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2Cor.10:1. But I, Paul, who is modest among you personally, but courageous against you in absentia, convince you with the meekness and condescension of Christ. 2Cor.10:2. I ask that when I come, I will not resort to that strong boldness that I think I will use against some who think about us that we walk according to the flesh. “But I Paul himself pray to you through the meekness and quietness of Christ, who in his countenance is humble in you, but not like in you I am bold in you. I pray that the hope which is not present in me is daring, for I am thinking of sweeping away something that does not eat us, as if we were walking in the flesh.” Those who believed among the Jews and demanded to lead a lifestyle in accordance with the law, condemned the divine Apostle, calling him a man not worthy of attention, and an ignoramus, saying that he himself secretly kept the law, but did not do this openly due to the weakness of the believing pagans. For the Apostle used the expression: “to walk according to the flesh” to mean: to live according to the law. And the words: “I am Paul himself” express apostolic dignity with special force. For the Corinthians are reminded of the miracles Paul performed among them and the gifts imparted to them. The Apostle mentioned the “meekness” and “quietness of Christ”, teaching that, being a zealot of this meekness and quietness, he leads a modest way of thinking about himself and does not show apostolic authority 2 Corinthians 10:3. For we, although we walk in the flesh, do not fight according to the flesh. “For we walk in the flesh, but we do not fight according to the flesh.” For even though we are clothed in flesh, we do not follow the passions of the flesh. 2 Corinthians 10:4. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but powerful in God for the destruction of strongholds: with them we overthrow plans. 2 Corinthians 10:5. And we take every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God into captivity to the obedience of Christ. “The weapons of our army are not carnal, but are powerful in God to destroy the firmament.” For our weapon is spiritual gifts, with their help we become victorious and subdue those who resist to the Lord. Then the Apostle shows more clearly what strongholds he means. “Bringing down thoughts and every exaltation that is brought against the mind of God, and bringing captive every mind into the obedience of Christ.” Just as the Apostle called the saints churches of God, he also calls those enslaved by wickedness strongholds of the devil. It is them, says the Apostle, who, like some captives, are taken away from the battlefield, we present them to the King of all and bring them to the point that they follow His laws. 2 Corinthians 10:6. And we are ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. “And those who have property are ready to take revenge on all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” The apostle described the reason for long-suffering. We expect, he says, to convince the majority by word and exhortation, and then punish those who intend to resist longer. 2 Corinthians 10:7. Do you look at personality? Whoever is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, judge for himself that just as he is Christ’s, so we are Christ’s. “Am I in front of you, see?” This should be read as a question, that is: do you want to test each of us and examine our business? So, do this with all precision. “If anyone hopes for himself to be Christ, let him think for himself that as he is Christ’s, so also we are Christ’s.” Even by our very name, says the Apostle, we are no less, because we too are adorned with the name of Christ. And very wisely he postponed the comparison of cases to the end, and put equality of name in the first place. Then he adds: 2 Corinthians 10:8. For if I had begun to boast more about our power, which the Lord has given us for our creation, and not for your destruction, I would not have remained in shame. “Even if I boast even more about our power, which the Lord has given us for creation, and not for your destruction, I will not be ashamed.” The apostle showed that he willingly kept silent about the wealth of talents, but said that he accepted the power to create, and not to destroy, showing that opponents act contrary to this and do not want to create, but are attempting to destroy other people's works. 2 Corinthians 10:9. However, let it not seem that I am intimidating you only with messages. 2 Corinthians 10:10. Because someone says: in messages he is strict and strong, but in personal presence he is weak, and his speech is insignificant. “Let me not appear, as if I am frightening you with my messages. For the message, speech, is heavy and strong: but the coming of the body is weak, and the word is despised.” This is what those who slandered him usually said about Pavel, namely, that in absentia he was eloquent, but on his face he was not worth paying attention to and was extremely ignorant. 2 Corinthians 10:11. Let such a one know that, as we are in words in letters in absentia, we are in reality in person. “Let such a one think about this, for as we are in the word of messages, so we are in deed.” We are able to reveal the greatness of the apostolic dignity and show that the works are in accordance with the scriptures. 2 Corinthians 10:12. For we do not dare compare or compare ourselves with those who expose themselves: they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves unreasonably. “For we do not dare to judge, or to apply to ourselves others who praise themselves; but when we measure in ourselves, and when we apply to ourselves, we do not understand.” The Apostle wrote this passage very vaguely, not wanting to clearly expose the guilty. It means the following: they, looking at themselves, assumed about themselves that they alone were greater than everyone else; and as for us, let us not, like them, begin to evaluate ourselves. This is made clearer in the following words. 2 Corinthians 10:13. And we will not boast without measure, but according to the measure of the inheritance that God has assigned to us in such a measure as to reach you. “We will not boast immeasurably, but according to the measure of the rule, the measure God has divided for us, to reach even you.” The Apostle called the grace given by God “the measure of the rule,” because the Greatly Gifted One shared it with the believers. He also said this in the Epistle to the Romans: “to whom God has divided the measure of faith” (Rom. 12:3). He understands: we cut off immoderation in thoughts about ourselves, and look at the grace given and know that our current has even reached you. For this is shown by the following words: 2 Corinthians 10:14. For we do not strain ourselves as if we had not reached you, because we have also reached you through the gospel of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:15. We do not boast without measure, not in the labors of others, but we hope, with the growth of your faith, to abundantly increase our lot in you. 2 Corinthians 10:16. So that you may continue to preach the Gospel, and not boast of being ready in someone else’s inheritance. “Not because we extend to ourselves what is not reaching you, even because we have reached you with the gospel of Christ: not boasting immeasurably in the labors of others, but having the hope of your growing faith, in you to be magnified in abundance according to our rule, in order to preach the gospel to you further, not in those who are ready to boast in someone else’s rule.” We have used the measure given to us and by it we measure our deeds; We know that they reached you and brought you the Divine Gospel; but we hope to go further, of course, when you are established in faith and testify to our labors. May we not become proud of the works of others! For he expressed this with the words: “not in someone else’s rule in those who are ready to boast.” It makes it clear to opponents that they do not take the trouble to preach to those who have not yet believed, but only try to corrupt those who have accepted the preaching. Since he repeatedly repeated the word “we boast,” so that they would not think that he really thought highly of himself, he of necessity added: 2 Corinthians 10:17. He who boasts, boast in the Lord. “Let him boast in the Lord.” We do not magnify ourselves, but we boast in Divine gifts. 2 Corinthians 10:18. For he is not worthy who praises himself, but whom the Lord praises. “Do not praise yourself for this skillful man, but God praises him.” We should not testify to our own virtue, but wait for God’s verdict. Then, intending to spread his own praises, he protects the ears of the Corinthians by calling this matter madness. You might be interested in: