earthly life, or being human; while “according to the flesh” (Greek, kata sarka) means living according to our worldly and self-centered nature. Paul plays on the Greek en sarka and kata sarka, as Martin says. J. B. Phillips renders this as “Although of course we lead normal human lives, the battle we are fighting is on the spiritual level.”
“Not merely human” means not relying on eloquence, rhetoric, or a powerful personality. Chrysostom lists these “merely human” things as “wealth, glory, power, loquaciousness, cleverness, half-truths, flatteries, hypocrisies, whatever is similar to these.” The “spiritual” means “for God” in the power of the Holy Spirit. Hughes calls these weapons “divinely powerful.”
Mark Seifrid: Precisely within the weakness of the apostle, who lives “in the flesh” and bears the deadness of Jesus (4:10), the power of God is at work.
Eric Mason: If you’re going to fight the right battles, the main point is this: fighting the right battle involves using divinely empowered weapons. Paul is challenging the people in the Corinthian church who are filled with spiritual immaturity and who don’t want to function the way he wants them to function and the way God wants them to function. Paul is defending his apostleship, and he’s finding that their disposition toward him as a leader, who has helped and influenced them, is based on faulty thinking that goes deeper than arguing with them.
John MacArthur: A spiritual war, however, cannot be successfully fought with fleshly weapons. Therefore, the weapons in Paul’s arsenal were not those of human ingenuity, human ideology, or human methodology. Human reason, wisdom, plans, strategies, organizations, skill, eloquence, marketing, religious showmanship, philosophical or psychological speculation, ritualism, pragmatism, or mysticism are all ineffective weapons against the forces of the kingdom of darkness, the “powers … world forces of this darkness … [and] spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). They cannot rescue sinners from the “domain of darkness” (Col. 1:13) or transform believers into Christ’s likeness. Such weapons gain only superficial, temporary, and deceptive victories at best. . .
The objective of our warfare is to change how people think— taking every thought they have and making it no longer captive to a damning ideology, but captive to the obedience of Christ. To do so, the proper weapon is necessary. To assault and throw down the fortresses of false religions, opinions, beliefs, and philosophies, only one weapon will suffice: the truth. That is so obvious that Paul does not mention it. Only one thing exposes and corrects lies—the truth. Thus, the only offensive weapon in the Christian soldier’s armor is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). Spiritual warfare is an ideological conflict, fought in the mind by assaulting the proud fortresses of ideas that sinners erect against the truth. Aichmalōtizō (taking captive) literally means, “to take captive with a spear.” Using God’s truth, believers smash enemy fortresses to the ground, march the prisoners out, and bring them into subjection (obedience) to the Lord Jesus Christ. They rescue sinners from the domain of darkness, “snatching them out of the fire” (Jude 23).
D. (:5) Spiritual Leaders Attack the Root of the Problem – Aggressively and Successfully
“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing
raised up against the knowledge of God,
and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
Mark Seifrid: The glory that accompanies the apostolic mission is apparent only to faith (3:8-11). The minds of the sons of Israel were hardened and unable to see it (3:13-14), just as the “god of this age” blinds the minds and thoughts of unbelievers (4:4). The nature of that hardening and blindness now becomes apparent. Paul is called to destroy the “exalted things” constructed by the minds and hearts of fallen human beings, the “Babels” we erect in opposition to the knowledge of God. We, together with all our thoughts, must be taken captive by the word of God, just as the apostle himself is led in God’s triumphal procession (2:14-17).
Frank Matera: These verses expand upon Paul’s military metaphor with three participles that highlight three aspects of his warfare:
(1) Paul “tears down” (kathairountes) sophistries;
(2) he “captures” (aichmalōtizontes) every proud obstacle; and
(3) he “stands ready to punish” (en hetoimō echontes ekdikēsai) every disobedience.
The three phases of warfare that Paul describes here are similar to the stages of battle that the Romans employed against the Greeks, as portrayed in 1 Macc 8:9–10, when the Romans tore down the strongholds of the Greeks, took their wives and children captive, and then enslaved them.
