Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 14:38
But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
38. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant ] Some editors read ‘ he is ignored ’ instead of ‘ let him be ignorant.’ If we take the reading in the text, which seems preferable, the sense is that St Paul will give himself no further trouble about one whose insubordination proves him to be no real prophet of God; if the reading which some would substitute for it, the signification is that God will neglect him who neglects the commandments of His Apostle. Cf. ch. 1Co 8:3. The Vulgate renders ignorabitur; and Wiclif, he schal be unknowe; Tyndale renders as in the text.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But if any be ignorant … – If anyone affects to be ignorant of my authority, or whether I have a right to command. If he affects to doubt whether I am inspired, and whether what I utter is in accordance with the will of God.
Let him be ignorant – At his own peril, let him remain so, and abide the consequences. I shall not take any further trouble to debate with him. I have stated my authority. I have delivered the commands of God. And now, if he disregards them, and still doubts whether all this is said by divine authority, let him abide the consequences of rejecting the law of God. I have given full proof of my divine commission. I have nothing more to say on that head. And now, if he chooses to remain in ignorance or incredulity, the fault is his own, and he must answer for it to God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 38. But if any man be ignorant] If he affect to be so, or pretend that he is ignorant; let him be ignorant-let him be so at his peril.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
If any one will pretend ignorance in this, he is wilfully ignorant; for my own part, I will concern myself no further about him, but leave myself and him also to the judgment of God;
let him be ignorant. In some copies it is, he shall not be known: in the day of judgment Christ shalt say unto him: Depart from me, I know you not.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
38. if any man be ignorantwilfully;not wishing to recognize these ordinances and my apostolic authorityin enjoining them.
let him be ignorantIleave him to his ignorance: it will be at his own peril; I feel it awaste of words to speak anything further to convince him. An argumentlikely to have weight with the Corinthians, who admired “knowledge”so much.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But if any man be ignorant,…. Of “these” words, as the Arabic version adds, and does not know and own them to be the commandments of Christ; though he may profess himself to be a prophet, or a spiritual man, he is a very ignorant one, and has not the Spirit of God he pretends to: and if he will not be convinced, but goes on to doubt, and call in question the truth of these things, and obstinately persist in his ignorance,
let him be ignorant: let him be treated and despised as an ignorant man; and let his ignorance be no hinderance to any in receiving these rules and directions as the commandments of Christ; for no regard is to be had, or pity shown, to a man of affected ignorance, and wilful obstinacy; such a man is not to be known and owned, but shunned and rejected.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Let him be ignorant [] . Let him remain ignorant. The text is doubtful. Some read ajgnoeitai he is not known; i e., he is one whom God knows not.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But if any man be ignorant,” (ei de tis agnoei) “But if anyone is ignorant.” This ignorance concerns the fact of Paul’s claim to be writing by inspiration as God had commended him. One who would not recognize his apostolic and prophetic instructions was to be considered as a false prophet.
2) “Let him be ignorant,” (agnoeitai) “Let him be ignorant.” Treat him as an ignorant person, ignore or reject him and his claims. Many shall be cast out by our Lord who had claimed to prophecy in His name, Mat 7:21-23; 1Jn 4:1; 3Jn 1:9-12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
38. But if any man be ignorant The old translation reads thus: He that knows not this, will be unknown; (889) but this is a mistake. For Paul had it in view to cut off every handle from contentious persons, who make no end of disputing, and that, under the pretense of inquiring — as if the matter were not yet clear; or at least he intimates in general terms, that he regarded as of no account any one that would call in question what he said. “If any one is ignorant, I do not stop to take notice of his doubts, for the certainty of my doctrine is not at all impaired thereby. Let him go then, whoever he may be. As for you, do not the less on that account give credit to Christ, as speaking by me.” In fine, he intimates, that sceptics, contentious persons, and subtle disputants; (890) do not by the questions they raise diminish, in any degree, the authority of sound doctrine, and of that truth as to which believers ought to feel assured, and at the same time he admonishes us, not to allow their doubts to be any hindrance in our way. That elevation of mind, however, which despises all human judgments, ought to be founded on ascertained truth. Hence, as it would be the part of perverse rashness, either to maintain pertinaciously, in opposition to the views of all others, an opinion that has once been taken up, or audaciously to cling to it, while others are in doubt, so, on the other hand, when we have felt assured that it is God that speaks, let us fearlessly break through all human impediments and all difficulties. (891)
(889) Beausobre, when adverting to this reading, says: “ La Vulgate porte, il sera ignore, Dieu k meconnoitra; ce qui vent dire, le punira Ce sens est fort bon;” — “The Vulgate renders it: he will be unknown — God will disown him — meaning to say: He will punish him This is a very good meaning.” In one Greek MS. the reading is ἀγνοεῖται, — is unknown Wiclif, (1380) renders it — And if ony man unknowith: he schal be unknown The view taken by Calvin, however, is the more generally approved, and seems to accord better with the general strain of the passage. — Ed
(890) “ Les sophistes qui ne font iamais que disputer, sans rien resoudre ou accorder, ne les contentieux, et subtils iaseurs;” — “Sophists who are never but disputing, without coming to any solution or agreement, nor contentious persons, and subtile prattlers.”
