ALLEN & SPIEH,
Union Book Store,
148 Clay st.
San Francisco.
LIBRARY
' OF THK
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.
OF"
Mrs. SARAH P. WALS WORTH.
Received October, 1894.
Accessions No.^L % I %~ Clems No._
-
NOTES,
EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL,
ON THE
FIRST EPISTLE OP PAUL
TO THE
CORINTHIANS.
BY ALBERT BARNES.
NEW YORK:
HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS,
329 <fe 331 PEARL STREET,
FRANKLIN SQUARE.
i 853.
ENTERED according to Act of Congress, in the year S37, by
/^.BEIIT BARNES,
in the Office of the Clerk of the District Court of the Eastern District
of Pennsylvania.
INTRODUCTION.
I. The Situation of Corinth, and the Character of its Inhabitants.
was properly a small dynasty, or territory in Greece, bounded on
the east by the gulf of Saron ; on the south by the kingdom of Argos ; on the
west by Sicyon ; and on the north by the kingdom of Megaris, and upper part
of the isthmus and bay of Corinth, the latter of which is now called the Golfo
de Lepanto, or the gulf of Lepanto. This tract, or region, not large in size, pos-
sessed a few rich plains, but was in general uneven, and the soil of an indif
ferent quality. The city of Corinth was the capital of this region. It stood near
the middle of the isthmus, which in the narrowest part was about six miles
wide, though somewhat wider where Corinth stood. Here was the natural
tarrying place, or portage from the Ionian sea on the west, to the ^Egean on
the east. Many efforts were made by the Greeks, and afterwards by the Ro-
mans, to effect a communication between the ^Egean and Adriatic seas by cut-
ting across this isthmus ; and traces still remain of these attempts. Means
were even contrived for transporting vessels across. This isthmus was also par-
ticularly important as it was the key of the Peloponnesus, and attempts were
often made to fortify it. The city had two harbours, Lechseum on the gulf of
Corinth, or sea of Crissa on the west, to which it was joined by a double wall,
twelve stadia, or about a mile and a half in length ; and Cenchrea on the sea
of Saron on the east, distant about seventy stadia, or nearly nine miles, fl was,
u situation therefore peculiarly favourable for commerce, and highly important, in
the defence of Greece.
The city is said to hafre been founded by Sisyphus, long before the siege of
Troy, and was then called Ephyra. The time when it was founded is, howevc-r,
unknown. The name Corinth, was supposed to have been given to it from
Corinthus, who, by different authors, is said to have been the son of Jupiter, 01
of Marathon, or of Pelops, who is said to have rebuilt and adorned the city.
The city of Corinth was built at the foot of a high hill, on the top of which
stood a citadel. This hill, which stood on the south of the city, was its defence
in that quarter, as its sides were extremely steep. On the three other sides it
was protected by strong and lofty ramparts. The circumference of the city
proper was about forty stadia, or five miles. Its situation gave it great com-
mercial advantages. As the whole of that region was mountainous and rather
barren, and as the situation gave the city extraordinary commercial advantages,
the inhabitants early turned their attention to commerce, and amassed great
wealth. This fact was, to no inconsiderable extent, the foundation of the
luxury, effeminacy, and vices for which the city afterwards became so much
distinguished.
The merchandise of Italy, Sicily, and the western nations, was landed at Lech-
seum on the west ; and that of the islands of the ^Egean sea, of Asia Minor, and
of the Phoenicians, and other oriental nations, at Cenchrea on the east. The city
of Corinth thus became the mart of Asia and Europe ; covered the sea with its
ships, and formed a navy to protect i|s commerce. It was distingf* *hed by build-
IV INTRODUCTION.
ing galleys and ships ot a new and improved form ; and its naval force procured
it respect from other nations. Its population and its wealth was thus increased
by the influx of foreigners. It became a city rather distinguished by its wealth
and naval force, and commerce, than by its military achievements, though it
produced a few of the most valiant and distinguished leaders in the armies of
Greece.
Its population was increased and its character somewhat formed from another
circumstance. In the neighbourhood of the city the Isthmian games were cele
brated, which attracted so much attention, and which drew so mauy strangers
from distant parts of the world. To those games, the apostle Paul not infre-
quently refers, when recommending Christian energy and activity. See note,
1 Cor. ix. 24. 26, 27. Comp. Heb. xii. 1.
From these causes, the city of Corinth became eminent among all ancient
cities for wealth, and luxury, and dissipation. It was the mart of the world.
Wealth flowed into it from all quarters. Luxury, amusement, and dissipation
were the natural consequents, until it became the most gay and dissolute city of
its times, the Paris of antiquity.
There was another cause which contributed to its character of dissoluteness
and corruption. I refer to its religion. The principal deity worshipped in the
city wae- Venus; as Diana was the principal deity worshipped at Ephesus -
Minerva at Athens, &c. Ancient cities were devoted usually to some particulai
god or goddess, and were supposed to be under their peculiar protection. Sec
note, Acts xiv. 13. Corinth was devoted, or dedicated thus to the goddess of
love, or licentious passion ; and the effect may be easily conceived. The temple
of Venus was erected on the north side or slope of the Acrocurinthus, a moun-
tain about half a mile in height on the south of the city, and from the summit of
which a magnificent prospect opened on the north to Parnassus and Helicon,
to the eastward the island of ^Egina and the citadel of Athens, and to the west
the rich and beautiful plains of Sicyon. This mountain was covered with
temples and splendid houses ; but was especially devoted to Venus, and was the
place of her worship. Her shrine appeared above those of the other gods ; and
it was enjoined by law, that one thousand beautiful females should officiate as
courtesans, or public prostitutes, before the altar of the goddess of love. In a
time of public calamity and imminent danger, these women attended at the
sacrifices, and walked with the other citizens singing sacred hymns. When
Xerxes invaded Greece, recourse was had to their intercession to avert the im-
pending calamity. They were supported chiefly by foreigners ; and from the
avails of their vice a copious revenue was derived to the city. Individuals,
in order to ensure success in their undertakings, vowed to present to Venus a
certain number of courtesans, which they obtained by sending to distant coun-
tries. Foreign merchants were attracted in this way to Corinth ; and in a few
days would be stripped of all their property. It thus became a proverb, "It is
not for every one to go to Corinth," (bv Trwrl? fatten si; Ko'^vS-ov \<rviv
The effect of this on the morals of the city can be easily understood. It became
the most gay, dissipated, corrupt, and ultimately the most effeminate and feeble
portion of Greece. It is necessary to make these statements because they go to
show the exceeding grace of God in collecting a church in such a city, the
power of the gospel in overcoming the strongest and most polluted passions of
our nature ; and because no small part of the irregularities which arose in the
church at Corinth, and which gave the apostle occasion to write this epistle.
were produced by this prevailing licentiousness of the people ; and by the fact
that gross and licentious passions had received the countenance of law anc
the patronage of public opinion. See ch. v. vii. See article Lais in the Biogra-
phical Dictionaries
INTRODUCTION. V
Though Corinth was thus dissipated and licentious in its character, yet il
was also distinguished for its refinement and learning. Every part of literature
was cultivated there, so that before its destruction by the Romans, Cicero (pro
lege Man. cap. ->.) scrupled not to call it totius Graecae lumen the light of all
Greece.
Corinth was, of course, exposed to all the changes and disasters which occurred
to the other cities of Greece. After a variety of revolutions in its government,
which it is not necessary here to repeat, it was taken by the Roman consul L.
Mummius, 147 years before Christ. The riches which were found in the city were
immense. During the conflagration, it is said that all the metals which were
there were melted and run together, and formed that valuable compound which
was so much celebrated as Corinthian brass. Others, however, with more pro-
bability, say that the Corinthian artists were accustomed to form a metal, by ,1
mixture of brass with small quantities of gold and silver, which was so brilliant
as to cause the extraordinary estimate in which this metal was held. Corinth,
however, was again rebuilt. In the time of Julius Cesar, it was colonized by his
order, and soon again resumed something of its former magnificence. By the
Romans the whole of Greece was divided into two provinces, Macedonia and
Achaia. Of I'ae latter, Corinth was the capital ; and this was its condition
when it was visited by Paul. With its ancient splendour, it also soon relapsed
into its former dissipation and licentiousness ; and when Paul visited it, it was
perhaps as dissolute as at any former period of its history. The subsequent his-
tory of Corinth it is not necessary to trace. On the division of the Roman em-
pire, it fell, of course, to the eastern empire, and when this was overthrown b}
the Turks, it came into their hands, and it remained under their dominion until
the recent revolution in Greece. It still retains its ancient name ; but with
nothing of its ancient grandeur. A single temple, itself dismantled, it is said, is
all that remains, except the ruins, to mark the site of one of the most splendid
cities of antiquity. For the authorities for these statements, see Travels of
Anacharsis, vol. iii. pp. 369 388 ; Edin. Ency. art. Corinth ; Lempriere's Clas-
sical Dictionary, and Bayle's Dictionary, art. Corinth.
2. The Establishment of the Church at Corinth.
THE apostle Paul first visited Corinth about A. D. 52. (Lardner.) See Acts
xviii. 1. He was then on his way from Macedonia to Jerusalem He had
passed some time at Athens, where he had preached the gospel, but not with
such success as to warrant him to remain, or to organize a church. See Notes on
Acts xvii. He was alone at Athens, having expected to have been joined there
by Silas and Timothy, but in that he was disappointed. Acts xvii. 15. Comp.
xviii. 5. He came to Corinth alone, but found Aquila and Priscilla there who
had lately come from Rome, and with them he waited the arrival of Silas and
Timothy. When they arrived, Paul entered on the great work of preaching the
gospel in that splendid and dissipated city, first to the Jews, and when it was
rejected by them, then to the Greeks. Acts xviii. 5, 6. His feelings when he
engaged in this work, he has himself stated in 1 Cor. xvi. 2 5. (See note on that
place.) His embarrassments and discouragements were met by a gracious pro-
mise of the Lord that he would be with him, and would not leave him ; and that
it was his purpose to collect a church there. See Note on Acts xviii. 9, 10. la
the city, Paul remained eighteen months, (Actsxviii.il,) preaching without mo-
lestation, until he was opposed by the Jews under Sosthenes their leader, and
brought before Gallic. When Gallio refused to hear the cause, and Paul was
discharged, it is said, that he remained there yet " a good while," (Acts xviii,
IS,) and then sailed into Syria.
VI INTRODUCTION.
Of the size of the church that was first organized there, and of the genera
character of the converts, we have no other knowledge than that which is con-
tained in the epistle. There is reason to think that Sosthenes, who was the prin-
cipal agent of the Jews in arraigning Paul before Gallio, was converted, (see
1 Cor. i. 1,) and perhaps some other persons of distinction ; bat it is evident that
the church was chiefly composed of those who were in the more humble walks
of life See Notes on 1 Cor. i. 26 29. It was a signal illustration of the grace of
God, and the power of the gospel, that a church was organized in that city of
gayety, fashion, luxury, and licentiousness ; and it shows that the gospel i*
adapted to meet and overcome all forms of wickedness, and to subdue all classes of
jeople to itself. If a church was established in the gay and dissolute capital ot
Achaia, then there is not now a city on earth so gay and so profligate that the
same gospel may not meet its corruptions, and subdue it to the cross of Christ.
Paul subsequently visited Corinth about A. D. 58, or six years after the establish-
ment of the church there. He passed the winter in Greece doubtless in Corinth
and its neighbourhood, on his journey from Macedonia to Jerusalem, the fiftfi
time in which he visited the latter city. During this stay at Corinth, he wrote
the epistle to the Romans. See the Introduction to the Epistle to the Romans.
3. The Time and Place of Writing the First Epistle to the Corinthians.
IT has been uniformly supposed that this epistle was written at Ephesus. The
circumstances which are mentioned incidentally in the epistle itself, place this
beyond a doubt. The epistle purports to have been written, not like that to the
Romans, without having been at the place to which it was written, but after
Paul had been at Corinth. " I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with
excellency of speech," &c. ch. ii. 1. It also purports to have been written when
he was about to make another visit to- that church. Ch. iv. 19, " But I will
come to you shortly, if the Lord will." Ch. xvi. 5, " Now I will come to you
when I pass through Macedonia, for I do pass through Macedonia." Now the
history in the Acts of the Apostles informs us, that Paul did in fact visit Achaia,
and doubtless Corinth twice. See Acts xviii. 1, &c. and xx. 1 3. The same
history also informs us that it was from Ephesus that Paul went into Greece ; and
as the epistle purports to have been written a short time before that journey, it
follows, to be consistent with the history, that the epistle must have been
written while he was at Ephesus. The narrative in the Acts also informs us,
that Paul had passed two years in Ephesus before he set out on hit; second journey
into Greece.
With this supposition, all the circumstances relating to the place where the
apostle then was which are mentioned in this epistle agree. " If after the man-
ner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the
dead rise not?" ch. xv. 32. It is true, as Dr. Paley remarks, (Horse Paulinas,)
that the apostle might say this wherever he was ; but it was much more natural,
and much more to the purpose to say it, if he was at Ephesus at the time, and
in the midst of those conflicts to which the expression relates. " The churches
of Asia salute you," ch. xvi. 19. It is evident from this, that Paul was near
those churches, and that he had intercourse with them. But Asia, throughout
the Acts of the Apostles, and in the epistles of Paul, does not mean commonly
the whole of Asia, nor the whole of Asia Minor, but a district in the interior of
Asia Minor, of which Ephesus was the capital. See Note, Acts ii. 9, also Acts
vi. 9, xvi. 6, xx. 16. " Aquila and Priscilla salute you," ch. xvi. 19. Aquila
and Priscilla were at Ephesus during the time in which I shall endeavour to show
this epistle was written, Acts xviii. 26. It is evident, if this were so, that the
epistle was written at Ephesus. " But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost/'
INTRODUCTION. Vll
ch xvi. 8. This is almost an express declaration that he was at Ephesus when
the epistle was written. " A great and effectual door is opened to me, and there
are many adversaries," ch. xvi. 9. How well this agrees with the history, may
be seen by comparing it with the account in Acts, when Paul was at Ephesus.
Acts xix. 20, " So mightily grew the word of (jJod and prevailed." That there
were " many adversaries," may be seen from the account of the same period in
Acts xix. 9, " But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil
of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the dis-
ciples." Comp. Acts xix. 23 41. From these circumstances, it is put beyond
controversy, that the epistle was written from Ephesus. These circumstantial,
and undesigned coincidences, between a letter written by Paul and an indepen-
dent history by Luke, is one of those strong evidences so common in genuine
wntings, which go to show that neither is a forgery. An impostor in forging a
history like that of the Acts, and then writing an epistle, would not have thought
of these coincidences, or introduced them in the manner in which they occur
here. It is perfectly manifest that the notes of the time, and place, and circum-
stances in the history, and in the epistle, were not introduced to correspond with
each other, but have every appearance of genuinenes? <ind truth. See Paley's
Horse Paulinas, on this epistle.
The circumstances which have been referred to in regard to the place where
this epistle was written, serve also to fix the date of its composition. It is evi-
dent, from ch. xvi. 8, that Paul purposed to tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.
But this must have been written and sent away before the idiot which was raised
by Demetrius (Acts xix. 23 41), for immediately after that Paul left Ephesus
and went to Macedonia. Acts xx. 1, 2. The reason why Paul purposed to
remain in Ephesus until Pentecost, was, the success which he had met with in
preaching the gospel. Ch. xvi. 9. But after the riot excited by Demetrius, this
hope was in a measure defeated, and he soon left the city. These circumstances
serve to fix the time when this epistle was written to the interval which elapsed
between what is recorded in Acts xix. 22 and 23. This occurred about A. D.
56 or 57. Pearson and Mill place the date in the year 57 ; Lardnsr, in the
spring of the year 56.
It has never been doubted that Paul was the author of this epistle. It bears
his name ; has internal evidence of having been written by him, and is ascribed
to him by the unanimous voice of antiquity. It has been made a question, how-
ever, whether this was the first letter which Paul wrote to them ; or whether he
had previously written an epistle to them which is now lost. This inquiry has
been caused by what Paul says in 1 Cor. v. 9, " I wrote unto you in an epistle,"
&c. Whether he there refers to another epistle, which he wrote to them before
this, and which they had disregarded ; or whether to the previous chapters of this
epistle ; or whether to a letter to some other church which they had been expected
to read, has been made a question. This question will be considered in the rote
on that verse.
4. The Occasion on which this Epistk was written.
IT is evident that this epistle was written in reply to one which had beer, ad-
dressed by the church at Corinth to Paul ; 1 Cor. vii. 1, " Now concerning the
things whereof ye wrote unto me," &c. That letter had been sent to Paul while
at Ephesus by the hands of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus, who had
come to consult with him respecting the state of the church at Corinth. 1 Cor.
xvi. 17, 18. In addition to this, Paul had heard various reports of certain disor-
ders which had been introduced into the church at Corinth, and which required
Ui3 attention and correction. Those disorders, it seems, as was natural, had no*
Vlll INTRODUCTION.
been mentioned in the letter which they sent to him, but he had heard o
them incidentally by some members of the family of Chloe. 1 Cor. i. 11. Thej
pertained to the following subjects. (1.) The divisions which had arisen in the
church by the popularity of a teacher who had excited great disturbance. (1
Cor. i. 12, 13.) Probably this teacher was a Jew by birth, and not improbably
of the sect of the Sadducees (2 Cor. xi. 22), and his teaching might have been
the occasion why in the epistle Paul entered so largely into the proof of the doctrine
of the resurrection from the dead. 1 Cor. xv. (2.) The Corinthians, like all
other Greeks, were greatly in danger of being deluded, and carried away by a
subtle philosophy, and by a dazzling eloquence, and it is not improbable that the
false teacher there had taken advantage of this, and made it the occasion of ex-
citing parties, and of creating a prejudice against Paul, and of undervaluing his
authority because he had made no pretensions to these endowments. It was of
importance, therefore, for Paul to show the true nature and value of their phi-
losophy, and the spirit which should prevail in receiving the gospel. Ch. i. 18
31. ii. iii. (3.) Paul's authority had been called in question as an apostle, and
not improbably by the false teacher, or teachers, that had caused the parties
which had been originated there. It became necessary, therefore, for him to vin-
dicate his authority, and show by what right he had acted in organizing the
church, and in the directions which he had given for its discipline awd purity.
Ch. iv. ix. (4.) A case of incest had occurred in the church which had not
been made the subject of discipline. Ch. v. This case was a flagrant violation
of the gospel ; and yet it is not improbable that it had been palliated, or vindi
cated by the false teachers ; and it is certain that it excited no shame in ihe
church itself. Such cases were not regarded by the dissolute Corinthians as
criminal. In a city dedicated to Venus, the crimes of licentiousness had been
openly indulged, and this was one of the sins to which they were particularly
exposed. It became necessary, therefore, for Paul to exert his apostolic autho-
rity, and to remove the offender in this case from the communion of the church,
and to make him an example of the severity of Christian discipline. (5.) The
Corinthians had evinced a litigious spirit, a fondness for going to law, and for
bringing their causes before heathen tribunals, to the great scandal of religion, in-
stead of endeavouring to settle their difficulties among themselves. Of this the
apostle had been informed, and this called also for his authoritative interposition,
ch. vi. 1 8. (6.) Erroneous views and practices had arisen, perhaps, under the
influence of the false teachers, on the subject of temperance, chastity, &c. To
the vices of intemperance, licentiousness, and gluttony, the Corinthian Christians
from their former habits, and from the customs of their countrymen, were par-
ticularly exposed. Those vices had been judged harmless, and had been freely
indulged in, and it is not improbable that the views of the apostle had been ridi-
culed as unnecessarily stern, and severe, and rigid. It became necessary, there-
fore, to correct their views, and to state the true nature of the Christian require-
ments. Ch. vi. 8 20. (7.) The apostle having thus discussed those things
of which he had incidentally heard, proceeds to notice particularly the things
respecting which they had consulted him by letter. Those were, (a.) Marriage,
and the duties in regard to it in their circumstances, ch. vii. (6.) The eating
of things offered to idols, ch. viii. In order to enforce his views of what he had
said on the duty of abstaining from the use of certain food, if it was the occasion
of giving offence, he shows them (ch. ix.) that it was the great principle on
which he had acted in his ministry , that he was not imposing on them any thing
which he did not observe himself ; that though he had full authority as an apostle
to insist on a support in preaching, yet for the sake of peace, and the prosperity
of the church, he had voluntarily relinquished his rights, and endeavoured by
I means to save some. Ch. ix. By this example, he seeks to persuade them tJ
INTRODUCTION. 1*
ft course of life as far as possible from a life of gluttony, and fornication, and self-
indulgence, and to assure them that although they had ben highly favoured, as
the Jews had been also, yet like them, they might also fall,ch. x. 1 12. These
principles he illustrates by a reference to their joining in feasts, and celebrations
with idols, and the dangers to which they would subject themselves by so doing;
and concludes that it would be proper in those circumstances wholly to abstain
from partaking of the meat offered in sacrifice to idols if it were known to be
such. This was to be done on the principle that no ofl'ence was to be given.
And thus the second question referred to him was disposed of, ch. x. 13 33. In
connexion with this, and as an illustration of the principle on which he acted,
and on which he wishes them to act, that of promoting mutual edification, and
avoiding offence, he refers (ch. xi.) to two other subjects, the one, the proper
relation of the woman to the man, and the general duty of her being in subjec-
tion to him, (ch. xi. 1 16 ;) and the othe'r, a far more important matter, the
proper mode of celebrating the Lord's supper, ch. xi. 17 34. He had been led
to speak of this, probably, by the discussion to which he had been invited on the
subject of their feasts, and the discussion of that subject naturally led to the con-
sideration of the much more important subject of their mode of celebrating the
Lord's supper. That had been greatly abused to purposes of riot, and disorder,
and abuse, which had grown directly out of their former views and habits in
public festivals. Those views and habits they had transferred to the celebration
of the eucharist. It became necessary, therefore, for the apostle to correct those
views, to state the true design of the ordinance, to show the consequences of an
improper mode of celebration, and to endeavour to reform them in their mode of
observing it, ch. xi. 17 34. (c.) Another subject which had probably been
submitted to him in the letter was, the nature of spiritual gifts ; the design of
the power of speaking with tongues, and the proper order to be observed in the
church on this subject. These powers seem to have been imparted to the Corinth-
ians in a remarkable degree ; and like most other things had been abused to the
promotion of strife, and ambition ; to pride in their possession, and to irregularity
and disorder in their public assemblies. This whole subject the apostle discusses,
(ch. xii. xiii. xiv.) He states the design of imparting this gift ; the use which
should be made of it in the church, the necessity of due subordination in all the
members and officers ; and in a chapter unequalled in beauty in any language,
(ch. xiii.) shows the inferiority of the highest of these endowments to a kind,
catholic spirit to. the prevalence of charity, and thus endeavours to allay all
contentions and strifes for ascendency, by the prevalence of the spirit of LOVE.
In connexion with this (ch. xiv.) he reproves the abuses which had arisen
on this subject, as he had done on others, and seeks to repress all disorders.
(8.) A veryimportant subject, the apostle reserved to the close of the epistle
the resurrection of the dead. (ch. xv.) Why he chose to discuss it in this place,
is not known. It is quite probable that he had not been consulted on this sub-
ject in the letter which had been sent to him. It is evident, however, that erro-
neous opinions had been entertained on the subject, and probably inculcated by
the religious teachers at Corinth. The philosophic minds of the Greeks we
know were much disposed to deride this doctrine (Acts yvii. 32), and in the
Corinthian church it had been either called in question, or greatly perverted,
ch. xv. 12. That the same body would be raised up had been denied, and
the doctrine that came to be believed was, probably, simply that there would
be a future state, and that the only resurrection was the resurrection of the soul
from sin, and that this was past. Comp. 2 Tim. ii. !8. This subject the apostle
had not before taken up, probably because he had not been consulted on it, and
because it would find a more appropriate place after he had reproved their di
orders, and answered their questions. After all those discussions, after exan**^
X INTRODUCTION.
ing all the opinions and practices that prevailed among them, it was proper to
place the great argument for the truth of the religion which they all professed
on a permanent foundation, and to close the epistle by reminding them, and
vroving to them that the religion which they professed, and which they had so
much abused, was from heaven. The proof of this was the resurrection of the
Saviour from the dead. It was indispensable to hold that in its obvious sense,
and holding that, the truth of their own resurrection -was demonstrated, and the
error of those who dor:ied it was apparent. (9.) Having finished this demon-
stration, the apostle closes the epistle (ch. xvi.) with some miscellaneous direc-
tions and salutations.
5. Divisions of the Epistle.
THE divisions of this epistle, as of the other books of the Bible, into chapters
and verses, is arbitrary, and often not happily made. See the Introduction to the
Notes on the Gospels. Various divisions of the epistle have been proposed in
order to present a proper analysis to the mind. The division which is submitted
here is one that arises from the previous statement of the scope and design of the
epistle, and will furnish the basis of my analysis. According to this view, thr
body of this epistle may be divided into three parts, viz.
I. The discussion of irregularities and abuses prevailing in the church a
Corinth, of which the apostle had incidentally learned by report, ch.
i. vi.
II. The discussion of various subjects which had been submitted to him in a
letter from the church, and of points which grew oul of those inqui-
ries, ch. vii. xiv.
III. The discussion of the great doctrine of the resurrection of Christ the
foundation of the hope of man and the demonstration arising from that
that the Christian religion is true, and the hopes of Christians well
founded, ch. xv. (See the " Analysis" prefixed to the Notes.)
6. Tlie Messengers by whom this Epistle was sent to the Church at Corinth,
and its success.
IT is evident that Paul felt the deepest solicitude in regard to the state of
things in the church at Corinth. Apparently as soon as he had heard of their
irregularities and disorders through the members of the family of Chloe (ch. i. ii.),
he had sent Timothy to them, if possible, to repress the growing dissensions and
irregularities. 1 Cor. iv. 17. In the mean time the church at Corinth wrote to
him to ascertain his views on certain matters submitted to him (1 Cor. vii. 1),
and the reception cf this letter gave him occasion to enter at length into the
. subject of their disorders and difficulties. Yet he wrote the letter under the
deepest solicitude about the manner of its reception, and its effect on the church,
2 Cor. ii. 4, " For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto
you with many tears," &c. Paul had another object in view which was dear to
his heart, and which he was labouring with all diligence to promote, which was
the collection which he proposed to take up for the poor and afflicted saints at
Jerusalem. See Notes, Rom. xv. 25, 26. This object he wished to press at this
time on the church at Corinth. 1 Cor. xvi. 1 4. In order, therefore, to ensure
the success of his letter, and to facilitate the collection, he sent Titus with the
,etter to the church at Corinth, with instructions to have the collection ready.
2 Cor. vii. 7, 8. 13. 15. This collection, Titus was requested to finish. 2 Cor.
viii. 6. With Titus, Paul sent another brother, perhaps a member of the church
at Ephesus (2 Cor. xii. 18), a man whose praise, Paul says, was in all the
INTRODUCTION. XI
churches, and who had been already designated by the churches to bear the con
tribution to Jerusalem. 2 Cor. viii. 18, 19. By turning to Acts xxi. 29, we
find it incidentally mentioned that " Trophimus an Ephesian" was with Paul
in Jerusalem, and undoubtedly this was the person here designated. This is one
of the undesigned coincidences between Paul's epistle and the Acts of the Apostles,
of which Dr. Paley has made so much use in his Horns Paulinse in proving the
genuineness of these writings. Paul did not deem it necessary or prudent for
him to go himself to Corinth, but chose to remain in Ephesus. The letter to
Paul (1 Cor. vii. 1) had been brought to him by Stephanas, Fortunatus,
and Achaicus (I Cor. xvi. 17), and it is probable that they accompanied TituM
and the other brother with him who bore Paul's reply to their inquiries.
The success of this letter was all that Paul could desire. It had the effect to
repress their growing strifes, to restrain their disorders, to produce true repent-
ance, and to remove the person who had been guilty of incest in the church.
The whole church was deeply affected with his reproofs, and engaged in hearty
zeal in the work of reform. 2 Cor. vii. 9 11. The authority of the apostle was
recognised, and his epistle read with fear and trembling. 2 Cor. vii. 15. The
act of discipline which he had required on the incestuous person was inflicted by
the whole church. 2 Cor. ii. 6. The collection which he had desired (1 Cor.
xvi. 1 4). and in regard to which he had boasted of their liberality to others,
and expressed the utmost confidence that it would be liberal (2 Cor. ix. 2, 3),
was taken up agreeably to his wishes, and their disposition on the subject was
such as to furnish the highest satisfaction to his mind. 2 Cor. vii. 13, 14. Of
the success of his letter, however, and of their disposition to take up the collec-
tion, Paul was not apprized until he had gone into Macedonia, where Titus came
to him, and gave him information of the happy state of things in the church at
Corinth. 2 Cor. vii. 4 7. 13. Never was a letter more effectual than this was,
and never was authority in discipline exercised in a more happy and successful
way.
7. General Character and Structure of the Epistle.
THE general style and character of this epistle is the same as in the otner
writings of Paul. See Introduction to the Epistle to the Romans. It evinces
the same strong and manly style of 'argument and language, the same structure
of sentences, the same rapidity of conception, the same overpowering force of
language and thought, and the same characteristics of temper and spirit in the
author. The main difference between the style and manner of this epistle, and
the other epistles of Paul, arises from the scope and design of the argument. In
the epistle to the Romans, his object led him to pursue a close and connected
train of argumentation. In this, a large portion of the epistle is occupied with /
reproof, and it gives occasion for calling into view at once the authority of an
apostle, and the spirit and manner in which reproof is to be administered. The
reader of this epistle cannot -but be struck with the fact, that it was no part of
Paul's character to show indulgence to sin ; that he had no design to flatter : that
he neither " cloaked nor concealed transgression ;" that in the most open, firm,
and manly manner possible, it was his purpose to rebuke them for their disor-
ders, and to repress their growing irregularities. At the same time, however, there
is full opportunity for the display of tenderness, kindness, love, charity, and for
Christian instruction an opportunity for pouring forth the deepest feelings of
the human heart an opportunity which Paul never allowed to escape urim
proved. Amidst all the severity of reproof, there is the love of friendship ; amidst
the rebukes of an apostle, the entreaties and tears of a father. And we here
Contemplate Paul, not merely as the profound reasoner, not simply as a man af
All INTRODUCTION.
high intellectual endowments, but as evincing the feelings of the man, and th
sympathies of the Christian.
Perhaps there is less difficulty in understanding this epistle than the epistle
to the Romans. A few passages indeed have perplexed all commentators, and
are to this day not understood. See ch. v. 9 ; xi. 1C ; xv. 29. But the general
meaning of the epistle has been much less the subject of difference of interpreta-
tion. The reasons have probably been the following. (1.) The subjects here
are more numerous, and the discussions more brief. There is, therefore,
less difficulty in following the author than where the discussion is protracted,
and the manner of his reasoning more complicated. (2.) The subjects them-
selves are far less abstruse and profound than those introduced into the epistle to
the Romans. There is, therefore, less liability to misconception. (3.) The epistle
has never been made the subject of theological warfare. No system of theology
has been built on it, and no attempt made to press it into the service of abstract
dogmas. It is mostly of a practical character, and there has been, therefore, less
room for contention in regard to its meaning. (4.) No false and unfounded
theories of philosophy have been attached to this epistle, as have been to the epistle
to the Romans. Its simple sense, therefore, has been more obvious, and no
small part of the difficulties in the interpretation of that epistle are wanting in
this. (5.) The apostle's design has somewhat varied his style. There are fewer
complicated sentences, and fewer parentheses, less that is abrupt and broken, and
elliptical, less that is rapid, mighty, and overpowering in argument. We see the
point of a reproof at once, but we are often greatly embarrassed in a complicated
argument. The xvth chapter, however, for closeness and strength of argumen-
tation, for beauty of diction, for tenderness of pathos, and for commanding and
overpowering eloquence, is probably unsurpassed by any other part of the writ-
ings of Paul, and unequalled by any other composition. (6.) It may be added,
that there is less in this epistle that opposes the nafive feelings of the human heart,
and that humbles the pride of the human intellect, than in the epistle to the Ro-
mans. One great difficulty in interpreting that epistle has been that the doc-
trines relate to those high subjects that rebuke the pride of man, demand pros-
tration before his sovereign, require the submission of the understanding and the
heart to God's high claims, and throw down every form of self-righteousness.
While substantially the same features will be found in all the writings of Paul,
yet his purpose in this epistle led him less to dwell on those topics than in the
epistle to the Romans. The result is, that the heart more readily acquiesces in
these doctrines and reproofs, and the general strain of this epistle ; and as the
heart of man has usually more agency in the interpretation of the Bible than the
understanding, the obstacles in the way of a correct exposition of this epistle are
proportionably fewer than in the epistle to the Romans.
The same spirit, however, which is requisite in understanding the epistle to
the Romans, is demanded here. In all Paul's epistles, as in all the Bible, a spirit
of candour, humility, prayer, and industry is required. The knowledge of God's
truth is to be acquired only by toil, and candid investigation. The mind that is
filled with prejudice is rarely enlightened. The proud, unhumbled spirit seldom
receives benefit from reading the Bible, or any other book. He acquires the
most complete, and the most profound knowledge of the doctrines of Paul, and
of the Book of God in general, who comes to the work of interpretation with
the most humble heart ; and the deepest sense of his dependence in the aid of
that Spirit by whom originally the Bible was inspired. For " the meek will he
Sjuide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way." Ps; xxv. 9.
THE FIRST
EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.
CHAPTER I.
>AUL, called a to be an apos-
tle of Jesus Christ through
a Rom. I.I.
the will of God, and Sosthenes b
our brother,
2 Unto the church of God
6 Mat. 12.38
CHAPTER I.
1. Paul, called'to be an apostle. See
Notes, Rom. i. 1. 1 Through the will
yf God. Not by human appointment, or
authority, but in accordance with the
will of God, and his command. That
will was made known to him by the
special revelation granted to him at his
conversion, and call to the apostleship.
Acts ix. Paul often refers to the fact
that he had received a direct commission
from God, and that he did not act on his
own authority. Comp. Gal. i. 11, 12.
I Cor. ix. 16. 2 Cor. xi. 2233 ; xii.
1 12. There was a special reason why
he commenced this epistle by referring
to the fact that he was divinely called to
the apostleship. It arose from the fact
that his apostolic authority had been
called in question by the false teachers
at Corinth. That this was the case is
apparent from the general strain of the
epistle, from some particular expressions
(2 Cor. x. 8 10); and from the fact that
he is at so much pains throughout the two
epistles to establish his divine commis-
sion. ^ And Sosthenes. Sgsthenes is
mentioned in Acts xviii. 1 7, as " the chief
ruler of the synagogue " at Corinth.
He is there said to have been beaten
by the Greeks before the judgment seat
of Gallio because he was a Jew, and be- j
cause he had joined with the other Jews
in arraigning Paul, and had thus pro- j
duced disturbance in the city. See Note j
on this place. It is evident that at that
dme he was not a Christian. When
J he was conveited, or why he left Corinth
2
and was now with Paul at Epbjsus, ia
unknown. Why Paul associated him
with himself in writing this epistle ia
not known. It is evident that Sosthenes
was not an apostle, nor is there any
reason to think that he was inspired.
Some circumstances are known to have
existed respecting Paul's manner of
writing to the churches, which may ex-
plain it. (1.) He was accustomed to
employ an amanuensis or scribe in wri-
ting his epistles, and the amanuensis
frequently expressed his concurrence or
approbation in what the apostle had in-
dicted. See Note, Rom. xvi. 22. Comp.
Col. iv. 18. " The salutation by the
hand of Paul," 2Thess. iii. 17. 1 Cor.
xvi. 21. It is possible that Sosthenes
might have been employed by Paul for
this purpose. (2.) Paul not unfrequent-
ly associated others with "Himself in wri-
ting his letters to the churches, himself
claiming authority as an apostle ; and
the others expressing their concurrence.
2 Cor. i. 1. Thus in Gal. i. 1, " all
the brethren " which were with him,
are mentioned as united with him in
addressing the churches of Galatia. Phil,
i. 1. Col. i. 1. 1 Thess. i. 1. (3.) Sos-
thenes was well known at Corinth. He
had been the chief ruler of the syna-
gogue there. His conversion would,
therefore, excite a deep interest, and it
is not improbable that he had been con-
spicious as a preacher. All these cir-
cumstances would render it proper that
Paul should associate him with himself
in writing this letter. It would be bring-
13
14
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
which is at Corinth, a to them b
that are sanctified c in Christ
Jesus, called d to be saints, with
aActslS.l. ftJudel. cJohn!7.19. d 2Tim.
1.9. IPet. 1.15.
ing in the testimony of one well known
as concurring with the views of the
apostle, and tend much to conciliate
those who were disaffected towards him.
2. Unto the church of God which is
at Corinth. For an account of the time
and manner in which the church was
established in Corinth, see the Intro-
duction, and Notes on Acts xviii. 1
17. The church is called " the church
of God," because it has been founded by
his agency, and was devoted to his ser-
vice. It is worthy of remark, that al-
though great disorders had been intro-
duced into that church; though there
were separations and erroneous doc-
trines ; though there were some who
gave evidence that they were not sin-
cere Christians, yet the apostle had no
hesitation in applying to them the name
of a church of God. f To them that
are sanctified. To those who are
made holy. This does not refer to the
profession of holiness, but implies that
they were in fact holy. The word
means that they were separated from
the mass of heathens around them, and
devoted to God and his cause. Though
the word used here (jj^/st^svo/f) has
this idea of separation from the mass
around them, yet it is separation on ac-
count of their being in fact and not in
profession merely, different from others,
and truly devoted to God. See Note,
Rom. i. 7. 1 In Christ Jesus. That
is, by (gy) the agency of Christ. It
was by his authority, his power, and his
spirit, that they had been separated from
the mass of heathens around them, and
devoted to God. Comp. John xvii. 19.
1J Called to be saints. The word
saints does not differ materially from
the word sanctified in the fqrmer part
of the verse. It means those who are
separated from the world, and set apart
to God as holy. The idea which Paul
introduces here is, that they became
all that in every place call ' upon
the name of Jesus Christ our
Lord, both theirs and ours :
e 2Tim.2.22.
such because they were called to DC
such. The idea in the former part of
the verse is, that this was done " by
Christ Jesus ;" here he says that it was
because they were called to this privi-
lege. He doubtless means to say that
it was not by any native tendency in
themselves to holiness, but because
God had called them to it. And this call-
ing does not refer merely to an external
invitation, but it was that which was
made effectual in their case, or that
on which the fact of their being saints
could be predicated. Comp. ver. 9. See
2 Tim. i. 9. " Who hath saved us, and
called us with an holy calling, not ac-
cording to our works, but according to
his own purpose and grace," &c. 1
Pet. i. 15. Note, Rom. i. 6, 7; viii. 28.
Eph. iv. 1. 1 Tim. vi. 12. 1 Pet. ii. 9.
T With all, &c. This expression shows
(1.) That Paul had the same feelings of
attachment to all Christians in every
place ; and (2.) That he expected that
this epistle would be read, not only by
the church at Corinth, but also by other
churches. That this was the uniform
intention of the apostle in regard to
his epistles, is apparent from other
places. Comp. 1 Thess. v. 27. " I
charge you by the Lord that this epistle
be read unto all the holy brethren."
Col. iv. 16. "And when this epistle
is read among you, cause that it be read
also in the church of the Laodiceans."
It is evident that Paul expected that his
epistles would obtain circulation among
the churches ; and it was morally cer
tain that they would be soon transcribed,
and be extensively read. The ardent
feelings of Paul embraced all Christians
in every nation. He knew nothing of
the narriwness of exclusive attachment
to sect. His heart was full of love, and
he loved, as we should, all who bore the
Christian name, and who evinced the
Christian spirit. Tf Call upon the
A.E.59.J
3 Grace e
peace from
CHAPTER i.
15
be unto
you,
and
God our Father,
the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank * my God always
alPet.1.2. b Rom. 1.8.
name of Jesus Christ. To call upon
the name of any person, in Scripture
language, is to call on the person him-
self. Coinp. Notes on Acts iii. 6, iv.
12. The expression ' to call upon the
name ' (ftr/jctxcu/uliro/;), to invoke the
name, implies worship, and prayer ; and
proves, (1.) That the Lord Jesus is an
object of worship ; and (2.) That one
characteristic of the early Christians, by
which they were known and distin-
tinguished, was their calling upon the
name of the Lord Jesus, or their ofFerin
worship to him. That it implies wor-
ship, see Note on Acts vii. 59 ; and that
the early Christians called on Christ by
prayer, and were distinguished by that,
see the Note on Acts vii. 59, and com-
pare Note, Acts i. 24, also Acts ii. 21 ;
ix. 13 ; xxii. 16. 2 Tim. ii. 22. [ Both
theirs and ours. The Lord of all both
Jews and Gentiles of all who pro-
fess themselves Christians, of whatever
country or name they might have origi-
nally been. Difference of nation or
birth gives no pre-eminence in the
kingdom of Christ, but all are on a
level, having a common Lord and
Saviour. Comp. Eph. iv. 5.
3. Grace \e unto you, &c. See Note,
Rom. i. 7.
4. / thann, my God, &c. No small
part of this epistle is occupied with
reproofs for the disorders which had
arisen in the church at Corinth. Before
proceeding, however, to the specific
statement of those disorders (ver. 10,
eeq.),the apostle commends them for the
attainments which they had really made
in divine knowledge, and thus shows
that he was disposed to concede to them
all that he could. It was no part of the
disposition of Paul to withhold com-
mendation where it was due. On the
contrary, as he was disposed to be faith-
ful in reproving the errors of Christians,
he was no less disposed to commend
on your behalf, for the grace of
God which is given you by Jesus
Christ;
5 That in every thing ye are
them when it could be done. Comp.
Note, Rom. i. 8. A willingness to
commend those who do well is as much
in accordance with the gospel, as a dis-
position to reprove where it is deserved ,
and a minister, or a parent, may fre-
quently do as decided good by judicious
commendation as by reproof, and much
more than by fault-finding and harsh
crimination. 1 On your behalf. In
respect to you ; that God has conferred
these favours on you. 1 For the grace
of God. On account of the favours
which God has bestowed on you through
the Lord Jesus. Those favours are
specified in the following verses. For
the meaning of the word grace, seo
Note, Rom. i. 7.
5. That in every thing. In every
respect, or in regard to all the favours
conferred on any of his people. You
have been distinguished by him in all
those respects in which he blesses Ida
own children. t Ye are enriched by
him. Comp. Note, Rom. ii. 4. The
meaning of this expression is, ' you
abound in these things ; they are con-
ferred abundantly upon you.' By the use
of this word, the apostle intends doubt-
less to denote the fact that these bless-
ings had been conferred on them abun-
dantly ; and also that this was a valua-
ble endowment, so as to be properly
called a treasure. The mercies of God
are not only conferred abundantly on his
aeople, but they are a bestowment of
nestimable value. Comp. 2 Cor. vi.
10. If In all utterance. With the
lower of speaking various languages
v TTCLVT} xo'^). That this power was
conferred on the church at Corinth, and
that it was highly valued by them, is
evident from ch. xiv. Comp. 2 Cor.
viii. 7. The power of speaking those
anguages the apostle regarded as a
subject of thanksgiving, as it was a
proof of the divine favour to tttem. See
16
I. CORINTHIANS.
LA.D 59
enriched by him, in all utterance,
and in all knowledge ;
a2Cor.8.7.
ch. xiv. 5 22. 39. 1 And in all know-
ledge. In the knowledge of divine
truth. They had understood the doc-
trines which they had heard, and had
intelligently embraced them. This was
not true of all of them, but it was of the
body of the church; and the hearty
commendation and thanksgiving of the
apostle for these favours, laid the
foundation for the remarks which he
had subsequently to make, and would
tend to conciliate their minds, and dis-
pose them to listen attentively, even to
the language of reproof.
6. Even as. K*3-~c. The force of
this expression seems to be this, ' The
gospel of Christ was at first established
among you by means of the miraculous
endowments of the Holy Ghost. Those
same endowments are still continued
among you, and now furnish evidence
of the divine favour, and of the truth of
the gospel to you, even as i. e. in the
same measure as they did when the
gospel was first preached.' The power
to speak with tongues, &c. (ch. xiv.)
would be a continued miracle, and
would be a demonstration to them then
of the truth of Christianity as it was at
first. 1 The testimony of Christ. The
gospel. It is here called " the testi-
mony of Christ," because it bore witness
to Christ to his divine nature, his
miracles, his messiahship, his character,
his death, &c. The message of the
gospel consists in bearing witness to
Christ and his work. See ch. xv. 1 4.
2 Tim. i. 8. f Was confirmed. Was
established, or proved. It was proved
to be divine, by the miraculous attesta-
tions of the Holy Spirit. It was con-
firmed, or made certain to their souls
by the agency of the Holy Spirit, sealing
it on their hearts. The word translated
confirmed (t@t@atl&'), is used in the
sense of establishing, confirming, or
demonstrating by miracles, &c. in Mark
xvi. 20. Comp. Heb. xiii. 9. Phil. i. 7.
H In you (tv vp.lv). Among you as a
6 Even as the testimony of
Christ was confirmed in you.
7 So that ye come behind in
people, or in your hearts. Perhaps the
apostle intends to include both. The
gospel had been established among them
by the demonstrations of the agency of
the Spirit in the gift of tongues, and
had at the same time taken deep root
in their hearts, and was exerting a
practical influence on their lives.
7. t So that. God has so abundantly
endowed you with his favours. ^ Ye
come behind (Co-r^tlrS-xi'). You are
not wanting, or deficient. The word is
usually applied to destitution, want, or
poverty ; and the declaration here is
synonymous with what he had said, ver.
5, that they abounded in every thing.
^f In no gift. In no favour, or gracious
endowment. The word used here
(^srgifT^t:*), does not refer necessarily
to extraordinary and miraculous endow
ments, but includes also all the kind-
nesses of God towards them in producing
peace of mind, constancy, humility. &c.
And the apostle meant evidently to say
that they possessed, in rich abundance,
all those endowments which were be-
stowed on Christians, f Waiting for.
Expecting, or looking for this coming
with glad and anxious desire. This
was, certainly, one of the endowments
to which he referred, to wit, that they
had grace given them earnestly to desire,
and to v ait for the second appearing of
the Lord Jesus. An earnest wish to
see him, and a confident expectation
and firm belief that he will return, is an
evidence of a high state of piety. If
demands strong faith, and it will dc
much to elevate the feelings above tin
world, and to keep the mind in a stati
of peace. 1 The coming, &c. Gi
The revelation (TJJP dwcKetxy^/F)
the manifestation of the Son of God.
That is, waiting for his return to judge
the world, and for his approbation of his
people in that day. The earnest
expectation of the Lord Jesus became
one of the marks of eaily Christian
piety. This return was promised by
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER I.
17
no gift ; waiting for the * com-
ing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
8 Who shall also confirm b you
a Tit.2.13.
i3 ; 5.2-3,24.
revelation. b iThess.3.
unto the end, that ye may be
blameless in the day of our Lord
Jesus Christ :
9 God is faithful, by whom
the Saviour to his anxious disciples,
when he was about to leave them. John
xiv. 3. The promise was renewed when
he ascended to heaven. Acts i. 11. It
became the settled hope and expectation
of Christians that he would return.
Tit ii. 13. 2 Pet. iii. 12. Heb. ix. 28.
And with the earnest prayer that he
would quickly come, John closes the
volume of inspiration. Rev. xxii. 20,
21.
8. Who shall also confirm you. Who
shall establish you in the hopes of
the gospel.' He shall make you firm \
(jbfiiu*fm) amidst all your trials, and ;
all the efforts which may be made to |
shake your faith, and to remove you
from that firm foundation on which you
now rest. ^ Unto the end. That is, to
the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He would keep them to the end of life
in the path of holiness, so that at the
coming of the Lord Jesus they might
be found blameless. Comp. John xiii.
1. The sense is, that they should be
kept, and should not be suffered to fall
away and perish ; and this is one of
the many places which express the
strong confidence of Paul that those
who are true Christians shall be pre-
served unto everlasting life. Comp.
Phil. i. 6. 1 That ye may be blame-
less. The word rendered blameless
(jli^KAHT&v?) does not mean perfect,
but properly denotes those against whom
there is no charge of crime ; who are
unaccused, and against whom there is
no ground of accusation. Here it does
not mean that they were personally per-
fect, but that God would so keep them,
and enable them to evince a Christian
character, as to give evidence that they
were his friends, and completely escape
condemnation in the last day. See
Notes on Rom. viii. 33. 34. There is
no man who has not his faults ; no
Christian who is not conscious of im-
perfection * but it is the design of God
2*
so to keep his people, and so to justify
and sanctify them through the Lord
Jesus, that the church may be presented
" a glorious church, without spot or
wrinkle" (Eph. v. 27) in the day of
judgment, f In the day, &c. In the
day when the Lord Jesus shall come
to judge the world ; and which will be
called his day, because it will be the
day in which he will be the great and
conspicuous object, and which is espe-
cially appointed to glorify him. See
2Thess. i. 10, "Who shall come to
be glorified in his saints, and to be ad-
mired in all them that believe."
9. God is faithful. That is, God is
true, and constant, and will adhere to
his promises. He will not deceive. He
will not promise, and then fail to per-
form ; he will not commence any thing
which he will not perfect and finish.
The object of Paul in introducing the
idea of the faithfulness of God here, is,
to show the reason for believing that
the Christians at Corinth would be kept
unto everlasting life. The evidence
that they will persevere depends on the
fidelity of God ; and the argument of
the apostle is, that as they had been
called by him into the fellowship of his
Son, his faithfulness of character would
render it certain that they would be
kept to eternal life. The same idea hi.
has presented in Phil. i. 6, " Being
confident of this very thing, that he
which hath begun a good work in you,
will also perform it until the day of
Jesus Christ." 1 Ye were called. The
word " called " here does not refer
merely to an invitation or an offer of
life, but to the effectual influence which
had been put forth ; which had inclined
them to embrace the gospel. Note,
Rom. viii. 30; ix. 12. See Mark ii. 17.
Luke v. 32. Gal. i. 6 ; v. 8. 13. Eph. i.
4. Col. iii. 15. In this sense the word
often occurs in the Scriptures, and is
designed to denote a power, or influence
18
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
ye were called unto the fellow-
ship " of his
our Lord.
Son Jesus Christ
a Uno.1.3.
that goes forth with the external invita-
tion, and that makes it effectual. That
power is the agency of the Holy Spirit.
1 Unto the fellowship of his Son. To
participate with his Son Jesus Cr.rist;
to be partakers with him. See Notes,
John xv. 1 8. Christians participate
with Christ, (1.) In his feelings and
views. Rom. viii. 9. (2.) In his
trials and sufferings, being subjected to
temptations and trials similar to his.
1 Pet. iv. 13, " But rejoice, inas-
much as ye are partakers of Christ's
sufferings." Col. i. 24. Phil. iii. 10.
(3.) In his heirship to the inheritance
and glory which awaits him. Rom. viii.
17, "And if children, then heirs, heirs
of God, and joint-heirs with Christ."
1 Pet. i. 4. (4.) In his triumph in the
resurrection and future glory. Matt.
xix. 28, " Ye which have followed me,
in the regeneration when the Son of
man shall sit on the throne of his glory,
ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
John xiv. 19, " Because I live, ye shall
live also." Rev. iii. 21, " To him that
overcometh will I grant to sit with me
in my throne, even as I also overcame,
and am set down with my Father in
his throne." From all this, the argu-
ment of the apostle is, that as they
partake with Christ in these high pri-
vileges, and hopes, and promises, they
mil be kept by a faithful God unto
eternal life. God is faithful to his
Son ; and will be faithful to all who
are united to him. The argument for
the perseverance of the saints is, there-
fore, sure.
10. Now I beseech you, brethren.
In this verse the apostle enters on the
discussion -especting the irregularities
and disorders in the church at Corinth,
of which he had incidentally heard.
See ver. 1 1. The first of which he had
incidentally learned, was that which
pertained to the divisions and strifes
10 Now I beseech you, bre-
thren, by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, * that ye all speak
b Jno.17.19.
which had arisen in the church. The
consideration of this subject occupies
him to ver. 1 7 ; and as those division*
had been caused by the influence of
philosophy, and the ambition for dis
tinction, and the exhibition of popula
eloquence among the Corinthian teach
ers, this fact gives occasion to him U
discuss that subject at length (ch. i
17 31 ; xi.) ; in which he shows that
the gospel did not depend for its suc-
cess on the reasonings of philosophy,
or the persuasions of eloquence. This
part of the subject he commences with
the language of entreaty. " I beseech
you, brethren" the language of affec-
tionate exhortation rather than of stern
command. Addressing them as his bre-
thren, as members of the same family
with himself, he conjures them to take
all proper measures to avoid the evils of
schism and of strife. ^ By the name.
By the authority of his name ; or from
reverence for him as the common Lord
of all. t Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The reasons why Paul thus appeals to
his name and authority here, may be
the following. (1.) Christ should be
regarded as the supreme head and lead
er of all his church. It was improper,
therefore, that the church should be
divided into portions, and its different
parts enlisted under different banners.
(2.) " The whole family in heaven and
earth should be named" after him
(Eph. iii. 15), and should not be
named after inferior and subordinate
teachers. The reference to " the vene-
rable and endearing name of Christ here,
stands beautifully and properly opposec
to the various human names under
which they were so ready to enlist them-
selves." Doddridge. "There is scarce a
word or expression that he [Paul] makes
use of, but with relation and tendency
to his present main purpose ; as here,
intending to abolish ihe names of leaders
they had distinguished themselves by, he
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER 1.
19
the same thing, and that there
be no ' divisions among you ; but
schisms.
that ye be perfectly joined toge-
ther in the same mind and in the
same judgment.
beseeches them by the name of Christ,
a form that I do not remember he
elsewhere uses." Locke. (3.) The
prime and leading thing which Christ
had enjoined on his church was union
and mutual love (John xiii. 34 ; xv. 1 7),
and for this he had most earnestly
prayed in his memorable prayer. John
xvii. 21 23. It was well for Paul
thus to appeal to the name of Christ
the sole head and Lord of his church,
and the friend of union, and thus to
rebuke the divisions and strifes which
had arisen at Corinth. 1 That ye. all
speak the same thing. " That ye hold
the same doctrine." Locke. This ex-
hortation evidently refers to their hold-
ing and expressing the same religious
sentiments, and is designed to rebuke
that kind of contention and strife which
is evinced where different opinions are
held and expressed. To " speak the
same thing" stands opposed to speak-
ing different and conflicting things ; or
to controversy, and although perfect
uniformity of opinion cannot be ex-
pected among men on the subject of
religion any more than on other sub-
jects, yet on the great and fundamental
doctrines of Christianity, Christians
may be agreed ; on all points in which
they differ they may evince a good
spirit ; and on all subjects they may
express their sentiments in the lan-
guage of the Bible, and thus "speak
the same thing." t And that there be
no divisions among you. Greek,
ir%tT/ui'j.rx., schisms. No divisions into
contending parties and sects. The
church was to be regarded as one and
indivisible, and not to be rent into
different factions, and ranged under the
banners of different leaders. Comp.
John ix. 16. ICor. xi.18; xii. 25. 1 But
that y& be perfectly joined together
(HTS Ji K*rgTW,ivs<). The word here
used and rendered " perfectly joined
together," denotes properly to restore,
mend, or repair that which is rent or
disordered (Matt. iv. 21. Mark i. 19),
to amend or correct that which is
morally evil and erroneous (Gal. vi. 1),
to render perfect or complete (Luke vi.
40), to fit or adapt any thing to its
proper place so that it shall be com-
plete in all its parts, and harmonious,
(Heb. xi. 5) ; and thence to compose
and settle controversies, to produce har-
mony and order. The apostle here
evidently desires that they should be
united in feeling ; that every member
of the church should occupy his appro-
priate place, as every member of a well
proportioned body, or part of a ma-
chine has its appropriate place and use.
See his wishes more fully expressed in
chap. xii. 1231. [ In the same
mind (voi). See Rom. xv. 5. This
cannot mean that they were to be
united in precisely the same shades of
opinion, which is impossible but that
their minds were to be disposed to-
wards each other with mutual good
will, and that they should live in har-
mony. The word here rendered mind,
denotes not merely the intellect itself,
but that which is in the mind the
thoughts, counsels, plans. Rom. xi.
34; xiv. 5. 1 Cor. ii. 16. Col. ii.
18. Bretschneider. ^ And in tht
same judgment (^v^). This word
properly denotes science, or know-
ledge ; opinion, or sentiment ; and
sometimes, as here, the purpose of the
mind, or will. The sentiment of the
whole is, that in their understandings
and their volitions, they should be
united and kindly disposed towards
each other. Union of feeling is possi-
sle even where men differ much in
heir views of things. They may love
;ach other much, even where they do
not see alike. They may give each other
credit for honesty and sincerity, and
may be willing to suppose that others
may be right, and are honest even
where their own views differ. The
bundation of Christian union is not so
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
11 For it hath been declared
.into me of you, my Brethren, by
them which are of the house of
Chloe, that there are contentions
among you.
much laid in uniformity of intellectual
perception as in right feelings of the
heart. And the proper way to produce
union in the church of God, is not to
begin by attempting to equalize all
intellects on the bed of Procrustes, but
to produce supreme love to God, and
elevated and pure Christian love to all
who bear the image and the name of
the Redeemer.
11. For it hath been declared
unto me. Of the contentions exist-
ing in the church at Corinth, it is
evident that they had not informed him
in the letter which they had sent. See
ch. vii. 1, comp. the Introduction.
He had incidentally heard of their con-
tentions, f My brethren. A token
of affectionate regard, evincing his love
for them, and his deep interest in their
welfare, even when he administered a
needed rebuke. 1 Of the house of
Chloe. Of the family of Chloe. It
is most probable that Chloe was a
member of the church at Corinth,
some of whose family had been at
Ephesus when Paul was, and had given
him information of the state of things
there. Who those members of her
family were, is unknown. Grotius
conjectures that they were Stephanas,
Fortunatus, and Achaicus, mentioned
in ch. xvi. 17, who brought the letter
of the church at Corinth to Paul.
But of this there is no certain evi-
dence ; perhaps not much probability.
If the information had been obtained
from them, it is probable that it would
have been put in the letter which they
bore. The probability is that Paul had
received this information before they
arrived.
12. Now this I say. This is what
I mean ; or, I give this as an in-
stance of the contentions to which I
r efer. ^ That every one of you saith.
That you are divided into different fac-
12 Now this 1 say, that every
one of you saith, I am of Paul ,
and I of Apollos ; a and I of Ce-
phas ; b and I of Christ.
a Acts 19.1. 6Jno.l.42.
tions, and ranged under different lead-
ers. The word translated " that" (cr<)
might be translated here, because, or
since, as giving a reason for his affirm-
ing (ver. 11) that there were conten-
tions there. ' Now I say that there
are contentions, because you are ranged
under different leaders,' &c. Calvin.
Tf lam of Paul. It has been doubted
whether Paul meant to affirm that the
parties had actually taken the names
which he here specifies, or whether he
uses these names as illustrations, or
suppositions, to show the absurdity of
their ranging themselves under differ-
ent leaders. Many of the ancient in-
terpreters supposed that Paul was un-
willing to specify the real names of the
false teachers and leaders of the par-
ties, and that he used these names
simply by way of illustration. This
opinion was grounded chiefly on what
he says in ch. iv. 6, " And these things,
brethren, I have in a figure transferred
to myself and to Apollos for your
sakes," &c. But in this place Paul is
not referring so particularly to the fac-
tions or parties existing in the church,
as he is to the necessity of modesty
and humility ; and in order to enforce
this, he refers to himself and Apollos
to show that even those most highly
favoured should have a low estimate of
their importance, since all their success
depends on God. See ch. iii. 4 6.
It can scarcely be doubted that Paul
here meant to say that there were par-
ties existing in the church at Corinth,
who were called by the names of him-
self, of Apollos, of Cephas, and of
Christ. This is the natural construc-
tion ; and this was evidently the in-
formation which he had received by
those who were of the family of Chloe,
Why the parties were ranged under
these leaders, however, can be only a
matter of conjecture. Lightfoot sug
A.D. 59]
CHAPTER J.
21
13 Is Christ divided? was ye baptized in the nam ol
Paul crucified for you, or were
Paul?
gests that the church at Corinth was
composed partly of Jews and partly of
Gentiles. See Acts xviii. The Gen-
tile converts, he supposes, would range
themselves under Paul and Apollos as
their leaders ; and
Peter and Christ.
the Jewish under
Paul was the a
pos-
Chrlst. Why this sect professed to be
the followers of Christ, is not certainly
known. It probably arose from one of
the two following causes. (1.) Either
that they had been in Judea and had
seen the Lord Jesus, and thus regarded
themselves as particularly favoured and
distinguished ; or, (2.) More probably
because they refused to call themselves
by any inferior leader, and wished to
regard Christ alone as their head, and
possibly prided themselves on the
belief that they were more conformed
to him than the other sects.
13. Is Christ divided ? Paul, in this
verse, proceeds to show the impropriety
of their divisions and strifes. His
general argument is, that Christ alone
ought to be regarded as their head and
leader, and that his claims, arising from
his crucifixion, and acknowledged by
their baptism, were so pre-eminent tha*
they could not be divided, and the
honours due to him should not be ren-
dered to any other. The apostle,
therefore, asks, with strong emphasis,
whether Christ was to be regarded as
divided 1 Whether this single su-
premo head and leader of the church,
popular elocution, t And I of Cephas, had become the head of different con-
Peter. Comp. John i. 42. He was I tending factions ? The strong absurd-
regarded particularly as the apostle to ity of supposing that, showed the im-
the Jews. Gal. ii. 7. He had his own
peculiarity of views in teaching, and it
is probable that his teaching was not
regarded as entirely harmonious with
that of Paul. See Gal. ii. 1117.
Paul had everywhere among the Gen-
tle tothe Gentiles, and Peter particu-
larly the apostle to the Jews (Gal. ii.
7) ; and this circumstance might give
rise to the division. Apollos succeeded
Paul in Achaia, and laboured success-
fully there. See Acts xviii. 27*,28. These
two original parties might be again sub-
divided. A part of those who adhered
to Paul and Apollos might regard Saul
with chief veneration, as being the found-
er of the church, as the instrument of
their conversion, as the chief apostle, as
signally pure in his doctrine and man-
ner ; and a part might regard Apollos
as the instrument of their conversion,
and as being distingushed for eloquence.
It is evident that the main reason why
Apollos was regarded as the head of a
faction was on account of his extra-
ordinary eloquence, and it is probable
that his followers might seek particu-
larly to imitate him in the graces of
propriety of their ranging themselves
under different banners and leaders.
1 Was Paul crucified for you ? This
question implies t*hat the crucifixion of
Christ had an influence in saving them
which the sufferings of no other one
tiles taught that it was not necessary to ! could have, and that those sufferings
observe the ceremonial laws of Moses ; | were in fact the peculiarity which dis-
and, it is probable, that Peter was re- j tinguished the work of Christ, and
garded by the Jews as the advocate of rendered it of so much value. The
the contrary doctrine. Whether Peter I atonement was the grand, crowning
had been at Corinth is unknown. If j work of the Lord Jesus. It was
not, they had heard of his name, and through this that all the Corinthian
character ; and those who had come I Christians had been renewed and par-
from Judea had probably reported him | doned. That work was so pre-eminent
as teaching a doctrine on the subject ; that it could not have been perfoimed
of the observance of Jewish ceremo- j by another. And as they had all been
nies unlike that of Paul. ^ And I of i saved by that alone ; as they wer*
I. CORINTHIANS.
14 I thank God that I bap-
tized none of you but Crispus a
arid Gains ; b
a Acts 18.8. b Rom.16.23. 3Jno.l,&c.
[A.D. 59.
15 Lest any should say that 1
had baptized in mine own name.
16 And I baptized also the
alike dependent on his merits for salva-
tion, it was improper that they should
be rent into contending factions, and
ranged under different leaders. If
there is any thing that will recall
Christians of different names and of
contending sects from the heat of strife,
it is the recollection of the fact that
they have been purchased by the same
blood, and that the same Saviour died
to redeem them all. If this fact could
be kept before their minds, it would put
an end to angry strife everywhere in
the church, and produce universal
Christian love. ^ Or were ye bap-
tized in the name of Paul. Or into,
or unto the name of Paul. See Note,
Matt, xxviii. 19. To be baptized into,
or unto any one is to be devoted to
him, to receive and acknowledge him
as a teacher, professing to receive his
rules, and to be governed by his autho-
rity. Locke. Paul here solemnly re-
minds them that their baptism was an
argument why they should not range
themselves under different leaders. By
that, they had been solemnly and en-
tirely devoted to the service of the only
Saviour. ' Did I ever,' was the im-
plied language of Paul, ' baptize in
my own name ? Did I ever pretend to
organize a sect, announcing myself as
a leader ? Have not I always directed
you to that Saviour into whose name
and service you have been baptized"?'
It is remarkable here, that Paul refers
to himself, and not to Apollos or Peter.
He does not insinuate that the claims
of Apollos or Peter were to be dispa-
raged, or their talents and influence to
be undervalued, as a jealous rival
would have done; but he numbers
himself first, and alone, as having no
claims to be regarded as a religious
leader among them, or the founder of
a sect. Even he, the founder of the
church, and their spiritual father, had
never desired 3r intended that they
should call themselves by his name;
and he thus showed the impropriety of
their adopting the name of any man
as the leader of a sect.
14. I thank God, &c. Why Paul
did not himself baptize, see in ver .17.
To him it was now a subject of grateful
reflection that he had not done it. He
had not given any occasion for the sus-
picion that he had intended to set him-
self up a a leader of a sect or party.
t But Crispus. Crispus had been the
chief ruler of the synagogue at Corinth.
Acts xviii. 8. If And Gaius. Gaius
resided at Corinth, and at his house
Paul resided when he wrote the epistle
to the Romans. Rom. xvi. 23. It is
also possible that the third epistle of
John was directed to this man. See
3 John 1. And if so, then probably
Diotrephes (3 John 9), who is men-
tioned as one who loved "to have the
pre-eminence," had been one cause of
the difficulties at Corinth. The other
persons at Corinth had been probably
baptized by Silas and Timothy.
15. Lest any should say. Lest any
of those who had been baptized should
pervert his design, and say that Paul
had baptized them unto himself; or,
lest any others should, with any appear-
ance of truth, say that he had sought
to make disciples to himself. The
Ethiopic version renders this, 'that ye
should not say we were baptized in his
name.' Many of the ancient MSS.
read this, ' lest any should say that ye
were baptized into my name.' Mill.
16. And I baptized also the house-
hold. The family. Whether there
were any infants in the family, doe*
not appear. It is certain that the fa-
mily was among the first converts to
Christianity in Achaia, and that it had
evinced great zeal in aiding those who
were Christians. See chap. xvi. 15.
From the manner in which Paul men-
tion? this, it is probable that Stephanas
A.D. 5 .J
CHAPTER I.
household of Stephanas ; a be-
sides, I know not whether I
baptized any other.
ac.16.15,17.
did not reside at Corinth when he was
baptized, though he might have subse-
quently removed there. ' I baptized
none of you (ver. 14) i. e. none of
those who permanently dwelt at Co-
rinth, or who were members of the
original church there, but Crisp us and
Gaius but I baptized also the family
of Stephanas, now of your number.'
Or it may mean, ' I baptized none of you
who are adult members of the church,
but Crispus and Gaius, though I also
baptized the family of Stephanas.' If
this be the true interpretation, then it
forms an argument to prove that Paul
practised household baptism, or the bap-
tism of the families of those who were
themselves believers. Or the expression
may simply indicate a recollection of
the true circumstances of the case a
species of correction of the statement
in ver. 14, 'I recollect now also that I
baptized the family of Stephanas.'
f Household, (OMOV). The house; the
family. The word comprises the whole
family, including adults, domestics,
slaves, and children. It includes, (1.)
The men in a house, (Acts vii. 10.
1 Tim. iii. 4, 5. 12 ;) (2.) Domestics,
(Acts x. 2 ; xi. 14; xvi. 15. 31. 1 Tim.
iii. 4 ;) (3.) The family in general.
Luke x. 5 ; xvi. 27. Bretschneider. It
was the custom, doubtless, for the apos-
tles to baptize the entire household,
whatever might be the age, including
domestics, slaves, and children. The
head of a family gave up the entire
household to God. 1 Of Stephanas.
Who Stephanas was, is not known.
The Greek commentators say that he
was the jailer of Philippi, who, after
he had been baptized (Acts xvi. 33),
removed with his family to Corinth.
But of this there is no certain evi-
dence. ^ Besides. Besides these. ^ /
know not, &c. I do not know whe-
ther I baptized any others who are now
members of that church. Paul would,
17 For Christ pent me noi
to baptize, but to preach the
gospel: not with wisdom 6 of
b c.2.1,4,13.
doubtless, recollect that he had baptized
others in other places, but he is speak-
ing here particularly of Corinth. This
is not to be urged as an argument
against the inspiration of Paul, for
(1.) It was not the design of inspira-
tion to free the memory from defect in
ordinary transactions, or in those things
which were not to be received for the
instruction of the chwch; (2.) The
meaning of Paul may simply be, ' I
know not who of the original members
of the church at Corinth may have re-
moved, or who may have died ; I know
not who may have removed to Corinth
from other places where I have preach-
ed and baptized, and consequently I
cannot know whether I may not have
baptized some others of your present
number.' It is evident, however, that
if he had baptized any others, the num-
ber was small.
17. For Christ sent me not to bap*
tize. That is, not to baptize as my
main business. Baptism was not his
principal employment, though he had a
commission in common with others to
administer the ordinance, and occasion-
ally did it. The same thing was true
of the Saviour, that he did not person-
ally baptize. John iv. 2. It is pro-
bable that the business of baptism was
intrusted to the ministers of the church
of inferior talents, or to those who were
connected with the churches perma-
nently, and not to those who were en-
gaged, .chiefly in travelling from place
to place. The reasons of this may
have been, (1.) That which Paul here
suggests, that if the apostles had them-
selves baptized, it might have given oc-
casion to strifes, and the formation of
parties, as those who had been baptized
by the apostles might claim some supe-
riority over those who were not. (2.)
It is probable that the rite of baptism
was preceded or followed by a course
of instruction adapted t j it, and as the
24
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
1 words, lest the cross of Christ
1 or, speech.
apostles were travelling from place to
place, this could be better intrusted to
those who were to be with them as
their ordinary religious teachers. It
was ai. advantage that those who im-
parted this instruction should also ad-
minister this ordinance. (3.) It is not
improbable, as Doddridge supposes, that
the administration of this ordinance
was intrusted to inferiors, because it
was commonly practised by immersion,
and was attended with some trouble
and inconvenience, while the time of
the apostles might be more directly oc-
cupied in their main work, ^ But to
preach the gospel. As his main busi-
ness ; as the leading, grand purpose of
his ministry. This is the grand object
of all ministers. It is not to build up
a sect or party ; it is not to secure sim-
ply the baptism of people in this or
that communion ; it is to make known
the glad tidings of salvation, and call
men to repentance and to God. | Not
with wisdom of words (it/* tv o-oqia.
xo^cu). Not in wisdom of speech.
Margin. The expression here is a
Hebraism, or a form- of speech com-
mon in the Hebrew writings, where a
noun is used to express the meaning
of an adjective, and means not in wise
words or discourse. The wisdom here
mentioned, refers, doubtless, to that
which was common among the Greeks,
and which was so highly valued. It
included the following things :(!.)
Their subtle and learned mode of dis-
putation, or that which was practised
in their schools of philosophy. (2.)
A graceful and winning eloquence ; the
arts by which they sought to commend
their sentiments, and to win others to
their opinions. On this also the Greek
rhetoricians greatly valued themselves,
and this, probably, the false teachers
endeavoured to imitate. (3.) That
which is elegant and finished in litera-
ture, in style and composition. On
this the Greeks greatly valued them-
selves, as the Jews did on miracles and
wonders. Comp. ver. 22. The apostle
should be made of none effect.
means to say, that the success of the
gospel did not depend on these things ;
that he had not sought them ; nor had
he exhibited them in his preaching.
His doctrine and his manner had not
been such as to appear wise to the
Greeks ; and he had not depended on
eloquence or philosophy for his suc-
cess. Longinus (on the Sublime)
enumerates Paul among men distin-
guished for eloquence ; but it is pro-
bable that he was not distinguished for
the graces of manner (comp. 2 Cor. x.
I. 10), so much as the strength and
power of his reasoning.
Paul here introduces a new subject of
discourse, which he pursues through thia
and the two following chapters the
effect of philosophy on the gospel, or the
estimate which ought to be formed in
regard to it. The reasons why he in-
troduces this topic, and dwells upon it
at such length, are not perfectly ap-
parent. They are supposed to have
been the following. (1.) He had inci-
dentally mentioned his own preaching,
and his having been set apart particu-
larly to that ; ver.l 7. (2.) His authority,
it is probable, had been called in question
by the false teachers at Corinth. (3.)
The ground of this, or the reason why
they undervalued him, had been pro-
bably, that he had not evinced the elo-
quence of manner and the graces of
oratory on which they so much valued
themselves. (4.) They had depended
for their success on captivating the
Greeks by the charms of graceful rhe-
toric and the refinements of subtle ar-
gumentation. (5.) In every way, there-
fore, the deference paid to rhetoric ana
philosophy in the church, had tended
to bring the pure gospel into disrepute,
to produce faction ; and to destroy the
authority of the apostle. It was neces-
sary, therefore, thoroughly to examine
the subject, and to expose the real in-
fluence of the philosophy on which
they placed so high a value. ^ Lest
the cross of Christ. The simple doc-
trine that Christ was crucified to make
L). 59.]
CHAPTER I.
25
18 For the preaching of the
cross is to them a that perish
a 2Cor.2.15.
foolishness ; but unto us which
are saved it is the power b of God.
b Rom. 1.16.
atonement for the sins of men. This
was the peculiarity of the gospel ; and
on this doctrine the gospel depended
for success in the world. ^ Should be
made of none effect. Should be render-
ed vain and ineffectual. That is, lest the
success which might attend the preach-
ing of the gospel should be attributed
to the graces of eloquence, the charms
of language, or the force of human ar-
gumentation, rather than to its true
cause, the preaching of Christ crucified ;
or lest the attempt to recommend it by
the charms of eloquence should divert
the attention from the simple doctrines
of the cross, and the preaching be really
vain. The preaching of the gospel de-
pends for its success on the simple
power of its truths, borne by the Holy
Spirit to the hearts of men ; and not
on the power of argumentation, and
the charms of eloquence. To have
adorned the gospel with the charms of
Grecian rhetoric, would have obscured
its wisdom and efficacy, just as the
gilding of a diamond would destroy its
brilliancy. True eloquence, and real
learning and sound sense, are not to
be regarded as valueless ; but their use
in preaching is to convey the truth
with plainness ; to fix the mind on the
pure gospel ; and to leave the convic-
tion on the heart that this system is the
power of God. The design of Paul
here cannot be to condemn true elo-
quence and just reasoning, but to re-
buke the vain parade, and the glitter-
ing ornaments, and dazzling rhetoric
which were objects of so much esteem
W Greece. A real belief of the gospel,
a simple and natural statement of its
sublime truths, will admit of, and
prompt to, the most manly and noble
kind of eloquence. The highest pow-
ers of mind, and the most varied learn-
ing, may find ample scope for the illus-
tration and the defence of the sim-
ple doctrines of the gospel of Christ.
But it does not depend for its success
on these, but on its pure and heavenly
3
truths, borne to the mind by the agency
of the Holy Spirit.
18. For the preaching of the cross.
Greek, ' the word (o xd^cc) of the
cross ;' i. e. the doctrine of the cross ,
or the doctrine which proclaims salva-
tion only through the atonement which
the Lord Jesus Christ made on the
cross. This cannot mean that the
statement that Christ died as a martyr
on a cross, appears to be foolishness to
men ; because, if that was all, there
would be nothing that would appear
contemptible, or that would excite their
opposition more than in the death of
any other martyr. The statement that
Polycarp, and Ignatius, and Paul, and
Cranmer died as martyrs, does not ap-
pear to men to be foolishness, for it is
a statement of an historical truth, and
their death excites the high admiration
of all men. And if, in the death of
Jesus on the cross, there had been
nothing more than a mere martyr's
death, it would have been equally the
object of admiration to all men. But
the "preaching of the cross" must denote
more than that; and must mean, (1.)
That Christ died as an atoning sacrifice
for the sins of men, and that it was this
which gave its peculiarity to his suffer-
ings on the cross. (2.) That men can
be reconciled to God, pardoned, and
saved only by the merits and influence
of this atoning sacrifice, f To them
that perish (TJ<? jutv ata-oxxw^svo/c) . To
those who are about to perish, or to
those who have a character fitting
them for destruction ; i. e. to the wick-
ed. The expression stands in contrast
with those who are " saved," i. e. those
who have seen the beauty of the cross
of Christ, and who have fled to it for
salvation, f Foolishness. Folly. That
is, it appears to them to be contempti-
ble and foolish, or unworthy of belief.
To the great mass of the Jews, and to
the heathen philosophers, and indeed,
to the majority of the men of this
world, it has ever appeared foolishness^
I. CORINTHIANS.
A. D. 59
for the following reasons. (1.) The
humble origin of the Lord Jesus. They
despise him that lived in Nazareth ;
that was poor ; that had no home, and
few friends, and no wealth, and little
honour among his own countrymen.
(2.) They despise him who was put to
death, as an impostor, at the instigation
of his own countrymen, in an igno-
minious manner on the cross the
usual punishment of slaves. (3.) They
see not why there should be any parti-
cular efficacy in his death. They deem
it incredible that he who could not save
himself should be able to save them ;
and that glory should come from the
ignominy of the cross. (4.) They are
blind to the true beauty of his personal
character; to the true dignity of his
nature ; to his power over the sick, the
lame, the dying, and the dead ; they
see not the bearing of the work of
atonement on the law and government
of God ; they believe not in his resur-
rection, and his present state of exalted
glory. The world looks only at the
fact, that the despised man of Nazareth
was put to death on a cross, and smiles
at the idea that such a death could have
any important influence on the salvation
of man. It is worthy of remark, also,
that to the ancient philosophers this
doctrine would appear still more con-
temptible than it does to the men of
these times. Every thing that came
from Judea, they looked upon with
contempt and scorn ; and they would
spurn above all things else the doctrine
that they were to expect salvation only
by the crucifixion of a Jew. Besides,
the account of the crucifixion has now
lost to us no small part of its reputa-
tion of ignominy. Even around the
cross there is conceived to be no small
amount of honour and glory. There
is now a sacredness about it from reli-
gious associations ; and a reverence
which men in Christian lands can
scarcely help feeling when they think
of it. But t? the ancients it was con-
nected with every idea of ignominy.
It was the punishment of slaves, im-
postors, and vagabonds ; and had even
a greater degree of disgrace attached to
it than the gallows has with us. With
them, therefore, the death on the cross
was associated with the idea of all tha.
is shameful and dishonourable ; and to
speak of salvation only by the suffer-
ings and death of a crucified man, was
fitted to excite in their bosoms only un
mingled scorn. ^ But unto us which
are saved. This stands opposed to
" them that perish." It refers, doubt-
less, to Christians, as being saved from
the power and condemnation of sin ,
and as having a prospect of eternal
salvation in the world to come. 1 It
is the power of God. See Note, Rom.
i. 16. This may either mean that the
gospel is called " the power of God,"
because it is the medium through
which God exerts his power in the sal-
vation of sinners; or, the gospel is
adapted to the condition of man, and
is efficacious in renewing him and
sanctifying him. It is not an inert,
inactive letter, but is so fitted to the
understanding, the heart, the hopes,
the fears of men, and all their great
constitutional principles of action, that
it actually overcomes their sin, and dif-
fuses peace through the soul. This
efficacy is not unfrequently attributed
to the gospel. John xvii. 17. Heb. iv.
12. James i. 18. 1 Pet. i. 22, 23. When
the gospel, however, or the preaching
of the cross, is spoken of as effectual
or powerful, it must be understood of
all the agencies which are connected
with it ; and does not refer to simple,
abstract propositions, but to the truth
as it comes attended with the influences
which God sends down to accompany
it. It includes, therefore, the promised
agency of the Holy Spirit, without
which it would not be effectual. But
the agency of the Spirit is designed to
give efficacy to that which is really
adapted to produce the effects, and not
to act in an arbitrary manner. All the
effects of the gospel on the soul in
regeneration, repentance, faith, sanctifi
cation ; in hope, love, joy, peace,
patience, temperance, purity, and de-
votedness to God, arc only such as the
gospel is Jilted to produce. It has &
set of truths and promises iust adavtec.
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER I.
19 For it is written, a I will
destroy the wisdom of the wise,
a Isa.29.14. Jer.8.9.
to each of these effects ; just fitted to
the soul by him who knows it ; and
adapted to produce just these results.
The Holy Spirit secures their influence
on the mind ; and is the grand living
fcgent of accomplishing just what the
truth of God is fitted originally to
produce. Thus the preaching of the
cross is " the power of God ;" and
every minister may present it with the
assurance that he is presenting, not " a
cunningly devised fable," but a system
really Jilted to save men; and yet, that
its reception by the human mind de-
pends on the promised presence of the
Holy Spirit.
19. For it is written. This passage
is quoted from Isa. xxix. 14. The He-
brew of the passage, as rendered in the
English version is, " the wisdom of
their wise men shall perish, and the
understanding of their prudent men
shall be hid." The version of the
LXX. is, " I will destroy the wisdom
of the wise, and the understanding of
the prudent 1 will hide" (^t/'^a.), cor-
responding substantially with the quo-
tation by Paul. The sense in the He-
brew is not materially different. The
meaning of the passage as used by
Isaiah is, that such was the iniquity
and stupidity of "Ariel" (Isa.xxix. 1),
that is, Jerusalem, that God would so
execute his judgments as to confound
their wise men, and overwhelm those
who boasted of their understanding.
Those in whom they had confided, and
on whom they relied, should appear to
be bereft of their wisdom ; and they
should be made conscious of their own
want of counsel to meet and remove
the impending calamities. The apostle
does not affirm that this passage in
Isaiah refers to the times of the gospel.
The contrary is manifestly true. But
it expresses a general principle of the
divine administration that the coming
forth of God is often such as to con-
found human prudence ; in a man-
2-5
and will bring to nothing the
understanding of the prudent.
ner which human wisdom would not
have devised ; and in such a way as to
show that he is not dependent on the
wisdom of man. As such, the senti-
ment is applicable to the gospel ; and
expresses just the idea which the apos-
tle wished to convey that the wisdom
of the wise should be confounded by the
plan of God ; and the schemes of human
devising be set at naught. ^ / will
destroy. That is, I will abolish ; or
will not be dependent on it ; or will
show that my plans are not derived
from the counsels of men. ^ The
wisdom of the wise. The professed
wisdom of philosophers. ^ And will
bring to nothing. WilJ show it to be
of no value in this matter. ^ The
prudent. The men professing under-
standing ; the sages of the world. We
may remark, (1.) That the plan of sal
vation was not the contrivance of hu-
man wisdom. (2.) It is unlike what
men have themselves devised as sys-
tems of religion. It did not occur to
the ancient philosophers ; nor has it
occurred to the modern. (3.) It may
be expected to excite the opposition,
the contempt, and the scorn of the wise
men of this world ; and the gospel
makes its way usually, not with their
friendship, but in the face of their op-
position. (4.) Its success is such as
to confound and perplex them. They
despise it, and they see not its secret
power ; they witness its effects, but are
unable to account for them. It has al-
ways been a question with philosophers
why the gospel met with such success ,
and the various accounts which have
been given of it by its enemies, show
how much they have been embarrassed.
The most elaborate part of Gibbon's
" Decline and Fall of the Roman Em-
pire," is contained in his attempt to
state the causes of the early propaga-
tion of Christianity, in ch. xv. xvi.;
and the obvious failure of the account
shows how much the mind of the phi-
2H
,. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59.
20 Where a is the wise?
a Isa.33.ltf.
iosophic skeptic was embarrassed by
the fact of the spread of Christianity.
(5.) The reception of the gospel de-
mands an humble mind. Mark x. 15.
Men of good sense, of humble hearts,
of childlike temper, embrace it; and
they sec its beauty, and are won by its
loveliness, and controlled by its power.
They give themselves to it ; and find
that it is fitted to save their souls. (6.)
In this, Christianity is like all science.
The discoveries in science are such as
to confound the wise in their own con-
ceits, and overthrow the opinions of
the prudent, just as much as the gospel
does, and thus show that both are
from the same God the God who de-
lights to pour such a flood of truth on
the mind as to overwhelm it in admi-
ration of himself, and with the convic-
tion of its own littleness. The pro-
foundest theories in science, and the
most subtle speculations of men of
genius, in regard to the causes of
things, are often overthrown by a few
simple discoveries and discoveries
which are at first despised as much as
the gospel is. The invention of the
telescope by Galileo was to the theories
of philosophers and astronomers, what
the revelation of the gospel was to the
systems of ancient learning, and the
deductions of human wisdom. The
one confounded the world as much as
the other; and both were at first equally
the object of opposition or contempt.
20. Where is the wise ? Language
similar to this occurs in Isa. xxxiii. 18,
" Where is the scribe I where is the
receiver 1 where is he that counted the
towers ?" Without designing to quote
these words as having an original re-
ference to the subject now under con-
sideration, Paul uses them as any man
does language where he finds words
with which he or his readers are fami-
liar, that will convey his meaning. A
man familiar with the Bible, will natu-
rally often make use of Scripture ex-
pressions in conveying his ideas. In
Uaiah the passage refers to the deliver-
where is the scribe ? where
ance of the people from the threatened
invasion of Sennacherib. The 18th
verse represents the people as medi-
tating on the threatened terror of the
invasion ; and then in the language of
exultation and thanksgiving at their
deliverance, saying, ' where is the wise
man that laid the plan of destroying
the nation 1 Where the Inspector Ge-
neral (see my Note en the passage in
Isaiah), employed in arranging the
forces ] Where the receiver (marg.
the weigher), the paymaster of the
forces 1 Where the man that counted
the towers of Jerusalem, and calculated
on their speedy overthrow ? All baf-
fled and defeated ; and their schemes
have all come to naught.' So the apos-
tle uses the same language in regard to
the boasted wisdom of the world in re-
ference to salvation. It is all baffled,
and is all shown to be of no value.
f The wise (<rcpo?). The sage. At
first the Greek men of learning were
called wise men (<np), like the ma-
gians of the East. They afterwards
assumed a more modest appellation
and called themselves the lovers of wis*
dom (p/A&Tcpc./), or philosophers. This
was the name by which they were com-
monly known in Greece, in the time
of Paul, t Where is the scribe ?
(\f*ftfiuvnty. The scribe among the
Jews was a learned man, originally em-
ployed in transcribing the law, but sub-
sequently the term came to denote a
learned man in general. Among the
Greeks the word was used to denote a
public notary ; or a transcriber of the
laws ; or a secretary. It was a term,
therefore, nearly synonymous with a
man of learning ; and the apostle evi-
dently uses it in this sense in this
place. Some have supposed that he
referred to the Jewish men of learning
here ; but he probably had reference to
the Greeks, t Where is the difputcr
of this world ? The acute and subtle
sophist of this age. The wjrd dis-
putcr (J-VTT?), properly denotes one
who inouires carefully into the caused
A.. D 59.] CHAPTER 1.
the disputer of this world ? hath
not God made foolish
dom of this world ?
a Isa.44.25.
the wis-
ahd relations of things ; one who is a
subtle and abstruse investigator. It was
applied to the ancient sophists and dis-
putants in the Greek academies ; and
the apostle refers, doubtless, to them.
The meaning is, that in all their pro-
fessed investigations, in all their subtle
and abstruse inquiries, they had failed
of ascertaining the way in which man
could be saved ; and that God had de-
vised a plan which had baffled all their
wisdom, and in which their philosophy
was disregarded. The term world, here
ci/wKoc), refers, probably, not to the world
as a physical structure though Grotius
supposes that it does but to that age
the disputer of that age, or genera-
tion an age eminently wise and learn-
ed. 1 Hath not God made foolish,
&c. That is, has he not by the origin-
ality and superior efficacy of his plan
of salvation, poured contempt on all the
schemes of philosophers, and evinced
their folly 1 Not only without the aid
of those schemes of men, but in oppo-
sition to them, he has devised a plan
for human salvation that evinces its
efficacy and its wisdom in the conver-
sion of sinners, and in destroying the
power of wickedness. Paul here, pos-
sibly, had reference to the language in
Isa. xliv. 25. God " turneth wise men
backward, and maketh their knowledge
foolish."
21. For after that (sTa<M). Since ;
or seeing that it is true that the world
by wisdom knew not God. After all
the experience of the world it was
ascertained that men would never by
their own wisdom come to the true
knowledge of God, and it pleased him
to devise another plan for salvation.
^ In the wisdom of God. This phrase
is susceptible of two interpretations.
(1.) The first makes it refer to " the
wisdom of God" evinced in the works
of creation the demonstration of his
3
21 For* after that, in the wiu-
dom of God, the world by wis-
dom knew not God, it pleased
b Luke 10.21. Rom.l. 20,22,23.
existence and attributes found there,
and, according to that, the apostle means
to say, that the world by a survey of
the works of God did not know him ;
or were, notwithstanding those works,
in deep darkness. This interpretation
is adopted by most commentators by
Lightfoot, Rosenmiiller, Grotius, Calvin,
&c. According to this interpretation,
the word \v (t/z) is to be translated by a
through. (2.) A second interpreta-
tion makes it refer to the wise arrange-
ment or government of God, by which
this was permitted. ' For when, by
the wise arrangement or government
of God ; after a full and fair trial
of the native, unaided powers of
man, it was ascertained that the
true knowledge of God would not be
arrived at by man, it pleased him,'
&c. This appears to be the correct
interpretation, because it is the most
obvious one, and because it suits the
connexion best. It is, according to
this, a reason why God introduced a
new method of saving men. This
may be said to have been accomplished
by a plan of God, which was wise,
because, (1.) It was desirable that the
powers of man should be fully tried
before the new plan was introduced, in
order to show that it was not depend-
ent on human wisdom, that it was not
originated by man, and that there was
really need of such an interposition.
(2.) Because sufficient time had been
furnished to make the experiment.
An opportunity had been given for four
thousand years, and still it had failed.
(3.) Because the experiment had been
made in the most favourable circum-
stances. The human faculties had had
time to ripen and expand ; one genera-
tion had had an opportunity of profit-
ing by the observation i<f its predeces-
sor; and the most mighty min.ds had
been brought to bear on the subject
30
L CORINTHIANS.
. D. 59.
God by the foolishness of preach-
ing to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a
If the sages of the east, and the pro-
found philosophers of the west, had not
been able to come to the true knowledge
of God, it was in vain to hope that more
profound minds could be brought to
bear on it, or that more careful in-
vestigation would be bestowed on it.
The experiment had been fairly made,
and the result was before the world.
See Notes on Rom. i. ^ The world.
The men of the world ; particular!"
the philosophers of the world. 1 By
wisdom. By their own wisdom, or by
the united investigations of the works
of nature. ^ Knew not God. Ob-
tained not a true knowledge of him.
Some denied his existence ; some re-
presented him under the false and
abominable forms of idol worship;
some ascribed to him horrid attributes ;
all showed that they had no true ac-
quaintance with a God of purity, with
a God who could pardon sin, or whose
worship conduced to holiness of life.
See Notes, Rom. i. Tf It pleased God.
God was disposed, or well pleased. The
plan of salvation originated in his good
pleasure, and was such as his wisdom
approved. God chose this plan, so un-
.ike all the plans of men. f By the
foolishness of preaching. Not " by
foolish preaching," but by the preach-
ing of the cross, which was regarded
as foolish and absurd by the men of the
world. The plan is wise, but it has
been esteemed by the mass of men,
and was particularly so esteemed by
the Greek philosophers, to be egregi-
ously foolish and ridiculous. See
Note, ver. 18. 1 To save them that be-
lieve. That believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ. See Note, Mark xvi. 16. This
was the peculiarity and essence of the
plan of God, and this has appeared to
the mass of men to be a plan devoid
of wisdom and unworthy of God.
The preaching of the cross which is
thus esteemed foolishness, is made the ,
sign, tt and the Greeks seek aftei
wisdom :
a Matt.l2.38,&c.
means of saving them, because it seta
forth God's only plan of mercy, and
states the way in which lost sinners
may become reconciled to God.
22. For the Jeius require a sign.
A miracle, a prodigy, an evidence of
divine interposition. This was the cha-
racteristic of the Jewish people. God
had manifested himself to them by
miracles and wonders in a remarkable
manner in past times, and they greatly
I Tided themselves on that fact, and
always demanded it when any new
messenger came to them, professing to
be sent from God. This propensity
they often evinced in their intercourse
with the Lord Jesus. Matt. xii. 38;
xvi. 1. Mark viii. 11. Luke xi. 16;
xii. 5456. Many MSS., instead of
" sign" here in the singular, read signs
in the plural ; and Griesbach has intro-
duced that reading into the text. The
sense is nearly the same, and it means
that it was a characteristic of the Jews
to demand the constant exhibition of
miracles and wonders; and it is also
implied here, I think, by the reasoning
of the apostle, that they believed that
the communication of such signs to
them as a people, would secure their
salvation, and they therefore despised
the simple preaching of a crucified
Messiah. They expected a Messiah that
should come with the exhibition of some
stupendous signs and wonders from
heaven (Matt. xii. 38, &c. as above),
they looked for the displays of amaz-
ing power in his coming, and they an-
ticipated that he would deliver them
from their enemies by mere power;
and they, therefore, were greatly offend-
ed (ver. 23) by the simple doctrine of
a crucified Messiah. T And the Greeks,
&c. Perhaps this means the heathen
in general, in opposition to the Jews.
Note, Rom. i. 16. It was, however,
peculiarly the characteristic of the
Greek philosophers. They seek fot
A D. 59.]
CHAPTER I.
3.
23 But we preach Christ cru-
cified, unto the Jews a stumbling-
schemes of philosophy and religion that
shall depend on human wisdom, and
they therefore despise the gospel.
23. But we. We who are Chris-
tian preachers make Christ crucified
the grand subject of our instructions
and our aims in contradistinction from
the Jew and the Grek. They seek,
the one miracles, the other wisdom,
we glory only in the cross. ^ Christ
crucified. The word Christ, the an-
ointed, is the same as the Hebrew
name Messiah. The emphasis in this
expression is on the word crucified.
The Jews would make the Messiah
whom they expected no less an object
of glorifying than the apostles, but
they spurned the doctrine that he was
to be crucified. Yet in that the apos-
tles boasted ; proclaiming him crucified,
or having been crucified as the only
hope of man. This must mean more
than that Christ was distinguished for
moral worth, more than that he died as
a martyr ; because if that were all, no
reason could be given why the cross
should be made $-, p/ominent an object.
It must m^an thxtt Christ was crucified
for the sins of men, as an atoning
sacrifice in the place of sinners. ' We
proclaim a crucified Messiah as the only
redeemer of lost men.' T To the Jews
a stumbling-block. The word stumb-
ling-block (rxaWWov) means properly
any thing in the way over which one
may fall ; then any thing that gives
offence, or that causes one to fall into
sin. Here it means that to the Jews,
the doctrine that the Messiah was to
be crucified gave great offence ; ex-
cited, irritated, and exasperated them ;
that they could not endure the doctrine,
and treated it with scorn. Comp.
Note, Rom. ix. 33. 1 Pet ii. 8. It is
well known that to the Jews no doc-
trine was more offensive than this, that
the Messiah was to be put to death,
and that there was to be salvation in no
other way. It was so in the times of
the apostles, and it has' been so since.
block, * and unto the Greeks
foolishness ;
a Isa 8.14. iPeL2.a
They have, therefore, usually called the
Lord Jesus, by way of derision ^"?n
Tolvi, the man that was hanged, that
is, on a cross; and Christians they
have usually denominated, for the
same reason, M^n naj? Abdai Tolvi
servants of the man that was hanged.
The reasons of this feeling are obvious.
(1.) They had looked for a magnificent
temporal prince ; but the doctrine that
their Messiah was crucified, dashed all
their expectations. And they regarded
it with contempt and scorn, just in pro-
portion as their hopes had been elevated,
and these high expectations cherished.
(2.) They had the common feelings
of ail men, the native feelings of pride,
and self-righteousness, by which they
rejected the doctrine that we are de-
pendent for salvation on one who was
crucified. (3.) They regarded Jesus
as one given over by God for an enor-
mous attempt at imposition, as having
been justly put to death; and the
object of the curse of the Almighty.
Isa. liii. 4, "We did esteem him stricken,
smitten of GOD." They endeavoured to
convince themselves that he was the ob-
ject of the divine dereliction and abhor-
rence ; and they, therefore, rejected the
doctrine of the cross with the deepest
feelings of detestation. ^ To the
Greeks. To the Gentiles in general.
So the Syriac, the Vulgate, the
Arabic, and the jEthiopic versions all
read it. The teim Greek denotes all
who were not Jews ; thus the phrase,
" the Jews and the Greeks" com-
prehended the whole human family,
ver. 22. ^ Foolishness. See Note on
ver. 18. They regarded it as folly,
(1.) Because they esteemed the whole
account a fable, and an imposition;
(2.) It did not accord with their own
views of the way of elevating the con-
dition of man ; (3.) They saw no
efficacy in the doctrine, no tendency
in the statement that a man of humble
birth was put to death in an ignomini-
ous manner in Judea, to make men
I. CORINTHIANS.
24 But unto them which are
called, both Jews and Greeks,
better, or to receive pardon. (4.) They
had the common feelings of unrenewed
human nature ; blind to the beauty of
the character of Christ, and blind to the
design of his death ; and they therefore
regarded the whole statement as folly.
We may remark here, that the feel-
ings of the Jews and of the Greeks on
this subject, are the common feelings
of men. Everywhere sinners have
the same views of the cross ; and every-
where the human heart, if left to itself,
rejects it, as either a stumbling-block,
or as folly. But the doctrine should
be preached, though it is an offence,
and though it appears to be folly. It
js the only hope of man; and by the
preaching of the cross alone can sinners
be saved.
24. But unto them which are called.
To all true Christians. Note, ver. 9.
1 Both Jews and Greelts. Whether
originally of Jewish or Gentile extrac-
tion, they have here a common, similar
view of the crucified Saviour. ^ Christ
the power of God. Christ appears to
them as the power of God ; or it is
through him that the power of salva-
tion is communicated to them. Note,
ver. 18. 1 And the wisdom of God.
The way in which God evinces his
wisdom in the salvation of men. They
see the plan to be wise. They see that
it is adapted to the end. They see it
to be fitted to procure pardon, and
sanctification, and eternal life. It is
God's wise plan for the salvation of
men ; and it is seen by those who are
Christians, to be adapted to this end.
They see that there is a beauty in his
character; an excellency in his doc-
trines ; and an efficacy in his atone-
ment, to secure their salvation. We
may remark on this verse, (1.) That
when men become Christians, their
hearts are changed. The views of
Christians are here represented as dia-
metrically opposite to those of other
men. To one class, Christ is a stum-
bling-block ; to others, folly ; to Chris-
[A.D. 59
Christ the power of God, and
the wisdom of God.
a ver.13.
tians he is full of beauty. But those
views of the Christian, can be obtain-
ed only by a change of heart. And
the change from regarding an object or
being as foolishness to regarding it as
full of beauty, must be a radical and
a mighty change. (2.) All Christians
have similar views of the Saviour. It
matters not whether they were Jew or
Greek; it matters not whether they
were born in a northern or southern
clime " whether an Indian or an
African sun has burned upon them ;"
whether they speak the same or differ-
ent languages ; whether they were born
amidst the same or different denomina-
tions of Christians ; whether in the
same or different countries; or whether
they are men in the same or different
Christian communities, they have the
same views of the Saviour. They see
him to be the power and the wisdom
of God. They are united in him, and
therefore united to each other; and
should regard themselves as belonging
to the same family, and as bound to
the same eternal home. (3.) There is
real efficacy in the plan of salvation.
It is a scheme of power. It is adapted
to the end, and is admirably fitted to
accomplish the great effects which God
designs to accomplish. It is not a
scheme intended to show its own im-
becility, and the need of another and
an independent agent to accomplish
the work. All the effects which the
Holy Ghost produces on the soul, are
such, and only such, as the truth of
the gospel is adapted to produce in the
mind. The gospel is God's plan of
putting forth power to save men. It
seizes upon great elements in human
nature ; and is adapted to enlist them
in the service of God. It is just fitttd
to man as a being capable of reason-
ing and susceptible of emotion ; as a
being who may be influenced by hopo
and fear ; who may be excited and im-
pelled to duty by conscience, and who
may be roused from a sUte of lethargy
D. 59.J
CHAPTER I.
25 Because the foolishness of
God is wiser than men ; and the
weakness of
than men.
God is stronger
26 For ye see your calling,
brethren, how that not a many
wise men after the flesh,
aZeph.3.12. Jno.7.48.
not
and sin by the prospect of eternal life,
and the apprehension of eternal death.
As such it should always be preached
as a system wise, and adapted to the
great end in view as a system most
powerful, and " mighty to the pulling
Jown of strong holds. 1 '
25. Because the foolishness of God.
That which God appoints, requires,
commands, does, &c., which appears to
men to be foolish. The passage is not
to be understood as affirming that it is
really foolish or unwise ; but that it
appears so to men. Perhaps the apos-
tle here refers to those parts of the di-
vine administration where the wisdom
of the plan is not seen ; or where the
reason of what God does is concealed.
1 Is wiser than men. Is better adapted
to accomplish important ends, and more
certainly effectual than the schemes of
human wisdom. This is especially true
of the plan of salvation a plan appa-
rently foolish to the mass of men yet
indubitably accomplishing more for the
renewing of men, and for their purity
and happiness, than all the schemes of
human contrivance. They have ac-
complished nothing towards men's sal-
vation ; this accomplishes every thing.
They have always failed ; this never
ails. 1 The weakness of God. There
.s really no weakness in God, any more
than there is folly. This must mean,
therefore, the things of his appointment
which appear weak and insufficient to
accomplish the end. Such are these
facts that God should seek to save the
world by Jesus of Nazareth, who was
supposed unable to save himself (Matt,
xxvii. 40 43) ; and that he should
expect to save men by the gospel, by
its being preached by men who were
without learning, eloquence, wealth,
fame, or power. The instruments were
feeble ; and men judged that this was
owing to the weakness or want of
the God who appointed them.
Tf Is stronger than men. Is able to
accomplish more than the utmost might
of man. The feeblest agency that God
puts forth so feeble as to be esteemed
weakness is able to effect more than
the utmost might of man. The apos-
tle here refers particularly to the work
of redemption ; but it is true every-
where. We may remark, (1.) Thai
God often effects his mightiest plans by
that which seems to men to be weak
and even foolish. The most mighty
revolutions arise often from the slightest
causes ; his most vast operations are
often connected with very feeble means.
The revolution of empires ; the mighty
effects of the pestilence ; the advance-
ment in the sciences, and arts, and the
operations of nature, are often brought
about by means apparently as little
fitted to accomplish the work as those
which are employed in the plan of re-
demption. (2.) God is great. If his
feeblest powers put forth, surpass the
mightiest powers of man, how great
must be his might. If the powers of
man who rears works of art; who
levels mountains and elevates vales ,
if the power which reared the pyra-
mids, be as nothing when compared
with the feeblest putting forth of divine
power, how mighty must be his arm !
How vast that strength which made,
and which upholds the rolling worlds !
How safe are his people in his hand !
And how easy for him to crush all his
foes in death !
26. For ye. see. your calling. You
know the general character and condi-
tion of those who are Christians among
you, that they have not been generally
taken from the wise, the rich, and the
learned, but from humble life. The
design of the apostle here is, to show
that the gospel did not depend for its
success on human wisdom. His argu-
ment is, that in fact those who were
blessed by it had not been of the ele
54
I. CORINTHIANS.
many mighty, not many noble,
are called:
[A. D. 59
27 But God " hath chosen the
foolish things of the world, to
aPs.8.2. Matt.11.25.
vated ranks of life mainly, but that God
had shown his power by choosing those
who were ignorant, and vicious, and
abandoned, and by reforming and pu-
rifying their lives. The verb " ye see"
(/3Arm), is ambiguous, and may be
either in the indicative mood, as our
translators have rendered it, ' ye do see ;
you are well apprised of it, and know
it,' or it may be in the imperative, ' see ;
contemplate your condition ;' but the
sense is substantially the same. Your
calling (TM X.MITIV*) means ' those who
are called' (ver. 9) ; as " the circum-
cision" means those who are circum-
cised. Rom. iii. 30. The sense is,
' look upon the condition of those who
are Christians.' ^ Not many wise
men. Not many who are regarded as
wise ; or who are ranked with philoso-
phers. This supposes that there were
some of that description, though the
mass of Christians were then, as now,
from more humble ranks of life. That
there were some of high rank and
wealth at Corinth who became Cnris-
tians, is well known. Crispus and
Sosthenes, rulers of the synagogue
there (Acts xviii. 8. 17, comp. 1 Cor.
i. 1) ; Gaius, a rich, hospitable man
(Rom. xvi. 23) ; and Erastus the chan-
cellor of the city of Corinth (Rom. xvi.
23), had been converted and were
members of the church. Some have
supposed (Macknighf) that this should
be rendered ' not many mighty, wise,
&c. call you ; that is, God has not
employed the wise and the learned to
call you into his kingdom.' But the
sense in our translation is evidently the
correct interpretation. It is the ob-
vious sense ; and it agrees with the de-
sign of the apostle, which was to show
that God had not consulted the wis-
dom, and power, and wealth of men in
the establishment of his church. So
the Syriac and the Vulgate render it.
^ According to the flesh. According
to the maxim? and principles of a sen-
sual and wor) Uy policy ; according to
the views of men when under the in-
fluence of those principles ; i. e. who
are unrenewed. The flesh here stands
opposed to the spirit ; the views of the
men of this world in contradistinction
from the wisdom that is from above.
1 Not many mighty. Not many men
of power ; or men sustaining import-
ant offices in the state. Comp. Rev. vi.
15. The word may refer to those who
wield power of any kind, whether de-
rived from office, from rank, from
wealth, &c. ^ Not many noble. Not
many of illustrious birth, or descended
from illustrious families \vywiis, well-
born. In respect to each of these
classes, the apostle does not say that
there were no men of wealth, and
power, and birth, but that the mass or
body of Christians was not composed
of such. They were made up of those
who were in humble life. There were
a few, indeed, of rank and property, as
there are now ; but then, as now, the
great mass was composed of those who
were from the lower conditions of socie-
ty. The reason why God had chosen his
people from that rank is stated in ver.
29. The character of many of those
who composed the church at Corinth
before the conversion, is stated in ch.
vi. 9 11, which see.
27. But God hath chosen. The fact
of their being in the church at all was
the result of his choice. It was owing
entirely to his grace. 1 The foolish
things. The things esteemed foolish
among men. The expression here re-
fers to those who were destitute of
learning, rank, wealth, and power,
and who were esteemed as fools, and
were despised by the rich and the great.
t To confound. To bring to shame ;
or that he might make them ashamed ;
i. e. humble them by showing them
how little he regarded their wisdom ;
and how little their wisdom contributed
to the success of his cause. By thus
overlooking them, and bestowing his
favours on the humble, and the poor
. D. 59.]
CHAPTER I.
35
confound the wise ; and God
hath chosen the weak things
of the world, to confound the
by choosing his people from the ranks
which they despised, and bestowing
on them the exalted privilege of
being called the sons of God, he had
poured dishonour on the rich and the
great, and overwhelmed them, and
their schemes of wisdom, with shame.
It is also true, that those who are re-
garded as fools by the wise men of the
world are able often to confound those
who boast of their wisdom ; and that
the arguments of plain men, though
unlearned except in the school, of
Christ; of men of sound common
sense under the influence of Christian
principles, have a force which the
learning and talent of the men of this
world cannot gainsay or resist. They
have truth on their side; and truth,
though dressed in a humble garb, is
more mighty than error, though clothed
with the brilliancy of imagination, the
pomp of declamation, and the cunning
of sophistry. \ And the weak things.
