Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin
John Calvin because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
7. Num illud peccavi, quod me ipsum humiliaverim, 1715 ut vos exaltaremini: quod gratuito Evangelium Dei praedicaverim vobis?
8. I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. 8. Caeteras Ecclesias depraedatus sum accepto ab illis stipendio, quo vobis inservirem.
9. And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself
9. Et quum apud vos essem et egerem, non onerosus fui cuiquam; 1716 nam quod mihi deerat, suppleverunt fratres, qui venerant ex Macedonia; et in omnibus sic me servavi, ne cui essem onerosus, atque ita servabo.
10. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
10. Est veritas Christi in me, quod haec gloriatio non interrumpetur contra me in regionibus Achaiae.
11. Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. 11. Quapropter? An quod non diligam vos? Deus novit. 12. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
12. Verum quod facio, idem et faciam: ut amputem occasionem iis qui cupiunt occasionem, ut in quo gloriantur, reperiantur, quemadmodum et nos.
7. Have I committed an offense? His humility was cast up to him by way of reproach, while it was an excellence that was deserving of no ordinary commendation. Humility here means — voluntary abasement; for in conducting himself modestly, as if he had nothing in him that was particularly excellent, so that many looked upon him as one of the common people, he had done that for the advantage of the Corinthians. For the man was inflamed with so great a desire, 1717 and so great an anxiety for their salvation, that he made a regard to himself a secondary consideration. Hence he says, that he had of his own accord made a surrender of his own greatness, that they might become great through his abasement. For his design was, that he might promote their salvation. He now indirectly charges them with ingratitude, in imputing to him as a fault so pious a disposition — not indeed for the purpose of reproaching him, but with the view of restoring them so much the better to a sound mind. And certainly, he wounded them more severely
1715"En ce que ie me suis humilie moy mesme, ou, abbaisse;" — "Because I have humbled or abased myself."
1716"Je n'ay foulle personne, ou, ne suis point deuenu lasche en besongne au dommage de quelqu'vn;" — "I was not burdensome to any one, or, I did not become remiss in labor to the hurt of any one."
1717"Car ce sainct Apostre estoit tellement embrasse du desir." — "For this holy Apostle was to such a degree inflamed with desire."