2 CORINTHIANS chapter ten

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Paul verse the false teachers chapters 10-13

Summary verse 1

  1. This section opens with a note of authority more implicit than explicit.
  2. The authority of the office is directed towards those teachers (false apostles) who would destroy Paul's converts and who undermine his authority.
  3. Toward them there is a spirit of meekness and gentleness as he entreats them.
  4. In Paul's letters he deals with those who hinder, seduce, trouble, and unsettle his converts in severe terms (compare GALATIANS 5:2,7,10,12; here verses 10,11).
  5. His whole approach is confidence coupled with humility.
  6. Paul appeals to the example and spirit of Christ which is the norm of all Christian conduct.
  7. Jesus proclaimed his own meekness (MATTHEW 11:29 compare ZECHARIAH 9:9).
  8. He also declared the blessedness of those who are meek (MATTHEW 5:5).
  9. As believers, we are to let our gentleness be known to all men

(PHILIPPIANS 4:5).

  1. The popular misconception that meekness and gentleness are incompatible with sternness is refuted by Christ's example.
  2. As when He drove the money-changers from the temple, or when He denounced false teachers and hypocrites in the strongest possible terms (compare MATTHEW 23).
  3. Such severity did not annul His gentleness.
  4. Meekness and gentleness are Old Testament incongruous with the exercise of authority and sternness.
  5. The false teachers were slandering Paul saying that he was one way in his letters and another way when face-to-face.
  6. The last half of verse one is their words.
  7. Paul's opponents had taken a truth and distorted it.
  8. In 1 Corinthians Paul reminded them that he had come to them “in weakness and fear and much trembling.”
  9. He never forced himself on his converts with bovine aggressiveness.
  10. This is not to say that he did not speak confidently the Word of God.
  11. There was a blend of meekness and gentleness and boldness when ministering to them.
  12. The power of God worked through this unimpressive and frail human vessel.
  13. There was about Paul an unassertive, diffident, reserved quality which his detractors twisted into a charge of cowardice and impotence when present, and hypocritical boldness by letter-writing.

Paul's entreaty continues (verse 2)

apostolic affirmation (verses 3,4)

Summary verses 2-4

  1. Paul resumes the entreaty of verse one.
  2. He, in a most convincing manner, assures them he is equally capable of being stern in their presence.
  3. It is his intention to deal boldly with some who have expressed the opinion that he “walking according to the flesh.”
  4. This accusation of being unreliable, occurs earlier in the epistle

(2 CORINTHIANS 1:17ff).

  1. Paul takes no delight in the rod approach but entreats them to acclimate to his apostolic authority before he arrives.
  2. It is the duty of a good pastor to lead his sheep calmly and quietly rather than to drive and bully them.
  3. As long as people demonstrate themselves to be tractable (easily led, controlled, docile).
  4. Severity is the extreme remedy.
  5. Paul admits we walk in the sphere of the flesh with its inherent weaknesses.
  6. But he denies that he operates according to its dictates as a normal standard operating procedure.
  7. He uses a military metaphor to describe the conflict we are in.
  8. He denies that he resorts to STA tactics.
  9. The STA tends to use any weapon to accomplish its ends.
  10. The false teachers resort to slander, merchandising Bible doctrine, reliance on appearance, false doctrine, etc.
  11. Men like Paul don’t stoop to the lever of the STA.
  12. Our weapons are categories and principles of Bible doctrine.
  13. Bible doctrine will be the undoing of every idea, philosophy, institution, movement, or individual that opposes it.
  14. There is no fortress that it can't and won't take.
  15. All organizations, religious, academic, cultural, economic, entertainment, and political that stand in doctrine’s path will be destroyed.
  16. History is strewn with their wreckage.
  17. Man is about to witness the greatest demonstration of this verse in the tribulation.
  18. We just sit back, take in doctrine, and pray in principle, “your kingdom come,” or “Maranatha.”
  19. We know what fortresses are targeted.
  20. We must remain patient and watch God bring them down.
  21. Even now we the chinks in their armor (fiscal chaos setting in, decline in vitality of organizations, sudden collapse of banks, etc.)

Summary verse 5

  1. Again, “weapons” refers to categories, principles, and verse of Scripture learned under GAP.
  2. Bible doctrine in no way has its origin in the STA grid (compare

JAMES 3:17; also compare verse 15).