Those esteemed weak by the men of
the world. 1 The. mighty. The great;
the noble ; the learned.
28. And base things of the world.
Those things which by the world are
esteemed ignoble. Literally, those
which are not of noble, or illustrious
birth (TCI d^jvi)). \ Things which are
despised. Those which the world re-
gards as objects of contempt. Comp.
Mark ix. 12. Luke xviii. 19. Acts iv.
11. 1 Yea. The introduction of this
word by the translators does nothing to
illustrate the sense, but rather enfeebles
it The language here is a striking in-
stance of Paul's manner of expressing
himself with great strength. He desires
to convey in the strongest terms, the
fact, that God had illustrated his plan
by choosing the objects of least esteem
among men. He is willing to admit
all that could be said on this point.
He says, therefore, that he had chosen
the things of ignoble birth and rank
the base things of the world ; but this
did not fully express his meaning. He
things which are mighty ;
28 And base things of the
world, and things which are
had chosen objects of contempt among
men ; but this was not strong enough
to express his idea. He adds, there-
fore, that he had chosen those things
which were absolutely nothing, which
had no existence ; which could not be
supposed to influence him in his
choice. 1 And things which are not
(TO. jut oWa). That which is nothing,
which is worthless ; which has no ex-
istence ; those things which were be-
low contempt itself; and which, in the
estimation of the world, were passed
by as having no existence ; as not
having sufficient importance to be es-
teemed worthy even of the slight no-
tice which is implied in contempt.
For a man who despises a thing must
at least notice it, and esteem it worth
some attention. But the apostle here
speaks of things beneath even that
slight notice ; as completely and totally
disregarded, as having no existence.
The language here is evidently that of
hyperbole (comp. Note, John xxi. 25).
It was a figure of speech common in
the East, and not unusual in the sacred
writings. Comp. Isa. xl. 17.
All nations before him are as nothing,
And they are counted to him less than
nothing and vanity.
See also Rom. iv. 17, "God, who
calleth those things which be not, as
though they were." This language
was strongly expressive of the estimate
which the Jews fixed on the Gentiles,
as being a despised people, as being in
fact no people ; a people without laws,
and organization, and religion, and pri-
vileges. See Hos. i. 10 ; ii. 23. Rom.
ix. 25. 1 Pet. ii. 10. " When a man
of rank among the Hindoos speaks of
low-caste persons, of notorious profli-
gates, or of those whom he despises,
he calls them alla-tha-varkal, i. e. those
who are not. The term does not refer
to life or existence, but to a quality or
disposition, and is applied to those who
are vile and abominable in all things.
' My son, my son, go not among them -
I. CORINTHIANS.
despised, hath God chosen, yea,
and things which are not, to
bring to naught things that are ;
who are not. 1 ' Alas ! alas ! those
people are all alla-tha-varkal.' When
wicked men prosper, it is said, ' this is
the time for those who are not.' ' Have
you heard that those who are. not are
now acting righteously 1' Vulgar and
indecent expressions are also called,
' words that are not.' To address men
in the phrase are not, is provoking be-
yond measure." Roberts, as quoted in
Bush's Illustrations of Scripture. ^ To
bring to naught. To humble and sub-
due. To show them how vain and
impotent they were. ^ Things that
are. Those who on account of their
noble birth, high attainments, wealth,
and rank, placed a high estimate on
themselves and despised others.
29. That no Jlesh. That no men ;
no class of men. The word Jlesh is often
thus used to denote men. Matt. xxiv.
22. Luke iii. 6. John xvii. 2. Acts ii.
17. 1 Pet. i. 24, &c. 1 Should glory.
Should boast. Rom. iii. 27. 1 In his
presence. Before him. That man
should really have nothing of which
to boast; but that the whole scheme
should be adapted to humble and sub-
due him. On these verses we may ob-
serve, (1.) That it is to be expected
that the great mass of Christian con-
verts will be found among those who
are of humble life and it may be ob-
served also, that true virtue and ex-
cellence ; sincerity and amiableness ;
honesty and sincerity, are usually found
there also. (2.) That while the mass
of Christians are found there, there are
also those of noble birth, and rank, and
wealth, who become Christians. The
aggregate of those who from elevated
ranks and distinguished talents have
become Christians, has not been small.
It is sufficient to refer to such names
as Pascal, and Bacon, and Boyle, and
Newton, and Locke, and Hale, and
Wilbe/'force, to show that religion can
command the homage of the most illus-
trious genius and rank. (3.) The rea-
[ \. D. 59.
29 That no flesh should
in his presence.
y
30 But of him are
in
a Rom.3.27. 6 2Cor.5.17. Ejjh.1.3,10.
sons why those of rank and wealth do
not become Christians, are many and
obvious. (a) They are beset with
peculiar temptations, (b) They are
usually satisfied with rank and wealth,
and do not feel their need of a hope of
leaven. (c) They are surrounded
ith objects which flatter their vanity,
VvMch minister to their pride, and
wLich throw them into the circle of
alluring and tempting pleasures, (rf)
They are drawn away from the means
of grace and the places of prayer, by
'ashion, by business, by temptation,
(e) There is something about the pride
of learning and philosophy, which
usually makes those who possess it
unwilling to sit at the feet of Christ ,
to acknowledge their dependence on
any power ; and to confess that they
are poor, and needy, and blind, and
naked before God. (4.) The gospel
is designed to produce humility, and to
place all men on a level in regard to
salvation. There is no royal way to
the favour of God. No monarch is
saved because he is a monarch ; no
philosopher because he is a philo-
sopher ; no rich man because he is
rich ; no poor man because he is
poor. All are placed on a level. AH
are to be saved in the same way. All
are to become willing to give the entire
glory to God. All are to acknowledgt
him as providing the plan, and as fur
nishing the grace that is needful foi
salvation. God's design is to bring
down the pride of man, and to pro-
duce everywhere a willingness to ac-
knowledge him as the fountain of
blessings and the God of all.
30. But of him. That is, by his
agency and power. It is not by phi-
losophy ; not from ourselves ; but by
his mercy. The apostle keeps it. pro-
minently in view, that it was not of
their philosophy, wealth, or rank (hat
they had been raised to these privi-
leges, but of God as the author f \rf
4.D. 59.] CHAPTER I.
Christ Jesus, who of God is
made unto us wisdom, and
a Eph.1.17. Col.2.3.
righteousness, * sanctifi cation, '
and redemption : d
b Isa.45.24. Jer.23.5,G. Rom.4.25.
19. dEph.1.7.
cJno.17.
ye. Ye are what you are by the mercy
of God. 1 Cor. xv. 10. You owe
your hopes to him. The emphasis in
this verse is to be placed on this ex-
pression, " are ye." You are Chris-
tians, not by the agency of man, but
by the agency of God. 1 In Chris*
Jesus. Note, ver. 4. By the me-
dium, or through the work of Christ,
this mercy has been conferred on you.
1 Who of God. From God (<ro dw).
Christ is given to us by God, or ap-
pointed by him to be our wisdom} &c.
God originated the scheme, and God
grave him for this end. 1 Wisdom.
That is, he is to us the source of wis-
dom ; it is by him that we are made
wise. This cannot mean that his wis-
dom becomes strictly and properly
ours ; that it is set over to us, and
reckoned as our own, for that is not
true. But it niust mean simply, that
Christians have become truly wise by
the agency, the teaching, and the work
of Christ. Philosophers had attempted
to become wise by their own investiga-
tions and inquiries. But Christians
had become wise by the work of
Christ ; that is, it had been by his in-
structions that they had been made
acquainted with the true character of
God ; with his law ; with their own
condition ; and with the great truth
that there was a glorious immortality
beyond the grave. None of these
truths had been obtained by the inves-
tigations of philosophers, but by the
instructions of Christ. In like man-
ner it was that through him they had
been made practically wise unto salva-
tion. Comp. Col. ii. 3, " In whom are
hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge." He is the great agent by
which we become truly wise. Christ
is often represented as eminently wise,
and as the source of all true wisdom to
his people. Isa. xi. 1. Matt. xiii. 54.
Luke ii. 40. 52. 1 Cor. i 24 ; iv. 10.
" Ye are wise in Christ." Many com-
mentators have supposed that the beau-
tiful description of wisdom, in Prov. viii.
is applicable to the Messiah. Christ
may be said to be made wisdom to us,
or to communicate wisdom, (1.) Be-
cause he has in his own ministry in-
structed us in the true knowledge of
God, and of those great truths which
pertain to our salvation. (2.) Because
he has by his word and spirit led us to
see our true situation, and made us
"wise unto salvation." He has turned us
from the ways of folly, and inclined us
to walk in the path of true wisdom.
(3.) Because he is to his people now
the source of wisdom. He enlightens
their mind in the time of perplexity ;
guides them in the way of truth ; and
leads them in the path of real know-
ledge. It often happens that obscure
and ignorant men, who have been
taught in the school of Christ, have
more true and real knowledge of that
which concerns their welfare, and evince
more real practical wisdom, than can
be learned in all the schools of philoso-
phy and learning on the earth. It is
wise for a sinful and dying creature to
prepare for eternity. But none but
those who are instructed by the Son of
God, become thus wise, f And right-
eousness. By whom we become right
eous in the sight of God. This decla-
tion simply affirms that we become
righteous through him, as it is affirmed
that we become wise, sanctified, and
redeemed through him. But neither
of the expressions determine any
thing as to the mode by which it is
done. The leading idea of the apostle,
which should never be lost sight of, is
that the Greeks by their philosophy did
not become truly wise, righteous, sanc-
tified, and redeemed ; but that this was
accomplished through Jesus Christ.
But in what way this was done, or by
what process or mode, is not here
stated ; and it should be no more
assumed from this text that we became
3R
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
righteous by the imputation of Christ's
righteousness, than it should be that we
became wise by the imputation of his
wisdom, and sanctified by the imputa-
tion of his holiness. If this passage
would prove one of these points, it
would prove all. But as it is absurd
to say that we became wise by the im-
putation of the personal wisdom of
Christ, so this passage should not be
brought to prove that we became right-
eous by the imputation of his righteous-
ness. Whatever may be the truth of
that doctrine, this passage does not
prove it. By turning to other parts of
the New Testament to learn in what
way we are made righteous through
Christ, or in what way he is made unto us
righteousness; we learn that it is in two
modes, (1.) Because it is by his merits
alone that our sins are pardoned, and
we are justified, and treated as right-
eous (see Note, Rom. iii. 26, 27); and
(2.) Because by his influence, and
work, and spirit, and truth, we are made
personally holy in the sight of God.
The former is doubtless the thing in-
tended here, as sanctification is specified
after. The apostle here refers simply
to the fact, without specifying the
mode in which it is done. That is to
be learned from other parts of the New
Testament. Comp. Note, Rom. iv. 25.
The doctrine of justification is, that
God regards and treats those as right-
eous who believe on his Son, and who
are pardoned on account of what he
has done and suffered. The several
steps in the process may be thus stated.
(1.) The sinner is by nature exposed
to the wrath of God. He is lost and
ruined. He has no merit of his own.
He has violated a holy law, and that
law condemns him, and he has no
power to make an atonement or repa-
ration. He can never be pronounced
a just man on his own merits. He can
never vindicate his conduct, as a man
can do in a court of justice where he is
unjustly accused, and so be pronounced
just. (2.) Jesus Christ has taken the
sinner's place, and died in his stead.
He \. \s honoured a broken law ; he
has rendered it consistent for God to
pardon. By his dreadful sufferings,
endured in the sinner's place, God
has shown his hatred of sin, and his
willingness to forgive. His truth will
be vindicated, and his law honoured,
j and his government secured, if now
he shall pardon the offender when
penitent. As he endured these sorrows
for others, and not for himself, they can
be so reckoned, and are so judged by
God. All the benefits or results of
that atonement, therefore, as it was
made for others, can be applied to
them, and all the advantage of such
substitution in their place, can be made
over to them, as really as when a man
pays a note of hand for a friend ; 01
when he pays for another a ransom
The price is reckoned as paid for them,
and the benefits flow to the debtor and
the captive. It is not reckoned that
they paid it, for that is not true ; but
that it was done for them, and the
benefit may be theirs, which is true. (3.)
God has been pleased to promise that
these benefits may be conferred on him
who believes in the Saviour. The
sinner is united by faith to the Lord
Jesus, and is so adjudged, or reckoned.
God esteems or judges him to be a
believer according to the promise.
And so believing, and so repenting, he
deems it consistent to pardon and justi-
fy him who is so united to his Son by
faith. He is justified, not by the act
of faith ; not by any merits of his own,
but by the merits of Christ. He has
no other ground, and no other hope.
Thus he is in fact a pardoned and
justified man ; and God so reckons and
judges. God's law is honoured, and
the sinner is pardoned and saved ; and
it is now as consistent for God to treat
him as a righteous man, as it would be
if he had never sinned since there is
as high honour shown to the law of
God, as there would have been had he
been personally obedient, or had he
personally suffered its penalty. And
as, through the death of Christ, the
same results are secured in upholding
God's moral government as would be
by his condemnation, it is consistent and
proper for God to forgive him and treat
A. D. 59.] CHAPTER i.
31 That, according as it is
a Jer .9.23,21.
written, d He that glorieth
him glory in the Lord.
39
, let
him as a righteous man ; and to do so
accords with the infinite benevolence
of his heart [ And sanctijication.
By him we are sanctified- or made holy.
This does not mean, evidently, that his
personal holiness is reckoned to us, but
that by his work applied to our hearts,
we become personally sanctified or
holy. Comp. Eph. iv. 24. This is
done by the agency of his spirit apply-
ing truth to the mind (John xvii. 19),
by the aid which he furnishes in trials,
temptations, and conflicts, and by the
influence of hope in sustaining, elevat-
ing and purifying the soul. All the
truth that is employed to sanctify, was
taught primarily by him ; and all the
means that may be used are the pur-
chase of his death, and are under his }
direction ; and the Spirit by whose j
agency Christians are sanctified, was
sent into the world by him, and in an- |
swer to his prayers. John xiv. 16; xv. 26.
t And redemption (dTcAVTa>r/f). For i
the meaning of this word, see Note,
Rom. iii. 24. Here it is evidently used
in a larger sense than it is commonly
in the New Testament. The things
which are specified above, "justifica-
tion and sanctification," are a part of
the work of redemption. Probably the
word is used here in a wide sense,
as denoting the whole group, or class
of influences by which we are
brought at last to heaven ; so that the
apostle refers not only to his atonement,
but to the work by which we are in
fact redeemed from death, and made
happy in heaven. Thus in Rom. viii.
23, the word is applied to the resur-
rection, " the redemption of the body."
The sense is, ' it is by Christ that we
are redeemed ; by him that an atone-
ment is made ; by him that we are par-
doned ; by him that we are delivered
from the dominion of sin, and the
power of our enemies; and by him
that we shall be rescued from the
grave, and raised up to everlasting
life.' Thus the whole work depends
on him ; and no part of it is to bo
ascribed to the philosophy, the talent,
or the wisdom of men. He does not
merely aid us ; he does not complete
that which is imperfect ; he does not
come in to do a part of the work, or to
supply our defects ; but it is all to be
traced to him. See Col. ii. 10, "And
ye are complete in him."
31. As it is written. This is evi-
dently a quotation made from Jer. ix.
23, 24. It is not made literally ; but
the apostle has condensed the sense of
the prophet into a few words, and has
retained essentially his idea, f He
that glorieth. He that boasts or ex-
ults. Tf In the Lord. Not ascribing
his salvation to human abilities, or
learning, or rank, but entirely to God.
And from this we see, (1.) That the
design of the plan of salvation is to
exalt God in view of the mind. (2.)
That the design is to make us humble ;
and this is the design also of all his
works no less than of the plan of sal-
vation. All just views of the creation
tend to produce true humility. (3.) It is
an evidence of piety when we are thus
disposed to exalt God, and to be hum-
ble. It shows that the heart is changed ;
and that we are truly disposed to
honour him. (4.) We may rejoice in
God. We have no strength, and no
righteousness of which to boast; but
we may rejoice in him. He is full of
goodness and mercy. He is able to
save us. He can redeem us out of the
hand of all our enemies. And when
we are conscious that we are poor, and
feeble, and helpless ; when oppressed
with a sense of sin, we may rejoice in
him as our God ; and exult in him as
our Saviour and Redeemer. True piety
will delight to come and lay evpry
thing at his feet; and whatever may
be our rank, or talent, or learning, wo
shall rejoice to come with the temper
of the humblest child of poverty, and
sorrow, and want, and to say, " not
unto us, not unto us, but unto thy
40
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
CHAPTER II.
AND I, brethren, when I came
to you, came not with ex-
a ver.4,13.
name give glory for thy mercy, and for
thy truth's sake." Ps. cxv. 1.
" Not to our names, thou only just and true,
Not to our worthless names is glory due ;
Thy power and grace, thy truth and justice
claim
Immortal honours to thy sovereign name."
Watts.
CHAPTER II.
THK design of this chapter is the
same as the concluding part of ch. i.
(ver. 17 31), to show that the gospel
does not depend for its success on hu-
man wisdom, or the philosophy of men.
This position the apostle further con-
firms, (1.) ver. 1 5, By a reference to
his own example, as having been suc-
cessful among them, and yet not en-
dowed with the graces of elocution, or
by a commanding address; yet (2.)
Lest it should be thought that the gos-
pel was real folly, and should be con-
temned, he shows in the remainder of
the chapter (ver. 6 16), that it con-
tained true wisdom ; that it was a pro-
found scheme rejected, indeed, by the
men of the world, but seen to be wise
by those who were made acquainted
with its real nature and value, ver.
516.
The first division of the chapter
(ver. 1 5), is a continuation of the
argument to show that the success of
the gospel does not depend on human
wisdom or philosophy. This he proves,
(1.) By the fact that when he was
among them, though his preaching was
attended with success, yet he did not
come with the attractions of human
eloquence, ver. 1. (2.) This was in
accordance with his purpose, not de-
signing to attempt any thing like that,
but having another object, ver. 2. (3.)
In fact he had not evinced that, but the
contrary, ver. 3, 4. (4.) His design
was that their conversion should not
appear to h.*ve been wrought by hu-
man wisdom or eloquence, but to have
cellency of speech or of wisdom,
declaring unto you the testimony
of God.
2 For I determined not to
been manifestly the work of God.
ver. 5.
1. And /, brethren. Keeping up the
tender and affectionate style of address.
Tf When I came unto you. When I
came at first to preach the gospel at
Corinth. Acts xviii. 1, &c. ^ Came
not with excellency of speech. Came
not with graceful and attractive elo-
quence. The apostle here evidently
alludes to that nice and studied choice
of language; to those gracefully formed
sentences, and to that skill of arrange-
ment in discourse and argument which
was so much an object of regard with
the Greek rhetoricians. It is probabk
that Paul was never much distinguish
ed for these (comp. 2 Cor. x. 10), and
it is certain he never made them an
object of intense study and solicitude.
Comp. ver. 4. 13. f Or of wisdom.
Of the wisdom of this world ; of that
kind of wisdom which was sought and
cultivated in Greece. ^ The testimony
of God. The testimony or the wit-
nessing which God has borne to the
gospel of Christ by miracles, and by at-
tending it everywhere with his pre-
sence and blessing. In ver. 6, the
gospel is called " the testimony of
Christ ;" and here it may either mean
the witness which the gospel bears to
the true character and plans of God
or the witnessing which God had borne
to the gospel by miracles, &c. Tho
gospel contains the testimony of God
in regard to his own character and
plans ; especially in regard to the great
plan of redemption through Jesus
Christ. Several MSS. instead of " tes-
timony of God," here read " the mys-
tery of God." This would accord well
with the scope of the argument; but
the present reading is probably the cor-
rect one. See Mill. The Syriac ver-
sion has also mystery.
2. For I determined. I made a re-
A.D. 59.
CHAPTER II.
Know any thing among you, save
solution. This was my fixed, deliberate
purpose when I came there. It was
not a matter of accident, or chance,
that I made Christ my great and con-
stant theme, but it was my deliberate
purpose. It is to be recollected that
Paul made this resolution, knowing the
peculiar fondness of the Greeks for
subtle disquisitions, and for graceful and
finished elocution ; that he formed it
when his own mind, as we may judge
from his writings, was strongly inclined
by nature to an abstruse and metaphy-
sical kind of discussion, which could
not have failed to attract the attention
01' the acute and subtle reasoners of
Greece ; and that he made it when he
must have been fully aware that the
theme which he had chosen to dwell
upon would be certain to excite deri-
sion and contempt. Yet he formed,
and adhered to this resolution, though
it. might expose him to contempt ; and
though they might reject and despise
his message, t Not to know. The
word know here (elJiVM) is used pro-
bably in the sense of attend to, be en-
gaged in, or regard. I resolved not to
give my time and attention while
among you to the laws and traditions
of the Jews ; to your orators, philoso-
phers, and poets; to the beauty of
your architecture or statuary ; to a
contemplation of your customs and
laws, but to attend to this only
making known the cross of Christ.
The word (a/a>) to know, is sometimes
thus used. Paul says that he designed
that this should be the only thing on
which his mind should be fixed ; the
only object of his attention ; the only
object on which he there sought that
knowledge should be diffused. Dod-
dridge renders it " appear to know."
^ Any thing among you. Any thing
while I was with you. Or, any thing
that may exist among you, and that
may be objects of interest to you. I
resolved to know nothing of it, what-
ever it might be. The former is, pro-
bably, the correct interpretation,
'Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
a Gal.6.14.
Jesus Christ. Except Jesus Christ
This is the only thing of which I pur-
posed to have any knowledge among
you. t And him crucified. Or, 'even
(x.'j.t} him that was crucified.' He re-
solved not only to make the Messiah the
grand object of his knowledge and at
tention there, but EVEN a crucified Mes
siah ; to maintain the doctrine that the
Messiah was to be crucified for the sins
of the world ; and that he who had
been crucified was in fact the Messiah.
See Note, ch. i. 23. We may remark
here, (1.) That this should be the re-
solution of every minister of the gos-
pel. This is his business. It is not
to be a politician ; not to engage in the
strifes and controversies of men ; it is
not to be a good farmei, or scholar
merely ; not to mingle with his people
in festive circles and enjoyments ; not
to be a man of taste and philosophy,
and distinguished mainly for refinement
of manners ; not to be a profound phi-
losopher or metaphysician, but to make
Christ crucified the grand object of his
attention, and seek always and every-
where to make him known. (2.) He
is not to be ashamed anywhere of the
humbling doctrine that Christ was cru-
cified. In this he is to glory. Though
the world may ridicule ; though philo-
sophers may sneer; though the rich
and the gay may deride it, yet this is
to be the grand object of interest to
him, and at no time, and in no society
is he to be ashamed of it. (3.) It
matters not what are the amusements
of society around him ; what fields of
science, of gain, or ambition, are open
before him, the minister of Christ is to
know Christ and him crucified alone,
If he cultivates science, it is to be that
he may the more successfully explain
and vindicate the gospel. If he be-
comes in any manner familiar with the
works of art, and of taste, it is that
he may more successfully show to those
who cultivate them, the superior beaut)
and excellency of the cross. If he
studies the plans and tUe employments
I. CORINTHIANS.
fA. D. 59.
3 A r 1 I was with you in
weakness, and in fear, and
much trembling.
in
r f men, it is that he may more success-
fully meet them in those plans, and
more successfully speak to them of the
great plan of redemption. (4.) The
preaching of the cross is the only kind
of preaching that will be attended with
success. Thar which has in it much
respecting the divine mission, the dig-
nity, the works, the doctrines, the per-
son, and the atonement of Christ, will
DC successful. So it was in the time
of the apostles ; so it was in the refor-
mation; so it was in the Moravian
missions ; so it has been in all revivals
of religion. There is a power about
that kind of preaching which philo-
sophy and human reason have not.
" Christ is God's great ordinance" for
the salvation of the world ; and we
meet the crimes and alleviate the woes
of the world, just in proportion as we
hold the cross up as appointed to over-
come the one, and to pour tne balm of
consolation into the other.
3. And I was with you Paul con-
tinued there at least a year and six
months. Acts xviii. 11. ^ In weakness.
In conscious feebleness ; diffident of my
own powers, and not trusting to my
own strength. ^ And in fear, and in
much trembling. Paul was sensible
that he had many enemies to encoun-
ter (Acts xviii. 6.) : and he was sensi-
ble of his own natural disadvantages
as a public speaker. 2 Cor. x. 10. He
knew too, how much the Greeks valued
a manly and elegant species of oratory ;
and he, therefore, delivered his message
with deep and anxious solicitude as to
the success. It was at this time, and
in view of these circumstances, that
the Lord spoke to him by night in a
vision, and said, " be not afraid, but
speak, and hold not thy peace ; for I
am with thee, and no man shall set on
ihee to hurt thee ; for I have much
people in this city." Acts xviii. 9, 10.
If Paul was conscious of weakness,
well may other ministers be : and if
4 And my speech and my
preaching was not with 1 en-
* or, persuasible.
Paul sometimes trembled in deep soli-
citude about the result of his message,
well may other ministers tremble also.
It was in such circumstances, and with
such feelings, that the Lord met him to
encourage him. And it is when other
ministers feel thus, that the promises
of the gospel are inestimably precious.
We may add, that it is then, and then
only, that they are successful. Not-
withstanding all Paul's fears, he was
successful there. And it is commonly,
perhaps always, when ministers go to
their work conscious of their own
weakness; burdened with the weight
of their message ; diffident of their
own powers ; and deeply solicitous
about the result of their labours, that
God sends down his Spirit, and con-
verts sinners to God. The most suc-
cessful ministers have been men who
have evinced most of this feeling ; and
most of the revivals of religion have
commenced, and continued, just as
ministers have preached, conscious of
their own feebleness, distrusting their
own powers, and looking to God for
aid and strength.
4. And my speech. The word
speech here if it is to be distinguished
from preaching refers, perhaps, to his
more private reasonings ; his preaching
to his public discourses. ^ Not with
enticing words. Not with the per-
suasive reasonings (Trv&bis XO'^-OK) of
the wisdom of men. Not with that
kind of oratory that was adapted to
captivate and charm ; and which the
Greeks so much esteemed, t But in
demonstration. In the showing (aTro-
Ja) ; or in the testimony or evidence
which the spirit produced. The mean-
ing is, that the spirit furnished the evi-
dence of the divine origin of the reli
gion which he preached, and that it
did not depend for its proof on his own
reasonings or eloquence. The proof,
the demonstration which the spirit fur-
nished was, undoubtedly, the miracles
A.D. 59.]
tidin words of
CHAPTER II.
man's wisdom,
but in demonstration b of the
Spirit and of power :
aiIPet.1.16. b lThess.1.5.
5 That your faith should not
1 stand in the wisdom of men
but in the power of God.
which were wrought; the gift of
tongues ; and the remarkable conver-
sions which attended the gospel. The
word Spirit here refers, doubtless, to
.he Holy Spirit ; and Paul says that
this Spirit had furnished demonstration
of the divine origin and nature of the
gospel. This had been by the gift of
tongues (ch. i. 5 7. Comp. ch. xiv.),
and by the effects of his agency in re-
newing and sanctifying the heart.
t And of power. That is, of the
power of God (ver. 5) ; the divine
power and efficacy which attended the
preaching of the gospel there. Cornp.
1 Thess. i. 5. The effect of the gospel
is the evidence to which the apostle
appeals for its truth. That effect was
seen, (1.) in the conversion of sinners
to God of all classes, ages, and condi-
tions, when all human means of re-
forming them was vain. (2.) In its
giving them peace, joy, and happiness ;
and in its transforming their lives. (3.)
In making them different men in
making the drunkard sober ; the thief
honest ; the licentious pure ; the pro-
fane reverent ; the indolent industri-
ous ; the harsh and unkind, gentle and
Kind ; and the wretched happy. (4.)
In its diffusing a mild and pure influ-
ence over the laws and customs of so-
ciety ; and in promoting human hap-
piness everywhere. And in regard to
this evidence to which the apostle ap-
peals, we may observe, (1.) That is a
kind of evidence which any one may
examine, and which no one can deny.
It does not need laboured, abstruse ar-
gumentation, but it is everywhere in
society . Every man has witnessed the
effects of the gospel in reforming the
vicious, and no one can deny that it
has this power. (2.) It is a mighty
display of the power of God. There
is no more striking exhibition of his
power over mind than in a revival of
religion. There is nowhere more ma-
nifest demonstration of his presence
than when, in such a revival, the proud
are humbled, the profane are awed, the
blasphemer is silenced, and the profli-
gate, the abandoned, and the moral are
converted unto God, and are led as lost
sinners to the same cross, and find the
same peace. (3.) The gospel has thus
evidenced from age to age that it is
from God. Every converted sinner
furnishes such a demonstration ; and
every instance where it produces peace,
hope, joy, shows that it is from heaven.
5. That your faith. That is, that
your belief of the divine origin of the
Christian religion. ^ Should not
stand. Greek, should not be ,' that
is, should not rest upon this ; or be sus
tained by this. God intended to furnish
you a firm and solid demonstration that
the religion which you embraced was
from him ; and this could not be if
its preaching had been attended with
the graces of eloquence, or the abstrac-
tions of refined metaphysical reasoning.
It would then appear to rest on human
wisdom, If In the. power of God. In
the evidence of divine power accom-
panying the preaching of the gospel.
The power of God would attend the
exhibition of truth everywhere ; and
would be a demonstration that would
irresistible that the religion was not
originated by man, but was from heaven.
That power was seen in changing the
leart ; in overcoming the strong propen-
sities of our nature to sin ; in subduing
;he soul ; and making the sinner a new
creature in Christ Jesus. Every Chris-
ian has thus, in his own experience,
"urnished demonstration that the religion
which he loves is from God, and not
from man. Man could not subdue these
sins ; and man could not so entirely
transform the soul. And although the
unlearned Christian may not be able to
investigate all the evidences of religion ;
although he cannot meet all the objeo
44
1. CORINTHIANS.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom
among them a that are perfect :
a Fhil.3.1*
tions of cunning and subtle infidels,
although he may be greatly perplexed
and embarrassed by them, yet he may
have the fullest proof that he loves
God, that he is different from what he
once was ; and that all this has been
accomplished by the religion of. the
cross. The blind man that was made
to see by the Saviour (John x.), might
have been wholly unable to tell how
his eyes were opened, and unable
to meet all the cavils of those who
might doubt it, or all the subtle and
cunning objections of physiologists, but
of one thing he certainly could not
doubt, that " whereas he was blind, he
then saw." John x. 25. A man may
have no doubt that the sun shines, that
the wind blows, that the tides rise, that
the blood flows in his veins, that the
flowers bloom, and that this could not
be except it was from God, while he
may have no power to explain these
facts ; and no power to meet the objec-
tions and cavils of those who might
choose to embarrass him. So men may
know that their hearts are changed ;
and it is on this ground that no small
part of the Christian world, as in every
tiling else, depend for the most satis-
factory evidence of their religion. On
this ground humble and unlearned
Christians have been often willing to go
to the stake as martyrs just as a
humble and unlearned patriot is will-
ing to die for his country. He loves
it ; and he is willing to die for it. A
Christian loves his God and Saviour ;
a.id is willing to die for his sake.
6. How be it. But (/) This
commences the second head or argu-
ment in this chapter, in which Paul
shows that if human wisdom is want-
ing in his preaching, it is not devoid
of true, and solid, and even divine
wisdom. Bloortifield. If We speak
wisdom. We do not admit that we
utter foolishness. We have spoken of
the foolishness of preaching (ch. i. 21) ;
yet not the
[A.D. 59.
wisdom of th:
world, nor of the princes of thi
and of the estimate in which it wa
held by the world (ch. i. 2228)
and of our own manner among you &
not laying claim to human learning o
eloquence ; but we do not design t<
admit that we have been really speak-
ing folly. We have been uttering that
which is truly wise, but which is sees,
and understood to be such only by
those who are qualified to judge by
those who may be denominated " per-
fect," that is, those who are fitted by
God to understand it. By " wisdom"
here, the apostle means that system of
truth which he had explained and de-
fended the plan of salvation by the
cross of Christ. 1 Among them that
are perfect (tv <ro?f Texs/s/?). This word
" perfect" is here evidently applied to
Christians, as it is in Phil. iii. 15,
" Let us, therefore, as many as be per-
fect, be thus minded." And it is clearly
used to denote those who were advanced
in Christian knowledge ; who were
qualified to understand the subject ;
who had made progress in the know-
ledge of the mysteries of the gospel ;
and who thus saw its excellence. It
does not mean here that they were sin-
less, for the argument of the apostle
does not bear on that inquiry, but that
they were qualified to understand the
gospel in contradistinction from the
gross, the sensual, and the carnally mind-
ed, who rejected it as foolishness. There
is, perhaps, here an allusion to the hea-
then mysteries, where those who had
been fully initiated were said to be
perfect fully instructed in those rites
and doctrines. And if so, then this
passage means, that those only who
have been fully instructed in the know-
ledge of the Christian religion, will be
qualified to see its beauty and its wis-
dom. The gross and sensual do not
see it, and those only who are enlight-
ened by the Holy Spirit are qualified to
appreciate its beauty and its excellency.
^ Not the wisdom of the vwrld. Not
A. 1). 59.]
CHAPTER II.
45
world that come to a naught:
7 But we speak the wisdom
of God in a mystery, even the
a Ps.33.10.
that which this world has originated
or loved, t Nor of the princes of this
world. Pei haps intending chiefly here
the rulers of the Jews. See ver. 8.
They neither devised it, nor loved it,
nor saw its wisdom, ver. 8. ^ That
come to naught. That is, whose plans
fail ; whose wisdom vanishes ; and who
themselves, with all their pomp and
splendour, come to nothing in the grave.
Comp. Isa. xiv. All the plans of hu-
man wisdom shall fail ; and this which
is originated by God only shall stand.
7. But we speak. We who have
preached the gospel. ^ The wisdom
of God. We teach or proclaim the
wise plan of God for the salvation of
men ; we make known the divine wis-
dom in regard to the scheme of human
redemption. This plan was of God, in
opposition to other plans which were
of men. ^ In a mystery, even the
hidden wisdo.n (tv /u.u<rr>iia> TUV arro-
fcsxgiyAyMJw). The words " even" and
" wisdom" in this translation have been
supplied by our translators ; and the
sense would be more perspicuous if
they were omitted, and the translation
should be literally made, ' We pro-
claim the divine wisdom hidden in
a mystery.' The apostle does not say
that their preaching was mysterious,
nor that their doctrine was unintelligi-
ble, but he refers to the fact that this
wisdom had been hidden in a mystery
from men until that time, but was then
revealed by the gospel. In other words,
he does not say that what they then
declared was hidden in a mystery, but
that they made known the divine wis-
dom which had been concealed from the
minds of men. The word mystery
with us is commonly used in the sense
of that which is beyond comprehen-
sion; and it is often applied to such
doctrines as exhibit difficulties which
we are not able to explain. But
this is not the sense in which it is corn-
hidden * wisdom, which God
ordained before the world unto
our glory :
6 Eph.3.5,9.
monly used in the Scriptures. See Note,
Matt. xiii. 11. Comp. Campbell on the
Gospels, Diss. ix. part i. The word
properly denotes that which is conceal-
ed or hidden ; that which has not yet
been made known ; and is applied to
those truths which until the revelation
of Jesus Christ were concealed from
men, which were either hidden under
obscure types and shadows or prophe-
cies, or which had been altogether un-
revealed, and unknown to the world.
The word stands opposed to that which
is revealed, not to that which is in it-
self plain. The doctrines to which the
word relates may oe in themselves clear
and simple, but they are hidden in
mystery until they are revealed. From
this radical idea in the word mystery,
however, it came also to be applied not
only to those doctrines which had not
been made known, but to those also
which weie in themselves deep and
difficult : to that which is enigmatical
and obscure. 1 Cor. xiv. 2. 1 Tim.
iii. 16. It is applied also to the secret
designs and purposes of God. Rev. x. 7.
The word is most commonly applied by
Paul to the secret and long concealed
design of God to make known his gos-
pel to the Gentiles ; to break down the
wall between them and the Jews; and
to spread the blessings of the true re-
ligion everywhere. Rom. xi. 25 ; xvi.
25. Eph. i. 9 ; iii. 9 ; vi. 19. Here, it
evidently means the beauty and ex
cellency of the person and plans of Je-
sus Christ, but which were ix FACT
unknown to the princes of this world.
It does not imply, of necessity, that they
could not have understood them, nor that
they were unintelligible, but that, in fact
whatever was the cause, they were con-
cealed from them. Paul says (ver. 8),
that had they known his wisdom, they
would not have crucified him which
implies at least that it was not in itseli
unintelligible ; and he further Fays, thai
46
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
8 Which none of the princes
of this
world knew :
a Luke 23.34.
for a had
this mystery had been revealed to Chris-
tians by the Spirit of God, which proves
that he does not here refer to that which
is in itself unintelligible, ver. 10. " The
apostle has here especially in view the
all-wise counsel of God for the salvation
of men by Jesus Christ, in the writings
of the Old Testament only obscurely sig
nified, and to the generality of men utter-
ly unknown." Bloomfidd. J Which
God ordained. Which plan, so full of
wisdom, God appointed in his own pur-
pose before the foundation of the world ;
that is, it was a plan which from eter-
nity he determined to execute. It was
not a new device ; it had not been got
up to serve an occasion ; but it was a
plan laid deep in the eternal counsel of
God, and on which he had his eye for-
ever fixed. This passage proves, that
God had a plan, and that this plan was
eternal. This is all that is involved in
the doctrine of eternal decrees or pur-
poses. And if God had a plan about
this, there is the same reason to think
that he had a plan in regard to all
things. Tf Unto our glory. In order
that we might be honoured or glorified.
This may refer either to the honour
which was put upon Christians in this
life, in being admitted to the privileges
of the sons of God ; or more probably
to that " eternal weight of glory" which
remains for them in heaven. 2 Cor.
iv. 17. One design of that plan was to
raise the redeemed to "glory, and ho-
nour, and immortality." It should great-
ly increase our gratitude to God, that
it was a subject of eternal design ; that
he always has cherished this purpose ;
and that he has loved us with such love,
and sought our happiness and salvation
with such intensity, that in order to ac-
complish it, he was willing to give his
own Son to die on a cross.
8. W kick none of the princes. None
of those rulers who were engaged in
Ihe crucifixion of the Messiah, referring
both to the Jewish rulers, and the Ro-
they known it, they would not
have crucified the Lord of Glory
man governor. | Knew. They did
not perceive or appreciate the excel-
lency of his character, the wisdom of
his plan, the glory of his scheme of
salvation. Their ignorance arose from
not understanding the prophecies, and
from an unwillingness to be convinced
that Jesus of Nazareth had been truly
sent by God. In Acts iii. 17, Peter
says that it was through ignorance that
the Jews had put him to death. See
Note on this place. ^ For had they
known it. Had they fully understood
his character, and seen the wisdom of
his plan, and his work, they would no*
have put him to death. See Note on
Acts iii. 17. Had they seen the hid
den wisdom in that plan had they
understood the glory of his real cha-
racter, the truth respecting his incarna-
tion, and the fact that he was the long
expected Messiah of their nation, they
would not have put him to death. It
is incredible that they would have cru
cified their Messiah, knowing and be-
lieving him to be such. They might
have known it, but they were unwilling
to examine the evidence. They ex-
pected a different Messiah, and were
unwilling to admit the claims of Jesus
of Nazareth. For this ignorance, how-
ever, there was no excuse. If they
had not a full knowledge, it was their
own fault. Jesus had performed mira-
cles which were a complete attestation
to his divine mission (John v. 36 ; x.
25) ; but they closed their eyes on
those works, and were unwilling to be
convinced. God always gives to men
sufficient demonstration of the truth,
but they close their eyes, and are un-
willing to believe. This is the sole
reason why they are not converted to
God and saved, t They would not
have crucified. It is perfectly manifest
that the Jews would not have crucified
their own Messiah, knowing him to be
such. He was the hope and expecta
*4on of their nation. All their desirea
A.D.59]
CHAPTER II.
47
9 But, as it is written, Eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard,
a Isa.G4.4.
were centred in him. And to him
they looked for deliverance from all
their foes. 1 The Lord of glory. This
expression is a Hebraism, and means
' the glorious Lord ;' or the ' Messiah.'
Expressions like this, where a noun
performs the office of an adjective, are
common in the Hebrew language.
Grotius supposes that the expression is
taken from that of " the King of glory,"
in Ps. xxiv. 7 9.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates,
Be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors,
And the Kins of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory 1
JEHOVAH, strong anal mighty ;
JEHOVAH, mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates ;
Lift them up, ye everlasting doors ;
And the Kins of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory ?
JEHOVAH of hosts, he is the King of glory.
God is called " the God of glory" in
Acts vii. 2. The fact that this appella-
tion is given to JEHOVAH in the Old
Testament, and to the Lord Jesus in the
verse before us, is one of those inci-
dental circumstances which show how
the Lord Jesus was estimated by the
apostles ; and how familiarly they ap-
plied to him names and titles which
belong only to God. The founda-
tion of this appellation is laid in his
exalted perfections ; and in the honour
and majesty which he had with the
Father before the world was. John
xvii. 1 5.
9. But as it is written. This pas-
sage is quoted from Isa. Ixiv. 4. It is
not quoted literally ; but the sense only
is given. The words are found in the
apocryphal books of Elijah ; and Origen
and Jerome supposed that Paul quoted
from those books. But it is evident
that Paul had in his eye the passage in
Isaiah ; and intended to apply it to his
present purpose. These words are often
applied by commentators and others to
the future life, and are supposed by therr
to be descriptive of the state of the bless-
ed there. But against the supposition
neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which
that they refer directly to the future state,
there are insuperable objections. (1.)
The first is, that the passage in Isaiah
has no such reference. In that place it is
designed clearly to describe the blessed
ness of those who were admitted to the
divine favour; who had communion
with God ; and to whom God manifest-
ed himself as their friend. That bless-
edness is said to be superior to all that
men elsewhere enjoy ; to be such as
could be found nowhere else but in
God. See Isa. Ixiv. 1.4,5.8. It is
used there, as Paul uses it, to denote
the happiness which results from the
communication of the divine favour to
the soul. (3.) The object of the apos-
tle is not to describe the future state of
the redeemed. It is to prove that those
who are Christians have true wisdom
(ver. 6, 7) ; or that they have views of
truth, and of the excellence of the plan
of salvation which the world has not,
and which those who crucified the Lord
Jesus did not possess. The thing which
he is describing here, is not merely the
happiness of Christians, but their views
of the wisdom of the plan of salvation
They have views of that which the
eye of other men have not seen ; a
view of wisdom, and fitness, and beauty
which can be found in no other plan.
It is true that this view is attended
with a high degree of comfort ; but the
comfort is not the immediate thing in
the eye of the apostle. (3.) The de-
claration in ver. 10, is conclusive proof
that Paul does not refer to the happi-
ness of heaven. He there says that
God has revealed these things to Chris-
tians by his Spirit. But if already reveal-
ed, assuredly it does not refer to that
which is yet to come. But although this
does not refer directly to heaven, there
may be an application of the passage to a
future state in an indirect manner, which
is not improper. If there are such mani-
festations of wisdom in the plan here
if Christians see so much of its beauty
48
1. CORINTHIANS.
God hath prepared lor them that
love him.
here on earth ; and if their views so
far surpass all that the world sees and
enjoys, how much greater and purer
will be the manifestations of wisdom
and goodness in the world of glory.
If Eye hath not seen. This is the
same as saying, that no one had ever
fully perceived and understood the
value and beauty of those things which
God had prepared for his people. All
the world had been strangers to this
until God made a revelation to his peo-
ple by his Spirit. The blessedness
which the apostle referred to had been
unknown alike to the Jews and the
Gentiles, ^ Nor ear heard. We
learn the existence and quality of ob-
jects by the external senses ; and those
senses are used to denote any acquisi-
tion of knowledge. To say that the
eye had not seen, nor the ear heard,
was, therefore, the same as saying that
it was not known at all. All men had
been ignorant of it. f Neither have
entered into the heart of man. No
man has conceived it ; or understood it.
It is new ; and is above all that man
has seen, and felt, and known, f The
things which God hath prepared. The
things which God " has held in re-
serve" (Bloomjield} ; that is, what
God has appointed in the gospel for his
people. The thing to which the apos-
tle here refers particularly, is the wis-
dom which was revealed in the gospel ;
but he also intends, doubtless, to in-
clude all the provisions of mercy and
happiness which the gospel makes
known to the people of God. Those
things relate, to the pardon of sin ;
to the atonement, and to justifica-
tion by faith; to the peace and joy
which religion imparts ; to the com-
plete and final redemption from sin
and death which the gospel is fitted to
produce, and which it will ultimately
effect. In all these respects, the bless-
ings which the gospel confers, surpass
the full comprehension of men; and
are infinitely beyond all that man could
LA. D. 59
10 But a God hath revealed
them unto us by his Spirit : for
a Jno.16.13.
know or experience without the reli-
gion of Christ. And if on earth the
gospel confers such blessings on its
friends, how much higher and purer
shall be the joys which it shall bestow
'n heaven !
10. But God hath revealed them.
That is, those elevated views and en-
joyments to which men everywhere
else had been strangers, and which
have been under all other forms of re-
ligion unknown, have been communi-
cated to us by the revelation of God.
This verse commences the third part
of this chapter, in which the apostle
shows how these truths, so full of wis-
dom, had been communicated to Chris-
tians. It had not been by any native
endowments of theirs ; not by any
strength of faculties, or powers, but
solely by revelation from God. 1 Unto
us. That is, first to the apostles ; se-
condly, to all Christians to the church
and the world through their inspired
instructers ; and third, to all Christiana
by the illuminating agency of the spirit
on their hearts. The connexion shows
that he did not mean to confine this de-
claration to the apostles merely, for his
design was to show that all Christians
had this knowledge of the true wis-
dom. It was true that this was reveal
ed in an eminent manner to the apos-
tles, and through their inspired preach-
ing and writings; but it is also true,
that the same truths are communicated
by the agency of the same Spirit to all
Christians. John xvi. 12 14. No
truth is now communicated to Chris-
tians which was not revealed to and
by the inspired writers ; but the same
truths are imparted by means of their
writings, and by the illumination of
the Spirit to all the true friends of God.
f By his Spirit. By the Holy Spirit,
that was promised by the Saviour.
John xiv. 26 ; xv. 26, 27 ; xvi. 714.
This proves, (1.) That men by nature
are not able to discover the deep things
of God the truths which are needful
A.. 1). 59 J
CHAPTER II.
49
the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the tljep a things of God.
a Rom.11.33.
to salvation. (2.) That the apostles
were inspired by the Holy Ghost ; and
if so, then the Scriptures are inspired.
(3.) That all Christians are the sub-
jects of the teaching of the Holy
Spirit; that these truths are made
known to them by his illumination ;
and that but for this, they would re-
main in the same darkness as other
men. f For the Spirit. The Holy
Spirit, or the Spirit of God. See ver.
11. t Searcheth. This word does
not fully express the force of the ori-
ginal (*>*'). It means to search ac-
curately, diligently, so as fully to un-
ierstand ; such profound research as to
'lave thorough knowledge. So David
ases the Hebrew word npn in Ps.
cxxxix. 1. So the word is used to de-
note a careful and accurate investiga-
tion of secret and obscure things, in
\ Pet. i. 11. Comp. John viL 52. Rom.
viii. 27. Rev. ii. 23, where it is used to
denote that profound and accurate
search by which the desires and feel-
ings of the heart are known imply-
ing the most profound knowledge of
which we can have any conception.
See Prov. xx. 27. Here it means, that
the Holy Spirit has an intimate know-
ledge of all things. It is not to be
supposed that he searches, or inquires
as men do who are ignorant ; but that
he has an intimate and profound know-
ledge, such as is usually the result of a
close and accurate search. The result
is what the apostle means to state
the accurate, profound, and thorough
knowledge, such as usually attends
research. He does not state the mode
in which it is obtained ; but the fact.
And he uses a word more emphatic
than simple knowledge, because he de-
signs to indicate that his knowledge is
profound, entire, and thorough. ^ All
things. All subjects ; all laws ; all
events ; all beings. 1 The deep things
of God. He has a thorough know-
ledge of the hidden counsels or pur-
poses of God ; of all his plans and
5
1 1 For what b man knoweth
the things of a man, save the
b Prov. 14. 10.
purposes. He sees all his designs.
He sees all his counsels; all his pur-
poses in regard to the government of
the universe, and the scheme of salva-
tion. He knows all whom God do-
signs to save ; he sees all that they
need ; and he sees how the plan of
God is fitted to their salvation. This
passage proves, (1.) That the Spirit is,
in some respects, distinct from the Fa-
ther, or from him who is here called
God. Else how could he be said to
search all things, even the deep pur-
poses of God I To search implies ac-
tion, thought, personality. An attri-
bute of God cannot be said to search.
How could it be said of the justice, the
goodness, the power, or the wisdom of
God that it searches, or acts ? To
search, is the action of an intelligent
agent, and cannot be performed by
an attribute. (2.) The Spirit is om-
niscient. He searches or clearly un-
derstands "all things" the very defini-
tion of omniscience. He understands
all the profound plans and counsels of
God. And how can there be a higher
demonstration of omniscience than to
know God ? But if omniscient, the
Holy Spirit is divine for this is one of
the incommunicable attributes of God.
1 Chron. xxviii. 9. Ps. cxxxix. 1. Jer.
xvii. 10. (3.) He is not a distinct
being from God. There is a union
between him and God, such as may be
compared to the union between a man
and his soul. ver. 11. God is one;
and though he subsists as Father, Son,
and Spirit, yet he is one God. Deut. vi.
4. This passage is, therefore, a very
important, and a decisive one in regard
to the personality and divinity of the
Holy Spirit.
1 1. For what man, fec. The de-
sign of this is, to Illustrate what he
had just said by a reference to the way
in which man acquires the knowledge
of himself. The purpose is to show
that the Spirit has an exact and
tJtorough knowledge of the things of
I. CORINTHIANS.
fpirit of man which is in him ?
even so a the things of God
knoweth no man, but the Spirit
of God.
aRom.ll.3b.34.
God ; and this is done by the very
striking thought that no man can know
his own mind, his own plans and in-
tentions, but himself his own spirit.
The essential idea is, that no man can
know another ; that his thoughts and
designs can only be known by himself,
or by his own spirit ; and that unless
he chooses to reveal them to others, they
cannot ascertain them. So of God.
No man can penetrate his designs;
and unless he chooses to make them
known by his Spirit, they must for
ever remain inscrutable to human
view. ^ The things of a man. The
'deep things' the hidden counsels,
thoughts, plans, intentions. * Save
the spirit of man, &c. Except his
own mind; i. e. himself. No other
man can fully know them. By the
spirit of man here, Paul designs to de-
note the human soul or the intellect
of man. It is not to be supposed that
he here intends to convey the idea that
there is a perfect resemblance between
the relation which the soul of man
bears to the man, and the relation
which the Holy Spirit bears to God.
The illustration is to be taken in re-
gard to the point immediately before
him which is, that no one could
know and communicate the deep
thoughts and plans of God except his
Spirit just as no one could penetrate
into the intentions of a man, and fully
know them, but himself. The passage
proves, therefore, that there is a know-
ledge which the Spirit has of God,
which no man, no angel can obtain,
just as every man's spirit has a know-
ledge of his own plans which no other
man can obtain ; that the Spirit of God
can communicate his plans and deep
designs, just as a man can communi-
cate his own intentions ; and conse-
quently, that while there is a distinc-
tion of some kind between the Spirit
[A. I) o9
12 Now we hive received,
not h the spirit of the world,
but the Spirit which is of God
that e we might know the things
b Rom.8.15. c Uno^.20.
of God and God, as there is a di
tinction which makes it proper to say
that a man has an intelligent soul, yei
there is such a profound and intimate
knowledge of God by the Spirit, that
he must be equal with him ; and such
an intimate union, that he can be called
" the Spirit of God," and be one with
God, as the human soul can be called
" the spirit of the man," and be one
with him. In all respects we are not to
suppose that there is a similarity. In
these points there is. It may be added
that the union, the oneness of the
Spirit of God with God, is no more
absurd or inexplicable than the unit n
of the spirit of man with the man ; or
the oneness of the complex person
made up of body and soul, which we
call man. When men have explained
all the difficulties about themselves in
regard to their own bodies and spirits,
it will be time to advance objections
against the doctrines here stated in re-
gard to God. f Even so. To the
same extent ; in like manner. ^ The
things of God. His deep purposes
and plans, f Knoweth no man. Man
cannot search into them any more
than one man can search the inten
tions of another.
12. Now we have received. "Wt
who are Christians ; and especial!)
we, the apostles. The following verge
shows that he had himself and U>
other apostles chiefly in view ; though
it is true of all Christians that they
have received, not the spirit of this
world, but the spirit which is of God.
1 Not the spirit of the world. Not
the wisdom and knowledge which th:
world can give not the learning and
philosophy which were so much valued
in Greece. The views of truth which
we have, are not such as this world
gives, but are such as are communi-
cated by the Spir t of God. . 1 But the
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER II.
51 -
that are freely given to us of
God.
13 Which things also we
speak, not in the words which
a c.l. 17.
Spirit which is of God. We are un-
der the teachings and influence of the
Holy Spirit. If That we might know.
That we might fully understand and
appreciate. The Spirit is given to us
in order that we might fully under-
stand the favours which God has con-
ferred on us in the gospel. It was not
only necessary that God should grant
the blessings of redemption by the gift
of his Son, but, such was the hardness
and blindness of the human heart, it
was needful that he should grant his
Holy Spirit also, that men might be
brought fully to see and appreciate the
value of those favours. For men do
not see them by nature ; neither does
any one see them who is not enlight-
ened by the Holy Spirit of God. J The
things that are freely given us. That
are conferred on us as a matter of
grace or favour. He here refers to the
blessings of redemption the pardon
of sin, justification, sanctification, the
divine favour and protection, and the
hope of eternal life. These things we
know ,' they are not matters of conjec-
ture ; but are surely and certainly con-
firmed to us by the Holy Spirit. It is
possible for all Christians to know and
be fully assured of the truth of those
things, and of their interest in them.
13. Which things we speak. Which
great, and glorious, and certain truths,
we, the apostles, preach and explain.
^ Not in the rvords which man's wis-
dom teacheth. Not such as human
philosophy or eloquence would dictate.
They do not have their origin in the
devices of human wisdom, and they
are not expressed in such words of daz-
zling and attractive rhetoric as would
be employed by those who pride them-
selves on the wisdom of this world.
t But which the Holy Ghost teacheth.
That is, in the words which the Holy
Ghost imparts to us. Locke under-
stands this as referring to the fact that
the apostles used ' the language and
expressions" which the Holy Ghost
had taught in the revelations of the
Scriptures. But this is evidently giving
a narrow view of the subject, The
apostle is speaking of the whole course
of instruction by which the deep things
of God were made known to the Chris-
tian church ; and all this was not made
known in the very words which were
already contained in the Old Testament.
He evidently refers to the fact that the
apostles were themselves under the di-
rection of the Holy Spirit, in the words-
arid doctrines which they imparted;
and this passage is a full proof that
they laid claim to divine inspiration.
It is further observable that he says,
that this was done in such " words" as
the Holy Ghost taught, referring not to
the doctrines or subjects merely, but to
the manner of expressing them. It is
evident here that he lays claim to an
inspiration in regard to the words
which he used, or to the manner of hi
stating the doctrines of revelation.
Words are the signs of thoughts ; and
if God designed that his truth should
be accurately expressed in human lan-
guage, there must have been a super-
vision over the words used, that such
should be employed, and such only, as
should accurately express the sense
which he intended to convey. ^ Com-
paring spiritual things with spiritual
This expression has been very variously
interpreted ; and is very difficult of ex
planation. Le Clerc renders it " speak-
ing spiritual things to spiritual men."
Most of the fathers rendered it " com-
paring the things which were written
by the Spirit of the Old Testamert
with what is now revealed to us by the
same pnit, and confirming our doc
trine by them." Calvin renders the
word " comparing" by Jilting, 01
adapting (aptare), and says that it
means " that he adapted spiritual
things to spiritual men wnile he ec
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D.
man s wisdom teacheth, but
which llie Holy Ghost teacheth ;
sommodated words to the thing ; that.
is, he tempered that celestial wisdom
of the Spirit with simple language, and
which conveyed by itself the native
energy of the Spirit." Thus, says he,
he reproved the vanity of those who
attempted to secure human applause
bv a turgid and subtle mode of argu-
ment. Grotius accords with the fa-
thers, and renders it, " explaining those
things which the prophets spake by
the Spirit of God, by those things
which Christ has made known to us
by his Spirit." Macknight lenders it,
"explaining spiritual things in words
taught by the Spirit." So Dodd ridge.
The word rendered " comparing" (0-1/3,-
K<VSVT;), means properly to collect,
join, mingle, unite together ; then to
separate or distinguish parts of things
and unite them into one; then to judge
of the qualities of objects by carefully
separating or distinguishing ; then to
compare for the purpose of judging,
&c As it means to compare one
thing with another for the purpose of
explaining its nature, it comes to sig-
nify, to interpret, to explain ; and in
this sense it is often used by the LXX.
as a translation of nno Phathar, to
open, unfold, explain. (See Gen. xl.
8. 16. 22 ; xli. 12. 15.) ; also of cno,
to explain (Num. xv. 32) ; and of
the Chaldee cno, (Dan. v. 13. 17).
See also Dan. ii. 47. 9. 16. 24.
26. 30. 36. 45; iv. 3, 4. 6. 16, 17; v.
7,8. 13. 16. 18. 20; vii. 16, in all
which places the noun <rvyx.f>irK, is
used in the same sense. In this sense
the word is, doubtless, used here, and
is to be interpreted in the sense of ex-
plaining, unfolding. There is no
reason, either in the word here used,
or in the argument of the apostle, why
the sense of comparing should be re-
tained, f Spiritual things (Trvfujux-
r/wa). Things, doctrines, subjects that
pertain to the teaching of the Spirit.
It does not mean things spiritual in
opposition to fleshly ; or intellectual in
comparing spiritual things with
spiritual.
opposition to things pertaining to mat-
ter f but spiritual as the things referred
to were such as were wrought, and
revealed by the Holy Spirit his doc-
trines on the subject of religion undei
the new dispensation, and his influence
on the heart. ^ With spiritual (jrvvu'
^c/xi?c). This is an adjective ; and
may be either masculine or neuter. It
is evident that some noun is under-
stood. That may be either, (1.) t&gu>-
57-o/c, men and then it will mean " to
spiritual men" that is, to men who
are enlightened or taught by the spirit,
and thus many commentators under-
stand it; or, (2.) It may be te-yw,
words and then it may mean, either
that the " spiritual things" were ex
plained by " words" and illustrations
drawn from the writings of the Old
Testament, inspired by the Spirit as
most of the fathers, and many moderns
understand it ; or that the " things spi-
ritual" were explained by words which
the Holy Spirit then communicated,
and which were adapted to the subject
simple, pure, elevated ; not gross,
not turgid, not distinguished for rhe-
toric, and not such as the Greeks
sought, but such as became the Spirit
of God communicating great, sublime,
yet simple truths to men. It will then
mean 'explaining doctrines that per-
tain to the Spirit's teaching and influ-
ence in words that are taught by the
same Spirit, and that are fitted to con-
vey in the most intelligible manner
those doctrines to men.' Here the
idea of the Holy Spirit's present agency
is kept up throughout; the idea that
he communicates the doctrine, and the
mode of stating it to man. The sup-
position that teyw, ivords, is the word
understood here, is favoured by the
fact that it occurs in the previous part
of this verse. And if this be the sense,
it means that the words which were
used by the apostles were pure, simple,
unostentatious, and undistinguished by
display such as became doctrines
A D. 59. J
CHAPTER II.
53
14 But the naiural man re-
ceiveth a not the things of the
a Matt.l3.11,&c. Rom.8.5,7.
taught by the Holy Spirit, when com-
municated in words suggested by the
same Spirit.
14. But the natural man (-lo%Moc
ft avS-gartTGc). The word natural here
lands opposed evidently to spiritual.
It denotes those who are governed and
influenced by the natural instincts ; the
animal passions and desires, in opposi-
tion to those who are influenced by the
Spirit of God. It refers to unregenerate
men ; but it has also not merely the idea
of their being unregenerate, but that of
their being influenced by the animal pas-
sions or desires. See Note on ch. xv.
44. The word sensual would correctly
express the idea. The word is used by
the Greek writers to denote that which
man has in common with the brutes
to denote that they are under the influ-
ence of the senses, or the mere animal
nature, in opposition to reason and con-
science. Bretschneider. See 1 Thess.
v. 23. Here it denotes that they are
under the influence of the senses, or
the animal nature, in opposition to be-
ing influenced by the Spirit of God.
Madtnight and Doddridge render it " the
animal man." Whitby understands by
it the man who rejects revelation, the
man who is under the influence of car-
nal wisdom. The word occurs but six
times in the New Testament: 1 Cor.
xv. 44. 44. 46. James iii. 15. Jude 19.
In 1 Cor. xv. 44. 44. 40, it is rendered
" natural," and is applied to the body
as it exists before death, in contradis-
tinction from that which shall exist after
ihe resurrection called a spiritual body.
In James iii. 15, it is applied to wis-
dom, " This wisdom is earthly,
sensual, devilish." In Jude 19, it is
applied to sensual persons, or those who
arc governed by the senses in opposition
to those who are influenced by the
Spirit : " These be they who separate
themselves, sensual, having not the
Spirit." The word here evidently de-
notes those who are under the influence
B*
Spirit of God : for they are fool
ishness unto him : neither can
of the senses ; who are governed by
the passions and the animal appetites,
and natural desires ; and who arc unin-
fluenced by the Spirit of God. And it
may be observed that this was the case
with the great mass of the heathen
world, even including the philosophers.
f Receiveth not (oi> &%&**), does not
embrace or comprehend them. That is,
he rejects them as folly ; he does not
perceive their beauty, or their wisdom ;
he despises them. He loves other
things better. A man of intemperance
does not receive or love the arguments
for temperance ; a man of licentious-
ness, the arguments for chastity ; a liar,
the arguments for truth. So a sensual
or worldly man does not receive or love
the arguments for religion. 1 Tht
things of the Spirit of God. The doc-
trines which are inspired by the Holy
Spirit, and the things which pertain
to his influence on the heart and life.
The things of thu Spirit of God here
denote all the things which the Holy
Spirit produces, t Neither can he knou,
them. Neither can he understand 01
comprehend them. Perhaps, also, the
word know here implies also the idea
of loving, or approving nf them, as it
often does in the Scriptnre. Thus to
know the Lord often means to love him,
to have a full, practical acquaintance
with him. When the apostle says that
the animal or sensual man cannot know
those things, he may have reference to
one of two things. Either, (1.) That
those doctrines were not discoverable
by human wisdom, or by any skill
which the natural man may have, but
were to be learned only by revelation.
This is the main drift of his argument,
and this sense is given by Locke and
Whitby. Or, (2.) He may mean that
the sensual, the unrenewed man can-
not perceive their beauty and their force,
even after they are revealed to man,
unless the mind is enlightened and in-
clined by the Spirit of God. This is
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
he know them } because they are
spiritually discsrned.
15 But he a that is spiritual
1 judgeth all things, yet he him
self is 2 judged of no man.
a Prov.28.5. l or, discerneth. * or, discerned.
probably the sense of the passage. This
is the simple affirmation of a fact that
while the man remains sensual and
carnal, he cannot perceive the beauty
of those doctrines. And this is a sim-
ple and well known fact. It is a truth
universal and lamentable that the
sensual man, the worldly man, the
proud, haughty, and self-confident man ;
the man under the influence of his ani-
mal appetites licentious, false, ambi-
tious, and vain does not perceive any
beauty in Christianity. So the intem-
perate man perceives no beauty in the
arguments for temperance ; the adul-
terer, no beauty in'the arguments for
chastity ; the liar, no beauty in the ar-
guments for truth. It is a simple fact,
that while he is intemperate, or licen-
tious, or false, he can perceive no beauty
in these doctrines. But this does not
prove that he has no natural faculties
for perceiving the force and beauty of
these arguments; or that he might not
apply his mind to their investigation,
and be brought to embrace them ; or
that he might not abandon the love of
intoxicating drinks, and sensuality, and
falsehood, and be a man of temperance,
purity, and truth. He has all the natu-
ral faculties which are requisite in the
case ; and all the inability is his strong
love of intoxicating drinks, or impurity,
or falsehood. So of the sensual sin-
ner. While he thus remains in love
with sin, he cannot perceive the beauty
of the plan of salvation, or the excel-
ency of the doctrines of religion. He
needs just the love of these things, and
the hatred of sin. He needs to cherish
the influences of the Spirit ; to receive
what he has taught, and not to reject
it through the love of sin ; he needs to
yield himself to their influences, and
then their beauty will be seen. The
passage here proves that while a man
is thus sensual, the things of the Spirit
will appear to him to be folly ; it proves
othing about his ability, or his natural
faculty, to see the excellency of these
things, and to turn from his sin. It is
the affirmation of a simple fact every-
where discernible, that the natural man
does not perceive the beauty of these
things; that while he remains in that
state he cannot ; and that if he is ever
brought to perceive their beauty, it will
be by the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Such is his love of sin, that he never
will be brought to see their beauty ex-
cept by the agency of the Holy Spirit.
" For wickedness perverts the judgment,
and makes men err with respect to
practical principles ; so that no one can
be wise and judicious who is not good."
Aristotle, as quoted by Bloomfield.
1 They are spiritually discerned. That
is, they are perceived by the aid of the
Holy Spirit enlightening the mind and
influencing the heart.
1 5. But he that is spiritual. The
man who is enlightened by the Holy Spi-
rit, in contradistinction from him who
is under the influence of the senses only.
If Judgeth. Gr. Discerneth (margin) ;
the same word as in the previous verse.
It means that the spiritual man has a
discernment of those truths in regard
to which the sensual man was blind
and ignorant, ^ All things. Not ab-
solutely all things; or not that he is
omniscient ; but that he has a view of
those things to which the apostle had
reference that is, to the things which
are revealed to man by the Holy Spirit.
t Yet he himself is judged. Greek, as
in the margin, " is discerned ;" that is,
his feelings, principles, views, hopes,
fears, joys, cannot be fully understood
and appreciated by any natural or sen-
sual man. He does not comprehend
the principles which actuate him ; he
does not enter into his joys ; he does
not sympathize with him in his feelings.
This is a matter of simple truth and
universal observation. The reason is
added in the following verse, that as
the Christian is influenced by the Loiu\
V.D. 59.]
CHAPTER II.
IG For who a hath known
the mind of the Lord, that he
a Isa.40.13. Jer.23.ia
1 may instruct him ? But
have * the mind of Christ?
shall. b Jno.17.8.
we
and as the natural man does not know
him, so he cannot know him who is in-
fluenced by him ; that is, the Christian.
16. For who hath known, &c. This
passage is quoted from Isa. xl. 13. The
interrogative form is a strong mode of
denying that any one has ever known
the mind of the Lord. The argument
of Paul is this, ' No one can understand
God. No one caji fully comprehend
nis plans, his feelings, his views, his
designs. No one by nature, under the
influence of sense and passion, is either
disposed to investigate his truths, or
iows them when they are revealed.
Bi:' the Christian is influenced by God.
Ht has his Spirit. He has the mind
i* Ohrist ; who had the mind of God.
Hr sympathizes with Christ ; he has
ms feelings, desires, purposes, and plans.
A r;il as no one can fully understand
G d by nature, so neither can he un-
Jwr-tand him who is influenced by God,
u.i is like him; and it is not to be
w.>, dered at that he regards the Chris-
tian religion as fdlly, and the Christian
'--fool. ^ The mind of Chris /. The
views, feelings, and temper of Christ.
Wo are influenced by his spirit.
REMARKS.
st. Ministers of the gospel should
cw be too anxious to be distinguished
*b- excellency of speech or language.
^e. 1. Their aim should be to speak
the simple truth, in language pure and
intelligible to all. Let it be remem-
rv,rt:d, that if there ever was any place
.vnere it would be proper to seek such
graces of eloquence, it was Corinth.
[f in any city now, or in any refined
and genteel society it would be proper,
it would have been proper in Corinth.
Let this thought rebuke those, who,
^en they preach to a gay and fashion-
able auditory, seek to fill thsir sermons
with ornament rather than with solid
thought ; with the tinsel of rhetoric,
rather than with pure language. Paul
was right in his course ; and was wise.
True taste abhors meretricious orna-
ments, as much as the gospel does.
And the man who is called to preach
in a rich and fashionable congregation,
should remember, that he is stationed
there not to please the ear, but to save
the soul ; that his object is not to dis-
play his talent or his eloquence, but to
rescue his hearers from ruin. This
purpose will make the mere ornaments
of rhetoric appear small. It will give
seriousness to his discourse ; gravity to
his diction ; unction to his eloquence;
heart to his arguments ; and success to
his ministry.
2d. The purpose of every minister
should be like that of Paul, to preach
Christ and him crucified only. See
Note on ver. 2.
3d. If Paul trembled at Corinth in
view of dangers and difficulties ; if he
was conscious of his own weakness and
feebleness, then we should learn also
to be humble. He is not much in dan-
ger of erring who imitates the example
of this great apostle. And if he who
had received a direct commission from
the great Head of the church, and who
was endowed with such mighty powers,
was modest, unassuming, and diffident,
then it becomes ministers of the gospel
now, and all others to be humble also.
We should not, indeed, be afraid of
men ; but we should be modest, hum-
ble, and lowly ; much impressed, as if
conscious of our mighty charge ; and
anxious to deliver just such a message
as God will approve and bless.
Would I describe a preacher, such as Paul,
Were he on earth, would hear, approve and
own,
Paul should himself direct me. I would trace
His master-strokes, and draw from his design.
I would express him simple, grave, sincere ;
In doctrine uncorrupt; in language plain;
And plain in manner ; decent, solemn, chaste,
And natural in gesture: much impressed
Himself, as conscious of his awful charge;
And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds
May feel it too. Affectionate in look,
And tender in address, as well becomes
A messenger of grace to guilty men.
Task, B. il
56
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
Our aim should be to commend our
message to every man's conscience ;
and to do it with humility towards
God, and deep solicitude ; with bold-
ness towards our fellow men respect-
fully towards them but still resolved
to tell the truth, ver. 3.
4th. The faith of Christians does not
stand in the wisdom of man. Every
Christian has evidence in his own
heart, in his experience, and in the
transformation of his character, that
none but God could have wrought the
change on his soul. His hopes, his
joys, his peace, his sanctification, his
love of prayer, of the Bible, of Chris-
tians, of God, and of Christ, are all such
as nothing could have produced but the
mignty power of God. All these bear
marks of their high origin. They are
the work of God on the soul. And as
the Christian is fully conscious that
these are not the native feelings of his
heart that if left to himself he would
never have had them ; so he has the
fullest demonstration that they are to
be traced to a divine source. And can
he be mistaken about their existence ?
Can a man doubt whether he has joy,
and peace, and happiness ? Is the in-
fidel to tell him coolly that he must be
mistaken in regard to the existence of
these emotions, and that it is all delu-
sion ? Can a child doubt whether it
loves a parent ; a husband whether he
loves his wife ; a friend, a friend ; a man,
his country 1 And can he doubt whe-
ther this emotion produces joy ? And
can a man doubt whether he loves
God 1 Whether he has. different views
from what he once had ? Whether he
has peace and joy in view of the cha-
racter of God, and the hope of heaven 1
And by what right shall the infidel tell
him that he is mistaken, and that all
this is delusion 1 How can he enter
into the soul, and pronounce the man
who professes to have these feelings
mistaken 1 What should we think of
the man who should tell a wife that
she did not love her husband ; or a
father that he did not love his children ?
How can he know this ? And, in like
manner, how can an infidel and a scof-
fer say to a Christian, that all his hopes
and joys, his love and peace are delusion
and fanaticism ? The truth is, that the
great mass of Christians are just as well
satisfied of the truth of religion, as they
are of their own existence ; and that a
Christian will die for his love to the
Saviour, just as he will die for his wife,
and children, and country. Martyrdom
in the one case is on the same princi-
ple as martyrdom in the other. Mar-
tyrdom in either, is noble and honour-
able, and evinces the highest qualities
and principles of the human mind.
5th. Christians are influenced by true
wisdom, ver. 6. They are not fools ;
though they appear to be to their fellow
men. They see a real beauty and wis-
dom in the plan of redemption which
the world does not discern. It is not
the wisdom of this world ; but it is the
wisdom which looks to eternity. Is a
man a fool who acts with reference to
the future ? Is he a fool who believes
that he shall live to all eternity, and
who regards it as proper to make prepa-
ration for that eternity 1 Is he a fool
who acts as if he were to die to be
judged to enter on an unchanging
destiny 1 Folly is manifested in clos-
ing the eyes on the reality of the con-
dition ; not in looking at it as it is. The
man who is sick, and who strives to
convince himself that he is well ; the
man whose affairs are in a state of
bankruptcy, and who is unwilling to
know it, is a fool. The man who is
willing to know all about his situation,
and to act accordingly, is a wise man.
The one represents the conduct of a
sinner, the other that of Christian. A
man who should see his child drowning,
or his house on fire, or the pestilence
breathing around him, and be uncon-
cerned, or dance amidst such scenes,
would be a fool or a madman. And is
not the sinner who is gay and thought-
less over the grave and over hell equal!)
foolish and mad ? And if there be a
God, a heaven, a Saviour, and a hell
if men are to die, and to be judged, is
he not wise who acts as if it were so.
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER III.
and who lives accordingly ? While
Christians, therefore, may not be distin-
guished for the wisdom of this world
while many are destitute of learning,
science, and eloquence, they have a
wisdom which shall survive when all
uiluT is vanished away.
6th. All the wisdom of this world shall
come to naught, ver. 6. What will be
the value of political sagacity, when all
governments shall come to an end but
the divine government ? What the
value of eloquence, and graceful dic-
tion, when we stand at the judgment
seat of Christ? What the value of
science in this world, when all shall be
revealed with the clearness of noonday ]
How low will appear all human attain-
ments in that world, when the light of
eternal day shall be shed over all the
works of God 1 How little can human
bcience do to advance the eternal inte-
rests of man ? And how shall all fade
away in the future world of glory just
as the feeble glimmering of the stars
fade away before the light of the morn-
ing sun ! How little, therefore, should
we pride ourselves on the highest attain-
ments of science, and the most elevated
distinctions of learning and eloquence.
7th. God has a purpose in regard to
the salvation of men. ver. 7. This
schema was ordained before the world.
It was not a new device. It was not
the offspring of chance, an accident,
or an after thought. It was because
God purposed it from eternity. God
has a plan ; and this plan contem-
plates the salvation of his people. And
it greatly enhances the value of this
benevolent plan in the eyes of his peo-
ple, that it has been the object of the
eternal earnest desire and purpose of
God. How much a gift is enhanced
in value from the fact that it has been
long the purpose of a parent to bestow
it ; that he has toiled for it ; that he has
made arrangements for it ; and that this
has been the chief object of his efforts
and his plan for years. So the favours
of eternal redemption are bestowed on
Christians as the fruit of the eternal
purpose and desire of God. And how
I should our hearts rise in gratitude to
him for his unspeakable gift !
8th. One great and prominent cause
of sin is the fact that men are blind tc
the reality and beauty of spiritual ob-
jects. So it was with those who cru-
cified the Lord. ver. 8. Had they seen
his glory as it was, they would not have
crucified him. And so it is now When
men blaspheme God, they see not his
excellency ; when they revile religion,
they know not its real value ; when
they break the laws of God, they do
not fully discern their purity and their
importance. It is true they are wilfully
ignorant, and their crime is often en-
hanced by this fact ; but it is equally
true that " they know not what they
do." For such poor, blinded, deluded
mortals, the Saviour prayed ; and for
such we should all pray. The man that
curses God, has no just sense of what
he is doing. The man who is profane,
and a scoffei, and a liar, and an adul-
terer, has no just sense of the awful
nature of his crime ; and is an object
of commiseration while his sin should
be hated and is a proper subject of
prayer.
9th. Men are often committing the
most awful crimes when they are un-
conscious of it. ver. 8. What crime
could compare with that of crucifying
the only Son of God ? And what crime
could be attended with more dreadful
consequences to its perpetrators 1 So
of sinners now. They little know what
they do ; and they little know the con-
sequences of their sins. A man may
curse his Maker, and say it is in sport !
But how will it be regarded in the day
of judgment? A man may revile the
Saviour ! But how will it appear when
he dies ? It is a solemn thing to trifle
with God and with his laws. A man is
safer when he sports on a volcano, or
when he makes a jest of the pesti-
lence or the forked lightnings of hea-
ven, than when he sports with reli-
gion and with God ! In a world like
this, men should be serious and fear
God. A single deed, like that of the
crucifixion of Christ, may be remem-
I. CORINTHIANS.
bercd when all the circumstances of
sport and mockery shall have passed
away remembered when the world
be destroyed, and stars and suns shall
rush to ruin.
10th. Christians have views of the
oeauties of religion, and have consola-
tions arising from these views, which the
cvorld has not. ver. 9. They have dif-
ferent views of God, of Christ, of heaven,
of eternity. They see a beauty in all
these things, and a wisdom in the plan
of salvation, which the men of the world
do not see. The contemplations of this
beauty and wisdom, and the evidence
which they have that they are interested
in all this, gives them a joy which the
world does not possess. They see what
che eye has not elsewhere seen ; they
*njoy what men elsewhere have not
'ii i joyed ; and they are elevated to pri-
vileges which men elsewhere do not
possess. On earth they partake of hap-
piness which the world never can give,
and in heaven they shall partake of the
fulness of that joy of pleasures there
which the eye had not before seen, nor
the ear heard, nor the heart of man
conceived. Who would not be a
' hristian?
llth. The Holy Ghost is in some
wnse distinct from the Father. This is
mplied in his action as an agent in
searching, knowing, &c. ver. 10, 11.
An attribute ; a quality, does not search
-.id know.
1 2th. The Holy Spirit is divine.
4 one can know God but one equal to
i mself. If the Spirit intimately knows
t,e wisdom, the goodness, the omnis-
'i ;nce, the eternity, the power of God,
> must be divine. No created being
*n have this intelligence, ver. 10, 11.
13th. Christians are actuated by a
ndferent spirit from the men of this
* rld. ver. 12. They are influenced
3V a regard to God and his glory. The
ij >n of the world are under the influ-
ence of pride, avarice, sensuality, am-
' ton, and vainglory.
i4th. The sinner does not perceive
[A D 50.
the beauty of the things of religion.
To all this beauty he is blind. This
is a sober and a most melancholy fact.
Whatever may be the cause of it, the
fact is undeniable and sad. It is
so with the sensualist; with the men
of avarice, pride, ambition, and licenti
ousness. The gospel is regarded as
folly, and is despised and scorned by the
men of this world. This is true in all
places, among all people, and at all
times. To this there are no exceptions
in human nature ; and over this we
should sit down and weep.
1 5th. The reason of this is, that men
love darkness. It is not that they are
destitute of the natural faculties for lov-
ing God, for they have as strong native
powers as those who become Christians.
It is because they tfue sin and this
simple fact, carried out into all its bear-
ings, will account for all the. difficulties
in the way of the sinner's conversion.
There is nothing else ; and
16th. We see here the value of the
influences of the Spirit. It is by thiu
Spirit alone that the mind of the Chris-
tian is enlightened, sanctified, and com-
forted. It is by him alone that he seej
the beauty of the religion which he
loves ; it is by his influence alone that
he differs from his fellow men. And
no less important is it for the sinner.
Without the influences of that Spirit his
mind will always be in darkness, and
his heart will always hate the gospel.
How anxiously, therefore, should he
cherish his influences ! How careful
should he be not to grieve him away !
17th. There is a difference between
Christians and other men. One is en-
lightened by the Holy Spirit, the other
not ; one sees a beauty in religion, to
the other it is folly ; the one has the
mind of Christ, the other has the spirit
of the world ; the one discerns the ex-
cellency of the plan of salvation, to the
other all is darkness and folly. How
could beings differ more in their moral
feelings and views than do Christians
and the men c f this world 1
CHAPTER III.
A ND I, brethren, could not
^ speak unto 'you as a unto
CHAPTER. III.
THE design of this chapter is sub-
stantially the same as the former. It
is t j reprove the pride, the philosophy,
the vain wisdom on which the Greeks
so \nuch rested ; and to show that the
gospel was not dependent on that for
its success, and that that had been the
tXicasion of no small part of the con-
tentions and strifes which had arisen in
the church at Corinth. The chapter
is iccupied mainly with an account of
ats own ministry with them ; and
<eems designed to meet an objection
Arhich either was made, or could have
teen made by the Corinthians them-
selves, or by the false teacher that was
among them. In ch. ii. 12 16, he
aail affirmed that Christians were
in fact under the influence of the
Spirit of God ; that they were enlight-
ened in a remarkable deg-ree ; that they
understood all things pertaining to
f-he Christian religion. To this, it
either was, or could have been objected
r -hat Paul, when among them had not
nstructed them fully in the more deep
ind abstruse points of the gospel ; and
r hat he had confined his instructions to
che very rudiments of the Christian
religion. Of this, probably the false
.eachers who had formed parties among
Jhem, had taken the advantage, and
lad pretended to carry the instruction
x> a much greater length, and to ex-
plain many things which Paul had left
mexpJained. Hence this division into
jarties. It became Paul, therefore, to
state why he had confined his instruc-
tions to the rudiments of the gospel
imong them and this occupies the
irst part of the chapter, v. 1 11. The
eason was, that they were not pre-
jared to receive higher instruction, but
vere carnal, and he could not address
hem as being prepared to enter fully
nto the more profound doctrines of the
Christian religion. The proof that
this was SO} was found in the fact that
CHAPTER III. f.5
spiritual, but as unto carnal, even
as unto babes * in Christ.
a c.2.14,15. b Heb.5.12,13. lPet.2.2.
they had been distracted with disputes
and strifes, which demonstrated that
they were not prepared for the higher
doctrines of Christianity. He then
reproves them for their contentions, on
the ground that it was of little conse-
sequence by what instrumentality they
had been brought to the knowledge of
the gospel, and that there was no occa-
sion for their strifes and sects. ALL
success, whoever was the instrument,
was to be traced to God (ver. 5 7),
and the fact that one teacher or another
had first instructed them, or that one
was more eloquent than another, should
not be the foundation for contending
sects. God was the source of all
blessings. Yet in order to show the
real nature of his own work, in order
to meet the whole of the objection, he
goes on to state that he had done the
most important part of the work in the
church himself. He had laid the
foundation ; and all the otners were
but tearing the superstructure. And
much as his instructions might appear
to be elementary, and unimportant, yet
it had been done with the same skill
which'an architect evinces who labours
that the foundation may be well laid
and firm. ver. 10, 11. The others
who had succeeded him, whoever they
were, were but builders upon this
foundation. The foundation had been
well laid, and they should be careful
how they built on it. ver. 12 16.
The mention of this fact that ' e had
laid the foundation, and tha< that
foundation was Jesus Christ, and that
they had been reared upon that as a
church, leads him to the inference (ver.
16, 17), that they should be holy as
the temple of God ; and the conclusion
from the whole is, (1.) That no man
should deceive himself, of which there
was so much danger (ver. 18 20) ;
and, (2.) That no Christian should
glory in men, for ail things were theirs.
It was no matter who had been their
60
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. i). 59
2 1 have fed you with milk,
and not with meat : for hitherto
teacher on earth, all belonged to God ;
and they had a common interest in the
most eminent teachers of religion, and
they should rise above the petty rival-
ships of the world, and rejoice in the
assurance that all things belonged tc
fhem. vcr. 21 23.
1. And /, brethren. See ch. ii. 1.
This is designed to meet an implied
objection. He had said (ch. ii. 14 16)
that Christians were able to under-
stand all things. Yet, they would re-
collect that he had not addressed them
as such, but had confined himself to
the more elementary parts of religion
when he came among them. He had
not entered upon the abstruse and dif-
ficult points of theology the points of
speculation in which the subtle Greeks
so much abounded and so much de-
lighted. He now states the reason why
he had not done it. The reason was one
that was most humbling to their pride ;
but it was the true reason, and faithful-
ness demanded that it should be stated.
It was, that they were carnal, and not
qualified to understand the deep mys-
teries of the gospel ; and the proof of
this was unhappily at hand. It was
too evident in their contentions and
strifes, that they were under the in-
fluence of carnal feelings and views.
t Could not speak unto you as unto
spiritual. ' I could not regard you as
spiritual as qualified to enter into the
full and higher truths of the gospel ; I
could not regard you as divested of the
feelings which influence carnal men
the men of the world, and I addressed
you accordingly. I could not discourse
to you as to far-advanced and well-in-
formed Christians. I taught you the
rudiments only of the Christian reli-
gion.' He refers here, doubtless, to his
instructions when he founded the
church at Corinth. See Note, ch. ii. 13
15. 1 But as unto carnal. The word
carnal here (r4gK/vc/?) is not the same
which in ch. ii. 14 is translated natural
refers to one who is
ye were not able to bear
neither yet now are ye able.
a Jno.16.12.
unrenewed, and who is wholly under
the influence of his sensual or ani-
mal nature, and is nowhere applied to
Christians. This is applied here to
Christians but to those who have
much of the remains of corruption,
and who are imperfectly acquainted
with the nature of religion ; babes in
Christ. It denotes those who still
evinced the feelings and views which
pertain to the flesh, in these unhappy
contentions, and strifes, and divisions.
" The works of the flesh are hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedi-
tions, envyings" (Gal. v. 20, 21) ; and
these they had evinced in their divi-
sions ; and Paul knew that their dan-
ger lay in this direction, and he there-
fore addressed them according to their
character. Paul applies the word to
himself (Rom. vii. 14), "for I am car-
nal ;" and here it denotes that they
were as yet under the influence of the
corrupt passions and desires which the
flesh produces, ^ As unto babes in
Christ. As unto those recently born
into his kingdom, and unable to under-
stand the profounder doctrines of the
Christian religion. It is a common
figure to apply the term infants and
children to those who are feeble in un-
derstanding, or unable, from any cause,
to comprehend the more profound in-
structions of science or religion.
2. / have fed you with milk. Paul
here continues the metaphor, which is
derived from the custom of feeding
infants with the lightest food. Milk
here evidently denotes the more simple
and elementary doctrines of Chris-
tianity the doctrines of the new birth,
of repentance, faith, &c. The same
figure occurs in Heb. v. 11 14; and
also in classical writers. See Wetstein.
^ And not with meat. Meat here de-
notes the more sublime and mysterious
doctrines of religion, ^f For hitherto.
Formerly, when I came among you,
and laid the foundations of the church.
1 Not able to bear it. You were not
A.D. 59.]
3 For ye are yet carnal : for
whereas u there is among you
envying, and strife, and l divi-
sions, are ye not carnal, and
walk a as men ?
CHAPTER III.
61
a James 3 16.
iig to man.
oTjfactions. accord-
mfficiently advanced in Christian know-
.edge to comprehend the higher myste-
ries of the gospel. 1 Neither yet
now, &c. The reason why they were
not then able he proceeds immediately
to state.
3 For ye are yet carnal. Though
you are Christians, and are the friends
of God in the main, yet your divi-
sions and strifes show that you are yet,
in some degree, under the influence of
the principles which govern the men
of this world. Men who are governed
solely by the principles of this world,
evince a spirit of strife, emulation and
contention ; and just so far as you are
engaged in strife, just so far do you
show that you are governed by their
principles and feelings. ^ For where-
as. In proof that you are carnal I
appeal to your contentions and strifes.
1 Envying (xo?), zeal ; used here in
the sense of envy, as it is in James iii.
14. 16. It denotes, properly, any fer-
vour of mind (from sa>), and may be
applied to any exciting and agitating
passion. The envy here referred to,
was that which arose from the superior
advantages and endowments which
some claimed or possessed over others.
Envy everywhere is a fruitful cause of
strife. Most contentions in the church
nre somehow usually connected with
onvy. ^ And strife. Contention and
<!ispute. 1 And divisions. Dissen-
-ions and quarrels. The margin cor-
rvctly renders it factions. The idea
is, that they were split up into parties,
.iid that those parties were imbittered
/ith mutual recriminations and re-
proaches, as they always are in a
church, t And walk as men. Marg.
according to man. The word walk
is used often in the Scriptures in the
isense oi conduct or act. You conduct
4 For while one saith, I * an,
of Paul ; and another, I am of
Apollos ; are ye m t carnal ?
5 Who then is Paul, and
who is Apollos, but ministers
b c.l. 12.
as men, i. e. as men commonly do ;
you evince the same spirit that the
great mass of men do. Instead of be-
ing filled with love ; of being united
and harmonious as the members of the
same family ought to be, you are split
up into factions as the men of the
world are.
4. For while one saith. &c. See
Note, ch. i. 12.
5. Who then ts Paul, &c. See
Notes, ch. i. 13. Why should a party
be formed which should be named after
Paul 1 What has he done or taught
that should lead to thisl What emi-
nence has he that should induce any to
call themselves by his name 1 He is
on a level with the other apostles; and
all are but ministers, or servants, and
have no claim to the honour of giving
names to sects and parties. God is
the fountain of all your blessings, and
whoever may have been the instru-
ment by whom you have believed, it is
improper to regard them as in any
sense the fountain of your blessings,
or to arrange yourselves under their
name, f But ministers. Our word
minister, as now used, does not ex-
press the proper force of this word.
We in applying it to preachers of the
gospel do not usually advert to the ori-
ginal sense of the word, and the rea-
sons why it was given to them. The
original word (iiawzi) denotes pro-
perly servants in contradistinction from
masters (Matt. xx. 26; xxiii. 11.
Mark ix. 35 ; x. 43) ; and denotes
those of course who are in an inferior
rank of life. They had not command,
or authority, but were subject to the
command of others. It is applied to
the preachers of the gospel because
they are employed in the service of
God; because they go at his command
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
by whom ye believed, even a
as the Lord gave to every
man ?
a Rorr. 12.3,6. lPet.4.11-
and arc subject to his control and di-
rection. They have not original au-
thority, nor are they the source of influ-
ence or power. The idea here is, that
they were the mere instruments or
servants by whom God conveyed all
blessings to the Corinthians ; that they
as ministers were on a level, were en-
gaged in the same work, and that there-
fore, it was improper for them to form
parties that should be called by their
names. ^ By whom. Through whom
(Jl cov), by whose instrumentality.
They were not the original source of
faith, but were the mere servants of
God in conveying to them the know-
ledge of that truth by which they were
to be saved. T Even as the Lord gave
to every man. God is the original
source of faith ; and it is by his influ-
ence that any one is brought to be-
lieve. See Note, Rom. xii. 3. 6. There
were diversities of gifts among the
Corinthian Christians, as there are in
all Christians. And it is here implied,
(1.) That all that any one had was to
be traced to God as its author; (2.)
That he is a sovereign, and dispenses
his favours to all as he pleases ; (3.)
That since God had conferred those fa-
vours, it was improper for the Corin-
f .hians to divide themselves into sects
tud call themselves by the name of
cheir teachers, for all that they had was
:o be traced to God alone. This idea,
mat all the gifts and graces which
f 'hristians had, were to be traced to God
ilone, was one which the apostle Paul
't'ten insisted on ; and if this idea had
fu-en kept before the minds and hearts
<>f all Christians, it would have pre-
vented no small part of the contentions
in the church, and the formation of
no small part of the sects in the Chris-
*ian world.
6. I have planted. The apostle
tiere compares the establishment of the
sharch at Corinth to the planting of a
cine, a tree, or of grain. The figure
6 I have planted, Apollos wa-
tered ; but God b gave the in-
crease.
b c.15.10.
is taken from agriculture, and the
meaning is obvious. Paul established
the church. He was the first preacher
in Corinth ; and if any distinction
was due to any one, it was rather to
him than to the teachers who had la-
boured there subsequently ; but he re-
garded himself as worthy of no such
honour as to be the head of a party,
for it was not himself, but God who
had given the increase, t Apollos
watered. This figure is taken from
the practice of watering a tender plant,
or of watering a garden or field. This
was necessary in a special manner in
eastern countries. Their fields be-
came parched and dry from their long
droughts, and it was necessary to irri-
gate them by artificial means. The
sense here is, that Paul had laboured
in establishing the church at Corinth ;
but that subsequently Apollos had la-
boured to increase it, and to build it up
It is certain that Apollos did not go to
Corinth until after Paul had left it. See
Acts xviii. 18. Comp. 27 ^ Godgavt
the increase. God caused the seed
sown to take root and spring up ; and
God blessed the irrigation of the tender
plants as they sprung up, and caused
them to grow. This idea is still taken
from the husbandman. It would be
vain for the farmer to sow his seed
unless God should give it life. There
is no life in the seed, nor is there any
inherent power in the earth to make it
grow. God only, the giver of all life,
can quicken the germ in the seed, and
make it live. So it would be in vain
for the farmer to water his plant
unless God should bless it. There is
no living principle in the water; no
inherent power in the rains of heaven
to make the plant grow. It is adapted,
indeed, to this, and the seed would not
I germinate if it was not planted, nor
grow if it was not watered ; but the life
is still from God. He arranged these
means, and he gives life to the tende.
A D. 59.]
7 So then neither is he that
planteth any thing, neither he
that watereth, but God that giv-
eth the increase.
aJiio.15.5. 2Cor.12.9-ll.
CHAPTER III.
Llade, and sustains it. And so it is
with the word of life. It has no in-
herent power to produce effect by itself.
The power is not in the naked word,
nor in him that plants, nor in him that
waters, nor in the heart where it is
sown, but in God. But there is a
fitness of the means to the end. The
word is adapted to save the soul. The
seed must be sown or it will not ger-
minate. Truth must be sown in the
heart, and the heart must be prepared
for it as the earth must be ploughed
and made mellow, or it .will not spring
up. It must be cultivated with -assidu-
ous care, or it will produce nothing.
But still it is all of God as much so as
the yellow harvest of the field, after all
the toils of the husbandman, is of God.
And as the farmer who has just views,
will take no praise to himself because
his corn and his vine start up and
grow after all his care, but will ascribe
all to God's unceasing, beneficent
agency ; so will the minister of religion,
and so will every Christian, after all
their care, ascribe all to God.
7. Any thing. This is to be taken
comparatively. They are nothing in
comparison with God. Their agency
is of no importance compared with his.
8t:c Note, ch. i. 28. It does not mean
th.it their agency ought not to be per-
formed ; that it is not important, and
indispensable in its place ; but that the
honour is due to God. Their agency
i indispensable. God could make
seed or a tree grow if they were not
planted in the earth. But he does not
ti' it. The agency of the husbandman
is indispensable in the ordinary opera-
tions of his providence. If he does
not plant, God will not make the grain
jr the tree grow. God blesses his la-
bours ; he does not work a miracle.
God attends effort with success ; he
does not interfere ir a miraculous man-
S Now he that pianteth and he
that watereth are one : and every
man * shall receive his own re-
ward according to his own labour
b Ps.62.12. Rev.22.12.
ner to accommodate the indolence of
men. So in the matter of salvation.
The efforts of ministers would be of
no avail without God. They could do
nothing in the salvation of the soul
unless He should give the increase.
But their labours are as indispensable
arid as necessary, as are those of the
farmer in the production of a harvest.
And as every farmer could say, my la-
bours are nothing without God, who
alone can give the increase,' so it is
with every minister of the gospel.
S. Are one (iv s*W). They are
not the same person ; but they are one
I in the following respects: (1.) They
! are untied in reference to the same
j work. Though they are engaged in
different things for planting and wa-
tering are different kinds of work, yet
it is one in regard to the end to be
gained. The employments do not at
all clash, but tend to the same end. It
is not as if one planted, and the other
was engaged in pulling up. (2.) Theii
i work is one, because one is as necessary
as the other. If the grain was not
planted there would be no use in pour-
ing water there ; if not watered, there
would be no use in planting. The
| work of one is as needful, therefore, as
I the other ; and the one should not un-
dervalue the labours of the other. (3.)
They are one in regard to God, They
are both engaged in performing one
work ; God is performing another
There are not three parties or portions
of the work, but two. They two per-
form one part of the work ; God alone
performs the other. Theirs would be
useless without him ; he would not or-
dinarily perform his without their per-
forming their part. They could not
do his part if they would as they can-
not make a plant grow ; he could per-
form their part as he could plant and
water without the farmer ; but it is not
1. CORINTHIANS.
9 For we are labourers to-
gether a with God : ye are God's
in accordance with his arrangements to
do it. 1 And every man. The argu-
ment of the apostle here has reference
only to ministers ; but it is equally true
of all men, that they shall receive their
proper reward, t Shall receive. In
the day of judgment, when God de-
cides the destiny of men. The deci-
sions of that day will be simply deter-
mining what every moral agent oughf
to receive, ^ His own reward. His
lit, "or proper (<rif i'Acv) reward ; that
which pertains to him, or which shall
be a proper expression of the character
and value of his labour. The word
reward (/-c/j'3-iv) denotes properly that
which is given by contract for service
rendered ; an equivalent in value for
services or for kindness. Note, Rom.
iv. 4. In the Scriptures it denotes
pay, wages, recompense given to day-
labourers, to soldiers, &c. It is applied
often, as here, to the retribution which
God will make to men in the day of
judgment; and is applied to the fa-
vours which he will then bestow on
them, or to the punishment which he
will inflict as the reward of their deeds.
Instances of the former sense occur in
Matt. v. 12 ; vi. Luke vi. 23. 35. Rev.
xi. 18 ; of the latter in 2 Pet. ii. 13.
15. In regard to the righteous, it does
not imply merit, or that they deserve
heaven ; but it means that God will
lender to them that which, according
to the terms of his new covenant, he
has promised, and which shall be a fit
expression of his acceptance of their
services. It is -proper, according to
Inese arrangements, that they should
be blessed in heaven. It would not be
proper that they should be cast down
to hell. Their original and their sole
title to eternal life is the grace of God
through Jesus Christ ; the measure, or
amount of the favours bestowed on
them there, shall be according to the
services which they render on earth.
\ parent may resolve to divide his
estate among his sons, and their title
[A.D. 59
ush-mdry, ye are God's build
or, tillage. b Heb.3.6. lPet.2.5.
to any thing may be derived from hia
mere favour; but he may determine
that it shall be divided according to
their expressions of attachment, and
to their obedience to him.
9. For we are labourers together
W ill God (Qvu yd^ la-fjie/ a-vvigyoi). We.
are God's co-workers. A similar ex-
pression occurs in 2 Cor. vi. 1, "We
then as workers together with him," &c.
This passage is capable of two signi-
fications : -first, as in our translation,
that they were co-workers with God ;
engaged with him in his work, that he
and they co-operated in the productior-
of the effect ; or that it was a joint
work; as we speak of a partnercy, or
of joint-effort among men. So ipany
interpreters have understood this. If
this is the sense of the passage, then it
means that as a farmer may be said to
be a co-worker with God when he
plants and tills his field, or does that
without which God would not work in
that case, or without which a harvest
would not be produced, so the Christian
minister co-operates with God in pro-
ducing the same result. He is engaged
in performng that which is indispensable
to the end ; and God also, by his Spirit,
co-operates with the same design. If
this be the idea, it gives a peculiar
sacredness to the work of the ministry,
and indeed to the work of the farmer
and the vinedresser. There is no higher
honour than for a man to be engaged in
doing the same things which God does,
and participating with him in accom-
plishing his glorious plans. But doubts
have been suggested in regard to this
interpretation. (1.) The Greek does
not of necessity imply this. It is
literally, not we are his co-partners,
but we are his fellow labourers, L e.
fellow labourers in his employ, under
his direction as we say of servants of
the same rank they are fellow labourers
of the same master, not meaning that
the master was engaged in working
with them, but that they were fellow
\.D 59.]
CHAPTER III.
10 According " tc the grace of God which is given unto
a Rom. 12.3.
labourers one with another in his em-
ployment. (2.) There is no expression
that is parallel to this. There is none
that speaks of God's operating jointly
with his creatures in producing the
same result. They may be engaged
in regard to the same end ; but the
sphere of God's operations and of their
operations is distinct. God does one
thing; and they do another, though
they may contribute to the same result.
The sphere of God's operations in the
growth of a tree is totally distinct from
that of the man who plants it. The
man who planted it has no agency in
causing the juices to circulate; in ex-
panding the bud or the leaf; that is, in
the proper work of God. In 3 John
8, Christians are indeed said to be
" fellow helpers to the truth" (rwttyoi
tH cteiSii*) ; that is, they operate with
the truth, and contribute by their
labours and influence to that effect.
In Mark also (xvi. 20), it is said that
the apostles " went forth and preached
everywhere, the Lord working with
them" (TOW xug/cv owsg^-oyvTo?), where
the phrase means that the Lord co-
operated with them by miracles, &c.
The Lord, by his own proper energy,
and in his own sphere, contributed to
the success of the work in which they
were engaged. (3.) The main design
and scope of this whole passage is to
show that God is all that the apostles
arc nothing ; to represent the apostles
not as joint-workers with God, but as
working by themselves, and God as
alone giving efficiency to all that was
done. The idea is, that of depressing
or humbling the apostles, and of exalt-
ing God ; and this idea would not be
consistent with the interpretation that
they were joint-labourers with him.
While, therefore, the Greek would bear
the interpretation conveyed in our trans-
lation, the sense may perhaps be, that
the apostles were joint-labourers with
each other in God's service ; that they
were united in their work, and that
God was all in all ; that they were like
6*
servants employed in the service of a
master, without saying that the master
participated with them in their work.
This idea is conveyed in the translation
of Doddridge, " we are the fellow la-
bourers of God." So Rosenmiiller.
Calvin, however, Grotius, Whitby, and
Bloomfiekl, coincide with our version
in the interpretation. The Syriac ren-
ders it "We work with God." The
Vulgate, " We are the aids of God."
^[ Ye are God's husbandry (ytJ^ytw} ;
margin, tillage. This word occurs no-
where else in the New Testament. It
j roperly denotes a tilled or cultivated
field ; and the idea is, that the church
at Corinth was the field on which God
had bestowed the labour of tillage, or
culture, to produce fruit. The word is
used by the LXX. in Gen. xxvi. 14, as
the translation of m3j?, "For he had
possession of flocks," &c. ; in Jer. xli. 23,
as the translation of nox, a yoke , and
in Prov. xxiv. 30 ; xxxi. 16, as the trans-
lation of mt!>, afield; "I went by the
field of the slothful," &c. The sense
here is, that all their culture was of
God ; that as a church they were under
his care ; and that all that had been
produced in them was to be traced to
his cultivation, t God's building.
This is another metaphor. The object
of Paul was to show that all that had
been done for them had been really
accomplished by God. For this pur-
pose he first says that they were God's
cultivated field; then he changes the
figure ; draws his illustration from
architecture, and says, that they had
been built by him as an architect rears
a house. It does not rear itself; but it
is reared by another. So he says of
the Corinthians, ' Ye are the building
which God erects.' The same figure
is used in 2 Cor. vi. 16 and Eph. ii. 21
See also Heb. iii. 6. 1 Pet. ii. 5. The
idea is, that God is the supreme agent
in the founding and establishing of the
church, in all its gifts and graces.
10. According to the grace of God,
By the fa'Dur of God which is given
Jib
I. CORINTHIANS.
me, as a wise master-buiWer,
I h?,ve laid the foundation,
to me. All that Paul had done had
been by the mere favour of God. His
appointment was from him ; and all
the skill which he had shown, and all
the agency which he had employed,
had been from him. The architectural
figure is here continued with some
striking additions and illustrations. By
the " grace of God" here, Paul probably
means his apostleship to the Gentiles,
which had been conferred on him by
the mere favour of God, and all the
wisdom, and skill, and success which
he had evinced in founding the church.
1 As a wise master-builder. Gr. Ar-
chitect. The word does not imply that
Paul had any pre-eminence over his
brethren, but that he had proceeded in
his work as a skilful architect, who
secures first a firm foundation. Every
builder begins with the foundation ;
and Paul had proceeded in this man-
ner in laying first a firm foundation on
which the church could be reared. The
word wise here means skilful, judicious.
Comp. Matt. vii. 24. t I have laid
the foundation. What this foundation
was, he states in ver. 11. The meaning
here is, that the church at Corinth had
been at first established by Paul. See
Acts xviii. 1, &c. ^ And another.
Other teachers. I have communicated
to the church the first elements of Chris-
tian knowledge. Others folloiv out this
instruction, and edify the. church. The
discussion here undergoes a slight
change. In the former part of the
chapter, Christians are compared to a
building ; here the doctrines which are
taught in the church are compared to
various parts of a building. Grotius.
See similar instances of translation in
Matt. xiii. Mark iv. John x. | But
let every man, &c. Every man who
is a professed teacher. Let him be
careful what instructions he shall give
to a church that has been founded by
apostolic hands, and that is established
on the only true foundation. This is
and
[A. \). 59
another buildeth thereon.
But let every man take heed
designed to guard against false instruc-
tion and the instructions of false teach-
ers. Men should take heed what in-
struction they give to a church, (1 .) Be-
cause of the fact that the church belongs
to God, and they should be cautious
what directions they give to it; (2.) Be-
cause it is important that Christians
should not only be on the true founda-
tion, but that they should be fully in-
structed in the nature of their religion,
and the church should be permitted to
rise in its true beauty and loveliness;
(3.) Because of the evils which result
from false instruction. Even when the
foundation is firm, incalculable evils
will result from the want of just and
discriminating instruction. Error sanc-
tifies no one. The effect of it even on
the minds of true Christians is to mar
their piety ; to dim its lustre ; and to
darken their minds. No Christian can
enjoy religion except under the full-
orbed shining of the word of truth;
and every man, therefore, who gives
false instruction, is responsible for all
the darkness he causes, and for all the
want of comfort which true Christians
under his teaching may experience.
(4.) Every man must give an account
of the nature of his instructions ; and
he should therefore " take heed to him
self, and his doctrine" (1 Tim. iv. 16") :
and preach such doctrine as shall bear
the test of the great day. And from
this we learn, that it is important
that the church should be built in
the true foundation ; and, that it is
scarcely less important that it should
be built up in the knowledge of the
truth. Vast evils are constantly occur-
ring in the church for the want of pro-
per instruction to young converts. Many
seem to feel that provided the foun-
dation be well laid, that is all that is
needed. But the grand thing which
is wanted at the present time, is, that
those who are converted should, as
soon as possible, be instructed FUILT
A. I). 59.]
CHAPTKU III.
67
how he buildeth thereupon.
1 1 For other foundation can
no man lay than that is laid, a
which is Jesus Christ.
a Isa.2S.lG. Matt.16.13. Eph.2.20. 2Tim.2.19.
12 Now if any man build
upon this foundation gold, sil-
ver, precious stones, wood, hay,
stubble ;
in the nature of the religion which they
have embraced. What would be thought
of a farmer who should plant a tree,
and never water or trim it ; who should
plant his seed, and never cultivate the
corn as it springs up ; who should sow
his fields, and then think that all is
well, and leave it to be overrun with
weeds and thorns 1 Piety is often
stunned, its early shootings blighted,
its rapid growth checked for the want
of early culture in the church. And
perhaps there is no one thing in which
pastors more frequently fail than in re-
gard to the culture which ought to be
bestowed on those who are converted
especially in early life. Our Saviour's
views on this were expressed in the
admonition to Peter, " Feed my lambs.''
John xxi. 15.
11. For other foundation. It is
implied by the course of the argument
here, that this was the foundation which
had been laid at Corinth, and on which
the church there had been reared. And
it is affirmed that no other foundation
can be laid. A foundation is that on
which a building is reared : the foun-
dation of a church is the doctrine on
which it is established ; that is, the
doctrines which its members hold
those truths which lie at the basis of
their hopes, and by embracing which
they have been converted to God.
1 Can no man lay. That is, there is
no other true foundation, t Which is
Jesus Christ. Christ is often called
the foundation ; the stone ; the corner
stone on which the church is reared.
