2 Corinthians 10:12

In these verses observe,

I. The apostle refuses to justify himself, or to act by such rules as the false apostles did, Co2 10:12. He plainly intimates that they took a wrong method to commend themselves, in measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, which was not wise. They were pleased, and did pride themselves, in their own attainments, and never considered those who far exceeded them in gifts and graces, in power and authority; and this made them haughty and insolent. Note, If we would compare ourselves with others who excel us, this would be a good method to keep us humble; we should be pleased and thankful for what we have of gifts or graces, but never pride ourselves therein, as if there were none to be compared with us or that did excel us. The apostle would not be of the number of such vain men: let us resolve that we will not make ourselves of that number.

II. He fixes a better rule for his conduct, namely, not to boast of things without his measure, which was the measure God had distributed to him, Co2 10:13. His meaning is, either that he would not boast of more gifts or graces, or power and authority, than God had really bestowed on him; or, rather, that he would not act beyond his commission as to persons or things, nor go beyond the line prescribed to him, which he plainly intimates the false apostles did, while they boasted of other men's labors. The apostle's resolution was to keep within his own province, and that compass of ground which God had marked out for him. His commission as an apostle was to preach the gospel every where, especially among the Gentiles, and he was not confined to one place; yet he observed the directions of Providence, and the Holy Spirit, as to the particular places whither he went or where he did abide.

III. He acted according to this rule: We stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, Co2 10:14. And, particularly, he acted according to this rule in preaching at Corinth, and in the exercise of his apostolical authority there; for he came thither by divine direction, and there he converted many to Christianity; and, therefore, in boasting of them as his charge, he acted not contrary to his rule, he boasted not of other men's labours, Co2 10:15.

IV. He declares his success in observing this rule. His hope was that their faith was increased, and that others beyond them, even in the remoter parts of Achaia, would embrace the gospel also; and in all this he exceeded not his commission, nor acted in another man's line.

V. He seems to check himself in this matter, as if he had spoken too much in his own praise. The unjust accusations and reflections of his enemies had made it needful he should justify himself; and the wrong methods they took gave him good occasion to mention the better rule he had observed: yet he is afraid of boasting, or taking any praise to himself, and therefore he mentions two things which ought to be regarded: - 1. He that glorieth should glory in the Lord, Co2 10:17. If we are able to fix good rules for our conduct, or act by them, or have any good success in so doing, the praise and glory of all are owing unto God. Ministers in particular must be careful not to glory in their performances, but must give God the glory of their work, and the success thereof. 2. Not he that commendeth himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth, Co2 10:18. Of all flattery, self-flattery is the worst, and self-applause is seldom any better than self-flattery and self-deceit. At the best, self-commendation is no praise, and it is oftentimes as foolish and vain as it is proud; therefore, instead of praising or commending ourselves, we should strive to approve ourselves to God, and his approbation will be our best commendation.

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2Co_10:12

For we dare not … compare ourselves with some that commend themselves; but they measuring themselves by themselves … are not wise.

Two false standards of judgment

At the first reading we might scarcely see any distinction between the two faults spoken of. Measuring themselves by themselve, and comparing themselves with themselves, where is the difference? This habit of measuring self by self may arise from various causes.

1. It may arise from conceit. The man thinks himself perfect. Or, if not perfect--which no one says, or perhaps thinks--still sufficiently so for practical purposes. He needs no thorough remodelling; he may still be his own measure, though the measure itself may bear a little repairing to bring it up to statute and regulation. But the measuring of himself by himself may have another explanation.

2. Isolation will account for it. A man lives alone, does his own work, does not read, does not mix with others, never sees either self-denial or courage or patience or nobleness exemplified in life or action--how can he measure himself by any one or anything but himself?

3. A third account of it might be that sort of sluggishness and stupidity of the moral sense which acquiesces in the thing that is, thinks it will do, hopes all will come right. St. Paul does not presume or deign to make himself of the number. How palpably the opposite of that heroic soul which counted not itself to have apprehended! Self-measuring is one of the two faults, let us turn now to the other. Comparing themselves with themselves, they are not wise. Here the singular has become plural. The standard of the individual has become the standard of a multitude. The men spoken of compare themselves with themselves after all, only the self which they make their measure is a plural self, a composite self, a self of surroundings and circumstances, an environment of beings just like themselves, reflections of their own thought, their own principle, and their own judgment. This is, or may be, a less unlovely person than the former. He is no solitary, and he is no pendant, and he is no misanthrope. He does not profess himself the one wise man, or the one important man, or the one perfect. He is willing to let in some light upon the self-life. But it is a limited light. It is the light of his own little world. It may be a very little world. Some people--especially among the poor--pride themselves upon their littleness. They make it a merit not to go about houses. Men bound themselves by the workshop, the office, or the counting-house--women literally by the home. Yet within this fraction of the race multitudes of individual men and women are absolutely cribbed and cabined. They think within it, they judge within it, they act within it--worse still, they aspire within it. Not one idea comes to them but from it. St. Paul says that they who are described by either of these titles, self-measurers by self, or self-comparers with each other, are not wise. He might have put it more strongly. A man might be unwise, though applying a right standard to himself, because he was condemned by it, because he did not live up to it. But the man whose measure is self, or whose self-comparison is with other selves, as fallible and as prejudiced and as half-informed and as lazy-minded as himself, has no chance and no peradventure and no possibility of wisdom. He is on the wrong tack. Measuring themselves by themselves, they are not wise. What is to be done? Evidently self is the inordinate, the exaggerated, the overgrown thing. Self is here the thing which must be counteracted, combated, taught its place. Measuring themselves by themselves, they must be taught to measure themselves by something else. Almost anything will be a better standard. And now we must take the two men of the text, each by the hand, and bid them rise to a life higher for them both. We shall bid them to rest in no earthly heroism, and to acquiesce in no human example of virtue. We shall carry them on, without pause or dallying, to the contemplation of One in the presence of whose beauty and glory all such minor excellences pale and fade away. (Dean Vaughan.)

A wrong standard of measure

I. First, then, let us bring this question of comparison to the testing of character. We compare ourselves with others and say, I am as good as ordinary Christians. What is wanted is not just ordinary Christians. We ought each to pray with Wesley, Lord, make me an extraordinary Christian. Average Christians comparing themselves with average Christians may think they are about right.

II. Again, how practical this is for testing the measure of our self-sacrifice. Many people want to get to heaven as cheaply as they can. A man sees his neighbour do certain things on the Sabbath, therefore he claims a right to do them.

III. Once more, let this serve for testing the measure of our zeal and consecration in Gods service. As to work. Do you compare yourself with others? Are you ever tempted to say, I do as much as my neighbour; I do not like to push myself forward; I never like to seem to take the lead! Such feelings are born purely of a tendency to compare ourselves among ourselves. Let us try to be of the utmost use in the world.

Wrong estimates

I. The folly of adopting a false, worldly standard of character and conduct. The folly, viz., of--

1. Self-righteous reliance on ourselves, or our supposed excellences. See this in the parable of the Pharisee. There is a generation pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filth. Paul was once one of these Pharisees. I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. The death of legal hope became the life of evangelical obedience. The true Christian rests in Christ only and wholly.

2. Dependence on the opinion of mankind. A fatal indolence is apt to creep upon the soul when once it has attained the good opinion of religious men. Pursuit is at an end when the object is in possession. If at the judgment we were to be tried by a jury of fellow mortals, it would be but common prudence to secure their favour at any price.

3. Dependence on morality without religion. Society is a gainer from the absence of vice and the presence of virtue. We are, however, careful to mark the distinction between the morality which has for its only source the motives which begin and end in time, and that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord, which has its root and origin in Christian motives and principles.

4. Dependence on religion without morality. Christianity must be received as a whole. Christianity is something more than a mere set of rules, it is a living principle of action. Faith works by love and purifies the heart. In acknowledging Christ as Redeemer we must not forget that He is Lawgiver.

II. The wisdom of adopting that standard of character which the gospel reveals.

1. As it regards the rule of our faith.

2. As it regards the test of practice. (Homiletic Magazine.)

Cliques in Church

They measure themselves by themselves, etc., they constitute a religious coterie, a sort of ring or clique in the Church, ignoring all but themselves, making themselves the only standard of what is Christian, and betraying by that very proceeding their want of sense. There is a fine liberality about this sharp saying, and it is as necessary now as in the first century. Men coalesce within the limits of the Christian community from affinities of various kinds--sympathy for a type or aspect of a doctrine, or liking for a form of polity; and as it is easy, so it is common, for those who have drifted like to like, to set up their own associations and preferences as the only law and model for all. They take the air of superior persons, and the penalty of the superior person is to be without understanding. The standard of the coterie--be it evangelical, high church, broad church, or what you please--is not the standard of God; and to measure all things by it is not only sinful, but stupid. In contrast to this Judaistic clique, who saw no Christianity except under their own colours, Pauls standard is to be found in the actual working of God through the gospel. He would have said with Ignatius, only with a deeper insight into every word, where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. (J. Denney, B. D.)

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10:12 Paul now charges his enemies with a set of false values, since they attached great importance to themselves.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Co 10:12. Οὐ γὰρ τολμῶμεν, for we dare not) Paul very fully vindicates his apostolic authority, under which the Corinthians are also placed: and he refutes the false apostles who, [2Co 11:13-14] assuming any specious form whatever, also obtruded themselves among them, and put the sickle into Paul’s harvest. Reproving the bold daring of these drones, he says, we dare not; in which, while he tells what he himself does not do, he marks by implication, what they are doing. I, says he, claim nothing to myself from them [I own no connection with them]; let them in turn cease to join themselves to us [identify themselves with us], even at Corinth. He puts a hedge between himself and them.—ἐγκρῖναι ἢ συγκρῖναι) to place [ourselves] on the same level, as sharers of the same office; or to compare [ourselves] as partakers of the same labour; both, in respect to you: ἐγκρίνονται, things are placed on the same level with one another, which are of the same kind; συγκρίνονται, things are compared, which, though they differ in kind, are supposed to have at least the same relative aspect [rationem]. μετροῦντες presently after corresponds to ἐγκρῖναι, as συγκρίνοντες to συγκρῖναι.—τῶν) The Genitive. Of those, who commend themselves, the boldest ἐγκρίνουσι, place themselves on the same level, etc.—καὶ συγκρίνοντες, and comparing) This expression is put at the beginning of the clause for the sake of emphasis.—ἑαυτοῖς,[68] οὐχὶ, κ.τ.λ.) See Appendix. Crit. on this passage. This phraseology does not indeed apply to the false apostles, who really attempted to measure themselves by others, and to obtrude themselves among them. Paul, on the contrary, says of himself and those like himself, we measure ourselves by ourselves, not by them, the false apostles; we compare ourselves with ourselves, not with them.[69]

[68] D(Λ)Gfg Vulg. Lucif. omit οὐ συνιοῦσιν. But B reads the words (συνιᾶσιν, which Lachm. prefers): so also Memph. and both Syr. Versions.—ED.

