John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 4:3

"But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man`s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self." — 1 Corinthians 4:3 (ASV)

But with me it is a very small thing. It remained for him to present his faithfulness to them, so that the Corinthians might judge him from this. But, as their judgment was corrupted, he throws it aside and appeals to the judgment seat of Christ.

The Corinthians erred in this: they looked with amazement at foreign masks and paid no attention to the true and proper marks of distinction. Accordingly, he declares with great confidence that he despises a perverted and blind judgment of this sort.

In this way, too, on the one hand, he admirably exposes the vanity of the false Apostles who made the mere applause of men their aim and considered themselves happy if they were held in admiration. On the other hand, he severely chastises the arrogance of the Corinthians, which was the reason they were so blinded in their judgment.

But, it is asked, on what ground was it allowable for Paul not merely to set aside the censure of one church, but to set himself above the judgment of men? For this is a condition common to all pastors—to be judged by the church.

I answer that it is the part of a good pastor to submit both his doctrine and his life for examination to the judgment of the church, and that it is the sign of a good conscience not to shun the light of careful inspection.

In this respect Paul, without doubt, was prepared to submit himself to the judgment of the Corinthian church, and to be called to render an account both of his life and of his doctrine, if there had been proper scrutiny among them, as he often assigns them this power and of his own accord entreats them to be prepared to judge correctly.

But when a faithful pastor sees that he is borne down by unreasonable and perverse biases, and that justice and truth have no place, he ought to appeal to God and take himself to His judgment seat, regardless of human opinion, especially when he cannot ensure that a true and proper understanding of matters will be reached.

If, then, the Lord’s servants should bear in mind that they must act in this manner, let them allow their doctrine and life to be brought to the test; indeed, let them voluntarily present themselves for this purpose. And if anything is objected against them, they should not refuse to answer.

But if they see that they are condemned without being heard in their own defense, and that judgment is passed upon them without their being allowed a hearing, let them raise their minds to such a level of magnanimity that, despising the opinions of men, they will fearlessly wait for God as their judge.

In this manner the Prophets of old, dealing with rebellious people and those who had the audacity to despise the word of God in their proclamation of it, needed to rise above in order to trample underfoot that diabolical obstinacy, which clearly tended to overthrow both the authority of God and the light of truth.

However, if anyone, when given an opportunity to defend himself, or at least when he needs to clear himself, appeals to God as a subterfuge, he will not thereby establish his innocence but will instead reveal his utter impudence.

Or of man’s day. While others explain it in another way, the simpler way, in my opinion, is to understand the word day as used metaphorically to mean judgment, because there are stated days for administering justice, and the accused are summoned to appear on a certain day.

He calls it man’s day when judgment is pronounced, not according to truth or in accordance with the word of the Lord, but according to the whim or rashness of men—in short, when God does not preside.

“Let men,” he says, “sit for judgment as they please: it is enough for me that God will annul whatever they have pronounced.”

Nay, I judge not my own self. The meaning is: “I do not venture to judge myself, though I know myself best; how then will you judge me, to whom I am less intimately known?”

Now he proves that he does not venture to judge himself by this: though he is not aware of any fault in himself, he is not thereby acquitted in the sight of God. Hence he concludes that what the Corinthians assume for themselves belongs exclusively to God.

“As for me,” he says, “when I have carefully examined myself, I perceive that I am not so clear-sighted as to discern thoroughly my true character; therefore I leave this to the judgment of God, who alone can judge, and to whom this authority exclusively belongs. As for you, then, on what ground will you claim something more?”

However, since it would be very absurd to reject all kinds of judgment—whether of individuals respecting themselves, of one individual respecting his brother, or of all together respecting their pastor—let it be understood that Paul speaks here not of the actions of men, which may be considered good or bad according to the word of the Lord, but of the eminence of each individual, which ought not to be estimated according to men’s whims.

It belongs to God alone to determine what distinction every one holds, and what honor he deserves. The Corinthians, however, despising Paul, groundlessly extolled others to the skies, as though they had at their command the knowledge that belonged exclusively to God.

This is what he previously mentioned as man’s day—when men mount the throne of judgment and, as if they were gods, anticipate the day of Christ, who alone is appointed by the Father as judge, allot to every one his station of honor, assign to some a high place, and degrade others to the lowest seats.

But what rule of distinction do they observe? They look merely to what appears openly; and thus what in their view is high and honorable is in many instances an abomination in the sight of God (Luke 16:15).

If anyone further objects that the ministers of the word may in this world be distinguished by their works, as trees by their fruits (Matthew 7:16), I admit that this is true. However, we must consider with whom Paul had to deal.

It was with persons who, in judging, looked to nothing but show and pomp, and arrogated to themselves a power which Christ, while in this world, refrained from using—that of assigning to every one his seat in the kingdom of God (Matthew 20:23).

Therefore, he does not prohibit us from esteeming those whom we have found to be faithful workmen and pronouncing them to be such; nor, on the other hand, from judging persons to be bad workmen according to the word of God. But he condemns that rashness which is practiced when some are preferred above others in a spirit of ambition—not according to their merits, but without examination of the case.