2 Corinthians 10:1-18
Paul's Defense of His Ministry
1By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" when away! 2I 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. 3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We 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. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
7You are looking only on the surface of things. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he. 8For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it. 9I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." 11Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.
12We 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. 13We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you. 14We 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. 15Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand, 16so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in another man's territory. 17But, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."[c] 18For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
St. Paul had critics in the church (and outside the church)...There are people who says when Paul is among them he is timid, and when he is with them he is bold...The felt his letters were strong and forceful...Paul's opponents knew that it is easier to confront and criticize, when away and in a letter, versus face to face...This is what they did to St. Paul...
St. Paul starts this chapter in meekness and gentleness of Christ, and appeals to his readers...The Corinthians said he lives by the standards of this world and not of the spirit...He tells them that he and everyone lives in this world...St. Paul's ministry and the Christian religion is a fighting religion...But the way he lives, is as a fighter, and the weapons he uses are not of this world...He does not conduct himself according to the flesh... He wants and tries to walk in step with God and Christ...This world and the people of this world were and are opposed to God...St. Paul's weapons are the teachings of Jesus, His eyewitnesses who saw Him, the Holy Spirit, Jesus' resurrection, and his ministry...So he (St. Paul) is defending it (his ministry)...St. Paul is a fighter, and he knows he must fight the evil one everyday...He must fight the Jewish opposition, which he does regularly...He must fight non-believers, which he does here...Also, their is another faction -believers do not understand...St. Paul knows in Corinth, he (and we) must be prepared to defend the gospel position...He must defend and fight for the truth...
St. Paul says he does not compare himself to others or does not classify others...By doing this we judge...Jesus teaches us not to judge, but to forgive...The Corinthians, by claiming that St. Paul was timid and nasty, was in a way judging him... When we measure others, and compare, and compete against others, we judge...This is not wise...Each of us has our limitations...Others are smarter, stronger, and better at things than each of us...When we know more than others, or are stronger than others, or do something better than another man, an aggressive man might boast...This is a form of arrogance and pride...God wants humility...If we are going to boast and measure, measure yourself again the Father...His is infinite...He is one that cannot be measured...He is Almighty....When we compare ourselves to Him, we are nothing...
Today when reading St. Paul's letters, we get a feel for his great love of the church, his great writing, his great sermons, and even though when he first came to Corinth and spoke to the Corinthians he was weak and trembling with fear (1 Corinthians 2:3)...Some remember this and spoke of it...St. Paul outgrew this...He is the minister to the Gentiles...St. Paul is very wise...St. Paul a fighter, fought the good fight...He knows the Jesus taught humbleness, and not a show of force to answer His opposition...We are to love both our neighbor and our enemy...St. Paul taught the good news...When we boast, let us glorify the Father and the Son...He tells us when we boast we are to boast in the LORD (Jeremiah 9:24)...