Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin
Commentary on the Corinthians these are two offices of the Holy Spirit — first, to show to believers what they ought to desire, and secondly, to influence their hearts efficaciously, and remove all their doubt, that they may steadfastly persevere in choosing what is good. There would, however, be nothing unsuitable in extending the word fitted, so as to denote that renovation of life, with which God adorns his people even in this life, for in this way he already separates them from others, and shows that they are, by means of his grace, marked out for a peculiar condition.
6. Therefore we are always confident That is, as exercising dependence on the earnest of the Spirit; for, otherwise, we always tremble, or, at least, are courageous or alarmed by turns, and do not retain a uniform and even tenor of mind. Hence, that good courage of which Paul speaks has no place in us, unless it is maintained by the Spirit of God. The connecting particle and, which immediately follows, ought to be understood as meaning because, in this way: We are of good courage, Because we know that we are absent, etc. For this knowledge is the cause of our calmness and confidence; for the reason, why unbelievers are constantly in a ferment of anxiety, or obstinately murmur against God, is, that they think they will ere long cease to exist, and they place in this life the highest and uppermost summit of their felicity. 1411 We, on the other hand, live in the exercise of contentment, 1412 and go forward to death with alacrity, 1413 because a better hope is laid up for us.
We are absent from the Lord Scripture everywhere proclaims, that God is present with us: Paul here teaches, that we are absent from him. This is seemingly a contradiction; but this difficulty is easily solved, when we take into view the different respects, in which he is said to be present or absent. He is, then, present with all men, inasmuch as he upholds them by his power. He dwells in them, because in him they live and move and have their being. (Acts 17:28.)
He is present with his believing people by the energy of his Spirit; he lives in them, resides in the midst of them, nay more, within them. But in the mean time he is absent from us, inasmuch as he does not present himself to be seen face to face, because we are as yet in a state of exile from his kingdom, and have not as yet attained that blessed immortality, which the angels that are with him enjoy. At the same time, to be absent, in this passage, refers merely to knowledge, as is manifest from the reason that is afterwards added.
7. For we walk by faith ({Εἰδος}) I have here rendered aspectum, (sight,) because few understood the meaning of the word species, (appearance.) 1414
1411See Calvin's observations on the same point, when commenting on 1 Cor. 15:3, pp. 41, 42. — Ed. 1412"Nous viuous en paix, prenans tout en gre;" — "We live in peace, taking everything favourably."
1413"Ioyeusement;" — "Joyfully." 1414"Espece, ainsi qu'on a accoustumé de traduire en Latin ce mot Grec;" — "Species, as