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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:17-31

We have here, I. The manner in which Paul preached the gospel, and the cross of Christ: Not with the wisdom of words (1 Cor. 1:17), the enticing words of man's wisdom (1 Cor. 2:4), the flourish of oratory, or the accuracies of philosophical language, upon which the Greeks so much prided themselves, and which seem to have been the peculiar recommendations of some of the heads of the faction in this church that most opposed this apostle. He did not preach the gospel in this manner, lest the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

1:26-31 Brothers, just look at the way in which you have been called. You can see at once that not many wise men--by human standards--not many powerful men, not many high-born men have been called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise men; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the strong things and God has chosen the ignoble and the despised things of the world, yes, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:26

For ye see your calling, brethren ,.... That is, those that were called by the grace of God among them; for as circumcision and uncircumcision stand for circumcised and uncircumcised persons, and election for elect persons, and righteousness for righteous persons, Romans 3:30 so here "calling" designs men called by grace; the manner of whose calling, and what sort of persons they were, the apostle signifies, they did or might, or ought, to see, observe, and consider; for respect is here... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 1:26

Ye see your calling - Την κλησιν . The state of grace and blessedness to which ye are invited. I think, βλεπετε την κλησιν , etc., should be read in the imperative: Take heed to, or consider your calling, brethren; that ( ὁτι ) not many of you are wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble: men is not in the original, and Paul seems to allude to the Corinthian believers in particular. This seems to have been said in opposition to the high and worldly notions of the Jews,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 1:26

Verse 26 26.Behold your calling. As the mood of the Greek verb ( βλέπετε) is doubtful, and the indicative suits the context equally as well as the imperative, I leave it to the reader’s choice which of them he may prefer. The meaning is manifestly the same in either case, for supposing it to be the indicative (ye see,) he would in that case summon them as witnesses — as of a thing that is manifest, and call them forward as it were to a thing that is present. On the other hand, understanding it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

How St. Paul regarded the preaching of the gospel. By an easy movement he advances to the gospel, to the mode of preaching it as essential to its Divine success, and thus reaches the climax of his reasoning in the first chapter. Other functions of his apostleship will come hereafter into view—the resolute disciplinarian, the firm, administrator, the tender but unyielding executive of the Head of the Church. At present, however, one thing absorbs him, namely, the Divine institution of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:26

For behold; or, consider (imperative, as in 1 Corinthians 10:15 ; Philippians 3:2 ). Your calling; the nature and method of your heavenly calling; the "principle God has followed in calling you" (Beza); see Ephesians 4:1 ; Hebrews 3:1 . Not many wise after the flesh. Those who hear the calling arc alone the truly wise; but they are net wise with a carnal wisdom, not wise as men count wisdom; they have but little of the wisdom of the serpent and the wisdom of "this age." The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

God destroying the conventionally great by the conventionally contemptible. "For ye see your calling, brethren," etc. These verses remind us of two facts. I. EVIL EXISTS HERE UNDER CONVENTIONALLY RESPECTABLE FORMS , Evil is spoken of in these verses as the "wise" and the "mighty." In Corinth dangerous errors wore the costume of wisdom. Power was also on their side. Sages, poets, artists, statesmen, wealth, and influence stood by them, and they appeared "mighty." Men in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

The humble status of the Church. I. THE FACT . Not many wise after the flesh, mighty, noble, numbered amongst the adherents of Christianity. This was true in apostolic days; it is largely true in our own. Christianity was not established by world power. The Founder and his disciples were poor and of humble social position, and in the ranks of the early Christians were comparatively few possessing means, learning, or rank. Christianity has not been preserved or promulgated by... read more

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