[69] It is consistent with this, that the Ger. Ver., although it expresses the words ὀυ συνιοῦσιν ἡμεῖς δὲ, yet so arranges the agreement of the words, that the same sense comes out, which the Gnomon gives.—E. B.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co_10:12.[305] Reason assigned for this assurance (οἷοί ἐσμεν … τῷ ἔργῳ): for we are not like our boastful opponents, but, etc. If we were such people as they are, word and work might doubtless not harmonize in our cas.

οὐ γὰρ τολμῶμεν κ.τ.λ.] for we do not venture to number ourselves among, or compare ourselves with, certain people among those who commend themselves; but they,[306] measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not rational; we, on the other hand, will not make our boast beyond measure, but, etc., 2Co_10:13. In οὐ τολμῶμεν is implied an irony which shows the want of humility in those people. Bengel aptly says: sepem inter se et illos ponit.

ἐγκρῖναι] annumerare, to place in one category; inserere, as the Vulgate rightly has it (Hor. Od. i. 1. 35); construed with εἰς, μετά, ἐπί with genitive, and with the simple dative of the persons joined (Apoll. Rhod. i. 48. 227). See Wetstein and Kypke, II. p. 264.

συγκρῖναι] might mean the same (Morus, Rosen-müller, Flatt, Reiche, and several, following the Peshito), but is defined by συγκρίνοντες in the contrasting clause as having the meaning comparare (Vulgate), which it very often has in later Greek, as also in Wis_7:29; Wis_15:18, equivalent to παραβάλλειν in Polyb. i. 2. 1, xii. 12. 1.[307] See, in general, Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 278. Comp. Loesner, Obss. p. 273. Observe, moreover, the paronomasia of the two verbs, something like inferre aut conferre, the German zurechnen oder gleichrechnen; Ewald: eingleichen oder vergleichen [reckon to or reckon like].

τισι] as in 2Co_10:2, not: even the least of them (Hofmann).

τῶν ἑσυτ. συνιστ.] This is the class of men, to which the τινές belon.

ἀλλά] introduces the opposite in such a way that the procedure of the two parties is placed antithetically in juxtaposition: We do not venture to reckon ourselves to or compare ourselves with them, but they proceed thus, we, on the other hand, thus. We do not venture, etc., but between them and us there subsists the contrast, which does away with that ἐγκρῖναι ἢ συγκρῖναι κ.τ.λ., that they, etc., whereas we, et.

αὐτοί down to οὐ συνιοῦσιν applies to the hostile τινές, and on this point one half of the expositors are agreed. But συνιοῦσιν, which is therefore not to be accented συνίουσιν (comp. on Rom_3:11), is not a participle (Chrysostom), so that it would be definition of quality to ἑαυτοῖς, which would quite unnecessarily make an anacoluthon, but it is the third person plural (Mat_13:13) for the Attic συνιᾶσιν, which is read by Lachmann, following B א**so that ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἑαυτοὺς μετροῦντες κ. συγκρ. ἑαυτ. ἑαυτοῖς is the point, in which the opponents show their irrationality (inasmuch as they measure themselves by themselves … they are irrational), and not the object of Οὐ ΣΥΝΙΟῦΣΙΝ (they do not know that they measure themselves by themselves), as Erasmus, Castalio, Beza, Estius, Grotius, Er. Schmid, Wolf, and several have held. To this last view, indeed, there is no grammatical objection (Valckenaer, ad Herod. III. 1, and on the distinction from the infinitive construction, Kühner, II. p. 357), but it would yield an inappropriate meaning; for the contrast ἩΜΕῖς ΔῈ Κ.Τ.Λ. shows that Paul did not mean to bring into prominence the blindness of his opponents towards their foolish conduct, but the folly of this procedure itself, whereas he proceeds quite otherwise. When those people measure themselves by themselves, judge themselves by their own personality, and compare themselves with this instead of with persons working more and better,[308] they are in this presumption of theirs (comp. Chrysostom 1) irrational, ineptiunt, οὐ συνιοῦσι. This, however, is not to be defined more precisely by arbitrary additions, such as: they do not know how ridiculous they make themselves (Chrysostom 2, Theophylact), or, how arrogant they are (Oecumenius), or what they are talking about (Augustine). Comp. rather Rom_3:11; Mat_13:13, al. Hofmann prefers the reading of א* 2Co 93: συνίσασιν (comp. on this Attic form, Act_26:4, and see Buttmann, Ausf. Sprachl. p. 548 ff.), and attaches ἙΑΥΤΟῖς to it: they are not conscious of this, that they only measure themselves and compare themselves, i.e. that only within their own selves they form their judgment respecting themselves, how far they are capable of apprehending, and to whom they are entitled to rank themselves equal. But the reading ΣΥΝΊΣΑΣΙΝ can only be regarded as a copyists error, through which, instead of ΣΥΝΙᾶΣΙΝ (Lachmann), there crept in the word ΣΥΝΊΣΑΣΙΝ well known from the Attic writers (e.g. Soph. El. 93; Xen. Cyrop. iii. 1. 9), and this in turn was at once amended by the corrector A. And in no case can ἑαυτοῖς be separated from συγκρίνοντες, since συγκρίνειν in itself is an incomplete notion, which necessarily requires a specification of that with which comparison is made. Hofmanns view is at once uncritical and illogical, apart from the fact that it very much disturbs the purposely chosen symmetry of the two participial definitions; hence it is also formally unsuitable.

The second half of the expositors (Chrysostom hesitates between the two views) refer ΑὐΤΟῚ … ΣΥΝΙΟῦΣΙΝ to Paul, and consider συνιοῦσιν (to be written συνίουσιν) as a participle, so that the measuring self by self, etc. appears to be the right kind of judgment.[309] Comp. Horace, Ep. i. 7 98: Metiri se quemque suo modulo ac pede verum est. In this case either (a) οὐ συνιοῦσιν is considered as in contrast with ἙΑΥΤΟῖς: with ourselves, not with wise people, by which the conceited opponents would be ironically meant (Bos, Homberg, Schrader). Or (b) ἀλλὰ … ἑαυτοὺς ἑαυτοῖς is taken as parenthesis, and Οὐ ΣΥΝΙΟῦΣΙ as one conception in apposition to ΤΙΣῚ ΤῶΝ ἙΑΥΤ. ΣΥΝΙΣΤ. (Schulz). Or (c) οὐ συνιοῦσιν is taken as apposition to the preceding ἙΑΥΤΟῖς: neque existimo ex me, homine, ut istis placet, insipido, Emmerling, whom Olshausen follows. All these views take the participles for the finite tenses (or rather as anacoluthic); but against them all the following ἡμεῖς δέ is decisive, which makes it logically necessary to refer ΑὐΤΟΊ to the opponents; for it cannot, as Emmerling and Olshausen think, form a logical contrast to the charge which is alleged to be implied in οὐ συνιοῦσιν, since ἩΜΕῖς ΔΈ would require to be put in antithesis to the accusers, and not to the accusation (which, besides, would only be expressed quite cursorily and indirectly by Οὐ ΣΥΝΙΟῦΣΙΝ). Further, there may be urged against (a), that it would require οὐ τοῖς συνιοῦσιν with the article; against (b), that this interpretation is involved; against (c), not so much the want of the articlefor οὐ συνιοῦσιν need not be in apposition, but might also be an accompanying definition of ἙΑΥΤΟῖςas the fact that there is no hint in the context of any ironical adducing of such a charge, and hence it is not to be compared with 2Co_11:1; 2Co_11:16; 2Co_11:19, 2Co_12:11.

[305] This passage is most thoroughly discussed by Fritzsche, Dissert. II. p. 33 ff. (whom Billroth has entirely followed), and by Reiche, Commentar. Crit. I. p. 375 ff. Theodoret remarks: ἀσαφῶς απαν τὸ χώρημα τοῦτο γέγραφεν, and for this he advances as a reason: ἐναργῶς ἐλέγξαι τοὺς αἰτίους οὐ βουλόμενος.

[306] This emphasized they (αὐτοί, they on their part) is fully justified in contrast to the following ἡμεῖς; hence it is not, with Osiander, to be taken in the sense of soli, n its limitation to themselves.

[307] The objects compared may be of similar or dissimilar nature. On this point the word does not determine anything.

[308] Such an one thinks: what a great man I am, for how much I know and can do! how I even excel myself, etc.! His own ego is thus object and canon of the measuring and judging. Calvin aptly illustrates this by the example of the ignorant and yet so conceited monks. The juxtaposition of αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἑαυτούς palliates the conceit of the selfish nature. Comp. Plato, Protag. p. 347 E: αὐτοὶ δʼ ἑαυτοῖς σύνεισι διʼ ἑαυτῶν. It is well paraphrased by Reiche, p 380: sibi ipsis e vana sua de se opinione virtutum meritorumque modulum constituentes atque se sibi solis comparantes, non potioribus meliusque meritis, quod si fecerint, illico quam sint nihil ipsi cognoscerent. Hofmann, again, deals in subtleties, referring ἐν ἑαυτοῖς not only to the first, but also to the second participle, and (see against this, below) connecting the concluding ἑαυτοῖς with the following verb.

[309] According to Emmerling, μετρ. ἑαυτ. ἐν ἑαυτ. applies to abstinence from promises which transcend their powers, and the συγκριν. ἑαυτ. ἑαυτοῖς to the judicium ferre de se ad normam virium suarum, factorum et meritorum. According to Olshausen, ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἑαυτοὺς μετροῦντες is intended to mean: we measure ourselves by what the Lord has imposed on us!

REMARK 1.

