Do You Esteem The Image Of Death Over The Image Of Life? (Ps.73:20; Pr.8:36; 1Jn.4:20)

2Cor.10:7

“You observe things as they are superficially. If any of you is persuaded in himself that he is Christ’s, this one must also consider this [in] himself, that just as he is Christ’s, in this way, we too are Christ’s.” (mast)

Now, the main reason I sought to more fully translate this was because of the manuscript variation between the two traditions. This forces me to think about context and the choice of words. The TR uses the preposition [aph, αφ], while the NU uses [eph, εφ].

2 Corinthians 10:7 (SBLGNT)

7 Τὰ κατὰ πρόσωπον βλέπετε. εἴ τις πέποιθεν ἑαυτῷ Χριστοῦ εἶναι, τοῦτο λογιζέσθω πάλιν [ἐφʼ] ἑαυτοῦ ὅτι καθὼς αὐτὸς Χριστοῦ οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς.

2 Corinthians 10:7 (Byz)

7 Τὰ κατὰ πρόσωπον βλέπετε; Εἴ τις πέποιθεν ἑαυτῷ χριστοῦ εἶναι, τοῦτο λογιζέσθω πάλιν [ἀφʼ] ἑαυτοῦ, ὅτι καθὼς αὐτὸς χριστοῦ, οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς [χριστοῦ].

Now, a scribal error may have happened early, as you can see how closely related the words are in Greek, but while they do have a similar meaning as prepositions, they have differing uses according to function. Epi is the root of the eph, which means, in terms of direction, “upon” or “into,” but apo is the root of aph, which means, in terms of the directional action, “from out of” or “away from.” See how aph is used in John 7:18. Therefore, the functional use of eph isn’t really justified when it is obvious that this action is an internal contemplation of an outward superficiality (1Jn.5:10). It could just as easily be rendered “from within” (Mk.7:21). But the adverb esothen is the not the word chosen here. Paul is merely using the preposition to point out the witness that every believer has “in himself” by telling such a person to reevaluate their judgment based on how they would be judged if God chose to examine them superficially. Therefore, the TR (Textus Receptus or “Received Text”) is correct in terms of preservation of the original graphe.

The other difference is the apparent addition of the genitive form of Christ at the end of the last conjunction. The verse is sufficient to end as “even so we,” but the conjunctions are all continuing the accusative action of the imperative verb “consider” by the demonstrative pronoun “this,” which signifies “Christ” as the genitive possessor. Therefore, the verse must close demonstratively under the accusative action of the consideration of Christ being the internal possessor and witness.

Therefore, the Christian must recognize this as a command (Jn.4:7-9, 27-29; 7:23-24; Matt.23:27-28), that he must not judge other Christians externally without considering the internal witness of this faith in the heart (2Cor.5:12; 13:7; 1Pet.3:3-4). He must not judge what is on the surface before he understands what is understood internally by the one viewed superficially (2Cor.10:10; Isa.53:1-3; 1Cor.2:11-16; Matt.7:1-6; Mk.7:14-16). Therefore, we cannot judge people merely by the books they read or the entertainment they watch but only by what comes out of the heart in their processing of those things they read and watch. If they are not able to discern good and evil because they are but babes in Christ, then it is wise not to read or watch anything that convicts the conscience, but the weak must not judge the strong, and the strong must not judge the weak (Rom.14:1-4, 11-23).

The Christian is now “spiritual” and must be understood through the spiritual lens of the doctrine of justification by faith when that justification is based on the sovereign grace of God’s regeneration of the soul from spiritual death to spiritual life (2Cor.5:13-17 with emphasis on v.16; Rom.8:3-11, 28-39).