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| 1 Moreover, I, Paul, myself, exhort you, through the meekness and considerateness of the Christ,–I who, to look upon, indeed, am lowly toward you, but, absent, am bold towards you;– |
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| 2 I entreat, however, that, when present, I may not be bold with the assurance wherewith I think to be daring against some who account of us as though, according to flesh, we were walking,– |
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| 3 For, though, in flesh, we walk, not, according to flesh, do we war,– |
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| 4 For, the weapons of our warfare, are not fleshly, but mighty, by God, unto a pulling down of strongholds,– |
Weapons of our warfare – All laboring upon the walls of Zion, as with Nehemiah, need to be equipped with the weapons of 1 Thes. 5:8 and Eph. 6:17 every moment R3675:6
Are not carnal – But spiritual. R1744:5
The Lord's great army will use carnal weapons. D543
Carnal weapons are not merely swords, spears and guns, but anger, malice, hatred, strife, and a contesting, combative spirit. R3274:4
There is no commission in the Bible for God's consecrated people to war--to take from others either life or property. R5760:6
The spiritual Israelite fights against a different kind of enemy and with different weapons. R2681:6
We have various weapons of defense given us by our Captain, a helmet of salvation, etc., but we only have one weapon for offensive warfare, the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. NS239:4
Under the typical Jewish dispensation carnal weapons were proper. R2015:3, 768:4
Mighty through God – Through the Spirit, the power of God. E250
God's truth is mighty. R3089:5, 1627:5*
Without him we can do nothing, but in him we become eventually mighty through God to the pulling down of the strongholds of error and to the setting up of the Kingdom of God under the whole heavens. NS502:2
Pulling down of strong holds – Of error. R3675:5
Of error and superstition. R3089:5
Of error and iniquity. R1744:5
Of error and sin. E250; R5592:6, 3858:1
These are in ourselves, sin in our minds, in our imaginations--mental strongholds. R5889:3
The spiritual Israelite is to watch and pray to pull down error and gain victory over sin and self and Satan. R2681:6
Deceptive errors and influences must be pelted to death by the stones of truth. R768:4
Of the devil. CR437:5
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| 5 When we pull down, calculations, and every height that uplifteth itself against the knowledge of God, and when we bring into captivity every thought unto the obedience of the Christ, |
Imaginations – Human reasonings. D543
False doctrines, superstitions – ignorance, pride, unholy ambitions, idle speculations, etc. R5889:3[R5889:3]
Every high thing – Those which exalt themselves against the true knowledge of God, the Spirit of God. R5889:5[R5889:5]
Against – We should not accept any theory that does not prove itself from God's Word, and also be very certain that our heart is empty of self will and plans which we want to see carried out. R1223:1[R1223:1]
To wrest the Scriptures in order to establish a theory is a terrible crime. If we begin with a theory we want to prove, the Adversary will be ready to assist us. R1223:1[R1223:1]
The knowledge of God – The members of the Church are required to avail themselves of knowledge, as a part of being copies of God's dear Son, the righteous Servant who shall justify many by his knowledge. (Isa. 53:11) NS506:2
Bringing into captivity – That we may realize the seductive influences and treachery of our fallen natures and utterly destroy them, and thus come into the condition mentioned by the Apostle. R3103:4, 5646:3, 4527:2
Absolute holiness is to be the standard. R5127:4, 3307:4
This should be our constant aim. He who would be perfect must find his chief delight in learning and doing the will of Christ, even as Christ Jesus delights to do the will of Jehovah. R765:3*
By increased limitations of one's own liberty. F149
Judging ourselves--we scrutinize, criticize, so as to bring our very thoughts into captivity. R4524:1
Setting guards upon their lives, those who have suffered disease of the soul can manifest to themselves and others that they have sought and used Jesus' assistance in gaining victories over their weaknesses. F149
The saints' weapons are mighty among those who are influenced by them (to the true people of God, his Word is sharper than any two-edged sword) but these weapons do not operate upon the world thus. D543
Every thought – And so far as possible, every word and act. R2878:3
Wishes, desires of our hearts. R2480:5, 5127:4; CR432:4
If we are filled with love there is no room left in our hearts for evil. R4241:4*
Whatsoever things are pure, lovely, etc., think on these things. (Phil. 4:8) R1802:5*