Against our explanation (which is found in substance also in Augustine, Chrysostom 1, Theodoret, Theophylact, Luther, Calvin, Hammond, Wetstein, Zachariae, and others, including Rückert, Reiche, Neander, Osiander, Kling, partly also in Hofmann), it has been objected (see especially Fritzsche and Billroth) that ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ κ.τ.λ. cannot apply to the opponents, because manifestly different modes of dealing, and not different persons, would be opposed to each other, in which case Paul could not but have written: ἡμεῖς γὰρ οὐ … ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ κ.τ.λ. But by this very contrast of persons first introduced by ἀλλά (ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ … ἡμεῖς δέ) the opposite of the mode of action previously negatived is exhibited in a truly concrete and vivid way, and by no means illogically, seeing that in fact by the previous ἑαυτοὺς τισί the contrast of persons introduced with ἀλλά was very naturally suggested. On the other hand, it would not have been logical, if Paul had written ἡμεῖς γὰρ οὐ τολμῶμεν … ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ κ.τ.λ., since then doubtless the persons, but not that which is asserted of the persons, would stand in logical contrast with one another; for what is asserted would need to be substantially in both clauses one and the same thing, which would be denied of the ἡμεῖς, and affirmed of the αὐτοί. It has been objected to our explanation of οὐ συνιοῦσιν that it is against the context; but it is, in point of fact, to be observed, that on the one hand it gives a very delicate explanation concerning the ironical οὐ τολμῶμεν, and that on the other hand the following ἡμεῖς δὲ κ.τ.λ. with logical accuracy opposes to the previous ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ κ.τ.λ. the thought: we, however, abide by the measure which God has imparted to us, so that in κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τοῦ κανόνος, οὗ ἐμέρ. ἡμ. ὁ θεὸς μέτρου there lies the contrast to the irrational procedure of the opponents measuring themselves by themselves. He who measures himself by himself, seeing that in fact he lacks an objective standard, falls with his boasting εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα, like those opponents; but not he, who knows himself determined by a limit set by God. Finally, the objection, that by our interpretation οὐ συνιοῦσιν gets a thought imported into it which its literal tenor does not actually present (Hofmann), is quite groundless, since οὐ, by a quite common usage, turns the συνιοῦσιν into its opposite, consequently οὐ συν. expresses the ἀσυνεσία, the irrationality and folly of those men in their procedure.

REMARK 2.

By leaving out oh οὐ συνιοῦσιν· ἡμεῖς δέ, but retaining καυχησόμεθα, 2Co_10:13 (see the critical remarks), the meaning results; sed me ex meo modulo metiens mihique me conferens, non praeter modum, sed ad modum ita mihi praefiniti spatii, ut ad vos quoque pervenirem, gloriabor (Fritzsche).[310] But if καυχησόμεθα also is left out, as Fritzsche and Billroth approve, Paul in 2Co_10:15 turns back to ΟὐΚ ΕἸς ΤᾺ ἌΜΕΤΡΑ in 2Co_10:13, and then adds the still necessary verb anacoluthically in the participle: sed me ipse mihi conferens, non praeter modum … 2Co_10:15, non praeter modum inquam me efferens (Fritzsche). The suitableness of the meaning and of the antithetic character in the several parts, as well as the unexceptionable warrant of the anacoluthon, have been aptly shown by Fritzsche, pp. 41, 43 f. But the rejected words cannot thereby be deprived of their critical title to exist.

[310] Comp. Ewald: but modestly and cautiously measuring ourselves by ourselves and our abilities, and comparing ourselves with ourselves and our labours already achieved and clear before the world and before God, we will not (like those intruders) boast without measure, but at most will boast according to the measure of the standard which God imparted to us as measure, and which accordingly among other things authorized and strengthened us, that we attained even unto you and founded you.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co 10:12 . οὐ γὰρ τολμῶμεν κ . τ . λ .: for we do not venture (an ironical refusal to put himself on a level with his adversaries, whose shallow pretensions he thus quietly exposes) to number or compare ourselves (note the paronomasia in the Greek) with certain of them that commend themselves (the charge made against him see on 2Co 3:1 he retorts with great effect on his opponents); but they themselves measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves with themselves are without understanding ( cf. Pro 26:12 ). This sentence is so much involved, that it is not surprising to find the Western authorities (see crit. note) giving it a quite different turn by the omission of the words οὐ συνιοῦσιν (or συνιᾶσιν ) ἡμεῖς δὲ … καυχησόμεθα . Following this shorter text, the meaning would be: “but we are measuring ourselves by ourselves and comparing ourselves with ourselves, not going into spheres beyond our measure,” etc. This gives a connected sense, and is favoured by the fact that the balance of the sentence leads us to expect that αὐτοὶ after ἀλλὰ shall refer to the Apostle, and not to his opponents, as it must do with the longer reading. Nevertheless we believe that the omission is simply an attempt to evade the difficulty of the true text; it would be quite unlike St. Paul to speak of himself as his own standard of conduct, and would not be harmonious with the thought of 2Co 10:13 . Others take συνιοῦσιν as a dative participle and adopt the rendering: “but we ( i.e. , St. Paul) measure ourselves by ourselves, and compare ourselves with ourselves, unwise as we are” ( sc. , in their opinion). This, however, is not only open to the objection just mentioned, but would require τοῖς before οὐ συνιοῦσιν . On the whole, therefore, we prefer to follow the best MS. authority by reading συνιᾶσιν , and to treat the Western text as an abbreviation, which misses the point of the argument in the attempt to simplify the construction.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12-18. A passage, the difficulty of which was very early felt, and hence the variations in the text, some of which are obviously the result of efforts to make things clearer. That St Paul deliberately wrote obscurely in order to avoid making definite charges against his assailants (Theodoret) is not probable.* He is satirical, and we must beware of taking his irony literally. Under cover of mock humility he shows that he is a very different kind of person from those who criticize him from a pinnacle of assumed superiority. They say that at close quarters he is a coward. Well, he must own that he has not the courage which they possess. He does not venture to put himself on a level with people who sing their own praises and try to get themselves accepted at their own valuation. Conduct of that kind is folly. His glorying has limits not of his own choosing; they are the limits of the sphere assigned to him by God, who sent him to Corinth. And he was the first in the field there. He did not come after others had laboured there and take the credit of what they had done, although there are people who have tried to reap where he has sown. He hopes that as the Corinthians’ faith increases he will be able to enlarge his sphere of influence and carry the Gospel to regions farther West, always avoiding the fields of other men’s labours, so as not to seem to plume himself on work which was not his own.

The Western text (D* F G, d e f g, Ambrst.) omits οὐ συνιᾶσιν (συνιοῦσιν), ἡμεῖς δέ, and then the sentence ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ κ.τ.λ. runs; ‘but we measuring ourselves by ourselves and comparing ourselves with ourselves are not going into spheres beyond our measure and glorying there, etc.’ This makes good sense and runs smoothly, with αὐτοί carrying on the constr. of οὐ τολμῶμεν: and it may be an instance of what WH. call “Western non-interpolations” (ii. pp. 175 ff.). But more probably the omission is an attempt to make the original text clearer. The Apostle is not likely to have declared that he made himself his standard of excellence. To adopt the reading συνιονσιν and make it a dat. (συνίουσιν) agreeing with ἑαυτοῖς—‘ compare ourselves with ourselves, unwise people, as they hold us to be’—is objectionable for the same reason, and in that case we should have τοῖς μὴ συνιοῦσιν. We must retain ἡμεῖς δέ, and then αὐτοί refers, not to the Apostle, but to his critics.* And we may safely reject the reading οὐ συνίσασιν (א *), which would mean that ‘they compare themselves with themselves without being aware that they do so,’ which is very poor sense.

10:12-18. The Area of His Mission Includes Corinth

Self-praise is worthless; but I do claim that Corinth lies in the sphere of work which God has assigned to me.

12 I am accused of being a coward. Well, I really cannot muster courage to pair myself or compare myself with certain persons who are distinguished by much self-commendation. They fix their own standard of excellence, and are lost in admiration of themselves and one another for conforming to it. That is really not very sagacious. 13 We, however, who do not fix our own standard, will not glory beyond our legitimate limits, but will keep within the limits of that sphere which God has assigned to us as a limit, and which certainly meant that we should extend our labours so as to include you. 14 For we are not, I repeat,—as would be the case if we had no commission to come as far as you,—we are not straining to exceed the limits of our province. Why, we pressed on even to you, and were the first to proclaim in Corinth the Glad-tidings of the Christ. 15 Our glorying does not go beyond legitimate limits, does not take credit for what other men have done. But we do cherish a hope that, as your faith goes on growing, we may through you get an enlargement of influence—still keeping to the sphere allotted to us—an enlargement on a great scale; 16 viz. to carry the Glad-tidings to the region beyond you, without glorying (as some people do) in another man’s sphere of labour of things already done before we came. 17 But in any case there is only one right way of glorying; he who glories, let him glory in the Lord who alone can make work fruitful. 18 For he who, instead of giving all glory to God, commends himself, is not the man that is accepted; the only one who wins real approval is he whom the Lord commends.

It will perhaps be as well to give a paraphrase of vv. 12 and 13 on the hypothesis that the Western text is correct, and it is preferred by some commentators.

12 You may call me a coward, for I really do not possess boldness enough to pair myself or compare myself with certain persons who are distinguished by much self-commendation. On the contrary, I fix my own standard and compare myself with it, 13 and so my glorying will never go beyond legitimate limits, but will keep, etc.

12. οὐ γὰρ τολμῶμεν ἐνκρῖναι ἢ συνκρῖναι ἑαυτοῖς. One suspects that for the sake of a play upon words the Apostle has used an expression which might otherwise have been clearer. ‘For we have not the boldness (v. 2) to pair or to compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves.’ The play on words (ἐνκρῖναι ἢ συνκρῖναι) is as obvious here as in vv. 5, 6, and the meaning of ἐνκρῖναι seems to be ‘judge amongst,’ ‘estimate amongst,’ ‘class with,’ and it is stronger in meaning than συνκρῖναι, so that ‘pair’ and ‘compare’ fairly well preserves the similarity of sound and change of meaning. ‘I could not venture to put myself in the same class with, or even compare myself with,’ is the sarcastic declaration. Vulg. gives the sense, without preserving any play of words; non enim audemus inserere aut comparare nos. Beza has nos adjungere ved conjungere, which sacrifices the sense in order to preserve the play. Bengel’s aequiparare aut comparare is better than either this or inserere aut conserere. Cf. Wisd. 7:29; 1 Macc. 10:71. St Paul had been accused of singing his own praises (3:1); he here intimates that this is just what his critics are fond of doing.

ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἑαυτοὺς μετροῦντες. If we retain ἡμεῖς δέ in v. 13, and it is best to do so, the αὐτοί must refer to the hostile critics; ‘But they themselves measuring themselves by themselves.’ They are a “mutual admiration and self-admiration society” (Waite). They set up their own conduct as a standard of excellence, and find their conformity to it eminently satisfactory and admirable. They are a community of Pecksniffs. Calvin takes the monks of his own time as an illustration; sibi enim intus plaudebant, non considerantes quibus virtutibus constaret vera laus.

οὐ συνιᾶσιν. ‘Are without understanding’; they are ἄφρονες (Eph 5:17), who are not intelligent enough to put two and two together. These self-satisfied critics, who have no external standard, but judge everything by comparison with their own practice, come very far short of wisdom. Non intelligent, says Augustine, adding neque quae loquuntur neque de quibus affirmant (from 1Ti 1:7). Others supply, ‘how ridiculous they are,’ or ‘what they are talking about,’ or ‘what are the marks of a true Apostle.’ But οὐ συνιᾶσιν needs no supplement. Cf. οὔπω νοεῖτε οὐδὲ συνίετε; (Mar 8:17).

The spelling ἐνκρι. and συνκρι is supported by B * D *; for the former G has κρῖναι. Naber’s suspicion of dittography is not needed; the play on words is thoroughly Pauline. D E add ἑαυτούς after the first verb, while א omits ἐαυτούς before μετροῦντες. συνιᾶσιν (א 1 B 17) rather than συνιοῦσιν (D 3 D K L P or συνίσασιν (א*) D FG, d e f G oimit οὐ συν. ἠμεῖς δὲ, but the words should be retained with א B D 3 E K L P, 1 Syrr. Copt. Arm. Aeth. Goth.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They condemn all others, and measure all their doings only by themselves.

Being constrained to refel the foolish brags of certain ambitious men, he witnesseth, that they are able to bring nothing, but that they falsely persuade themselves of themselves: and as for himself, although he brags of excellent things, yet he will not pass the bounds which God hath measured him out, according whereunto he came even unto them in preaching the Gospel of Christ, and trusteth that he shall go further, when they have so profited that he shall not need to tarry any longer amongst them to instruct them. And hereunto is added an amplification, in that he never succeeded other men in their labors.

This is spoken after a taunting sort.

Upon a vain persuasion that they have of themselves, they take upon them they care not what.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

"We do not presume (irony) to judge ourselves among, or in comparison with, some of them that commend themselves." The charge falsely brought against him of commending himself (Co2 3:1; Co2 5:12), really holds good of the false teachers. The phrase, "judge ourselves of the number," is drawn from the testing of athletes and senators, the "approved" being set down on the roll [WAHL].

measuring themselves by themselves--"among themselves": to correspond to the previous verb, "judge ourselves among them." Instead of measuring themselves by the public standard, they measure themselves by one made by themselves: they do not compare themselves with others who excel them, but with those like themselves: hence their high self-esteem. The one-eyed is easily king among the blind.

are not wise--with all their boasted "wisdom" (Co1 1:19-26), they are anything but "wise."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 12. We dare not make ourselves, c.] As if he had said: I dare neither associate with, nor compare myself to, those who are full of self-commendation. Some think this to be an ironical speech.

But they, measuring themselves by themselves] They are not sent of God they are not inspired by his Spirit; therefore they have no rule to think or act by. They are also full of pride and self-conceit; they look within themselves for accomplishments which their self-love will soon find out; for to it real and fictitious are the same. As they dare not compare themselves with the true apostles of Christ, they compare themselves with each other; and, as they have no perfect standard, they can have no excellence; nor can they ever attain true wisdom, which is not to be had from looking at what we are but to what we should be; and if without a directory, what we should be will never appear, and consequently our ignorance must continue. This was the case with these self-conceited false apostles; but ουσυνιουσιν, are not wise, Mr. Wakefield contends, is an elegant Graecism signifying they are not aware that they are measuring themselves by themselves, &c.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

12. For we dare not. He says this by way of irony, for afterwards he does not merely compare himself boldly with them, but, deriding their vanity, he leaves them far behind him. Now by this irony he gives a stroke, not merely to those foolish boasters, but also to the Corinthians, who encouraged them in their folly by their misdirected approbation. “I am satisfied,” says he, “with my moderate way; for I would not dare to put myself on a footing with your Apostles, who are the heralds of their own excellence.” In the mean time, when he intimates that their glory consists of mere speaking and boasting, he shows, how silly and worthless they are, while he claims for himself deeds instead of words, that is, true and solid ground of glorying. He may seem, however, to err in the very thing for which he reproves others, for he immediately afterwards commends himself. I answer, that his design must be taken into view, for those do not aim at their own commendation, who, entirely free from ambition, have no desire but to serve the Lord usefully. As to this passage, however, there is no need of any other explanation than what may be gathered from the words themselves, for those are said to commend themselves, who, while in poverty and starvation as to true praise, exalt themselves in vain-glorious boasting, and falsely give out, that they are what they are not. This, also, appears from what follows.

But they measure themselves by themselves Here he points out, as with his finger their folly. The man that has but one eye sees well enough among the blind: the man that is dull of hearing hears distinctly enough among the totally deaf. Such were those that were satisfied with themselves, and showed themselves off among others, simply because they did not look to any that were superior to themselves, for if they had compared themselves with Paul, or any one like him, they would have felt constrained to lay aside immediately that foolish impression which they entertained, and would have exchanged boasting for shame.

For an explanation of this passage we need look no farther than to the monks; for as they are almost all of them the most ignorant asses, and at the same time are looked upon as learned persons, on account of their long robe and hood, if any one has merely a slight smattering of elegant literature, he proudly spreads out his feathers like a peacock — a marvelous fame goes abroad respecting him — among his companions he is adored Were, however, the mask of the hood laid aside, and a thorough examination entered upon, their vanity would at once be discovered. Why so? The old proverb holds good: “Ignorance is pert.” But the excessively insolent arrogance of the monks proceeds chiefly from this — that they measure themselves by themselves; for, as in their cloisters there is nothing but barbarism, it is not to be wondered, if the man that has but one eye is a king among the blind. Such were Paul’s rivals, for inwardly they flattered themselves, not considering what virtues entitled a person to true praise, and how far short they came of the excellence of Paul, and those like him. And, certainly, this single consideration might justly have covered them with shame, but it is the just punishment of the ambitious, that by their silliness they expose themselves to ridicule, (than which there is nothing that they are more desirous to avoid,) and in place of glory, which they are immoderately desirous of, they incur disgrace.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(12) We dare not make ourselves of the number.—The last five words give the meaning of one Greek verb (enkrînai = to insert), the sound of which seems immediately to suggest the cognate verb (synkrînai = to compare). It is, of course, hard to convey the half-playful assonance in English. In “some that commend themselves” we note a reference to the charge of self-commending, which he has already noticed four times (2Co_3:1; 2Co_4:2; 2Co_5:12; 2Co_7:11). Before he had defended himself against the charge; now he retorts it on his opponents. In “we dare” we trace a reference to the charge of cowardice, as in 2Co_10:2.

Measuring themselves by themselves.—The Greek MSS. present many various readings, some of the best MSS. omitting “are not wise, but,” and some giving “not boasting” for “we will not boast;” and the Greek text, on any reading, presents a grammatical difficulty, arising from the fact that the last word may be either the third person plural of a verb in the indicative present, or a participle in the dative case, agreeing with “themselves.” It is hardly necessary to discuss here the various possible constructions rising out of the combination of these phenomena. The English version gives, it is believed, substantially the meaning of the original. In the very act of saying, with a touch of irony, that he will not compare himself with the rival teachers, the Apostle virtually does compare himself. And the point he makes is that they instituted no such comparison. They were their own standards of excellence. Each was “amator sui sine rivali.” Collectively, they formed what has been described in the language of modern literary history as a “Mutual Admiration Society.” Of all such self-admiration—one might almost say, of all such autolatry—St. Paul declares, what the experience of all ages attests, that they who practise it “are not wise.” They lose, as the Greek verb more definitely expresses it, all power of discernment.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves] i.e. ironically, we dare not venture to number or compare ourselves with certain persons who have of late been claiming great authority among you. After St Paul’s manner (see ch. 2Co_1:13, 2Co_3:2) there is a play upon words here, which is difficult to translate.

commend themselves] As has been said, the Greek word here used has in the N. T. the sense of praise; but probably here the leading idea as in ch. 2Co_3:1 is of recommending themselves, by such means as are indicated in chapters 1–3 of the first Epistle, and of having their own selfish objects in view in so doing.

but they measuring themselves] The idea suggested by the A.V. is of men whose motives are centred in self. They judge themselves by their own standard, they take advantage of other men’s labours, they even, St Paul seems to hint (2Co_10:16), boast of other men’s labours, they give other men no credit for what they have done. And all this, like the Galatian teachers (Gal_4:17), that they may occupy the principal place in the Corinthian Church. There is another reading here, however, which is accepted by many editors and preferred by Dean Stanley, which gives an entirely different turn to the sentence. Omitting the words ‘are not wise, but we’ the passage runs, ‘but measuring ourselves by ourselves, and comparing ourselves with ourselves, we do not boast beyond measure.’ This reading may have been caused by the transcriber’s eye passing from ΟΥΣ to ΟΥΚ in the Greek, and omitting the intervening words, while it is difficult to see how St Paul can describe himself as avoiding the danger of boasting beyond measure by the very process which experience shews to be the commonest mode of causing such boasting, namely by taking oneself as the sole standard of comparison. And the testimony of MSS. and versions is much in favour of the received text. See however next note but two.

by themselves] Literally, in themselves, i.e. if we accept the A.V., having their thoughts perpetually turned inwards in complacent self-contemplation. Meyer quotes the expression Metiri suo modulo from Horace Ep. 1. 7. 98.

amongst themselves] Rather, with themselves.

are not wise] These words are omitted by the Vulgate and Wiclif. It must be confessed that they are not in the Apostle’s manner, and that they have a suspicious appearance of having been inserted to fill up some supposed deficiency in the sense. But see last note but two. If we omit them, together with the words ‘But we’ in the next verse, the Apostle’s meaning will be, ‘We do not compare ourselves with some who have lately appeared among you. We keep within the bounds of our own labours, of the work that God has marked out for us. We do not ‘build on another man’s foundation’ (Rom_15:20) or challenge comparison by intruding into another man’s sphere of work.’ See also 2Co_10:15-16. The balance of probability, in spite of the difficulties enumerated above, is in favour of this reading. St Paul seems to imply that he avoids all comparison by keeping within his own bounds. See Analysis, Introduction, ch. 11.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure,.... They did not go beyond the bounds set them by the purpose and providence of God, by going to Corinth; nor did they boast of things without their measure, when they spoke of their labours, and of the success of their ministrations among them; nor did they assume and arrogate to themselves what did not belong to them, when they claimed an authority over them, and a right of exercising their apostolical office among them:

as though we reached not unto you; by right, or according to the will of God, and the measuring line and bounds he drew and fixed for them:

for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the Gospel of Christ. The case is clear, it is a plain matter of fact, that they were not only come to other places, where they had preached the Gospel, and planted churches, but as far as to Corinth also, where they came "in, by, or with the Gospel of Christ": not their own, or what was of their own invention, but Christ's; of which he is the author, minister, and subject; they did not come without something with them; they came with the good news and glad tidings of salvation by Christ; they came preaching the Gospel, which was owned for the conversion of many souls, and for the raising a very considerable church; all which was a full proof that they were of right, and not by usurpation, come to them; that they had not thrusted themselves in, where they had no business, and consequently still retained a power over them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

Ver. 12. For we dare not] This he speaks by an irony, whereof he is full in this Epistle; and may therefore be called as Socrates was, ο ειρων.

