SEV Biblia, Chapter 10:5
destruyendo consejos, y toda altura que se levanta contra la ciencia de Dios, y llevando cautivo todo pensamiento a la obediencia del Cristo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:5
Verse 5. Casting down imaginations] dogismouv? Reasonings or opinions. The Greek philosophers valued themselves especially on their ethic systems, in which their reasonings appeared to be very profound and conclusive; but they were obliged to assume principles which were either such as did not exist, or were false in themselves, as the whole of their mythologic system most evidently was: truly, from what remains of them we see that their metaphysics were generally bombast; and as to their philosophy, it was in general good for nothing. When the apostles came against their gods many and their lords many with the ONE SUPREME and ETERNAL BEING, they were confounded, scattered, annihilated; when they came against their various modes of purifying the mind-their sacrificial and mediatorial system, with the LORD JESUS CHRIST, his agony and bloody sweat, his cross and passion, his death and burial, and his glorious resurrection and ascension, they sunk before them, and appeared to be what they really were, as dust upon the balance, and lighter than vanity. Every high thing] Even the pretendedly sublime doctrines, for instance, of Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics in general, fell before the simple preaching of Christ crucified.
The knowledge of God] The doctrine of the unity and eternity of the Divine nature, which was opposed by the plurality of their idols, and the generation of their gods, and their men- made deities. It is amazing how feeble a resistance heathenism made, by argument or reasoning, against the doctrine of the Gospel! It instantly shrunk from the Divine light, and called on the secular power to contend for it! Popery sunk before Protestantism in the same way, and defended itself by the same means.
The apostles destroyed heathenism wherever they came; the Protestants confuted popery wherever their voice was permitted to be heard.
Bringing into captivity every thought] HEATHENISM could not recover itself; in vain did its thousands of altars smoke with reiterated hecatombs, their demons were silent, and their idols were proved to be nothing in the world. POPERY could never, by any power of self-reviviscence, restore itself after its defeat by the Reformation: it had no Scripture, consecutively understood; no reason, no argument; in vain were its bells rung, its candles lighted, its auto da fe's exhibited; in vain did its fires blaze; and in vain were innumerable human victims immolated on its altars! The light of God penetrated its hidden works of darkness, and dragged its three-headed Cerberus into open day; the monster sickened, vomited his henbane, and fled for refuge to his native shades.
The obedience of Christ] Subjection to idols was annihilated by the progress of the Gospel among the heathens; and they soon had but one Lord, and his name one. In like manner the doctrines of the reformation, mighty through God, pulled down-demolished and brought into captivity, the whole papal system; and instead of obedience to the pope, the pretended vicar of God upon earth, obedience to Christ, as the sole almighty Head of the Church, was established, particularly in Great Britain, where it continues to prevail. Hallelujah! the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 5. Casting down imaginations , etc..] Or reasonings; the carnal reasonings of the minds of natural men against God, his providences and purposes, against Christ, and the methods of salvation, and every truth of the Gospel; which are all disproved, silenced, and confounded, by the preaching of the word, which though reckoned the foolishness and weakness of God, appears to be wiser and stronger than men; and whereby the wisdom of the wise is destroyed, and the understanding of the prudent brought to nothing: and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God ; every proud thought of the heart, every great swelling word of vanity, every big look, even all the lofty looks and haughtiness of men, with every airy flight, and high towering imagination, reasoning, and argument advanced against the Gospel of Christ; which is here meant by the knowledge of God, and so called, because it is the means of leading souls into the knowledge of God, even into a better knowledge of him than can be attained to, either by the light of nature, or law of Moses; to a knowledge of him, and acquaintance with him in Christ the Mediator, in whom the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is given; and with which knowledge of God eternal life is connected, yea, in this it consists; it is the beginning of it, and will issue in it. And bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ; or carrying captive the whole understanding; that is, so illustrating it with divine light, that it clearly sees Christ to be the alone, able, willing, full, and suitable Saviour, and so becomes obedient to him, both as a Saviour and a King; such an enlightened soul looks to him alone for life and salvation, ventures on him, and relies upon him, and is desirous and willing to be saved by him in his own way; he receives and embraces all his truths and doctrines with faith and love, and obeys them from the heart, and cheerfully and willingly submits to all his commands and ordinances; for though he is taken by the grace of God, and all his strong holds, reasonings, and high thoughts are demolished by the power of God in the Gospel, and he himself is carried captive, yet not against, but with his will, to be a voluntary subject of Christ, and cheerfully to submit to the sceptre of his kingdom.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - While others thought meanly, and spake scornfully of the apostle, he had low thoughts, and spake humbly of himself. We should be aware of our own infirmities, and think humbly of ourselves, even when me reproach us. The work of the ministry is a spiritual warfare with spiritual enemies, and for spiritual purposes. Outward force is not the method of the gospel, but strong persuasions, by the power of truth an the meekness of wisdom. Conscience is accountable to God only; an people must be persuaded to God and their duty, not driven by force Thus the weapons of our warfare are very powerful; the evidence of truth is convincing. What opposition is made against the gospel, by the powers of sin and Satan in the hearts of men! But observe the conques the word of God gains. The appointed means, however feeble they appea to some, will be mighty through God. And the preaching of the cross, by men of faith and prayer, has always been fatal to idolatry, impiety and wickedness.
