2 Corinthians 10:1

I. PRELIMINARIES TO THE MEASUREMENT, 2 Corinthians 10:1 to 2 Corinthians 11:21.

1. Insinuations of his foes; his weapons, and readiness to meet them, 1-11.

1. Now I Paul myself A very bold and emphatic presentation of himself. As he is calling his assailants perhaps his chief assailant to the front, so he presents his own breast to the issue. Timothy, Titus, and Luke are no longer at his side, for this combat touches alone himself the apostle.

Beseech you Never did battle begin more gently.

Meekness and gentleness Meekness is the inward temper; gentleness is its manifestation towards others. He could beg that he might be allowed to remain within the range of the gentle side of Christ’s being, and not be called to exercise its sterner judicial functions.

Who I. These words following are an ironical quotation of his opponents’ language.

Base Rather, humble, subdued: the opposite of bold, or confident.

Of these bitter assaults made upon St. Paul by his Ebionitic opponents we have some curious specimens in a work called “The Clementines,” a work composed some time in the last half of the second century, which is still extant. These Clementines, so-called from their claim, falsely made, to have been composed by Clement, bishop of Rome, consist mainly of professed conversations between apostles and apostolic men, as Peter, James, and the Elders. Stanley has selected therefrom a number of malignant passages, illustrative of their character. Paul is unnamed, but represented under the appellation, “Simon Magus.” Peter is alone both apostle of Gentiles and Jews, and his rival Magus, alias Paul, is a “deceiver.” “Although,” says Stanley, “Peter is spoken of as ‘the first of the apostles,’ and as appointing Clement to the See of Rome, yet James is described as superior in dignity both to him and Clement, and to all the apostles; as ‘the lord and bishop of the holy Church,’ ‘bishop of bishops, ruling the Churches everywhere,’ ‘the bishop,’ ‘the archbishop;’ ‘the chief bishop,’ as opposed to Caiaphas ‘the chief priest.’ So the Ebionites ‘adored Jerusalem as the house of God.’ (Irenaeus, Hoer., 1: 26.) Compare 2 Corinthians 1:24; 2Co 11:5 ; 2 Corinthians 11:20, and contrast Jas 1:1 ; 1 Peter 5:2.

“St. Peter is represented as warning St. James against ‘the lawless and foolish teaching of the enemy,’ ( του εχθρου ανθρωπου ,) who perverts ‘the Gentiles from the lawful preaching of Peter,’ and who misrepresents Peter ‘as though he thought with the Gentiles, but did not preach it openly.’ Compare Galatians 2:12; Galatians 2:14. The ‘enemy’ ( homo inimicus) takes part in a conspiracy against the life of James, and receives letters from the high priest to persecute Christians at Damascus. Compare Acts 9:1.

“St. Peter warns his congregation to beware of ‘any apostle, prophet, or teacher, who does not first compare his preaching with that of James, and come with witnesses, lest the wickedness,’

which tempted Christ, ‘afterwards, having fallen like lightning from heaven,’ (comp. Acts 26:13-14,) ‘should send a herald against you, and suborn one who is to sow error ( πλανην ) amongst you as it suborned this Simon against us, preaching in the name of our Lord, under pretence of the truth.’ Compare 2 Corinthians 3:1; 2Co 10:12-18 ; 2 Corinthians 5:12.” See further, note on Galatians 2:21.