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, ⁷⁷²⁷⁷²     Thrasones. — See vol. 1, p. 98, n. 1. 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. ⁷⁷³⁷⁷³     “Car ceux qui estans vuides de toute ambition, desirent seulement de seruir a Dieu auec fruit et proufit, ne regardent point a se priser euxmesmes;” — “For those who being void of all ambition, simply desire to serve God with advantage and profit, have no view to exalt themselves.” 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 ⁷⁷⁴⁷⁷⁴     “The principal places in the public schools of learning were filled very frequently by monks of the mendicant orders. This unhappy circumstance prevented their emerging from that ignorance and darkness which had so long enveloped them; and it also rendered them inaccessible to that auspicious light of improved science, whose salutary beams had already been felt in several of the European provinces. The instructors of youth, dignified with the venerable titles of Artists, Grammarians, Physicians, and Dialecticians, loaded the memories of their laborious pupils with a certain quantity of barbarous terms, arid and senseless distinctions, and scholastic precepts delivered in the most inelegant style, and all such that could repeat this jargon with a certain readiness and rapidity were considered as men of uncommon eloquence and erudition. The whole body of the philosophers extolled Aristotle beyond all measure, while scarcely any studied him, and none understood him.” — Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical History, (Lond. 1825,) volume 4 — Ed. Were, however, the mask of the hood laid aside, ⁷⁷⁵⁷⁷⁵     “Laisser derriere ceste masque de frocs et coqueluches;” — “To leave behind that mask of frocks and cowls.” and a thorough examination entered upon, their vanity would at once be discovered. Why so? The old proverb holds good: “Ignorance is pert.” ⁷⁷⁶⁷⁷⁶     “Our author quotes the same proverb in vol. 1, p. 460; and also when commenting on 1 Timothy 1:7 — Ed. But the excessively insolent arrogance of the monks ⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷     “Ceste arrogance intolerable des moines;” — “This intolerable arrogance of the monks.” proceeds chiefly from this — that they measure themselves by themselves; for, as in their cloisters there is nothing but barbarism, ⁷⁷⁸⁷⁷⁸     “Pure barbaric et bestise;” — “Mere barbarism and stupidity.” 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, ⁷⁷⁹⁷⁷⁹     “Laquelle ils appetent par moyens real propres;” — “Which they aim at by improper means.” they incur disgrace.

13. But we will not boast beyond our measure He now contrasts his own moderation with the folly of the false Apostles, ⁷⁸⁰⁷⁸⁰     “Il oppose maintenant sa modestie a la sotte outrecuidance des faux apostres;” — “He now contrasts his modesty with the foolish presumption of the false Apostles.” and, at the same time, he shows what is the true measure of glorying — when we keep within the limits that have been marked out for us by the Lord. “Has the Lord given me such a thing? I shall be satisfied with this measure. I shall not either desire or claim to myself any thing more.” This he calls the measure of his rule. ⁷⁸¹⁷⁸¹     “Within the measured and determinate limits of the stadium, the athletae were bound to contend for the prize, which they forfeited without hope of recovery, if they deviated even a little from the appointed course. In allusion to this inviolable arrangement, the Apostle tells the Corinthians: We will not boast of things without our measure, etc. It may help very much to understand this and the following verses, if, with Hammond, we consider the terms used in them as agonistical. In this view of them, the ‘measure of the rule’ (τὸ μέτρον τοῦ κανόνος) alludes to the path marked out, and bounded by a white line, for racers in the Isthmian games, celebrated among the Corinthians; and so the Apostle represents his work in preaching the gospel as his spiritual race, and the province to which he was appointed as the compass or stage of ground, which God had distributed or measured out (ἐμέρισεν αὐτῳ) for him to run in. Accordingly, ‘to boast without his measure,’ (2 Corinthians 10:13, εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα) and to ‘stretch himself beyond his measure,’ (ὑπερεκτείνεσθαι) refer to one that ran beyond or out of his line. ‘We are come as far as to you’ (2 Corinthians 10:14, ἄχρι ὑμῶν ἐφθάσαμεν) alludes to him that came foremost to the goal; and ‘in another man’s line’ (2 Corinthians 10:16, ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ κανόνι) signifies — ’in the province that was marked out for somebody else,’ in allusion to the line by which the race was bounded, each of the racers having the path which he ought to run chalked out to him, and if one stepped over into the other’s path he extended himself over his line.” — Paxton’s Illustrations (“Manners and Customs,” volume 2.) — Ed. For every one’s rule, according to which he ought to regulate himself is this — God’s gift and calling. At the same time, it is not lawful for us to glow in God’s gift and calling on our own account, but merely in so far as it is expedient for the glory of him, who is so liberal to us with this view — that we may acknowledge ourselves indebted to him for everything. ⁷⁸²⁷⁸²     “Afin que nons luy facions hommage de tout ce que nons avons, confessans le tenir de luy;” — “That we may make acknowledgment to him as to every thing that we have, confessing that we hold it from him.”

