1 Corinthians 4:6

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred The word in the Greek translated in a figure transferredsignifies to change the shape of. The Vulgate renders transfiguravi, Wiclif transfigured, Tyndale described in mine own person, the Geneva version, I have figuratively described in mine own person. St Paul changes the names of the persons, substituting himself and Apollos for the teachers most in repute at Corinth, that he might thus avoid personality. But the principles laid down in the preceding Chapter s were to be applied universally.

not to think of men above that which is written The words to thinkare not to be found in many ancient copies. In that case we must translate, that ye may learn in us the precept, Not above what is written. Wordsworth quotes in illustration of the construction:

"Observe

The rule of not too much, by Temperance taught."

Paradise Lost, Bk. xi. l. 528.

is written i.e. in the Old Testament Scriptures. We have no certainty that any part of the New Testament was written at this time, save the two Epistles to the Thessalonians, and probably that to the Galatians. The only place in the New Testament where the term Scripture is applied to the books of the New Testament is 2 Peter 3:16. See ch. 1 Corinthians 9:10; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1Co 15:45; 1 Corinthians 15:54. St Paul either refers to Jeremiah 9:23-24, or to passages which speak of God as the source of all knowledge, such as Deuteronomy 17:19-20; Joshua 1:8; Psalms 1:2; Psalms 119:99-100; Proverbs 8:9., &c.