12 Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty works.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
The signs of an Apostle By the signs of an Apostle he means -- the seals, that tend to confirm the evidence of his Apostleship, or, at least, for the proofs and evidences of it. "God has confirmed my Apostleship among you to such a degree, that it stands in no need of proof being adduced." The first sign he makes mention of is patience -- either because he had remained invincible, [1] by nobly withstanding all the assaults of Satan and his enemies, and on no occasion giving way; or because, regardless of his own distinction, he suffered all injuries patiently, endured in silence countless grievances, [2] and, by patience, overcame indignities. [3] For a virtue so heroic is, as it were, a heavenly seal, by which the Lord marks out his Apostles. He assigns the second place to miracles, for while he makes mention of signs and wonders and mighty deeds, he makes use of three terms, as he does elsewhere, (2-Thessalonians 2:9,) for expressing one and the same thing. Now he calls them signs, because they are not empty shows, but are appointed for the instruction of mankind -- wonders, because they ought, by their novelty, to arouse men, and strike them with astonishment -- and powers or mighty deeds, because they are more signal tokens of Divine power, [4] than what we behold in the ordinary course of nature. Farther, we know that this was the main design of miracles, when the gospel began to be preached -- that its doctrine might have greater authority given to it. Hence, the more that any one was endowed with the power of working miracles, so much the more was his ministry confirmed, as has been stated in the fifteenth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans. [5]
1 - "Il a tousiours demure inuincible, et ferme sans se reculer;" -- "He has always remained invincible and firm, without shrinking back."
2 - "Il a laisse passer beaucoup de fascheries sans en faire semblant de rien;" -- "He has allowed many grievances to pass, without seeming to take any notice of them."
3 - "Beaucoup de lasches tours;" -- "Many base tricks."
4 - "Ce sont exemples et tesmoignages plus excellent et euidens de la vertu Diuine;" -- "Those are signal and manifest instances and evidences of Divine power."
5 - Calvin seems to refer here more particularly to the observations made by him, when commenting on [67]Romans 15:18. "Hie nobilis est locus de miraculorum usu: nempe ut reverentiam obedientiamque Deo apud homines comparent. Sic apud Marcum (Mark 16:20,) legis, Dominum confirmasse doetrinam subsequentibus signis. Sic Lucas in Actis (Acts 14:3,) narrat, Dominum per miracula testimonium reddidisse sermoni gratiae suoe;" -- "This is an admirable passage in reference to the use of miracles -- that they may secure among men reverence and obedience towards God. Thus you read in Mark 16:20, that the Lord confirmed their doctrine by signs following. So also Luke, in Acts 14:3, relates that the Lord by miracles gave testimony to the word.of his grace." -- Ed.
Truly the signs of an apostle - Such miracles as the acknowledged apostles worked. Such "signs" or evidences that they were divinely commissioned; see the Mark 16:17 note; Acts 2:22 note; Romans 15:19 note.
Were wrought among you - That is, by me; see the note, 1-Corinthians 9:2.
In all patience - I performed those works notwithstanding the opposition which I met with. I patiently persevered in furnishing the evidence of my divine commission. There was a succession of miracles demonstrating that I was from God, notwithstanding the unreasonable opposition which I met with, until I convinced you that I was called to the office of an apostle.
In signs and wonders - In working miracles; compare note, Acts 2:22. What these miracles at Corinth were, we are not distinctly informed. They probably, however, were similar to those performed in other places, in healing the sick, etc.; the most benevolent as it was one of the most decisive proofs of the divine power.
The signs of an apostle were wrought among you - Though I have been reputed as nothing, I have given the fullest proof of my Divine mission by various signs, wonders, and miracles, and by that patience which I have manifested towards you: though I had power from God to inflict punishment on the transgressors, I have in every case forborne to do it. Is the man nothing who wrought such miracles among you?
Truly the (l) signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
(l) The arguments by which it may well appear that I am indeed an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you,.... Not only the doctrine which he preached, the power that attended it, and the success it met with among them, were clear signs and evident proofs of his being sent by Christ; not only they themselves, who were converted under his ministry, were testimonials and seals of his apostleship, but also the many other wonderful works done by him confirmed the same, and showed him to be an apostle, and that he was not a whit behind, but equal to the chiefest of them: nor does he refer them to signs that were wrought by him, among others, and in other places, which were many; but to those which they themselves were witnesses of, and therefore might and ought to have spoken of them in defence of him; and in order to stop the mouths of the false apostles, a particular enumeration of these signs follows:
in all patience; it is one sign, and what is here mentioned in the first place of an apostle and minister of Christ, that he patiently bears all injuries and indignities, reproaches, persecutions, and all manner of afflictions, for Christ's sake and the Gospel's; and this the apostle did; and had he not been sent by Christ, it is not reasonable to imagine that he would have exposed himself to so many evils and dangers; or would have bore with so much patience the ill usage of men, and particularly the unkindness and ingratitude he met with at Corinth; but he took all patiently, having their good and the glory of Christ at heart:
in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds; meaning preternatural and miraculous performances; such as raising the dead, healing the sick, cleansing lepers, casting out devils, speaking with divers tongues, and the like, which were confirming evidences of apostleship; so , "wonders and powers", or "mighty deeds", are mentioned together by the Jews (i), as the same things.
(i) Zohar in Exod. fol. 96. 2. & 97. 1.
Truly, &c.--There is understood some such clause as this, "And yet I have not been commended by you."
in all patience, in signs, &c.--The oldest manuscripts omit "in." "Patience" is not one of the "signs," but the element IN which they were wrought: endurance of opposition which did not cause me to leave off working [ALFORD]. Translate, "IN . . . patience, BY signs," &c. His mode of expression is modest, putting himself, the worker, in the background, "were wrought," not "I wrought." As the signs have not been transmitted to us, neither has the apostleship. The apostles have no literal successors (compare Acts 1:21-22).
mighty deeds--palpable works of divine omnipotence. The silence of the apostles in fourteen Epistles, as to miracles, arises from the design of those Epistles being hortatory, not controversial. The passing allusions to miracles in seven Epistles prove that the writers were not enthusiasts to whom miracles seem the most important thing. Doctrines were with them the important matter, save when convincing adversaries. In the seven Epistles the mention of miracles is not obtrusive, but marked by a calm air of assurance, as of facts acknowledged on all hands, and therefore unnecessary to dwell on. This is a much stronger proof of their reality than if they were formally and obtrusively asserted. Signs and wonders is the regular formula of the Old Testament, which New Testament readers would necessarily understand of supernatural works. Again, in the Gospels the miracles are so inseparably and congruously tied up with the history, that you cannot deny the former without denying the latter also. And then you have a greater difficulty than ever, namely, to account for the rise of Christianity; so that the infidel has something infinitely more difficult to believe than that which he rejects, and which the Christian more rationally accepts.
*More commentary available at chapter level.