1711"La substance de la chose;" — "The substance of the thing."
Commentary on the Corinthians edge might perhaps suffice for others, but how could a teacher be dumb? I answer, that, while Paul acknowledges himself to be rude in speech, it is not as though he were a mere infant, but as meaning, that he was not distinguished by such splendid eloquence as others, to whom he yields the palm as to this, retaining for himself what was the principal thing — the reality itself, 1711 while he leaves them talkativeness without gravity. If, however, any one should inquire, why it is that the Lord, who made men's tongues, (Exodus 4:11,) did not also endow so eminent an apostle with eloquence, that nothing might be wanting to him, I answer, that he was furnished with a sufficiency for supplying the want of eloquence. For we see and feel, what majesty there is in his writings, what elevation appears in them, what a weight of meaning is couched under them, what power is discovered in them. In fine, they are thunderbolts, not mere words. Does not the efficacy of the Spirit appear more clearly in a naked rusticity of words, (so to speak,) than under the disguise of elegance and ornament? Of this matter, however, we have treated more largely in the former Epistle. 1712 In short, he admits, as far as words are concerned, what his adversaries allege by way of objection, while he denies in reality what they hold forth. Let us also learn, from his example, to prefer deeds to words, and, to use a barbarous but common proverb — "Teneant alii quid nominis, nos autem quid rei;" — "Let others know something of the name, but let us know something of the reality." 1713 If eloquence is superadded, let it be regarded by us as something over and above; and farther, let it not be made use of for disguising doctrine, or adulterating it, but for unfolding it in its genuine simplicity.
But everywhere. As there was something magnificent in placing himself on a level with the chief Apostles, that this may not be ascribed to arrogance, he makes the Corinthians judges, provided they judge from what they have themselves experienced; for they had known sufficiently well, from many proofs, that he did not boast needlessly, or without good reason. He means, therefore, that he needs not make use of words, inasmuch as reality and experience afford clear evidence of every thing that he was about to say 1714
2 Corinthians 11:7-12
2 Corinthians 11:7-12 7. Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, 1711"La substance de la chose;" — "The substance of the thing." 1712See Calvin on the Corinthians, vol. 1, pp. 75-77. 1713"Et afin que i'vse d'vn prouerbe des Latins barbare, commun toutesfois — 'Que les autres scachent les mots, mais que nous ayons bonne cognoissance de la chose;' " — "And to use a proverb of the Latins, barbarous, indeed, but common — 'Let others know the words, but let us have a good acquaintance with the reality.' " Tymme, in his translation of Calvin on the Corinthians, (1573,) renders this proverb as follows: "Let other haue the shell, so we may haue the kernell." — Ed.
1714"Monstrent audoigttout ce qu'il en pourroit dire;" — "Show with the finger every thing that he might be prepared to say as to it."