This is intended to moderate and explain what precedes. ‘When I speak of sparing you, I do not wish to intimate that I consider myself the Lord over your faith.’ Not for that, oujc o[ti, equivalent to, I do not say that we have dominion over your faith. Some say faith is here used for believers, (the abstract for the concrete,) we have not dominion over believers; or, as St.
Peter says, are not lords over God’s heritage. <600503>
1 Peter 5:3. Others say faith here means faith-life; we have not dominion over your Christian life.
Both of these interpretations are unnatural and unnecessary. The word is to be taken in its ordinary sense. Paul disclaims all authority over their faith, either as a man or as an apostle. It was not for him, and if not for him, surely for no other man or set of men, to determine what they should believe. He called upon the Galatians to denounce him, or even an angel from heaven, as accursed, if he preached another gospel. <480108>
Galatians 1:8.
Faith rests not on the testimony of man, but on the testimony of God.
When we believe the Scriptures, it is not man, but God whom we believe.
Therefore faith is subject not to man but to God alone. This is perfectly consistent with the plenary inspiration of the apostles, and with our confidence in them as the infallible witnesses of the truth. When a man speaks through a trumpet, it is the man and not the trumpet that we believe. Or when we read a printed page, we have confidence in the trustworthiness of the words as symbols of thought, but it is the mind expressed by those symbols with which we are in communion. So the apostles were but the organs of the Holy Ghost; what they spoke as such, they could not recall or modify. What they should communicate was not under their control; they were not the lords, so to speak, of the gospel, so that they could make it what they pleased. Not at all; they were as much subject to the communication which they received, and as much bound to believe what they were made the instruments of teaching, as other men.
Paul therefore places himself alongside of his brethren, not over them as a
Lord, but as a joint-believer with them in the gospel which he preached, and a helper of their joy. That is, his office was to co-operate with them in the promotion of their spiritual welfare. It was not the end of the
apostleship to give pain or to inflict punishment, but to promote the real happiness of the people. For by faith ye stand. The meaning of this clause is doubtful. Taken by themselves the words may mean, ‘Ye stand firm or independently as to faith.’ This would suit the connection as indicated by for. ‘We are not lords over your faith, but merely helpers, for you stand independently as to faith.’ Or the meaning may be what is expressed in our version, ‘Ye stand by faith.’ Then the connection, as explained by Calvin, is, ‘since it is the effect and nature of faith to sustain or cause you to stand, it is absurd that it should be subject to man, or that we should have dominion over your faith.’ This, however, is rather an obscure argument. According to Meyer the connection is with the immediately preceding words, ‘We are helpers of your joy, because ye are steadfast as to faith.’ That is, steadfastness in faith is necessary to joy. The most natural interpretation probably is that given by Erasmus: fidei nomine nullum habemus in vos dominium, in qua perseveratis; sed est in vita quod in vobis correctum volebam. ‘Over your faith I have no dominion, for in that ye stand; but, when I speak of not sparing, I had reference to your conduct.’ He had authority in matters of discipline, but not in matters of faith. As to the latter, he and they were equally under subjection to the revelation of God. He indeed, as the organ of the Spirit, could declare infallibly what that revelation was, but he could not go counter to it, and was to be judged by it. If the inspired apostles recognized not only their subjection to the word of God, but also the right of the people to judge whether their teachings were in accordance with the supreme standard, it is most evident that no church authority can make anything contrary to Scripture obligatory on believers, and that the ultimate right to decide whether ecclesiastical decisions are in accordance with the word of God, rests with the people. In other words, Paul recognizes, even in reference to himself, the right of private judgment. He allowed any man to pronounce him anathema, if he did not preach the gospel as it had been revealed and authenticated to the church. Quum eorum fidei dominari se negat, significat injustam hanc esse et minime tolerandam potestatem, imo tyrannidem in ecclesia. Fides enim prorsus ab hominum jugo soluta, liberrimaque esse debet. Notandum autem, quis loquatur: nam siquis omnino sit mortalium
qui jus habeat tale dominium sibi vindicandi, Paulus certe dignus hac praerogativa fuit, fatetur qutem sibi non competere. Itaque colligimus, fidem non aliam subjectionem agnoscere, quam verbi Dei: hominum imperio minime esse obnoxiam. CALVIN.
CHAPTER 2.
The first paragraph, vs. 1-4, relates to the change of his plan of going immediately to Corinth. In vs. 5-11 he refers to the case of discipline mentioned in his former letter. In vs. 12-14 he states why he did not remain in Troas. And in vs. 14-17 he pours out his heart in gratitude to God for the continued triumph of the gospel.
THE TRUE REASON WHY THE APOSTLE DID NOT GO IMMEDIATELY TO CORINTH, AND HIS VIEWS IN REFERENCE TO THE OFFENDER WHOSE EXCOMMUNICATION HE HAD INSISTED
UPON IN HIS FORMER LETTER.
There is no change of subject in this chapter. The apostle after defending himself from the charge of levity in conduct and inconsistency in doctrine, had said, in v. 23 of the preceding chapter, that he did not go to Corinth before giving the church time to comply with the injunctions contained in his former letter, because he did not wish to appear among them as a judge.
He here says, in amplification, that he had determined not again to visit Corinth under circumstances which could only give pain to the Corinthians and to himself. He knew that he could not give them sorrow without being himself grieved, and he was assured that if he was happy they would share in his joy, vs. 1-4. The sorrow occasioned by the incestuous person was not confined to the apostle, but shared by the church. He was satisfied with the course which the church had pursued in reference to that case, and was willing the offender should be restored to their fellowship if they were, vs. 5-11. His anxiety about them was so great that not finding Titus, from whom he expected to receive intelligence, he was unable to remain at Troas, but passed over into Macedonia to meet him on his way, vs. 12, 13. The intelligence which he received from Titus being favorable, the apostle expresses in strong terms his gratitude to God who always caused him to triumph, vs. 15-17.
1. But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in