Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin
Commentary on the Corinthians in the city of crimes, and heinous offense, are called by the Greeks sometimes {καθαρμοι}, but more frequently {καθάρματα}. 245 Paul, in adding the preposition {περὶ} (around) seems to have had an eye to the expiatory rite itself, inasmuch as those unhappy men who were devoted to execrations were led round through the streets, that they might carry away with them whatever there was of evil 246 in any corner, that the cleansing might be the more complete. The plural number might seem to imply that he speaks not of himself exclusively, but also of the others who were his associates, and who were not less held in contempt by the Corinthians. There is, however, no urgent reason for regarding what he says as extending to more than himself. The other term — {περίψημα}, (offscouring,) denotes filings or scrapings of any kind, and also the sweepings that are cleared away with a brush. 247 As to both terms consult the annotations of Budaeus. 248
In so far as concerns the meaning of the passage before us, Paul, with the view of expressing his extreme degradation, says that he is held in abomination by the whole world, like a man set apart for expiation, 249 and that, like offscourings, he is nauseous to all. At the same time he does not mean to say by the former comparison that he is all expiatory victim for sins, but simply means, that in respect of disgrace and reproaches he differs nothing from the man on whom the execrations of all are heaped up.
14. I write not these things to shame you As the foregoing instances of irony were very pointed, so that they might exasperate the minds of the Corinthians, he now obviates that dissatisfaction by declaring, that he had not said these things with a view to cover them with shame, but rather to admonish them with paternal affection. It is indeed certain that this is the nature and tendency of a father's chastisement, to make his son feel ashamed; for the first token of return to a right state of mind is the shame which the son begins to feel on being reproached for his fault. The object, then, which the father has in view when he chastises his son with reproofs, is that he may bring him to be displeased with himself. And we see that the tendency of what Paul has said hitherto, is to make the Corinthians ashamed of themselves. Nay more, we shall find him a little afterwards (1
245The Scholiast on Aristophanes, Plut. 454, gives the following explanation of the term {κάθαρμα}: {Καθάρματα} {ἐλέγοντο} {ὁι} {επὶ} {τὢ} {καθάρσει} {λοιμοῦ} {τινος} {ἤτινος} {ἕτὲρα}; {νάσου} {θυόμενοι} {τοις} {θεοῖς}. {Τοῦτο} {δὲ} {ἔθος} {καὶ} {παρὰ} {̔ρωμαίοις} {ἐπεκράτησε}. Those were called cleansings who were sacrificed to the gods for the cleansing out of some famine, or some other calamity. This custom prevailed also among the Romans. --- Ed
246"De malediction;" — "Of curse." 247"Les ballieures d'vne maison;" — "The sweepings of a house." 248The view given by Budaeus of the former term ({περικαθάρματα}) is stated by Leigh in his Critica Sacra to be the following: That ``the Apostle had allusion unto the expiations in use among the heathens, in time of any pestilence or contagious infection; for the removal of such diseases they then sacrificed certain men unto their gods, which men they termed {καθάρματα}. As if the Apostle had said --- We are as despicable and as odious in the sight of the people, as much loaded with the revilings and cursings of the multitude, as those condemned persons who were offered up by way of public expiation.'' The latter term ({περίψημα}) Budaeus renders as follows: ``Scobem aut ramentum et quicquid limando fleter;'' --- ``Filings or scrapings, or whatever is cleared off by filing.'' --- Ed
249"Destine a porter toutes les execrations et maudissons du monde;" — "Set apart to bear all the execrations and curses of the world."