Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin (continued)
Commentary on the Corinthians the handling of this subject, recourse should be had to Basil's Oration to the Young. Paul, then, being aware that this proverb was in common use among the Greeks, chose rather to make use of it, that it might make its way into their minds more readily, than to express the same thing in his own words. For they would more readily receive what they had been accustomed to — as we have experience of in proverbs with which we are familiar.
Now it is a sentiment that is particularly worthy of attention, for Satan, when he cannot make a direct assault upon us, 988 deludes us under this pretext, that there is nothing wrong in our raising any kind of disputation with a view to the investigation of truth. Here, therefore, Paul in opposition to this, warns us that we must guard against evil communications, as we would against the most deadly poison, because, insinuating themselves secretly into our minds, they straightway corrupt our whole life. Let us, then, take notice, that nothing is more pestilential than corrupt doctrine and profane disputations, which draw us off, even in the smallest degree, from a right and simple faith; 989 for it is not without good reason that Paul exhorts us not to be deceived. 990
34. Awake righteously As he saw that the Corinthians were in a manner intoxicated, 991 through excessive carelessness, he arouses them from their
988"Pour nous seduire;" — "To draw us aside." 989"De la simplicite de la foy;" — "From the simplicity of the faith." 990"The connection is not that in which we should have expected such a maxim to be inserted. It is in the midst of a very affecting and instructive view of the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting; but the occasion of it was this: the Corinthians had received, from the intrusion of false teachers, principles which militated against that great doctrine. They had been taught to explain it away, and to resolve it merely into a moral process which takes place in the present world; interpreting what is said of the resurrection of the dead in a mystical and figurative manner. The apostle insinuates, that it was by a mixture of the corrupt communications of these men with the Christian Church, and the intimate contact into which they had permitted themselves to come with them, that they had been led off from the fundamental doctrine of the gospel, and rejected a primary part of the apostolic testimony. 'For if there be no resurrection of the dead, then,' as he observed, 'is Christ not risen, and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain; ye are yet in your sins.' We see, that notwithstanding the apostle had planted pure Christianity among the Corinthians, and had confirmed it by the most extraordinary miracles and supernatural operations, yet such was the contagion of evil example and corrupt communication, that the members of the Corinthian Church, in a very short time, departed from the fundamental article of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ; and hence we may learn the importance, nay, the necessity, of being on our guard in this respect, and of avoiding such confidence in ourselves as might induce us to neglect the caution here so forcibly expressed — 'Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good manners."' — R. Hall's Works, (Lond. 1846,) volume 6, pages 273, 274. — Ed. 991The original word {ἐκνήψατε}, properly signifies to awake sober out of a drunken sleepage It is used in this sense in stone instances in the Septuagint. Thus in Joel 1:5, {Εκνηψατε} {οἱ} {μεθυντες} Awake, ye drunkards. See also Genesis 9:24, and 1 Samuel 25:37. It is used in the same sense by classical writers. `` `Awake to righteousness and sin not, for some have not the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame;' that is, shake off the mental delusion and stupor in which the intoxication of error has involved you, that, with clear and exerted faculties, you may attend to the most important subject.'' --- Brown's Expository Discourses on Peter, volume in. page 8. The expression {ἐκνήψατε} {δικαίως}, (awake righteously,) is rendered by Luther machet recht aui --- ``Wake right up.'' It is, however, generally considered to be elliptical. Some supply {ζησοτες} --- ``Awake, that ye may live righteously. Others understand {δικαίως}, as equivalent to {ὡς} {δικαίως} {δεῖ} ``as it is fit you should.'' ``Arrian and Menander,'' says Parkhurst, ``use {δικαιως} in this sense, as may be seen in Alberti on the text.'' To the two authorities quoted by Alberti, Alexander in his Paraphrase on 1 Corinthians xv., adds one from Ocellus Lucanus --- {̔Ο} {δε} {διαμαχομενος} {δικαιως}, but