Commentary on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

484 Pages·2010·28.24 MB·English

by  Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564

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COMMENTARY
THE EPISTLES OF PAUL THE APOSTLE
THE CORINTHIANS.
VOL.
I.
THE CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY
INSTITITTKDINMAYM.DCCC.Xl.III.
FOR THE PUBLICATIONOFTRANSLATIOKSOFTHEWORKSOF
JOHNCALVIN.
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COMMENTARY
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EPISTLES OF PAUL THE APOSTLE
TO
THE CORINTHIANS.
BY JOHN CALVIN.
TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN, AND COLLATED WITH
THE AUTHOR'S FRENCH VERSION,
BY THE REV. JOHN riMNCLE.
VOLUME FIRST. vOvC '
EDINBURGH:
PRINTED FOR THE CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY
M.DCCC.XLVril.
[©nterrJjatStationers,jf^all.]
EDINBURGH: I'EINTEDBVT.CONSTABLE, TRINTEKTOHERMAJESTY.
—
TKANSLATOirS PREFACE.
The Sixteenth Century was distinguishedby a large and
valuable accession of Expositors of the Sacred Volume.
Mosheim reckons up not fewer than fifty-live writers, who,
in the course of that century, devoted their labours, to a
greater or less extent, to—the interpretation or illustration
of the inspired Avritings a circumstance which at once
indicated the progress of theprinciples of the Reformation,
and contributed most materially to their diffusion. Nor
were expositorytreatises, in illustration ofthe Sacred Scrip-
tures, simplyincreased in number; they were markedby a
decided improvement in point of intrinsic value. It is to
thehonourofalarge proportion of the Interpreters of that
age, that, rejecting the practice so well exposed by Bishop
HoRSLEY, of"drawing I know notwhat mystical meanings,
byacertain cabalistic alchymy, from the simplest expres-
sions of holy writ," theymade it their endeavour, in every
case, to ascertainthetrue meaning ofthe Spirit ofGod, by
acareful examination ofthetext and context.
In unbending integr—ity of purpose in the investigation
ofthe Inspired Oracles which must be regarded as one of
theprimary excellences of an Expositor John Calvin is
surpassedby none in his own, or indeed in any age. His
readers, even where they maynotbe prepared to adopt his
interj)retation of a passage, cannot fail to perceive that it
is his sincere desire and honest endeavour to ascertain its
true meaning. Hisuprightness ofdesign is more especially
observable in connection with passages bearing on contro-
verted points. In such cases the candidreaderwill discover
VI TRANSLATORS PREFACE.
no disposition to wrest a single expression for the purpose
ofenlisting it on the side ofaparticularsystem of opinion
;
but, on tlie contrar^^, the utmost fairness of interpretation
is uniformlyapparent.
Every one that is acquainted with Calvin's history, and
considers the trying scenes through which he was called to
pass, mustfeel astonished that he shouldhave foundleisure
to prepare, in addition to all his other writings, Commen-
taries on nearlythewholeoftheSacredScriptures. Thathe
Avroteso much, andmore especiallyasanExpositor, appears
to have been chiefly owingto the frequent and urgent soli-
citationsofhis intimate andbelovedfriend Farel,who "not
merely entreated Calvin, but frequently urged him with
great vehemence to write one Commentary after another,
from a conviction that he possessed the gifts requisite for
exposition in a very extraordinary manner, and that, with
the blessing ofGod, hisworks of this kind wouldbe exten-
sively useful. 'Being an inconsiderable man myself,' said
he, 'I am wontto requirevery much from thosethatpossess
the greatest excellence, and often pressthem hardto labour
beyond their strength.' It was his conviction that every
one who had received superior talentswas bound to devote
them to the advancement ofthe kingdom ofGod."^
The Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians form a most
important part of the Sacred Writings. Though not so
systematic as the Epistle to the Romans,they contain many
passages, bearing directly on the fundamentally important
doctrines of the Christian system, while they are of the
highest utility in connection with PracticalTheology. The
disorders that had unhappily crept into the Church at
Corinth, gave occasion for the Apostle's handling at greater
length than in any of his other Epistles various important
points as to doctrine and worship; while the relaxed state
ofdisciplinethathadbegunto prevail among them rendered
it necessaryto exhibit more full}^the princi])leswhich ought
to regulate the administration ofthe Christian Church. In
' Kii-ch-lioffer'sLifeofI'arel,])p. 281,282.