John Calvin Commentary 2 Corinthians 10:6

"and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full." — 2 Corinthians 10:6 (ASV)

And are in readiness to avenge. He adds this to prevent insolent men from presumptuously rising up in opposition to his ministry, as if they could do so with impunity. Therefore, he says that power had been given to him—not merely for constraining willing disciples to subjection to Christ, but also for inflicting vengeance upon the rebellious. He affirms that his threats were not empty scare tactics, but that their execution was fully prepared—to use the customary expression.

Now this vengeance is founded on Christ’s word—whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven (Matthew 18:18).

For although God does not thunder forth immediately when the minister pronounces the sentence, yet the decision is ratified and will be accomplished in its own time. However, it must always be understood that this applies when the minister fights with spiritual armor. Some understand it as referring to bodily punishments, by which the Apostles inflicted vengeance upon rebellious and ungodly persons; as, for example, Peter struck Ananias and Sapphira dead, and Paul struck Elymas the sorcerer blind (Acts 5:1–10 and Acts 13:6-11). But the other meaning is more fitting, for the Apostles did not use that power invariably or indiscriminately. Paul, however, speaks in general terms that he has vengeance ready at hand against all the disobedient.

When your obedience shall be fulfilled. How prudently he guards against alienating anyone by excessive severity! For as he had threatened to inflict punishment upon the rebellious, so that he might not seem to provoke them, he declares that another duty had been enjoined upon him concerning them—simply that of making them obedient to Christ. And, unquestionably, this is the proper intention of the gospel, as he teaches both in the beginning and at the end of the Epistle to the Romans (Romans 1:5 and Romans 16:26). Therefore, all Christian teachers should carefully observe this order: they should first endeavor gently to bring their hearers to obedience, inviting them kindly before proceeding to inflict punishment for rebellion. For this reason also, Christ has given the commandment about loosing before that of binding.