But they measuring themselves, &c.] Turning the other end of the perspective, they see themselves bigger and others lesser than they are. So bladder-like is the soul, that filled with earthly vanities, though but wind, it grows great and swells in pride. Oh, pray to be preserved from this perilous pinnacle of self-exaltation. Look into the perfect law of liberty, and draw nigh to God. The nearer we come to God, the more rottenness we find in our bones. The more any man looks into the body of the sun, the less he seeth when he looks down again.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For we dare not make ourselves of the number - We admit that we are not bold enough for that. They had accused him of a lack of boldness and energy when present with them, 2Co 10:1, 2Co 10:10. Here in a strain of severe but delicate irony, he says he was not bold enough to do things which the had done. He did not dare to do the things which had been done among them. To such boldness of character, present or absent, he could lay no claim.

Or compare ourselves ... - I am not bold enough for that. That requires a stretch of boldness and energy to which I can lay no claim.

That commend themselves - That put themselves forward, and that boast of their endowments and attainments. It is probable that this was commonly done by those to whom the apostle here refers; and it is certain that it is everywhere the characteristic of pride. To do this, Paul says, required greater boldness than he possessed, and on this point he yielded to them the palm. The satire here is very delicate, and yet very severe, and was such as would doubtless be felt by them.

But they measuring themselves by themselves - Whitby and Clarke suppose that this means that they compare themselves with each other; and that they made the false apostles particularly their standard. Doddridge, Grotius, Bloomfield, and some others suppose the sense to be, that they made themselves the standard of excellence. They looked continually on their own accomplishments, and did not look at the excellences of others. They thus formed a disproportionate opinion of themselves, and undervalued all others. Paul says that he had not boldness enough for that. It required a moral courage to which he could lay no claim. Horace (Epis. 2Co 1:7. 98) has an expression similar to this:

“Metirise quemque sue modulo ac pede verum est.”

The sense of Paul is, that they made themselves the standard of excellence; that they were satisfied with their own attainments; and that they overlooked the superior excellence and attainments of others. This is a graphic description of pride and self-complacency; and, alas! it is what is often exhibited. How many there are, and it is to be feared even among professing Christians, who have no other standard of excellence than themselves. Their views are the standard of orthodoxy; their modes of worship are the standard of the proper manner of devotion; their habits and customs are in their own estimation perfect; and their own characters are the models of excellence, and they see little or no excellence in those who differ from them. They look on themselves as the true measure of orthodoxy, humility, zeal, and piety; and they condemn all others, however excellent they may be, who differ from them.

And comparing themselves ... - Or rather comparing themselves with themselves. Themselves they make to be the standard, and they judge of everything by that.

Are not wise - Are stupid and foolish. Because:

(1) They had no such excellence as to make themselves the standard.

(2) Because this was an indication of pride.

(3) Because it made them blind to the excellences of others. It was to be presumed that others had endowments not inferior to theirs.

(4) Because the requirements of God, and the character of the Redeemer, were the proper standard of conduct. Nothing is a more certain indication of folly than for a man to make himself the standard of excellence. Such an individual must be blind to his own real character; and the only thing certain about his attainments is, that he is inflated with pride. And yet how common! How self-satisfied are most persons! How pleased with their own character and attainments! How grieved at any comparison which is made with others implying their inferiority! How prone to undervalue all others simply because they differ from them! - The margin renders this: “understand it not,” that is, they do not understand their own character or their inferiority.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The following verses to the end of the chapter, are equally obscure, both in the Greek and Latin text. --- We dare not rank or compare ourselves, &c. He seems to write this ironically, by way of mocking at those, who commended and preferred themselves before others. But I will not compare myself with others, but will only compare [2] myself with myself, to shew that my actions agree with my words and my letters. --- We will not glory beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hat measured to us, a measure to reach even to you. Here he speaks of a measure, and a rule. By the measure, with which God measured to him, he means the places and countries, in which he, and the other apostles were appointed to preach, and plant the gospel: and by the rule also prescribed him, he means that it was given him as a rul not to preach, where other ministers of Christ had preached. When he says, therefore, we will not glory beyond our measure,[3] or (as it is implied in the Greek) of things out of the measure, the sense is, I will not, like false preachers, pretend to have preached in places out of my province, or which were not measured out to me, nor have we extended ourselves farther than we ought to have done, when we came to you, for you were within our measure. Nor have I transgressed the rule, because others had not preached to you before me, so that I have not boasted in other men’s labours. But as your faith is growing, and increasing, when I have sufficiently settled the gospel among you, I hope my measure may be enlarged, and that without breaking the settled rule, I may preach also to people and places beyond you. This is what seems to be understood by these words, to be enlarged or magnified, even to an abundance, and yet not to glory in other men’s labours, but to glory in the Lord, only, and in what we do, as we have been directed, and assisted by him. (Witham)

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Ipsi in nobis nos metipsos metientes; the Greek is somewhat different, Greek: autoi en eautois eautous metrountes, ipsi in seipsis, seipsos mensurantes.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

This whole verse is a reflection upon the false teachers of the church of Corinth, from whose manners Paul purgeth himself. I (saith he) durst not, as some others, magnify myself, nor compare myself with those that do so. Neither is it any wisdom in them to contemn and despise others, in comparison of themselves; for observe what measures they take, they only measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves amongst themselves, that is, with birds of their own feather, such as are like unto themselves, and of their own faction and party; which no wise men would do.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. Their self-deceiving mode of measuring contrasted with his mode, 12-18.

Their taunts and his replies thus far now suggest the idea of a fair and uncompromising measurement of himself with his competitors. And this idea of MEASUREMENT forms the keynote quite to the conclusion of the epistle. These cavillers claim to be very tall; let us see whether they are taller than your founder apostle.

12. Dare not—Ironical, yet with a moral truth in it.

Make ourselves of the number—Literally, place ourselves in line with.

Some that commend themselves—This some not only commended themselves, but, by a false process, commended themselves after a low standard, as he will now show.

Measuring themselves by themselves—That is, the set measured themselves by their own set; and as the standard of the whole was low, it took no great tallness to be equal or superior to the average. It requires only a little taller dwarf to overtop a set of dwarfs. Mr. Gulliver was a giant in Lilliput, but a pigmy in Brobdignag. So Dr. Johnson told Chesterfield that “he might be a wit among lords, but that he was only a lord among wits.” These Christines were moderates; held a compromise creed, and, too slow to pioneer the way into heathendom, were content to follow in the wake of others, and make themselves an eligible nest on preoccupied grounds. They prided themselves, nevertheless, in their superiority after their own standard. And, in confidence of that superiority, they disparaged—whom? ST. PAUL! He will soon show them a standard! Measuring refers to greatness, or tallness, as a whole; comparing refers to special comparative excellences.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We dare not. They are in this respect of self-praise much bolder than I Make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves; literally, judge ourselves among or judge ourselves with. There is a play on the words, like the Latin, inferre or conferre, or the German, zurechnen oder gleichrechnen. That commend themselves. The verb rendered "commend" is that from which is derived "the commendatory letters" (2Co_3:1) at the arrogant and intrusive use of which he had glanced already. St. Paul is once more rebutting the charge of self-commendation. (2Co_4:2 2Co_5:12 2Co_6:11) But they measuring themselves are not wise. The clause is difficult; for

(1) to compare ourselves with others in order to learn what we can and cannot do is usually accounted wise;

(2) some manuscripts and editions, omitting ouj suniousin hJmeiv de, render, "But we ourselves (aujtoi), measuring ourselves by ourselves, and comparing ourselves with ourselves, will not boast above measure;

(3) some, for suniousin (they are not wise) read suniousin (with ourselves, who are not wise). The reading, however, of the Authorized Version is undoubtedly right, and most probably the rendering also. The meaning is that the little cliques of factious religionists, never looking outside their own narrow circles, became inflated with a sense of importance which would have been annihilated if they had looked at higher standards. Hence they thought themselves at liberty to intrude and lay down the law and usurp a claim to infallibility which there was nothing to justify. Such conduct is the reverse of wise. It is a mixture of selfishness, Pharisaism, and conceit, and there have been abundant examples of it among religious parties in all ages. St. Paul, on the other hand, keeps within his own measure, because he has learnt to adopt larger and loftier standards.

Vers. 12-18.

Limits and labours.

