10-2

            2 Cor. 10:7-12

7 Look at what is before your eyes. If any one is confident that he is Christs, let him remind himself that as he is Christs, so are we. 8 For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I shall not be put to shame. 9 I would not seem to be frightening you with letters. 10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” 11 Let such people understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. 12 Not that we venture to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another, and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

354. – Above, the Apostle excused himself by reason; here he excuses himself by the evidence of the fact. In this regard he does two things. First, he submits his excuse to his hearers to judge; secondly, he pursues his cause (v. 7b).

355. – He says therefore: although reason shows that the charge laid against me by the false apostles is false, nevertheless, if some among you are not convinced by reason and refuse to acquiesce to it, at least look at, i.e., consider, the things that are before your eyes, i.e., that are evident, concerning me. But he submits the judgment of his cause to them in order to indicate how secure he is in his heart: “Turn, I pray, let no wrong be done” (Job. 6:29). But this is contrary to Jn. (7:24): “Do not judge by appearances.” Therefore it is not proper for him to say, what is before your eyes. I answer that the phrase, what is before your eyes [according to outward appearance], is taken there for things that appear outwardly in a man, namely, for that which appear to be true, according to which a man should not judge, because sometimes the contrary is present in the heart: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15). But here it is taken for the Gospel’s truth itself and the evidence of the fact according to which judgment can be made. A Gloss explains it another way, namely, according to outward appearance, i.e., of the false apostles, see, i.e., look to. As if to say: consider the facts about them, because it is impossible that among the many good things they pretend they not do some things from which you can recognize their wicked intention: “Thus you will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:20).

356. – Then when he says, For even if I boast, he pursues his cause. But it sometimes happens that a person is moved against someone because the former is deceived by the authority of someone who gives himself out as being great. This is the way the Corinthians, deceived by the false apostles who claimed greater authority than Paul, were stirred up against him, because they had come from Judea and were among the first converts. Therefore the Apostle does two things. First, he deflates the authority of those false apostles; secondly, he pursues his cause (v. 9)

357. – He says therefore: see this, I say, according to outward appearance, that if any one of the false apostles is confident that he is Christs on account of some great thing he has done or some spiritual gift he has received from Christ, let him remind himself, i.e., carefully consider in his heart, that as he is Christs, so are we. As if to say: whatever is found in them is also found in us; hence we also should be considered as Christ’s: “And I think I have the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 7:40); “Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Rom. 8:9).

358. – But we are not only Christ’s, as they are, but we can glory more that we are Christ’s than they can. And this is what he says: for even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord has given us: “He is a chosen instrument of mine” (Ac. 9:15); “For he who worked through Peter for the mission to the circumcised worked through me also for the Gentiles” (Gal. 2:8). He gave me, I say, this special power to convert the Gentiles, for building you up, i.e., the church, and not for destroying you, as the false apostles do, who abuse the power given to them by using it for a purpose contrary to that for which it was given. For although the power was given for building up the Church in faith and charity, they seek their own glory and not Christ’s; consequently, they destroy. They did this by preaching that the ceremonies of the Law must be observed and by making a profit. Therefore, if I glory more in that power which I have in which I seek Christ’s glory, I shall not be put to shame, namely, for such commendation of myself, because I do not do it for ostentation, but out of necessity, so that by showing that my authority is great and that of the false apostles null, no man may be deceived by them again.

359. – Note here that according to Gregory there are two cases in which a person may commend himself without sinning, namely, when he is provoked by reproaches and is treated with contempt, and this in order that he not despair, seeing that he is treated with contempt, and be able to refute his adversaries. This is the way Job commended himself, as it is clear from (27:6), where he says: “My heart does not reproach me for any of my days” Likewise, when a person is preaching the truth and an adversary of the truth contradicts him and hinders the manifestation of the truth, in that case the preacher should commend himself and show his authority in order to refute him and draw his hearers to the truth. The Apostle does this in many places and also here.

