Never read this scripture?
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)
2 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 10:1–13:10
Paul’s Appeal to the Rebellious
Minority in Corinth. In the third major section of his letter, Paul directly
appeals to those who are still rejecting his gospel and apostolic authority.
For in his third visit, Paul will be forced to judge those who have not
repented (10:6; 12:20–21; 13:1–10).
2 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 10:1–11 Paul’s Defense of His Humility as an
Apostle. Paul directly responds to those who are criticizing his humble
appearance in Corinth (vv. 1–6) and his refusal to employ the professional
rhetoric of his day in order to impress others (vv. 7–11; see 1 Cor. 2:1–5).
2 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 10:1 the meekness and gentleness of Christ. A
reference to Christ’s slowness to anger and patience in order to allow time
for repentance before he returns to judge (see 2 Pet. 3:8–10), which Paul
imitates in his dealings with the Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:1–5; 2 Cor. 1:23–2:4;
7:5–16). I who am humble when … with you, but bold toward you when
I am away.
Paul is probably quoting some accusations made by his
opponents (see 10:10). Paul is trying to avoid the kind of “consistency” his
opponents call for, since it would mean judgment for the Corinthians (see
vv. 6, 11).
2 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 10:3–4 Paul is not waging a fleshly battle but a
spiritual one.
The weapons of his warfare are not physical but spiritual,
such as prayer, the Word of God, faith, and the power of the Holy Spirit. By
the Spirit Paul tears down the strongholds of wrong thinking and behavior
that are reflected in the lives of those who resist his authority.
How to Wage Spiritual Warfare (10:1–6)
The accusation (vv. 1–2). This is not difficult to find.
The rebels in the church (led by the Judaizers) said that
Paul was very courageous when he wrote letters from a
distance, but very timid and even weak when he was
present with the Corinthians (see also 2 Cor. 10:9–11).
The Judaizers, of course, were consistently overbearing
in their attitudes—and the people loved them (2 Cor.
11:20). Paul’s “inconsistent” manner of life paralleled
his “yes and no” approach to making promises (2 Cor.
1:15–20).
When Paul founded the church at Corinth, his purpose was to exalt Christ and not himself (1 Cor.
2:1–5). Christians usually grow the way they are born.
If they are born in an atmosphere of dictatorial leadership, they grow up depending on man’s wisdom and
strength. If they are born in an atmosphere of humility
and love, they learn to depend on the Lord. Paul
wanted his converts to trust the Lord, and not the servant; so he deliberately “played down” his own
authority and ability.
How ignorant the Corinthians were, even after all
that Paul had taught them. They failed to realize that
true spiritual power is in “meekness and gentleness” (2
Cor. 10:1), not in “throwing weight around.”
Paul’s
very attitude in these opening verses disarmed his
opponents. (In fact, his use of his own name is significant; for Paul means “little.”) If Paul was a weakling,
then so was Jesus Christ; for Jesus exhibited meekness
and gentleness (Matt. 11:29). However, our Lord
could also be stern and even angry when the occasion
demanded it (see Matt. 15:1–2; 23:13–33; Mark
11:15–17; John 2:13–16).
Paul was warning them in a
loving way, “Please don’t force me to come and show
how bold I can be!”
The answer (vv. 3–6). This reveals what spiritual
warfare is all about. Because the Corinthians (led by
the false teachers) judged Paul’s ministry by the outward appearance, they completely missed the power
that was there.
They were evaluating things “according
to the flesh” (2 Cor. 10:2) and not according to the
Spirit. The Judaizers, like some “great” religious personalities today, impressed the people with their
overpowering abilities, their oratorical powers, and
their “commendations” from church leaders.
Paul took a different approach; for, though he was
as human as anyone else, he did not depend on the
human but on the divine, the spiritual weapons provided by the Lord.
His warfare was not according to
the flesh, because he was not fighting against flesh and
blood (see Eph. 6:10ff.).
...as you are fighting against flesh and blood, using the Scriptures wrongfully
You cannot fight spiritual battles with carnal weapons.
The word warfare in 2 Corinthians 10:4 means
“campaign.” Paul was not simply fighting a little
skirmish in Corinth; the attack of the enemy there was
part of a large satanic campaign. The powers of hell are
still trying to destroy the work of God (Matt. 16:18),
and it is important that we not yield any ground to the
enemy, not even one church!
There are walls of resistance in the minds of people,
and these walls (like the walls of Jericho) must be pulled
down
. What are these “mental walls”? Reasoning's that
are opposed to the truth of God’s Word. Pride of intelligence that exalts itself. Paul was not attacking
intelligence, but intellectualism, the high-minded attitude that makes people think they know more than they
really do (Rom. 12:16).
Paul had faced this “wisdom of
men” when he founded the church (1 Cor. 1:18ff.), and
it had surfaced again with the coming of the Judaizers.
Paul’s attitude of humility was actually one of his
strongest weapons, for pride plays right into the hands
of Satan.
The meek Son of God had far more power
than Pilate (see John 19:11), and He proved it. Paul
used spiritual weapons to tear down the opposition—
prayer, the Word of God, love, the power of the Spirit
at work in his life. He did not depend on personality,
human abilities, or even the authority he had as an
apostle. However, he was ready to punish the offenders,
if necessary, once the congregation had submitted to
the Lord.
Many believers today do not realize that the church
is involved in warfare, and those who do understand
the seriousness of the Christian battle do not always
know how to fight the battle. They try to use human
methods to defeat demonic forces, and these methods
are doomed to fail.
When Joshua and his army
marched around Jericho for a week, the spectators
thought they were mad. When the Jews trusted God
and obeyed orders, they brought down the high walls
and conquered the enemy (Josh. 6:1–20).
Just to put it in context for you.