2 Corinthians 10 - Corps-34
Publication Date: June 8, 1983
Walter J. Cummins graduated from the Power for Abundant Class in 1962.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Ohio State University in 1968 and his Master of Education degree in Secondary School Administration in 1978 from Wright State University.
He was ordained to the Christian by The Way International in 1968. He has studied at The Way International under Victor Paul Wierwille and K.C.Pillai. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he was director of the Research department of the Way International and served as assistant to the president.
June 8, 1983
Thirty-fifth Corps Night
You will not have physical, material, spiritual success in your life if you get away from
one God and abundant sharing. These are the two big areas which cause deficiency in a
Christian's walk. Basically, they both deal with fellowship.
Revision in structure: II Corinthians 10 begins the next section which carries through
Chapter 11 and the first 13 verses of II Cor. 12; namely Satan's messengers. In this section
you see the word "boasting" quite a bit. There were those who were boasting of
themselves and then Paul speaks out and boasts about what God has done for him and how
He has worked in his life.
UII Cor. 10:1
"beseech," = encourage
"I," = "Paul" & "myself," all refer to one person. This is a triple reflexive and it stresses
very emphatically that it is Paul that is encouraging them. And it opens up this next
section of Corinthians which deals with the particulars of Paul's boasting with regard to
those who would judge him by the flesh, as well as Satan's messengers . . . those who were
judging him by the flesh, those who were inflicting him.
UII Cor. 10:5
Where do those high thoughts come from that lift themselves up against the knowledge of
God? Satan, Satan's messengers, Satan's tools, his devices in the world.
This section parallels the first few verses in II Corinthians 2, ending in verse 11 where it
says we are not to be ignorant of Satan's devices. II Cor. 11:3, the serpent who beguiled
(seduced) Eve, beguiles your mind. II Cor. 11:13, they say they are the apostles of Christ
but they are false prophets. II Cor. 11:14,15, 24ff; & 12:7, messenger of Satan. II Cor.
12:11,12, signs of an apostle - he is showing that he is the apostle. One who brings new
light. II Cor. 10:8, authority as an apostle. In this section he is boasting of his authority as
an apostle, but it is not just to build up his ego, it is to encourage them. II Cor. 10:1, I
Paul, myself, encourage you - why does he have the authority to do it? Because he is an
apostle!
This extraordinary emphatic construction is loudly asserting Paul's apostolic authority and
that is why it starts with this triple reflexive.
UII Cor. 10:1
"meekness," - it is not letting someone walk all over you; it means without a haughty selfsufficiency.
Listen to SNS #571, "Fruit of the Spirit." Meekness is teachableness,
coachability; it is allowing yourself to listen to God rather than trying to dictate to God
what you think He ought to do. Moses was meek to God, but he was not a pushover.
When it came to standing on God's Word, he stood!
"gentleness," - Aramaic means humility. The Greek word is not the normal word for
gentleness or humility here, but it is the word that means moderation, an effort to preserve
the spirit of the law rather to slavishly adhere to the letter of the law, is what this word
indicates. It is related to the word used in Phil. 4:5 which means charitable on insignificant
points; that is why it is knowing the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law. This
is very significant in this section.
202 II Corinthians
"of Christ," - why Christ? Because he was the greatest example of meekness; he was the
greatest example of moderation. He was meek to the Word of God, yet he stood strong on
the Word when necessary, and when he was being tempted. At other times, he was
moderate when it came to the insignificant points; he was charitable, preserving the spirit
of the law rather than the strict letter of it. Like when they went out on the Sabbath, but
the Sabbath was made for man. He saw the spirit of the law.
He is our prime example, and that is how he is encouraging them. By the meekness and
moderation of Christ. In other words they could now bounce over from this extreme
liberty they have had and become very legalistic, but he says you have got to see the spirit
of the law.
"in presence" = means in appearance. The Aramaic literally means "in the face" and that
represents in the appearance.
