1 Corinthians 1

1 Corinthians 1:1

AN apostle] If he be an Apostle he must be heard, although sometimes he reprehend them sharply, seeing he hath not his owne cause in hand, but is a messenger that bringeth the commands of Christ.

through] Or, by.

Sosthenes our brother] In Christ, or in the ministery of the Gospel, whom he joyneth with himself in this inscription, that the doctrine might be confirmed by two witnesses, 2 Corinthians 13:1. This Sosthenes was the chief ruler of the Synagogue, whom the Greekes tooke and beat before the judgement seat, Acts 18:17.

1 Corinthians 1:2

are sanctified in Christ Jesus] See Acts 15:9. The Father sanctifieth us; that is to say, separateth us from the wicked in giving us to his Sonne, that he may be in us, and we in him.

called to be saints] See Romans 1:7. Whom God hath called to holinesse, or called effectually according to his eternall purpose, Romans 8:28.

1 Corinthians 1:4

I thank my God] Intending to condemn many vices in the Corinthians, that he might not seem to do it out of spleen, or malice, or envie, he beginneth with a true commendation of their vertues, yet so that he referreth all to God as the Author of them, and that in Christ, that the Corinthians might be more ashamed to profane and abuse the holy gifts of God.

on your behalf] Or, concerning you.

1 Corinthians 1:5

in all utterance] Or, all kind of speech. In the Originall it is, in all speech: thereby the Apostle meaneth, either that they excell in the gift of tongues, which some of them abused and are therefore reproved by the Apostle, Chap. 14. Or, by utterance he meaneth not affected straines of Rhetorick, but a gift of holy eloquence, such as Apollo is commended for, who was an eloquent man mightie in the Scriptures.

and in all knowledge] Seeing that whilst we live here we know but in part, and prophecie in part: the word All must be restrained to the present state of the faithfull, and to such knowledge as is needfull to salvation, Romans 15:14.

1 Corinthians 1:6

testimonie of Christ] That is, the Gospel which testifieth of Christ; or, as these gifts are a testimonie of Jesus Christ in you.

confirmed in you] Proved by these gifts, or the testimonie of Jesus Christ received by faith: for he that beleeveth sealeth the truth of Gods word.

1 Corinthians 1:7

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ] Gr. revelation. His second coming when he shall come with glory to judge both quick and dead. In the Greek it is the revelation of Jesus Christ, because he is now hid: but then his glory shall be manifested, for he shall come with the clouds and great glory, Col. 3. 3.

1 Corinthians 1:8

blamelesse] Some observe that the word in the Originall, signifieth not without fault, but without crime. If we read blamelesse, either he speaketh of the elect among the Corinthians, who though they might sometimes grievously fall, yet were raised up again by repentance; and though the best cannot be said to be blamelesse simply, that is, such whom never man found fault with, yet they may be and are such, with whom none may justly find fault: or the Apostle seemeth rather to pray for their justification at Christs tribunall, that they might be there blamelesse, that is, not have any sinnes imputed unto them to their condemnation.

1 Corinthians 1:9

God is faithfull] See 1 Thess. 5. 24. True and constant, who doth not onely call us, but also giveth us the gift of perseverance, whereby we are confirmed unto the end.

1 Corinthians 1:10

Now I beseech you, &c.] Having made an end of his Preface, he cometh to the matter it self, beginning with a grave obtestation, as though they should hear Christ himself speaking and not Paul.

that ye all speak the same thing] That is, that ye agree in the doctrine of salvation, and though ye may deliver different points of doctrine, yet no way repugnant one to the other, or to the truth.

divisions] Gr. schismes.

joyned] Or, sitted.

1 Corinthians 1:12

Apollos] See Acts 18:24.

1 Corinthians 1:13

Is Christ divided] The first reason why Schisme ought to be eschewed, is because Christ seemeth by that means to be divided and torn in pieces; who cannot be the head of two diverse and disagreeing bodies, himself being but one.

was Paul crucified for you?] Another reason, because they cannot without great injurie to God so depend on men as on Christ, which thing no doubt they do, who allow whatsoever some man speaketh even for his person sake; as these men allowed one self same Gospel, being uttered by one man, and disliked it being uttered by another man: so that these Factions were called by the name of their Teachers. Now Saint Paul here setteth down his own name, not onely to grieve no man, but also to shew he pleaded not his own cause.

were ye baptized in the name of Paul] Gr. into. The third reason taken from the forme and end of baptisme, wherein we make a promise to Christ calling on also the name of the Father, and the holy Ghost; therefore although a man do not fall from the doctrine of Christ, yet if he wholly depend upon some certain Teachers, and despise others, he forsaketh Christ; for if he held Christ his onely Master, he would hear him teaching by whomsoever.

1 Corinthians 1:14

Crispus and Gaius] See Acts 18:8.

1 Corinthians 1:15

that I had baptized] Gr. Tec. that ye were baptized.