Eric Mason: You and I need to learn how to use the divinely empowered mechanisms God has given us so that we can walk in the truth that we overwhelmingly conquer because of him who loves us.
Scott Hafemann: Verse 5 details the two ways in which Paul wages his war on behalf of the gospel.
(1) He demolishes the “arguments” and “pretensions” (lit., the “heights” from which the defenders opposed the besieging army) that his opponents have raised against “the knowledge of God” being revealed through his own preaching and suffering (cf. 2:14–17; 4:4–6; 8:7; 11:6; 13:8). The arguments in view here are the objections being raised against his apostolic authority and message (the “arguments” [logismous] of 10:4 recall the “thinking” [logizomenous] of “some people” in 10:2). Paul overcomes them by a clear presentation of the gospel and its implications, surrounded by an unabashed appeal to his own life as its verification.
(2) Once he has destroyed the enemy defenses, Paul takes every thought of the enemy “captive” by evaluating it in view of his own ministry of the cross and resurrection of Christ. Specifically, Paul argues for his conviction, and supports it evidentially, that as a true apostle of the crucified and risen Christ, he reveals the power of God (cf. 2:17; 3:2–3; 4:1–6; 5:11–12; 11:2; 12:19; 13:3–4) in and through his weakness (cf. 1:3–11; 2:14–16; 4:7–12; 6:4–10; 11:23–12:10). As a result, his presentation and embodiment of the truth also reveal the satanic nature of those who oppose his “treasure” because it comes in a “jar of clay” (4:7; cf. 2:11; 3:14; 4:4; 11:3).
E. (:6) Spiritual Leaders Will Use the Big Stick When Necessary
“and we are ready to punish all disobedience,
whenever your obedience is complete.”
Paul Barnett: We do well to follow Paul in his realistic estimate of the entrenched power of unbelief and pride in the human mind. Only the right weapons will subdue and capture this proud fortified rebel who places himself over God.
II. (:7-11) HIS POWERFUL PERSONAL PRESENCE – CONSISTENT WITH HIS STRONG LETTERS – SPIRITUAL LEADERS SHOULD NEVER BE UNDERESTIMATED —
REPLY TO CHARGE OF INSINCERITY
Frank Matera: This first unit (:1-11) can be summarized as follows: Whether present or absent, Paul acts with boldness, because he is armed with powerful weapons of the gospel, and he has received his authority from Christ. Although his detractors misinterpret his humble bearing for weakness, his apparent weakness is the meekness and clemency of Christ.
Raymond Collins: The heart of the passage is the central section, verses 7–11, where Paul reflects on the apostolic power and authority given to him by God. The surrounding passages, verses 1–6 and 12–18, use metaphorical language to talk about Paul’s ministry, but they are just as much a critique of Paul’s rivals as they are an exposition of Paul’s ministry. Consequently, the chapter has a loosely constructed A-B-A′ structure. Its final two verses constitute a kind of rhetorical peroration in which Paul cites a scriptural maxim about boasting (vv. 17–18) that gives meaning to the entire passage.
A. (:7a) Outward Appearances Can Be Deceiving
“You are looking at things as they are outwardly.”
B. (:7b) No Place for Christian Elitism
“If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again
within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we.”
William Barclay: It seems clear that at least some of Paul’s opponents asserted that Paul did not belong to Christ in the same way as they did. Perhaps they were still casting up at Paul the fact that once he had been the arch-persecutor of the Church. Perhaps they claimed special knowledge and special revelations. Perhaps they claimed a special holiness and a special spirituality. In any event they looked down on Paul and they glorified themselves and their own relationship to Christ.
Charles Swindoll: First, Paul corrected their perspective (10:7). Very simply, he charged his critics with focusing on the external rather than the internal. The critics revealed their shallowness with this criticism, but its pain cut deep. Of all their complaints, his less-than-impressive physical appearance had a ring of truth, as confirmed by a traditional description of Paul from the second century. Paul was “a man small in size, bald-headed, bandy-legged, well-built, with eyebrows meeting, rather long-nosed, full of grace.”
