In verse 2 Paul again beseeches them that he is not guilty of these false accusations. Nor does he "walk according to the flesh" (kata sarka peripatountas) as they have charged him. This expression seems to make Paul a hypocrite; the accusers were saying that Paul was behaving as though he were unsaved or had fleshly motivations. It is true that the saved are still in the flesh, which we must fight daily, but for someone to accuse Paul of unworthy motives was devastating.
3 - 6 This is another of Paul's elongated sentences (verses 3 - 6). Paul counters the accusation, "for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh (strateuometha) or go to a war [for the weapons (hopla) or instruments of our warfare are not carnal (sarkika) or of the flesh, but mighty (dunata) or powerful through God to the pulling down (kathairesin) or destruction of strongholds (ochuromaton) or forts], casting down (kathairountes) or pulling down imaginations (logismous) or logical arguments, and every high thing (epairomenon) or lofty obstacle that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity (aichmalotizontes) every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to punish (ekdikesai) or avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." Paul clearly states that the struggle between the program of God and that of Satan carried on by Christians is a spiritual warfare and not fought with earthly armament or weapons of the earth.
In verse 4 he states that weapons of this warfare although fought by human beings are not human or fleshly but spiritual. The warfare, however, is inescapable for the child of God. Since it is against Satan and his forces, it is not with guns, tanks, missiles and long-range bombers. Through the power of Jehovah God the Christian can cast down strongholds, i.e., entrenchments and fortifications of opinion. See Ephesians 6:13 - 18. Yeager says further, "We fight for God's benefit...It is His fight, and He is solely responsible for the outcome. We are only His troops in the field...The objective is the total destruction of the Satanic pill boxes - Biological and Social Darwinism, Secular Humanism, Radical Existentialism, Deism, Agnosticism, Atheism, Environmental Determinism, et all" (p. 465). Soloman wrote, "A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof" (Proverbs 21:22). Paul admits that he is a fighter; he fights the devil and his agents even if while wearing the livery of heaven. He knew the Roman army well, and he knows how to use the military metaphor.
In verse 5 Paul implies that the entire clearance of an obstacle is pulled down or destroyed by the power of Jehovah God. The high things here are anything like a wall or tower. Our enemies are the flesh, imaginations, everything exalting itself above God. The preaching of the truth always places evil and untruth in their proper position. Although arrogant atheism and blatant materialism may challenge the child of God, he has the spiritual forces to undermine and destroy the forces of evil. In verse 6 the weapons of the child of God are supernatural and not carnal; they are mighty through God. We have the assurance that all disobedience will not go unpunished, and we can rest assured that obedience will be rewarded. The church as a whole was guilty of incomplete obedience; their thoughts were not conquered for Christ. The Judaizing disturbers were in complete disobedience and in an unconquerable hostility to the true gospel. Paul, however, reserved his punishment until the lines were clearly drawn and he could count men clearly on his side or on the side of his opposition.
7 - 11 Paul admonishes his readers not to count on things from their outward appearance not to remonstrate when the wicked and evilness of man seems to triumph. Paul asks the question, "Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?" Judgment cannot be based on mere externals. We must remember that God looks at what is on the inside and not on the outward appearance (I Samuel 16:7). Anyone who belongs to Christ is on the side of victory; Paul was assured that he was on the winning side of the spiritual warfare. "If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's; let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's." Was this Paul's way of prompting the Corinthians to take inventory to see if they really belonged to Christ? Just who were Paul's adversaries in Corinth? Hughes divides them into six categories: (1) the intruders from without, (2) they whom made special claims to superior authority, (3) the judaizers, (4) the libertines, (5) the gnostics, and (6) those who were mercenary-minded" (pp. 356, 357).
Verses 8, 9 read, "For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority (exousias) or power, which the Lord hath given us for edification (oikodomen) or building up, and not for your destruction (kathairesin) or pulling down, I should not be ashamed (aischunthesomai) or filled with shame; that I may not seem as if I would terrify (ekphobein) or frighten you by letters." In this passage but more especially verse 9, Paul used irony in dealing with his opponents. If boasting were needed Paul could boast; however, no boasting was needed. Paul's teaching had been for the purpose of edifying or building up, not for destruction. Paul seems to insinuate that his enemies are those who destroy or tear down, while he is engaged in building up. He was given authority or power by token of his office as apostle; he was just as much an apostle as the original twelve. Yeager states that, "The apostles were given authority over the churches in matters of faith and practice. Otherwise there could have been no New Testament literature written nor any New Testament churches established and nurtured in the early days of their development" (p. 470). If the members of Corinth church were terrified by his letters, so be it, he wrote and spoke with authority. Paul is unashamed of his conduct, his epistles or his life.
