John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 14:20

"Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men." — 1 Corinthians 14:20 (ASV)

Brethren, be not children in understanding. He proceeds a step further, for he shows that the Corinthians are so infatuated that they, of their own accord, draw down upon themselves and eagerly desire, as though it were a singular benefit, what the Lord threatens He will send when He intends to inflict upon His people the severest punishment. What dreadful madness this is — to pursue eagerly with their whole desire what, in the sight of God, is regarded as a curse!

However, so that we may understand Paul’s meaning more accurately, we must observe that this statement is grounded on the testimony of Isaiah, which he immediately subjoins (Isaiah 28:11–12). And since interpreters have been misled from not observing the connection to be of this nature, to prevent any mistake, we will first explain the passage in Isaiah, and then we will come to Paul’s words.

In that chapter, the Prophet inveighs with severity against the ten tribes, which had abandoned themselves to every kind of wickedness. The only consolation is that God still had an uncorrupted people in the tribe of Judah; but immediately he deplores the corruption of that tribe also; and he does so the more sharply because there was no hope of amendment. For thus He speaks in the name of God — Whom shall I teach knowledge? those that are weaned from their mother? those that are drawn from the breasts? By this he means that they are no more capable of instruction than little children only recently weaned.

It is added — Precept upon precept, instruction upon instruction, charge upon charge, direction upon direction, here a little, and there a little. In these words, he expresses, in the style of a mimic, the slowness and carelessness by which they were kept back. “In teaching them, I lose my labor, for they make no progress because they are uncultivated beyond measure, and what they had been taught through long-continued labor, they forget in a single moment.”

It is added still further — He that speaks to that people is like one that makes use of stammering lips and a foreign language. This is the passage that Paul quotes. Now the meaning is that the people have been visited with such blindness and madness that they no longer understand God when He speaks to them, any more than they would some barbarian or foreigner stammering in an unknown tongue — which is a dreadful curse.

He has not, however, quoted the Prophet’s words with exactness, because he considered it enough to make a pointed reference to the passage so that the Corinthians, on being admonished, might attentively consider it. As to his saying that it was written in the Law, this is not at variance with common usage, for the Prophets did not have a ministry distinct from the Law, but were interpreters of the Law, and their doctrine is, as it were, a sort of appendage to it; hence the Law included the whole body of Scripture up to the advent of Christ.

Now Paul infers from this as follows: “Brethren, it is necessary to guard against that childishness which is so severely reproved by the Prophet — that the word of God sounds in your ears without any fruit. Now, when you reject prophecy, which is placed within your reach, and prefer to stand amazed at empty sound, is this not voluntarily incurring the curse of God?”

Further, lest the Corinthians should say in reply that to be spiritually children, is elsewhere commended (Matthew 18:4), Paul anticipates this objection and exhorts them, indeed, to be children in malice, but to beware of being children in understanding.

Hence we infer how shamelessly those act who make Christian simplicity consist in ignorance. Paul would have all believers be, as far as possible, in full maturity as to understanding. The Pope, inasmuch as it is easier to govern donkeys than men, gives orders, under the pretext of simplicity, that all under him shall remain uninstructed. Let us from this draw a comparison between the dominion of Popery and the institution of Christ, and see how far they agree.