Clearly Paul didn’t turn any heads. The crowd wasn’t attracted to his physical appearance. Yet the critics who complained against Paul for his less-than-impressive presence had completely forgotten that God loves to demonstrate His power and glory through earthen vessels (4:7).
C. (:8-9) Goal is Edification Not Lording it Over
“For even if I should boast somewhat further about our authority
which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you,
I shall not be put to shame,
for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.”
Anthony Thiselton: Paul chooses to follow a fine line between rebuke and more gentle care and concern, as he attempted earlier. . . This is many pastors’ dilemma: how to exercise genuine authority without appearing to be unduly authoritarian.
Charles Swindoll: Second, Paul clarified his motives in ministry (10:8-9). Having turned their attention from the externals to the internals, Paul made sure his opponents understood what was in his heart. Paul had a goal in his apostolic ministry to always build up, never tear down (10:8). Even though he may have had authority as an apostle to rebuke and correct the Corinthians for their sins, he wanted to edify, not terrify (10:9). Here Paul is completely transparent about his motives in ministry. In contrast to his power-hungry opponents who constantly tore Paul down in order to extend their own authority over the Corinthians, Paul assured them that he had a positive ministry of construction, not a negative ministry of destruction.
Mark Seifrid: Paul boasts that his authority is not his own; it has been given to him by the Lord. His conception of authority is thus decisively extrinsic. The weakness of his own person and his lack of rhetorical gifts therefore do not detract from this authority in the least. As he goes on to make clear to the Corinthians, his authority is not dependent upon his powers, but upon Christ, who is present in his weakness (12:9-10).
John MacArthur: False teachers tend to be self-centered, grasping, and abusive. People usually mean nothing to them, except as means to their own selfish ends. They are often overbearing, self-absorbed, and callous to the needs of others.
The false apostles perversely tried to assign to Paul the very evils they themselves were both familiar with and guilty of. They charged that he was an abusive leader, who tried to intimidate the Corinthians into submission.
Scott Hafemann: The main point of verses 10:1–11 is verse 9. Paul is begging those Corinthians who are still rebelling to be reconciled to him (10:1–2) because he is fighting a Spirit-empowered war on behalf of the gospel (10:3–6). He consequently calls them to examine his claims to authority in view of what is clearly evident to them (10:7–8), in order that his letter might not merely frighten them from afar (10:9). For in spite of the fact that his opponents accuse him of duplicity and cowardice (10:10), Paul will execute the threatened judgment of God when he arrives (10:11).
D. (:10-11) Legitimate Spiritual Authority is the Real Thing –
whether by letter or in person
Charles Swindoll: Third, Paul confessed his authenticity (10:10-12). In technological lingo, we often see the term WYSIWYG —an acronym for “what you see is what you get.” This is particularly important in desktop publishing with the desire for the layout on the computer screen to look exactly the same as what the printer spits out. As far as Paul’s ministry was concerned, it was WYSIWYG. Paul was Paul —whether in their midst or through his letters (10:11). Now, his particular tone might change depending on the situation, but that’s to be expected. Paul himself didn’t change his views on Christ, his attitudes toward holiness and sin, or his methods of preaching the gospel and calling believers to a committed Christian life.
- (:10) Accusation
“For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong,
but his personal presence is unimpressive,
and his speech contemptible.’”
- (:11) Response
“Let such a person consider this,
that what we are in word by letters when absent,
such persons we are also in deed when present.”
Mark Seifrid: His threat is an expression of apostolic audacity, not the power of his person. The confrontation and “retribution” of any disobedience will take place without force, by the power of the word. But it will require decisive action on Paul’s part, which he is prepared to take, as he signals here and elsewhere in the closing. He hopes that the present threat will remove the need for action when he finally arrives (13:10).