Isa. xxviii. 16. Matt. xxi. 42. Acts iv.
11. Eph. ii. 20. 2 Tim. ii. 19. 1 Pet.
ii. 6. The meaning is, that no true
church can be reared which does not
embrace and hold the true doctrines
respecting him those which pertain
to his incarnation, his divine nature,
his instructions, his example, his atone-
ment, his resurrection, and ascension.
The reason why no true church can be
established without embracing the truth
as it is in Christ is, that it is by him
only that men can be saved ; and where
this doctrine is wanting, all is wanting
that enters into the essential idea of a
church. The fundamental doctrines of
the Christian religion must be em-
braced, or a church cannot exist; and
where those doctrines are denied, no
association of men can be recognised
as a church of God. Nor can the foun-
dation be modified or shaped so as to
suit the wishes of men. It must be
laid as it is in the Scriptures ; and the
superstructure must be reared on that
alone.
12. Now if any man. If any
teacher in the doctrines which he in-
culcates ; or any private Christian in
the hopes which he cherishes. The
main discussion doubtless, has respect
to the teachers of religion. Paul car-
ries forward the metaphor in this and
the following verses with respect to the
building. He supposes that the foun-
dation is laid ; that it is a true founda-
tion ; that the essential doctrines in
regard to the Messiah are the real basis
on which the edifice is reared. But, he
says, that even admitting that, it is a
subject of vast importance to attend to
the kind of structure which shall be
reared on that ; whether it shall be
truly beautiful, and valuable in itself,
and such as shall abide the trial of the
last great day ; or whether it be mean,
worthless, erroneous, and such as shall
at last be destroyed. There had been
some difference of opinion in regard to
the interpretation of this passage, aris-
ing from the question whether the
apostle designed to represent one or two
buildings. The former has been the
more common interpretation, and the
sense according to that is, 'the true
68
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D.
foundation is laid ; but on that it is
improper to place vile and worthless
materials. It would be absurd to work
them in with those which are valuable ;
it would be absurd to work in, in rear-
'ng a building, wood, and hay, and stub-
ble, with gold, and silver, and precious
stones ; there would be a want of con-
cinnity and beauty in this. So in the
spiritual temple. There is an impro-
priety, an unfitness, in rearing the
spiritual temple, to interweave truth
with error; sound doctrine with false.'
See Calvin and Macknight. Grotius
renders it, " Paul feigns to himself
an edifice, partly regal, and partly rus-
tic. He presents the image of a house
whoe walls are of marble, whose
columns are made partly of gold and
paitly of silver, whose beams are of
wood, and whose roof thatched with
straw." Others, among whom are
Wetstein, Doddridge, Rosenmuller,
suppose that he refers to two buildings
that might be reared on this foundation
either one that should be magnifi-
cent and splendid ; or one that should
be a rustic cottage, or mean hovel,
thatched with straw, and made of
planks of wood. Doddridge paraphrases
the passage, " If any man build, I
say, upon this foundation, let him
look to the materials and the nature of
his work; whether he raise a stately
and magnificent temple upon it, adorn-
ed as it were like the house of God at
Jerusalem, with gold and silver, and
large, beautiful, and costly stones ; or
a mean hovel, consisting of nothing
better than planks of wood roughly put
together, and thatched with hay and
stubble. That is, let him look to it,
whether he teach the substantial, vital
truths of Christianity, and which it
was intended to support and illustrate ;
or set himself to propagate vain sub-
tilties and conceits on the one hand,
or legal rites and Jewish traditions on
the other ; which although they do not
entirely destroy the foundation, disgrace
it, as a mean edifice would do a grand
and extensive foundation laid with
great pomp and solemnity." This pro-
bably expresses the correct sense of the
passage. The foundation may be well
laid; yet on this foundation an edifice
rnay be reared that shall be truly mag-
nificent, or one that shall be mean and
worthless. So the true foundation of a
church may be laid, or of individual
conversion to God in the true doctrine
respecting Christ. That church 01
that individual may be built up and
adorned with all the graces which trutr.
is fitted to produce ; or there may br
false principles and teachings super
added ; doctrines that shall delude am'
lead astray ; or views and feelings cul-
tivated as piety, and believed to bi
piety, which may be no part of true re
ligion, but which are mere delusion am
fanaticism, f Gold, silver. On thf
meaning of these words it is not ne
cessary to dwell ; or to lay too mucl
stress. Gold is the emblem of tha
which is valuable and precious, anc
may be the emblem of that truth anc
holiness which shall bear the tna
of the great day. In relation to th(
figure which the apostle here uses
it may refer to the fact that co-
lumns or beams in an edifice might be
gilded ; or perhaps, as in the temple,
that they might be solid gold, so as to
bear the action of intense heat ; or so
that fire would not destroy them. So
the precious doctrines of truth, and all
the feelings, views, opinions, habits,
practices, which truth produces in an
individual or a church, will bear the
trial of the last great day. ^ Precious
atones. By the stones here referred to,
are not meant gems which are esteem-
ed of so much value for ornaments, but
beautiful and valuable maibles. The
word precious here (r^/if?) means
those which are obtained at a price,
which are costly and valuable ; and is
particularly applicable, therefore, to the
costly marbles which were used in
building. The figurative sense here
does not differ materially from that
. conveyed by the silver and gold. By
this edifice thus reared on the true
! foundation, we are to understand, (1.)
| The true doctrines which should be
I employed to build up a church doc-
' trines which would bear the test of
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER III.
13 Every man's work shall
be made manifest : for the day
shall declare it, because it shall
1 be revealed by fire ; and the '
fire shall try every man's work,
of what sort it is.
' is. a Zech.13.9. 2Pet.l.7; 1.J2.
ihe trial of the last day; and, (2.)
Such views in regard to piety, and to
luty , such feelings and principles of
action, as should be approved, and seen
to be genuine piety in the day of judg-
ment, f Wood. That might be easily
burned. An edifice reared of wood
instead of marble, or slight buildings,
such as were often put up for tempo-
rary purposes in the east as cottages,
places for watching their vineyards,
&c. See my Note on Isa. i. 8. ^ Hay,
stubble. Used for thatching the build-
ing, or for a roof. Perhaps, also, grass
was sometimes employed in some way
to make the walls of the building.
Such an edifice would burn readily ;
would be constantly exposed to take
fire. By this is meant, (1.) Errors
and false doctrines, such as will not be
found to be true in the day of judg-
ment, and as will then be swept away ;
(2.) Such practices and mistaken
views of piety, as shall grow out of
false doctrines and errors. The foun-
dation may be firm. Those who are
referred to may be building on the Lord
Jesus, and may be true Christians.
Yet there is much error among those
who are not Christians. There are
many things mistaken for piety which
will yet be seen to be false. There is
much enthusiasm, wildfire, fanaticism,
bigotry; much affected humility ; much
that is supposed to be orthodoxy ; much
regard to forms and ceremonies ; to
"days, and months, and times, and
years" (Gal. iv. 10) ; much over-heat-
ed zeal, and much precision, and so-
lemn sanctimoniousness ; much regard
for exernal ordinances where the heart
is wanting, that shall be found to be
false, and that shall be swept away in
the day of judgment.
13. Every man's work shall be
made manifest. What every man has
built on this foundation shall be seen.
Whether he has held truth or eiror;
whether he has had correct views of
piety or false ; whether what he has
done has been what he should have
done or not. ^ For the day. The day
of judgment. Th^, great day which
shall reveal the secrets of all hearts,
and the truth in regard to what every
man has done. The event will show
what edifices on the true foundation
are firmly, and what are weakly built.
Perhaps the word day here may mean
time in general, as we say, " time will
show" and as the Latin adage says,
dies docebit f but it is more natural to
refer it to the day of judgment. \ Be-
cause it shall be revealed by fire. The
work, the edifice which shall be built
on the true foundation shall be made
known amidst the fire of the great day.
The fire which is here referred to, is
doubtless, that which shall "attend the
consummation of all things the close
of the world. That the world shall be
destroyed by fire, and that the solemni-
ties of the judgment shall be ushered
in by a universal conflagration, is fully
and frequently revealed. See Isa. Ixvi.
15. 2 Thess.'i. 8. 2 Pet. iii. 7. 10, 11.
The burning fires of that day, Paul
says, shall reveal the character of every
man's work, as fire sheds light on all
around, and discloses the true nature
of things. It may be observed, how-
ever, that many critics suppose this to
refer to the fire of persecution, &c.
Macknight. Whitby supposes that the
apostle refers to the approaching de-
struction of Jerusalem. Others, as
Grotius, Rosenmuller, &c. suppose that
the reference is to time in general ; it
shall be declared ere long ; it shall be
seen whether those things which are
built on the true foundation, are true
by the test of time, &c. But the most
natural interpretation is that which re-
fers it to the day of judgment, f And
the fire shall try every man's work.,
It is the property of fire to test the
70
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D
14 If any man's work abide
which he hath built there-
qualities of objects. Thus, gold and
silver, so far from being destroyed by
fire, are purified from dross. Wood,
hay, stubble, are consumed. The
power of fire to try or test the nature
of metals, or other objects, is often re-
ferred to in the Scripture. Comp. Isa.
iv. 4 ; xxiv. 15. Mai. iii. 2. 1 Pet. i. 7.
It is not to be supposed here that the
material fire of the last day shall have
any tendency to purify the soul, or to
remove that which is unsound ; but
that the investigations and trials of the
judgment shall remove all that is evil,
as fire acts with reference to gold and
silver. As they are not burned but
purified ; as they pass unhurt through
the intense heat of the furnace, so
shall all that is genuine pass through
the trials of the last great day, of which
trials the burning world shall be the
antecedent and the emblem. That
great day shall show what is genuine
and what is not.
14. If any man's work abide, &c.
If it shall appear that he has taught the
true doctrines of Christianity,* and in-
culcated right practices and views of
piety, and himself cherished right feel-
ings: if the trial of the great day,
when the real qualities of all objects
shall be known, shall show this. ^ He
shall receive a reward. According to
the nature of his work. See Note on
ver. 8. This refers, I suppose, to the
proper rewards on the day of judgment,
and not to the honours and the recom-
pense which he may receive in this
world. If all that he has taught and
done shall be proved to have been
genuine and pure, then his reward
shall be in proportion.
15. If any man's work shall be
burned. If it shall not be found to
bear the test of the investigation of
that day as a cottage of wood, hay,
and stubble would not bear the appli-
cation of fire. If his doctrines have
not been true ; if he has had mistaken
views of piety; if he has nourished
feelings which he thought were those
upon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall
of religion ; and inculcated practices
which, however well meant, are not
such as the gospel produces ; if he has
fallen int< error of opinion, feeling,
practice, however conscientious, yet he
shall suffer loss. ^ He shall suffer
loss. (1.) He shall not be elevated to
as high a rank and to as high happi-
ness as he otherwise would. That
which he supposed would be regarded
as acceptable by the Judge, and re-
warded accordingly, shall be stripped
away, rnd shown to be unfounded and
false ; and in r consequence, he shall not
obtain those elevated rewards which he
anticipated. This, compared with what
he expected, may be regarded as a loss
(2.) He shall be injuriously affected
by this for ever. It shall be a detri-
ment to him to all eternity. The effects
shall be felt in all his residence in hea-
ven not producing misery but at-
tending him with the consciousness
that he might have been raised to su-
perior bliss in the eternal abode. The
phrase here literally means, " he shall
be mulcted." The word is a law
term, and means that he shall be fined,
i. e. he shall suffer detriment. ^ But
he himself shall be saved. The apos-
tle all along has supposed that the true
foundation was laid (ver. 11), and if
that is laid, and the edifice is reared
upon that, the person who does it shall
be safe. There may be much error,
and many false views of religion, and
much imperfection, still the man that
is building on the true foundation shall
be safe. His errors and imperfections
shall be removed, and he may occupy
a lower place in heaven, but he shall
be safe. 1 Yet so as by fire (? fia
;/go'?). This passage has greatly per-
plexed commentators ; but probably
without any good reason. The apos-
tle does not say that Christians will be
doomed to the fires of purgatory ; nor
that they will pass through fire ; nor
that they will be exposed to pains and
punishment at all ; but he simply car"
ries out the figure which he core
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER
71
be burned, he shall suffer loss :
but he himself shall be saved ;
yet so as by fire.
aZech.3.2. Jude23.
16 Know ye not that ye "are
the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you ?
62Cor.6.1G.
mcnced, and says that they will be
saved, as if the action of fire had been
felt on the edifice on which he is speak-
ing. That is, as fire would consume
the wood, hay, and stubble, so on the
great day every thing that is erroneous
and imperfect in Christians shall be re-
moved, and that which is true and
genuine shall be preserved as if it had
passed through fire. Their whole cha-
racter and opinions shall be investi-
gated ; and that which is good shall be
approved ; and that which is false ?.nd
erroneous be removed. The idea is
not that of a man whose house is burnt
over his head and who escapes through
the flames, nor that of a man who is
subjected to the pains and fires of pur-
gatory ; but that of a man who had
been spending his time and strength to
little purpose ; who had built, indeed,
on the true foundation, but who had
reared so much on it which was un-
sound, and erroneous, and false, that he
himself would be saved with great dif-
ficulty, and with the loss of much of
that reward which he had expected, as
if the fire had passed over him and his
works. The simple idea, therefore, is,
that that which is genuine and valua-
ble in his doctrines and works, shall be
rewarded, and the man shall be saved ;
that which is not sound and genuine,
shall be removed, and he shall suffer
loss. Some of the fathers, indeed, ad-
mitted that this passage taught that all
men would be subjected to the action
of fire in the great conflagration with
which the world shall close ; that the
wicked shall be consumed; and that
the righteous are to suffer, some more
and some less, according to their cha-
racter. On passages like this, the
Romish doctrine of purgatory is based.
But we may observe, (1.) That this
passage does not necessarily or natu-
rally give any such idea. The inter-
pretation stated above is the natural
interpretation, and one which the pas-
sage will not only bear, but which it
demands. (2.) If this passage would
give any countenance to the absurd and
unscriptural idea that the souls of the
righteous at the day of judgment are to
be reunited to their bodies, in order to be
subjected to the action of intense heat,
to be brought from the abodes of bliss*
and compelled to undergo the burning
fires of the last conflagration, stitl it
would give no countenance to the still
more absurd and unscriptural opinion
that those fires have been and are still
burning ; that all souls are to be sub-
jected to them ; and that they can be
removed only by masses offered for the
dead, and by the prayers of the living.
The idea of danger and peril is, in-
deed, in this text ; but the idea of per-
sonal salvation is retained and con-
veyed.
16. Know ye not, &c. The apos-
tle here carries forward and completes
the figure which he had commenced in
regard to Christians. His illustrations
had been drawn from architecture ; and
he here proceeds to say that Christians
are that building (see ver. 9) ; that
they were the sacred temple which God
had reared ; and that, therefore, they
should be pure and holy. This is a
practical application of what he had
been before saying, t Ye are the tem-
ple of God. This is to be understood
of the community of Christians, or of
the church, as being the place where
God dwells on the earth. The idea is
derived from the mode of speaking
among the Jews, where they are said
often in the Old Testament to be the
temple and the habitation of God. And
the allusion is probably to the fact that
God dwelt by a visible symbol the
Shcchinah in the temple, and that
his abode was there. As he dwelt
there among the Jews ; as he had there
a temple a dwelling place, so he
/a
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A D. 59
17 If any man 1 defile the
temple of God, him shall God
' or, destroy.
dwells among Christians. They are
his temple, the place of his abode.
His residence is with them ; and he is
in their rnidst. This figure the apostle
Paul several times uses. 1 Cor. vi. 19.
2 Cor. vi. 16. Eph. ,ji. 2022. A
great many passages have been quoted
by Eisner and Wetstein, in which a
virtuous mind is represented as the
temple of God, and in which the obli-
gation to preserve that inviolate and
unpolluted is enforced. The figure is
a beautiful one, and very impressive.
A temple was an edifice erected to the
service of God. The temple at Jerusa-
lem was not only most magnificent, but
was regarded as most sacred ; (1 .) From
the fact that it was devoted to his s8r-
vice ; and (2.) From the fact that it
was the peculiar residence of JEHOVAH.
Among the heathen also, temples were
regarded as sacred. They were sup-
posed to be inhabited by the divinity
to whom they were dedicated. They
were regarded as inviolable. Those
who took refuge there were safe. It
was a crime of the highest degree to
violate a temple, or to tear a fugitive
who had sought protection there from the
altar. So the apostle says of the Chris-
tian community. They were regarded
as his temple God dwelt among them
and they should regard themselves
as holy, and as consecrated to his ser-
vice. And so it is regarded as a species
of sacrilege to violate the temple, and
to devote it to other uses. 1 Cor. vi.
19. See ver. 17. 1 And that the
Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit, the
third person of the Trinity. This is
conclusively proved by 1 Cor. vi. 19,
where he is called "the Holy Ghost."
t Dwelleth in you. As God dwelt
formerly in the tabernacle, and after-
wards in the temple, so his Spirit now
dwells among Christians. This can-
not mean, (1.) That the Holy Spirit
is personally united to Christians, so
as to form a personal union ; or, (2.)
That there is to Christians any corn-
destroy ; for the temple of God
is holy, which temple ye are.
munication of his nature or personal
qualities; or, (3.) That there is any
union cf essence, or nature with them,
for Goc is present in all places, and
can, as God, be no more present at one
place than at another. The only sense
in which he can be peculiarly present
in any place is by his influence, or
agency. And the idea is one which
denotes agency, influence, favour,
peculiar regard ; and in that sense
only can he be present with his church.
The expression must mean, (1.) That
the church is the seat of his operations,
the field or abode on which he acts on
earth; (2.) That his influences are
there, producing the appropriate effects
of his agency, love, joy, peace, long-
suffering, &c. (Gal. v. 22, 23) ; (3.)
That he produces there consolations,
that he sustains and guides his people ,
(4.) That they are regarded as dedi-
cated or consecrated to him ; (5.) That
they are especially dear to him that
he loves them, and thus makes hia
abode with them. See Note, John
xiv. 23.
17. If any man defile, &c. Or,
destroy, corrupt (q&tipt'). The Greek
word is the same in both parts of the
sentence. ' If any man destroy the
temple of God, God shall destroy him.'
This is presented in the form of an
adage or proverb. And the truth here
stated is based on the fact that the
temple of God was inviolable. That
temple was holy ; and if any man
subsequently destroyed it, it might be
presumed that God would destroy him.
The figurative sense is, ' If any man
by his doctrines or precepts shall
pursue such a course as tends to de-
stroy the church, God shall severely
punish him.' H For the temple, of
God is holy. The temple of God is to
be regarded as sacred and inviolable.
This was unquestionably the common
opinion among the Jews respecting the
temple at Jerusalem ; and it was tht
common doctrine of the Gentiles re-
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER III.
73
18 Let no man deceive him-
self. a If any man among you
a Prov.26.12.
seemeth to be wise in this world,
let him become a fool, that he
may be wise.
specting their temples. Sacred places
were regarded as inviolable ; and this
general truth Paul applies to the Chris-
tian church in general. Locke sup-
poses that Paul had particular reference
here to the false teachers in Corinth.
But the expression, " if any man," is
equally applicable to all other false
teachers as to him. Tf Which temple
ye are. This proves that though Paul
regarded them as lamentably corrupt in
some respects, he still regarded them as
a true church as a part of the holy
temple of God.
18. Let no man deceive himself.
The apostle here proceeds to make a
practical application of the truths
which he had stated, and to urge on
them humility, and to endeavour to re-
press the broils and contentions into
which they had fallen. Let no man
be puffed up with a vain conceit of his
own wisdom, for this had been the real
cause of all the evils which they had
experienced. Grotius renders this,
" See that you do not attribute too
much to your wisdom and learning,
by resting on it, and thus deceiye your
own selves." "All human philosophy,"
says Grotius, " that is repugnant to the
gospel is but vain deceit." Probably
there were many among them who
would despise this admonition as
coming from Paul, but he exhorts them
to take care that they did not deceive
themselves. We are taught here, (1.)
The danger of self-deception a danger
that besets all on the subject of religion.
(2.) The fact that false philosophy is
the most fruitful source of self-decep-
tion in the business of religion. So it
was among the Corinthians ; and so it
has been in all ages since. | If any
man among you. Any teacher, what-
ever may be his rank or his confidence
in his own abilities; or any private
member of the church, t Seemeth to
be wise. Seems to himself; or is
thought to be, has the credit, or "eputa-
7
tion of being wise. The word seems
(Jcx.tl) implies this idea if any one
seems, or is supposed to be a man of
wisdom ; if this is his reputation ; and
if he seeks that this should be his re-
putation among men. See instances
of this construction in Bloomfield.
1 In this world. In this age, or world
(Iv T ctiZvi ToWtt). There is consider-
able variety in the interpretation of this
passage among critics. It may be
taken either with the preceding or the
following words. Origen, Cyprian,
Beza, Grotius, Hammond, and Locke,
adopt the latter method, and under-
stand it thus, " If any man among
you thinks himself to be wise, let him
not hesitate to be a fool in the opinion
of this age in order that he may be
truly wise." But the interpretation
conveyed in our translation, is proba-
bly the correct one. ' If any man has
the reputation of wisdom among the
men of this generation, and prides
himself on it,' &c. If he is esteemed
wise in the sense in which the men of
this world are, as a philosopher, a man
of science, learning, &c. f Let him
become a fool. (1.) Let him be will-
ing to be regarded as a fool. (2.) Let
him sincerely embrace this gospel,
which will inevitably expose him to the
charge of being a fool. (3.) Let all
his earthly wisdom be esteemed in his
own eyes as valueless and as folly in
the great matters of salvation. Tf That
he may be wise. That he may have
true wisdom that which is of God.
It is implied here, (1.) That the wis-
dom of this world will not make a man
truly wise. (2.) That a reputation
for wisdom may contribute nothing to
a man's true wisdom, but may stand
in the way of it. (3.) That for such a
man to embrace the gospel it is neces-
sary that he should be willing to cast
away dependence on his own wisdom,
and come with the temper of a child to
the Saviour. (4.) That .to do this will
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
19 For the wisdom of this
world is foolishness with God :
for it is written, He taketh the
wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, * The Lord
a Job 5.13. 6Ps.94.ll.
expose him to the charge of folly, and
the derision of those who are wise in
their own conceit. (5.) That true
wisdom is found only in that science
which teaches men to live unto God,
and to be prepared for death and for
heaven and that science is found
only in the gospel.
19. For the wisdom of this world.
That which is esteemed to be wisdom
by the men of this world on the subject
of religion. It does not mean that true
wisdom is foolishness with him. It does
not mean that science, and prudence,
and law that the knowledge of his
works that astronomy, and medicine,
and chymistry, are regarded by him as
folly, and as unworthy the attention
of men. God is the friend of truth on
all subjects ; and he requires us to be-
come acquainted with his works, and
commends those who search them. Ps.
xcii. 4; cxi. 2. But the apostle refers
here to that which was esteemed to be
wisdom among the ancients, and in
which they so much prided themselves,
their vain, self-confident, and false opi-
nions on the subject of religion; and
especially those opinions when they
were opposed to the simple but sublime
truths of revelation. See Note, ch. i.
20, 21. \ Is foolishness with God.
Is esteemed by him to be folly. Note,
ch. i. 20 24. 1 For it is written, &c.
Job v. 1 3. The word rendered " taketh"
here denotes to clench with the fist,
gripe, grasp. And the sense is, (1.)
however crafty, or cunning, or skilful
they may be ; however self-confident,
yet that they cannot deceive or impose
upon God. He can thwart their plans,
overthrow their schemes, defeat their
counsels, and foil them in their enter-
prises. Job v. 12. (2.) He does it by
their own cunning or craftiness. He
allows them to involve themselves in
knoweth the thoughts of the
wise, that they are vain.
21 Therefore let c no man
glory in men : for all things are
yours t
c Jer.9.23,24.
difficulties or to entangle each other.
He makes use of even their own craft
and cunning to defeat their counsels.
He allows the plans of one wise man
to come in conflict with those of an-
other, and thus to destroy one another.
Honesty in religion, as in every thing
else, is the best policy ; and a man who
pursues a course of conscientious in-
tegrity may expect the protection of
God. But he who attempts to carry
his purposes by craft and intrigue-
who depends on skill and cunning
instead of truth and honesty, will often
find that he is the prey of his own
cunning and duplicity.
20. And again. Ps. xciv. 11. f The
Lord knoweth. God searches the heart.
The particular thing which it is here
said that he knows, is, that the thoughts
of man are vain. They have this qua-
lity ; and this is that which the psalm-
ist here says that God sees. The af-
firmation is not one respecting the om-
niscience of God, but with respect to
what God sees of the nature of the
thoughts of the wise. ^ The thoughts
of the wise. Their plans, purposes,
designs. ^ That they are vain. That
they lack real wisdom ; they are fool-
ish ; they shall not be accomplished as
they expect; or be seen to have that
wisdom which they now suppose they
21. Therefore, &c. Paul here pro-
ceeds to apply the principles which he
had stated above. Since all were mi-
nisters or servants of God ; since God
was the source of all good influences ;
since, whatever might be the preten-
sions to wisdom among men, it was all
foolishness in the sight of God, the in-
ference was clear, that no man should
glory in man. They were all alike
poor, frail, ignorant, erring, dependent
beings. And hence, also, as all wisdoro
A. D.59.]
CHAPTER III.
75
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life,
2ame from God, and as Christians par-
took alike of the benefits of the instruc-
tion of the most eminent apostles, they
ought to regard this as belonging to
them in common, and not to form par-
ties with these names at the head.
^ Let no man glory in men. See ch.
i. 29. Comp. Jer. ix. 23, 24. It was
common among the Jews to range
themselves under different leaders as
Hillel and Shammai ; and for the Greeks,
also, to boast themselves to be the fol-
lowers of Pythagoras, Zeno, Plato, <Scc.
The same thing began to be manifest
in the Christian church ; and Paul here
rebukes and opposes it. *} For all
things are yours. This is a reason
why they should not range themselves
in parties or factions under different
leaders. Paul specifies what he means
by " all things" in the following verses.
The sense is, that since they had an
interest in all that could go to promote
their welfare ; as they were common
partakers of the benefits of the talents
and labours of the apostles ; and as
they belonged to Christ, and all to
God, it was improper to be split up
into factions, as if they derived any
peculiar benefit from one set of men,
or one set of objects. In Paul, in
Apollos, in life, death, &c. they had a
common interest, and no one should
boast that he had any special proprietor-
ship in any of these things.
22. Whether Paul, or Apollos. The
sense of this is clear. Whatever ad-
vantages result from the piety, self-
denials, and labours of Paul, Apollos,
or any other preacher of the gospel,
are yours you have the benefit of
them. One is as much entitled to the
benefit as another ; and all partake alike
in the results of their ministration.
You should therefore neither range
yourselves into parties with their names
given to the parties, nor suppose that
one has any peculiar interest in Paul,
or another in Apollos. Their labours
belonged to the church in general.
ey had no partialities no rivalship
desire to make parties. They were
The
no
united, -uul desirous of promoting the
welfare of the whole church of God.
The doctrine is, that ministers belong
to the church, and should devote them-
selves to its welfare ; and that the
church enjoys, in common, the benefits
of the learning, zeal, piety, eloquence,
talents, example of the ministers of
God. And it may be observed, that it
is no small privilege thus to be per-
mitted to regard all the labours of the
most eminent servants of God as de-
signed for our welfare ; and for the
humblest saint to feel that the labours
of apostles, the self-denials and suffer-
ings, the pains and dying ag'onies
of martyrs, have been for his advan-
tage, f Or Cephas. Or Peter. John
i. 42. | Or the world. This word is
doubtless used, in its common signifi-
cation, to denote the things which God
has made; the universe, the things
which pertain to this life. And the
meaning of the apostle probably is, that
all things pertaining to this world
which God has made all the events
which are occurring in his providence
were so far theirs, that they would
contribute to their advantage and theii
enjoyment. This general idea may be
thus expressed: (1.) The world was
made by God their common Father,
and they have an interest in it as his
children, regarding it as the work of his
hand, and seeing him present in all his
works. Nothing contributes so much
to the true enjoyment of the world to
comfort in surveying the heavens, the
earth, the ocean, hills, vales, plants,
flowers, streams, in partaking of the gifts
of Providence, as this feeling, that all
are the works of the Christian's father,
and that they may all partake of these
favours as his children. (2.) The
frame of the universe is sustained and
upheld for their sake. The universe is
kept by God ; and one design of God
in keeping it is to protect, preserve,
and redeem his church and people
To this end he defends it by day and
night ; he orders all things ; he keeps
it from the storm and tempest; from
76 i. CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 59
or death, or things present, or 23 And ye are Christ's ; and
things to come ; all are yours ; Christ is God's.
a Rom.14.8.
flood and fire ; and from annihilation.
The sun, and moon, and stars the
times and seasons, are all thus ordered,
that his church may be guarded, and
brought to heaven. (3.) The course
of providential events are ordered for
their welfare also. Rom. viii. 28. The
revolutions of kingdoms the various
persecutions and trials, even the rage
and fury of wicked men, are all over-
ruled, to the advancement of the cause
of truth, and the welfare of the church.
(4.) Christians have the promise of as
much of this world as shall be needful
for them; and in this sense " the world"
is theirs. See Matt. vi. 33. Mark x.
29, 30. 1 Tim. iv. 8, " Godliness is
profitable for all things, having promise
of the life that now is, and of that
which is to come." And such was the
result of the long experience and obser-
vation of David. Ps. xxxvii. 25, " I
have been young, and now am old ;
yet have I not seen the righteous for-
saken, nor his seed begging bread."
See Isa. xxxiii. 16. 1 Or life. Life
is theirs, because (1.) They enjoy life.
It is real life to them, and not a vain
show. They live for a real object, and
not for vanity. Others live for parade
and ambition Christians live for the
great purposes of life ; and life to them
has reality, as being a state prepara-
tory to another and a higher world.
Their life is not an endless circle of
unmeaning ceremonies of false and
hollow pretensions to friendship of a
vain pursuit of happiness, which is
never found, but is passed in a manner
that is rational, and sober, and that
truly deserves to be called life. (2.) The
various events and occurrences of life
shall all tend to promote their welfare,
and advance their salvation, ^f Death.
They have an interest, a property even
in death, usually regarded as a calamity
and a curse. But it is theirs, (1.) Be-
cause they shall have peace and sup-
port in the dying hour. (2.) Because
it has no terrors for them. It shall
take away nothing which they are not
willing to resign. (3.) Because it is
the avenue which leads to their rest ;
and it is theirs just in the same sense
in which we say that " this is our road"
when we have been long absent, and
are inquiring the way to our homes.
(4.) Because they shall triumph over
it. It is subdued by their Captain, and
the grave has been subjected to a tri-
umph by his rising from its chills and
darkness. (5.) Because death is the
means the occasion of introducing
them to their rest. It is the advan-
tagt^us circumstance in their history,
by which they are removed from a
world of ills, and translated to a world
of glory. It is to them a source of in-
expressible advantage, as it translates
them to a world of light and eteinal
felicity ; and it may truly be called
theirs. ^ Or things present, or things
to come. Events which are now hap-
pening, and all that can possibly accur
to us. Note, Rom. viii. 38 All the
calamities, trials, persecutions all the
prosperity, advantages, privileges of the
present time, and all that shail yet take
place, shall tend to promott our wel-
fare, and advance the interests of our
souls, and promote our salvation, f All
' are yours. All shall tend to promote
your comfort and salvation
23. And ye are Christ's. You be-
long to him ; and should not, herefore,
feel that you are devoted to ai-ff earthly
leader, whether Paul, Apollos, or Peter.
As you belong to Christ by redemp-
tion, and by solemn dedication to his
service, so you should feel that you are
his alone. You are his property his
people his friends. You should re-
gard yourselves as such, and foel that
you all belong to the same family, and
should not, therefore, be split up into
contending factions and parties. 1 Christ
is God's. Christ is the mediator be
tween God and man. He carmi to do
the will of God. He was and * ?till
devoted to the service of his 1
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER III.
77
God has a proprietorship in all that he
does, since Christ lived, and acted, and
reigns to promote the glory of his Fa-
ther. The argument here seems to be
this. ' You belong to Christ ; and he
to God. You are bound, therefore, not
to devote yourselves to a man, whoever
he may be, but to Christ, and to the
service of that one true GoJ, in whose
service even Christ was employed.
And as Christ sought to promote the
glory of his Fathefr, so should you in
all things.' This implies no inferiority
of nature of Christ to God. It means
only that he was employed in the ser-
vice of his Father, and sought his
glory a doctrine everywhere taught
in the New Testament. But this does
not imply that he was inferior in his
nature. A son may be employed in
the service of his father, and may seek
to advance his father's interests. But
this does not prove that the son is in-
ferior in nature to his father. It proves
only that he is inferior in some re-
spects in office. So the Son of God
consented to take an inferior office or
rank ; to become a mediator, to assume
the form of a servant, and to be a man
of sorrows ; but this proves nothing in
regard to his original rank or dignity.
That is to be learned from the numerous
passages which affirm that in nature he
was equal with God. See Note, John i. 1 .
REMARKS.
1st. Christians when first converted
may be well compared to infants, ver. 1.
They are in a new world. They just
open their eyes on truth. They see
new objects ; and have new objects of
attachment. They are feeble, weak,
helpless. And though they often have
high joy, and even great self-confidence,
yet they are in themselves ignorant and
weak, and in need of constant teach-
ing. Christians should not only pos-
sess the spirit, but they should feel that
they are like children. They are like
them not only in their temper, but in
their ignorance, and weakness, and
helplessness.
2d. The instructions which are im-
parted to Christians should be adapted
lc their capacity, ver. 2 Skill and
7*
care should be exercised to adapt that
instruction to the wants of tender con-
sciences, and to those who are feeble
in the faith. It would be no more ab
surd to furnish strong food to the new
born babe than it is to present some of
the higher doctrines of religion to thf
tender minds of converts. The elt
ments of knowledge must be first learn
ed ; the tenderest and most delicate
food must first nourish the body. And
perhaps in nothing is there more fre-
quent error than in presenting the
higher, and more difficult doctrines of
Christianity to young converts, and
because they have a difficulty in regard
to them, or because they even reject
them, pronouncing them destitute of
piety. Is the infant destitute of life
because it cannot digest the solid food
which nourishes the man of fifty years 1
Paul adapted his instructions to the de-
licacy and feebleness of infantile piety ;
and those who are like Paul will feed
with great care the lambs of the flock.
All young converts should be placed
under a course of instruction adapted
to their condition, and should secure the
careful attention of the pastors of the
churches.
3d. Strife and contention in the
church is proof that men are under
the influence of carnal feelings. No
matter what is the cause of the con-
tention, the very fact of the existence
of such strife is a proof of the exist-
ence of such feelings somewhere, ver
3, 4. On what side soever the original
fault of the contention may be, yet its
existence in the church is always proof
that some if not all of those who
are engaged in it are under the influ-
ence of carnal feelings. Christ's king-
dom is designed to be a kingdom of
peace and love ; and divisions and con-
tentions are always attended with evils,
and with injury to the spirit of true re-
ligion.
4th. We have here a rebuke to that
spirit which has produced the existence
of sects and parties, ver. 4. The
practice of naming sects after certain
men, we see, began early, and was as
early rebuked by apostolic authority
78
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
Would not the same apostolic autho-
rity rebuke the spirit which now calls
one division of the church after the
name of Calvin, another atter the name
of Luther, another after the name of
Anninius 1 Should not, and will not all
these divisions yet be merged in the high
and holy name of Christian ? Our Sa-
viour evidently supposed it possible
that his church should be one (John
xvii. 21 23); and Paul certainly
supposed that the church at Corinth
might be so united. So the early
churches were ; and is it too much to
hope that some way may yet be dis-
covered which shall break down the
divisions into sects, and unite Christians
both in feeling and in name in spread-
ing the gospel of the Redeemer every-
where 1 Does not every Christian sin-
cerely desire it? And may there not
yet await the church such a union as
shall concentrate all its energies in
saving the world ? How much effort,
how much talent, how much wealth
and learning are now wasted in con-
tending with other denominations of
the great Christian family ! How
much would this wasted and worse
than wasted wealth, and learning, and
talent, and zeal do in diffusing the gos-
pel around the world ! Whose heart is
not sickened at these contentions and
strifes ; and whose soul will not breathe
forth a pure desire to Heaven that the
time may soon come when all these
contentions shall die away, and when
the voice of strife shall be hushed ; and
when the united host of God's elect
shall go forth to subdue the world to
the gospel of the Saviour ?
5th. The proper honour should be
paid to the ministers of the gospel,
ver. 5 7. They should not te put
in the place of God ; nor should their
services, however important, prevent
the supreme recognition of God in the
conversion of souls. God is to be all
and in all. It is proper that the minis-
ters of religion should be treated with
respect (1 Thess. v. 12, 13) ; and mi-
nisters have a right to expect and to
desire the affectionate regards of those
who are blessed by their instrumen-
tality. But Paul eminent and suc-
cessful as he was would do nothing
that would diminish or obscure the sin-
gleness of view with which the agency
of God should be regarded in the work
of salvation. He regarded himself as
nothing compared with God ; and his
highest desire was that God in all
things might be honoured.
6th. God is the source of all good
influence, and of all that is holy in
the church. He only, gives the in-
crease. Whatever of humility, faith,
love, joy, peace, or purity we may have,
is all to be traced to him. No matter
who plants, or who waters, Got? gives life
to the seed ; God rears the stalk ; God
expands the leaf; God opens the flower
and gives it its fragrance; and God forms,
preserves, and ripens the fruit. So in
religion. No matter who the minister
may be ; no matter how faithful, learn-
ed, pious, or devoted, yet if any success
attends his labours, it is all to be traced
to God. This truth is never to be for-
gotten ; nor should any talents, or zeal,
however great, ever be allowed to dim or
obscure its lustre in the minds of those
who are converted.
7th. Ministers are on a level, ver. 8, 9.
Whatever may be their qualifications
or their success, yet they can claim no
pre-eminence over one another. They
are fellow labourers engaged in one
work, accomplishing the same object,
though they may be in different parts
of the same field. The man who
plants is as necessary as he that waters;
and both are inferior to God, and neither
could do any thing without him.
8th. Christians should regard them-
selves as a holy people, ver. 9. They
are the cultivation of God. All that
they have is from him. His own
agency has been employed in their
conversion ; his own Spirit operates to
sanctify and save them. Whatever
they have is to be traced to God ; and
they should remember that they are,
therefore, consecrated to him.
9th. No other foundation can be laid
in the church except that of Christ,
ver. 10, 11 Unless a church is founded
on the true doctrine respecting the Mas*
- V.D. 59.]
CHAPTER III.
79
siah, it is a false church, and should
not be recognised as belonging to him.
There can be no other foundation,
either for an individual sinner, or for a
church. How important then to in-
quire whether we are building our
hopes for eternity on this tried founda-
tion ! How faithfully should we ex-
amine this subject lest our hopes should
all be swept away in the storms of di-
vine wrath ! Matt. vii. 27, 28. How
deep and awful will be the disappoint-
ment of those who suppose they have
been building on the true foundation,
and who find in the great day of judg-
ment that all has been delusion !
10th. We are to be tried at the day of
judgment, ver. 13, 14. All are to be ar-
raigned, not only in regard to the foun-
dation of our hopes for eternal life,
but in regard to the superstructure,
the nature of our opinions and prac-
tices in religion. Every thing shall
come into judgment
llth. The trial will be such as to
test our character. All the trials
through which we are to pass are de-
signed to do this. Affliction, tempta-
tion, sickness, death, are all intended
to produce this result, and all have a
tendency to this end. But, pre-emi-
nently is this the case with regard to
the trial at the great day of judgment.
Amidst the light of the burning world,
and the terrors of the judgment; under
the blazing throne, and the eye of God,
every man's character shall be seen,
and a just judgment shall be pro-
nounced.
12th. The trial shall remove all that
is impure in Christians, ver. 14. They
shall then see the truth ; and in that
world of truth, all that was erroneous
in their opinions shall be corrected.
They shall be in a world where fanati-
cism cannot be mistaken for the love
of truth, and where enthusiasm can-
not be substituted for zeal. All true
and real piety shall there abide ; all
which is false and erroneous shall be
removed.
13th. What a change will then take
place in regard to Christians. All pro-
bably cherish some opinions which are
unsound ; all indulge in some things
now supposed to be piety, which will
not then bear the test. The great
change will then take place from im-
purity to purity ; from imperfection to
perfection. The very passage from
this world to heaven will secure this
change ; and what a vast revolution
will it be thus to be ushered into a
world where all shall be pure in senti-
ment ; all perfect in love.
14th. Many Christians may be much
disappointed in that day. Many who
are now zealous for doctrines, and who
pursue with vindictive spirit others who
differ from them, shall then " suffer
less," and find that the persecuted had
more real love of truth than the perse-
cutor. Many who are now filled with
zeal, and who denounce the compara-
tively leaden and tardy pace of others ;
many whose bosoms glow with raptu-
rous feeling, and burn, as they sup-
pose, with a seraph's love, shall find
that all this was not piety that animal
feeling was mistaken for the love of
God ; and that a zeal for sect, or for the
triumph of a party, was mistaken for
love to the Saviour; and that the
kindlings of an ardent imagination
had been often substituted for the ele-
vated emotions of pure and disinte-
rested love.
15th. Christians, teachers, and people
should examine themsefces, and see
what is the building which they are
rearing on the true foundation. Even
where the foundation of a building is
laid broad and deep, it is of much im-
portance whether a stately and magni-
ficent palace shall be reared on it, suited
to the nature of the foundation, or
whether a mud-walled and a thatched
cottage shall be all. Between the foun-
dation and the edifice in the one case
there is the beauty of proportion and
fitness ; in the other there is incon-
gruity and unfitness. Who would
lay such a deep and broad foundation
as the basis on which to rear the hut
of the savage or the mud cottage ui
the Hindoo ? Thus in religion. The
foundation to all who truly believe in
the Lord Jesus is broad, deep, firm.
1. CORINTHIANS.
magnificent. But the superstructure
the piety, the advancement in know-
ledge, the life, is often like the cottage
that is reaied on the firm basis that
every wind shakes, and that the fire
would soon consume. As the basis of
the Christian hope is firm, so should
the superstructure be large, magnificent
and grand.
16th. Christians are to regard them-
selves as holy and pure. ver. 16, 17.
They are the temple of the Lord the
dwelling place of the Spirit. A temple
is sacred and inviolable. So should
Christians regard themselves. They
are dedicated to God. He dwells
among them. And they should deem
themselves holy and pure ; and should
preserve their minds from impure
thoughts, from unholy purposes, from
selfish and sensual desires. They
should be in all respects such as will
be the fit abode for the Holy Spirit of
God. How pure should men be in
whom the Holy Spirit dwells ! How
single should be their aims ! How con-
stant their self-denials ! How single
heir desire to devote all to his service,
and to live always to his glory ! How
heavenly should they be in their reel-
ings; and how should pride, sensuality,
vanity, ambition, covetousness, and the
love of gayety, be banished from their
bosoms ! Assuredly in God's world
there shoul^be one place where he
will delight to dwell one place that
shall remind of heaven, and that place
should be the church which has been
purchased with the purest blood of the
universe.
1 7th. We see what is necessary if a
man would become a Christian, ver. 8.
He must be willing to be esteemed a
fool; to be despised; to have his name cast
out as evil ; and to be regarded as even
under delusion and deception. What-
ever may be his rank, or his reputation
for wisdom, and talent, and learning,
lie must be willing to be regarded as a
fool by his former associates and com-
panior? ; to cast off all reliance on his
own wisdom ; and to be associated
with the poor, the persecuted, and the
despised followers of Jesus. Chris-
[A. D. 59.
tianity knows no distinctions of wraith,
talent, learning. It points out no royal
road to heaven. It describes but one
way ; and whatever contempt an effort
to be saved may involve us in, it re
quires us to submit to that, anil even
to rejoice that our names are ctst out
as evil.
18th. This is a point on which men
should be especially careful that they
are not deceived, ver. 18. There is
nothing on which they are more likely
to be than this. It is not an easy thing
for a proud man to humble himself; it
is not easy for men who boast of their
wisdom to be willing that their names
should be cast out as evil. And there
is great danger of a man's flattering
himself that he is willing to be a
Christian, who would not be willing to
be esteemed a fool by the great and the
gay men of this world. He stil! in-
tends to be a Christian and be saved
and yet to keep up his reputation for
wisdom and prudence. Hence every
thing in religion which is not consistent
with such a reputation for prudence
and wisdom he rejects. Hence he
takes sides with the world. As far as
the world will admit that a man ought
to attend to religion he will go. Where
the world would pronounce any thing
to be foolish, fanatical, or enthusiastic,
he pauses. And his religion is not
shaped by the New Testament, but by
the opinions of the world. Such a
man should be cautious that he is not
deceived. All his hopes of heaven are
probably built on the sand.
19. We should not overvalue the
wisdom of this world, ver. 18, 19. I
is folly in the sight of God. And we,
therefore, should not over-estimate it.
or desire it, or be influenced by it.
True wisdom on any subject we should
not despise ; but we should especially
value that which is connected with sal-
vation.
20th. This admonition is of especial
applicability to ministers of the gospel.
They are in special danger on the sub-
ject ; and it has been by iheir yielding
themselves so much to the power of
speculative philosophy, that parties
- D. 59.
CHAPTER IV.
81
CHAPTER
ET a man so
IV.
account
of
us, as of the ministers
a of Christ, and stewards of the
mysteries of God
a 2Cor.6.4.
have been formed in the church, and
that the gospel has been so much cor-
rupted.
21st. These considerations should
lead us t^live above contention, and
the fondness of party. Sect and party
in the church are not formed by the
love of the pure and simple gospel, but
by the love of some philosophical opi-
nion, or by an admiration of the wis-
dom, talents, learning, eloquence, or
success of some Christian teacher.
Against this the apostle would guard
us ; and the considerations presented
in this chapter should elevate us above
all the causes of contention and the
ove of sect, and teach us to love as
Brothers all who love our Lord Jesus
Christ,
22d. Christians have an interest in
all things that can go to promote their
happiness. Life and death, things pre-
sent and things to come all shall tend
to advance their happiness, and pro-
mote their salvation, ver. 21 23.
23d. Christians have nothing to fear
in death. Death is theirs, and shall be
a blessing to them. Its sting is taken
away ; and it shall introduce them to
heaven. What have they to fear 1
Why should they be alarmed 1 Why
afraid to die ] Why unwilling to de-
part and to be v?ith Christ 1
24th. Christians should regard them-
selves as devoted to the Saviour. They
are his, and he has the highest con-
ceivable claim on their time, their ta-
lents, their influence, and their wealth.
To him, therefore, let us be devoted,
i.nd to him let us consecrate all that
we have.
CHAPTER IV.
THIS chapter is a continuation of the
subject discussed in those which go
before, and of the argument which
closes the last chapter. The proper
division would have been at ver. 6. The
design of the first six verses is to show
he real estimate in which the apostles
ought to be held as the ministers of re-
ligion. The remainder of the chaptei
(ver. 7 21) is occupied in setting forth
further the claims of the apostles to
their respect in contradistinction from
the false teachers, and in reproving the
spirit of vain boasting and confidence
among the Corinthians. Paul (ver. 7)
reproves their boasting by assuring
them that they had no ground for it,
since all that they possessed had been
given to them by God. In ver. 8, he
reproves the same spirit with cutting
irony, as if they claimed to be emi
nently wise. Still further to reprove
them, he alludes to his own self-denials
and sufferings, as contrasted with their
ease, and safety, and enjoyment, ver. 9
14. He then shows that his labours
and self-denials in their behalf, laid the
foundation for his speaking to them
with authority as a father, ver. 15, 16.
And to show them that he claimed that
authority over them as the founder of
their church, and that he was not
afraid to discharge his duty towards
them, he informs them that he had
sent Timothy to look into their affairs
(ver. 17), and that himself would soon
follow ; and assures them that he had
power to come to them with the seve-
rity of Christian discipline, and that it
depended on their conduct whether he
should come with a rod, or with the
spirit of meekness and love. ver. 21.
1. Let a man. Let all ; let this be
the estimate formed of us by each one
of you. ^ So account of us. So think
of us, the apostles. ^ As the ministers
of Christ. As the servants of Christ.
Let them form a true estimate of us
and our office not as the head of a
faction ; not as designing to form par-
ties, but as unitedly and entirely the
servants of Christ. See ch. iii. 5.
t And stewards. Stewards were those
who presided over the affairs of a
family, and made provision for it, &c.
See Note, Luke xvi. 1. It was an
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D.
2 Moreover, it is required in
stewards, a that a man be found
faithful.
a Luke 12.42. Tit.1.7. IPetAlO.
3 But with me it is a very
small thing that I should be
judged of you, or of man's
office of much responsibility ; and the
apostle by using the term here seems
to have designed to elevate those whom
he seemed to have depreciated in ch. iii.
5. f Of the mysteries of God. Of
the gospel. NotlJ ch. ii. 7. The
office of steward was to provide those
things which were necessary for the
use of a family. And so the office of
a minister of the gospel, and a steward
of its mysteries, is to dispense such in-
structions, guidance, counsel, &c., as
may be requisite to build up the
church of Christ ; to make known
those sublime truths which are con-
tained in the gospel, but which had
not been made known before the reve-
lation of Jesus Christ, and which are,
therefore, called mysteries. It is im-
plied in this verse, (1.) That the office
of a minister is one that is subordinate
to Christ they are his servants. (2.)
That those in the office should not at-
tempt to be the head of sect or party
in the church. (3.) That the office is
honourable as that of a steward is ;
and, (4.) That Christians should en-
deavour to form and cherish just ideas
of ministers; to give them their true
honour ; but not to overrate their im-
portance.
2. Moreover, &c. The fidelity re-
quired of stewards seems to be adverted
to here, in order to show that the apos-
tles acted from a higher principle than
a desire to please man, or to be regard-
ed as at the head of a party ; and they
ought so to esteem them as bound, like
all stewards, to be faithful to the mas-
ter whom they seived. t It * s requir-
ed, &c. It is expected of them ; it is j
the main or leading thing in their (
office. Eminently in that office fide- \
lity is required as an indispensable and ;
cardinal virtue. Fidelity to the mas- j
ter, faithfulness to his trust, as THE
virtue which by way of eminence is
demanded there. In other offices other
virtues may be paiticularly required.
But here fidelity is demanded. This
is required particularly because it is an
office of trust ; because the master's
goods are at his disposal ; because there
is so much opportunity for fhe steward
to appropriate those goods to his own
use, so that his master cannot detect it.
There is a strong similarity between
the office of a steward and that of a
minister of the gospel. But it is not
needful here to dwell on the resem
blance. The idea of Paul seems to be,
(1.) That a minister, like a steward, is
devoted to his master's service, and
should regard himself as such. (2.)
That he should be faithful to that trust,
and not abuse or violate it. (3.) That
he should not be judged by his fellow
stewards, or fellow servants, but that
his main desire should be to meet with
the approbation of his master. A mi-
nister should be faithful for obvious
reasons. Because, (a) He is appointed
by Jesus Christ ; (i) Because he must
answer to him ; (c) Because the honour
of Christ, and the welfare of his king-
dom is intrusted to him ; and (c?) Be-
cause of the importance of the matter
committed to his care ; and the import-
ance of fidelity can be measured only
by the consequences of his labours to
those souls in an eternal heaven or an
eternal hell.
3. But with me. In my estimate
in regard to myself. That is, I esteem
it a matter of no concern. Since I
adt responsible as a steward to my mas-
ter only, it is a matter of small concern
what men think of me, provided I have
his approbation. Paul was not insen-
sible to the good opinion of men. He
did not despise their favour or court
their contempt. But this was not the
principal thing which he regarded ; and
we have here a noble elevation of pur
pose and of aim, which shows how di
rect was his design to serve and please
the master who had appointed him te
his office. 1 That I should be judged
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER IV.
'judgment; yea, I judge not
mine own self:
4 For I know nothing by my-
i day.
The word rendered judged here pro-
perly denotes to examine the qualities
of any person or thing ; and sometimes
as here, to express the result of such
examination or judgment. Here it
means to blame or condemn, f Of
you. By you. Dear as you are to me
as a church and a people, yet my main
desire is not to secure your esteem, or
to avoid your censure, but to please my
master, and secure his approbation.
t Or of man's judgment. Of any
man's judgment. What he had just
said, that he esteemed it to be a matter
not worth regarding, whatever might
be their opinion of him, might seem to
look like arrogance, or appear as if he
looked upon them with contempt. In
order to avoid this construction of his
language, he here says that it was not
because he despised them, or regarded
their opinion as of less value than
that of others, but that he had the
same feelings in regard to all men.
Whatever might be their rank, charac-
ter, talent, or learning, he regarded it
as a matter of the least possible conse-
quence what they thought of him. He
was answerable not to them, but to his
Master ; and he could pursue an inde-
pendent course whatever they might
think of his conduct. This is design-
ed also evidently to reprove them for
seeking so much the praise of each
other. The Greek here is 'of man's
day,' where day is used, as it often is in
Hebrew, to denote the day of trial ; the
day of judgment; and then simply judg-
ment. Thus the word nv day is used
in Job xxiv. 1. Ps. xxxvii. 13. Joel i.
15 ; ii. 1 ; iv. 19. Mai. Hi. 19. t Yea,
/ judge not my own self. I do not
attempt to pronounce a judgment on
myself. I am conscious of imperfec-
tion, and of being biased by self-love
in my own favour. I do not feel that
my judgment of myself would be
strictly impartial, and in all respects to
self; * yet am Inot hereby jus
tified : but he that judgeth me is
the Lord.
a Ps.143.2
be trusted. Favourable as may be my
opinion, yet I am sensible that I may
be biased. This is designed to soften
what he had just said about their judg-
ing him, and to show further the little
value which is to be put on the judg-
ment which man may form. ' If I do
not regard my own opinion of myself
as of high value, I cannot be suspected
of undervaluing you when I say that
I do not much regard your opinion ;
and if I do not estimate highly my
own opinion of myself, then it is not
to be expected that I should set a high
value on the opinions of others.' God
only is the infallible judge ; and as we
and our fellow men are liable to be
biased in our opinions, from envy, igno-
rance, or self-love, we should regard the
judgment of the world as of little value
4. For I know nothing by myself.
There is evidently here an ellipsis to
be supplied, and it is well supplied by
Grotius, Rosenmiiller, Calvin, &c. I
am not conscious of evil, or unfaith-
fulness to myself; that is, in my mi-
nisterial life/ It is well remarked by
Calvin, that Paul does not here refer to
the whole of his life, but only to his
apostleship. And the sense is, I am
conscious of integrity in this office.
My own mind does not condemn me
of ambition or unfaithfulness. Others
may accuse me, but I am not conscious
of that which should condemn me, or
render me .unworthy of this office.'
This appeal Paul elsewhere makes to
the integrity and faithfulntss of his
ministry. So his speech before the
elders of Ephesus at Miletus. Acts
xx. 18, 19. 26, 27. Comp. 2 Cor. vii.
2 ; xii. 17. It was the appeal which
a holy and faithful man could make to
the integrity of his public life, and
such as every minister of the gospel
ought to be able to make K Yet am
I not hereby justified. I am not justi-
fied because I am not conscious of a
34
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
5 Therefore judge a nothing
before the time, until the Lord
come, who * both will bring to
light the hidden things of dark-
a Man J.I. b Rom.2.16. Rev.20.2.
failure in my duty. I know that God
the judge may see imperfections where
I see none. I know that I may be de-
ceived ; and therefore, I do not pro-
nounce a judgment on myself as if it
were infallible and final. It is not by
the consciousness of integrity and
faithfulness that I expect to be saved ;
and it does not follow that I claim to
be free from all personal blame. I
know that partiality to ourselves will
often teach us to overlook many faults
that others may discern in us. f He
that judgeth me is the Lord. By his
judgment I am to abide ; and by his
judgment I am to receive my eternal
sentence, and not by my own view of
myself. He searcheth the hearts. He
may see evil where I see none. I
would not, therefore, be self-confident ;
but would, with humility, refer the
whole case to him. Perhaps there is
here a gentle and tender reproof of the
Corinthians, who were so confident in
their own integrity ; and a gentle ad-
monition to them to be more cautious,
as it was possible that the Lord would
detect faults in them where they per-
ceived none.
5. Therefore. In view of the dan-
ger of being deceived in your judg-
ment, and the impossibility of cer-
tainly knowing the failings of the
heart. f Judge nothing. Pass no
decided opinion. See Note, Matt. vii.
1. The apostle here takes occasion to
inculcate on them an important lesson
one of the leading lessons of Chris-
tianity not to pass a harsh opinion on
the conduct of any man, since there are
so many things that go to make up his
character which we cannot know ; and
so many secret failings and motives
which are all concealed from us. ^ Until
the Lord come. The Lord Jesus at
the day of judgment, when all secrets
shall be revealed, and a true judgment
ness, and will make manifest the
counsels of the hearts : and then
shall every man have praise of
God.
shall be passed on all men. f Who
both will bring to light. See Note,
Rom. ii. 16. f The hidden thingi
of darkness. The secret things of the
heart which have been hidden as it
were in darkness. The subsequent
clause shows that this is the sense.
He does not refer to the deeds of night,
or those things which were wrought
in the secret places of idolatry, but to
the secret designs of the heart ; and
perhaps means gently to insinuate
that there were many things about the
character and feelings of his enemies
which would not well bear the revela-
tions of that*day. f The counsels of
the hearts. The purposes, designs, and
intentions of men. All their plans
shall be made known in that day. And
it is a most fearful and alarming truth,
that no man can conceal his purposes
beyond the day of judgment. 1 And
then shall every man have praise of
God. The word here rendered prais?
(t?r>j.ivoc) denotes in this place reward,
or that which is due to him ; the just
sentence which ought to be pronounced
on his character. It does not mean as
our translation would imply, that every
man will then receive the divine appro-
bation which will not be true ; but that
every man shall receive what is due to
his character, whether good or evil. So
Bloomfield and Bretschneider explain
it. Hesychius explains it by judg-
ment (xgi<r/?). The word must be li
mited in its signification according to
the subject or the connexion. The
passage teaches, (1.) That we should
not be guilty of harsh judgment of
others. (2.) The reason is, that we
cannot know their feelings and mo-
tives. (3.) That all secret things will
be brought forth in the great day, and
nothing be concealed beyond that time.
(4.) That every man shall receive jus-
tice there. He shall be treated as he
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER IV.
6 And these things, brethren,
I have in a figure transferred to
myself and to Apollos for your
sakes ; that ye might learn in us
uught to be. The destiny of no one
will be decided by the opinions of
men ; but the doom of all will be lixed
oy God. How important is it, there-
fore, that we be prepared for that day ;
and how important to cherish such
feelings, and form such plans, that they
may be developed without involving
us in shame and contempt !
6. And these things. The things
which I have written respecting reli-
gious teachers (ch. ii. 5, 6. 22), and
the impropriety of forming sects called
after their names. ^ I have in a
figure transferred to myself and
Apollos. The word here used (^iTur^t-
juuT/a-x) denotes, properly, to put on
another form or figure ; to change
(Phil. iii. 21, "who shall change our
vile body") ; to transform (2 Cor. xi.
13, "transforming themselves into the
apostles of Christ") ; and then to apply
in the way of a figure of speech.
This may mean that neither Paul,
Apollos, or Peter, were set up among
the Corinthians as heads of parties,
but that Paul here made use of their
names to show how improper it would
be to make them the head of a party,
and hence, how improper it was to
make any religious teacher the head
of a party ; or Paul may mean to say
that he had mentioned himself and
Apollos particularly, to show the im-
propriety of what had been done ; since,
if it was improper to make them heads
of parties, it was much more so to
make inferior teachers the leaders of
factions. Locke adopts the former in-
terpretation. The latter is probably
the true interpretation, for it is evident
from ch. i. 12, 13, that there were par-
ties in the church at Corinth that were
called oy the names of Paul, and Apol-
lon, and Peter ; and Paul's design here
was to show the impropriety of this by
mentioning himself, Apollos, and Peter,
*nd thus by transferring the whole dis-
8
not to think of men above that
which is written, that no one of
you be puffed up for one against
another.
cussion from inferior teachers and
leaders to show the impropriety of it.
He might have argued against the im-
propriety of following other leaders.
He might have mentioned their names.
But this would have been invidious and
indelicate. It would have excited their
anger. He therefore says that he had
transferred it all to himself and Apollos ;
and it implied that if it were improper
to split themselves up into factions with
them as leaders, much more was it im-
proper to follow others ; i. e. it was im-
proper to form parties at all in the
church. 'I mention this of ourselves ,
out of delicacy I forbear to mention the
names of others.' And this was one
of the instances in which Paul showed
great tact in accomplishing his object,
and avoiding offence. | For your
sakes. To spare your feelings ; or to
show you in an inoffensive manner
what I mean. And particularly by
this that you may learn not to place an
inordinate value on men. | That ye
might learn in us. Or by our exam-
ple and views, f Not to think, &c.
Since you see the plan which we
desire to take ; since you see that we
who have the rank of apostles, and have
been so eminently favoured with en-
dowments and success, do not wish to
form parties, that you may also have
the same views in regard to others.
T Above that tvhich is written. Pro-
bably refering to what he had said in
ch. iii. 5 9. 21 ; iv. 1. Or it may
refer to the general strain of Scripture
requiring the children of God to be
modest and humble, f That no one
of you be puffed up. That no one be
proud or exalted in self-estimation
above his neighbour. That no one be
cftsposed to look upon others with con-
tempt, and to seek to depress and hum-
ble them. They should regard them-
selves as brethren, and as all on a
level. The argument here is, that if
8b
I. CORINTHIANS.
7 For vvliu * maketh thee to
differ from another? and what
"hast thou that thou didst not
" distinguished thee. a James 1.17.
Pail and Apollos did not suppose that
they had a right to put themselves at
the head of parties, much less had any
of them a right to do so. The doctrine
is, (1.) That parties are improper in the
church ; (2.) That Christians should re-
gard themselves as on a level ; and, (3.)
That no one Christian should regard
others as beneath him, or as the object
of contempt.
7. For who maketh, &c. This
verse contains a reason for what Paul
had just said ; and the reason is, that
all that any of them possessed had
been derived from God, and no en-
dowments whatever, which they had,
could be laid as the foundation for
self-congratulation and boasting. The
apostle here doubtless has in his eye
the teachers in the church of Corinth,
and intends to show them that there
was no occasion of pride or to assume
pre-eminence. As all that they pos-
sessed had been given of God, it could
not be the occasion of boasting or self-
confidence. 1 To differ from another.
Who has separated you from another ;
or who has made you superior to
others. This may refer to every thing
in which one was superior to others, or
distinguished from them. The apostle
doubtless has reference to those attain-
ments in piety, talents, or knowledge
by which one teacher was more emi-
nent than others. But the same ques-
tion may be applied to native endow-
ments of mind; to opportunities of
education ; to the arrangements by
which one rises in the world; to
Health ; to property ; to piety ; to emi-
nence and usefulness in the church.
It is God who makes one, in any of
these respects to differ from others ; and
it is especially true in regard to personal
piety. Had not God interfered and
made a difference, all would have re-
mained alike under sin. The race
[A. D. 59
receive ? Now if thou didst re-
ceive it, why dost thou glory, as
if thou hadst not received it ?
would have together rejected his met
cy ; and it is only by his distinguish
ing. love that any are brought to be-
lieve and be saved. J And what hast
thou. Either talent, piety, or learning.
1 That thou didst not receive. From
God. By whatever means you have
obtained it, it has been the gift of God.
^ Why dost thou glory, &c. Why
dost thou boast as if it were the result
of your own toil, skill or endeavour.
This is not designed to discourage hu-
man exertion ; but to discourage a
spirit of vainglory and boasting. A
man who makes the most painful and
faithful effort to obtain any thing good,
will, if successful, trace his success to
God. He will still feel that it is God
who gave him the disposition, the
time, the strength, the success. And
he will be grateful that he was en-
abled to make the effort ; not vain, or
proud, or boastful, because that he was
successful. This passage states a gene-
ral doctrine, that the reason why one
man differs from another is to be traced to
God ; and that this fact should repress
all boasting and glorying, and produce
true humility in the minds of Chris-
tians. It may be observed, however,
that it is as true of intellectual rank,
of health, of wealth, of food, of rai-
ment, of liberty, of peace, as it is of
religion, that all come from God ; and
as this fact which is so obvious and
well known, does not repress the exer-
tions of men to preserve their health
and to obtain property, so it should not
repress their exertions to obtain salva-
tion. God governs the world on the
same good principles everywhere ; and
the fact that he is the source of all
blessings, should not operate to dis
courage, but should prompt to humar
effort. The hope of his aid and bless
ing is the only ground of encourage
ment in any undertaking.
A. D. 53.]
CHAPTER IV.
8?
8 Now ye are fall, now ye
are rich, * ye have reigned as
kings without us : and I would
6 Rev.3.17.
to God ye di d reign, ,nat we also
might reign with you.
9 For I think that God hath
8. Now ye are full. It is generally
agreed that this is spoken in irony,
and that it is an indignant sarcasm
uttered against the false and self-confi-
dent teachers in Corinth. The design
is to contrast them with the apostles ;
to show how self-confident and vain the
false teachers were, and how laborious
and self-denying the apostles were ; and
to show to them how little claim they
had to authority in the church, and the
real claim which the apostles had from
their self-denials and labours. The
whole passage is an instance of most
pungent and cutting sarcasm, and
shows that there may be occasions
when irony may be proper, though it
should be rare. An instance of cutting
irony occurs also in regard to the
priests of Baal, in 1 Kings xviii. 27.
The word translated " ye are full"
(x.&.^tTfAl.vct') occurs only here, and in
Acts xxvii. 38, " And when they had
eaten enough." It is usually applied
to a feast, and denotes those who are
satiated or satisfied. So here it means,
' You think you have enough. You
are satisfied with your conviction of
your own knowledge, and do not feel
your need of any thing more.' ^ Ye
are rich. This is presenting the same
idea in a different form. ' You esteem
yourselves to be rich in spiritual gifts,
and graces, so that you do not feel the
necessity of any more.' f Ye have
reigned as kings. This is simply car-
rying forward the idea before stated ; but
in the form of a climax. The first me-
taphor is taken from persons filled with
food ,- the second from those who are so
rich that they do not feel their want of
more ; the third from those who are
raised to a throne, the highest elevation,
where there was nothing further to be
reached or desired. And the phrase
means, that they had been fully satis-
fied with their condjion and attain-
ments, with their knowledge and
power, that they lived like rich men
and princes revelling, as it were, on
spiritual enjoyments, and disdaining all
foreign influence, and instruction, and
control. \ Without us. Without our
counsel and instruction. You have
taken the whole management of mat-
ters on yourselves without any regard
to our advice or authority. You did
not feel your need of our aid ; and you
did not regard our authority. You
supposed you could get along as well
without us as with us. 1 And I would
to God ye did reign. Many interpret-
ers have understood this as if Paul
had really expressed a wish that they
were literal princes, that they might
afford protection to him in his persecu-
tion and troubles. Thus Grotius,
Whitby, Locke, Rosenmuller, and Dod-
dridge. But the more probable inter-
pretation is, that Paul here drops the
irony, and addresses them in a sober,
earnest manner. It is the expression
of a wish that they were as truly hap
py and blessed as they thought them-
selves to be. ' I wish that you were so
abundant in all spiritual improvements ;
I wish that you had made such advances
that you could be represented as full,
and as rich, and as princes, needing
nothing, that when I came I might
have nothing to do but to partake of
your joy.' So Calvin, Lightfoot,
Bloomfield. It implies, (1.) A wish that
they were truly happy and blessed;
(2.) A doubt implied whether they were
then so ; and, (3.) A desire on the part
of Paul to partake of their real and
true joy, instead of being compelled to
come to them with the language of re
buke and admonition. See ver. 1.9.
21.
9. For I think. It seems to me.
Grotius thinks that this is to be taken
ironically, as if he had said, ' It seema
then that God has designed that we, the
apostles, should be subject to coi teropt
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59.
set/orth us the * apostles last, as
't were appointed to death : for
we are made a 3 spectacle unto
lor, the lust apostles aHeb.10.33. nheatre.
and suffering, and be made poor and
persecuted, while you are admitted to
high honours and privileges.' But
probably this is to be taken as a serious
declaration of Paul, designed to show
:heir actual condition and trials, while
others were permitted to live in enjoy-
ment. Whatever might be their con-
dition, Paul says that the condition of
himself and his fellow labourers was
one of much contempt and suffering ;
and the inference seems to be, that
they ought to doubt whether they were
in a right state, or had any occasion for
their self-congratulation, since they so
little resembled those whom God had
set forth. fi Hath set forth. Has
showed us ; or placed us in public view.
t The apostles last. Marg. or, the last
apostles (jrwt farcrrotevc s^aTci/f).
Grotius supposes that this means in
the lowest condition ; the humblest
state ; a condition like that of beasts.
So Tertullian renders it. And this in-
terpretation is the correct one if the pas-
sage be ironical. But Paul may mean
to refer to the custom of bringing forth
those in the amphitheatre at the con-
clusion of the spectacles who were to
fight with other men, and who had no
chance of escape. These inhuman
games abounded everywhere ; and an
allusion to them would be well under-
stood, and is indeed often made by
Paul. Comp. 1 Cor. ix. 26. 1 Tim.
vi. 12. 2 Tim. iv. 7. See Seneca
Epis. ch. vii. This interpretation
receives support from the words which
are used here, " God hath exhibited,"
" spectacle," or theatre, which are all
applicable to such an exhibition. Cal-
vin, Locke, and others, however, sup-
pose that Paul refers to the fact that he
was the last of the apostles ; but this
interpretation does not suit the con-
nexion of the passage. Tf As it were
(if). Intimating the certainty of
death. ^ Appointed unto death
the world and to angels, and to
men.
10 We are fools for Christ's
vstrtW). Devoted to death. The word
occurs nowhere else in the New Testa-
ment. It denotes the certainty of death,
or the fact of being destined to death ;
and implies that such were their conti-
nued conflicts, trials, persecutions, that
it was morally certain that they would
terminate in their death, and only when
they died, as the last gladiators on the
stage were destined to contend until they
should die. This is a very strong ex-
pression ; and denotes the continuance,
the constancy, and the intensity of their
sufferings in the cause of Christ.
f We are made a spectacle. Marg.
theatre (S-wrgiv). The theatre, or
amphitheatre of the ancients was com-
posed of an arena, or level floor, on
which the combatants fought, and
which was surrounded by circular seats
rising above one another to a great
height, and capable of containing
many thousand spectators. Paul re-
presents himself as on this arena or
stage, contending with foes, and des-
tined to death. Around him and above
him are an immense host of men and
angels, looking on at the conflict, and
awaiting the issue. He is not alone or
unobserved. He is made public ; and
the universe gazes on the struggle.
Angels and men denote the universe,
as gazing upon the conflicts and strug-
gles of the apostles. It is a vain in-
quiry here, whether he means good or
bad angels. The expression means
that he was public in his trials, and
that this was exhibited to the universe.
The whole verse is designed to convey
the idea that God had, for wise pur-
poses, appointed them in the sight of
the universe, to pains, and trials, and
persecutions, and poverty, and want,
which would terminate only in thir
death. See Heb. xii. 1, &c. What
these trials were he specifies in the fol-
lowing verses.
10. We are/oo/5. This is evidently
A.D. 59.]
sake, but ye are wise in Christ*
we are weak, but ye are strong;
ye are honourable, but we are
despised.
CHAPTER IV.
89
ironical. We are doubtless Abolish
men, but ye are wise in Christ. We,
Paul, Apollos, and Barnabas, have no
claims to the character of wise men
we are to be regarded as fools, unwor-
thy of confidence, and unfit to instruct ;
but you are full of wisdom.' K For
Christ's sake (3m. X^/OTOV). On ac-
count of Christ ; or in reference to his
cause, or in regard to the doctrines of
the Christian religion. T But ye are
wise in Christ. The phrase " in
Christ," does not differ in signification
materially from the one above ; " for
Christ's sake." This is wholly ironi-
cal, and is exceedingly pungent. ' You,
Corinthians, boast of your wisdom and
prudence. You are to be esteemed
very wise. You are unwilling to sub-
mit to be esteemed fools. You are
proud of your attainments. We, in
the mean time, who are apostles, and
who have founded your church, are to
be regarded as fools, and as unworthy
of public confidence and esteem.' The
whole design of this irony is to show
the folly of their boasted wisdom.
That they only should be wise and
prudent, and the apostles fools, was in
the highest degree absurd ; and this
absurdity the apostle puts in a strong
light by his irony. \ We are weak.
We are timid and feeble, but you are
daring, bold and fearless. This is
-irony. The very reverse was probably
true. Paul was bold, daring, fearless
in declaring the truth, whatever opposi-
tion it might encounter ; and probably
many of them were timid and time-
serving, and endeavouring to avoid per-
secution, and to accommodate them-
selves to the prejudices and opinions of
those who were wise in their own
sight; the prejudices and opinions of j
the world. f Ye are honourable.
Deserving of honour and obtaining it.
Still ironical. You are to be esteemed
as worthy of praise. \ We are de-
8*
11 Even unto this present
hour we both hunger and thirst,
and are naked, a and are buffeted,
a Rom.a35.
spised (aT/^uo/). Not only actually
contemned, but worthy to be so. This
was irony also. And the design was
to show them how foolish was their
self-confidence and self-flattery, and
their attempt to exalt themselves.
11. Even unto this present hour.
Paul here drops the irony, and begins
a serious recapitulation of his actual
sufferings and trials. The phrase here
used " unto this present hour" denotes
that these things had been incessant
through all their ministry. They were
not merely at the commencement of
their work, but they had continued and
attended them everywhere. And even
then they were experiencing the same
thing. These privations and trials
were still continued, and were to be
regarded as a part of the apostolic con-
dition. | We both hunger and thirst.
The apostles, like their master, were
poor, and in travelling about from place
to place, it often happened that they
scarcely found entertainment of the
plainest kind, or had money to pur-
chase it. It is no dishonour to be poor,
and especially if that poverty is pro-
duced by doing good to others. Paul
might have been rich, but he chose to
be poor for the sake of the gospel. To
enjoy the luxury of doing good to
others, we ought to be willing to be
hungry and thirsty, and to be deprived
of our ordinary enjoyments. ^ And
are naked. In travelling, our clothes
become old and worn out, arid we have
no friends to replace them, and no
money to purchase new. It is no dis-
credit to be clad in mean raiment, if
that is produced by self-denying toils
in behalf of others. There is no honour
in gorgeous apparel ; but there is real
honour in voluntary poverty and want,
when produced in the cause of bene-
volence. Paul was not a?hamed to
travel, to preach, and to appear before
princes and kings, in a soiled aud
I. CORINTHIANS.
and have no certain dwelling-
place ;
12 And labour, a working with
our own hands : being reviled, *
a Acts 20.34. b Matt.5.44. Acts 7.60.
worn-out garment, for it was worn out
in the service of his master, and Divine
Providence had arranged the circum-
stances of his life. But how many a
minister now would be ashamed to
appear in such clothing ! How many
professed Christians are ashamed to go
to the house of God because they can-
not dress well, or be in the fashion, or
outshine their neighbours ! If an
apostle was willing to be meanly clad
in delivering the message of God, then
assuredly we should be willing to
preach, or to worship him in such
clothing as he provides. We may add
here, what a sublime spectacle was
here ; and what a glorious triumph of
the truth. Here was Paul with an
impediment in his speech ; with a
personage small and mean rather than
graceful ; and in a mean and tattered
dress ; and often in chains, yet deliver-
ing truth before which kings trembled,
and which produced everywhere a deep
impression on the human mind. Such
was the power of the gospel then !
And such triumph did the truth then
have over men. See Doddridge.
If And are buffeted. Struck with the
hand. Note, Matt. xxvi. 67. Proba-
bly it is here used to denote harsh and
injurious treatment in general. Comp.
2 Cor. xii. 7. Tf And have no certain
dwelling-place. No fixed or perma-
nent home. They wandered to distant
lands ; threw themselves on the hospi-
tality of strangers, and even of the ene-
mies of the gospel ; when driven from
one place they went to another ; and
thus they led a wandering, uncertain
life, amidst strangers and foes. They
who know what are the comforts of
home ; who are surrounded by beloved
families ; who have a peaceful and happy
fire-side ; and who enjoy the blessings
of domestic tranquillity, may be able to
appreciate the trials to which the apos-
[A. D. 59.
we bless ; being persecuted, we
suffer it :
13 Being defamed, "ve en-
treat : we are made as the filth
ties were subjected. All this was for
the sake of the gospel ; all to pur-
chase the blessings which we so richly
enjoy.
12. And labour, &c. This Paul
often did. See Note, Acts xviii. 3.
Compare Acts xx. 34. 1 Thess. ii. 9.
2 Thess. iii. 8. J Being reviled. That
they were often reviled or reproached,
their history everywhere shows. See
the Acts of the Apostles. They were
reviled or ridiculed by the Gentiles as
Jews ; and by all as Nazarenes, and as
deluded followers of Jesus ; as the vic-
tims of a foolish superstition and en
thusiasm. f We bless. We return
good for evil. In this they followed
the explicit direction of the Saviour.
See Note, Matt. v. 44. The main idea
in these passages is, that they were re-
viled, were persecuted, &c. The other
clauses, " we bless," " we suffer it,"
&c. seem to be thrown in by the way
to show how they bore this ill treatment
As if he had said ' we are reviled ;
and what is more, we bear it patiently,
and return good for evil.' At the same
time that he was recounting his trials,
he-was, therefore, incidentally instruct-
ing them in the nature of the gospel,
and showing how their sufferings were
to be borne ; and how to illustrate
the excellency of the Christian doc-
trine. \ Being persecuted. Note,
Matt. v. 11. 1 We suffer it. We sus-
tain it; we do not revenge it; we
abstain from resenting or resisting ii.
13. Being defamed. Greek, Blas-
phemed, i. e. spoken of and to, in a
harsh, abusive, and reproachful manner.
The original and proper meaning of
the word is to speak in a reproachful
manner of any one, whether of God or
man. It is usually applied to God, but
it may also be used of men. *J We
entreat. Either God in their behalf
praying him to forgive them or we eri-
0. 59.
CHAPTER IV.
9J
oi the eartli, and are the off-
sc\ uring a of all things unto this
day.
a Lam.
treat them to turn from their sins, and
become converted to God. Probably
the latter is the sense. They besought
them to examine more candidly their
claims instead of reviling them ; and
to save their souls by embracing the
gospel instead of destroying them by
rejecting it with contempt and scorn.
K We are made. We became ; we
are so regarded or esteemed. The
word here does not imply that there
was any positive agency in making
them such, but simply that they were
in fact so regarded. ^ As the filth of
the earth. It would not be possible to
employ stronger expressions to denote
the contempt and scorn with which
they were everywhere regarded. The
word filth (jriguta&dpfAXT*.) occurs no-
where else in the New Testament It
properly denotes filth, or that which is
collected by sweeping a house, or that
which is collected and cast away by
purifying or cleansing any thing ;
hence any vile, worthless, and contempt-
ible object. Among the Greeks the
word was used to denote the victims
which were offered to expiate crimes,
and particularly men of ignoble rank,
and of a worthless and wicked charac-
ter, who were kept to be offered to the
gods in a time of pestilence, to appease
their anger, and to purify the nation.
Bretschneider and Schleusner. Hence
it was applied by them to men of the
most vile, abject, and worthless charac-
ter. But it is not certain that Paul
had any reference to that sense of the
word. The whole force of the expres-
sion may be met by the supposition
that he uses it in the sense of that filth
or dirt which is collected by the process
of cleansing or scouring any thing, as
being vile, contemptible, worthless. So
the apostles were regarded. And by the
use of the word world here, he meant
to say that they were regarded as the
jost vile and worthless men which the
14 I write not these things to
shame you, but as my beloved
sons * I warn you. 9
b lThess.2.11
whole world could furnish ; not only
the refuse of Judea, but of all the na-
tions of the earth. As if he had said
* more vile and worthless men could
not be found on the face of the earth.'
t And are the off-scouring of all
things. This word (7rt^i^/nJL) occurs
nowhere else in the New Testament.
It does not differ materially from the
word rendered filth. It denotes that
which is rubbed off by scouring or
cleaning any thing; and hence any
thing vile or worthlesss ; or a vile and
worthless man. This term was also
applied to vile and worthless men who
were sacrificed or thrown into the sea
as an expiatory offering, as it were to
purify the people. Suidas remarks
that they said to such a man, " be then
our TrtQ^fjL*.? our redemption, and
then flung him into the sea as a sacri-
fice to Neptune. See Whitby, Calvin,
Doddridge. \ Unto this day. Con-
tinually. We have been constantly so
regarded. See ver. 11.
14. To shame you. It is not my
design to put you to shame by show-
ing you how little you suffer in com-
parison with us. This is not our
design, though it may have this effect.
I have no wish to make you ashamed,
to appear to triumph over you or
merely to taunt you. My design is
higher and nobler than this. T But as
my beloved sons. As my dear children.
I speak as a father to his children, and
I say these things for your good- No
father would desire to make his child-
ren ashamed. In his counsels, en-
treaties, and admonitions, he would
have a higher object than that. ^ 1
warn you. I do not say these things
in a harsh manner, with a severe spirit
of rebuke : but in order to admonish
you, to suggest counsel, to instil wis-
dom into the mind. I say these things
not to make you blush, but with the
hope that they may be the means of
I. CORINTHIANS.
15 For though ye have ten
thousand instructors in Christ,
f'et have ye not many fathers ;
for in Christ Jesus I have be-
gotten you through the gospel.
your reformation, and of a more holy life.
No man, no minister, ought to reprove
another merely to overwhelm him with
shame, but the object should always be
to make a brother better ; and the ad-
monition should be so administered as
to have this end, not sourly or morose-
ly, but in a kind, tender, and affection-
ate manner.
15. For though ye have ten thou-
sand instructers. Though you may
have or though you should have. It
matters not how many you have, yet it
is still true that I only sustain the re-
lation to you of spiritual father, and
whatever respect it is proper for you
to have toward them, yet there is a pe-
culiar right which I have to admonish
you, and a peculiar deference which is
due to me, from my early labours
among you, and from the fact that you
are my spiritual children. Tf Instruct-
ers. Gr. Pedagogues ; or those who
conducted children to school, and who
superintended their conduct out of
school hours. Hence those who had
the care of children, or teachers in
general. It is then applied to instruct-
ers of any kind. U In Christ. In
the Christian system or doctrine. The
authority which Paul claims here, is
that which a father has in preference
to such an instructor, ^ Not many
fathers. Spiritual fathers. That is,
you have but one. You are to remem-
ber that however many teachers you
have, yet that I alone am your spiritual
father. ^ In Christ Jesus. By the
aid and authority of Christ. I have
begotten you by preaching his gospel
and by his assistance. Tf I have be-
gotten you. I was the instrument of
your conversion. ^ Through the gos-
pel. By means of the gospel ; by
preaching it to you, that is by the
truth.
10, Wherefore. Since I am your
[A.D. 59.
16 Wherefore, I beseech yov
be ye followers of me.
17 For this cause have I sei
unto you Timotheus, who is nr
beloved son, and faithful in th
spiritual father. ^ Be ye followers of
me. Imitate me ; copy my example
listen to my admonitions. Probabl)
Paul had particularly in his eye theii
tendency to form parties ; and here
admonishes them that he had no dispo-
sition to form sects, and entreats them
in this to imitate his example. A
minister should always so live as thai
he can, without pride or ostentation,
point to his own example ; and entreat
his people to imitate him. He should
have such a confidence in his own in-
tegrity; he should lead such a blame-
less life ; and he should be assured that
his people have so much evidence of his
integrity, that he can point them to
his own example, and entreat them to
live like himself. And to do this, he
should live a life of piety, and should
furnish such evidence of a pure con-
versation, that his people may have
reason to regard him as a holy man.
17. For this cause. In order to re
mind you of my doctrines and my man-
ner of life. Since I am hindered from
coming myself, I have sent a fellow
labourer as my messenger, well ac
quainted with my views and feelings
that he might do what I would do if 1
were present, t Have I sent unto you
Timotheus. Timothy, the companion
and fellow labourer of Paul. This
was probably when Paul was at Ephe-
sus. He sent Timothy and Erastus
into Macedonia, probably with in-
structions to go to Corinth if conve-
nient. Yet it was not quite certain
that Timothy would come to them, for
in ch. xvi 10, he expresses a doubt
whether he would. Paul was probably
deeply engaged in Asia, and did not
think it proper then for him to leave
his field of labour. He probably sup-
posed also, that Timothy, as his ambas-
sador, would be able to settle the diffi-
culties in Corinth as well as if ha
A. D. 59.1
CHAPTER IV
Lord, who shall bring you into
remembrance of my ways which
be in Christ, as I teach every-
where in every church.
18 Now some are puffed up,
as though I would not come to
you.
were himself present. H My beloved
son. In the gospel. See Acts xvi. 1
3 1 Tim. i. 2. He supposed, there-
fore, that they would listen to him
with great respect. ^ And faithful in
the Lord. A true Christian and a
faithful servant of Christ ; and who is,
therefore, worthy of your confidence.
1 Of my ways. My doctrine, my
teaching, my mode of life, t Which
be in Christ. That is, my Christian
life ; my ministry ; or my conduct as a
Christian and a follower of the Saviour.
T As I teach everywhere, &c. This
was designed probably to show them
that he taught them no new or peculiar
doctrines ; he wished them simply to
conform to the common rules of the
churches, and to be like their Christian
brethren everywhere. The Christian
church is founded everywhere on the
same doctrines; is bound to obey the
same laws ; and is fitted to produce
and cherish the same spirit. The same
spirit that was required in Ephesus or
Antioch, was required at Corinth ; the
same spirit that was required at Corinth,
at Ephesus, or at Antioch, is required
now.
18. Now some are puffed up. They
arc puffed up with a vain confidence ;
they say that I would not dare to come ;
that I would be afraid to appear among
them, to administer discipline, to re-
buke them, or to supersede their au-
thority. Probably he had been detain-
ed by the demand on his services in
other places, and by various providen-
tial hinderances from going there, until
they supposed that he stayed away
from fear. And possibly he might ap-
prehend that they would think he had
ent Timothy because he was afraid to
come himself Their conduct was an
19 But I will come to you
shortly, if a the Lord will ; and
will know, not the speech of
them which are puffed up, but
the power.
20 For the kingdom c of God
is not in word, but in power.
a James 4.15. 6 Gal.2.6. cRom.14.17.
instance of the haughtiness arid arro-
gance which men will assume when
they suppose they are in no danger of
reproof or punishment.
19. But I will come. It is from no
fear of them that I am kept away ; and
to convince them of this I will come to
them speedily. Tf If the Lord will.
If the Lord permit ; if by his provi
dence he allows me to go. Paul re-
garded the entering on a journey as
dependant on the will of God ; and
felt that God had all in his hand. No
purpose should be formed without a
reference to his will ; no plan without
feeling that he can easily frustrate it
and disappoint us. See James iv. 15.
^ And will know. I will examine ; I
will put to the test ; I will fully under-
stand. \ Not the speech, &c. Not
their vain and empty boasting; not their
confident assertions, and their self
complacent viewn Tf But the power
Their real power. I will put then
power to the proof; I will see whethet
they are able to effect what they affirm ;
whether they have more real power than
I have. I will enter fully into the work
of discipline, and will ascertain whether
they have such authority in the church,
such a power of party and of combina-
tion, that they can resist me, and op-
pose my administration of the disci-
pline which the church needs. " A pas-
sage," says Bloomfield, "which cannot,
in nerve and vigour, or dignity and
composed confidence, be easily parallel-
ed, even in Demosthenes himself."
20. For the kingdom of God. The
reign of God in the church (Note, Matt,
iii. 2) ; meaning here, probably, the
power or authority which was to be ex-
ercised in the government and discipline
of the church. Or it may refer to the
94
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
21 What will ye ? shall fl I j in love, and in the spirit of
come unto you with a rod, or
o2Cor.13.10.
meekness ?
manner in which the church had been
established. ' It has not been set up by
empty boasting; by pompous preten-
sions ; by confident assertions. Such
empty boasts would do little in the
great work of founding, governing,
and preserving the church ; and unless
men have some higher powers than this
they are not qualified to be religious
teachers and guides.' f But in power.
(1.) In the miraculous power by which
the church was established the power
of the Saviour and of the apostles in
working miracles. (2.) In the power of
the Holy Ghost in the gift of tongues,
and in his influence on the heart
in converting men. Note, ch. i. 18.
(3.) In the continual power which is
needful to protect, defend, and govern
the church. Unless teachers showed
that they had such power, they were
not qualified for their office.
21. What will ye. It depends on
yourselves how I shall come. If you
lay aside your contentions and strifes ;
if you administer discipline as you
should ; if you give yourselves heartily
and entirely to the work of the Lord, I
shall come, not to reprove or to punish,
but as a father and a friend. But if
you do not heed my exhortations or
the labours of Timothy ; if you still
continue your contentions, and do not
remove the occasions of offence, I shall
come with severity and the language
of rebuke, f With a rod. To cor-
rect and punish. ^ In the spirit of
meekness. Comforting and commend-
ing instead of chastising. Paul inti-
mates that this depended on them-
selves. They had the power, and it
was their duty to administer discipline ;
but if they would not do it, the task
would devolve on him as the founder
and father of the church, and as in-
trusted with power by the Lord Jesus
to administer the severity of Christian
discipline, or to punish those who
offended by bodily suffering. See ch.
v. 5 ; ch. xi. 30. See also the case of
Ananias and Sapphira (Acts v. 1, &c.)
and of Elymas the sorcerer. (Acta
xiii. 10, 11.)
REMARKS.
1st. We should endeavour to form a
proper estimate of the Christian minis-
try, ver. 1. We should regard minis-
ters as the servants of Jesus Christ,
and honour them for their master'*
sake ; and esteem them also in proper
tion to their fidelity. They are enti
tied to respect as the ambassadors of
the Son of God ; but that respect also
should be in proportion to their resem
blance of him and their faithfulness in
their work. They who love the minis-
ters of Christ, who are like him, and
who are faithful, love the master that
sent them ; they who hate and despise
them despise him. See Matt. x. 40
42.
2d. Ministers should be faithful, ve*
2. They are -the stewards of Christ.
They are appointed by him. They are
responsible to him. They have a most
important trust more important than
any other stewards, and they should
live in such a manner as to receive the
approbation of their master.
3d. It is of little consequence what
the world thinks of us. ver. 3. A
good name is en many accounts desira-
ble; but it should not be the leading
consideration; nor should we do any
thing merely to obtain it. Desirable as
is a fair reputation, yet the opinion of
the world is not to be too highly
valued ; for, (1.) It often misjudges ;
(2.) It is prejudiced for or against us ;
(3.) It is not to decide our final desti-
ny ; (4.) To desire that simply, is a
selfish and base passion.
4th. The esteem even of friends is
not, be the leading object o* life. ver. 2.
This is valuable, but not so valuable as
the approbatijn of God. Friends are
partial, and even where they do not
approve our course, if we are corescien-
tious, we should be willing to bea?
with their disapprobation. A gooj
A. 1). o9. ,
CHAPTER IV.
conscience is evety thing. The appro-
bation even of friends cannot help us
in the day of judgment.
5th. We should distrust ourselves,
ver. 3, 4. We should not pronounce
too confidently on our motives or our
conduct. We may be deceived. There
may be much even in our own motives
that may elude our most careful inqui-
ry. This should teach us humility,
and self-distrust, and charity. Know-
ing our own liableness to misjudge our-
selves, we should look with kindness
jn the faults and failings of others.
6th, We see here the nature of the
future judgment, ver. 6. (1.) The
hidden things of darkness will be
brought out all the secret crimes, and
plans, and purposes of men will be
developed. All that has been done in
secret, in darkness, in the night, in pa-
laces and in prisons, will be developed.
What a development will take place in
the great day when the secret crimes
of a world shall be revealed ; and when
ail that has now escaped the notice of
men, and the punishment of courts,
shall be brought out! (2.) Every
man's secret thoughts shall be revealed.
There will be no concealment then.
AH that we have devised or desired ;
all the thoughts that we have forgotten,
shall there be brought out to noonday.
How will the sinner tremble when all
his thoughts are made known ! Sup-
pose, unknown to him, some person
had been writing down all that a man
has thought for a day, a week, or a
year, and should begin to read it to
him. Who is there that would not
hang his head with shame, and trem-
ble at such a record ] Yet at the day of
judgment the thoughts of the whole
fife will be revealed. (3.) Every man
shall be judged as he ought to be. God
is impartial. The man that ought to
be saved will be ; the man that ought
not will not be. How solemn will be
the impartial trial of the world/
Who can think of it but with alarm !
7th. We have no occasion for pride
i vain-boasting, ver. 7. All that we
have of beauty, health, wealth, honour,
grace, has been given to us by God.
For what he has given UB we should
be grateful ; but it should not excite
pride. It is, indeed, valuable because
God gives it, and we should remember
his mercies, but we should not boast.
We have nothing to boast of. Had
we our deserts, we should be driven
away in his wrath, and made wretched.
That any are out of hell is matter of
thankfulness ; that one possesses moid
than another proves that God is a
sovereign, and not that we are more
worthy than another, or that there 13
by nature any ground of preference
which one has over another.
8th. Irony and sarcasm are some-
times lawful and proper, ver. 8 10.
But it is not often as safe as it was in
the hands of the apostle Paul. Few
men can regulate the talent properly ;
few should allow themselves to indulge
in it. It is rarely employed in the
Bible ; and it is rarely employed else-
where where it does not do injury. The
cause of truth can be usually sustained
by sound argument; and that which
cannot be thus defended is not worth
defence. Deep wounds are often made
by the severity of wit and irony ; and
an indulgence in this usually pre-
vents a man from having a single
friend.
9th. We see from this chapter what
religion has cost. ver. 9 13. Paul
states the sufferings that he and the
other apostles endured in order to es-
tablish it. They were despised, and
persecuted, and poor, and regarded as
the refuse of the world. The Christian
religion was founded on the blood of
its author, and has been reared amidst
the sighs and tears of its friends. All
its early advocates were subjected to
persecution and trial ; and to engage
in this work involved the certainty of
being a martyr. We enjoy not a bless-
ing which has not thus been purchased ;
and which has not come to us through
the self-denials and toils of the best
men that the earth has known. Per-
secution raged around all the early
friends of the church ; and it rose and
spread while the fire of martyrdom
spread, and while its friends were
I. CORINTHIANS.
FA. D. 5i).
CHAPTER V.
JT is reported commonly that
"- there is fornication among
you, and such fornication as is
everywhere cast out as evil, and called
to bleed in its defence.
10th. We have here an illustrious
instance of the manner in which re-
proach, and contempt, and scorn should
be borne, ver. 12, 13. The apostles imi-
tated the example of their Master and
followed his precepts. They prayed for
their enemies, persecutors, and slander-
ers. There is nothing but religion that
can produce this spirit; and this can
do it always. The Saviour evinced
it ; his apostles evinced it ; and all
should evince it, who profess to be its
friends. We may remark, (1.) This
is not produced by nature. It is the
work of grace alone. (2.) It is the
very spirit and genius of Christianity
to produce it. (3.) Nothing but reli-
gion will enable a man to bear it, and
will produce this temper and spirit.
(4.) We have an instance here of
what all Christians should evince. All
should be in this like the apostles. All
should be like the Saviour himself.
llth. We have an argument here
for the truth of the Christian religion.
The argument is founded on the fact
that the apostles were willing to suffer
BO much in order to establish it. They
professed to have been eye-witnesses
of what they affirmed. They had
nothing to gain by spreading it if it
"as not true. They exposed them-
selves to persecution on this account,
and became willing to die rather than
deny its truth. Take, for example, the
case of the apostle Paul. (1.) He had
every prospect of honour and of wealth
in his own country. He had been li-
berally educated, and had the confi-
dence of his countrymen. He might
have risen to the hitrhest station of
trust or influence. He had talents
which would have raised him to dis-
inction anywhere. (2.) He could
^>t have been mistaken in regard to
' events ?*n*ected with his coaver-
not so much as named amonj
the Gentiles, that one shoul(
have his father's wife.
a Deut.27.20.
sion. Acts ix. The scene, the voice,
the light, the blindness, were all things
which could not have been counter-
feited. They were open and public.
They did not occur " in a corner."
(3.) He had no earthly motive to
change his course. Christianity was
despised when he embraced it; its
friends were few and poor ; and it had
no prospect of spreading through the
world. It conferred no wealth ; bestow-
ed no diadem; imparted no honours;
gave no ease ; conducted to no friend-
ship of the great and the mighty. It
subjected its friends to persecution, and
tears, and trials, and death. What
should induce such a man to make
such a change 1 Why should Paul
have embraced this, but from a convic-
tion of its truth 1 How could he be
convinced of that truth except by some
argument that should be so strong as
to overcome his hatred to it, make him
willing to renounce all his prospects
for it ; to encounter all that the world
could heap upon him, and even death
itself, rather than deny it ? But such
a religion had a higher than any earthly
origin, and must have been from God.
12th. We may expect to suffer re-
proach. It has been the common lot
of all, from the time of the Master him-
self to the present. Jesus was re-
proached ; the apostles were reproach-
ed ; the martyrs were reproached, and
we are not to be surprised that minis-
ters and Christians are called to like
trials now. It is enough " for the dis-
ciple that he be as his Master, and the
eervan. as his Lord."
CHAPTER V.
THIS chapter is entirely occupied
with a notice of an offence which ex^
isted in the church at Corinth, and
with a statement of the measures
I which the apostle expected th^m to
pursue in regard to it. Of the exig-
ence of this offence he had been i
A. D.
CHAPTER V.
97
formed, probably by "those of the
house of Chloe," ch. i. 11, and there is
reason to suppose that they had not
even alluded to it in the letter which
they had sent to him asking advice.
See ch. vii. 1. Comp. the Introduc-
tion. The apostle (ver. 1) reproves
them for tolerating a species of licen-
tiousness which was not tolerated even
by the heathens ; he reproves them
(ver. 2) for being puffed up with pride
even while this scandal existed in their
church ; he ordered them forthwith to
purify the church by removing the in-
cestuous person (ver. 4, 5) ; and ex-
horted them to preserve themselves
from the influence which a single
corrupt person might have, operating
like leaven in a mass. (ver. 6, 7)
Then, lest they sLould mistake his
meaning, and suppose that by com-
manding them not to keep company
with licentious persons (ver. 9), he
meant to say, that they should with-
draw all intercourse from the heathen
who were known to be idolaters and
corrupt, he says that that former com-
mand was not designed to forbid all
intercourse with them, (ver. 9 1 2) ;
but that he meant his injunction now
to extend particularly to such as were
professed members of the church ; that
they were not to cut off all intercourse
with society at large because it was
corrupt; that if any man professed to
be a Christian and yet was guilty of
such practices they were to disown him
(ver. 11) ; that it was not his province,
nor did he assume it, to judge the hea-
then world which was without the
church (ver. 12) ; but that this was
entirely consistent with the view that
he had a right to exercise discipline
'.uithin the church, on such as pro-
fessed to be Christians ; and that there-
fore, they were bound to put away that
wicked person.
1. It is reported. Gr. It is heard.
There is a rumour. That rumour had
been brought to Paul, probably by the
members of the family of Chloe. ch.
1.11. f Commonly ("Oxc). Every-
where. It is a matter of common
f&me. It is so public that U cannot be
9
concealed ; and so certain that ii can-
not be denied. This was an offence,
he informs us, which even the heathen
would not justify or tolerate ; and, there
fore, the report had spread not only
in the churches, but even among the
heathen, to the great scandal of reli
gion When a report obtains such s,
circulation, it is certainly time to in
vestigate it, and to correct the evil.
^ That there is fornication. See
Note, Acts xv. 20. The word is here
used to denote incest ; for the apostle
immediately explains the nature of the
offence. ^ And suck fornication, &c.
An offence that is not tolerated or
known among the heathen. This
greatly aggravated the offence, that in
a Christian church a crime should be
tolerated among its members which
even gross heathens would regard with
abhorrence. That this offence was re-
garded with abhorrence by even the
heathens has been abundantly proved
by quotations from classic writers. See
Wetstein, Bloomfield, and Whitby.
Cicero says of the offence, expressly,
that " it was an incredible and unheard
of crime." Pro Cluen. 5. 6. When
Paul says that it was not " so much as
named among the Gentiles," he doubt-
less uses the word (oyc^ua^Wau) in the
sense of named with approbation,
tolerated, or allowed. The crime was
known in a few instances, but chiefly
of those who were princes and rulers ;
but it was nowhere regarded with ap-
probation, but was always treated as
abominable wickedness. All that the
connexion requires us to understand
by the word " named" here is, that it
was not tolerated or allowed; it was
treated with abhorrence, and it was,
therefore, more scandalous that it was
allowed in a Christian church. Whit-
by supposes that this offence ' hat was
tolerated in the church at Corinch gave
rise to the scandals that were circulated
among the heathen respecting the early
Christians, that they allowed of licen-
tious intercourse among the members of
their churches. This reproach was cir-
culated extensively among the heathen,
and the primitive Christians were at
1. CORINTHIANS.
2 And ye are puffed up, and
have not rather mourned, that
he that hath done this deed
might be taken away from among
you.
a 2Cor.7.7.
much pains to refute it. ^ That one
should have. Probably as his wife*;
or it may mean simply that he had
criminal intercourse with her. Per-
haps some man had parted with his
wife, on some account, and his son had
married her, or maintained her for cri-
minal intercourse. It is evident from
2 Cor. vii. 12, that the person who had
suffered the wrong, as well as he who
had done it, was still alive. Whether
this was marriage or concubinage, has
been disputed by commentators, and it
is not possible, perhaps, to determine.
See the subject discussed in Bloom-
field.
2. Ana ye are puffed up. Note,
ch. iv. 18. You are filled with pride,
and with a vain conceit of your own
wisdom and purity, notwithstanding the
existence of this enormous wickedness
in your church. This does not mean
that they were puffed up, or proud on
account of the existence of this wick-
edness, but they were filled with pride
notwithstanding, or in spite of it.
They ought to have been a humbled
people. They should have mourned ;
and should have given their first atten-
tion to the removal of the evil. But
instead of this, they had given indul-
gence to proud feeling, and had be-
come elated with a vain confidence in
their spiritual purity. Men are always
elated and proud when they have the
least occasion for it. f And have not
rather mourned, &c. Have not rather
been so afflicted and troubled as to
take the proper means for removing
the offence. The word mourn her* is
taken in that large sense. Ye have
not been so much afflicted so troubled
with the existence of this wickedness,
as to take the proper measures to re-
move the offender. Acts of discipline
in the church should always commence
[A D. 60
3 For I verily, as absent * ir
body, but present in spirit, have
1 judged already, as theugh I
were present, concerning him
that hath so done this deed ;
6 Col.2.5. ' or, determined.
with mourning that there is occasion
for it. It should not be anger, or
pride, or revenge, or party feeling,
which prompt to it. It should be deep
grief that there is ocsasion for it ; and
tender compassion for the offender.
t Might be taken away. By excom-
munication. He should not, while he
continues in this state, be allowed to
remain in your communion.
3. For I verily. But I, whatever
it may cost me ; however you may es-
teem my interference ; and whatever
personal ill-will may be the result to-
wards me, have adjudged this case to
be so flagrant as to demand the exercise
of discipline, and since the church to
whom it belongs have neglected ifc, 1
use the authority of an apostle, and of
a spiritual father, in directing it to take
place. This was not a formal sentence
of excommunication ; but it was the
declared opinion of an apostle that
such a sentence should be passed, and
an injunction on the church to exercise
this act of discipline^ \ As absent in
body. Since I am not personally pre-
sent with you, I express my opinion in
this manner. I am absent in body
from you, and cannot, therefore, take
those steps in regard 'o it which I
could were I present. \ But present
in spirit. My heart is with you : my
feelings are with you : I have a deep
and tender interest in the case ; and I
judge as if I were personally present
Many suppose that Paul by this re-
fers to a power which was given to the
apostles, though at a distance, to &p
cern the real circumstances of a case
by the gift of the Spirit. Cornp. Col
ii. 5. 2 Kings v. 26 ; vi. 12. (Whitby,
Doddridge, &c.) But the phrase does
not demand this interpretation. Paul
meant, probably, that though he was
absent, yet his mind arid attention i
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER V
99
4 In the name of our Lord I with the power * of our Lord
Jesus Christ, when ye are ga-
thered together, and my spirit,
a 2Cor.2.9,10.
been given to this subject ; he felt as
deeply as though he were present, and
would act in the same way. He had,
in some way, been fully apprized of all
the circumstances of the case, and he
felt it to be his duty to express his
views on the subject. ^ Have judged
already. Margin, Determined (x.'-x.gDix').
I have made up *my mind ; have de-
cided, and do decide. That is, he had
determined what ought to be done in
the case. It was a case in which the
course which ought to be pursued was
plain, and on this point his mind was
settled. What that course should be he
states immediately, t As though I were
present. As though I had a personal
knowledge of the whole affair, and
were with you to advise. We may be
certain that Paul had the fullest infor-
mation as to this case ; and that the
circumstances were well known. In-
deed, it was a case about the facts of
which there could be no doubt. They
were everywhere known (ver. 1), and
there was no need, therefore, to attempt
to establish them by formal proof.
4. In the name, &c. By the authority ;
or in the behalf; or acting by his com-
mission or power. 2 Cor. ii. 10. See
Note, Acts iii. 6. This does not refer
to Paul alone in declaring his opinion,
but means that they were to be assem-
bled in the name of the Lord Jesus,
and that they were to proceed to exer-
cise discipline by his authority. The
idea is, that the authority to administer
discipline is derived from the Lord
Jesus Christ, and is to be exercised in
his name, and to promote his honour.
1 When ye are gathered together. Or,
'You being assembled in the name of
tie Lord Jesus.' This is to be con-
nected with the previous words, and
means, (1.) That they were to be assem-
bled for the purpose of administering
discipline ; and (2.) That this was to be
lone in the name and by the authority
Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one
ft Matt.16.19. Jno.20.23. c lTim.1.20.
of the Lord Jesus. | And my spirit.
ver. 3. As if I were with you , that is,
with my declared opinion ; knowing
what I would advise, were I one of you,
or, I being virtually present with you
by having delivered my opinion. It
cannot mean that Paul's soul would be
really present with them, but that,
knowing his views and feelings, and
what he would do, and knowing his love
for them, they could act as if he were
there. This passage proves that disci-
pline belongs to the church itself; and
so deep was Paul's conviction of this,
that even he would not administer it,
without their concurrence and action.
And if Paul would not do it, and
in a case too where bodily pains were
to be inflicted by miraculous agency,
assuredly no other ministers have a
right to assume the authority to admi-
nister discipline without the action and
the concurrence of the church itself.
t With the power, &c. This phrase is
to be connected with the following
verse. ' I have determined what ought
to be done. The sentence which I
have passed is this. You are to be
assembled in the name and authority
of Christ. I shall be virtually present.
And you are to deliver such a one to
Satan, by the power of our Lord Jesus
Christ.' That is, it is to be done by
you ; and the miraculous power which
will be evinced in the case will proceed
from the Lord Jesus. The word power
(Juvdjutc), is used commonly in the New
Testament to denote some miraculous
and extraordinary power ; and here
evidently means that the Lord Jesus
would put forth such a power in the
infliction of pain and for the preserva-
tion of the purity of his church.
