Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin (continued)
John Calvin as to despise others and feel satisfied with himself. 785
5. Doth not behave itself unseemly Erasmus renders it "Is not disdainful;" but as he quotes no author in support of this interpretation, I have preferred to retain its proper and usual signification. I explain it, however, in this way — that love does not exult in a foolish ostentation, or does not bluster, but observes moderation and propriety. And in this manner, he again reproves the Corinthians indirectly, because they shamefully set at naught all propriety by an unseemly haughtiness. 786
Seeketh not its own. From this we may infer, how very far we are from having love implanted in us by nature; for we are naturally prone to have love and care for ourselves, and aim at our own advantage. Nay, to speak more correctly, we rush headlong into it. 787 For so perverse an inclination the remedy 788 is love, which leads us to leave off caring for ourselves, and feel concerned for our neighbors, so as to love them and be concerned for their welfare. Farther, to seek one's own things, 789 is to be devoted to self, and to be wholly taken up with concern for one's own advantage. This definition solves the question, whether it is lawful for a Christian to be concerned for his own advantage? for Paul does not here reprove every kind of care or concern for ourselves, but the excess of it, which proceeds from an immoderate and blind attachment to ourselves. Now the excess lies in this — if we think of ourselves so as to neglect others, or if the desire of our own advantage calls us off from that concern, which God commands us to have as to our neighbors. 790 He adds, that love is also a bridle to repress quarrels, and this follows from the first two statements. For where there is gentleness and forbearance, persons in that case do not, on a sudden, become angry, and are not easily stirred up to disputes and contests. 791
7. Beareth all things, etc. By all these statements he intimates, that love is neither impatient nor spiteful. For to bear and endure all things is the part of forbearance to believe and hope all things is the part of candor and kindness. As we are naturally too much devoted to self, this vice renders us
785Bloomfield considers the distinction between this clause and the preceding one to be this, that the former "refers to pride as shown in words, and the latter to "the carriage and bearing, to denote pride and haughtiness on account of certain external advantages. A similar view is taken by Barnes, who considers the former clause as referring to "the expression of the feelings of pride, vanity," etc.; and the latter, to "the feeling itself." — Ed.
786The proper meaning of the verb {ασχήμονειν}, is to offend against decorum See Eurip. Hec 407. --- Ed
787"Nons sommes transportez-la, et nous-nous y iettons sans moderation aucune;" — "We are hurried into it, and rush into it without any restraint.
788"Le remede unique," — "The only remedy." 789"Car il y a ainsi a le traduire mot a mot;" — "For that is the literal meaning." 790Granville Penn translates the clause as follows: "Seeketh not what is not its own," — in accordance with the reading of the Vat. MS. {Οὐ} {ζητεῖ} {τὰ} {μὴ} {εαυτὢς} (Seeketh not the things that are not its own.) He supposes the {μὢ} (not) to have ``lapsed, or been erroneously rejected from all the later copies.'' --- Ed
791The last clause of the verse, which is in our translation, thinketh no evil, is rendered by Bishop Pearce, "meditateth no mischief" — a sense in which the expression (p.424) {λογιζεσθαι} {κακον} occurs in the Septuagint, in Psalm 35:4, and 41:7. It is beautifully rendered by Bloomfield, ``does not enter it into a note-book, for future revenge. --- Ed