Calvin's Commentaries
The Pastoral Epistles (Volume XXII)
2 Corinthians 4:1-6
1. Having this ministry. He now returns to a
commendation of himself personally, from which he had digressed into a
general discussion, in reference to the dignity of the gospel. As,
therefore, he has been treating of the nature of the gospel, so he now shows
how faithful and upright a minister of it he is. He has previously shown,
what is the true gospel of Christ. He now shows what he preaches to be such.
“Having,” says he, “this ministry” — that ministry, the
excellence of which he had extolled in terms so magnificent, and the power
and usefulness of which he had so abundantly shown forth. Hence, in order
that he may not seem to extol himself too much, he premises that it was not
by his own efforts, or by his own merits, that he had reached such a
pinnacle of honor, but had been led forward by the mercy of God exclusively.
Now there was more implied in making the mercy of God the reason of
his Apostleship, than if he had attributed it to the grace of God.
We faint not423
that is, we are not deficient in our duty,
424 so as not to discharge it with fidelity.
2.But renounce the hidden things. While he
commends his own sincerity,
425 he, on the other hand, indirectly reproves
the false Apostles, who, while they corrupted by their ambition the genuine
excellence of the gospel, were, nevertheless, desirous of exclusive
distinction. Hence the faults, from which he declares himself to be exempt,
he indirectly imputes to them. By the hidden things of disgrace, or
concealments, some understand the shadows of the Mosaic law.
Chrysostom understands the expression to mean the vain show, by which they
endeavored to recommend themselves. I understand by it — all the disguises,
with which they adulterated the pure and native beauty of the gospel. For as
chaste and virtuous women, satisfied with the gracefulness of natural
beauty, do not resort to artificial adornings, while harlots never think
themselves sufficiently adorned, unless they have corrupted nature, so Paul
glories in having set forth the pure gospel, while others set forth one that
was disguised, and covered over with unseemly additions. For as they were
ashamed of the simplicity of Christ, or at least could not have distinction
426 from true excellencies of Apostles, they
framed a new gospel, not unlike a profane philosophy, swelled up with empty
bombast, while altogether devoid of the efficacy of the Spirit. Spurious
ornaments of this nature,
427 by which the gospel is disfigured, he calls
the concealments of disgrace, because the nakedness of those, who
have recourse to concealments and disguises, must of necessity be
dishonorable and disgraceful.
As to himself, he says that he rejects or disdains
disguises, because Christ’s face, the more that it is seen opened up to view
in his preaching, shines forth so much the more gloriously. I do not,
however, deny, that he alludes at the same time to the veil of Moses, (Exodus
34:33,) of which he had made mention, but he ascribes a quite different
veil to the false Apostles. For Moses covered his face, because the
excessive brightness of the glory of the law could not be endured by tender
and blear eyes. They,
428 on the other hand, put on a veil by way of
ornament. Besides, as they would be despicable, nay, infamous, if the
simplicity of the gospel shone forth, they, on this account, hide their
shame under ever so many cloaks and masks.
Not walking in craftiness. There can be no doubt,
that the false Apostles delighted themselves greatly in the craftiness
that Paul reproves, as though it had been a distinguished excellence, as we
see even at this day some, even of those who profess the gospel, who would
rather be esteemed subtile than sincere, and sublime rather than solid,
while in the mean time all their refinement is mere childishness. But what
would you do? It delights them to have a name for acuteness, and they have,
under that pretext, applause among the ignorant.
429 We learn, however, in what estimation Paul
holds this appearance of excellence. Craftiness he declares to be
unworthy of Christ’s servants.
As to what follows — nor handling deceitfully — I am
not sure that this sufficiently brings out Paul’s meaning; for the verb
δολοῦν does not so
properly mean acting fraudulently, as what is called falsifying
430 as horse-jockeys
431 are wont to do. In this passage, at least,
it is placed in contrast with upright preaching, agreeably to what follows.
But by manifestation of the truth He claims to
himself this praise — that he had proclaimed the pure doctrine of the gospel
in simplicity and without disguise, and has the consciences of all as
witnesses of this in the sight of God. As he has placed the
manifestation of the truth in contrast with the disguised
432 doctrine of the sophists, so he appeals the
decision to their consciences, and to the judgment-seat of God, whereas they
abused the mistaken judgment of men, or their corrupt affection, and were
not so desirous to be in reality worthy of praise as they were eager to
appear so. Hence we infer, that there is a contrast here between the
consciences of men and their ears. Let the servants of Christ,
therefore, reckon it enough to have approved their integrity to the
consciences of men in the sight of God, and pay no regard to the corrupt
inclinations of men, or to popular applause.