III. (:12-18) HIS LEGITIMATE SPHERE OF AUTHORITY –
REPLY TO CHARGE OF PRIDE
Anthony Thiselton: Paul explains his position in four steps. In v. 12, he rejects the wrong kind of comparisons between human leaders or personalities such as bedeviled the boasting of 1 Cor 1:12: “I belong to Paul” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Paul is emphatic that his “boasting” is quite different from the boasting of his opponents.
In vv. 13–15a, he affirms that he must not overstep the bounds of ministry by making wild claims: he must not “boast beyond limits.” The NRSV repeats “beyond limits” three times. In vv. 15b–16, he expresses the hope of extending his mission “in lands beyond you.” Finally, in vv. 17–18, he explains that the only ground of boasting is the Lord, and whom the Lord commends. Phillips renders the verse: “It is not self-commendation that matters, it is winning the approval of God.”
Frank Matera: The material can be divided into three subunits.
- In the first (v. 12) Paul derisively says that he is not bold enough to compare himself with those who commend themselves by comparing themselves with each other.
- In the second subunit (vv. 13–16), however, Paul implicitly compares himself with the intruding apostles by showing that his missionary activity is determined by the measure that God assigned to him, whereas the intruding apostles have no norm or standard of measurement beyond themselves. In this subunit the phrase “we do not boast beyond our limits” occurs twice, at the beginning of verse 13 and at the beginning of verse 15, setting off verses 13–14 from verses 15–16.
- In the third subunit (vv. 17–18) Paul returns to the theme of commendation introduced in verse 12, arguing that only those whom the Lord commends are approved. Thus he encloses his discussion of the “rule” or “standard” that guides his missionary activity with two references to commendation.
Charles Swindoll: In ministry, there is nothing like facts to help in times of unjust criticism. Paul rapidly rehearsed the facts about his own ministry scope as it involved the Corinthians.
- God had given him the ministry to reach the Gentiles with the gospel (10:13). The Judaizers severely criticized this ministry focus, accusing Paul of trying to spread his own personal kingdom and authority rather than the kingdom of God.
- Within the sphere of his evangelistic calling, Paul reached the Corinthians (10:14). Like parasites, those Judaizers who came after him invaded the church planted by Paul and began to boast of their work as if they had established the church in Corinth themselves.
- He hoped the Corinthians’ growth would lead to additional resources to expand his ministry (10:15-16). The Judaizers’ strategy involved overhauling churches that already had been planted in order to boast of their conquests; Paul took the approach of preaching where no churches had yet been planted.
Whereas Paul had reason to boast based on the facts, his opponents had no reason to boast. Yet Paul remained meek, humble, and patient in the midst of their criticisms, while they boasted all the more boldly in their hijacking of the churches. In fact, Paul quotes Jeremiah 9:24, “He who boasts is to boast in the LORD,” not in their own accomplishments, riches, or strength (2 Cor. 10:17). Ultimately, God alone is the Judge whose commendation counts. Self-promotion and self-approval are meaningless, the hollow words of braggarts. True servants of God present the facts as they are and then let the Lord God sort it out.
John MacArthur: Verses 12–18 unfold five characteristics of a humble messenger whom God has changed and called.
- A HUMBLE MESSENGER OF GOD IS UNWILLING TO COMPARE HIMSELF WITH OTHERS
- A HUMBLE MESSENGER OF GOD IS WILLING TO MINISTER WITHIN LIMITS
- A HUMBLE MESSENGER OF GOD IS UNWILLING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR OTHERS’ LABORS
- A HUMBLE MESSENGER OF GOD IS WILLING TO SEEK ONLY THE LORD’S GLORY
- A HUMBLE MESSENGER OF GOD IS UNWILLING TO PURSUE ANYTHING BUT ETERNAL GLORY
A. (:12) Futility of Self Commendation
“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.”
