2 Corinthians 10:18

18. (Pr 27:2). whom the Lord commendeth--to whom the Lord has given as His "Epistle of commendation," the believers whom he has been the instrument of converting: as was Paul's case (2Co 3:1-3). is approved--can stand the test of the final trial. A metaphor from testing metals (Ro 16:10; 1Co 11:19). So on the other hand those finally rejected by the Lord are termed "reprobate silver" (Jr 6:30).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Verse 18. For not he who commendeth himself, etc. Not he who boasts of his talents and endowments. He is not to be judged by the estimate which he shah place on himself, but by the estimate which God shall form and express.

Is approved. By God. It is no evidence that we shall be saved that we are prone to commend ourselves. See Rom 12:10.

But whom the Lord commendeth. Rom 2:29. The idea here is, that men are to be approved or rejected by God. He is to pass judgment on them, and that judgment is to be in accordance with his estimate of their character, and not according to their own. If he approves them, they will be saved; if he does not, vain will be all their empty boasting--vain all their reliance on their wealth, eloquence, learning, or earthly honours. None will save them from condemnation; not all these things can purchase for them eternal life. Paul thus seriously shows that we should be mainly anxious to obtain the Divine favour. It should be the grand aim and purpose of our life; and we should repress all disposition for vain-glory or self-confidence; all reliance on our talents, attainments, or accomplishments for salvation. OUR BOAST IS THAT WE HAVE SUCH A REDEEMER; AND IN THAT WE ALL MAY GLORY.

(b) "whom the Lord commendeth"

REMARKS on 2nd Corinthians Chapter 10

(1.) We should have no desire to show off any peculiar boldness or energy of character which we may have, 2Cor 10:1,2. We should greatly prefer to evince the gentleness and meekness of Christ. Such a character is in itself of far more value than one that is merely energetic and bold; that is rash, authoritative, and fond of display.

(2.) They who are officers in, the church should have no desire to administer discipline, 2Cor 10:2. Some men are so fond of power, that they always love to exercise it. They are willing to show it even by inflicting punishment on others; and, "dressed in a little brief authority," they are constantly seeking occasion to show their consequence; they magnify trifles; they are unwilling to pass by the slightest offences. The reason is not that they love the truth, but that they love their own consequence, and they seek every opportunity to show it.

(3.) All Christians and all Christian ministers are engaged in a warfare, 2Cor 10:3. They are at war with sin in their own hearts, and with sin wherever it exists on earth, and with the powers of darkness. With foes so numerous and so vigilant, they should not expect to live a life of ease or quietness. Peace, perfect peace, they may expect in heaven, not on earth. Here they are to fight the good fight of faith, and thus to lay hold on eternal life. It has been the common lot of all the children of God to maintain such a war, and shall we expect to be exempt?

Shall I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas ?

Are there no foes for me to face--
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?"

(4.) The weapons of the Christian are not to be carnal, but are to
be spiritual, 2Cor 10:4. He is not to make his way by the exhibition
of human passion; in bloody strife; and by acting under the influence
of ambitious feelings. Truth is his weapon; and armed with truth,
and aided by the Spirit of God, he is to expect the victory. How
different is the Christian warfare from others! How different is
Christianity from other systems! Mohammed made his way by
arms, and propagated his religion amidst the din of battle. But not
so Christianity. That is to make its way by the silent, but mighty
operation of truth; and there is not a rampart of idolatry and sin
that is not yet to fall before it.

(5.) The Christian should be a man of a pure spirit, 2Cor 10:4. He
is to make his way by the truth. He should therefore love the
truth, and he should seek to diffuse it as far as possible. In
propagating or defending it, he should be always mild, gentle, and kind.
Truth is never advanced, and an adversary is never convinced, where
passion is evinced; where there is a haughty manner, or a belligerent
spirit. The apostolic precepts are full of wisdom--speaking the
truth in love," Eph 4:15; "in MEEKNESS INSTRUCTING those that
oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance
to the acknowledging of the truth," 2Ti 2:25.

(6.) In his warfare, the Christian shall conquer, 2Cor 10:4,5.
Against the truth of Christianity nothing has been able to stand. It made
its way against the arrayed opposition of priests and emperors;
against customs and laws; against inveterate habits and opinions;
against all forms of sin, until it triumphed, and "the banners of the
faith floated from the palaces of the Caesars." So it will be in all
the conflicts with evil. Nothing is more certain than that the
powers of darkness in this world are destined to fall before the power
of Christian truth, and that every stronghold of sin shall yet be
demolished. So it is in the conflicts of the individual Christian.
He may struggle long and hard. He may have many foes to contend with.
But he shall gain the victory. His triumph shall be secure; and he shall
yet be enabled to say, "I have fought a good fight--
henceforth there is laid up for me a CROWN"

"The saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
And seize it with their eye."