"base" = lowly or humble. Paul did not exalt himself, he became humble. In this context,
the contrast between humble and being bold, or of good courage, indicates that humble is
like a reserved countenance. Being humble among you in appearance, but being absent
(I'm away from you now) I am bold toward you.
"bold," = there are three Greek words used in verses 1 & 2 that indicate boldness. In
verse 1, it is tharreo, meaning to be courageous, or of good courage, of good cheer. Most
of the places that this is used the context show you have to be of good courage, or be
courageous in the face of adversity, where there is adverse situations. Tharreo, denotes
confidence in one's own strength or capacity. It is an inner confidence or boldness, an
inner courageousness in the face of adversity. It has reference more toward the character,
whereas the next word deals more with the manifestation of it. Tolmaō, this is an outer
confidence or daring. To dare is a good translation. Like in a confrontation, you are
daring, you step out. The third word that will come up is pepoithēsis. This means
confident trust. It stems from the word that means to obey. You have a confident trust in
someone because of obedience. There is another word which means boldness of speech it
is not used in this context.
This shows Paul's courage in the face of adversity when he was ministering to the
Corinthians. Some, in I Corinthians were not standing on the Word, so he was facing
adversity and he had to be courageous in writing both I and II Corinthians. Being absent
he was very courageous in dealing with them.
II Cor. 10:1 Literal according to usage:
Now I, Paul, myself, encourage you by the meekness and moderation [charitable on
insignificant points] which Christ demonstrated. Although I am humble in appearance
to you, yet being absent, I am courageous in dealing with you.
II Cor. 10:2
"beseech" in Aramaic is the same as in verse 1. In the Greek, it is a different word
meaning to urgently request or to pray for a specific need.
"bold," = tharreo, to be of good courage in the face of adversity. He is praying or
beseeching that he does not have to be of good courage in the face of adversity when he is
present, when he comes. Why wouldn't he want to be of good courage? Well, if there is
adversity there when he comes, then he would have to be. But when he comes, he does not
want them there to be adversity - he wants them to be together, standing on the Word.
June 8, 1983 - Thirty-fifth Corps Night 203
"confidence" = pepoithēsis, confident trust which comes from obedience.
"bold" = to dare, tolmaō. He used these three synonyms and that is the FOS, UsynonymiaU,
which is the repetition of words similar in sense. Three words are used each, each with
their own distinct meaning, but still synonyms are used here to really emphasis the thought
or idea.
I don't want to be courageous in the face of adversity when I am present with the
confidence stemming from obedience wherewith I think to dare in confronting, or dealing
with those situations. He would have to be daring to deal with those people that think he
walked according to the flesh-those who were bad-mouthing the apostles.
II Cor. 10:2 Literal according to usage:
And I pray that when I am present, I will not have to be courageous with the
confidence with which I am determined to daringly confront those who have decided
that we walk according to the flesh.
He didn't want to have to come to Corinth and deal with those situations.
UII Cor. 10:3
"war" - in Aramaic, plach = work or labor.
II Cor. 10:3 Literal according to usage:
Although we live in the flesh, we do not work according to the standard of the flesh.
UII Cor. 10:4
"weapons" = palchutha (Aramaic) = service, work or labor. The implements of our work,
our labor, our service, are not carnal, not of the flesh.
"pulling down of strong holds" - is military. The Aramaic word means to subdue,
overcome. Greek means a pulling down, or a demolition. It is used of pulling down the
walls of an enemy city. The Greek word is kathairesis.
"strong hold" in both Greek and Aramaic, mean stronghold, or a fortress, a fortified place.
The Aramaic adds another word in front of this word, and that's rebellious. So what is to
be demolished? The rebellious fortresses. Those rebellious fortresses are those in the
mind which is described in verse 5. In Aramaic the first word in verse 5 means to pull
down or destroy. The Greek word is the same word (only the verb form) as in verse 4.
kathaireō, and it means to pull down or demolish. This is like repeating what you just had
in verse 4 (pulling down or demolishing of rebellious fortresses) - then verse 5 -pull down
or demolish imaginations. That is the rebellious fortresses - it is your imagination, and
every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
Imaginations are the reasonings or the human logic.
