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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 But I myself, Paul, entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ, who, as to appearance, when present am mean among you, but absent am bold towards you; |
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| 2 but I beseech that present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I think to be daring towards some who think of us as walking according to flesh. |
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| 3 For walking in flesh, we do not war according to flesh. |
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| 4 For the arms of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful according to God to the overthrow 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 overthrowing reasonings and every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought into 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 having in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience shall have been fulfilled. |
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| 7 Do ye look at what concerns appearance? If any one has confidence in himself that he is of Christ, let him think this again in himself, that even as he is of Christ, 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 For and if I should boast even somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given to us for building up and not for your overthrowing, 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 if I was frightening you by letters: |
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| 10 because his letters, he says, are weighty and strong, but his presence in the body weak, and his speech naught. |
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 Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by letters when absent, such also present in 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 ourselves or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves; but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not intelligent. |
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 Now *we* will not boast out of measure, but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure has apportioned to us, to reach to you also. |
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| 14 For we do not, as not reaching to you, overstretch ourselves, (for we have come to you also in the glad tidings 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 boasting out of measure in other people's labours, but having hope, your faith increasing, to be enlarged amongst you, according to our rule, yet more abundantly |
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| 16 to announce the glad tidings to that which is beyond you, not to be boasting in another's rule of things made ready to hand. |
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| 17 But he that boasts, let him boast in the Lord. |
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| 18 For not *he* that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends. |
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