Chapter I.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) Paul, called as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. To the Romans he begins differently; for there is another reason: but to these he writes that he is an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, because everything he did, he did by the will of the Son of God, who said to him: Go, I will send you far away to the Gentiles (Acts 22:21). From this he was called as an Apostle, that is, sent to the Gentiles by the will of God. By this also he touches on those whom neither Christ had sent, nor was it true what they were saying. For he frequently mentions both God and Christ, in order to show that Christ is not God himself the Father, but that he is the Son of God, and that he is also God the Father, not in union; when he is shown to be called the Son. For many sects had emerged, which claimed the Gospel of Christ according to their own interpretation, from which dry branches still exist, whose advocates were overthrowing the Churches. Hence the Apostle sets forth everything that is contrary to heresies, and asserts himself as a true preacher by virtue of being sent by the will of God through Christ.
(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2) And Sosthenes, the brother, also greets you. He recommends himself to your society. The Church of God, which is in Corinth, is sanctified in Christ Jesus. Therefore, he writes to the Church because there were still no appointed leaders in each Church. And although he rebukes them in many things, he says: Sanctified in Christ Jesus. But he says this because they were regenerated in Christ and were sanctified, but then they began to behave improperly. This is to show that the entire Church was sanctified in Christ, but some of them were turned away from the true tradition by the wicked teaching of false apostles.
You are called saints. That is, you are called to be holy, which means not deviating from the rule of sanctification. Together with all who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in every place of theirs and ours. That is, with both genuine Jews and Gentiles, because salvation is from the Jews. In every place where Gentiles, who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, are present, and where Jews are also mentioned, all are likewise one. For the pseudoapostles, who preached the name of Christ through the wisdom of the world, that is, mixing philosophy, rejected the old law and the prophets; for they denied that Christ was truly crucified, but only appeared to be crucified, like Marcion and Manichaeus. Therefore, the Apostle says: But we preach Christ crucified (I Cor. I. 23). They also did not confess the resurrection of the flesh, which the prophet Isaiah proclaims, saying: Those in the tombs shall rise (Isaiah XXVI, 19).
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) Grace to you and peace from our God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. So that, because he had said, 'Those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,' he may not seem to have been silent about the name or gift of the Father, and may not perhaps give occasion for suspicion or an opportunity for division; he does indeed teach how Christ should be invoked correctly, but that all grace is from the Father, so that he may both show that the two, although one in divinity, are distinct, and may give preference to the authority of the Father.
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4) I always give thanks to my God for you. Although he writes to everyone in the church, he signifies in this way, that when he sometimes rebukes and sometimes praises, each person reading the letter understands what is said for them and what is said against them. For he writes to one congregation with two communities, so that when he reproaches those who are behaving badly, they understand that these things are written for them; and likewise, when he praises, let the one who remains in the rule understand that these things are said to them. Ideoque inquit:
I thank my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
(Vers. 5.)
(Vers. 5.) Because in everything you have been enriched in him, in all speech and all knowledge. This means that by receiving the grace and the knowledge of the truth, they have attained spiritual understanding; therefore, they give thanks to God for these things.
(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6.) As the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. The testimony of Christ was confirmed in them; because they were strengthened in faith, they hoped for nothing from men: but all their hope was in Christ, not captivated by any pleasures.
(Vers. 7.)
(V. 7) So that you lack no grace, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is evident that He expects this day of judgment, therefore He is vigilant and anxious. The future judgment of God is said, in which our Lord will be revealed, both to the faithful and to the unfaithful, so that unbelievers may know and understand that what they refused to believe is true, and perish; but the faithful may rejoice, finding more good than they had imagined.
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) And he will also confirm you to the end without blame in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. With a cheerful spirit, he is confident in their hope and secure, for they will be blameless until the judgment to come. For amidst all the turmoil and upheaval, they could not be changed; undoubtedly they show themselves to remain steadfast in the same. While praising these, he invites those who had been led astray by the false apostles, for he preaches their faith and calls them to repentance.
(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9.) God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Who can doubt the promises and faithfulness of God, for it will be just as he has said, that we, believing in Christ, are adopted as his children. For he gives us this gift, that we believe Christ to be the Son of God, so that we may begin to be like him, remaining in the same dignity, just as Christ remains, whom we believe to be the Son of God. For indeed, fraternity is a society, in such a way that it demonstrates to us how the faith of God will remain unharmed in this matter: so that we may not be found lacking in confidence and faithfulness, but rather persevering in adoption.