Verse 10 reads, "For his letters, say they, are weighty (bareiai), burdensome or grievous and powerful (ischurai) or strong, but his bodily presence or coming (parousia) is weak (asthenes) or sickly, and his speech contemptible (exouthenemenos) or despicable." Paul indulges in sarcasm here. The point he makes here is that self-praise is dispraise (Tasker, p. 140). "Paul's opponents had not hesitated to belittle his personality and preaching ability...(he) had keenly felt the slurs. His preaching was variously assessed. The people of Lystra had a high opinion of him, but Eutychus fell asleep under his ministry. Most preachers have such diverse receptions!" (The Sunday School Times, November 23, 1963, p. 7). Who knows today, Paul may not have had the brilliance or eloquence of Apollos. He has been criticized and was still being criticized for his personal appearance; his accusers were highly uncomplementary, they sneered at his personal appearance as "weak." When the devil cannot criticize a person any other way, he gets people to criticize his looks. Neither Paul nor anyone else can do anything about their looks. God has made all; He has also made each different.
Verse 11, "Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present." Paul's rebuttal is with calmness and dignity that he was in any way different when absent from what he was when present. He is still confronting those who accuse him of being bold in his epistles and meek in his presence. "Paul promises to translate the words in his epistles into actions when he gets to Corinth...It is the same Paul in terms of his apostolic authority which he has by divine appointment (verse 8), whether he is present or absent, whether his medium is the written word or the execution of a policy" (Yeager, p. 474).
12, 13 "For we dare not make ourselves of the number (egkrinai) or class, or compare (sugkrinai) or justify ourselves with some that commend (sunistanonton) or approve themselves; but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." It is not Paul's desire to measure himself up by the side of his brethren. To do so would revert back to his days as a Pharisee when selfishness and conceit were the rule. Other men are poor measuring-sticks when it comes to measuring their fellowmen. Jesus is God's Standard of measurement. It is not a question of how one measures up by the side of another man; our Lord is the proper Measuring-stick. Notice how many times Paul used the word themselves (5 times)! "Paul does not want to be measured alongside his detractors, seeing that they set their own standards, measure up to them satifactorily, and (they) are therefore content" (The Sunday School Times, November 23, 1963, p.7). The person who sets up his own virtues as a standard of excellence is like the man who makes this a test of himself and others, so that the wise man praises his wisdom; the monk his asceticism; and on and on. Where will it end?
This verse (12) was once illustrated in this way, "A boy came running to his mother shouting, 'Mother, I am nine feet high!' His mother said, 'Don't talk such nonsense.' She said, 'What makes you think so?' 'Because I measured myself.' 'How did you do that?' He answered, 'I took off my shoe and measured myself with that. It is just the same size as my foot.' 'I understand,' said his mother. 'But, Sonny, your measure was not the right one. You may be nine feet tall when measured by your shoe, but you are not that tall measured by a twelve-inch ruler.' The Bible says that people 'measuring themselves by themselves...are not wise'" (The Sunday School Times, November 23, 1963, p. 14).
"But we will not boast (kauchsometha) or glory of things without our measure (ametra) or beyond limit, but according to the measure of the rule (kanonos) or line which God hast distributed to us, a measure to reach (ephikesthai) or come to even unto you." All that Paul is or anyone else for that matter, it is by the grace of God. We need not to boast or glory in who we are or what we have done. God has an assignment and a place for everyone to fill; we must be sure of our assignment and be faithful over that which God has assigned to us. Apparently Paul felt like the Corinthians were his charge, so he ministered to them in person or by epistle; he did not presume to go beyond God's will.
14 - 16 "For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure (huperekteinomen) or overextend ourselves, as though we reached not unto you; for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ, not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labors, but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand." Paul would do no work that was not strictly pioneer and missionary work, and so he ran no risk of boasting of other men's labors. When Paul left Corinth on his further missionary journey he had hopes that the Corinthians, whenever able, could help him in his missionary preaching to others, in regions beyond you or beyond a given place, Paul called it, possibly Rome and Spain, and other places. He understood his assignment was to preach where the message of the gospel had not already been preached; he felt led of the Lord to go into other territories and evangelize those who had never heard the gospel.
17, 18 "But he that glorieth or boasteth, let him glory or boast in the Lord. For not he that commendeth (sunistanon) or approveth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." Did Paul have in mind Proverbs 27:2, "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." Or possibly he remembered Jeremiah 9:24 which reads, "But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord who exerciseth loving-kindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." Wherever Paul preached and evangelized the people, he wanted the Lord to get the glory; he wanted none for himself. Others may want some of the glory, but Paul is a good example of someone who wanted God to receive the glory and honor. May Paul be the example that every God-called minister would want to imitate. Glorying that is justified by work done will acknowledge that the work is due to the grace of God. May Paul's tribe increase. The lines of an old hymn go like this: "Men love thee, praise thee not,/ The Master praises, what are men." "There is tremendous truth in these lines. To go to rest every night, submitting the life to Him, and to hear His word of commendation, that is the highest reward" (Morgan, p. 259).
Under the caption "Thinking of His Lord," it is related that, "One of the members of Charles Haddon Spurgeon's church induced a friend to come to hear his pastor. Spurgeon preached a magnificent sermon in which he exalted Christ. The guest was strangely silent as he left the church. 'What did you think of Spurgeon?' asked the man who had brought the visitor. 'Oh, I haven't been thinking about Spurgeon,' came the answer. 'I've been thinking of his wonderful Lord" (The Sunday School Times, November 23, 1963, p. 14). "Go thou and do likewise."
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