2 Corinthians 10:18

For not he that commendeth himself is approved,.... Such may be said to commend themselves, who ascribe that to themselves, which do not belong to them; as that they are the ministers of Christ, and

For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. Is approved - stands the test of the final trial [ Dokimos (G1384)]: a metaphor from testing metals (Romans 16:10; 1 Corinthians 11:19).

Solomon saith, : Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. Self-commendation is an ungrateful sound to ingenuous ears; no man thinks another a jot the better for his commending himself, but always hath the worse opinion of him for such boasting; but this text speaketh of a higher approbation, viz. from God. No man is approved of God for his speaking well of himself; the business is, who they are who approve themselves in the work which God hath committed to them; to whom the Lord will say: Well done, good and faithful servants: to whom the apostle refers both himself, and those who magnified themselves, but vilified him.

18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. Ver. 18. Whom the Lord commendeth] As he did his servant Job, 2 Corinthians 1:8. And as he did his handmaid Sarah, for calling her husband lord, though there was never a good word besides in the whole sentence, 1 Peter 3:6; cf. Genesis 18:22. Neither was Job so patient, but that he had his outbursts. All which notwithstanding "ye have heard of the patience of Job," &c., James 5:11. He is not challenged at all for his impatience, but crowned and chronicled for his patience. See here the wonderful goodness of God toward his; and take comfort in his white stone, against the black coals of ill-affected persons. Is approved] δοκιμος, or, will pass for current coin in heaven. When slips are abroad, men will take heed what money they take.

(18) For not he that commendeth himself is approved.—Again, as in 2 Corinthians 10:12 and five earlier passages (see reference there), we trace the impression which the stinging taunt had left on St. Paul’s mind. In the word “approved” there is possibly a reference to what had been said in 1 Corinthians 11:19. He had meant something more by it than meeting with men’s approval.

Verse 18. Not he that commendeth himself] Not the person who makes a parade of his own attainments; who preaches himself, and not Christ Jesus the Lord; and, far from being your servant for Christ's sake, affects to be your ruler; not such a one shall be approved of God, by an especial blessing on his labours; but he whom the Lord commendeth, by giving him the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, and converting the heathen by his ministry. These were qualifications to which the false apostle at Corinth could not pretend. He had language and eloquence, and show and parade; but he had neither the gifts of an apostle nor an apostle's success. 1. DR. WHITBY observes that the apostle, in the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th verses, 2 Corinthians 10:13-16 endeavours to advance himself above the false apostles in the three following particulars:- (1.) That whereas they could show no commission to preach to the Corinthians, no measure by which God had distributed the Corinthians to them as their province, he could do so. We have a measure to reach even to you, 2 Corinthians 10:13. (2.) That whereas they went out of their line, leaping from one Church to another, he went on orderly, in the conversion of the heathens, from Judea through all the interjacent provinces, till he came to Corinth. (3.) Whereas they only came in and perverted the Churches where the faith had already been preached, and so could only boast of things made ready to their hands, 2 Corinthians 10:16, he had laboured to preach the Gospel where Christ had not been named, lest he should build on another man's foundation, Romans 15:20. 2. We find that from the beginning God appointed to every man his promise, and to every man his labour; and would not suffer even one apostle to interfere with another. This was a very wise appointment; for by this the Gospel was not only more speedily diffused over the heathen nations, as we have already remarked, but the Churches were better attended to, the Christian doctrine preserved in its purity, and the Christian discipline properly enforced. What is any men's work is no man's in particular; and thus the work is neglected. In every Church of God there should be some one who for the time being has the care of it, who may be properly called its pastor; and who is accountable for its purity in the faith, and its godly discipline. 3. Every man who ministers in holy things should be well assured of his call to the work; without this he can labour neither with confidence nor comfort. And he should be careful to watch over the flock, that no destroying wolf be permitted to enter the sacred fold, and that the fences of a holy discipline be kept in proper repair. 4.

18. For not he that commendeth himself is approved] St Paul’s self-commendation is only wrung from him by circumstances. The Corinthians will not judge of things except ‘after the appearance’ (2 Corinthians 10:7). St Paul, bearing in mind the wise man’s advice to ‘answer a fool according to his folly’ (Proverbs 26:5), shews that even from that point of view the new teachers could not arrogate to themselves any superiority over him. But he takes care to remark that the only true ground of approval is to do the work of God.

For not he that commendeth himself ... - Not he who boasts of his talents and endowments. He is not to be judged by the estimate which he shall place on himself, but by the estimate which God shall form and express.

18. Commendeth himself—Their fair speeches and seducing self-laudations do not render them approved. Lord commendeth—Is the divine seal on their mission?