  1. These weapons were put on under GAP (compare ROMANS 13:12; EPHESIANS 6:11ff; compare 2 CORINTHIANS 6:7).
  2. This resident armory will lead to the eventual undoing of all bastions of cosmic wisdom.
  3. God vindicates resident doctrine and in the course of human history brings down all institutions and persons opposed to God.
  4. The greatest demonstration of this will be in the tribulation.
  5. In the meantime, we are taking captive the conventional wisdom as we are exposed to it. (Examples: media, associates, songs, the values of society.)
  6. “Speculations” are those things you and I are exposed to via the five senses. (Ready for another round of Christmas human viewpoint?)
  7. By using the weapons we have in the soul, we are “destroying” STA missiles shot our way.
  8. What we are destroying is the incoming E4 (spiritual ABM).
  9. These missiles if let through our defenses neutralize us in the Angelic Conflict.
  10. You take a hit when you fail to think the viewpoint which counters what you were just exposed to.
  11. By so doing, you glorify God in your brain computer.
  12. Each believer has so many POWs to his/her credit.
  13. When we are under rulership of the STA, we tend not to engage in spiritual warfare.
  14. So the Christian way of life is largely thinking what you learned.
  15. All E4 is fleshly speculation and is launched from the arrogance of the STA.
  16. The target of E4 is the knowledge of God.
  17. Certainly God is able to think the correct viewpoint and to eventually take the fortress.
  18. As we learn Bible doctrine and stay under the filling of the Holy Spirit, we learn through the electrical impulses of the brain computer to take POWs in our niche.
  19. The dynamics of the Christian way of life are often unseen.
  20. And before the Lord we bring these POWs.
  21. And he who controls history will in due time destroy all fortresses by removing them from the scene.
  22. No scheme of Satan will prevail.

the local church application

Summary verse 6

  1. The Corinthians were taken in by the STA appeal of the false teachers.
  2. They rejected Paul and his doctrine as a consequence.
  3. Under reversion recovery, they are moving back to a position of obedience to the authority and message of Paul.
  4. The movement back was Old Testament complete at the point of writing.
  5. This does not contradict chapter seven, especially verse seven.
  6. We must interpret verse six in light of 7:4,16.
  7. He is confident that they will reach a point of complete obedience to his ministry.
  8. When he arrives, he will make good his threat to deal with those who remain deviant.
  9. Paul doesn’t alienate those who aren't 100% behind him.
  10. He gives them time to adjust.
  11. A clear indication of complete obedience was to totally repudiate the pseudos.
  12. Apostolic authority will fall on those who remain defiant.
  13. Sometimes the believer is in a position to take revenge.
  14. And so destroy the fortress itself, not just exhale Divine viewpoint.

Summary verse 7

  1. The first statement is in reference to the false teachers (compare

2 CORINTHIANS 5:12).

  1. They place great stock in what one is by human genetics, personality, and achievement.
  2. They conformed to what was expected of communicators in Greek culture.
  3. So there was great appeal to the flesh.
  4. The next statement is a use of understatement to make a point.
  5. The false teachers claimed to be of Christ.
  6. These teachers claimed to have known Christ in the flesh

(2 CORINTHIANS 5:16).

  1. They used this as a selling point (dominical succession).
  2. Being “of Christ” strictly involves the fact of the SAJG.
  3. Paul does not need to cite the details of his calling, it is so well known.
  4. Being “in Christ” is not a matter of externalities—that is the circumstances of one's conversion doesn’t enhance positional truth.
  5. Paul's statement is that the three adjustments are not tied to externalities (race, I.Q., who led you to the Lord, wealth, etc.).

Summary verse 8

  1. Paul's boasting is not STA sponsored but is grounded in grace and the Word of God.
  2. There comes a time when the pastor-teacher must boast in his ministry.
  3. Paul's boasting thus far has proven to be the truth (7:14 compare 4:2; 6:7).
  4. What Paul is about to say in the “boastful” section will not be a source of personal shame since it is both true and necessary (the section is 11:5-12:13).
  5. Far from congenial to him, this boasting is necessary to establishing his authority with them (compare 11:12).
  6. His authority and the ministry it brought forth was given by the Lord and was not bestowed by humans.
  7. The gift of pastor-teacher carries with it an authority over people in spiritual matters.
  8. And when that authority is challenged, the pastor-teacher must defend it.
  9. Because of the nature of the attack, Paul says he must boast even more than ordinary or that is fitting.
  10. Paul's authority was given to build up believers, not tear down.
  11. Authority which is abused, tears down believers.
  12. Authority that is false or abused leads to all sorts of STA problems in the local church (compare 12:20).

note: verse nine has a grammatical problem of a dangling clause and all attempts fix it are futile.

Summary verse 9

  1. Assertive though he may be about his authority, yet he has no intention of terrorizing them.
  2. As though putting on a show from a safe distance.
  3. This is an effective thrust, for the picture of Paul, whom they knew so well, acting the part of a distant despot and terrorizing them by his correspondence must have stuck them as ridiculous.
  4. As a riposte (ri-post—a fencer’s quick return thrust following a parry) to the calumnies of those defaming him it was adroit and legitimate.
  5. The particular slander in question was most damaging to his authority.

the slander (verse 10)

Summary verse 10

  1. In bodily appearance Paul was not impressive (Greek standards).
  2. Through small in stature and marked by the sufferings he endured for Christ, it is unlikely that he was a physical weakling.
  3. Like so many who are programmed to judge things according to the overt of this age, Paul's opponents interpreted lack of physical attractiveness as weakness.
  4. They interpreted meekness as weakness. (The modern male is a joke of bulging muscles, narcissism, designer jeans, and a moral cripple.)
  5. They disparaged his public speaking skills.
  6. Greeks veneration of human wisdom and eloquence for the sake of eloquence made it easy for his calumniators to pour scorn on his unprofessional manner of speaking.
  7. It was unadorned and unaffected by the polished refinements and artificialities of the academic rhetorician. (I once thought a degree from Oxford or Cambridge would be a selling point.)
  8. Paul, especially due to the Greek bias, resolutely eschewed the arts and devices of the professional orator and philosopher in bringing Bible doctrine to Corinth (1 CORINTHIANS 2:1-5).
  9. Paul avoided any device which would detract from the message (any ear-tickling gimmick like Schuler, etc. et al, A.D. nauseum).

