2 Corinthians 10:15,16 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

Not boasting, &c.— That is, "Not intermeddling, or assuming to myself an authority to meddle, or any honour for doing so." St. Paul here visibly taxes the false Apostle for coming into a church converted and gathered by another, and there pretending to be somebody, and to rule all. This, among several other passages, shews, that the opposition made to St. Paul was owing chiefly to one man, who had placed himself at the head of the faction; for it is plain that it was a stranger, who came thither after St. Paul had planted this church; who pretending to be more an Apostle than St. Paul, with greater illumination and more power, set upagainst him, to govern that church, and withdraw the Corinthians from following the rules and doctrines of St. Paul and the Gospel. Now it can never he supposed to be a combination of men, who came to Corinth with that design; nor that they were different men, who came thither separately, each setting up for himself; for then they would have fallen out one with another, as well as with St. Paul; and in both cases he must have spoken of them in a different way from what he does now. In 1 Corinthians 3:10 he plainly speaks of one man. Instead of—measure, that is, of other men's labours, 2 Corinthians 10:15 some read, measure in other men's labours; and instead of another man's line, 2 Corinthians 10:16 another man's rule or province. It is certain, the Apostle did go to places already converted, to confirm and establish his brethren in the faith; but this was chiefly where he had himself planted churches: though he mighttake some others in his way, which it would have been affectation and disrespect, rather than modesty, to have avoided. But he did not speak of churches thus visited, as if he were the founder of them, as his opposers probably did; pouring contempt on St. Paul's labours, as if they were hardly to be called Christian churches, which he had left, as they pretended, in so unformed and unfinished a state.

2 Corinthians 10:15-16

15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlargedg by you according to our rule abundantly,

16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's lineh of things made ready to our hand.