2 Corinthians 10:7-12

Applebury's Comments

A Defense Of His Boasting About His Authority
Scripture

2 Corinthians 10:7-12. Ye look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ'S, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ'S, so also are we. 8 For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame: 9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. 10 For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account. 11 Let such a one reckon this, that, what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present. 12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

Comments

Ye look at the things that are before your face.Paul began the defense of his apostolic authority against those who had attacked his person and methods. He reminded those, of readers who had been in sympathy with his enemies, that they were taking a superficial view of things that were before their very eyes. These men were in their midst, their claims were well known, and their motives should have been understood. But lest there be any doubt about it, Paul explained it to them in plain language. See 2 Corinthians 11:20-33.

If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ'S.This seems to be directed against anyone who was attacking Paul while claiming to belong to Christ. But there is really only one way by which anyone can belong to Christ, and that is the way of complete surrender to Him. As Paul had done when he asked on the Damascus way, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? so must every one obey Him. Paul obeyed the instruction of the Lord through Ananias whom the Lord sent to tell Paul what to do and got himself baptized into Christ. From that time on, he conducted himself as a Christian, for Christ lived in him (Galatians 2:20). By this standard the brethren at Corinth could judge the teachers who at that time were disturbing them. Had they actually obeyed from the heart that form of teaching which led them to be crucified with Christ and be buried with Him in baptism and walk with Him in the new life? Had they demonstrated by their conduct that they had been transformed so that their thinking and action conformed to the truth revealed in God's Word?

For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority.In the light of the claims of these false teachers, it was necessary for Paul to boast about his authority. This was his apostolic authority which he received from the Lord Jesus when He appeared to Paul on the Damascus road. Paul quoted the words of the Lord Jesus in his trial before Agrippa, But arise, and stand upon thy feet; for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and the Gentiles, to whom I send thee, to open their eyes, that they turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me (Acts 26:16-18). Which of these false teachers had received such a commission from Christ? The brethren at Corinth knew that Christ had commissioned Paul as an apostle, for the signs of an apostle had been performed in their midst. See 2 Corinthians 12:12. Who among those who were seeking to tear down the apostolic authority of Paul could produce divine credentials to support their claims?

which the Lord gave for building you up.The apostolic commission and the miraculous powers that accompanied it were not given to Paul for his exaltation nor to be used to destroy others. The intention of the Lord had been made clear in His instruction to Paul, for the ultimate goal was to bring men to the inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ.

Paul's authority was not given him for the purpose of destroying the church at Corinth. But these servants of Satan were doing so.

I shall not be put to shame.Paul had perfect confidence in the message which as an apostle of Christ he had delivered to the church at Corinth. He was confident in the ultimate victory in the struggle to overcome the destructive false teaching to which some were apparently willing to listen.

that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.These were not idle threats designed to strike terror in the hearts of those who read his letters; they were the solemn warnings of one whose love for them had been demonstrated time and again, for he was their father in the gospel.

His letters.So far as we know, Paul had written only one letter to the Corinthians. He had written other letters to other churches with which the people at Corinth may have been familiar. It is best however, to take the plural as a general reference to his writings rather than use it in support of theories about the lost letter or the severe letter. See comment on 1 Corinthians 5:9 and 2 Corinthians 2:3.

The critics had pointed to the threatening tone of Paul's writings such as given in 1 Corinthians 4:18-21. They had been attempting to destroy the effect of these warnings by resorting to a personal attack on the apostle. His bodily presence may not have been that of a strong, robust individual. He mentioned, an infirmity in connection with his preaching the gospel to the Galatians. See Galatians 4:13-14. He mentions the thorn in the flesh in 2 Corinthians 12:7. But after reading the account of the things which he had endured as given in 2 Corinthians 11:23-33, it would be difficult indeed to believe that he was a physical weakling. In all probability this was a vicious attack without any foundation. It was designed to destroy the confidence of the brethren in the one who had led them to Christ.

and his speech of no account.Paul readily admitted that he did not belong to the order of professional orators. See 2 Corinthians 11:6. When he came to Corinth the first time, it was not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, for he had but one message and that was Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The Athenians had looked upon his preaching of Jesus and the resurrection with utter scorn, for to them it compared in no way with the systems of wisdom taught by their philosophers. See Acts 17:16-22. But there is no eloquence or system of thought that surpassed Paul's when he spoke on Mars Hill revealing the God whom the Athenians had worshipped in ignorance. He said, the time of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now He commands men that they should all everywhere repent: in as much as he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).

Paul hastened to assure his readers that his deeds when present with them would coincide exactly with what he had said in his letters in his absence.

For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves.In boasting about the authority which the Lord had given him, Paul was in no way attempting to compare himself with the false teachers at Corinth. He had urged his readers to be aware of the fact that his authority had been given him by the Lord. On the other hand, the false teachers had set up their own standards and had measured themselves by them and, consequently, were without proper understanding of the true basis of relationship to Christ which was to be found only in the authoritative Word proclaimed by His apostles.