Commentary on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

446 Pages·2009·30.34 MB·English

by  Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564

2
LIBRARY
®hcalo(^ical Seminary,
BS2675 .C32 1848 v.
Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.
Commentary on the Epistlei
of
Paul the Apostle to the
Corinthians
/

THE CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY,
INSTITUTEDINMAYM.DCCC.XLIII
FOR THE PUBLICATION OF TRANSLATIONS OF THE WORKS OF
JOHN CALVIN.
COMMENTARY
EPISTLES OF PAUL THE APOSTLE
THE CORINTHIANS.
BY JOHN CALVIK
TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN, AND COLLATED WITH
THE AUTHORS FRENCH VERSION,
BY THE REV. JOHN PRINGLE.
VOLUME SECOND.
EDINBURGH:
PRINTED FOR THE CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY.
M.DCCC.XLIX.
[lEntrrftj at Stationers' l^all]
edinbtiuoh: printed byt. constable, printer to hermajesty.
: :: :
PEINOETOIT
THEuiiOGIOlL
COMMENTARY
FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.
CHAPTER XV.
1. Moreover, brethren, I declare 1. Notum autem vobis facio, fra-
untoyouthe gospelwhich I preach- tres, evangelium quod evangelizavi
edunto you, which also ye have re- vobis, quod et recepistis, in quo
ceived, andwherein ye stand etiam stetistis.
2. By which also ye are sa;ved, if 2. Per quod etiam salutem ha-
yekeep in memorywhat Ipreached betis: quopactoannuntiarimvobis,
untoyou, unless yehave believedin si tenetis, nisifrustracredidistis.
vain
3. For I deliveredunto youfirst 3. Tradidi enim vobis imprimis
of all that which I also received, quod et acceperam, quod Christus
how that Christ died for our sins mortuus fuerit, pro peccatis nostris
according to the Scriptiu-es secundum Scripturas,
4. And that he was burie;d, and 4. Et quod sepultus sit, et quod
that he rose again the third day resurrexit tertio die, secundum
according to the Scriptures Scriptiuras.
5. And that he was seen of 5. Et quod visus fuit Cephae,
Cephas, thenofthe twelve deinde ipsis duodecim
6. After that he was seen of 6. Postea visus fuit plus quam
above five hundred brethren at quingentisfratribussimul,exquibus
once; of whom the greater part pluresmanent^adhucad huncusque
remainimto tliispresent, but some diem: quidamautemobdormierunt.
are fallen asleep.
7. After that he was seen of 7. Deinde visusfuitlacobo; post
James; then ofall the apostles. apostolis omnibus:
8. And last ofall he was seen of 8. Postremo vero omnium, velut
me also, as of one born outof due abortivo, visusfuit et mihi.
time.
9. For I am the least of the 9. Ego enim sum minimus apos-
apostles, that am not meet to be tolorum, qui non sum idoneus ut
—
" Sont viuans;" "Are alive.'
6 COMMENTARY ON THE CHAP XV. 1 .
called an apostle, because I perse- dicarapostolus: quandoquidemper-
cutedthe church ofGod. sequutus sumecclesiam Dei.
10. But by the grace of God I 10. Sed gratiaDei sum id quod
am what I am: andhisgraceAvhich sum: etgratiaejus,quaemihicoUata
was bestowed upon me was not in est, non fuit inanis, sed copiosius
vain; but I laboured more abun- quam illi omnes laboravi: non ego
dantlythanthey all: yet not I, but tamen, sedgratia Dei quae mihi ad-
the grace of God which was with erat.
me.
1. Now I—make known to yo—u. He now enters on an-
other subject the resurrection the beliefof which among
the Corinthians had been shaken by some wicked per-
sons. It is uncertain, however, whether they doubted
merely as to the ultimate resurrection of the body, or as to
the immortality of the soul also. It is abundantly well
known, that there were a variety of errors as to this point.
Some philosophers contended that souls are immortal. As
to the resurrection of the body, it never entered into the
mind of any one of them. The Sadducees, however, had
grosser views for they thought of nothing but the present
;
life ; nay more, they thought that the soul of man was a
breath ofwind without substance. It is not, therefore, al-
together certain (as I have already said) whether the Corin-
thians had atthis time gone to such a height ofmadness, as
to cast off all expectation ofa future life, or whether they
merely denied the resurrection of the body for the argu-
;
ments which Paul makes use of seem to imply, that they
were altogether bewitchedwith the mad dream of the Sad-
ducees.
For example, when he says. Ofwhat advantage is it to be
baptizedfor the dead ? (verse 29.) Were it not better to eat
and to drink ? (verse 32.) Why are we inperil everyhourt
(verse 30,) and the like, it might very readily be replied, in
accordance with the views of the philosophers, "Because
after death the soul survives the body.'' Hence some apply
the whole ofPaul's reasoning contained in this chapter to
the immortality of the soul. For my part, while I leave
undetermined what the error ofthe Corinthians was, yet I
cannot bring myselfto view Paul's words asreferring toany-
thing else than the resurrection ofthe body. Let it, there-