1 Corinthians 1:17

For Christ sent me not to baptize] In these words he taketh away an objection, that might have been made against him, for not baptizing many among the Corinthians: the reason whereof was not out of any contempt of baptisme, or slighting the administration thereof; but because he was chiefly occupied in delivering the doctrine, and he committed them that received his doctrine to others to be baptized, whereof he had store; and so he declared sufficiently how farre he was from all ambition; whereas on the other side, they whom he reprehendeth as though they gathered disciples unto themselves and not unto Christ, bragged most ambitiously of great numbers which they had baptized.

not with wisdome, &c.] See 1 Peter 1:16.

words] Or, speech.

lest the Crosse of Christ, &c.] The reason why he used not pompe of words, and painted speech, because it was Gods will to bring the world to his obedience by that way whereby the most simple and ignorant amongst men might understand that this work was done of God himself without the art of man: therefore as salvation is set forth to us in the Gospel by the Crosse of Christ, then which nothing is more contemptible, and more remote from being the cause of life: so God would have the manner of preaching the Crosse most different from those means with which men do use to draw and entice others either to hear or beleeve; therefore it pleased him by a certain kind of most wise folly to triumph over the most foolish wisdome of the world, as he had said before by Esay that he would doe. For the phrase 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the meaning is, that the Apostle shunned all affectation of eloquence, lest the doctrine of the Crosse might be made of none effect, that is, of no force, and unprofitable to the hearers; who whilest they were taken with strain of affected eloquence, would slighten and contemne the plain doctrine of Christ crucified: or lest the hearers might conceive that they were brought to Christianity by the power of humane eloquence, and not by the power of Christ crucified.

1 Corinthians 1:18

power of God] See Romans 1:16.

1 Corinthians 1:19

I will destroy, &c.] See Isaiah 29:14.

bring to nothing] Or, reject and disanull.

1 Corinthians 1:20

Where is the wise] See Isaiah 33:18.

where is the disputer of this world] Where art thou that spendest all thy time in searching out the secrets of nature, and in propounding and resolving difficult questions? and thus he triumpheth over the Wisards of the world: for there was not one of them that could so much as dream of this secret and hidden mysterie.

1 Corinthians 1:21

For after that] Or, seeing that. See Romans 1:20.

the world] By the world he meaneth all men which are not horn anew, but remain as they were, when they were first born; so the world here, is all one with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the naturall man, who perceiveth not the things that are of God, 1 Corinthians 2:14.

by wisdome] That is, the workmanship of the world, which hath the marvellous wisdome of God engraven in it; so that every man may behold it.

knew not God] That is, knew him not to salvation, for otherwise the Apostle teacheth, Rom. the first, vers. 20. that they knew so much of the eternall power and Godhead by the creation of the world as made them unexcusable.

foolishnesse of preaching] So he calleth the preaching of the Gospel, as the enemies conceived of it, or in their estimation; withall by a bitter Sarcasme sharply taunting them who had rather charge God with folly, then acknowledge their own, and crave pardon for it.

1 Corinthians 1:22

For the Jews] Gr. Seeing that also the Jews. See Matthew 12:38.

1 Corinthians 1:24

the power of God, &c.] Though the preaching of the Gospel seem foolish to them whom God hath not endued with new light, that is to say, to all men being considered in themselves; for the Jews require miracles, and the Grecians arguments, which they may comprehend by their wit and wisdome; and therefore they do not onely not beleeve the Gospel, but also they mock at it: notwithstanding in this foolish preaching as they count it, there is the great vertue and wisdome of God, but such as those onely which are called do perceive, God shewing most plainly that even then when made men most foolishly think him to be foolish, he is farre wiser then they are, and that he surmounteth all their might and power when he useth most vile and abject things to confound the greatest and most noble. His speech is figurative, for by tearming Christ crucified the power and wisdome of God, he meaneth by a metonymie him by whom God sheweth forth his power, in abolishing sinne, and death, and restoring us to life, and by whom God manifesteth and executeth his most wise counsell and decree for the salvation of the elect.

1 Corinthians 1:25

the foolishnesse] That is, that which men of this world count foolishnesse, hath more wisdome in it self then they and all their worldly wisdome together.

the weaknesse] That is, that which in their esteem is but weak, and of no power or efficacie to salvation, is more strong and powerfull, then they with all their conceited eloquence and authoritie.

1 Corinthians 1:27

confound] Or, shame.

1 Corinthians 1:28

which are not] That is, which are of so small esteem, as if they were not at all, 1 Corinthians 3:5. What is Paul? what is Apollo, &c. Thus the nothingnesse of man is deciphered as he standeth before God without any worth, merit, strength, or vertue.

to bring to nought] That is, to shew the vanitie and unprofitablenesse of them for obtaining of eternall salvation.

Things that are] That is, that are of account and seeme to be great.

1 Corinthians 1:29

glory] Or, boast.

in his presence] Gr. Tec. before God.

1 Corinthians 1:30

But of him are ye] Whom he cast down before, he now lifteth up higher then all men; yet so, that he sheweth them that all their worthinesse is without themselves, that is, standeth in Christ, and that of God. Of him you are, that is, you are born of him and regenerated by his Spirit.

in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdome, and righteousnesse, and sanctification, and redemption] Having nothing at all of your selves, God hath given you all in Christ, according to the decree he made, that he should be the source and the roote of all the spirituall blessings conferred upon the Church: which are wisdome, by the revelation of the mysterie of salvation; righteousnesse, by his satisfaction and perfect obedience for our justification; sanctification, by the gift of the Spirit of regeneration; and redemption both of body and soul from all evill and miserie, by the last and glorious resurrection in vertue of our mysticall union with him.

1 Corinthians 1:31

He that glorieth, &c.] Jer. 9. 23, 24. 2 Corinthians 10:17.