Chapter X.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1) But I, Paul, urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who am humble when present with you, but bold towards you when absent. This is what I mean: that he who is absent is also the same as when present. For he was not humble in appearance by flattery or submission to anyone, but he zealously guarded his stability, so that he would sometimes even refrain from what was lawful, lest he be swayed. Hence he says in another letter: All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Food is for the stomach, and the stomach for food: but God shall destroy both it and them. (I Corinthians VI, 13). Therefore, he beseeches them in his absence, and presents the modesty of Christ; so that he may not be found harsher in person than he is in his letters; so that those who had not yet corrected themselves would soften their rigor and behavior upon encountering him; so that upon finding them moderate, he would rejoice in them, having suppressed his severity. Thus, he mentioned his confidence in the severity of his authority, which is perhaps thought to only exist in his letter and not in person; because in his first letter, he seems severe and excessively rigid: and therefore he warns them not to use the same severity in person as they did not expect.
(Vers. 2.)
(Ver. 2.) However, I ask that I may have the courage not in person, by which I am thought to dare against those who consider us to walk according to the flesh. It is the same meaning, which he repeats in order to clarify; for he prays that he may find such people, so that he may not be forced to be angry, but rather may find rest with them. Therefore, he has opened up what he previously indicated and further explains in the following, that this is the confidence, which he called boldness, given to him by Christ, of whom he is vicar; that he may take action against those who, acting in the name of Christ, do not obey, in order to correct the faults for which they are reproached. He says this about those who do not accept spiritual things, which were spoken by the Apostle. They thought of him as speaking of carnal things that should not be accepted. Therefore, he says: Those who think that we walk according to the flesh, because anyone who despises spiritual things considers them to be carnal.
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. That is, we are positioned in the body but live spiritually. For the one who does what pleases God lives spiritually. Therefore, the one who obeys the desires of the flesh wages war according to the flesh; for every error is called flesh. But the one who obeys Christ, wages war against himself in faith and discipline.
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but powerful through God. Therefore they are powerful because they are incorruptible; for all carnal things are corruptible. Therefore they are called weapons because they fight against vices, having the signature of their emperor Christ, who is the enemy of vices. Just as an emperor defends his kingdom through his soldiers, so does the Savior defend the profession and discipline of the one God through us, his servants.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5.) For the destruction of fortresses, destroying thoughts, and every height that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Spiritual weapons are the faith of incorruptible preaching. Through these, God conquers princes and powers, who are known to usurp authority for themselves, exalting themselves against the faith of Christ, inserting thoughts into the minds of men to divert them from the dominion of God, which the truth of faith destroys. Therefore, the princes and powers of darkness, who exalt themselves and arm the minds of the unbelievers to contradict Christ, are called the munitions. Against them the law of God fights, scattering their schemes. They bring every thought into captivity and lead them to obey Christ. They captivate the mind by overcoming their reasoning and humble and meekly bring them to the faith of Christ, which they previously opposed.
(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6) And ready to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. It is evident that he avenges disobedience; when he condemns it through obedience, then destroying it, when he leads those who resist to faith; so that the treachery from those whom it was defended against may be condemned.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7) Look at the things that are on the surface. Now he wants to consider those things that are obvious, that is, what he is about to say; because they are clear to judge. Therefore, he says: If anyone thinks he is a servant of Christ, let him think again within himself, because as he is a servant of Christ, so are we. He is speaking to those whose pride he touches, those who, with an inflated mind, thought less of the Apostle than was appropriate, as if they did not need his commands. He advises them that if they have confidence in themselves because they are servants of Christ, then they should not doubt about the Apostle; but they should also think the same way about him, even though he is unworthy; since they should certainly prefer the teacher of the Gentiles more to themselves. But here he teaches them humility, equating himself with them; even though he is a vessel of election and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. He wants them to consider this, which is certainly clear as day; because no believer should value the Apostle any more than themselves: how much more should no one value themselves any less than themselves? Therefore, he warns and teaches that they should not lose the merit of a good life due to the pride of their minds. For whoever knows themselves to be something should humble themselves, so that they may become greater.
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) For even if I boast a little more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed. Now this means that although he humbled himself by comparing himself to you, if he should assert himself, he would not be ashamed, because he received the authority from the Lord to preach for the purpose of salvation, not destruction for those who obey. So if this one who was sent by the Lord humbles himself and compares himself to those who are lesser, how much more should those who were of no account not compare themselves, let alone consider themselves superior, to the influential?