(891) “ Sans nous en soucier aucunement;” — “Without giving ourselves any concern as to them.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(38) But if any man be ignorant.There are here two readings in the Greek, for each of which there is strong evidence. The passage may run, either, as in the English, if any man does not know this, let him not know it: then the words would mean that a person who could not recognise such an evident and simple truth must be of a perverse mindhis opposition would give the Apostle no further concern. The other reading is, if any man knows not this, he is himself not known: this would signify that any man who knows not this truth is not known of God (as in 1Co. 8:2-3; 1Co. 13:12).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
38. If A second if antithetic to the first if of 1Co 14:37. If any man be spiritual, let him acknowledge my words; if, on the other hand, he be not spiritual, but so refractory as to ignore what I say, let him be left to his ignoring as incorrigible and unworthy further labour. Here the ignorance is held to lie in the will, and is, therefore, impervious to argument. Another, but not well-authorized reading would be, let him be ignored.
1Co 14:38. If any man be ignorant, By the any man, mentioned in this and the foregoing verse, St. Paul seems particularly to intimate the false apostle, who pretended to give laws among them, and may well be supposed to be the author of these disorders; whom therefore St. Paul censures, and presses in these three verses. The word ‘, which we render, “Let him be ignorant,” Dr. Whitby would render, “Let him not be acknowledged to be a true prophet.” See his note.
1Co 14:38 . ] namely, , . . ., 1Co 14:37 . His not being willing to know, or the attitude of wrongly knowing (Hofmann), is not conveyed in the word, but is presupposed .
] permissive , denotes the renunciation of all endeavours to instruct such an one who lets himself be puffed up. It is the opposite of the , 1Co 14:37 . Estius puts it well: “Sibi suaeque ignorantiae relinquendos esse censeo.” Comp. 1Co 11:16 .
38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
Ver. 38. But if any man be ignorant, &c. ] If stubbornly ignorant and uncounsellable; let him take his own course. I have cleared the truth in things now controverted, and there I rest me. Who so blind as he that will not see? such put not light under a bushel, but under a dunghill, and shall give a heavy account of it to God. When I hear men (saith Lord Kemp) under all the means that we enjoy, yet think that their ignorance shall excuse them, it makes me think of the answer of the agent of Charles V, emperor to the ambassador of Sienna. The Siennois having rebelled against the emperor, sent their ambassador to excuse it; who when he could find no other excuse, thought in a jest to put it off thus: What, saith he, shall not we of Sienna be excused, seeing we are known to be all fools? the agent replied, Even that shall excuse you, but upon the condition which is fit for fools, which is, to be kept bound and enchained.
38 . ] implying both the hopelessness of reclaiming such an one, and the little concern which his opposition gave the Apostle. The other reading, , gives a passable sense ‘he is ignored,’ scil. by God: cf. ch. 1Co 8:2-3 ; 1Co 13:12 ; Gal 4:9 .
be ignorant. Greek. agnoeu. See 1Co 10:1.
38. ] implying both the hopelessness of reclaiming such an one, and the little concern which his opposition gave the Apostle. The other reading, , gives a passable sense-he is ignored, scil. by God: cf. ch. 1Co 8:2-3; 1Co 13:12; Gal 4:9.
1Co 14:38. , But if any man be ignorant) So that he has not the capacity to perceive [acknowledge]. If any one knows not, he says, or pretends not to know. This is an argument which would have weight with the Corinthians, who were very desirous of knowledge.-, let him be ignorant) which means, we cannot cast away all things for the sake of such a man; let him keep it to himself. Those, who are thus left to themselves, repent more readily, than if you were to teach them against their will.
1Co 14:38
1Co 14:38
But if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant.-Since Paul wrote under the direction of the Spirit, any one filled with the Spirit would be guided to recognize his words as of divine authority, for the Spirit would not say one thing to Paul and a different thing to another. Therefore if any one denies Pauls claims to inspiration, he does it willfully and let him remain in his ignorance and suffer the consequences.