Greek Textus Receptus
λογισμους 3053 N-APM καθαιρουντες 2507 5723 V-PAP-NPM και 2532 CONJ παν 3956 A-ASN υψωμα 5313 N-ASN επαιρομενον 1869 5734 V-PMP-ASN κατα 2596 PREP της 3588 T-GSF γνωσεως 1108 N-GSF του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ αιχμαλωτιζοντες 163 5723 V-PAP-NPM παν 3956 A-ASN νοημα 3540 N-ASN εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF υπακοην 5218 N-ASF του 3588 T-GSM χριστου 5547 N-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. Casting down (kaqairountev). Not the weapons, but we: we war, casting down, etc.High thing (uywma). Only here and Rom. viii. 39. Falling in with the metaphor of strongholds. High military works thrown up, or lofty natural fastnesses with their battlements of rock. The word is also used in the Septuagint and Apocrypha of mental elevation, as Job xxiv. 24, where the Septuagint reads "his haughtiness hath harmed many."
Exalteth itself (epairomenon). Rev., is exalted. Aeschylus uses a similar metaphor in Atossa's dream of the two women whom Xerxes yoked to his chariot: "And the one towered (epourgouto) loftily in these trappings" ("Persae," 190).
Bringing into captivity (aicmalwtizontev). Or leading away captive. The military metaphor is continued; the leading away of the captives after the storming of the stronghold. See on captives, Luke iv. 18. The campaign against the Cilician pirates resulted in the reduction of a hundred and twenty strongholds and the capture of more than ten thousand prisoners. Thought (nohma). See on ch. iii. 14.
To the obedience of Christ. In pursuance of the metaphor. The obedience is the new stronghold into which the captives are led. This is indicated by the preposition eijv into or unto.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
10:5 {Casting down imaginations} (logismous kaqairountes). The same military figure (kaqairesis) and the present active participle agreeing with strateuomeqa in verse #3 (verse #4 a parenthesis). The reasonings or imaginations (logismous, old word from logizomai, to reckon, only here in N.T. and #Ro 2:15) are treated as forts or citadels to be conquered. {Every high thing that is exalted} (pan huywma epairomenon). Same metaphor. huywma from huyow is late _Koin_ word (in LXX, Plutarch, Philo, papyri) for height and that figure carried on by epairomenon. Paul aims to pull down the top-most perch of audacity in their reasonings against the knowledge of God. We need Paul's skill and courage today. {Bringing every thought into captivity} (aicmalwtizontes pan noema). Present active participle of aicmalwtizw, common _Koin_ verb from aicmalwtos, captive in war (aicme, spear, halwtos verbal of haliskomai, to be taken). See on Lu 21:24. Paul is the most daring of thinkers, but he lays all his thoughts at the feet of Jesus. For noema (device) see on 2:11. {To the obedience of Christ} (eis ten hupakoen tou cristou). Objective genitive, "to the obedience unto Christ." That is Paul's conception of intellectual liberty, freedom in Christ. Deissmann (_St. Paul_, p. 141) calls this "the mystic genitive."