A measure to reach. By this clause he intimates, that he stands in no need of commendations expressed in words among the Corinthians, who were a portion of his glow, as he says elsewhere, (Philippians 4:1,) ye are my crown. He carries out, however, the form of expression, which he had previously entered upon. “I have,” says he, “a most ample field for glorying, so as not to go beyond my own limits, and you are one department of that field.” He modestly reproves, however, their ingratitude, ⁷⁸³⁷⁸³     “Or en parlant ainsi, il taxe (modestement toutesfois) leur ingratitude;” — “But by speaking thus he reproves, (modestly, however,) their ingratitude.” in overlooking, in a manner, his apostleship, which ought to have been especially in estimation among them, on the ground of God’s commendation of it. In each clause, too, we must understand as implied, a contrast between him and the false Apostles, who had no such approbation to show.

14. For we do not overstretch. He alludes to persons who either forcibly stretch out their arms, or raise themselves up on their feet, when wishing to catch hold of what is not at their hand, ⁷⁸⁴⁷⁸⁴     “Εκτείνω is to extend, to stretch himselfe to the full of his measure: ὑπερεκτείνω, to stretch himselfe beyond it, — to tenter himself far beyond his scantling.” — Leigh’s Critica Sacra. — Ed. for of this nature is a greedy thirst for glory, nay more, it is often more disgusting. For ambitious persons do not merely stretch out their arms and lift up their feet, but are even carried headlong with the view of obtaining some pretext for glorying. ⁷⁸⁵⁷⁸⁵     “Courent a bride auallee, et sont comme transportez a pour chasser quelque couleur de re glorifier;” — “They run with a loose bridle, and are, as it were, hurried forward with the view of obtaining some pretext for glorying.” He tacitly intimates that his rivals were of this stamp. He afterwards declares on what ground he had come to the Corinthians — because he had founded their church by his ministry. Hence he says, in the gospel of Christ; for he had not come to them empty, ⁷⁸⁶⁷⁸⁶     “Vuide ne despourueu;” — “Empty nor unprovided.” but had been the first to bring the gospel to them. The preposition in is taken by some in another way; for they render it, by the gospel, and this meaning does not suit ill. At the same time, Paul seems to set off to advantage his coming to the Corinthians, on the ground of his having been furnished with so precious a gift.

15. In the labors of others. He now reproves more freely the false Apostles, who, while they had put forth their hand in the reaping of another man’s harvest, had the audacity at the same time to revile those, who had prepared a place for them at the expense of sweat and toil. Paul had built up the Church of the Corinthians — not without the greatest struggle, and innumerable difficulties. Those persons afterwards come forward, and find the road made and the gate open. That they may appear persons of consequence, they impudently claim for themselves what did not of right belong to them, and disparage Paul’s labors.