3.But if our gospel is hid It might have been
an easy thing to pour calumny upon what he had said as to the clearness of
his preaching, because he had many adversaries. That calumny he repels with
stern authority, for he threatens all who do not acknowledge the power of
his gospel, and warns them that this is a token of reprobation and ruin.
“Should any one affirm that he does not perceive that manifestation of
Christ of which I boast, he clearly shows himself, by this very token, to be
a reprobate,
433 for my sincerity in the work of instructing
434 is clearly and distinctly perceived by all
that have eyes. Those, therefore, from whom it is hid, must be blind, and
destitute of all rational understanding.” The sum is this — that the
blindness of unbelievers detracts nothing from the clearness of his gospel;
for the sun is not less resplendent, that the blind do not perceive his
light.
435
But some one will say that this applies equally to the law,
for in itself it is a lamp436
to guide our feet, (Psalm
119:105,) enlightens the eyes, (Psalm
19:8,) etc., and is hid only from those that perish. I answer that, when
Christ is included in the law, the sun shines forth through the midst of the
clouds, so that men have light enough for their use; but when Christ is
disjoined from it, there is nothing left but darkness, or a false appearance
of light, that dazzles men’s eyes instead of assisting them. It is, however,
a token of great confidence, that he ventures to regard as reprobates all
that reject his doctrine. It is befitting, however, that all that would be
looked upon as ministers of God’s word should be endued with the like
confidence, that with a fearless confidence they may unhesitatingly summon
all the adversaries of their doctrine to the judgment-seat of God, that they
may bring thence a sure condemnation.
4.Whose minds the god of
this world He intimates, that no account should be made of their
perverse obstinacy. “They do not see,” says he, “the sun at mid-day, because
the devil has blinded their understandings.” No one that judges
rightly can have any doubt, that it is of Satan that the Apostle speaks.
Hilary, as he had to do with Arians, who abused this passage, so as to make
it a pretext for denying Christ’s true divinity, while they at the same time
confessed him to be God, twists the text in this way — “God hath blinded the
understandings of this world.” In this he was afterwards followed by
Chrysostom, with the view of not conceding to the Manicheans their two
first principles.437
What influenced Ambrose does not appear. Augustine had the same reason as
Chrysostom, having to contend with the Manicheans.
We see what the heat of controversy does in carrying on
disputes. Had all those men calmly read Paul’s words, it would never have
occurred to any one of them to twist them in this way into a forced meaning;
but as they were harassed by their opponents, they were more concerned to
refute them, than to investigate Paul’s meaning. But what occasion was there
for this? For the subterfuge of the Arians was childish — that if the devil
is called the god of this world, the name of God, as applied to
Christ, does not express a true, eternal, and exclusive divinity. For Paul
says elsewhere, many are called gods, (1
Corinthians 8:5;) but David, on the other hand, sings forth — the
gods of the nations are demons.438
(Psalm
96:5.) When, therefore, the devil is called the god of the
wicked, on the ground of his having dominion over them, and being worshipped
by them in the place of God, what tendency has this to detract from the
honor of Christ? And as to the Manicheans, this appellation gives no more
countenance to the Manicheans, than when he is called the prince of this
world. (John
14:30.)
439
There is, therefore, no reason for being afraid to interpret
this passage as referring to the devil, there being no danger in doing so.
For should the Arians come forward and contend,
440 that Christ’s divine essence is no more
proved from his having the appellation God applied to him, than
Satan’s is proved from its being applied to him, a cavil of this
nature is easily refuted; for Christ is called God without any addition,
441 nay, he is called God blessed for ever.
(Romans
9:5.) He is said to be that God who was in the beginning, before the
creation of the world. (John
1:1-3.)
The devil, on the other hand, is called the god of this
world, in no other way than as Baal is called the god of those that
worship him, or as the dog is called the god of Egypt.
