Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin (continued)
Chapter
2 Corinthians 3:1-3
2 Corinthians 3:1-3 1. Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
1. Incipimus rursum nos ipsos commendare? numquid, sicuti quidam, commendaticiis epistolis opus habemus ad vos? aut commendaticiis a vobis?
2. Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 2. Epistola nostra vos estis, scripta in cordibus nostris, quae cognoscitur et legitur ab omnibus hominibus.
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
3. Dum palam fit, vos esse Epistolam Christi, subministratam a nobis, scriptam non atramento, sed Spiritu Dei vivi: non in tabulis lapideis, sed in tabulis cordis carneis. 1252
1. Do we begin It appears that this objection also was brought forward against him — that he was excessively fond of publishing his own exploits, and brought against him, too, by those who were grieved to find that the fame, which they were eagerly desirous to obtain, was effectually obstructed in consequence of his superior excellence. They had already, in my opinion, found fault with the former Epistle, on this ground, that he indulged immoderately in commendations of himself. To commend here means to boast foolishly and beyond measure, or at least to recount one's own praises in a spirit of ambition. Paul's calumniators had a plausible pretext — that it is a disgusting 1253 and odious thing in itself for one to be the trumpeter of his own praises. Paul, however, had an excuse on the ground of necessity, inasmuch as he gloried, only because he was shut up to it. His design also raised him above all calumny, as he had nothing in view but that the honor of his apostleship might remain unimpaired for the edification of the Church; for had not Christ's honor been infringed upon, he would readily have allowed to pass unnoticed what tended to detract from his own reputation. Besides,
1252"Tables de cœur de chair; ou, tables charnelles du coeur; ou, tables du cœur qui sont de chair;" — "Tables of heart of flesh; or, fleshly tables of the heart; or, tables of the heart which are of flesh."
1253"Mal sonnante aux aureilles;" — "Sounding offensively to the ears."