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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 1:4

Verse 4 4.I give thanks to my God. Having in the salutation secured for himself authority from the station assigned him, he now endeavors to procure favor for his doctrine, by expressing his affection for them. In this way he soothes their minds beforehand, that they may listen patiently to his reproofs. (45) He persuades them of his affection for them by the following tokens — his discovering as much joy in the benefits bestowed upon them, as if they had been conferred upon himself; and his... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 1:6

Verse 6 6.Even as the testimony, etc. Erasmus gives a different rendering, to this effect, “that by these things the testimony of Christ was confirmed in them;” that is, by knowledge and by the word. The words, however, convey another meaning, and if they are not wrested, the meaning is easy — that God has sealed the truth of his gospel among the Corinthians, for the purpose of confirming it. Now, this might be done in two ways, either by miracles, or by the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit.... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 1:7

Verse 7 7.So that ye come behind in no gift ̔Υστερεισθαι means to be in want of what you would otherwise stand in need of. (49) He means, therefore, that the Corinthians abound in all the gifts of God, so as not to be in want of anything, as if he had said, “The Lord has not merely honored you with the light of the gospel, but has eminently endowed you with all those graces that may be of service to the saints for helping them forward in the way of salvation.” For he gives the name of gifts (... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

St. Paul and the apostleship. First of all, HE ASSERTS THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF HIS OFFICE , to which he was "called though the will of God." This pro found sense of the dignity belonging to his vocation, as one sent of God, was a supreme principle of his nature; not an opinion, but a conviction, and a conviction too strong to be dislodged from its central seat in his mind by any assault of adverse circumstances. It must needs be subjected to manifold and severe tests, ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

The approach to rebuke. The occasion of this letter was largely furnished by the need of rebuke. The Corinthian Church had erred grievously. To rebuke is frequently painful, but when called for it should not be shrunk from; not to rebuke under such circumstances is unalloyed cruelty. To rebuke, often painful, is always perilous. By maladroitness we may easily drive men from the right instead of drawing them to it. Unwise rebuke adds to the ill. We need to prepare for rebuke if when... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Paul's claim to apostleship. The personal appearance and characteristic disposition of Paul, with the particular circumstances which led to the writing of this letter, and roused intense personal feeling, form a fitting introduction. Paul blends Sosthenes with himself in the salutation, partly because of this man's connection with Corinth (see Acts 18:17 ), partly as an answer to those who charged him with making too much of himself and his apostolic rights. By associating this name in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:4

I thank my God. It is probable, from papyrus rolls in the British Museum, that the general form and outline of letters was more or less conventional. In St. Paul, however, this thanksgiving is the natural overflow of a full heart. It was no mere compliment or rhetorical artifice like the captatio benevolentiae, or endeavouring to win the hearers by flattery, which we find in most ancient speeches. My God ( Romans 1:8 ). Always ; that is, constantly; on all occasions of special... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:4-7

Gifts are signs of grace. The introduction will naturally deal with the fact, universally recognized, that talents and genius and particular endowments come from God. This was early declared in the call of Bezaleel and Aholiab, and was a familiar idea even to the heathen nations. It is one that needs fresh and frequent statement in our day. In the early Church there were both ordinary and special gifts, but the manifest Divine origin of the more special ones was designed to convince of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

The thanksgiving. The thanksgiving is a feature in almost every Epistle of St. Paul, except the Epistle to the Galatians, in which he plunges at once into severe reprobation. read more

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