5. To deliver. This is the sentence
which is to be executed. You are to
deliver him to Satan, &c. t Unta
Satan. Beza, and the Latin fathers,
suppose that this is only an expression
100
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
unto Satan for the destruction of| saved in the day of the Lord Jesus,
the flesh, that the * spirit may be 6 Your glorying b is not good.
b James 4. 16.
of excommunication. They say, that in
thi Scriptures there are but two king-
doms recognised the kingdom of God,
or the church, and the kingdom of the
world, which is regarded as under the
control of Satan ; and that to exclude
a man from one is to subject him to the
dominion of the other. There is some
foundation for this opinion ; and there
can be no doubt that excommunication
is here intended, and that, by excom-
munication, the offender was in some
sense placed under the control of
Satan. It is further evident that it is
here supposed that by being thus placed
under him the offender would be sub-
ject to corporal inflictions by the agency
of Satan, which are here called the
" destruction of the flesh." Satan is
elsewhere referred to as the author of
bodily diseases. Thus in the case of
Job. Job ii. 7. A similar instance is
mentioned in 1 Tim. i. 20, where Paul
says he had delivered Hymeneas and
Alexander to " Satan, that they might
learn not to blaspheme." It may be
observed here that though this was to
be done by the concurrence of the
church, as having a right to administer
discipline, yet it was directed by apos-
tolic authority ; and there is no evi-
dence that this was the usual form of
excommunication, nor ought it now to
be used. There was evidently miracu-
lous power evinced in this case, and
that power has long since ceased in the '
church. If For the destruction of the \
fltsh. We may observe here, (1.) That !
this does not mean that the man was to \
die under the infliction of the censure, j
for the object was to recover him ; and ;
it is evident that, whatever he suffered
as the consequence of this, he survived
it, and Paul again instructed the Corin-
thians to admit him to their fellowship.
2 Cor. ii. 7. (2.) It was designed to
punish him for licentiousness of life j
often called in the Scriptures one of the
sins, or works of the flesh (Gal. v. 19), |
and the design was that the punish- '
ment should follow in the line of the
offence, or be a just retribution as
punishment often does. Many have
supposed that by the " destruction of
the flesh" Paul meant only the destruc-
tion of his fleshly appetites or carnal
affections ; and that he supposed that
this would be effected by the act of ex-
communication. But it is very evident
from the Scriptures that the apostles
were imbued with thrower of inflicting
diseases or bodily calamities for crimes.
See Acts xiii. 11.1 Cor. xi. 30. What
this bodily malady was, we have no
means of knowing. It is evident that
it was not of very long duration, since
when the apostle exhorts them (2 Cor.
ii. 7) again to receive him, there is no
mention made of his suffering then
under it. This was an extraordinary
and miraculous power. It was designed
for the government of the church in its
infancy, when every thing was fitted to
show the direct agency of God ; and it
ceased, doubtless, with the apostles.
The church now has no such power.
It cannot now work miracles ; and all
its discipline now is to be moral disci-
pline, designed not to inflict bodily pain
and penalties, but to work a moral re-
formation in the offender. ^ That the
spirit may be saved. That his soul
might be saved ; that he might be cor-
reeled, humbled, and reformed by these
sufferings, and recalled to the paths of
piety and virtue. This expresses the
true design of the discipline of the
church, and it ought never to be in-
flicted but with a direct intention to
benefit the offender, and to save the
soul. Even when he is cut off and
disowned, the design shouM not be
vengeance, or punishment merely, but
it should be to recover him and save
him from ruin. ^ In the day of the
Lord Jesus. The day of judgment
when the Lord Jesus shall come, and
shall collect his people to himself.
6. Your glorying. Your boasting ,
or confidence in your present condition,
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER V.
101
Know ye not that a little leaven
- leaveneth the whole lump ?
o Luke 13.21.
as if you were eminent in purity and
piety. ^ Is tint good. Is not well,
proper, right Boasting is never good ;
but it is especially wrong when, as here,
there is an existing evil that is likely to
r.orruot the whole church. When men
are disposed to boast, they should at
once make the inquiry whether there is
not some sin indulged in, on account
of which they should be humbled and
subdued. If all individual Christians,
and all Christian churches, and all men
of every rank and condition, would look
at things as they are, they would never
find occasion for boasting. It is only
when we are blind to the realities of
the case, and overlook our faults, that
we are disposed to boast. The reason
why this was improper in Corinth, Paul
states that any sin would tend to cor-
rupt the whole church, and that there-
*bre they ought not to boast until that
was removed, t A little leaven, &c.
-V small quantity of leaven or yeast will
pervade the entire mass of flour, or
dough, and diffuse itself through it all.
This is evidently a proverbial saying.
[t occurs also in Gal. v. 9. Comp.
Note, Matt. xiii. 33. A similar figure
occurs also in the Greek classic writers.
By leaven the Hebrews metaphori-
cally understood whatever had the
power of corrupting, whether doctrine,
or example, or any thing else. See
Note, Matt. xvi. 6. The sense here is
plain. A single sin indulged in, or
allowed in the church, would act like
leaven it would pervade and corrupt
the whole church, unless it was re-
moved. On this ground, and for this
reason, discipline should be adminis-
tered, and the corrupt member should
be removed.
7. Purge out therefore, &c. Put
iway ; free yourselves from, f The
old leaveji. The apostle here takes
occasion, from the mention of leaven, to
exhort the Corinthians to put away
vice and sin. The figure is derived
;rom the custom of the Jews in putting
9*
7 Purge out therefore the old
leaven, that ye may be a new
away leaven at the celebration of th*
passover. By the old leaven he means
vice and sin ; and also here the per-
son who had committed the sin in
their church. As the Jews, at the
celebration of the passover, gave all
diligence in removing leaven from their
houses searching every part of their
dwellings with candles, that they might
remove every particle of leavened bread
from their habitations so the apostle
exhorts them to use all diligence to
search out and remove all sin. ^ That
ye may be a new lump. That you
may be like a new mass of flour, or
dough, before the leaven is put into it.
That you may be pure, and free from
the corrupting principle. T As ye are
unleavened. That is, as ye are bound
by your Christian profession to be un
leavened, or to be pure. Your very
profession implies this, and you ought
therefore, to .remove all impurity, and
to become holy. Let there be no im
purity, and no mixture inconsistent
with that holiness which the gospel
teaches and requires. The apostle here
does not refer merely to the case of the
incestuous person, but he takes occasion
to exhort them to put away all sin.
Not only to remove this occasion of
offence, but to remove all impurity, that
they might become entirely and only
holy. The doctrine is, that Christians
are by their profession holy, and that
therefore they ought to give all dili-
gence to remove every thing that is
impure, f For even Christ, &c. Ae
the Jews, when their paschal lamb waa
slain, gave great diligence to put away
all leaven from their dwellings, so
we Christians, since our passover is
slain, ought to give the like diligence
to remove all that is impure and cor-
rupting from our hearts. There can be
no doubt here that the paschal lamb
was a type of the Messiah ; and as littlw
that the leaven was understood to be
emblematic of impurity and sin, and
that their being required to rut it a way
102
lump, as
For even
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D 59.
ye are unleavened.
Christ tt our passover
is * sacrificed for us :
a Isa.53.7. lPet.1.19. Rev.5.6,12. i or, slain.
was intended to be an emblematic action
designed to denote that all sin was to
be removed and forsaken. Tf Our
passover. Our paschal Iamb, for so
the word Trao-%*. usually signifies. The
sense is, ' We Christians have a paschal
lamb ; and that lamb is the Messiah.
And as the Jews, when their paschal
lamb was slain, were required to put
away all leaven from their dwellings,
so we, when our paschal lamb is slain,
should put away all sin from our hearts
and from our churches.' This passage
proves that Paul meant to teach that
Christ had taken the place of the pas-
chal lamb that that lamb was designed
to adumbrate or typify him and that
consequently when he was offered, the
paschal offering was designed to cease.
Christ is often in the Scriptures com-
pared to a lamb. See Isa. liii. 7. John
i. 29. 1 Pet. i. 19. Rev. v. 6. 12. ^ Is
sacrificed for us. Margin, Or slain
(ra&). The word S-Ju may mean sim-
ply to slay or kill ; but it is also used
often in the sense of making a sacrifice
as an expiation for sin. Acts xiv. 13.
18. 1 Cor. x. 20. Comp. Gen. xxxi.
54 ; xlv. 1. Ex. iii. 18 ; v. 3. 8. 17 ;
viii. 8. 2529 ; xiii. 15; xx. 24. 2
Chron. xv. 26, where it is used as the
translation of the word rox, to sacri-
fice. It is used as the translation of this
word no less than ninety-eight times in
the Old Testament, and perhaps always
in the sense of a sacrifice, or bloody
offering. It is also used as the transla-
tion of the Hebrew word ri38, and tonE>,
to slay, to kill, &c. in Ex: xii. 21.
I Kings xi. 19; xxv. 11. 2 Chron.
xxix. 22, &c. ; in all in eleven places
in the Old Testament. It is used in a
similar sense in the New Testament, in
Matt, xxii. 4. Luke xv. 23. 27. 30.
John x. 10. Acts x. 13 ; xi. 7. It oc-
curs nowhere else in the New Testa-
ment than in the places which have
been specified. The true sense of the
8 Therefore let us keep a the
feast, * not with old leaven, nei-
ther with the c leaven of malice
* or, holy day. b Ex. 13.6. c Matt. 16.6,12
word here is, therefore, to be found ir.
the doctrine respecting the passover.
That that was intended to be a sacrifice
for sin is proved by the nature of the
offering, and by the account which is
everywhere given of -it in the Old
Testament. The paschal lamb was
slain as a sacrifice. It was slain in the
temple ; its blood was poured out as an
offering ; it was sprinkled and offered
by the priests in the same way as other
sacrifices. See Ex. xxiii. 18; xxxiv.
25. 2 Chron. xxx. 15, 16. And if so,
then this passage means that Christ was
offered as a sacrifice for sin in ac-
cordance with the numerous passages of
the New Testament, which speak of his
death in this manner (see Note, Rom.
iii. 25) ; and that his offering was de-
signed to take the place of the paschal
sacrifice, under the ancient economy.
Tf For us. For us who are Christians.
He died in our stead ; and as the Jews,
when celebrating their paschal feast,
put away all leaven, so we, as Chris-
tians, should put away all evil from our
hearts, since that sacrifice has now been
made once for all.
8. Let us keep the feast. Margin,
Holy day (sogT^a^fv). This is lan-
guage drawn from the paschal feast, and
is used by Paul frequently to carry out
and apply his illustration. It does not
mean literally the paschal supper here
for that had ceased to be observed by
Christians nor the Lord's supper par-
ticularly ; but the sense is, < As the
Jews when they celebrated the paschal
supper, on the slaying and sacrifice of
the paschal lamb, put away all leaven
as emblematic of sin so let us, in the
slaying of our sacrifice, and in all the
duties, institutions and events conse-
quent thereon, put away all wickedness
from our hearts as individuals, and from
our societies and churches. Let us
engage in the servi ce of God by putting
away all evil.' \ Not with the old
A.D. 59.] CHAPTER V.
and wickedness, but with the
unleavened bread of sincerity
and truth.
103
leaven. Not under the influence, or in
the indulgence of the feelings of cor-
rupt and unrenewed human nature.
The word leaven is very expressive of
that former or old condition, and denotes
the corrupt and corrupting passions of
our nature before it is renewed, f The
leaven of malice. Of unkindness and
evil which would diffuse itself, and
pervade the mass of Christians. The
word malice (*--/*/:) denotes evil in
general. T And wickedness. Sin ;
evil. There is a particular reference
here to the case of the incestuous per-
son. Paul means that all wickedness
should be put away from those who had
been saved by the sacrifice of their !
Passover, Christ ; and, therefore, this '
sin in a special manner, f But with \
the unleavened bread, &c. That is, j
with sincerity and truth. Let us be |
sincere, and true, and faithful; as the
Jews partook of bread unleavened,
which was emblematic of purity, so let
us be sincere and true. It is implied
here that this could not be done unless
they would put away the incestuous
person. No Christians can have, or
give evidence of sincerity, who are not
willing to put away all sin.
9. / wrote unto you. I have .writ-
ten (sj-gst-^st). -This word may either
refer to this epistle, or to some former
epistle. It simply denotes that he had
written to them, but whether in the
former part of this, or in some former
epistle which is now lost, cannot be
determined by the use of this word.
^ In an epistle (lv rfj t7mrro\^. There
has been considerable diversity of opi-
nion.in regard to this expression. A
large number of commentators as
Chrysostom, Theodoret, Oecumenius,
most of the Latin commentators, and
nearly all the Dutch commentators
suppose that this refers to the same
epistle, and that the apostle means to
say that in the former part of this epis-
9 I wrote unto you in an
epistle a not to company with
fornicators :
aEph.5.11.2Thess.3.14.
tie (ver. 2) he had given ihem this
direction. And in support of this in-
terpretation they say that T0 here is
used for T&urrj, and appeal to the kin-
dred passages in Rom. xvi. 2. Col. iv.
6. 1 Thess. v. 27. 2 Thess. iii. 3, 4.
Many others as Grotius, Doddridge,
Rosen mill ler, &c. suppose it to refer
to some other epistle which is now
lost, and which had been sent to them
before their messengers had reached
him. This epistle might have been
very brief, and might have contained
little more than this direction. That
this is the correct opinion, may appear
from the following considerations, viz.
(1.) It is the natural and obvious in-
terpretation one that would strike the
great mass of men. Jt is just such an
expression as Paul would have used on
the supposition that he hod written a
previous epistle. (2.). It is the very
expression which he uses in 2 Cor. vii.
8, where he is referring to this epistle
as one which he had sent to them. (3.)
It is not true that Paul had in any for-
mer part of this epistle given this direc-
tion. He had commanded them to
remove an incestuous person, and such
a command might seem to imply that
they ought not to keep company with
such a person ; but it was not a gene-
ral command not to have intercourse
with them. (4.) It is altogether pro-
bable that Paul would write more let-
ters than we have preserved. We
have but fourteen of his remaining.
Yet he laboured many years ; founded
many churches ; and had frequent oc-
casion to write to them. (5.) We
know that a number of books have
been lost which were either inspired or
which were regarded as of authority
by inspired men. Thus the books of
Jasher, of Iddo the seer, &c,, are re-
ferred to in the Old Testament, and
there is no improbability that similai
instances may have occurred in regard
104
I. CORINTHIANS.
59
10 Yet not altogether with
the fornicators of this world, or
with the covetous, or extortion
ers, or with idolaters ; for then
to the writers of the New Testament.
(6.) In ver. 11, he expressly makes a
distinction between the epistle which he
was then writing and the former one.
" But now," i.e. in this epistle, "I have
written (i>$*4*) to y u >" & c - an ex-
pression which he would not use if ver.
9 referred to the same epistle. These
considerations seem to me to be unan-
swerable, and to prove that Paul had
sent another epistle to them in which
he had given this direction. (7.) This
opinion accords with that of a very
large number of commentators. As
an instance, Calvin says, " The epistle
of which he here speaks, is not now
extant. Nor is it to be doubted that
many others have perished ; but it is
sufficient that these survive to us which
the Lord saw to be needful." If it be
objected that this may affect the doctrine
of the inspiration of the New Testa-
ment, since it is not to be supposed
that God would suffer the writings of
inspired men to be lost, we may reply,
(a) That there is no evidence that these
writings were inspired. Paul often
makes a distinction in regard to his
own words and doctrines, as inspired
or uninspired (see ch. vii.) ; and the
same thing may have occurred in his
writings. (6) This does not affect the
inspiration of the books which remain,
even on the supposition that those
which were lost were inspired. It docs
not prove that these are not from God.
If a man loses a guinea it does not
prove that those which he has not lost
are counterfeit or worthless. (c) If
inspired, they may have answered the
purpose which was designed by their
inspiration and then have been suffer-
ed to be lost as all inspired books will
be destroyed at the end of the world,
(c?) It is to be remembered that a large
part of the discourses of the inspired
apostles, and even the Saviour himself
(John xxi. 25), have been lost. And
why should it be deemed any more
wonderful that inspired books should be
lost, than inspired oral teachi?ig ? Why
more wonderful that a brief letter of
Paul should be destroyed than that nu-
merous discourses of him " who spake
as never man spake," should be lost to
the world 1 (e) We should be thank-
ful for the books that remain, and we
may be assured that all the truth that
is needful for our salvation has been
preserved and is in our hands. That
any inspired books have been preserved
amidst the efforts which have been
made to destroy them all, is more a
matter of wonder than that a few have
been lost, and should rather lead us to
gratitude that we have them than to
grief that a few, probably relating to
local and comparatively unimportant
matters, have been destroyed. ^ Not
to company, &c. Not to associate
with. See Eph. v. 11. 2 Thess. iii.
14. This, it seems, was a general
direction on the subject. It referred to
all who had this character. But the
direction which he now (ver. 11) pro-
ceeds to give, relates to a different mat-
ter the proper degree of intercourse
with those who were in the church.
10. Yet not altogether, &c. In my
direction not " to company" with them,
I did not mean that you should refuse
all kinds of intercourse with them ; that
you should not treat them with civility,
or be engaged with them in any of the
transactions of life, or in the ordinary
intercourse of society between man and *
man, for this would be impossible but
that you should not so associate with
them as to be esteemed to belong to
them, or so as to be corrupted by their
example. You are not to make them
companions and friends. | With the
fornicators. Most heathen were of this
description, and particularly at Corinth.
See the Introduction to this epistle.
^ Of this world. Of those who are out
of the church ; or who are not professed
Christians. ^ Or with the covttous. The
A 0. 59.]
CHAPTER V.
105
must ye needs go out of the
world.
avaricious; those greedy of gain. Pro-
bably his direction in the former epistle
had been that they should avoid them.
*I Or extortioners. Rapacious per-
sons ; greedy of gain, and oppressing
Ihe poor, the needy, and the fatherless,
to obtain money. ^ Or an idolater.
All the Corinthians before the gospel
was preached there worshipped idols.
1 Then must ye needs, &c. It would
be necessary to leave the world. The
world is full of such persons. You
meet them everywhere. You cannot
avoid them in the ordinary transac-
tions of life, unless you either destroy
yourselves, or withdraw wholly from
society. This passage shows, (1.)
That that society was/// of the licen-
tious and the covetous, of idolaters
and extortioners. (Comp. Notes, Rom.
i.) (2.) That it is not right either to
take our own lives to avoid them, or to
withdraw from society and become
monks ; and therefore, that the whole
monastic system is contrary to Chris-
tianity ; and, (3.) That it is needful
we should have some intercourse with
the men of the world ; and to have
dealings with them as neighbours, and
as members of the community. How
far we are to have intercourse with
them is not settled here. The general
principles may be, (1.) That it is only
so far as is necessary for the purposes
of good society, or to show kindness to-
them as neighbours and as members
of the community. (2.) We are to
deal justly with them in all our trans-
actions. (3.) We may be connected
with them in regard to the things
which we have in common as public
improvements, the business of educa-
tion, &c. (4.) We are to endeavour
to do them good, and for that purpose
we are not to shun their society. But,
(5.) We are not to make them our
companions ; or to associate with them
in their wickedness, or as idolaters, or
covetous, or licentious ; we are not to
'w known as partakers with them in
11 But now I have written
unto you not to keep company,
these things. And for the same reason
we are not to associate with the gay in
their gayety ; with the proud in their
pride ; with the fashionable in their
regard to fashion ; with the friends of
the theatre, the ball-room, or the splen-
did party, in their attachment to these
amusements. In all these things we
are to be separate ; and are to be con-
nected with them only in those things
which we may have in common with
them ; and which are not inconsistent
with the holy rules of the Christian re-
ligion. (6.) We are not so to asso-
ciate with them as to be corr'ipted by
their example ; or so as to be led by
that example to neglect prayer and the
sanctuary, and the deeds of charity,
and the effort to do good to the souls
of men. We are to make it a great
point that our piety is not to suffer by
that intercourse ; and we are never
to do any thing, or conform to any
custom, or to have any such inter
course with them as to lessen ou:
growth in grace ; divert our attentior
from the humble duties of religion ; o*
mar our Christian enjoyment.
11. But now. In this epistle. This
shows that he had written a former let-
ter, ^f / have written to you. Above.
I have designed to give this injunction
that you are to be entirely separated
from one who is a professor of religion
and who is guilty of these things.
If Not to keep company. To be wholly
separated and withdrawn from such a
person. Not to associate with him in
any manner, t If any man that is
called a brother. Any professing Chris-
tian ; any member of the church. If Be
a fornicator, &c. Like him who is
mentioned, ver. 1. ^ Or an idolater ^
This must mean those persons who
while they professed Christianity still
attended the idol feasts, and worshipped
there. Perhaps a few such may have
been found who had adopted the Chris-
tian profession hypocritically. T Or a
raikr. A reproachful man ; & man of
106
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59
if any man that is called a bro-
ther be a fornicator, or covetous,
or an idolater, or a railer, or a
oRom.16.17. 2Jno.lO.
drunkard, or an extortioner ; with
such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to
judge them also that are with-
coarse, harsh, and bitter words; a man
whose characteristic it was to abuse
others ; to vilify their character, and
wound their feelings. It is needless to
eay how much this is contrary to the
spirit of Christianity, and to the exam-
ple of the Master, " who when he was
reviled, reviled not again." ^ Or a
drunkard. Perhaps there might have
been some then in the church, as there
are .now, who were addicted to this
vice. It has been the source of incal-
culable evils to the church ; and the
apostle, therefore, solemnly enjoins on
Christians to have no fellowship with
a man who is intemperate. ^ With
such an one no not to eat. To have
no intercourse or fellowship with him
of any kind ; not to do any thing that
would seem to acknowledge him as a
brother ; with such an one not even to
eat at the same table. A similar course
is enjoined by John. 2 John 10, 11.
This refers to the intercourse of com-
mon life, and not particularly to the
communion. The true Christian was
wholly to disown such a person, and
not to do any thing that would seem
to imply that he regarded him as a
Christian brother. It will be seen
here that the rule was much more
strict in regard to one who professed
to be a Christian than to those who
were known and acknowledged hea-
thens. The reasons may have been, (1.)
The necessity of keeping the church
pure, and of not doing any thing that
would seem to imply that ClmsUans
were the patrons and friends of the in-
temperate and the wicked. (2.) In
respect to the heathen, there could be
no danger of its being supposed that
Christians regarded them as brethren,
or showed to them any more than the
ordinary civilities of life; but in re-
gard to those who professed to be Chris-
tians, but who were drunkards, or li-
centious, if a man was on terms of
intimacy with them, it would seem as
if he acknowledged them as brethren
and recognised them as Christians,
(3.) This entire separation and with-
drawing from all communion was ne-
cessary in these times to save the
church from scandal, and from the in-
jurious reports which were circulated.
The heathen accused Christians of all
manner of crime and abominations.
These reports were greatly injurious to
the church. But it was evident that
currency and plausibility would be
given to them if iU was known that
Christians were on terms of intimacy
and good fellowship with heathens and
intemperate persons. Hence it became
necessary to withdraw wholly from
them ; to withhold even the ordinary
courtesies of life ; and to draw a line
of total and entire separation. Whe-
ther this rule in its utmost strictness is
demanded now, since the nature of
Christianity is known, and since reli-
gion cannot be in so much danger from
such reports, may be made a question.
I am inclined to the opinion that the
ordinary civilities of life may be shown
to such persons ; though certainly
nothing that would seem to recognise
them as Christians. But as neigh-
bours and relatives ; as those who may
be in distress and want, we are assuredly
not forbidden to show towards them
the offices of kindness and compassiorf.
Whitby and some others, however, un-
derstand this of the communion of the
Lord's supper, and of that only.
12. For what have 1 to do, &c. I
have no authority over them ; and can
exercise no jurisdiction over them. AH
my rules, therefore, must have refer-
ence only to those who are within the
church. ^ To judge. To pass sen-
tence upon; to condemn ; or to punish.
As a Christian apostle I have no jurist
diction over them. ^ Them also that
are without. Without the pale of the
A.l). 59.]
CHAPTER V.
out? " do riot ye judge them that
are within ?
13 But them that are without
cMark4.il.
Christian church; heathens; men of
the world ; those who did not profess
to be Christians, t Do not ye judge,
&c. Is not your jurisdiction as Chris-
tians confined to those who are within
the church, and professed members of
it 1 Ought you not to exercise disci-
pline there, and inflict punishment on
its unworthy members 1 Do you not
in fact thus exercise discipline, and
separate from your society unworthy
persons and ought it not to be done
in this instance, and in reference to the
offender in your church 7
13. But them, &c. They who are
unconnected with the church are under
the direct and peculiar government of
God. They are indeed sinners, and they
deserve punishment for their crimes.
But it is not ours to pronounce sen-
tence upon them, or to inflict punish-
ment. God will do that. Our pro-
vince is in regard to the church. We
are to judge these; and these alone.
All others we are to leave entirely in
the hands of God. 1 Therefore. Gr.
And (*:). ' Since it is yours to judge
the members of your own society, do
you exercise discipline on the offender,
and put him away.' f Put away
from among yourselves. Excommu-
nicate him ; expel him from your
society. This is the utmost power
which the church has ; and this the
church is bound to exercise on all those
who have openly offended against the
laws of Jesus Christ.
REMARKS.
1st. A public rumour with regard
to the existence of an offence in the
church should lead to discipline. This
is due to the church itself that it may
oe pure and uninjured ; to the cause,
that religion may not suffer by the of-
lence ; and to the individual, that he
may have justice done him, and his
character vindicated if he is unjustly
tceused ; or that if guilty he may be
God judgeth.
107
Therefore put
away * from among yourselves
that wicked person.
b Matt.18.17.
reclaimed and reformed. Offences
should not be allowed to grow until
they become scandalous ; but when
they do, every consideration demands
that the matter should be investigated,
ver. 1.
2d. Men are often filled with pride
when they have least occasion for it.
ver. 2. This is the case with indivi-
duals who are often elated when their
hearts are full of sin when they are
indulging in iniquity ; and it is true of
churches also, that they are most proud
when the reins of discipline are relax-
ed, and their members are cold in the
service of God, or when they are even
living so as to bring scandal and dis-
grace on the gospel.
3d. We see in what way the Chris-
tian church should proceed in adminis-
tering discipline, ver. 2. It should not
be with harshness, bitterness, revenge,
or persecution. It should be with
mourning that there is necessity for it;
with tenderness toward the offender;
with deep grief that the cause of reli-
gion has been injured ; and with such
grief at the existence of the offence as
to lead them to prompt and decided
measures to remove it.
4th. The exercise of discipline belongs
to the church itself, ver. 4. The church
at Corinth was to be assembled with
reference to this offence, and was to
remove the offender. Even Paul, an
apostle, and the spiritual father of the
church, did not claim the authority to
remove an offender except through the
church. The church was to take up
the case ; to act on it ; to pass tho sen-
tence ; to excommunicate the man.
There could scarcely be a stronger proof
that the power of discipline is in the
church, and is not to be exercised by
any independent individual, or body 01
men, foreign to the church, or claiming
an independent right of discipline. If
Paul would not presnme to exercise
108
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
such discipline independently of the
church, assuredly no minister, and no
body of ministers have any such right
now. Either by themselves in a col-
lective congregational capacity, or
through their representatives in a body
of elders, or in a committee appointed
by them ; every church is itself to
originate and execute all the acts of
Christian discipline over its members.
5th. We see the object of Christian
discipline, ver. 5. It is not revenge,
hatred, malice, or the mere exercise of
power that is to lead to it ; it is the
good of the individual that is to be
pursued and sought. While the church
endeavours to remain pure, its aim and
object should be mainly to correct and
reform the offender, that his spirit may
be saved. When discipline is under-
taken from any other motive than this ;
when it is pursued from private pique,
or rivalship, or ambition, or the love of
power ; when it seeks to overthrow the
influence or standing of another, it is
wrong. The salvation of the offender
and the glory of God should prompt to
all the measures which should be taken
in the case.
6th. We see the danger of indulging
in any sin both in reference to our-
selves as individuals, or to the church,
ver. 6. The smallest sin indulged in
will spread pollution through the whole
body, as a little leaven will effect the
largest mass.
7th. Christians should be pure. ver.
7, 8. Their Saviour their paschal
lamb, was pure ; and he died that they
might be pure. He gave himself that
his people might be holy ; and by all
the purity of his character ; by all the
labours and self-denials of his life ; by
all his sufferings and groans in our be-
half, are we called on to be holy.
8th. We are here presented with di-
rections in regard to our intercourse
with those who are not members of
the church, ver. 10. There is nothing
that is more difficult to be under-
stood than the duty of Christians re-
specting such intercourse. Christians
often feel that they are in danger
from it, and are disposed to with-
draw almost entirely from the world
And they ask with deep solicitude
often, what course they are to pursue 1
Where shall the line be drawn '.' How
far shall they go 1 And where shall
they deem the intercourse with the
world unlawful or dangerous ] A few
remarks here as rules may aid us in
answering these questions.
(1.) Christians are not wholly to
withdraw from intercourse with the
people of this world. This was the
error of the monastic system, and this
error has been the occasion of innu-
merable corruptions and abominations
in the papal church. They are not to
do this because,
(a) It is impossible. They must
needs then, says Paul, go out of the
world.
(6) Because religion is not to be
regarded as dissocial, and gloomy, and
unkind.
(c) Because they have many inte-
rests in common with those who are
unconnected with the church, and they
are not to abandon them. The inte-
rests of justice, and liberty, and science,
and morals, and public improvements,
and education, are all interests in which
they share in common with others.
(d) Many of their best friends a
father, a mother, a son, a daughter, may
be out of the church, and religion does
not sever those ties, but binds them
more tenderly and closely.
(e) Christians are inevitably con-
nected in commercial dealings with
those who are not members of the
church ; and to cease to have any con-
nexion with them would be to destroy
their own business, and to throw them-
selves out of employment, and to break
up society.
(/) It would prevent the possibility
of doing much good either to the bo-
dies or the souls of me i. The poor,
the needy, and the afflicted are, many
of them, out of the church, and they
have a claim on the friends of Christ,
and on their active beneficence.
(g) It would break up and destroy
the church altogether. Its numbers
are to be increased and replenished
\. D. 59.] CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
any of you, having
matter against another,
*rom age to age by the efforts of Chris-
tians ; and this demands that Chris*
tians should have some intercourse with
the men of the world whom they hope
to benefit.
(h) An effort to withdraw wholly
from the world injures religion. It
conveys the impression that religion is
morose, severe, misanthropic ; and all
such impressions do immense injury to
the cause of God and truth.
(2.) The principles on which Chris-
tians should regulate their intercourse
with the world, are these :
(a) They are not to be conformed
to the world ; they are not to do any
thing that shall countenance the views,
feelings, principles of the world as
such, or as distinguished from religion.
They are not to do any thing that
would show that they approve of the
peculiar fashions, amusements, opi-
nions of the people of the world ; or
to leave the impression that they be-
long to the world.
(6) They are do justice and right-
eousness to every man, whatever may
be his rank, character, or views. They
are not to do any thing that will be
calculated to give an unfavourable view
of the religion which they profess to
the men of the world.
(c) They are to discharge with fide-
lity all the duties of a father, husband.
son, brother, friend, benefactor, or re-
cipient of favours, towards those who
are out of the church ; or with whom
they may be connected.
(d) They are to do good to all men
to the poor, the afflicted, the needy,
the widow, the fatherless.
(e) They are to endeavour so to
live and act so to converse, and so to
form their plans as to promote the sal-
vation of all others. They are to seek
their spiritual welfare ; and to endea-
vour by example, and by conversation ;
by exhortation and by all the means in
(heir power to bring them to the know-
10
109
go to law before the unjust, and
not before the saints ?
ledge of Christ. For this purpose they
are kept on the earth instead of being
removed to heaven ; and to this object
they should devote their lives.
9th. We see from this chapter who
are not to be regarded as Christians,
whatever may be their professions, ver.
11. A man who is, (1.) a fornicator;
or, (2.) COVETOUS ; or, (3.) an idola-
ter; or, (4.) a railer ; or, (5.) a drunk-
ard ; or, (6.) an extortioner, is not to
be owned as a Christian brother. Paul
has placed the covetous man, and the
railer, and extortioners, in most un-
desirable company. They are ranked
with foi nicators and drunkards. And
yet how many such persons there are
in the Christian church and many, too,
who would regard it as a special insult
to be ranked with a drunkard or an
adulterer. But in the eye of God both
are alike unfit for his kingdom, and
are to be regarded as having no claims
to the character of Christians.
10th. God will judge the world, ver.
12, 13. The world that is without the
church the mass of men that make
no profession of piety, must give an
account to God. They are travelling
to his bar ; and judgment in regard to
them is taken into God's own hands,
and he will pronounce their doom.
It is a solemn thing to be judged by a
holy God ; and they who have no evi-
dence that they are Christians, should
tremble at the prospect of being soon
arraigned at his bar.
CHAPTER VI.
THE main design of this chapter is to
reprove the Corinthians for the practice
of going to law before heathen courts,
or magistrates, instead of settling
their differences among themselves. It
seems that after their conversion they
were still in the habit of carrying their
causes before heathen tribunals, and
this the apostle regarded as contrary to
the genius and spirit of the Christian
religion and as tending to expose reli-
110
I CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
Do ye not know that the
saints a shall judge the world !
a Dan. 7.22. Matt.lD.28. Jude 14,15. Rev.20.4.
gion to contempt in the eyes of the men
of the world. He, therefore, (ver.l 7,)
reproves this practice, and shows them
that their differences should be settled
among themselves. It seems also that the
spirit of litigation and of covetousness
had led them in some instances to prac-
tice fraud and oppression of each other,
and he, therefore, takes occasion (ver.
8 11) to show that this was wholly
inconsistent with the hope of heaven
and the nature of Christianity.
It would seem, also, that some at
Corinth had not only indulged in these
and kindred vices, but had actually de-
fended them. This was done by plau-
sible, but sophistical arguments, drawn
from the strong passions of men ; from
the fact that the body was made for
eating and drinking, &c. To these ar-
guments the apostle replies in the close
of the chapter, (ver. 12 20,) and espe-
cially considers the sin of fornication,
to which they were particularly exposed
in Corinth, and shows the heinousness
of it, and its entire repugnance to the
pure gospel of Christ.
1. Dare any of you. The reasons
why the apostle introduced this subject
here may have been, (1.) That he had
mentioned the subject of judging (ch.
v. 13), and that naturally suggested the
topic which is here introduced ; and,
(2.) This might have been a prevailr
ing evil in the church of Corinth, and
demanded correction. The word dare
here implies that it was inconsistent
With religion, and improper. Can
you do it ; is it proper or right ; or do
you presume so far to violate all the
princip^ of Christianity as to do it.'
T Having a matter. A subject of liti-
gation ; or a suit. There may be dif-
ferences between men in regard to pro-
perty and right, in which there shall be
no blame on either side. They may
both be desirous of having it equitably
and amicably adjusted. It is not a
difference between men that is in itself
wrong, but it is the spirit with which
the difference is adhered to, and the
unwillingness to have justice done that
is so often wrong, f Against another.
Another member of the church. A
Christian brother. The apostle here
directs his reproof against the plaintiff,
as having the choice of the tribunal
before which he would bring the cause.
f Before the unjust. The heathen
tribunals ; for the word unjust here
evidently stands opposed to the saints.
The apostle does not mean that they
were always unjust in their decisions,
or that equity could in no case be
hoped from them, but that they were
classed in that division of the world
which was different from the saints,
and is synonymous with unbelievers,
as opposed to believers, f And not
before the saints. Before Christians.
Can you not settle your differences
among yourselves as Christians, by
leaving the cause to your brethren, as
arbitrators, instead of going before hea-
then magistrates] The Jews would
not allow any of their causes to be
brought before the Gentile courts.
Their rule was this, " He that tries a
cause before the judges of the Gentiles,
and before their tribunals, although
their judgments are as the judgments
of the Israelites, so this is an ungodly
man," &c. Maimon. Hilch. Sanhe-
drim, ch. xxvi. 7. They even look-
ed on such an action as as bad as pro-
faning the name of God.
2. Do ye not know, &c. The object
of this verse is evidently to show that
Christians were qualified to determine
controversies which might arise among
:hemselves. This the apostle shows by
reminding them that they shall be en-
gaged in determining matters of much
more moment than those which could
arise among the members of a church
on earth ; and that if qualified foi
that, they must be regarded as qualifier
to express a judgment on the questions
which might arise among their bre-
thren in the churches. ^ The saints.
Christians, f. r the word is evidently
used in the same sense as in ver. 1
A U. 59.]
and if the
CHAPTER VI.
Ill
world shall be
iudged by you, are ye un-
worthy to judge the smalles*
matters ?
The apostle says that they knew this,
or that this was so well established a
-doctrine that none could doubt it. It
was to be admitted on all hands.
^ Shall judge the world. A great va-
riety of interpretations has been given
to this passage. Grotius supposes it
means that they shall be first judged
by Christ, and then act as assessors to
him in the judgment, or join with him
in condemning the wicked ; and he ap-
peals to Matt. xix. 28. Luke xxii. 30,
where Christ says that they which
have followed him should "sit on
thrones judging the twelve tribes of Is-
rael." See Note on Matt. xix. 28.
Whitby supposes that it means that
Christians are to judge or condemn
the world by their example, or that
there shall be Christian magistrates, ac-
cording to the prophecy of Isaiah (xlix.
23), and Daniel (vii.18). RosenmUller
supposes it means that Christians are
co judge the errors and sins of men
pertaining to religion, as in ch. ii. 13.
16; and that they ought to be able,
therefore, to judge the smaller matters
pertaining to this life. Bloomfield, and
the Greek fathers, and commentators,
suppose that this means, that the saints
will furnish matter to condemn the
world ; that is, by their lives and ex-
ample they shall be the occasion of the
greater condemnation of the world.
But to this there are obvious objections.
(1.) It is an unusual meaning of the
word judge. (2.) It does not meet
the case before us. The apostle is evi-
dently saying that Christians will oc-
cupy so high and important a station
in the work of judging the world that
they ought to be regarded as qualified
to exercise judgment on the things per-
taining to this life ; but the fact that
their holy lives shall be the occasion of
the deep ;r condemnation of the world,
does not seem to furnish any plain rea-
con for this. To the opinion, also, of
Whitby, Lightfoot, Vitringa, &c. that
it refers to the fact that Christians
would be magistrates, and governors,
&c. according to the predictions of
Isaiah and Daniel, there are obvious
objections. (1.) The judgment to
which Paul in this verse refers is
different from that pertaining to things
of this life (ver. 3), but the judgment
which Christian magistrates would ex-
ercise, as such would relate to them.
(2.) It is not easy to see in this in-
terpretation how, or in what sense, the
saints shall judge the angels, ver. 3.
The common interpretation, that of
Grotius* Beza, Calvin, Doddridge, &c.
is that it refers to the future judgment,
and that Christians will in that day be
employed in some manner in judging
the world. That this is the true inter-
pretation, is apparent for the follow-
ing reasons. (1.) It is the obvious in-
terpretation that which will strike the
great mass of men, and is likely, there-
fore, to be the true one. (2.) It ac-
cords with the account in Matt. xix.
28, and Luke xxii. 30. (3.) It is the
only one which gives a fair interpreta-
tion to the declaration that the saints
should judge angels in ver. 3. If asked
in what way this is to be done, it may
be answered, that it may be meant sim-
ply that Christians shall be exalted
to the right hand of the Judge, and
shall encompass his throne ; that they
shall assent to, and approve of his
judgment, that they shall be elevated
to a post of honour and favour, AS IF
they were associated with him in the
judgment. They shall then be regard-
ed as his friends, and express their ap-
probation, and that with a deep sense
of its justice, of the condemnation of
the wicked. Perhaps the idea is, not
that they shall pronounce sentence,
which will be done by the Lord Jesus,
but that they shall then be qualified to
see the justice of the condemnation
which shall be passed on the wicked*
they shall have a clear and distinct
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
3 Know ye not that we shall
judge angels ? how much more
things that pertain to this life t
4 If then ye have judgments
view of the case ; they shall even
see the propriety of their everlasting
punishment, and shall not only ap-
prove it, but be qualified to enter into
the subject, and to pronounce upon it
intelligently. And the argument of
the apostle is, that if they would be
qualified to pronounce on the eternal
doom of men and angels ; if they had
such views of justice and right, and
such integrity as to form an opinion
and express it in regard to the everlast-
ing destiny of an immense host of im-
mortal beings, assuredly they ought to
be qualified to express their snse of
the smaller transactions in this life, and
pronounce an opinion between man
and man. 1 Are ye unworthy. Are
you disqualified. Tf The smallest mat-
ters. Matters of least consequence
matters of little moment, scarcely worth
naming compared with the great and
important realities of eternity. The
" smallest matters" here mean, the
causes, suits, and litigations relating to
property, &c.
3. Shall judge angels. All the an-
gels that shall be judged, good or bad.
Probably the reference is to fallen an-
gels, as there is no account that holy
angels will then undergo a trial. The
sense is, ' Christians will be qualified to
see the justice of even the sentence
which is pronounced on fallen angels.
They will be able so to embrace and
comprehend the nature of law, and the
interests of justice, as to see the propri-
ety of their condemnation. And if they
can so far enter into these important and
eternal relations, assuredly they ought
to be regarded as qualified to discern the
nature of justice among men, and to
settle the unimportant differences which
may arise in the church.' Or, perhaps,
this may mean that the saints shall in
the future world be raised to a rank in
some respects more elevated than even
the angels in heaven. (Prof. Stuart.)
In what respects they will be thus ele-
vated, if this is the true interpretation,
can be only a matter of conjecture. I
may be supposed that it will be because
they have been favoured by being in-
terested in the plan of salvation a
plan that has done so much to honour
God ; and that to have been thus saved
by the immediate and painful inter-
vention of the Son of God, will be a
higher honour than all the privileges
which beings can enjoy who are inno-
cent themselves.
4. Ye have judgments. Causes ;
controversies ; suits. ^ Things per-
taining to this life. Property, &c.
K Set them to judge, &c. The verb
translated set (jtstS^sTe) may be either
in the imperative mood, as in our
translation, and then it will imply a
command ; or it may be regarded as in
the indicative, and to be rendered inter-
rogatively, ' Do ye set or appoint them
to judge who are of little repute for
their wisdom and equity ?' i. e. heathen
magistrates. The latter is probably the
correct rendering, as according to the
former no good reason can be given
why Paul should command thorn to
select as judges those who had little re-
pute for wisdom in the church. Had
he designed this as a command, he
would doubtless have directed them to
choose their most aged, wise and expe-
rienced men, instead of those " least
esteemed." It is manifest, therefore,
that this is to be read as a question :
< Since you are abundantly qualified
yourselves to settle your own differ-
ences, do you employ the heathen
magistrates, in whom the church can
have little confidence for their integrity
and justice V It is designed, therefore,
as a severe reproof for what they had
been accustomed to do ; and an implied
injunction that they should do it no
more. ^ Who are least esteemed
(t%w&tvMjuivw$) . Who are contemned,
or regarded as of no value or worth ; in
whose judgment and integrity you can
have little or no confidence. Accord
ing to the interpretation given above o
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER VI.
of things pertaining to this life,
set them to judge who are least
esteemed in the church.
5 I speak to your shame.
Is
it so, that there is not a wise
man among you ? no, not one
the previous part of the verse this re-
fers to the heathen magistrates to men
in whose virtue, piety and qualifications
for just judgment Christians could have
little confidence ; and whose judgment
must be regarded as in fact of very little
value, and as very little likely to be
correct. That the heathen magistrates
were in general very corrupt there can
be no doubt. Many of them were men
of abandoned character, of dissipated
lives, men who were easily bribed, and
men, therefore, in whose judgment
Christians could repose little confi-
dence. Paul reproves the Corinthians
for going before them with their dis-
putes when they could better settle
them themselves. Others, however,
who regard this whole passage as an
instruction to Christians to appoint
those to determine their controversies
who were least esteemed, suppose that
this refers to the lowest orders of judges
among the Hebrews; to those who
were least esteemed, or who were
almost despised ; and that Paul directs
them to select even them in preference
to the heathen magistrates. See Light-
foot. But the objection to this is ob-
vious and insuperable. Paul would
not have recommended this class of
men to decide their causes, but would
have recommended the selection of the
most wise and virtuous among them.
This is proved by ver. 5, where, in di-
recting them to settle their matters
among themselves, he asks whether
there is not a "wise man" among
them, clearly proving that he wished
their difficulties adjusted, not by the
most obscure and the least respected
members of the church, but by the
most wise and intelligent members.
1 In the church. By the church. That
is, the heathen magistrates evince such
10*
that shall be able to judge be-
tween his brethren ?
6 But brother goeth to law
with brother, and that before the
unbelievers.
7 Now therefore there is ut-
a character as not to be worthy of the
confidence of the church in settling
matters of controver^.
5. I speak to your shame. I declare
that which is a reproach to you, that
your matters of dispute are carried be-
fore heathen tribunals. ^ Is it so, &c.
Can it be that in the Christian church
the church collected in refined and en-
lightened Corinth there is not a single
member so wise, intelligent and prudent
that his brethren may have confidence
in him, and refei their causes to him 1
Can this be the case in a church that
boasts so much of its wisdom, and that
prides itself so much in the number and
qualifications of its intelligent members 1
6. But brother, &c. One Christian
goes to law with another. This is de-
signed as a reproof. This was wrong,
(1.) Because they ought rather to take
wrong and suffer themselves to be in-
jured (ver. 7); (2.) Because they
might have chosen some persons to set-
tle the matter by arbitration without a
formal trial ; and, (3.) Because the civil
constitution would have allowed them
to have settled all their differences with-
out a law-suit. Josephus says that the
Romans (who were now masters of
Corinth) permitted the Jews in foreign
countries to decide private affairs, where
nothing capital was in question, among
themselves. And Dr. Lardner observes,
that the Christians might have availed
themselves of this permission to have
settled their disputes in the same man
ner. Credibility, vol. i. p. 165.
7. There is utterly a fault. There
is altogether a fault; or you are en-
tirely wrong in this thing f That ye
go to law, &c. That is, in the sense
under discussion, or before heathen
magistrates. This was the point undei
discussion, and the interpretation should
114
1. CORINTHIANS
LA. 1). 59.
terly a fault among you, because
ye go to law one with another.
Why do ye not rather take a
a Prov.20.22. Matt.5.39,40. Rom. 12.17,19.
lThess.5.15.
be limited to this. Whatever may be
the propriety or impropriety of going to
law before Christian magistrates, yet the
point which the apostle refers to was
that of going to law before heathens.
The passage, therefore, should not be
interpreted as referring to all litigation,
but only of that which was the subject
of discussion. The apostle says that
that was wholly wrong ; that they
ought by no means to go with their
causes against their fellow Christians
before heathen magistrates ; that who-
ever had the right side of the question,
and whatever might be the decision, the
thins? itself was unchristian and wrong;
and that rather than dishonour religion
by a trial or suit of this kind they ought
to be willing to take wrong, and to suf-
fer any personal and private injustice.
The argument is, that greater evil would
be done to the cause of Christ by the
fact of Christians appearing before a
heathen tribunal with their disputes
than could result to either party from
the injury done by the other. And this
is probably always the case; so that
although the apostle refers here to
heathen tribunals, the same reason-
ing, on the principle, would apply to
Christians carrying their causes into
the courts at all. f Why do ye not
rather take wrong ? Why do you
not suffer yourself to be injured rather
than to dishonour the cause of religion
by your litigations ? They should do
this, (1.) Because religion requires its
friends to be willing to suffer wrong
patiently. Prov. xx. 22. Matt. v. 39,
40. Rom. xii. 17. 19. 1 Thess. v. 15.
(2.) Because great injury results to
the cause of religion from such trials.
The private wrong which an indivi-
dual would suffer, in perhaps ,all cases,
would be a less evil on the whole
than the public injury which is done
to the cause of piety by the litigations
wrong? why do ye not rather
suffer yourselves to be defraud
b lThess.4.G.
and strifes of Christian brethren before
a civil court. (3.) The differences
among Christians could be adjusted
among themselves, by a reference to
their brethren. In ninety-nine cases of
a hundred, the decision would be more
likely to be just and satisfactory to all
parties from an amicable reference,
than from the decisions of a civil court.
In the very few cases where it would
be otherwise, it would be better for the
individual to suffer, than for the cause
of religion to suffer. Christians ought
to love the cause of their Master more
than their own individual interest.
They ought to be more afraid that the
cause of Jesus Christ would be injured
than that they should be a few dollars
poorer from the conduct of others, or
than that they should individually suf-
fer in their character from the injustice
of others. | To be defrauded? Re-
ceive injury ; or suffer a loss of pro-
perty. Grotius thinks that the word
" take wrong" refers to personal insult ;
and the word " defrauded" refers to in-
jury in property. Together, they are
probably designed to refer to all kinds
of injury and injustice. And the apos*
tie means to say, that they had better
submit to any kind of injustice than
carry the cause against a Christian
brother before a heathen tribunal. The
doctrine here taught is, that Christians
ought by no means to go to law with
each other before a heathen tribunal ;
that they ought to be willing to suffer
any injury from a Christian brother
rather than do it. And by implication
the same thing is taught in regard to
the duty of all Christians, that they
ought to suffer any injury to ihti
persons and property rather than dis-
honour religion by litigations before
civil magistrates. It may be asked
then whether law suits are never proper ;
or whether courts of justice are never
\. D. 59.]
CHAPTER VI.
115
8 Nay, ye do wrong, and de- 9 Know ye not that the un-
rraiul, and that your brethren.
to be resorted to by Christians to secure
iheir rights ] To this question we
may reply, that the discussion of Paul
"elates only to Christians, when both
parties are Christians, and that it is
designed to prohibit such an appeal to
courts by them. If ever lawful for
Christians to depart from this rule, or
for Christians to appear before a civil
tribunal, it is conceived that it can be
only in circumstances like the follow-
ing. (1.) Where two or more Chris-
tians may have a difference^ and where
they know not what is right, and what
the law is in a case. In such instances
there may be a reference to a civil court
to determine it to have what is called
an amicable suit, to ascertain from the
proper authority what the law is, and
what is justice in the case. (2.) When
there are causes of difference between
Christians and the men of the world. As
the men of the world do not acknow-
ledge the propriety of submitting the
matter to the church, it may be pro-
per for a Christian to carry the matter
before a civil tribunal. Evidently,
there is no other way, in such cases,
of settling a cause ; and this mode
may be resorted to not with a spirit
of revenge, but with a spirit of love
and kindness. Courts are instituted
for the settlement of the rights of
citizens, and men by becoming Chris-
lians do not alienate their rights as
citizens. Even these cases, however,
might commonly be adjusted by a re-
ference to impartial men, better than by
the slow, and expensive, and tedious,
and often irritating process of carrying a
cause through the courts. (3.) Where
a Christian is injured in his person,
character, or property, he has a right
to seek redress. Courts are instituted
for the protection and defence of the
innocent and the peaceable against the
fraudulent, the wicked, and the violent.
And a Christian owes it to his country,
to his family, and to himself, that the
man who has injured him should re-
righteous shall not inherit the
ceive the proper punishment. Th
peace and welfare of the community
demand it. If a man murders my wife
or child. I owe it to the laws and to
my country, to justice &nd to God, to
endeavour to have the law enforced.
So if a man robs my property, or in-
jures my character, I may owe it to
others as well as to myself that the law in
such a case should be executed, and the
rights of others also be secured. But in
all these cases, a Christian should en-
gage in such prosecutions not with a
desire of revenge, not with the love of
litigation, but with the love of justice,
and of God, and with a mild, tender,
candid and forgiving temper, with a real
desire that the opponent may be bene-
fited, and that all his rights also should
be secured. Comp. Notes on Rom. xiii.
8. Nay, ye do wrong, &c. Instead
of enduring wrong patiently and cheer-
fully, they were themselves guilty of
injustice and fraud. 1 And that
your brethren. Your fellow Chris-
tians. As if they had injured those of
their own family those to whom they
ought to be attached by most ten-
der ties. The offence in such cases is
aggravated, not because it is in itself
any worse to injure a Christian than
another man, but because it shows a
deeper depravity, when a man over-
comes all the ties of kindness and love,
and injures those who are near to him,
than it does where no such ties exist.
It is for this reason that parricide, in-
fanticide, <Scc. are regarded everywhere
as crimes of peculiar atrocity, because
a child or a parent must have sundered
all the tenderest cords of virtue before
it could be done.
9. Know ye not} &c. The apostle
introduces the declaration in this verse
to show the evil of their course, and
especially of the injustice which they
did one to another, and their attempt to
enforce and maintain the evil by an
appeal to the heathen tribunals. He
assures them, therefore, that the unju
11C
I. CORINTHIANS
[A. D. 59.
kingdom of God ? Be not de-
ceived ; neither " fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor ef-
a Cal.5.19 21. Eph.5.4,5. Heb.12.14; 13.4.
Rev.22.15.
could not be saved. J The unright-
eous The unjust (o//x) such as he
had just mentioned they who did in-
justice to others, and attempted to do
it under the sanction of the courts.
T Shall not inherit. Shall not pos-
sess ; shall not enter into. The king-
dom of heaven is often represented as
an inheritance. Matt. xix. 29 ; xxv.
34. Mark x. 17. Luke x.25; xviii. 18.
1 Cor. xv. 50. Eph. i. 11. 14 ; v. 5.
U The kingdom of God. Cannot be
saved ; cannot enter into heaven. See
Note, Matt. iii. 2. This may refer
either to the kingdom of God in hea-
ven ; or to the church on earth most
probably the former. But the sense is
the same essentially, whichever is
meant. The man who is not fit to enter
into the one is not fit to enter into the
other. The man who is fit to enter the
kingdom of God on earth, shall also
enter into that in heaven, f Be not
deceived. A most important direction
to be given to all. It implies, (1.)
That they were in danger of being de-
ceived, (a) Their own hearts might
have deceived them. (6) They might
be deceived by their false opinions on
these subjects, (c) They might be in
danger being deceived by their leaders,
who perhaps held the opinion that
some of the persons who practised these
things could be saved. (2.) It implies,
that there was no necessity of their
being deceived. They might know the
truth. They might easily understand
these matters. It might be plain to
them that those who indulged in these
things could not be saved. (3.) It
implies that it was of high importance
For,
that they should not be deceived.
(a) The soul is of infinite value. (6)
To lose heaven to be disappointed in
regard to that, will be a tremendous ( that place.
loss, (c) To inherit hell and its woes < ch. v. 11.
feminate, nor abusers of them-
selves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
anxious should all be that they be :ot
deceived, and that while they hope for
life, they do not sink down to everlast-
ing death ! f Neither fornicators. See
Gal. v. 1921. Eph. v. 4, 5. Heb. xii.
14 ; xiii. 4. Note, Rom. i. 29. If Nor
effeminate (<M*A*XC}). This word oc-
curs in Matt. xi. 8, and Luke vii. 25,
where it is applied to clothing, and
translated " soft raiment ;" that is, the
light, thin garments worn by the rich
and great. It occurs nowhere else in
the New Testament except here. Ap-
plied to morals, as it is here, it denotes
those who give themselves up to a soft,
luxurious, and indolent way of living,
who make self-indulgence the grand
object of life; who can endure no hard-
ship, and practice no self-denial in the
cause of duty and of God. The word
is applied in the classic writers to the
Cinaedi, the Pathics, or Catamites ;
those who are given up to wantonness
and sensual pleasures, or who are kept
to be prostituted to others. Diog. Laer.
vii. 5. 4. Xenoph. Mem. iii. 7. 1. Ovid
Fast. iv. 342. The connexion here
seems to demand such an interpreta-
tion, as it occurs in the description of
vices of the same class sensual and
corrupt indulgences. It is well known
that this vice was common among the
Greeks and particularly prevailed at
Corinth, f Abusers of themselves with
mankind (dga-a^Jw/Toi). Psederastse or
Sodomites. Those who indulged in
a vice that was common among all the
heathen. See Notes, Rom. i. 27.
J 0. Nor covetous. See Note, ch. v.
10. It is remarkable that the apostle
always ranks the covetous with the most
abandoned classes of men. t Nor re
vilers. The same word which in ch.
v. 11, is rendered railer. See Note on
Nor extortioners. Note,
Shall inherit. Shall en-
will be a tremendous curse. O how ( ter shall be saved, ver. 9.
4. D. 59.]
extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God.
1 1 And such a were some of
you ; but ye are washed, * but
CHAPTER VI.
117
a Eph.2.1,2; 5.8. Col.3.7. Tit.3.3-6.
0.22.
6 Heb.
11. And such. Such drunkards,
lascivious, and covetous persons. This
shows, (1.) The exceeding grace of
God that could recover even such per-
sons from sins so debasing and degrad-
ing. (2.) It shows that we are not to
despair of reclaiming the most aban-
doned and wretched men. (3.) It is
well for Christians to look back on
what they once were. It will produce
(a) humility, (6) gratitude, (c) a deep
sense of the sovereign mercy of God,
(rf) an earnest desire that others may
be recovered and saved in like manner.
Comp. Eph. ii. 1, 2 ; v. 8. Col. iii. 7.
Tit. iii. 3. 6. The design of this is to
remind them of what they were, and
to show them that they were now under
obligation to lead better lives by all
the mercy which God had shown in
recovering them from sins so degrading,
and from a condition so dreadful.
1 But ye. are. washed. Heb. x. 22.
Washing is an emblem of purifying.
They had been made pure by the Spirit
of God. They had been, indeed, bap-
tized, and their baptism was an em-
blem of purifying, but the thing here
particularly referred to is not baptism,
but it is something that had been done
by the Spirit of God, and must refer to
his agency on the heart in cleansing
them from these pollutions. Paul here
uses three words, washed, sanctified,
justified, to denote the various agen-
cies of the Holy Spirit by which they
had been recovered from sin. The
first, that of washing, I understand of
that work of the Spirit by which the
process of purifying was commenced in
the soul, and which was especially sig-
nified in baptism the work of rege-
neration or conversion to God. By the
agency of the Spirit the defilement of
these pollutions had been washed away
or removed as filth is removed by ab-
ye are sanctified, e but ye are jus-
tified d in the name of the Lord
Jesus, and by the Spirit of our
God.
cHeb.2.11. dRom.8.30.
lution. The agency of the Holy Ghost
in regeneration is elsewhere repre-
sented by washing. Tit. iii. 5, "The
washing of regeneration." Comp.
Heb. x. 22. ^ Ye are sanctified.
This denotes the progressive and ad-
vancing process of purifying which
succeeds regeneration in the Christian.
Regeneration is the commencement of
it its close is the perfect purity of the
Christian in heaven. See Note, John
xvii. 17. It does not mean that they
were perfect for the reasoning of the
apostle shows that this was far from
being the case with the Corinthians;
but that the work was advancing, and
that they were in fact under a process
of sanctification. t But ye are justi-
fied. Your sins are pardoned, and
you are accepted as righteous, and will
be treated as such on account of the
merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. See
Note, Rom. i. 17 ; iii. 25, 26 ; iv. 3.
The apostle does not say that this
was last in the order of time, but sim-
ply says that this was done to them.
Men are justified when they believe,
and when the work of sanctification
commences in the soul, J In the
name of the Lord Jesus. That is, by
the Lord Jesus ; by his authority, ap-
pointment, influence. Note, Acts iii.
6. All this had been accomplished
through the Lord Jesus ; that is, in
his name remission of sins had been
proclaimed to them (Luke xxiv. 47) ;
and by his merits all these favours
had been conferred on them. ^ And
by the Spirit of our God. The Holy
Spirit. All this had been accomplish-
ed by his agency on the heart.
This verse brings in the whole subject
of redemption, - and states in a most
emphatic manner the various stages
by which a sinner is saved, and by
this single passage, a man may obtain
us
I. CORINTHIANS.
12 All things are lawful unto
me, but all things are not Ex-
pedient: all things are lawful
or, profitable.
all the essential knowledge of the
plan of salvation. All is condensed
here in few words. (1.) He is by na-
ture a miserable and polluted sinner
without merit, and without hope. (2.)
He is renewed by the Holy Ghost, and
washed by baptism. (3.) He is justi-
fied, pardoned, and accepted as right-
eous, through the merits of the Lord
Jesus alone. (4.) He is made holy
Becomes sanctified and more and
more like God, and fit for heaven. (5.)
\11 this is done by the agency of the
Holy Ghost. (G.) The obligation
thence results that he should lead a
holy life, and forsake sin in every form.
12. All things are lawful unto me.
The apostle here evidently makes a
transition to another subject from that
which he had been discussing a con-
sideration of the propriety of using
certain things which had been esteem-
ed lawful. The expression, " all things
are lawful," is to be understood as used
by those who palliated certain indul-
gences, or who vindicated the vices
here referred to, and Paul designs to
reply to them. His reply follows.
He had been reproving them for their
vices, and had specified several. It is
riot to be supposed that they would in-
dulge in them without some show of
defence ; and the declaration here has
much the appearance of a proverb, or
a common saying that all things were
lawful ; that is, ' God has formed all
things for our use, and there can be no
evil if we use them.' By the phrase
"all things" here, perhaps, may be
meant many things ; or things in ge-
neral ; or there is nothing in itself un-
lawful. That there were many vicious
persons who held this sentiment there
can be no doubt ; and though it cannot
be supposed that there were any in the
Christian church who would openly
advocate it, yet the design of Paul was
w> cut up the plea altogether wherever
for me, but I
[A.D. 59.
will not be
brought under the power of
any.
a c.9.27.
it might be urged, and to show that it
was false and unfounded. The parti-
cular things which Paul here refers to,
are those which have been called
adiaphoristic, or indifferent ; i. e. per-
taining to certain meats and drinks, &c
With this Paul connects also the sub-
ject of fornication the subject parti-
cularly under discussion. This was
defended as "lawful," by many Greeks,
and was practised at Corinth ; and was
the vice to which the Corinthian Chris-
tians were particularly exposed. Paul
designed to meet all that could be said
on this subject ; and to show them that
these indulgences could not be proper
for Christians, and could not m any
way be defended. We are not to un-
derstand Paul as admitting that forni-
cation is in any case lawful ; but he
designs to show that the practice can-
not possibly be defended in any way,
or by any of the arguments which had
been or could be used. For this pur-
pose, he observes, (1.) That admitting
that all things were lawful, there were
many things which ought not to be in-
dulged ; (2.) That admitting that they
were lawful, yet a man ought not to be
under the power of any improper in-
dulgence, and should abandon any
habit when it had the mastery. (3.)
That fornication was positively wrong,
and against the very nature and essence
of Christianity, ver. 13 20. ^ Are.
not expedient. This is the first an-
swer to the objection. Even should
we admit that the practices under dis-
cussion are lawful, yet there are many
things which are not expedient; that
is, which do not profit, for so the word
(aty/pfgw) properly signifies ; they are
injurious and hurtful. They might
injure the body ; produce scandal ; lead
others to offend or to sin. Such was
the case with regard to the use of cer-
tain meats, and even with regard to the
use of wine. Paul's rulo on this sub-
A D. 59.]
CHAPTER VI.
119
13 Meats a for the belly, and
(.he belly for meats : but God shall
a Matt. 15. 17,20. Rom.14.17.
destroy both it and them. Now
the body is not for * fornication,
b lThess.4.3,7.
ject is stated in 1 Cor. viii. 13. That
if these things did injury to others, he
would abandon them for ever; even
though they were in themselves lawful.
See Note on ch. viii. and on Rom. xiv.
14 23. There are many customs
which, perhaps, cannot be strictly
proved to be unlawful or sinful, which
yet do injury in some way if indulged
in ; and which, as their indulgence can
do no good, should be abandoned. Any
thing that does evil however small
and no good, should be abandoned at
once. If All things are lawful. Ad-
mitting this ; or even on the supposi-
tion that all things are in themselves
right, f But I will not be brought
under the power. I will not be sub-
dued by it; I will not become the
slave of it. ^ Of any. Of any cus-
tom, or habit, no matter what it is.
This was Paul's rule ; the rule of an
independent mind. The principle was,
that even admitting that certain things
were in themselves right, yet his grand
purpose was not to be the slave of
habit, not to be subdued by any prac-
tice that might corrupt his mind, fetter
his energies, or destroy his freedom as
a man and as a Christian. We may
observe, (1.) That this is a good rule
to act on. It was Paul's rule (1 Cor.
ix. 27), and it will do as well for us as
for him. (2.) It is the true rule of an
independent and noble mind. It re-
quires a high order of virtue ; and is the
only way in which a man may be use-
ful and active. (3.) It may be ap-
plied to many things now. Many
a Christian and Christian minister
is a slave," and is completely under
the power of some habit that destroys
his usefulness and happiness. He is
the SLAVE of indolence, or carelessness,
or of some VILE HABIT as the use of
tobacco, or of wine. He has not inde-
pendence enough v .o break the cords
that bind him ; and the consequence is,
that life is passed in indolence, or in
self-indulgence, and time, and strength,
and property are wasted, and religion
blighted, and souls ruined. (4.) The
man that has not courage and firmness
enough to act on this rule should doubt
his piety. If he is a voluntary slave to
some idle and mischievous habit, how
can he be a Christian 1 If he does
not love his Saviour and the souls of
men enough to break off from such
habits which he knows are doing in-
jury, how is he fit to be a minister of
the self-denying Redeemer 1
13. Meats for the belly, &c. This
has every appearance of being an adage
or proverb. Its meaning is plain. ' God
has made us with appetites for food ;
and he has made food adapted to such
appetites, and it is right, therefore,
to indulge in luxurious living.' The
word belly here (jts/x/a) denotes the
stomach / and the argument is, that as
God had created the natural appetite
for food, and had created food, it was
right to indulge in eating and drinking
to any extent which the appetite de
manded. The word meats here (@$J>-
/AATX) does not denote animal food
particularly, or flesh, but any kind of
food. This was the sense of the Eng-
lish word formerly. Matt. iii. 4 ; vi. 25 ;
ix. 10 ; x. 10 ; xiv. 9, &c. f But God
shall destroy. This is the reply of Paul
to the argument. This reply is, that as
both are so soon to be destroyed, they
were unworthy of the care which was
bestowed on them, and that attention
should be directed to better things. It
is unworthy the immortal mind to spend
its time and thought in making provi
sion for the body which is soon to
perish. And especially a man should
be willing to abandon indulgences in
these things when they tended to in-
jure the mind, and to destroy the soul.
It is unworthy a mind that is to live
for ever, thus to be anxious about that
which is so soon to be destroyed in the
grave. We may observe here, (1.)
This vs the great rule of the mass of
the world. The pampering of the
120
I. CORINTHIANS.
bin. for the Lord, " and the Lord
6 for the body.
14 And God e hath both rais-
aEom.12.1. b Eph.5.23. c Rom.6-5,8.
appetites is the great purpose for which
they live, and the only purpose. (2.)
It is folly The body will soon be in
the grave ; the soul in eternity. How
low and grovelling is the passion which
luads the immortal mind always to
anxiety about what the body shall eat
and drink ! (3.) Men should act from
higher motives. They should be thank-
ful for appetites for food ; and that God
provides for the wants of the body ; and
should eat to obtain strength to serve
him, and to discharge the duties of life.
Man often degrades himself below far
below the brutes in this thing. They
never pamper their appetites, or create
artificial appetites. Man, in death,
sinks to the same level ; and all the re-
cord of his life is, that ' he lived to eat
and drink, and died as the brute dieth.'
How low is human nature fallen ! How
sunken is the condition of man ! f Now
the body is not, &c. ' But (/*) the
body is not designed for licentiousness,
but to be devoted to the Lord.' The
remainder of this chapter is occupied
with an argument against indulgence
in licentiousness a crime to which the
Corinthians were particularly exposed.
See the Introduction to this epistle. It
cannot be supposed that any members
of the church would indulge in ' this
vice, or would vindicate it ; but it was
certain, (1.) That it was the sin to
which they were particularly exposed ;
(2.) That they were in the midst of a
people who did both practise and vin-
dicate it. Compare Rev. ii. 14, 15.
Hence the apostle furnished them with
arguments against it, as well to guard
them from temptation, to enable them
to meet those who did defend it, and
also to settle the morality of the ques-
tion on an immovable foundation. The
first argument is here stated, that the
body of man was designed by its Maker
to be devoted to him, and should be
consecrated to the purposes of a pure
ed up the Lord,
[A. D. 59.
and will
also ra'se up us by his own
power.
and holy life. We are, therefore, bound
to devou our animal as well as our
rational powers to the service of the
Lord alone, t And the Lord for the
body. ( The Lord is in an important
sense for the body, that is, he acts, and
plans, and provides for it. He sustains
and keeps it ; and he is making provi-
sion for its immortal purity and happi-
ness in heaven. It is not right, there-
fore, to take the body, which is nourished
by the kind and constant agency of a
holy God, and to devote it to purposes
of pollution.' That there is a reference
in this phrase to the resurrection, is
apparent from the following verse.
And as God will exert his mighty
power in raising up the body, and will
make it glorious, it ought not to be
prostituted to purposes of licentious-
ness.
14. And God hath both raised up,
&c. This is the second argument
against indulgences in this sin. It
is this. ' We are united to Christ.
God has raised him from the dead, and
made his body glorified. Our bodies
will be like his (comp. Phil. iii. 21) ;
and since our body is to be raised up by
the power of God ; since it is to be per-
fectly pure and holy, and since this is
to be done by his agency, it is wrong
that it should be devoted to purposes of
pollution and lust.' It is unworthy (1.)
Of our connexion with that pure Saviou/
who has been raised from the dead
the image of our resurrection from the
death and defilements of sin (comp.
Notes, Rom. vi. 112) ; and (2.) Un
worthy of the hope that our bodie*
shall be raised up to perfect and immor-
tal purity in the heavens. No argu-
ment could be stronger. A deep sense
of our union with a pure and risen
Saviour, and a lively hope of immortal
purity, would do more than all aher
things to restrain from licentious induJ
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER VI.
12
15 Know ye not that your
bodies are the members * of
Christ? shall I then take the
members of Christ, and make
them the members of an harlot ?
God forbid !
16 What! know ye not that
a Eph.5.30.
he which is joined to an harlo
is one body ? for two, * saith he,
shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto
the Lord is one c spirit.
18 Flee d fornication. Every
sin that a man doeth is without
b Gen.2.24. Matt.19.5. c Jno.17.21 23.
Eph.4.4. d Prov 6.25-32; 7.2427.
15, 16. Know ye not, &c. This is
the third argument against licentious-
ness. It is, that we as Christians are
united to Christ (comp. Notes, John
xv. 1, &c.) ; and that it is abominable
to take the members of Christ and sub-
ject them to pollution and sin. Christ
was pure wholly pure. We are pro-
fessedly united to him. We are bound
therefore to be pure, as he was. Shall
that which is a part, as it were, of the
pure and holy Saviour be prostituted to
impure and unholy embraces 1 ^ God
forbid ! Note, Rom. iii. 4. This ex-
presses the deep abhorrence of the apos-
tle at the thought. It needed not
argument to show it. The whole
world revolted at the idea; and lan-
guage could scarcely express the abo-
mination of the very thought. ^ Know
ye not, &c. This is designed to confirm
and strengthen what he had just said.
^ He which is joined. Who is attached
to ; or who is connected with, f Is one
body. That is, is to be regarded as
one ; is closely and intimately united.
Similar expressions occur in classic
writers. See Grotius and Bloomfield.
1 For two, saith he, &c. This Paul
illustrates by a reference to the forma-
tion of the marriage connexion in Gen.
ii. 14. He cannot be understood as
affirming that that passage had original
reference to illicit connexions; but he
uses it for purposes of illustration. God
had declared that the man and his wife
became one ; in a similar sense in un-
lawful connexions the parties became
one.
17. But he that is joined to the Lord.
The trae Christian, united by faith to
the Lord Jesus. See John xv. 1, seq.
1 h one spirit. That is, in a sense
11
similar to that in which a man and his
wife are one body. It is not to be taken
literally ; but the sense is, that there is
a close and intimate union ; they are
united in feeling, spirit, intention, dis-
position. The argument is beautiful.
It is, ' As the union of souls is more
important than that of bodies ; as that
union is more lasting, dear, and en-
during than any union of body with
body can be, and as our union with him
is with a Spirit puie and holy, it is im-
proper that we should sunder that tie,
and break that sacred bond, by being
joined to a harlot. The union with
Christ is more intimate, entire, and
pure than that can be between a man
and woman ; and that union should be
regarded as sacred and inviolable.' O,
if all Christians felt and regarded this
as they should, how would they shrink
from the connexions which they often
form on earth ! Comp. Eph. iv. 4.
18. Flee fornication. A solemn com-
mand of God as explicit as any that
thundered from Mount Sinai. None
can disregard it with impunity none
can violate it without being exposed to
the awful vengeance of the Almighty.
There is force and emphasis in the
word flee (91:^*11). Man should
escape from it ; he should not stay to
reason about it ; to debate the matter ;
or even to contend with his propensities,
and to try the strength of his virtue.
There are some sins which a man can
resist ; some about which he can reason
without danger of pollution. But this
is a sin where a man is safe only when
he flies ; free from pollution only when
he refuses to entertain a thought of it ;
secure when he seeks a victory by flight,
and a conquest by retreat. Let a rtan
i22
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
the body; but he that commit-
tetli fornication sinneth against
his own body.
19 What! know ye not that
S)ur body is the temple of the
oly Ghost which is in you,
a 2Cor.6.16.
which ye have of God, ynd yc
are not * your own ?
20 For ye are bougl.t e with
a price : therefore glorify d God
in your body, and in your spirit,
which are God's.
iRom.14.7,8. cActs20.28. lPet.U8,lfc
Kev.5.9. d lPet.2.9.
turn away from it without reflection on
it, and he is safe. Let him think, and
reason, and he may be ruined. " The
very passage of an impure thought
through the mind leaves pollution be-
hind it." An argument on the subject
often leaves pollution ; a description
ruins ; and even the presentation of
motives against it may often fix the
mind with dangerous inclination on the
crime. There is no way of avoiding
the pollution but in the manner pre-
scribed by Paul ; there is no man safe
who will not follow his direction. How
many a young man would be saved
from poverty, want, disease, curses,
tears, and hell, could these TWO WORDS
be made to blaze before him like the
writing before the astonished eyes of
Belshazzar (Dan. v.), and could they
terrify him from even the momentary
contemplation of the crime. Tf Every
sin, &c. This is to be taken compara-
tively. Sins in general ; the common
sins which men commit do not imme-
diately and directly affect the body, or
waste its energies, and destroy life.
Such is the case with falsehood, theft,
malice, dishonesty, pride, ambition, &c.
They do not immediately and directly
impair the constitution and waste its
energies, t & without the body. Does
not immediately and directly affect the
body. The more immediate effect is
on the mind ; but the sin under consi-
deration produces an immediate and
direct effect on the body itself, f Sin-
neth against his own body. This is
the fourth argument against indulgence
in this vice ; and it is more striking and
forcible. The .sense is, < It wastes the
bodily energies ; produces feebleness,
weakness, and disease ; it impairs the
strength, enerv ttes the man, and short-
ens life.' Were it proper, this might
be proved to the satisfaction of every
man by an examination of the effects
of licentious indulgence. Those who
wish to see the effects stated, may find
them in Dr. Rush on the Diseases of
the Mind. Perhaps no single 5\n has
done so much to produce the most pain-
ful and dreadful diseases, to weaken
the constitution, and to shorten life, as
this. Other vices, as gluttony and
drunkenness, do this also, and all sin
has some effect in destroying the body,
but it is true of this sin in an eminent
degree.
19. What! know ye not, &c. This
is the fifth argument against this sin.
The Holy Ghost dwells in us; our
bodies are his temples; and they should
not be defiled and polluted by sin. Note,
ch. iii. 16, 17. As this Spirit is in us,
and as it is given us by God, we ought
not to dishonour the gift and the giver by
pollution and vice, t And ye are not
your own. This is the sixth argument
which Paul uses. We are purchased ,
we belong to God ; we are his by re-
demption ; by a precious price paid ; and
we are bound, therefore, to devote our-
selves, body, soul, and spirit, as he
directs, to the glory of his name, not to
the gratification of the flesh. See Note,
Rom. xiv. 7, 8.
20. For ye are bought. Ye Chris-
tians are purchased; and by right of
purchase should therefore be employed
as he directs. This doctrine is often
taught in the New Testament, and the
argument is often urged that, therefore,
Christians should be devoted to God.
See ch. vii. 23. 1 Pet. i. 18, 19 ; ii. 9;
2 Pet. ii. 1. Rev. v. 9. See Note on
Acts xx. 28. ^ With a price (T^).
A price is that which s paid for an
A. D. 59.] CHAPTER VI.
article, and which, in the view of the
seller, is a fair compensation, or a valu-
able consideration why he should part
with it; that is, the price paid is as
valuable to him as the thing itself would
be. It may not be the same thing either
in quality or quantity, but it is that
which to him is a sufficient considera-
tion why he should part with his pro-
perty. When an article is bought for
a valuable consideration, it becomes
wholly the property of the purchaser.
He may keep it, direct it, dispose of it.
Nothing else is to be allowed to control
it without his consent. The language
here is figurative. It does not mean
that there was strictly a commercial
transaction in the redemption of the
church, a literal quid pro quo, for the
thing spoken of pertains to moral go-
vernment, and not to commerce. It
means, (1.) That Christians have been
redeemed, or recovered to God ; (2.)
That this has been done by a valuable
consideration, or that which, in his
view, was a full equivalent for the suf-
ferings that they would have endured
if they had suffered the penalty of the
law ; (3.) That this valuable considera-
tion was the blood of Jesus, as an aton-
ing sacrifice, an offering, a ransom,
which would accomplish the same great
ends in maintaining the truth and
honour of God, and the majesty of his
law, as the eternal condemnation of the
sinner would have done; and which,
therefore, may be called, figuratively,
the price which was paid. For if the
same ends of justice could be accom-
plished by his atonement which would
have been by the death of the sinner
himself, then it was consistent for God
to pardon him. (4.) Nothing else
could or would have done this. There
was no price which the sinner could
pay, no atonement which he could
make ; and, consequently, if Christ had
not died, the sinner would have been
the slave of sin, and the servant of the
devil for ever. (5.) As the Christian
is thus purchased, ransomed, redeemed,
he is bound to devote himself to God
only, and to keep his commands, and
1 o flee from a licentious life, f Glorify
123
God. Honour God ; live to him.
See Note, Matt v. 16. John xii. 28;
xvii. 1. 1 In your body, &c. Let
your entire person be subservient to the
glory of God. Live to him ; let your
life tend to his honour. No stronger
arguments could be adduced for purity
of life, and they arr such as all Chris-
tians must feel.
KEMA RKS.
1st. We see from this chapter (ver
1 8) the evils of law-suits, and of
contentions among Christians. Every
law-suit between Christians is the means
of greater or less dishonour to the cause
of religion. The contention and strife;
the time lost and th.3 money wasted;
the hard feelings engendered, and bitter
speeches caused ; the ruffled temper,
and the lasting animosities that are
produced, always inji re the cause of
religion, and often injure it for years.
Probably no law-suit v as ever engaged
in by a Christian that did not do some
injury to the cause of C hrist. Perhaps
no law-suit was ever coi ducted between
Christians that ever did any good to the
cause of Christ.
2d. A contentious spirit, a fondness
for the agitation, the excitement, and
the strife of courts, is inconsistent with
the spirit of the gospel Religion is
retiring, peaceful, calm. It seeks the
peace of all, and it ne^er rejoices in
contentions.
3d. Christians should do nothing that
will tend to injure the cause of religion
in the eye of the world, vor. 7, 8. How
much better is it that I should lose a
few dollars, than that my Saviour should
lose his honour! How much better
that my purse should be empty of glit-
tering dust, even by the injustice of
others, than that a single gem should
be taken from his diadem ! And how
much better even that I should lose all,
than that my hand should be reached
out to pluck away one jewel, by my
misconduct, from his crown ! Can
silver, can gold, can diamonds be com-
pared in value to the honour of Christ
and of his cause 1
4th. Christians should seldom go tc
law, even with others ; never, if thej
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
can avoid it Every other means should
be tried first; and the law should be
resorted to only when all else fails. How
few law-suits there would be if man had
no bad passions ! How seldom is the
law applied to from the simple love of
justice; how seldom from pure benevo-
lence ; how seldom for the glory of
God ! In nearly all cases that occur
between men, a friendly reference to
others would settle all the difficulty ;
always if there were a right spirit be-
tween the parties. Comparatively few
suits at law will be approved of, when
men come to die; and the man who
has had the least to do with the law,
will have the least, usually, to regret
when he enters the eternal world.
5th. Christians should be honest
strictly honest always honest, ver. 8.
They should do justice to all; they
should defraud none. Few things occur
that do more to disgrace religion than
the suspicions of fraud, and overreach-
ing, and deception, that often rest on
professors of religion. How can a man
be a Christian, and not be an honest
man 1 Every man who is not strictly
honest and honourable in his dealings,
should be regarded, whatever may be
his pretensions, as an enemy of Christ
and his cause.
6th. The unholy cannot be saved.
ver. 9, 10. So God has determined ;
and this purpose cannot be evaded or
escaped. It is fixed ; and men may
think of it as they please, still it is true
that there are large classes of men who,
if they continue such, cannot inherit
the kingdom of God. The fornicator,
the idolater, the drunkard, and the co-
vetous, cannot enter heaven. So the
Judge of all has said, and who can unsay
it? So he has decreed, and who can
change his fixed decree? And so it
should be. What a place would heaven
be, if the drunkard, and the adulterer,
and the idolater were there ! How
impure and unholy would it be ! How
would it destroy all our hopes, dim all
our prospects, mar all our joys, if we
were told that they should sit down
with the just in heaven ! Is it not one
of our fondest hopes that heaven will
be pure, and that ail its inhabitants
shall be holy 1 And can God admit U
his eternal embrace, and treat as his
eternal friend, the man who is unholy ;
whose life is stained with abomination;
who loves to corrupt others; and whose
happiness is found in the sorrows, and
the wretchedness, and vices of others!
No; religion is pure, and heaven is
pure ; and whatever men may think,
of one thing they may be assured, that
the fornicator, and the drunkard, and the
reviler shall not inherit the kingdom of
God.
7th. If none of these can be saved
as they are, what a host are travelling
down to hell ! How large a part of
every community is made up of such
persons ! How vast is the number of
drunkards that are known ! How vast
the host of extortioners, and of covetous
men, and revilers of all that is good !
How many curse their God and their
fellow men ! How difficult to turn the
corner of a street without hearing an
oath ! How necessary to guard against
the frauds and deceptions of others !
How many men and women are known
to be impure in their lives ! In all
communities how much does this sin
abound ! and how many shall be revealed
at the great day as impure, who are
now unsuspected ! how many disclosed
to the universe as all covered with pol-
lution, who now boast even of purity,
and who are received into the society
of the virtuous and the lovely ! Verily,
the broad road to hell is thronged ! And
verily, the earth is pouring into hell a
most dense and wretched population,
and rolling down a tide of sin and mi-
sery that shall fill it with groans and
gnashing of teeth for ever.
8th. It is well for Christians to reflect
on their former course of life, as con-
trasted with their present mercies, ver.
11. Such were they, and such they
would still have been but for the mercy
of God. Such as is the victim of un-
cleanness and pollution, such as is the
profane man and the reviler, such we
should have been but for the mercy of
God. That alone has saved us, and
that only can keep us How shoulJ
A.D. 59 J
CHAPTER VII.
135
CHAPTER VII.
NOW concerning the things
whereof ye wrote unto me :
It is good for a man not to touch
a woman.
we praise God for his mercy, and how
are we bound to love and serve him for
his amazing compassion in raising us
from our deep pollution, and saving us
from hell !
9th. Christians should be pure. ver.
11 19. They should be abovi suspi-
cion. They should avoid the appear-
ance of evil. No Christian can be too
pure ; none can feel too much the obli-
gation to be holy. By every sacred and
tender consideration God urges it on
us; and by a reference to our own
happiness as well as to his own glory,
he calls on us to be holy in our lives.
10th. May we remember that we are
not our own. ver. 20. We belong to
God. We have been ransomed by
sacred blood. By a reference to the
value of that blood ; by all its precious-
ness and worth ; by all the sighs, and
tears, and groans that bought us; by
the agonies of the cross, and the bitter
pains of the death of God's own Son,
we are bound to live to God, and to him
alone. When we are tempted to sin,
let us think of the cross. When Satan
spreads out his allurements, let us recall
the remembrance of the sufferings of
Calvary, and remember that all these
Borrows were endured that we might be
pure. O how would sin appear were
we beneath the cross, and did we feel
the warm blood from the Saviour's open
veins trickle upon us ! Who would
dare indulge in sin there 1 Who could
do otherwise than devote himself, body,
and soul, and spirit, unto God ?
CHAPTER VII.
THIS chapter commences the second
part or division of this epistle, or, the
discussion of those points which had
been submitted to the apostle in a letter
from the church at Corinth, for his
instruction and advice. See the Intro-
duction to the epistle. The letter in
which they proposed the questions
which are here discussed, has been lost.
U is manifest that, if we now had it, it
11*
would throw some light on the answers
which Paul has given to their inquiries
in this chapter. The first question which
is discussed (ver. 1 9) is, whether it
were lawful and proper to enter into
the marriage relation. How this ques-
tion had arisen, it is not now possible
to determine with certainty. It is
probable, however, that it arose from
disputes between those of Jewish ex-
traction, who held not only the lawful-
ness, but the importance of the marriage
relation, according to the doctrines of the
Old Testament, and certain followers
or friends of some Greek philosophers,
who might have been the advocates of
celibacy. But why they advocated that
doctrine is unknown. It is known,
however, that many even of the Greek
philosophers, among whom were Ly-
curgus, Thales, Antiphanes, and Socra-
tes (see Grotius), thought that, con-
sidering "the untractable tempers of
women, and how troublesome and
fraught with danger was the education
of children," it was the part of wisdom
not to enter into the marriage relation
From them may have been derived the
doctrine of celibacy in the Christian
church; a doctrine that has been the
cause of so much corruption in the
monastic system, and in the celibacy of
the clergy among the papists. The
Jews, however, everywhere defended
the propriety and duty of marriage
They regarded it as an ordinance of
God. And to this day they hold that a
man who has arrived to the age rf
twenty years, and who has not en-
tered into this relation, unless prevent-
ed by natural defects, or by profound
study of the law, sins against God.
Between these two classes, or those in
the church who had been introduced
there from these two classes, the ques-
tion would be agitated whether marriage
was lawful and advisable.
Another question which, it seems
had arisen among them was, whether u
126
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
2 Nevertheless, to ivoid for-
nication, let every man have his
own wife, and let every woman
have her own husband.
was proper to continue in tl e married
*tate in the existing condition of the
church, as exposed to trials a ad perse-
cutions ; or whether it was j roper for
'hose who had become comerted, to
continue their relations in life with
those who were unconverted. This the
apostle discusses in ver. 10 2 t. Pro-
bably many supposed that it was un-
awful to live with those who vi ere not
Christians; and they thence inferred
that the relation which subsisted before
conversion should be dissolved. And
this doctrine they carried to the relation
oetween master and servant, as veil as
between husband and wife. The gene-
ral doctrine which Paul states in auswer
to this is, that the wife was not to <Vpart
from her husband (ver. 10) ; bat if
she did, she was not at liberty to marry
again, since her former marriage was
still binding, ver. 11. He added that
a believing man, or Christian, should
not put away his unbelieving wife ^ver.
12), and that the relation should conti-
nue, notwithstanding a difference of
religion ; and that if a separation ensi icd,
it should be in a peaceful manner, and
the parties were not at liberty to marry
again, ver. 13 17. So, also, in regard
to the relation of master and slave. It
was not to be violently sundered. The
relations of life were not to be broken
up by Christianity ; but every man was
to remain in that rank of life in whirh
he was when he was converted, unless
it could be changed in a peaceful and
lawful manner, ver. 18 24.
A third subject submitted to him
was, whether it was advisable, in exist-
ing circumstances, that the unmarried
virgins who were members of the
church should enter into the marriage
relation, ver. 25 40. This the apostle
answers in the remainder of the chapter.
The sum of his advice on that question
is, that it would be lawful for them to
marry, but that it was not then advisable;
and that, at all events, they should so
*ct as to remember that life was short,
and so as not be too much engrossed
with the affairs of this life, but should
live for eternity. He said that though
it was lawful, yet, (1.) In their present
distress it might be unadvisable. ver. 26
(2.) That marriage tended to an in-
crease of care and anxiety, and it might
not be proper then to enter into that
relation, ver. 32 35. (3.) That they
should live to God. ver. 29 31. (4.)
That a man should not be oppressive
and harsh towards his daughter, or
towards one under his care ; but that,
if it would be severe in him to forbia
such a marriage, he should allow it.
ver. 36. And, (5.) That on the whole
it was advisable, under existing circum-
stances, not to enter into the marriage
relation, ver. 38 40.
1. Now, concerning, &c. In reply
to your inquiries. The first, it seems
was in regard to the propriety of mar
riage; that is, whether it was lawful
and expedient. Tf It is good. It is
well. It is fit, convenient; or, it is
suited to the present circumstances ; or,
the thing itself is well and expedient in
certain circumstances. The apostle did
not mean that marriage was unlawful,
for he says (Heb. xiii. 4) that " marriage
is honourable in all." But he here
admits, with one of the parties in Co-
rinth, that it was well, and proper in
some circumstances, not to enter into
the marriage relation. See ver. 7, 8.
26, 28. 31, 32. t Not to touch a woman.
Not to be connected with her by mar-
riage. Xenophon (Cyro.'b. 1) uses the
same word (cirra, to touch') to denote
marriage. Comp. Gen. xx. 4. 6 ; xxvi
1 1 . Prov. vi. 29.
2. Nevertheless. But (<ft). Though
this is to hp admitted as proper where
it can be done, when a man has entire
control of himself and his passions, and
hough in present circumstances it would
be expedient, yet it may be proper also to
enter into the marriage connexion. ^ To
avoid fornication. Gr. On account of
) fornication. The word fornication
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER VII.
127
3 Let the ' husband render
unto the wife due benevolence :
and likewise also the wife unto
the husband.
4 The wife hath not power
a Ex.21. 10. lPet.3.7.
of her own body, but the hus
band: and likewise also the hus-
band hath not power of his own
body, but the wife.
5 Defraud ye not one ano.aer,
is used here in the large sense of licen-
tiousness in general. For the sake of
the purity of society, and to avoid the
evils of sensual indulgence, and the
corruptions and crimes which attend an
illicit intercourse, it is proper that the
married state should be entered. To
this vice they were particularly exposed
in Corinth. See the Introduction. Paul
would keep the church from scandal.
How much evil, how much deep pollu-
tion, how many abominable crimes
would have been avoided, which have
since grown out of the monastic system,
and the celibacy of the clergy among
the papists, if Paul's advice had been
followed by all professed Christians!
Paul says that marriage is honourable,
and that the relations of domestic life
should be formed to avoid the evils
which would otherwise result. The
world is the witness of the evils which
flow from the neglect of his advice.
Every community where the marriage
tie has been lax and feeble, or where it
has been disregarded or dishonoured, has
been full of pollution, and it ever will
be. Society is pure and virtuous, just
as marriage is deemed honourable, and
as its vows are adhered to and preserved.
t Let every man, &c. Let the marriage
vow be honoured by all. ^ Have his
own wife. And one wife to whom he
shall be faithful. Polygamy is unlawful
under the gospel ; and divorce is unlaw-
ful. Let every man and woman, there-
fore, honour the institution of God, and
avoid the evils of illicit indulgence.
3. Let the husband, &c. " Let them
not imagine that there is any virtue in
living separate from each other, as if
they were in a state of celibacy." Dod-
dridge. They are bound to each other ;
in every way they are to evince kind-
ness, and to seek to promote the happi-
ness and purity of each other. There
is a great deal of delicacy used here by
Paul, and his expression is removed as
far as possible from thegrossness of hea-
then writers. His meaning is plain ; but
instead of using a word to express it
which would be indelicate and offensive,
he uses one which is not indelicate in
the slightest degree. The word which
he uses (/vow, benevolence') denotes
kindness, good-will, affection of mind.
And by the use of the word "due"
(o<$aA&/*giw), he reminds them of the
sacredness of their vow, and of the fact
that in person, property, and in every
respect, they belong to each other. It
was necessary to give this direction, for
the contrary might have been regarded
as proper by many who would have
supposed there was special virtue anil
merit in living separate from each other ;
as facts have shown that many have
imbibed such an idea ; and it was not
possible to give the rule with more deli-
cacy than Paul has done. Many MSS.,
however, instead of " due benevolence,"
read 6$u\M, a debt, or that which is
owed; and this reading has been adopt-
ed by Griesbach in the text. Homer,
with a delicacy not unlike the apostle
Paul, uses the word P/\STT*, friend-
ship, to express the same idea.
4. The wife hath not power, &c.
By the marriage covenant that power,
in this respect, is transferred to the
husband, t And likewise, also, the
husband. The equal rights of husband
and wife, in the Scriptures are every-
where maintained. They are to regard
themselves as united in most intimate
union, and in most tender ties.
5. Defraud ye not, &c. Of the right
mentioned above. Withdraw not from
the society of each other. T Except it
be with consent. With a mutual un
derstanding, that you may engage in
the extraordinary duties of religion.
128
CORINTHIANS.
except it be a with consent for a
time, that ye may give yourselves
to fasting and prayer ; and come
together again, that b Satan tempt
you not for your incontinency.
a Joel 2 16. 6 lThess.3.5.
[A. D. 59
6 But I speuk this by per
mission, and not of command
ment.
7 For I would that all me*
were even as I myself. Bu<
Comp. Ex. xix. 15. ^ And come to-
gether again, &c. Even by mutual
consent, the apostle would not have this
separation to be perpetual ; since it
would expose them to many of the
evils which the marriage relation was
designed to avoid. Tf That Satan, &c.
That Satan take not advantage of you,
and throw you into temptation, and fill
you with thoughts and passions which
the marriage compact was designed to
remedy.
6. But I speak this by permission,
&c. It is not quite certain whether the
word " this" (TWTO), in this verse, refers
to what precedes, or to what follows.
On this commentators are divided. The
more natural and obvious interpretation
would be to refer it to the preceding
statement. I am inclined to think that
the more natural construction is the
true one, and that Paul refers to what
he had said in ver. 5. Most recent
commentators, as Macknight and Ro-
senmiiller, however, suppose it refers to
what follows, and appeal to similar
places in Joel i. 2. Ps. xlix. 2. 1 Cor.
x. 23. Calvin supposes it refers to
what was said in ver. 1. ^ By per-
mission (<rvyyv^fju>v). This word means
indulgence, or permission, and stands
opposed to that which is expressly en-
joined. Comp. ver. 25. ' I am allowed
to say this ; I have no express command
on the subject ; I give it as my opinion ;
I do not speak it directly under the
influence of divine inspiration.' See
ver. 10. 25. 40. Paul here does not
claim to be under inspiration in these
directions which he specifies. But this
is no argument against his inspiration
in general, but rather the contrary. For,
(1.) It shows that he was an honest
man, and was disposed to state the exact
truth. An impostor, pretending to in-
spiration, would have claimed to have
been always inspired. Who ever heard
of a pretender to divine inspiration ad-
mitting that in any thing he was not
under divine guidance 1 Did Mahomet
ever do this ? Do impostors now evei
do it 1 (2.) It shows that in other cases,
where no exception is made, he claimed
to be inspired. These few exceptions
which he expressly makes, prove that in
everywhere else he claimed to be undei
the influence of inspiration. (3.) We
are to suppose, therefore, that in all his
writings where he makes no express
exceptions, (and the exceptions are very
few in number,) Paul claimed to be
inspired. Macknight, however, and
some others, understand this as mere
advice, as an inspired man, though not
as a command, 1 Not of command-
ment. Not by express instruction from
the Lord. See ver. 25. I do not claim
in this to be under the influence of
inspiration ; and my counsel here may
be regarded, or not, as you may be able
to receive it.
7. For I would, fcc. I would prefer.
1 That all men, &c. That Paul was
unmarried is evident from 1 Cor. ix. 5.
But he does not refer to this fact here.
When he wishes that all men were like
himself, he evidently does not intend
that he would prefer that all should be
unmarried, for this would be against the
divine institution, and against his ov\ n
precepts elsewhere. But he would be
glad if all men had control over their
passions and propensities as he had ;
had the gift of continence, and could
abstain from marriage when circum-
stances of trial, &c., would make it
proper. We may add, that when Paul
wishes to exhort to any thing that is
difficult, he usually adduces his own
example to show that it may be done ,
an example which it would be well for
all ministers to be able to follow. ^ #u
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER VII.
every man hath his proper gift
of God, one after this manner,
and another after that.
8 I say therefore to the un-
married and widows, It is good
a Matt. 19.1 1,12.
every man hath his proper gift. Every
man has his own peculiar talent, or
excellence. One man excels in one
thing, and another in another. One
may not have this particular virtue, but
he may be distinguished for another
virtue quite as valuable. The doctrine
here is, therefore, that we are not to
judge of others by ourselves, or measure
their virtue by ours. We may excel
in some one thing, they in another.
And because they have not our peculiar
virtue, or capability, we are not to con-
demn or denounce them. Comp. Matt.
xix. 11, 12. t Of God. Bestowed by
God, either in the original endowments
and faculties of body or mind, or by his
grace. In either case it is the gift of
God. The virtue of continence is his
gift as well as any other ; and Paul had
reason, as any other man must have, to
be thankful that God had conferred it on
him. So if a man is naturally amiable,
kind, gentle, large-hearted, tender, and
affectionate, he should regard it as the
gift of God, and be thankful that he has
not to contend with the evils of a morose,
proud, haughty, and severe temper. It
is true, however, that all these virtues
may be greatly strengthened by disci-
pline, and that religion gives vigour and
comeliness to them all. Paul's virtue
in this was strengthened by his resolu-
tion ; by his manner of life ; by his
frequent fastings and trials, and by the
abundant employment which God gave
him in the apostleship. And it is true
etill, that if a man is desirous to over-
come the lusts of the flesh, industry, and
Hardship, and trial, and self-denial will
enable him, by the grace of God, to do
it. Idleness is the cause of no small
part of the corrupt desires of men ; and
God kept Paul from these, (1.) By
giving him enough to do; and, (2.)
By giving him enough to suffer.
for them if they abide even as I.
9 But if they cannot contain,
let * them marry : for it is bettei
to marry than to burn.
10 And
unto
b lTim.5.14.
the married I
8. It is good for them. It may bo
advisable, in the present circumstance*
of persecution and distress, not to bo
encumbered with the cares and anxie-
ties of a family. See ver. 26. 32 34.
The word unmarried (u^a//o/c) may
refer either to those who had never been
married, or to widowers. It here means
simply those who were at that time
unmarried, and his reasoning applies to
both classes. ^ And to widows. The
apostle specifies these, though he had
not specified widowers particularly.
The reason of this distinction seems to
be, that he considers more particularly
the case of those females who had never
been married, in the close of the chapter.
ver. 25. ^ That they abide. That
they remain, in the present circum-
stances, unmarried. See ver. 26.
9. But if they cannot contain, li
they have not the gift of continence ; if
they cannot be secure against tempta-
tion ; if they have not strength of virtue
enough to preserve them from the
danger of sin, and of bringing reproach
and scandal on the church. ^ It is
better. It is to be preferred. f Than
to burn. The passion here referred to
is often compared to a fire. See Virg.
-<En. IV. 68. It is better to marry,
even with all the inconveniences attend-
ing the marriage life in a time of distress
and persecution in the church (ver. 26),
than to be the prey of raging, consum-
ing, and exciting passions.
10. And unto the married. This
verse commences the second subject of
inquiry ; to wit, whether it was proper,
in the existing state of things, for those
who were married to continue this rela-
tion, or whether they ought to separate.
The reasons why any may have supposed
that it was best to separate, may h?
been, (1.) That their troubles and per
secutions might be such that they might
130
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D 59.
command, yet not I, but the
Lord, Let * not the wife depart
from her husband :
1 1 But and if she depart, let
ner remain unmarried, or be re-
a Mal.2. 14-16. Matt. 19.6,9.
conciled to her husband: and let
not the husband put away his
wife.
12 Hut to the rest speak 1,
not b the Lord : If any brother
6Ezral0.11,&c.
judge it best that families should be
broken up; and, (2.) Probably many
supposed that it was unlawful for a
Christian wife or husband to be con-
nected at all with a heathen and an
idolater. ^ / command, yet not I, but
the Lord. Not I so much as the Lord.
This injunction is not to be understood
as advice merely, but as a solemn, divine
command, from which you are not at
liberty to depart. Paul here professes
to utter the language of inspiration, and
demands obedience. The express com-
mand of " the Lord" to which he refers,
is probably the precept recorded in
Matt. v. 32, and xix. 3 10. These
precepts of Christ asserted that the
marriage tie was sacred and inviolable.
If Let not the wife depart, &c. Let
her not prove faithless to her marriage
vows ; let her not, on any pretence,
desert her husband. Though she is a
Christian, and he is not, yet let her not
seek, on that account, to be separate
from him. The law of Moses did not
permit a wife to divorce herself from
her husband, though it was sometimes
done (comp. Mark. x. 12) ; but the
Greek and Roman laws allowed it.
Grotius. But Paul here refers to a
formal and legal separation before the
magistrates, and not to a voluntary
separation, without intending to be for-
mally divorced. The reasons for this
opinion are, (1.) That such divorces
were known and practised among both
Jews and heathens. (2.) It was im-
portant to settle the question whether
they were to be allowed in the Christian
church. (3.) The claim would be set
up, probably, that it might be done.
(4.) The question whether a voluntary
separation might not he proper, where
one party was a Christian and the other
not, he discusses in the following verses.
rer. 12- -17. Here, therefore, he so-
lemnly repeats the law of Christ, that
divorce, under the Christian economy,
was not to be in the power either of the
husband 01 wife.
11. But and if she depart. If she
have withdiawn by a rash and foolish
act; if she has attempted to dissolve
the marriage vow, she is to remain un-
married, or be reconciled. She is no!
at liberty to marry another. This maj
refer, I supi'ose, to instances wher
wives, ignorant of the rule of Christ,
and supposing that they had a right tc
separate themselves from their husbands,
had rashly left them, and had supposed
that the marriage contract was dissolved.
Paul tells them that this was impossible ;
and that if they had so separated from
their husbands, the pure laws of Chris-
tianity did not recognise this right, and
they must eithei be reconciled to their
husbands, or remain alone. The marriage
tie was so sacred that it could not be dis-
solved by the will of either party. ^ Let
her remain unma "ried. That is, let her
not marry anothei . ^ Or be reconciled
to her husband. Let this be done, if
possible. If it cannot be, let her remain
unmarried. It was a duty to be recon-
ciled, if it was possible. If not, she
should not violate her vows to her hus-
band so far as to m irry another. It is
evident that this n le is still binding,
and that no one who has separated from
her husband, whatever be the cause,
unless there be a regular divorce, accord-
ing to the law of Christ (Matt. v. 32),
can be at liberty to marry again. *f And
let not the husband. See Note, Matt.
v. 32. This right, gi anted under the
Jewish law, and practised among all the
heathen, was to be taken away whollj
under the gospel. The marriage tie was
to be regarded as sacred ; and the tyran-
ny of man over woman was to cease.
12. But to the rest. ' I have spoken
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER Vll.
131
hath a wife that believeth not,
and she be pleased to dwell with
him, let him not put her away.
in regard to the duties of the unmarried,
and the question whether it is right and
advisable that they should marry, ver.
I 9. I have also uttered the command
of the Lord in regard to those who are
married, and the question whether sepa-
ration and divorce were proper. Now
in regard to the rest of the persons and
cases referred to, I will deliver my opi-
nion.' The rest, or remainder, here
referred to, relates particularly to the
cases in which one party was a Chris-
tian and the other not. In the previous
verses he had delivered the solemn, ex-
plicit law of Christ, that divorce was to
take place on neither side, and in, no
instance, except agreeably to the law of
Christ. Matt. v. 32. That was settled
by divine authority. In the subsequent
verses he discusses a different question ;
whether a voluntary separation was
not advisable and proper when the one
party was a Christian and the other not.
The word rest refers to these instances,
and the questions which would arise
under this inquiry. ^ Not the Lord.
Note, ver. 6. ' I do not claim, in this
advice, to be under the influence of in-
spiration ; I have no express command
on the subject from the Lord ; but I
deliver my opinion as a servant of the
Lord (ver. 40), and as having a right
to offer advice, even when I have no
express command from God, to a church
which I have founded, and which has
consulted me on the subject' This
was a case in which both he and they
were to follow the principles of Christian
prudence and propriety, when there was
no express commandment. Many such
cases may occur. But few, perhaps
none, can occur, in which some Chris-
tian principle shall not be found, that
will be sufficient to direct the anxious
inquirer after truth and duty. f If any
brother. Any Christian, f That be-
lieveth not. That is not a Christian ;
that is a heathen. ^ And if she be
pleased. If it seems best to her ; if she
13 And the woman wnich
hath a husband that believeth
not, and if he be pleased to
consents; approves of living together
still. There might be many cases \\nere
the wife or the husband, that was not a
Christian, would be so opposed to
Christianity, and so violent in their op-
position, that they would not be willing
to live with a Christian. When this
was the case, the Christian husband or
wife could not prevent the separation.
When this was not the case, they were
not to seek a separation themselves.
If To dwell with him. To remain in
connexion with him as his wife, though
they differed on the subject of religion.
If Let him not put her away. Though
she is a heathen, though opposed to his
religion, yet the marriage vow is sacred
and inviolable. It is not to be sundered
by any change which can take place in
the opinions of either party. It is evi-
dent that if a man were at liberty to
dissolve the marriage tie, or to discard
his wife when his own opinions were
changed on the subject of religion, that
it would at once destroy all the sacred-
ness of the marriage union, and render
it a nullity. Even, therefore, when
there is a difference of opinion on the
vital subject of religion, the tie is not
dissolved ; but the only effect of religion
should be, to make the converted husband
or wife more tender, kind, affectionate,
and faithful than they were before ; and
all the more so as their partners are
without the hopes of the gospel, and as
they may be won to love the Saviour
ver. 16.
13. Let her not have him. A change
of phraseology from the last verse, to
suit the circumstances. The wife had
not power to put away the husband,
and expel him from his own home ; but
she might think it her duty to be sepa-
rated from him. The apostle counsels
her not to do this; and this advice
should still be followed. She should
still love her husband and seek his wel-
fare ; she should be still a kind, affec-
tionate, and faithful wife ; and all the
132
dwell with
leave liirn.
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59
her, let her not! 14 For the unbelieving hus-
oand is sanctified by the wife.
more so that she may show him the
excellence of religion, and win him to
love it. She should even bear much,
and bear it long ; nor should she lea~e
him unless her life is rendered miserable,
or in danger ; or unless he wholly neg-
lects to make provision for her, and
leaves her to suffering, to want, and to
tears. In such a case no precept of
religion forbids her to return to her fa-
ther's house, or to seek a place of safety
and of comfort. But even then it is
not to be a separation on account of a
difference of religious sentiment, but for
brutal treatment. Even then the mar-
riage tie is not dissolved, and neither
party are at liberty to marry again.
14. For the unbelieving husband.
The husband that is not a Christian ;
who still remains a heathen, or an im-
Denitent man. The apostle here states
reasons why a separation should not
take place when there was a difference
of religion between the husband and the
wife. The first is, that the unbelieving
husband is sanctified by the believing
wife. And the object of this statement
seems to be, to meet an objection which
might exist in the mind, and which
might, perhaps, be urged by some.
' Shall I not be polluted by such a con-
nexion 1 Shall I not be defiled, in the
eye of God, by living in a close union
with a heathen, a sinner, an enemy of
God, and an opposer of the gospel!'
This objection was natural, and is,
doubtless, often felt. To this the apos-
tle replies, ' No ; the contrary may be
true. The connexion produces a spe-
cies of sanctification, or diffuses a kind
of holiness over the unbelieving party
by the believing party, so far as to ren-
der their children holy, and therefore it
is improper to seek for a separation.'
