John Calvin Commentary 2 Corinthians 1:12

"For our glorifying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward." — 2 Corinthians 1:12 (ASV)

For our glorying is this. He assigns a reason why his preservation should be a subject of interest to all: he had conducted himself among them all in simplicity and sincerity. He therefore deserved to be dear to them, and it would have been very unfeeling not to be concerned that such a servant of the Lord might be long preserved for the benefit of the Church.

“I have conducted myself before all in such a manner that it is no wonder if I have the approval and love of all good men.” From this, however, he takes the occasion, for the sake of those to whom he was writing, to make a digression to declare his own integrity.

However, since it is not enough to be approved by human judgment, and since Paul himself was harassed by the unjust and malicious judgments of some (or rather, by corrupt and blind attachments), he adduces his own conscience as his witness—which is the same as if he had cited God as a witness, or had appealed what he says to His tribunal.

But how does Paul’s glorying in his integrity comport with that statement, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord (2 Corinthians 10:17)?

Besides, who is so upright as to dare to boast in the presence of God? In the first place, Paul does not set himself against God, as though he had anything that was his own or from himself. Furthermore, he does not place the foundation of his salvation in that integrity to which he lays claim, nor does he make confidence in that the ground of his dependence.

Lastly, he does not glory in God’s gifts in such a way as not, at the same time, to give all the glory to Him as their sole Author and ascribe everything to Him. These three exceptions lay a foundation for every godly person rightly glorying in all God’s benefits, while the wicked, on the other hand, cannot glory even in God, except on false and improper grounds.

Let us therefore:

1. Acknowledge ourselves to be indebted to God for everything good that we possess, claiming no merit for ourselves.
2. Hold fast this foundation: that our dependence for salvation be grounded exclusively on the mercy of God.
3. Repose ourselves in the sole Author of every blessing.

Then there will be a pious glorying in every kind of blessing.

That in the simplicity of God. He employs the expression simplicity of God here in the same way as the glory of God is used in Romans 3:23, and the glory of God and of men in John 12:43. Those who love the glory of men wish to appear as something before men or to stand well in the opinion of men. The glory of God is what a man has in the sight of God.

Hence, Paul does not reckon it enough to declare that his sincerity was perceived by men, but adds that he was such in the sight of God. Εἰλικρινείᾳ (which I have rendered purity) is closely connected with simplicity, for it is an open and upright way of acting, such as makes a man’s heart, as it were, transparent. Both terms stand opposed to craft, deception, and all underhand schemes.

Not in fleshly wisdom. There is an element of anticipation here, for he readily acknowledges what might be perceived as lacking in him. Indeed, he openly proclaims that he is destitute of it, but adds that he is endowed with what is incomparably more excellent—the grace of God.

“I acknowledge,” he says, “that I am destitute of fleshly wisdom, but I have been furnished with divine influence. If anyone is not satisfied with that, he is at liberty to depreciate my Apostleship. If, on the other hand, fleshly wisdom is of no value, then I lack nothing that is not suited to secure well-grounded praise.”

He gives the name fleshly wisdom to everything apart from Christ that procures for us the reputation of wisdom. (See the first and second chapters of the former epistle.)

Hence, by the grace of God, which is contrasted with it, we must understand everything that transcends man’s nature and capacity, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which openly manifested the power of God in the weakness of the flesh.

More abundantly towards you. This is not to say that he had been less upright elsewhere, but that he had remained longer at Corinth so that he might (not to mention other purposes) afford a fuller and clearer proof of his integrity. He has, however, intentionally expressed himself in such a way as to suggest that he did not need far-fetched evidences, inasmuch as they themselves were the best witnesses of all that he had said.