The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: the First Epistle to the Corinthians
Ver. 6 . — Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect. This wisdom that he speaks among the perfect, that is, the faithful, is Christian wisdom, and is concerned with the Cross of Christ, with grace, salvation, and the eternal glory won for us by Christ. And although the “faithful” are simple, yet in the things which belong to salvation they are wiser than Aristotle or any other philosopher. So S. Chrysostom and Anselm. Moreover, those who have not only been born again by baptism, but also confirmed by the Sacrament of Confirmation, have obtained the Christian perfection, and are perfectly made Christians. For this reason S. Dionysius and others call the Sacrament of Confirmation “the perfecting,” and they call those confirmed “the perfected.” Irenaeus implies the same (lib. v. c. 6), when he says : “ We speak wisdom among them that are perfect, that is, those who have received the Holy Spirit, and through the Spirit speak all tongues just as S. Paul did.”
Secondly and more simply, wisdom here denotes the more hidden and deeper mysteries of the faith, such as the Resurrection, Anti-Christ, Reprobation, Predestination; or a more profound and thorough explanation of the things of faith, such as the mode, counsel, and end of the Incarnation, Passion, and Redemption of Christ; for so S. Paul explains wisdom in the verses immediately following. He does not speak and discourse of this wisdom to beginners, but to those who have advanced and are perfected. Hence in ver. 15, he calls the perfect “ spiritual,” and contrasts them with the natural man, with children and carnal men. He is here impressing on them that, though he may seem to have no human wisdom, yet he has Divine ; that although he has given to them, as to children, milk, that is, simple and easy teaching (iii. 2), yet amongst the perfect he speaks of hidden and Divine wisdom.
The Apostle by these words defends his authority over the Corinthians, who, after hearing Apollos, an eloquent and learned speaker, seemed to hold S. Paul in little esteem, as a speaker without eloquence or skill.
Yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world. Anselm, Ambrose, Cajetan, and others understand the devils by the princes of this world, inasmuch as they have their power over the air, the ungodly, and the children of this world And they prove from here that the devil, before the Passion of Christ, although he knew that Christ was God, yet did not know that by His death his own empire was to be destroyed, and men redeemed (ver. 8). This is true, but it is truer still when understood of men.
Secondly, S. Chrysostom, Theophylact, Anselm, Tertullian (contra Marcion , lib. iii. c. 6), Origen (Cant. Hom. 2) understand by the princes of this world the leaders who excel their fellows in wisdom, wealth, or power. And therefore S. Paul adds, that come to nought, i.e., are done away with, pass by, disappear. These, too, crucified Christ (ver. 8). Such were Pilate, Herod, Annas, Caiaphas, and the other princes of the Jews and Gentiles.
Ver. 7 . — But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. (1.) This is a Hebraism for “the wisdom of the mystery,” that great secret of the Divine counsel, about the Incarnation of the Word, and the redemption of man by Christ, which cannot be attained to by man by any effort of reason — no, nor yet by the angels, as is clear from Eph. v. 4, 5. Hence, in 1 Tim. iii. 16, this wisdom of the mystery is called the great mystery of godliness. So Theophylact, Ambrose, Œcumenius, commenting on this verse, and Jerome and Leo Castrius on Isa. lxiv; also S. Leo. (2.) We may understand this wisdom to be concerned with the greatness of the glory of the Blessed, for this was the end of the Incarnation and suffering of the Word.
Secondly, it is simpler to connect the words “ in a mystery ” with “we speak” rather than with “wisdom.” Then the meaning is, we speak secretly and to a few, viz., those who are perfect, the spiritual, of this deeper and more hidden wisdom. Hence Ephrem and
Tertullian render the passage : “ We speak of the wisdom of God in secret.” Hence also S. Dionysius and others have written books on mystic theology.
Ver. 8 . — Which none of the princes of this world knew. The pronoun is better referred to glory than to wisdom, and the sense is : if this wisdom, or rather this glory and its being predestined in Christ, had been known by Pilate, Annas, Caiaphas, and the other princes of the world, they would never have crucified the Lord of Glory, viz., Christ, by whose merits this eternal glory was predestined and prepared for us from eternity. Gabriel Vasquez comments well on this passage (lib. i. disp. 2, c. 3). The Apostle tacitly implies that none other of the princes of this world knew this glory and wisdom of Christ. For, a fortiori, the Jews were wiser than the Gentiles, especially in Divine things ; if, therefore, they did not know it, much more were the others ignorant of it.
Ver. 9. — But, as it is written , eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him . After “ but ” there is an ecthlipsis, and we must supply, “this wisdom and the glory which was its end were hidden from them,” as it is written, &c. He then quotes Isaiah
1. Isaiah, in the passage quoted, is speaking of the Incarnation of Christ and of this present life. And hence Chrysostom, Ambrose, Theophylact, Œcumenius take this verse of the miracles of Christ, and of the wisdom, virtues, and grace which Christ by living here on earth has imparted to us.
2. It is more agreeable to the context to say that Isaiah seems to fly away in admiration from the Incarnation and manhood of Christ to the celestial glory, which is the fruit and end of the Incarnation of Christ; for such flights and sudden changes are common with the Prophets, because of the sublime and ample light of prophecy which they enjoyed.
This appears from the words used ; as, e.g., “ Him that waiteth for him,” and “ Thou meetest him that worketh righteousness .” He is speaking then of the fruit of the works of the just, viz., the eternal life which we wait for; for the fruit of the Incarnation and faith does not meet them that work righteousness, but those that are sitting in darkness and sin. So says S. Jerome (in Isa. lxiv.), S. Dionysius (De Cœlest. Hierarch. 12), and Vasquez, in the passage above quoted. Hence S. Bernard ( Serm . 4 on the Vigil of the
Nativity) says : “ Eye hath not seen that unapproachable light, ear hath not heard that incomprehensible peace . ... And why is it that it was not ascended into the heart of man? Surely because it is a spring and cannot ascend. For we know that the nature of springs is to seek the rivers in the valleys , and to shun the tops of the mountains ; for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble .”
S. Augustine, in his “Meditations,” ch. 22 et seqq., and “Soliloquies,” ch. 35 and 36, discourses most beautifully about the greatness of this bliss. The author too of the book on “The Spirit and the Soul” (which is found in vol. iii. ch. 36 of S. Augustine’s works), very appropriately says on this passage of the Apostle: “As the outward man is affected by temporal things through his five senses , so the inward man , in the life of bliss , is affected by the five ineffable attributes of God through his ineffable love for Him. For when he shall love his God, He will know him as a certain light, a voice , a sweet odour , a food, and an inward embrace. For there shines the light which no place can contain ; there sounds the music which no time steals away ; there is the sweet odour which no wind can scatter; there is the food which is eaten and yet undiminished ; there clings to us the good which knows no satiety ; there is God seen without intermission, known without error , loved without disgust , and praised without wearying .”