Was the apostle a great letter writer only? So his enemies had declared; but he would not put himself among those who had no higher standard of what they ought to be than what they were, nor would he compare himself with such men. Instead of measuring themselves by a Divine rule, these persons thought it enough to measure themselves by themselves or by others; and this mode of judgment, originating in self and ending with self, was without understanding. Yet there was a measure, and he acknowledged it whenever ha thought or spoke of himself. If he referred to his labours, if he enumerated his sacrifices, if he cited his sufferings, it was not with any human standard in view, but in the sight of God and with respect solely to the sphere of activity to which God had appointed him as an apostle. Had he come to Corinth? Corinth had been given him of God as a field of apostolic effort. "The surveyor"s chain" had laid off the territory, and he had traversed Macedonia and Achaia only because Providence had assigned the ground to him, and the Holy Spirit had inspired him to undertake the task. "As far as to you;" so far in the warfare of the West the campaign had extended, so far had he gone in the great fight of pulling down strongholds, and in demonstrating that the weapons were not carnal, but mighty through God. If he had reached Corinth as a place within the boundaries of his province, would he pause there? Was this the outer line of the vast battlefield? He hoped not. There he was only waiting till another territory had been marked out, and he should hear the signal to arise and possess the land. Was he looking across the sea of Adria and wondering when he should visit Rome? And when would that glad opportunity come? But one thing was clear to him just then, and this was that, if the faith of the Corinthians were increased, he would have his own heart enlarged, and be further endowed and qualified for apostolic labour. One moment, a glance at the Judaizers and their presumptuous occupancy of fields delegated of God to him (ver. 15), "not boasting of things without measure, that is, of other men"s labours;" the next moment, a thought of new work so soon as the Church at Corinth should recover from its troubles and he should find it safe to leave them. Already his heart was burning to preach the gospel in the regions beyond Corinth, and "not to glory in another"s province in regard to things ready to our hand." Observe how often this last idea recurs: ver. 13, "We will not boast of things without our measure;" ver. 14, "We stretch not ourselves beyond our measure;" ver. 15, "Not boasting of things without our measure;" ver. 16, "Not to boast in another man"s line of things see Revised Version, above made ready to our hand." Two things here are noteworthy.

1. The apostle is willing and ready to wage the holy war in new territories.He is not tired of fighting the Lord"s battles. Nor is he afraid of greater and more numerous enemies. Probably his eye was on Rome. If God will, he shall go further West. His weapons have been tried and proved. He himself has been tested. Grace has been sufficient. Cast down, he has not been destroyed. Dying, he has lived. The promises of God have been Yea and Amen to his soul, nor could any experience happen that would not bring the strength and consolation of Christ to his heart. How much he had lived and how rapidly! What years had been compressed into each year! Before the dilating eye of intellect, what vistas had spread afar in the light that brightened towards the perfect day! And then the blessed realizations, ability increasing perpetually, and capacity growing even faster so as to supply fully the expanding spheres of ability, consciousness of self enlarging as self in Christ, deep opening into deep, wonder springing afresh from wonder, and, with every victory gained by the weapons of his warfare, a larger assurance that, if he had been "mighty through God" at Ephesus and Corinth, he should be mightier still "in the regions beyond." Here is a most useful lesson to teach us what we are slow to learn, namely, that no natural endowments, no amount of culture, no inspiration of knowledge, no miracles wrought in his behalf, can set aside the necessity of Christian experience, a personal work of grace in the soul, a profound sense of that work as from the Holy Spirit, in the ease of one called to the highest office of ministration.

2. We see how we are, am Christians, "members one of another." AlthoughSt. Paul was so highly endowed and so remarkably successful in the apostleship, yet he depends on the Church at Corinth for his enlargement to the work opening before him in Europe. "We shall be enlarged by you." This was conditioned on their conduct. If their divisions were healed, their false teachers silenced, their energies set free from exhausting strife and concentrated on building up Christ"s kingdom, would Corinth and Achaia be the only gainers? Nay; he himself would be liberated from restraints that clogged his feet. A fresh impulse would be given his apostleship. A new current of life would flow from their hearts into his heart, for it was not his working nor any other apostle"s working, but the coworking, the hearty union of Church and apostles, the cooperation of the "diversities of gifts," the oneness of the mystical body of Christ, by which the world was to be evangelized. The schism that had been threatened between the Asiatic and European Churches was in a fair way to be arrested. Jewish and Gentile believers were getting reconciled to the peculiarities of each other; the collection for the mother Church at Jerusalem was doing much to effect this most important unity. Yet this is not before him now. Nor does he allude to the singular advantages of Corinth as to geographical location and commercial opportunities. Situated on a narrow strip of land between northern and southern Greece, and connected with two seas by its harbours of Lechaeum and Cenchreae, it was a great emporium of trade for the East and West, and hence offered extraordinary facilities for the diffusion of Christianity. No doubt St. Paul felt that it was a centre of commanding influence. But he was extremely cautious as to using local motives, and in the present case he made no allusion to them. What occupied his whole thought was the increase of grace among them as a Christian community, and to this he looked for a happy furtherance in his contemplated missionary, tour. If they were revived and consecrated anew to Christ, he knew well that, when obstacles were thrown in his future pathway, when persecutions even fiercer than those already undergone came upon him, they would afford him sympathy and assistance while getting foothold in "the regions beyond." Obviously a prevailing idea in his mind was that Christianity must have a central home in every great section of country, and thence draw its human supplies during its conquests of outlying territory. And he longed for the Corinthian brethren to attain a richer experience of grace, so that they might magnify his office. Instead of being independent of their fraternal support, the stronger he felt himself the more he leaned on their sympathies. Heaven never gets so close to a man that earth does not get closer also. How the blessed Jesus leaned on his friends in the Passion week! How he needed the chosen among them to watch with him in the garden for one hour! The weary days of the apostle had not yet come, and his soul was having glorious visions of apostolic work, but amid it all, the pressure of uncertainty was upon his hope, and he would gladly hasten away from the present scene of anxiety just as soon as Providence permitted. We can enter into his solicitudes. We can imagine how Kirke White felt when he wrote the closing lines of the "Christiad":

O thou who visitest the sons of men, Thou who dost listen when the humble pray, One little space prolong my mournful day One little lapse suspend thy last decree!

And we can realize Dr. Arnold"s emotions when he made the last entry in his diary: "Still there are works which, with God"s permission, I would do before the night cometh; especially that great work, if I might be permitted to take part in it." So too we can form some conception of St. Paul"s anxiety to widen the field of his ministrations, But he could not go alone; the heart of the Corinthian Church must go with him; and he must wait till they were sufficiently "increased" in "faith" to enter on the future enterprises of his universal apostleship. How humble in his greatness! Not what St. Paul accomplished, but what God accomplished in him, was his boast and commendation. This was his strength and glory, and therefore, "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. L.

Vers. 12-18.

Boasting, wrong and right.

I WRONG BOASTING.

1. That we excel some others. We are very apt, like some at Corinth, to compare ourselves with certain around us. This is measuring by a false standard, and measuring by a false standard is likely to lead to enormously erroneous results. The question is not whether we excel others, but whether we have attained to the measure for which God created and endowed us. The true measuring rod is not found in the stature, physical mental, or moral, of our fellows; the true measuring rod is held in the hands of the Almighty. If a man were to judge of himself by comparing himself with a mouse or a molehill, we should say he was a fool; and the apostle says, "They themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding" (ver. 12). It has been said, "The one-eyed is easily king among the blind.

2. That we possess what we are destitute of, and that we have done what we have not done. Wrong boasting is the twin brother of downright lying. The false teachers at Corinth boasted of gifts which they did not possess, and took to themselves the credit of other men"s labours. It is astonishing what powers of appropriation the boastful spirit possesses. When a man once gets addicted to vain glory it is useless to attempt to predict to what excesses he will be led. He clears the barriers of truth as though they were straws. What he is, is what he can persuade people to think him; what he has done is what he can by any means induce them to credit. The braggart knows no restraint. His parish is the world the worlds of fact and fiction rolled into one, and he is as much at home in the one as in the other. His domain has only one boundary the credulity of his listeners.

3. That the praise of our good actions is to be ascribed to us. This strikes at the root of wrong boasting. A boasting which robs God must be of the devil, The man who knows himself knows that there is no good thing in him. If he finds anything good he immediately concludes that it did not spring from himself, and he looks about for the originator and owner. It is only the very bad who think themselves very good. If we are disposed to take the praise of our good actions to ourselves it is strong evidence that these actions were not really good. "Good" actions cannot be done by those who are so utterly out of true relation to God.

II RIGHT BOASTING. This is boasting or glorying in the Lord (ver. 17). We may boast of God, and the more boastful we are in this direction the better. There will be no danger of running to excess; after we have boasted to our utmost we shall have fallen far short of the truth. Alas! few things are more uncommon than this boasting in God. Fallen human nature finds it easier and more reasonable to boast of the mud puddle than of the crystal ocean of the dim rushlight than of the glorious sun.

1. We may well boast of the Divine perfections. Here we shall find an inexhaustible subject. The glories of our God will exhaust our powers of glorying. Whilst carnal men applaud their little gods, the saints may well extol Jehovah. "Who is a God like unto our God?" we may proudly cry. Pride becomes one of the chiefest virtues when it is centred in God. Christians are not half boastful enough in the right direction, and twice too boastful in the wrong. Shame upon us that we boast so little of our God!

2. We may well boast of the great redemptive work of God. So loud should be our boasting as to make all men hear it. Here the perfection of God finds highest and most beautiful expression. Here each Person in the adorable Trinity works a matchless work of grace and power. Upon us especially, since we are the subjects of redemption, rests the burden of boasting respecting it. This is our peculiar province of glorying. Of all creatures in the universe we are bound to this service. If we were silent, surely the stones would cry out. As God has wrought this great thing for us, we must never let men or God hear the last of it! What a subject for boast! Where is there aught that can for a moment compare with it? Boast, ye Christians, of redeeming love till all your powers of boasting fail.

3. We may well boast of Gods work in us and through us.

(1) In us. When we joyfully recognize that we are growing in grace we must exult in the God of all grace. This thing is not of us, but of him. To him must all the praise be accorded. The "old man" within us is the child of our fall and our folly; the "new man" is God"s special creation. Clearly should we realize this, and concentrate all our boasting in him from whom this "unspeakable Gift" (which is "Christ in us") emanates. Humility and abasement in respect of ourselves; boastfulness in respect of him who has wrought the marvel in us.