What are "high things" in your mind that exalts itself against the knowledge of God?
Aren't those high things your reasonings your human logic - so you have got two things
said for one. It is the imaginations, human logic, reasonings, which are high things. It is
the FOS, UhendiadysU.
"bringing into captivity" - or to make captive, or lead captive. This word is only used two
other places: Luke 21:24 and Romans 7:23. There are also two related words with the
same root used in Eph. 4:8. Jesus Christ led those that captivate captive. Who are those
that captivate? Satan's gang, his messengers. They are the ones who have captivated
204 II Corinthians
men's minds and lives for centuries. But Jesus Christ led them captive! If he led them
captive, then the war is over! Right?
In II Cor. 2:14, leads us in triumph in Christ. Remember, everything in this triumphal
march! So the was is over. So why have military terms here in Corinthians? If Jesus
Christ already led those who captivate captive then the war is over. But after a war is over
there are many times post-war skirmishes. These are the mental things, even after you are
born again and - you are with the holy spirit, you've got Christ in you, all the power you
could ever need, and you still have not renewed your mind perfectly. You still have those
post-war skirmishes, where you still have to captivate those thoughts. You do not have to
captivate the enemy, the army, because they are already defeated just captivate those
thoughts. You lead them captive by the freedom of your will. You are able to renew your
own mind and control your own thoughts. Your either line them up with the Word or
allow the world to run over you. You pull down those imaginations. You demolish your
human logic. Lead those thoughts captive!
"thought" = noēma - used of devices — the product of the mind, the product of thinking or
the result of thinking. It has to do with the goals, the projects, the intents, the planning that
you do with you mind.
"obedience" - stems from that which you have very carefully listened to, of the things
which you have heard.
II Cor. 10:5 Literal according to usage:
Demolish your human logic from the high position to which you have lifted it
vertically against the knowledge of God [which you have known by experience.] Be
wise, lead captive every thought to Christ which you have attentively listened to and
heard.
Nov./Dec. 1979 Way Magazine.
UII Cor. 10:6
"readiness" - preparation
"revenge" means revenge or vengeance, or to execute right and justice, or to maintain
justice. The leaders of the church are responsible to maintain decency and order in the
fellowships. They do this by teaching doctrine, reproof, and correction to the believers.
Not by corporal punishment. "Revenge" to us sometimes communicates punishment -
however, it is used here to communicate the intensity of the stand the leader must
occasionally take in order to keep the unity in fellowship. Remember I Cor. 5:5. It
indicates cutting him out of the fellowship that he would learn. Does not mean you use a
whip or a gun. Romans 12:19, avenge not yourselves . . . God will do the repaying. But,
verse A of Chapter 13! It is like Paul when he was on the island - Paul told Elymas who
was trying to prevent Paul from witnessing, that he was going to be blind for a while. And
he was. Did Paul make him blind ? No. He just told him by revelation what was going to
happen. Who is going to repay? God! Acts 13:5-12.
So the minister, the man of God does not carry out punishment. But he may speak at times
by revelation as to what is going to come to pass. That is why having "readiness to
revenge" is not that you are going to "pay back" - you just stand on the Word. As a man of
God or a minister you just speak the Word. Speak it whether it cuts across people's lives or
not; that is not the criteria. The criteria is the Word. "To revenge all disobedience." In
other words, those who refuse to hear; they do not listen to, attentively listen to, or hear the
June 8, 1983 - Thirty-fifth Corps Night 205
Word! We have to lead every thought captive to Christ, that we have attentively listened
to and heard. Then, be prepared to revenge all those who do not attentively listen to or
hear the Word, or the reproof as in the case in Corinthians.
"When your obedience is fulfilled" - is a temporal clause, in the past tense - means that the
time of that has to be before the first part of the verse. In other words, when your
obedience had been fulfilled (completely filled to capacity) then you will be prepared to
revenge disobedience.