(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) But I urge you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to all say the same thing. Everyone is now praying that they may have unity, especially in the matter in which the children of God, who have been reborn, are called. He is speaking to the entire Church now, so that those who had started to disagree would return to the faith they had started, which they saw being praised in those who persevered in it.
And may there be no divisions among you, but be perfect in the same mind and in the same knowledge. He wants them to be perfect in the same mind he had given them, so that they would not disagree. He cites the example of those he praises above and challenges them to think and defend this.
(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) For it has been reported to me, brothers, by those who are of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. Although you have been overturned, he still calls them brothers; just as in the prophet Isaiah God says to those who were with him, to those who believed in false prophets: 'You will be our brothers' (Isaiah 66:5); so that they would not disagree with them, as if they were brothers. But when he says: 'By those who are of Chloe's household', to some it seems that there are men who remain and bear fruit in the faith of God; to some it seems that it refers to a place, as if it were said: 'By those who are of Antioch'; but to some it seems that there was a devoted woman, with whom many worshippers of God were, whose faith was not denied; so that what they reported about the Corinthians, that there were contentions among them, was true. He said that there were disputes among them in order to show the diversity of their opinions on the discipline of the Lord. And he added what it was, saying:
(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12.) But I say this, that each one of you says: I am of Paul, and I of Apollo, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. He exposes the error, but does not reveal the names of the authors; for they were not in one place, but went around to deceive the simple. For those whom he mentions were undoubtedly good teachers; but under their guise, he touches upon false apostles. For if he denies boasting in them, how much more in the wicked teachers, whose corrupt doctrine he indicates to be rejected! However, he designates among them those who said they are of Christ, not of man, whom he praises above.
(Vers. 13.)
(Vs. 13) Christ was divided. He says Christ is divided because people have divided his glory among themselves. Just as heretics, who do not hesitate to call themselves either Photinians, or Arians, or Cataphrygians, or Novatians, or Donatians, or Manichaeans; in the same way, the Corinthians had begun to subject themselves to the names of various heretics, so that they seemed to honor men in the place of Christ: while they receive different things about Christ, they divide Christ. For one man receives only Christ, another confesses the pure God without man or body, another says that Christ was predicted by the prophets, another denies that the prophets spoke about Christ. Therefore, since Christ is both God and man, these people, claiming different things about him, divide Christ; and because they make many churches under their own name, he added:
Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.
Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? If, however, we are baptized in Christ, in order to be justified in his name, what is it that we should make these men, the authors of this faith, unaware of the faith they have begun?
(Vers. 14-16.)
(Verses 14-16.) I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.' Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Finally, after renouncing the name of Christ, the Novatians and Donatians boast that they are called by their own names. Therefore, Crispus and Caius are Corinthians, whom he mentions as witnesses because they were baptized by the Apostle in such a way that they asserted no glory should be given to them for this reason. But the household of Stephanas are the firstfruits of Achaia, as he indicates in the final part of the letter, to whom he gives testimony that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints.
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel. For preaching the gospel is more important than baptizing; therefore, he says that he was not sent to baptize, but to preach the gospel. For in the bishop, there is the dignity of all orders; for he is the head of the other members. By this, he also humbles those to whom they had given much, because they had been baptized by them (Acts 10:48); so that they may know that baptizing is not important, because not everyone who baptizes is fit to preach the gospel. For the words that are spoken in baptism are customary. Indeed, the Apostle Peter commanded Cornelius, a believing man, to be baptized with his household, and he did not deign to perform this act in the presence of the ministers; for if they had been lacking, he himself would have done it out of necessity. Therefore, he showed how much better those whom they worshipped were, but he did not allow this to be attributed to his own name, knowing that it is dangerous to claim for oneself the glory due to God's name; for it is like idolatry.
Not in the wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ may not be emptied. For the Christian preaching does not need pomp and the adornment of speech, and therefore unskilled fishermen were chosen to evangelize, so that the truth of the doctrine itself would commend itself, attested by virtue, so that it would not appear acceptable by the cleverness and cunning of men, not by truth, as in the disciplines invented by men, in which reason and virtue are not sought, but the arrangement of words: and through this, he seeks his own glory, who wants to adorn the faith of Christ with words. For she obscures herself by the splendor of words, so that not she herself, but he is praised; just as the false apostles, so as not to seem foolish to the wise of the world, preached Christ in the wisdom of men in a twofold way; so that they might study eloquence, and avoid those things which the world considers foolish in us: that they might not teach that the Son of God was made incarnate and born of a Virgin, nor the future resurrection of the flesh; for this the wisdom and reasoning of the world judges to be foolish: and by this the Apostle says that he does not preach Christ in the wisdom of men; lest the cross of Christ be made void; for whoever announces Christ in the wisdom of man denies the truth of the preaching, as I mentioned above.
