Weapons Not of the Flesh; Christ Speaks in Paul

… turning to God. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful through God” (2 Corinthians 10:3–4).

Those who know how to win renown in battle, and who rise against their enemies in a fleshly way, would quite naturally have fleshly armour; for they have helmets and breastplates, weapons and swords, and all the things by which they could conquer. But our wrestling and our manner of warfare need spiritual weapons (Ephesians 6:12). Indeed, the inspired Paul says very well that the one who is counted a soldier in Christ must be adorned with such splendid armour. He puts on him righteousness as a breastplate and salvation as a helmet, “and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” and besides these “the shield of faith,” by which all the flaming arrows of the evil one are quenched (Ephesians 6:14–17).

So the arrows of the saints are not fleshly but rather spiritual and powerful through God, useful for pulling down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4), I mean the doctrines of the Greeks and of the heretics, and for showing their arguments to be rotten, utterly unskilful, and senselessly put together. “Let us then pull down such things, and every high thing raised up against the knowledge of God; and we shall take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). That is to say: let us pull down every height of impious notions raised up against God, and glorify Him with fitting words, imagining nothing lowly about Him. For we shall benefit others too, bringing them onto the right and most unerring path of thought, so that we may punish all disobedience once our own obedience has first been fulfilled (2 Corinthians 10:6). For great in the kingdom of heaven will be not the one who has only taught, but whoever is willing to add to his word the boast that comes from good works (Matthew 5:19).

“Since you seek proof,” and so on (2 Corinthians 13:3). “For we too are weak in Him, but we shall live in Him by the power of God toward you” (2 Corinthians 13:4).

He threatens those in Corinth who had sinned before (2 Corinthians 12:21) that, if they would not do what was fitting and live in holiness, he would not spare them again (2 Corinthians 13:2). The word “again” recalls the indignation he had already shown. And he tries to persuade them further that, should he rebuke those who stumble, his word will surely take effect, arguing as it were from what has already passed and from what is expected to come. This is why he says: “If you seek proof of Christ speaking in me” (2 Corinthians 13:3). For it is likely, he says, that you are waiting to see, the second time as well, whether Christ really speaks in me and carries His rebukes through to the end. Do not think, he says, as some who are still unbelieving and insolent think, that He is weak; for He is powerful among you (2 Corinthians 13:3), clearly among those who have believed and have come under Him, to whom He grants the care they need, and whom He turns back when they go wrong. So He is powerful among you; for He acts as God and shows the words of the saints to be true. And you will find my word strong in every way and at every point; for it is not I myself who speak, but rather Christ who is in me (Matthew 10:20).

But since he mentions those who, out of utter folly, supposed that Christ was truly weak because He endured the cross and bore the perversity, or rather the impiety, of the Jews, he makes a useful defence. He brings the power of the mystery forward at the right moment, and explains the willing self-emptying of the Only-begotten (Philippians 2:7) and the incomparable pre-eminence of the glory that came after it. “Yes,” he says, “He was crucified out of weakness” (2 Corinthians 13:4), as at least those still far from believing suppose among themselves; He suffered as man, and willingly endured death in the flesh. But they needed to know this as well: that having despoiled Hades and trampled the might of death, He came back to life on the third day, using not human power but power divine and beyond words.