Thomas Aquinas Commentary 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

"Paul, called [to be] an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, [even] them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called [to be] saints, with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their [Lord] and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus; that in everything ye were enriched in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall also confirm you unto the end, [that ye be] unreproveable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." — 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 (ASV)

This epistle is divided into two parts: in the first, he sends his greeting, and in the other, his message (v. 4). The greeting itself has three sections: first, he mentions the persons who send the greeting; secondly, the persons greeted (v. 2); and thirdly, he wishes them well (v. 3).

First, he mentions the principal person, describing him by his name, Paul. Enough has been said about this name in the epistle to the Romans. Suffice it to say here that this name is mentioned as a token of humility, for Paul means “a small amount,” which pertains to humility: Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? (1 Samuel 15:17); You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes (Matthew 11:25).

Then he describes himself by his dignity. First, he mentions how dignity should be obtained when he says he was called, since it is stated in Hebrews 5:4: One does not take the honor upon himself, but is called by God, as Aaron was.

Secondly, he mentions his specific dignity, saying he is an apostle of Jesus Christ. This, of course, is the highest dignity in the Church and means “one who is sent,” because the apostles were sent by God to act in His name on earth. Hence, it says in Luke 6:13, He chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles, and later in this epistle, God has appointed in the church, first, apostles (1 Corinthians 12:28).

Thirdly, he indicates the source and cause of this dignity when he says, by the will of God. This refers to the will of His good pleasure, which chooses those who rule the Church: The government of the earth is in the hands of the Lord, and over it he will raise up the right man for the time .

However, when God sets someone in authority on account of the sins of the subjects, such a ruler is not according to God’s will but according to His indignation. As it is written, He makes a man that is a hypocrite to reign for the sins of the people (Job 34:30), and, I have given you kings in my anger, and I have taken them away in my wrath (Hosea 13:11).

Next, he mentions the other person sending the greeting when he says, and Sosthenes, our brother. He mentions him because Sosthenes was the one who had reported to the Apostle the quarrels and other failings current among the Corinthians. He calls him brother to show that he had done this not out of hatred but out of a zeal born of love: Reprove a wise man and he will love you (Proverbs 9:8).

Then he mentions the persons he is greeting, saying, to the church of God that is at Corinth.

He first addresses the primary recipients, whom he describes in three ways. First, by their location, when he says, to the church of God that is at Corinth, meaning Christ’s faithful people assembled at Corinth: I will thank thee in the great congregation (Psalms 35:18).

Secondly, he describes them by their gift of grace when he says, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus. This means they were sanctified in the faith, passion, and sacraments of Christ Jesus: You were washed, you have been sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:11); Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people (Hebrews 13:12).

Thirdly, he mentions the source of this grace when he says they are called to be saints, because they arrived at sanctity through the grace of God’s call: Those whom he predestined he also called (Romans 8:30); He called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

Then he mentions the other recipients: the faithful who were not in that city but lived in its diocese or surrounding region. Hence he says, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, confessing the true faith: All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered (Joel 2:32). This applies to every place under their jurisdiction. He is both their Lord and ours, because their subjection to the local bishop did not exempt them from the Apostle’s power; rather, they were more subject to the Apostle than to those under whom he had placed them: In all places of his dominion, bless the Lord, O my soul! (Psalms 103:22).

Finally, in his greeting, he mentions the beneficial gifts he wishes for them. The first of these is grace to you, by which we are set free from sin: They are justified by his grace as a gift (Romans 3:24). The last is peace, which is brought to perfection in eternal happiness: He makes peace in your borders (Psalms 147:14), and My people will abide in a peaceful habitation (Isaiah 32:18). These two gifts, grace and peace, include all others.

The one who causes them is mentioned when he says, from God our Father: Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (James 1:17). He adds, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom he has granted to us his precious and very great promises (2 Peter 1:4), for Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).

The phrase from God our Father can be understood of the whole Trinity, by whom we have been created and adopted as sons. The Lord Jesus Christ is added, not as though He were a person separate from the three, but on account of His other nature.

Alternatively, God our Father is taken to mean the person of the Father, as in John 20:17: I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. In this case, the Lord Jesus Christ is added to indicate the person of the Son. The Holy Spirit is not mentioned because He is the bond of the Father and Son and is understood when the other two persons are mentioned. Or, because He is the gift of both, He is understood in the gifts of grace and peace, which are granted by the Holy Spirit: All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:11).

Then, when he says, I give thanks to my God, he begins his message. First, he gives thanks for their blessings, so that they will more easily bear the correction of their faults; secondly, he begins to instruct them (v. 10).