1 Is sanctified (yi&<rrau) . There has
been a great variety of opinions in re-
gard to the sense of this word. It does
not comport with my design to state
these opinions. The usual meaning of
the word is, to make holy ; to set apart
*o a sacred use ; to consecrate. &c. See
Note, John xvii. 17. But the expres-
sion cannot mean here, (1.) That the
unbelieving husband would become
holy, or be a Christian, by the mere fact
of a connexion with a Christian, for
this would be to do violence to the
words, and would be contrary to facts
everywhere ; nor, (2.) That the unbe-
lieving husband had been sanctified by
the Christian wife (Whitby), for this
would not be true in all cases ; nor,
(3.) That the unbelieving husband
would gradually become more favoura-
bly inclined to Christianity, by observ-
ing its effects on the wife (according to
Semler) ; for, though this might be true,
yet the apostle was speaking of some-
thing then, and which rendered their
children at that time holy ; nor, (4. )
That the unbelieving husband might
more easily be sanctified, or become a
Christian, by being connected with a
Christian wife (according to Rosenmiil-
ler and Schleusner), because he is
speaking of something in the connex-
ion which made the children holy ; and
because the word ayixu is not used
in this sense elsewhere. But it is a
good rule of interpretation, that the
words which are used in any place are
to be limited in their signification by
the connexion ; and all that we are re-
quired to understand here is, that the
unbelieving husband was sanctified in
regard to the subject under discussion ;
that is, in regard to the question whe-
ther it was proper for them to live toge-
ther, or whether they should be separated
or not. And the sense may be, They
are by the marriage tie one flesh. They
are indissolubly united by the ordinance
of God. As they are one by his ap
pointment, as they have received his
sanction to the marriage union, and as
one of them is holy, so the other is to
be regarded as sanctified, or made so
holy by the divine sanction to the union,
that it is proper for them to live together
in the marriage relation.' And in proof
of this, Paul says if it were not so, if the
connexion was to be regarded a/ impurr
\ D. 59.]
CHAPTER VII.
and the unbelieving wife is sanc-
tified by the husband ; else were
and abominable, then their children were
to be esteemed as illegitimate and un-
clean. But now they were not so
regarded, and could not so be ; and
Hence it followed that they might law-
fully continue together. So Calvin,
Beza, and Dodd ridge interpret the ex-
pression. ^ Else were your children
unclean (a.tu^gTu). Impure; the op-
posite of what is meant by holy. Here
observe, (1.) That this is a reason why
*he parents, one of whom was a Chris-
tian and the other not, should not be
separated ; and, (2.) The reason is
founded on the fact, that if they were
separated, the offspring of such a union
must be regarded as illegitimate, or un-
holy ; and, (3.) It must be improper to
separate in such a way, and for such a
reason, because even they did not be-
lieve, and could not believe, that tbir
children were defiled, and polluted, ai/a
subject to the shame and disgrace attend-
ing illegitimate children. This passage
has often been interpreted, and is often
adduced to prove that children are
"federally holy," and that they are enti-
tled to the privilege of baptism on the
ground of the faith of one of the parents.
But against this interpretation there are
insuperable objections. (1.) The phrase
" federally holy" is unintelligible, and
conveys no idea to the great mass of
men. It occurs nowhere in the Scrip-
tures, and what can be meant by it?
(2.) It does not accord with the scope
and design of the argument. There is
not one word about baptism here; not
one allusion to it ; nor does the argu-
ment in the remotest degree bear upon
it. The question was not whether
children should be baptized, but it was
whether there should be a separation
between man and wife, where the one
was a Christian and the other not.
Paul states, that if such a separation
should take place, it would imply that
the marriage was improper; and of
course the children must be regarded
a* unclean. But how would the sur>
12
your children unclean ; but now
are they holy.
aMal.2.15,16.
position that they were federally holy,
and the proj^er subjects of baptism, bear
on this 1 Would it not be equally true
that it was proper to baptize the child-
ren whether the parents were separated
or not! Is it not a doctrine among
Pedobaptists everywhere, that the child-
ren are entitled to baptism on the faith
of either of the parents, and that that
doctrine is not affected by the question
here agitated by Paul? Whether it
was proper for them to live together or
not, was it not equally trae that the
child of a believing pare/it was to be
baptized ? But, (3.) Tl.e supposition
that this means that the children would
be regarded as illegitimate if such a
separation should take place, is one that
accords with the whole scope and design
of the argument. ' When one party is
a Christian and the other not, shall there
be a separation ?' This was the ques-
tion. ' No,' says Paul ; ' if there be
such a separation, it must be because
the marriage is improper,- because it
would be wrong to live together in such
circumstances.' What would follow
from this ? Why, that all the childreiv
that have been born since the one party
became a Christian, must be regarded
as having been born while a connexion
existed that was improper, and unchris-
tian, and unlawful, and of course they
must be regarded as illegitimate. But,
says he, you do not believe this your-
selves. It follows, therefore, that the
connexion, even according to your own
views, is proper. (4.) This accords
with the meaning of the word unclean
(uxa3-etTa). It properly denotes that
which is impure, defiled, idolatrous,
unclean (a) In a Levitical sense. Lev.
v. 2. (6) In a moral sense. Acts x. 28.
2 Cor. vi. 17. Eph. v. 5. The word
will appropriately express the sense
of illegitimacy ; and the argument, I
think, evidently requires this. It may
be summed up in a few words. ' Yoiu
separation would be a proclamation t
all that you regard the marriage as in-
1. CORINTHIANS.
15 But if the unbelieving de-
part, let him depart. A brother
or a sister is not under bondage
/alid and improper. From this it would
follow that the offspring of such a mar-
-iage would be illegitimate. But you
are not prepared to admit this ; you do
not believe it. Your children you es-
teem to be legitimate, and they are so.
The marriage tie, therefore, should be
regarded as binding, and separation
unnecessary and improper.' See, how-
ever, Dodd ridge and Bloomfield for a
different view of this subject. I believe
infant baptism to be proper and right,
and an inestimable privilege to parents
and to children. But a good cause
should not be made to rest on feeble
supports, nor on forced and unnatural
interpretations of the Scriptures. And
such I regard the usual interpretation
placed on this passage, f But now
are they holy. Holy in the same sense
as the unbelieving husband is sanctified
by the believing wife ; for different
forms of the same word are usual. That
is, they are legitimate. They are not
to be branded and treated as bastards,
as they would be by your separation.
You regard them as having been born
in lawful wedlock, and they are so ; and
they should be treated as such by their
parents, and not be exposed to shame
and disgrace by your separation,
15. But if the unbelieving depart,
If they choose to leave you. ^ Let him
depart, You cannot prevent it, and
you are to submit to it patiently, and
bear it as a Christian, 1 A brother or
a sister is not under bondage, &c. Many
have supposed that this means that
they would be at liberty to marry again
when the unbelieving wife or husband
had gone away ; as Calvin, Grotius,
Roseritnliller, &c. But this is contrary
to thf strain of the argument of the
apostle. The sense of the expression
"is not bound," &c. is, that if they
forcibly depart, the one that is left is
not bound by the marriage tie to make
provision for the one that departed ; to
in such cases
[A. D. :9
but God hath
called us Ho peace.
16 For what knowest
a Rom.12.18; 14.19. Heb.12.11. ' *.
thou,
do acts that might be prejudicial to re-
ligion by a violent effort to compel the
departing husband or wife to live with
I the one that is forsaken ; but is at liber-
j ty to live separate, and should regard
i it as proper so to do. ^ God hath
| called us to peace. Religion is peace-
ful. It would prevent contentions and
! broils. This is to be a grand prin-
I ciple. If it cannot be obtained by liv-
| ing together, there should be a peaceful
! separation ; arid where such a separa-
j tion has taken place, the one which has
] departed should be suffered to remain
separate in peace. God has called us
I to live in peace with all if we can.
j This is the general principle of religion
on which we are always to act. In
our relation to oui partners in life, as
! well as in all other relations and cir-
cumstances, this is to guide us. Calvin
i supposes that this declaration pertains
to the former part of this verse ; and
that Paul means to say, that if the un-
believing depart, he is to be suffered to
do so peaceably rather than to have
contention and strife, for God has called
us to a life of peace.
16. For what knowest thou, &c.
The apostle here assigns a reason why
the believing party should not separate
from the other needlessly, or why he
j should not desire to be separated. The
I reason is, the possibility, or the proba-
! bility, that the unbelieving party might
j be converted by the example and en-
treaties of the other. ^ Whether then,
I &c. How do you know but this may
j be done ] Is there not a possibility, nay
i a probability of it, and is not this a
I sufficient reason for continuing to-
| gether 1
husband. Gain
| him over to the Christian faith ; be
j the means of his conversion and sal-
i vation. Comp. Rom. xi. 26. We
learn from this verse, (1.1 That there
is a possibility that an unbelieving
partner in life may be converted by the
A. D. 59.]
wife, whether thou shalt save
" thy husband ? or how l know-
CHAPTER VII.
135
a lPei.3.1,2.
what.
est thou, O man, whether thou
shalt save thy wife ?
17 But as God Lath distri-
example of the other. (2.) That this
should be an object of intense interest
to the Christian husband or wife,
because (a) It will promote the happi-
ness of the other ; (6) It will promote
their usefulness ; (c) It will be the
means of blessing their family, for
parents should be united on. the subject
of religion, and in their example and
influence in training up their sons and
daughters ; and (d) Because the salva-
tion of a beloved husband or wife
should be an object of intense interest,
(3.) This object is of so much import-
ance that the Christian should be will-
ing to submit to much, to bear much,
and to bear long, in order that it may
be accomplished. Paul said that it
was desirable even to live with a hea-
then partner to do it ; and so also it is
desirable to bear much, very much, with
even an unkind and fretful temper, with
an unfaithful and even an intemperate
husband, or with a perverse and peevish
wife, if there is a prospect that they
may be converted. (4.) This same di-
rection is elsewhere given. 1 Pet. iii.
1, 2. (5.) It is often done. It is not
hopeless. Many a wife has thus been
the means of saving a husband ; many
a husband has been the means of the
salvation of the wife. In regard to
the means by which this is to be hoped
for, we may observe that it is not by a
harsh, fretful, complaining temper; it
is to be by kindness, and tenderness,
and love. It is to be by an exemplifi-
cation of the excellency of religion by
sxample , by patience when provoked,
meekness when injured, love when
despised, forbearance when words of
harshness and irritation are used, and
by showing how a Christian can live,
and what la the true nature of religion :
oy kind and affectionate conversation
when alone, when the heart is tender,
when calamities visit the family, and
;vhen the thoughts are drawn along
oy the events of Providence towards
death. Not by harshness or severity
of manner, is the result to be hoped for,
but by tender entreaty, and mildness of
life, and by prayer. Pre-eminently this is
to be used. When a husband will not
hear, God can hear ; when he is angry,
morose, or unkind, God is gentle, ten-
der, and kind ; and when a husband or
a wife turn away from the voice of
gentle entreaty, God's ear is open, and
God is ready to hear and to bless. Le<
one thing guide the life. We are
never to cease to set a Christian
example ; never to cease to live as a
Christian should live ; never to cease to
pray fervently to the God of grace,
that the partner of our lives may be
brought under the full influence of
Christian truth, and meet us in the
enjoyments of heaven.
17. But as God hath distributed,
&c. As God hath divided (S^M^/CTIV) ;
i. e. given, imparted to any one. As
God has given grace to every one. The
words JU.H denote simply but in the
beginning of this verse. The apostle
here introduces a new subject; or an
inquiry varying somewhat from that
preceding, though of the same gene-
ral nature. He had discussed the
question whether a husband and wife
ought to be separated on accoffnt of a
difference in religion. He now says
that the general principle there stated
ought to rule everywhere ; that men
who become Christians ought not to
seek to change their condition or calling
in life, but to remain in that situation
in which they were when they became
Christians, and show the excellence of
their religion ix that particular calling
The object of Paul, therefore, is to pre-
serve order, industry, faithfulness in the
relations of life, and to show that
Christianity does not design to break
up the relations of social and domestic
intercourse. This discussion continues
to ver. 24. The phrase " as God hath
distributed" refers to the condition in
136
I. CORINTHIANS.
buted to every man, as * the Lord
nath called every one, so let him
walk. And b so ordain I in all
churches.
18 Is any man called being
circumcised ? let him not become
uncircumcised. Is any called in
a v.20,24. b c.4.17. 2Cor.ll.28.
which men are placed in life, whether
as rich or poor, in a state of freedom or
servitude, of learning or ignorance, &c.
And it implies that God appoints the
lot of men, and orders the circum-
stances of their condition ; that religion
is not designed to interfere directly with
this ; and that men should seek to
show the real excellence of religion in
the particular sphere in which they may
have been placed by divine Providence
before they became converted. ^ As
the Lord hath called every one. That
's, in the condition or circumstances in
which any one is when he is called by
the Lord to be a Christian, t So let
him walk. In that sphere of life ; in
that calling (ver. 20) ; in that particular
relation in which he was, let him re-
main, unless he can consistently change
it for the better, and THERE let him
illustrate the true beauty and excellence
of religion. This was designed to
counteract the notion that the fact of
embracing a new religion dissolved the
relations of life which existed before.
This idea probably prevailed extensive-
ly among the Jews. Paul's object is
to show that the gospel, instead of dis-
solving those relations, only strengthen-
ed them, and enabled those who were
converted the better to discharge the
duties which grow out of them. |[ And
so ordain I, &c. This is no peculiar
rule for you Corinthians. It is the
universal rule which I everywhere in-
culcated. It is not improbable that
there was occasion to insist every-
where on this rule, and to repress dis-
orders which might have been attempt-
ed by some who might suppose that
Christianity dissolved the former ob-
ligations of life.
[A. D. 59
let him not be
uncircumcision 1
sircumcised.
19 Circumcision * is nothing,
and uncircumcision is nothing,
but the keeping of the com-
mandments of God.
20 Let ever man abide
every man
n
c Acts 15.1,&c. Gal.5.2,&c. d Gal.5.6; 6.15.
cJno.15.14. Uno.2.3. /Prov.27.8.
18. Is any man called? Does any
one become a Christian] Note, ch. i. 26.
1 Being circumcised. Being a native-
born Jew, or having become a Jewish
proselyte, and having submitted to the
initiatory rite of the Jewish religion.
^ Let him not become uncircumcised.
This could not be literally done. But
the apostle refers here to certain efforts
which were made to remove the marks
of circumcision which were often at-
tempted by those who were ashamed
of having been circumcised. The
practice is often alluded to by Jewish
writers, and is described by them.
Comp. 1 Mac. i. 15. It is not docorous
or proper here to show how this was
done. The process is described in
Cels. de Med. 7. 25. See Grotius and
Bloomfield. 1 Is any called in uncir-
cumcision? A Gentile, or one who
had not been circumcised. ^ Let him
not be circumcised. The Jewish rites
are not binding, and are not to be en-
joined on those who have been convert-
ed from the Gentiles. See Notes, Rom.
ii. 2730.
19. Circumcision is nothing, &c.
It is of no consequence in itself. It is
not that which God requires now. And
the mere external rite can be of nc
consequence one way or the other
The heart is all; and that is what
God demands. See Note, Rom. ii. 29.
Tf But the keeping of the command-
ments of God. Is something, is the
main thing, is eve-y thing; and this
can be done whethe a man is circum-
cised or not.
20. Let every max abide. Let him
remain or continue. t In tfa fame
calling. The same occupation, pro-
fession, rank of life. We use the won'
A.U. 59.]
CHAPTER VJ1.
137
the same calling wherein he was
called.
21 Art thou called being a
calling in the same sense to denote
the occupation or profession of a man.
Probably the original idea which led
men to designate a profession as a call-
ing was the belief that God called
every man to the profession and rank
which he occupies ; that is, that it is
by his arrange ment, or providence, that
he occupies that rank rather than an-
other. In this way every man has a
call to the profession in which he is
engaged as really as ministers of the
gospel ; and every man should have as
clear evidence that God has called him
to the sphere of life in which he moves
as ministers of the gospel should have
that God has called them to their ap-
propriate piofession. This declaration
of Paul, that every one is to remain in
the same occupation or rank in which
lie was when he was converted, is to
be taken in a general and not in an
unqualified sense. It does not design
to teach that a man is in no situation
to seek a change in his profession when
he becomes pious. But it is intended
to show that religion was the friend of
order ; that it did not disregard or dis-
arrange the relations of social life ; that
it was fitted to produce contentment
even in an humble walk, and to prevent
repinings at the lot of those who were
more favoured or happy. - That it did
not design to prevent all change is ap-
parent from the next verse, and from
the nature of the case. Some of the
circumstances in which a change of
condition, or of calling, may be proper
when a man is converted, are the fol-
lowing. (1.) When a man is a slave,
and he can obtain his freedom, ver. 21.
(2.) When a man is pursuing a wicked
calling or course of life when he was
converted, even if it is lucrative, he
should abandon it as speedily as possi-
ble. Thus if a man is engaged, as
John Newton was, in the slave-trade,
he should at once abandon it. If he is
engaged in the manufacture or sale
servant ? care * not for it : but if
thou mayest be made free, use
it rather.
alleb.13.5.
of ardent spirits, he should at once for-
sake the business, even at great person
al sacrifice, and engage in a lawful and
honourable employment. See Note,
Acts xix. 19. No considerations can
justify a continuance in a course of
life like this after a man is converted.
No consideration can make a business
which is "evil, and only evil, and that
continually," proper or right. (3.)
Where a man can increase his useful-
ness by choosing a new profession.
Thus the usefulness of many a man is
greatly promoted by his leaving an
agricultural, or mechanical employment ;
or by his leaving the bar, or the mer-
cantile profession, and becoming a
minister of the gospel. In such situa-
tions, religion not only permits a man
to change his profession, but it demands
it ; nor will God smile upon him, or
bless him, unless the change is made.
An opportunity to become more useful
imposes an obligation to change the
course of life. And no man is per-
mitted to waste his life and talents in a
mere scheme of money -making, or in
self-indulgence, when by changing his
calling he can do more for the salvation
of the world.
21. Being a servant (JoiJxcf). A
slave. Slaves abounded in Greece, and
in every part of the heathen world.
Athens, e. g., had, in her best days,
twenty thousand freemen, and four
hundred thousand slaves. See the
condition of the heathen world on thi*
subject illustrated at length, and in a
very learned manner, by Rev. B. B.
Edwards, in the Bib. Repository for
Oct. 1835, pp. 411 436. It was a
very important subject to inquire what
ought to be done in such instances.
Many slaves who had been converted
might argue that the institution of
slavery was contrary to the rights of
man ; that it destroyed their equality
with other men ; that it w^s cruel, and
oppressive, and . unjust in the highest
138
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
degree ; and that therefore they ought
not to submit to it, but that they should
burst their bonds, and assert their rights
as freemen. In order to prevent rest-
lessness, uneasiness, and insubordina-
tion ; in order to preserve the peace of
society, and to prevent religion from
being regarded as disorganizing and dis-
orderly, Paul here states the principle on
which the slave was to act. And by re-
ferring to this case, which was the strong-
est which could occur, he designed doubt-
less to inculcate the duty of order, and
contentment in general in all the other
relations in which men might be when
they were converted. ^ Care not for it.
Let it not be a subject of deep anxiety
and distress ; do not deem it to be dis-
graceful ; let it not affect your spirits ;
but be content in the lot of life where
God has placed you. If you can in a
\ roper way obtain your freedom, do it ;
if not, let it not be a subject of painful
reflection. In the sphere of life where
God by his providence has placed, you,
strive to evince the Christian spirit,
and show that you are able to bear the
sorrows and endure the toils of your
humble lot with submission to the will
of God, and so as to advance in that
relation the interest of the true religion.
In that calling do your duty, and
evince always the spirit of a Christian.
This duty is often enjoined on those
who were servants, or slaves. Eph.
vi. 5. Col. iii. 22. 1 Tim. vi. 1. Tit.
ii. 9. 1 Pet. ii. 18. This duty of the
slave, however, does not make the op-
pression of the master right or just, any
more than the duty of one who is per-
secuted or reviled to be patient and meek
makes the conduct of the persecutor or
reviler just or right ; nor does it prove
that the master has a right to hold the
slave as property, which can never be
right in the sight of God ; but it requires
simply that the slave should evince,
even in the midst of degradation and
injury, the spirit of a Christian, just as
it is required of a man who is injured
in any way, to hear it as becomes a
follower of the Lord Jesus. Nor does
this passage prove that a slave ought
not to desire freedom- il it can be ob-
*ained, for this is supposed in the sub-
sequent clause. Every human being
has a right to desire to be freo, and to
seek liberty. But it should be done m
accordance with the rules of the gospel ;
so as not to dishonour the religion of
Christ, and so as not to injure the true
happiness of others, or overturn the
foundations of society. ^ But if thou
mayest be free. If thou canst (Jwx.a-ue'),
if it is in your power to become free.
That is, if your master or the laws set
you free ; or if you can purchase your
freedom ; or if the laws can be changed
in a regular manner. If freedom can
be obtained in any manner that is not
sinful. In many cases a Christian
master might set his slaves free ; in
others, perhaps, the laws might do it ; in
some, perhaps, the freedom of the slave
might be purchased by a Christian
friend. In all these instances it would
be proper to embrace the opportunity
of becoming free. The apostle does
not speak of insurrection, and the
whole scope of the passage is against
an attempt on their part to obtain free-
dom by force and violence. He mani-
festly teaches them to remain in theii
condition, to bear it patiently and sub-
missively, and in that relation to bear
their hard lot with a Christian spirit,
uftless their freedom could be obtained
without violence and bloodshed. And
the same duty is still binding. Evil as
slavery is, and always evil, and only
evil, yet the Christian religion requires
patience, gentleness, forbearance ; not
violence, war, insurrection, and blood-
shed. Christianity would teach mas-
ters to be kind, tender, and gentle ; to
liberate their slaves, and to change the
laws so that it may be done ; to be just
towards those whom they have held in
bondage. It would not teach the slave
to rise on his master, and imbrue his
hands in his blood ; to break up the
relations of society by violence ; or to
dishonour his religion by the indulgence
of the feelings of revenge and by mui
der. f Use it rather. Avail yourselves
of the piivilege if you can, and be a
freeman. There are disadvantages
attending the condition of a slave, and
/LD. 59.]
22 For lie that is called in
the Lord, being a servant, is
the Lord's * freeman ; likewise
a Jno.8 36. Rom.6. 18,22. * made free.
CHAPTER VII.
139
also he that is called, being free,
is b Christ's servant.
23 Ye are bought e with a
b Ps.116.16. lPet.2.16. c c.6.20. li'et.l. 18,19.
if you can escape from them in a
propct manner, it is your privilege and
your d uty to do it.
22. For he that is called in the Lord.
He that is called by the Lord ; he that
becomes a Christian. ^ Being a ser-
vant. A slave when he is converted.
t Is the Lord's freeman. Marg. Made
free (.jmsJd-tgoc). Is manumitted,
made free, endowed with liberty by the
Lord. This is designed evidently to
comfort the heart of the slave, and to
make him contented with his condition ;
and it is a most delicate, happy, and
tender argument. The sense is this.
You are blessed with freedom from the
bondage of sin by the Lord. You were
formerly a slave to sin, but now you are
liberated. That bondage was far more
grievous and far more to be lamented
than the bondage of the body. But
from that long, grievous, and oppressive
servitude you are now free. Your con-
dition, even though you are a slave, is
far better than it was before ; nay, you
are now the true freeman, the freeman
of the Lord. Your spirit is free ; while
those who are not slaves, and perhaps
your own masters, are even now under
a more severe and odious bondage than
yours. You should rejoice, therefore,
in deliverance from the greater evil, and
be glad that in the eye of God you are
regarded as his freedman, and endowed
by him with more valuable freedom than
it would be to be delivered from the
bondage under which you are now
placed. Freedom from sin is the high-
est blessing that can be conferred on
men ; and if that is yours, you should
little regard your external circumstances
in this life. You will soon be admitted
to the eternal liberty of the saints in
glory, and will forget all your toils and
privations in this world.' ^ Is Christ's
servant. Is the slave (/o-Mo'f) of Christ;
is bound to obey law, and to submit
himself, as you are, to the authority of
another. This too is designed to pro-
mote contentment with his lot, by the
consideration that all are bound to obey
law ; that there is no such thing as ab-
solute independence; and that, since
law is to be obeyed, it is not degradation
and ignominy to submit to those which
God has imposed on us by his provi-
dence in an humble sphere of life.
Whether a freeman or a slave, we are
bound to yield obedience to law, and
everywhere must obey the laws of God.
It is not, therefore, degradation to sub-
mit to his laws in a state of servitude,
though these laws come to us through
I an earthly master. In this respect,
I the slave and the freeman are on a
level, as both are required to submit
to the laws of Christ; and, even if
freedom could be obtained, there is no
such thing as absolute independence.
I This is a very beautiful, delicate, and
happy argument ; and perhaps no con-
sideration could be urged that would be
more adapted to produce contentment.
23. Ye are bought with a price.
\ Though you are slaves to men, yet you
i have been purchased for God by the
blood of his Son. Note, ch. vi. 20
You are, therefore, in his sight of ines-
timable worth, and are bound to be his.
^ Be not ye the servants of men. That
is, 'Do not regard yourselves as the
slaves OF MEW. Even in your humble
relation of life, even as servants under
the laws of the land, regard yourselves
as the servants of God, as obeying and
serving him even in this relation, since
all those who are bought with a price
all Christians, whether bond or free
are in fact the servants (slaves, C^I/AS/)
of God. ver. 22. In this relation,
therefore, esteem yourselves as the ser
vants of God, as bound by his laws, as
subject to him, and as really serving him,
while you yield all proper obedience to
your master.' RosenmUIler, Grotius,
and some others, however, think that
140
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
price ; be not ye the servants of
men.
24 Brethren, let a every man,
wherein he is called, therein
abide with God.
a ver. 17,20.
this refers to Christians in general ; and
that the apostle means to caution them
against subjecting themselves to need-
less rites and customs which the faJse
teachers would impose on them. Others
have supposed (as Doddridge) that it
means that they should not sell them-
selves into slavery ; but assuredly a
caution of this kind was not needful.
The view given above I regard as the
interpretation demanded by the connex-
ion. And in this view it would promote
contentment, and would even prevent
their taking any improper measures to
disturb the relations of social life, by the
high and solemn consideration that even
in that relation they were, in common
with all Christians, the true and real
servants of God. They belonged to
God, and they should serve hint. In
all things which their masters command-
ed, that were in accordance with the
will of God, and that could be done
with a quiet conscience, they were to
regard themselves as serving God : if at
any time they were commanded to do
that which God had forbidden, they
were to remember that they were the
servants OF GOD, and that he was to be
obeyed rather than man.
24. Brethren, &c. See Note, v. 20.
25. Now concerning virgins. This
commences the third subject on which
the opinion of Paul seems to have been
asked by the church at Corinth whe-
ther it was proper that those who had
unmarried daughters, or wards, should
give them in marriage. The reason
why this question was proposed may
have oeen, that many in the church at
Corinth were the advocates of celibacy,
and Cms, perhaps, on two grounds. (1.)
Some may have supposed that in the ex-
isting state of things the persecutions
and trials to which Christians were ex-
posed it would be advisable that a man
25 Now concerning virgins
have no commandment b of th<
Lord ; yet I give my judgment
as one that hath obtained mercj
of the Lord to be faithful. e
b vcr.6,10,40. c lTim.1.12.
who had unmarried daughters, or ward*
should keep them from the additions
cares and triale to which they would b
exposed with a family ; and, (2.) Some
may have already been the advocate:,
for celibacy, and have maintained thai
that state was more favourable to piety,
and was altogether to be preferred. It
is known that that opinion had an early
prevalence, and gave rise to the esta-
blishment of nunneries in the papal
church ; an opinion that has everywhere
been attended with licentiousness and
corruption. It is not improbable that
there may have been advocates for this
opinion even in the church of Corinth ;
and it was well, therefore, that the au-
thority of an apostle should be employed
to sanction and to honour the marriage
union. ^ I have no commandment, &e,
No positive, express revelation. See
Notes on ver. 6. 10. 1 Yet I give my
judgment. I give my opinion, or ad-
vice. See Note, ver. 6. 1 As one that
hath obtained mercy of the Lord. As
a Christian ; one who has been par-
doned, whose mind has been enlight-
ened, and who has been endued with
the grace of God. t To be faithful.
Faithful to my God. As one who
would not give advice for any selfish,
or mercenary, or worldly consideration ;
as one known to act from a desire to
honour God, and to seek the best inte-
rests of the church, even though there
is no explicit command. The advice
of such a man a devoted, faithful, self-
denying, experienced Christian is en-
titled to respectful deference, even where
there is no claim to inspiration. Reli-
gion qualifies to give advice ; and the
advice of a man who has no selfish ends
to gratify, and who is known to seek
supremely the glory of God, should not
be disregarded or slighted. Paul had a
special claim to give this advicx. because
D. 59.]
CHAPTER VII.
141
26 I suppose therefore that
this is good for the present * dis-
tress ; / say, that it is good for
a man so to be.
27 Art thou bound unto a
wife ? seek not to be loosed.
or, necessity. a ver.1,8.
ho was the founder of the church at
Corinth.
26. / suppose. I think ; I give the
following advice. ^ For the present
distress. In the present state of trial.
The word distress (^.vaj.xMx, necessity}
denotes calamity, persecution, trial, &c.
See Luke xxi. 23. The word rendered
present (iyw-rw^v) denotes that which
urges on, or that which at that time
presses on, or afflicts. Here it is im-
plied, (1.) That at that time they were
subject to trials so severe as to render
the advice which he was about to give
proper ; and, (2.) That he by no means
meant that this should be a permanent
arrangement in the church, and of
course it cannot be urged as an argu-
ment for the monastic system. What
the urgent distress of this time was, is
not certainly known. If the epistle was
written about A. D. 59 (see the Intro-
duction), it was in the time of Nero ;
and probably he had already begun to
oppress and persecute Christians. At
all events, it is evident that the Chris-
tians at Corinth were subject to some
trials which rendered the cares of the
marriage life undesirable, t It is good
for a man so to be. The emphasis
here is on the word so (oWa?) ; that is,
it is best for a man to conduct in the
following manner; the word so refer-
ring to the advice which follows. ' I
advise that he conduct in the following
manner, to wit.' Most commentators
suppose that it means as he is i. e.
unmarried; but the interpretation pro-
posed above best suits the connexion.
The advice given is in the following
verses.
27. Art thou bound unto a wife?
Art thou already married 1 Marriage is
often thus represented as a tie, a bond,
&,c. See Note. Rom. vii. 2. J Seek
Art thou loosed from a wife!
seek not a wife
28 But and if thou marry,
thou * hast not sinned ; and if a
virgin marry, she hath not sin-
ned. Nevertheless such shall
b Heb.13.4.
not to be loosed. Seek not a dissolution
(A.I/V/V) of the connexion, either by di-
vorce or by a separation from each
other. See Notes on ver. 10 17.
Tf Art thou loosed from a wife ? Art
thou unmarried 1 It should have been
rendered free from a wife; or art thou
single 1 It does not imply of necessity
that the person had been married, though
it may have that meaning, and signify
those who had been separated from a
wife by her death. There is no neces-
sity of supposing that Paul refers to
persons who had divorced their wives.
So Grotius, Schleusner, Doddridge, &c.
28. Thou hast not sinned. There is
no express command of God on this
subject. The counsel which I give is
mere advice, and it may be observed or
not as you shall judge best. Marriage
is honourable and lawful ; and though
there may be circumstances where it la
advisable not to enter into this relation,
yet there is no law which prohibits it
The same advice would be proper now,
if it were a time of persecution ; or if
a man is poor, and cannot support a
family ; or if he has already a depend-
ent mother and sisters to be supported
by him, it would be well to follow the
advice of Paul. So also when the cares
of a family would take up a man's time
and efforts ; when but for this he might
give himself to a missionary life, the
voice of wisdom may be in accordance
with that of Paul ; that a man may be
free from these cares, and may give
himself with more undivided interest
and more successful toil to the salva-
tion of man. ^ Such shall have
trouble in the flesh. They shall have
anxiety, care, solicitude, trials. Days
of persecution are coming on, and you
may be led to the stake, and in those
fiery trials, your families mav be torn
142
I. CORINTHIANS.
nave trouble in the flesh : but I
spare you.
29 But this
I say, brethren,
[A. D 59
the time a is short : it reniaineth
that both they that have wives
be as though they had none ;
a lPet.4.7. 2Pet.3.8,9.
asunder, and a part be put to death.
Or you may be poor, and oppressed,
and driven from your homes, and made
wanderers and exiles, for the sake of
your religion. ^ But I spare you. I
will not dwell on the melancholy
theme. I will not pain your hearts by
describing the woes that shall ensue. I
will not do any thing to deter you
from acting as you deem right. If you
choose to marry, it is lawful ; and I
will not imbitter your joys and harrow
up your feelings by the description of
your future difficulties and trials. The
word flesh here denotes outward cir-
cumstances in contradistinction from
the mind. They might have peace of
mind, for religion would furnish that ;
but they would be exposed to poverty,
persecution, and calamity.
29. But this I say. Whether you
are married or not, or in whatever con-
dition of life you may be, I would
remind you that life hastens to a close,
and that its grand business is to be
prepared to die. It matters little in
what condition or rank of life we are,
if we are ready to depart to another
and a better world. ^ The time is short.
The time is contracted, drawn into a
narrow space (ruvirrs&fjiivx). The
word which is here used is commonly
applied to the act of furling a sail, L e.
reducing it into a narrow compass ;
and is then applied to any thing that is
reduced within narrow limits. Perhaps
there was a reference here to the fact
that the time was contracted, or made
short, by their impending persecutions
and trials. But it is always equally
true that time is short. It will soon
gli&i away, and come to a close. The
idea of the apostle here is, that the plans
of life should all be formed in view
of this truth, THAT TIME is SHOUT.
No plan should be adopted which
does not contemplate this ; no engage-
ment of life made when it will not be
appropriate to think of it ; no connex-
ion, entered into when the thought
" time is short," v/ould be an unwel-
come intruder. See 1 Pet. iv. 7. 2 Pet.
iii. 8. 9. ^ It rtmaineih (TO xcrrdv)
The remainder is ; or this is a conse-
quence from this consideration of the
shortness of time. *J Both they that
have wives, &c. This does not mean
that they are to treat them with un-
kindness or neglect, or fail in the duties
of love and fidelity. It is to be taken
in a general sense, that they were to
live above the world ; that they were
not to be unduly attached to them
that they were to be ready to part with
them ; and that they should not suffei
attachment to them to interfere with
any duty which they owed to God
They were in a world of trial ; and
they were exposed to persecution ; and
as Christians they were bound to live
entirely to God, and they ought not,
therefore, to allow attachment to earth-
ly friends to alienate their affections
from God, or to interfere with their
Christian duty. In one word, they
ought to be just as faithful to God,
and just cw pious, in every respect, as
if they had no wife and no earthly
friend. Such a consecration to God
is difficult, but not impossible. Our
earthly attachments and cares draw
away our affections from God, but they
need not do it. Instead of being the
occasion of alienating our affections
from God, they should be, and they
might be, the means of binding us
more firmly and entirely to him and to
his cause. But alas, how many pro-
fessing Christians live for their wives
and children only, and not for God
in these relations ! how many suffer
these earthly objects of attachment to
alienate their minds from God> rathei
than make them the occasion of uniting
them more tenderly to him and hit
A.D.59.]
CHAPTER VII.
143
30 And they that weep, as
though they wept not ; and they
that rejoice, as though they re-
joiced not ; and tney thut buy
as though they possessed not ;
31 And they that use this
30. And they that weep. They
who are afflicted. ^ As though they
wept not. Restraining and moderat-
ing their grief by the hope of the life to
come. The general idea in all these
expressions is, that in whatever situa-
tion Christians are, they i-hould be dead
to the world, and not improperly affect-
ed by passing events. It is impossible
for human nature not to feel when per-
secuted, maligned, slandered, or when
near earthly friends are taken away.
But religion will calm the troubled
spirit : pour oil on the agitated waves ;
light up a smile in the midst of tears ;
cause the beams of a calm and lovely
morning to rise on the anxious heart. ;
silence the commotions of the agitated
soul, and produce joy even in the
midst of sorrow. Religion will keep
us from immoderate grief, and sustain
the soul even when in distress nature
forces us to shed the tear of mourning.
Christ sweat great drops of blood, and
Christians often weep; but the heart
may be calm, peaceful, elevated, confi-
dent in God in the darkest night and the
severest tempest of calamity. ^ And
they that rejoice. They that are hap-
py ; they that are prospered ; that have
beloved families around them ; that are
blessed with success, with honour,
with esteem, with health. They that
have occasion of rejoicing and grati-
tude. J As though they rejoiced not.
Not rejoicing with excessive or im-
moderate joy. Not with riot or unholy
mirth. Not satisfied with these things;
though they may rejoice in them. Not
forgetting that they must soon be left ;
but keeping the mind in a calm, serious,
settled, thoughtful state, in view of the
fact that all. these things must soon
come to an end. O how would this
thought silence the voice of unseemly
mirth ! How would it produce calm-
ness, serenity, heavenly joy, where is
now fften unhallowed riot; and true
peace, vhere new there is only forced
and boisterous revelry ! f As though
they possessed not. It is right to buy
and to obtain property. But it should
be held with the conviction that it is
by an uncertain tenure, and must soon
be left. Men may give a deed that
shall secure from their fellow men ,
but no man can give a title that shall
not be taken away by death. Our
lands and houses, our stocks and
bonds and mortgages, our goods and
chattels, shall soon pass into other
hands. Other men will plough our
fields, reap our harvests, work in out
shops, stand at our counters, sit down
at our firesides, eat on our tables, lie
upon our beds. Others will occupy
our places in society, have our offices,
sit in our seats in the sanctuary
Others will take possession of our gold,
and appropriate it to their own use ;
and we shall have no more interest
in it, and no more control over it,
than our neighbour has now, and no
power to eject the man that has taken
possession of our houses and our lands.
Secure therefore as our titles are, safe
as are our investments, yet how soon
shall we lose all interest in them by
death ; and how ought this consideration
to induce us to live above the world, and
to secure a treasure in that world where
no thief approaches, and no moth cor-
rupts.
31. And they that use this world.
That make a necessary and proper
use of it to furnish raiment, food,
clothing, medicine, protection, &c. It
is right so to use the world, for it
was made for these purposes. The
word using here refers to the lawful
use ( it(^//wc/). f As not abusing
it (x.-j.T*%^jutvit}. The preposition
HIT*, in composition here has th.6
sense of too much, too freely, and is
taken not merely in an inte.'isive sense,
but to denote evil, the abuse of the
world. It means that we are not to
use it to excess ; we are not to make it
144
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. I). 59.
world, as not abusing it: for the
of this world passeth
fashion
away.
have
32 But I would
without carefulness. He that is
you
a Ps. 39.6. James 4.14. lPet.4.7. Uno.2.17.
a mere matter of indulgences, or to
make that the main object and purpose
of our living. We are not to give our
appetites to indulgence ; our bodies to
riot; our days and nights to feasting
and revelry, f For the fashion of
Ihis world (TO <?%>{**} The form, the
appearance. In 1 John ii. 17, it is
said that " the world passeth away and
the lust thereof." The word " fashion"
here is probably taken from the shift-
ing scenes of the drama; where, when
the scene changes, the imposing and
splendid pageantry passes off. The
form, the fashion of the world is
like a splendid, gilded pageant. It
is unreal and illusive. It continues
but a little time ; and soon the scene
changes, and the fashion that allured
and enticed us now passes away, and
we pass to other scenes, f Passeth
away (7r*ga><). Passes off like the
splendid, gaudy, shifting scenes of the
stage. What a striking description of
the changing, unstable, and unreal
pageantry of this world ! Now it is
gay, splendid, gorgeous, lovely ; to-mor-
row it is gone, and is succeeded by
new actors and new scenes. Now
all is busy with one set of actors ; to-
morrow a new company appears, and
again they are succeeded by another,
and all are engaged in scenes that are
equally changing, vain, gorgeous, and
delusive. A similar idea is presented
in the well known and beautiful de-
scription of the great British dramatist.
"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
Anil one man in his time plays many pans."
If such be the character of the
scenes in which we are engaged, how
little should we fix our affections on
them, and how anxious should we be
unmarried * careth for the tilings
that 1 belong to the Lord, how
he may please the Lord :
33 But he that is married
careth for the things that are of
b lTim.5.5. of the Lord, as ver. 34.
to be prepared for the real and un
changing scenes of another world !
32. But I would have you. I would
advise you to such a course of life
as should leave you without careful-
ness. My advice is regulated by that
wish, and that wish guides me in giv-
ing it. t Without carefulness (uptqi-
^twi/c). Without anxiety, solicitude,
care ; without such a necessary at-
tention to the things of this life as to
take off your thoughts and affections
from heavenly objects. See Notes on
Matt. vi. 2531. J Careth for the
things that belong to the Lord. Marg.
" The things of the Lord"; the things
of religion. His attention is not dis-
tracted by the cares of this life ; his
time is not engrossed, and his affec-
tions alienated by an attendance on the
concerns of a family, and especially by
solicitude for them in times of trial
and persecution. He can give his main
attention to the things of religion. He
is at leisure to give his chief thoughts
and anxieties to the advancement
of the Redeemer's kingdom. Paul's
own example showed that this was the
course which he preferred; and showed
also that in some instances it was law-
ful and proper for a man to remain
unmarried, and to give himself entirely
to the work of the Lord. But the
divine commandment (Gen. i. 28),
and the commendation everywhere
bestowed upon marriage in the Scrip-
tures, as well as the nature of the case,
show that it was not designed that
celibacy should be general.
33. Careth for the things of the
world. Is under a necessity of giving
attention to the things of the world ; or
cannot give his undivided attention and
interest to the things of religion. This
would be especially true in times of
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER VIL
145
.he world, how he may please
'iis wife.
34 There is difference also be-
persecution. t How he may please his
wife. How he may gratify her; how
he may accommodate himself to her
temprr and wishes, to make her happy.
The apostle here plainly intimates that
there would be danger that the man
would be so anxious to gratify his wife,
as to interfere with his direct religious
duties. This may be done in many
ways. (I.) The affections may be taken
off from the Lord, and bestowed upon
the wife. She may become the object
of even improper attachment, and may
take the place of God in the affections.
(2.) The time may be taken up in de-
votion to her, which should be given to
secret prayer, and to the duties of reli-
gion. (3.) She may demand his society
and attention when he ought to be
engaged in doing good to others, and
endeavouring to advance the kingdom
of Christ. (4.) She may be gay and
fashionable, and may lead him into
improper expenses, into a style of living
that may be unsuitable for a Christian,
and into society where his piety will be
injured, and his devotion to God less-
ened ; or, (5.) She may have erroneous
opinions on the doctrines and duties of
religion ; and a desire to please her may
lead him insensibly to modify his views,
and to adopt more lax opinions, and to
pursue a more lax course of life in his
religious duties. Many a husband has
thus been injured by a gay, thoughtless,
and imprudent wife; and though that
wife may be a Christian, yet her course
may be such as shall greatly retard his
growth in grace, and mar the beauty of
his piety.
34. Between a wife and a virgin,
Between a woman that is married and
one that is unmarried. The apostle
says that a similar difference between
the condition of her that is married and
her that is unmarried takes place, which
had been observed between the married
and the unmarried man. The Greek
word here (/ut{u.i?tTreu) may moan, is
13
tween a wife and a virgin. The
unmarried woman careth for the
things of the Lord, that she may
divided, and be rendered, " the wife and
the virgin are divided in the same man-
ner ;" i. e. there is the same difference
in their case as exists betweer the mar-
ried and the unmarried man. *j[ Tlit
unmarried woman, &c. Has more ad-
vantages for attending to the things of
religion ; has fewer temptations to neg-
lect her proper duty to God. ^ Both,
in body and in spirit. Entirely holy :
that she may be entirely devoted to God.
Perhaps in her case the apostle mentions
the " body," which he had not done in
the case of the man, because her temp-
tation would be principally in regard to
that the danger of endeavouring to
decorate and adorn her person to please
her husband. ^ How she may please
her husband. The apostle here intends,
undoubtedly, to intimate that there were
dangers to personal piety in the married
life, which would not occur in a state
of celibacy ; and that the unmarried fe-
male would have greater opportunities
for devotion and usefulness than if
married. And he intimates that the
married female would be in danger of
losing her zeal, and marring her piety,
by attention to her husband, and by a
constant effort to please him. Some
of the ways in which this might be
done are the following. (1.) As in
the former case (ver. 33), her affections
might be transferred from (rod to the
partner of her life. (2.) Her time will
be occupied by an attention to him and
to his will ; and there would be danger
that that attention would be allowed to
interfere with her hours of secret retire-
ment and communion with God. (3.)
Her time will be necessarily broken in
upon by the cares of a family, and she
should therefore guard with peculiar
vigilance, that she may redeem time for
secret communion with God. (4.) The
time which she before gave to benevo
lent objects, may now be given to pioase
her husband. Before her marriage she
rray have been distinguished for zeal
Hb
I. CORINTHIANS.
be holy both in body and in spi-
rit : but she that is married"
careth for the things of the world,
a Luke 10.4042.
and for active efforts in every plan of
doing good ; subsequently, she may lay
aside this zeal, and withdraw from these
plans, and be as little distinguished as
others. (5.) Her piety may be greatly
injured by false notions of what should
be done to please her husband. If he
is a worldly and fashionable man, she
may seek to please him by " gold, and
pearls, and costly array." Instead of
cultivating the ornament of " a meek
and quiet spirit," her main wish may
be to decorate her person, and render
herself attractive by the adorning of her
person rather than of her mind. (6.)
If he is opposed to religion, or if he has
lax opinions on the subject, or if he is
skeptical and worldly, she will be in
danger of relaxing in her views in re-
gard to the strictness of Christianity,
and of becoming conformed to his. She
will insensibly become less strict in
regard to the Sabbath, the Bible, the
prayer meeting, the Sabbath-school, the
plans of Christian benevolence, the
doctrines of the gospel. (7.) To please
him, she will be found in the gay circle,
perhaps in the assembly room, or
even the theatre, or amidst companies
of gayety and amusement, and will
forget that she is professedly devoted
only to God. And, (8.) She is in
danger, as the result of all this, of for-
saking her old religious friends, the
companions of purer, brighter days, the
humble and devoted friends of Jesus ; and
of seeking society among the gay, the
rich, the proud, the worldly. Her piety
thus is injured ; she becomes worldly
and vain, and less and less like Christ ;
until Heaven, perhaps, in mercy smites
her idol, and he dies, and leaves her
again to the blessedness of single-heart-
ed devotion to God. O ! how many a
Christian female has thus been injured
by an unhappy marriage with a gay and
worldly man ! How often has the
cnurch occasion to mourn over piety
how she
[A. D. 59
may please her hus-
band.
35 And this I speak for your
that is dimmed, benevolence that ia
quenched, zeal that is extinguished bj
devotion to a gay and worldly hus-
band ! How often does humble piety
weep over such a scene ! How often
does the cause of sacred charity sigh !
How often is the Redeemer wounded
in the house of his friends ! And O
how often does it become NECESSARY
for God to interpose, and to remove
by death the object of the affection of
his wandering child, and to clothe
her in the habiliments of mourning,
and to bathe her cheeks in tears, that
"by the sadness of the countenance
her heart may be made better." Who
can tell how many a widow is made
such from this cause ; who can tell how
much religion is injured by thus stealing
away the affections from God 1
35. For your own profit. That you
may avail yourselves of all your advan-
tages and privileges, and pursue such a
course as shall tend most to advance
your personal piety and salvation. ^ Not
that I may cast a snare upon you.
The word rendered snare (fi^%cv)
means a cord, a rope, a bond ; and the
sense is, that Paul would not bind them
by any rule which God had not made ;
or that he would not restrain them from
that which is lawful, and which the
welfare of society usually requires. Paul
means, that his object in his advice was
their welfare ; it was not by any means
to bind, fetter, or restrain them from any
course which would be for their real
happiness, but to promote their real and
permanent advantage. The idea which
is here presented by the word snare, is
usually conveyed by the use oi the word
yoke (Matt. xi. 29. Acts xv. 10. Gal.
v. 1), and sometimes by the word bur-
den. Matt, xxiii. 4. Acts xv. 28.
t But for that which is comely (tvT%>f
<ci>). Decorous, fit, proper, noble. For
that which is best fitted to your present
condition, and which, on the whole.
A.. D. 59 ]
CHAPTER VII.
147
own profit ; not that I may cast
a snare upon you, but for that
which,, is comely, and that ye
may atiend upon the Lord with-
out distraction.
36 But if any man think that
he behaveth himself uncomely
toward his virgin, if she pass the
flower of her age, and need so
require, let him do what he will,
he sinneth not : let them marry.
37 Nevertheless he that stand-
eth steadfast in his heart, having
no necessity, but hath power
will be best, and most for your own
advantage. There would be a fitness
and propriety in their pursuing the
course which he recommended. \ That
ye may attend on the Lord. That
you may engage in religious duties and
serve God. t Without distraction.
Without being drawn away (dirsg/tr/Ta-
^TO?) ; without care, interruption, and
anxiety. That you may be free to en-
gage with undivided interest in the ser-
vice of the Lord.
36. That he behaveth himself un-
comely. Acts an unbecoming part, im-
poses an unnecessary, painful, and
improper constraint, crosses her inclina-
tions which are in themselves proper.
^ Toward his virgin. His daughter,
or his ward, or any unmarried female
committed to his care. 1 If she pass
the flower of her age. If she pass the
marriageable age and remains unmar-
ried. It is well known that in the
east it was regarded as peculiarly dis-
honourable to remain unmarried ; and
the authority of a father, therefore,
might be the means of involving his
daughter in shame and disgrace.
When this would be the case, it would
be wrong to prohibit her marriage.
^ And need so require. And she
ought to be allowed to marry. If it
will promote her happiness, and if she
would be unhappy, and regarded as
dishonoured, if she remained in a state
of celibacy. 1 Let him do what he
will. He has the authority in the case,
for in the east the authority resided
with the father. He may either give
her in marriage or not, as he pleases.
But in this case it is advisable that she
should marry. ^ He sinneth not. He
errs not ; he will do nothing positively
wrong in the case. Marriage is law-
Oil, and in this case it is advisable, and
he may consent to it, for the reasons
above stated, without error or impro-
priety.
37. Nevertheless. But. The apostle
in this verse states some instances where
it would not be proper to give a
daughter in marriage ; and the verse is
a kind of summing up of all that he
had said on the subject, t That stand-
eth steadfast in his heart, &c.. Most
commentators have understood this
of the father of the virgin, and sup-
pose that it refers to his purpose of
keeping her from the marriage connex-
ion. The phrase to stand steadfast, is
opposed to a disposition that is vacil-
lating, unsettled, &c., and denotes a
man who has command of himself,
who adheres to his purpose, a man who
has hitherto adhered to his purpose,
and to whose happiness and reputation
it is important that he should be known
as one who is not vacillating, or easily
moved, t Having no necessity. Where
there is nothing in her disposition or
inclination that would make marriage
necessary, or when there is no engage-
ment or obligation that would be vio-
lated if she did not marry, f But
hath power over his own ivill. Hath
power to do as he pleases ; is not bound
in the case by another. When there
is no engagement, or contract, made
in childhood, or promise made in early
life that would bind him. Often
daughters were espoused, .or promised
when they were very young, and ip
such a case a ma/i would be bound to
adhere to his engagement; and much
as he might desire the reverse, and her
celibacy, yet he would not have power
over his own will, or be at liberty to
withhold her. J And hath so decreed
in his heart. Has so judged, deter
mined, resolved. J That he will keep
148
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. 1). 59.
over his own will, and hath so
decreed in his heart that he will
keep his virgin, doeth well.
38 So then, he that giveth
ker in marriage doeth well ; but
a ver.28.
his virgin. His daughter, or ward, in
an unmarried state. He has power
and authority to do it, and if he does
it he will not sin. U Doeth well. In
either of these cases, he does well. If
he has a daughter, and chooses to re-
tain her in an unmarried state, he does
well or right.
38. Doeth wdL Does right ; vio-
lates no law in it, and is not to be
blamed for it. t Doeth better. Does
that which is on the whole to be pre-
ferred, if it can be done. He more cer-
tainly, in the present circumstances,
consults her happiness by withholding
her from the marriage connexion than
he could by allowing her to enter it.
39. The wife is bound, &c. See
Notes, Rom. vii. 2. f Only in the
Lord. That is, only to one who is a
Christian ; with a proper sense of her
obligations to Christ, and so as to pro-
mote his glory. The apostle supposed
that could not be done if she were al-
lowed to marry a heathen, or one of a
different religion. The same sentiment
he advances in 2 Cor. vi. 14, and it
was his intention, undoubtedly, to af-
firm that it was proper for a widow to
marry no one who was not a Christian.
The reasons at that time would be
obvious. (1.) They could have no sym-
pathy and fellow feeling on the most
important of all subjects, if the one
was a Christian arid the other a
heathen. See 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15, &c.
(2.) If she, should marry a heathen,
would it not be showing that she had
not as deep a, conviction of the import-
ance and truth of her religion as she
ought to have ? If Christians were
required to be " separate," to be " a pe-
culiar people," not " to be conformed to
the world," how could these precepts
be obeyed if the society of a heathen
was voluntarily chosen, and if she be-
he that giveth her not in mar-
riage doeth better.
39 The wife * is bound by the
law as long as her husband liveth ;
but if her husband be dead, she is
b Rom.7.2.
came united to him for life] (3.) She
would in this way greatly hinder hei
usefulness; put herself in the control
of one who had no respect for her
religion, and who would demand hei
time and attention, and thus interfere
with her attendance on the public and
private duties of religion, and the offices
of Christian charity. (4.) She would
thus greatly endanger her piety. There
would be danger from the opposition,
the taunts, the sneers of the enemy of
Christ; from the secret influence of
living with a man who had no respect
for God ; from his introducing her into
society that was irreligious, and thai
would tend to mar the beauty of hei
piety, and to draw her away from sim-
ple-hearted devotion to Jesus Christ.
And do not these reasons apply to simi-
lar cases now ? And if so, is it not the
law still binding? Do not such unions
now, as really as they did then, place
the Christian where there is no mutual
sympathy on the subject dearest to the
Christian heart 1 ? Do they not show
that she who forms such a union has
not as deep a sense of the importance
of piety, and of the pure and holy na-
ture of her religion as she ought to
have ? Do they not take time from
God and from charity ; break up plans
of usefulness, and lead away from the
society of Christians, and from the
duties of religion ] Do they not expose
often to ridicule, to reproach, to perse-
cution, to contempt, and to pain 1 Do
they not often lead into society, by
a desire to please the partner in life,
where there is no religion, where God
is excluded, where the name of Christ
is never heard, and where the piety is
marred, and the beauty of simple Chris-
tian piety is dimmed 1 And if so, are
not such marriages contrary to the law
of Christ 1 I confess, that this verse to
A.D.59.]
CHAPTER VII.
149
at liberty to be married to whom
she will ; only a in the Lord.
40 But she is happier if she
a 2Cor.6.14.
my view, proves that all such marriages
are a violation of the New Testament;
and if they are, they should not on any
plea be entered into; and it will be
found, in perhaps nearly all instances,
that they are disastrous to the piety of
the married Christian, and the occasion
of ultimate regret, and the cause of a
loss of comfort, peace, and usefulness
in the married life.
4:0. If she so abide. If she remain
a widow even if she could be married
to a Christian. *f After my judgment.
In my opinion, ver. 25. f And I
think also that I have the Spirit of God.
Macknight and others suppose that this
phrase implies entire certainty ; and
that Paul means to affirm that in this
. he was clear that he was under the in-
j fluence of inspiration. He appeals for
( ^JX the use of the term (dWi) to Mark x.
9ft 32. Luke viii. 1 8. 1 Cor. iv. 9 ; viii. 2 ;
' xi. 16. Heb. iv. l,&c. But the word
does not usually express absolute cer-
tainty. It implies a doubt ; though
there may be a strong persuasion or
conviction ; or the best judgment which
the mind can form in the case. See
Matt. vi. 7 ; xxvi. 53. Mark vi. 49.
Luke viii. 18 ; x. 36 ; xii. 51 ; xiii. 24 ;
xxii. 24. Acts xvii. 18 ; xxv. 27. ICor.
xvi. 12. 22, &c. It implies here a be-
lief that Paul was under the influence
of the infallible Spirit, and that his ad-
vice was such as accorded with the
will of God. Perhaps he alludes to the
fact that the teachers at Corinth
deemed themselves to be under the
influence of inspiration, and Paul said
that he judged also of himself that he
was divinely guided and directed in
what he said. Calvin. And as Paul in
this could not be mistaken ; as his im-
pression that he was under the influ-
ence of that Spirit was, in fact, a claim
to divine inspiration, so this advice
should be regarded as of divine author-
13*
so abide, after * my judgment:
and I think c also that I have the
Spirit of God.
b ver.25. c 2Pet.3.15,16.
ity, and as binding on all. This inter-
pretation is further demanded by the
circumstances of the case. It was
necessary that he should assert divine
authority to counteract the teaching
of the false instructers in Corinth ;
and that he should interpose that au-
thority in prescribing rules for the
government of the church there, in
view of the peculiar temptations to
which they were exposed.
REMABKS.
We learn from this chapter,
1st. The sacred ness of the marriage
union ; and the nature of the feelings
with which it should be entered, ver. 1
13. On a most delicate subject Paul has
shown a seriousness and deUcacy of
expression which can be found in no
other writings, and which demonstrate
how pure his own mind was, and how
much it was filled with the fear of God.
In all things his aim is to promote
purity, and to keep from the Christian
church the innumerable evils which
everywhere abounded in the pagan
world. The marriage connexion should
be formed in the fear of God. In all
that union, the parties should seek the
salvation of the soul ; and so live as not
to dishonour the religion which they
profess
2d. The duty of labouring earnestly
for the conversion of the party in
the marriage connexion that may be a
stranger to piety, ver. 1 6. This object
should lie very near the heart ; and it
should be sought by all the means pos-
sible. By a pure and holy life ; by ex-
emplifying the nature of the gospel ; by
tenderness of conversation and of en
treaty ; and by fidelity in all the dutie?
of life, we should seek the conversion
and salvation of our partners in the
marriage connexion. Even if both are
Christians, this great object should be
one of constant solicitude to advane*
150
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 5i*
the piety and promo! e the usefulness
of the partner in life.
3d. The duty of contentment in the
sphere of life in which we are placed,
ver. IS, &c. It is no disgrace to be
poor, for Jests chose to be poor. It is
no disgrace, though it is a calamity, to
be a slave. It is no disgrace to be in an
humble rank of life. It is disgraceful
only to be a sinner, and to murmur
and repine at our allotment. God
orders the circumstances of our life ;
and they are well ordered when under
the direction of his hand. The great
object should be to do right in the rela-
tion which we sustain in life. If poor,
to be industrious, submissive, resigned,
virtuous ; if rich, to be grateful, bene-
volent, kind. If a slave or a servant,
to be faithful, kind, and obedient ; using
liberty, if it can be lawfully obtained ;
resigned, and calm, and gentle, if by the
providence of God such must continue
to be the lot in life.
4th. The duty of preserving the order
and regularity of society, ver. 20 23.
The design of the gospel is not to pro-
duce insubordination or irregularity. It
would not break up society ; does not
dissolve the bonds of social life ; but it
cements and sanctifies the ties which
connect us with those around us. It is
designed to promote human happiness;
and that is promoted, not by resolving
society into its original elements ; not
by severing the marriage tie, as atheists
would do ; not by teaching children to
disregard and despise their parents, or
the common courtesies of life, but by
teaching them to maintain inviolate all
these relations. Religion promotes the
interests of society ; it does not, like
infidelity, dissolve them. It advances
the cause of social virtue ; it does not,
like atheism, retard and annihilate it.
Every Christian becomes a better pa-
rent, a more affectionate child, a kinder
friend, a more tender husband or wife,
a more kind neighbour, a better mem-
ber of the community.
5th. Change in a man's calling
should not be made from a slight cause.
> Christian should not make it unless
his former calling were wrong, or unless
he can by it extend his own usefulness.
But when that can be done, he should
do it, and do it without delay. If the
course is wrong, it should be forthwith
abandoned. No consideration can make
it right to continue it for a day or an
hour : no matter what may be the sacri-
fice of property, it should be done. If
a man is engaged in the slave-trade, or
in smuggling goods, or in piracy, or
highway robbery, or in the manufacture
and sale of poison, it should be at once
and for ever abandoned. And in like
manner, if a young man who is con-
verted can increase his usefulness by
changing his plan of life, it should be
done as soon as practicable. If by be-
coming a minister of the gospel he can
be a more useful man, every considera-
tion demands that he should leave any
other profession, however lucrative or
pleasant, and submit to the self-denials,
the cares, the trials, and the toils which
attend a life devoted to Christ in the
ministry in Christian or pagan lands.
Though it should be attended with
I poverty, want, tears, toil, or shame, yet
! the single question is, ' Can I be more
useful to my Master there than in my
! present vocation 1' If he can be, that
is an indication of the will of God
| which he cannot disregard with im-
| punity.
6th. We should live above this
world, ver. 29, 30. We should par-
take of all our pleasures, and endure all
our sufferings, with the deep feeling
that we have here no continuing city
and no abiding place. Soon all our
earthly pleasures will fade away ; soon
all our earthly sorrows will be ended.
A conviction of the shortness of life
will tend much to regulate our desires
for earthly comforts, and will keep us
from being improperly attached to them.;
and it will diminish our sorrows by the
prospect that they will soon end.
7th. We should not be immoderately
affected with grief, ver. 30. It will ail
soon end, in regard to Christians.
Whether our tears arise from the con
sciousness of our sins or the sius of
.. D. 59.]
CHAPTER VII.
151
others ; whether from persecution or
contempt of the world; or whether
from the loss of health, property, or
friends, we should bear it all patiently,
for it will soon end ; a few days, and
all will be over ; and the last tear shall
fall on our cheeks, and the last sigh be
heaved from our bosom.
8th. We should not be immoderate
in our joy. ver. 30. Our highest earthly
joys will soon cease. Mirth, and the
sound of the harp and the viol, the loud
laugh and the song will soon close.
What a change should this thought
make in a world of gayety, and mirth,
and song ! It should not make men
gloomy and morose ; but it should
make them serious, calm, thoughtful.
O, did all feel that death was near,
that the solemn realities of eternity
were approaching, what a change
would it make in a gay and thought-
less world ! How would it close the
theatre and the ball-room ; how would
it silence the jest, the jeer, and the loud
laugh ; and how would it diffuse seri-
ousness and calmness over a now gay
and thoughtless world ! " Laughter is
mad," says Solomon ; and in a world
of sin, and sorrow, and death, assuredly
seriousness and calm contemplation are
demanded by every consideration.
9th. What an effect would the
thought that " time is short," and that
".the fashion of this world passeth
away," have on the lovers of wealth !
It would, (1.) Teach them that property
is of little value. (2.) That the pos-
session of it can constitute no distinc-
tion beyond the grave : the rich man is
just as soon reduced to dust, and is just
as offensive in his splendid mausoleum,
as the poor beggar. (3.) A man feeling
this, would be led (or should be) to
make a good use of his property on
earth. See Note, Luke xvi. 1 9. (4.)
He would be led to seek a better inhe-
ritance, an interest in the treasures
that no moth corrupts, and that never
fade away. Note, Matt. vi. 20. This
single thought, that the fashion of this
world is soon to pass away an idea
which no man can doubt or deny if
allowed to take firm hold of the mind,
would change the entire aspect of the
world.
10th. We should endeavour so to
live in all things as that our minds
should not be oppressed with undue
anxiety and care. ver. 32. In all our
arrangements and plans, and in all the
relations of life, our grand object should
be to have the mind free foi i,ho duties
and privileges of religion. We should
seek not to be encumbered with care ;
not to be borne down with anxiety;
not to be unduly attached to the things
of this life.
llth. We should enter into the rela-
tions of life so as not to interfere with
our personal piety or usefulness, but so
as to promote both. ver. 32 35. All
our arrangements should be so formed
as that we may discharge our religious
duties, and promote our usefulness to
our fellow men. But, alas, how many
enter into the marriage relation with un-
christian companions, whose active zeal
is for ever quenched by such a con-
nexion ! How many form commercial
connexions or partnerships in business
with those who are not Christians,
where the result is to diminish their
zeal for God, and to render their whole
lives useless to the church ! And how
much do the cares of life, in all its
relations, interfere with simple-hearted
piety, and with the faithful discharge
of the duties which we owe to God and
to a dying world ! May God of his
mercy enable us so to live in all the
relations of life as that our usefulness
shall not be retarded but augmented ;
and so to live that we can see without
one sigh of regret the "fashion of this
world pass away ;" our property or our
friends removed ; or even the magnifi
cence of the entire world, with all its
palaces, and temples, and "cloud-capped
towers," passing away amidst the fires
that shall attend the consummation of
all things !
152
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.
CHAPTER VIII.
XTOW as touching things of-
^ fered a unto idols, we know
a Acts 15.10, 19.
that we all have knowledge.
Knowledge c puffeth up, but cha-
rity d edifieth.
b Rom. 14. 14,22. c Isa.47.10. d c.13.
CHAPTER VIII.
Iir this chapter another subject is
discussed, which had been proposed by
the church at Corinth for the decision
of the apostle : Whether it was right
for Christians to partake of the meat
that had been offered in sacrifice to
idols? On this question there would
be doubtless a difference of opinion
among the Corinthian Christians.
When those sacrifices were made to
heathen gods, a part of the animal was
given to the priest that officiated, a part
was consumed on the altar, and a pait
(probably the principal part) was the
property of him who offered it. This
part was either eaten by him at fatDme,
as food which had been in some sense
consecrated or blessed by having been
offered to an idol ; or it was partaken
of at a feast in honour of the idol ; or
it was in some instances exposed for
sale in the market, in the same way as
other meat. Whether, therefore, it
would be right to partake of that food,
either when invited to the house of a
heathen friend, or when it was exposed
for sale in the market, was a question
which could not but present itself to a
conscientious Christian. The objection
to partaking of it would be, that to
partake of it either in the temples or at
the feasts of their heathen neighbours,
would l>e to lend their countenance to
idolatry. On the other hand, there
were many who supposed that it was
always lawful, and that the scruples of
their brethren were needless. Some of
their arguments Paul has alluded to in
the course of the chapter: they were,
that an idol was nothing in the world ;
that there was but one God, and that
every one must know this ; and that,
therefore, there was no danger that any
worshipper of the true God could be led
into the absurdities of idolatry, ver. 4
6. To rtiis the apostle replies, that
though there might be this knowledge,
yet, (1.) Knowledge sometimes puffed
up, and made u. proud, and that we
should be careful lest, it should lead u*
astray by our vain self-confidence, ver
1. 2. 7. (2.) That all had not tha*
knowledge (ver. 7) ; and that they
even then, notwithstanding all the light
which had been shed around them by
Chrietianity, and notwithstanding the
absurdity of idolatry, still regarded an
idol as a real existence, as a god, and
worshipped it as such ; and that it
would be highly improper to counte-
nance in any way that idea. He left
the inference, therefore, that it was not
proper, from this argument, to partake
of the sacrifices to idols.
A second argument in favour of par-
taking of that food is alluded to in ver.
8, to wit, that it must be in itself a
matter of indifference; that it could
make no difference before God, where
all depended on moral purity and holi-
ness of heart, whether a man had eaten
meat or not; that we were really no
better or worse for it ; and that, there-
fore, it was proper to partake of that
food. To this Paul replies, (1.) That
though this was true, as an abstract
proposition, yet it might be the occa-
sion of leading others into sin. ver. 9.
(2.) That the effect on a weak brother
would be to lead him to suppose that
an idol was something, and to confirm
him in his supposition that an idol
should have some regard, and be wor-
shipped in the temple, ver. 10. (3.)
That the consequence might be, that a
Christian of little information and ex-
perience might he drawn away and
perish, ver. 11. (4.) That this would
be to sin against Christ, if a feeble
Christian should be thus destroyed,
ver. 12. And, (5.) That as for hin>
self, if indulgence in meat was in any
way the occasion of making another
sin, he would eat no meat as long as
the world stood (ver. 13); since to ab-
A.D. 59.]
stain from meat was a far less evil
than the injury or destruction of an
immortal soul.
1. Now as touching. In regard to;
in answer to your inquiry whether it is
right or not to partake of those things.
Tf Things offered unto idols. Sacrifices
unto idols. Meat that had been offered
in sacrifice, and then either exposed to
sala in the market, or served up at the
feasts held in honour of idols at their
temples, or at the houses of their devo-
tees. Tho priests, who were entitled
to a part of the meat that was offered
in sacrifice, would expose it to sale in
the market ; and it was a custom with
the Gentiles to make feasts in honour of
the idol gods on the meat that was
offered in sacrifice. See ver. 10 of this
chapter, and ch. x. 20, 21. Some Chris-
tians would hold that there could be no
harn. ir. partaking of this meat any
more than any other meat, since an
idol was nothing; and others would
have many scruples in regard to it,
since it would seem to countenance idol
worship. The request made of Paul
was, that he should settle some general
principle which they might all safely
follow. If We know. We admit ; we
cannot dispute; it is so plain a case
that no one can be ignorant on this
point. Probably these are the words
of the Corinthians, and perhaps they
were contained in the letter which was
sent to Paul. They would affirm that
they were not ignorant in regard to the
nature of idols; they were well assured
that they were nothing at all ; and hence
they seemed to infer that it might be
right and proper to partake of this food
anywhere and everywhere, even in the
id"!*, temples themselves. See ver. 10.
To this Paul replies in the course of
the chapter, and particularly in ver. 7.
^ That we. all have knowledge. That
is, on tl is subject ; we are acquainted
with the true nature of idols, and of
iol worship; we all esteem an idol to
oo nothing, and cannot be in danger of
being led into idolatry, or into any im-
proper views in regard to this subject
by participating of the food and feasts
connected with idol worship. This is
CHAPTER VIII.
153
the statement and argument of the Co
rinthians. To this Paul makes two
answers. (1.) In a parenthesis in ver
1 3, to wit, that it was not safe to rely
on mere knowledge in such a case, since
the effect of mere knowledge was often
to puff men up and to make them proud,
but that they ought to act rather from
"charity," or love; and, (2.) Thai
though the mass of them might have
this knowledge, yet that all did not
possess it, and they might be injured,
ver. 7. Having stated this argument
of the Corinthians, that all had know-
ledge, in ver. 1, Paul then in a paren-
thesis states the usual effect of know-
ledge, and shows that it is not a safe
guide, ver. 1 3. In ver. 4 he resumes
the statement (commenced in ver. 1)
of the Corinthians, but which, in a
mode quite frequent in his writings, he
had broken off by his parenthesis on
the subject of knowledge ; and in ver.
4 6 he states the argument more at
length ; concedes that there was to them
but one God, and that the majority
of them must know that ; but states in
ver. 7, that all had not this knowledge,
and that those who had knowledge
ought to act so as not to injure those
who had not. t Knowledge puffeth up.
This is the beginning of the parenthe-
sis. It is the reply of Paul to the state-
ment of the Corinthians, that all had
knowledge. The sense is, ' Admitting
that you all have knowledge ; that you
know what is the nature of an idol,
and of idol worship ; yet mere know-
ledge in this case is not a safe guide ;
its effect may be to puff up, to fill with
pride and self-sufficiency, and to lead
you astray. Charity, or love, as well
as knowledge, should be allowed to
come in as a guide in such cases, and
will be a safer guide than mere know
ledge.' There had been some remark
able proofs of the impropriety of relying
on mere knowledge as a guide in reli
gious matters among the Corinthians,
and it was well for Paul to remind them
of it. These pretenders to uncommon
wisdom had given rise to their factions
disputes, and parties, (see ch. i. ii. iii.^
and Paul now reminds them that it w u
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
2 And if " any man think that
ne knoweth any thing, he know-
a Rom. 11.25. Gal.6.3. lTim.6.3,4.
not safe to rely on such a guide. And
it is no more safe now than it was then.
Mere knowledge, or science, when the
heart is not right, fills with pride ;
swells a man with vain self-confidence
and reliance in his own powers, and
very often leads him entirely astray.
Knowledge combined with right feel-
ings, with pure principles, with a heart
filled with love to God and men, may
be trusted : but not mere intellectual
attainments; mere abstract science ; the
mere cultivation of the intellect. Unless
the heart is cultivated with that, the
effect of knowledge is to make a man
a pedant; to fill him with vain ideas of
his own importance; and thus to lead
him into error and to sin. ^ But cha-
nty edijieth. Love (' fi^a?) ; so
the word means ; and so it would be
well to translate it. Our word charity
we now apply almost exclusively to
alms-giving, or to the favourable opi-
nion which we entertain of others when
they seem to be in error or fault. The
word in the Scripture means simply
love. See Notes on ch. xiii. The sense
here is, ' Knowledge is not a safe guide,
and should not be trusted. Love to each
other and to God, true Christian affec-
tion, will be a safer guide than mere
knowledge. Your conclusion on this
question should not be formed from
mere abstract knowledge ; but you
should ask what LOVE to others to
the peace, purity, happiness, and salva-
tion of your brethren would demand.
If love, to them would prompt to this
course, and permit you to partake of
this food, it should be done ; if not, if
it would injure them, whatever mere
knowledge would dictate, it should not
be done.' The doctrine is, that love to
God and to each other is a better guide
in determining what to do than mere
knowledge. And it is so. It will
prompt us to seek the welfare of others,
and to avoid what would injure them.
It will make us tender, affectionate, and
kind; and will better tell us what to
eth nothing yet as he ought te
know.
do, and how to do it in the best way,
than all the abstract knowledge that is
conceivable. The man who is influ-
enced by love, ever pure and ever glow-
ing, is not in much danger of going
astray, or of doing injury to the cause
of God. The man who relies on his
knowledge is heady, high-minded, ob-
stinate, contentious, vexatious, perverse,
opinionated ; and most of the difficulties
in the church arise from such men.
Love makes no difficulty, but heals
and allays all : mere knowledge heals
or allays none, but is often the occasion
of most bitter strife and contention.
Paul was wise in recommending that
the question should be settled by love
and it would be wise if all Christiana
would follow his instructions.
2. And if any think, &c. The con-
nexion and the scope of this passage
require us to understand this as de-
signed to condemn that vain conceit of
knowledge, or self-confidence, which
would lead us to despise others, or to
disregard their interests. ' If any one
is conceited of his knowledge, is so vain,
and proud, and self-confident, that he
is led to despise others, and to disregard
their true interests, he has not yet learn-
ed the very first elements of true know,
ledge as he ought to learn them. True
knowledge will make us humble, mo-
dest, and kind to others. It will not
puff us up, and it will not lead us to
overlook the real happiness of others.'
See Rom. xi. 25. ^ Any thing. Any
matter pertaining to science, morals,
philosophy, or religion. This is a ge
neral maxim pertaining to all pretend'
ers to knowledge. ^ He knuwcih no-
thing yet, &c. He has not known
what is most necessary to be known on
the subject ; nor has he known the true
use and design of knowledge, which is
to edify and promote the happiness of
others. If a man has not so learned
any thing as to make it contribute to
the happiness of others, it is a proof
that he has never learned the tiue de-
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER V1U.
155
3 But if any man love God,
e same is known of him.
4 As concerning therefore the
a Nah.1.7. 2Tim.2.19.
sign of the first elements of knowledge.
Paul's design is to induce them to seek
the welfare of their brethren. Know-
ledge, rightly applied, will promote the
happiness of all. And it is true now
as it was then, that if a man is a miser
in knowledge as in wealth ; if he lives
to accumulate, never to impart ; if he
is filled with a vain conceit of his wis-
dom, and seeks not to^)enefit others by
enlightening their ignorance, and guid-
ing them in the way of truth, he has
never learned the true use of science,
any more than the man has of wealth
who always hoards, never gives. It is
valueless unless it is diffused, as the
light of heaven would be valueless un-
less diffused all over the world, and the
waters would be valueless if always pre-
served in lakes and reservoirs, and never
diffused over hills and vales to refresh
the earth.
3. But if any man love God. If
any man is truly attached to God ; if
he seeks to serve him, and to promote
his glory. The sense seems to be this.
' There is no true and real knowledge
which is not connected with love to
God. This will prompt a man also to
love his brethren, and will lead him to
promote their happiness. A man's
course, therefore, is not to be regulated
by mere knowledge, but the grand prin-
ciple is love to God and love to man.
I ove edifies; love promotes happiness ;
love will prompt to what is right ; and
love will secure the approbation of God.'
Thus explained, this difficult verse ac-
cords with the whole scope of the pa-
renthesis, which is to show that a man
should not be guided in his intercourse
with others by mere knowledge, how-
ever great that may be ; but that a safer j
and better principle was love, charity \
(I^aTr/)), whether exercised towards God
or man. Under the guidance of this,
man would be in little danger of error.
Tinder ine direction of mer knouskdge
eating of those things that are
offered in sacrifice unto idols,
we know that an idol * is no-
b Isa.41.21.
he would never be sure of a safe guide.
See ch. xiii. ^ The same is known of
him. The words "is known" (tyveetrrdt)
I suppose to be taken here in the sense
of ' is approved by God ; is loved by
him ; meets with his favour,' &c. In
this sense the word known is often
used in the Scriptures. Note, Matt. vii.
23. The sense is, If any man acts
under the influence of sacred chanty,
or love to God, and consequent love to
man, he will meet with the approbation
of God. He will seek his glory, and
the good of his brethren; he will be
likely to do right ; and God will approve
of his intentions and desires, and will
regard him as his child. Little distin-
guished, therefore, as he may be for
human knowledge, for that science
which puffs up with vain self-confi-
dence, yet he will have a more truly
elevated rank, and will meet with the
approbation and praise of God. This
is of more value than mere knowledge,
and this love is a far safer guide than
any mere intellectual attainments.' So
the world would have found it to be if
they had acted on it ; and so Christiana
would always find it.
4. As concerning therefore, &c. The
parenthesis closes with ver. 3. The
apostle now proceeds to the real ques-
tion in debate, and repeats in this verse
the question, and the admission that all
had knowledge. The admission that
all had knowledge proceeds through
ver. 4, 5, and 6 ; and in ver. 7 he gives
the answer to it. In ver. 4 6 every
thing is admitted by Paul which they
asked in regard to the real extent of
their knowledge on this subject; anc 1
in ver. 7 he shows that even on Ihe
ground of this admission, the conclu-
sion would not follow that it was right
to partake of the food offered in sacri-
fice in the temple of an idol. ^ The
eating of thosjs things, &c. Whether
it i* fight to eat them. Here the que*
156
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
thing in the ^ arid, and that there
is none other God but one.
a Deut.4.39. Isa.44.8,24.
tion is varied somewhat from what it
was in ver. 1, but substantially the same
inquiry is stated. The question was,
whether il was right for Christians to
eat the meat of animals that had been
fclain in sacrifice to idols. 1 We know.
ver. 1. We Corinthians know; and
Paul seems fully to admit that they had
all the knowledge which they claimed,
ver. 7. But his object was to show
that even admitting that, it would not
follow that it would be right to partake
of that meat. It is well to bear in mind
that the object of their statement in re-
gard to knowledge was, to show that
there could be no impropriety in par-
taking of the food. This argument the
apostle answers in ver. 7. 1 That an
idol is nothing. Is not the true God ;
is not a proper object of worship. We
are not so stupid as to suppose that the
block of wood, or the carved image, or
the chiseled marble is a real intelli-
gence, and is conscious and capable of
receiving worship, or benefiting its vo-
taries. We fully admit, and know,
that the whole thing is delusive ; and
there can be no danger that, by partak-
ing of the food offered in sacrifice to
them, we should ever be brought to a
belief of the stupendous falsehood that
they are true objects of worship, or to
deny the true God. There is no doubt
that the more intelligent heathen had
this knowledge ; and doubtless nearly
all Christians possessed it, though a few
who had been educated in the grosser
views of heathenism might still have
regarded the idol with a superstitious
reverence. For whatever might have
been the knowledge of statesmen and
philosophers on the subject, it was still
doubtless true that the great mass of the
heathen world did regard the dumb
idols Arf the proper objects of worship,
and supposed that they were inhabited
by invisible spirits the gods. For
purposes of state, and policy, and im-
position, the lawgivers and priests of
the pagan world were careful to cherish
5 For though there be that
are ft called gods, whether in hea-
6 Jno.10.34,35.
this delusion. See ver. 7. f Is no-
thing. Is delusive ; is imaginary.
There may have been a reference here
to the name of an idol among the He-
brews. They called idols o^N (Eli-
/*m), or in the singular S^N (Elil), vain,
null, nothing-worth, nothingness, va-
nity, weakness, &c. ; indicating their
vanity and powerlessness. Lev. xxvi. 1.
1 Chron. xvi. 26. Isa. ii. 8; x. 10;
xix. 11. 13. 20; xxxi. 7. Ps. xc. 5.
Ezek. xxx. 13. Hab. ii. 18. Zech.
xi. 17, &c. ^ In the world. It is
nothing at all ; it has no power over
the world ; no real existence any-
where. There are no such gods as the
heathens pretend to worship. There
is but one God ; and that fact is known
to us all. The phrase " in the world"
seems to be added by way of emphasis,
to show the utter nothingness of idols ;
to explain in the most emphatic manner
the belief that they had no real exist-
ence. H And that there is none other
gods but one. This was a great car-
dinal truth of religion. See Note, Mark
xii. 29. Comp. Deut. vi. 4, 5. To keep
this great truth in mind was the grand
object of the Jewish economy ; and this
was so plain, and important, that the
Corinthians supposed that it must be
admitted by all. Even though they
should partake of the meat that was of-
fered in sacrifice to idols, yet they sup-
posed it was not passible that any of
them could forget the great cardinal
truth that there was but one God.
5. That are called gods. Gods so
called. The heathens everywhere wor-
shipped multitudes, and gave- to them
the name of gods, f Whether in hea-
ven. Residing in heaven, as a part
of the gods were supposed to do. Per-
haps, there may be allusion here to the
sun, moon, and stars ; but I rather su.p-
pose that reference is made to the ce-
lestial deities, or to those who were
supposed to reside in heaven, though
they were supposed occasionally to visit
the earth, as Jupiter, Juno, Mercury
I.D. 59.1
CHAPTER VIII.
15?
ven or in earth, (as there be gods
many and lords many,)
6 But to us a there is but one
God, the Father, of whom are
a Mal.2.10. Eph.4.6.
Arc. J Or in earth. Upon the earth ;
or that reigned particularly over the
earth, or sea, as Ceres, Neptune, &c.
The ancient heathens worshipped some
gods that were supposed to dwell in
heaven : others that were supposed to
reside on earth ; and others that pre-
sided over the inferior regions, as Pluto,
&c. f As there be gods many (^3-^-5^),
&c. As there are, in fact, many which
are so called or regarded. It is a fact
that the heathens worship many whom
they esteem to be gods, or whom they
regard as such. This cannot be an ad-
mission of Paul that they were truly
gods, and ought to be worshipped ; but
it is a declaration that they esteemed
them to be such, or that a large number
of imaginary beings were thus adored.
The emphasis should be placed on the
word many ; and the design of the
parenthesis is, to show that the number
of these that were worshipped was not
a few, but was immense ; and that they
were in fact worshipped as gods, and
allowed to have the influence over their
minds and lives which they w^uld have
if they were real ; that is, that the effect
of this popular belief was to produce just
as much fear,alarm, superstition, and cor-
ruption, as though these imaginary gods
had a real existence. So that though
the more intelligent of the heathen put
no confidence in them, yet the effect on
the great mass was the same as if they
had had a real existence, and exerted
over them a real control, t And lords
many (jcJg/o/ TTOXXO/). Those who had
a rule over them ; <k> whom they sub-
mitted themselves ; and whose laws
they obeyed. This name lord was
often given to their idol gods. Thus
among the nations of Canaan their idols
was called Spa (Baal, or /ore?), the tu-
telary god of the Phenicians and Sy-
rians. Judg. viii. 33 ; ix. 4. 46. It is
used here with reference to the idols,
and means that the laws which they
irere supposed to give in regard to their
worship had control over the minds of
their worshippers.
6. But to us. Christians. We ac-
knowledge but one God. Whatever the
heathen worship, we know that there is
but one God ; and he alone has a right
to rule over us. J One God, the Fa-
ther. Whom we acknowledge as the
Father of all ; Author of all things ; and
who sustains to all his w@rks the rela-
tion of a father. The word " Father*
here is not used as applicable to the
first person of the Trinity, as distin-
guished from the second, but is applied
to God as God ; not as the Father in
contradistinction from the Son, but to
the divine nature as such, without re-
ference to that distinction the Father
as distinguished from his offspring, the
works that owe their origin to him.
This is manifest, (1.) Because the apos-
tle does not use the correlative term
" Son" when he comes to speak of the
" one Lord Jesus Christ ;'' and (2.) Be-
cause the scope of the passage requires
it. The apostle speaks of God, of the
divine nature, the one infinitely holy
Being, as sustaining the relation of
Father to his creatures. He produced
them. He provides for them. He pro-
tects them, as a father does his children.
He regards their welfare ; pities them
in their sorrows ; sustains them in trial ;
shows himself to be their friend. The
name Father is thus given frequently
to God, as applicable to the one God,
the divine Being. Ps. ciii. 13. Jer.
xxxi. 9. Mai. i. 6; ii. 10. Matt. vi. 9.
Luke xi. 2, &c. In other places it is
applied to the first person of the Tri
nity as distinguished from the second ;
and in these instances the correlative
Son is used. Luke x. 22; xxii. 42.
John i. 18; iii. 35; v. 19, 20, 21, 22,
20. 26. 30. 36. Heb. i. 5. 2 Pet. i. 17,
&c. f Of whom (t% &y). From whom,
as a fountain and source ; by whose
counsel, plan, and purpose. He is the
great source of all ; and all depend on
158
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
all things, and we in i him ;
and one Lord Jesus Christ, by
or, for.
whom * are all things, and
by him.
a Jno.1.3. Heb.1.2.
him. It was by his purpose and power
that all things were formed, and to all
he sustains the relation of a Father.
The agent in producing all things,
however, was the Son. Col. i. 16.
Note, John i. 3. ^ Are all things.
These words evidently; refer to the
whole work of creation, as deriving
their origin from God. Gen.i. 1. Every
thing has thus been formed in accord-
ance with his plan ; and all things now
depend on him as their Father. 1 And
we. We Christians. We are what we
are by him. We owe our existence to
him ; and by him we have been rege-
nerated and saved. It is owing to his
counsel, purpose, agency, that we have
an existence ; and owing to him that
we have the hope of eternal life. The
leading idea here is, probably, that to
God Christians owe their hopes and
happiness. \ In him (? dt/riV) ; or
rather unto him : that is, we are formed
for him, and should live to his glory.
We have been made what we are, as
Christians, that we may promote his
honour and glory. *|j And one Lord,
&c. One Lord in contradistinction from
the " many lords" whom the heathens
worshipped. The word Lord here is
used in the sense of proprietor, ruler,
governor, or king ; and the idea is, that
Christians acknowledge subjection to
him alone, and not to many sovereigns,
as the heathens did. Jesus Christ is
the Ruler and Lord of his people. They
acknowledge their allegiance to him as
their supreme Lawgiver and King.
They do not acknowledge subjection
to many rulers, whether imaginary
gods or men; but receive their laws
from him alone. The word " Lord"
here does not imply of necessity any
inferiority to God ; since it is a term
which is frequently applied to God him-
self. The idea in the passage is, that
from God, the Father of all, we derive
our existence, and all that we have ;
and that we acknowledge immediate
*d direct subjection to the Lord Jesus
as our Lawgiver and Sovereign. From
him Christians receive their laws, and
to him they submit their lives. And
this idea is so far from supposing infe*
riority in the Lord Jesus to God, that
it rather supposes equality ; since a right
to give laws to men, to rule their con
sciences, to direct their religious opi-
nions and their lives, can appropriately
appertain only to one who h'as equality
with God. 1 By whom, &c. (//' w).
By whose agency , or through whom,
as the agent. The word " by" (if)
stands in contradistinction from " of"
(!) in the former part of the verse;
and obviously means, that, though " all
things" derived their existence from
God as the fountain and author, yet it
was " by " the agency of the Lord Jesus.
This doctrine, that the Son of God was
the great agent in the creation of the
world, is elsewhere abundantly taught
in the Scriptures. See Note, John i. 3.
K Are all things. The universe ; for
so the phrase Ta Trdvrx. properly means.
No words could better express the idea
of the universe than these; and the
declaration is therefore explicit that the
Lord Jesus created all things. Some
explain this of the " new creation ;" as
if Paul had said that all things per-
taining to our salvation were from him.
But the objections to this interpretation
are obvious. (1.) It is not the natural
signification. (2.) The phrase "all
things" naturally denotes the universe.
(3.) The scope of the passage requires
us so to understand it. Paul is not
speaking of the new creature ; but he
is speaking of tl^ question whether
there is more than one God, one Crea-
tor, one Ruler over the wide universe.
The heathen said there was ; Chrislia
affirmed that there was not. The scope,
therefore, of the passage requires us to
understand this of the vast material
universe ; and the obvious declaration
here is, that the Lord Jesus was the
Creator of all. f And we. We Chris-
tians (1 Pet. i. 21") ; or, we as men
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER VI11.
7 Howbeit there is not in
every man that knowledge : for
some, with conscience of the
idol unto this hour, eat it as a
\ve have derived our existence " by "
V V/) or through him. The expression
will apply either to our original crea-
tion, or to our hopes of heaven, as being
by him ; and is equally true respecting
both. Probably the idea is, that all that
we have, as men and as Christians,
our lives and our hopes, are through
him, and by his agency. Tf By him
(// HUTOU*). By his agency. Paul had
said, in respect to God the Father of all,
that we were unto (\K ) him ; he here
says that in regard to the Lord Jesus,
we are by (//') him, or by his agency.
The sense is, ' God is the author, the
former of the plan ; the source of being
and of hope ; and we are to live to him :
but Jesus is the agent by whom all
these things are made, and through
whom they are conferred on us.' Ari-
ans and Socinians have made use of
this passage to prove that the Son was
inferior to God ; and the argument is,
that the name God is not given to
Jesus, but another name implying infe-
riority ; and that the design of Paul
was to make a distinction between God
and the Lord Jesus. It is not the de-
sign of these Notes to examine opinions
in theology ; but in reply to this argu-
ment we may observe, briefly, (1.) That
those who hold to the divinity of the
Lord Jesus do not deny that there is a
distinction between him and the Father :
they fully admit and maintain it, both
in regard to his eternal existence (i. e.
that there is an eternal distinction of
persons in the Godhead) and in regard
to his office as mediator. (2.) The
term " Lord," given here, does not of
necessity suppose that he is inferior to
God. (3.) The design of the passage
supposes that there was equality in
some respects. God the Father and
the Lord Jesus sustain relations to
men that in some sense correspond to
the " many gods" and the " many lords"
that the heathen adored ; but they were
equal in nature. (4.) The work of
creation is expressly in this passage
ascribed to the Lord Jesus. But the
work of creation cannot be performed
by a creature. There can be no dele-
gated God, and no delegated omnipo-
tence, or delegated infinite wisdom and
omnipresence. The work of creation
implies divinity ; or it is impossible to
prove that there is a God : and if the
Lord Jesus made "ALL THINGS," hfo
must be God.
7. Howbeit. But. In the previous
verses Paul had stated the argument of
the Corinthians that they all knew
that an idol was nothing; that they
worshipped but one God ; and that
there could be no danger of their fall-
ing into idolatry, even should they par-
take of the meat offered in sacrifice to
idols. Here he replies, that though
this might be generally true, yet it wag
not universally ; for that some were
ignorant on this subject, and supposed
that an idol had a real existence, and
that to partake of that meat would be
to confirm them in their superstition.
The inference therefore is, that on their
account they should abstain. See ver.
11 13. ^ There is not, &c. There
are some who are weak and ignorant ,
who have still remains of heathen opi-
nions and superstitious feelings, ^f Tha*
knowledge. That there is but one God ;
and that an idol is nothing. If For
some, with conscience of the idol. From
conscientious regard to the idol ; be-
lieving that an idol god has a real
existence ; and that his favour should
be sought, and his wrath be deprecated.
It is not to be supposed that converted
men would regard idols as the only
God ; but they might suppose that they
were intermediate beings, good or bad
angels, and that it was proper to seek
their favour or avert their wrath. We
are to bear in mind that the heathen
were exceedingly ignorant; and that
their former notions and superstitious
feelings about the gods whom their
fathers worshipped, and whom they
had adored, would not soon leav
160
I. CORINTHIANS.
tiling offered unto an idol ; and
their conscience being weak is
defiled.
8 But meat a commendeth us
aRom.14.17.
[A. D. 59
not to God : for neither if wt
eat, * are we the better ; nei-
ther if we eat not, z are we the
worse.
l or, have we the more. * or, have we the less.
them, even on their conversion to
Christianity. This is just one instance,
like thousands, in which former erro-
neous opinions, prejudices, or supersti-
tious views may influence those who
are truly converted to God, and great-
ly mar and disfigure tke beauty and
symmetry of their religious character.
1 Eat it as a thing, &c. As offered to
an idol who was entitled to adoration ;
or as having a right to their homage.
They supposed that some invisible spi-
rit was present with the idol ; and that
his favour should be sought, or his
wrath averted, by sacrifice. J And
their conscience being weak. Being
unenlightened on this subject ; and
being too weak to withstand the temp-
tation in such a case. Not having a
conscience sufficiently clear and strong
to enable them to resist the temptation ;
to overcome all their former prejudices
and superstitious feelings; and to act
in an independent manner, as if an idol
were nothing. Or their conscience was
morbidly sensitive and delicate on this
subject: they might be disposed to do
right, and yet not have sufficient know-
ledge to convince them that an idol was
nothing, and that they ought not to
regard it. | Is dejiled. Polluted ; con-
taminated. By thus countenancing
idolatry he is led into sin, and contracts
guilt that will give him pain when his
conscience becomes more enlightened,
ver. 11. 13. From superstitious reve-
rence of the idol, he might think that
he was doing right ; but the effect
would be to lead him to a conformity
to idol worship that would defile his
conscience, pollute his mind, and ulti-
mately produce the deep and painful
conviction of guilt. The general rej/ly,
therefore, of Paul to the first argument
in favour of partaking of the meat
offered in sacrifice to idols is, that all
Christians have not full knowledge on
the subject ; and that to partake of that
might lead them into the sin of idola-
try, and corrupt and destroy their souls.
8 But meat commendeth us not to
God. This is to be regarded as the view
presented by the Corinthian Christians,
or by the advocates for partaking of the
meat offered in sacrifice to idols. The
sense is, ' Religion is of a deeper and
more spiritual nature than a mere re-
gard to circumstances like these. God
looks at the heart. He regards the
motives, the thoughts, the moral actions
of men. The mere circumstance of
eating meat, or abstaining from it, can-
not make a man better or worse in the
sight of a holy God. The acceptable
worship of God is not placed in such
things. It is more spiritual; more
deep; more important. And therefore,'
the inference is, 'it cannot be a matter
of much importance whether a man
eats the meat offered in sacrifice to
idols, or abstains.' To this argument
the apostle replies (ver. 9 13), that
although this might be true in itself,
yet it might be the occasion of leading
others into sin, and it would then be-
come a matter of great importance in
the sight of God, and should be in the
sight of all true Christians. The word
"commendeth" (irt^ivvtxrt) means pro-
perly to introduce to the favour of any
one, as a king or ruler ; and here mean*
to recommend to the favour of God,
God does not regard this as a matter
of importance. He does not make hit
favour depend on unimportant circum-
stances like this. J Neither if we eat
If we partake of the meat offered tc
idols. ^ Are we the better. Margin.
Have we the more. Gr. Do we abound
(Tr^Kra-fJcfjttv') ; that is, in moral worth
or excellence of character. See Note,
Rev. xiv. 17. 1 Are we the worse,
A. D. 59.]
9 But take heed lest by any
means this * liberty a of yours
become a sfumbling-block to
them that are weak.
10 For if any man see thee
or, po-r.er. a Rom.14. 13,20. Gal.5.13.
CHAPTER VP1.
1(51
Margin, Have we the less. Greek, Do
we lack cr want (cV-rtgow^sS-at) ; that is,
in moral worth or excellence.
9. But take heed. This is the reply
of Paul to the argument of the Corinth-
ians in ver. 8. 'Though all that you
say should be admitted to be true, as it
must be; though a man is neither
morally better nor worse for partaking
of meat or abstaining from it ; yet the
grand principle, to be observed is, so to
act as not to injure your brethren.
Though you may be no better or worse
for eating or not eating, yet if your
conduct shall injure others, and lead
them into sin, that is a sufficient guide
to determine you what to do in the
cas. You should abstain entirely. It
is of far more importance that your
brother should not be led into sin, than
it is that you should partake of meat
which you acknowledge (ver. 8) is in
itself of no importance.' ^ Lest by
any means (//' 5ra>?). You should be
careful that by no conduct of yours
your brother be led into sin. This is a
general principle that is to regulate
Christian conduct in all matters that
are in themselves indifferent, ^f This
liberty of yours. This which you
claim as a right; this power which
you have, and the exercise of which is
in itself lawful. The liberty or power
(tfrurix.) here referred to was that of
partaking of the meat that was offered
in sacrifice to idols, ver. 8. A man
may have a right abstractly to do a
thing, but it may not be prudent or
wise to exercise it. t Become a stum-
bling-block. An occasion of sin. Note,
Matt. v. 29; also Note, Rom. xiv. 13.
See that it be not the occasion of lead-
ing others to sin, and to abandon their
Christian profession, ver. 10. f To
them that are weak. To those pro-
fessing Christians who are not fully
14*
which hast knowledge sit at meat
in the idol's temple, shall not the
conscience of him which is weak
be 2 emboldened to eat those things
which are offered to idols ;
ethfied.
informed or instructed in regard to the
true nature of idolatry, and who still
may have a superstitious regard for the
gods whom their fathers worshipped.
10. For if any man. Any Chris-
tian brother who is ignorant, or any
one who might otherwise become a
Christian. ^ Which hast knowledge
Who are fully informed in regard to
the real nature of idol worship. You
will be looked up to as an example.
You will be presumed to be partaking
of this feast in honour of the idol. You
will thus encourage him, and he will
partake of it with a conscientious re-
gard to the idol. ^ Sit at meat.
Sitting down to an entertainment
in the temple of the idol. Feasts
were often celebrated, as they are now
among the heathen, in honour of idols.
Those entertainments were either in
the temple of the idol, or at the house
of him who gave 't m t Shall not the
conscience of him which is weak. Of
the nian who is not fully informed, or
who still regards the idol with super-
stitious feelings. See ver. 7. Tf Be
emboldened. Margin, Edified (ciit'Jc,-
ftn&)i<r*Tctt'). Confirmed ; established.
So the word edify is commonly used
in the New Testament. Acts ix. 31.
Rom. xiv. 19. Eph. iv. 12. 1 Thess.
v. 11. The sense here is, < Before this
he had a superstitious regard for idols.
He had the remains of his former feel-
ings and opinions. But he was not
established in the belief that an idol
was any thing; and his superstitious
feelings were fast giving way to the
better Christian doctrine that they were
nothing. But now, by your example,
he will be fully confirmed in the belief
that an idol is to be regarded with re-
spect and homage. He will see you
in the very temple, partaking of a feast
in honour rf the idol ; and he will infer
162
CORINTHIANS.
11 And through thy know-
Ledge shall the weak brother
not only that it is right, but that it is a
matter of conscience with you, and will
follow your example.'
11. And through thy knowledge.
Because you knew that an idol was
nothing, and that there could be really
no danger of falling into idolatry from
partaking of these entertainments. You
will thus be the means of deceiving
and destroying him. The argument
of the apostle here is, that if this was
',o be the result, the duty of those who
had this knowledge was plain. \ Shall
the weak brother. The uninformed and
ignorant Christian. That it means a
real Christian there can be no doubt.
For (1.) It is the usual term by which
Christians are designated the endear-
ing name of brother; and (2.) The
scope of the passage requires it so to
be understood. See Note, Rom. xiv.
20. If Perish. Be destroyed ; ruined ;
lost. Note, John x. 28. So the word
tiTroKitrati properly and usually signi-
fies. The sense is, that the tendency
of this course would be to lead the weak
brother into sin, to apostasy, and to
ruin. But this does not prove that
any who were truly converted should
apostatize and be lost; for (1.) There
may be a tendency to a thing, and yet
that thing may never happen. It may
be arrested, and the event not occur.
(2.) The warning designed to prevent
it may be effectual, and be the means
of saving. A man in a canoe floating
down the Niagara river may hsrVe a
tendency to go over the falls , but he
may be hailed from the shore, and the
hailing may be eifectual, and he may
be saved. The call to him was de-
signed to save him, and actually had
that effect. So it may be in the warn-
ings to Christians. (3.) The apostle
does not say that any true Christian
would be lost. He puts a question ;
and affirms that if one thing was done,
another might follow. But this is not
affirming that any one would be lost.
So I might say that if the man con-
[A.D. 59.
perish, for whom Christ died ?
12 But when ye sin so
a Matt.2.40,45.
tinned to float on towards the falls of
Niagara, he would be destroyed. If one
thing was done, the other would be a
consequence. But this would be very
different from a statement that a man
had actually gone over the falls, and
been lost. (4.) It is elsewhere abun-
dantly proved that no one who bar
been truly converted will apostatize
and be destroyed. See Notes, John x.
28. Comp. Note, Rom. viii. 29, 30.
1 For whom Christ died. This is
urged as an argument why we should
not do any thing that would tend to
destroy the souls of men. And no
stronger argument could be used. The
argument is, that we should not do any
thing that would tend to frustrate the
work of Christ, that would render the
shedding of his blood vain. The possi-
bility of doing this is urged ; and that
bare possibility should deter us from a
course of conduct that might have this
tendency. It is an appeal drawn from
the deep and tender love, the suffer-
ings, and the dying groans of the Son
of God. If he endured so much to
save the soul, assuredly we should not
pursue a course that would tend to
destroy it. If he denied himself so
much to redeem, we should not, as-
suredly, be so fond of self-gratification
as to be unwilling to abandon any
thing that would tend to destroy.
12. But when ye sin so against the
brethren. This is designed further to
show the evil of causing others to sin ;
and hence the evil which might arise
from partaking of the meat offered to
idols. The word sin here is to be
taken in the sense of injuring, offend-
ing, leading into sin. You violate
the law which requires you to love
your brethren, and to seek their wel-
fare, and thus you sin against them.
Sin is properly against God ; but there
may be a course of injury pursued
against men, or doing them injustice
or wrong, and this is sin against
them. Christians are bound to do right
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER VIII.
163
against the brethren, and wound
their weak conscience, ye sin
against Christ.
13 Wherefore, if meat make
towards all. If And pound their weak
conscience. The word wound here
(TU?TTCVTC, smiting, beating") is taken
in the sense of injure. Their con-
sciences are ill-informed. They, have
not the knowledge which you have.
And by your conduct they are led far-
ther into error, and believe that the
.dol is something, and is to be honoured.
They are thus led into sin, and their
conscience is more and more perverted,
and oppressed more and more with a
sense of guilt, f Ye sin against Christ.
Because (1.) Christ has commanded
you to love them, and seek their good,
and not to lead them into sin ; and
(2.) Because they are so intimately
united to Christ (Notes, John xv. l,&c.)
that to offend them is to offend him ;
to injure the members is to injure the
head ; to destroy their souls is to pain
his heart and to injure his cause.
Note, Matt. x. 40. Comp. Luke x. 16.
13. Wherefore. As the conclusion
of the whole matter, f If meat, &c.
Paul here proposes his own views and
feelings, or tells them how he would
act in order to show them how they
should act in these circumstances.
f Make my brother to offend. Lead
him into sin ; or shall be the cause of
leading him into error and guilt. It
does not mean, if the eating of meat
should enrage or irritate another; but
if it is the occasion of his being led
into transgression. How this might
be done is stated in ver. 10. ^ I will
eat nojlesh, &c. My eating meat is a
matter of comparative unimportance.
I can dispense with it. It is of much
less importance to me than happiness,
a good conscience, and salvation are to
my brother. And the law of love
therefore to him requires me to deny
myself rather than to be the occasion
of leading him into sin. This is a
no'jle resolution ; and marks a great,
my brothei to offend, I will eat
no flesh while the world stand-
eth, lest tt I make my brother to
offend.
a c.9.22.
disinterested, and magnanimous spirit.
It is a spirit that seeks the good of all ;
that can deny itself; that is supremely
anxious for the glory of God and the
salvation of man, and that can make
personal comfort and gratification sub-
servient to the good of others. It was
the principle on which Paul always
acted ; and is the very spirit of the
self-denying Son of God. f While
the world standeth. Greek, For ever.
The phrase ' I will never eat meat'
would express the idea. 1 Lest I make,
&c. Rather than lead him into sin,
by my indulging in eating the meat
offered in sacrifice to idols.
REMARKS.
This chapter is very important, as it
settles some principles in regard to the
conduct of Christians ; and shows how
they should act in reference to things
that are indifferent ; or which in them-
selves can be considered as neither right
nor wrong ; and in reference to those
things which may be considered in
themselves as right and lawful, but
whose indulgence might injure others.
And from the chapter we learn,
1st. That Christians, though they
are truly converted, yet may have many
erroneous vie-vs and feelings in refer-
ence to many things, ver. 6. This
was true of those converted from ancient
heathenism, and it is true of those who
are now converted from heathenism,
and of all young converts. Former
opinions, and prejudices, and even
superstitions abide long in the mind,
and cast a long and withering influ-_
ence over the regions of Christian
piety. The morning dawn is at first
very obscure. The change from night
to daybreak is at first scarcely per-
ceptible. And so it may be in con-
version. The views which a heathen
entertained from his childhood could
not at once be removed. The influ-
1. CORINTHIANS.
ence of corrupt opinions and feelings,
which a sinner has long indulged, may
travel over in his conversion, and may
long endanger his piety and destroy
his peace. Corrupt and infidel thoughts,
associations of pollution, cannot be de-
stroyed at once; and we are not to
expect from a child in the Christian
life, the foil vigour, and the elevated
principle, and the strength to resist
temptation, which we expect of the
man matured in the service of the
Lord Jesus. This should lead us to
charity in regard to the imperfections
and failings of young converts ; to a
willingness to aid and counsel them ;
to carefulness not to lead them into
sin ; and it should lead us not to expect
the same amount *of piety, zeal, and
purity in converts from degraded hea-
thens, which we expect in Christian
lands, and where converts have been
trained up under all the advantages of
Sabbath-schools and Bible-classes.
2d. Our opinions should be formed,
and our treatment of others regulated,
riot by abstract knowledge, but by love,
ver. 1. A man is usually much more
likely to act right who is influenced
by charity and love, than one who is
guided by simple knowledge, or by self-
confidence. One is humble, kind, ten-
der towards the frailties of others, sen-
sible himself of infirmity, and is disposed
to do right; the other may be vain,
harsh, censorious, unkind, and severe.
Knowledge is useful ; but for the prac-
tical purposes of life, in an erring and
fallen world, love is more useful ; and
while the one often leads astray, the
other seldom errs. Whatever know-
ledge we may have, we should make it
a point from which we are never to
depart, that our opinions of others, and
our treatment of them, should be formed
under the influence of love.
3d. We should not be self-confident
of our wisdom, ver. 2. Religion pro-
duces humility. Mere knowledge may
fill the heart with pride and vanity.
True knowledge is not inconsistent
with humility ; but it must be joined
with a heart that is right. The men
that have been most eminent in know-
[A. D. 5<J
ledge have also been distinguished fo:
humility; but the heart was right; an?
they saw the folly of depending on
mere knowledge.
4th. There is but one God. ver. 4 P.
This great truth lies at the foundation
of all true religion ; and yet is so sim
pie that it may b known by all Chris-
tians, however humble, and is to be
presumed to be known by all, But
though simple, it is a great and glorious
truth; To keep this before the minds
of men was one great purpose of all
God's revelations ; and to communi-
cate it to men is now the grand object
of all missionary enterprises. The
world is full of idols and idolaters ; but
the knowledge of this simple truth
would change the moral aspect of the
entire globe. To spread this truth
should be the great aim and purpose
of all true Christians ; and when this
truth is spread, the idols of the heathen
will fall to the dust.
