My Notes
Authors
John Calvin - Commentaries
**Know ye not that the saints. Here we have an argument from the less to the greater; for Paul, being desirous to show that injury is done to the Church of God when judgments on matters of dispute connected with earthly things are carried before unbelievers, as if there were no one in the society of the godly that was qualified to judge, reasons in this strain: “Since God has reckoned the saints worthy of such honor, as to have appointed them to be judges of the whole world, it is unreasonable that they should be shut out from judging as to small matters, as persons not qualified for it.” Hence it follows, that the Corinthians inflict injury upon themselves, in resigning into the hands of unbelievers the honor 318318 “L’honneur et la prerogatiue;” — “The honor and the prerogative.” that has been conferred upon them by God.
What is said here as to _judging the world _ought to be viewed as referring to that declaration of Christ:
When the Son of Man shall come, ye shall sit, etc. (Matthew 19:28 .)
For all power of judgment has been committed to the Son, (John 5:22 ,)
in such a manner that he will receive his saints into a participation with him in this honor, as assessors. Apart from this, they will judge the world, as indeed they begin already to do, because their piety, faith, fear of the Lord, good conscience, and integrity of life, will make unbelievers altogether inexcusable, as it is said of Noah, that by his faith he condemned all the men of his age. (Hebrews 11:7 .) But the former signification accords better with the Apostle’s design, for unless you take the _judging _here spoken of in its proper acceptation, the reasoning will not hold.
But even in this sense 319319 “Mais, dira quelqu’vn, encore a le prendre ainsi;” — “But, some one will say, even taking it in this way.” it may seem not to have much weight, for it is as if one should say’ “The saints are endowed with heavenly wisdom, which immeasurably transcends all human doctrines: therefore they can judge better as to the stars than astrologers.” Now this no one will allow, and the ground of objection is obvious — because piety and spiritual doctrine do not confer a knowledge of human arts. My answer here is this, that between expertness in judging and other arts there is this difference, that while the latter are acquired by acuteness of intellect and by study, and are learned from masters, 320320 “Sous precepteurs et maistres;” — “Under preceptors and masters.” the former depends rather on equity and conscientiousness.
But 321321 “Mais, dira quelqu’vn:” — “But, some one will say.” “lawyers will judge better and more confidently than an illiterate Christian: otherwise the knowledge of law is of no advantage.” I answer, that their advice is not here excluded, for if the determination of any obscure question is to be sought from a knowledge of the laws, the Apostle does not hinder Christians from applying to lawyers. 322322 “Ne defend point aux Chrestiens d’aller demander conseil aux Legistes;” — “Does not hinder Christians from going to ask the advice of lawyers.” What he finds fault with in the Corinthians is simply this, that they carry their disputes before unbelieving judges, as if they had none in the Church that were qualified to pass judgment, and farther, he shows how much superior is the judgment that God has assigned to his believing people.
The words rendered _in you _mean here, in my opinion, among you. For whenever believers meet in one place, under the auspices of Christ, 323323 “Au nom de Christ;” — “In the name of Christ.” there is already in their assembly a sort of image of the future judgment, which will be perfectly brought to light on the last day. Accordingly Paul says, that the world is judged in the Church, because _there _Christ’s tribunal is erected, from which he exercises his authority. 324324 “Auquel estant comme assis, il exerce sa iurisdiction;” — “On which being as it were seated, he exercises his authority.”
3._ Know ye not that we shall judge angels_? This passage is taken in different ways. Chrysostom states that some understood it as referring to priests, 325325 “Des prestres et ministres;” — “Of priests and ministers.” but this is exceedingly far-fetched. Others understand it of the angels in heaven, in this sense — that the angels are subject to the judgment of God’s word, and may be judged by us, if need be, by means of that word, as it is said in the Epistle to the Galatians —
If an angel from heaven bring any other gospel, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8 .)
Nor does this exposition appear at first view unsuitable to the thread of Paul’s discourse; for if all whom God has enlightened by his word are endowed with such authority, that through means of that word they judge not only men but angels too, how much more will they be prepared to judge of small and trivial matters? As, however, Paul speaks here in the future tense, as referring to the last day, and as his words convey the idea of an actual judgment, (as the common expression is,) it were preferable, in my opinion, to understand him as speaking of apostate 326326 “Apostats et rebelles;” — “Apostate and rebellious.” angels. For the argument will be not less conclusive in this way: “Devils, who sprang from so illustrious an origin, and even now, when they have fallen from their high estate, are immortal creatures, and superior to this corruptible world, shall be judged by us. What then? Shall those things that are subservient to the belly be exempted from our judgment?