But you cannot be a minister that maintains justice by speaking the Word until you are
obedient to God's Word yourself. (Matt. 7:3-5)
II Cor. 10:6 Literal according to usage:
And when you are fully obedient having attentively listened to and learned, then you
are prepared to maintain justice among those who refuse to listen and hear.
UII Cor. 10:7
Starts with a rhetorical question. UErotesisU - FOS. To "look on" is to gaze upon or observe,
contemplate.
"trust" = persuaded (Greek) The word "obey" comes from a form of this word.
"is Christ's" or is of Christ. Now this second part of the verse was the question way-back
in I Cor. 1:12. We are all of Christ. It is not one of Paul; one of Peter; one of Apollos. We
are all of Christ.
II Cor. 10:7 Literal according to usage:
Do you simply observe the superficial appearance of things? If anyone has fully
persuaded himself that he is of Christ, let him reason again with himself. As he is of
Christ, so we also are of Christ.
UII Cor. 10:8
"authority" = exousia, = authority or delegated power. This verse introduces the topic of
the next eleven verses. Authority is the broad designation which includes such words as in
verses 13 & 15. "our measure" - which represents his authority. And "the measure of the
rule."
Remember, he started out II Cor. 10 with "I, Paul, myself," because of his apostolic
authority.
"us" = me; the Lord hath given me (in Aramaic) "for edification" and not for your
destruction" is at the end of the verse in the Aramaic. That's where is should go.
"destruction" - is that same word in verse 4 that means demolition, to demolish, the pulling
down. He is not boasting of his authority for their demolition or their destruction. The
thing that was destroying them, or demolishing their lives was such statements as you see
in verse 10 — they were calling Paul names, degrading his personality and so on. And that
had to be cut down, had to be stopped. It was what was destroying their lives mentally and
they had to demolish those imaginations before it led to Galatians 1:6-8 which is wrong
doctrine. When you practice error long enough it becomes wrong doctrine. If you are not
charitable on insignificant points, all of a sudden you start making these things law,
legalism. Then you got wrong doctrine and that is what Paul saw coming . . . if he didn't
curtail it.
206 II Corinthians
"ashamed" means to be ashamed, disappointed in your expectations. When you are
ashamed you have a feeling that attends the performance of a dishonorable deed.
Remember Adam and Eve were naked in the Garden and were not ashamed. Then, one
day they were. When you are without hope, or you have a false hope, then you are
ashamed; you are disappointed in your expectations, because you have false expectations.
II Cor. 10:8 Literal according to usage:
For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority which the Lord gave me, I
shall not be ashamed because He gave us this authority for your edification and not
your destruction.
If he boasted about authority which he didn't have, he would be ashamed. But he does
have the authority as an apostle to speak, to encourage.
UII Cor. 10:9
At the beginning of this verse the Aramaic adds "to forbear, or to be hesitant;" literally it
means to turn away, or to turn your eyes away; but it is used in the sense that you hesitate
or you forbear.
II Cor. 10:9 Literal according to usage:
Yet, I am hesitant, because I do not want to appear to terrify you by epistles.
UII Cor. 10:10
"weighty" = heavy
"contemptible" or despised, worthless
Meant that he lacked rhetorical polish. Remember I Cor. 1:17? Wisdom of words, etc.
II Cor. 10:10, 11 Literals according to usage"
10 For some say the epistles are heavy and strong, but his bodily presence is weak
and unforceful and his public speaking is crude, illiterate, and worthless.
11 Let those people consider this: Whatever we are in our word by epistles while we
are absent, so shall we be in our work when we are present.
UII Cor. 10:12
Verses 12-16 are a section dealing with comparing or contending as in a foot race. It is an
athletic analogy.
"dare" to be daring. The essence of this is that we would not dare to confront God! We
would not dare line ourselves up with these others as opposed to God.
"to make ourselves of the number" = Greek word - enkrinō, meaning to class yourself with.
If you are a fair musician you might with one group, but if you are a top-notch musician
you could work with a professional orchestra. If you are just a nice runner, you could
probably compete with most of us on Wierwille Road. But, if you are an excellent runner,
you could be in a marathon or you could be in the Olympics. Different classes of people.
