An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 3 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
THe third part of the Epistle: In which the Apostle vindicates his authority from the aspersions of the duplicate page duplicate page false Apostles, whereby they laboured to lessen his authority with the Corinthians. In this Chapter, because they blamed Paul, that being present amongst the Corinthians, hee carried himself humbly, but being absent, hee had boasted of the weightiness of his authority in his letters, hee removes this calumny, by defending the fact.
There are two parts of the Chapter. In the first, hee proves by eight arguments, that hee is not to bee contemned, to verse 12. In the second, hee modestly compares himself with those that were his Emulators, to the end.
Vers. 1. Now I Paul my self beseech you by the meekness, and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent, am bold towards you.
Argum. 1. Is contained in his obtestation by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, that they would not interpret his carriage otherwise than was mee…. As if hee had said, my humility was the self-same gentleness, and the very imitation of the meekness of Christ, which I remember you of. That yee acknowledging the imitation of our Lord in mee, may judge rightly concerning mee: Therefore I am not to bee despised by you.
Vers. 2. But I beseech you, that I may not bee …old when I am present, with that confidence wherewith I think to bee bold against some, which think of us, as if wee walked according to the flesh.
Yee ought to beware, lest by your fault I am compelled to exercise my power more boldly toward some of you, when I come, as I have determined to exercise against those, who being led by fear or hope, think of us, as if wee would change our carriage like carnal and irregenerate men: Therefore I am not to bee despised.
Vers. 3. For though wee walk in the flesh, wee do not war after the flesh.
Argum. 2. Although I do not live free from humane infirmity in this frail flesh, yet in the execution of my office, and my Ministerial warfare, I have not followed carnal lusts, being led by fear or affection, as they falsly lay to my charge, when sometimes I carried my self humbly, sometimes according to the dignity of my office and authority: Therefore I am not to bee contemned.
Vers. 4. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds.)
Argum. 4. Confirming the former. I have no need to use carnal weapons in the subtil changing of my carriage, sometimes flattering, sometimes boasting, or using any other such like evil arts, but my Spiritual Weapons (such as they are) were sufficient in the truth, boldness in the exercising of Ecclesiastical Discipline, zeal, patience, Christian fortitude, and other virtues, wherewith being armed, I do manage my warfare: Therefore I am not to bee contemned. Hee shews a threefold virtue of these weapons. 1. Virtue is, That by divine power they are sufficient for the throwing down of all the strong holds of humane wisdome, and the demolishing of subtil pretences, and all counsels, with which carnal men striving against the Gospel for their errours and vices, use to defend themselves.
Vers. 5. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
The second Virtue. Hee also reaches that these Weapons are mighty, as to the throwing down the pride of mans mind, and the highness of worldly knowledge, so also to the converting or subduing high wits to the obedience and humble submission of themselves, as captives, to Christ by Faith. Understand it concerning the Elect, and those that are ordained to Salvation.
Vers. 6. And having a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
The third Virtue. Those Weapons of the Word of God, and Ecclesiastical censures are sufficient, &c. to revenge those that rebel and are disobedient, as doing ready execution, partly in this life, partly in that which is to come; which weapons the Apostle was making ready against his adversaries, after hee had recalled the flock of the Corinthians, seduced from him, into order and obedience: for hee intended prudently to exercise the Ecclesiastical censures.
Vers. 7. Do yee look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that hee is Christs, let him of himself think this again, that as hee is Christs, even so are wee Christs.
Argum. 5. Whereby hee proveth that hee ought not to bee contemned, because judgement ought not to bee made concerning the Apostles dignity by the external appearance of humility: For the interrogation hath the force of a negative duty, and is as much as yee ought not.
If any man] Argum. 6. My humility nothing detracteth from the dignity of my Ministery, but I am to bee equalled with any one of those Emulators, and am as neer to Christ, in as many respects, as any of them: Therefore I am not to bee despised.
Vers. 8. For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority (which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction) I should not bee ashamed.
Argum. 7. Because however, sometimes humbly, sometimes according to my authority I shall carry my self, yet I can glory of my Apostolical authority without vanity. In the mean while, lest the remembrance of his power should bee troublesome, hee sayes, that this authority was given to him, that hee might bee advantagious for their Salvation; but not that by any means hee should hinder their salvation.
Vers. 9. That I may not seem as if I would terrifie you by letters.
10. For his letters (say they) are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
11. Let such a one think this, that such as wee are in word, by letters when wee are absent, such will wee bee also in deed, when wee are present.
Argum. 8. Lest I should seem to affect by my Epistles that authority which I have not, vers. 9. As my accusers are diligent to intimate by their reproaches, ver. 10. I shall demonstrate, that my authority is the same indeed when I come to them, which I used to shew in my letters: Therefore do not yee contemn mee.
The Second Part.
Vers. 12. For wee dare not make our selves of the number, or compare our selves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves, and comparing themselves amongst themselves, are not wise.
The second part of the Chapter follows, wherein hee discovereth the vanity of those that praise themselves, who did so exalt themselves, as if the Apostle durst not equal himself with them. The Apostle compares himself with these in a five-fold dissimilitude.
First, Wee humbly and modestly carrying our selves, surely wee are not like them, who ambitiously and boastingly insult over us (as if wee were not to bee compared with them) commending themselves above that which the thing it self doth admit them to bee commended.
Are not] 2. They shew their own foolishness, measuring themselves by their own esteem, making themselves great in their own judgement, and of some like unto themselves; wee avoid this vanity.
Vers. 13. But wee will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
14. For wee stretch not our selves beyond our measure, as though wee reached not unto you, for wee are come as far as to you also, in preaching the Gospel of Christ.
3. Wee do not boast beyond the measure and rule of our gifts and calling, as if wee were sent to preach to those whom wee are not sent to, but wee keep our selves within the measure of our Apostolical calling, assigned to us by God, which allows our preaching to you Corinthians, who by our means were converted to the Faith: Our Emulators do not so contain themselves, but run to those to whom they are not sent, and do boast above the measure of gifts, and divine benediction upon their labours.
Vers. 15. Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other mens labours, but having hope, when your faith is encreased, that wee shall bee enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
16. To preach the Gospel in the Regions beyond you, and not to boast in another mans line of things made ready to our hand.
4. Wee do not boast in the labours of others, as if wee had converted to the Faith those which wee have not converted, as our Emulators, who boast in you Corinthians, which they have not converted; but wee hope, that after you are further stablished in the Faith, that yee may bee confident, and also endeavour to propagate our Gospel, and deal with your neighbours, that they may hear my preaching: For verily I hope that the borders of our Ministery through you will bee more abundantly inlarged, and that according to the rule of my calling, to whom the Apostleship to the Gentiles is committed. I hope, I say, it will come to pass, that wee may preach the Gospel also in those Regions which are beyond us, that I shall not need to boast in another mans harvest, prepared by the labours of other men, as the false Apostles now do boasting in you, whom I have converted to Salvation, not they.
Vers. 17. But hee that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
5. This hee propoundeth by way of precept. I an Apostle will boast only in the Lord, not in evil things, not in feigned, or false, nor in the gifts of God as mine, not in my self, as my Emulators do boast in themselves, but as the Lord will allow mee, in God alone.
Vers. 18. For not hee that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Hee gives the reason of this, because no man is approved that commends himself out of his own opinion, but hee that is approved of God, and receiveth testimony from him: The trial of this rule the Emulators of the Apostle could not abide.