Question
I have a question regarding revenge as spoken of by Paul in II Cor 7:11, 10:6. How are we to appreciate revenge in the sense in which it is used here? How does a son revenge his disobedience?
Response
The way the word is primarily used today it often strikes people as an inappropriate word to use, not only in II Corinthians but in places where God is said to “revenge” or is called upon to “revenge”. Most folks usually think of “revenge” only in the sense of ‘getting even’, and doing so for base, selfish reasons; for reasons that are hardly ever, if ever, construed as being noble and laudable. They usually associate “revenge” with the absence of any pity, or mercy, or self-restraint, and think of it as only involving a passionate desire to ‘get even’ with someone and inflict upon him a measure of retribution for what he did to them. This may be how the word is primarily used today, but this is not the only way the word has always been used. In fact, Webster briefly points this out when he defines it, drawing attention to the fact that it originally possessed a more noble meaning and use that involved matters of rightness and justice and appropriateness; and as such it closely paralleled the word “avenge”, which still is used for matters of just and righteous retaliation. Though Webster does not greatly elaborate upon the more noble use of “revenge”, and its kinship to “avenge”, at least he makes reference to it.
In its noble meaning and use “revenge” is very close in meaning to “avenge”, with the main point of distinction and discrimination having to do with the kind of satisfaction that is derived from the retaliation and/or retribution that is exacted.
Briefly put, with “avenge” the focus of the satisfaction is on objective matters such as justice being served; what is right being upheld; a wrong being rectified; a just punishment being exacted; an offender receiving what is deserved; an innocent victim being delivered; and such like things. The focus is upon the objective aims of what is right, proper, and just being served in the face of some offence, or injustice, or wrong, etc. “Avenge” does not exclude other matters of satisfaction, but its focus is upon satisfaction regarding the objective matters.
With “revenge” the focus of the satisfaction is on subjective matters; i.e., upon the personal satisfaction that the one exacting revenge derives from the revenge. (Yet like “avenge” it too, does not exclude other matters of satisfaction; it just places the focus upon the matter of personal satisfaction.) Because the focus is upon the personal issue of satisfaction, this is the main reason why it possesses meanings that also involve selfish motives for retaliation, or emotional motives, or base, ignoble motives, and the like. And of course these are the meanings for “revenge” that have come to dominate since the time of the KJV translators, making it so that most folks are not even aware that “revenge” can be used to refer to exacting a retaliation upon something or someone and in so doing deriving a proper and noble kind of personal satisfaction. Personal satisfaction or gratification does not always have to be selfish, or self-serving; nor does it have to be carnal, or emotional, or ignoble. And when it is not carnal or ignoble in any manner or form; and when it is derived from a retaliation that addresses a wrong, or an opposition, and nullifies it; then this is when one is dealing with “revenge” in its noble sense.
Simply put, “revenge” in its noble sense is the issue of exacting retaliation against opposition you have experienced, or a wrong you have suffered, from someone/thing that is opposed to you doing what is right, or doing what you should do, or to you fulfilling a purpose, or completing a mission, or meeting an objective, or proceeding on a prescribed course, etc., etc. By exacting retaliation you respond in a way that addresses the opposition you have experienced for the purpose of overcoming its effect upon you and nullifying it. And in so doing you derive the personal satisfaction of successfully, or victoriously, dealing with it and then being able to proceed on to the fulfillment of what the opposition opposed, or the wrong hindered.
In a nutshell this is the noble meaning belonging to “revenge.”
It is obvious from the King James Translator’s use of the word, especially with God Himself and with us in II Corinthians, that they were using it with its noble meaning. And with this you should have no trouble appreciating the issue of us taking “revenge” in the context of II Corinthians 7, and Paul having in a readiness to exact “revenge” in the context of II Corinthians 10.
Furthermore, it is obvious to me from Paul’s restricted use of the word “revenge” with us, (using it only twice); along with the fact that it is only one of a number of proper responses in II Corinthians 7 and it is the last one mentioned; along with the fact that the two uses of the word occur in the doctrinal context of II Corinthians; that Paul therefore is not talking about “revenge” as an applicable response “every time a saint chooses to sin” and that he does not “blame the satanic policy of evil every time a saint chooses to sin.” But when the policy of evil is involved; when it is a factor in the disobedience; then “revenge” becomes an issue.
The issue both in II Corinthians 7 and 10 is not one of the Corinthians simply yielding to sin, and hence what Paul describes is not the simple issue of how Christians are to respond when they do ‘simply yield to sin in their lives’. (That issue has been dealt with back in Romans 6:1-8:13, and what is set forth there covers the proper response “every time a saint chooses to sin.” Moreover, the policy of evil is not an issue in Romans 6:1-8:13, with the result that we are not to blame the policy of evil every time we choose to sin. It doesn’t become an issue until later on, and only when it becomes an issue and we have been victimized by it are we expected to respond with a response that includes it being a factor in our disobedience. The ‘rules of engagement’ that the policy of evil must follow make this clear; at least to me.)
Hence, my understanding is that when Paul speaks of “revenge” in II Corinthians 7 and 10 he is not talking about the Corinthians, or our, normal response to the issue of simply yielding to a lust of sin in our lives, but to something greater than that; something more substantial than that; something to which “revenge” is both fitting and proper. And that greater and more substantial thing is the opposition from the policy of evil. The Corinthians were victimized by it; but not by simply yielding to their own sinful lusts, but by being tempted by the policy of evil and giving into it. The response of “revenge”, therefore, is applicable when one has given into the policy of evil. It is not an issue when one simply yields to a lust of sin in his members.
My understanding that this is the situation in II Corinthians 7 and 10, and that this is when “revenge” applies, is supported by the fact that the disobedience Paul addresses in II Corinthians 7 and 10 is not that of ‘simply yielding to sin’; that the bigger issue of facing temptations from the policy of evil had become a factor in the lives of the Corinthians and they had been victimized by it; that the doctrinal position of II Corinthians in the curriculum for our sonship edification specifically deals with the bigger issue of being victimized by the policy of evil; that the issue of “revenge” only comes into play now in II Corinthians in accordance with the activities of the policy of evil; and by the meaning of the word “revenge” itself. For as I pointed out when describing the word, the nature of the word itself and the nature of its noble meaning demands that the issue to which it applies be that of opposition. And this takes it out of the realm of the commonplace; i.e. out of the realm of being a response that is applicable to the issue of simply yielding to a common lust of sin.
So, I think “revenge” is applicable in the context of the disobedience being dealt with in II Corinthians, but not with all disobedience.
Keith Blades
Enjoy The Bible Ministries
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