Commentary on 1 Corinthians
Prologue
Wisdom 6:22
6:22 Now what wisdom is, and what was her origin, I will declare: and I will not hide from you the sacraments of God, but will seek her out from the beginning of her birth, and bring the knowledge of her to light, and will not pass over the truth.
1. The word ‘sacrament’ can be taken in two senses: sometimes it means something secret, particularly in regard to sacred things; and sometimes it means the sign of a sacred thing, in the sense of being its image and cause. It is in this second sense that we speak of the seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony. Furthermore, the first sense is then included in this second sense, for a divine power is secretly at work in these sacraments of the Church, as Augustine says.
2. Consequently, these sacraments of God should not be concealed but laid bare to Christ’s faithful by their teachers and prelates for three reasons.
First, because this redounds to God’s honor: it is good to hide the secret of the king, but honorable to reveal and confess the works of the Lord (Tob 12:7).
Second, because this is needed for the salvation of men, who could lapse into despair from not knowing them, for Wisdom says that some men did not know the secret purposes of God, nor hope for the wages of holiness (Wis 2:22), because men are purified by the sacraments and prepared for receiving the wages of holiness.
Third, because this is a duty of teachers and prelates as pointed out by the Apostle: to me, though I am the very least of the saints, this grace was given, to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God (Eph 3:8).
Thus the above text discloses to us the subject matter of this epistle, in which the Apostle discusses the sacraments of the Church.
For since in the epistle to the Romans he had discussed God’s grace, which works in the seven sacraments, here in the first epistle to the Corinthians he discusses the sacraments themselves and in the second epistle to the Corinthians the ministers of the sacraments.
Let us turn, therefore, to the text.
Chapter 1. Introduction and Admonitions
Lecture 1
Greeting and thanksgiving
1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes a brother, [n. 3]
1:2 To the church of God that is at Corinth, to them who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place of theirs and ours. [n. 7]
1:3 Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. [n. 9]
1:4 I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God that is given you in Christ Jesus: [n. 11]
1:5 That in all things you are made rich in him, in all utterance and in all knowledge; [n. 13]
1:6 As the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, [n. 14]
1:7 So that nothing is wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ. [n. 15]
1:8 Who also will confirm you unto the end without crime, in the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [n. 17]
1:9 God is faithful: by whom you are called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. [n. 18]
3. This epistle is divided into two parts: in the first he sends his greeting; and in the other his message, at I give thanks to my God. As to the first he does three things: first, he mentions the persons who send the greeting; second, the persons greeted, at to the church of God; third, he wishes them well, at grace to you and peace.
4. As to the first he does two things.
First he mentions the principal person first and describes him from his name, Paul. Enough had been said about this name in the epistle to the Romans. Suffice it to say here that this name is mentioned as a token of humility, for ‘Paul’ means a small amount, which pertains to humility: though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? (1 Sam 15:17); you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes (Matt 11:25).
5. Then he describes himself from his dignity.
First, he mentions how a dignity should be obtained when he says, called, since it is stated in Hebrews: one does not take the honor upon himself, but is called by God, as Aaron was (Heb 5:4).
Second, he mentions his dignity, saying, an apostle of Jesus Christ. This, of course, is the highest dignity in the Church and means ‘sent,’ because they were sent by God to act in his name on earth; hence it says in Luke: he chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles (Luke 6:13), and below: and God indeed has set some in the Church; first apostles (1 Cor 12:28).
Third, he indicates the source and cause of this dignity when he says, by the will of God. This refers to the will of his good pleasure, which chooses those who rule the Church in one way or another: the government of the earth is in the hands of the Lord, and over it he will raise up the right man for the time (Sir 10:4).
And concerning the aforesaid will it is told us under a figure that they go round about, whithersoever the will of him who governs them shall lead them (Job 37:12).
But when God sets someone in authority on account of the sins of the subjects: he makes a man that is a hypocrite to reign for the sins of the people (Job 34:30), such a ruler is not according to God’s will but according to his indignation: I have given you kings in my anger, and I have taken them away in my wrath (Hos 13:10).
6. Second, he mentions the other person who sends the greeting when he says, and Sosthenes a brother, whom he mentions along with himself, because he was the one who had reported to the Apostle the quarrels and other failings current among the Corinthians. He calls him brother, to show that he had done this not out of hatred but out of the zeal of charity: reprove a wise man and he will love you (Prov 9:8).
7. Then he mentions the persons he is greeting, saying, to the church of God that is at Corinth.
First, he mentions the chief persons, whom he describes in three ways: first, from their region when he says, to the church of God that is at Corinth, i.e., Christ’s faithful assembled at Corinth: I will give thanks to you in a great Church (Ps 35:18). Second, from their gift of grace when he says: to them who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, i.e., in the faith, passion and sacraments of Christ Jesus: but you are washed: but you are sanctified (1 Cor 6:11); Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people (Heb 13:12). Third, he mentions the source of grace when he says, called to be saints, because they arrived at sanctity through the grace of being called: those whom he predestined he also called (Rom 8:30); he called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9).
8. Then he mentions the other persons, namely the faithful who were not in that city but lived in the diocese of the city or in the environs; hence he says, with all who invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ by confessing the true faith: all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered (Joel 2:32). And this in every place of theirs, i.e., subject to their jurisdiction; and ours, because their subjection to the bishop of the city did not exempt them from the Apostle’s power; rather they were more subject to the Apostle than to those whom he had subjected them: in all places of his dominion, bless the Lord, O my soul! (Ps 103:22).
9. Finally, he mentions in this greeting the salutary gifts he wishes them. The first of these is grace, by which we are set free of sin: they are justified by his grace as a gift (Rom 3:24) and the last is peace, which is brought to perfection in eternal happiness: he makes peace in your borders (Ps 147:14); my people will abide in a peaceful habitation (Isa 32:18).
