John Calvin Commentary 2 Corinthians 13:5

"Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate." — 2 Corinthians 13:5 (ASV)

Try yourselves. He confirms what he had stated previously—that Christ’s power showed itself openly in his ministry. For he makes them the judges of this matter, provided they look within themselves, so to speak, and acknowledge what they had received from him. In the first place, since there is only one Christ, it must be that the same Christ dwells equally in minister and people.

Now, dwelling in the people, how will he deny himself in the minister? Furthermore, he had shown his power in Paul’s preaching in such a manner that it could no longer be doubtful or obscure to the Corinthians, unless they were altogether stupid. For, from where did they have faith? From where did they have Christ? From where, in short, did they have everything?

It is with good reason, therefore, that they are called to look into themselves, so that they may discover there what they despise as something unknown. Then only does a minister have a true and well-founded assurance for the approval of his doctrine, when he can appeal to the consciences of those whom he has taught, so that, if they have anything of Christ and of sincere piety, they are compelled to acknowledge his faithfulness. We now grasp Paul’s purpose.

This passage, however, deserves particular observation for two reasons. For, in the first place, it shows the relationship that exists between the faith of the people and the preaching of the minister—that the one is the mother that produces and brings forth, and the other is the daughter that should not forget her origin.

In the second place, it serves to prove the assurance of faith, concerning which the Sorbonnic sophists have made us stagger, indeed, have completely rooted out from the minds of men. They charge with rashness all who are persuaded that they are members of Christ and have Him remaining in them, for they tell us to be satisfied with a “moral conjecture,” as they call it—that is, with a mere opinion, so that our consciences constantly remain in suspense and in a state of perplexity.

But what does Paul say here? He declares that all are reprobates who doubt whether they profess Christ and are a part of His body. Let us, therefore, consider that alone to be right faith which leads us to rest securely in God’s favor, with no wavering opinion, but with a firm and steadfast assurance.

Unless by any means you are reprobates. In a way, he gives them their choice, whether they would rather be reprobates than give due testimony to his ministry; for he leaves them no alternative but either to show respect to his Apostleship or to admit that they are reprobates. For, unquestionably, their faith had been founded upon his doctrine, and they had no other Christ than they had received from him, and no other gospel than what they had embraced as delivered to them by him, so that it would be vain for them to attempt to separate any part of their salvation from his praise.