2 Corinthians 10:7
in 2 Corinthians 10You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Ye look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ’s, so also are we.
KJV
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 10
Commentary
13 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? - This is addressed evidently to the members of the church, and with reference to the claims which had been set up by the false teachers. There can be no doubt that they valued themselves on their external advantages, and laid claim to special honor in the work of the ministry, because they were superior in personal appearance, in rank, manners, or eloquence to Paul. Paul reproves them for thus judging, and assures them that this was not a proper criterion by which to determine on qualifications for the apostolic office.
This site's exposition
You are looking at outward appearances
on 2 Corinthians 10:7-8
Paul answers a rival’s claim to belong specially to Christ by matching it: we belong to Christ just as much as he does. He leaves the man’s sincerity undisputed, and the irony of chapter 11 begins here.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Paul is criticizing those who in the inflated pride of their own presumption have a lower opinion of him than he deserved and who imagined that they had no need of his teaching.
A commentator
Gennadius of ConstantinoplePAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH · Written before 471.
proposed
This is to be read as a censorious remark, for the people were not judging the truth from works but from superficial appearances only.
"Ye look at the things that are before your face." Behold here also prudence. For having rebuked those that deceived them, he confined not his remarks to them, but he leaps away from them to these too; and he does so constantly. For, in truth, he scourgeth not those only that lead astray, but the deceived also. For had he let even them go without calling them to an account, they would not so easily have been reformed by what was said to the others; but would have been greatly elated even, as not being amenable to accusations. Therefore he scourgeth them also. And this is not all that is to be admired in him, but this farther, that he rebukes either party in a manner suitable to each. Hear at least what he says to these, "Ye look at the things that are before your face." The accusation is no light one; but a mark of men exceedingly easy to be deceived. Now what he says is this, 'ye test by what appear, by things carnal, by things bodily.' What is meant by 'what appear?' If one is rich, if one is puffed up, if one is surrounded by many flatterers, if one says great things of himself, if one is vain-glorious, if one makes a pretence of virtue without having virtue, for this is the meaning of, "ye look at the things that are before your face." "If any man trust in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself, that even as he is Christ's, even so also are we." For he does not wish to be vehement at the beginning, but he increases and draws to a head by little and little. But observe here how much harshness and covert meaning there is. […]
The Medieval Church2 voices
Above, the Apostle excused himself by reason; here he excuses himself by the evidence of the fact. In this regard he does two things. First, he submits his excuse to his hearers to judge; secondly, he pursues his cause (v. 7b). He says therefore: although …
Not only does he frighten the deceivers, but he also rebukes the deceived; therefore he says: recognize by their deeds who is arrogant, who is rich, who hides behind a mask of virtue. The false apostles boasted that they were Christ's and supposedly eyewitnesses of …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
A man may seem to be learned who has not learned Christ, and appear virtuous when he has not a principle of grace in his heart. However, the apostle asserts two things of himself:-- I. His relation to Christ: If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's,
Do ye look at the outward appearance of things - Does any of you judge of a minister of Christ by his person, or any outward circumstance? Let him again think this of himself - Let him learn it from his own reflection, before I convince him by a severer method.
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance,....
We must not think that we are the people, and that none belong to Christ but ourselves. This we may plead for ourselves, against those who judge us and despise us that, how weak soever we are, yet, as they are Christ's, so are we: we profess the same faith, we walk by the same rule, we build upon the same foundation, and hope for the same inheritance.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Even in outward bearing when I shall be present with you (in contrast to "by letters," 2Co 10:9) I will show that I am more really armed with the authority of Christ, than those who arrogate to themselves the title of being peculiarly "Christ's" (1Co 1:12).
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? - Do not be carried away with appearances; do not be satisfied with show and parade. If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s - Here, as in several other places of this and the preceding epistle, the τις, any or certain, person, most evidently refers to the false apostle who made so much disturbance in the Church. And this man trusted to himself - assumed to himself that he was Christ’s messenger: it would not do to attempt to subvert Christianity at once; it had got too strong a hold of Corinth to be easily dislodged; he therefore pretended to be on Christ’s side, and to derive his authority from him. Let him of himself - Without any authority, certainly, from God; but, as he arrogates to himself the character of a minister of Christ, let him acknowledge that even so we are Christ’s ministers; and that I have, by my preaching, and the miracles which I have wrought, given the fullest proof that I am especially commissioned by him.
The words behind it
22 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Τὰ | ta | The [things] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κατὰ | kata | according to | G2596 → | 468 times |
| πρόσωπον | prosopon | appearance | G4383 → | 75 times |
| βλέπετε. | blepete | are you looking. | G991 → | 132 times |
| εἴ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| πέποιθεν | pepoithen | is persuaded | G3982 → | 51 times |
| ἑαυτῷ | he'auto | in himself | G1438 → | 322 times |
| Χριστοῦ | christou | of Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| εἶναι, | einai | to be, | G1511 → | 123 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| λογιζέσθω | logizestho | he should reckon | G3049 → | 40 times |
| πάλιν | palin | again | G3825 → | 139 times |
| ἐφ᾽ | eph᾽ | within | G1909 → | 883 times |
| ἑαυτοῦ | he'autou | himself | G1438 → | 322 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| καθὼς | kathos | even as | G2531 → | 182 times |
| αὐτὸς | autos | he | G846 → | 5565 times |
| Χριστοῦ, | christou | [is] of Christ, | G5547 → | 523 times |
| οὕτως | houtos | so | G3779 → | 208 times |
| καὶ | kai | also [are] | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡμεῖς | hemeis | we ourselves | G3165 → | 1936 times |
ΤὰThe [things]
taG3588 →19766 times
κατὰaccording to
kataG2596 →468 times
πρόσωπονappearance
prosoponG4383 →75 times
βλέπετε.are you looking.
blepeteG991 →132 times
εἴIf
eiG1487 →508 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
πέποιθενis persuaded
pepoithenG3982 →51 times
ἑαυτῷin himself
he'autoG1438 →322 times
Χριστοῦof Christ
christouG5547 →523 times
εἶναι,to be,
einaiG1511 →123 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
λογιζέσθωhe should reckon
logizesthoG3049 →40 times
πάλινagain
palinG3825 →139 times
ἐφ᾽within
eph᾽G1909 →883 times
ἑαυτοῦhimself
he'autouG1438 →322 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
καθὼςeven as
kathosG2531 →182 times
αὐτὸςhe
autosG846 →5565 times
Χριστοῦ,[is] of Christ,
christouG5547 →523 times
οὕτωςso
houtosG3779 →208 times
καὶalso [are]
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡμεῖςwe ourselves
hemeisG3165 →1936 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 14:37If anyone considers himself a prophet or spiritual person, let him acknowledge that what I am writing you is the Lord’s command.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:6
We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.
- 1 John 4:6
Through
John 7:24Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 11:3–4
And He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear,
- James 2:9
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
- Proverbs 17:15
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.
- John 8:15
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
- Proverbs 24:23
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
- Isaiah 11:3–4
Through
1 Corinthians 3:23and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
it leads to
- Galatians 3:29
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
- Galatians 3:29
Through
2 Corinthians 11:23Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of…
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 6:4–5
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities;
- 2 Corinthians 6:4–5
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Corinthians
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Gennadius of Constantinople, PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 22 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.