But these two include all other gifts; hence he says: grace to you and peace.
The one who causes them is mentioned when he says: from God our Father: every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (Jas 1:17).
He adds, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom he has granted to us his precious and very great promises (2 Pet 1:4); grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).
10. The phrase, from God our Father, can be understood of the whole Trinity, by whom we have been created and adopted as sons; but the Lord Jesus Christ is added, not as though he were a person over and above the three persons, but on account of his other nature.
Or God our Father is taken for the person of the Father, as in John: I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God (John 20:17), whereas the Lord Jesus Christ is added to indicate the person of the Son. The Holy Spirit is not mentioned, because he is the nexus of the Father and Son, and is understood when the other two persons are mentioned, or because he is the gift of both, he is understood in the gifts, grace and peace, which are granted by the Holy Spirit: but all these things one and the same Spirit works (1 Cor 12:11).
11. Then when he says, I give thanks to my God, he begins his message. First, he gives thanks for their blessings, so that they will more easily bear the correction of their faults; second, he begins to instruct them, at now I beseech you, brethren (1 Cor 1:10). As to the first he does two things. First, he gives thanks for the blessings they have already received; second, for those they expected in the future, at waiting for the manifestation.
12. As to the first he does two things.
He mentions his thanks when he says, I give thanks to my God, who in addition to being the God of all things by creation and governance, is his and every just man’s God through faith and devotion: you are my God, and I will give thanks to you (Ps 118:28).
He also mentions this when he gives thanks; hence he says, always, because this thanks came from the ardor of charity, which was continually alive in his heart: a friend loves at all times (Prov 17:17). But although he loved them at all times and continually gave thanks for their blessings, he gave thanks for them especially at all the hours he set aside for prayer.
He also mentions those for whom he gives thanks when he says, for you, in whose blessings he rejoiced as in his own because of the union of charity: no greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth (3 John 1:4).
13. Then he indicates the blessings for which he gives thanks. First, in general, when he says: for the grace of God, i.e., by the grace of God, that is given you in Christ Jesus, i.e., by Christ Jesus: of his fullness we have all received grace for grace (John 1:16).
Second, in detail: first, when he mentions the abundance of their grace, saying: that in all things, namely, which pertain to salvation, you are made rich, i.e., made to overflow in him, i.e., through Christ: for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you become rich (2 Cor 8:9).
He explains in what matters they became rich when he says, in all utterance, either because they spoke in all manner of tongues or because they abounded in the utterance of doctrine. But because the word was not uttered properly, unless it proceeded from knowledge, he adds, and in all knowledge, i.e., the understanding of all Scriptures and, in general, of all things pertaining to salvation: he gave them a knowledge of holy things (Wis 10:10).
What the Apostle says here refers to those in the Church who were more perfect and includes even lesser personages who possessed these riches, as Augustine says: if you love the unity of which you are a member, you have whatever the others have in it. Remove envy and the possessions of others are yours, for love unites those whom greed and envy would separate.
14. Second, he shows their correctness when he says, as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. For the utterance of doctrine would not be correct or knowledge correct, if it disagreed with the testimony of Christ or if Christ’s testimony did not have a firm hold on their hearts by faith, because, as it is said: he who wavers is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind (Jas 1:6).
He says: in testimony to Christ, either because the prophets have spoken of him; to him all the prophets give testimony (Acts 10:43) or because Christ himself gave testimony: although I give testimony of myself, my testimony is true (John 8:14) or even because the Apostle in his own preaching gave testimony to Christ: they will not receive your testimony concerning me (Acts 22:18).
15. Third, he touches on the perfection of grace when he says, so that nothing is wanting to you in any grace, namely, because various persons among them enjoyed all the Charismatic graces. For it befits divine providence to bestow the necessities of life without stint: those who fear him have no want (Ps 34:9) and again those who seek the Lord lack no good thing (Ps 34:10).
16. Then he mentions the blessings to be expected in the future. In regard to this he does three things.
First, he mentions their expectation of a future blessing when he says, to you, who not only have grace at present but are waiting for the future manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, namely because he will be manifested to his saints not only in the glory of his humanity: your eyes will see the king in his beauty (Isa 33:17), but also in the glory of his divinity: the glory of the Lord shall be revealed (Isa 40:5). This is the revelation that makes men happy: when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2), and in which eternal life consists: this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3).
Now just as those to whom Christ is revealed are happy in reality, so those who await this are happy in hope: blessed are all they who wait for him (Isa 30:18). This is why he gives thanks for their expectations.
17. Second, he shows that this expectation is not vain because of the help of God’s grace: hence he adds, who, i.e., Christ, who gave them the hope of such a manifestation, also will confirm you in the grace received: after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, establish and strengthen you (1 Pet 5:10) unto the end of your life: he who endures to the end will be saved (Matt 10:22). Not that you will be without sin, because if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8), but that you may be without crime, i.e., without mortal sin: if they prove themselves blameless let them minister (1 Tim 3:10). This, I say, will be in the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, because a person found without crime on the day of death will arrive at the day of judgment without crime: if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie (Eccl 11:3). For unless he is found without crime now, he awaits that revelation in vain.
18. Third, he assigns the reason for his promise, saying that God will strengthen you, because God is faithful: God is faithful and without iniquity (Deut 32:4). By whom you are called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, i.e., to have fellowship with Christ, both in the present life through the likeness of grace: if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7) and in the future by sharing in his glory: provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him (Rom 8:17).
But God would not seem to be faithful, if he called us to the fellowship of his Son and then denied us on his part the things by which we could attain to him. Hence Joshua says: I will not fail you or forsake you (Josh 1:5).