This word enkrinō, is used of admitting persons as competitors in the athletic games.
Isthmian games which took place in Corinth probably happened that previous spring. "We
do not dare compete in their league," would be the essence of this.
Verses 12-16, paint a. picture of a foot race such as was held in the Isthmain Games. The
measure of the race track was the distance to be raced. In verse 12, "measuring;" verse 13,
June 8, 1983 - Thirty-fifth Corps Night 207
"measure;" verse 15, "measure." This is all the measure of the track.
"the rule" is kanōn (Greek) meaning the rule, the standard, the boundary. Used of the lane
markings on the race track. If you got out of your bounds and were in the wrong lane you
could be disqualified, you had to contend lawfully; you could not get out of your bounds.
Verse 14, "come" = to arrive first. It is used in I Thes. 4:15, "we which are alive and
remain shall not precede them which are asleep." "Precede," = to go before, to come first.
It is used of coming in first in a race - winning the race.
"beyond our measure" = or to stretch one's measure. Means to get out of bounds on the
track that has been laid out, or in verses 15 & 16, "our rule" is our boundary. Verse 16,
"line" = boundary.
The sense of this analogy of a race is that it was being run according to God's rule and
track lane. Paul and the apostles won the race by being the first to Corinth. That is why
the apostles are worthy to be magnified or enlarged as in verse 15, that they get a longer
race track. Corinth was the farthest west they had ever been from Jerusalem.. Once he is
done there, he talked of going other places. In Romans he said he wanted to go to Spain.
His vision was WOW!!!
Verse 12 - "compare," = sunkrinō - to compare one's self with someone else.
Verse 13 - "distributed" = distribution, that part which is distributed to you, your part, your
measure - your track - here is where you are going to run.
Verse 15 - When your believing is increased, (auxanō) - means to grow in believing.
II Cor. 10:12-16 Literals according to usage:
12. We do not dare to classify ourselves competitively or compare ourselves in any
way with those who commend themselves. However, by measuring [as the
length of the race] and comparing themselves with each other, they lack
understanding [their knowledge does not flow together.]
13. We will not boast outside of our measure, but according to the measure of the
boundary of our lane which God apportioned to us , a measure in which we were
able to run and reach you.
14. For we did not overstretch the boundary of our lane so that we could not reach
you, but we arrived first at the Corinthian finish line with the good news of
Christ.
15. We did not boast of other men's labors, which would be beyond the measure of
our lane, but we expected after you believing had grown, that by your believing
the boundary of our lane would be greatly extended.
16. Then we would be able to preach the good news in places far beyond you, yet
not within the boundary of a lane where others have preached so as to boast of
work already done.
A race track:
Paul started in Antioch. Then he went on his first itinerary over to Galatia and back - then
on another itinerary goes up to Corinth and back. Then goes to Ephesus, Corinth and back.
It is like a race track - back and forth - three times he went on this race track; but he wants
his area to be extended so he can go to Rome, Spain, wherever!!
208 II Corinthians
II Cor. 10:17 Literal according to usage:
"Let him who boasts, let him boast in the Lord," (Jer. 9:24)
Remember, this also came up in I Cor. 1:31 where it quotes this same verse. It is the
worldly wisdom that was a concern; and the impending destruction of Jerusalem. The
wisdom of the wise men could not save them. In II Cor. 10, some people are again
proclaiming their own wisdom and God is again reminding the believers that if anyone
glories, it should be in the Lord, and not some other man's territory, or not in his own
works commending himself, comparing yourselves with yourselves, joining the same
leagues. I can't join with that type of league Paul says. We are in a whole different race.
We are working for God and if you are going to glory or boast, glory or boast in the Lord
and not man.
II Cor. 10:18 Literal according to usage:
It is not the one who commends himself who stands approved before God, but the one
whom the Lord commends.
Let God commend you! Don't go blowing your own horn. You can boast of your
authority with it is not bragging.
End of Teaching