The subjection of the Church to Christ is a willing subjection, inspired by love, veneration, gratitude, implicit confidence and trust in his superior wisdom to do what is best for us. R1552:5
This is the holiness that belongs to the Temple class. CR458:4
Through all his tribulations the Apostle pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling. The mark to be attained was the holiness which brings every thought into captivity to God and Christ. R1885:2
The Vow has helped many in this respect. R4227:3
Obedience of Christ – To the will of God in Christ. R5488:2, 5127:4, 2480:5
He who would be perfect must find his chief delight in learning and doing the will of Christ, even as Christ Jesus delights to do the will of Jehovah. It should be his constant aim. R1075:3,4
Obedience to the Lord's Word is the first condition of acceptance with him. R2415:6, 2416:1
Heart-loyalty to the Lord requires effort. It is our first duty, our continual duty, the end of duty. "Be ye holy, for I am holy." "This is the will of God, your sanctification." (1 Pet. 1:16; 1 Thess. 4:3) R5127:4, 4524:1, 765:3
In proportion to our zeal for the Lord, will we be zealous in putting down all idols. R2381:4
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| 6 And when we hold ourselves, in readiness, to avenge all disobedience, as soon as your obedience shall be fulfilled! |
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| 7 The things that lie on the surface, ye are looking at:–if anyone hath come to trust in himself that he is, Christ's, this, let him reckon, again, with himself–that, even as, he, is Christ's, so, also are, we. |
Even so are we Christ's – False brethren had charged that Paul was not Christ's servant. (2 Cor. 11:23) R4517:6
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| 8 Yea, if, somewhat more abundantly, I should boast concerning our authority–which the Lord hath given for building up and not for pulling you down, I shall not be put to shame,– |
For though I should boast – False brethren had charged that Paul was given to self-commendation (2 Cor. 3:1; 5:12). R4517:6
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| 9 That I may not seem as though I would be terrifying you through means of my letters; |
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| 10 Because, The letters, it is true (saith one), are weighty and strong, but, the presence of the body, is weak, and, the discourse, contemptible;– |
His bodily presence – Greek: parousia; one of two places where properly rendered "presence." B158, B159; R2979:1; HG24:4
Contemptible – Intimating that Paul was but lightly esteemed at Corinth. R3127:3
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| 11 This, let such a one reckon–that, what we are, in our word, through means of letters, being absent, such, also, being present, are we, in our deed. |
In deed when we are present – Paul declares he would speak in the same denunciatory manner if he were present with them. R2514:4
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| 12 For we dare not class or compare ourselves with some who do, themselves, commend; but, they, among themselves, measuring, themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without discernment! |
Measuring themselves by themselves – We are not to measure ourselves by one another, but by the standard "Be ye perfect, even as your Father." (Matt. 5:48) R5123:4
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| 13 We, however, not as to the things without measure, will boast ourselves, but, according to the measure of the limit which God apportioned unto us, as a measure–to reach as far as even you! |
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| 14 For, not as though we were not reaching unto you, are we over-stretching ourselves, for, as far as even you, were we beforehand in the glad-message of the Christ: |
We stretch not ourselves – False brethren had charged that Paul assumed unauthorized authority. R4517:6
We would like to awaken the foolish virgins to a realization of their proper position and need of prompt action and redoubled energy in cleansing the robe and embroidering it. SM260:1
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| 15 Not, as to the things without measure, boasting ourselves in other men's toils, but having, hope–your faith, growing–among you, to be enlarged, according to our limit for something beyond,– |
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| 16 Unto the regions beyond you, to carry the glad-message: not, within another man's limit, as to the things made ready, to boast ourselves. |
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| 17 He that boasteth, however, in the Lord, let him boast; |
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| 18 For, not he that commendeth himself, he, is approved, but he whom, the Lord, doth commend. |
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