2 Corinthians 10:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"But we will not boast beyond measure" (v. 13), as they do. It is likely that in praise of themselves they said, "We have converted the world; we have reached the ends of the earth," and proclaimed many other such things about themselves.

"But we," says the Apostle, "are not so. We boast according to the measure of the portion which God appointed to us, a measure reaching even to you."

Thus his humility is revealed from two sides. On the one hand, he says nothing of himself beyond what he has done. On the other, even what he has done he ascribes to God.

“But we will not boast beyond measure.” For when they boasted, perhaps they said, “We have reached the ends of the earth and converted the inhabited world.” But we, he says, are not so. Rather, we boast according to the measure of the portion which God assigned to us, a measure reaching even to you. As God divided vineyards among farmers, so He divided the inhabited world among us, the apostles. Therefore we will boast according to the measure of the portion which God assigned to us. What is this measure? That we should reach even to you. Therefore, since this is our measure, we also boast as far as you.

For prophecy was given as pertaining to all nations. Because of this participation it is called a measure, of which the Apostle says: “We received a measure to reach even to you” (cf. 2 Cor 10:13). For he said, “We received a measure to reach even to you,” while preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles.

And we do not boast, like them, beyond our measure. Rather, before their vainglory we boast according to the right measure, corresponding to the greatness of the measure, according to the measure, cord, or rope by which measurements were made. This is the rule, the true measure and dignity; in Russian, the portion, as much as God apportioned to us. That is, we boast that God made us worthy to be evangelists.

That is, it is not as though we had not come to you. We do not strain ourselves by preaching, but firmly come to you by God’s direction. To strain oneself also means to stretch farther than usual, but not beyond the limits. For God gave a measure, which His evangelists kept and which the Apostle Paul himself also keeps. Paul shows them this so that they may know he was sent to the Corinthians by God. Therefore they must obey his exhortations, lest those who despise him enter into opposition against God Himself, who sent the Apostle to them.

The Apostle called the grace given by God “the measure of the rule,” because the great Giver distributed it to the faithful. He said this also in the Epistle to the Romans: “as God has dealt to each one the measure of faith” (Rom 12:3). He means this: we cut off immoderation in our thoughts about ourselves. We look to the grace given and know that our course has extended even as far as you. The following words show this.

“According to the measure of the rule.” Theodoret calls the measure of the rule the grace given by God to the Apostle. More closely, one may call it the circle of action, or field of activity, appointed to the Apostle. This is clear from the fact that the Apostle did not like to preach where others had already laid the beginning of Gospel preaching. The Apostle directs his speech against false teachers, who could accuse him of seizing another’s preaching property.

Saint Paul is authorized to severity by his apostolic calling (2 Cor 10:12-12:18). The Apostle defends and proves the certainty of this high calling by pointing to the preaching portion appointed to him by God Himself (2 Cor 10:12-18). “We are not like those who put themselves forward, boastfully and self-appointed. We do not stretch ourselves as though we had not reached you, for we reached even you with the Gospel of Christ, so as to preach the Gospel beyond you, and not to boast in what is ready in another’s portion.”

Entering into a further comparison of himself with others, the Apostle shows his apostolic dignity in his labors. This dignity authorizes him for severity. First of all, the Corinthians themselves are the portion of his great labors, which he hopes to increase still more as the fruits of Christian preaching increase among them.

Meanwhile his opponents have no labors, but only self-praise without any higher foundation. Therefore they are content with comparing themselves with one another. The pagan philosophers of Greece acted so, and so did certain false apostles.

True preachers have the basis for praise not in themselves, but in God, and in the measure to which they fulfill His appointment.

This passage also is not entirely definite. St. Paul seems to have in mind his election from above to be Apostle of the nations. Yet he does not boast of this, but only of what he has managed to do up to now.

The whole world is my portion, but I do not boast in such boundlessness. I boast only in that measure to which God has allowed me, and continues to allow me, to reach. For now God has measured this much to me. Of this I may boast.

His opponents, surely, in their fanciful plans imagined that they would traverse the whole world. As though they had already preached everywhere, they exalted themselves, while in fact they had done nothing and had only entered into another's labor.