Mark Seifrid: Paul explains (gar) the assertion of his authority, an authority that sets him apart from his opponents. He neither includes himself among them nor enters into comparison with them, as they commend themselves. Even if he has been compelled to commend himself by the Corinthians (5:12) — as he does immediately in this letter (11:1 – 12:13) — Paul will not commend himself in the terms that the Corinthians require. The Corinthians are his commendation (3:1-3). They themselves ought to commend him (12:11).
Richard Pratt: First, Paul mocked his opponents’ tactics. He stated that he would not even dare… compare himself to his opponents according to their preferred grounds of comparison. These words must have caught the readers’ attention because they sounded as if Paul had conceded his inferiority. But the sarcasm of his statement becomes evident in the next sentence. They measure themselves by themselves, and thereby demonstrate that they are not wise. That is to say, they evaluated their importance in the church by human standards alone. In modern parlance, they had become “legends in their own minds.” Their self-commendation was unacceptable. At this point Paul’s readers understood why he did not want to be compared to them.
B. (:13-16) Sphere of Authority Corresponds to Sphere of Ministry
Frank Matera: With these verses Paul embarks upon a process of legitimizing his apostolic activity among the Corinthians by appealing to an external criterion, given by God, that bestows a unique status upon him in relation to the Corinthians: he is their father in Christ because he was the first to bring the gospel to them. In contrast to Paul, the intruding apostles, who have come to Corinth after Paul founded the church, do not possess a standard or criterion that allows them to boast in the Corinthians.
- (:13) Principle Stated = We exercise our authority within the proper sphere
“But we will not boast beyond our measure,
but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us
as a measure, to reach even as far as you.”
Not overstepping the bounds of his authority in this matter
Robert Hughes: According to God’s measure (10:13). The Greek word for “sphere” comes from track and field events common to the Isthmian games held only seven miles northeast of Corinth. The track had lines within which each runner had to stay during the race. Paul would not boast outside of the lines that God had drawn for his ministry, in this case, the “reaching even as far as you.” Corinth was given to Paul as a field. Others could certainly minister there with his blessing, as Apollos, Titus, and Timothy showed. But others were in view, ones who claimed an authority over Corinth that annulled Paul’s original claims of authority and replaced his God-given commission for an unhindered ministry among the Corinthians (see also Acts 18:9-10).
Mark Seifrid: The work of God does not exclude the ambitions and labors of the apostle, but includes them. It sets Paul free by providing him with the boundary that prevents his goals and aspirations from becoming unlimited demands and utopian dreams. The apostle is aware that a limited measure has been measured to him. It is only by the grace of God that he is who he is. Yet he labors more than all others, especially with the Corinthians (1 Cor 15:10; cf. 2 Cor 6:5; 11:26-29). Just as he does in the letter to Rome, Paul here expresses the hope that the sphere of his mission will be expanded beyond the Corinthians to those who are yet unreached (vv. 15-16).
- (:14) Historical Testimony = We brought you the Gospel
“For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you,
for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ.”
Tasker: The false apostles had no authority for ministering at Corinth other than that which they had arrogated to themselves. It was they who were stretching themselves beyond measure, not Paul. Priority of service gave Paul a prior claim to the loyalty of the Corinthians.
- (:15-16) Vision for Broader Outreach (vs. Sheep Stealing)
“not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors,
but with the hope that as your faith grows,
we shall be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you,
so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you,
and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.”
David Garland: Paul implies that the opponents’ boasting is “beyond measure” because it is “without limits” and casts off the measure of the gospel of Christ. For Paul, the measure of the gospel is what measures his authority and sufficiency. He does not boast beyond measure, because he does not boast in the labors of others, nor does he boast in his own labors except as one empowered by Christ and working under God’s commission. His complaint with the rivals is not simply that they wrongfully invaded turf assigned to him. They have discredited his influence where he rightfully deserves influence and take undue credit for what God has done through him. Paul counters their criticism of him by saying that he does not “meddle in other people’s territory and then compare our performance with theirs.” Paul does not take credit for another’s work but only boasts in God’s work that has transpired through the ministry assigned to him, giving God all the credit.
