Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin (continued)
Commentary on the Corinthians
(Philippians 2:6.)
We are weak in him. To be weak in Christ means here to be a partaker of Christ's weakness. Thus he makes his own weakness glorious, because in it he is conformed to Christ, and he no longer shrinks back from the disgrace, that he has in common with the Son of God; but, in the mean time, he says that he will live towards them after Christ's example. "I also," says he, "will be a partaker of Christ's life, after I shall have been exempted from weakness." 1847 To weakness he opposes life, and, accordingly, he understands by this term a condition that is flourishing, and full of honor. 1848 The clause towards you may also be taken in connection with the power of God, but it is of no importance, as the meaning always remains the same — that the Corinthians, when they began to judge aright, would have respectful and honorable views of the power of God, which was in Paul, and would no longer despise outward infirmity.
2 Corinthians 13:5-9
2 Corinthians 13:5-9 5. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
5. Vosmet iposo tentate, num sitis in fide: vos ipsos probate. Annon cognoscitis vosmet ipsos, quod Iesus Christus in vobis est, nisi si cubi reprobi estis?
6. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. 6. At spero vos cognituros, quod nos non simus reprobi. 7. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
7. Opto autem apud Deum, ne quid male faciatis; non quo nos probati appareamus, sed ut vos quod honestum est faciatis, nos vero veluti reprobi sumus.
8. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 8. Non enim possumus quicquam adversus veritatem, sed pro veritate. 9. For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.
9. Gaudemus enim, quum nos infirmi fuerimus, vos autem validi fueritis: hoc vero etiam optamus, vestram integritatem.
5. Try yourselves. He confirms, what he had stated previously — that Christ's power showed itself openly in his ministry. For he makes them the judges of this matter, provided they descend, as it were, into themselves,
1847"Apres que mon infirmite aura comme fait son temps;" — "After my weakness shall have, as it were, served its time."
1848"Ascauoir quand vn homme est en estime et reputation;" — "That is, when a man is held in esteem and reputation."
John Calvin and acknowledge what they had received from him. In the first place, as there is but one Christ, it must be of necessity, that the same Christ must dwell alike in minister and people. Now, dwelling in the people, how will he deny himself in the minister. 1849 Farther, he had shown his power in Paul's preaching, in such a manner that it could be no longer doubtful or obscure to the Corinthians, if they were not altogether stupid. 1850 For, whence had they faith? whence had they Christ? whence, in fine, had they every thing? It is with good reason, therefore, that they are called to look into themselves, that they may discover there, what they despise as a thing unknown. Then only has a minister a true and well grounded assurance for the approbation of his doctrine, when he can appeal to the consciences of those whom he has taught, that, if they have any thing of Christ, and of sincere piety, they may be constrained to acknowledge his fidelity. We are now in possession of Paul's object.
This passage, however, is deserving of particular observation on two accounts. For, in the first place, it shows the relation, 1851 which subsists between the faith of the people, and the preaching of the minister — that the one is the mother, that produces and brings forth, and the other is the daughter, that ought not to forget her origin. 1852 In the second place, it serves to prove the assurance of faith, as to which the Sorbonnic sophists have made us stagger, nay more, have altogether rooted out from the minds of men. They charge with rashness all that are persuaded that they are the members of Christ, and have Him remaining in them, for they bid us be satisfied with a "moral conjecture," 1853 as they call it — that is, with a mere opinion 1854 so that our consciences remain constantly in suspense, and in a state of perplexity. But what does Paul say here? He declares, that all are reprobates, who doubt whether they profess Christ and are a part of His body. Let us, therefore, reckon that alone to be right faith, which leads us to repose in safety in the favor of God, with no wavering opinion, but
1849"En la personne du Ministre;" — "In the person of the Minister." 1850"Du tout stupides et abbrutis;" — "Altogether stupid and besotted." 1851"La relation et correspondance mutuelle;" — "The relation and mutual correspondence." 1852"Que ne doit point oublier le lieu d'ou elle a prins la naissance;" — "Which ought not to forget the place, from which she has taken her birth."
1853See Calvin on the Corinthians, vol. 1, p. 112. 1854"D'vne opinion et vn cuider;" — "With an opinion and an imagination." — The Rhemish Translators, when commenting on this very passage, take occasion to oppose the idea of the attainableness of assurance of faith. "The Heretiques," say they, "argue hereupon, that every one may know himself certainly to be in grace; where the Apostle speaketh expressly and onely of faith, the act whereof a man may know and feele to be in himself, because it is an act of understanding, though he cannot be assured that he hath his sinnes remitted, and that he is in all pointes in a state of grace and salvation; because euery man that is of the Catholike faith is not alwaies of good life and agreeable thereunto, nor the acts of our will so subject to understanding, that we can knowe certainely whether we be good or euill." Dr. Fulke, in his Refutation of the errors of the Rhemish Doctors, (Loud. 1601,) p. 584, after furnishing suitable replies to the arguments thus advanced, concludes by remarking, that "our certeintie dependeth not upon our will or workes, but upon the promise of God through faith, that Christ is in us, and we in him, therefore we shall not misse of the performance of his promises." — Ed.