2 Corinthians 10

2 Corinthians 10:1

Now I, that Paul that am so calumniated by some among you, and said by way of reproach to be mild and contemptible when I am personally present with you, but, when I am absent, severe and confident toward you, I exhort you by the meekness and

[a] gentleness] Ἐπιείκεια is the ordinary word of the philosopher, taken from him by the lawyers to signify mitigation of exact or strict justice, when that is not so agreeable to rules of charity, and so it notes in general the fit, proper temper, which is to be observed in all things. Ἐπιεικὲς, saith Hesychius, καθῆκον, πρῆτον, προσῆκον, ἱκανόν, that which is fit, decent, due, &c. And according to the diversity of matter about which it is conversant, so it hath several notions in the New Testament. In this place being spoken of Christ, and joined with that meekness which was so imitable in him, Matt. xi. 29, it signifies gentleness or clemency, as that is opposed to severity in punishing, which is here expressed by θαρρῆσαι and τολμῆσαι and πεποίθησις, daring, boldness, and confidence. But Phil. iv. 5. τὸ ἐπιεικὲς seems to belong to another sort of gentleness, that of the lamb, which before or under the shearer is dumb, and opens not the mouth, viz. a cheerful endurance of all the persecutions that were upon the Christians at that time. To this the context there inclines, which ushered it in with a repeated exhortation to rejoice in the Lord always, in adversity as well as prosperity, (and so 1 Thess. v. 16,) which being contrary to the joy of the world, most fitly denotes that χαρὰ καὶ ἀγαλλίασις, Matt. v. 12, (rejoicing and being exceeding glad, rejoicing and leaping for joy, and thinking it all joy, James i. 2,) which is upon their being persecuted for Christ, and so likewise enforced with a reason agreeable to this matter, for the Lord is at hand, the time of your redemption from your pressures draws near, Heb. x. 37. And accordingly it is attended (as Christ’s instructions to the apostles

2 Corinthians 10:2

I beseech God (or you), that at my coming I may not have occasion to exercise that severity which I think myself obliged to exercise against some who accuse me for a weak behaviour in my apostleship, as either fearing or flattering of men, too mild, on one of those grounds.

2 Corinthians 10:3

For though I am an infirm person, obnoxious myself to many afflictions and distresses, for which you are apt to despise me, yet do I not exercise my apostleship in a weak manner, or by weak weapons:

2 Corinthians 10:4

(For the instruments of our apostleship, the censures of the church, are not weak or contemptible, but such as have a divine force upon the conscience, for the beating down all the fortifications which are raised in us against the power of the gospel, or subduing the most refractory offenders):

[b] weapons of our warfare] That the ὀπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν, weapons of our warfare, which are here said not to be weak, but mighty to God, signify the censures of the church, may thus appear probable; first, by the context, where the apostle speaks of proceeding against offenders, which he calls θαρρεῖν εἰς ὑμᾶς, being bold toward them, vv. 1, 2, and ἐκδικεῖν παρακοήν, to avenge disobedience, ver. 6, and this according to the ἐξουσία or authority, which the Lord had given for edification, (building them up further in the faith and all Christian virtue,) and not for destruction; and then he adds a caution, to remove a calumny or prejudice that some had against him, that his letters were severe, and so he, when absent, but far from all severity when he came among them, κατὰ πρόσωπον ταπεινὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, vile, or tame, or unconsiderable, when he was among them; that is, that in his absence he threatened censures, but when he came would not inflict them; which he calls ἐκφοβεῖν δι’ ἐπιστολῶν, terrifying by letters, ver. 9, and ἐπιστολαὶ βαρεῖαι and ἰσχυραὶ, weighty and powerful letters, ver. 10, that is, severe and terrifying; which yet he threatens shall be equalled by his actions when he comes among them, ver. 11. And so all along, the business is of the censures of the church, and so in all reason in this verse also. Secondly, this will appear by the words themselves: for as στρατεία ἡμῶν signifies confessedly the apostles’ ministry (see note [f] on 1 Tim. i.) according to the importance of the Hebrew אֵבֶל, which is sometimes rendered στρατεία, warfare, sometimes λειτουργία, ministry; so ὀπλα τῆς στρατείας, weapons of warfare, are the means to discharge their duty in the ministry. Of which nature though there be more, prayer, preaching, catechising, administration of sacraments, confirmation, &c., yet the antecedents and consequents here, belonging to the business of censures, must needs incline it to that notion peculiarly. Then that these are not σαρκικὰ, carnal, signifies that they are not weak, for so σάρξ, flesh, frequently signifies, as here, ver. 3, though we walk in the flesh, that is, are weak, as men, and have no power over you, yet as officers of Christ we are not, our ministry is with power, and therefore follows ἀλλὰ δυνατὰ τῷ Θεῷ, but mighty or powerful through or to God, or perhaps exceeding powerful, and that εἰς καθαίρεσιν τῶν ὀχυρωμάτων, to the pulling down of strongholds, that is, either the pulling down all fortresses that maintain or secure a man in sin, or more critically, as καθαίρεσις signifies excommunication itself, ver. 8, and ch. xiii. 10, and

2 Corinthians 10:5

But I use the censures of the church to bring down all the disputings and reasonings of men’s understandings against the Christian doctrine, all notions and conceits of vain heretical men, to the acknowledgment and practice of the truth.

