John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 4:15

"For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel." — 1 Corinthians 4:15 (ASV)

For though you had ten thousand. He had called himself father, and now he shows that this title belongs to him uniquely and specifically, since he alone has begotten them in Christ. In this comparison, however, he is referring to the false apostles to whom the Corinthians showed complete deference, so that Paul was now almost insignificant among them.

Accordingly, he admonishes them to consider what honor is due to a father, and what to a pedagogue. “You hold respect for those new teachers. I have no objection to this, provided you keep in mind that I am your father, while they are merely pedagogues.” Now by claiming authority for himself, he implies that he is motivated by a different kind of affection than that of those whom they esteemed so highly.

“They take pains in instructing you. That may be true. The love of a father is very different, his anxiety very different, his attachment very different from those of a pedagogue. Perhaps he also alludes to that imperfection of faith which he had previously criticized? For while the Corinthians were giants in pride, they were children in faith, and are, therefore, appropriately sent to pedagogues. He also rebukes the absurd and contemptible system of those teachers in keeping their followers in the mere first rudiments, with the aim of always keeping them in bondage under their authority.

For in Christ. This is the reason why he alone should be esteemed as the father of the Corinthian Church—because he had begotten it. And truly, he describes spiritual generation here in most appropriate terms when he says that he has begotten them in Christ, who alone is the life of the soul, and establishes the gospel as the formative means. Let us observe, then, that we are truly begotten in the sight of God then, when we are grafted into Christ, outside of whom there is nothing but death. This is accomplished through the gospel because, while by nature we are flesh and hay, the word of God—as Peter (1 Peter 1:24–25) teaches from Isaiah (Isaiah 40:6–8)—is the incorruptible seed by which we are renewed to eternal life. If the gospel is taken away, we will all remain accursed and dead in the sight of God. That same word by which we are begotten is afterwards milk to nourish us, and it is also solid food to sustain us forever.

Should anyone raise this objection, “Since new sons are begotten to God in the Church every day, why does Paul say that those who succeeded him were not fathers?” The answer is easy: he is speaking here of the commencement of the Church. For although many had been begotten by the ministry of others, this honor remained untouched for Paul—that he had founded the Corinthian Church.

Again, should anyone ask, “Should not all pastors be considered fathers, and if so, why does Paul deny all others this title, claiming it exclusively for himself?” I answer: “He speaks here comparatively.” Therefore, however much the title of fathers might apply to them in other respects, yet in comparison to Paul, they were merely instructors. We must also remember what I mentioned a little earlier: that he is not speaking of everyone (for concerning those who were like himself—for example, Apollos, Silvanus, and Timothy—who aimed at nothing but the advancement of Christ’s kingdom, he would have had no objection to their being so named and having the highest honor given to them), but is rebuking those who, through misguided ambition, transferred to themselves the glory that belonged to another. Such were those who robbed Paul of the honor due to him, so that they might adorn themselves with his spoils.

And truly, the condition of the universal Church today is the same as that of the Corinthian Church was then. For how few there are who love the Churches with a fatherly, that is, a selfless affection, and dedicate themselves to promoting their welfare!

Meanwhile, there are very many pedagogues who offer their services like hirelings, as if discharging a mere temporary office, and meanwhile hold the people in subjection and admiration. At the same time, even then, it is good when there are many pedagogues who do good, at least to some extent by teaching, and do not destroy the Church with the corruptions of false doctrine. For my part, when I complain about the multitude of pedagogues, I am not referring to Roman Catholic priests (for I would not do them the honor of including them in that number), but to those who, while agreeing with us in doctrine, busy themselves with their own affairs rather than with Christ’s. We all, it is true, wish to be considered fathers, and require from others the obedience of sons, but where is the man to be found who acts in such a way as to show that he is a father?

There remains another question of greater difficulty: Since Christ forbids us to call anyone father on earth, because we have one Father in heaven,
(Matthew 23:9) how does Paul dare to take the name of father for himself?

I answer that, properly speaking, God alone is the Father, not only of our soul but also of our flesh. However, concerning the body, He communicates the honor of His paternal name to those to whom He gives offspring, while, concerning souls, He reserves to Himself exclusively the right and title of Father. I confess that, for this reason, He is called in a unique sense the Father of spirits and is distinguished from earthly fathers, as the Apostle says in Hebrews 12:9.

However, notwithstanding that it is He alone who, by His own power, begets souls, regenerates them, and gives them life, He uses the ministry of His servants for this purpose. Therefore, there is no harm in their being called fathers regarding this ministry, as this does not in any way diminish God’s honor.

The word, as I have said, is the spiritual seed. God alone, by means of it, regenerates our souls by His power; but, at the same time, He does not exclude the efforts of ministers. Therefore, if you attentively consider what God accomplishes by Himself and what He intends to be accomplished by ministers, you will easily understand in what sense He alone is worthy of the name of Father, and how far this name is applicable to His ministers, without any infringement upon His rights.