Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin (continued)
John Calvin active sense — in a passive sense, because wherever there is prophecy, or knowledge, or any other gift, the Spirit of God does there manifest himself — in an active sense, because the Spirit of God, when he enriches us with any gift, unlocks his treasures, for the purpose of manifesting to us those things that would otherwise have been concealed and shut up. The second interpretation suits better. The view taken by Chrysostom is rather harsh and forced — that this term is used, 736 because unbelievers do not recognize God, except by visible miracles.
1 Corinthians 12:8-13
1 Corinthians 12:8-13 8. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
8. Huic quidem per Spiritum datur sermo sapientiae, alteri datur sermo cognitionis, secundum eundem Spiritum.
9. To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
9. Alii fides in eodem Spiritu, alii dona sanationum in codera Spritu. 10. To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
10. Alii facultates potentiarum, alii autem prophetia, alii autem discretiones spirituum, alii genera linguarum, alii interpretatio linguarum.
11. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
11. Porroomnia haec efficit unus et idem Spiritus, distribuens seorsum cuique prout vult.
12. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
12. Quemadmodum enim corpus unum est, et membra habet multa: onmia autem membra corporis unius quum multa sint, corpus autem est unum: ita et Christus.
13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
13. Etenim per unum Spiritum nos omnes in unum corpus baptizati sumus, sive Iudaei, sive Graeci: sive servi, sive liberi: et omnes in uno Spiritu potum hausimus.
8. To one is given He now subjoins an enumeration, or, in other words, specifies particular kinds — not indeed all of them, but such as are sufficient for his present purpose. "Believers," says he, "are endowed with different gifts, but let every one acknowledge, that he is indebted for whatever he has
736"Que ceci est appele Manifestation:" — "That this is termed a Manifestation."
Commentary on the Corinthians to the Spirit of God, for he pours forth his gifts as the sun scatters his rays in every direction. As to the difference between these gifts, knowledge (or understanding) and wisdom are taken in different senses in the Scriptures, but here I take them in the way of less and greater, as in Colossians 2:3, where they are also joined together, when Paul says, that in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge, therefore, in my opinion, means acquaintance with sacred things — Wisdom, on the other hand, means the perfection of it. Sometimes prudence is put, as it were, in the middle place between these two, and in that case it denotes skill 737 in applying knowledge to some useful purpose. They are, it is true, very nearly allied; but still you observe a difference when they are put together. Let us then take knowledge as meaning ordinary information, and wisdom, as including revelations that are of a more secret and sublime order. 738
The term faith is employed here to mean a special faith, as we shall afterwards see from the context. A special faith is of such a kind as does not apprehend Christ wholly, for redemption, righteousness, and sanctification, but only in so far as miracles are performed in his name. Judas had a faith of this kind, and he wrought miracles too by means of it. Chrysostom distinguishes it in a somewhat different manner, calling it the faith of miracles, not of doctrines. 739 This, however, does not differ much from the interpretation previously mentioned. By the gift of healings 740 every one knows what is meant.
As to the workings of powers, or, as some render it, the operations of influences, there is more occasion for doubt. I am inclined, however, to think, that what is meant is the influence which is exercised against devils, and also against hypocrites. When, therefore, Christ and his Apostles by authority restrained devils, or put them to flight, that was {ἐνέργημα}, (powerful working,) and, in like manner, when Paul smote the sorcerer with blindness, (Acts 13:11,) and when Peter struck Ananias and Sapphira dead upon the spot with a single word. The gifts of healing and of miracles, therefore, serve to manifest the goodness of God, but this last, his severity for the destruction of Satan. 741
737"Le sqauoir et la dexterite;" — "Skill and dexterity." As to this use of the term prudentia, (prudence,) see Cicero de Officiis, 1. 43. — Ed.
738One of the most satisfactory views of this subject is that of Dr. Henderson in his Lecture on "Divine Inspiration," (pp. 193,196,) who understands by {σοφία}, (wisdom,) in this passage, ``the sublime truths of the gospel, directly revealed to the Apostles, of which the {λογος} (word) was the supernatural ability rightly to communicate them to others;'' and by {λόγος} {γνώσεως} (word of knowledge,) the faculty of ``infallibly explaining truths and doctrines which had been previously divulged.'' --- Ed
739Chrysostom's words are: {Πίστιν} {οὐ} {παύτην} {λέγει} {τὴν} {τῶν} {δογμάτων} {ἀλλὰ} {τὴν} {τῶν} {σημείων}. ``By this faith he means not that of doctrines, but that of miraeles.'' --- It was called by the schoolmen fides miractelorum (faith of miracles.) --- Ed
740The plural is made use of, it is manifest, to intimate the number and variety of the diseases that were healed — the Apostles having been invested with power to heal all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease. (Matthew 10:1.) — Ed.
741There does not appear to be sufficient ground for understanding the miracles here referred to as necessarily deeds of terror, while the connection in which the expression occurs seems to intimate, that the miracles here meant were more than ordinarily stupendous manifestations of Divine power, such as would powerfully constrain the beholder to exclaim, This