2 Corinthians 10:6

And truly thus I am resolved, when you have made good your obedience, reduced yourselves to good order, and demonstrated that, to punish those that remain refractory with severity enough. For when the whole church lies in disobedience, those acts of severity are not so fit to be used; but when the reformation of the greater part is so conspicuous, that it may be prudent to proceed against the refractory, then I shall not fail in my duty, but inflict these censures as shall be fit.

2 Corinthians 10:7

Do you judge so slightly, and, as the weakest and most passionate men are wont, only according to outward appearances? If any man out of confidence that he is a special favourite of Christ’s think fit to despise me, let him consider, and by all those arguments, by which he will be able to conclude that he is the disciple or apostle of Christ, he will be able to conclude it of me also.

2 Corinthians 10:8

Nay, if I should pretend to some more authority from Christ than hath been given to others, (all for

[a] make all grace abound] There is no way of rendering Θεὸς δυνατὸς περισσεῦσαι χάριν but by putting περισσεῦσαι in an active sense, to make abound, and that hath been formerly noted to be ordinary in the New Testament, (see note [f] on Mark xiv.) The Greek wanting the Hebrew conjugation hiphil, which denotes making to do a thing, and having no way to supply it, but by using the active voice in that sense, so as περισσεῦσιν shall not only signify neutrally to abound, but also to make any man or thing to abound: of which kind there be innumerable examples. And so the making their charity to abound toward them here, that is, God’s blessing their liberality, so that it shall enrich, instead of impoverishing them, will be all one with the increasing the fruits of their righteousness, ver. 10, their righteousness there signifying their charity, (as hath been oft shewn,) and the plenty consequent to their exercises of that virtue being proportionable to the fruit that comes by sowing, (the hundredfold increase which Christ promises even in this life to those that forsake or part with any thing for his sake,) and accordingly it is there joined with multiplying their seed, where their acts of charity are figuratively called their seed, and the blessings consequent thereto the fruits of it.

2 Corinthians 10:10

Now that God that furnisheth the liberal man (which giveth away that which he hath) with so much more, provide all necessaries for you, and make you the richer for your liberality, and increase unto you those fruits which are naturally the issue of liberality, a greater plenty for the future, see note [a]:

2 Corinthians 10:11

Having enough to be very liberal at all times, which is a most desirable condition, and that which brings in thanksgiving and glory to God.

2 Corinthians 10:12

This charitable and serviceable ministering to and supplying of other men’s wants, being not only a means to relieve those Christians that are in necessity, (see note [b] Mark xii,) and so a charity to our brethren, but also an invitation and obligation of many men’s gratitude unto God, and so an occasion, if not a special act, of piety also;

[c] make ourselves of the number] What ἐγκρῖναι signifies properly is set down by Buddæus, ἐντάττειν, ἐγκαταλέγειν, “to choose or admit any into any order,” as in Aristides, τοὺς ἐπήλυδας θεοὺς μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐνέκριναν, “they admitted the foreign gods with the others;” and in Demosthenes, εἰς γερουσίαν ἐγκρίνεσθαι, “to be chosen or admitted into the senate.” Thus ἐγκρίνειν and ἀποκρίνειν are used, as in Plato de Leg. 12, ἀποκρίνοντας νεότητι, τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους ἐγκρίναντες, “rejecting some, and choosing others.” Hence Hesychius, Ἔγκριτος, ἐκλελεγμένος, ἐξειλεγμένος, the participle signifies select or chosen, and so here ἐγκρῖναι ἑαυτόν, “to give suffrage to himself,” to take upon him to be some eminent person.

2 Corinthians 10:13

Whilst men that see and observe this charity and distribution of yours to the distressed Christians in Judæa, bless and magnify the name of God; first, that ye are so ready to believe and obey the gospel of Christ, to confess Christ by doing what he commands; and secondly, that by your liberality these poor saints, and all others in their sympathy with them, do receive so much benefit from you;

[d] our measure] Of the agones among the Grecians, particularly among the Corinthians, and of δρόμος, racing, one of them, we have formerly spoken, (notes [c.] [d.] [e.] on 1 Cor. ix.) and so again distinctly of κανὼν, (note [g].) the white line, which bounded or marked out the path or race. To this the apostle here refers, making his apostleship or preaching of the gospel to be his spiritual exercise, or running as it were in a race, his ἐν σταδίῳ δρόμος, and then the province or diocese to which he is by God designed, and sent to preach, is his μέτρον τοῦ κανόνος οὗ ἐμίρισεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός, “the compass or stage of ground which by that white line in the race, as it were, God hath marked out to him,” to run in, and contend, and obtain his prize. Beyond or out of which line he that runs, or pretends to have to do, he doth καυχήσασθαι εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα, boast without his measure, and ὑπερεκτείνεσθαι, over-extend himself, ver. 14.

2 Corinthians 10:14

And lastly, they are hereby raised up to pray for you, out of that passionate love and affection toward you, which the sight of the abundant virtues and graces of God in you do work in them.

[e] come as far] That the word φθάνειν is agonistical also, see note [l] on Rom. ix, and so constantly it signifies coming foremost to the goal, or being foremost in the running toward it; and so it signifies here, preaching the gospel among the Corinthians before any body else had been there; for as it is said, 1 Cor. iii. 6, Paul planted, that is, first brought the gospel among them.

2 Corinthians 10:15

For all this goodness of God to you, and by you to others, his name be ever praised.

CHAP. X.

2 Corinthians 10:16

[f] another man’s line] The ἀλλότριος κανὼν is that province which somebody else hath undertaken; the κανὼν, as before, denoting the line by which his race was terminated, and the ἀλλότριος referring to the custom in the stadia forementioned, that each of the racers had his