Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin
Commentary on the Corinthians down, it is true, the harshness of his reproach by calling them brethren, but at the same time he brings it forward expressly as a matter of reproach against them, that their minds were suffocated with the darkness of the flesh to such a degree that it formed a hindrance to his preaching among them. What sort of sound judgment then must they have, when they are not fit and prepared as yet even for hearing! He does not mean, however, that they were altogether carnal, so as to have not one spark of the Spirit of God — but that they had still greatly too much of carnal sense, so that the flesh prevailed over the Spirit, and did as it were drown out his light. Hence, although they were not altogether destitute of grace, yet, as they had more of the flesh than of the Spirit, they are on that account termed carnal This sufficiently appears from what he immediately adds — that they were babes in Christ; for they would not have been babes had they not been begotten, and that begetting is from the Spirit of God.
Babes in Christ This term is sometimes taken in a good sense, as it is by Peter, who exhorts us to be like new-born babes, (1 Peter 2:2,) and in that saying of Christ,
Unless ye become as these little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God, (Luke 18:17.)
Here, however, it is taken in a bad sense, as referring to the understanding. For we must be children in malice, but not in understanding, as he says afterwards in 1 Corinthians 14:20, — a distinction which removes all occasion of doubt as to the meaning. To this also there is a corresponding passage in Ephesians 4:14.
That we be no longer children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, and made the sport 146 of human fallacies, but may day by day grow up, etc
2. I have fed you with milk Here it is asked, whether Paul transformed Christ to suit the diversity of his hearers. I answer, that this refers to the manner and form of his instructions, rather than to the substance of the doctrine. For Christ is at once milk to babes, and strong meat to those that are of full age, (Hebrews 5:13, 14,) the same truth of the gospel is administered to both, but so as to suit their capacity. Hence it is the part of a wise teacher to accommodate himself to the capacity of those whom he has undertaken to instruct, so that in dealing with the weak and ignorant, he begins with first principles, and does not go higher than they are able to follow, (Mark 4:33,) and so that, in short, he drops in his instructions by little and little, 147 lest it should run over, if poured in more abundantly.
146Our author gives in this, as in many other instances, the substance of the passage quoted rather than the express words In the expression "made the sport of human fallacies," he seems to have had in his eye the term {κυβεια} --- rendered by our translators sleight (of men,) which, as Calvin himself remarks when commenting upon the passage, is ``translatum ab aleatoribus, quod inter eos multae sint fallendi artes:'' borrowed from players at dice, there being many arts of deception practiced among them. --- Ed
147"Il leur propose la doctrine petit a petit, et par maniere de dire, la face distiller en eux;" — "He presents instruction to them by little and little, and, so to speak, makes it drop upon