Father Nicholas Gorranus (Nicholas of Gorran, or Gorrain) was born 1232 and died circa 1295. He was an outstanding preacher and influential scripture commentator. The following was translated using Chat GPT.
1 Cor 1:1 Paul, called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes, the brother.
This present Epistle—which the Apostle writes as the first to the Corinthians—is wholly divided into four principal parts. In the first is set forth the greeting; in the second, thanksgiving for their gifts of grace (“I give thanks to my God”); in the third, their recall from various evils (“I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”) extending to the last chapter; in the fourth, which is the conclusion of the Epistle, an exhortation to what is good, in the final chapter.
In the first part he first touches upon the persons who give the greeting; secondly, those who are greeted (“the Church of God which is at Corinth”); thirdly, the manner of greeting (“Grace to you and peace”). A twofold person is mentioned among those who greet: first, the principal one, namely Paul; second, the one joined to him, namely Sosthenes. The principal person is described first by name, because he is Paul; secondly by dignity, because he is a called Apostle. This dignity is commended both by reason of a divine office, because he is an Apostle of Christ, and by reason of the manner of his entrance, because he was called according to the will of God.
Why is he called Paul? From paululus (“little”), because “he who humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:14). He places his name first as one celebrated among all the Gentiles, according to the Gloss. “Called an Apostle”: this either by Christ, as in Acts 9:15, “He is a vessel of election to me,” or else by antonomasia among men; just as Rome is called the city by antonomasia, so Paul is called the Apostle. He does not say “servant,” as in the Epistle to the Romans (1:1), because, according to the Gloss, here there was need rather of commendation and authority than of humility, on account of the pride of the Corinthians, for whom Paul, when called, was held in little esteem.
“Apostle of Jesus Christ,” not of Antichrist; and this “by the will of God,” not contrary to it, like the false prophets of whom Jeremiah speaks (Jer 23:32): “I did not send them, and they ran.” “And Sosthenes the brother”: he is joined because he was solicitous for them and had reported matters concerning them to the Apostle. Therefore Sosthenes is called “brother” by name, by faith, and by love.
1 Cor 1:2 “To the Church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints.”
Here those who are greeted are described. First, the principal recipients are mentioned, namely the Corinthians; secondly, those joined to them, that is, the suffragans of the Corinthians: “with all who call upon…” The principal recipients are commended from three things: from their assembly, from sanctification, and from vocation. They are assembled into the gathering of the faithful, sanctified from the defilement of vices, and called to the holiness of virtues.
Thus he says “to the Church,” as if to say: “I write to the Church.” “The Church of God,” not of men, against those who contended about baptizers and teachers. “Which is at Corinth”: that is, the Church sanctified and cleansed in Baptism from the defilements of vices, sanctified in Christ Jesus—that is, through the operation of Christ, not principally of men; for Christ alone baptizes interiorly (John 1:33). “Called saints,” that is, called to the holiness of virtues, either by preachers through a temporal calling (Prov 9:1,3: “She sent her maidens to call to the citadel”), or called by God, that is, pre-elected saints, to holiness through an eternal calling (Rom 4:17: “Who calls those things that are not as though they were”).
“With all who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, theirs and ours.”
Here the secondary recipients are described. First, by unity of faith, when he says “with all who call upon”; secondly, by cohabitation of place, when he adds “in every place”; thirdly, by due subjection, when he adds “theirs and ours.” Thus he says “with all,” as if to say: “I write to them together with all,” that is, with all the suffragans of the Corinthians. “Who call upon,” that is, inwardly call, which they could not do unless they believed (cf. Rom 10:14: “How shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed?”). They call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom alone is salvation (Acts 4:12: “There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved”). “In every place, theirs and ours,” that is, places first granted and entrusted to us. By this he shows that not only the Corinthians, but also their neighbors, were committed to the Apostle’s care by the Lord.
1 Cor 1:3 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Here he touches on the manner of greeting. Concerning the benefit desired for them, three things are noted: first, what it is—grace and peace; second, from whom it is—from God the Father; third, through whom it is—through our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus he says, “Grace to you,” that is, the remission of sins; “and peace,” that is, tranquility of mind and reconciliation with God. He rightly places grace before peace, because “there is no peace for the wicked” (Isa 48:22). “From God our Father,” who is the Father of the Only-Begotten by propriety, but ours by appropriation (Matt 6:9: “Our Father who art in heaven”), from whom is every good (James 1:17). “And from the Lord Jesus Christ,” through whom the Father gives all things, as through a hand (Ps 144:7: “Send forth your hand from on high”).
Here, moreover, the Trinity of divine persons is implicitly signified: the person of the Father when it is said “from God the Father”; the person of the Son when it is added “and the Lord Jesus”; and the person of the Holy Spirit through His gifts, when “grace and peace” are mentioned.
It is to be noted that the perfect are especially called saints for four reasons—four motives of sanctification. First, because they are pure through purity of conscience (Job 17:9: “The just shall hold his way, and he that has clean hands shall grow stronger”). Second, because they are lifted above earthly things through rejection of what is earthly (Col 3:1: “Seek the things that are above, not those on the earth”). Third, because they are firm through perseverance and long-suffering (Ps 33:6: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were established”). Fourth, because they are stained with blood through imitation of Christ’s Passion (Rev 7:14: “They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb”).
It is further to be noted, regarding the phrase “sanctified in Christ,” that seven reasons are commonly assigned for which we especially ought to be sanctified—above all we preachers and prelates—on account of which Scripture is found to say seven times, “Be sanctified.”
The first is the holiness of the Lord whom we serve (Lev 20:7: “Be sanctified and be holy, for I am the Lord your God”). But alas: “The holy one has perished from the earth” (Mic 7:2).
The second is the holiness of the fathers whom we imitate (2 Chr 29:5: “Be sanctified and cleanse the house of the Lord God of your fathers”; Rom 11:16: “If the root is holy, so are the branches”). But alas, the Psalmist cries (Ps 12:1): “Save me, O Lord, for the holy one has failed,” that is, from the former state (cf. 1 Sam 8:5).
The third is the holiness of the saints—men and angels—with whom we have communion (1 Sam 16:5: “Be sanctified and come with me that I may sacrifice”; Ps 18:26: “With the holy you will be holy”). But alas (Isa 66:17): “They sanctified themselves among others… eating swine’s flesh and abominations.”
The fourth is the holiness of Scripture which we teach (1 Chr 15:12: “You who are chiefs of the Levitical families, sanctify yourselves”; Rom 15:16: “Sanctifying the Gospel of God”). The Gloss: showing the holy things by good works. But alas (Matt 23:3): “They say and do not do”; therefore (Ezek 28:18): “By the multitude of your iniquities you have profaned your sanctification,” that is, the holy word.
The fifth is the holiness of the body to which we communicate (Num 11:18: “Be sanctified, for tomorrow you shall eat flesh”; 1 Sam 21:6). But alas, many give the holy bread of the children to dogs, which is forbidden (Matt 7:6).
The sixth is the holiness of the Judge whom we await (Josh 7:13: “Be sanctified for tomorrow, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel”; 1 Thess 5:23: “May the God of peace sanctify you wholly”). But alas, evil men do not think of judgment (Dan 13:9).
The seventh is the holiness of the city which we desire (Josh 3:5: “Be sanctified, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you”; Sirach 24:15: “In the holy city I likewise rested”). But alas, many say as in Numbers 32:18, that they seek no inheritance beyond the Jordan.
CONTINUE
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