(2) Through us. To depreciate what is accomplished through us is but lying humility. Paul was not guilty of it. It is professedly abasing ourselves and really abasing God. When the work accomplished is undoubted, the only right course is to glory to our utmost in the God who has accomplished it. We must reserve no praise for ourselves, since we have deserved none; all the praise must be his. We need care, however, when glorying in God for what he has accomplished through us, lest, whilst ostensibly praising him, we should be covertly praising ourselves. There is a mouth of hell which lies near the gate of heaven. We must guard against feeding conceit by supposing that we are of ourselves instruments so fit that God could not have so well performed the work through others; or that through personal merit we are favourites of God, and that therefore he has specially wrought his will through us; or that, having been so honoured, we may now hold our heads high. Whilst extolling God we must abase ourselves; whilst boasting in him we must refuse to glory in the least in the unworthy instrument. That he has so greatly distinguished what was so greatly unworthy should but deepen and intensify our humility. H.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For we presume not - A strong irony. To equal ourselves - As partners of the same office. Or to compare ourselves - As partakers of the same labour. They among themselves limiting themselves - Choosing and limiting their provinces according to their own fancy.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Paul appeals to the work actually done by him as apostle:

v. 12. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves; but they, measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

v. 13. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

v. 14. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached unto you; for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the Gospel of Christ,

v. 15. not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labors, but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

v. 16. to preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.

v. 17. But he that glories, let him glory in the Lord.

v. 18. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

The outstanding feature of Paul’s ministry was that, unlike his arrogant opponents, he had confined himself to the work with which he had been charged and had riot meddled in the affairs of others. With a fine display of irony he writes: For we do riot venture to assume the same dignity, to number ourselves or compare ourselves with certain ones that commend themselves. He simply does not possess the courage to class himself with the people that are so highly satisfied and well pleased with themselves: his timidity would not permit him to place himself in the same line, on the same level. But he immediately points out the foolishness of his enemies’ position: But they, measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise. The weakness of their position is shown by the fact that they have no standard by which to measure their accomplishments in a proper manner; they know no measure but their own opinion, and therefore their smug self-satisfaction is bound to reach a false judgment. So Paul leaves them in the folly of their self-adulation; any effort in their behalf seems wasted from the outset.

In sharp contrast he says of himself: But we shall not boast beyond measure or without the application of a proper standard, but according to the measure of the rule which God has apportioned to us for a measure, to reach even to you. Unlike his opponents, who had no standard, no criterion, to guide them but their own self-satisfaction, which prevented their obtaining a proper judgment of things, Paul had a definite rule and sphere of activity, by and in which he could gauge his performances in his ministry. He had a sphere of influence, an official duty, assigned to him by God A certain territory had been apportioned to him to labor in, and for the work performed in this sphere he did not look for praise based upon imaginary excellence, but such as was given according to the standard set by the Lord. It was thus, by that arrangement of God, that Paul’s measure extended even to Corinth, at that time the extreme western limit of Paul’s preaching. Thus he was not building upon another man’s foundation, Rom 15:20, he was not expecting praise for work which he had not performed himself, 1Co 3:10. And so far as Corinth was concerned, the Lord Himself had confirmed him for the ministerial work in that city in a very unusual manner, Act 18:9-10.

This thought is carried out in further detail in the next verses: For not as though we reached not unto you do we stretch ourselves beyond our measure. When Paul came to Corinth and did his missionary work in that city, he was not presuming upon rights and arrogating to himself a field which did not belong to him. That fact would have rendered his boasting vain and blamable, namely, if the Lord had not given him this field to work in. But as things stood in reality, Paul came as far as unto the Corinthians in the Gospel of Christ, and he came as the first missionary that labored in their midst, the Gospel of Christ being the element in which he moved and the message he delighted to proclaim. So Paul was right in maintaining that he was not boasting beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, a possibility which he always avoided with the greatest care, Rom 15:20. And so he also had the hope, that, when their faith had grown, or in the measure in which their faith was growing, he would be magnified in them, that is, he would be given proper credit for the labor which he had done for the Lord in their midst. And not only that, but he would also be assisted by their growing congregations, with their growing faith and lore, to accomplish further and more important results. With their growing faith and the corresponding increase of his power to perform his duties he would be able to press on and enlarge the sphere of his labors, to preach the Gospel in regions even beyond them, where it was as yet unknown, in Western Greece, in Italy, in Spain. At all times, then, he would not boast of things prepared for his hands in another’s line, he had no intention, as his opponents had done, of appropriating to himself the fruits of other men’s labors and thus of arrogating to himself an unearned reputation for greatness. This statement also took away all the glory from his enemies, as though they were indispensable in Corinth, for the congregation was in Paul’s apostolic care and was being prepared without the lack of any gift of mercy.

In conclusion, Paul reminds the Corinthians of the prophetical saying: But he that boasts, in the Lord let him boast, Jer 9:24. That is the general rule in the Church. There may be times and circumstances when glorying becomes a necessity, but it should never be done in such a way as unduly to put forward the boaster’s own person. All glory belongs to God alone and must be given to Him at all times. For not he that commends himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commends. Any Christian that parades himself and his own attainments in the Church; any preacher that proclaims himself and not Jesus Christ the Lord, will find himself censured instead of praised. Only he that has received the testimony of the Lord as a faithful minister, as had Paul, chap. 3:1-3, may feel that he had the proper credentials from the Lord. "God lauds and praises only those that reject all praise given them, and direct it to God, that do not want people to see their works, but want nothing but that their Father in heaven be praised, whose name they love. For that reason God lauds and honors them in return."

Summary

Paul entreats and begs the Corinthians not to force him to use severity, since his apostolic authority is real and powerful and his mission is entrusted to him by the Lord.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Observe here, 1. St. Paul’s just charge, which he brings in against the false apostles, for their pride and vanity, in commending themselves: and comparing themselves with such as were like themselves: The measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves amongst themselves, are not wise. The reason why many think themselves wiser than they are, is, because they compare themselves with these that are below themselves, and not above them in understanding and knowledge. It is an excellent mean to keep us from pride, to consider how many are above us in knowledge: and there are thousands so much excelling us in understanding, that our knowledge is but ignorance, our strength but weakness, our faith but unbelief, our fruitfulness but barrenness, compared with theirs.

Observe, 2. As the pride and vanity of the false apostles, so the great modesty and humility of St. Paul, the true apostle of Christ Jesus: but we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure which God hath distrubuted to us.

Where note, The apostle makes his apostleship or preaching of the gospel, to be, as it were, his spiritual exercise, or running a race, to which he here alludes: declaring that he kept his province, his stage, his compass of ground which God had marked out to him; beyond or out of which line, whoever pretends to run, doth over-extend himself, and boast without his measure.

Observe, 3. That the apostle’s line, or measure reached as far as Corinth, where Christ never had been preached; thither he came, and there he first planted the Christian faith amongst them; and he takes occasion from thence, to advance himself above the false apostles.

1. That he could shew a commission to preach to the Corinthians; a measure by which God had distributed the Corinthians to him as his proper province, which none of them could pretend unto.

2. That whereas they went out of their line, leaping from one church to another, he went on orderly in the conversion of churches to the faith, from Judea, through all the interjacent provinces, till he came to Corinth.

3. That whereas they came to those churches where the gospel had been already preached, and so could only boast of things made ready to their hands, he preached the gospel where Christ was not named before.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CHRIST OUR ONLY PARAGON

12-16. In these verses the apostle gives us a beautiful, clear and positive disquisition exposing the folly and inconsistency of those who compare themselves to one another, and follow human exemplars, which, of course, was true of his critics, otherwise there would be simply no force in their criticism; while Christ Himself is the only paragon for us all to emulate, the folly of following a fallible example arises from the ostensible fact that when your paragon breaks down, if you follow on you will fall too, and the devil get you. While descending Kentucky River on a steamboat, I suddenly recognize that we are all standing still. I look around, and see that we are in a dam and have run into the lock, where we must wait till the water passes out of the dam, letting us down to the level of the river below. While we actually sank down perpendicularly twenty feet, no one was conscious of it, because the boat and everything we saw around us sank with us. I use that as an illustration of the apostasy so common and fatal in our churches. They are utterly unconscious of it, because they all go down together and they are looking at one another. Responsive to the pastoral call, I went to a country church to make a revival effort. Pursuant to the clear illumination shed on the people through that gift of the Holy Ghost denominated discernment of spirits, very copiously conferred on me in that important crisis, I soon saw that Satan had locked them all, pastor and people, in carnal security, and was easing them down to Hell. Having no saint on the ground to whom I could say a word, I remarked to my boy preacher, who by this time had clear light on the situation: “Joe, you see the devil has this whole affair in his dark grip; our only hope is in fasting and prayer.” “That’s so, Brother Godbey; and we ill go at it.” So, leaving off eating altogether, we would spend a night with some of the members, go away to the church without breakfast, and stay all day, spending the intervals of service in writing and reading the Word of the Lord, and agonizing constantly. Two or three days have thus come and gone, meanwhile we are fighting the devil like a dog in a hornet’s nest.

Responsive to an appointment to get wood, a lot of the brethren arrive in the afternoon about two hours by the sun, and find us in the house. They inquire, “We want to know where you preachers are eating?” A brother observes, “You stayed at my house last night, but didn’t eat anything;” and another, “You stayed at my house night before last, and didn’t eat anything, and we can ‘t hear where you’ve eaten anything in the last three days.” [Out in the country where there was no market.] Then I divulged the secret: “We find the de, all went down together, unconscious of the change because they were all looking at one another. Many a time you think the car is running when it is standing still, but you see another train running by which you think is standing still. You see people all around you going to Hell so much faster than you are that the contrast makes you think that you are going to Heaven, while the matter of fact is, you are going to Hell too, but with a little slower speed. I know quite a number of great preachers who for years stood at the front of the church in a back-slidden state, finally sinking into a state of debauchery, giving notoriety to what they had been many years preceding, and some of us reading them like books. Millions of people are sweeping into Hell following human exemplars. One of the greatest arguments in favor of entire sanctification is the glorious fact that it saves us from human leadership, which is always fraught with eminent peril, liable to ruin us world without end, as has been proven in millions of cases. There is no apology for following a fallible man, and, as Paul here says, “comparing themselves to themselves, and measuring themselves by themselves, they are not wise.” The infallible Christ is our only Paragon. The whole Bible is His biography. Hence we are left without excuse. With the help of the infallible Holy Spirit, lighting up the blessed Bible, our infallible way-bill from earth to Heaven, we are all left without excuse. If you are not sanctified wholly, your eye is looking around for a human leader. Beware! follow no human being, but Jesus only. In that case, look out! You will have conflict with human authorities who are determined that we shall follow. When they are in harmony with God and His Word, of course there is no room for disharmony, since we all go along together hand in hand, with our eye on Jesus and His hand on us. But the world is filled with carnal ecclesiastical leaders who fight sanctification with desertion from the simple fact that it takes the people out of their hands. This is the reason why fallen ecclesiasticisms have done their best in all ages to kill all the people who will not obey them. This is the reason why they brutally murdered Jesus and multiplied millions of His followers. If they had it in their power, they would exterminate from the earth the religious people who refuse to follow them. For this reason the irrepressible conflict between carnality and spirituality is bound to continue till Satan is taken out of the world, as it is simply his usurpation of the Lord’s right to rule His people. He is the god of this age (ch. 2Co 4:4), and determined that Jesus shall have nothing. Hence, when we get to where we can no longer be subjugated by his ecclesiastical autocrats, his plan has always been our extermination, as he has determined that none shall live in this world who do not submit to his reign.