442 The Manicheans, as I have said, for
maintaining their delusion, have recourse to other declarations of
Scripture, as well as this, but there is no difficulty in refuting those
also. They contend not so much respecting the term, as respecting the
power. As the power of blinding is ascribed to Satan,
and dominion over unbelievers, they conclude from this that he is, from his
own resources, the author of all evil, so as not to be subject to God’s
control — as if Scripture did not in various instances declare, that devils,
no less than the angels of heaven, are servants of God, each of them
severally in his own manner. For, as the latter dispense to us God’s
benefits for our salvation, so the former execute his wrath. Hence good
angels are called powers and principalities, (Ephesians
3:10,) but it is simply because they exercise the power given them by
God. For the same reason Satan is the prince of this world, not as if
he conferred dominion upon himself, or obtained it by his own right, or, in
fine, exercised it at his own pleasure. On the contrary, he has only so much
as the Lord allows him. Hence Scripture does not merely make mention of the
good spirit of God, and good angels, but he also speaks of evil spirits of
God. Anevil spirit from God came upon Saul. (1
Samuel 16:14.) Again, chastisements through means of evil angels.
(Psalm
78:49.)
With respect to the passage before us, the blinding
is a work common to God and to Satan, for it is in many instances ascribed
to God; but the power is not alike, nor is the manner the
same. I shall not speak at present as to the manner. Scripture, however,
teaches that Satan blinds men,
443 not merely with God’s permission, but even
by his command, that he may execute his vengeance. Thus Ahab was deceived by
Satan, (1
Kings 22:21,) but could Satan have done this of himself? By no means;
but having offered to God his services for inflicting injury, he was sent to
be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.
(1
Kings 22:22.)
Nay more, the reason why God is said to blind men is,
that after having deprived us of the right exercise of the understanding,
and the light of his Spirit, he delivers us over to the devil, to be hurried
forward by him to a reprobate mind, (Romans
1:28,) gives him the power of deception, and by this means inflicts just
vengeance upon us by the minister of his wrath. Paul’s meaning, therefore,
is, that all are possessed by the devil, who do not acknowledge his doctrine
to be the sure truth of God. For it is more severe to call them slaves of
the devil,
444 than to ascribe their blindness to the
judgment of God. As, however, he had a little before adjudged such persons
to destruction, (2
Corinthians 4:3,) he now adds that they perish, for no other reason than
that they have drawn down ruin upon themselves, as the effect of their own
unbelief.
Lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should
shine upon them. This serves to confirm what he had said — that if any
one rejected his gospel, it was his own blindness that prevented him from
receiving it. “For nothing,” says he, “appears in it but Christ, and that
not obscurely, but so as to shine forth clearly.” He adds, that Christ is
the image of God, by which he intimates that they were utterly devoid
of the knowledge of God, in accordance with that statement — He that knoweth
not me knoweth not my Father. (John
14:7.)
This then is the reason, why he pronounced so severe a
sentence upon those that had doubts as to his Apostleship — because they did
not behold Christ, who might there be distinctly beheld. It is doubtful
whether he employed the expression, the gospel of the glory of Christ,
as meaning the glorious gospel, agreeably to the Hebrew idiom; or
whether he means by it — the gospel, in which Christ’s glory shone forth.
The second of these meanings I rather prefer, as having in it more
completeness.
When, however, Christ is called the image of the
invisible God, this is not meant merely of his essence, as being the
“co-essential of the Father,” as they speak,
445 but rather has a reference to us, because he
represents the Father to us. The Father himself is represented as
invisible, because he is in himself not apprehended by the human
understanding. He exhibits himself, however, to us by his Son, and makes
himself in a manner visible.
446 I state this, because the ancients, having
been greatly incensed against the Arians, insisted more than was befitting
on this point — how it is that the Son is inwardly the image of the
Father by a secret unity of essence, while they passed over what is
mainly for edification — in what respects he is the image of God to
us, when he manifests to us what had otherwise been hid in him. Hence the
term image has a reference to us, as we shall see again presently
447 The epithet invisible, though omitted
in some Greek manuscripts, I have preferred to retain, as it is not
superfluous.
448
5. For we preach not ourselves Some make this
to be an instance of Zeugma,449
in this manner: We preach not ourselves to be lords, but God’s only Son,
whom the Father has set over all things, to be the one Lord.