(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18) For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. It is clear that those for whom the cross of Christ is foolishness are in perdition, for they have not been saved from the death of hell.
(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19.) But to those who are saved, it is the power of God. It is not obscure that to those who believe, the power of God is; for they believe that the cross of Christ is not weakness, but power, understanding that death has been conquered on the cross: those who have this sign are saved; for they cannot be bound by that.
For it is written in Isaiah: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the intelligence of the intelligent I will reject (Isaiah 29:14). He destroys the wisdom of the wise, while he does what they deny is possible; and he rejects the intelligence of the intelligent, when he proves that God, whom they call careless, has undertaken those things which they consider foolish, namely that the Son of God would be crucified by being born of a Virgin for the salvation of humanity; which fact is truly attested by power, not words.
(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20.) Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? By these words, he is attacked both against the Jews and against the Gentiles; because both the Jewish scribes and the teachers of the Law think it foolish to believe in the Son of God. In a similar way, the Gentiles regard this as a laughable matter. But the Jews, because this is not so clearly signified in the Law, doubt; but the Gentiles, because the reason of the world does not accept this; for it says that nothing can be done without a mixture, and they judge it foolish. However, this is a conqueror of the age, who determines things to be done by the movements of the constellations, and by calculations he determines the rising and setting of the twelve signs, thinking that nothing can happen without their motion.
Did not God make the wisdom of this world foolish? The wisdom of this world has become foolish; thinking itself wise, it has proven to be ignorant. For what was considered impossible has been declared possible, thinking God to be careless. There is nothing more foolish than this assertion, that the world was created and yet God does not care for it. Why did he create it if it does not belong to him? But because they see some enjoying the world happily, while others are oppressed, and the righteous are despised, the wicked boast; therefore, they believed that God is careless. Whoever says that God is indifferent does not deny that He is evil or unjust; for He will judge the world, and He is unjust, withholding good, and allowing evil to happen. Therefore, if they observe, setting aside their hatred of divine law, they can see that this argument can be settled by us, who await the judgment of God, in which the oppressed will be uplifted and the violent will be humbled; for God shows no partiality (Romans 2:11).
(Vers. 21.)
(Verse 21.) For since the world, through wisdom, did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. The world, that is, mankind, did not know God through its wisdom; for they ascribed His unique majesty either to imaginary beings or to the elements, ignoring Him and thinking that the things which are seen should be worshipped through the wisdom of the flesh. Therefore, it pleased God to establish preaching, which seemed foolish to them, so that those who believe in that which they despise might be saved, and they themselves might be condemned. Therefore, this is the vicissitude by which, by God's design, the false is condemned by the true.
(Vers. 22.)
(Verse 22) Since the Jews seek signs, and the Greeks seek wisdom. The Jews seek signs because they do not doubt that they could happen, but they inquire whether they have happened; knowing that Aaron's rod blossomed and produced fruit when it was dry (Num. 17:8); and that Jonah was swallowed by a whale and remained alive in its belly for three days and three nights, and was then vomited out alive (Jonah 2:1). However, above all, they seek to see something like what Moses saw, God in the fire; hence they say: We know that God spoke to Moses (John 9:29); even though it is greater that Lazarus, who was dead and decaying for four days, came out alive from the tomb (John 11:44). But the Greeks seek wisdom, for they do not want to hear anything except what is logically possible in the world.
(Vers. 23.)
(Verse 23.) But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews indeed a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishness. It is a stumbling block to the Jews when they hear Christ professing himself to be the Son of God and doing away with the Sabbath. But to the Gentiles it is foolishness; because they hear things preached that do not accord with worldly reason and seem senseless to them, such as the birth of a Virgin and the resurrection of the dead.
(Vers. 25.)
(V. 25) But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the power of God, which is stronger than words, persuades those who believe in Christ to understand: the Jews, who were seeking a sign, first understand Christ to be the power of God; and likewise the Greeks see Christ as the wisdom of God, considering the worldly wisdom they previously thought to be the greatest foolishness. Therefore, the power is of God, because through Him the Father God made all things; and the wisdom is therefore of God, because through Him God is known. For God could not be known, unless through him who was from him; because no one knows or has seen the Father, except the Son, and to whom the Son will reveal.