Summary verse 11

  1. Verse eleven is closely associated with the calumny cited in verse ten.
  2. He refutes the slander by asserting constancy at all times.
  3. No undermining of a man's authority is more damaging than to be accused of insincerity, fickleness, or the inability to translate his words into action.
  4. Inconsistency is a serious charge.
  5. He puts such a calumniator (o` toiou/tojho toioutos) on notice that when present he will be the same person as his letters set forth.
  6. Paulgains no pleasure out of the “rod” approach (1 CORINTHIANS4:21) but he will not spare it, but will enforce his authorityto the fullest against any who resist him (13:2,10).

SANCTIFIEDsarcasm

Summaryverse12

  1. Pauluses sarcasm here.
  2. Declaring his own boldness and disavowing the timidity of cowardice, he declares that there are however limits to his boldness.
  3. He would not be so bold as to put himself on an equality or even to compare himself with individuals whose daring is so extraordinary that they rest their authorityon self-commendation.
  4. They measure themselves with a false measure.
  5. They follow a set of fleshly standardsand allow in their circle only those who measure up.
  6. The verb evgkri,nw (egkrino) was used of admitting persons as competitors in athletic games. (Paulmay well have had this metaphor in mind. We would suggest the translation “compete and compare” for evgkri,nw (egkrino)and sugkri,nw (sugkrino).
  7. When they so act, they leave out the true measure of a pastor-teacher—the Word of God. (Example: to be impressed with a pastor-teachercandidate because he was a graduate of West Point.)
  8. These men are so filled with arrogant ambition and self-esteem that self is their only measure of authorityand their sole standardof comparison.
  9. The charge of self-commendation they leveled a Paul(compare3:1; 5:12) recoils on the heads of these intruders.

Summaryverse13

  1. The attack against those who, with no justification whatever, had intruded themselves into the Corinthian churchis further intensified.
  2. Not only had they resorted to self-commendation in seeking to usurp Paul'sapostolicauthority, but they had also invaded a territory they had no right to enter.
  3. I, says Paul, will not boast in an area not measured out for me.
  4. This section tells that Godhas marked out a sphere of service for His servants.
  5. And that there is such a thing as intruders.
  6. These men had neither the authorityPaulhad nor the divinely marked out sphere (certainly not Corinth).
  7. Typically,false teachersget out of the geographical will of God.
  8. Paulconfines his boasting to its legitimatelimits.
  9. Thus far the plan of Godtook him as far as Corinth(the farthest point west which he has so far preached the gospel).
  10. It was they who were interlopers who were illegally trespassing.
  11. This was further apparent by the fact that Paulwasthe first to evangelize them.

Summaryverses14,15

  1. Paulappears to be using a metaphor from the Isthmian games.
  2. Alane was measured out for each of the runners which was marked by a line called a “canon”.
  3. His opponents had neither apostolicauthoritynor a lane to run in.
  4. With authoritycomes a lane to run in.
  5. Since apostleship has ceased, no one runs in this type lane (they claim it).
  6. But even Paul, an apostle,didn’tplay pope and cut into other men’s lanes.
  7. Application of the principle of pastoral prerogative today:
  1. Godassigns each pastor-teacheran allotment of believers(1 PETER5:3; ACTS 20:28).
  2. Coupled with the doctrineof the primacy of the local church, each pastor-teacheris assigned to a particular geographical locale (compareREVELATION2 and 3: “to the angel of the churchat… (7).
  3. The particular area would include all points from which assembly is reasonable. (Greater today because of the invention of theautomobile.)
  4. Reversionismleads to forfeiture of one'slane even though the churchmay remain.
  5. Most ministers and churchesnever were in their proper lanes since they never were positive.
  6. So a new lane opens in an old area when the pastor-teacherenters reversionism(forfeiture).
  7. Another violation of pastoral prerogative would be to send tapes into an area where a recognizedpastorand local churchreside.
  8. Certainly, it is wrong to enter someone else’s churchand try to lead believersaway.
  9. No pastoris an apostleand therefore doesn’thave a congregationbeyond his geographical locale.
  10. The exception would be believerswho live in areas where there is no local pastorand they have two options:

(1)Move.

(2)Call a pastor.

  1. We at Maranatha see our responsibility to train men and to help them in areas of positive volition.
  2. The Lordwill not lead a man into another man'slane.

Summaryverse16

  1. When and individualruns in another man'slane, his boasting is not “in the Lord.”
  2. Even the apostleswere so led as not to violate one another’s sphere.
  3. Paulanticipates being led into new regions, but not in violation of the pastoral prerogative principle.
  4. Maladjusted types in the ministrygrossly violate this principle.

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