Paul, called _to be_ an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes _our_ brother, Ver. 1. _Through the will of God_] Not the faculty in God, whereby he willeth, but his act, the thing that he willeth. This will of God is either secret or revealed, Deuteronomy 22:29. And this rev... [ Continue Reading ]
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called _to be_ saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Ver. 2. _Called to be saints_] _i.e._ Either such as are sanctified by habitual infusion, o... [ Continue Reading ]
Grace _be_ unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and _from_ the Lord Jesus Christ. Ver. 3. _Grace be to you and peace_] All peace that flows not from the sense of God's love and favour, is as that of the Romans with the Samnites, unsound and uncertain. _Pax infida, pax incerta._ Peace with the... [ Continue Reading ]
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; Ver. 4. _I thank my God_] Thus he begins most of his Epistles. _Deo gratias_ was ever in Austin's mouth, who had Paul's spirit. Every gracious man is a grateful man. The same Greek word (χαρις) signifieth... [ Continue Reading ]
That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and _in_ all knowledge; Ver. 5. _Ye are enriched_] See here what is the Christian's riches. And so David reckons of his wealth, Psalms 119:32. He cannot be poor in whom the word of God dwells richly, Colossians 3:16, especially if he be... [ Continue Reading ]
Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: Ver. 6. _The testimony of Christ_] The gospel, called also the testimony, Isaiah 8:20. To the law, and to the testimony.... [ Continue Reading ]
So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Ver. 7. _So that ye come behind, &c._] Yet were babes and carnal, 1 Corinthians 3:2,3, and fell short in many graces. We must distinguish between gifts and graces, and covet these rather than those, 1 Corinthians 13... [ Continue Reading ]
Who shall also confirm you unto the end, _that ye may be_ blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ver. 8. _In the day of our Lord Jesus_] Eleven times in these first ten verses (as Chrysostom well observeth) the apostle mentioneth the Lord Jesus Christ, who was to him, and should be to us, _... [ Continue Reading ]
God _is_ faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Ver. 9. _Unto the fellowship_] Union being the ground of communion: so that all is in him is for us. I give my goods to the saints, saith David, in the person of Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and _that_ there be no divisions among you; but _that_ ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Ver. 10. _That there be no divisions_] To break unity in the Church... [ Continue Reading ]
For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them _which are of the house_ of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Ver. 11. _Of the house of Chloe_] A godly matron she was no doubt, and a good office herein she did her neighbours: though, likely, she had little thanks for her l... [ Continue Reading ]
Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Ver. 12. _And I of Christ_] _q.d._ I care neither for Paul nor Apollo, &c. As some say today, they are neither Papists nor Protestants, but Christians, that is, just nothing, flat atheists... [ Continue Reading ]
Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? Ver. 13. _Baptized in the name_] Gr. "Into the name," so as to be called by my name. Those then that will needs be called Franciscans, Lutherans, &c., do after a sort disclaim their baptism, and become renegades... [ Continue Reading ]
I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Ver. 14. _I thank God_] He noteth and noticeth herein a sweet providence, beyond all that he then imagined, when he was at Corinth. God is to be seen in every special occurrence.... [ Continue Reading ]
Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. Ver. 15. _Lest any should say_] _q.d._ God hath so disposed of it, that none can with any colour or cause, or show of sense, say such a thing.... [ Continue Reading ]
And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. Ver. 16. _Whether I baptized any_] His colleagues belike did it (while he was otherwise busied), with a particular examination and instruction in those principles,Hebrews 6:2 .... [ Continue Reading ]
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. Ver. 17. _Not to baptize_] As my chief work, _so _ Jer 7:22 but to preach and plant Churches, wherein he had a very happy hand; as had likewise Farellus amo... [ Continue Reading ]
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. Ver. 18. _To them that perish, foolishness_] As it is to the Jews to this day, who rail against Christ's person, calling him the hanged God, the woof and the warp, Leviticus 13:52,... [ Continue Reading ]
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Ver. 19. _For it is written_] Thus the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New, while the world's wizards are dazzled, dulled, and disannulled, αθετησω .... [ Continue Reading ]
Where _is_ the wise? where _is_ the scribe? where _is_ the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Ver. 20. _Where is the wise?_] The teacher of traditions; the Jews had a proverb, οι σοφοι ημων δευτερωσι . _ Where is the scribe?_] Or the textmen, those that pro... [ Continue Reading ]
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Ver. 21. _The world by wisdom_] Not the Jews by their deep doctors, nor the Gentiles by their wits and wizards (_qui tanquam noctuae ad solem caligabant_),... [ Continue Reading ]
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: Ver. 22. _For the Jews require, &c._] The reason of their rejecting the gospel is, they are prepossessed against it; they look for that which it affordeth not. A prejudicate opinion bars up the understanding. _Intus existens prohibet al... [ Continue Reading ]
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; Ver. 23. _But we preach Christ_] We not only preach of him, but we preach him, we give what we preach. It is the special office of the ministry to lay Christ open, to hold up the tapestry, to untold the... [ Continue Reading ]
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Ver. 24. _Christ the power of God_] Opposite to the power of miracles required by the Jews. _ And the wisdom of God_] Opposite to the Grecian's worldly wisdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. Ver. 25. _Because the foolishness_] The wisest man compared to God, _Simia videbitur, non sapiens, _ said Heraclitus, as Plato relateth it, he will appear to be an ape rather than a wise man. But what me... [ Continue Reading ]
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, _are called_ : Ver. 26. _Not many mighty_] The eagle and lion were not offered in sacrifice, as the lamb and the dove were. It is hard for great ones to deny themselves. Hence it grew to... [ Continue Reading ]
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; Ver. 27. _But God hath chosen_] In our Church assemblies the meaner usually, like little fishes, bite more than the greater. The poor a... [ Continue Reading ]
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, _yea_, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: Ver. 28. _Things which are not_] _i.e._ That are nought set by,1 Samuel 25:10. Thus shall ye say to him that liveth, that is, to him that is rich; for p... [ Continue Reading ]
That no flesh should glory in his presence. Ver. 29. _That no flesh_] Proud flesh will soon swell, if it have but anything to fasten on. The devil will also easily blow up such a blab.... [ Continue Reading ]
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: Ver. 30. _But of him are ye_] _q.d._ Albeit ye have nothing of your own, yet in Christ you have all; for in him is all fulness both repletive and diffusive, both of abundance... [ Continue Reading ]
That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Ver. 31. _Glory in the Lord_] Acquiesce and exult in him, which is the end why God hath done all this for us in Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]