Because what is foolish to God is wiser than men. God's foolishness, he says, is not truly foolish, but rather it is considered foolish by men when it does not conform to worldly reason, since it is a spiritual reason. And through this, it is recognized as wiser by men, because spiritual things are understood more than carnal things. For spiritual things are not through carnal things, but carnal things depend on spiritual things; and therefore, carnal things are subject to spiritual things.
And what is weak in God is stronger than men. Without a doubt, heavenly things conquer earthly things. Therefore, what is weak in God is not weak; because the weakness of Christ is a great victory. For he conquered, even though he seemed to be conquered, as it is said in the fiftieth psalm: And you will conquer when you are judged (Psalm 50:6). For the one who is unjustly killed is the true victor, establishing guilt in the one who kills.
(Vers. 26.)
(Verse 26.) Indeed, brothers, consider your calling; for not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. It is evident that there are few who are puffed up with worldly reasoning rather than being instructed, that is, those who observe and understand the movements of the stars. But he calls them strong according to the flesh, whom he also calls wise. And they are strong because they assert that the weakness of the cross of Christ is powerful; for injustice seems strong and appears to conquer for a time. They also call us newcomers, those noble ones through whom they trace the origin of their superstition to antiquity. Therefore, God did not choose this assertion, which is true only for a few.
(Vers. 27.)
(Verse 27) But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. The foolish things of the world are that a Virgin gave birth and the Son of God was crucified; for those who believe consider this foolish. Therefore, God chose those who believe this to confound them, because He considers this foolish. The wise are confounded when they see many people confessing what a few deny; for it is not doubtful that the opinions of many are valued above the opinions of a few.
And God chose the weak of the world in order to confound the strong. The same is true; because what a few consider weak, those who consider themselves wise in the world, doubting hope, virtue is affirmed by many; because more believe than do not believe, to their shame. For they see that the weak, named by Christ, have power over demons, perform miracles: but the injuries of the world are weak, and the suffering of the Savior is not known to bring about these virtues; because He allowed Himself to suffer these things in order to conquer death. For to endure unjustly, and to be able to resist and not to, is the glory of the patient, and the condemnation of the oppressor.
(Vers. 28.)
(Verse 28): And God chose the ignoble and contemptible things of this world, and the things that are not, in order to destroy the things that are. Therefore, He chose the ignoble and contemptible things, not because they truly are ignoble and contemptible, but because they are judged as such by the world. They despise worldly principles by believing in Christ, in order to destroy the things that are truly ignoble and contemptible. For those who judge are themselves more worthy of judgment and condemnation. For their assertion of error is found to be without foundation, and it was not from the beginning: but our teaching is from the beginning. Therefore, it is destroyed when it is asserted without testimony in mere words: but ours is proven not only by words, but also by the witness of virtue.
(Vers. 29.)
(Ver. 29.) That no flesh should glory in his sight. That is, that the wisdom of the flesh should be ashamed in its error, judging God; for the sense of the flesh is to doubt the power of God to have given birth to a virgin, etc., because this is the reasoning of the world, which is related to the flesh, and does not accept it.
(Vers. 30.)
(Ver. 30.) For from Him you are in Christ Jesus. From Him, that is, from God, who is omnipotent, are we in the faith of Christ; for it is God's purpose that we learn His truth and mercy through Christ. Truth is the mystery of the Trinity: mercy, on the other hand, because when we were captives, He redeemed us.
(Vers. 31.)
(Verse 31) He has become for us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. To confirm those who believe, He says that Christ has acted according to the will of God, accomplishing what He has done; so that we may truly know that we have learned wisdom, and have been sanctified, and justified, and redeemed by God through Christ; for no one redeems except what is his own. Therefore, whether it is that we have been redeemed, or that we have been sanctified, that is, cleansed from the work of the flesh and the uncleanness of idols, or that we have been justified (for it is right to worship the Creator, despising all others), or that we have become wise through what we have learned from worldly things, this whole benefit is from God through Christ. But this is our redemption: Christ offered himself to the devil who desired it, in order to take away the contradiction of sin in himself, and thus to deliver his captives.
As it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. This is written in the book of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 9:24). It is fitting, as the prophet says, that we should glory in God, for the one who boasts in the Lord cannot be put to shame. His works and his greatness in all things are evident. Therefore, let those who trust in idols be put to shame, those who did not create the heavens and the earth. Similarly, let those who boast in humans, whom they know to be devoid of virtue, also be put to shame. As Scripture says: 'Cursed is the one who trusts in man.' (Jer. 17:5).