John Calvin on 2 Corinthians 13:4

4. For though he was crucified. He speaks, with particular intention, of Christ’s abasement, with the view of intimating indirectly, “Afin de donner taeitement &entendre;” — “That he may tacitly give them to understand.” that nothing was despised in him, but what they would have been prepared to despise, also, in Christ himself, inasmuch as he

emptied himself, even to the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8.)

He shows, however, at the same time, how absurd it is to despise in Christ “En nostre Seigneur Iesus;” — “In our Lord Jesus.” the abasement of the cross, inasmuch as it is conjoined with the incomparable glory of his resurrection. “Shall Christ be esteemed by you the less, because he showed signs of weakness in his death, as if his heavenly life, that he leads subsequently to his resurrection, were not a clear token of his Divine power?” For as the term flesh here means Christ’s human nature, “Car comme que par infirmite, est yet signifiee l’humanite de Christ;” — “For as by weakness is here meant the humanity of Christ.” so the word God is taken here to denote his Divinity.

Here, however, a question arises — whether Christ labored under such infirmity as to be subjected to necessity against his will; for, what we suffer through weakness, we suffer from constraint, and not from our own choice. As the Arians of old abused this pretext for effectually opposing the divinity of Christ, the orthodox Fathers gave this explanation of it — that it was effected by appointment, inasmuch as Christ so desired, and not from his being constrained by any necessity. This answer is true, provided it be properly understood. There are some, however, that mistakenly extend the appointment to Christ’s human will — as if this were not the condition of his nature, but a permission contrary to his nature. For example: “His dying,” they say, “did not happen because his humanity was, properly speaking, liable to death, but by appointment, because he chose to die.” I grant, indeed, that he died, because he chose to do so; but, whence came this choice, but from this — that he had, of his own accord, clothed himself with a mortal nature “Nostre nature mortelle;” — “Our mortal nature.” If, however, we make Christ’s human nature so unlike ours, the main support of our faith is overturned. Let us, therefore, understand it in this way — that Christ suffered by appointment, not by constraint, because, being in the form of God he could have exempted himself from this necessity, but, nevertheless, he suffered through weakness, because he emptied himself (Philippians 2:6.)

We are weak in him. To be weak in Christ means here to be a partaker of Christ’s weakness. Thus he makes his own weakness glorious, because in it he is conformed to Christ, and he no longer shrinks back from the disgrace, that he has in common with the Son of God; but, in the mean time, he says that he will live towards them after Christ’s example. “I also,” says he, “will be a partaker of Christ’s life, after I shall have been exempted from weakness.” “Apres que mon infirmite aura comme fait son temps;” — “After my weakness shall have, as it were, served its time.” To weakness he opposes life, and, accordingly, he understands by this term a condition that is flourishing, and full of honor. “Ascauoir quand vn homme est en estime et reputation;” — “That is, when a man is held in esteem and reputation.” The clause towards you may also be taken in connection with the power of God, but it is of no importance, as the meaning always remains the same — that the Corinthians, when they began to judge aright, would have respectful and honorable views of the power of God, which was in Paul, and would no longer despise outward infirmity.

2 Corinthians 13:5-9

5. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

5. Vosmet iposo tentate, num sitis in fide: vos ipsos probate. Annon cognoscitis vosmet ipsos, quod Iesus Christus in vobis est, nisi si cubi reprobi estis?

6. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

6. At spero vos cognituros, quod nos non simus reprobi.

7. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.

7. Opto autem apud Deum, ne quid male faciatis; non quo nos probati appareamus, sed ut vos quod honestum est faciatis, nos vero veluti reprobi sumus.

8. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

8. Non enim possumus quicquam adversus veritatem, sed pro veritate.

9. For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

9. Gaudemus enim, quum nos infirmi fuerimus, vos autem validi fueritis: hoc vero etiam optamus, vestram integritatem.