But having hope. He again indirectly reproves the Corinthians, because they had stood in the way of his making greater progress in advancing the gospel. For when he says that he hopes that, when their faith is increased the boundaries of his glowing will be enlarged, he intimates, that the weakness of faith under which they labored was the reason, why his career had been somewhat retarded. “I ought now to have been employed in gaining over new Churches, and that too with your assistance, if you had made as much proficiency as you ought to have done; but now you retard me by your infirmity. I hope, however, that the Lord will grant, that greater progress will be made by you in future, and that in this way the glory of my ministry will be increased according to the rule of the divine calling.” ⁷⁸⁷⁷⁸⁷     “Selon la regle et mesure de la vocation Diuine;” — “According to the rule and measure of the Divine calling.” To glory in things that have been prepared is equivalent to glorying in the labors of others; for, while Paul had fought the battle, they enjoyed the triumph. ⁷⁸⁸⁷⁸⁸     “Car combien que S. Paul eust guerroye, toutesfois les autres triomphoyent; c’est t dire, combien qu’il eust soustenu tout le fais et la peine, les autres en raportoyent la gloire;” — “For although Paul had fought the battle, yet others enjoyed the triumph: that is to say, though he had borne all the burden and trouble, others carried off the glory.”

17. But he that glorieth This statement is made by way of correction, as his glorying might be looked upon as having the appearance of empty boasting. Hence he cites himself and others before the judgment-seat of God, saying, that those glory on good grounds, who are approved by God. To glory in the Lord, however, is used here in a different sense from what it bears in the first chapter of the former Epistle, (1 Corinthians 1:31,) and in Jeremiah 9:24. For in those passages it means — to recognize God as the author of all blessings, in such a way that every blessing is ascribed to his grace, while men do not extol themselves, but glorify him alone. Here, however, it means — to place our glory at the disposal of God alone, ⁷⁸⁹⁷⁸⁹     “Eta ce qu’il en iugera;” — “And according as he will judge of it.” and reckon every thing else as of no value. For while some are dependent on the estimation of men, and weigh themselves in the false balance of public opinion, and others are deceived by their own arrogance, Paul exhorts us to be emulous of this glow — that we may please the Lord, by whose judgment we all stand or fall.

Even heathens say, that true glory consists in an upright conscience. ⁷⁹⁰⁷⁹⁰     “The heathens, though they could never attain to a true, spiritually sanctified, conscience, yet to live according to the natural dictates thereof, they accounted the only happiness, Nil conscire sibi (To be conscious to one’s self of no crime, Hor. Ep. 1:1, 61,) was the only thing that made happy Pindar called it, the good nurse in our old age. So great a matter is it to have the testimony of a good conscience, void of offense, for that is mille testes — more than all the testimonies in the world.” — Burgesse on 2 Corinthians 1. — Ed. Now that is so much, but it is not all; for, as almost all are blind through excessive self-love, we cannot safely place confidence in the estimate that we form of ourselves. For we must keep in mind what he says elsewhere, (1 Corinthians 4: 4,) that he is not conscious to himself of anything wrong, and yet is not thereby justified. What then? Let us know, that to God alone must be reserved the right of passing judgment upon us; for we are not competent judges in our own cause. This meaning is confirmed by what follows —

For not he that commendeth himself is approved “For it is easy to impose upon men by a false impression, and this is matter of every day occurrence. Let us, therefore, leaving off all other things, aim exclusively at this — that we may be approved by God, and may be satisfied to have his approbation alone, as it justly ought to be regarded by us as of more value than all the applauses of the whole world. There was one that said, that to have Plato’s favorable judgment was to him worth a thousand. ⁷⁹¹⁷⁹¹     The expression referred to occurs in the writings of Cicero. “Plato mihi unus est instar omnium;” — “Plato, even singly, is to me equal to all.” — (Cic. Brut. 51.) Cicero says elsewhere, that “he would rather err with Plato than think rightly with others.” — (Cic. Tusc. 1:17.) — Ed. The question here is not as to the judgment of mankind, in respect of the superiority of one to another, but as to the sentence of God himself, who has it in his power to overturn all the decisions that men have pronounced.