450 I do not, indeed, find fault with that
interpretation, but as the expression is more emphatic
(εμφατικωτερα) and has a
more extensive signification,
451 when it is said, that one preaches
himself. I am more inclined to retain this interpretation, especially as
it is almost unanimously approved of. For there are other ways in which men
preach themselves, than by arrogating to themselves dominion, as for
example, when they aim at show, rather than at edification — when they are
desirous in any way to have distinction — when, farther, they make gain of
the gospel. Ambition, therefore, and avarice, and similar vices in a
minister, taint the purity of his doctrine, so that Christ has not there the
exclusive distinction. Hence, he that would preach Christ alone, must of
necessity forget himself.
And ourselves your servants. Lest any one should
mutter out the objection—”But in the mean time you say many things
respecting yourself,” he answers, that he desires nothing farther, than that
he should be their servant. “Whatever things I declare respecting
myself (so loftily, and boastfully, in your opinion) have this object in
view — that I may in Christ serve you advantageously.” It follows,
that the Corinthians are excessively proud and ungrateful, if they reject
this condition. Nay more, it follows, that they had been previously of a
corrupt judgment, inasmuch as they had not perceived his holy affection.
Here, however, all pastors of the Church are admonished as
to their state and condition, for by whatever title of honor they may be
distinguished, they are nothing more than the servants of believers,
and unquestionably, they cannot serve Christ, without serving his Church at
the same time. An honorable servitude, it is true, this is, and superior to
any principality,
452 but still it is a servitude, so that
Christ alone may be elevated to distinction — not encumbered by the shadow
of a single rival
453 Hence it is the part of a good pastor, not
merely to keep aloof from all desire of domineering, but to regard it as the
highest pitch of honor, at which he aspires — that he may serve the
people of God. It is the duty of the people, on the other hand, to esteem
the servants of Christ first of all on the ground of the dignity of their
Master, and then farther on account of the dignity and excellence of their
office, that they may not despise those, whom the Lord has placed in so
illustrious a station.
6.God who commanded light to shine out of
darkness. I see that this passage may be explained in four different
ways. In the first place thus: “God has commanded light to shine
forth out of darkness: that is, by the ministry of men, who are in their
own nature darkness, He has brought forward the light of His
gospel into the world.” Secondly, thus: “God has made the light
of the gospel to take the place of the law, which was wrapt up in
dark shadows, and thus, He has brought light out of darkness.”
Those that are fond of subtleties, would be prepared readily to receive
expositions of that sort, but any one, who will examine the matter more
closely, will perceive, that they do not correspond with the Apostle’s
intention. The third exposition is that of Ambrose: “When all things
were involved in darkness, God kindled up the light of His gospel. For
mankind were sunk in the darkness of ignorance, when God on a sudden shone
forth upon them by his gospel.” The fourth is that of Chrysostom, who
is of opinion, that Paul alluded to the creation of the world, in this way:
“God, who by his word created light, drawing it, as it were, out of the
darkness
454 — that same Being has now enlightened us in
a spiritual manner, when we were buried in darkness.” This transition,
455 from light that is visible and corporeal to
what is spiritual, has more of elegance, and there is nothing forced in it.
The preceding one,
456 however, is not unsuitable. Let every one
follow his own judgment.
Hath shined in our hearts. He
speaks of a twofold illumination, which must be carefully observed — the one
is that of the gospel, the other is secret, taking place in our hearts.
457 For as God, the Creator of the world, pours
forth upon us the brightness of the sun, and gives us eyes to receive it,
so, as the Redeemer, in the person of his Son, He shines forth, indeed, upon
us by His gospel, but, as we are blind, that would be in vain, if He did not
at the same time enlighten our understandings by His Spirit. His meaning,
therefore, is, that God has, by His Spirit, opened the eyes of our
understandings, so as to make them capable of receiving the light of the
gospel.
In the face of Jesus Christ. In the same sense in
which he had previously said that Christ is the image of the Father,
(2
Corinthians 4:4) he now says, that the glory of God is manifested to us
in his face. Here we have a remarkable passage, from which we learn
that God is not to be sought out (Job
11:7) in His unsearchable height, (for He dwells in light that is
inaccessible,
1 Timothy 6:16,)
but is to be known by us, in so far as He manifests himself
in Christ. Hence, whatever men desire to know respecting God, apart from
Christ, is evanescent, for they wander out of the way. True, indeed, God in
Christ appears in the first instance to be mean, but he appears at length to
be glorious in the view of those, who hold on, so as to come from the cross
to the resurrection.
458 Again we see, that in the word person
459 there is a reference made to us,
460 because it is more advantageous for us to
behold God, as He appears in His only-begotten Son, than to search out His
secret essence.
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