FRAMEWORKS:
2 Cor 10: Appearances
& Boasting
v.1-7
Paul's Appeal: Check out Appearances
v.8-12
Paul's Boasting: 1. The Same Present as Absent
v.13-18
Paul's Boasting: 2. The Limits of his boasting
[Chapter
Synopsis: In
some ways this is a preliminary chapter opening up the way for
Paul to more fully defend himself as we'll see in this and the
next chapter. His detractors will see he
is the same face to face as he is in his letters, wielding God's
authority. He will not go beyond what God has given them to do
and what they have achieved .]
v.1-7
Paul's Appeal: Check out Appearances
v.1
(Paul who some
say is both timid and bold appeals to them) By
the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,
who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you
when away!
v.2
(he doesn't
want to have to come and deal with the worldly rebels there)
I
beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect
to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards
of this world.
v.3
(we don't do
things as the world does) For
though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
v.4
(our weapons
have God's power to bring down ungodly bastions of rebellion)
The
weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the
contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
v.5
(we come with
His power to break down every obstacle to knowing God) We
demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against
the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make
it obedient to Christ.
v.6
(once we've
set you straight we can deal with any outsiders causing disobedience)
And
we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your
obedience is complete.
v.7
(don't look
on the outside, check yourselves out on the inside) You
are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong
to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ
just as much as they do.
[Passage
Synopsis: Paul
knows he has a reputation for being tough in letter but mild face
to face, but when he comes again he will come with Christ's authority
if necessary to destroy every semblance of unbelief and unrighteousness,
so check yourselves out.]
v.8-12
Paul's Boasting: 1. The Same Present as Absent
v.8
(I'm not ashamed
of the authority God has given us) So
even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave
us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not
be ashamed of it.
v.9
(I'm not wanting
to throw my weight around) I
do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters.
v.10
(because I know
what some say about me behind my back) For
some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person
he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.”
v.11
(but they should
realize the truth: I will be the same when you see me as I convey
in my letters) Such
people should realize that what we are in our letters when we
are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.
v.12
(but we will
not be like others who commend themselves) We
do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend
themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare
themselves with themselves, they are not wise.
[Passage
Synopsis: To
counter the criticisms, when he comes he will be the same face
to face as he is in his letters.]
v.13-18
Paul's Boasting: 2. The Limits of his boasting
v.13
(so, we will
confine our boasting to the extent of what God has given us to
do) We,
however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine
our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned
to us, a sphere that also includes you.
v.14
(as you have
seen i the way we brought the gospel to you) We
are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if
we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the
gospel of Christ.
v.15,16
(we won't boast
about others either, only what we have achieved with you)
Neither
do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others.
Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere
of activity among you will greatly expand, so
that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we
do not want to boast about work already done in someone else's
territory.
v.17
(let boasting
only be as God enables) But,
“Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” [Jer
9:24]
v.18
(the praise
comes only from God only) For
it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the
one whom the Lord commends.
[Passage
Synopsis: If
we defend ourselves and it appears as boasting, it will only be
in respect of what God has given us to do and what we have achieved.]
Chapter
Brief Summary/Recap:
Ch.
10: Appearances & Boasting
•
His detractors will see he
is the same face to face as he is in his letters, wielding God's
authority.
•
He will not go beyond what
God has given them to do and what they have achieved in his
defence against such people.