What bounds Paul’s power and boasting?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Paul distinguishes fleshly warfare, power for edification, consistency of word and deed, God’s measured rule and divine commendation.

Chapter breakdown

Paul appeals by Christ’s mildness and modesty, lowly among readers when present but bold when absent. He asks not to need boldness on arrival against those reckoning them fleshly. They walk in flesh but do not war according to it; weapons mighty to God pull down fortifications and counsels, heights against God’s knowledge, and capture understanding for Christ’s obedience. Revenge of disobedience is in readiness when readers’ obedience is fulfilled. This describes power and readiness, not a completed intellectual conquest or a named philosophical system.

Paul says see things according to outward appearance and asks anyone trusting he belongs to Christ to consider Paul likewise belongs. The printed see instruction should not be silently inverted to look beyond appearances. He could boast more of power given for edification, not their destruction, without shame, but would not be thought to terrify by letters. Others say letters are weighty and strong but bodily presence weak and speech contemptible. Paul says his present deeds will match absent letters. No performed punishment or visit is narrated.

He does not dare compare with some commending themselves, but the exact sentence says we measure ourselves by ourselves and compare ourselves with ourselves. The original misattributes this clause to rival self-promoters and imports their folly. Paul limits glory to God’s measured rule reaching readers; he has come as far as them in Christ’s gospel. This does not assert he was their original pioneer or define a legal jurisdiction. He does not glory beyond measure in others’ labour and hopes increasing faith will magnify their rule toward preaching beyond, rather than taking glory in another’s prepared field. Those future regions are not named or reported reached. Glory should be in the Lord; approval is God’s commendation, not self-praise.

The story inside

The exact we-measure-ourselves clause stays attributed to Paul; see outward appearance is not reversed. Readiness and hoped expansion remain prospective.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Power is given for edification, not destruction.
2
The printed self-measure clause uses we.
3
Hope for regions beyond is not reported travel.

Test your recall

Who is the grammatical subject of the printed self-measuring clause?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 131448–131467
10:1. Now I Paul, myself beseech you, by the mildness and modesty of Christ: who in presence indeed am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. 10:2. But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence wherewith I am thought to be bold, against some who reckon us as if we walked according to the flesh. 10:3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 10:4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty to God, unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels, 10:5. And every height that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God: and bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ: 10:6. And having in readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled.
Lines 131469–131484
10:7. See the things that are according to outward appearance. If any man trust to himself, that he is Christ’s let him think this again with himself, that as he is Christ’s, so are we also. 10:8. For if also I should boast somewhat more of our power, which the Lord hath given us unto edification and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed. 10:9. But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles, 10:10. (For his epistles indeed, say they, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible): 10:11. Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by epistles when absent, such also we will be indeed when present.
Lines 131486–131504
10:12. For we dare not match or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but we measure ourselves by ourselves and compare ourselves with ourselves. 10:13. But we will not glory beyond our measure: but according to the measure of the rule which God hath measured to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 10:14. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as if we reached not unto you. For we are come as far as to you in the Gospel of Christ. 10:15. Not glorying beyond measure in other men’s labours: but having hope of your increasing faith, to be magnified in you according to our rule abundantly. 10:16. Yea, unto those places that are beyond you to preach the gospel: not to glory in another man’s rule, in those things that are made ready to our hand.
Lines 131506–131509
10:17. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 10:18. For not he who commendeth himself is approved: but he, whom God commendeth.