Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin (continued)
John Calvin example, that the more numerous and the more excellent the graces by which any one of us is distinguished, so much the less ought he to think of his own excellence. For such a thought is exceedingly dangerous, because, like one entering into a labyrinth, the person is immediately dazzled, so as to be too quick-sighted in discerning his gifts, 1771 while in the mean time he is ignorant of himself. Paul is afraid, lest this should befall him. The graces conferred by God are, indeed, to be acknowledged, that we may be aroused, — first, to gratitude for them, and secondly, to the right improvement of them; but to take occasion from them to boast — that is what cannot be done without great danger.
For I will come 1772 to visions. "I shall not creep on the ground, but will be constrained to mount aloft. Hence I am afraid, lest the height of my gifts should hurry me on, so as to lead me to forget myself." And certainly, if Paul had gloried ambitiously, he would have fallen headlong from a lofty eminence; for it is humility alone that can give stability to our greatness in the sight of God.
Between visions and revelations there is this distinction — that a revelation is often made either in a dream, or by an oracle, without any thing being presented to the eye, while a vision is scarcely ever afforded without a revelation, or in other words, without the Lord's discovering what is meant by it. 1773
2. I knew a man in Christ As he was desirous to restrain himself within bounds, he merely singles out one instance, and that, too, he handles in such a way as to show, that it is not from inclination that he brings it forward; for why does he speak in the person of another rather than in his own? It is as though he had said, "I should have preferred to be silent, I should have preferred to keep the whole matter suppressed within my own mind, but those persons 1774 will not allow me. I shall mention it, therefore, as it were in a stammering way, that it may be seen that I speak through constraint." Some think that the clause in Christ is introduced for the purpose of confirming what he says. I view it rather as referring to the disposition, so as to intimate that Paul has not here an eye to himself, but
1771"Ses dons et graces;" — "His gifts and graces." 1772"I will come Marg 'For I will' Our Translators have omitted ({γὰρ}), for, in the text, evidently supposing that it is a mere expletive. Doddridge renders it `nevertheless.' But it seems to me that it contains an important sense, and that it should be rendered by then. `Since it is not fit that I should glory, then I will refer to visions, etc. I will turn away, then, from that subject, and come to another.' Thus the word ({γὰρ}), for, is used in John 7:41, `Shall then ({μὴ} {γὰρ}) Christ come out of Galilee?' Acts 8:31, `How can I then ({τῶς} {γὰρ}) except some man should guide me?' '' --- Barnes. Granville Penn renders the passage as follows: ``Must I needs boast? It is not good indeed, yet I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.'' This rendering he adopts, as corresponding with the reading of the Vat. and most ancient MS. {Καυχᾶσθαι} {δεῖ} {οὐ} {συμφέρον} {μὲν} {ἐλεύσομαι} {δὲ} {εἰς} {ὀπτασίας} {καὶ} {ἀποκαλύψεις} {Κυρίου} --- Ed.
1773"C'est qu'il signfie en ce qui s'est presente a nous;" — "What he intends in what is presented to our view." "Visions" ({ὀπτασίας}) --- symbolical representations of spiritual and celestial things, in which matters of the deepest importance are exhibited to the eve of the mind by a variety of emblems, the nature and properties of which serve to illustrate those spiritual things. --- Revelations ({ἀποκαλύψεις}) --- a manifestation of things not before known, and such as God alone can make known, because they are a part of his own inscrutable counsels.'' --- Dr A. Clarke. --- Ed.
1774"Ces opiniastres ambitieux;" — "Those ambitious, obstinate persons."
Commentary on the Corinthians
looks to Christ exclusively.
When he confesses, that he does not know whether he was in the body, or out of the body, he expresses thereby the more distinctly the greatness of the revelation. For he means, that God dealt with him in such a way, 1775 that he did not himself understand the manner of it. Nor should this appear to us incredible, inasmuch as he sometimes manifests himself to us in such a way, that the manner of his doing so is, nevertheless, hid from our view. 1776
At the same time, this does not, in any degree, detract from the assurance of faith, which rests simply on this single point — that we are aware that God speaks to us. Nay more, let us learn from this, that we must seek the knowledge of those things only that are necessary to be known, and leave other things to God. (Deuteronomy 29:29.) He says, then, that he does not know, whether he was wholly taken up — soul and body — into heaven, or whether it was his soul only, that was caught up
Fourteen years ago Some 1777 enquire, also, as to the place, but it does not belong to us to satisfy their curiosity. 1778 The Lord manifested himself to Paul in the beginning by a vision, when he designed to convert him from Judaism to the faith of the gospel, but he was not then admitted as yet into those secrets, as he needed even to be instructed by Ananias in the first rudiments. 1779 (Acts 9:12.) That vision, therefore, was nothing but a preparation, with the view of rendering him teachable. It may be, that, in this instance, he refers to that vision, of which he makes mention also, according to Luke's narrative. (Acts 22:17.) There is no occasion, however, for our giving ourselves much trouble as to these conjectures, as we see that Paul himself kept silence respecting it for fourteen years, 1780 and would not have said one word in reference to it, had not the unreasonableness of malignant persons constrained him.
Even to the third heaven. He does not here distinguish between the different heavens in the manner of the philosophers, so as to assign to each planet its own heaven. On the other hand, the number three is made use of ({κατ} {ἐζοχὴν}) by way of eminence, to denote what is highest and most complete. Nay more, the term heaven, taken by itself, denotes here the blessed and
1775"Que Dieu a tellement besongne et precede enuers luy;" — That God had in such a manner wrought and acted towards him."
1776"Est incomprehensible a nostre sens;" — "Is incomprehensible to our mind." 1777"Ne se contentans point de ceci;" — "Not contenting themselves with this." 1778"Mais nous n'auons point delibere, et aussi il n'est pas en nous de satisfaire a leur curiosite;" — "But we have not determined as to this, and it does not belong to us to satisfy their curiosity."
1779"Es premiers commencemens de la religion;" — "In the first elements of religion." 1780"This vision Paul had kept secret for fourteen years. He had doubtless often thought of it; and the remembrance of that glorious hour was doubtless one of the reasons why he bore trials so patiently, and was willing to endure so much. But before this he had had no occasion to mention it. He had other proofs in abundance that he was called to the work of an Apostle; and to mention this would savour of pride and ostentation. It was only when he was compelled to refer to the evidences of his apostolic mission that he refers to it here." — Barnes. — Ed.