Augustine of Hippo — Commentary on Scripture

1 Corinthians 1:25

There is no way that this gospel truth could have been made acceptable to some philosophers and debaters. They follow a way of life that does not stand in the truth but is only an imitation of it. They deceived themselves and others.

LETTER 120, TO CONSENTIUS

1 Corinthians 1:29

Paul’s intention is perfectly clear—to accost the pride of man, that no one should take glory in human works and that no one should glory in himself.

PREDESTINATION OF THE SAINTS 5.9

1 Corinthians 2:2

Paul said this because he was speaking to those who were unable to grasp the more sublime teachings of the divinity of Christ.

ON THE TRINITY 1.12

1 Corinthians 2:8

But if Christ had not been put to death, death would not have died. The devil was overcome by his own trophy, for the devil rejoiced when, by seducing the first man, he cast him into death. By seducing the first man, he killed him. By killing the last man, he lost the first from his snare.

THE ASCENSION 263

1 Corinthians 3:1

Paul was not speaking of their bodies but of their carnal spirits.

City of God 22.21

1 Corinthians 3:7

Since the apostles would not have accomplished anything if God had not given the increase, how much more true is this of you or me, or anyone else of our time, who fancies himself as a teacher.

LETTER 193

1 Corinthians 3:11

It should not be denied that this is the distinctive basis of the orthodox faith, just because it is shared between us and certain heretics as well. For if we think carefully about the meaning of Christ we shall see that among some of the heretics who want to be called Christians, the name of Christ is held in honor, but the reality to which the name points is not.

Enchiridion 2.5

1 Corinthians 3:13

The fire will try the quality of everyone’s work. If his work remains, he will receive his reward. If his work burns, he will lose his reward, but he himself will be saved. In this fire neither man will be lost forever, though the fire will profit the one and harm the other, being a test for both.

CITY OF GOD 21

1 Corinthians 4:7

The people who boast imagine that they are justified by their own efforts, and therefore they glory in themselves, not in the Lord.

LETTER TO VALENTINE

1 Corinthians 6:4

Therefore the apostle wished wise, holy, and faithful persons who were well established in the various places to be judges of such matters, and not persons who, in preaching, traveled about here and there.… If wise judges were lacking, he wished even the lowly and contemptible to be appointed so that the affairs of Christians might not be brought to the public eye.

On the Work of Monks 29

1 Corinthians 6:11

Paul says that they have been changed for the better, not so as to lose concupiscence altogether, a condition never realized in this life, but so as to not obey the desire to sin.

AGAINST JULIAN 16.49

1 Corinthians 7:5

According to this, if he had wished to practice continence but you had not, he would have been obliged to give in to you, and God would have given him credit for continence for not refusing intercourse out of consideration for your weakness, not his own, in order to prevent you from committing adultery. How much better would it have been for you, for whom subjection was more appropriate, to yield to his will in rendering him the debt, since God would have taken account of your intention to observe continence, which you gave up in order to save your husband from destruction.

LETTER 262, TO EUDICIA

1 Corinthians 7:5

It is not arduous and difficult for faithful married people to do for a few days what holy widows have undertaken and which holy virgins do throughout their lives. So let devotion be kindled and self-gratification be checked.

LENT 209.3

1 Corinthians 7:8

We must not understand these words to mean that widows are not unmarried because they once embraced the married state. Widows are unmarried, but not all unmarried are widows. That is why Paul makes a distinction here.

THE EXCELLENCE OF WIDOWHOOD 2

1 Corinthians 7:9

Why do you acknowledge that there is a necessary remedy for lust yet contradict me when I say that lust is a disease? If you recognize the remedy, then recognize the disease as well.

AGAINST JULIAN 15

1 Corinthians 7:12

We are here given to understand that neither spouse may divorce the other if both are believers.

QUESTIONS 83

1 Corinthians 7:15

A Christian husband may leave his wife without any blame, even if they are lawfully married, if she refuses to live with him because he is a Christian.

EIGHT QUESTIONS OF DULCITIUS 1

1 Corinthians 7:34

This should not be interpreted to mean that a married woman is not meant to be holy in body as well as in soul.

THE EXCELLENCE OF WIDOWHOOD 6

1 Corinthians 7:39

The death referred to here is clearly the death of the body, not of the soul. Forgiveness and attempts at reconciliation of the offending person are offered as better solutions than divorce.

ADULTEROUS MARRIAGES

1 Corinthians 8:1

Paul means that knowledge only does good in company with love. Otherwise it merely puffs a man into pride.

City of God 9.20