Hos 4:17, Mat 7:6, Mat 15:14, 1Ti 6:3-5, 2Ti 4:3, 2Ti 4:4, Rev 22:11, Rev 22:12
Reciprocal: 1Co 10:1 – I would
1Co 14:38. No one is ever asked to acknowledge anything that he does not profess to know. The evidences in support of Paul’s claim for his writings were so weighty, that everyone should have been in position to recognize them. Therefore, if some man claimed that he knew noth:ng about what Paul was saying–had nothing to
acknowledge, it would be prompted by stubborn indifference. In that case the apostle said let him be ignorant, which means that he was not worthy of further attention.
1Co 14:38. But if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant:If he will persist in his ignorance and obstinacy, let him remain so.
Vv. 38. There is more than indifference, there are severity and threatening in these words; they are addressed to the persons whose folly was characterized by the word in the previous verse. If there are among you people who reckon their ideas superior to mine, let them follow them! Of course such speaking is not addressed to people with whom one is on good terms. We have to bear in mind the first chapters of the Epistle, where the apostle once and again alluded to the disrespectful sentiments of a party in the Church toward him; comp. also 1Co 7:40.
The reading , let him be ignorant, is the only admissible one. After all he has said, the apostle no longer seeks to convince those who think themselves wiser than he is; he abandons them at once to their inexperience and their responsibility. The reading , he is ignored, preferred by some commentators, and again recently by Heinrici, would signify: Willing to be ignorant of God, he is ignored (rejected) by Him. Edwards regards as a future indicative middle: he will be ignored (at the judgment). Comp. 1Co 8:3. It is difficult to explain the origin of this variant (see Meyer’s attempt). But the threat of perdition for refusal to accept directions so external in their nature as those which precede would be rather severe. The reading : Let him be ignorant at his risk and peril! is the only one worthy of the apostle, and really natural.
Paul closes with a very precise statement of his conclusion:
But if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant. [Since Paul’s words were dictated by the Spirit of God, any one filled with that Spirit would be guided to recognize his words as of divine authority, for the Spirit would not say one thing to one man and another to another. But if any man was so incorrigibly obstinate as to refuse to be enlightened by what the Spirit spoke through the apostle, there was no further appeal to be made to him (Mat 15:14; 1Ti 6:3-5). Paul’s test is still of force. Whoso professes to be inspired, yet contradicts what the Spirit of God has already said in the New Testament, is self-convicted. These verses mark the division between Catholics and Protestants. The former say in effect that the Spirit-filled prophets at Corinth could modify, alter, and even deny what was spoken by the Spirit-filled Paul; for they hold that the pope can change the Scriptures to suit himself. But Protestants hold that a man shows himself to be led of the Spirit of God when he assents and conforms to that which has been spoken by men of undoubted inspiration.]
38. If any one ignores, he is ignored. This verse evidently was not understood by King James translators. At least, they have utterly failed to bring out the matter of fact here revealed, which is simple, clear and unmistakable; i. e., that the Word of God is authoritative, not only on all doctrinal lines, but in all church discipline; so that there is no apology for making rules and regulations. The New Testament is a plain book, quite as plain as any rules and regulations we can make. In the first place, we do not need anything else in the way of doctrine or discipline, because Gods Word covers all the ground. In the second place, though you formulate a creed as voluminous as the Westminster Confession, and make ever so many rules and regulations, after all they are utterly invalid except so far as they are in harmony with the Word of God, while even in that case it is much better to go to headquarters, where matters are simple, clear and free from human complications. This verse settles the matter. You have a right to enforce the order laid down in the New Testament throughout your church; meanwhile every member who does not recognize this authority, and walk accordingly, simply forfeits membership thereby. It is no trouble whatever to find perfect disciplinary authority, as well as all the doctrines of grace, in the New Testament. A true church has no creed but Gods Word, and knows no other rules and regulations. While they are true to the New Testament, their only creed and discipline, positively, they are also true to it negatively, recognizing no one as a bona fide member whose experience and life are not in harmony with Gods revealed Word. If this code of doctrine and collation of disciplinary rules and regulations were enforced in the churches of Christendom, how statistics and salaries would suddenly fall from hundreds down to tens!
Verse 38
Be ignorant; still refuses to acknowledge my authority.
14:38 {17} But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
(17) The church ought not to care for those who are stubbornly ignorant, and will not abide to be taught, but to go forward nonetheless in those things which are right.
The Corinthians should not recognize as a prophet or as a person under the control of the Holy Spirit anyone who refused to acknowledge the apostle’s authority. Failure to recognize the Lord as the source of Paul’s teaching would lead to that person’s failure to be recognized (i.e., acknowledged with approval) by the Lord (cf. 1Co 8:2-3)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)