2 Corinthians 10
Paul’s Authority from the Lord
10:1 Now I, Paul, appeal to you personally by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (I who am meek when present among you, but am full of courage toward you when away!) –
When Paul first wrote to the Corinthians, there was division in the church. The majority of the believers regarded Paul as an apostle, but there was a minority who did not. The first nine chapters of this letter were most likely written to the majority. The last four chapters were most likely written to the minority. Paul was going to defend his apostleship in order to keep the church from dividing.
The meekness and gentleness of Christ was taking the persecutions of His enemies without lashing out. Jesus would defend His sheep, but not Himself. Paul was very mature in Christ. When Paul was attacked, he answered with silence. If his sheep were attacked, then Paul would pull out his sword. Paul saw the Judaizers as a threat to his flock. The Judaizers saw Paul's meekness as weakness. However, Paul was not weak, as he had the power and authority of God behind him. In this chapter, we will see the warrior side of Paul.
His enemies were claiming that Paul was meek when he was with the Corinthians, but strong when he was away. This was the view of the minority. They did not like Paul's first stinging letter.
10:2 now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that (I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving according to human standards.
The minority claimed that Paul's bark was worse than his bite. Paul warned them not to force him to unleash his apostolic authority.
10:3 For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards,
Believers walk as human beings, but they are involved in an angelic warfare that must be fought with the spiritual weapons and armor mentioned in Ephesians 6.
10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments
The purpose of spiritual warfare is not to attack Satan and demons, but to tear down arguments. Satan, his demons, and skeptics cannot stand up to Bible doctrine.
10:5 and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.
The arrogant obstacles are the philosophies of men that attempt to discredit the Word of God. Some of these obstacles are cults, religion, ritualism, evolution, human philosophies, and many more schemes of the devil. These arrogant obstacles have no chance against one who has knowledge of the Word of God. Believers are to knock down and destroy these humanistic thoughts, demonstrating that all humanistic philosophies are subject to Christ.
Like Paul, believers should expect and ignore attacks on themselves. However, when the Word of God is attacked, we are to knock down the fortress and take the enemy humanistic thought captive. When a skeptic attacks the Word of God, back him into a corner and show him his ignorance.
10:6 We are also ready to punish every act of disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.
The Greek word for "punish" is ἐκδικέω (ekdikeo), meaning to dispense judgment. The Greek word for "obedience" is ὑπακοή (hupakoa), meaning to listen, hear, and obey. Paul informed the Corinthians that first they must accept his apostolic authority. They must listen, hear, and obey what he says. After Paul's apostolic authority was accepted, then Paul would dispense judgment upon the false teachers inside the Corinthian church.
10:7 You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: Just as he himself belongs to Christ, so too do we.
The Corinthian minority was looking only at the outward appearances of the Judaizers. They looked like apostles from the outside, but they were actually false apostles on the inside. Paul claimed that he himself was an apostle of Christ, but the others were frauds.
10:8 For if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of doing so.
Paul was given the authority of an apostle, but it was not to destroy the church, but to build it up.
10:9 I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters,
The Judaizers claimed that Paul was attempting to intimidate the Corinthians with his letters. Paul was not attempting to terrify the Corinthians. He was attempting to build them up.
10:10 because some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak and his speech is of no account.”
Paul obviously looked like a physically weak vessel, maybe much like Samson, who was most likely a weakling to whom God gave supernatural strength. The Greco-Roman culture valued speech, but Paul was not an eloquent speaker.
10:11 Let such a person consider this: What we say by letters when we are absent, we also are in actions when we are present.
The words in Paul's letters are also the present actions of Paul.
Paul’s Mission
10:12 For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.
Paul was using sarcasm in this verse. The false teachers were comparing themselves to the standards of other men. Paul would not dare to compare himself to other men. He does not even care what other men think about him. Paul only cared what God thought about him. It is foolish for a man to compare himself to other men.
10:13 But we will not boast beyond certain limits, but will confine our boasting according to the limits of the work to which God has appointed us, that reaches even as far as you.
The proud and arrogant false apostles have boasted about how God was using them beyond their limits. Paul did not boast about his accomplishments. God appointed Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles. Paul did not exceed this limit of ministry. The Corinthians were with the territory that God had assigned to Paul.
10:14 For we were not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach as far as you, because we were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel about Christ.
Paul was called as a missionary to the Corinthians, not as a pastor of the Corinthian Church.
10:15 Nor do we boast beyond certain limits in the work done by others, but we hope that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded among you according to our limits,
As the Corinthians began to grow, Paul and his team would move to other Gentile regions.
10:16 so that we may preach the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, and not boast of work already done in another person’s area.
Paul desired to take the gospel to other regions, such as Rome and Spain.
10:17 But the one who boasts must boast in the Lord.
Paul must boast in order to expose the fall apostles.
10:18 For it is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person the Lord commends.
Do not criticize another believer until you find out his calling. Self-commendation is both meaningless and foolish. The only true, meaningful commendation comes from God, not self or other men. Paul is telling the Corinthians that he is doing what God called him to do. God called Paul to be a missionary to the Gentiles. He must fulfill that calling, because the Lord commanded it.