I write not these things to shame you As the foregoing instances of irony were very pointed, so that they might exasperate the minds of the Corinthians, he now obviates that dissatisfaction by declaring, that he had not said these things with a view to cover them with shame, but rather to admonish them with paternal affection. It is indeed certain that this is the nature and tendency of a father's chastisement, to make his son feel ashamed; for the first token of return to a right state of mind is the shame which the son begins to feel on being reproached for his fault. The object, then, which the father has in view when he chastises his son with reproofs, is that he may bring him to be displeased with himself. And we see that the tendency of what Paul has said hitherto, is to make the Corinthians ashamed of themselves. Nay more, we shall find him a little afterwards (1-Corinthians 6:5) declaring that he made mention of their faults in order that they may begin to be ashamed. Here, however, he simply means to intimate, that it was not his design to heap disgrace upon them, or to expose their sins publicly and openly with a view to their reproach. For he who admonishes in a friendly spirit, makes it his particular care that whatever there is of shame, may remain with the individual whom he admonishes, [1] and may in this manner be buried. On the other hand, the man who reproaches with a malignant disposition, inflicts disgrace upon the man whom he reproves for his fault, in such a manner as to hold him up to the reproach of all. Paul then simply affirms that what he had said, had been said by him, with no disposition to upbraid, or with any view to hurt their reputation, but, on the contrary, with paternal affection he admonished them as to what he saw to be defective in them. But what was the design of this admonition? It was that the Corinthians, who were puffed up with mere empty notions, might learn to glory, as he did, in the abasement of the cross, and might no longer despise him on those grounds on which he was deservedly honorable in the sight of God and angels -- in fine, that, laying aside their accustomed haughtiness, they might set a higher value on those marks [2] of Christ (Galatians 6:17) that were upon him, than on the empty and counterfeit show of the false apostles. Let teachers [3] infer from this, that in reproofs they must always use such moderation as not to wound men's minds with excessive severity, and that, agreeably to the common proverb, they must mix honey or oil with vinegar -- that they must above all things take care not to appear to triumph over those whom they reprove, or to take delight in their disgrace -- nay more, that they must endeavor to make it understood that they seek nothing but that their welfare may be promoted. For what good will the teacher [4] do by mere bawling, if he does not season the sharpness of his reproof by that moderation of which I have spoken? Hence if we are desirous to do any good by correcting men's faults, we must distinctly give them to know, that our reproofs proceed from a friendly disposition.

Footnotes

1 - "Tasche sur toutes choses que toute la honte demeure entre lui et celui lequel il admoneste;" -- "Endeavors above all things that the shame may remain between him and the person whom he admonishes."

2 - "Les marques et fietrisseurs de Christ en luy;" -- "The marks and brands of Christ in him." The allusion, as our Author himself remarks, when [8]commenting upon Galatians 6:17, is to "the marks with which barbarian slaves, or fugitives, or malefactors were branded." Hence the expression of Juvenal: stigmate dignum credere -- "to reckon one worthy of being branded as a slave." (Juv. 10. 183.) -- Ed.

3 - "Les docteurs et ministres;" -- "Teachers and ministers."

4 - "Le ministre:" -- "The minister."

To shame you - It is not my design to put you to shame by showing you how little you suffer in comparison with us. This is not our design, though it may have this effect. I have no wish to make you ashamed, to appear to triumph over you or merely to taunt you. My design is higher and nobler than this.
But as my beloved sons - As my dear children. I speak as a father to his children, and I say these things for your good. No father would desire to make his children ashamed. In his counsels, entreaties, and admonitions, he would have a higher object than that.
I warn you - I do not say these things in a harsh manner, with a severe spirit of rebuke; but in order to admonish you, to suggest counsel, to instil wisdom into the mind. I say these things not to make, you blush, but with the hope that they may be the means of your reformation, and of a more holy life. No man, no minister, ought to reprove another merely to overwhelm him with shame, but the object should always be to make a brother better; and the admonition should be so administered as to have this end, not sourly or morosely, but in a kind, tender, and affectionate manner.

I write not these things to shame you - It is not by way of finding fault with you for not providing me with the necessaries of life that I write thus; but I do it to warn you to act differently for the time to come; and be not so ready to be drawn aside by every pretender to apostleship, to the neglect of those to whom, under God, you owe your salvation.

(10) I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn [you].
(10) Moderating the sharpness of his mockery, he puts them in mind to remember of whom they were begotten in Christ, and that they should not doubt to follow him for an example. Even though he seems vile according to the outward show in respect of others, yet he is mighty by the efficacy of God's Spirit, as had been shown among themselves.

I write not these things to shame you,.... Though they had a great deal of reason to be ashamed of the vain opinion they had of themselves, and that they suffered the faithful ministers of Christ to want the necessaries of life, when they abounded so much with the good things of it; and though the apostle's view in giving this narrative was to bring them under a sense of their faults, and to a conviction of them, and so to shame for them, in order to their future reformation and amendment; yet it was not merely to put them to the blush, but to admonish and instruct them, that he enlarged on these things:
but as my beloved sons I warn you; they being his children in a spiritual sense, for whom he had the strongest love and affection, as their spiritual Father; and as it was his place, and became him standing in such a relation to them, he warned, admonished, and put them in mind of their obligations and duty to him.

In reproving for sin, we should distinguish between sinners and their sins. Reproofs that kindly and affectionately warn, are likely to reform. Though the apostle spoke with authority as a parent, he would rather beseech them in love. And as ministers are to set an example, others must follow them, as far as they follow Christ in faith and practice. Christians may mistake and differ in their views, but Christ and Christian truth are the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Whenever the gospel is effectual, it comes not in word only, but also in power, by the Holy Spirit, quickening dead sinners, delivering persons from the slavery of sin and Satan, renewing them both inwardly and outwardly, and comforting, strengthening, and establishing the saints, which cannot be done by the persuasive language of men, but by the power of God. And it is a happy temper, to have the spirit of love and meekness bear the rule, yet to maintain just authority.

warn--rather, "admonish" as a father uses "admonition" to "beloved sons," not provoking them to wrath (Ephesians 6:4). The Corinthians might well be "ashamed" at the disparity of state between the father, Paul, and his spiritual children themselves.

I write not these things to shame you. I do not contrast your pride and glorying with our humiliation to shame you, but as a fatherly admonition to beloved children.
Yet have ye not many fathers. They might have many tutors, who sought to train them as children, but Paul was their father who had begotten them in the gospel; that is, converted them.
Be ye followers of me. Hence, since he was their spiritual father, they ought all to imitate him, his lowliness and self-denial. Children should seek to be like the parent, rather than like the tutor.
For this cause I sent Timotheus. Timothy, Paul's "son in the gospel" (Acts 16:1-3), had already been sent onward toward Corinth (1-Corinthians 16:10), but going round by land would not arrive until after this letter, if it went across by sea.
Of my ways in Christ. Timothy will revive their remembrance of Paul's life, conduct and teachings, so that they can the better "follow" him.

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you - It is with admirable prudence and sweetness the apostle adds this, to prevent any unkind construction of his words.