An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 2 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
AS amongst the Corinthians, their glorious Teachers were magnified by their followers, so the Apostles were meanly thought of, and the other faithful Ministers of Christ, as if they had not been to bee compared with these eloquent Ministers, either in gifts, or success: The Apostle teaches that this judgement is to bee rectified, and the Schism not to bee fomented any further.
There are two parts of the Chapter: In the first, hee corrects this corrupt judgement of theirs, to vers. 14. In the second, hee shuts up all hee had to say by way of reproof touching their Schism, to the end. Hee laies down nine Arguments (why hee corrects their rash judgement concerning the Apostle, and his companions, and other faithful Ministers of Christ, and of their unequal comparing of these with their Teachers.) Which prove that wee must beware of making unbecomming comparisons of the Ministers of the Gospel, neither ought wee rashly to judge of any ones gifts.
Vers. 1. Let a man so account of us, as of the Ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the mysteries of God.
Argum. 1. Which is propounded in a similitude taken from Stewards: Wee, whom you despise, although wee are not Masters of your Faith, yet wee are the Ministers of Christ, from whose hands you ought to receive the treasure of salvation, and the bread of life: Therefore you ought to beware of comparing the gifts of Teachers.
Vers. 2. Moreover, it is required in Stewards, that a man bee found faithful.
Argum. 2. That which commends the Ministery of the Gospel, is not the excellency of gifts, but a faithful dispensation of their gifts, and the mystery of salvation, whereof God alone is the just Judge: Therefore wee must beware of this unequal comparing of the gifts of Teachers.
Vers. 3. But with mee it is a very small thing, that I should bee Iudged of you, or of mans judgement: yea, I judge not mine own self.
Argum. 3. Because neither yee, nor any men, nor I Paul am a competent Judge of my own dignity: Therefore yee are to take heed of this unequal comparing of Teachers: For if Paul could not determine in what esteem hee himself ought to bee had, the Corinthians were rash, who determined concerning the dignity of Paul and the rest of their Teachers.
Vers. 4. For I know nothing by my self, yet am I not hereby justified; but hee that judgeth mee is the Lord.
Argum. 4. Confirming the former: I an Apostle, though I am not conscious of ill mannaging my office, yet I dare not acquit my self, or determine of my own dignity to the injury of others, but I leave the judgement wholly to God: Therefore this unjust comparing of Teachers from their gifts, is to bee taken heed of.
Vers. 5. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then shall every man have praise of God.
Argum. 5. Propounded by way of dehortation; To judge, especially by way of comparison, concerning the dignity [or worth] of men, is not seasonable, before the coming of the Lord: Therefore wee are to take heed of this unfitting comparing of men, from their gifts.
Counsels] Argum. 6. Confirming also the former: The secret intentions of the heart, and the hidden purposes of men in the Ministry, shall not bee manifested before the day of judgement; neither can judgement bee made by any touching the excellency of men, but by God himself onelyonly, who will distribute in that day to every man, praise or dispraise according to their dignity: Therefore wee are to take heed of the comparing of men from their gifts.
Vers. 6. And these things, Brethren, have I in a figure transferred to my self, and to Apollo, for your sakes, that yee might learn in us, not to think of men, above that which is written, that no one of you bee puffed up for one against another.
Argum. 7. It is not fitting upon the account of the most excellent gifts (such as are in mee Paul the Apostle, and Apollos the Evangelist) to e…oll any Minister, above what is written in the first verie of this Chapter ▪ i. e. to lift him up above the dignity of a Steward, and much less out of prejudice, to discredit faithful Ministers, because of this or that Teacher, whom wee admire: Therefore this comparing of men from their gifts, is to bee taken heed of: That hee might evidence the force of this Argument, hee opens how hee used his prudence in this bus… ness viz. That concealing the names of these … Teachers, hee transfers the whole matter upon … and Apollos, to this very end, that the Corinthians might learn in the person of these, who excelled in extraordinary gifts and dignity, to think soberly of all Ministers, and not to pride themselves in the name of any Teacher, against another, so as to entitle themselves from any man.
Vers. 7. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, Why doest thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
Argum. 8. God differenceth one from another, giving more or less gifts to this or that man, according to his pleasure, no man makes himself to differ: Seeing then whatsoever gifts one man hath, hee hath received them of God, hee ought not to boast in what hee hath received, but to think modestly of himself and others: Therefore this unjust comparing of men from their gifts, is to bee taken heed of.
Vers. 8. Now yee are full, now yee are rich, yee have reigned as Kings without us, and I would to God yee did reign, that wee also might reign with you.