(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9.) But so that we may not appear to terrify you by our letters. He can seem to terrify through letters, who has neither any authority, nor confidence in arguing present: but he dares to do so while absent, because he fears while present.
(Vers. 10, 11.)
(Vers. 10, 11.) Because indeed letters are weighty and strong, but the presence of the body is weak, and the speech contemptible. Let him who is such think this, that as we are in word by letters when absent, so we are also present in deed. Therefore, he proves that he is not another absentee than present; because he was not a presumptuous person. For he had received power from the Lord; for whomsoever power is not given, he can dare when absent, but present he suffers shame. Therefore, the Apostle is not ashamed when he corrects; because confidence in his authority drives him to do so. He speaks these words for those who were falsely preaching, not sent by anyone, because they wanted to commend themselves.
(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12) For we dare not join or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. They are those who commend themselves, who desire to rule without receiving authority, claiming authority for themselves. For the one who is sent does not assert authority for himself, but rather for the one who sent him, showing himself to be a chosen steward by the Lord. Therefore, he does not join or compare himself with those who preach without being sent, presuming beyond what is permitted.
(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13.) But we will not boast immeasurably by measuring ourselves by ourselves and comparing ourselves to ourselves, but according to the measure of the rule that God has apportioned to us, a measure to reach even to you. He says that he exercises such great power as is granted by the Author and does not exceed the measure. Therefore, our boasting will not be proud, he says, when we do not exceed the limit of the given authority. He placed glory in the authority with which he used to correct sinners, in order to save them. However, he does not boast in the exaltation of power, but for their edification. For he shows the power, about which if he wanted to boast, he would not be ashamed; because it is given to him by the Lord. But he uses it in such a way that he does not boast, except in the progress of the believers, reproving the wicked consistently; so that he may boast in their salvation, so that the power given may be of benefit to salvation, not to arrogance. Therefore, he testifies that he does not boast excessively in two ways; both because of the power given, as he said, and because he claimed authority only to the extent that his preaching may resound. Indeed, he trusted in those whom he himself had founded in the faith of Christ. For he assigned to each one the task to which they were directed in preaching, so that each might have their own cities to boast about in terms of their faith. By the will of God, this Apostle was called to preach to the Macedonians, and he was reminded by the Lord to preach to the Corinthians. Therefore, he speaks boldly to those whom he himself founded and to whom he came by the will of God; not with such confidence to the others, for they were under a different rule, that is, the part of another Evangelist.
(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14) For we did not go beyond our limits, as though we did not reach you. We were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. We do not boast beyond limits in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another's area of influence.
(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) For we have come to you in the Gospel of Christ, not boasting excessively in the labors of others. Here it is more clear that he is saying that he himself had established them. Therefore, he speaks with such confidence to them; for they had not been won over to the faith through the labors of others, as he says in another epistle: For in Christ Jesus I became your father through the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:15.) Therefore, he who boasts in his own labor does not boast beyond measure.
But having hope in the growing faith in you, we may be magnified according to our rule abundantly, so as to preach the gospel in a circle beyond you, not to boast in another man's line, in those things that are made ready to our hand. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself, is approved, but he whom God commendeth.
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) I magnify myself in you according to our rule in abundance, and also in the regions beyond you, I preach the Gospel. I am even more joyful about their faith, and I declare that I will necessarily preach beyond them to increase the glory of my preaching, where it has not yet been preached. So that we do not boast in what has been accomplished in another's sphere of activity. It is clear that a wise person does not rely on these things, nor does he hope for glory that is built on the labors of others. Therefore, the Apostle does not dare to preach to those who have believed through others, so that he may not seem to boast in the labors of others; but he relies on this, to preach to those to whom it had not been announced, so that he may seek glory in his own labor.
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17.) But let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. In saying this, he indicated that confidence and glory should be given to the Lord, by whose grace it is; so that whoever trusts in the power of the gospel, may trust in God as the author; so that the gain of every divine enterprise may come forth as a profit for the Lord. But the one who does not receive power from God, cannot boast in the Lord; because he seeks his own glory.
(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18) For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. It is true that the Lord commends and approves the one whom He finds worthy and sends to preach His gift; however, the one whom He does not send, He does not commend. Therefore, the one who preaches without being sent commends himself and is thus not suitable, but rather presumptuous and rejected.