The Books of Corinthians is authored by the Apostle Paul, and his traveling companion and Brother in Christ, Timothy. The setting is in Macedonia, 55 – 56 CE (common/current era timeline).
Corinth was the place where Paul met his strongest oppositions – he had many enemies there from false prophets, wishy-washy brethren, and from enemies of the Faith (hence, enemies towards him personally for being a turncoat – remember our Lord Himself called Paul out of his orthodox rabbinic office to become a devoted Follower of Yeshua).
Paul reminds the Believers in Corinth to remember that Christianity is more than being meek and humble: it is spiritual warfare – Christians, every second of every day, find themselves assaulted and in constant battle from our enemies under the influence of Lucifer and his demonic hordes. When tempted to strike back, we must always remember to respond as Yeshua did when Lucifer openly taunted, tempted, and assaulted Him: our battles and responses are not after the flesh … they are spiritual attacks by spiritual enemies designed to destroy us. We must meet that spiritual warfare with spiritual action. Press into those spiritual battles with the strengths Yeshua has given us, empowered by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, and win the victory over Lucifer and his tactics.
The tactics Lucifer uses are pride in the hearts of men (and women), ignorance (lack of knowledge), prejudices (biases, preconceptions, bigotries, chauvinisms, partisanship, influences, distortions), beloved lusts (desires, envies, yearnings, itches), vain imaginations (paganism, fables, ancestral tales, scientific ‘facts’, narcissism), carnal reasonings and high thinking (philosophies, loop arguments, mental chaos); that have taken root in lives and polluted social life: these things are Lucifer’s strongholds in the lives of mankind – in these ways, Lucifer attempts to snare men and women, to keep them from the Gospel and to secure his possession in their hearts and claim their bodies as his own property.
Paul begs the Corinthian Believers to reconsider their ways so he does not have to enforce Church censors.
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2 CORINTHIANS ~ Chapter 10
Paul's Authentication as An Apostle
“I, Paul, now appeal to you personally, by the meekness and gentleness of *Christ (Yeshua Ha’Mashiach). When I am in your midst I am meek, but when I am away from you I am boldly outspoken to you. I beg of you that when I am with you again, I shall not have to be outspoken and stern, as I fear I must be towards some of you who look upon us as working only for human satisfaction. Granted that we live in the flesh, yet we do not fight our battles according to the flesh. And the weapons we fight with are not carnal, but spiritual, and – with **Elohim’s help – powerful in overthrowing the strongholds of the ***enemy. We can overthrow the arguments and all other obstacles that are set up against the true knowledge of Elohim. We can take every thought captive and make it obey Christ. And when once you have surrendered (submitted, yielded) to Him, we are ready to punish (inflict a penalty for an offense) any disobedience (refusal to do what is required) against Him. (vv.1-6)
You look at something and judge by appearances. A man may feel sure that he belongs to Christ. Let him reflect about it and bear in mind that we also belong to Christ, even as he belongs to Him. For suppose that I boast a little too much about our authority … which the ****Lord gave us to build you up, not to pull you down … I will not be ashamed of it. (vv.7-8)
I do not want it to appear that I am trying to frighten you by my letters. They say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, but in body he is feeble, and there is nothing to his speeches.’ But let such critics (one given to fault finding) understand this; that whatever we by letter when we are absent, that we also do when present. We do not presume to class ourselves, or even compare ourselves, with certain people who speak well of themselves, for they do not show good judgement when they measure themselves by one another, and compare themselves with one another. We are not going to make any extravagant claims. We shall keep within the limits (without going beyond the reasonable or allowable limitations) that Elohim has marked out (a specific destination, job, requirement) for us, and they reach all the way to you. (vv. 9-13)
We are not claiming too much, as though we had not come to you. The fact is, that we did come to you with the *****Gospel of Christ. We are not boasting extravagantly about the work done by others, but we do hope that as your faith increases, our influence among you may also greatly increase. We should like to go on to other lands beyond you, without having to take credit for work done in another’s mission field. As for boasting, let him who boasts do so in the Lord. For it is not the self-appointed (having assumed a position or role without the endorsement of others) man who is accepted (received, admitted; Agreed to; welcome, pleasing), but the man whom the Lord approves (to commend, to accept; to sanction officially).” (vv. 14-18)
*Christ (from the Hebrew word, Ha’Mashiach ישוע המשיח & the Greek word, Christos/khris-tos) = The Anointed, Yeshua the Messiah, in both languages.
**Elohim (from the Hebrew word, Elohim/el-o-heem & the Greek word, Theos/theh-os) = the Supreme God. Exceedingly great and mighty.
***enemy (from the Greek word, echthros/ekh-thros) = hateful, odious, hostile, adversary – esp. Lucifer; enemy, foe.
****Lord (from the Greek word, kurios/koo-ree-os) = Supreme in authority, controller; by implication a respected Title.
*****Gospel (from the Greek word, euaggelion/yoo-ang-ghel-ee-on) = a good message; glad tidings.
**2 CORINTHIANS 9:
https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/05/2-corinthians-chapter-9thursday-bible.html