5th. Christians acknowledge one and
only one Lord. ver. 6. He rules over
them. His laws bind them. He con-
trols them. He has a right to them.
He can dispose of them as he pleases.
They are not their own ; but are bound
to live entirely to him, and for the pro-
motion of his cause.
6th. It becomes Christians to exer-
cise continual care, lest their conduct,
even in things which are in themselves
lawful, should be the occasion of lead-
ing others into sin. ver. 9. Christians
very often pursue a course of conduct
which may not be in itself unlawful,
but which may lead others who have
not their intelligence, or strength of
principle, into error. One man may
be safe where another man is in dan-
ger. One man may be able to resist
temptations which would entirely over-
come another. A course of life may,
perhaps, be safe for a man of years
and of mature judgment, which would
be ruinous to a young man. And the
grand principle here should be, not to
do that, even though it may be lawful
itself, which would be the occasion
of leading others into sin.
7th. We see here the importance
A. D. 59.]
and the power of example, ver. 10, 11.
Nothing is of more value than a correct
Christian example. And this applies
particularly to those who are in the
more elevated ranks of life, who occupy
stations of importane, who are at the
head of families, colleges, and schools.
CHAPTER VIII.
165
The ignorant will be likely to follow oortant changes in society, (i.) En-
the example of the learned ; the poor "tertainments and feasts which, perhaps,
of the rich; those in humble life will
imitate the manners of the great. Even
in things, therefore, which may not be
in themselves unlawful in these cir-
cumstances, they should set an example
of self-denial, of plainness, of absti-
nence, for the sake of those beneath
them. They should so live that it
would be safe arid right for all to imi-
tate their example. Christ, though he
was rich, yet so lived that all may
safely imitate him ; though he was
nonoured of God, and exalted to the
highest office as the Redeemer of the
world, yet he lived so that all in every
rank may follow him ; though he had
all power, and was worshipped by
angels, yet so lived that he might teach
the most humble and lowly how to live ;
and so lived that it is safe and proper
for all to live as he did. So should
every monarch, and prince, and rich
man ; every noble, and every learned
man ; every man of honour and office ;
every master of a family, and every
man of age and wisdom, live that all
others may learn of them how to live,
and that they may safely walk in their
footsteps.
8th. We have here a noble instance
>f the principles on which Paul was
willing to act. ver. 13. He was willing
to deny himself of any gratification, if
his conduct was likely to be the occa- I scenes, and though it is certain that
sion of leading others into sin. Even ; Paul or the Saviour would not have been
the grand principle of Christianity ;
and this should influence and guide
all the professed friends and followers
of Christ. This principle might be
applied to many things in which many
Christians now freely indulge ; and if
applied, would produce great and im-
you may be able to afford (that is,
afford in the supposition that what
you have is yours, and not the Lord's),
may lead many of those who cannot
afford it to imitate you, and to involve
themselves in debt, in extravagance, in
ruin. (2.) You might possibly be safe
at a festival, at a public dinner, or in a
large party ; but your example would
encourage others where they would
not be safe ; and yet, how could you
reply should they say that you were
there, and that they were encouraged
by you 1 (3.) On the supposition that
the use of wine and other fermented
liquors may be in themselves lawful,
and that you mi^ht be safe in using
them, yet others may be led by your
example to an improper use of them,
or contracts, taste for stimulating drinks
that may end in their ruin. Would it
be right for you to continue the use of
wine in such circumstances ] Would
Paul have done if? Would he not
have adopted the noble principle in this
chapter, that he would not touch it
while the world stands, if it led him to
sin 1 (4.) You might be safe in a
party of amusement, in the circle of the
gay, and in scenes of merriment and
mirth. I say you might be, though
the supposition is scarcely possible that
Christian piety is ever safe in such
from that which was in itself lawful he
would abstain forever, if by indulgence
he would be the occasion of another's
into transgression. But how
rare is this virtue ! How seldom is it
practised ! How few Christians and
Christian ministers are there who deny
themselves any gratification in things
in themselves right, iest they should
induce others to sin ! And yet this is
found there. But how will it be for the
young, and for those of less strength
of Christian virtue? Will they be
safe there 1 Will they be able to guard
against these allurements as you could ]
Will they not be led into the love of
gayety, vanity, and folly 1 And what
would Paul have done in such cases ]
What would Jesus Christ have done !
What should Christians now do ! This
166 I. CORINTHIANS.
CHAPTER IX.
AMI not an apostle ? am I
** not free ? have I not a seen
single principle, if fairly applied, would
go far to change the aspect of the Chris-
tian world. If all Christians had Paul's
delicate sensibilities, and Paul's strength
of Christian virtue, and Paul's willing-
ness to deny himself to benefit others,
the aspect of the Christian world would
soon change. How many practices
now freely indulged in would be aban-
doned ! And how soon would every
Christian be seen to set such an exam-
ple that all others could safely follow it !
CHAPTER IX.
THE apostle had in ch. viii. 13, men-
tioned his willingness to deny himself
f he might be the means of benefiting
others. On this principle he had acted ;
and on this he purposed to act. The
mention of this principle of action seems
to have led him to a further illustration
of it in his own case, and in the illus-
tration to meet an objection that had
been urged against him at Corinth ;
and the scope of this chapter seems to
have been not only to give an illustra-
tion of this principle (see ch. ix. 27),
but to show that this principle on which
he acted would account for his conduct
when with them, and would meet all
the objections which had been made
against his apostleship. These objec-
tions seem to have been, (1.) That he
had not seen Jesus Christ ; and there-
fore could not be an apostle, ver. 1.
(2.) That he did not live like the other
apostles, that he was unmarried, was a
solitary man, and a wanderer, and was
unlike the other apostles in his mode
of life, not indulging as apostles might
do in the ordinary comforts of life,
ver. 4, 5. (3.) That he and Barnabas
were compelled to labour for their sup-
port, and were conscious, therefore, that
they had no pretensions to the apostolic
office, ver. 6. And (4.) That the fact
that he was unsupplied; that he did
not apply to Christians for his main-
tenance ; that he did not urge this as
t right, showed that he was conscious
[A. D. 5^
Jesus Christ our Lord ? are not
ye my work b in the Lord ?
a Acts 9.3,17. ft c.4.15.
that he had no claims to the apostolic
character and rank.
To all this he replies in this chapter,
and the main drift and design of his
reply is, to show that he acted on the
principle suggested in ch. viii. 13, that
of denying himself; and consequently,
that though he had a right to main-
tenance, yet that the fact that he did
not urge that right was no proof that
he was not sent from God, but was
rather a proof of his being actuated by
the high and holy principles which
ought to influence those who were
called to this office. In urging this
reply, he shows,
(1.) That he had seen Jesus Christ,
and had this qualification for the office
of an apostle, ver. 1.
(2.) That he had the power like
others to partake of the common enjoy-
ments of life, and that his not doing it
was no proof that he was not an apos-
tle, ver. 4.
(3.) That he was not prohibited from
entering the domestic relations as others
had done, but had the right to enjoy
the same privileges if he chose ; and
that his not doing it was no proof lhat
he was not an apostle, but was an in-
stance of his denying himself for the
good of others, ver. 5.
(4.) That he was not under a neces-
sity of labouring with his own hands,
but that he might have required sup-
port as others did ; that his labouring
was only another instance of his readi-
ness to deny himself to promote the
welfare of others, ver. 6.
This sentiment he illustrates through
the remainder of the chapter by show-
ing that he had a right to support in
the work of the apostleship, and that
his not insisting on it was an instance
of his being willing to deny himself
that he might do good to others ; that
he did not urge this right because to
do that might injure the cause (vor.
12. 15); and that whether he received
A.I). 59.]
CHAPTER IX.
167
support or not, he was bound to preach
the gospel. In this he shows (a) (ver.
7 10. 13) That Cod gave him the
right to support if he chose tc exercise
it ; (6) That it was equitable that he
should be supported (ver. 11); (c) That
the Lord had ordained this as a gene-
ral law, that they which preached the
gospel should live by it (ver. 14) ; (c?)
That he had not chosen to avail himself
of it because it might do injury (ver.
12. 15) ; (e) That necessity was laid
upon him at all events to preach the
gospel (ver. 16) ; (/) That if he did this
without an earthly reward, he would
be rewarded in heaven in a distin-
guished manner (ver. 17, 18); (g) That
he had made it the grand principle of
his life, not to make money, out to save
souls, and that he had sought this by a
course of continued self-denial (ver.
' 9 22); (A) That all this was done for
the sake of the gospel (ver. 23); and (z)
That he had a grand and glorious object
in view, which required him, after the
manner of the Athletae, to keep his
body under, to practise self-denial, to
be temperate, to forego many comforts
of which he might otherwise have par-
taken, and that the grandeur and glory
of this object was enough to justify all
his self-denial, and to make all his
sacrifices pleasant, ver. 24 27.
Thus the whole chapter is an inci-
dental discussion of the subject of his
apostleship, in illustration of the senti-
ment advanced in ch. viii. 13, that he
was willing to practise self-denial for
the good of others ; and is one of the
most elevated, heavenly, and beautiful
discussions in the New Testament, and
contains one of the most ennobling
descriptions of the virtue of self-denial,
and of the principles which should actu-
ate the Christian ministry, anywhere
to be found. All classic writings would
be searched in vain, and all records of
profane history, for an instance of such
pure and elevated principle as is pre-
sented in this chapter.
1. Am I not an apostle ? This was
the point to be settled ; and it is pro-
bable that some at Corinth had denied
that he could be an apostle, since it
was requisite, in order to that, to have
seen trie Lord Jesus ; and since it wa*
supposed that Paul had not been &
witness of his life, doctrines, and death.
^ Am I not free ? Am I not a free
man ; have I not the liberty which all
Christians possess, and especially which
all the apostles possess 1 The liberty
referred to here is doubtless the privi-
lege or right of abstaining from labour ;
of enjoying as others did the domestic
relations of life ; and of a support as a
public minister and apostle. Probably
some had objected to his claims of apos-
tleship that he had not used this right,
and that he was conscious that he had
no claim to it. By this mode of inter-
rogation, he strongly implies that he
was a freeman, and that he had this
right. K Have I not seen Jesus CJirist
our Lord? Here it is implied, and
seems to be admitted by Paul, that in
order to be an apostle it was necessary
to have seen the Saviour. This is
often declared expressly. See Note on
Acts i. 21, 22. The reason of this
was, that the apostles were appointed
to be WITNESSES of the life, doctrines,
death, and resurrection .of the Lord
Jesus, and that in their being witnesses
consisted the PECULIARITY of the apos-
tolic office. That this was the case is
abundantly manifest from Matt, xxviii.
18, 19. Luke xxiv. 48. Acts i. 21, 22 ;
ii. 32; x. 39 41. Hence it was es-
sential, in order that any one should
be such a witness, and an apostle, that
he should have seen the Lord Jesus.
'In the case of Paul, therefore, who was
called to this office after the death and
resurrection of the Saviour, and who
had not therefore had an opportunity
of seeing and hearing him when living,
this was provided for by the fact that
the Lord Jesus showed himself to him
after his death and ascension, in order
that he might have this qualification
for the apostolic office. Acts ix. 3 5.
17. To the fact of his having been
thus in a miraculous manner qualified
for the apostolic office, Paul frequently
appeals, and always with the same
view that it was necessary to have seen
the Lord Jesus to qualify one for thia
188
CORINTHIANS.
2 If I be not an apostle unto
others, yet doubtless I am to
you : for the seal of mine apos-
3ffice. Acts xxii. 14, 15; xxvi. 16.
1 Cor. xv. 8. It follows from this,
therefore, that no one was an apostle
in the strict and proper sense who had
not seen the Lord Jesus. And it fol-
lows, also, that the apostles could have
no successors in that which constituted
6he PECULIARITY of their office; and
that the office must have commenced
and ended with them, f Are not ye
my work in the Lord ? Have you not
been converted by my labours, or under
my ministry ; and are you not a proof
that the Lord, when I have been claim-
ing to be an apostle, has owned me as
an apostle, and blessed me in this work 1
God would not give his sanction to an
impostor, and a false pretender; and
as Paul had laboured there as an apos-
tle, this was an argument that he had
been truly commissioned of God. A
minister may appeal to the blessing
of God on his labours in proof that he
is sent of Hiiji. And one of the best
of all arguments that a man is sent
from God exists where multitudes of
souls are converted from sin, and turned
to holiness, by his labours. What bet-
ter credentials than this can a man
need that he is in the employ of God 1
What more consoling to his own mind 1
What more satisfactory to the world 1
2. If I be not an apostle unto others.
* If I have not given evidence to others
of my apostolic mission ; of my being
sent by the Lord Jesus, yet I have to
you. Assuredly you, among whom I
have laboured so long and so success-
fully, should not doubt tha^ I am sent
from the Lord. You have been well
acquainted with me ; you have wit-
nessed my endowments, you have seen
my success, and you have had abun-
dant evidence that I have been sent on
this great work. It is therefore strange
in you to doubt my apostolic commis-
sion; and it is unkind in you so to
construe my declining to accept your
contributions and aid for my support,
[A. D. 59.
tleship are ye in the Lord.
3 Mine answer to them that
do examine me is this ;
as if I were conscious that I was not
entitled to that.' f For the stal of
mine apostleship. Your conversion ia
the demonstration that I am an apostle.
Paul uses strong language. He does
not mean to say that their conversion
furnished some evidence that he waa
an apostle; but that it was absolute
proof, and irrefragable demonstration,
that he was an apostle. A seal is that
which is affixed to a deed, or other in
strument, to make it firm, secure, and
indisputable. It is the proof or demon-
stration of the validity of the convey-
ance, or of the writing. Notes, John
iii. 33; vi. 27. The sense here is,
therefore, that the conversion of the
Corinthians was a certain demonstra-
tion that he was an apostle, and should
be so regarded by them, and treated by
them. It was such a proof, (1.) Be-
cause Paul claimed to be an apostle
while among them, and God blessed
and owned this claim ; (2.) Their con-
version could not have been accom-
plished by man. It was the work of
God. It was the evidence then which
God gave to Paul and to them, that he
was with him, and had sent him. (3.)
They knew him, had seen him, heard
him, were acquainted with his doc-
trines and manner of life, and could
bear testimony to what he was, and
what he taught. We may remark,
that the conversion of sinners is the
best evidence to a minister that he is
sent of God. The divine blessing on
his labours should cheer his heart, and
lead him to believe that God has sent
and that he approves him. And every
minister should so live and labour,
should so deny himself, that he may
be able to appeal to the people among
whom he labours that he is a minister
of the Lord Jesus.
3. Mine answer. Gr. 'H ipn UTTOAC-
yia.. My apology ; my defence. The
same word occurs in Acts xxii. I ;
xxv. 1 6. 2 Cor. vii. 1 1 . Phil. i. 1. \ 7.
A.. D. 59.]
CHAPTER IX.
1(39
4 Have we not power to eat
and to drihk ?
5 Have we not power to lead
about a sister, a * wife, as well
or, war.ian.
2 Tim. iv. 16. 1 Pet. iii. 15. See Note,
Acts xxii. 1. Here it means his an-
swer, or defence against those who sat
in judgment on his claims to be an
apostle. If To them that do examine
me. To Chose who inquire of me ; or
who ensure and condemn me as not
having any claims to the apostolic of-
fice. The word used here (uraxgwe) is
properly a forensic term, and is usually
applied to judges in courts; to those
who sit in judgment, and investigate
and decide in litigated cases brought
before them. Luke xxiii. 14. Acts iv.
ft; xii. 19; xxiv. 8. The apostle here
may possibly allude to the arrogance
and pride of those who presumed to sit
as judges on his qualification for the
apostolic office. It is not meant that
this answer had been given by Paul
before this, but that this was the
defence which he had to offer. ^ Is
this. This which follows; the state-
ments which are made in the following
verses. In these statements (ver. 4, 5,
6, &c.) he seems to have designed to
take up their objections to his apostolic
claims one by one, and to show that
hey were of no force.
4. Have we not power (igfserlat?).
Have we not the right. The word
power here is evidently used in the
sense of right (comp. John i. 12, mar-
gin) ; and the apostle means to say
that though they had not exercised this
right by demanding a maintenance,
yet it was not because they were con-
scious that they had no such right, but
because they chose to forego it for wise
and important purposes. T To eat and
to drink. To be maintained at the ex-
pense of those among whom we labour.
Have we not a right to demand that
they shall yield us a proper support 1
By the interrogative form of the state-
ment, Paul intends more strongly to
affirm that they had such a right. The
interrogative mode is often adopted to
express the strongest affirmation. The
objection here urged seems to have been
<5
this, 'You, Paul and Barnabas, labou.
with your own hands. Acts xviii. 3.
Other religious teachers lay claim to
maintenance, and are supported without
personal labour. This is the case with
pagan and Jewish priests, and with
Christian teachers among us. You
must be conscious, theiefore, that you
are not apostles, and that you have no
claim or right to support.' To this the
answer of Paul is, ' Wo admit that we
labour with our own hands. But youi
inference does not follow. It is not be-
cause we have not a right to such sup-
port, and it is not because we are con-
scious that we have no such claim, but
it is for a higher purpose. It is because
it will do good if we should not urge this
right, and enforce this claim.' That they
had such a right, Paul proves at lengt'
in the subsequent part of the chapte.
5. Have we not power * Have we
not a right ] The objection here seems
to have been, that Paul and Barnabas
were unmarried, or at least that they
travelled without wives. The objectors
urged that others had wives, and that
they took them with them, and expected
provision to be made for them as well
as for themselves. They therefore
showed that they felt that they had a
claim to support for their families, and
that they were conscious that they were
sent of God. But Paul and Barnabas
had no families. And the objectors in-
ferred that they were conscious that tney
had no claim to the apostleship, and no
right to support. To this Paul replies
as before, that they had a right to do as
others did, but they chose not to do it
for other reasons than that they were
conscious that they had no such right.
If To lead about. To have in attend-
ance with us ; to conduct from place to
place ; and to have them maintained at
the expense of the churches amongst
which we labour, f A sister, a wife.
Marg. "or woman." This phrase hag
much perplexed commentators. But
the simple meaning seems to be, ' A wife
170
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D.
as other apostles, and as the bre-
thren of the Lord, and Cephas ?
who should be a Christian, and regard-
ed as sustaining the relation of a Chris-
tian sister.' Probably Paul meant to
advert to the fact that the wives of the
apostles were and should be Christians ;
and that it was a matter of course, that
if an apostle led about a wife she would
be a Christian ; or that he would marry
no other. Comp. 1 Cor. iii. 11. f As
well as other apostles. It is evident
from this that the' apostles generally
were married. The phrase used here
is ol \OITTO} ccTroWcxo/ (the remaining
apostles, or the other apostles). And if
they were married, it is right and pro-
per for ministers to marry now, what-
ever the papist may say to the contrary.
It is safer to follow the example of the
apostles than the opinions of the papal
church. The reasons why the apos-
tles had wives with them on their jour-
neys may have been various. They
may have been either to give instruc-
tion and counsel to those of their own
sex to whom the apostles could not
have access, or to minister to the wants
of their husbands as they travelled. It
is to be remembered that they travelled
among heathens ; they had no acquaint-
ance and no friends there ; they there-
fore took with them their female friends
and wives to minister to them, and sus-
tain them in sickness, trial, &c. Paul
says that he and Barnabas had a right
to do this ; but they had not used this
right because they chose rather to make
the gospel without charge (ver. 18),
and that thus they judged they could
do more good. It follows from this, (1.)
That it is right for ministers to marry,
and that the papal doctrine of the celi-
bacy of the clergy is contrary to apos-
tolic example. (2.) It is right for
missionaries to marry, and to take their
wives with them to heathen lands.
The apostles were missionaries, and
spent their lives in heathen nations as
missionaries do now, and there may be
as good reasons for missionaries marry-
ing now as there were then. (3.) Yet
there are men, like Paul, who can do
more good without being married.
There are circumstances, like his, where
it is not advisable that they should mai-
ry, and there can be no doubt that Paul
regarded the unmarried state for a mis-
sionary as preferable and advisable.
Probably the same is to be said of most
missionaries at the present day, that
they could do more good if unmarried,
than they can if burdened with the
cares of families. ^ And as the brethren
o the Lord. The brothers of the Lord
of
Je
esus, James and Joses, and Simon
and Judas. Matt. xiii. 55. It seems
from this, that although at first they did
not believe in him (John vii. 5), and
had regarded him as disgraced (Mark
iii. 21), yet that they had subsequently
become converted, and were employed
as ministers and evangelists. It id evi-
dent also from this statement that they
were married, and were attended with
their wives in their travels. ^ And
Cephas. Peter. Note, John i. 42. This
proves, (1.) as well as the declaration
in Matt. viii. 14, that Peter had been
married. (2.) That he had a wife after
he became an apostle, and while en-
gaged in the work of the ministry. (3.)
That his wife accompanied him in his
travels. (4.) That it is right and pro-
per for ministers and missionaries to be
married now. Is it not strange that the
pretended successor of Peter, the pope
of Rome, should forbid marriage when
Peter himself was married 1 Is it not
a proof how little the papacy regards the
Bible, and the example and authority
of those from whom it pretends to de-
rive its power? And is it not strange
that this doctrine of the celibacy of the
clergy, which has been the source of
abomination, impurity, and licentious-
ness everywhere, should have been sus-
tained and countenanced at all by the
Christian world 1 And is it not strange
that this, with all the other corrupt doc-
trines of the papacy, should be attempt-
ed to be imposed on the enlightened
people of the United States, as a part of
the religion of Christ 1
i.D. 59.]
CHAPTER IX.
171
6 Or I only and Barnabas,
nave not we a power to forbear
working ?
2Thess.3.8,9.
7 Who goeth a warfare l any
time at his own charges ? who
planteth e a vineyard, and eateth
c Deut.20.6. Pr.27,18.
6. Or I only and Barnabas Paul
and Barnabas had wrought together as
tent-makers at Corinth. Acts xviii. 3.
From this fact it had been inferred that
they knew that they had no claim to a
support. H Power to forbear working.
To abstain from labour, and to receive
support as others do. The question
implies a strong affirmation that they
had such power. The sense is, ' Why
should I and Barnabas be regarded as
having no right to support 1 Have we
been less faithful than others 1 Have
we done less? Have we given fewer
evidences that we are sent by the Lord,
or that God approves us in our work 1
Have we been less successful ? Why
then should we be singled out; and
why should it be supposed that we are
obliged to labour for our support ? Is
there no other conceivable reason why
we should support ourselves than a
consciousness that we have no right to
support from the people with whom we
labour?' It is .evident from ver. 12,
that Barnabas as well as Paul relin-
quished his right to a support, and
laboured to maintain himself. And it
is manifest from the whole passage,
that there was some peculiar " spleen"
(Doddridge) against these two minis-
ters of the gospel. What it was we
know not. It might have arisen from
the enmity and opposition of Judaizing
teachers, who were offended at their
zeal and success among the Gentiles,
and who could find no other cause of
complaint against them than that they
chose to support themselves, and not
live in idleness, or to tax the church
for their support. That must have been
a bad cause which was sustained by
such an argument.
7. Who goeth a warfare, &c. Paul
now proceeds to illustrate the RIGHT
which he knew ministers had to a sup-
port (ver. 7 14), and then to show
the REASOX why he had not availed
himself of that right, ver. 15 23. The
right he illustrates from the nature of
the case (ver. 7. 11); from the au-
thority of Scripture (ver. 8 10); from
the example of the^ priests under the
Jewish law (ver. 13); and from the
authority of Jesus Christ, ver. 14. In
this verse (7th) the right is enforced by
the nature of the case, and by three
illustrations. The first is, the right of
a soldier or warrior to his wages. The
Christian ministry is compared to a
warfare, and the Christian minister to
a soldier. Comp. 1 Tim. i. 18. The
soldier had a right to receive pay from
him who employed him. He did not go
at his own expense. This was a matter
of common equity ; and on this princi-
ple all acted who enlisted as soldiers.
So Paul says it is but equitable also
that the soldier of the Lord Jesus should
be sustained, and should not be required
to support himself. And why, we may
ask, should he be, any more than the
man who devotes his strength, and
time, and talents *o the defence of his
country ? The work of the ministry is
as arduous, and as self-denying, and
perhaps as dangerous, as the work of a
soldier ; and common justice, therefore,
demands that he who devotes his youth,
and health, and life to it, for the benefit
of others, should have a competent sup-
port. Why should not he receive a
competent support who seeks to save
men, as well as he who lives to destroy
them ? Why not he who endeavours
to recover them to God, and make them
pure and happy, as well as he who lives
to destroy life, and pour out human
blood, and to fill the air with the shrieks
of new-made widows and orphans ? Or
why not he who seeks, though in an-
other mode, to defend the great interests
of his country, and to maintain the
interests of justice, truth, and mercy,
for the benefit of mankind, as well as
he who is willing in the tented field to
spend his time, or exhaust his health
and life in protecting the rights of tha
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 5.
not of the fruit thereof? or who
feedeth a a flock, and eateth not
of the milk of the flock ?
a lPet.5.2.
nation 1 t At his own charges. His
own expense. On the meaning of the
word "charges" (c^wv/c/f) see Note,
Luke iii. 14; comp. Rom. vi. 23. 2 Cor.
xi. 8. The word does not occur else-
where in the New Testament. J Who
planteth a vineyard, &c. This is the
second illustration from the nature of
the case, to show that ministers of the
gospel have a right to support. The
argument is this : ' It is reasonable that
<hose who labour should have a fair
compensation. A man who plants a
vineyard does not expect to labour for
nothing ; he expects support from that
labour, and looks for it from the vine-
yard. The vineyard owes its beauty,
growth, and productiveness to him. It
is reasonable, therefore, that from that
vineyard he should receive a support,
as a compensation for his toil. So we
labour for your welfare. You derive
advantage from our toil. We spend
our time, and strength, and talent for
your benefit ; and it is reasonable that
we should be supported while we thus
labour for your good.' The church of
God is often compared to a vineyard ;
and this adds to the beauty of this illus-
tration. See Isa. v. 1 4. Notes, Luke
xx. 916. 1 Who feedeth a flock, &c.
This is the third illustration drawn from
the nature of the case, to show that
ministers have a right to support. The
word " feedeth" (^-o/^a/va) denotes not
only to feed, but to guard, protect, de-
fend, as a shepherd does his flock. See
Notes, John xxi. 1 5 17. " The wages
of the shepherds in the East do not
consist of ready money, but in a part
of the milk of the flocks which they
tend. Thus Spon says of the shepherds
in modern Greece, 'These shepherds
are poor Albanians, who feed the cattle,
and live in huts built of rushes : they
have a tenth part of the milk and of the
lambs, which is their whole wages : the
cattle belong to the Turks.' The shep-
herds in Ethiopia, also, according to
8 Say I these things as a man !
or saith not the law the same
also?
Alvarez, have no pay except the milk
and butter which they obtain from the
cows, and on which they and their
families subsist." Rosenmuller. The
church is often compared to a flock.
See Note, John x. 1, &c. The argu-
ment here is this : ' A shepherd spends
his days and nights in guarding his
folds. He leads his flock to green pas-
tures, he conducts them to still waters
(comp. Ps. xxiii. 2) ; he defends them
from enemies; he guards the young,
the sick, the feeble, &c. He spends his
time in protecting it and providing for it.
He expects support, when in the wil-
derness or in the pastures, mainly from
the milk which the flock should furnish.
He labours for their comfort ; and it is
proper that he should derive a mainte-
nance from them, and he has a right to
it. So the minister of the gospel watches
for the good of souls. He devotes his
time, strength, learning, talents, to their
welfare. He instructs, guides, directs,
defends; he endeavours to guard them
against their spiritual enemies, arid to
lead them in the path of comfort and
peace. He lives to instruct the igno-
rant; to warn and secure those who
are in danger ; to guide the perplexed ;
to reclaim the wandering ; to comfort
the afflicted ; to bind up the broken in
heart ; to attend on the sick ; to be an
example and an instructer to the young ;
and to be a counsellor and a pattern to
all. As he labours for their good, it is
no more than equal and right that they
should minister to his temporal wants,
and compensate him for his efforts to
promote their happiness and salvation.
And can any man say that this is NOT
right and just 1
8. Say I these things as a man ?
Do I speak this on my own authority,
or without the sanction of God 1 Is
not this, which appears to be so reason
able and equitable, also supported by
the authority of God 1 1 Or saiih not
the law the same also ? The law of
A.D. 59. j
CHAPTER IX.
173
9 For it is written a in the law
of Moses, Thou shalt not muz-
zle the mouth of the ox that
a Deut.25.4. lTim.5.18.
treadeth out the corn. Doth God
take care for oxen ?
10 Or saith he it altogether
Moses, to which the Jewish part of the
church at Corinth which probably had
mainly urged these objections profess-
ed to bow with deference. Paul was
accustomed, especially in arguing with
the Jews, to derive his proofs from the
Old Testament. In the previous verse
he hud shown that it was equitable that
ministers of the gospel should be sup-
ported. In this and the following verses
he shows that the same principle was
recognised and acted on under the Jew-
ish dispensation. He does not mean to
say, by this example of the ox treading
out the corn, that the law as given by
Moses referred to the Christian minis-
try ; but that the principle there was
settled that the labourer should have a
support, and that a suitable provision
should not be withheld even from an
ox ; and if God so regarded the welfare
of a brute when labouring, it was much
more reasonable to suppose that he
would require a suitable provision to
be made for the ministers of religion.
9. For it is written. Deut. xxv. 4.
K In the law of Moses. See Note, Luke
xxiv. 44. *J Thou shalt not muzzle the
mouth, &c. To muzzle means, " to
bind the mouth ; to fasten the mouth
to prevent eating or biting." Webster.
This was done either by passing straps
around the mouth, or by placing, as is
now sometimes done, a small basket
over the mouth, fastened by straps to
the horns of the animal, so as to prevent
its eating, but not to impede its breath-
ing freely. This was an instance of the
humanity of the laws of Moses. The
idea is, that the ox should not be pre-
vented from eating when it was in the
midst of food ; and that as it laboured
for its owner, it was entitled to sup-
port ; and there was a propriety that it
should be permitted to partake of the
grain which it was threshing. Tf That
treadeth, &c. This was one of the
common modes of threshing in the
cast, as it is with us. See Note and
15*
illustration on Matt. iii. 12. f The
corn. The grain, of any kind ; wheat,
rye, barley, &c. Maize, to which we
apply the word corn, was then unknown.
See Note, Matt. xii. 1. ^ Doth God take
care for oxen ? Doth God take care
for oxen ONLY 1 Or is not this rathei
a principle which shows God's care
for all that labour, and the humanity
and equity of his lawsl And if he
is so solicitous about the welfare of
brutes as to frame an express law in
their behalf, is it not to be presumed
that the same principle of humanity
and equity will run through all his
dealings and requirements 1 The apos
tie does not mean to deny that God
does take care for oxen, for the very
law was proof that he did ; but he
means to ask whether it is to be sup
posed that God would regard the com-
fort of oxen and not of men also 1
whether we are not to suppose that
the same principle would apply also to
those who labour in the service of God 1
He uses this passage, therefore, not as
originally having reference to men, or
to ministers of the gospel, which cannot
be ; but as establishing a general prin-
ciple in regard to the equity and hu-
manity of the divine laws ; and as thus
showing that the spirit of the law of
God would lead to the conclusion
that God intended that the labourer
everywhere should have a competent
support.
10. Or saith he it altogether for our
sakes ? The word " altogether" (ravr*; )
cannot mean that this was the sole and
only design of the law, to teach that
ministers of the gospel were entitled to
support; for, (1.) This would be di-
rectly contrary to the law itself, which
had some, direct and undoubted refer-
ence to oxen ; (2.) The scope of the
argument here does not, require this
interpretation, since the whole object
will be met by supposing that this set-
tled a principle of humanity and pquuj
ir4
I. CORINTHIANS.
foroursakes? For our sakes,
no doubt, this is written : that
he a that ploweth should plow in
hope ; and that he that thresheth
a 2Tim.2.6.
[A. D. 59.
in hope should be partaker of his
hope?
11 If b we have sown unto
you spiritual things, is it a great
b Rom. 15. 27.
ill the divine law, according to which
it was proper that ministers should
have a support; and, (3.) The word
"altogether" (iravTa;?) does not of ne-
cessity require this interpretation. It
may be rendered chiefly, mainly, prin-
cipally, or doubtless. Luke iv. 23, " Ye
will surely (TravTw, certainly, surely,
doubtless) say unto me this proverb,"
&c. Acts xviii. 21, "I must by all
means (jravTw?, certainly, surely) keep
this feast." Acts xxi. 22, " The mul-
titude must needs (Travrw, will certain-
ly, surely, inevitably) come together,"
&c. Acts xxviii. 4, " No doubt (iravraf )
this man is a murderer," &c. The
word here, therefore, means that the
principle stated in the law about the
oxen was so broad and humane, that it
might certainly, surely, particularly be
regarded as applicable to the case under
consideration. An important and ma-
terial argument might be drawn from
it ; an argument from the less to the
greater. The precept enjoined justice,
equity, humanity ; and that was more
applicable to the case of the ministers
of the gospel than to the case of oxen.
1 For our sakes, &c. To show that
the laws and requirements of God are
humane, kind, and equitable : not that
Moses had Paul or any other minister
in his eye, but the principle was one
that applied particularly to this case.
1 That he that ploweth, &c. The
Greek in this place would be more
literally and more properly rendered,
'For (or/) he that ploweth OUGHT
(o?/xs<) to plow in hope ;' i. e. in hope
}f reaping a harvest, or of obtaining
success in his labours : and the sense
is, ' The man who cultivates the earth,
in order that he may be excited to in-
dmstry and diligence, ought to have a
reasonable prospect that he shall him-
self be perraitted to enjoy the fruit of
his labours. This is the case with
those who do plow : and if this should
be the case with those who cultivate*
the earth, it is as certainly reasonable
that those who labour in God's hus
bandry, and who devote their strength
to his service, should be encouraged
with a reasonable prospect of success
and support.' f And that he. that
thresheth, &c. This sentence, in the
Greek, is very elliptical and obscare ;
but the sense is, evidently, ' He that
thresheth ought to partake of his hope ;'
i. e. of the fruits of his hope, or of the
result of his labour. It is fair and right
that he should enjoy the fruits of his
toil. So in God's husbandry ; it is right
and proper that they who toil for the
advancement of his cause should be
supported and rewarded.' The same
sentiment is expressed in 2 Tim. ii. 6,
" The husbandman that laboureth must
be first partaker of the fruits."
11. If we have sown unto you spi-
ritual things. If we have been the
means of imparting to you the gospel,
and bestowing upon you its high hopes
and privileges. See Note, Rom. xv. 27.
The figure of sowing, to denote the
preaching of the gospel, is not unfre-
quently employed in the Scriptures.
See John iv. 37, and the parable of the
sower, Matt. xiii. 3, &c. i Is it a great
thing, &c. Note, Rom. xv. 27. Is it
to be regarded as unequal, unjust, or
burdensome 1 Is it to be supposed that
we are receiving that for which we have
not rendered a valuable consideration 7
The sense is, ' We impart blessings of
more value than we receive. We re-
ceive a supply of our temporal wants.
We impart to you, under the divine
blessing, the gospel, with ail its hopes
and consolations. We make you ac-
quainted with God ; with the plan of
salvation ; with the hope of heaven
We instruct your children; we guide
you in the path of comfort and peace
A. I). 59 ]
CHAPTER IX.
175
thing if we shall reap your car-
nal things ?
12 If others be partakers of
this power over you, are not we
we raise you from the degradations of
idolatry and of sin ; and we open before
you the hope of the resurrection of" the
just, and of all the bliss of heaven:
and to do this, we give ourselves to
toil and peril by land and by sea. And
can it be made a matter of question
whether all these high and exalted
hopes are of as much value to dying
man as the small amount which shall
be needful to minister to the wants of
those who are the means of imparting
these blessings!' Paul says this, there-
fore, from the reasonableness of the case.
The propriety of support might be fur-
ther urged, (1.) Because without it the
ministry would be comparatively useless.
Ministers, like physicians, lawyers, and
farmers, should be allowed to attend
mainly to the great business of their
lives, and to their appropriate work.
No physician, no farmer, no mechanic,
could accomplish much, if his attention
was constantly turned off from his ap-
propriate business to engage in some-
thing else. And how can the minister
of the gospel, jf his time is nearly all
taken up in labouring to provide for the
wants of his family ] (2.) The great
mass of ministers spend their early days,
and many of them all their property, in
preparing to preach the gospel to others.
And as the mechanic who has spent
his early years in learning a trade, and
the physician and lawyer in preparing
for their profession, receive support in
that calling, why should not the minis-
ter of the gospel 1 (3.) Men, in other
things, cheerfully pay those who labour
for them. They compensate the school-
master, the physician, the lawyer, the
merchant, the mechanic ; and they do
it cheerfully, because they suppose they
-eceive a valuable consideration for their
money. But is it not so with regard to
ministers of the gospel t Is not a man's
family as certainly benefited by the
labours of a faithful clergyman and pas-
tor, as by the skill of a physician or a
lawyer, or b j the service of the school-
master] Are not the affairs of the soul
and of eternity as important to a man's
family as those of time and the welfare
of the body ? So the music-master and
the dancing-master are paid, and paid
cheerfully and liberally ; and yet can
there be any comparison between the
value of their services and those of
the minister of the gospel] (4.) It
might be added, that society is benefit-
ed in a pecuniary way by the service
of a faithful minister to a far greater
extent than the amount of compensa-
tion which he receives. One drunkard,
reformed under his labours, may earn
and save to his family and to society
as much as the whole salary of the
pastor. The promotion of order, peace,
sobriety, industry, education, and regu-
larity in business, and honesty in con-
tracting and in paying debts, saves
much more to the community at large
than the cost of the support of the gos-
pel. In regard to this, any man may
make the comparison at his leisure, be-
tween those places where the ministry
is established, and where temperance,
industry, and sober habits prevail, and
those places where there is no ministry,
and where gambling, idleness, and dis-
sipation abound. It is always a matter
of economy to a people, in the end, to
support schoolmasters and ministers as
they ought to be supported. ] Reap
i/'>ur carnal things. Partake of thor.e
things which relate to the present life ;
the support of the body, L e. food and
raiment.
12. If others. Other teachers liv-
ing with you. There can be no doubt
that the teachers in Corinth urged this
right, and received a support. ^ Be
partakers of this power. Of this
right to a support and maintenance.
Tf Are not we rather. We the apostles ;
we who have laboured for your conver-
sion ; who have founded your church ;
who have been the first, and the most
laborious in instructing you, and im-
parting to you spiritual blessings
176
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59.
rather ? Nevertheless we have
not used this power ; but suffer
all things, lest we should hinder
the gospel of Christ.
a2Cor.ll.7 9; 12.14
13 Do ye not know, that
they which minister about holy
things * live of the things of the
temple ? and they * which wait
or,feed. b Num.l88,&c. Deut.18.1.
Have not we a better claim than they ?
K Nevertheless we have not used this
power. We have not urged this
claim ; we have chosen to forego this
right, and to labour for our own support.
The reason why they had done this,
he states in the subsequent part of the
chapter. See 2 Cor. xi. 7 9 ; xii. 14.
Comp. Acts xviii. 3 ; xx. 34, 35. f But
suffer all things. Endure all privations
and hardships ; we subject ourselves to
poverty, want, hunger, thirst, naked-
ness, rather than urge a claim on you,
and thus leave the suspicion that we
are actuated by mercenary motives.
The word used here (a-Tt-yc/utv, suffer)
means properly to cover, to keep off, as
rain, &c., and then to contain, to sus-
tain, tolerate, endure. Here it means
to bear, or endure all hardships. Comp.
Notes ch. iv. 11 13. f Lest we
should hinder the gospel of Christ.
Paul here states the reason why he
had not urged a claim to support in
preaching the gospel. It was not be-
cause he was not entitled to a full sup-
port, but it was that by denying himself
of this right he could do good, and
avoid some evil consequences which
would have resulted if he had strenu-
ously urged it. His conduct therefore
in this was just one illustration of the
principle on which he said (ch. viii. 13)
he would always act ; a readiness to
deny himself of things lawful, if by that
he could promote the welfare of others.
The reasons why his urging this claim
might have hindered the gospel may
have been many. (1.) It might have
exposed him and the ministry generally
to the charge of being mercenary. (2.)
It would have prevented his presenting
in bold relief the fact that he was
bound to preach the gospel at all
events, and that he was actuated in it
by a simple conviction of its truth. (3.)
It might have alienated many minds
who might otherwise have been led to
embrace it. (4.) It would have pre-
vented the exercise of self-denial in
him, and the benefits which resulted
from that self-denial, &c. ver. 17, 18.
23. 27.
13. Do ye not know, &c. In this
verse Paul illustrates the doctrine that
the ministers of religion were entitled
to a support from the fact that those
who were appointed to offer sacrifice
received a maintenance in their work.
1 They which minister about holy
things. Probably the Levitts. Their
office was to render assistance to the
priests, to keep guard around the taber-
nacle, and subsequently around the
temple. It was also their duty to see
that the temple was kept clean, and to
prepare supplies for the sanctuary, such
as oil, wine, incense, &c. They had
the care of the revenues, and after the
time of David were required to sing in
the temple, and to play upon instru-
ments. Num. iii. 1 36; iv. 1. 30. 35.
42 ; viii. 522. 1 Chron. xxiii. 35.
24. 27 ; xxiv. 2031. 1 Live of the
things of the temple. Marg., Feed , i. e.
are supported in their work by the of-
ferings of the people, and by the pro-
visions which were made for the temple
service. See Num. xviii. 24 32.
And they which wait at the altar.
Probably the priests who were em-
ployed in offering sacrifice. f Are
partakers with the altar. That is, a
part of the animal offered in sacrifice
is burned as an offering to God, and a
part becomes the property of the priest
for his support ; and thus the altar and
the priest become joint participators of
the sacrifice. From these offerings
the priests derived their maintenance
See Num. xviii. 8 19. Deut. xviii. I,
&c. The argument of the apostlG
here is this : ' As the ministers of reli-
gion under the Jewish dispensation were
A D. 59.]
CHAPTER IX.
IT)
at the altar are partakers with
the altar ?
14 Even so hath the Lord*
a Luke 10.7.
entitled to support by the authority and
the law of God, that fact settles a
general principle which is applicable
also to the gospel, that he intends that
the ministers of religion should derive
their support in their work. If it was
reasonable then, it is reasonable now.
If God commanded it then, it is to be
presumed that he intends to require it
now.
14. Even so. In the same manner,
and for the same reasons. 1 Hath the
Lord ordained. Hath the Lord ap-
pointed, commanded, arranged that it
should be so (Jtirags). The word here
means that he has made this a law, or
has required it. The word " Lord" here
doubtless refers to the Lord Jesus, who
has sent forth his ministers to labour in
the great harvest of the world. J That
they which preach the gospel. They
who are sent forth by him ; who devote
their lives to this work ; who are called
and employed by him in this service.
This refers, therefore, not only to the
apostles, but to all who are duly called
to this work, and who are his ambas-
sadors. ^ Should live of the gospel.
Should be supported and maintained in
this work. Paul here probably refers
to the appointment of the Lord Jesus,
when he sent forth his disciples to
preach. Matt x. 10. Luke x. 8. Comp.
Gal. vi. 6. The man may be said to
' live in the gospel' who is supported
while he preaches it, or who derives his
maintenance in that work. Here we
may observe, (1.) That the command
^is that they shall live (/>) of the gospel.
It is not that they should grow rich, or
lay up treasures, or speculate in it, or
become merchants, farmers, teachers, or
book-makers for a living; but it is that
they should have such a maintenance
as to constitute a livelihood. They
should be made comfortable ; not rich.
They should receive so much as to
Veep their minds from being harassed
ordained, that they 6 which preach
the gospel should live of the gos-
pel.
b Gal.6.6.
with cares, and their families from
want ; not so much as to lead them to
forget their dependence on God, or on
the people. Probably the true rule is,
that they should be able to live as the
mass of the people among whom they
labour live ; that they should be able to
receive and entertain the poor, and be
willing to do it; and so that the rich
also may not despise them, or turn
away from their dwelling. (2.) This
is a command of the Lord Jesus ; and
if it is a command, it should be obeyed
as much as any other law of the Re-
deemer. And if this is a command,
then the minister is entitled to a sup-
port ; and then also a people are not at
liberty to withhold it. Further, there
are as strong reasons why they should
support him, as there are why they
should pay a schoolmaster, a lawyer, a
physician, or a day-labourer. The mi-
nister usually toils as hard as others ;
expends as much in preparing for his
work ; and does as much good. And
there is even a higher claim in this
case. God has given an express com-
mand in this case ; he has not in the
others. (3.) The salary of a minister
should not be regarded as a gift merely,
any more than the pay of a congress-
man, a physician, or a lawyer. He has
a claim to it ; and God has commanded
that it should be paid. It is, moreover,
a matter of stipulation and of compact,
by which a people agree to compensate
him for his services. And yet, is there
any thing in the shape of debt where
there is so much looseness as in regard
to this subject 1 Are men usually as
conscientious in this as they are in
paying a physician or a merchant ?
Are not ministers often in distress for
that which has been promised them,
and which they have a right to expect ?
And is not their usefulness, and the
happiness of the people, and the honour
of religion intimately connected with
178
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 9,
15 But I have used none of
these things : neither have I
written these things, that it
should be so done unto me :
a Acts 20.33. 2Thess.3.8.
for
obeying the rule of the Lord Jesus in
this respect"?
15. But I have used none of these
things. I have not urged and enforced
this right. I have chosen to support
myself by the labour of my own hands.
This had been objected to him as a rea-
son why he could not be an apostle.
He here shows that that was not the
reason why he had not urged this claim ;
but that it was because in this way he
could do most to honour the gospel and
save the souls of men. Comp. Acts
xx. 33. 2 Thess. iii. 8. The sense is,
' Though my right to a support is esta-
blished, in common with others, both
by reason, the nature of the case, the
examples in the law, and the command
of the Lord Jesus, yet there are reasons
why I have not chosen to avail myself
of this right, and why I have not urged
these claims.' ^[ Neither have I written
these things, &c. ' I have not presented
this argument now in order to induce
you to provide for me. I do not intend
now to ask or receive a support from
you. I urge it to show that I feel that
I have a right to it ; that my conduct
is not an argument that I am conscious
I am not an apostle ; and that I might
urge it were there not strong reasons
which determine me not to do it. I
neither ask you to send me now a sup-
port, nor, if I visit you again, do I ex-
pect you will contribute to my mainte-
nance.' t For it were better for me to
die, &c. There are advantages growing
out of my not urging this claim which
are of more importance to me than life.
Rather than forego tnese advantages, it
would be better for me it would be a
thing which I would prefer to pine in
poverty and want; to be exposed to
peril, and cold, and storms, until life
should close. I esteem my " glorying,"
the advantages of my course, to be of
wore value than life itself. 1 Than
b it were better for me to die
than that any man should make
my glorying void.
16 For though I preach the
62Cor.ll.10.
that any man should make my glory-
ing void. His glorying, or boasting,
or joying, as it may be more properly
rendered (TO x,*.v%>tp.a. juou ; comp. Phil,
i. 26. Heb. iii. 6), was, (1.) That he
had preached the gospel without expense
to anybody, and had thus prevented the
charge of avarice (ver. 18) ; and (2.)
That he had been able to keep his body
under, and pursue a course of self-denial
that would result in his happiness and
glory in heaven, ver. 23 27. " Any
man" would have made that " void,"
if he had supported Paul ; had pre-
vented the necessity of his labour, and
had thus exposed him to the charge of
having preached the gospel for the sake
of gain.
16. For though I preach the gospel,
&c. This, with the two following verses,
is a very difficult passage, and has been
very variously understood by interpret-
ers. The general scope and purpose of
the passage is to show what was the
ground of his "glorying," or of his
hope of " reward" in preaching the gos-
pel. In ver. 15 he had intimated that
he had cause of " glorying," and that
that cause was one which he was de-
termined no one should take away. In
this passage (ver. 16 18) he states
what that was. He says, it was not
simply that he preached ; for there was
a necessity laid on him, and he could
not help it : his call was sucji, the com-
mand was such, that his life would be
miserable if he did not do it. But all
idea of " glorying," or of " reward,"
must be connected with some volun-
tary service something which would
show the inclination, disposition, desire
of the soul. And as that in his case
could not be well shown where a " ne-
cessity" was laid on him, it could be
shown only in his submitting volunta-
rily to trials ; in denying himself; in
being willing to forego comforts which
. 59.]
CHAPTER IX.
179
gospel, I have i.othing to glory
of : for necessity is laid upon
aJer.!.17;20.9.
he might lawfully enjoy ; and in thus
furnishing a full and complete test of
his readiness to do any thing to promote
the gospel. The essential idea here is,
therefore, that there was such a neces-
sity laid on him in his call to preach the
gospel, that his compliance with that call
could not be regarded as appropriately
connected with reward ; and that in his
case the circumstance which showed
that reward would be proper, was, his
denying himself, and making the gospel
without charge. This would show that
his heart was in the thing / that he
was not urged on by necessity ; that
he loved the work ; and that it would
be consistent for the Lord to reward
him for his self-denials and toils in his
service. 1 I have nothing to glory of.
The force of this would be better seen
by a more literal translation. ' It is not
to me glorying;' i.e. this is not the
cause of my glorying, or rejoicing CVJM.
t<rrt IJ.QI x.y.u%H]yiiL). In ver. 15 he had
eaid that he had a cause of glorying, or
of joy (**y;tjt*ii). He here says that
that joy or glorying did not consist in
the simple fact that he preached the
gospel ; for necessity was laid on him :
there was some other cause and source
of his joy or glorying than that simple
fact. ver. 18. Others preached the
gospel also : in common with them, it
might be a source of joy to him that
he preached the gospel ; but it was not
the source of his peculiar joy, for he
had been called into the apostleship in
such a manner as to render it inevitable
that he should preach the gospel. His
glorying was of another kind. ^ For
necessity is laid upon me. My preach-
ing is in a manner inevitable, and can-
not therefore be regarded as that in
which I peculiarly glory. I was call-
ed into the ministry in a miraculous
manner ; I was addressed personally by
the Lord Jesus ; I was arrested when I
was a persecutor ; I was commanded to
go and preach ; I had a direct commis-
sion from heaven. There was no room
me ; yea, woe is unto me if I
preach not the gospel.
for hesitancy or debate on the subject
(Gal. i. 16), and I gave myself at once
and entirely to the work. Acts ix. 6.
I have been urged to this by a direct
call from heaven ; and to yield obedi-
ence to this call cannot be regarded as
evincing such an inclination to give
myself to this work as if the call had
been in the usual mode, and with less
decided manifestations. We are not to
suppose that Paul was compelled to
preach, or that he was not voluntary in
his work, or that he did not prefer it to
any other employment: but he speaks
in a popular sense, as saying that he
* could not help it;' or that the evidence
of his call was irresistible, and left no
room for hesitation. He was free ; but
there was not the slightest room for
debate on the subject. The evidence
of his call was so strong that he could
not but yield. Probably none now have
evidences of their call to the ministry
as strong as this. But there are many,
very many, who feel that a kind of ne-
cessity is laid on them to preach. Their
consciences urge them to it. They
would be miserable in any other em-
ployment. The course of Providence has
shut them up to it. Like Saul of Tar-
sus, they may have been persecutors, or
revilers, or " injurious," or blasphemers
(iTim. i. 13); or they may, like him,
have commenced a career of ambition ;
or they may have been engaged in some
scheme of money-making or of plea-
sure ; and in an hour when they little
expected it, they have been arrested by
the truth of God, and their attention
directed to the gospel ministry. Many
a minister has, before entering the mi-
nistry, formed many other purposes of
life ; but the providence of God barred
his way, hemmed in his goings, and
constrained him to become an ambassa
dor of the cross, ^ Yea, woe is unto me,
&c. I should be miserable and wretched
if I did not preach. My preaching,
therefore, in itself considered, cannot
be a subject of glorying. I am shut up
180
I CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 5
17 For if I do this thing will-
ingly, I have a reward: but if
against my will a dispensation^/
the gospel is committed unto me.
a Col. 1.25.
to it. I am urged to it in every way.
I should be wretched were I not to do
it, and were I to seek any other calling.
My conscience would reproach me. My
judgment would condemn me. My
heart would pain me. I should have
no comfort in any other calling; and
God would frown upon me. Learn
hence, (1.) That Paul had been con-
verted. Once he had no love for the
ministry, but persecuted the Saviour.
With the feelings which he then had,
he would have been wretched in the
ministry ; with those which he now
had, he would have been wretched out
of it. His heart, therefore, had been
wholly changed. (2.J All ministers
who are duly called to the work can
say the same thing. They would be
wretched in any other calling. Their
conscience would reproach them. They
would have no interest in the plans of
the world ; in the schemes of wealth,
and pleasure, and fame. Their heart
is in this work, and in this alone. In
this, though amidst circumstances of
poverty, persecution, nakedness, cold,
peril, sickness, they have comfort. In
any other calling, though surrounded
by affluence, friends, wealth, honours,
pleasures, gayety, fashion, they would
be miserable. (3.) A man whose heart
is not in the ministry, and who would
be as happy in any other calling, is not
fit to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ.
Unless his heart is there, and he prefers
that to any other calling, he should never
think of preaching the gospel. (4.) Men
who leave the ministry, and voluntarily
devote themselves to some other calling
when they might preach, never had the
proper spirit of an ambassador of Jesus.
If for the sake of ease or gain ; if to
avoid the cares and anxieties of the life
of a pastor ; if to make money, or secure
money when made; if to cultivate a
farm, to teach a school, to write a book,
to live upon an estate, or to enjoy life,
they lay aside the ministry, it is proof
that they never had a 09" *o the work.
So did not Paul ; and so did not Paul's
Master and ours. They loved the work,
and they left it not till death. Neither
for ease, honour, nor wealth ; neither to
avoid care, toil, pain, or poverty, did
they cease in their work, until the one
could say, " I have fought a good fight,
/ have finished my course, I have kept
the faith" (2 Tim.'iv. 7) ; and the other,
" I have finished the work which thou
gavest me to do." John xvii. 4. (5.)
We see the reason why men are some-
times miserable in other callings. They
should have entered the ministry. God
called them to it; and they became
hopefully pious. But they chose the
law, or the practice of medicine, or
chose to be farmers, merchants, teach-
ers, professors, or statesmen. And God
withers their piety, blights their happi-
ness, follows them with the reproaches
of conscience, makes them sad, melan-
choly, wretched. They do no good;
and they have no comfort in life.
Every man should do the will of
God, and then every man would be
happy.
17. For if I do this thing willingly.
If I preach so as to show that my
heart is in it ; that I am not compelled.
If I pursue such a course as to show
that I prefer it to all other employ-
ments. If Paul took a compensation
for his services, he could not well do
this ; if he did not, he showed that his
heart was in it, and that he preferred the
work to all others. Even though he had
been in a manner compelled to engage
in that work, yet he so acted in the
work as to show that it had his hearty
preference. This was done by hia
submitting to voluntary self-denials
and sacrifices in order to spread the
Saviour's name. 1 I have a reward
I shall meet with the approbation of
my Lord, and shall obtain the reward
in the world to come, which is promised
to those who engage heartily, and
laboriously, and successfully in turnin/
sinners to God. Prov xi. 30 L'a.
V. D. 59.J
CHAPTER IX.
181
18 What is my reward then?
Verily that, when I preach the
gospel, I may make the gospel
xii. 3. Matt. xiii. 43 ; xxv. 21 23.
James v. 20. \ But if against my
will (totac). If under a necessity (ver.
16); if by the command of another
(Grotius) ; if I do it by the fear of
punishment, or by any strong necessity
which is laid on me. Tf A dispensa-
tion of the gospel is committed unto
me. I am intrusted with (?r;n<rTa/yw;)
this dispensation, office, economy (otitoro-
,u/*v) of the gospel. It has been laid
upon me; I have been called to it; I
must engage in this work ; and if I do
it from mere compulsion, or in such a
way that my will shall not acquiesce
in it, and concur with it, I shall have
no distinguished reward. The work
must be done ; I must preach the
gospel ; and it becomes me so to do it
as to show that my heart and will
entirely concur ; that it is not a matter
of compulsion, but of choice. This
he proposed to do by so denying him-
self, and so foregoing comforts which he
might lawfully enjoy, and so subjecting
himself to perils and toils in preaching
the gospel, as to show that his heart
was in the work, and that he truly
loved it.
18. What is my reward then?
What is the source of my reward 1
or what is there in my conduct that
will show that I am entitled to reward 1
What is there that will demonstrate
that my heart is in the work of the
ministry ; that I am free and voluntary,
and that I am not urged by mere neces-
sity 1 Though I have been called by
miracle, and though necessity is laid
upon me, so that I cannot but preach
the gospel, yet how shall I so do it as
to make it proper for God to reward
me as a voluntary agent ? Paul im-
mediately states the circumstance that
showed that he was entitled to the
reward, and that was, that he denied
himself, and was willing to forego his
lawful enjoyments, and even his rights,
that he might make the gospel without
16
of Christ without charge; that
I abuse not my power in tne
gospel.
charge, ^f / may make the gospel of
Christ without charge. Without ex-
pense to those who hear it. I will
support myself by my own labour, and
will thus show that I am not urged to
preaching by mere " necessity," but
that I love it. Observe here, (1.) Tha
Paul did not give up a support because
he was not entitled to it. (2.) He
does not say that it would be well or
advisable for others to do it. (3.) It is
right, and well for a man, if he chooses,
and can do it, to make the gospel with-
out charge, and to support himself.
(4.) All that this case proves is, that
it would be proper only where a " ne-
cessity" was laid on a man, as it was on
Paul ; when he could not otherwise
show that his heart was in the work,
and that he was voluntary and loved it.
(5.) This passage cannot be urged by
a people to prove that ministers ought
not to have a support. Paul says
they have a right to it. A man may
forego a right if he pleases. He may
choose not to urge it; but no one can
demand of him that he should not
urge it; much less have they a right
to demand that he should give up his
rights. (6.) It is best in general that
those who hear the gospel should con-
tribute to its support. It is not only
equal and right, but it is best for them.
We generally set very little value on
that which costs us nothing; and the
very way to make the gospel contempt-
ible is, to have it preached by those who
are supported by the state, or by their
own labour in some other department ;
or by men who neither by their talents,
their learning, nor their industry have
any claim to a support. All ministers
are not like Paul. They have neither
been called as he was ; nor have they
his talent, his zeal, or his eloquence.
Paul's example then should not be
urged as an authority for a peopK- to
withhold from their pastor what i& hia
due ; nor. because Paul chose to fi *<p
182
I. CORINTHIANS.
19 Fur though I be free from
all men, yet have I made myself
servant a unto all, that I might
gain the more.
oRom.1.14. Gal.5.13.
his rights, should people now demand
that a minister should devote his time,
and health, arid life to their welfare for
naught. 1 That I abuse not my
power in the gospel. Paul had a right
to a support. This power he might
urge. But to urge it in his circum-
stances would be a hinderance of the
gospel. And to do that would be to
abuse his power, or to pervert it to
purposes for which it was never de-
signed.
19. For though I be free. I am a
freeman. I am under obligation to
none. I am not bound to give them
my labours, and at the same time to
toil for my own support. I have
claims like others, and could urge them ;
and no man could demand that I
should give myself to a life of servi-
tude, and comply with their prejudices
and wishes, as if I were a slave, in order
to their conversion. Comp. ver. 1. Notes
ch. vi. 12. \From all men (txTravruv).
This may either refer to all persons or
to all tilings. The word men is not
in the original. The connexion, how-
ever, seems to fix the signification to
persons. ' I am a freeman. And al-
though I have conducted like a slave,
yet it has been done voluntarily.'
1 / have made myself the servant of
all. Greek, ' I have enslaved myself
(IfjiM/rcv iJ'SJHar*) unto all.' That is,
(1.) I labour for them, or in their ser-
vice, ai-d to promote their welfare. (2.)
I do it, as the slave does, without re-
ward or hire. I am not paid for it, but
submit to the toil, and do it without
receiving pay. (3.) Like the slave
who wishes to gratify his master, or
who is compelled from the necessity of
the case, I comply with the prejudices,
habits, customs, and opinions of others
as far as I can with a good conscience.
The slave is subject to the master's
will. That will must be obeyed. The
20 And unto
[A. D. 59.
the Jews * I
became as a Jew, that I might
gain the Jews ; to them that are
under the law, as under the law,
b Acts 16.3; 21. 23-26.
whims, prejudices, caprices of the
master must be submitted to, even if
they are mere caprice, and wholly un-
reasonable. So Paul says that he had
voluntarily put himself into this condi-
tion, a condition making it necessary
for him to suit himself to the opinions,
prejudices, caprices, and feelings of all
men, so far as he could do it with &
good conscience, in order that he might
save them. We are not to understand
here that Paul embraced any opinions
which were false in order to do this, or
that he submitted to any thing which
is morally wrong. But he complied
with their customs, and habits, and
feelings, as far as it could lawfully be
done. He did not needlessly offend
them, or run counter to their prejudices.
K That I might gain the more. That
I might gain more to Christ; that I
might be the means of saving more
souls. What a noble instance of self-
denial and true greatness is here ! How
worthy of religion ! How elevated the
conduct ! How magnanimous, and how
benevolent ! No man would do this
who had not a greatness of intellect
that would rise above narrow preju-
dices ; and who had not a nobleness
of heart that would seek at personal
sacrifice the happiness of all men.
It is said that not a few early Chris-
tians, in illustration of this principle of
conduct, actually sold themselves into
slavery in order that they might have
access to^and benefit slaves, an act to
which nothing would prompt a man
but the religion of the cross. Comp.
Note, Rom. i. 14.
20. And unto the Jews. In this
verse, and the two following, Paul stales
more at length the conduct which he
had exhibited, and to which he refers
in ver. 19. He had shown this conduct
to all classes of men. He had preached
much to his own countrymen, and had
. D. 59.]
CHAPTER IX
183
that I might gain them that are
under the law ;
21 To them that are without
law, as without law, (being not
evinced these principles there, t I be-
came as a Jew. I complied with their
rites, customs, prejudices, as far as I
could with a good conscience. I did
not needlessly offend them. I did not
attack and oppose their views, when
there was no danger that my conduct
should be mistaken. For a full illus-
tration of Paul's conduct in this respect,
and the principles which influenced
him, see Notes on Acts xvi. 3 ; xviii.
18; xxi. 21 27; xxiii. 16. f To
those that are under the law. This I
understand as another form of saying
that he conformed to the rites, customs,
and even prejudices of the Jews. The
phrase " under the law" means un-
doubtedly the law of Moses ; and pro-
bably he here refers particularly to those
lews who lived in the > land of Judea,
as being more immediately and en-
tirely under the law of Moses, than
those who lived among the Gentiles.
f As under the law. That is, I con-
formed to their rites and customs as far
as I could do it. I did not violate them
unnecessarily. I did not disregard them
for the purpose of offending them ; nor
refuse to observe them when it could
be done with a good conscience. There
can be no doubt that Paul, when he
was in Judea, submitted himself to the
laws, and lived in conformity with them.
1 That I might gain. That I might
obtain their confidence and affection.
That I might not outrage their feelings,
excite their prejudices, and provoke
them to anger ; and that I might thus
have access to their minds, and be the
means of converting them to the Chris-
tian faith.
21. To them that are without law.
To the Gentiles, who have not the law
of Moses. See Note, Rom. ii. 12. 14.
1 As without law. Not practising the
peculiar rites and ceremonies enjoined
in th law of Moses. Not insisting on
them or urging them; but showing
that ..he obligation to those rites had
been done away; and that they were
not binding, though when among the
Jews I might still continue to observe
them. See Notes, Acts xv. ; and the
argument of Paul in Gal. ii. 11 18.
I neglected the ceremonial precepts of
the Mosaic law, when I was with those
who had not heard of the law of Moses,
or those who did not observe them, be-
cause I knew that the binding obligation
of these ceremonial precepts had ceased.
I did not, therefore, press them upon
the Gentiles, nor did I superstitiously
and publicly practise them. In all this,
Paul has reference only to those things
which he regarded as in themselves
indifferent, and not a matter of con-
science ; and his purpose was not need-
lessly to excite the prejudice or the op-
position of the world. Nothing is ever
gained by provoking opposition for the
mere sake of opposition. Nothing tends
more to hinder the gospel than that.
In all things of conscience and truth a
man should be firm, and should lose
his life rather than abandon either ; in
all things of indifference, of mere cus-
tom, of prejudice, he should yield, and
accommodate himself to the modes of
thinking among men, and adapt him-
self to their views, feelings, and habits
of life, that he may win them to Christ.
f Being not without law to God. Not
regarding myself as being absolutely
without law, or as being freed from
obligation to obey God. Even in all
this, I endeavoured so to live as that it
might be seen that I felt myself bound
by law to God. I was not a despiser,
and contemner, and neglecter of law as
such, but only regarded myself as not
bound by the peculiar ceremonial law
of Moses. This is an instance of Paul's
conscientiousness. He would not leave
room to have it supposed for a moment
that he disregarded all law. He was
bound to God by law ; and in the con-
duct to which he was referring he felt
that he was obeying him. He was
bound by higher law than those cere-
monial observances which were now tc
be done away. This passage would
destroy all the refuges of the Antino-
184
I. CORINTHIANS
f A. I).
"without Jaw to God, but unaer
the law to Christ,) that I might
gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak * became I
a c.7.22. b Rom.15.1. 2Cor.ll.29.
nr.ans. Whatever privileges the gospel
has introduced, it has not set us free
from the restraints and obligations of
law. That is binding still; and no
man is at liberty to disregard the moral
Jaw of God. Christ came to magnify,
strengthen, and to honour the law, not
to destroy it. 1 But under the law to
Christ. Bound by the law enjoined
by Christ ; under the law of affectionate
gratitude and duty to him. I obeyed
his commands ; followed his instruc-
tions; sought his honour; yielded to
his will. In this he would violate none
of the rules of the moral law. And he
here intimates, that his grand object
was to yield obedience to the law of
the Saviour, and that this was the go-
verning purpose of his life. And this
would guide a man right. In doing
this, he would never violate any of the
precepts of the moral law, for Christ
obeyed them, and enjoined their obser-
vance. He would never feel that he
was without law to God, for Christ
obeyed God, and enjoined it on all.
He would never feel that religion came
to set him free from law, or to author-
ize licentiousness ; for its grand pur-
pose and aim is to make men holy, and
to bind them everywhere to the obser-
vance of the pure law of the Redeemer.
22. To the weak. See Note, Rom.
xv. 1. To those weak in faith ; scru-
pulous in regard to certain observances;
whose consciences were lender and un-
enlightened, and who would be offend-
ed even by things which might be in
themselves lawful. He did not lacerate
their feelings, and run counter to their
prejudices, for the mere sake of doing
it. 1 Became I as weak. I did not
shock them. I complied with their
customs. I conformed to them in my
dress, habits, manner of life, and even
in the services of religion. I abstained
*rom food which they deemed it their
as weak, that I might gain the
weak ; I c am made all things to
all men, that d I might by all
means save some.
cc.P.33. dRom.11.14.
duty to abstain from ; and where, if I
had partaken of it, I should have offend-
ed them. Paul did not do this to gratify
himself, or them, but to do them good.
And Paul's example should teach us
not to make it the main business of life
to gratify ourselves : and it should
teach us not to lacerate the feelings of
others ; not to excite their prejudices
needlessly ; not to offend them where it
will do no good. If truth offends men, we
cannot help it. But in matters of ceremo-
ny, and dress, and habits, and customs,
and forms, we should be willing to con-
form to them, as far as can be done, and
for the sole purpose of saving their souls.
f J am made all things to all men. I
become all things ; that is, I accommo-
date myself to them in all things, so
far as can be done with a good con-
science. 1 That I might by all means
(;rai"ra>f). That I might use every
possible endeavour that some at least
might be saved. It is implied here
that the opposition to the gospel was
everywhere great; that men were re-
luctant to embrace it; that the great
mass were going to ruin, and that Paul
was willing to make the highest possi-
ble exertions, to deny himself, and prac-
tise every innocent art, that he might
save a few at least out of the innu-
merable multitudes that were going to
death and hell. It follows from tnis,
(1.) That men are in danger of ruin.
(2.) We should make an effort to save
men. We should deny ourselves, and
give ourselves to toil and privation,
that we may save some at least from
ruin. (3.) The doctrine of universal
salvation is not true. If it were, what
use or propriety would there have been
in these efforts of Paul 1 If all were
to be saved, why should he deny him-
self, and labour, and toil, to save
"SOME?" Why should a man make
a constant effort to save a few at least
A. D. 59.]
23 And this
CHAPTER IX.
185
I do for the
gospel's sake, that I might be
partaker thereof with you.
24 Know ye not that
they
which run in a race run all, but
one receiveth a prize ? So run,
"that ye may obtain.
a Phil.2.1G; 3.14. lTim.6.12. 2Tim.2 5.
if he well knew that all were to be
saved 1 Assuredly Paul did not know
or believe that all men would be saved ;
but if the doctrine is true, he would
have been quite as likely to have known
it as its modern advocates and defenders.
23. For the gospel's sake. That it
may be advanced, and may be success-
ful, t That I might be partaker there-
of with you. You hope to be saved.
You regard yourselves as Christians ;
and I wish to give evidence also that /
am a Christian, and that I shall be ad-
mitted to heaven to partake of the hap-
piness of the redeemed. This he did,
by so denying himself as to give evi-
dence that he was truly actuated by
Christian principles.
24. Know ye not, &c. In the re-
mainder of this chapter, Paul illustrates
the general sentiment on which he
Had been dwelling the duty of prac-
tising self-denial for the salvation of
others by a reference to the well
known games which were celebrated
near Corinth. Throughout the chap-
ter, his object had been to show that
in declining to receive a support for
preaching, he had done it, not because
he was conscious that he had no claim
to it, but because by doing it he could
oetter advance the salvation of men,
die furtherance of the gospel, and in
fiis peculiar case (ver. 16, 17) could
obtain better evidence, and furnish to
others better evidence that he was actu-
ated by a sincere desire to honour God
in the gospel. He had denied himself.
He had voluntarily submitted to great
privations. He had had a great object
in view in doing it. And he now says,
that in the well known athletic games
at Corinth, the same thing was done
by the racers (ver. 24), and by wres-
tlers, or boxers, ver. 25. If they had
done it, for objects so comparatively
unimportant as the attainment of an
earthly garland, assuredly it was propel
for him to do it to obtain a crown which
should never fade away. This is one
of the most beautiful, appropriate, vigo-
rous, and bold illustrations that can
anywhere be found ; and is a striking
instance of the force with which the
most vigorous and self-denying efforts
of Christians can be vindicated, and
can be urged by a reference to the con-
duct of men in the affairs of this life.
By the phrase "know ye not," Paul
intimates that those games to which he
alludes were well known to them, and
that they must be familiar with their
design, and with the manner in which
they were conducted. The games to
which the apostle alludes were cele-
brated with extraordinary pomp and
splendour, every fourth year, on the
isthmus which joined the Peloponnesus
to the main land, and on a part of
which the city of Corinth stood. There
were in Greece four species of games,
the Pythian, or Delphic; the Isthmi-
an, or Corinthian ; the Nemean, and
the Olympic. On these occasions per-
sons were assembled from all parts of
Greece, and the time during which
they continued was devoted to extra-
ordinary festivity and amusement. The
Isthmian or Corinthian games were
celebrated in the narrow part of the
Isthmus of Corinth, to the north of the
city, and were doubtless the games to
which the apostle more particularly
alluded, though the games in each of
the places were substantially of the
same nature, and the same illustra-
tion would in the main apply to all.
The Nemean game? were celebrated
at Nemsea, a town of Argolis, and were
instituted by the Argives in honour of
Archemorus, who died by the bite of a
serpent, but were renewed by Hercules.
They consisted of horse and foot races,
of boxing, leaping, running, &c. Tru;
conqueror was at first rewarded with a
C'own of olive, afterwards of green
i86
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. I). 59.
parsley. They were celebrated every
third, or, according to others, every fifth
year. The Pythian games were cele-
brated every four years at Delphi, in
Phocis, at the foot of mount Parnassus,
where was the seat of the celebrated
Delphic oracle. These games were of
the same character substantially as those
celebrated in other places, and attracted
persons not only from other parts of
Greece, but from distant countries.
See Travels of Anacharsis, vol. ii. pp.
375 418. The Olympic games were
celebrated in Olympia, a town of Elis,
on the southern bank of the Alphias
river, on the western part of the Pelo-
ponnesus. They were on many accounts
the most celebrated of any in Greece.
They were said to have been instituted
by Hercules, who planted a grove called
Altis, which he dedicated to Jupiter.
They were attended not only from all
parts of Greece, but from the most dis-
tant countries. These were celebrated
every fourth year ; and hence, in Gre-
cian chronology, a period of four years
was called an Olympiad. See Ana-
charsis, vol. iii. 434, seq. It thus hap-
pened that in one or more of these
places there were games celebrated
every year, to which no small part of
the inhabitants of Greece were attracted.
Though the apostle probably had par-
ticular reference to the Isthmian games
celebrated in the vicinity of Corinth,
yet his illustration is applicable to them
all ; for in all the exercises were nearly
the same. They consisted chiefly in
leaping, running, throwing the discus
or quoit, boxing, wrestling, and were
expressed in the following line :
'AX/>ia, iro$WKit]v, fHaicov, aKovra, rdXrjv,
leaping, running, throwing the quoit,
darting, wrestling. Connected with
these were also, sometimes, other exer-
cises, as races of chariots, horses, &c.
The apostle refers to but two of these
exercises in his illustration. f They
which run. This was one of the
principal exercises at the games.
Fleetness or swiftness was regarded as
an extraordinary virtue ; and great
pains were taken in order to excel in
this. Indeed, they regarded it so
highly that those who prepared them-
selves for it thought it worth while to
use means to burn their spleen, because
it was believed to be a hin lerance to
them, and to retard them in the race.
Rob. Cal. Homer tells us that swiftness
was one of the most excellent endow-
ments with which a man can be blessed.
" No greater honour e'er has been attain'd,
Than what strong hands or nimble feet
have gain'd."
One reason why this was deemed so
valuable an attainment among the
Greeks, was, that it fitted men emi-
nently for war as it was then conducted.
It enabled them to make a sudden and
unexpected onset, or a rapid retreat
Hence the character which Homer
constantly gives of Achilles is, that he
was swift of foot. And thus David,
in his poetical lamentations over Saul
and Jonathan, takes special notice of
this qualification of theirs, as fitting
them for war.
" They were swifter than eagles,
Stronger than lions." 2 Sam. i. 23
For these races they prepared them-
selves by a long course of previous
discipline and exercise; and nothing
was left undone that might contribute
to secure the victory. J In a race
(tv (TT*J7). In the stadium. The
stadium, or running ground, or place
in which the boxers contended, and
where races were run. At Olympia the
stadium was a causeway 604 feet in
length, and of proportionable width.
Herod, lib. 2. c. 149. It was sur
rounded by a terrace, and by the seats
of the judges of the games. At one
end was fixed the boundary or goal to
which they ran. 1 Run all. All run
who have entered the lists. Usually
there were many racers who contended
for the prize. If But one receiveth the
prize. The victor, and he alone. The
prize which was conferred was a wreath
of olive at the Olympic games ; a
wreath of apple at Delphi ; of pine at
the Isthmian ; and of parsley at the
Nemean games. Addison. Whatever
the prize was, it was conferred on the
successful champion on the last day of
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER IX
187
25 And every man that striv-
eth for the mastery is temperate
in all things. Now they do it
the games, and with great solemnity,
pomp, congratulation, and rejoicing.
" Every one thronged to see and con-
gratulate them ; their relations, friends,
and countrymen, shedding tears of ten-
derness and joy, lifted them on their
shoulders to show them to the crowd,
and held them up to the applauses of
the whole assembly, who strewed hand-
fuls of flowers over them." Anachar.
iii. 448. Nay, at their return home,
they rode in a triumphal chariot ; the
walls of the city were broken down to
give them entrance ; and in many
cities a subsistence was given them
out of the public treasury, and they
were exempted from taxes. Cicero
says that a victory at the Olympic
games was not much less honourable
than a triumph at Rome. See Anachar.
iii. 469, and Rob. Cal. art. Race. When
Paul says that but one receives the
prize, he does not mean to say that
there will be the same small proportion
among those who shall enter into
heaven, and among Christians. But
his idea is, that as they make an effort
to obtain the prize, so should we ; as
many who strive for it then lose it, it is
possible that we may ; and that there-
fore we should strive for the crown,
and make an effort for it, as if but one
out of many could obtain it. This, he
says, was the course which he pursued ;
and it shows, in a most striking man-
ner, the fact that an effort may be
made, and should be made to enter
into heaven. ^ So run, that ye may
obtain. So run in the Christian race,
that you may obtain the prize of glory,
the crown incorruptible. So live; so
deny yourselves ; so make constant
exertion, that you may not fail of that
prize, the crown of glory, which awaits
the righteous in heaven. Comp. Heb.
xii. 1. Christians may do this when
(I.) They give themselves wholly
to God, and make this the grand
business of life ; (2.) When they lay
to obtain a corruptible crown ;
but we an incorruptible."
o2Tim.4.8. Jamesl.12. lPet.5.4.
3.11.
aside every weight" (Heb. xii. 1),
and renounce all sin and all improper
attachments ; (3.) When they do not
allow themselves to be diverted from
the object, but keep the goal constant-
ly in view; (4.) When they do not
flag, or grow weary in their course ;
(5.) When they deny themselves ; and
(6.) When they keep their eye fully
fixed on Christ (Heb. xii. 2) as their
example and their strength, and on
heaven as the end of their race, and on
the crown of glory as their reward.
25. And every man that striveth
'for the mastery (o ayu>vio{*tvx). That
I agonizes ; that is, that is engaged in
the exercise of wrestling, boxing, or
! pitching the bar or quoit. Comp. Note,
Luke xiii. 24. The sense is, every
i one who endeavours to obtain a vic-
; tory in these athletic exercises, f Is
temperate in all things. The word
which is rendered " is temperate"
(S^ATSUST*/) denotes abstinence from
all that would excite, stimulate, and
ultimately enfeeble; from wine, from
exciting and luxurious living, and from
licentious indulgences. It means that
they did all they could to make the
body vigorous, active, and supple. They
pursued a course of entire temperate
living. Comp. Acts xxiv. 25. 1 Car.
vii. 9. Gal. v. 23. 2 Pet. i. 6. It re-
lates not only to indulgences unlawful
in themselves, but to abstinence from
many things that were regarded as
lawful, but which were believed to
render the body weak and effeminate.
The phrase " in all things" means that
this course of temperance or abstinence
was not confined to one thing, or to
one class of things, but to every kind
of food and drink, and every indul-
gence that had a tendency to render the
body weak and effeminate. The pre-
parations which those who proposed to
contend in these games made is well
known ; and is often referred to by the
classic writers. Epictetus, as quoted
188
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59
by Grotius (in loco), thus speaks of
these preparations. " Do you wish to
gain the prize at the Olympic games 1
consider the requisite preparations and
the consequence. You must observe
* strict Ttogimen ; must live on food
which is unpleasant; must abstain
from all delicacies ; must exercise your-
self at the prescribed times in heat and
in cold ; you must drink nothing cool
(4*5tP*) must take no wine as usual ;
you must put yourself under a pugilist,
as you would under a physician, and
afterward enter the lists. Epict." ch. 35.
Horace has described the preparations
necessary in the same way.
Qui studet optatum cursu contingere metam
Multa tulit fecitque puer ; sudavit, italsit,
Abstinuit venere et Baccho.
De Arte Poet. 412.
A youth who hopes the Olympic prize to gain,
All arts must try, and every toil sustain ;
The extremes of heat and cold must often
prove,
And shun the weakening joys of wine and
love. Francis.
^ To obtain a corruptible crown. A
garland, diadem, or civic wreath, that
must soon fade away. The garland
bestowed on the victor was made
of olive, pine, apple, laurel, or pars-
ley. That would soon lose its beauty
and fade ; of course, it could be of
little value. Yet we see how eagerly
they sought it ; how much self-denial
those who entered the lists would
practise to obtain it ; how long they
would deny themselves of the common
pleasures of life that they might be
successful. So much temperance would
heathens practise to obtain a fading
wreath of laurel, pine, or parsley !
Learn hence, (1.) The duty of deny-
ing ourselves to obtain a far more
valuable reward, the incorruptible
crown of heaven. (2.) The duty of
all Christians who strive for that crown
to be temperate in all things. If the
heathens practised temperance to obtain
a fading laurel, should not we to ob-
tain one that never fades ? (3.) How
much their conduct puts to shame
the conduct of many professing Chris-
tians and Christian ministers. They
set such a value on a civic wreath of
tnue o laurel, that they were willing to
deny themselves, and practise the mot
rigid abstinence. They knew that in
dulgence in WINE and in luxuriou
living unfitted them for the struggle an.
for victory ; they knew that it enfeebla
their powers, and weakened their frame
and, like men intent on an object dea
to them, they abstained wholly from
these things, and embraced the prin-
ciples of total abstinence. Yet how
many professed Christians, and Chris-
tian ministers, though striving for the
crown that fadeth not away, indulge m
wine, and in the filthy, offensive, and
disgusting use of tobacco ; and in
luxurious living, and in habits of indo-
lence and sloth ! How many there are
that WILL not give up these habits,
though they know that they are en-
feebling, injurious, offensive, and de-
structive to religious comfort and
usefulness. Can a man be truly in
earnest in his professed religion ; can
he be a sincere Christian, who is not
willing to abandon any thing and every
thing that will tend to impair the
vigour of his mind, and weaken his
body, and make him a stumbling-block
to others ] (4.) The value of temper-
ance is here presented in a very striking
and impressive view. When even the
heathens wished to accomplish any
thing that demanded skill, strength,
power, vigour of body, they saw the
necessity of being temperate, and they
were so. And this proves what all
experiment has prored, that if men
wish to accomplish much, they must b
temperate. It proves that men can do
mare without intoxicating drink than
they can with it. The example of
these Grecian Athletac their wrestlers,
boxers, and racers, is against all the
farmers, and mechanics, and seamen,
and day-labourers, and gentlemen, and
clergymen, and lawyers who plead
that stimulating drink is necessary to
enable them to bear cold and heat, and
toil and exposure. A little experience
from men like the Grecian wrestlers,
who had something that they wished
to do, is much better than a great deal
of philosophy and sophistical reasoning
from men who wish to drink, and tc
A.D.59.] CHAPTER IX. 189
26 I therefoie o run, not as uncertainly ; so fight 1, not
find some argument tor drinking that
shall be a salvo to their consciences.
Perhaps the world has furnished no
stronger argument in favour of total
abstinence than the example of the
Grecian Athktae. It is certain that
their example, the example of men who
wished to accomplish much by bodily
vigour and health, is an effectual and
irrefragable argument against all those
who plead that stimulating drinks are
desirable or necessary in order to in-
crease the vigour of the bodily frame.
^ Bat we. We Christians. \ An in-
corruptible. An incorruptible, an
unfading crown. The blessings of
heaven that shall be bestowed on the
righteous are often represented under
the image of a crown or diadem ; a
crown that is unfading, and eternal.
2 Tim. iv. 8. James i. 12. 1 Pet. v. 4.
Rev. ii. 10 ; Hi. 11 ; iv. 4. The doc-
trine here taught is, the necessity of
making an effort to secure eternal life.
The apostle never thought of entering
heaven by indolence, or by inactivity.
He urged, by every possible argument,
the necessity of making an exertion to
secure the rewards of the just. His
reasons for this effort are many. Let
a few be pondered. (1.) The work of
salvation is difficult. The thousand
obstacles arising, the love of sin, and
the opposition of Satan and of the
world are in the way. (2.) The dan-
ger of losing the crown of glory is
great. Every moment exposes it to
hazard, for al any moment we may
die. (3.) The danger is not only
great, but it is dreadful. If any thing
should arouse man, it should be the
apprehension of eternal damnation and
everlasting wrath. (4.) Men in this
life, in the games of Greece, in the
career of ambition, in the pursuit of
pleasure and wealth, make immense
efforts to obtain the fading and perish
ing object of their desires. Why
should not a man be willing to make
as great efforts at least to secure eternal
glory ? (5.) The value of the interest
at stake. Eternal happiness is before
those who will embiace the offers of
life. If a man should be influenced
by any thing to make an effort, should
it not be by the prospect of eternal
glory 1 What should influence him if
this should not 1
26. I therefore so run. In the Chris-
tian race ; in my effort to obtain the
prize, the crown of immortality. I exert
myself to the utmost, that I may not
fail of securing the crown. Tf Not as
uncertainly (owx cJ\as^. This word
occurs nowhere else in the New Testa-
ment. It usually means, in the classic
writers, obscurely. Here it means that
he did not run as not knowing to what
object he aimed. ' I do not run at hap-
hazard ; I do not exert myself for
naught ; I know at what I aim, and I
keep my eye fixed on the object; I
have the goal and the crown in view.'
Probably also the apostle intended to
convey this idea, ' I so live and act that
I am sure of obtaining the crown. I
make it a great and grand point of my
life so to live that there may be no room
for doubt or hesitancy about this matter.
I believe it may be obtained ; and that
by a proper course there may be a con-
stant certainty of securing it; and I so
LIVE.' O how happy and blessed would
it be if all Christians thus lived ! How
much doubt, and hesitancy, and de-
spondency would it remove from many
a Christian's mind ! And yet it is mo-
rally certain that if every Christian were
to be only as anxious and careful as
were the ancient Grecian wrestlers and
racers in the games, they would have
the undoubted assurance of gaining the
prize. Dodd ridge and Macknight, how-
ever, render this * as not out of view ;'
or as not distinguished ; meaning that
the apostle was not unseen, but that he
regarded himself as constantly in the
view of the judge, the Lord Jesus Christ.
I prefer the other interpretation, how-
ever, as best according with tho con-
nexion and with the proper meaning
of the word, f Sojight I (oura 7rwtTSt/).
Thi? word is applied to the boxers, or
the pugilists, in the Grecian games.
190
I. CORINTHIANS.
as one that beateth the air:
27 But I a keep under my
aRom.8.13.
The exercise of boxing, or fighting
with the fist, was a part of the enter-
tainment with which the enlightened
nations of Greece delighted to amuse
themselves. ^ Not as one that beateth
the air. The phrase here is taken from
the habits of the pugilists or boxers,
who were accustomed, before entering
the lists, to exercise their limbs with
the gauntlet, in order to acquire greater
skill and dexterity. There was also,
before the real contest commenced, a
play with their fists and weapons, by
way of show or bravado, which was
called <rx.iu{A&%ict, a mock-battle, or a
fighting the air. The phrase also is
applicable to a missing the aim, when
a blow was struck in a real struggle,
and when the adversary would elude
the blow, so that it would be spent in
the empty air. This last is the idea
which Paul means to present. He did
not miss his aim ; he did not exert him-
self and spend his strength for naught.
Every blow that he struck told; and
he did not waste his energies on that
which would produce no result. He
did not strive with rash, ill-advised, or
uncertain blows ; but all his efforts were
directed,with good account, to the grand
purpose of subjugating his enemy sin,
and the corrupt desires of the flesh
and bringing every thing into captivity
to God. Much may be learned from
this. Many an effort of Christians is
merely beating the air. The energy is
expended for naught. There is a want
of wisdom, or skill, or perseverance;
there is a failure of plan ; or there is a
mistake in regard to whatts to be done,
and what should be done. There is
often among Christians very little aim
or object; there is no plan; and the
efforts are wasted, scattered, inefficient
efforts ; so that, at the close of life, many
a man may say that he has spent his
ministry or his Christian course mainly,
or entirely, in beating the air. Besides,
many a one sets up a man of straw, and
fights that. He fancies error arid heresy
[A. D. 59.
body, and bring it into subjec-
tion ; lest that by any means,
in others, and opposes that. He be-
comes a heresy-hunter ; or he opposes
some irregularity in religion that, if left
alone, would die of itself; or he fixes
all his attention on some minor evil, and
devotes his life to the destruction of
that alone. When death comes, he may
have never struck a blow at one of the
real and dangerous enemies of the gos-
pel ; and the simple record on the tomb-
stone of many a minister and many a
private Christian might be, ' Here lies
one who spent his life in beating the
air.'
27. But I keep under my body
(iTratTrtdfo*) . This word occurs in the
New Testament only here and in Luke
xviii. 5, " Lest by her continual coming
she weary me." The word is derived
probably from CfrJariw, the part of the
face under the eye (Passow}, and
means properly, to strike under the
eye, either with the fist or the cestus,
so as to render the part livid, or as we
say, black and blue ; or as is vulgarly
termed, to give any one a black eye.
The word is derived, of course, from
the athletic exercises of the Greeks. It
then comes to mean, to treat any one
with harshness, severity, or cruelty,-
and thence also, so to treat any evil
inclinations or dispositions ; or to subject
one's-self to mortification or self-denial,
or to a severe and rigid discipline, that
all the corrupt passions might be re-
moved. The word here means, that
Paul made use of all possible means to
subdue his corrupt and carnal inclina
tions ; to show that he was not under
the dominion of evil passions, but was
wholly under the dominion of the gos-
pel. 1 And bring it into subjection
vK'Jtytey^}. This word properly means,
to reduce to servitude or slavery ; and
probably was usually applied to the act
of subduing an enemy, and leading him
captive from the field of battle ; as the
captives in war were regarded as slaves.
It then means, effectually and totally to
subdue, to conquer, to reduce to bond-
A D. 59. J
CHAPTER IX.
when I have preached to others, I myself should be a'cast-away
age and subjection. Paul means by it,
the purpose to obtain a complete victory
over his corrupt passions and propensi-
ties, and a design to gain the mastery
over all his natural and evil inclinations.
1 Lest that by any means. Note, ver.
22. Paul designed to make every pos-
sible effort to be saved. He did not
mean to be lost, but he meant to be
saved. He felt that there was danger
of being deceived and lost; and he
meant by some means to have evidence
of piety that would abide the trial of
the day of judgment. 1 When I have
preached to others. Doddridge renders
this, " lest after having served as a
herald to others, I should myself be
disapproved ;" and supposes that there
was allusion in this to the Grecian
herald, whose business it was to pro-
claim the conditions of the games, to
display the prizes, &c. In this inter-
pretation, also, Macknight, Rosen miil-
ler, Koppe, and most of the modern
interpreters agree. They 'suppose, there-
fore, that the allusion to the games is
carried through all this description. But
there is this difficulty in this interpreta-
tion, that it represents the apostle as
both a herald and a contender in the
games, and thus leads to an inextricable
confusion of metaphor. Probably, there-
fore, this is to be taken in the usual
sense of the word preaching in the
New Testament ; and the apostle here
is to be understood as dropping the
metaphor, and speaking in the usual
niapner. He had preached to others,
to many others. He had proclaimed
the gospel far and near. He had
preached to many thousands, and had
been the means of the conversion of
thousands. The contest, the agony,
the struggle in which he had been
engaged, was that of preaching the
gospel in the most effectual manner.
And yet he felt that there was a. possi-
bility that even after all this he might
be lost. ^ / myself should be a cast-
away. This word (iJox^sc) is taken
from bad metals, and properly denotes
those which will not ">ear the est that
is applied to them; that are found to
be base and worthless, and are therefore
rejected and cast away. The apostle
had subjected himself to trials. He had
given himself to self-denial and toil ; to
persecution and want; to perils, and
cold, and nakedness, and hunger. He
had done this, among other things, to
give his religion a fair trial, to see whe-
ther it would bear all these tests; as
metal is cast into the fire to see whe-
ther it is genuine, or is base and worth-
less. In doing this, he had endeavoured
to subdue his corrupt propensities, and
bring every thing into captivity to the
Redeemer, that it might be found that
he was a sincere, and humble, and de-
voted Christian. Many have supposed
that the word " cast-away" here refers
to those who had entered the lists, and
had contended, and who had then been
examin-ed as to the manner in which
they had conducted the contest, and had
been found to have departed from the
rules of the games, and who were then
rejected. But this interpretation is too
artificial and unnatural. The simple
idea of Paul is, that he was afraid that
he should be disapproved, rejected, cast
off; that it would appear, after all, that
he had no religion, and would then be
cast away as unfit to enter into heaven.
From the many remarks which might
be made from this interesting chapter,
we may select the following :
1st. We see the great anxiety which
Paul had to save souls. This was his
grand purpose; and for this . he was
willing to deny himself and to bear
any trial.
2d. We should be kind to others;
we should not needlessly offend them;
we should conform to them, as far as it
can be done consistently with Christian
integrity.
3d. We should make an effort to be
saved. O, if men made such exertions
to obtain a corruptible crown, how much
greater should we make to obtain one
that fadeth not away !
4th. Ministers, like others, are xn
danger of losing their souls. If Fait,
192
M
I. CORINTHIANS.
CHAPTER X.
OREOVER, brethren, I
would not that ye should
be ignorant,
fathers were
[A. D. 59.
how that all our
under the cloud,
and 6 all passed through the sea ;
a Ex.13.21,22. Num.9.18-22. b Ex. 14. 19-22.29
felt this danger, who is there among the
ministers of the cross who should not
feel it? If Paul was not safe, who is 1
5th. The fact that a man has preach-
ed to many is no certain evidence that
he will be saved, ver. 27. Paul had
preached to thousands, and yet he felt
that after all this there was a possibility
that he might be lost.
6th. The fact that a man has been
very successful in the ministry is no
certain evidence that he will be saved.
God converts men; and he may some-
times do it by the instrumentality of
those who themselves are deceived, or
are deceivers. They may preach much
truth ; and God may bless that truth,
and make it the means of saving the
tfoul. There is no conclusive evidence
that a man is a Christian simply because
he is a successful and laborious preach-
er, any more than there is that a man
is a Christian because he is a good
farmer, and because God sends down
the rain* and the sunshine on his fields.
Paul felt that even his success was no
certain evidence that he would be saved.
And if Paul felt thus, who should not
feel that after the most distinguished
success, he may himself be at last a
cast-away ?
7th. It will be a solemn and awful
thing for a minister of the gospel, and
a successful minister, to go down to
hell. What more fearful ^oom can be
conceived, than after having led others
in the way to life ; after having described
to them the glories of heaven ; after
having conducted them to the " sweet
fields beyond the swelling flood" of
death, he should find himself shut out,
rejected, and cast down to hell ! What
more terrible can be imagined in the
world of perdition than the doom of one
who was once a minister of God, and
once esteemed as a light in the church
and a guide of souls, now sentenced
to inextinguishable fires, while multi-
tudes saved by him shall have gone to
heaven ! How fearful is the condition
and how solemn the vocation of a mi-
nister of the gospel !
8th. Ministers should be solicitous
about their personal piety. Paul, one
might suppose, might have rested con-
tented with the remarkable manner of
his conversion. He might have sup-
posed that that put the matter beyond
all possible doubt. But he did no such
thing. He felt that it was necessary to
have evidence day by day that he was
then a Christian. Of all men, Paul
was perhaps least disposed to live on
past experience, and to trust to such
experience. Of all men, he had per
haps most reason to trust to such expe-
rience; and yet how seldom does he refei
to it, how little does he regard it ! The
great question with him was, 'Am I
now a Christian 1 am I living as a
Christian should now ? am I evincing
to others, am I giving to myself daily,
constant, growing evidence that I am
actuated by the pure principles of the
gospel, and that that gospel is the object
of my highest preference, and my holiest
and constant desire !' O how holy would
be the ministry, if all should endeavour
every day to live and act for Christ and
for souls with as much steadiness and
fidelity as did the apostle Paul !
CHAPTER X.
ITS regard to the design of this chap-
ter commentators have not been agreed.
Some have supposed that there is no
connexion with the preceding, but that
this is a digression. The ancient Greek
expositors generally, and some of the
moderns, as Grotius, supposed that the
connexion was this : Paul had in the
previous chapter described himself as
mortifying his flesh, and keeping his
body under, that he might gain the
prize. In this chapter they suppose
that his object is to exhort the Corinth-
ians to do the same ; and that in orde*
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER X.
1:13
co do this, he admonishes them not to
oe lulled into security by the idea of the
many spiritual gifts which had been
conferred upon them. This admonition
he enforces by the example of the Jews,
who had been highly favoured also,
but who had nevertheless been led into
idolatry. This is also the view of
Doddridge, Calvin, and others. Mac-
knight regards the chapter as an inde-
pendent discussion of the three ques-
tions, which he supposes had been
submitted to Paul: (1.) Whether they
might innocently go with their friends
into the heathen temples, and partake
of the feasts which were there made in
honour of the idol. (2.) Whether they
might buy and eat meat sold in the
markets which had been sacrificed to
dols. (3.) Whether, when invited to
the houses of the heathens, they might
partake of the meat sacrificed to idols,
and which was set before them as a
common meal. I regard this chapter
as having a very close connexion with
ch. viii. In the close of ch. viii. (ver.
13), Paul had stated, when examining
the question whether it was right to eat
meat offered in sacrifice to idols, that
the grand principle on which he acted,
and on which they should act, was that
of self-denial. To illustrate this he
employs the ninth chapter, by showing
how he acted on it in reference to a
maintenance ; showing that it was this
principle that led him to decline a sup-
port to which he was really entitled.
Having illustrated that, he returns in
this chapter to the subject which he
was discussing in ch. viii. ; and the
design of this chapter is further to
explain and enforce the sentiments
advanced there, and to settle some
other inquiries pertaining to the same
general subject. The first point, there-
fore, on which he insists is, the danger
of relapsing into idolatry a danger
which would arise should they be in
the habit of frequenting the temples of
idols, and of partaking of the meats
offered in sacrifice, ver. 1 24. Against
this he had cautioned them in general,
in ch. viii. 7. 9 12. This danger he
QOW sets forth by a variety of illustra-
17
tions. He first shows them that the
Jews had been highly favoured, had
been solemnly consecrated to Moses
and to God, and had been under the
divine protection and guidance (ver.
1 4) ; yet that this had not kept
them from the displeasure of God when
they sinned, ver. 5. He shows that
notwithstanding their privileges, they
had indulged in inordinate desires (ver.
6) ; that they had become idolaters
(ver. 7) ; that they had been guilty of
licentiousness (ver. 8) ; that they had
tempted their leader and guide (ver.
I 9) ; that they had murmured (ver. 10) ;
j and that, as a consequence of this, many
I of them had been destroyed. In view
I of all this, Paul cautions the Corinthi-
j ans not to be self-confident, or to feel
i secure ; and not to throw themselves
in the way of temptation by partaking
of the feasts of idolatry, ver. 12 14.
This danger he further illustrates (ver.
15. 24) by showing that if they partook
of those sacrifices, they in fact became
! identified with the worshippers of idols.
| This he proved by showing that in the
j Christian communion, those who par-
took of the Lord's supper were identi-
fied with Christians (ver. 16, 17) ; that
in the Jewish sacrifices the same thing
occurred, and that those who partook
of them were regarded as Jews, and as
worshippers of the same God with
them (ver. 18); and that the same
thing must occur, in the nature of the
case, by partaking of the sacrifices offer-
ed to idols. They were really partak-
ing of that which had been offered to
devils ; and against any such partici-
pation Paul would solemnly admonish
them. ver. 19 22. Going on the sup-
position, therefore, that there was no-
thing wrong in itself in partaking of
the meat that had been thus killed in
sacrifice, yet Paul says (ver. 23) thaj
it was not expedient thus to expose
themselves to danger; and that the
grand principle should be to seek the
comfort and edification of others, ver.
24. Paul thus strongly and decisively
admonishes them not to enter the tern
pies of idols to partake of those feasts ;
not to unite with idolaters in their cele-
i94
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D.
bration ; not to endanger their piety by
these temptations.
There were, however, two other ques-
tions on the subject which it was im-
portant to decide, and which had pro-
bably been submitted to him in the
letter which they had sent for counsel
and advice. The first was, whether it
was right to purchase and eat the meat
which had been sacrificed, and which
was exposed indiscriminately with other
meat in the market, ver. 25. To
this Paul replies, that as no evil could
result from this, as it could not be
alleged that they purchased it as meat
sacrificed "to idols, and as all that the
earth contained belonged to the Lord,
it was not wrong to purchase and to
use it. Yet if even this was pointed
out to them as having been sacrificed
to idols, he then cautioned them to
abstain from it. ver. 28. The other
question was, whether it was right for
them to accept the invitation of a hea-
then, and to partake of meat then that
had been offered in sacrifice, ver. 27.
To this a similar answer was returned.
The general principle was, that no ques-
tions were to be asked in regard to what
was set before them ; but if the food
was expressly pointed out as having
been offered in sacrifice, then to par-
take of it would be regarded as a public
recognition of the idol. ver. 28 30.
Paul then concludes the discussion by
stating the noble rule that is to guide
in all this: that every thing is to be
done to the glory of God (ver. 31) ;
and that the great effort of the Chris-
tian should be so to act in all things as
to honour his religion, as not to lead
others into sin. ver. 32, 33.
1. Moreover, brethren. But, or now
(<f). This verse, with the following
illustrations (ver. 1 4), is properly
connected in Paul's argument with the
statements which he had made in ch.
viii. 8, &c., and is designed to show
the danger which would result from
their partaking of the feasts that were
celebrated in honour of idols. It is not
improbable, as Mr. Locke supposes, that
the Corinthians might have urged that
they were constantly solicited by their
heathen friends to attend those feasts ;
that in their circumstances it was scarce-
ly possible to avoid it; that there could
be no danger of their relapsing into
idolatry ; and their doing so could not
be offensive to God, since they were
known to be Christians ; since they had
been baptized, and purified from sin,
since they were devoted to his service
since they knew that an idol was no-
thing in the world ; and since they had
been so highly favoured, as the people
of God, with so many extraordinary en-
dowments, and were so strongly guarded
against the possibility of becoming idol-
aters. To meet these considerations,
Paul refers them to the example of the
ancient Jews. They also were the peo-
ple of God. They had been solemnly
dedicated to Moses and to God. They
had been peculiarly favoured with spi-
ritual food from heaven, and with drink
miraculously poured from the rock. Yet
notwithstanding this, they had forgot-
ten God, had become idolaters, and had
been destroyed. By their example,
therefore, Paul would warn the Co-
rinthians against a similar danger. Tf J
would not that yc should be ignorant.
A large part of the church at Corinth
were Gentiles. It could hardly be sup-
posed that they were well informed
respecting the ancient history of the
Jews. Probably they had read these
things in the Old Testament; but they
might not have them distinctly in their
recollection. Paul brings them dis-
tinctly before their minds, as an illus-
tration and an admonition. The sense
is, 'I would not have you unmindful or
forgetful of these things ; I would have
you recollect this case, and suffer their
example to influence your conduct. I
would not have you suppose that even
a solemn consecration to God and the
possession of distinguished tokens of
divine favour are a security against he
danger of sin, and even apostasy ; since
the example of the favoured Jews shows
that even in such circumstances there
is danger.' If How that alt our father**.
That is, the fathers of the Jewish com '
munity ; the fathers of us who are
Jews. Paul speaks here as being him
\ D. 59.]
CHAPTER X.
191
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
self a Jew, and refers to his own an-
cestors as such. The word " all" here
seems to be introduced to give emphasis
to the fact that even those who were
destroyed (ver. 5) also had this privi-
lege. It could not be pretended that
they had not been devoted to God,
since all of them had been thus con-
secrated professedly to his service.
The entire Jewish community which
Moses led forth from Egypt had thus
been devoted to 4iim. ^ Were under
the cloud. The cloud the Shechinah
the visible symbol of the divine pre-
sence and protection that attended them
out of Egypt. This went before them
by day as a cloud to guide them, and
by night it became a pillar of fire to
give them light. Ex. xiii. 21, 22. In
the dangers of the Jews, when closely
pressed by the Egyptians, it went be-
hind them, and became dark to the
Egyptians, but light to the Israelites,
thus constituting a defence. Ex. xiv.
20. In the wilderness, when travelling
through the burning desert, it seems to
have been expanded over the camp as
a covering, and a defence from the in-
tense rays of a burning sun. Num. x.
34, " And the cloud of JEHOTAH was
upon them by day." Num. xiv. 14,
' Thy cloud standeth over them." To
this fact the apostle refers here. It was
a symbol of the divine favour and pro-
tection. Comp. Isa. iv. 5. It was a
guide, a shelter, and a defence. The
Jewish Rabbins say that " the cloud
encompassed the camp of the Israelites
as a wall encompasses a city, nor could
the enemy come near them." Pirke
Eleazer, c. 44, as quoted by Gill. The
probability is, that the cloud extended
over the whole camp of Israel, and that
to those at a distance it appeared as a
pillar. ^ And all passed through the
sea. The Red Sea, under the guidance
of Moses, and by the miraculous inter-
position of God. Ex. xiv. 21, 22. This
was also a proof of the divine protec-
tion and favour, and is so adduced by
the apostle. His object is to accumu-
late, the evidences of the divine favour
to them, and to show that they had at
many securities against apostasy as the
Corinthians had, on which they so
much relied.
2. And were all baptized. In regard
to the meaning of the word baptized,
see Note on Matt. iii. 6. We are not
to suppose that the rite of baptism, as
we understand it, was formally admi-
nistered by Moses, or by any other
person, to the Jews, for there is not
the least evidence that any such rite
was then known, and the very circum-
stances here referred to forbid such an
interpretation. They were baptized
"in the cloud" and "in the sea," and
this cannot be understood as a religious
rite administered by the hand of man.
It is to be remembered that the word
baptism has two senses the one refer-
ring to the application of water as a
religious rite, in whatever mode it is
done; and the other the sense of dedi-
cating, consecrating, initiating into,
or bringing under obligation to. And
it is evidently in this latter sense that
the word is, used here, as denoting that
they were devoted to Moses as a leader,
they were brought under his laws, they
became bound to obey him, they were
placed under his protection and guid-
ance by the miraculous interposition
of God. This was done by the fact
that their passing through the sea, and
under the cloud, in this manner, brought
them under the authority and direction
ol Moses as a leader, and was a public
recognition of their being his followers,
and being bound to obey his laws.
f Unto Moses ('?). Tkis is the same
preposition which is used in the form
of baptism prescribed in Matt, xxviii.
19. See Note on that place. It means
that they were thus devoted or dedi-
cated to Moses ; they received and ac-
knowledged him as their ruler ana
guide ; they professed subjection to his
laws, and were brought under his
authority. They were thus initiated
into his religion, and thus recognised
his divine mission, and bound them-
selves to obev his iniunctions. Bloom-
190
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
field. If In the cloud. This cannot
be proved to mean that they were en-
veloped and, as it were, immersed in
the cloud, for there is no evidence that
the cloud thus enveloped them, or that
they were immersed in it as a person
is in water. The whole account
in the Old Testament leads us to sup-
pose that the cloud either passed before
them as a pillar, or that it had the
same form in the rear of their camp, or
that it was suspended over them, and
was thus the symbol of the divine pro-
tection. It would be altogether im-
probable that the dark cloud would
pervade the camp. It would thus em-
barrass their movements, and there is
not the slightest intimation in the Old
Testament that it did. Nor is there
any probability in the supposition of
Dr. Gill and others, that the cloud, as
it passed from the rear to the front of
the camp, " let down a plentiful rain
upon them, whereby they were in such
a condition as if they had been all over
dipped in water." For, (1.) There is
not the slightest intimation of this in
the Old Testament. (2.) The suppo-
sition is contrary to the vejy design of
the cloud. It wa not a natural cloud,
but was a symbol of the divine pre-
sence and protection. It was not to
give rain on the Israelites, or on the
land, but it was to guide, and to be an
emblem of the care of God. (3.) It is
doing violence to the Scriptures to
introduce suppositions in this manner
without the slightest authority. It is
further to be observed, that this suppo-
sition does by no means give any aid
to the cause of the Baptist after all. In
what conceivable sense were they, even
on this supposition, immersed Is it
immersion in water when one is ex-
posed to a shower of rain ] We speak
of being sprinkled or drenched by rain,
but is it not a violation of all propriety
of language to say that a man is im-
mersed in a shower ] If the supposi-
tion, therefore, is to be admitted, that
rain fell from the cloud as it passed
over the Jews, and that this is meant
here by "baptism unto Moses," then
it would follow that sprinkling would
be the mode referred to, since this i&
the only form that has resemblance to
a falling shower. But the supposition
is not necessary. Nor is it needful to
suppose that water was applied to them
at all. The thing itself is improbable
and the whole case is met by the sim-
ple supposition that the apostle means
that they were initiated in this way
into the religion of Moses, recognised
his divine mission, and under the cloud
became his followers and subject to his
laws. And if this interpretation is cor-
rect, then it follows that the word bap-
tize does not of necessity mean to im-
merse. Tf And in the sea. This is
another expression that goes to deter
mine the sense of the word baptize.
The sea referred to here is the Red Sea,
and the event was the passage through
that sea. The fact in the case was,
that the Lord caused a strong east wind
to blow all night, and made the sea dry
land, and the waters were divided (Ex.
xiv. 21), and the waters were a wall
unto them on the right hand and on
the left. Ex. xiv. 22. From this
whole narrative it is evident that they
passed through the sea without being
immersed in it. The waters were
driven into high adjacent walls for the
very purpose that they might pass be-
tween them dry and safe. There is
the fullest proof that they were not
submerged in the water. Dr. Gill sup-
poses that the water stood up above
their heads, and that " they seemed to
be immersed in it." This might be
true; but this is to give up the idea
that the word baptize means always to
immerse in water, since it is a fact,
according to this supposition, that they
were not thus immersed, but only
seemed to be. And all that can be
meant, therefore, is, that they were in
this manner initiated into the religion
of Moses, convinced of his divine mis-
sion, and brought under subjection to
him as their leader, lawgiver, arid guide.
This passage is a very important one
to prove that the word baptism does
not necessarily mean entire immersion
in water. It is perfectly clear that
neither the cloud nor the waters touched
A.D. 59.J
CHAPTER X.
107
3 And did all eat the same
spiritual meat ; a
a Ex. 16. 15,35. Neh.9. 15,20. Ps.78.24,23.
4 And did all drink the same
spiritual drink ; b for they drank
6Ex.l7.6. Num.20.11.
them. " They went through the midst
of the sea on dry ground." It remains
only to be asked whether, if immersk n
was the only mode of baptism known
in the New Testament, the apostle
Paul would have used the word not
only so as not necessarily to imply that,
but as necessarily to mean something
else]
3. And did all eat the same spiritual
meat. That is, manna. Ex. xvi. 15.
35. Neh. ix. 15. 20. The word meat
here is used in the old English sense
of the word, to denote food in general.
They lived on manna. The word spi-
ritual here is evidently used to denote
that which was given by the Spirit, or
by God ; that which was the result of
his miraculous gift, and which was not
produced in the ordinary way, and
which was not the gross food on which
men are usually supported. It had an
excellency and value from the fact that
it was the immediate gift of God, and
is thus called " angel's food." Ps. Ixxviii.
25. It is called by Josephus " divine
and extraordinary food." Ant. iii. 1.
In the language of the Scriptures, that
which is distinguished for excellence,
which is the immediate gift of God,
which is unlike that which is gross
and of earthly origin, is called spiritual,
to denote its purity, value, and excel-
lence. Comp. Rom. vii. 14. 1 Cor. iii. 1;
xv. 44. 46. Eph.i. 3. The idea of Paul
here is, that all the Israelites were
nourished and supported in this re-
markable manner by food given directly
by God; that they all had thus the
evidence of the divine protection and
favour, and were all under his care.
4 And did all drink the same spi-
ritual drink. The idea here is essen-
tially the same as in the previous verse,
that they had been highly favoured of
God, and enjoyed tokens of the divine
care and guardianship. That was mani-
fested in the miraculous supply of water
in the desert, thus showing that they
were under the divine protection, and
17*
were objects of the divine favour.
There can be no doubt that by "spi-
ritual drink" here the apostle refers to
the water that was made to gush from
the rock that was smitten by Moses.
Ex. xvii. 6. Num. xx. 11. Why this
is called " spiritual" has been a subject
on which there has been much differ-
ence of opinion. It cannot be because
there was any thing peculiar in the
nature of the water, for it was evidently
real water, fitted to allay their thirst.
There is no evidence, as fnany have
supposed, that there was a reference in
this to the drink used in the Lord's
supper. But it must mean that it was
bestowed in a miraculous and super-
natural manner ; and the word " spirit-
ual" must be used in^the sense of super-
natural, or that which is immediately
given by God. Spiritual blessings thus
stand opposed to natural and temporal
blessings, and the former denote those
which are immediately given by God
as an evidence of the divine favour.
That the Jews used the word " spiritual"
in this manner is evident from the
writings of the Rabbins. Thus they
called the manna "spiritual food"
(Yade Mose in Shemor Rabba, fol. 109.
3) ; and their sacrifices they called
" spiritual bread" (Tzeror Hammor, fol.
93. 2). Gill. The drink, therefore,
here referred to was that bestowed in a
supernatural manner, and as a proof
of the divine favour. Tf For they drank
of that spiritual Rock. Of the waters
which flowed from that rock. The
Rock here is called " spiritual," not from
any thing peculiar in the nature of the
rock, but because it was the source to
them of supernatural mercies, and be-
came thus the emblem and demonstra-
tion of the divine favour, and of spiritual
mercies, conferred upon them by God.
f That followed them. Margin, Went
with (ux:Acu9-'c/3-f). This evidently
cannot mean that the rock itself lite-
rally followed them, any more than that
they literally drank the rock, for one is
198
I. CORINTHIANS
[A.D. 54-
of that spiritual Rock that J fol-
* or, went with.
lowed them : and that Rock was
Christ.
as expressly affirmed, if it be taken lite-
rally, as the other. But as when it is
said they " drank of the rock," it must
mean that they drank of the water that
flowed from the rock ; so when it is said
that the " rock followed" or accompa-
nied them, it must mean that the water
that flowed from the rock accompanied
them. This figure of speech is common
everywhere. Thus the Saviour said
(1 Cor. xi. 25), "This cup is the new
testament," that is, the wine in this cup
represents my blood, &c. ; and Paul
says (1 Cor. xi. 25.27), "whosoever
shall drink this cup of the Lord un-
worthily," that is, the wine in the
cup, &c., and, " as often as ye drink
this cup," &c., that is, the wine con-
tained in the cup. It would be absurd
to suppose that the rock that was smit-
ten by Moses literally followed them in
the wilderness ; and there is not the
slightest evidence in the Old Testa-
ment that it did. Water was twice
brought out of a rock to supply the
wants of the children of Israel. Once
at mount Horeb, as recorded in Ex.
xvii. 6, in the wilderness of Sin, in the
first year of their departure from Egypt.
The second time water was brought
from a rock about the time of the death
of Miriam, at Kadesh, and probably in
the fortieth year of their departure from
Egypt. Num. xx. 1. It was to the
former of these occasions that the apos-
tle evidently refers. In regard to this
we may observe, (1.) That there must
have been furnished a large quantity
of water to have supplied the wants of
more than two millions of people.
(2.) It is expressly stated (Deut. ix.
21), that "the brook (Smn, stream,
torrent, or river, see Num. xxxiv. 5.
Josh. xv. 4. 47. 1 Kings viii. 65. 2
Kings xxiv. 7) descended out of the
mount," and was evidently a stream
of considerable size. (3.) Mount Ho-
reb was higher than the adjacent coun-
try, and the water that thus gushed
from the rock, instead of collecting into
a pool and becoming stagnant, would
flow off in the direction of the sea.
(4.) The sea to which it would natu-
rally flow would be the Red Sea, in
the direction of the Eastern or Elanitic
branch of that sea. (5.) The Israelites
would doubtless, in their journeyings,
be influenced by the natural direction
of the water, or would not wander far
from it, as it was daily needful for the
supply of their wants. (6.) At the
end of thirty-seven years we find the
Israelites at Ezion-geber, a seaport on
the eastern branch of the Red Sea,
where the waters probably flowed into
the sea. Num. xxxiii. 36. In the for-
tieth year of their departure from Egypt,
they left this place to go into Canaan
by the country of Edom, and were im
mediately in distress again by the want
of water. It is thus probable that the
water from the rock continued to flow,
and that it constituted a stream, or
river ; that it was near their camp all
the time till they came to Ezion-geber;
and that thus, together with the daily
supply of manna, it was a proof of the
protection of God, and an emblem of
their dependence. If it be said that
there is now no such stream to be
found there, it is to be observed that it
is represented as miraculous, and that
it would be just as reasonable to look
for the daily descent of manna there in
quantities sufficient to supply more
than two millions of men, as to expect
to find the gushing and running river
of water. The only question is, whe-
ther God can work a miracle, and
whether there is evidence that he has
done it. This is not the place to exa-
mine that question. But the evidence
is as strong that he wrought this mira-
cle as that he gave the manna, and
neither of them is inconsistent with
the power, the wisdom, or the benevo-
lence of God. | And that Rock was
Christ. This cannot be intended to
be understood literally, for it was not
literally true. The rock from which
the water flowed was evidently an ordi-
nary rock, a part of mount Horeb ; and
4.D. 59.] CHAPTER X.
5 But with many of them God
was not well pleased ; for they
199
all that this can mean is, that that rock,
with the stream of water thus gushing
from it, was a representation of the
Messiah. The word was is thus often
used to denote similarity or representa-
tion, and is not to be taken literally.
Thus, in the institution of the Lord's
supper, the Saviour says of the bread,
" This is my body," that is, it repre-
sents my body. Thus also of the cup,
"This cup is the new testament in my
blood," that is, it represents my blood.
1 Cor. xi. 24, 25. Thus the gushing-
fountain of water might be regarded as
a representation of the Messiah, and of
the blessings which result from him.
The apostle does not say that the Is-
raelites knew that this was designed to
be a representation of the Messiah, and
of the blessings which flow from him,
though there is nothing improbable in
the supposition that they so understood
and regarded it, since all their institu-
tions were probably regarded as typical.
But he evidently does mean to say that
the rock was a vivid and affecting re-
presentation of the Messiah ; that the
Jews did partake of the mercies that
flow from him ; and that even in the
desert they were under his care, and
had in fact among them a vivid repre-
sentation of him in some sense corres-
ponding with the emblematic repre-
sentation of the same favours which
the Corinthian and other Christians
had in the Lord's supper. This repre-
sentation of the Messiah, perhaps, was
understood by Paul to consist in the
following things : (1.) Christians, like
the children of Israel, are passing
through the world as pilgrims, and to
them that world is a wilderness a
desert. (2.) They need continued
Bupplies, as the Israelites did, in their
journey. The world, like that wilder-
ness, does not meet their necessities, or
supply their wants. (3.) That rock
was a striking representation of the
fulness of the Messiah, of the abun-
dant grace which he imparts to his
were overthrown a in the wilder
ness.
a Num. 14.29-35; 26.64,05. Heb.3.17. Jude 5.
people. (4.) It was an illustration of
their continued and constant depend-
ence on him for the daily supply of
their wants. It should be observed
that many expositors understand this
literally. Bloomfield translates it, " and
they were supplied with drink from
the spiritual Rock which followed them,
even Christ." So Rosenmiiller, Calvin,
Glass, &c. In defence of this inter-
pretation, it is said, that the Messiah is
often called " a rock" in the Scriptures ;
that the Jews believe that the " angel
of JEHOVAH" who attended them (Ex.
iii. 2, and other places) was the Mes-
siah ; and that the design of the apostle
was, to show that this attending Rock,
the Messiah, was the source of all their
blessings, and particularly of the water
that gushed from the rock. But the
interpretation suggested above seems
to me to be most natural. The design
of the apostle is apparent It is to
show to the Corinthians, who relied so
much on their privileges, and felt them-
selves so secure, that the Jews had the
very same privileges had the highest
tokens of the divine favour and protec-
tion, were under the guidance and grace
of God, and were partakers constantly
of that which adumbrated or typified
the Messiah, in a manner as real, and
in a form as much fitted to keep up
the remembrance of their dependence,
as even the bread and wine in the
Lord's supper.
5. But with many of them, &c.
That is, with their conduct. They re-
belled and sinned, and were destroyed.
The design of the apostle here is, to
remind them that although they enjoy-
ed so many privileges, yet they were
destroyed ; and thus to admonish the
Corinthians that their privileges did
not constitute an absolute security
from danger, and that they should be
cautious against the indulgence of sin.
The phrase rendered here " with many"
( TCK TrKtLtrtv} should have been ren-
dered with most of them,' literally ' with
200
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
6 Now these things were 1 our
examples, to the intent we should
not lust after evil things, as they
" also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as
i the figures. a Num. 11. 4,33,34.
were some of them ; as it is
written, * The people sat down
to eat and drink, and rose up to
play.
8 Neither let us commit for-
b Ex.32.6.
the many ;' and it means that with the
greater part of them God was not well
pleased ; that is, he was pleased with
but few of them. If Was not well
pleased. Was offended with their in-
gratitude and rebellion. t For they
were overthrown, &c. That is, by the
pestilence, by wars, or died by natural
and usual diseases, so that they did not
reach the land of Canaan. But two
men of that generation, Caleb and
Joshua, were permitted to enter the
land of promise. Num. xiv. 29, 30.
6. Now these things. The judg-
ments inflicted on them by God for
their sins. f Were our examples.
Greek, Types (TUTTOI). Margin, Figures.
They were not designed to be types of
us, but they are to be held up as fur-
nishing an admonition to us, or a
warning that we do not sin in the same
way. The same God directs our
affairs that ordered theirs; and if we
sin as they did, we also must expect
to be punished, and excluded from
the favour of God, and from heaven.
Tf Lust offer evil things. Desire those
things which are forbidden, and which
would be injurious. They lusted
after flesh, and God granted them
their desires, and the consequence was
a plague, and the destruction of multi-
tudes. Num. xi. 4. 31 34. So Paul
infers that the Corinthian Christians
should not lust after, or desire the meat
offered in sacrifice to idols, lest it should
lead them also to sin and ruin.
7. Neither be ye idolaters. This cau-
tion is evidently given in view of the
danger to which they would be exposed
if they partook of the feasts that were
celebrated in honour of idols in their
temples. The particular idolatry which
is referred to here is, the worship of the
golden calf that was made by Aaron
Ex. xxxii. 1 5. Tf As it is written.
Ex. xxxii. 6. 1 The people sat down
to eat and to drink. To worship the
golden calf. They partook of a feast
in honour of that idol. I have already
observed that it was common to keep a
feast in honour of an idol, and that the
food which was eaten on such an occa-
sion was mainly the meat which had been
offered in sacrifice to it. This instance
was particularly to the apostle's purpose,
as he was cautioning the Corinthians
against the danger of participating in
the feasts celebrated in the heathen
temples. ^ And rose up to play
(^t/^y). The Hebrew word used in
Ex. xxxii. 7 (prttS) means to laugh, tc
sport, to jest, to mock, to insult (Gen.
xxi. 9) ; and then to engage in dances
accompanied with music, in honour of
an idol. This was often practised, as
the worship of idols was celebrated
with songs and dances. This is par-
ticularly affirmed of this instance of
idol worship (Ex. xxxii. 19); and this
was common among ancient idolaters
and this mode of worship was ever,
adopted by David before the ark of the
Lord. 2 Sam. vi. 5. 1 Chron. xiii. 8 :
xv. 29. All that the word " to play*
here necessarily implies is, that of cho
ral songs and dances, accompanied
with revelry in honour of the idol. I
was, however, the fact that such wor
ship was usually accompanied will
much licentiousness ; but that is no
necessarily implied in the use of the
word. Most of the oriental dances
were grossly indecent and licentious
and the word here may be designed tc
include such indelicacy and licentious
ness.
8. Neither let us commit fornication
&c. The case referred to here wa*
that of the licentious intercourse will
the daughters of Moab, referred to ii
Num. xxv. 1 9. | And fell in ont
A.D 59.]
CHAPTER X.
201
nication, as some a of them com-
mitted, and fell in one day three
and twenty thousand.
a Num.25.1-9.
day. Were slain for their sin by the
plague that prevailed. ^ Three and
twenty thousand. The Hebrew text
in Num. xxv. 9, is twenty-four thou-
sand. In order to reconcile these state-
ments, it may be observed that perhaps
twenty-three thousand fell directly by
the plague, and one thousand were
slain by Phinehas and his companions
(Grot ius) ; or it may be that the num-
ber was between twenty-three and
twenty-four thousand, and it might
be expressed in round numbers by
either. Macknight. At all events,
Paul has not exceeded the truth.
There were at least twenty-three thou-
sand that fell, though there might
have been more. The probable sup-
position is, that the three and twenty
thousand fell immediately by the hand
cf God in the plague, and the other
thousand by the judges ; and as Paul's
design was particularly to mention the
proofs of the immediate divine dis-
pleasure, he refers only to those who
fell by that, in illustration of his sub-
ject. There was a particular reason
for this caution in respect to licentious-
ness. (1.) It was common among all
idolaters ; and Paul, in cautioning
them against idolatry, would naturally
warn them of this danger. (2.) It was
common at Corinth. It was the preva-
lent vice there. To Corinthianize was
a term synonymous among the ancients
with licentiousness. (3.) So common
was this at Corinth, that, as we have
seen (see the Introduction), not. less
than a thousand prostitutes were sup-
ported in a single temple there ; and
the city was visited by vast multitudes
of foreigners, among other reasons
on account of its facilities for this sin.
Christians, therefore, were in a peculiar
manner exposed to it; and hence the
anxiety of the apostle to warn them
ftgainst it.
9 Neither let us tempt* Christ,
as some of them also tempted,
and were destroyed of serpents
b Ex.17.2,7. c Num.21. 6.
9. Neither let us tempt Christ, &c.
The word tempt, when applied to man,
means to present motives or induce-
ments to sin : when used with reference
to God, it means to try his patience, to
provoke his anger, or to act in such a
way as to see how much he will bear
and how long he will endure the wick-
edness and perverseness of men. The
Israelites tempted him, or tried his pa-
tience and forbearance, by rebellion,
murmuring, impatience, and dissatis-
faction with his dealings. In what
way the Corinthians were in danger of
tempting Christ is not known, and can
only be conjectured. It may be that
the apostle cautions them against ex-
po^ng themselves to temptation in the
idol temples placing themselves, as it
were, under the unhappy influence of
idolatry, and thus needlessly trying the
strength of their religion, and making
an experiment on the grace of Christ,
as if he were bound to keep them even
in the midst of dangers into which they
needlessly ran. They would have the
promise of grace to keep them only
when they were in the way of their
duty, and using all proper precautions.
To go beyond this, to place themselves
in needless danger, to presume on the
grace of Christ to keep them in all
circumstances, would be to tempt him,
and provoke him to leave them. See
Note on Matt. iv. 7. f As some of
them also tempted. There is evidently
here a word to be understood, and it
may be either "Christ" or "God."
The construction would naturally re-
quire the former; but it is not certain
that the apostle meant to say that the
Israelites tempted Christ. The main
idea is that of temptation, whether it
be of Christ or of God ; and the purpose
of the apostle is to caution them against
the danger of tempting Christ, from the
fact that the Israelites were guilty of
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
10 Neither murmur ye, as
some of them also murmured, a
and were destroyed of the de-
stroyer/
a Num.14.2,2?, b 2Sam.24.16.
the sin of tempting their leader and
protector, and thus exposing themselves
to his anger. It cannot be denied, how-
ever, that the more natural construction
of this place is that which supposes that
the word " Christ" is understood here
rather than " God." In order to relieve
this interpretation from the difficulty
that the Israelites could not be said
with any propriety to have tempted
"Christ" since he had not then come
in the flesh, two remarks may be made.
First, by the " angel of the covenant,"
and the " angel of his presence" (Ex.
xxiii. 20. 23; xxxii. 36; xxxiii. 2.
Num. xx. 16. Isa. Ixiii. 9. Heb. xi.
26), that went with them, and delivered
them from Egypt, there is reason to
think the sacred writers understood the
Messiah to be intended ; and that he
who subsequently became incarnate
was him whom they tempted. And
secondly, We are to bear in mind that
the term Christ has acquired with
us a signification somewhat different
from that which it originally had in the
New Testament. We use it as a proper
name, applied to Jesus of Nazareth.
But it is to be remembered that it is
the mere Greek word for the Hebrew
" Anointed," or the " Messiah ;" and by
retaining this signification of the word
here, no small part of the difficulty
will be avoided ; and the expression
then will mean simply that the Israel-
ites ' tempted the Messiah ,-' and the
idea will be that he who conducted
them, and against whom they sinned,
and whom they tempted, was the Mes-
siah who afterwards became incarnate ;
an idea that is in accordance with the
ancient ideas of the Jews respecting
this personage, and which is not forbid-
den, certainly, in any part of the Bible.
f And were destroyed of serpents.
Fiery serpents. See Num. xxi. 6.
10. Neither murmur ye. Do not
11 Now all these things hap-
pened unto them for 1 ensam-
ples : and they are written for
our admonition, upon whom
or, types.
repine at the allotments of Providence,
or complain of his dealings. *| As some
of them also murmured. Num. xiv. 2.
The ground of their murmuring was,
that they had been disappointed ; that
they had been brought out of a land
of plenty into a wilderness of want ;
and that instead of being conducted
at once to the land of promise,
they were left to perish in the desert.
They therefore complained of theii
leaders, and proposed to return again
into Egypt. 1 And were destroyed of
the destroyer. That is, they were
doomed to die in the wilderness with-
out seeing the land of Canaan. Ex.
xiv. 29. The " destroyer" here is un-
derstood by many to mean the angel
of death, so often referred to in the Old
Testament, and usually called by the
Jews Sammael. The work of death,
however, is attributed to an angel in
Ex. xii. 23. Comp. Heb. xi. 28. It was
customary for the Hebrews to regard
most human events as under the direc-
tion of angels. In Heb. ii. 14, he is
described as he " that had the power
of death." Comp. the book of Wis-
dom xviii. 22. 25. The simple idea
here, however, is, that they died for
their sin, and were not permitted to
enter the promised land.
11. For ensamples. Greek, Types
(TI/VO/). The same word which is
used in ver. 6. This verse is a repe-
tition of the admonition contained in
that verse, in order to impress it more
deeply on the memory. See Note on
verse 6. The sense is, not that
these things took place simply and
solely to be examples, or admonitions,
but that their occurrence illustrated
great principles of human nature and
of the divine government ; they showed
the weakness of men, and their liability
to fall into sin, and their need of the
divine protection, and they might thus
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER X
203
die ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore a let him that
a Prov.2&14. Rom.11.20.
be used for the admonition of succeed-
ing generations. ^ They are written
for our admonition. They are re-
corded in the writings of Moses, in
order that we and all others might be
admonished not to confide in our own
strength. The admonition did not
pertain merely to the Corinthians, but
had an equal applicability to Chris-
tians in all ages of the world. *[ Upon
whom the ends of the world arc come.
This expression is equivalent to that
which so often occurs in the Scriptures,
as, " the last time," " the latter day,"
&c. See it fully explained in Notes
on Acts ii. 17. It means the last dis-
pensation ; or, that period and mode of
the divine administration under which
the affairs of the world would be wound
up. There would be no mode of ad-
ministration beyond that of the gospel.
But it by no means denotes neces-
sarily that the continuance of this
period called " the last times," and " the
ends of the world" would be brief, or
that the apostle believed that the world
would soon come to an end. It might
be the last period, and yet be longer
than any one previous period, or than
all ihe previous periods put together.
There may be a last dynasty in an
empire, and yet it may be longer than
any previous dynasty, or than all the
previous dynasties put together. The
apo&tle Paul was at special pains in
2 Thess. ii. to show, that by affirming
that the last time had come, he did not
mean that the world would soon come
to an end.
12. Wierefore. As the result of all
these admonitions. Let this be the
effect of all that we learn from the un-
happy self-confidence of the Jews, to
admonish us not to put reliance on our
own strength. ^ That thinketh he
standeth. That supposes himself to
be firm in the love of God, and in the
knowledge of his truth ; that regards
himself as secure, and that will be
'.herefore disposed to rely on his own
thinketh he standeth take heed
lest he fall.
strength. \ Take heed lest he fall.
Into sin, idolatry, or any other form of
iniquity. We learn here, (I.) That a
confidence in our own security is no
evidence that we are safe. (2.) Such
a confidence may be one of the strong-
est evidences that we are in danger.
Those are most safe who feel that they
are weak and feeble, and who feel their
need of divine aid and strength. They
will then rely on the true source of
strength ; and they will be secure.
(3.) All professed Christians should
be admonished. All are in danger of
falling into sin, and of dishonouring
their profession ; and the exhortation
cannot be too often or too urgently
pressed, that they should take heed
lest they fall into sin. The leading
and special idea of the apostle here
should not be forgotten or disregarded.
It is, that Christians in their favoured
moments, when they are permitted to
approach near to God, and when the
joys of salvation fill their hearts, should
exercise peculiar caution. For (a) Then
the adversary will be peculiarly desirous
to draw away their thoughts from God,
and to lead them into sin, as their fall
would most signally dishonour religion ;
(6) Then they will be less likely to be
on their guard, and more likely to feel
themselves strong, and not to need cau-
tion and solicitude. Accordingly, it
often happens that Christians, after they
have been peculiarly favoured with the
tokens of the divine favour, soon relapse
into their former state, or fall into some
sin that grieves the hearts of their bre-
thren, or wounds the cause of religion.
So it is in revivals ; so it is in indivi-
duals. Churches that are thus favoured
are filled with joy, and love, and peace.
Yet they become self-confident and
elated; they lose their humility and
their sense of their dependence ; they
cease to be watchful and prayerful, sup-
posing that all is safe ; and the result
often is, that a season of revival is suc-
ceeded by a time of coldness and de-
204
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D 59
13 There hath no temptation
taken you but l such as is com-
or, moderate.
mon to man : but God is faith-
ful, who will not suffer you to
oDan.3.17. 2Pet.2.9.
clension. And thus, too, it is with
individuals. Just the opposite effect is
produced from what should be, and
from what need be. Christians should
then be peculiarly on their guard ; and
if they then availed themselves of their
elevated advantages, churches might be
favoured with continued revivals and
ever-growing piety ; and individuals
might be filled with joy, and peace,
and holiness, and ever-expanding and
increasing love.
1 3. There hath no temptation taken
you. What temptation the apostle re-
fers to here is not quite certain. It is
probable, however, that he refers to
such as would, in their circumstances,
have a tendency to induce them to for-
sake their allegiance to their Lord, and
to lead them into idolatry and sin.
These might be either open persecu-
tions, or afflictions on account of their
religion; or they might be the various
allurements which were spread around
them from the prevalence of idolatry.
They might be the open attacks of their
enemies, or the sneers and the derision
of the gay and the great. The design
of the apostle evidently is, to show them
that, if they were faithful, they had
nothing to fear from any such forms
of temptation, but that God was able
to bring them through them all. The
sentiment in tffe verse is a very import-
ant one, since the general principle here
stated is as applicable to Christians
now as it was to the Corinthians.
t Taken you. Seized upon you, or
assailed you. As when an enemy
grasps us, and attempts to hold us
fast. ^ But such as is common to
man ( / dvS-^/voc). Such as is
human. Margin, Moderate. The sense
is evident. It means such as human
nature is liable to, and has been often
subjected to ; such as the human powers,
under the divine aid, may be able to
resist and repel. The temptations
which they had been subjected to were
not such as would be fitted to angelic
powers, and such as would require
angelic strength to resist; but they
were such as human nature had been
often subjected to, and such as man
had often contended with successfully.
There is, therefore, here a recognition
of the doctrine that man has natural
ability to resist all the temptations to
which he is subject ; and that conse-
quently, if he yields, he is answerable
for it. The design of the apostle is to
comfort the Corinthians, and to keep
their minds from despondency. He
had portrayed their danger; he had
shown them how others had fallen .
and they might be led to suppose that
in such circumstances they could not
be secure. He therefore tells them
that they might still be safe, for their
temptations were such as human nature
had often been subject to, and God was
able to keep them from falling. ^ But
God is faithful. This was the only
source of security ; and this was enough
If they looked only to themselves, they
would fall. If they depended on the
faithfulness of God, they would be
secure. The sense is, not that God
would keep them without any effort
of their own ; not that he would secure
them if they plunged into temptation
but that if they used the proper means,
if they resisted temptation, and sought
his aid, and depended on his promises,
then he would be faithful. This is
everywhere implied in the Scriptures ;
and to depend on the faithfulness of
God, otherwise than in the proper use
of means and in avoiding the place*
of temptation, is to tempt him, and
provoke him to wrath. See Note* on
Matt. iv. ^ Who wilt, not suffer you
to be tempted, &c. This is a general
promise, just as applicable to all Chris-
tians as it was to the Corinthians. It
implies, (1.) That all the circumstances,
causes, and agents that lead to tempta-
tion are under the control of God.
Every man that tempts another; every
fallen spirit that is engaged u* this-
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER X.
205
be tempted above that ye are
ible ; a but will with the tempta-
a James 5. 11.
tion also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it.
every book, picture, place of amuse-
ment ; every charm of music, and of
song ; every piece of indecent statuary ;
and every plan of business, of gain, or
ambition 1 , are all under the control of
God. He can check them; he can
control them ; he can paralyze their in-
fluence ; he can destroy them. Comp.
Matt. vi. 13. (2.) When men are
tempted, it is because God suffers
or permits it. He does not himself
tempt men (James i. 13) ; he does not
infuse evil thoughts into the mind ;
he does not create an object of tempta-
tion to place in our way, but he suffers
it to be placed there by others. When
we are tempted, therefore, we are to
remember that it is because he suffers
or permits it ; not because he does it.
His agency is that of sufferance, not
of creation. We are to remember, too,
that there is some good reason why it
is thus permitted ; and that it may be
turned in some way to his glory, and
to our advancement in virtue. (3.)
There is a certain extent to which we
are able to resist temptation. There is
a limit to our power. There is a point
beyond which we are not able to resist
it. We have not the strength of angels.
(4.) That limit will, in all cases, be
beyond the point to which we are
tempted. If not, there would be no
sin in falling, any more than there
is sin in the oak when it is prostrated
before the tempest. (5.) If men fall
into sin, under the power of temptation,
they only are to blame. They have
strength to resist all the temptations
that assail them, and God has given
the assurance that no temptation shall
occur which they shall not be able, by
his aid, to resist. In all instances,
therefore, where men fall into sin ; in
all the yielding to passion, to allure-
ment, and to vice, man is to blame,
and must be responsible to God. And
thij is especially true of Christians,
who, wnatever may be said of others,
cannot plead that there was not power
18
sufficient to meet the temptation, or to
turn aside its power. ^ But will with
the temptation, &c. He will, at the
same time that he suffers the trial or
temptation to befall us, nuke a way of
deliverance ; he will save us from being
entirely overcome by it. ^ That ye
may be able to bear it. Or that you
may be able to bear up under it, or
endure it. God knows what his people
are able to endure, and as he has entire
control of all that can affect them, he
will adapt all trials to their strength,
and will enable them to bear all that is
appointed to them. This is a general
promise, and is as applicable to othei
Christians as it was to the Corinthians.
It was to them a positive promise, and
to all in the same circumstances it may
be regarded as such now. It may be
used, therefore, (1.) As a ground of
encouragement to those who are in
temptation and trial. God knows what
they are able to endure; and he will
sustain them in their temptations. It
matters not how severe the trial ; or
how long it may be continued ; or how
much they may feel their own feeble-
ness ; yet He who has appointed the
trial is abundantly able to uphold them.
They may, therefore, repose their all
upon him, and trust to his sustaining
grace. (2.) It may be used as an
argument, that none who are true
Christians, and who are thus tried,
shall ever fall away, and be lost. The
promise is positive and certain, that a
way shall be made for their escape,
and they shall be able to bear it. God
is faithful to them ; and though he
might suffer them to be tempted be-
yond what they are able to bear, yet
he will not, but will secure an egress
from all their trials. With this pro-
mise in view, how can it be believed
that any true Christians who are tempt-
ed will be suffered to fall away and
perish ] If they do, it must be from
one of the following causes: either be-
cause God is not faithful ; or because
306
I. CORINTHIANS.
14 Wherefore, my dearly be-
Wed, a flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to wise men;
judge ye what I say.
a Uno.5.21.
[A. I). 5D.
16 The cup of blessing which
we bless, is it not the commu
nion of the blood of Christ ? the
bread which we break, is it not
ae will suffer them to be tempted above
what they are able to bear ; or because
he will not make a way for their escape.
As no Christian can believe either of
these, it follows that they who are con-
verted shall be kept unto salvation.
14. Wfierefore. In view of the dan-
gers and temptations that beset you;
in view of your own feebleness, and the
perils to which you would be exposed
in the idol temples, &c. t flee from
idolatry. Escape from the service of
idols; from the feasts celebrated in
honour of them ; from the temples
where they are worshipped. This was
one of the dangers to which they were
peculiarly exposed ; and Paul therefore
exhorts them to escape from every thing
that would have a tendency to lead
them into this sin. He had told them,
indeed, that God was faithful; and yet
he did not expect God would keep them
without any effort of their own. He
therefore exhorts them to flee from all
approaches to it, and from all the cus-
toms which would have a tendency to
lead them into idolatrous practices. He
returns, therefore, in this verse, to the
particular subject discussed in ch. viii.
the propriety of partaking of the
feasts in honour of idols ; and shows
the danger which would follow such a
practice. That danger he sets forth in
view of the admonitions contained in
this chapter, from ver. 1 to ver. 12.
The remainder of the chapter is occu-
pied with a discussion of the question
stated in ch. viii., whether it was right
for them to partake of the meat which
was used in the feasts of idolaters.
15 / speak as to wise men, &c.
I speak to men qualified to understand
the subject ; and present reasons which
will commend themselves to you. The
reasons referred to are those which oc-
cupy the remainder of the chapter.
16. The cup of blessing ivhich we
bless. The design of this verse and the
following verses seems to be, to prove
that Christians, by partaking of the
Lord's supper, are solemnly set apart
to the service of the Lord Jesus; that
they acknowledge him as their Lord, and
dedicate themselves to him ; and that
as they could not and ought not to be
devoted to idols and to the Lord Jesus
at the same time, so they ought not to
participate in the feasts in honour of
idols, or in the celebrations in which
idolaters would be engaged. See ver.
21. He states, therefore, (1.) That
Christians are united and dedicated to
Christ in the communion, ver. 16, 17.
(2.) That this was true of the Israelites,
that they were one people, devoted by
the service of the altar to the same God.
ver. 18. (3.) That though an idol was
nothing, yet the heathen actually sacri-
ficed to devils, and Christians ought
not to partake with them. ver. 19 21.
The phrase " cup of blessing" evidently
refers to the wine used in the celebra-
tion of the Lord's supper. It is called
"the cup of blessing" because over it
Christians praise or bless God for his
mercy in providing redemption. It is
not because it is the means of convey-
ing a blessing to the souls of those who
partake of it though that is true bul
because thanksgiving, blessing, and
praise were rendered to God in the ce-
lebration, for the benefits of redemption,
See Note, Matt. xxvi. 26. Or it may
mean, in accordance with a well known
Hebraism, the blessed cup / the cup that
is blessed. This is the more literal
interpretation ; and it is adopted by
Calvin, Beza, Doddriclge, and others.
1 Which we bltss. Grotius, Macknight,
Vatablus, Bloomfield, and many of the
Fathers suppose that this means, ' ovei
which we bless God ;' or, ' for which we
bless God.' But this is to do violence
to the passage. The more obvious siiy-
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER X.
207
the communion of the body of
Christ ?
17 For we, being many, are
nification is, that there is a sense in
which it may be said that the cup is
blessed, and that by prayer and praise
it is set apart and rendered in some
sense sacred to the purposes of religion.
It cannot mean that the cup has under-
gone any physical change, or that the
wine is any thing but wine ; but that it
has been solemnly set apart to the ser-
vice of religion, and by prayer and praise
designated to be used for the purpose
of commemorating the Saviour's love.
That may be said to be blessed which
is set apart to a sacred use (Gen. ii. 3.
Ex. xx. 11) ; and in this sense the cup
may be said to be blessed. See Luke
ix. 16, "And he took the five loaves
and the two fishes, and looking up to
heaven, he blessed THEM," &c. Comp.
Gen. xiv. 9 ; xxvii. 23. 33. 41 ; xxviii.
1. Lev. ix. 22, 23. 2 Sam. vi. 18.
1 Kings viii. 14. f Is it not the com-
munion of the blood of Christ ? Is it
not the emblem by which the blood of
Christ is exhibited, and the means by
which our union through that blood is
exhibited'? Is it not the means by
which we express our attachment to
him as Christians ; showing our union
to him and to each other ; and showing
that we partake in common of the bene-
fits of his blood 1 The main idea is,
that by partaking of this cup they
showed that they were united to him
and to each other ; and that they should
regard themselves as set apart to him.
We have communion with one (x,otvo>vi*.,
that which is in common, that which
pertains to all, that which evinces fel-
lowship) when we partake together;
when all have an equal right, and all
share alike ; when the same benefits or
the name obligations are extended to all.
And the sense here is, that Christians
partake alike in the benefits of the
blood of Christ; they share the same
blessings ; and they express this toge-
ther, and in common, when they par-
one bread, and one body ; for we
are all partakers of that one bread
18 Behold Israel after a the
a Rom.4.1,12.
take of the communion. ^ The bread,
&c. In the communion. It shows,
since we all partake of it, that we share
alike in the benefits which are imparted
by means of the broken body of the
Kedeemer. In like manner it is implied
that if Christians should partake with
idolaters in the feasts offered in honour
of idols, that they would be regarded as
partaking with them in the services of
idols, or as united to them, and therefore
such participation was improper.
17. For we. We Christians. ^ Be-
ing many. Gr. The many (ci mx^i).
The idea is not, as our translation would
seem to indicate, that Christians were
numerous, but that all (for ol TTO\^I is
here evidently used in the sense of
TTwrts, a//) were united, and constituted
one society, f Are one bread. One
loaf; one cake. That is, we are united,
or are one. There is evident allusion
here to the fact that the loaf or cake
was composed of many separate grains
of wheat, or portions of flour united in
one ; or, that as one loaf was broken and
partaken by all, it was implied that they
were all one. We are all one society ;
united as one, and for the same object.
Our partaking of the same bread is an
emblem of the fact that we are one.
In almost all nations the act of eating
together has been regarded as a symbol
of unity or friendship, t And one body.
One society ; united together, f For
we are all partakers, &c. And we
thus show publicly that we are united,
and belong to the same great family.
The argument is, that if we partake of
the feasts in honour of idols with their
worshippers, we shall thus show that
we are a part of their society.
18. Behold Israel. Look at the Jews.
The design here is to illustrate the sen-
timent which he was establishing, by a
reference to the fact that among the
Jews those who partook of the sama
sacrifices were regarded as being one
208
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
flesh : a are not they which eat
of the sacrifices partakers of the
altar ?
9 What say I then? that the
a c.9.13.
people, and as worshipping one God.
So, if they partook of the sacrifices
offered to idols, they would be regarded
also as being fellow worshippers of idols
with them 1 After the Jlesh. See
Rom. iv. 1. The phrase " after the
flesh" is designed to denote the Jews
who were not converted to Christianity ;
the natural descendants of Israel, or
Jacob, ^ Are not they which eat of
the sacrifices. A portion of the sacri-
fices offered to God was eaten by the
offerer, and another portion by the
priests. Some portions of the animal,
as the fat, were burnt ; and the remain-
der, unless it was a holocaust, or whole
burnt-offering, was then the property of
the priests who had officiated, or of the
persons who had brought it. Lev. iii.
4. 10. 15 ; iv. 9 ; vii. 3, 4 ; viii. 26. The
right shoulder and the breast was the
part which was assigned to the priests ;
the remainder belonged to the offerer.
Lev. vii. 3134. IT Partakers of the
altar. Worshippers of the same God.
They are united in their worship, and
are so regarded. And in like manner,
if you partake of the sacrifices offered
to idols, and join with their worship-
pers in their temples, you will be justly
regarded as united with them in their
worship, and partaking with them in
their abominations.
19. What say I then? This is in
the present tense; ri ovv qnfAi, what do I
say 1 What is my meaning 1 What fol-
lows from this 1 Do 1 mean to say that
an idol is any thing 1 that it has a real
existence 1 Does my reasoning lead to
that conclusion ; and am I to be under-
stood as affirming that an idol is of
itself of any consequence 1 It must be
recollected that the Corinthian Chris-
tians are introduced by Paul (ch. viii.
4) as saying that they knew that an
idol was nothing in the world. Pau.
^id not directly contradict that ; but his
idol * is any thing ? or that which
is offered in sacrifice to idols is
any thing ?
20 But / say, that the things
b c.8.4.
reasoning had led him to the necessity
of calling the propriety of their attend*
ing on the feasts of idols in question ;
and he introduces the matter now by
asking these questions, thus leading the
mind to it rather than directly affirming
it at once. ' Am I in this reasoning to
be understood as affirming that an idol
is any thing, or that the meat there
offered differs from other meat \ No ;
you know, says Paul, that this is not
my meaning. I admit that an idol in
itself is nothing: but I do not admit,
therefore, that it is right for you to
attend in their temples ; for though the
idol itself the block of wood or stone-
is nothing, yet the offerings are really
made to devils; and I would not have
you engage in such a service.' ver. 20,
21. 1 Thai the idol is any thing?
That the block of wood or stone is a
real living object of worship, to be
dreaded or loved ? See Note, ch. viii. 4
1 Or that which is offered in sacrifice
to idols is any thing? Or that the
meat which is offered differs from that
which is not offered ; that the mere act
of offering it changes its qualities ! I do
not admit or suppose this.
20. But. The negative here is omit-
ted, but is understood. The ellipsis of
a negative after an interrogative sen-
tence is common in the classical writers
as well as in the Scriptures. Bloomfield.
The sense is, ' No ; I do not say this,
but I say that there are reasons why
you should not partake of those sacri-
fices ; and one of those reasons is, that
they have been really offered to devils.'
K Tliey sacrifice to devils (/^//cv/c/c,
demons}. The heathens used the word
demon either in a good or a bad sense.
They applied it commonly to spirits
that were supposed to be inferior to the
supreme God ; genii; attending spirits;
or, as they called them, divinities, or
gods. A part were in their view good,
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER X.
209
which the Gentiles sacrifice, they
sacrifice to devils, and not to
God : and I would not that ye
a Lev.17.7. Deut.32.17. Ps.106.37.
and a part evil. Socrates supposed that
such a demon or genius attended him,
who suggested good thoughts to him,
and who was his protector. As these
beings were good and well disposed,
it was not supposed to be necessary to
offer any sacrifices in order to appease
them. But a large portion of those genii
were supposed to be evil and wicked,
and hence the necessity of attempting
to appease their wrath by sacrifices and
bloody offerings. It was therefore true,
as the apostle says, that the sacrifices
of the heathen were made, usually at
least, to devils or to evil spirits. Many
of these spirits were supposed to be the
souls of departed men, who were entitled
to worship after death, having been
enrolled among the gods. The word
" <lemons," among the Jews, was em-
ployed only to designate evil beings.
It is not applied in their writings to
good angels or to blessed spirits, but
to evil angels, to idols, to false gods.
Thus in the LXX. the word is used to
translate o^S, Elilim, idols (Ps. xcv.
5. Isa. Ixv. 10) ; and i, Shaid, as in
Deut. xxxii. 17, in a passage which
Paul has here almost literally used,
"They sacrificed unto devils, not to
God." Nowhere in the Septuagint
is it used in a good sense. In the
New Testament the word is uniformly
used also to denote evil spirits, and
those usually which had taken pos-
session of men in the time of the
Saviour. Matt. vii. 22 ; ix. 33, 34 ; x.
8 ; xi. 18. Mark i. 34. 39, et alii. See
also Campbell on the Gospels, Pre. Diss.
vi. part i. 14 16. The precise force
of the original is not, however, conveyed
by our translation. It is not true that
the heathens sacrificed to devils, in the
common and popular sense of that
word, meaning thereby the apostate
angel and the spirits under his direc-
tion ; for the heathens were as ignorant
of their existence as they were of the
18*
should have fellowship with <1f
vils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup
true God ; and it is not true that they
designed to worship such beings. But
it is true, (1.) That they did not wor-
ship the supreme and the true God.
They were not acquainted with his
existence; and they did not profess to
adore him. (2.) They worshipped de-
mons ; beings that they regarded as
inferior to the true God ; created spirits,
or the spirits of men that had been
enrolled among the number of the gods.
(3.) It was true that many of these
beings were supposed to be malign and
evil in their nature, and that their wor-
| ship was designed to deprecate their
| wrath. So that, although an idol was
nothing in itself, the gold or wood of
which it was made was inanimate, and
incapable of aiding or injuring them ;
; and although there were no real beings
such as the heathens supposed no
| genii or inferior gods ; yet they de-
I signed to offer sacrifice to such beings,
| and to deprecate their wrath. To join
them in this, therefore, would be to
express the belief that there were such
beings, and that they ought to be wor-
shipped, and that their wrath should be
deprecated. 1 I would not that ye
should have fellowship with devils. I
would not that you should have com-
munion with demons. I would not
have you express a belief of their ex-
istence ; or join in worship to them ;
or partake of the spirit by which they
are supposed to be actuated a spirit
that would be promoted by attendance
on their worship. I would not have
you, therefore, join in a mode of wor-
ship where such beings are acknow-
ledged. You are solemnly dedicated to
Christ; and the homage due to him
should not be divided with homage
offered to devils, or to imaginary
beings.
21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the
Lord, &c. This does not mean that
they had no physical ability to do this,
210
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
of the Lord, and the cup a of
devils : ye cannot be partakers
of the Lord's table, and of the
table of devils.
22 Do we b provoke the Lord
to jealousy ? are we stronger
than he ?
a Deut.32 38.
22.14.
6Deut.32.21.Job9.4 Ezek
or that it was a natural impossibility ;
for they certainly had power to do it.
But it must mean that they could not
consistently do it. It was not fit, pro-
per, decent. They were solemnly bound
to serve and obey Christ : they had de-
voted themselves to him : and they
could not, consistently with these obli-
gations, join in the worship of demons.
This is a striking instance in which
the word cannot is used to denote not
natural but moral inability. f And the
cup of devils. Demons, ver 20. In
the feasts in honour of the gods, wine
was poured out as a libation, or drank
by the worshippers. See Virg. ^En. viii.
273. The custom of drinking toasts at
feasts and celebrations arose from this
practice of pouring out wine, or drink-
ing in honour of the heathen gods ; and
is a practice that partakes still of the
nature of heathenism. It was one of
the abominations of heathenism to sup-
pose that their gods would be pleased
with the intoxicating draught. Such a
pouring out of a libation was usually
accompanied with a prayer to the idol
god, that he would accept the offering ;
that he would be propitious ; and that
he would grant the desire of the wor-
shipper. From that custom the habit
of expressing a sentiment, or proposing
a toast, uttered in drinking wine, has
been derived. The toast or sentiment
which now usually accompanies the
drinking of a glass in this manner, if it
mean any thing, is now also a prayer :
but to whom ? to the god of wine 1 to
a heathen deity 1 Can it be supposed
that it is a prayer offered to the true
God ; the God of purity ? Has Jeho-
vah directed that prayer should be
offered to him in such a manner ] Can
it be acceptable to him 1 Either the
sentiment is unmeaning, or it is a
prayer offered to a heathen god, or it is
mockery of JEHOVAH ; and in either
case it is improper and wicked. And
it may as truly be said now of Chris-
tians as in the time of Paul, ' Ye can-
not consistently drink the cup of the
Lord at the communion table, and the
cup where a PRATER is offered to 8
false god, or to the dead, or to the air;
or when, if it means any thing, it is a
mockery of JEHOVAH.' Now can a
Christian with any more consistency
or propriety join in such celebrations,
and in such unmeaning or profane
libations, than he could go into the
temple of an idol, and partake of the
idolatrous celebrations there ] f And
of the table of devils. Demons. It ie
not needful to the force of this that we
should suppose that, the word means
necessarily evil spirits. They were not
God ; and to worship them was idola-
try. The apostle means that Christians
could not consistently join in the wor-
ship that was offered to them, or in the
feasts celebrated in honour of them.
22. Do we provoke the Lord to
jealousy ? That is, shall we, by join-
ing in the worship of idols, provoke or
irritate God, or excite him to anger?
This is evidently the meaning of the
word 7r*4x</y//ev, rendered "provoke
to jealousy." The word Kjp, usually
rendered by this word by the LXX., has
this sense in Deut. xxxii. 21. 1 Kings
xiv. 22. Ezra viii. 3. Ps. Ixxviii. 58.
There is a reference here, doubtless, to
the truth recorded in Ex. xx. 5, that
God " is a jealous God," and that he
regards the worship of idols as a direct
affront to himself. The sentiment of
Paul is, that to join in the worship of
idols, or in the observance of their feasts,
would be to participate in that which
had ever been regarded by God with
peculiar abhorrence, and which more
than any thing else tended to provoke
his wrath. We may observe, that any
course of life that tends to alienate the
affections from God, and to fix them on
other beings o* objects, is a sin of the
,V. D. 59.]
CHAPTER X.
211
23 All things are lawful for
me, but all things are not expe-
dient: all things are lawful for
a c.6.12.
same kind as that referred to here. Any
inordinate love of friends, of property
of honour, has substantially the same
idolatrous nature, and will tend to pro-
voke him to anger. And it may be
asked of Christians now, whether they
will by such inordinate attachments
provoke the Lord to wrath 1 whether
they will thus excite his displeasure,
and expose themselves to his indigna-
tion ? Very often Christians do thus
provoke him. They become unduly
attached to a friend, or to wealth, and
God in anger takes away that friend by
death, or that property by the flames :
or they conform to the world, and min
gle in its scenes of fashion and gayety,
and forget God ; and in displeasure he
visits them with judgments, humbles
them, and recalls them to himself.
T Are we stronger than he ? This is
given as a reason why we should not
provoke his displeasure. We cannot
contend successfully with him ; and it
is therefore madness and folly to con-
tend with God, or to expose ourselves
to the effects of his indignation.
23. All things are lawful for me.
See Note, ch. vi. 12. This is a repeti-
tion of what he had said before ; and it
is here applied to the subject of eating
the meat that had been offered to idols.
The sense is, 'Though it may be ad-
mitted that it was strictly lawful to
partake of that meat, yet there were
strong reasons why it was inexpedient ;
and those reasons ought to have the
binding force of law.' ^ All things
edify not. All things do not tend to
build up the church, and to advance
the interests of religion ; and when they
do not have this effect, they are not ex-
pedient, and are improper. Paul acted
lor the welfare of the church. His
object was to save souls. Any thing
that \\uld promote that object was
proper ; any thing which would hinder
it. though in itself it might not be
me, but all things edify not.
24 Let 6 no man seek his own,
but every man another's wealth
b Phil.2.4,21.
strictly unlawful, was in his view im-
proper. This is a simple rule, and
might be easily applied by all. If a
man has his heart, on the conversion of
men and the salvation of the world, it
will go far to regulate his eon duct in
reference to many things concerning
which there may be no exact and posi-
tive law. It will do much to regulate
his dress; his style of living; his ex-
penses; his entertainments; his mode
of intercourse with the world. He
may not be able to fix his finger on
any positive law, and to say that this
or that article of dress is improper;
that this or that piece of furniture is
absolutely forbidden ; or that this or
that manner of life is contrary to any
explicit law of JEHOVAH; but he may
see that it will interfere with his great
and main purpose, to do good on the
widest scale possible , and THEREFORE
to him it will be inexpedient and im-
proper. Such a grand leading pur-
pose is a much better guide to direct a
man's life than would be exact positive
statutes to regulate every thing, even if
such minute statutes were possible.
24. Let no man seek his own. This
should be properly interpreted of the
matter under discussion, though the
direction assumes the form of a general
principle. Originally it meant, ' Let no
man, in regard to the question about
partaking of the meat offered in sacri-
ice to idols, consult his own pleasure,
lappiness, or convenience ; but let him,
as the leading rule on the subject, ask
what will be for the welfare of others.
Let him not gratify his own taste and
nclinations, regardless of their feelings,
comfort, and salvation ; but let him in
hese things have a primary reference
o their welfare.' He may dispense
with these things without danger or
njury ; he cannot indulge in them
without endangering the happiness or
purity of others. His duty therefore
212
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
25 Whatsoever a is sold in the
a lTim.4.4.
lequires him to abstain. The injunc-
tion, however, has a general form, and
is applicable to all Christians, and to all
cases of a similar kind. It does not
mean that a man is not in any instance
to regard his own welfare, happiness, or
salvation; it does not mean that a man
owes no duty to himself or family ; or
that he should neglect all these to ad-
vance the welfare of others: but the
precept means, that in cases like
that under consideration, when there
is no positive law, and when a man's
example would have a great influence,
he should be guided in his conduct, not
by a reference to his own ease, comfort,
or gratification, but by a reference to
the purity and salvation of others. And
the observance of this simple rule would
make a prodigious change in the church
and the world, f But every man an-
other's wealth. The word wealth is
not in the Greek. Literally, 'that
which is of another ;' the word TO re-
referring to any thing and every thing
that pertains to his comfort, usefulness,
happiness, or salvation. The sentiment
of the whole is, when a man is bound
and directed by no positive law, his
grand rule should be the comfort and
salvation of others. This is a simple
rule ; it might be easily applied ; and
this would be a sort of balance-wheel
in the various actions and plans of the
world. If every man would adopt this
rule, he could not be in much danger of
going wrong; he would be certain that
he would not live in vain.
25. Whatsoever is sold in the sham-
bles. In the market. The meat of ani-
mals offered in sacrifice would be expos-
ed there to sale as well as other meat.
The apostle says that it might be pur-
chased, since the mere fact that it had
been offered in sacrifice could not
change its quality, or render it unfit
for use. They were to abstain from
attending on the feasts of the idols in
the temple, from partaking cf meat that
oad been offered them, and from cele-
shambles, that eat, asking n
question for conscience' sake.
brations observed expressly in honoo
of idols ; but lest they should becom*
too scrupulous, the apostle tells then
that if the meat was offered indiscrimi-
nately in the market with other meat
they were not to hesitate to purchase it.
or eat it. ^ Asking no question for
conscience' sake. Not hesitating or
doubting, as if it might possibly havf
been offered in sacrifice. Not being
scrupulous, as if it were possible that
the conscience should be defiled. This
is a good rule still, and may be applied
to a great many things. But, (1.) Th>t
which is purchased should be in itself
lawful and right. It would not be pro-
per for a man to use ardent spirits o?
any other intoxicating drinks because
they were offered for sale, any more
than it would be to commit suicidt
because men offered pistols, and bowie
knives, and halters to sell. (2.) Ther<
are many things now concerning whi^ 1
similar questions may be asked ; as, e.
is it right to use the productions v
slave-labour, the sugar, cotton, &c. tha
are the price of blood 1 Is it right tt
use that which is known to be made ot
the Sabbath ; or that which it is knowr
a man has made by a life of dishonest *
and crime 1 The consciences of man v
persons are tender on all such questions
and the questions are not of easy soh
tion. Some rules may perhaps be sug
gested arising from the case before us
(a) If the article is exposed indiscrimi
nately with others in the market, if i
be in itself lawful, if there is no read%
mark of distinction, then the apostl*
would direct us not to hesitate. (6) II
the use and purchase of the articlt
would go directly and knowingly to
countenance the existence of slavery,
to encourage a breach of the Sabbath,
or to the continuance of a course of
dishonest living, then it would seem
equally clear that it is not right to pur-
hase or to use it. If a man Abhors
slavery, and Sabbath-breaking, and dis-
honesty, then how can he knowinglv
D 59.]
CHAPTER X.
213
26 For " the earth is the Lord's,
and the fulness thereof.
27 If any of them that believe
not bid you to a feast, and ye be
a Deut.10.14. Ps.24.1; 50.12.
partake of that which goes to patronise
and extend these abominations 1 (c) If
the article is expressly pointed out to
him as an article that has been made |
n this manner, and his partaking of it |
will be construed into a participation
ef the crime, then he ought to abstain.
See ver. 28. No man is at liberty to
patronise slavery, Sabbath-breaking, dis-
honesty, or licentiousness in any form.
Every man can live without doing it ;
and where it can be done it should be
done. And perhaps there will be no
other way of breaking up many of the
erimes and cruelties of the earth than
for good men to act conscientiously, and i
to refuse to partake of the avails of sin,
and of gain that results from oppression
and fraud.
26. For the earth is the Lord's.
Phis is quoted from Ps. xxiv. 1. The
same sentiment is also found in Ps. 1.
1 1, and in Deut. x. 14. It is here urged
as a reason why it is right to partake j
of the meat offered in market. It all
belongs to the Lord. It does not really
belong to the idol, even though it has
been offered to it. It may, therefore,
be partaken of as his gift, and should
be received with gratitude. \ And the !
fulness thereof. All that the earth
produces belongs to him. He causes it
to grow ; and he has given it to be
food for man ; and though it may have
been devoted to an idol, yet its nature
is not changed. It is still the gift of
God ; still the production of his hand ;
still the fruit of his goodness and
love.
27. If any of them that believe not.
That are not Christians ; that are still
heathens. ^ Bid you to a feast. Evi- j
dently not a feast in the temple of an
idol, but at his own house. If he ask
you to partake of his hospitality, f And
ye be disposed to go. Greek, And you
will to go.' It is evidently implied here
disposed to go; whatsoever * is
set before you, eat, asking no
question for conscience' sake.
28 But if any man say unto
b Luke 10.7.
that it would be not improper to go.
The Saviour accepted such invitations
to dine with the Pharisees (see Note,
Luke xi. 37) ; and Christianity is not
designed to abolish the courtesies of
social life ; or to break the bonds of
intercourse ; or to make men misan-
thropes or hermits. It allows and culti-
vates, under proper Christian restraints,
the intercourse in society which will
promote the comfort of men, and espe-
cially that which may extend the use-
fulness of Christians. It does not re-
quire, therefore, that we should withdraw
from social life, or regard as improper
the courtesies of society. See Note on
ch. v. 10. If Whatever is set before you,
&c. Whether it has been offered in
sacrifice or not; for so the connexion
requires us to understand it. ^ Eat.
This should be interpreted strictly.
The apostle says "eat," not "drink,-"
and the principle will not authorize us
to drink whatever is set before us, ask-
ing no questions for conscience' sake;
for while it was a matter of indifference
in regard to eating, whether the meat
had been sacrificed to idols or not, it is
not a matter of indifference whether a
man may drink intoxicating liquor.
That is a point on which the conscience
should have much to do ; and on which
its honest decisions, and the will of the
Lord, should be fa'thfully and honestly
regarded.
28. But if any man. If any fellow
guest ; any scrupulous fellow Christian
who may be present. That the word
"any" (T/C) refers to a fellow guest
seems evident; for it is not probable
that the host would point out any part
of the food on his own table, of the
lawfulness of eating which he would
suppose there was any doult. Yet
there might be present some scrupulous
fellow. Christian who would have strong
doubts of the propriety of partaking of
214
1. CORINTHIANS.
you, This is offered m sacrifice
unto idols, eat not, a for his sake
that showed it, and for con-
for * the earth
science' sake :
a c.8.10.12.
b ver.26.
[A.D. 59.
is the Lord's, and the fulness
thereof:
29 Conscience, I say, not
thine own, but of the other . for
that food, and who would indicate it to
the other guests, ^ For his sake that
showed it. Do not offend him ; do not
lead him into sin ; do not pain and
wound his feelings. ^ And for con-
science' sake. Eat not, out of respect
to the conscientious scruples of him
that told thee that it had been offered
to idols. The word conscience refers
to the conscience of the informer (ver.
29) ; still he should make it a matter
of conscience not to wound his weak
brethren, or lead them into sin. ^ For
the earth is the Lord's, &c. See ver.
26. These words are wanting in many
MSS. (see Mill's Gr. Tes.), and in the
Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and Arabic
versions ; and are omitted by Griesbach.
Grotius says that they should be omit-
ted. There might easily have been a
mistake in transcribing them from ver.
26. The authority of the MSS., how-
ever, is in favour of retaining them ;
and they are quoted by the Greek fa-
thers and commentators. If they are to
be retained, they are to be interpreted,
probably, in this sense ; ' There is no
necessity that you should partake of
this food. All things belong to God ;
and he has made ample provision for
your wants without subjecting you to
the necessity of eating this. Since this
is the case, it is best to regard the
scruples of those who have doubts of
the propriety of eating this food, and to
abstain.'
29. Conscience, I say, not thine own.
I know that you may have no scruples
on the subject. I do not mean that
with you this need be a matter of con-
science. I do not put it on that ground,
as if an idol were any thing, or as if it
were in itself wrong, or as if the quality
of the meat so offered had been chang-
ed ; but I put it on the ground of not
wounding the feelings of those who are
scrupulous, or of leading them into sin.
1 For why is my liberty, &c. There
is much difficulty in this clause : for as
it now stands, it seems to be entirely
contradictory to what the apostle had
been saying. He had been urging
them to have respect to other men's
consciences, and in some sense to give
up their liberty to their opinions and
feelings. Macknight and some others
understand it as an objection : * Per-
haps you will say, But why is my
liberty to be ruled by another man's
conscience]' Doddridge supposes that
this and ver. 30 come in as a kind of
parenthesis, to prevent their extending
his former caution beyond what he
designed. " I speak only of acts obvi-
ous to numan observation ; for as to
what immediately lies between God and
mjTown soul, why is my liberty to be
judged, arraigned, condemned at the
bar of another man's conscience!"
But it is probable that this is not an
objection. The sense may be thus ex-
pressed : ' I am free ; I have liberty to
partake of that food, if I please ; there
is no law against it, and it is not
morally wrong : but if I do, when it is
pointed out to me as having been
sacrificed to idols, my liberty the right
which I exercise will be misconstrued,
misjudged, condemned (for so the word
x^ivn-At seems to be used here) by
otheis. The weak and scrupulous
believer will censure, judge, condemn
me as regardless of what is proper, and
as disposed to fall in with the customs
of idolaters ; and will suppose that I
cannot have a good conscience. Under
these circumstances, why should I act
so as to expose myself to this censure
and condemnation 1 It is better for me
to abstain, and not to use this liberty
in the case, but to deny myself for the
sake of others '
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER X.
why is my liberty judged of an-
other man's conscience ?
30 For if I by 1 grace
be a
partaker, why am I evil spoken of
or, thanksgiving.
for that for which I give thanks ?
31 Whether 4 therefore ye eat
or drink, or whatsoever ye do,
do all to the glory of God.
a Rt>m. 14.6. 6 Col.3.17. lPet.4.11.
30 For if I by grace be a partaker.
Or rather, 'If I partake by grace; if
l.y the grace and mercy of God, I have
a right to partake of this ; yet why
should I so conduct as to expose myself
to the reproaches and evil surmises of
others 1 Why should I lay myself open
to be blamed on the subject o.F eating,
when there are so many bounties of
Providence for which I may be thank-
ful, and which I may partake of without
doing injury, or exposing myself in any
manner to be blamed ?' *J Why am I
evil spoken of. Why should I pursue
such a course as to expose myself to
blame or censure 1 *|f For that for
which I give thanks. For my food.
The phrase " for which I give thanks"
seems to be a periphrasis for food, or
for that of which he partook to nourish
life. It is implied that he always gave
thanks for his food ; and that this was
with him such a universal custom, that
the phrase " for which I give thanks"
might be used as convenient and appro-
priate phraseology to denote his ordi-
nary food. The idea in the verse, then,
is this : ' By the favour of God, I have
a right to partake of this food. But if
I did, I should be evil spoken of, and
do injury. And it is unnecessary. God
has made ample provision elsewhere
for my support, for which I may be
thankful. I will not therefore expose
myself to calumny and reproach, or be
the occasion of injury to others by par-
taking of the food offered in sacrifice to
idols.'
3 1 . Whether therefore ye eat or drink.
This direction should be strictly and
properly applied to the case in hand ;
that is, to the question about eating and
drinking the things that had been offer-
ed in sacrifice to idols. Still, however,
it contains a general direction that is
applicable to eating and drinking at all
times and the phrase ' whatsoever ye
do" is evidently designed by the apostle
to make the direction universal. K Or
whatsoever ye do. In all the actions
and plans of life ; whatever be your
schemes, your desires, your doings, let
all be done to the glory of God. t Do
all to the glory of God. The phrase
" the glory of God" is equivalent to the
honour of God ; and the direction is,
that we should so act in all things as
to honour him as our Lawgiver, our
Creator, our Redeemer; and so as to
lead others by our example to praise
him and to embrace his gospel. A
child acts so as to honour a father
when he always cherishes reverentia)
and proper thoughts of him ; when he
is thankful for his favours; when he
keeps his laws ; when he endeavours
to advance his plans and his interests ;
and when he so acts as to lead all around
him to cherish elevated opinions of the
character of a father. He dishonours
him when he has no respect to his
authority ; when he breaks his laws ;
when he leads others to treat him with
disrespect. In like manner, we live to
the glory of God when we honour hint
in all the relations which he sustains to
us ; when we keep his laws ; when we
partake of his favours with thankful-
ness, and with a deep sense of our de-
pendence; when we pray unto him;
and when we so live as to lead those
around us to cherish elevated concep-
tions of his goodness, and mercy, and
holiness. Whatever plan or purpose
will tend to advance his kingdom, and
to make him better known and loved,
will be to his glory. We may observe
in regard to this, (1.) That the rule is
universal. It extends to every thing.
If in so small matters as eating and
drinking we should seek to honour God,
assuredly we should in all other things.
(2.) It is designed that this should be
the constant rule of conduct, and that
216
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59.
32 Give none offence, nei-
ther to the Jews, nor to the
Rom.14.13. 2Cor.6.3.
1 Gentiles, nor to the church of
God:
Greeks.
we should be often reminded of it. The
acts of eating and drinking must be
performed often ; and the command is
attached to that which must often occur,
that we may be often reminded of it,
and that we may be kept from forget-
ting it. (3.) It is intended that we
should honour God in our families and
among our friends. We eat with them ;
we share together the bounties of Provi-
dence ; and God designs that we should
honour him when we partake of his
mercies, and that thus our daily enjoy-
ments should be sanctified by a con-
stant effort to glorify him. (4.) We
should devote the strength which we
derive from the bounties of his hand to
his honour and in his service. He gives
us food ; he makes it nourishing ; he
invigorates our frame ; and that strength
should not be devoted to purposes of
sin, and profligacy, and corruption. It
is an act of high dishonour to God, when
HE gives us strength, that WE should
at once devote that strength to pollution
and to sin. (5.) This rule is designed
to be one of the chief directors of our
lives. It is to guide all our conduct,
and to constitute a test by which to try
our actions. Whatever can be done to
advance the honour of God is right;
whatever cannot be done with that end
is wrong. Whatever plan a man can
form that will have this end is a good
plan ; whatever cannot be made to have
this tendency, and that cannot be com-
menced, continued, and ended with a
distinct and definite desire to promote
his honour, is wrong, and should be
forthwith abandoned. (6.) What a
change would it make in the world if
this rule were everywhere followed !
How differently would even professing
Christians live ! How many of their
plans would they be constrained at once
to abandon ! And what a mighty revo-
lution would it at once make on earth
should all the actions of men begin to
be performed to promote the glory of
God ! (7.) It may be added that sen-
timents like that of the apostle were
found among the Jews, and even among
heathens. Thus Maimonides, as cited
by Grotius, says, " Let every thing be
in the name of Heaven," i. e. in the
name cf God. Capellus cites several
of the rabbinical writers who say that
all actions, even eating and drinking,
should be done in the name of God.
See the Critici Sacri. Even the hea-
then writers have something that resem-
bles this. .Thus Arrian (Ep. i. 19)
says, " Looking unto God in all things
small and great." Epictetus, too, on
being asked how any one may eat so
as to please God, answered, " By eating
justly, temperately, and thankfully."
32. Give none offence. Be inof-
fensive ; that is, do not act so as to
lead others into sin. See Note, Rom.
xiv. 13. Tf Neither to the Jews,. &c.
To no one, though they are the fees of
God or strangers to him. To the Jews
be inoffensive, because they think that
the least approach to idol worship is to
be abhorred. Do not so act as to lead
them to think that you connive at or
approve idol worship, and so as to pre-
judice them the more against the Chris-
tian religion, and lead them more and
more to oppose it. In other words, do
not attend the feasts in honour of idols.
t Nor to the Gentiles. Gr. Greeks.
To the pagans who are unconverted.
They are attached to idol worship.
They seek every way to justify them-
selves in it. Do not countenance them
in it, and thus lead them into the sin
of idolatry, t Nor to the church of
God. To Christians. Many of them
are weak. They may not be as fully
instructed as you are. Your example
would lead them into sin. Abstain,
therefore, from things which, though
they are in themselves strictly lawful,
may yet be the occasion of leading
others into sin, and endangering their
salvation.
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER XL
217
33 Even as I please all men
in all things, not seeking mine
own profit, but the profit of
many, that they may be saved.
CHAPTER XI.
~OE ye followers B of me, even
*-* as I also am of Christ.
a Eph.5.1. lThess.1.6.
33. Even as I, &c. Paul here pro-
poses his own example as their guide.
The example which he refers to is that
which he had exhibited as described in
this and the preceding chapters. His
main object had been to please all men;
e. e. not to alarm their prejudices, or
needlessly to excite their opposition
(see Note on ch. ix. 1923), while
he made known to them the truth, and
sought their salvation. It is well when
a minister can without ostentation ap-
peal to his own example, and urge
others to a life of self-denial and holi-
ness, by his own manner of living, and
by what he is himself in his daily walk
and conversation.
CHAPTER XL
THE first verse in this chapter pro-
perly belongs to the preceding, and is
the conclusion of the discussion which
the apostle had been carrying on in that
and the previous chapters. It has been
improperly separated from that chapter,
and in reading should be read in con-
nexion with it. The remainder of the
chapter is properly divided into two
parts: I. A discussion respecting the
impropriety of a woman's praying or
prophesying with her head uncovered
(ver. 2 16); and, II. A reproof of their
irregularities in the observance of the
Lord's supper, ver. 17 36.
I. ! regard to the first, it seems pro-
bable that some of the women who, on
pretence of being inspired, had prayed
or prophesied in the Corinthian church,
had cast off their veils after the manner
of the heathen piiestesses. This inde-
cent and improper custom the apostle
reproves. He observes, therefore, that
the pre-eminence belongs to man over
the woman, even as pre-eminence be-
longed to Christ over the man ; that it
was a dishonour to Christ when a man
prayed or prophesied with his head
covered, and in like manner it was
regarded everywhere as dishonourable
19
and improper for a woman to lay aside
the appropriate symbol of her sex, and
the emblem of subordination, and to be
uncovered in the presence of the man
(ver. 3 5) ; that if a woman was not
veiled, if she laid aside the appropriate
emblem of her sex and of her subordi-
nate condition, she might as well part
with her hair, which all knew would be
dishonourable and improper (ver. 6) ;
that the woman had been created for a
subordinate station, and should observe
it (ver. 7 9) ; that she should have
power on her head because of the
angels (ver. 10) ; and yet, lest this
should depress her, and seem to convey
the idea of her utter inferiority and un-
importance, he adds, that in the plan
of salvation they are in many respects
on an equality with the man, that the
same plan was adapted to both, that
the same blessings are appointed for
both sexes, and the same high hopes
are held out to both (ver. 11, 12) ; and
that nature on this subject was a good
instructor, and showed that it was un-
comely for a woman to pray with her
head uncovered, that her hair had been
given her for an ornament and for
beauty, and that, as it would be as im-
proper for her to remove her veil as to
cut off her hair, nature itself required
that this symbol of her subordination
should not be laid aside in public, ver.
1316.
II. Next, as to the irregularities in
the observance of the Lord's supper, the
apostle observes (ver. 17), that he could
not commend them for what he was
about to say. There had been and
there were irregularities among them,
which it was his duty to reprove. In
ver. 18 22, he states what those irre-
gularities were. He then (ver. 23 26)
states the true nature and design of the
Lord's supper, as it was very eviden*
that they had not understood it, bu
supposed it was a common feast-, sue!
218
I. CORINTHIANS.
2 Now I praise you, brethren,
that a ye remember me in al]
things, and keep 6 the ordinan-
ce c.4.17. b Luke 1.6.
as they had been accustomed to observe
in honour of idols. In ver. 27 29, he
states the consequences of observing
this ordinance in an improper manner,
and the proper way of approaching it ;
and in ver. 30 32, observes that their
improper mode of observing it was
the cause of the punishment which
many of them had experienced. He
then concludes by directing them to
celebrate the Lord's supper together
to eat at home when they were hungry ;
and not to abuse the Lord's supper by
making it an occasion of feasting ; and
assures them that the other matters of
irregularity he would set in order when
he should come among them.
1. Be ye followers of me. Imitate
my example in the matter now under
discussion. As I deny myself; as I
seek to give no offence to any one ; as
I endeavour not to alarm the prejudices
of others, but in all things to seek their
salvation, so do you. This verse be-
longs to the previous chapter, and should
not have been separated from it. It is
the close of the discussion there, f Even
as I also am of Christ. I make Christ
my example. He is my model in all
things ; and if you follow him, and fol-
low me as far as / follow him, you will
not err. This is the only safe example ;
and if we follow this, we can never go
astray.
2. Now I praise you, brethren. Paul
always chose to commend Christians
when it could be done, and never
seemed to suppose that such praise
would be injurious to them. Note, ch.
i. 4, 5. On this occasion he was the
more ready to praise them as far as it
could be done, because there were some
things in regard to them in which he
would have occasion to reprove them.
If That ye remember me in all things.
That you are disposed to regard my
authority and seek my direction in all
matters oertaining to the good order of
[A. D. 59.
ces, 1 as I delivered them to you.
3 But I would have you know,
that the head a of every man is
traditions. a Eph.5.2.'i.
the church. There can be little doubt
that they had consulted him in their
letter (ch. vii. 1) about the proper man-
ner in which a woman ought to demeou
herself if she was called upon, under
the influence of divine inspiration, to
uttei any thing in public. The ques-
tion seems to have been, whether, since
she was inspired, it was proper for her
to retain the marks of her inferiority of
rank, and remain covered ; or whether
the fact of her inspiration did not
release her from that obligation, and
make it proper that she should lay
aside her veil, and appear as public
speakers did among men. To this the
apostle refers, probably, in the phrase
" all things," that even in matters of
this kind, pertaining to the good order
of the church, they were disposed to
regard his authority, f And keep the
ordinances. Margin, Traditions (T<XC
Trxgti.3 JiTHc) . The word does not refer
to any thing that had been delivered
down from a former generation, or from
former times, as the word tradition
now usually signifies; but it means
that which had been delivered, to them
(Tfi^SiSteut) ; i. e. by the apostles. The
apostles had delivered to them certain
doctrines, or rules, respecting the good
order and the government of the
church ; and they had in general
observed them, and were disposed still
to do it. For this disposition to regard
his authority, and to keep what he bad
enjoined, he commends them. He pro-
ceeds to specify what would be proper
in regard to the particular subject on
which they had made inquiry.
3. But I would have you know. ' I
nvite your attention particularly to tht
following considerations, in order tt
brm a correct opinion on this subject. 1
Paul does not at once answer the in-
quiry, and determine what ought to be
done ; but he invites their attention to
a series of remarks on the subject, which
A.D.
CHAPTER XI.
219
Christ ; a and the head of the j 4 Every man praying or pro-
woman is the man ; * and the
head of Christ is God.
aGen.3.16. lPet.3.1,r,,6. 6 Jno. 14.28. c.15.27,28.
phesying, having his head cover
ed, dishonoured his head.
led them to draw the conclusion which
he wished to establish. The phrase
here is designed to call the attention to
the subject, like that used so often in
the New Testament, " he that hath ears
to hear, let him hear." ^ That (he head,
&c. The word head, in the Scriptures,
is designed often to denote master,
ruler, chief. The word c'N-i is often
thus used in the Old Testament. See
Num. xvii. 3; xxv. 15. Deut. xxviii.
13.44. Judg. x. 18; xi.8. 11. 1 Sam.
xv. 17. 2 Sam. xxii. 44. In the New
Testament the word is used in the
sense of Loid, ruler, chief, in Eph. i.
22; iv. 15; v. 23. Col. ii. 10. Here it
means that Christ is the ruler, director,
or Lord of the Christian man. This
truth was to be regarded in all their
feelings and arrangements, and was
never to be forgotten. Every Christian
should recollect the relation in which
he stands to him, as one that is fitted to
produce the strictest decorum, and a
steady sense of subordination, t Of
every man. Every Christian. All ac-
knowledge Christ as their Ruler and
Master. They are subject to him ; and
in all proper ways recc gnise their sub-
ordination to him. t And tl> ' head of
the ivoman is the man. Tr nse is,
she is subordinate to him ; and in all
circumstances in her demeanour, her
dress, her conversation, in public and
in the family circle should recognise
her subordination to him. The par-
ticular thing here referred to is, that if
the woman is inspired, and speaks or
prays in public, she should by no means
lay aside the usual and proper symbols
of her subordination. The danger was,
that those who were under the influ-
ence of inspiration would regard them-
selves as freed from the necessity of
recognising that, and would lay aside
the veil, the usual and appropriate sym-
bol of their occupying a rank inferior to
the man. This was often done in the
temples of the heathen deities by the
priestesses, and it would appear also
that it had been done by Christian
females in the churches. ^ And the
head of Christ, is God. Christ, as Me-
diator, has consented to assume a sub-
ordinate rank ; and to recognise God the
Father as superior in office. Hence he
was obedient in all things as u Son ;
he submitted to the arrangement re-
quired in redemption; he always recog-
nised his subordinate rank as Mediator,
and always regarded God as the supreme
Ruler, even in the matter of redemption.
The sense is, that Christ, throughout
his entire work, regarded himself as
occupying a subordinate station to the
Father; and that it was proper from
his example to recognise the propriety
of rank and station everywhere.
4. Every man praying or prophe-
sying. The word prophesying here
means, evidently, teaching , or public-
ly speaking to the people on the sub-
ject of religion. See Note on Acts ii.
17. See also the subject considered
more at length in the Notes on ch. xiv.
Whether these persons who are here
said to prophesy were all inspired, or
claimed to be inspired, may admit of a
question. The simple idea here is, that
they spoke in the public assemblies, and
professed to be the expounders of the
divine will, J Having his head covered.
With a veil, or turban, or cap, or what-
ever else is worn on the head. To re-
move the hat, the turban, or the cover-
ing of the head, is a mark of respect for
a superior when in his presence. ^ Dis-
honoureth his head. Does dishonour to
Christ as his head (ver. 2) ; that is, he
does not, in his presence and in his
service, observe the usual and proper
custom by which a subordinate station
is recognised, and which indicates re-
spect for a superior. In the presence
of a prince or a nobleman, it would
be considered as a mark of disrespect
320
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
5 But every woman a that
prayeth or prophesieth with her
-j. Acts >1.9.
head uncovered, dishonoureth
her head : for that is even all
one as if she were shaven.
should the head be covered. So in the
presence of Christ, in whose name he
ministers, it is a mark of disrespect if
the head is covered. This illustration
is drawn from the customs of all times
and countries by which respect for a
superior is indicated by removing the
covering from the head. This is one
reason why a man should not cover
his head in public worship. Another
is given in ver. 7. Other interpreta-
tions of the passage may be seen in
JBloomfield's Critical Digest.
5. But every woman that prayeth
or prophesielh. In the Old Testament
prophetesses are not unfrequently men-
tioned. Thus Miriam is mentioned
(Ex. xv. 20) ; Deborah (Judg. iv. 4) ;
Huldah (2 Kings xxii. 14) ; Noadiah
(Neh.vi. 14). So also in the New Tes-
tament Anna is mentioned as a pro-
phetess. Luke ii. 36. That there were
females in the early Christian church
who corresponded to those known
among the Jews in some measure as
endowed with,, the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, cannot be doubted. What
was their precise office, and what was
the nature of the public services in
which they were engaged, is not how-
ever known. That they prayed is clear ;
and that they publicly expounded the
will of God is apparent also. See Note
on Acts ii. 17. As the presumption is,
however, that they were inspired, their
example is no warrant now for females
to take part in the public services of
worship, unless they also give evidence
that they are under the influence of
inspiration, and the more especially as
the apostle Paul has expressly forbidden
their becoming public teachers. 1 Tim.
ii. 12. If it is now plead, from this
example, that women should speak and
pray in public, yet it should be just so
far only as this example goes, and it
should be only when they have the qua-
lifications that the early prophetesses
had in the Christian church. If there
are any such; if any are directly in-
spired by God, there then will be an
evident propriety that they should pub-
licly proclaim his will, and not till then.
It may be further observed, however,
that the fact that Paul here mentions
the custom of women praying or speak-
ing publicly in the church, does not
prove that it was right or proper. His
immediate object now was not to con
sider whether the practice was itself
right, but to condemn the manner of
its performance as a violation of all the
proper rules of modesty and of subordi-
nation. On another occasion, in this
very epistle, he fully condemns the
practice in any form, and enjoins si-
lence on the female members of the
church in public, ch. xiv. 34. J With
her head uncovered. That is, with the
veil removed which she usually wore.
It would seem from this that the wo-
men removed their veils, and wore theii
hair dishevelled, when they pretended
to be under the influence of divine in-
spiration. This was the case with the
heathen priestesses ; and in so doing,
the Christian women imitated them.
On this account, if on no other, Paul
declares the impropriety of this conduct.
It was, besides, a custom among ancient
females, and one that was strictly en-
joined by the traditional laws of the
Jews, that a woman should not appear
in public unless she were veiled. See
this proved by Lightfoot in loco, f Dis-
honoureth her head. Shows a want of
proper respect to man, to her husband,
to her father, to the sex in general.
The veil is a token of modesty and of
subordination. It is regarded among
Jews, and everywhere, as an emblem
of her sense of inferiority of rank and
station. It is the customary mark of
her sex, and that by which she evinces
her modesty and sense of subordination,
To remove that, is to remove the appro-
priate mark of such subordination, and
is a public act by which she thus shows
A. D. 59.J
CHAPTER XI
6 For it" the woman be not
covered, let her also be shorn :
but if it be a shame for a wo-
man to be shorn or shaven, let
her be covered.
a Num.5. 18. Deut.21.12.
dishonour to the man. And as it is
proper that the grades and ranks of life
should be recognised in a suitable man-
ner, so it is improper that, even on pre-
tence of religion, and of being engaged
in the service of God, these marks should
be laid aside, f For that is even all
one as if she were shaven. As if her
long hair, which nature teaches her she
should wear for a veil (ver. 15, mar-
gin}, should be cut oft'. Long hair is,
by the custom of the times, and of nearly
all countries, a mark of the sex, an or-
nament of the female, and judged to be
beautiful and comely. To remove that
is to appear, in this respect, like the
other sex, and to lay aside the badge
of her own. This, says Paul, all would
judge to be improper. You yourselves
tfould not allow it. And yet to lay
iside the veil the appropriate badge
rf the sex, and of her sense of subordi-
nation would be an act of the same
lind. It would indicate the same feei-
ng, the same forgetfulness of the proper
sense of subordination ; and if that is
aid aside, ALL the usual indications of
-nodesty and subordination might be
-emoved also. Not even under reli-
gious pretences, therefore, are the usual
marks of sex, and of propriety of place
and rank, to be laid aside. Due respect
8 to be shown, in dress, and speech,
and deportment, to those whom God has
placed above us ; and neither in lan-
guage, in attire, nor in habit are we to
depart from what all judge to be proprie-
ties of life, or from what God has judged
and ordained to be the proper indications
of the regular gradations in society.
6. For if the woman be not covered.
If her head be not covered with a veil.
f Let her also be shorn. Let her long
hair be cut off. Let her lay aside all
the usual and proper indications of her
sex and rank in life. If it is done in
J9*
7 For a man inueed ought not
to cover his head, forasmuch as
he is the image * and glory of
God : but the woman is the
glory of the man.
b Gen.5.1.
one respect, it may with the same pro-
priety be done in all. See Note above.
^ But if it be a shame, &c. If custom,
nature, and habit ; if the common and
usual feelings and views among men
would pronounce this to be a shame,
the other would be pronounced to be a
shame also by the same custom and
common sense of men. J Let her be
covered. With a veil. Let her wear
the customary attire indicative of mo-
desty and a sense of subordination. Let
her not lay this aside even on any pre-
tence of religion.
7. For a man indeed ought not to
cover his head. That is, with a veil ; or
in public worship ; when he approaches
God, or when in His name he addresses
his fellow men. It is not fit and propei
that he should be covered. The reason
why it is not proper, the apostle imme-
diately states. Tf Forasmuch as he i&
the image and glory of God. The
phrase " the image of God" refers to the
fact that man was made in the likenesa
of his Maker (Gen. i. 27) ; and proves
that, though fallen, there is a sense in
which he is still the image of God. It
is not because man is holy or pure, and
thus resembles his Creator ; but it evi-
dently is because he was invested by
his Maker with authority and dominion:
he was superior to all other creatures.
Gen. i. 28. This is still retained ; and
this the apostle evidently refers to in
the passage before us, and this he say a
should be recognised and regarded. If
he wore a veil or turban, it would be a
mark of servitude or inferiority. It was
therefore improper that he should ap-
pear in this manner ; but he should be
so chd as not to obscure or hide the
gre^t truth that he was the direct repre-
sentative of God on the earth, and had a
superiority to all other creatures, f And
glory of God. The word glory in the
222
I. CORINTHIANS.
LA. r> 59
8 For the man is not of the wo-
man ; but the woman of the man ;
9 Neither was the man cre-
ated for the woman, but the
woman for the man.
10 For this cause ought the
woman to have power 1 on her
head, because of the angels.
a Gen. 2. 18,22,23. * i. e. a covering, in
sign that she is under the honour of her hus
bund. Gen.24.65.
classic writers means, (1.) Opinion,
sentiment, &c. ; (2.) Fame, reputation.
Here it means, as it often does, splen-
dour, brightness, or that which stands
forth to represent God, or by which the
glory of God is known. Man was cre-
ated first ; he had dominion given him ;
by him, therefore, the divine authority
and wisdom first shone forth ; and this
fact should be recognised in the due
subordination of rank, and even in the
apparel and attire which shall be worn.
The impression of his rank and supe-
riority should be everywhere retained.
t But the woman is the glory of the
man. The honour, the ornament, &c.
She was made for him ; she was made
after he was ; she was taken from him,
and was " bone of his bone, and flesh
of his flesh." All her comeliness, love-
liness, and purity are therefore an ex-
pression of his honour and dignity, since
all that comeliness and loveliness were
made of him and for him. This, there-
fore, ought to be acknowledged by a
suitable manner of attire ; and in his
presence this sense of her inferiority of
rank and subordination should be ac-
knowledged by the customary use of
the veil. She should appear with the
symbol of modesty and subjection,
which are implied by the head being
covered. This sense is distinctly ex-
pressed in the following verse.
8. For the man is not of the woman.
The men was not formed from the wo-
man. T But the woman of the man.
From his side. Gen. ii. 18. 22, 23.
9. Neither was the man created for
the woman, &c. This is a simple
statement of what is expressed in Ge-
nesis. The woman was made for the
comfort and happiness of the man. Not
to be a slave, but a help-meet ; not to
be the minister of frs pleasures, but to
be his aid and comforter in life , not to
be regarded as of inferior nature and
rank, but to be his friend, to divide his
sorrows, and to multiply and extend his
joys ; yet still to be in a station subor-
dinate to him. He is to be the head
the ruler; the presider in the family
circle ; and she was created to aid him
in his duties, to comfort him in his
afflictions, to partake with him of his
pleasures. Her rank is therefore ho-
nourable, though it is subordinate. It
is, in some respects, the more honour-
able because it is subordinate ; and as
her happiness is dependent on him, she
has the higher claim to his protection
and his tender care. The whole of
Paul's idea here is, that her situation
and rank as subordinate should be re-
cognised by her at all times, and that
in his presence it was proper that she
should wear the usual symbol of mo-
desty and subordination, the veil.
10. For this cause, &c. There is
scarcely any passage in the Scriptures
which has more exercised the ingenuity
of commentators than this verse. The
various attempts which have been made
to explain it may be seen in Pool, Ro-
senmiiller, Bloomfield, &c. After all
the explanations which have been given
of it, I confess, I do not understand it.
It is not difficult to see what the con-
nexion requires us to suppose in the
explanation. The obvious interpreta-
tion would be, that a woman should
have a veil on her head because of the
angels who were supposed to be present,
observing them in their public worship ;
and it is generally agreed that the word
power (eg'Mffi'JLv') denotes a veil, or a
covering for the head. But the word
power does not occur in this sense in
any classic writer. Bretschneider un-
derstands it of a veil, as being a defence
or guard to the face, lest it should be
seen by others. Some have supposed
that it was the name of a female orna-
ment that was worn on the head, formed
A.D. 59
CHAPTER XL
223
of braids of hair set with jewels. Most
commentators agree that it means a veil,
though some think (see Bloomfield)
that it is called power to denote the veil
which was worn by married women,
which indicated the superiority of the
married woman to the maiden. But it
is sufficient to say in reply to this, that
Jho apostle is not referring to married
women in contradistinction from those
who are unmarried, but is showing that
all women who prophesy or pray in
public should be veiled. There can,
perhaps, be no doubt that the word
'' power" has reference to a veil, or to
i covering for the head ; but why it is
sailed power I confess I do not under-
stand ; and most of the comments on
the word are, in my view, egregious tri-
fling, t Because of 'the angels. Some
have explained this of good angels who
were supposed to be present in their
assemblies (see Doddridge); others refer
it to evil angels ; and others to messen-
gers or spies who, it has been supposed,
were present in their public assemblies,
and who would report greatly to the
disadvantage of the Christian assemblies
if the women were seen to be unveiled.
I do not know what it means ; and I
regard it as one of the very f$w passages
in the Bible whose meaning as yet is
wholly inexplicable. The most natural
interpretation seems to me to be this :
' A woman in the public assemblies,
and in speaking in the presence of men,
should wear a veil the usual symbol
of modesty and subordination because
the angels of God are witnesses of your
public worship (Heb. i. 13), and because
they know and appreciate the propriety
of subordination and order in public as-
semblies.' According to this, it would
mean that the simple reason would be
that the angels were witnesses of their
worship; and that they were the friends
of propriety, due subordination, and
order ; and that they ought to observe
these in all assemblies convened for the
worship of God. I do not know that
this sense has been proposed by any
commentator ; but it is one which strikes
me as the most obvious and natural, and
eontistent with the context. The fol-
lowing remarks respecting the ladies
of Persia may throw some light on
this subject : " The headdress of the
women is simple: their hair is drawn
behind the head, and divided into seve-
ral tresses : the beauty of this headdress
consists in the thickness and length of
these tresses, which should fall even
down to the heels, in default of which,
they lengthen them with tresses of silk.
The ends of these tresses they decorate
with pearls and jewels, or ornaments of
gold or silver. The head is covered,
under the veil or kerchief (course chef),
only by the end of a small bandeau,
shaped into a triangle : this bandeau,
which is of various colours, is thin and
light. The bandalette is embroidered
by the needle, or covered with jewellery,
according to the quality of the wearer.
This is, in my opinion, the ancient tiara,
or diadem, of the queens of Persia : only
married women wear it ; and it is the
| mark by which it is known that they
are under subjection (c'est la la marqut
a laquelle on reconnoit qu'elles soni
sous PUISSAXCE power~). The girls
have little caps, instead of this kerchief
or tiara ; they wear no veil at home,
but let two tresses of their hair fall un-
der their cheeks. The caps of girls of
superior rank are tied with a row of
pearls. Girls are not shut up in Persia
till they attain the age of six or seven
years ; before that age they go out of
the seraglio, sometimes with their father,
so that they may then be seen. I have
seen some wonderfully pretty. They
show the neck and bosom ; and more
beautiful cannot be seen." Chardin.
" The wearing of a veil by a married
woman was a token of her being under
power. The Hebrew name of the veil
signifies dependence. Great importance
was attached to this part of the dress in
the East. All the women of Persia are
pleasantly apparelled. When they are
abroad in the streets, all, both rich and
poor, are covered with a great veil, 01
sheet of very fine white cloth, of which
one half, like a forehead cloth, comes
down to the eyes, and, going over the
head, reaches down to the heels; and the
other half muffles up the face below the
I. CORINTHIANS
U Nevertheless, neither is
the man without the woman,
neither the woman without the
man, in the Lord.
12 For as the woman is of
the man, even so is the man
[A.D 59
also by the woman : but all a
things of God.
13 Judge in yourselves: is it
comely that a woman pray unto
God uncovered ?
14 Dofh not even nature itself
a Rom. 11. 36.
eyes, and being fastened with a pin to
the left side of the head, falls down to
their very shoes, even covering their
hands, with which they hold that cloth
by the two sides, so that, except the
eyes, they are covered all over with it.
Within doors they have their faces and
breasts uncovered; but the Armenian
women in their houses have always one
half of their faces covered with a cloth,
that goes athwart their noses, and hangs
over their chin and breasts, except the
maids of that nation, who, within doors,
cover only the chin until they are mar-
ried." Th evenot.
1 1 . Nevertheless. Lest the man should
assume to himself too much superiority,
and lest he should regard the woman as
made solely for his pleasure, and should
treat her as in all respects inferior, and
withhold the respect that is due to her.
The design of this verse and the follow-
ing is to show, that the man and the
woman are united in most tender inte-
rests ; that the one cannot live comfort-
ably without the other ; that one is ne-
cessary to the happiness of the other ;
and that though the woman was formed
from the man, yet it is also to be remem-
bered that the man is descended from
the woman. She should therefore be
treated with proper respect, tenderness,
and regard. Tf Neither is the man with-
out the woman, &c. The man and the
woman were formed for union and soci-
ety. They are not in any respect inde-
pendent of each other. One is neces-
sary to the comfort of the other ; and
this fact should be recognised in all their
intercourse, f In the Lord. By the
arrangements or direction of the Lord.
It is the appointment and command of
the Lord that they should be mutual
helps, and should each regard and pro
mote the welfare of the other.
12. As the woman is of the man
In the original creation, she was form
ed from the man. K So is the man alx
by the woman. Is born of the woman
or descended from her. The sexes are
dependent on each other, and should
therefore cultivate an indissoluble union.
1 But all things of God. All things
were created and arranged by him. This
expression seems designed to suppress
any spirit of complaint or dissatisfaction
with this arrangement ; to make the
woman contented in her subordinate
station, and to make the man humble
by the consideration that it is all owing
to the appointment of God. The woman
should therefore be contented, and the
man should not assume any improper
superiority, since the whole arrangement
and appointment is of God.
13. Judge in yourselves. Or, ' Judge
among yourselves.' I appeal to you. I
appeal to your natural sense of what is
proper and right. Paul had used vari-
ous arguments to show them the impro-
priety of their females speaking unveiled
in public. He now appeals to their
natural sense of what was decent and
right, according to established and ac
knowledged customs and habits, ^f i
it comely, &c. Is it decent, or becom-
ing 1 The Grecian women, except their
priestesses, were accustomed to appear
in public with a veil. Doddridge. Paul
alludes to that established and proper
habit, and asks whether it does not
accord with their own views of pro-
priety that women in Christian assem-
blies should also wear the same symbol
of modesty.
14. Doth not even nature itself.
The word nature (pvW) denotes evi-
dently that sense of propriety which all
men have, and which is expressed in
aty prevailing or universal custom.
A.D. 59. J
CHAPTER XI.
225
teach you, that if a man have
ong hair, it is a shame unto him ?
15 But if a woman have long
That which is universal we say is
according to nature. It is such as is
demanded by the natural sense of fit-
ness among men. Thus we may say
that nature demands that the sexes
should wear different kinds of dress;
that nature demands that the female
should be modest and retiring; that
nature demands that the toils of the
chase, of the field, of war the duties
of office, of government, and of profes-
sional life, should be discharged by
men. Such are in general the customs
the world over; and if any reason is
asked for numerous habits that exist in
society, no better answer can be given
than that nature, as arranged by God,
has demanded it. The word in this
place, therefore, does not mean the con-
stitution of the sexes, as Locke, Whitby,
and Pierce maintain ; nor reason and
experience, as Macknight supposes ;
nor simple use and custom, as Grotius,
Rosenmiiller, and most recent exposi-
tors suppose ; but it refers to a deep
internal sense of what is proper and
right; a sense which is expressed ex-
tensively in all nations, showing what
that sense is. No reason can be given,
in the nature of things, why the woman
should wear long hair and the man not ;
but the custom prevails extensively
everywhere, and nature, in all nations,
has prompted to the same course.
" Use is second nature ;" but the usage
in this case is not arbitrary, but is
founded in an anterior universal sense
of what is proper and right. A few,
and only a few, have regarded it as
comely for a man to wear his hair
long. Aristotle tells us, indeed (Rhet.
i. see Rosenmiiller), that among the
Lacedemonians, freemen wore their hair
long. In the time of Homer, also, the
Greeks were railed by
A^o/u, long-haired Greeks ; and some
of the Asiatic nations adopted the same
custom. But the general habit among
hair, it is a glory to her : for her
hair is given her for a ' cover-
ing.
i or, veil.
men has been different. Among the
Hebrews, it was regarded as disgraceful
to a man to wear his hair long, except
he had a vow as a Nazarite. Num. vi.
1 5. Judg. xiii. 5; xvi. 17. iSam.
i. 11. Occasionally, for affectation 01
singularity, the hair was suffered to
grow, as was the case with Absalom
(2 Sam. xiv. 26) ; but the traditional
law of the Jews on the subject was
strict. The same rule existed among
the Greeks ; and it was regarded as
disgraceful to wear long hair in the
time of ^Elian. Hist. lib. ix. c. 14.
Eustath. on Horn. ii. v. | // is a
shame unto him. It is improper and
disgraceful. It is doing that which
almost universal custom has said appro-
priately belongs to the female sex.
1 5. It is a glory unto her* It is an
ornament, and adorning. The same
instinctive promptings of nature which
make it proper for a man to wear short
hair, make it proper that the woman
should suffer hers to grow long, ^ For
a covering. Marg. Veil. It is given to
her as a sort of natural veil, and to
indicate the propriety of her wearing a
veil. It answered the purposes of a
veil when it was suffered to grow long,
and to spread over the shoulders and
over parts of the face, before the arts of
dress were invented or needed. There
may also be an allusion here to the
fact that the hair of women naturally
grows longer than that of men. See
Rosenmiiller. The value which east-
ern females put on their long hair may
be learned from the fact that when
Ptolemy Euergetes, king of Egypt, was
about to march against Seleucus Calli-
nicus, his queen Berenice vowed, as
the most precious sacrifice which she
could make, to cut off and consecrate
her hair if he returned in safety. " The
eastern ladies," says Harmer, " are re-
markable for the length and the great
number >f the tresses of their hair
I. CORINTHIANS.
10 But a if any man seem to
he contentious, we have no such
custom, neither the churches of
tfod.
a lTim.6.4.
[A. D. 59
17 Now in this that I declare
unto you I praise you not, that
ye come together not for the bet-
ter, but for the worse.
The men there, on the contrary, wear
fery little hair on their heads." Lady
M. W. Montague thus speaks concern-
ing the hair of the women : " Their
hair hangs at full length behind, divided
into tresses, braided with pearl or riband,
which is always in great quantity. I
never saw in my life so many fine heads
of hair. In one lady's I have counted
one hundred and ten of these tresses,
all natural ; but it must be owned that
every kind of beauty is more common
here than with us." The men there,
on the contrary, shave all the hair off
their heads, excepting one lock ; and
those that wear hair are thought effemi-
nate. Both these particulars are men-
tioned by Chardin, who says they are
agreeable to the custom of the East:
" the men are shaved ; the women nou-
rish their hair with great fondness,
which they lengthen, by tresses and
tufts of silk, down to the heels. The
young men who wear their hair in the
East are looked upon as effeminate and
infamous."
16. But if any man stem to be con-
tentious. The sense of this passage is
probably this : ' If any man, any teacher,
or others, is disposed to be strenuous
about this, or to make it a matter of
difficulty ; if he is disposed to call in
question my reasoning, and to dispute
my premises and the considerations
which I have advanced, and to main-
tain still that it is proper for women to
appear unveiled in public, I would add
that in Judea we have no such custom,
neither does it prevail among any of
the churches. This, therefore, would
6e a sufficient reason why it should not
be done in Corinth, even if the abstract
reasoning should not convince them of
the impropriety. It would be singular;
would be contrary to the usual custom ;
would offend the prejudices of many;
And should, therefore, be avoided.' ^ We
have no such custom. We the apostle*
in the churches which we have else-
where founded ; or we have no such
custom in Judea. The sense is, that
it is contrary to custom there for women
to appear in public unveiled. This
custom, the apostle argues, ought to be
allowed to have some influence on the
church of Corinth, even though they
should not be convinced by his reason-
ing. 1 Neither the churches of God.
The churches elsewhere. It is custom-
ary there for the woman to appear veiled.
If at Corinth this custom is not observed,
it will be a departure from what has
elsewhere been regarded as proper; and
will offend these churches. Even, there-
fore, if the reasoning is not sufficient to
silence all cavils and doubts, yet the
propriety of uniformity in the habits of
the churches, the fear of giving offence
should lead you to discountenance and
disapprove the custom of your females
appearing in public without their veil.
17. Now in this that I declare. In
this that I am about to state to you ; to
wit, your conduct in regard to the Lord's
supper. Why this subject is introduced
here is not very apparent. The connex-
ion may be this. In the subjects imme-
diately preceding he had seen much to
commend, and he was desirous of com-
mending them as far as it could be done.
In ver. 2 of this chapter he commends
them in general for their regard to the
ordinances which he had appointed
when he was with them. But while
he thus commended them, he takes
occasion to observe that there was one
subject on which he could not employ
the language of approval or praise. Of
their irregularities in regard to the
Lord's supper he had probably heard
by rumour, and as the subject was of
great importance, and their irregularities
gross and deplorable, he takes occasion
to state to them again more fully the
. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XI.
221
18 For first of all, when ye
come together in the church, I
near a that there be divisions a
a c.l. 11, 12. > or, schisms.
nature of that ordinance, and to reprove
them for the manner in which they
had celebrated it. 1 That ye come
togettier. You assemble for public
worship, f Not for the better, but for
'he worse. Your meetings, and your
observance of the ordinances of the
gospel, do not promote your edification,
your piety, spirituality, and harmony ;
but tend to division, alienation, and
disorder. You should assemble to wor-
ship God, and promote harmony, love,
and piety ; the actual effect of your as-
sembling is just the reverse. In what
way this was done he states in the fol-
lowing verses. These evil consequences
were chiefly two, first, divisions and
contentions ; and, secondly, the abuse
and profanation of the Lord's supper.
1 8. For first of all. That is, I men-
tion as the first thing to be reproved.
f Wfien ye come together in the chwch.
When you come together in a religious
assembly ; when you convene for pub-
lic worship. The word church here
does not mean, as it frequently does
with us, a building. No instance of
such a use of the word occurs in the
New Testament; but it means when
they came together as a Christian as-
sembly; when they convened for the
worship of God. These divisions took
place then ,- and from some cause which
it seems then operated to produce alien-
ations and strifes, f I hear. I have
learned through some members of the
family of Chloe. ch. i. 11. f That
there be divisions among you. Greek,
as in the margin, Schisms. The word
properly means a rent, such as is made
in cloth (Matt. ix. 16. Mark ii. 21), and
then a division, a split, a faction among
men. John vii. 43; ix. 16; x. 19. It does
not mean here that they had proceeded
o far as to form separate churches, but
that there was discord and division in
the church itself. See Notes on ch. i,
among you ; and I partly be-
lieve it.
19 For there must b be alsc
6 Matt. 18.7. 2Pet.2.!,2.
10, 11. 1 And I partly believe it. I
credit a part of the reports ; I have rea-
son to think, that, though the evil may
have been exaggerated, yet that it is
true at least in part. I believe that
there are dissensions in the church that
should be reproved.
19. For there must be. It is neces-
sary (Sn) ; it is to be expected ; there
, are reasons why there should be. What
| these reasons are he states in the close
i of the verse. Comp. Matt, xviii. 7.
2 Pet. ii. 1 , 2. The meaning is, not that
divisions are inseparable from the nature
of the Christian religion, not that it is
the design and wish of the Author of
Christianity that they should exist, and
not that they are physically impossible,
for then they could not be the subject
of blame; but that such is human nature,
such are the corrupt passions of men,
the propensity to ambition and strifes,
that they are to be expected, and they
serve the purpose of showing who are,
and who are not, the true friends of
God. t Heresies. Margin, Sects. Gr.
Al^a-uc. See Note, Acts xxiv. 14.
The words heresy and heresies occur
only in these places, and in Gal. v. 20.
2 Pet. ii. 1. The Greek word occurs
also in Acts v. 17 (translated sect) ;
xv. 5 ; xxiv. 5 ; xxvi. 5 ; xxviii. 22, in
all which places it denotes, and is trans-
lated, sect. We now attach to the word
usually the idea of a fundamental error
in religion, or some doctrine the hold-
ing of which will exclude from salva-
tion. But there is no evidence that
the word is used in this signification in
the New Testament. The only place
where it can be supposed to be SQ used,
unless this is one, is in Gal. v. 20,
where, however, the word contentions
or divisions would be quite as much in
accordance with the connexion. Thaf
the word here does nat denote error ii
doctrine, but schism, division^ or sects
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
heresies among you, that they
or, sects.
a Luke 2.35.
as it is translated in the margin, is evi-
dent from two considerations. (1.) It
is the proper philological meaning of
the word, and its established and com-
mon signification in the Bible. (2.) It
is the sense which the connexion here
demands. The apostle had made no
reference to error of doctrine, but is dis-
coursing solely of irregularity in con-
duct ; and the first thing which he
mentions, is, that there were schisms,
divisions, strifes. The idea that the
word here refers to doctrines would by
no means suit the connexion, and
would indeed make nonsense. It would
then read, ' I hear that there are divi-
sions or parties among you, and this I
cannot commend you for. For it must
be expected that there would be fun-
damental errors of doctrine in the
church.' But Paul did not reason in
this manner. The sense is, ' There
are divisions among you. It is to be
expected ; there are causes for it ; and
it cannot be avoided that there should
be, in the present state of human nature,
divisions and sects formed in the
church ; and this is to be expected in
order that those who are true Christians
should be separated from those who
are not/ The foundation of this ne-
cessity is not in the Christian religion
itself, for that is pure, and contemplates
and requires union ; but the existence
of sects, and denominations, and con-
tentions may be traced to the following
causes. (1.) The love of power and
popularity. Religion may be made
the means of power; and they who
have the control of the consciences of
men, and of their religious feelings and
opinions, can control them altogether.
(2.) Showing more respect to a reli-
gious teacher than to Christ. See Notes
on ch. i. 12. (3.) The multiplication
of tests, and the enlargement of creeds
and confessions of faith. The conse-
quence is, that every new doctrine that
is incorporated into a creed gives occa-
sion for those to separate who cannot
which are approved n,ay be made
manifest among you.
accord with it. (4.) The passions of
men their pride, and ambition, and
bigotry, and unenlightened zeal. Christ
evidently meant that his church should
be one ; and that all who were his true
followers should be admitted to her
communion, and acknowledged every-
where as his own friends. And the
time may yet come when this union
shall be restored to his long distracted
church, and that while there may be
an honest difference of opinion main-
tained and allowed, still the bonds of
Christian love shall secure union of
heart in all who love the Lord Jesus,
and union of effort in the grand enter-
prise in which ALL can unite that of
making war upon sin, and securing
the conversion of the whole world to
God. ^f That they which are approved.
