John Calvin Commentary 2 Corinthians 1:10

"who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us;" — 2 Corinthians 1:10 (ASV)

Who hath delivered us from so great a death. Here he applies to himself personally what he had stated in a general way. By proclaiming God's grace, he declares that he had not been disappointed in his expectation, since he had been delivered from death, and that, too, in no ordinary way. Regarding his manner of expression, the hyperbole he uses is not unusual in the Scriptures. It frequently occurs both in the Prophets and in the Psalms, and is even used in common conversation. What Paul acknowledges concerning himself personally, let everyone now take as applicable to themselves.

In whom we have an assured hope. He also trusts for the future in that beneficence of God which he had often experienced in the past. Nor is this without good reason, for the Lord, by partly accomplishing what He has promised, encourages us to hope well for what remains. Indeed, in proportion to the number of favors we receive from Him, He confirms His promises by so many pledges, or earnests, so to speak.

Now, although Paul had no doubt that God would, of His own accord, be present with him, he nevertheless exhorts the Corinthians to commend his safety to God in their prayers. For when he assumes it as certain that he will be aided by them, this declaration has the force of an exhortation. He means that they should do it not merely as a matter of duty, but also with benefit.

“Your prayers, also,” he says, “will help me.” For God does not intend that the duty of mutual intercession, which He enjoins upon us, should be without benefit. This ought to be a stimulus to us, on the one hand, to solicit the intercession of our brothers and sisters when we are weighed down by any necessity, and, on the other, to render similar assistance in return, since we are informed that it is not only a duty that is well-pleasing to God but also profitable to ourselves.

Nor is it due to distrust that the Apostle implores the friendly aid of his fellow believers. For while he felt assured that his safety would be the object of God’s care, even if he were destitute of all human help, he nevertheless knew that it was well-pleasing to God that he should be aided by the prayers of the saints. He also had regard for the promises that were given, that assistance of this kind would not be in vain. Therefore, so that he might not overlook any assistance appointed to him by God, he desired that the fellow believers should pray for his preservation.

The sum is this: we should follow the Word of God, that is, obey His commandments and cling to His promises. This is not what those do who resort to the assistance of the dead. For, not content with the sources of help appointed by God, they call in a new one to their aid that has no support from any declaration of Scripture. For whatever we find mentioned there regarding mutual intercession has no reference to the dead but is expressly restricted to the living. Therefore, Papists act childishly in perverting those passages to lend some plausibility to their superstition.