Robert Hughes: Verse 16 clearly shows that further missionary extension into new areas was Paul’s point in bringing up the distinction between himself and his critics. Even when he left Corinth, he would only go where the gospel had not been preached. His hopes for the Corinthians were that through the maturity of their faith they would help him on his way. The hopes of the false apostles could only have been to stay at Corinth as long as possible and then move on to leech off another existing Christian community, not to start a new work. Paul always operated with the hope of entering new areas, establishing solid churches, and then moving on, never going where others had labored (Rom. 15:20). He based this philosophy on Isaiah 52:15, which he quotes in Romans 15:21. The regions beyond (10:15) were Rome and Spain (Rom. 15:24).
C. (:17) Focus of Boasting
“But he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”
Richard Pratt: Paul summed up Jeremiah’s perspective by saying that boasting should be in the Lord. All confidence, pride, and boasting should be in the light of what God has done. Believers often accomplish much, just as Paul had, but they should always take pleasure in these accomplishments with the awareness that they are humble servants of the Lord.
Frank Matera: The exhortation that those who boast should boast in the Lord, therefore, stands at an important juncture in his argument. For having asserted that he does not boast beyond the limits assigned to him, and having expressed his confidence that even if he boasts he will not be put to shame, Paul now explains the grounds for authentic boasting: boasting is allowed if one boasts in what the Lord has done. In Paul’s case God has given him a missionary “assignment” (kanōn) that is revealed in the indisputable fact that he was the first to preach the gospel to the Corinthians. Consequently, when Paul boasts in his work at Corinth, he is boasting in the Lord, because this is the work that God assigned and accomplished in him (see 1 Cor 3:6: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth”). In light of the full quotation from Jeremiah, noted above, it now becomes clear what Paul means when he writes in verse 12 that those who commend themselves “do not understand.” They do not “know” and “understand” the Lord (see Jer 9:24), who has acted in their midst with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness.
D. (:18) Validity of God’s Commendation
“For not he who commends himself is approved,
but whom the Lord commends.”
David Garland: All human boasting is groundless because it is based on appearances, not reality. It is also mercurial. When mortals die, their accumulated accolades usually die with them. By contrast, the Lord’s glory is eternal. That is why only Christ’s commendation counts. It ultimately awaits the final judgment when the Lord’s scrutiny is far more exacting. Then it matters not what one thinks of himself or herself or what others might think in this life. Paul knows that he might preach to others and find himself disqualified as unapproved by God (1 Cor 9:27). He constantly examines himself and urges the Corinthians to do the same (13:5). If they fall under the sway of chronic boasters, who self-assuredly commend themselves, they are liable to ignore God’s measures and find themselves disqualified.
ASIDE: PRINCIPLES DEMONSTRATING THAT SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY MUST BE JUDGED BY SPIRITUAL STANDARDS
- Spiritual authority is given by God (:8,13)
- Spiritual authority cannot be recognized through physical appearance or attributes (:7,12), rather we learn to judge as God judges and commend whom God commends (:18)
- Spiritual authority is exercised in meekness (:1)
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- meekness is not timidity (:2,10,11)
- spiritual leader must be strong to fight spiritual wars with spiritual weapons (:3-5)
- Spiritual authority is given for edification (:8)
- Spiritual authority will not be ashamed (or refuted) (:8)
- Paul’s Spiritual Authority within the field (probably geographical) God has assigned (:13)
- Effectiveness of Spiritual Leader in a church is limited by the submission and faith of the church (:6,15)
* * * * * * * * * *
PREACHING CHRIST:
1) Christ is presented here as the epitome of meekness and gentleness without detracting at all from his strength and power.
2) Belonging to Christ is the great privilege and security of every believer.
3) Spiritual leaders in the church have been granted authority by Christ for the purpose of edification.
4) The Lord should be the subject of our boasting