Casting down imaginations
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.