The tone of the Apostle’s letter shifts in chapter 10. After a great deal of warm encouragement and generous appeal, Paul turns to confront the critics who have been undermining his authority and distorting his message. He writes with the sharp edge of apostolic boldness but remains anchored in the meekness and gentleness of Christ. This isn’t a personal vendetta for Paul, it’s a pastoral defense of the Gospel itself. As we enter the final section of this letter, Paul draws a clear line between human boasting and divine authority, between self-promotion and Spirit-formed obedience.

The Rev. Jim Daub, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Havelock, NC, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 2 Corinthians 10.

To learn more about St. Paul Lutheran, visit stpaulhavelock.com.

What does it mean to follow Christ in weakness? What does true ministry look like in the face of criticism, suffering, and spiritual warfare? And how can the Church hold fast to the Gospel when pressured by the world—and even by false teachers within?

On Thy Strong Word, we walk verse by verse through, arguably, the apostle Paul’s most personal, emotional, and paradoxical letter: 2 Corinthians. From forgiveness and reconciliation to generous giving and boasting only in the Lord, 2 Corinthians calls every believer to follow Christ boldly. This is the way of the cross, where God’s grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in you.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Thy Strong Word is graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Through the mission gifts of people like you, LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces books that are Bible-based, Christ-centered and Reformation-driven. Learn more at lhfmissions.org.

2 Corinthians 10

Paul Defends His Ministry

10 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— ²I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. ³For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, ⁶being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

⁷Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. ⁸For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. ⁹I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. ¹⁰For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” ¹¹Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. ¹²Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

¹³But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. ¹⁴For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. ¹⁵We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, ¹⁶so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area of influence. ¹⁷“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” ¹⁸For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

Thy Strong Word — 2 Corinthians 10: Paul Addresses the Accusations