OUR SPIRITUAL WEAPONS -- Tomorrow:
"Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Cor 10:1-6)
Devotion 28 of 44
"For the weapons . . . are not carnal . . . "
Other versions read, "are not of the flesh" (NASB), "are not the weapons of the world" (NIV), "are not merely human" (NRSV), "are not worldly" (RSV), "are not those of human nature" (NJB), "are not carnal things" (TNT), "are not fleshly" (YLT), "not those made by men" (LIVING), "which come from this world" (IE), "are not mere human ones" (WILLIAMS), "are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]" (AMPLIFIED), and "are not those of human warfare" (PHILLIPS).
As you can see, the word "carnal" is handled a number of different ways in these translations. It is associated with "flesh," "the world," "human," "men," and "physical." These are, of course, completely apart from etymological concerns. They are interpretations of the Greek word, and not translations of it. Notwithstanding, they do reflect aspects of the meaning of the word as it is used in our text.
Paul has already affirmed that some thought he "walked according to the flesh," or according to the temporal order and the nature of Adam's lineage. Confidently, he has declared that he does not "war after the flesh." If he speaks in the Areopagus of Athens, facing those who have a contrary mind-set, he will not speak as a Grecian. He will not employ the philosophy of Socrates, or the logic of Plato. He will not drape his speech with Grecian culture, attempt to dissuade his opponents by viewing things from their perspective. He will not speak in a "seeker-friendly" manner. He will rather employ a heavenly manner of reasoning, and take to himself spiritual weaponry to do battle against the erroneous thinking of the "philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics" (Acts 17:18-31).
The "weapons" of our warfare, Paul affirms, "are NOT carnal." They are not fashioned to be wielded by "the first man Adam" (1 Cor 15:45), or any generation that has come from him! They are "NOT carnal!" – i.e., they do not have to do with things that are limited to "this present evil world." They are not of the unregenerated order, and thus they do not "pass away," as is true of everything that is after "the fashion of this world" (1 Cor 7:31). These are not weapons that are appropriated in the schools of men, or in the now famous workshops. They are not obtained in counseling sessions, or from the books of men. There are no degrees offered in religious schools for expertise in these weapons. No church has a "Minister of Spiritual Weaponry."
The word "carnal" means "of the flesh," or of the natural order. It is a word that is like a container filled with concepts and perceptions that must be possessed by the child of God. Because the word "carnal" is not employed in the common vernacular of our day, it is not found in many versions of Scripture. Instead, the following expressions are used: "not of the flesh" (NASB), "not of the world" (NIV), "not merely human" (NRSV), "not worldly" (RSV), "not fleshly" (DARBY), "not those of the human nature" (NJB), "not those made by men" (LIVING), "not . . . from this world" (IE), "not human weapons" (WEYMOUTH), and "not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]" (AMPLIFIED).
Most of these are good commentaries, but not good translations. The Greek word employed in this text (sar-kee-ka) is literally translated "having the nature of flesh" (THAYER), "pertaining to what is human or characteristic of human nature" (LOUW-NIDA), and "fleshly, sensual" (LIDDELL-SCOTT). Lexically, it has the subordinate meaning of "under the control of the animal appetites" (THAYER). Etymologically, there is nothing in the word – nothing at all – that suggests "world" or "worldly," although doctrinally what is "carnal" is associated with this world. This is a word that must be understood if any sense is to be made of Scripture. It deals with foundational doctrine and key perceptions.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, help me to know the kind of weapons you have NOT supplied, that I may avoid any effort to obtain them.