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2Co_10:17 f. The ἐν ἀλλ . καν . εἰς τὰ ἕτοιμα καυχ . was the way of the opponents, whose self-glorying was selfish ostentation. Therefore Paul now lays down the law of the right καυχᾶσθαι , and establishes it in a way (2Co_10:18), the application of which to the perversity of the opponents’ boasting could not but be obviou.
δέ ] leading over from the previous καυχήσασθαι to the law of the καυχᾶσθαι . “But as regards self-glorying, the maxim applies: Let him that glories glory (not otherwise than) in the Lord,” let him have God as the object of his καυχᾶσθαι , inasmuch as it is God, by whose grace and power he has and does everything. Paul himself gives a glorious example of the ἐν κυρίῳ καυχᾶσθαι in 1Co_15:10. Comp. 2Co_12:9-10.
As ὁ καυχ . ἐν κυρ . καυχ . is an O. T. maxim well known to the reader (Jer_9:23 f.; comp. 1Co_1:31), and the context contains nothing at all which would be at variance with the original reference of the ἐν κυρίῳ to God, viewed as object of the καυχᾶσθαι , in which this is grounded (see on Rom_2:17), it is not to be understood of Christ (Erasmus, Estius, Flatt, Rückert, and others), nor is ἐν to be taken in the sense of communion (Calvin, Bengel, Osiander). Observe, moreover, what a moral difference there is between this Christian καυχᾶσθαι ἐν θεῷ (comp. Rom_5:11) and that of the Jewish particularism, Rom_2:17.—2Co_10:18. For not he who acts in the opposite way, not he who, instead of glorying ἐν κυρίῳ , makes himself the object which he commends to others, is approved, is in the position of attested Christian character, but he, whom the Lord commends. The latter is—and that in contrast with the opponents extolling themselves—the practical commendation, which God bestows on those concerned by His whole gracious aid, by the success and blessing attending their work, by their rescue from dangers, etc. In this de facto θεῖα ψῆφος (Theodoret), which is made known before the eyes of the world, they have at the same time the right de facto self-commendation, 2Co_6:3 ff., without being αὐτεπαίνετοι ( αὐτεπαινέτους γὰρ μισεῖ ὁ θεός , Clem. 1 Cor. 30).
Observe, further, the emphatic ἐκεῖνος as well as the unrestricted δόκιμος , the notion of which is not to be referred merely to human recognition (Hofmann), as in Rom_14:18, where τοῖς ἀνθρώπ . stands beside it; comp. rather 1Co_11:19; Rom_16:10; Jam_1:12.