360. – Then when he says, I would not seem to be frightening you, he pursues his cause with the evidence of the facts. In regard to this he does three things. First, he shows that the charge lad against him is false; secondly, the reason he says this (v. 12); thirdly, he explains the reason (v. 13).

361. – In regard to the first it should be noted that, as has been said, it was charged that the Apostle, when he was present, was humble out of fear or to win their favor; but when he was absent, he wrote harshly to them. But the Apostle says that this is not so, and that if they would carefully weigh the things that appear, they would find him to be in fact as he appears in his epistles; and they can test this, if they wish. And that is what he says: but that I would not seem to the false apostles or by you, as it were, to be frightening you, or to make you fearful, with the letters which we sent to you; which fear we would not cause you when we were present. For they, namely, the false apostles, say that his letters, namely, Paul’s, are weighty, i.e., punishing harshly and severely, and strong, i.e., without fear, but his bodily presence is not such, for it is weak, i.e., feeble and humble, and his speech, namely, his preaching and conversation and exhortation, is of no account.

362. – But let such people, i.e., who say such things about me, understand this, i.e., know for certain, that what we say by letter when absent we do when present, i.e., we will be such when we come to you as we are by epistle when absent, if it is necessary. Now the reason the Apostle acted humbly toward them is given in 1 Cor. (2:3): “And I was with you in weakness and in much fear and trembling,” which he did, because they were not firm in faith and he wanted to strengthen them by the gentleness of his manner. Furthermore, the reason he spoke plain words and did not preach subtle things to them is suggested in 1 Cor. (3:1): “But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the flesh, as babes in Christ.” For they were not yet ready for a more profound doctrine.

363. – Then when he says, Not that we venture, he indicates the reason behind what he says, saying: I say that we are not like the false apostles, nor is the charge they lay against us true, because I do not say any more than I have to say. Hence, he says: Not that we venture, i.e., say that we are one of them, to class or compare ourselves with, i.e., make ourselves like some, that is, the false apostles who commend themselves to you only. And yet they are not commended by others and by their deeds contrary to what is stated in Prov. (27:2): “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” But when they measure themselves by one another, and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. But we measure ourselves against ourselves, i.e., according to what is in us we measure our deeds and our statements. As if to say: we say things about ourselves that are proportionate to ourselves, i.e., in keeping with our deeds: “But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor” (Gal. 6:4).

364. – But on the other hand, he said above (4:2): “We would commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” Therefore, it was not proper for him to say what he did. I answer that it is one thing to commend himself to their conscience and another to their ears. For we commend ourselves to their ears by words alone; and this is evil. The Apostle and just men commend themselves in the first way; but in the second way the false apostles and hypocrites.

10-3

            2 Cor. 10:13-18

13 But we will not boast beyond limit, but will keep to the limits God has apportioned us, to reach even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you; we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We do not boast beyond limit, in other men’s labors; but our hope is that as your faith increases, our field among you may be greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s field. 17 “Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord.” 18 For it is not the man who commends himself that is accepted, but the man whom the Lord commends.

365. – Having indicated the reason behind the things he had said, the Apostle now explains that reason. For he had said that he measures himself by himself and did not go beyond that measure. But a person could be excessive in two ways in glorying and commending himself. First, in regard to that about which he glories; for example, if he glories about something he does not have. Secondly, in regard to that in which he glories; for example, if a person has something from someone else, but glories in himself as though he has it of himself. Thus the Apostle shows that he did not go beyond the measure in glorying or praising himself. In regard to the first he does three things. First, he states his proposition; secondly, he proves it (v. 14); thirdly, he draws the conclusion (v. 15).