In this first section, he does two things. First, he gives thanks for the blessings they have already received, and secondly, for those they expected in the future (v. 7b). He mentions his thanks when he says, I give thanks to my God. God is not only the God of all things by creation and governance, but He is also his God and every righteous person’s God through faith and devotion: Thou art my God, and I will give thanks to you (Psalms 118:28).

He explains when he gives thanks by saying, always. This thanksgiving came from the fervor of his love, which was continually alive in his heart: A friend loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17). Although he loved them at all times and continually gave thanks for their blessings, he did so especially during his set times for prayer. He also mentions for whom he gives thanks when he says, for you, rejoicing in their blessings as if they were his own because of their union in love: No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth (3 John 4).

Then he indicates the blessings for which he gives thanks. First, he speaks generally when he says it is because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus—that is, by Christ Jesus: Of his fullness we have all received, and grace for grace (John 1:16).

Secondly, he speaks in detail, first mentioning the abundance of their grace. He says, because in every way... you were enriched in him—that is, you were made to overflow through Christ in every way that pertains to salvation: For your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).

He explains in what matters they became rich when he says, with all speech—either because they spoke in all kinds of tongues or because they abounded in proclaiming doctrine. But because a word is not proclaimed properly unless it proceeds from knowledge, he adds, and all knowledge. This means the understanding of all Scriptures and, in general, of all things pertaining to salvation: He gave them a knowledge of holy things .

What the Apostle says here refers to those in the Church who were more perfect, but it also includes less prominent members who possessed these riches. As Augustine says, “If you love the unity of which you are a member, you have whatever the others have in it. Remove envy and the possessions of others are yours, for love unites those whom greed and envy would separate.”

Secondly, he shows their correctness when he says, even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you. For the proclamation of doctrine would not be correct, nor would knowledge be correct, if it disagreed with the testimony of Christ or if Christ’s testimony did not have a firm hold on their hearts by faith. As it says in James 1:6, He who wavers is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

He says, in testimony to Christ, for several reasons: either because the prophets have spoken of Him—To him all the prophets give testimony (Acts 10:43)—or because Christ Himself gave testimony—Although I give testimony of myself, my testimony is true (John 8:14)—or even because the Apostle in his own preaching gave testimony, as Christ said to him, they will not accept your testimony about me (Acts 22:18).

Thirdly, he touches on the perfection of grace when he says, you are not lacking in any spiritual gift. This is because various persons among them enjoyed all the charismatic graces. For it is fitting that divine providence bestows the necessities of life generously: Those who fear him have no want (Psalms 34:9), and again, Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing (Psalms 34:10).

Next, he mentions the blessings to be expected in the future. First, he mentions their expectation of a future blessing when he says they are those waiting for the... revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is because He will be revealed to His saints not only in the glory of His humanity—Your eyes will see the king in his beauty (Isaiah 33:17)—but also in the glory of His divinity: The glory of the Lord shall be revealed (Isaiah 40:5).

This is the revelation that makes people happy: When he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2). Eternal life consists in this revelation: This is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent (John 17:3). Just as those to whom Christ is revealed are happy in reality, so those who await this revelation are happy in hope: Blessed are all they that wait for him (Isaiah 30:18). This is why he gives thanks for their expectation.

Secondly, he shows that this expectation is not in vain because of the help of God’s grace. He adds that Christ, who gave them the hope of such a revelation, will sustain you in the grace you have received: After you have suffered a little while, He will restore, establish and strengthen you (1 Peter 5:10). This sustenance is to the end of your life: He who endures to the end will be saved (Matthew 10:22).

This does not mean you will be without sin, because If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). Rather, it means that you may be guiltless—that is, without mortal sin: If they prove themselves blameless let them minister (1 Timothy 3:10).

This, I say, will be in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. A person found without blame on the day of death will arrive at the day of judgment without blame: If a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie (Ecclesiastes 11:3). For unless a person is found blameless now, he awaits that revelation in vain.

Thirdly, he gives the reason for his promise, saying that God will strengthen you because God is faithful: God is faithful and without iniquity (Deuteronomy 32:4). It is by this faithful God that you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

This means being called to have fellowship with Christ, both in the present life through a likeness in grace—If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7)—and in the future by sharing in His glory: provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him (Romans 8:17).

God would not seem faithful if He called us to the fellowship of His Son and then, for His part, denied us the means by which we could attain it. Hence it is said in Joshua 1:5: I will not fail you or forsake you.