What is the meaning of 2 Corinthians 10:12? We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves Paul begins by saying, “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves”. He draws a sharp line between his team and a group of self-promoting teachers in Corinth. • Paul refuses to sit on a human ranking committee. Instead of jockeying for status, he keeps his gaze on Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:3–5; Galatians 1:10). • The apostles’ authority comes from the Lord, not from mutual back-slapping (2 Corinthians 10:8; Acts 20:24). • Self-commendation is a blind alley; true approval comes “from God” (2 Corinthians 10:18). When they measure themselves by themselves The false teachers use their own achievements as the yardstick. • Measuring “by themselves” sets the bar exactly where they want it—low enough to clear every time (cf. Luke 18:9–14). • It is a closed loop that never asks how God sees things (Proverbs 16:2). • In contrast, Scripture calls believers to measure by God’s unchanging standard (Psalm 19:7–11; James 1:22–25). And compare themselves with themselves The next phrase shows the same problem from another angle: they form an echo chamber. • Comparison breeds either pride or despair; neither produces Christ-likeness (Galatians 6:4; Romans 12:3). • Healthy evaluation happens in community under God’s Word, not in a clique trading compliments (Ephesians 4:11–16). • Paul models transparency by letting the Lord do the evaluating (1 Corinthians 3:12–15). They show their ignorance Paul concludes, “they show their ignorance.” Literally, they lack understanding. • Ignorance here is moral as well as intellectual—choosing a faulty metric blinds them to reality (Jeremiah 17:9). • True wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7), which humbly receives God’s verdict instead of writing our own report card. • By rejecting self-referential boasting, Paul points the church back to “boasting in the Lord” (2 Corinthians 10:17; Jeremiah 9:23–24). summary Paul declines to play the comparison game embraced by self-promoters. Measuring ministry by human standards leads only to empty boasting and spiritual blindness. Instead, believers are called to let God set the standard, evaluate under His searching gaze, and find their only boast in Christ. |
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