(7.) Yet all should feel their dependence on God, 2Cor 10:4. It is only through him, and by his aid, that we have any power. Truth itself has no power except as it is attended and directed by God; and we should engage in our conflict feeling that none but God can give us the victory. If forsaken by him, we shall fall; if supported by him, we may face without fear a "frowning world," and all the powers of the "dark world of hell."

(8.) We should not judge by the outward appearance, 2Cor 10:7. It is the heart that determines the character; and by that God shall judge us, and by that we should judge ourselves.

(9.) We should aim to extend the gospel as far as possible, 2Cor 10:14-16. Paul aimed to go beyond the regions where the gospel had been preached, and to extend it to far-distant lands. So the "field" still "is the world." A large portion of the earth is yet unevangelized. Instead, therefore, of sitting down quietly in enjoyment and ease, let us, like him, earnestly desire to extend the influence of pure religion, and to bring distant nations to the saving knowledge of the truth.

(10.) Let us not boast in ourselves, 2Cor 10:17. Not of our talents, wealth, learning, or accomplishments let us glory. But let us glory that we have such a God as JEHOVAH. Let us glory that we have such a Redeemer as Jesus Christ. Let us glory that we have such a sanctifier as the Holy Spirit. Let us acknowledge God as the Source of all our blessings, and to him let us honestly consecrate our hearts and our lives.

(11.) What a reverse of judgment there will yet be on human character! 2Cor 10:17,18. How many now commend themselves who will be condemned in the last day! How many men boast of their talents and morals, and even their religion, who will then be involved in indiscriminate condemnation with the most vile and worthless of the race! How anxious should we be, therefore, to secure the approbation of God! and whatever our fellow-men may say of us, how infinitely desirable is it to be commended then by our heavenly Father!

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Verse 18 Not he that commendeth himself - Not the person who makes a parade of his own attainments; who preaches himself, and not Christ Jesus the Lord; and, far from being your servant for Christ's sake, affects to be your ruler; not such a one shall be approved of God, by an especial blessing on his labors; but he whom the Lord commendeth, by giving him the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, and converting the heathen by his ministry. These were qualifications to which the false apostle at Corinth could not pretend. He had language and eloquence, and show and parade; but he had neither the gifts of an apostle nor an apostle's success. 1. Dr. Whitby observes that the apostle, in the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th verses, (2Cor 10:13-16) endeavors to advance himself above the false apostles in the three following particulars: - (1.) That whereas they could show no commission to preach to the Corinthians, no measure by which God had distributed the Corinthians to them as their province, he could do so. We have a measure to reach even to you, 2Cor 10:13. (2.) That whereas they went out of their line, leaping from one Church to another, he went on orderly, in the conversion of the heathens, from Judea through all the interjacent provinces, till he came to Corinth. (3.) Whereas they only came in and perverted the Churches where the faith had already been preached, and so could only boast of things made ready to their hands, 2Cor 10:16, he had labored to preach the Gospel where Christ had not been named, lest he should build on another man's foundation, Rom 15:20. 2. We find that from the beginning God appointed to every man his promise, and to every man his labor; and would not suffer even one apostle to interfere with another. This was a very wise appointment; for by this the Gospel was not only more speedily diffused over the heathen nations, as we have already remarked, but the Churches were better attended to, the Christian doctrine preserved in its purity, and the Christian discipline properly enforced. What is any men's work is no man's in particular; and thus the work is neglected. In every Church of God there should be some one who for the time being has the care of it, who may be properly called its pastor; and who is accountable for its purity in the faith, and its godly discipline. 3. Every man who ministers in holy things should be well assured of his call to the work; without this he can labor neither with confidence nor comfort. And he should be careful to watch over the flock, that no destroying wolf be permitted to enter the sacred fold, and that the fences of a holy discipline be kept in proper repair. 4. It is base, abominable, and deeply sinful, for a man to thrust himself into other men's labors, and, by sowing doubtful disputations among a Christian people, distract and divide them, that he may get a party to himself. Such persons generally act as the false apostle at Corinth; preach a relaxed morality; place great stress upon certain doctrines which flatter and soothe self-love; calumniate the person, system of doctrines, and mode of discipline, of the pastor who perhaps planted that Church, or who in the order of God's providence has the oversight of it. This is an evil that has prevailed much in all ages of the Church; there is at present much of it in the Christian world, and Christianity is disgraced by it.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain