Atto of Vercelli
(Attonis Vercellensis), also known as Atto II, was a prominent
10th-century Italian bishop, canonist, and author (c. 885–961) who
served as the Bishop of Vercelli from 924 until his death. A key figure
in Church and state, he was a grand chancellor to Italian kings Hugh of
Provence and Lothair I
506, Chapter II
1 Cor 2:1 “And I also, when I came to you, brothers, came not with sublimity of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of Christ.”
What he taught in words, he now confirms by his own example. For since above he gradually showed the manner of our instruction, now, recalling the time past, he proves that he handed it on in no other way than he demonstrated—namely, that coming in humility and in the foolishness of preaching, as he was considered by worldly wisdom, he announced to them the testimony, that is, the report that God was made man, died, and was buried, and so forth.
It should be known, however, that in certain manuscripts there is found “the mystery of God” instead of “the testimony of Christ.” Now it is called the mystery of God because the Word of God, which was hidden, was God with God, hidden from the ages, and this in two ways: by foreknowledge or predestination, and by figure. For it was hidden by predestination because this mystery was foreknown and predestined by God the Father before the ages; and it was hidden by figure both in the Law and in the prophetic writings.
By “speech” he means the brilliance of eloquence and verbal charm; for the heretics strove after these things, and the deceived Corinthians gloried in them. Fearing lest they might appear foolish to the wise of this world, they sought to commend their teaching through eloquence, pursuing human wisdom, and thus they were emptying the Cross of Christ.
It should also be noted that certain passages appear obscure in which the Apostle reproaches the Corinthians. Yet it must be understood that he is condemning worldly wisdom in them as being contrary to divine religion.
1 Cor 2:2 Now, wishing to show what he preached to them and what he judged himself to know among them, he adds: “For I judged myself to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
Here it must be asked whether he preached only Christ crucified. Did he not also preach His nativity, all that He accomplished as man? Did he not also instruct them in morals? If therefore he preached only Christ crucified, how is it that later he says: “For I delivered to you first of all what I also received: that the Lord Jesus died according to the Scriptures, and that He rose again, and that He was seen by Cephas,” and the rest (1 Cor 15:3–5)?
507
Therefore it should be noted that he does not say merely “Christ crucified,” but “Jesus Christ,” and then adds, “and Him crucified.” Christ, therefore, is Jesus Himself—the Son of God, born of a virgin, laid in a manger, praised by angels, recognized by shepherds, adored by the Magi; He Himself handed down the Gospel and shone forth in miracles. For all these things pertain to Christ crucified, that is, to Christ who suffered in the flesh.
Hence blessed Augustine says that to evangelize Christ Jesus is not only to preach what must be believed about Him, but also everything that pertains to the formation of the morals of the faithful.
But because the salvation of the human race is contained especially in the mystery of the Cross, therefore the Apostle asserts that he knows nothing among the Corinthians except Christ crucified. This is what he claims to know among them.
“And my speech,” that is, my doctrine and preaching—what they needed to learn through him—he says that he does not know what they, because they were carnal, were not able to learn: namely, the higher mysteries of Christ’s divinity. This is said in that figure of speech by which one speaks of a “blind pit,” because it is hidden.
1 Cor 2:3 “And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.”
Behold, the Apostle says that he was among the Corinthians in weakness—and this was not enough, for he adds fear, and to heighten it further, much trembling. By these words he shows that, proclaiming Christ crucified to the Corinthians in the foolishness of preaching, he stirred up much hatred and persecution against himself, as though he were proclaiming a vain doctrine hostile both to Jews and to Gentiles.
1 Cor 2:4 “Not in persuasive words of human wisdom.”
Persuasive words are those adorned with the brilliance of eloquence. The evangelical doctrine does not need these, because it commends itself by its own power; human wisdom, however, needs the ornament of eloquence so that it may seem to be something great, since it is supported by neither reason nor power. By these words he shows that he did not wish to please human wisdom, lest he seem to be seeking his own favor.
But in what his preaching consists, he explains when he adds: “But in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power,” that is, in the working of miracles which were accomplished through the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. For whatever he taught, he confirmed by miracles, according to that saying of the evangelist Mark: “But they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs that followed” (Mark 16).
He explains this less clearly when he says, “But you remain in the city.”
But it should be known that foolish things, which are weak by their own power and of no weight, seem wise and to have something great when adorned with verbal brilliance. Therefore the Lord did not wish the evangelical doctrine to be commended by words, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor 2:5 Hence, fittingly, this follows: “That your faith might not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” And the sense is this: that what you believe, that you are now faithful, you should not attribute to human wisdom—lest perhaps you complain that you were deceived by its cunning—but attribute it to the grace of the Holy Spirit, who is the power of God.
For that the Holy Spirit is the power of God is shown by: “Stay until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).
CONTINUE
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