fore be regarded as a settled point, that it is ofthis exclu-
— — —
CHAP. XV. I. FIRST EPISTLE TU THE CORINTHIANS. 7
sively that lie treats in this chapter. And what if the im-
piety of Hymeneus and Philetus had extended thus far/
who said that the resurrection was alreadypast, (2 Tim. ii.
18,) and that there would he nothing more of it ? Similar
to these, there are at the present day some madmen, or
rather devils,^ who call themselves Libertines.^ To me,
however, the following conjecture appears more probable
that they were carried away by some delusion,^ which took
away from them the hope of a future resurrection, just as
those in the present day, by imagining an allegorical resur-
rection,^ take awayfrom us the trueresurrection that is pro-
mised to us.
However this may be, it is truly a dreadfulcase, and next
to a prodigy, that those who had been instructed by so dis-
tinguished a masier, should have been capable of falling so
quickly^ into errors of so gross a nature. But what is there
that is surprising in this, vrhen in the Israelitish Church the
Sadducees had the audacit}" to declare openly that man
differs nothingfrom a brute, inso far as concernstheessence
ofthe soul, and has no enjoyment but what is common to
him with the beasts ? Let us observe, however, that blind-
ness ofthis kind is ajustjudgment from God, so that those
who do not rest satisfied with the truth of God, are tossed
hither and thither by the delusions ofSatan.
It is asked, however, why it is that he has left off or de-
ferred to the close ofthe Epistle, what should properly have
had the precedence of everything else? Some reply, that
this was done for the purpose of impressing it more deeply
upon the memory. I am rather of opinion that Paul did
—
^ "lusqiies a Corinthe;" "A—s far as Corinth."
2 Possedez d'autres diables;" "Possessedby other devils."
^ "The LibertinesofGeneva were rather a cabal ofrakesthan a set of
fanatics; for they made no pretence to any religious system, but only
pleaded for the liberty of leading voluptuous and immoral lives. This
cabal was composed of a certain number oflicentious citizens, who could
not bear the severe discipline of Calvtn, who punished with rigour, not
only dissolute manners, but also whatever carried the aspectof irreligion
and impiety." Paterson^s History ofth—e Church, vol, ii. p. 383. Ed,
* '•Parquelque opinionfantastique;" "By some fa—ntastic notion.",,
^ "Vne ie ne scay quelle resurrection allegorique;" "An allegorical
resurrection, 1know notofwhat sort."
6 "Si soudainementseduits;"—«So suddenly seduced."
—
8 COMMENTARY ON THE CHAP. XV. 2.
not wish to introduce a subject ofsuch importance, until he
had asserted his authority, which had been considerably-
lessened among theCorinthians, and until he had, byrepres-
sing their pride, prepared them for listening to him with
docility.
/makeknownto you. To makeknownhere doesnot mean
to teach what was previouslyunknownto them,but to recall
to their recollection what theyhad heardpreviously. " Call
to your recollection, along with me, that gospel which you
had learned, before youwereledasidefromthe right course.''
He calls the doctrine of the resurrection the gospel, that
they may not imagine that any one is at liberty toform any
opinion that he chooses on this point, as on other questions,
which bring with them no injury to salvation.
When he adds, whichIpreached to you, he amplifieswhat
he had said: ''Ifyou acknowledge me as an apostle, I have
assuredly taught you so/' There is another amplification
in the words which also ye have received, for if they now
allow themselves to be persuaded of the contrary, they will
A
be chargeable with fickleness. third amplification is to
this effect, that they had hitherto continued in that be-
lief with a firm and steady resolution, which is somewhat
more than that they had once believed. But the most
important thing of all is, that he declares that their salva-
tion isinvolvedinthis, for it follows fromthis,that, ifthe re-
surrection is taken away, theyhave no religion leftthem, no
assurance offaith, and in short, have no faith remaining.
Others understand in another sense the word stand, as
meaning that they are upheld^; but the interpr-etation that
I have given is a more correct—one.^
2. Ifyou keep in memory unless in vain? These two
^ ItisremarkedbjBloomfield, that "ini(r7vix,a.ri(wliichmeans 'yehave
persevered, and do persevere,') there is an agonistic metaphor, (as in
Eph. vi. 13,) or an architectural one, likei^^eclot yina-h, (besteadfast,) in
1 Cor. XV. 58."—Ed.
2 "Ourversion doesnot express intelligiblythe sense of £«'«? '' m s'*^
Jcr/fTrtyo-ars, by rendering it so Wi&vaWy—unlessye have believed in vain.
To believein vain, according to the use ofancient languages, is to believe
luithoutjust reason andauthority, givingcredit to idlereports as true and
authentic. ThusPlutarch,speaking ofsome story which passed current,