John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 14:38

"But if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant." — 1 Corinthians 14:38 (ASV)

But if any man be ignorant—the old translation reads as follows: He that knows not this, will be unknown; but this is a mistake. For Paul aimed to remove every pretext from contentious people who endlessly dispute, doing so under the pretense of inquiring—as if the matter were not yet clear. Or at least he indicates in general terms that he paid no regard to anyone who would question what he said.

“If anyone is ignorant, I do not pause to consider his doubts, for the certainty of my doctrine is not at all diminished by it. Let him go then, whoever he may be. As for you, do not, on that account, give any less credit to Christ speaking through me.”

In short, he indicates that skeptics, contentious people, and subtle debaters do not, by the questions they raise, diminish in any way the authority of sound doctrine and of that truth about which believers ought to feel assured. At the same time, he admonishes us not to allow their doubts to be any hindrance to us.

Such an elevation of mind, however, that despises all human judgments, must be founded on established truth.

Therefore, just as it would be perverse rashness either to stubbornly maintain an opinion once adopted, in opposition to everyone else’s views, or to audaciously cling to it while others are in doubt, so, on the other hand, when we are convinced that it is God who speaks, we should fearlessly overcome all human obstacles and difficulties.