Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Corinthians 10:12-16

12–16. The difficulty of this passage has often been pointed out. Theodoret suggests that S. Paul has deliberately written obscurely, because he did not wish to be too definite in convicting his accusers. Bengel is certainly right in saying, sepem inter se et illos ponit; but the obscurity is probably unintentional. The passage is partly ironical, especially at the outset: οὐ τολμῶμεν, ‘I shouldn’t venture &c.’ It had been insinuated that he was a coward. Well, one kind of courage he certainly does lack. He does not dare to match himself with those who praise themselves according to a standard of their own fixing. He limits his glorying by the limits of the sphere fixed for him by God, and this sphere extended to Corinth. If his sphere did not extend thus far, he would be exceeding his limits; but, as it is, his preaching was the first to reach them. So he is not unjustifiably glorying in what other people have done. But he hopes that, as the Corinthians increase in faith, his influence among them will increase, while he keeps to his own province, so as to preach the Gospel in the districts beyond Corinth, without glorying in the province of others, over work that is already done without him.

As in 2 Corinthians 10:7, there may be a hint by contrast that what is not true of him is true of his opponents. ‘It is not I who have invaded other people’s provinces: it is other people (the Judaizers) who have invaded mine.’

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Corinthians 10:12-16

Old Testament

New Testament