THE KING’S BUSINESS
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“the liberality,o f their (your) contributiorl unto them.” On their part the saints in Corinth would repay the generosity o f the saints in Jerusalem with prayer, and fur thermore, they would long after them “ by reason o f the exceeding grace, o f God” which was in them. Paul closes his words about giving on our part with thanksgiving to God for the unspeakable gift on his part (cf. ch. 8 :9 ). The unspeakable gift o f God is, o f course, Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Rom. 8,:32). There is nothing that should so move us to give to others as the thought • that God has given His very best and dear est to us. He is a gift the value o f which no language cán express, “His unspeakable gift.” Thursday, March 14 . 2 Cor. 10 : 1 , 2 . . Paul now makes a kind but firm appeal for the recognition o f his apostolic author ity. In doing this he changes from the plural “wé” that he has been using to “ I myself.” He individually steps forward and faces his. detractors. , And yet he begins very gently: h entreats” them. Further more, he entreats them by those qualities in Christ. His “meekness and.gentleness” (cf. ,Matt. 11:29; Ps. 18:35; Matt. 12:19, 20; Isa. 40:11), to which his’ own meekness was. like, and by reason o f which some said, “ He is no apostle or he would be more assertive and authoritative” He admits that in their presence he was “ lowly” among them. Lowliness is a virtue pecu liar to Christianity, and by th e' heathen world was largely regarded as a vice or failing. Paul says that though I am lowly in your presence, now that I am "absenf’ , from you I am “bold” (or “o f good cour age” ) toward you. A little further down he will tell them he will be equally bold when he is present with them (v. 1 1 ), but it is not time to say that yet, and the. Spirit-given tact o f Paul in postponing it until later is most admirable. Paul not only entreats them but “beseeches” them (v. 2, R. V .). His purpose in beseeching them was that he might not need when present with them “to be bold” (or “ show
courage” ). He hints, however, that there are some against whom' he intends 1 to be bold. These counted o f him as if he, “walked according to the flesh” (i.e., as if he was governed by carnal motives and wrought his works with natural' powers), Friday, March 75 . 2 Cor. 10 : 3 - 6 . , Paul’s' reply to .those whd thought he “walked' according' to the flesh” is that though he walks "in the flesh” he does not' “war according to the flesh,” i. e., that though he was still in the body and sub ject to its limitations, he did not war according to the flesh, i. e., depend upon his natural powers to defeat his enemies. In ' support o f this statement he makes a dec laration that should , sink deeply into' the heart o f all soldiers,of Christ in all ages: “The weapons of.ou r warfare are not of the flesh (or fleshly),” i.e., for example, that they are not human force (Luke 9:54- 56) or cunning or genius or oratory.' But while the weapons were not o f the flesh they were nevertheless “mighty before (or to.) God to the casting down o f' Strong holds.” Some men today see no power but in carnal weapons, and think the church ought to use them; but spiritual weapons (i.e., the truth* given in the power of the Holy Spirit) are immeasurably more mighty. These weapons “cast down strong holds” (for example, strongholds o f sin and evil habit and error, strongholds of philosophy, eloquence and learning with which heresy defends itself). Further still these weapons oast down “ reasonings” (this translation is preferable to “ imaginations” ), and every high thing , (not something high in reality and truth, but something put for ward as if it were high), that exalteth itsel( against the knowledge o f .God.” We must not depend upon carnal weapons to cast these things down, but use spiritual weapons such as Paul used (cf. 1 Cor. 2 :4). These spiritual weapons also have power to bring “everythought into captiv ity to the obedience o f Christ” (cf. Rom. 1:5; 16:26). With these weapons, not car nal, but mighty to God, Paul continues, .we '
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