123"Es bons autheurs;" — "In good authors."
Commentary on the Corinthians hand, are such as are adapted to a pure and simple style, corresponding to the dignity of the Spirit, rather than to an empty ostentation. For in order that eloquence may not be wanting, we must always take care that the wisdom of God be not polluted with any borrowed and profane luster. Paul's manner of teaching was of such a kind, that the power of the Spirit shone forth in it single and unattired, without any foreign aid.
Spiritual things with spiritual {Συγκρινεσθαι} is used here, I have no doubt, in the sense of adapt This is sometimes the meaning of the word, 123 (as Budaeus shows by a quotation from Aristotle) and hence {συγκριμα} is used to mean what is knit together or glued together, and certainly it suits much better with Paul's context than compare or liken, as others have rendered it. He says then that he adapts spiritual things to spiritual, in accommodating the words to the subject; 124 that is, he tempers that heavenly wisdom of the Spirit with a simple style of speech, and of such a nature as carries in its front the native energy of the Spirit. In the meantime he reproves others, who, by an affected elegance of expression and show of refinement, endeavor to obtain the applause of men, as persons who are either devoid of solid truth, or, by unbecoming ornaments, corrupt the spiritual doctrine of God.
1 Corinthians 2:14-16
1 Corinthians 2:14-16 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
14. Animalis autem homo non comprehendit quae sunt Spiritus Dei. Sunt enim illi stultitia; nec potest intelligere, quia spiritualiter diiudicantur.
15. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet himself is judged of no man.
15. Spiritualis autem diiudicat omnia, ipsc vero a neminc (vel, nullo) diiudicatur.
16. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
16. Quis enim cognovit mentem Domini, qui adjuvet ipsum? nos autem mentem Christi habemus.
14. But the animal man. 125 By the animal man he does not mean (as is
123"Es bons autheurs;" — "In good authors." 124Beza's view is substantially the same — "Verba rei accommodantes, ut, sicut spiritualia sunt quae docemus, neque sinceritas doctrinae caelestis ullis humanis commentis est depravata, ita spirituale sit nostrum illius docendae ghenus: — "Accommodating the words to the subject, so that as the things at we teach are spiritual, and the purity of heavenly doctrine is not corrupted by human contrivances, our mode of teaching it may in like manner be spiritual." — Ed.
125"Or l'homme naturel. A le traduire du Grec mot a mot, il y auroit l'homme animal;" — "But the natural man. Rendering the Greek literally it means the animal man."
John Calvin commonly thought) the man that is given up to gross lusts, or, as they say, to his own sensuality, but any man that is endowed with nothing more than the faculties 126 of nature. 127 This appears from the corresponding term, for he draws a comparison between the animal man and the spiritual As the latter denotes the man whose understanding is regulated by the illumination of the Spirit of God, there can be no doubt that the former denotes the man that is left in a purely natural condition, as they speak. For the soul 128 belongs to nature, but the Spirit is of supernatural communication.
He returns to what he had previously touched upon, for his object is to remove a stumblingblock which might stand in the way of the weak — that there were so many that despised the gospel. He shows that we ought to make no account of a contempt of such a nature as proceeds from ignorance, and that it ought, consequently, to be no hindrance in the way of our going forward in the race of faith, unless perhaps we choose to shut our eyes upon the brightness of the sun, because it is not seen by the blind. It would, however, argue great ingratitude in any individual, when God bestows upon him a special favor, to reject it, on the ground of its not being common to all, whereas, on the contrary, its very rareness ought to enhance its value. 129
For they are foolishness to him, neither can he know them. "The doctrine of the gospel," says he, "is insipid 130 in the view of all that are wise merely in the view of man. But whence comes this? It is from their own blindness. In what respect, then, does this detract from the majesty of the gospel?" In short, while ignorant persons depreciate the gospel, because they measure its value by the estimation in which it is held by men, Paul derives an argument from this for extolling more highly its dignity. For he teaches that the reason why it is contemned is that it is unknown, and that the reason why it is unknown is that it is too profound and sublime to be apprehended by the understanding of man. What a superior wisdom 131 this is, which so far transcends all human understanding, that man cannot have so much as a taste of it! 132 While, however, Paul here tacitly imputes it to the pride of the flesh, that mankind dare to condemn as foolish what they do not comprehend, he at the same time shows how great is the weakness or rather bluntness of the human understanding, when he declares it to be
126"Les facultes et graces;" — "The faculties and gifts." 127Beza's definition of the term is much similar — "Homo non alia quam naturali animi luce praeditus;" — "A man that is not endowed with anything more than the natural light of the mind." — Ed.
128"Anima" "the soul" corresponds to the Greek term {ψυχη}, and the Hebrew term {,{נפשwhile spiritus (spirit) corresponds to }πνευμα} and {;{רוחbut Calvin employs the epithet animalis (animal) as a derivative from anima, (the soul,) and as designating the man whose soul is in a purely natural state --- without supernatural illumination --- in other words, the man of mere mind. --- Ed
129"D'autant qu'il est fait a peu de gens, d'autant doit-il estre trouue plus excellent;" — "The fewer it is conferred upon, it ought to be accounted so much the more valuable."
130"Et n'auoir point de goust;" — "And has no relish." 131"O quelle sagesse!" — "O what wisdom!" 132"Vn petit goust;" — "A slight taste."