17. “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

18. “For he that commendeth himself is not a proved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” Hence we see the folly of following human leaders simply because they commend us as they commend themselves; but all this commendation amounts to nothing. If you can not bear the test of God’s Word, Spirit and Providence, human commendation is of no avail. Indeed, all these great human authorities who are so grandiloquent in your commendation because you please them, can never help you an iota in the Judgment Day. Then they will have more than they can do to help themselves, and will leave you to paddle your own canoe. Therefore you had better attend to this matter now while you have opportunity, and throw away the folly of comparing yourselves to one another, and see whether you are like Jesus, in your character, life, words and ways.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding . [Let all who thus accuse me of cowardice know assuredly that when I come my deeds will comport with the threatenings and warnings in my letters. I have in no way exaggerated my authority or power in my writing to you, for in this art of exaggerated self-praise or self-commendation I am not the equal of the false leaders in Corinth. In this art I am not so proficient that I can presume to measure myself with these Corinthian experts, for they, never looking outside their own narrow circle, but comparing themselves with each other, have swelled with an inflated sense of self-importance which would have long since been punctured so that it would have collapsed if they had brought themselves into comparison with the real apostles. Real worth can never speak so highly of itself as can conceited and unreasoning vanity. Those who compare themselves with Christ lose that self-exaltation which belongs to those who compare themselves only with men, hence they are too handicapped to enter into competition with any such in the matter of boasting.]

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

12–18. We dare not make ourselves of the number. This no doubt ironically alludes to teachers who had come to Corinth making lofty claims, to whom repeated allusions are made. These set themselves up as the standard by which all Christian teachers were to be tried.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

12–16. The difficulty of this passage has often been pointed out. Theodoret suggests that S. Paul has deliberately written obscurely, because he did not wish to be too definite in convicting his accusers. Bengel is certainly right in saying, sepem inter se et illos ponit; but the obscurity is probably unintentional. The passage is partly ironical, especially at the outset: οὐ τολμῶμεν, ‘I shouldn’t venture &c.’ It had been insinuated that he was a coward. Well, one kind of courage he certainly does lack. He does not dare to match himself with those who praise themselves according to a standard of their own fixing. He limits his glorying by the limits of the sphere fixed for him by God, and this sphere extended to Corinth. If his sphere did not extend thus far, he would be exceeding his limits; but, as it is, his preaching was the first to reach them. So he is not unjustifiably glorying in what other people have done. But he hopes that, as the Corinthians increase in faith, his influence among them will increase, while he keeps to his own province, so as to preach the Gospel in the districts beyond Corinth, without glorying in the province of others, over work that is already done without him.

As in 2Co 10:7, there may be a hint by contrast that what is not true of him is true of his opponents. ‘It is not I who have invaded other people’s provinces: it is other people (the Judaizers) who have invaded mine.’

12. DFG 109, dfg omit οὐ συνιᾶσιν together with ἡμεῖς δέ in 2Co 10:13.

12. Οὐ γὰρ τολμῶμεν ἐνκρῖναι ἢ συνκρῖναι ἑαυτούς. For we are not bold (2Co 10:2) to pair or compare ourselves with some of those that commend themselves. The meaning of ἐνκρῖναι is doubtful; but ‘judge amongst, estimate amongst, number with’ is probably right; and ‘pair with,’ which preserves the play on words (comp. 2Co 10:5-6), has much the same meaning. Moreover, ἐνκρῖναι is stronger than συνκρῖναι, as ‘pair’ than ‘compare’; ‘I should not venture to pair myself, or even compare myself, with them.’ The Vulgate has inserere aut comparare: comp. si me lyricis vatibus inseres (Hor. Od. I. i. 35). Beza preserves the play, at the cost of exactness, with adjungere vel conjungere: inferre aut conferre is better. It is altogether arbitrary to suggest that ἐνκρῖναι ἤ is an interpolation.

ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἑαυτοὺς μετροῦντες. But they themselves measuring themselves by themselves. For the repetition comp. 2Co 8:22 and 2Co 9:8; also αὐτοὶ δʼ ἑαυτοῖς σύνεισι διʼ ἑαυτῶν (Plat. Protag. 347 E). In classical Greek the ἐν would be omitted; Arist. Rhet. II. xii. sub fin. With his critics everything is measured by ‘our noble selves.’ They are a “mutual admiration and self-admiration society” (Waite). They have a standard of excellence of their own making, and they congratulate themselves and one another on their conformity to it.

οὐ συνιᾶσιν. Are without understanding. For the verb, which resembles our ‘put two and two together = be intelligent,’ comp. Rom 15:21; Eph 5:17. These superior persons do not know the value of things, and cannot interpret them. Nothing is to be understood, as ‘do not understand what they are talking about,’ or ‘how arrogant they are,’ or ‘what Apostleship means.’ The representatives of the δ-text (see critical note), which omit these two words and the following ἡμεῖς δέ, make the words which precede οὐ συνιᾶσιν refer to the Apostle, not to his opponents; we ourselves, measuring ourselves by ourselves, and comparing ourselves with ourselves, will not glory beyond measure. Measuring oneself by one’s own standard is thus made to be the right kind of criticism: comp. Metiri se quemque suo modulo ac pede verum est (Hor. Epist. I. vii. 98). This makes good sense; but the four omitted words are too well attested to be dismissed (yet see WH. on Western non-interpolations II. pp. 175 ff.); and if ἡμεῖς δέ is genuine, αὐτοί must mean the opponents. The reading οὐ συνίσασιν (א) involves the construction, but they themselves are not aware that they measure themselves by themselves, which has not much point. The point is that they do it, not that they do not know that they do it. The reading συνιουσιν (D3KLP), if accented συνιοῦσιν, = συνιᾶσιν (א1B); but, if συνίουσιν, it is a participle agreeing with ἑαυτοῖς, and αὐτοί is left without a verb; which is an unnecessary anacoluthon and is not likely to be right.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12-18.] The difficulty of this passage is universally acknowledged. In early times Theodoret wrote: ἀσαφῶς ἅπαν τὸ χώρημα τοῦτο γέγραφεν, and adds as a reason, ἐναργῶς ἐλέγξαι τοὺς αἰτίους οὐ βουλόμενος. He substantiates what has just been said, by shewing how unlike he is to those vain persons who boast of other men’s labours;—for he boasts of what God had really done among them by him, and hopes that this boast may be yet more increased.

12.] disclaims resemblance to those false teachers who made themselves their only standard. For we do not venture (ironical;—“dum dicit quod non faciat, notat quid isti faciant.” Bengel) to number ourselves with (συναριθμῆσαι, Theophy., Œcum., ‘inserere,’ Vulg.: see examples of this usage, with εἰς principally, but also with μετά and ἐπί w. gen, in Wetst.), or compare ourselves with (συγκρίνειν is properly, in classical Greek, ‘to compound,’ or ‘unite:’ but in later Greek, to compare:’ ὁ συγκριτικὸς τρόπας, with the grammarians, is the comparative degree) some of those who commend themselves (the charge made against him, ἑαυτὸν συνιστάνει, see ch. 3:1; 5:12, he makes as a true one against the false teachers);—but (they), themselves measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise. The renderings are very various. Chrys. al., read συνιοῦσιν, and make it a particip., τουτέστι, μὴ αἰσθανομένοις πῶς εἰσι καταγέλαστοι τοιαῦτα ἀλαζονευόμενοι, p. 590: and see again below. Others, reading the same, take it rightly, as = συνιᾶσιν, but make μετροῦντες, &c., the object of συνιοῦσιν: ‘know not that they are measuring,’ &c.: but the corresponding sentence, ἡμεῖς δὲ κ.τ.λ., shews that this sense would be irrelevant; for the Apostle does not oppose their ignorance of their foolish estimate of themselves to his own practice, but that foolish estimate itself.

Others again, as Emmerling and Olshausen, take ἀλλὰ—συνιοῦσιν (or -ᾶσιν) to apply to the Apostle himself, as contrasted with the τινές: ‘We do not venture, &c.,—but we ourselves measure (supply ἐσμεν, ‘are in the habit of measuring’) ourselves by ourselves (i.e. as ver. 18, by what the Lord has really made us to be), and compare ourselves with ourselves, foolish as we are (reputed to be:—συνιοῦσιν being a participle). But foolish we are not: we will not boast ourselves,’ &c.

But (1) this rendering would absolutely require the article before οὐ συνιοῦσιν, which, anarthrous, would imply, not an imputation, but the fact: (2) the mode of expression (αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἑαυτ. μετρ.) would be a most extraordinary one to convey the meaning supposed:—and (3) the meaning itself would be irrelevant when obtained. Another variety of this rendering is to take (as Bos, Schrader, al.) ἑαυτοῖς, οὐ συνιοῦσιν, = ἑαυτοῖς, οὐ τοῖς συνιοῦσιν—with ourselves, not with the wise: which is also inadmissible.

Others again (see var. read.) would omit οὐ συνιᾶσιν (or -οῦσιν)· ἡμεῖς δέ,—which has been an evident correction, on the supposition that ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ κ.τ.λ. belonged to the Apostle, to expunge words so much in the way of such an interpretation.

I may observe that much of the difficulty has arisen from taking αὐτοί with ἀλλά as the subject to οὐ συνιᾶσιν, whereas it belongs to what follows, ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτ. ἑαυτ. μετρ. κ.τ.λ., as in the version given above: the subject of συνιᾶσιν being to be supplied, and the construction being an inaccurate one. Calvin well illustrates the sense, by the reputation which any moderately learned man gained among the ignorant monks of his day—“Si quis tenuem modo gustum elegantioris literaturæ habeat, … spargitur de eo mirabilis fama, adoratur inter sodales.… Inde præcipue monachis insolentissimus ille fastus quod se metiuntur ex seipsis: quum in eorum claustris nihil sit præter barbariem, illic nihil mirum, si regnet luscus inter cæcos. Tales erant isti Pauli æmuli: sibi enim intus plaudebant, non considerantes quibus virtutibus constaret vera laus, quantumque a Pauli et similium excellentia distarent.”

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Make ourselves of the number [εγκριναι εαυτους] . Rev., better, to number ourselves. Lit., to judge ourselves to be among : to place in the same category with.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.