II Corinthians 10:13-16
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“But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God has distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labors; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.”
Paul speaks of a kind of “rule” (II Cor 10:13) and “line” (II Cor 10:16) here. What is he referring to?
The subject in context is the New Testament ministry. The margin shows that these two words come from the same Greek word kanon, from which comes the familiar word canonize. The Greek word for “measure” (II Cor 10:13) is metron. We get the word meter from it and it means a certain width. This becomes more interesting because kanon is also a reference to the famous Isthmian Games track meet of that time. (This was similar to our modern Olympics.)
In these races, each runner had a lane, “line” or “rule,” in which he ran a certain distance or measure. Consequently, Paul could use this term knowing that Corinth would then easily understand and conclude that he had the authority (“rule”) to correct them, so that they would not be “out of bounds” spiritually. The context (II Cor 10:7-16) reveals this more plainly. The point is that the apostle Paul was telling the brethren in Corinth that he had the authority to make them “toe the line.”
The world’s churches have and employ little or no actual government over their members. This passage simply reveals that there is government in the true Church of God.
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