John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 3:15

"If any man`s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire." — 1 Corinthians 3:15 (ASV)

If any man’s work shall be burned. It is as though he said: Let no one flatter himself on the ground that, in the opinion of men, he is counted among the most eminent master-builders, for as soon as the day dawns, his whole work must come to nothing if it is not approved by the Lord.

This, then, is the rule to which everyone’s ministry must conform. Some explain this as referring to doctrine, so that ζημιουσθαι means simply to perish, and then they view what immediately follows as referring to the foundation, because in Greek θεμελιος (foundation) is in the masculine gender.

However, they do not sufficiently consider the entire context. For in this passage, Paul subjects to trial not his own doctrine, but that of others. Hence it would be out of place to mention the foundation at present. He has stated a little before, that every man’s work will be tried by fire. He afterwards states an alternative, which should not be extended beyond that general observation.

Now it is certain that Paul spoke there simply of the structure which had been erected upon the foundation. He has already, in the first clause, promised a reward to good master-builders whose labor will have been approved. Hence the contrast in the second clause suits admirably well—that those who have mixed stubble, or wood, or straw, will lose the commendation they had expected.

He himself will be saved, etc. It is certain that Paul speaks of those who, while always retaining the foundations, mix hay with gold, stubble with silver, and wood with precious stones—that is, those who build upon Christ but, because of the weakness of the flesh, admit something of human origin, or through ignorance deviate to some extent from the strict purity of God’s word.

Such were many of the saints: Cyprian, Ambrose, Augustine, and the like. Add to these, if you choose, from those of later times, Gregory and Bernard, and others of that kind, who, while they aimed to build upon Christ, nevertheless often deviated from the right system of building. Such persons, Paul says, could be saved, but on this condition—if the Lord wiped away their ignorance and purged them from all dross.

This is the meaning of the clause so as by fire. He means, therefore, to intimate that he does not take away from them the hope of salvation, provided they willingly submit to the loss of their labor and are purged by the mercy of God, as gold is refined in the furnace.

Furthermore, although God sometimes purges his own people by afflictions, yet here, by the name of fire, I understand the touchstone of the Spirit, by which the Lord corrects and removes the ignorance of his people, by which they were held captive for a time. I am aware, indeed, that many refer this to the cross, but I am confident that my interpretation will please all who are of sound judgment.

It remains for us to briefly answer the Papists, who attempt to use this passage to support Purgatory. They argue: “The sinners whom God forgives pass through the fire, that they may be saved.” Hence, in this way, they suffer punishment in the presence of God, so as to provide satisfaction to his justice.

I will not discuss their endless fictions concerning the measure of punishment and the means of redemption from it, but I ask: who are those who pass through the fire?

Paul certainly speaks of ministers alone. “There is the same reason,” they say, “as to all.” It is not for us, but for God, to judge this matter. But even granting them this, how childishly they stumble at the term fire. For what is the purpose of this fire, except to burn up the hay and straw and, on the other hand, to prove the gold and silver?

Do they mean to say that doctrines are discerned by the fire of their purgatory? Who has ever learned from that what difference there is between truth and falsehood? Furthermore, when will that day come that will shine forth to reveal everyone’s work? Did it begin at the beginning of the world, and will it continue without interruption to the end?

If the terms stubble, hay, gold, and silver are figurative, as they must surely admit, what correspondence will exist between the different clauses if there is nothing figurative in the term fire? Away, then, with such silly trifles, which bear their absurdity on their very face, for the Apostle’s true meaning is, I think, sufficiently clear.