Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin
Commentary on the Corinthians any means extend to fornication. These words, All things are lawful for me, must be understood as spoken in name of the Corinthians, {κατ} {᾿}
{ἀνθυποφορὰν}, (by anticipation,) as though he had said, I am aware of the reply which you are accustomed to make, when desirous to avoid reproof for outward vices. You pretend that all things are lawful for you, without any reserve or limitation.
But all things are not expedient Here we have the first exception, by which he restricts the use of liberty — that they must not abandon themselves to licentiousness, because respect must be had to edification. 348 The meaning is, "It is not enough that this or that is allowed us, to be made use of indiscriminately; for we must consider what is profitable to our brethren, whose edification it becomes us to study. For as he will afterwards point out at greater length, (1 Corinthians 10:23, 24,) and as he has already shown in Romans 14:13, etc., every one has liberty inwardly 349 in the sight of God on this condition, that all must restrict the use of their liberty with a view to mutual edification.
I will not be brought under the power of anything Here we have a second restriction — that we are constituted lords of all things, in such a way, that we ought not to bring ourselves under bondage to anything; as those do who cannot control their appetites. For I understand the word {τινος} (any) to be in the neuter gender, and I take it as referring, not to persons, but to things, so that the meaning is this: "We are lords of all things; only we must not abuse that lordship in such a way as to drag out a most miserable bondage, being, through intemperance and inordinate lusts, under subjection to outward things, which ought to be under subjection to us." And certainly, the excessive moroseness of those who grudge to yield up anything for the sake of their brethren, has this effect, that they unadvisedly put halters of necessity around their own necks.
13. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats Here he shows what use ought to be made of outward things — for the necessity of the present life, which passes away quickly as a shadow, agreeably to what, he says afterwards. (1 Corinthians 7:29.) We must use this world so as not to abuse it And hence, too, we infer, how improper it is for a Christian man to contend for outward things. 350 When a dispute, therefore, arises respecting corruptible things, a pious mind will not anxiously dwell upon these things; for liberty is one thing — the use of it is another. This statement accords with another — that
The kingdom of God is not meat and drink. (Romans 14:17.)
Now the body is not for fornication Having mentioned the exceptions, he now states still farther, that our liberty ought not by any means to be
348"L'edification du prochain;" — "The edification of their neighbor." 349"En sa conscience;" — "In his conscience." 350"Il s'en fant que l'homme Chrestien se doyue soncier ne debatre pour les choses externes;" — "A Christian man ought not to be solicitous, or to contend for outward things."