366. – He says therefore: I say that we measure and compare ourselves to ourselves, namely, by doing what our office demands. But in doing this we will not boast beyond limit [our measure], i.e., when we exercise our power and commend ourselves: “You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity” (Lev. 19:35); but will keep to the limits God has apportioned us. A Gloss [Lombard] explains this of the limit of the Apostle’s prelacy and says: according to the measure, i.e., according to the people measured out to him by God, the people whose prelate and rule of conduct he is. But this same thing can be taken more universally, such that the measure of the rule is the quantity of grace. Then the sense is this: but we glory according to the limits God has apportioned us, i.e., according to the amount of grace God has given us: “But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Eph. 4:7). This grace is a rule keeping us from being lifted up or separated from God. Which God has apportioned us, because whatever good we do in preaching the Gospel and in converting you and others, it is all from God, granted to me for you and others: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6). A measure, I say, to reach even to you, because you are under the measure of grace granted to me, by which you have been converted to Christ and obey the Gospel. Therefore, what he is proposing is this, namely, that he is not going beyond the measure of glorying and praising himself that he is their prelate and that they were converted by him.

367. – That this is so, namely, that it reaches even to them, he proves when he says: For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. As if to say: of course we glory, but we do not stretch beyond ourselves in our grace or glory or power, as if we do not reach to you in our power and ministry: we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ, i.e., in the preaching of Christ’s Gospel: “For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel” (1 Cor. 4:15); “Are you not my workmanship in the Lord” (1 Cor. 9:1); “For he who worked through Peter for the mission to the circumcised worked through me also for the Gentiles” (Gal. 2:8).

368. – Therefore he draws the conclusion, saying: therefore, when I glory in you, I am not glorying beyond measure. Hence he says: We do not boast beyond limit, in other men’s labours, where someone else laid the foundation of faith.

369. – Then when he says, but our hope is that as your faith increases, our field among you may be greatly enlarged, he shows that he is not going beyond the measure, when he glories about the future. But it should be noted that a preacher has two reasons for glorying in his preaching: one is that those converted by his preaching are making progress; the other is that other people are converted by his converts, because as it says in Ex. (cf. 36:10): “Curtain is joined to curtain”; “And let him who hears say, ‘Come’” (Rev. 22:17). For one is easily converted when he sees others converted. In regard to those two things the Apostle hopes that his glorying in the Corinthians will be increased. First, in regard to their progress; hence he says: I say that we do not glory beyond measure over your conversion caused by us in the past, but will hope to be greatly enlarged in the future, i.e., for our glory to be increased in your increasing faith, and in the progress of your good works: “Long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation” (1 Pet. 2:2). Secondly, we hope to be magnified in the conversion of others by you; therefore he says, abundantly, i.e., in the abundance of preaching not only among you but even in lands beyond you; and this according to our rule, i.e., according as Christ has enjoined us to preach not only to you but to all the Gentiles “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mk. 16:15). Without boasting of work already done in another’s field, i.e., we do not hope to glory, nor do we glory in another man’s rule. As if to say: not in things prepared by others, i.e., whom others have brought to the faith, but I will bear fruit among those to whom others have not preached: “Thus making it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named” (Rom. 15:20). But to the contrary, Peter preached at Rome before Paul preached there. I answer that he does not say this as though refusing to preach where another has preached; but he says that he intends to preach even where no other have preached.

370. – Then when he says, Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord, he shows that he is not going beyond the measure as to that in which he glories, saying: if I glory in him in whom one should glory, I am not going beyond. But since one should glory in God, Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord: “Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me” (Jer. 9:24). This can be explained in three ways: in one way, Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord, so that in the Lord denotes the object in which he glories. As if to say: let him glory in the fact that he possesses the Lord by knowing and loving. In another way, Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord, i.e., according to God; and one glories in this way when he glories in the things of God and not in evil, as the one who is asked in Ps. (52:1, Vulgate): “Why do you glory in malice?” In the third way, Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord, i.e., let him regard himself as having his glory from God, referring to God everything that redounds to his own glory: “What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?” (1 Cor. 4:7). This is the way it is taken here when he says: Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord. As if to say: I glory in the foregoing, but not as though I had this from myself and not from God. And this is also your measure, because all your good has sprung from us. And indeed we should glory in the Lord, not imputing our glory to ourselves, but to God. For it is not the man who commends himself that is accepted, i.e., approved by God or by men: “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips” (Prov. 27:2), but the man whom the Lord commends, i.e., makes commendable by good works and miracles. For God is the cause of the entire good done by me.