Argum. 9. This unfitting comparing of men, hath in it foolish self-pleasing, therefore wee must beware of it: By a most grave Irony the Apostle checketh this their self-pleasing: Because the Corinthians did not less please their selves in common gifts, and worldly prosperity, than if they had obtained a perfection of gifts, a full felicity, and the enjoyment of a Kingdome, wanting in the midst of their fulness, …eing unmindful of the Cross of Christ, and unacquainted with those afflictions wherein the Apostle was involved: Hee taxes this vanity thus, that hee wishes them the happiness which they dream't they had, that their happiness might comfort the Apostles, who lay in many afflictions.
Vers. 9. For I think that God hath set forth us the Apostles, last, as it were appointed to death, for wee are made a spectacle unto the world, and to Angels, and to men;
Hee shews the afflictions of himself and Barnabas, (which are called the last of the Apostles, because they were called after the Ascension of Christ, and by a special command sent to the Gentiles) (as it is, Act. 13.2. & 14.14.) shewing that they were set forth of God in the sight of all, as those that conflicted with all kind of troubles.
Vers. 10. Wee are fools for Christs sake, but yee are wise in Christ: wee are weak, but yee are strong: yee are honourable, but wee are despised.
Further, hee compares his afflictions with their prosperity, and their unequal opinion concerning themselves and the Apostle, hee shews in three particulars. 1. In Wisdome, wee are accounted fools, both by the world, and perhaps by you, that wee run into so many hazards for Christ: Yee seem to yourselves and others wise, because you enjoy the Gospel, and prosperity withall. 2. In strength, wee appear weak, broken with distresses: you seem strong and powerful, living out of the reach of any the darts of tribulation. 3. In honor, you shine forth in glory and authority: wee in the mean time, are ignominious, and despicable both to you and others.
Vers. 11. Even unto this present hour wee both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;
12. And labour, wo…king with our own hands: being reviled, wee bless; being persecuted, wee suffer it;
13. Being defamed, wee entreat: wee are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day.
Hee rehearses other sorts of his troubles, Wee are (saith hee) exposed to want, and injuries, ver. 11. It is not by our fault that wee are poor, for wee labour with our hands, wee suffer injuries, but not by our own desert; for wee are so far from giving occasion either by word or deed, that on the other side, wee patiently requite good for evil, ver. 12, 13.
Vers. 14. I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons to warn you.
In the other part of the Chapter, hee concludes his reprehension of their Schism: First by way of exhortation to obedience, and the following of him, to ver. 18. Secondly, by threatning a severer discipline, unless upon his admonition they repent. As for the first, hee propounds four Arguments, by way of perswasion to obedience.
Argum. 1. By way of preventing an objection; I have not writ these things to shame you, but to admonish you: Therefore bee obedient to mee.
Children] Argum. 2. I account you, and love you as Sons: Therefore taking in good part these my admonitions, bee obedient to mee.
Vers. 15. For though you have ten thousand Instructers in Christ, yet have yee not many Fathers; for in Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospel.
16. Wherefore I beseech you, bee you followers of mee.
Argum. 3. After a special manner (in comparison with your other Teachers) I am a Father unto you, because you have been converted by my Ministery: Therefore bee obedient to mee, and follow mee, rather than your ambitious Teachers: for I was the Minister of your Regeneration, not those ambitious teachers, which are at the most but Instructers, not Fathers.
Vers. 17. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my wayes which bee in Christ, as I teach every where in every Church.
Argum. 4. To this end have I sent Timothy unto you, that I might the more easily procure your following of mee: Therefore bee obedient unto mee, and follow mee in those things wherein I shine forth to all the Churches, by reason of my Apostleship, both in doctrine and holiness of life.
Vers. 18. Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
19. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
As to the other part of the conclusion, because some amongst them were puffed up, in hopes to escape censure, as if the Apostle would not come unto them,
Hee threatens 1. That hee would come. 2. That hee would try, whether in those Teachers there bee that Power of the Spirit, or meerly the eloquence of words, without the demonstration of the Spirit.
Vers. 20. For the Kingdome of God is not in word, but in Power.
Hee gives an account why hee esteemed nothing of their meer eloquence, or their boasting in human wisdom, because the Kingdome of Christ, and the Salvation or edification of men, is not promoted with words, or the wisdome of words, but by the Power of God.
Vers. 21. What will yee? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
Lastly, lest any of the Corinthians, whether Teachers or their Followers should foment Schism, hee propounds this choice to them, Whether they would that hee should come to their correction, with the authority of Church-censures, which hee resolved to do, if they further made Parties, and fomented Schism; Or whether they would that hee should come to their comfort, in the spirit of love and meekness, which hee intended, if they repented.
Thus hee passes to the Excommunication of the Incestuous Person.