That they who are approved of God,
or who are his true friends, and who
are disposed to abide by his laws.
f May be made manifest. May be
known ; recognised ; seen. The effect
of divisions and separations would be
to show who were the friends of order,
and peace, and truth. It seems to have
been assumed by Paul, that they who
made divisions could not be regarded
as the friends of order and truth ; or
that their course could not be approved
by God. The effect of these divisions
would be to show who they were. So
in all dii isions, and all splitting into
factions, where the great truths of
Christianity are held, and where the
corruption of the mass does not require
separation, such divisions show who
are the restless, ambitious, and dissatis-
fied spirits; who they are that are
indisposed to follow the things that
make for peace, and the laws of Christ
enjoining union ; and who they are
who are gentle and peaceful, and dis-
posed to pursue the way of truth, and
love, and order, without contentions
and strifes. This is the effect of schisms
in the church ; and the whole strain
of the argument of Paul is tc reprove
A.D. 59.J
CHAPTER XL
229
20 When ye come together is not to eat the Lord's supper.
o^oToro \ntr\ rmA nln^p. l this 21 Pnr in eai.infr. everv one
therefore into one place, l this
or, ye cannot eat.
and condemn such schisms, and to hold
up the authors of them to reproof and
condemnation. See Rom. xvi. 17,
" Mark them which cause divisions,
and AVOID THEM."
20. When ye come together there-
fore, fcc. When you are assembled
as a church. Comp. Heb. x. 25, and
Note on Acts ii. 1. Christians were
constantly in the habit of assembling
for public worship. It is probable that
at this early period all the Christians
in Corinth were accustomed to meet in
the same place. The apostle here par-
ticularly refers to their assembling to
observe the ordinance of the Lord's
supper. At that early period it is pro-
bable that this was done on every Lord's
day. t This is not, &c. Margin, " Ye
cannot eat." The meaning of this ex-
pression seems to be this. ' Though
you come together professedly to wor-
ship God, and to partake of the Lord's
supper, yet this cannot be the real de-
iign which you have in view. It can-
;\ot be that such practices as are allowed
mong you can be a part of the cele-
bration of that supper, or consistent
with it. Your greediness (ver. 21) ;
your intemperance (ver. 21) ; your
partaking of the food separately and
>.ot in common cannot be a celebration
if the Lord's supper. Whatever, there-
fore, you may profess to be engaged in,
fet really and truly you are not cele-
Drating the Lord's supper.' f The
Lord's supper. That which the Lord
Jesus instituted to commemorate his
death. It is called " the Lord's," be-
cause it is his appointment, and is in
honour of him ; it is called " supper"
(/smor), because the word denotes the
evening repast ; it was instituted in the
evening ; and it is evidently most pro-
per that it should be observed in the
after part of the day. With most
churches the time is improperly changed
to the morning a custom which has
no sanction in the New Testament;
20
21 For in eating, every one
and which is a departure from the very
idea of a supper.
21. For in eating. When you eat,
having professedly come together to
observe this ordinance. In order to
understand this, it seems necessary to
suppose that they had in some way
made the Lord's supper either connected
with a common feast, or that they re-
. garded it as a mere common festival to
be observed in a way similar to the fes-
tivals among the Greeks. Many have
supposed that this was done by making
the observance of the supper follow a
festival, or what were afterwards called
love feasts (Ayj.7r*t Agapae). Many
have supposed that that custom was
derived from the fact that the Savioui
instituted the supper after a festival, a
feast in which he had been engaged
with his disciples, and that thence the
early Christians derived the custom of
observing such a festival, or common
meal, before they celebrated the Lord's
supper. But it may be observed, that
the passover was not a mere prelimi-
nary festival, or feast. It had no re-
semblance to the so called love feasts.
It was itself a religious ordinance ; a
direct appointment of God ; and was
never regarded as designed to be pre-
liminary to the observance of the Lard's
supper, but was always understood as
designed to be superseded by that.
Besides, I know not that there is the
slightest evidence, as has been often
supposed, that the observance of the
Lord's supper was preceded, in the
times of the apostles, by such a festival
as a love feast. There is no evidence
in the passage before us; nor is any
adduced from any other part of the New
Testament. To my mind it seem?
altogether improbable that the disorders
in Corinth would assume this form
that they would first observe a common
feast, and then the Lord's supper in
the regular manner. The statement
before us leads to the belief that all was
230
I. CORINTHIANS.
59
taketh before other his own sup-
a 2Pet.2.13. Jude 12.
per: and one is hungry, and
tf another is drunken.
irregular and improper ; that they had
entirely mistaken the nature of the ordi-
nance, and had converted it into an
occasion of ordinary festivity, and even
intemperance; that they had come to
regard it as a feast in honour of the
Saviour on some such principles as they
observed feasts in honour of idols, and
that they observed it in some such
manner; and that all that was sup-
posed to make it unlike those festivals
was, that it was in honour of Jesus
rather than an idol, and w.as to be
observed with some reference to his
authority and name. ^ Every one
taketh before other his own supper.
That is, each one is regardless of the
wants of the others ; instead of making
even a meal in common, and when all
could partake together, each one ate by
himself, and ate that which he had
himself brought. They had not only
erred, therefore, by misunderstanding
altogether the nature of the Lord's
supper, and by supposing that it was a
common festival like those which they
had been accustomed to celebrate ; but
they had also entirely departed from the
idea that it was a festival to be partaken
of in common, and at a common table.
It had become a scene where every
man ate by himself; and where the
very idea that there was any thing like
a common celebration, or a celebration
together, was abandoned. There is
allusion here, doubtless, to what was a
custom among the Greeks, that when
a festival was celebrated, or a feast
made, it was common for each person
to provide, and carry a part of the
things necessary for the entertainment.
These were usually placed in common,
and were partaken of alike by all the
company. Thus Xenophon (Mem. lib.
iii. cap. xiv.) says of Socrates, that he
was much offended with the Athenians
for their conduct at their common sup-
pers, where some prepared for them-
selves in a delicate and sumptuous man-
ner, while others were poorly provided
for. Socrates endeavoured, he adds, to
shame them out of this indecent custom
by offering his provisions to all the
company ^ And one is hungry. Is
deprived of food. It is all monopolized
by others. If And another is drunken.
The word here used (^t3-Ja) means
properly to become inebriated, or in-
toxicated ; and there is no reason for
understanding it here in any other
sense. There can be no doubt that
the apostle meant to say, that they ate
and drank to excess ; and that their
professed celebration of the Lord's sup-
per became a mere revel. It may seem
remarkable that such scenes should
ever have occurred in a Christian
church, or that there could have been
such an entire perversion of the nature
and design of the Lord's supper. But
we are to remember the following things :
(1.) These persons had recently been
heathens, and were grossly ignorant
of the nature of true religion when the
gospel was first preached among them.
(2.) They had been accustomed to
such revels in honour of idols under
their former modes of worship, and it
is the less surprising that they trans-
ferred their views to Christianity.
(3.) When they had once so far mis-
understood the nature of Christianity
as to suppose the Lord's supper to b.
like the feasts which they had formerly
celebrated, all the rest followed as a
matter of course. The festival would
be observed in the same manner as the
festivals in honour of idolaters ; and
similar scenes of gluttony and intem-
perance would naturally follow. (4.) We
are to bear in mind, also, that they do
not seem to have been favoured with
pious, wise, and prudent teachers.
There were false teachers; and there
were those who prided themselves on
their wisdom, and who were self-confi-
dent, and who doubtless endeavoured
to model the Christian institutions ac-
cording to their own views ; and they
thus brought them, as far as they could
A D. 59. J
CHAPTER XI
23.
22 What! have ye not houses ! What shall I say to you? shali
to eat and to drink in ? or de- j I praise you in this ? I praise
spise ye the church of God, and j you not.
shame them that 1 have not ? I 23 For a I have received of
are poor
a c.15.3.
to a conformity with pagan customs
and idolatrous rites. We may remark
here, (1.) We are not to expect per-
fection at once among a people recently
converted from paganism. (2.) We
<:ee how prone men are to abuse even
the most holy rites of religion, and
hence how corrupt is human nature.
(3.) We see that even Christians, re-
cently converted, need constant guid-
ance and superintendence ; and that if
left to themselves they soon, like others,
fall into gross and scandalous offences.
22. What ! This whole verse is
designed to convey the language of
severe rebuke for their having so grossly
perverted the design of the Lord's sup-
per. 1 Have. ye. not houses, &c. Do
you not know that the church of God
is not designed to be a place of feast-
ing and revelry ; nor even a place
where to partake of your ordinary
meals ] Can it be, that you will come
to the places of public worship, and
make them the scenes of feasting and
riot] Even on the supposition that
there had been no disorder ; no revelry ;
no intemperance ; yet on every account j
it was grossly irregular and disorderly j
to make the place of public worship a
place for a festival entertainment, f Or
despise ye the church of God. The
phrase " church of God" Grotius under- i
stands of the place. But the word
church (sjuu<r/st) is believed not to be |
used in that sense in the New Testa- j
ment ; and it is not necessary to sup-
pose it here. The sense is, that their
conduct was such as if they had held
in contempt the whole church of God,
in all places, with all their views of the
Sfacredness and purity of the Lord's sup-
per. ^ And shame them that have j
not. Margin, Are poor. Something j
must here be understood in order to
make out the sense. Probably it meant
something like possessions, property,
j conveniences, accommodations. The
connexion would make it most natural
to understand " houses to eat and drink
in ;" and the sense then would be, ' Do
| you thus expose to public shame those
I who have no accommodations at home ;
i who are destitute and poor ] You
thus reflect publicly upon their poverty
and want, while you bring your own
1 provisions, and fare sumptuously, and
while those who are thus unable to
provide for themselves are thus seen to
be poor and needy.' It is hard enough,
the idea is, to be poor, and to be desti-
tute of a home. But it greatly aggra-
vates the matter to be publicly treated
in that manner ; to be exposed publicly
to the contempt which such a situation
implies. Their treatment of the poor
in this manner would be a public ex-
posing them to shame ; and the apostle
i regarded this as particularly dishonour-
j able, and especially in a Christian
' church, where all were professedly on
| an equality. ^ What shall I say to
you ? &c. How shall I sufficiently
j express my surprise at this, and my
disapprobation at this course 1 It can-
not be possible that this is right. It is
not possible to conceal surprise and
amazement that this custom exists, and
is tolerated in a Christian church.
23. For, &c. In order most effect-
ually to check the evils which existed,
and to bring them to a proper mode of
observing the Lord's supper, the apostle
proceeds to state distinctly and particu-
larly its design. They had mistaken
its nature. They supposed it might
be a common festival. They had made
it the occasion of great disorder. He
therefore adverts to the solemn circum-
stances in which it was instituted ; the
particular object which it had in view
the commemoration of the death of the
Redeemer, and the purpose which it
was designed to subserve, which wag
32
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
the Lord that which also I
delivered unto you, That the
Lord Jesus, a the same night
in which he was betrayed, took
bread :
a Matt.2G.26.
not that of a festival, but to keep before
the church and the world a constant
remembrance of the Lord Jesus until
he should again return, ver. 26. By
this means the apostle evidently hoped
to recall them from their irregular. ties,
and to bring them to a just mode of
celebrating this holy ordinance. He
did not, therefore, denounce them even
for their irregularity and gross disorder ;
he did not use harsh, violent, vitupera-
tive language, but he expected to eform
the evil by a mild and tender statement
of the truth, and by an appeal to their
consciences as the followers of the
Lord Jesus. | / have received of the
Lord. This cannot refer to tradition,
or mean that it had been communicated
to him through the medium of the other
apostles ; but the whole spirit and scope
of the passage seems to mean that he
had derived the knowledge of the insti-
tution of the Lord's supper directly
from the Lord himself. This might
have been when on the road to Da-
mascus, though that does not seem pro-
bable, or it may have been among the
numerous revelations which at various
times had been made to him. Comp.
2 Cor. xii. 7. The reason why he here
says that he had received it directly
from the Lord is, doubtless, that he
might show them that it was of divine
authority. ' The institution to which
I refer is what I myself received an
account of from personal and direct
communication with the Lord Jesus
himself, who appointed it. It is not,
therefore, of human authority. It is
not of my devising, but is of divine
warrant, and is holy in its nature, and
is to be observed in the exact manner
prescribed by the Lord himself.' If TLrt
wh ich also I delivered, &c. Pau 1 fo u nd-
ed the church at Corinth ; and of course
he first instituted the observance of the
24 And when he had given
thanks, he brake it, and said,
Take, eat; this is my body,
which is broken for you : this
do in * remembrance of me.
or, for a.
Lord's supper there. \ The same night
in which he was betrayed. By Judas.
See Matt. xxvi. 23 25. 48 50. Paul
seems to have mentioned the fact that
it was on the very night on which he
was betrayed, in order to throw arourld
it the idea of greater solemnity. He
wished evidently to bring before their
minds the deeply affecting circumstances
of his death ; and thus to show them
the utter imprppriety of their celebrating
the ordinance with riot and disorder.
The idea is, that in order to celebrate it
in a proper manner, it was needful to
throw themselves as much as possible
into the very circumstances in which
it was instituted,- and one of these
circumstances most fitted to affect the
mind deeply was the fact that he was
betrayed by a professed friend and fol-
lower. It is also a circumstance the
memory of which is eminently fitted to
prepare the mind for a proper celebra-
tion of the ordinance now. ^ Took
bread. Evidently the bread which was
used at the celebration of the paschal
supper. He took the bread which hap-
pened to be before him such as was
commonly used. It was not a wafer
such as the papists now use ; but was
the ordinary bread which was eaten on
such occasions. See Note on Matt.
xxvi. 26.
24. And when he had given thanks.
See Note on Matt. xxvi. 26. Matthew
reads it, " and blessed it." The words
here used are, however, substantially
the same as there ; and this fact shows
that since this was communicated to
Paul directly by the Saviour, and in a
manner distinct from thit by which
Matthew learned the mode of the insti-
tution, the Saviour designed that the
exact form of the words should be used
in its observance, and should thus be
constantly borne in mind by the people
i.D. 59.]
25 Alter the same manner
also he took, the cup, when he
had supped, saying, This is the
CHAPTER XI.
J Take eat, &c. See Note on Matt.
xxvi. 26.
25. After the same manner. In
like manner ; likewise. With the same
circumstances, and ceremonies, and
designs. The purpose was the same.
1 When he had supped. That is, all
this occurred after the observance of
the usual paschal supper. It could
not, therefore, be a part of it, nor could
it have been designed to be a festival
Dr feast merely. The apostle introduces
this evidently in order to show them
that it could not be, as they seemed to
have supposed, an occasion of feasting.
It was after the supper, and was there-
fore to be observed in a distinct man-
ner, f Saying, This cup, &c. See
Note, Matt. xxvi. 27, 28. | Is the
new testament. The new covenant
which God is about to establish with
men. The word " testament" with us
properly denotes a will an instrument
by which a man disposes of his pro-
perty after his death. This is also the
proper classic meaning of the Greek
word here used , JIX.&MX.H (diatheke) . But
this is evidently not the sense in which
the word is designed to be used in the
New Testament. The idea of a will
or testament, strictly so called, is not
that which the sacred writers intend to
convey by the word. The idea is evi-
dently that of a compact, agreement,
COVEXAXT, to which there is so fre-
quent reference in the Old Testament,
and which is expressed by the word
rvo (Berith"), a compact, a covenant.
Of that word the proper translation in
Greek would have been owdww, a co-
venant, agreement. But it is remark-
able that that word never is used by
the LXX. to denote the covenant made
between God and man. That transla-
tion uniformly employs for this purpose
the word JizSm;,, a will, or a testament,
as a translation of the Hebrew word,
where there is a reference to the cove-
nant which God is represented as mak-
20*
new testameiit in my blood, this
do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in
remembrance of me.
ing with men. The word a-uv^-mtn is
used by them but three limes (Isa.
xxviii. 15; xxx. 1. Dan. xi. 6), and hi
neither instance with any reference to
the covenant which God is represented
as making with man. The word Sta.-
S-M'JW, as the translation of n^J3 (Berith~),
occurs more than two hundred times.
(See Trommius' Concord.) Now this
must have evidently been of design.
What the reason was which induced
them to adopt this can only be con-
jectured. It may have been that as
the translation was to be seen by the
Gentiles as well as by the Jews (if it
were not expressly made, as has been
affirmed by Josephus and others, for
the use of Ptolemy), they were un-
willing to represent the eternal and
infinite JEHOVAH as entering into a
compact, an agreement with his crea-
ture man. They, therefore, adopted a
word which would represent him as
expressing his will to them in a book
of revelation. The version by the
LXX. was evidently in use by the
apostles, and by the Jews everywhere.
The writers of the New Testament,
therefore, adopted the word as they
found it; and spoke of the new dispen-
sation as a new testament which God
made with man. The meaning is, that
this was the new compact or cove-
nant which God was to make with
man in contradistinction from that
made through Moses. *f In my blood.
Through my blood ; that is, this nevf
compact is to be sealed with my bloou.
in allusion to the ancient custom of
sealing an agreement by a sacrifice. See
Note, Matt. xxvi. 28. 1 This do ye.
Partake of this bread and wine ; that
is, celebrate this ordinance, f As ofi
as ye drink it. Not prescribing any
time; and not even specifying the fre-
queney with which it was to be done ;
but leaving it to themselves to deter,
mine how often they would partake of
t. The time of the Passover had been
234
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D
26 For as often as ye eat this
bread, and drink this cup, l ye
* or, sJieio ye. a Rev.22.20.
fixed by positive statute ; the more mild
and gentle system of Christianity left
it to the followers of the Redeemer
themselves to determine how often they
would celebrate his death. It was com-
manded them to do it ; it was presumed
that their love to him would be so strong
as to secure a frequent observance ; it
was permitted to them, as in prayer, to
celebrate it on any occasion of affliction,
trial, or deep interest when they would
feel their need of it, and when they
would suppose that its observance would
be for the edification of the church.
Tf In remembrance of me. This ex-
presses the whole design of the ordi-
nance. It is a simple memorial, or re-
membrancer; designed to recall in a
striking and impressive manner the
memory of the Redeemer. It does this
i/y a tender appeal to the senses by
the exhibition of the broken bread, and
by the wine. The Saviour knew how
prone men would be to forget him;
;ind he, therefore, appointed this ordi-
nance as a means by which his memory
should be kept up in the world. The
ordinance is rightly observed when it
recalls the memory of the Saviour ; and
when its observance is the means of
producing a deep, and lively, and vivid
impression on the mind, of his death for
sin. This expression, at the institution
of the supper, is used by Luke (ch.
xxii. 19) ; though it does not occur in
Matthew, Mark, or John.
26. For as often. Whenever you do
this. 1 Ye eat this bread. This is a
direct and positive refutation of the
doctrine of the papists that the breafl
is changed into the real body of the
Lord Jesus. Here it is expressly called
bread bread still bread after the con-
eecration. Before the Saviour insti-
tuted the ordinance he took " bread"
it was bread then ; it was " bread"
which he " blessed" and " brake ;" and
it was bread when it was given to
them; and it was bread when Paul
do shew the Lord's death till he
come."
27 Wherefore,
whosoever
here says they ate. How then can it
be pretended that it is any thing else
but bread ] And what an amazing and
astonishing absurdity it is to believe
that that bread is changed into the flesh
and blood of Jesus Christ ! ^ Ye do
show the Lord's death. You set forth,
or exhibit in an impressive manner,
the fact that he was put to death ;
you exhibit the emblems of his broken
body and shed blood, and your belief
of the fact that he died. This shows
that the ordinance was to be so far pub-
lic as to be a proper showing forth of
their belief in the death of the Saviour.
It should be public. It is one mode of
professing attachment to the Redeemer ;
and its public observance often has a
most impressive effect on those who
witness its observance. Tf Till he come.
Till he return to judge the world.
This demonstrates, (1.) That it was
the steady belief of the primitive church
that the Lord Jesus would return to
judge the world ; and (2.) That it was
designed that this ordinance should be
perpetuated, and observed to the end
of time. In every generation, there-
fore, and in every place where there are
Christians, it is to be observed, until
the Son of God shall return ; and the
necessity of its observance shall cease
only when the whole body of the re-
deemed shall be permitted to see then
Lord, and there shall be no need of
those emblems to remind them of him,
for all shall see him as he i..
27. Wherefore (&rrt). So that; or
it follows from what has been said. If
this be the origin and intention of the
Lord's supper, then it follows that who-
ever partakes of it in an improper man-
ner is guilty of his body and blood.
The design of Paul is to correct theii
improper mode of observing this or-
dinance; and having showed them the
true nature and design of the institu-
tion, he now states the consequence*
of partaking of it in in improper man-
A. D 59
CHAPTER XI.
235
shall eat this biead, and drink
this cup of the Lord, unworthi-
ner. \ Shall eat this bread. See ver.
26. Paul still calls it bread, and shows
thus that, he was a stranger to the doc-
trine that the bread was changed into
the very body of the Lord Jesus. Had
the papal doctrine of transubstantiation
been true, Paul could not have called it
bread. The Romanists do not believe
that it is bread, nor would they call it
such ; and this shows how needful it is
for them to keep the Scriptures from the
people, and how impossible to express
their dogmas in the language of the Bi-
ble. Let Christians adhere to the simple
language of the Bible, and there is no
danger of their falling into the errors of
the papists. 1 Unworthily. Perhaps there
is no expression in the Bible that has
given more trouble to weak and feeble
Christians than this. It is certain that
there is no one that has operated to de-
ter so many from the communion ; or
that is so often made use of as an ex-
cuse for not making a profession of
religion. The excuse is, ' I am un-
worthy to partake of this holy ordi-
nance. I shall only expose myself to
condemnation. I must therefore wait
until I become more worthy, and better
prepared to celebrate it.' It is import-
ant, therefore, that there should be a
correct understanding of this passage.
Most persons interpret it as if it were
unworthy, and not unworthily, and
seem to suppose that it refers to their
personal qualifications, to their unfitness
to partake of it, rather than to the
manner in which it is done. It is to
be remembered, therefore, that the word
here used is an adverb, and not an ad-
jective, and has reference to the manner
of observing the ordinance, and not to
their personal qualifications or fitness.
It is true that in ourselves we are all
unworthy of an approach to the table
of the Lord ; unworthy to be regarded
as his follower* ; unworthy of a title to
everlasting life: but it does not follow
that we may not partake of this ordi-
nance in * worthy, i. e. a proper man-
ly, a shall be guilty of the body
and blood of the Lord.
a Jno.6.63,64. c.10.21.
ner, with a deep sense of our sinfulness,
our need of a Saviour, and with some
just views of the Lord Jesus as our
Redeemer. Whatever may be our con-
sciousness of personal unworthiness
and unfitness and that consciousness
cannot be too deep yet we may have
such love to Christ, and such a desire
to be saved by him, and such a sense
of his worthiness, as to make it proper
for us to approach and partake of
this ordinance. The term unworthily
(ui<*|/a>?) means properly in an unwor-
thy or improper MANXEU, in a man-
ner unsuitable to the purposes for
which it was designed or instituted,'
and may include the following things,
viz. (1.) Such an irregular and inde-
cent observance as existed in the
church of Corinth, where even gluttony
and intemperance prevailed under the
professed design of celebrating the sup-
per. (2.) An observance of the ordi-
nance where there should be no dis-
tinction between it and common meals
(Note on ver. 29) ; where they did not
regard it as designed to show forth the
death of the Lord Jesus. It is evident
that where such views prevailed, there
could be no proper qualification for this
observance ; and it is equally clear that
such ignorance can hardly be supposed
to prevail now in those lands which are
illuminated by Christian truth. (3.)
When it is done for the sake of mock-
ery, and when the purpose is to deride
j religion, and to show a marked con-
tempt for the ordinances of the gospel.
It is a remarkable fact that many infi-
dels have been so full of malignity and
bitterness against the Christian religion
as to observe a mock celebration of the
Lord's supper. There is no profounder
depth of depravity than this ; there is
nothing that can more conclusively o
painfully show the hostility of man to
the gospel of God. It is a remarkable
fact, also, that not a few such persons'
have died a most miserable death. Un-
der the horrors of an accusing con*
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
science, and the anticipated destiny of
final damnation, they have left the
world as frightful monuments of the
justice of God. It is also a fact that
not a few infidels who have been en-
gaged in such unholy celebrations have
Deen converted to that very gospel which
they were thus turning into ridicule
and scorn. Their consciences have
been alarmed ; they have shuddered at
the remembrance of the crime ; they
have been overwhelmed with the con-
sciousness of guilt, and have found no
peace until they have found it in that
blood whose shedding they were thus
profanely celebrating. 1 Shall be guilty
(j'yo^t?). This word properly means ob-
noxious to punishment for personal
crime. It always includes the idea of
ill-desert, and of exposure to punishment
on account of crime or ill-desert. Matt.
v. 22. Comp. Ex. xxii. 3 ; xxxiv. 7.
Num.. xiv. 18 ; xxxv. 27. Lev. xx. 9.
See also Deut. xix. 10. Matt. xxvi. 66.
1 Of the body and blood of the Lord.
Commentators have not been agreed in
regard to the meaning of this expres-
sion. Doddridge renders it, " Shall be
counted guilty of profaning and affront-
ing in some measure that which is in-
tended to represent the body and blood
of the Lord." Grotius renders it, " He
does the same thing as if he should
slay Christ." Bretschneider (Lex.) ren-
ders it, " Injuring by crime the body of
the Lord." Locke renders it, " Shall be
guilty of a misuse of the body and
blood of the Lord ;" and supposes it
means that they should be liable to the
punishment due to one who made a
wrong use of the sacramental body and
blood of Christ in the Lord's supper.
Rosenmiiller renders it, " He shall be
punished for such a deed as if he had
affected Christ himself with igno-
miny." Bloomfield renders it, " He
shall be guilty respecting the body,
i. e. guilty of profaning the symbols of
the body and blood of Christ, and con-
sequently shall be amenable to the
punishment due to such an abuse of the
highest means of grace." But it seems
lo me that this does not convey the
fulness of the meaning of the passage.
The obvious and literal sense is evi-
dently that they should by such con-
duct be involved in the sin of putting
the Lord Jesus to death. The phrase
" the body and blood of the Lord," in
this connexion, obviously, I think, re-
fers to his death,- -to the fact that his
body was broken, and his blood shed,
of which the bread and wine were sym-
bols ; and to be guilty of that, means
to be guilty of putting him to death ;
that is, to be involved in the crime, or
to do a thing which should involve the
same criminality as that. To see this,
we are to remember, (1.) That the
bread and wine were symbols or em-
blems of that event, and designed to set
it forth. (2.) To treat with irreverence
and profaneness the bread which was
an emblem of his broken body, was to
treat with irreverence and profaneness
the body itself; and in like manner the
wine, the symbol of his blood. (3.)
Those, therefore, who treated the sym-
bols of his body and blood with pro-
faneness and contempt were united in
spirit with those who put him to death.
They evinced the same feelings towards
the Lord Jesus that his murderers did.
They treated him with scorn, profane-
ness, and derision; and showed that
with the same spirit they would have
joined in the act of murdering the Son
of God. They would evince their hos-
tility to the Saviour himself as far as
they could do, by showing contempt
for the memorials of his body and
blood. The apostle does by no means,,
however, as I understand him, mean to
say that any of the Corinthians had
been thus guilty of his body and blood.
He does not charge on them this mur-
derous intention. But he states what
is the fair and obvious construction
which is to be put on a wanton disre-
spect for the Lord's supper. And the
design is to guard them, and all others,
against this sin. There can be no doubt
that those who celebrate his death in
mockery and derision are held guilt}
of his body and blood. They show
that they have the spirit of his mur-
derers ; they evinco it in the mosl
ful way possible ; and they who
A D. 59.
CHAPTER XI.
23?
28 Bat let a man examine- 1
himself, and so let him eat of
a 2Cor.l3.5. Uno.3.20,21.
would thus join in a profane celebra-
tion of the Lord's supper would have
joined in the cry, " Crucify him, cru-
dity him." For it is a most fearful and
solemn act to trifle with sacred things ;
and especially to hold up to derision
and scorn, the bitter sorrows by which
the Son of God accomplished the re-
demption of the world.
28. But let a man examine himself.
Let him search and see if he have the
proper qualifications if he has know-
ledge to discern the Lord's body (Note,
ver. 29) ; if he has true repentance
for his sins; true faith in the Lord
Jesus ; and a sincere desire to live the
life of a Christian, and to be like the
Son of God, and be saved by the merits
of his blood. Let him examine him-
self, and see whether he have the right
feelings of a communicant, and can ap-
proach the table in a proper manner.
In regard to this we may observe, (1.)
That this examination should include
the great question about his personal
piety, and about his particular and
special fitness for this observance. It
should go back into the great inquiry
whether he has ever been born again ;
and it should also have special reference
to his immediate and direct preparation
for the ordinance. He should not only
be able to say in general that he is a
ChribtUn, but he should be able to s3y
that h< has then a particular prepara-
tion fo>- it. He should be in a suitable
frame of mind for it. He should have
personal evidence that he is a penitent ;
that he has true faith in the Lord Jesus ;
that he is depending on him, and is
desirous of being saved by him. (2.)
This examination should be minute
and particular. It should extend to
the words, the thoughts, the feelings,
the conduct. We should inquire whe-
ther ii our family and in our business ;
whether among Christians, and with
the world, we have lived the life of a
Christian. We should examine our
private thoughts ; our habits of secret
that bread, and drink of that
cup.
prayer, and of searching the Scriptures.
Our examination should be directed to
the inquiry whether we are gaining the
victory over our easily besetting sins,
and becoming more and more conform-
ed to the Saviour. It should, in short,
extend to all our Christian character ;
and every thing which goes to make
up or to mar that character should be
the subject of faithful and honest exa-
mination. (3.) It should be done be-
cause, (a) It is well to pause occasion-
ally in life, and take an account of our
standing in the sight of God. Men
make advances in business and in pro-
perty only when they often examine
their accounts, and know just how they
stand, (i) Because the observance of
the Lord's supper is a solemn act, and
there will be fearful results if it is cele-
brated in an improper manner, (c) Be-
cause self-examination supposes seri-
ousness and calmness, and prevents
precipitation and rashness states of
mind entirely unfavourable to a proper
observance of the Lord's supper, (c?)
Because by self-examination one may
search out and remove those things
that are offensive to God, and the sins
which so easily beset us may be known
and abandoned, (e) Because the ap-
proach to the table of the Lord is a
solemn approach to the Lord himself;
is a solemn profession of attachment to
him ; is an act of consecration to his
service in the presence of angels and
of men ; and this should be done in a
calm, deliberate and sincere manner
such a manner as may be the result of
a prayerful and honest self-examina-
tion, f And so let him eat, &c. And
as the result of such examination, or
after such an examination ; that is, le*
the act of eating that bread be always
preceded by a solemn self-examination.
Bloomfield . renders it, " and then,"
" then only." The sense is plain, that
| the communion should always be pre-
I ceded by an honest and prayerful self-
i examination.
I. CORINTHIANS.
LA. D. 50
29 For he that eateth and
drinketh unworthily, eateth and
drinketh 1 damnation to himself
i judgment. Rom. 13.2.
29. For he that eateth, &c. In or-
der to excite them to a deeper reverence
for this ordinance, and to a more solemn
mode of observing it, Paul in this verse
sta f ,es another consequence of partaking
of it in an improper and irreverent
manner. Comp. ver. 27. t Eateth and
drinketh damnation. This is evidently
a figurative expression, meaning that
by eating and drinking improperly he
incurs condemnation ; which is here
expressed hy eating and drinking con-
demnation itself. The word damna-
tion we now apply, in common lan-
guage, exclusively to the future and
final punishment of the wicked in hell.
But the word here used does not of
necessity refer to that ; and according
to our use of the word now, there is a
harshness and severity in our transla-
tion which the Greek does not require,
and which probably was not conveyed
by the word "damnation" when the
translation was made. In the margin
it is correctly rendered "judgment."
The word here used (xg7/x*) properly de-
notes judgment ; the result of judg-
ing, that is, a sentence; then a sentence
by which one is condemned, or con-
demnation ; and then punishment. See
Rom. iii. 8. ; xiii. 2. It has evidently
the sense of judgment here ; and means,
that by their improper manner of ob-
serving this ordinance, they would ex-
pose themselves to the divine displea-
sure, and to punishment. And it
refers, I think, to the punishment or
judgment which the apostle immedi-
ately specifies, ver. 30. 32. It means
a manifestation of the divine displea-
sure which might be evinced in this
life ; and which, in the case of the Co-
rinthians, was manifested in the judg-
ments which God had brought upon
them. It cannot be denied, however,
that a profane and intentionally irreve-
rent manner of observing the Lord's
supper will meet with the divine dis-
pleasure in the eternal world, and ag-
gravate the doom of those who are
guilty of it. But it is clear that this
was not the punishment which the
apostle had here in his eye. This is
apparent, (1.) Because the Corinthians
did eat unworthily, and yet the judg-
ments inflicted on them were only tem-
poral, that is. weakness, sickness, and
temporal death (ver. 30) ; and, (2.)
Because the reason assigned for these
judgments is, that they might not be
condemned with the wicked ; t. e. as
the wicked are in hell. ver. 32.
Whit by. Comp. 1 Pet. iv. 17. 1 Not
discerning the Lord's body. Not din-
criminating (/AH Jixx.givtov') between the
bread which is used on this occasion
and common and ordinary food. Not
making the proper difference and distinc-
tion between this and common meals.
It is evident that this was the leading
offence of the Corinthians (see Notes,
ver. 20, 21), and this is the proper
idea which the original conveys. It
does not refer to any intellectual or
physical power to perceive that thai
bread represented the body of the Lord;
not to any spiritual perception which
it is often supposed that piety has to
distinguish this ; not to any view
which faith may be supposed to have
to discern the body of the Lord through
the elements ; but to the fact that they
did not distinguish or discriminate
between this and common meals. They
did not regard it in a proper manner,
but supposed it to be simply an historical
commemoration of an event, such as
they were in the habit of observing in
honour of an idol or a hero by a public
celebration. They, therefore, are able
to "discern the Lord's body" in the
sense intended here, who with a se- joue
mind regard it as an institution ap-
pointed by the Lord Jesus to com-
memorate his death ; and who distin-
guish thus between this and ordinary
meals and all festivals and feasts de-
signed to commemorate other events.
In other words, who deem it to be de
signed to show forth the fact that his
A.D. 59.1
CHAPTER XI.
239
not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are
body was broken for sin, and who de-
sire to observe it as such. It is evident
that all true Christians may have
ability of this kind, and need not incur
condemnation by any error in regard to
this The humblest arid obscurest fol-
lower of the Saviour, with the feeblest
faith and love, may regard it as de-
signed to set forth the death of his
Redeemer ; and observing it thus, will
meet with the divine approbation.
30. For this cause. On account of
the improper manner of celebrating the
Lord's supper. See ver. 21. ^ Many
are weak (d<r3-vj?f). Evidently refer-
ring to prevailing bodily sickness and
disease. This is the natural and obvi-
ous interpretation of this passage. The
sense clearly is, that God had sent
among them bodily distempers as an
expression of the divine displeasure
and judgment for their improper mode
of celebrating the Lord's supper. That
it was not uncommon in those times
for God in an extraordinary manner to
visit men with calamity, sickness, or
death for their sins, is evident from the
New Testament. See Note, ch. v. 5.
Acts v. 110 ; xiii. 11. 1 Tim. i. 20,
and perhaps 1 John v. 16, and James v.
14, 15. It may possibly have been the
case that the intemperance and glut-
tony which prevailed on these oc-
casions was the direct cause of no
small part of the bodily disease which
prevailed, and which in some cases ter-
minated in death, ^ And many sleep.
Have tiied. The death of Christians
in the Scriptures is commonly repre-
sented under the image of sleep. Dan.
xii. 2. John xi. 11, 12. 1 Cor. xv. 51.
1 Thess. iv. 14; v. 10. Perhaps it
may be implied by the use of this
mild term here, instead of the harsher
word death, that these were true Chris-
tians. This sentiment is in accordance
with all that Paul states in regard to
the church at Corinth. Notwithstand-
ing all their irregularities, he does not
deny that they were sincere Christians,
weak and sickly among you, and
many sleep.
and all his appeals and reasonings pro-
ceed on that supposition, though there
was among them much ignoiance and
irregularity. God often visits his own
people with trial ; and though they are
his children, yet this does not exempt
them from affliction and discipline on
account of their imperfection:?, errors,
and sins. The practical lesson taught
by this is, that Christians should serve
God with purity ; that they should
avoid sin in every form ; and that the
commission of sin will expose them, as
well as others, to the divine displeasure.
The reason why this judgment was in-
flicted on the Corinthians was, that
there might be a suitable impression
made of the holy nature of that ordi-
nance, and that Christians might be led
to observe it in a proper manner. If it
be asked whether God ever visits his
people now with his displeasure for
their improper manner of observing
this ordinance, we may reply, (1.)
That we have no reason to suppose
that he inflicts bodily diseases and
corporeal punishments on account of it.
But, (2.) There is no reason to doubt
that the improper observance of the
Lord's supper, like the improper ob-
servance of any other religious duty,
will be followed with the expression of
God's displeasure, and with a spiritual
blighting on the soul. This may be
evinced in the following modes, (a)
In hardening the heart by an improper
familiarity with the most sacred and
solemn ordinances of religion, (b) In-
creased coldness and deadness in the
service of God. If the ordinances of
the gospel are not the means of making
us better, they are the means of making
us worse, (c) The loss of the favour
of God, or of those pure, and spiritual,
and elevated joys which we might have
obtained by a proper observance of the
ordinance. There is no reason to doubt
that God may make* it the occasion of
manifesting his displeasure. It may
be followed by a want of spiritual COIP
240
31 For if
ourselves, we
judged.
aPs.32.5. Uno.1.9.
511.
L CORINTHIANS.
|>.D. 59.
w<? would judge
should not be
b Ps.94.12,13. Heb.12.
32 But when we are judged,
we * are chastened of the Lord,
that we should not be condemn-
ed with the worjd.
fort and peace ; by a loss of commu-
nion with God ; and by a withholding
of those comforts from the soul which
might have been enjoyed, and which
are imparted to those who observe it in
a proper manner. The general princi-
ple is, that an improper discharge of
any duty will expose us to his displea-
sure, and to the certain loss of all those
favours which might have resulted from
a proper discharge of the duty, and to
the tokens of the divine displeasure.
And this is as true of prayer, or of any
other religious duty, as of an improper
observance of the Lord's supper.
31. For if we ivould judge our-
selves. If we would examine ourselves,
(ver. 28) ; if we would exercise a strict
scrutiny over our hearts, and feelings,
and conduct, and come to the Lord's
table with a proper spirit, we should
escape the condemnation to which they
are exposed who observe it in an im-
proper manner. If we would exercise
proper severity and honesty in deter-
mining our own character and fitness
for the ordinance, we should not expose
ourselves to the divine displeasure.
1 We should not be judged. We
should not be exposed to the expres-
sion of God's disapprobation. He refers
here to the punishment which had
come upon the Corinthians for their
improper manner of observing the or-
dinance ; and he says that if they had
properly examined themselves, and had
understood the nature of the ordinance,
that they would have escaped the judg-
ments that had come upon them. This
is as true now as it was then. If we
wish to escape the divine displeasure ;
if we wish the communion to be fol-
lowed with joy, and peace, and growth
in grace, and not with blighting and
spiritual barrenness, we should exercise
a severe judgment on our character,
and feelings, and motives ; and should
come to it with a sincere desire to ho-
nour Christ, and to advance in the
divine life.
32. But when we are judged. This
is added, evidently, to console those
who had been afflicted on account of
their improper manner of observing the
Lord's supper. The sense is, that
though they were thus afflicted by
God ; though he had manifested his
displeasure at the manner in which
they had observed the ordinance, yet
the divine judgment in the case was
not inexorable. They were not regard-
ed by God as wholly strangers to piety,
and would not be lost for ever. They
should not be alarmed, therefore, as il
there was no mercy for them ; but they
should rather regard their calamities as
the chastening of the Lord on his own
children, and as designed for their sal-
vation, t We are chastened of the
Lord. It is his act; and it is not
vengeance and wrath ; but it is to be
regarded as the chastisement of a
father's hand, in order that we should
not be condemned with the wicked. We
are under the discipline (sra/iJ'sc/o^u&S-A)
of the Lord ; we are dealt with as
children, and are corrected as by the
hand of a father. Comp. Heb. xii. 5
10, and 2 Cor. vi. 9. The design of
God's correcting his children is, that
they should be reclaimed, and not de-
stroyed, t That we should not be con-
demned with the world. It is implied
here, (1.) That the world those who
were not Christians, would be con-
demned ; (2.) That Paul regarded the
Corinthians, whom he addressed, and
who had even been guilty of this im-
proper manner of observing the Lord'i
supper, and who had been punished
for it, as true Christians ; and, (3.)
That the purpose which God had in
view in inflicting these judgments on
them was, that they might be purified,
and enlightened, and recovered from
their errors, and saved. This is the de
A.D. W.]
33 Wherefore, my brethren,
when ye come together to eat,
tarry one for another.
34 And if any man hunger,
let him eat at home ; that ye
come not together unto condem-
CHAPTER XII.
24)
nation. 1 And the rest will I sei
in order when I come.
CHAPTER XII.
"VI OW concerning spiritual
\fl s i brethren, I would
not have you ignorant.
judgment.
sign of God in the calamities and judg-
ments which he brings on his own
children. And so now, if he afflicts
us, or leaves us to darkness, or fol-
lows the communion with the tokens
of his displeasure, it is, that we may be
recovered to a deeper sense of our need
of him ; to juster views of the ordi-
nance : and to a more earnest wish-to
obtain his favour.
33. When ye come together to eat.
Professedly to eat the Lord's supper.
1 Tarry one for another. Do not be
guilty of disorder, intemperance, and
gluttony. See Note, ver. 21. Doddridge
understands this of the feasts that he
supposes to have preceded the Lord's
supper. But the more obvious inter-
pretation is, to refer it to the Lord's
supper itself; and to enjoin perfect
order, respect, and sobriety. The idea
is, that the table was common for the
rich and the poor; and that the rich
should claim no priority or precedence
over the poor.
34. And if any man hunger, &c.
The Lord's supper is not a common
feast ; it is not designed as a place
where a man may gratify his appetite.
It is designed as a simple commemora-
tion, and not as a feast. This remark
was designed to correct their views of
the supper, and to show them that it
was to lie distinguished from the ordi-
nary idea of a feast or festival. ^ That
yc. come not together unto condemna^
tion. That the effect of your coming
together for the observance of the
Lord's supper be not to produce con-
demnation. See Note, ver. 29. ^ And
ihe rest will I set in order, &c.
Probably he refers here to other mat-
ters on which he had been consulted ;
r other things which he knew required
SI
to be adjusted. The other matters
pertaining to the order and discipline
of the church I will defer until I can
come among you, and personally ar-
range them. It is evident from this,
that Paul at this time purposed soon to
go to Corinth. See 2 Cor. i. 15, 16.
It was doubtless true that there might
be many things which it was desirable
to adjust in the church there, which
could not be so well done by letter.
The main things, therefore, which it
was needful to correct immediately, he
had discussed in this letter ; the other
matters he reserved to be arranged by
himself when he should go among
them. Paul was disappointed in his
expectations of returning among them
as soon as he had intended (see 2 Cor.
i. 17), and under this disappointment
he forwarded to them another epistle.
If all Christians would follow impli-
citly his directions here in regard to the
Lord's supper, it would be an ordinance
full of comfort. May all so understand
its nature, and so partake of it, that
they shall meet the approbation of their
Lord, and so that it may be the means
of saving grace to their souls.
CHAPTER XII.
THIS chapter commences a new sub-
ject, the discussion of which continues
to the close of the fourteenth chapter.
The general subject is that of spiritual
endowments, or the right mode of ex-
ercising their spiritual gifts, and the
degree of honour which was due to
those who had been distinguished by
God by the special influences of his
Spirit. It is evident that many in the
church at Corinth had been thus fa-
voured ; and it is evident that they had
greyly abused these endowments, and
that those who were thus favoured had
242
I. CORINTHIANS.
claimed a precedency of honour above
those who had been less distinguished.
It is not improbable that they had, in
their letter to Paul (see Note, ch. vii.
I), requested his counsel on this sub-
ject, and asked him to teach them
what measure of honour should be
given to those who had been thus en-
dowed. This subject, as it was of im-
portance not only for them, but for the
church at large in all future times, he
proceeds to discuss in this, and the two
following chapters ; and this discussion
closes the second part of the epistle.
See the Introduction. The general
scope of these chapters is this. (1.)
He shows that all those endowments
were conferred by the Holy Ghost, and
were all for the use of the church;
that the church was one, but that there
was a necessity for diversified opera-
tions in that church ; and that, there-
fore, no one should value himself on
that gift above his brother, and no one
should feel himself dishonoured be-
cause he had not been thus favoured.
All filled important places in the church,
just as the various members and parts
of the human system were necessary
for its symmetry, action, and health ;
and all, therefore, should be willing to
occupy the place which God had as-
signed them. ch. xii. (2.) In chapter
xiii. he recommends love, or charity, as
of more value than all other spiritual
gifts put together, and therefore recom-
mends that that should be especially
the object of their desire. (3.) In
chapter xiv. he gives particular rules
about the proper exercise of spiritual
gifts in their public assemblies. This
chapter, therefore, is occupied in
stating and illustrating the position
that all spiritual gifts are conferred by
the Holy Ghost, and that no one should
so value himself on this gift as to
despise those who had not been thus
endowed ; and that no one who had
not thus been favoured should be de-
jected, or regard himself as dishonour-
ed. This statement is illustrated in the
following manner.
(I.) Paul states the importance of
the subject, ver. 1.
[A.D. 59
(2.) He reminds them that they
were formerly in a state of ignorance,
sin, and idolatry, ver. 2.
(3.) He states one mark of being
under the influence of the Spirit of
God that is, that it would lead them
to acknowledge and honour Jesus
Christ. If the spirit by which they
were influenced led them to this, it was
proof that it was the Holy Ghost, ver. 3
If any pretenders to inspiration were
in the habit of speaking disrespectfully
of Jesus Christ, or of calling him " ac-
cursed" it proved that they were not
under the influence of the Holy Ghost.
(4.) There were diversities in the
operations of the Spirit, but however
various were these operations, they all
proceeded from the same agent, ver.
4 11. All were not, therefore, to ex-
pect precisely the same influences 01
operations ; nor were they to suppose
that because there were various opera-
tions, that therefore they were not in-
fluenced by the Spirit of God.
(5.) Paul states and illustrates the
truth that the church is one. ver. 12
27. As the body is one, yet has many
members, so is it with the church, ver.
12. The body has many members, and
no members in the body are useless,
but all perform important parts, however
unimportant they may seem to be ; and
no one member can say that it has no
need of the others. So it is in the
church, ver. 13 27.
(6.) This beautiful allegory, drawn
from the functions of the various parts
of the human body, Paul applies now
to the church, and shows (ver. 28 30)
that the same thing should be expected
in the church of Christ. It followed,
therefore, that those who were not as
highly favoured as others should not
regard themselves as useless, and de-
cline their station in the church. It
followed also, that those who were in
inferior stations should not envy those
who had been more highly favoured ;
and that those who were in more ele-
vated stations, and who had been more
signally favoured, should not look down
on those beneath them with contempt.
It followed also, that they should regai d
A..D. 59.]
CHAPTER XII.
243
2 Ye know that ye were Gen-
tiles, carried away unto these
themselves as one body ; and love and
cherish each other with constant Chris-
tian affection.
(7.) Paul tells them fhat it was not
mproper to desire the highest endow-
ments, but says that he will propose an
object of desire to be preferred to these
gifts and that is LOVE. ver. 31.
1. Now concerning. It is now time
that I should speak of spiritual endow-
ments. He had no doubt been con-
sulted in regard to them, and probably
various questions had been proposed,
which he now proceeded to answer.
If Spiritual gifts. The word " gifts"
is not in the original. The Greek re-
fers to " spiritual" things in general, or
to any thing that is of a spiritual na-
ture. The whole discussion, however,
shows that he refers to the various en-
dowments, gifts, or graces that had been
bestowed in different degrees on the
members of the church including the
distinctions in graces, and in degrees
of office and rank, which had been
made in the Christian church in gene-
ral (ch. xii.), as well as the extraordi-
nary endowments of the gift of tongues
which had been bestowed upon many,
ch. xiv. ^ / would not have you igno-
rant. The subject is of so much im-
portance that it demands particular
attention and special care. Comp.
Note, ch. x. 1. I would not have you
ignorant in regard to the nature of
those endowments ; the spirit with
which they should be received ; the
rules to which they who are thus fa-
voured should be subjected ; and the
feelings and views which should be
cherished in all the members of the
church in regard to them. Nothing is
of more importance in the church than
the doctrine respecting the influences
and endowments of the Holy Spirit.
2. Ye know, &c. This verse is re-
garded by many as a parenthesis. But
it is not necessary to suppose that it is
BO, or that it does not cohere with that
which follows. The design seems to be
dumb a idols, even as ye were
led
olThess.1.9.
to remind them of their former misera-
ble condition as idolaters, in order to
make them more sensible of their ad-
vantages as Christians, and that they
might be led more highly to appreciate
their present condition. Paul often re-
fers Christians to their former condi-
tion to excite in them gratitude for
the mercies that God has conferred
on them in the gospel. See Note, ch.
vi. 11. Comp. Rom. vi. 17. Eph.
ii. 11, 12. Titus iii. 3. 1 That ye
were Gentiles. Heathen ; worshippers
of idols. The idea is, that they were
pagans ; that they had no knowledge
of the true God, but were sunk in
miserable superstition and idolatry.
1 Carried away. Led along ; that is,
deluded by your passions, deluded by
your priests, deluded by your vain and
splendid rites of worship. The whole
system made an appeal to the senses,
and bore along its votaries as if by a
foreign and irresistible impulse. The
word which is used ( ,.7r*y)]utv:i) con-
veys properly the idea of being carried
into bondage, or being led to punish-
ment, and refers here doubtless to the
strong means which had been used by
crafty politicians and priests in their
former state to delude and deceive
them. H Unto these dumb idols. These
idols which could not speak an attri-
bute which is often given to them, to
show the folly of worshipping them.
Ps. cxv. 5 ; cxxxv. 15. Hab. ii. 18, 19
The ancient priests and politicians de-
luded the people with the notion that
oracles were uttered by the idols whom
they worshipped, and thus they main-
tained the belief in their divinity. The
idea of Paul here seems to be, (1.)
That their idols never could have ut-
tered the oracles which were ascribed
to them, and consequently that thej
had been deluded. (2.) That these
idols could never have endowed them
with such spiritual privileges as they
now had, and consequently that their
present state was far preferable to their
244
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
3 Wheiefore I give you to
understand, that no man " speak-
a Mark 9.39. Uno.4.2,3.
ing by the Spirit of God calleth
Jesus 1 accursed : and b (hat no
1 or, anathema. b JMatt.16.17.
former condition. U Even as ye were
led. Were led by the priests in the
temples of the idols. They were under
strong delusions and the arts of cun-
ning and unprincipled men. The idea
is, that they had been under a strong
infatuation, and were entirely at the
control of their spiritual leaders a de-
scription remarkably applicable now to
all forms of imposture in the world.
No system of paganism consults the
freedom and independence of the mind
of man ; but it is everywhere charac-
terized as a system of power, and not
of thought ; and all its arrangements
are made to secure that power without
an intelligent assent of the understand-
ing and the heart.
3. Wherefore I give you to under-
stand. I make known to you. The
force of this expression is, / give you
this rule to distinguish, or by which
you may know what influences and
operations are from God. The design
of the passage is, to give them some
simple general guide by which they
could at once recognise the operations
of the Spirit of God, and determine
whether they who claimed to be under
that operation were really so. That
rule was, that all who were truly in-
fluenced by the Holy Ghost would be
disposed to acknowledge and to know
Jesus Christ; and where this disposi-
tion existed, it was of itself a clear de-
monstration that it was the operation
of the Spirit of God. The same rule
substantially is given by John (1 John
iv. 2), by which to test the nature of the
spirit by which men profess to be in-
fluenced. " Hereby know ye the Spirit
of God : Every spirit that confesses
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh
is of God." Comp. also Note to Matt,
xvi. 17. t That no man. No one
(//?). It may refer to a man, or to
demons, or to those who pretended to
be under inspiration of any kind. And
it may refer to the Jews who may have
pretended to bo under the influence of
God's Spirit, and who yet anathema
tized and cursed the name of Jesus.
Or it may be intended simply as a gene-
ral rule ; meaning that if any one, who-
ever he might be, should blaspheme *Jie
name of Jesus, whatever were his pre-
tensions, whether professing to be under
the influence of the Holy Spirit among
the Jews, or to be inspired among the
Gentiles, it was full proof that he was
an impostor. The argument is, that
the Holy Spirit in all instances would
do honour to Jesus Christ, and would
prompt all who were under his influ-
ence, to love and reverence his name.
If Speaking by the Spirit of God.
Under the influence of inspiration.
t Calleth. Says, or would say ; that is,
no such one would use the language
of anathema in regard to him. ^f Ac-
cursed. Marg. Anathema ( vad-e^ua).
See Note, Acts xxiii. 14. Rom. ix. 3.
Comp. 1 Cor. xvi. 22. Gal. i. 8, 9.
The word is one of execration, or
cursing ; and means, that no one under
the influence of the Holy Spirit could
curse the name of Jesus, or denounce
him as execrable and as an impostor.
The effect of the influences of the Spirit
would be in all instances to inspire
reverence for his name and work. It is
probable that the Jews were here prin-
cipally intended, since there is a bitter-
ness and severity in the language which
accords with all their expressions of
feeling towards Jesus of Nazareth- It
is possible, also, and indeed probable,
that the priests and priestesses ot" the
pagan gods who pretended to be under
the influence of inspiration might de-
nounce the name of Jesus, because they
would all be opposed to the purity of
his religion. 1 And that no man can
say, &c. That is, that it cannot occur,
or even happen, thut any one will ac-
knowledge Jesus as the Messiah who is
not influenced by the Holy Ghost. The
meaning is, not that no me has physi-
cal ability to say that Jesus is Lord
unless aided by the Holy Ghost, since
A. D. 59.]
man can say that Jesus is the
Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
CHAPTER XII.
245
all men can say this ; but that no one
will be disposed heartily to say it ; no
one will acknowledge him as their
Lord ; it can never happen that any
one will confess him as the true Mes-
siah who has not been brought to this
state by the agency of the Holy Ghost.
t Is the Lord. Is the Messiah ; or shall
acknowledge him as their Lord, t But
by the Holy Ghost. Unless he is in-
fluenced by the Holy Spirit. This is
a very important verse, not only in re-
gard to the particular subject under
consideration in the time of Paul, but
also in its practical bearing at present.
We may learn from it, (1.) That it is
a proof that any man is under the in-
fluence of the Holy Spirit who is heart-
ily disposed to honour the name and
work of Jesus Christ. (2.) Those
forms and modes of religion ; those re-
ligious opinions and practices, will be
most in accordance with the designs of
the Spirit of God, which do most to ho-
nour the name and work of Jesus
Christ. (3.) It is true that no man will
ever cherish a proper regard for Jesus
Christ, nor love his name and work,
unless he is influenced by the Holy
Ghost. No man loves the name and
work of the Redeemer by following
simply the inclinations of his own cor-
rupt heart. In all instances of those
who have been brought to a willingness
to honour him, it has been by the
agency of the Holy Ghost. (4.) If
any man, in any way, is disposed to
disparage the work of Christ, to speak
lightly of his person or his name ; or
holds doctrines that infringe on the ful-
ness of the truth respecting his divine
nature, his purity, his atonement, it is
proof that he is not under the influence
of the Spirit of God. Just in propor-
tion as he shall disparage that work or
name, just in that proportu n does he
give evidence that he is not influenced
by the Divine Spirit ; but by proud rea-
son, or by imagination, or by a heart
that is not reconciled to God. (5.) All
21*
2
4 Now there are diversities
of gifts, but the same Spirit.
a Heb.2.4. IPet.l.lO.
true religion is the production of the
Holy Spirit. For religion consists es-
sentially in a willingness to honour,
and love, and serve the Lord Jesus
Christ; and where that exists, it is
produced by the Holy Spirit. (6.) The
influence of the Holy Spirit should be
cherished. To grieve away that Spirit
is to drive all proper knowledge of the
Redeemer from the soul ; to do this i?
to leave the heart to coldness, and dark-
ness, and barrenness, and spiritual
death.
4. Now there are diversities of gifts.
There are different endowments con-
ferred on Christians. For the meaning
of the word gifts, see Note, Rom. i. 1 1.
Comp. Rom. v. 15, 16 ; vi. 23 ; xi. 29;
xii. 6. 1 Cor. i. 7 ; vii. 7. H But the
same Spirit. Produced by the same
Spirit the Holy Ghost. What those
diversities of gifts are, the apostle enu-
merates in ver. 8 11. The design for
which he refers to these various endow-
ments is evidently to show those whom
he addressed, that since they are all
produced by the same Holy Spirit, have
all the same divine origin, and are all
intended to answer some important
purpose and end in the Christian
church, that, therefore, none are to be
despised ; nor is one man to regard
himself as authorized to treat another
with contempt. The Spirit has divided
and conferred those gifts according to
his sovereign will ; and his arrange-
ments should be regarded with submis-
sion, and the favours which he confers
should be received with thankfulness.
That the Holy Spirit the third person
of the adorable Trinity is here intend-
ed by the word " Spirit," seems to be
manifest on the face of the passage,
and has been the received interpreta-
tion of the church until it was called in
question by some recent German com-
mentators, at the head of whom was
Eichhorn. It is not the design of these
notes to go into an examination of
questions of criticism, such as an in
246
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
5 And there are differences of
1 administrations, but the same
Lord.
or, ministries.
6 And there are diversities fl
of operations ; but it is the same
God which worketh all in all.
a Rom.l2.G,&c.
quiry like this would involve. Nor is
it necessary. Some of the arguments
by which the common interpretation is
defended are the following. (1.) It is
the obvious interpretation. It is k that
which occurs to the great mass of read-
ers, as the true and correct exposition.
(2.) It accords with the usual meaning
of the word Spirit. No other intelli-
gible sense can be given to the word
here. To say, with Eichhorn, that it
means " nature," that there are the
same natural endowments, though cul-
tivated in various measures by art and
education, makes manifest nonsense,
and is contrary to the whole structure
and scope of the passage. (3.) It ac-
cords with all the other statements in
the New Testament, where the endow-
ments here referred to, " wisdom/'
"knowledge," "faith," "working of
miracles," &c., are traced to the Holy
Spirit, and are regarded as his gift.
(4.) The harmony, the concinnity of
the passage is destroyed by supposing
that it refers to any thing else than the
Holy Spirit. In this verse the agency
of the Spirit is recognised, and his ope-
rations on the mind referred to ; in the
next verse the agency of the Son of
God (see note on the verse) is referred
to ; and in the following verse, the
agency of God evidently the Father
is brought into view ; and thus the en-
tire passage (ver. 4 6) presents a con-
nected view of the operations performed
* by the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in
the work of redemption. To deny that
this verse refers to the Holy Spirit is to
break up the harmony of the whoie
passage, and to render it in no small
degree unmeaning. But if this refers
to the Holy Spirit, then it is an unan-
swerable argument for his personality,
and for his being on an equality with
the Father and the Son.
5. Of administrations. Marg. Mi-
nistries. Thi word properly denotes
ministries ; so that there are different
ranks and grades in the ministries wmch
Christ has appointed, to wit, those spe
cified in ver. 9, 10. 28. 1 But the
same Lord. This refers evidently to
the Lord Jesus, by whom these various
orders of ministers were appointed, and
under whose control they are. See
Note, Acts i. 24. Comp. Eph. iv. 5.
The term Lord, when it stands by it-
self in the New Testament, usually re-
fers to the Lord Jesus, the name by
which he was commonly known by the
disciples. See John xx. 25. The fact
also that this stands between the men-
tion of the work of the Spirit (ver. 4)
and the work of God (ver. 6), and the
fact that to the Lord Jesus appertained
the appointment of these various grades
of officers in the church (comp. Matt.
x. 1, seq., and Luke x. 1, seq.), is fur-
ther proof that this refers to him. The
design of the verse is, to show that all
these offices had their appointment from
him ; and that since all were his ap
pointment, and all were necessary, no
one should be proud of an elevated sta-
tion ; no one should be depressed, 01
feel himself degraded, because he had
been designated to a morfi humble of-
fice.
6. Of operations. Of works; to wit,
of miracles, such as God produces in
the church, in the establishment and
defence of his religion. There are dif-
ferent operations on the mind and heart ,'
and different powers given to man, or
different qualifications in building up
and defending his cause. Or it may
be, possibly, that Paul here refers to
the works of God mainly for mere illus-
tration, and by the word " operations"
moans the works, which God has per-
formed in creation and providence. His
works are various. They are not all
alike, though they come from the same
hand. The sun, the moon, the stars,
the earth are different ; the trees of the
\.D.59]
7 But
CHAPTER XII.
247
the manifestation
a Eph.4.7.
of
forest, the beasts of the field, the fowls
of the air, the inhabitants of the deep
are different ; the flowers, and shrubs,
and herbs are different from each other ;
yet, however much they may vary, they
are formed by the same hand, are the
productions of the same God, are to be
regarded as proofs of the same wisdom
and power. The same thing should
be expected in his church ; and we
should anticipate that the endowments
of its members would be various. ^ But
it is the same God. The same Father ;
all these operations are produced by the
same God. They should not, therefore,
be undervalued or despised ; nor should
any one be unduly elated, or pride him-
self on what has been conferred by
God alone, t All in all. All these ope-
rations are to be traced to him. His
agency is everywhere. It is as really
seen in the insect's wing as in the limbs
of the mammoth; as really in the hum-
blest violet as in the loftiest oak of the
forest. All, therefore, should regard
themselves as under his direction, and
should submit to his arrangements. If
men regard their endowments as the
gift of God, they will be thankful for
them, and they will not be disposed to
despise or undervalue others who have
been placed in a more humble condition
and rank in the church.
7. But the manifestation of the Spi-
rit. The word " manifestation" (9*^-
a>!r/c) means properly that which makes
manifest, conspicuous, or plain ; that
which illustrates, or makes any thing
seen or known. Thus conduct mani-
fests the state of the heart ; and the ac-
tions are a manifestation, or showing
forth of the real feelings. The idea
here is, tha there is given to those re-
ferred to, such gifts, endowments, or
graces as shall manifest the work and
nature of the Spirit's operations on the
mind ; such endowments as the Spirit
makes himself known by to men. All
that he produces in the mind is a mani-
festation of his character and work, in
the Spirit is given to every man
to profit" withal.
the same way as the works of God in
the visible creation are a manifestation
of his perfections. ^ Is given to every
man, To every man whose case is here
under consideration. The idea is not
at all that the manifestation of the Spirit
is given to all men indiscriminately, to
pagans, and infidels, and scoffers as
well as to Christians. The apostle
is discoursing only of those who are
Christians, and his declaration should
be confined to them alone. Whatever
may be true of other men, this state-
ment should be confined wholly to
Christians, and means simply that the
Spirit of God gives to each Christian
such graces and endowments as he
pleases ; that he distributes his gifts to
all, not equally, but in a manner which
he shall choose ; and that the design
of this is, that all Christians should use
his endowments for the common good.
This passage, therefore, is very impro-
perly adduced to prove that the gifts
and graces of the Holy Spirit are con-
ferred alike on all men, and that pagans,
and blasphemers, and sinners in gene-
ral are under his enlightening influ-
ences. It has no reference to any such
doctrine, but should be interpreted as
referring solely to Christians, and the
various endowments which are confer-
red on them. ^ To profit withal (TT^S
TO sry^gjy). Unto profit; i.e. for uti-
lity, or use; or to be an advantage to
the church ; for the common good ol
all. This does not mean that each one
must cultivate and improve his graces
and gifts, however true that may be, but
that they are to be used for the common
good of the church ; they are bestowed
for utility, or profit ; they are con-
ferred in such measures and in such a
manner as are best adapted to be useful,
and to do good. They are bestowed
not on all equally, but in such a manner
as shall best subserve the interests of
piety and the church, and as shall tend
harmoniously to carry on the great in
terests of religion, and further the we!
I. CORINTHIANS.
8 For to one is given, by the
Spirit, fl the word of wisdom ; b
to another the word of know-
ledge, e by the same Spirit ;
alsa.ll.2,3. b c.2.6,7. c c.13.2.
fare of the whole Christian body. The
doctrine of this verse is, therefore, (1.)
That the Holy Spirit bestows such
endowments on all Christians as he
pleases; and, (2.) That the design is,
in the best manner to promote the
common welfare the peace and edi-
fication of the whole church. It fol-
lows from this, (1.) That no Christian
should be unduly elated, as if he were
more worthy than others, since his en-
dowments are the simple gift of God ;
(2.) That no Christian should be de-
pressed and disheartened, as if he occu-
pied an inferior or unimportant station,
since his place has also been assigned
him by God ; (3.) That all should be
contented, and satisfied with their allot-
ments in the church, and should strive
only to make the best use of their talents
and endowments; and, (4.) That all
should employ their time and talents
for the common utility ; for the fur-
therance of the common welfare, and
the advancement of the kingdom of
Christ on earth.
8. For to one is given. In order to
show what endowments he refers to,
the apostle here particularizes the va-
rious gifts which the Holy Spirit im-
parts in the church. ^ By the Spirit.
By the Holy Ghost ; by his agency on
the mind and heart. ^ The word of
wisdom. One he has endowed with
wisdom, or has made distinguished for
wise, and prudent, and comprehensive
views of the scheme of redemption, and
with a faculty of clearly explaining it
to the apprehension of men. It is not
certain that the apostle meant to say
that this was the most important or
most elevated endowment because he
places it first in order. His design does
not seem to be to observe the order of
importance and value, but to state, as
it occurred to him, the fact that these
Carious endowments had been conferred
[A. D. 59
9 To another faith, d by the
same Spirit; to another the
gifts of healing, e by the same
Spirit ;
d Eph.2.8.
e Mark 16. 18. James 5.14.
on different men in the church. The
sense is, that one man would be pro-
minent and distinguished as a wise
man a prudent counsellor, instructor,
and adviser. ^ To another the word
of knowledge. Another would be dis-
tinguished for knowledge. He would
be learned; would have a clear view
of the plan of salvation, and of the doc-
trines and duties of religion. The same
variety is observed in the ministry at all
times. One man is eminent as a wise
man ; another as a man of intelligence
and knowledge ; and both may be
equally useful in their place in the
church. J By the saint Spirit. All
is to be traced to the same Spirit ; all, '
therefore, may be really useful and ne-
cessary ; and the one should not pride
himself in his endowments above the
other.
9. To another faith. Another shall
be distinguished for simple confidence
in God ; and his endowment is also
given by the same Spirit. Many of the
most useful men in the church are dis-
tinguished mainly for their simple con-
fidence in the promises of God ; and
often accomplish more by prayer and
by their faith in God than others do
who are distinguished for their wisdom
and learning. Humble piety and re-
liance in the divine promises, and that
measure of ardour, fearlessness, and zeal
which result from such confidence ;
that belief that all obstacles must be
and will be overcome that oppose the
gospel ; and that God will secure the
advancement of his cause, will often do
infinitely more in the promotion of his
kingdom than the most splendid en
dowments of learning and talent. In
deed, if a man were disposed to do good
on the widest scale possible, to do the
utmost that he possibly could in saving
men, he would best accomplish it by
seeking simple /ai'/ A ir God s aid and
. D. 59. j
CHAPTER XII.
219
10 To another the working
of miracles ; to another prophe-
cy ; to another discerning of spi-
prorniscs, and then under the influence
of this, engage with ardour in doing
what he could. Faith is one of the
highest endowments of the Christian
life ; and yet, though all may attain it,
it is one of the rarest endowments. Per-
haps by many it is despised, because it
may be obtained by aii; because it is a
grace in which the poor and the humble
may be as much distinguished as the
man of splendid talents and profound
learning. ^ To another tke gifts of
healing. See Mark xvi. 18. This was
promised to the disciples of the Saviour;
and in the early church was conferred
on many. Comp. Acts v. 12. 15, 16;
xix. 12. It would seem from this pas-
sage that the gift of healing was con-
ferred on some in a more eminent de-
gree than on others.
10. To another the working of mi-
racles- Commentators have felt some
perplexity in distinguishing this from
what is mentioned in ver. 9 of the gift
of healing. It is evident that the apostle
there refers to the power of working
miracles in healing inveterate and vio-
lent diseases. The expression here
used, " working of miracles" (m^M'^xTX
Juvafteuv), refers probably to the more
extraordinary and unusual kinds of
miracles ; to those which were regarded
as in advance of the power of healing
diseases. It is possible that it may denote
what the Saviour had reference to in
Mark xvi. 18, where he said they should
take up serpents, and if they drank any
deadly thing it should not hurt them ;
and possibly also to the power of laising
up the dead. That this power was pos-
sessed by the apostles is well known ;
ard it is possible that it was possessed
by others also of the early Christians.
It is clear from all this that there was
a difference even among those who
had the power of working miracles, and
that Vhis power was conferred in a more
eminent degree on some than on others.
rits ; to another divers kinds of
tongues ; b to another the inter-
pretation of tongues :
olJno.4.1. b Acts 2.4,7- 11.
Indeed, the extraordinary endowments
conferred on the apostles and the early
Christians seem to have been regulated
to a remarkable degree in accordance
with the rule by which ordinary endow-
ments are conferred on men. Though
all men have understanding, memory,
imagination, bodily strength, &c., yet
one has these in a more eminent degree
than others ; and one is characterized
for the possession of one of those quali-
ties more than for another. Yet all are
bestowed by the same God. So it was
in regard to the extraordinary endow-
ments conferred on the early Christians,
Comp. ch. xiv., especially ver. 32.
10. To another prophecy. See Note.
Rom. xii. 6. ^ To another discerning
of spirits. Comp. 1 John iv. 1. This
must refer to some power of searching
into the secrets of the heart; of know-
ing what were a man's purposes, views,
and feelings. It may relate either to
the power of determining by what spirit
a man spoke who pretended to be in-
spired, whether he was truly inspired
or whether he was an impostor ; or it
may refer to the power of seeing whe-
ther a man was sincere or not in his
Christian profession. That the apostles
had this power, is apparent from the
case of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts v.
1 10), and from the case of Ely mas,
Acts xiii. 9 11. It is evident that
where the gift of prophecy and in-
spiration was possessed, and where it
would confer such advantages on those
who possessed it, there would be many
! pretenders to it; and that it would be
j of vast importance to the infant church,
| in order to prevent imposition, that
j there should be a power in the church
of detecting the imposture. 1 To ano-
ther divers kinds of tongues. The
power of speaking various languages.
! See Acts ii. 4. 7- -11. This passage
| also seems to imply that the extraor-
dinary endowments of the Holy Spiri
250
f. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D 59.
11 But all these worketh that
one and the selfsame Spirit, di-
vrerc not conferred on all alike. Tf To
another the interpretation of tongues.
The power of interpreting foreign lan-
guages ; or of interpreting the language
which might be used by the " prophets"
in their communications. See Note,
ch. xiv. 27. This was evidently a fa-
culty different from the power of speak-
ing a foreign language ; and yet it might
be equally useful. It would appear
possible that some might have had the
power of speaking foreign languages
who were not themselves apprized of
the meaning, and that interpreters were
needful in order to express the sense to
the hearers. Or it may have been that
in a promiscuous assembly, or in an
assembly made up of those who spoke
different languages, a part might have
understood what was uttered, and it was
needful that an interpreter should ex-
plain it to the other portion. See Notes
on ch. xiv. 28.
11. But all these. All these various
endowments. ^ Workelh. Produces.
AH these are to be traced to him. \ That
one and the selfsame Spirit. The
Holy Spirit. Acts ii. They were all,
though so different in themselves, to be
traced to the Holy Ghost, just as all
the natural endowments of men their
strength, memory, judgment, &c.
though so various in themselves, are
to be traced to the same God. 1 Di-
viding to every man severally. Con-
ferring on each one as he pleases. He
confers on each one that which he sees
to be best and most wise and proper.
t As he will. As he chooses ; or as in
his view seems best. Dr. Doddridge
remarks that this word does " not so
much express arbitrary pleasure, as a
determination founded on wise coun-
sel." It implies, however, that he does
it as a sovereign ; as he sees to be right
and best. He distributes these favours
as to him seems best adapted to promote
the welfare of the whole church and to
advance his cause. Some of the doc-
viding a to every man severally
as he will.
ver.6.
trines which are taught by this verse
are the following : (1.) The Holy Ghost
is a person. For, he acts as a person;
distributes favours, confers endowments
and special mercies " as he will." This
proves that he is, in some respects, dis-
tinguished from the Father and the
Son. It would be absurd to say of an
attribute of God, that it confers favours,
and distributes the various endowments
of speaking with tongues, and raising
the dead. And if so, then the Holy
Ghost is not an attribute of God.
(2.) He is a sovereign. He gives to
all as he pleases. In regard to spiritual
endowments of the highest order, he
deals with men as he does in the com-
mon endowments bestowed on men,
and as he does in temporal blessings.
He does not bestow the same blessings
on all, nor make all alike. He dis-
penses his favours by a rule which he
has not made known, but which, we
may be assured, is in accordance with
wisdom and goodness. He wrongs no
one ; and he gives to all, the favours
which might be connected with eternal
life. (3.) No man should be proud of
his endowments. Whatever they may
be, they are the gifts of God, bestowed
by his sovereign will and mercy. But
assuredly we should not be proud of
that which is the mere gift of another;
and which has been bestowed, not in
consequence of any merit of ours, but
according to his mere sovereign will.
(4.) No man should be depressed, 01
should despise his own gifts, howevei
humble they may be. In their own
place, they may be as important as the
higher endowments of others. That
God has placed him where he is, or has
given less splendid endowments than
he has to others, is no fault of his.
j There is no crime in it ; and he should,
! therefore, strive to improve his " one
i talent," and to make himself nstful in
the rank where he is placed. And,
1 (5.) No man should despise another
A. D. 59.J
CHAPTER XII.
251
12 For as the body is one,
and hath many members, and
all the members of that one
because he is in a more humble rank,
or is less favoured than himself. God
has made the difference, and we should
respect and honour his arrangements,
and should show that respect and ho-
nour by regarding with kindness, and
treating as fellow labourers with us, all
who occupy a more humble rank than
we do.
12. For as the body is one. The
general sentiment which the apostle
had been illustrating and enforcing was,
that all the endowments which were
possessed in the church were the work
of the same Holy Spirit, and that they
ought to be appropriately cherished and
prized, as being all useful and valuable
in their places. This sentiment he now
illustrates (ver. 1227) by a beautiful
similitude taken from the mutual de-
pendence of the various parts of the
human body. The human body is one,
and yet is composed of various members
and parts that all unite harmoniously
in one whole, ^ Being many. Or,
although they are many ; or while they
are in some respects separate, and per-
form distinct and different functions,
yet they all unite in one harmonious
whole. ^ So also is Christ. The
church is represented as the body of
Christ (ver. 27), meaning that it is one,
and that he sustains to it the relation
of Head. Comp. Eph. i. 22, 23. As
the head is the most important part of
the body, it may be put for the whole
body; and the name Christ here, the
head of the church, is put for the whole
body of which he is the head ; and
means here the Christian society, or
the church. This figure, of a part for
the whole, is one that is common in all
languages. See Note, Rom. xii. 4, 5.
13. For by one Spirit. That is, by
the agency or operation of the same
Spirit, the Holy Ghost, we have been
united into one body. The idea here
is the same as that presented above
body, being many, are one
body; so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we
a ver.27.
(ver. 7. 11), by which all the endow-
ments of Christians are traced to the
same Spirit. Paul here says, that that
Spirit had so endowed them as to fit
them to constitute one body, or to be
united in one, and to perform the vari-
ous duties which resulted from their
union in the same Christian church.
The idea of its having been done by
one and the same Spirit is kept up and
often presented, in order that the en-
dowments conferred on them might be
duly appreciated. ^ Are we all. Every
member of the church, whatever may
be his rank or talents, has received his
endowments from the same Spirit.
^f Baptized into one body. Many sup-
pose that there is reference here to the
ordinance of baptism by water. But
the connexion seems rather to require
us to understand it of the baptism of
the Holy Ghost (Matt. iii. 11) ; and if
so, it means, that by the agency of the
Holy Spirit, they had all been fitted,
each to his appropriate place, to consti-
tute the body of Christ the church.
If, however, it refers to the ordinance
of baptism, as Bloomfield, Calvin,
Doddridge, &c. suppose, then it means,
that by the very profession of religion
as made at baptism, by there being but
one baptism (Eph. iv. 5), they had all
professedly become members of one ana
the same body. The former interpre-
tation, however, seems to me best to
suit the connexion, f Whether we be
Jews or Gentiles. There is no differ-
ence. All are on a level. In regard to
the grand point, no distinction is mad,
whatever may have been our former
condition of life, f Bond or free. It
is evident that many who were slaves
were converted to the Christian faith.
Religion, however, regarded all as on a
level ; and conferred no favours on the
free which it did not on the slave. It
was one of the happy lessons of Chris-
tianity, that it taught men that in the
252 I. CORINTHIANS. [A. D 5*
all a baptized into one body, I cause I am not the hand, I am
whether ive be Jews or Gen- not of the body; is it therefor*
tiles, l whether we be bond or not of the body ?
free ; and have been all made to
drink 6 into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one
member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Be-
a Jno.l.lG. Eph.4.5.
7.37-39.
Greeks. b Jno.
16 And if the ear shall say,
Because I am not the eye, I am
not of the body ; is it therefore
not of the body ?
17 If the whole body were an
eye, where were the hearing?
great matters pertaining to their eternal
interests they Were on the same level.
This doctrine would tend to secure,
more than any thing else could, the
proper treatment of those who were in
bondage, and of those who were* in
humble ranks of life. At the same time
it would not diminish, but would in-
crease their real respect for their mas-
ters, and for those who were above
them, if they regarded them as fellow
Christians, and destined to the same
heaven. See Note, ch. vii. 22. 1 And
have been all made to drink, &c. This
probably refers to their partaking to-
gether of the cup in the Lord's supper.
The sense is, that by their drinking of
the same cup commemorating the death
of Christ, they had partaken of the
same influences of the Holy Ghost,
which descend alike on all who observe
that ordinance in a proper manner.
They had shown also, that they be-
longed to the same body, and were all
united together ; and that however va-
rious might be their graces and endow-
ments, yet they all belonged to the same
great family.
14. For the body, &c. The body is
made up of many members, which have
various offices. So it is in the church.
We are to expect the same variety
there ; and we are not to presume
either that all will be alike, or that any
member that God has placed there will
be useless.
15. If the foot shall say, &c. The
same figure and illustration which Paul
here uses occurs also in heathen wri-
ters. It occurs in the apologue which
was used by Menenius Agrippa, as
related by Livy (lib. ii. cap. 32), in
which he attempted to repress a rebel-
lion which had been excited against the
nobles and senators, as useless and
cumbersome to the state. Menenius, in
order to show the folly of this, repre-
sents the different members of the body
as conspiring against the stomach, as
being inactive, and as refusing to la-
bour, and consuming every thing. The
consequence of the conspiracy which
the feet, and hands, and mouth entered
into, was a universal wasting away of
the whole frame for want of the nutri-
ment which would have been supplied
from the stomach. Thus he argued it.
would be by the conspiracy against the
nobles, as being inactive, and as con-
suming all things. The representation
had the desired effect, and quelled the
rebellion. The same figure is used also
by ^Esop. The idea here is, that as the
foot and the ear could not pretend that
they were not parts of the body, and
even not important, because they were
not the eye, &c. ; that is, were not
more honourable parts of the body ; so
no Christian, however humble his en-
dowments, could pretend that he was
useless because he was not more highly
gifted, and did not occupy a nv>re ele
vated rank.
17. If the whole body, &c. The idea
in this verse is, that all the parts of the
body are useful in their proper place,
and that it would be as absurd to re-
quire or expect that all the members of
the church should have the same en-
dowments, as it would be to attempt to
make the body all eye. If all were the
same ; if all had the same endowments,
important offices which ar^ now secured
by the other member? would be un-
A.D.59.]
If the whole were hearing, where
were the smelling ?
18 But now hath God set the
members every one of them in
the body as * it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one
member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many
members, yet but one body.
a vcr.28. b Rom. 12.3. ver.ll.
CHAPTER XII.
25?
21 And the eye cannot saj*
! unto the hand, I have no need
of thee : nor again, the head
to the feet, I have no need of
you.
22 Nay iLUch more, those*
members of the body, which
seem to be more feeble, are ne
cessary :
cEccl.4.9-12; 9.14,15.
known. All, therefore, are to be satis-
fied with their allotment ; all are to be
honoured in their appropriate place.
18. Hath God set the members, &c.
God has formed the body, with its va-
rious members, as he saw would best
conduce to the harmony and usefulness
of all.
19. And if all were one member. If
there were nothing but an eye, an ear,
or a limb, there would be no body.
The idea which this seems intended to
illustrate is, that if there was net va-
riety of talent and endowment in the
church, the church could not itself ex-
ist. If, for example, there were nothing
but apostles, or prophets, or teachers ;
if there were none but those who spoke
with tongues or could interpret them,
the church could not exist. A variety
of talents and attainments in their pro-
per places is as useful as are the various
members of the human body.
21. And the eye cannot say to the
hand, <fcc. The hand in its place is as
needful as the eye ; and the feet as the
head. Nay, the eye and the head could
not perform their appropriate functions,
or would be in a great measure useless
but for the aid of the hands and feet.
Each is useful in its proper place. So
in the church. Those that are most
talented, and most richly endowed with
gifts, cannot say to those less so, that
there is no need of their aid. All are
useful in their place. Nay, those who
are most richly endowed could very im-
perfectly perform their duties without
the aid. and co-operation of those of
more humble attainments.
22. Which teem to be more feeble.
22
Weaker than the rest ; whicn seem less
able to bear fatigue and to encounter
difficulties ; which are more easily in
jured, and which become more easilv
affected with disease. It is possible that
Paul may here refer to the brain, the
lungs, the heart, &c., as more feeble in
their structure, and more liable to dis-
ease than the hands and the feet, &c.,
and in reference to which disease is
more dangerous and fatal, f Are more
necessary. The sense seems to be this.
A man can live though the parts and
members of his body which are more
strong were removed ; but not if those
parts which are more feeble. A man
can live if his arm or his leg be ampu-
tated ; but not if his brain, his lungs,
or his heart be removed. So that, al-
though these parts are more feeble, and
more easily injured, they are really
more necessary to life, and therefore
more useful than the more vigorous
portions of the frame. Perhaps the idea
is and it is a beautiful thought that
those members of the church which are
most retiring and feeble apparently ;
which are concealed from public view,
unnoticed and unknown the humble,
the meek, the peaceful, and the pray-
erful are often more necessary to the
true welfare of the church than those
who are eminent for their talent and
learning. And it is so. The church
can better spare many a man, even in
the ministry, who is learned, and elo-
quent, and popular than some obscure
and humble Christian, that is to the
church^what the heart and the lungs are
to the life. The one is strong, vigorous,
active, like the hands or the feet, and
254
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 55
23 And those members of the
body which we think to be less
honourable, upon these we 1 be-
stow more abundant honour;
and our uncomely parts have
more abundant comeliness.
1 or, put on.
the church often depends on them ; the
other is feeble, concealed, yet vital, like
the heart or the lungs. The vitality of
the church could be continued though
the man of talent and learning should
be removed ; as the body may live
when the arm or the leg is ampu-
tated ; but that vitality could not con-
tinue if the saint of humble and retir-
ing piety, and of fervent prayerfulness,
were removed, any more than the body
can live when there is no heart and no
lungs.
23. We bestow more abundant ho-
nour. Marg. " Put on." The words
rendered " abundant honour" here, re-
fer to clothing. We bestow upon them
more attention and honour than we do
on the face that is deemed comely, and
that is not covered and adorned as the
other parts of the body are. ^ More
abundant comeliness. We adorn and
decorate the body with gay apparel.
Those parts which decency requires us
to conceal we not only cover, but we
endeavour as far as we can to adorn
them. The face in the mean time we
leave uncovered. The idea is, that, in
like manner, we should not despise or
disregard those members of the church
who are of lower rank, or who are less
favoured than others with spiritual en-
dowments.
24. For our comely parts. The face,
&c. f Have no need. No need of
clothing or ornament, t But God hath
tempered the body together. Literally j
mingled or mixed ; that is, has made
to coalesce, or strictly and closely join-
ed. He has formed a strict union ; he
has made one part dependent on an-
other, and necessary to the harmony
and proper action of another. Every
part is useful, and all are fitted to the
harmonious action of the whole. God
24 For our comely parts have
no need : but God hath tempered
the body together, having given
more abundant honour to that
part which lacked :
25 That there should be no
has so arranged it, in order to produce
harmony and equality in the body, that
those par^.s which are less comely by
nature should be more adorned and
guarded by apparel, f Having given
more abundant honour, &c. By mak-
ing it necessary that we should labour
in order to procure for it the needful
clothing ; thus making it more the ob-
ject of our attention and care. We
thus bestow more abundant honour
upon those parts of the body which a
suitable protection from cold, and heat,
and storms, and the sense of comeli-
ness, requires us to clothe and conceal
The " more abundant honour," there-
fore, refers to the greater attention,
labour, and care which we bestow on
those parts of the body.
25. That there should be no schism.
Marg. Division. See Note on ch. xi.
18. The sense here is, that the body
might be united, and be one harmoni-
ous whole ; that there should be no
separate interests ; and that all the parts
should be equally necessary, and truly
dependent on each other ; and that no
member should be regarded as sepa-
rated from the others, or as needless to
the welfare of all. The sense to be
illustrated by this is, that no meml>er
of the church, however feeble, or illite-
rate, or obscure, should be despised or
regarded as unnecessary or valueless;
that all are needful in their places ; and
that it should not be supposed that they
belonged to different bodies, or that
they could not associate together, any-
more than the less honourable and
comely parts of the body should be re-
garded as unworthy or unfit to be
united to the parts that were deemed
to be more beautiful or honourable.
^ Should have the same care. Should
care for the ?ame thine: ; should equally
\.D. 59.] CHAPTER XII. 255
1 schism in the body; but Mar suffer, till the menr.bers suffei
the members should have the with it; or one member be ho-
same care one for another. j noured, all the members rejoice
26 And whether one member with it.
or, division.
regard the interests of all, as we feel an
equal interest in all the members and j
parts of the body, and desire the pre- |
servation, the healthy action, and the j
harmonious and regular movement of
the whole. Whatever part of the body
is affected with disease or pain, we feel
a deep interest in its preservation and
cure. The idea is, that no member of
the church should be overlooked or
despised ; but that the whole church
should feel a deep interest for, and ex-
ercise a constant solicitude over, all its
members.
26. And whether one member suffer.
One member, or part of the body. Tf All
the members suffer with it. This, we
all know, is the case with the body. A
pain in the foot, the hand, or the head
excites deep so.icitude. The interest is
not confined to the part affected ; but
we feel that we ourselves are affected,
and that our body, as a whole, demands
our care. The word " suffer" here re-
fers to disease, or sickness. It is true
also that not only we feel an interest in
the part that is affected, but that disease
in any one part tends to diffuse itself
through, and to affect the whole frame.
If not arrested, it is conveyed by the
blood through all the members until life
itself is destroyed. It is not by mere
interest, then, or sympathy, but it is by
the natural connexion and the inevita-
ble result that a diseased member tends
to aflect the whole frame. There is
not, indeed, in the church the same
physical connexion and physical effect,
but the union is really not less close
and important, nor is it the less certain
that the conduct of one member will
affect all. It is implied here also, that
we should feel a deep interest in the
welfare of all the members of the body
of Christ. If one is tempted or afflict-
ed, the other members of the church
should feel it, and " bear one another's
burdens, and so fulfil his law." If
one is poor, the others should aid
him, and supply his wants ; if one ia
persecuted and opposed for righteous-
ness' sake, the others should sympa-
thize with him, and make common
cause with him. In all things pertain-
ing to religion and to their mutual wel-
fare, they should feel that they have a
! common cause, and regard it as a privi-
' lege to aid one another. Nor should a
man regard it as any more a burden and
hardship to aid a poor or afflicted brother
in the church, than it should be deemed
a hardship that the head, and the heart,
and the hands should sympathize when
any other member of the body is dis-
eased, t Or one member be honoured.
If applied to the body, this means, if
| one member or part be regarded and
treated with special care ; be deemed
honourable ; or be in a sound, healthy,
and vigorous condition. If applied to
the church, it means, if one of its mem-
bers should be favoured with extraordi-
nary endowments ; or be raised to a
station of honour and influence above
his brethren. 1 All the members re-
joice with it. That is, in the body, all
the other members partake of the benefit
and honour. If one member be sound
and healthy, the benefit extends to all.
If the hands, the feet, the heart, the
lungs, the brain be in a healthy condi-
tion, the advantage is felt by all the
members, and all derive advantage from
it. So in the church. If one membei
is favoured with remarkable talent, or
is raised to a station of influence, and
exerts his influence in the cause of
Christ, all the members of the church
partake of the benefit. It is for the
common good ; and all should rejoice
in it. This consideration should re-
press envy at the elevation of others.
256
I. CORINTHIANS.
27 Now ye are the body of
Christ,
ticular.
and members a in
a Eph.5.30.
par-
[A. D. 59.
28 And God hath set some in
the church ; first, apostles ; b se-
condarily, prophets ; * thirdly,
6 Luke 6.13. c Acts 13.1.
and should lead all the members of a
church to rejoice when God, by his
direct agency, or by the arrangements
of his providence, confers extraordinary
endowments, or gives opportunity for
extended usefulness to others.
27. Now ye. Ye Christians of Co-
rinth, as a part of the whole chuir:h that
has been redeemed. 1 Are the body of
Christ. The allusion to the human
body is here kept up. As all the mem-
bers of the human body compose one
body, having a common head, so it is
with all the members and parts of the
Christian church. The specific idea is,
that Christ is the Head of the whole
church ; that he presides over all ; and
that all its members sustain to each
other the relation of fellow members in
the same body, and are subject to the
same head. Comp. Note, ch. xi. 3. The
church is often called the body of Christ.
Eph. i. 23. Col. i. 18. 24. \ And mem-
ers in particular. You are, as indivi-
duals, members of the body of Christ ; or
each individual is a member of that body.
28. And God hath set. That is, has
appointed, constituted, ordained. He
has established these various orders or
ranks in the church. The apostle, hav-
ing illustrated the main idea that God
had conferred various endowments on
the members of the church, proceeds
here to specify particularly what he
meant, and to refer more directly to
the various ranks which existed in the
church. ^ Some in the church. The
word " some," in this place (it/c), seems
to mean rather whom, * and whom God
hath placed in the c'uurch,' or, they
whom God hath constituted in the
church in the manner above mentioned
are, first, apostles, &c. t First, apostles.
In the first rank or order; or as supe-
rior in honour and in office. He has
given them the highest authority in the
church ; he has more signally endowed
them and qualified them than he has
others. ^ Secondarily, prophets. As
second in regard to endowments and
importance. For the meaning of the
word " prophets," see Note on Rom.
xii. 6. t Thirdly, teachers. As occu-
pying the third station in point of im-
portance and valuable endowments.
On the meaning of this word, and the
nature of this office, see Note on Rom.
xii. 7. Tf After that, miracles. Power.
(J'jvdfAttc) . Those who had the power
of working miracles- referred to in ver.
10. 1 Then gifts of healings. The
power of healing those who were sick.
See Note on ver. 9. Comp. James v.
14, 15. 1 Helps (<ivTM'4?). This word
occurs nowhere else in the New Testa-
ment. It is derived from iivrtK*ju@avn,
and denotes properly aid, assistance,
help ; and then those who render aid,
assistance, or help; helpers. Who they
were, is not known. They might have
been those to whom was intrusted the
care of the poor, and the sick, and
strangers, widows, and orphans, &c. ;
i. e. those who performed the office of
deacons. Or they may have been those
who attended on the apostles to aid
them in their work, such as Paul refers
to in Rom. xvi. 3, " Greet Priscilla,
and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Je-
sus ;" and in ver. 9, " Salute Urbane,
our helper in Christ." See Note on
Rom. xvi. 3. It is not possible, per-
haps, to determine the precise meaning
of the word, or the nature of the office
which they discharged ; but the word
means, in general, those who in any
way aided or rendered assistance in the
church, and may refer to the temporal
affairs of the church, to the care of the
poor, the distribution of charity and
alms, or to the instruction of the igno-
rant, or o aid rendered directly to the
apostles. There is no evidence that it
refers to a distinct and permanent offic*
. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XII.
teachers ; after that, miracles ; a \ governments, d
then gifts of healing," helps, c tongues.'
25?
1 diversities of
over.10. ftver.9. c Num. 11.17.
d Heb.13.17,24. or, kinds. r Acts 2.3-1 1
in the church; but may refer to aid
rendered by any class in any way.
Probably many persons were profitably
and usefully employed in various ways
as aids in promoting the temporal or
spiritual welfare of the church. ^ Go-
This word is
quired the aid of many persons in va-
rious capacities which might not be
needful or proper in other times and
circumstances. Whether, therefore, this
is to be regarded as a permanent ar-
rangement that there should be "go-
vrrnrnenis (xw/2^vVac). This word is vernments" in the church, or an ordei
derived from xu^vau, to govern ; and of men intrusted with the sole office
is usually applied to the government or ! of governing, is to be learned not from
steering of a ship. The word occurs | this passage, but from other parts of
the New Testament. Lightfoot con-
tends that the word which is here used
and translated " governments" does not
refer to the power of ruling, but to a
ship*-master." It is not easy to deter- I person endued with a deep and corn-
mine what particular office or function prehensive mind, one who is wise and
is here intended. Doddridge, in ac- j prudent ; and in this view Mosheim,
cordance with Amyraut, supposes that | Macknight, and Bp. Horsley coincide,
distinct offices may not be here referred j Calvin refers it to the elders to whom
to, but that the same persons may be the exercise of discipline was intrusted,
nowhere else in the New Testament,
though the word HU^VHTHS (governor)
occurs in Acts xxvii. 11, rendered "mas-
ter," and in Rev. xviii. 17, rendered
denoted in these expressions as being
distinguished in various ways ; that is,
that the same persons were called help-
ers in reference to their skill in aiding
those who were in distress, and govern-
ments in regard to their talent for doing
Grotius understands it of the pastors
(Eph. iv. 1), or of the elders who pre-
sided over particular churches. Rom.
xii. 8. Locke supposes that they were
the same as those who had the power
of discerning spirits. The simple idea,
business, and their ability in presiding j however, is that of ruling, or exercising
in councils for deliberation, and in di- j government; but whether this refers to
reeling the affairs of the church. There I a permanent office, or to the fact that
is no reason to think that the terms ; some were specially qualified by their
here used referred to permanent and wisdom and prudence, and in virtue of
established ranks and orders in the mi- | this usually regulated or directed the
nistry and in the church ; or in perma- affairs of the church by giving counsel,
nent offices which were to continue to all &c., or whether they were selected and
times as an essential part of its organi- | appointed for this purpose for a time ;
zation. It is certain that the " order" of j or whether it refers to the same persons
apostles has ceased, and also the " order" ) who might al.so have exercised other
of miracles, and the order of healings, | functions, and this in addition, cannot
and of diversity of tongues. And it is j be determined from the passage before
certain that in the use of these terms
of office, the apostle does not affirm that
us. All that is clear is, that there were
those who administered government in
they would be permanent, and essential the church. But the passage does not
to the very existence of the church; and ; determine the form, or manner; nor
from the passage before us, therefore, it does it prove whatever may be true
cannot he argued that there was to be that such an office was to be permanent
tn order of men in the church who were in the church, t Diversities of tongues
to be called helps, or governments. The Those endowed with the power of
truth probably was, that the circum- speaking various languages. See Note
stances of the primitive churches re- on vcr. 10.
22*
258
I. CORINTHIANS.
29 Jlre all apostles? are all
prophets ? are all teachers ? are
all Workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of heal-
or. powers. a c. 14.39.
b ftlatt.5.6. Luke 10.42.
29,30. Are all apostles? &c. These
questions imply, with strong emphasis,
that it could not be, and ought not to
be, that there should be perfect equality
of endowment. It was not a matter of
fact that all were equal, or that all were
qualified for the offices which others
sustained. Whether the arrangement
was approved of or not, it was a simple
matter of fact that some were qualified
to perform offices which others were
not ; that some were endowed with the
abilities requisite to the apostolic office,
and others not ; that some were en-
dowed with prophetic gifts, and others
were not; that some had the gift of
healing, or the talent of speaking differ-
ent languages, or of interpreting, and
that others had not.
31. But covet ^earnestly. Gr. "Be
zealous for" (ZtHfouri). This word, how-
ever, may be either in the indicative
mood (ye do covet earnestly), or in the
imperative, as in our translation. Dod-
dridge contends that it should be render-
ed in the indicative mood, for he says it
seems to be a contradiction that after
the apostle had been showing that these
gifts were not at their own option, and
that they ought not to emulate the gifts
of another, or aspire to superiority, to
undo all again, and give them such
contrary advice. The same view is
given by Locke, and so Macknight.
The Syriac renders it, " Because you
are zealous of the best gifts, I will
show to you a more excellent way."
But there is no valid objection to the
common translation in the imperative,
and indeed the connexion seems to de-
mand it. Grotius renders it, " Pray to
(rod that you may receive from him the
best, that is, the most useful endow-
m'ents." The sense seems to be this,
' I have proved that all endowments in
the church are produced by the Holy
[A. D. 59
ing ? do all speak with tongues !
do all interpret ?
31 But covet earnestly the
best l gifts : and yet shew I unto
you a more excellent way.
Spirit ; and that he confers them as he
pleases. I have been showing that no
one should be proud or elated on ac-
count of extraordinary endowments ;
and that, on the other hand, no one
should be depressed, or sad, or discon-
tented, because he has a more humble
rank. I have been endeavouring to
repress and subdue the spirit of dis-
content, jealousy, and ambition ; and
to produce a willingness in all to occupy
the station where God has placed you.
But, I do not intend to deny that it ia
proper to desire the most useful endow-
ments ; that a man should wish to be
brought under the influence of the
Spirit, and qualified for eminent useful-
ness. I do not mean to say that it is
wrong for a man to regard the higher
gifts of the Spirit as valuable and de-
sirable, if they may be obtained ; noi
that the spirit which seeks to excel in
spiritual endowments and in useful-
ness, is improper. Yet all cannot be
apostles; all cannot be prophets. I
would not have you, therefore, seek
such offices, and manifest a spirit of
ambition. I would seek to regulate thc
desire which I would not repress as
improper ; and in order to that, I would
show you that, instead of aspiring to
offices and extraordinary endowment?
which are beyond your grasp, there zV*
a way, more truly valuable, that is
open to you all, and where all may
excel.' Paul thus endeavours to give
a practicable and feasible turn to the
whol subject, and further to repress
the longings of ambition and the con-
tentions of strife, by exciting emulation
to obtain that which was accessible t<>
them all, ai id which, just in the pro-
portion in u hich if u-as obtained, vvoulc
repress discontent, and strife, and am-
bition, and produce order, and peace,
and contentedness with their endow
59.]
CHAPTER XIII.
259
CHAPTER XIII. igels, and have not chanty, b I
^ HOUGH I speak with the ; am become as sounding brass,
tongues of men and of an-
orients and their lot, the main thing
which he was desirous of producing in
this chapter. This, therefore, is one of
the happy tarns in which the writings
of Paul abounds. He did not denounce
their zeal as wicked. He did not at-
tempt at once to repress it. He did not
say that it was wrong to desire high
endowments. But he showed them an
endowment which was more valuable
than all the others ; which was acces-
sible to all ; and which, if possessed,
would make them contented, and pro-
duce the harmonious operation of all
the parts of the church. That endow-
ment was LOTE. ^f A more excellent
way. See the next chapter. ' I will
show you a more excellent way of
evincing your zeal than by aspiring to
the place of apostles, prophets, or rulers,
and that is by cultivating universal
charity or love.'
CHAPTER XIII.
THIS chapter is a continuation of the
subject commenced in ch. xii. In that
chapter Paul had introduced the sub-
ject of the various endowments which
the Holy Spirit confers on Christians,
and had shown that these endowments,
however various they were, were con-
ferred in such a manner as best to pro-
mote the edification and welfare of the
church. In the close of that chapter
(ver. 31) he had said that it was law-
ful for them to desire the most eminent
of the gifts conferred by the Spirit ; and
yet says that there was one endowment
that was more valuable than all others,
and that might be obtained by all, and
tint he proposed to recommend to them.
That was LOVE ; and to illustrate its
nature, excellency, and power, is the
design of this exquisitely beautiful and
tender chapter. In doing this, he dwells
particularly on three points or views of
the excellency of love ; and the chapter
may be regarded as consisting of tl ree
portions
or a tinkling cymbal.
o2Cor.l2.4. b lPet.4.8.
I. The excellency of love above 'Lo
power of speaking the languages of men
and of angels ; above the power of un-
derstanding all mysteries ; above all
faith, even of the highest kind ; and
above the virtue of giving all one's
goods to feed the poor, or one's body
to be burned. All these endowments
would be valueless without love. ver.
13.
II. A statement of the characteristics
of love ; or its happy influences on the
mind and heart, ver. 4 7.
III. A comparison of love with the
gift of prophecy, and with the power
of speaking foreign languages, and with
knowledge, ver. 8 13. In this por-
tion of the chapter, Paul shows that
love is superior to them all. It will
live in heaven ; and will constitute the
chief glory of that world of bliss.
1. Though I speak with the tongues
of men. Though I should be able to
speak all the languages which are
spoken by men. To speak foreign
languages was regarded then, as it is
now, as a rare and valuable endow
ment. Comp. Virg. JE>n. vi. 625, seq.
The word / here is used in a popular
sense, and the apostle designs to illus-
trate, as he often does, his idea by a
reference to himself, which, it is evi-
dent, he wishes to be understood as
applying to those whom he addressed
It is evident that among the Corinthians
the power of speaking a foreign lan-
guage was regarded as a signally valu-
able endowment ; and there can be no
doubt that some of the leaders in that
church valued themselves especially on
it. See ch. xiv. To correct this, and
to show them that all this would be
vain without love, and to induce them,
therefore, to seek for love as a more
valuable endowment, was the design
of the apostle in this passage. Of this
verse, Dr. Bloomfield, than whom, per-
haps, there is no living man better qua-
2bU
I. CORINTHIANS.
L A. D. f 9
hfiod to give such an opinion, remarks,
that "it would be difficult to find a finer
passage than this in the writings of
Demosthenes himself." J And of an-
gels. The language of angels; such
as they speak. Were I endowed with
the faculty of eloquence and persuasion
which we attribute to them ; and the
power of speaking to any of the human
family with the power which they have.
The language of angels here seems to
be used to denote the highest power of
using language, or of the most elevated
faculty of eloquence and speech. It is
evidently derived from the idea that the
angels are superior in all respects to
men ; that they must have endowments
in advance of all which man can have.
It may possibly have reference to the
idea that they must have some mode
of communicating their ideas one to
another, and that this dialect or mode
must be far superior to that which is
employed by man. Man is imperfect.
All his modes of communication are
defective. We attribute to the angels
the idea of perfection ; and the idea
here is, that even though a man had a
far higher faculty of speaking languages
than would be included in the endow-
ment of speaking all the languages of
men as men speak them, and even had
the higher and more perfect mode of
utterance which the angels have, and
yet were destitute of love, all would be
nothing. It is possible that Paul may
have some allusion here to what he
refers to in 2 Cor. xii. 4, where he says
that when he was caught up into Para-
dise, he heard unspeakable words which
it was not possible for a man to utter.
To this higher, purer language of hea-
ven he may refer here by the language
of the angels. It was not with him
mere conjecture of what that language
might be ; it was language which he
had been permitted himself to hear. Of
that scene he would retain a most deep
and tender recollection ; and to that
language he now refers, by saying that
even thai elevated language would be
valueless to a creature if there were not
love. ^ A/,d have not charity (a-ydTmv
6i f* a). And hare not LOVE. This
is the proper an 3 u&ual meaning of the
Greek word. The English word cha-
rity is used in a great variety of senses;
and some of them cannot be included
in the meaning of the word here. It
means, (1.) In a general sense, love,
benevolence, good-will; (2.) In theo-
logy, it includes supreme love to God
and universal good-will to men ; (3 ) Ir.
a more particular sense, it denotes the
love and kindness which springs from
the natural relations, as the charities of
father, son, brother; (4.) Liberality to
the poor, to the needy, and to objecta
of beneficence, as we speak commonly
of charily, meaning almsgiving, and of
charitable societies ; (5.) Candour, libe-
rality in judging of men's actions; in-
dulgence to their opinions ; attributing
to them good motives and intentions ;
a disposition to judge of them favour-
ably, and to put on their words and
actions the best construction. This is
a very common signification of the word
in our language now, and this is one
modification of the word love, as all
such charity is supposed to proceed
from love to our neighbour, and a de-
sire that he should have a right to his
opinions as well as we to ours. The
Greek word uyicni means properly love,
affection, regard, good-will, benevo-
lence. It is applied, (a) To love in
ereneral ; (//) To the love of God and
of Christ ; (c) The love which God or
Christ exercises towards Christians
(Rom. v. 5. Eph. ii. 4. 2 Thess. iii.
5) ; (rf) The effect, or proof of benefi-
cence, favour conferred. Eph. i. 15.
2 Thess. ii. 10. Uohn iii. 1. Robin-
son, Lex. In the English word charity,
therefore, there are now some ideas
which are not found in the Greek
word, and especially the idea of alms-
giving, and the common use of the
word among us in the sense ofcanao-vr,
or liberality in judging. Neither of
these ideas, perhaps, are to be found in
the use of the word in the chapter be-
fore us ; and the more proper transla-
tion would have been, in BCCordarTc*
with the usual mode of translation in
the New Testament, LOVK. Tindal,
in his translation, renders it by the
A.D. 59. j
CHAPTER XIII.
2 And though I have the gift
if prophecy, a and understand all
a c.U.l.
mysteries, and all knowleJge;
and though I have all faith, so
word love. The love which is referred
to in this chapter, and illustrated, is
mainly luvc to man (ver. 4 7) ; though
here is no reason to doubt that the
apostle meant also to include in the
genera, term love to God, or love in
general. His illustrations, however,
are chiefly drawn from the eflects of
love towards men. It properly means
love to the whole church, love to the
whole world ; love to all creatures which
arises from true piety, and which cen-
tres ultimately in God. Dvddridge.
It is this love whose importance Paul,
in this beautiful chapter, illustrates as
being more valuable than the highest
possible endowments without it. It is
not necessary to suppose that any one
had these endowments, or had the
power of speaking with the tongues
of men and angels ; or had the gift of
prophecy, or had the highest degree of
faith, who had no love. The apostle
supposes a case ; and says that if it
were so, if all these were possessed
without love, they would be compara-
tively valueless; or that love was a
more valuable endowment than all the
others would be without it. ^ / am
become. I am. I shall be. ^ As sound-
ing brass. Probably a trumpet. The
word properly means brass , then that
which is made of brass ; a trumpet, or
wind instrument of any kind made of
brass or copper. The sense is that of
a sounding or resounding instrument,
making a great noise, apparently of
great importance, and yet without vi-
tality ; a mere instrument ; a base metal
that merely makes a sound. Thus
noisy, valueless, empty, and without
vitality would be the power of speaking
all languages without love. ^ Or a
tinkling cymbal. A cymbal giving a
clanging, clattering sound. The word
rendered " tinkling" (a\*\aov, from
<U*A' or ux*xa, a war-cry) properly
denotes a loud cry, or shout, such as is
used in battle ; and then also a loud
ery or mourning, cries of lamentation
or grief; the loud shriek of sorrow.
Mark v. 38, "Them that wept, and
wailed greatly." It then means a
clanging or clattering sound, such as
was made on a cymbal. The cymbal
is a well-known instrument, made of
two pieces of brass or other metal,
which, being struck together, gives a
tinkling or clattering sound. Cymbala
are commonly used in connexion with
other music. They make a tinkling,
or clanging, with very little variety of
sound. The music is little adapted to
produce emotion, or to excite feeling.
There is no melody, and no harmony.
They were therefore well adapted to
express the idea which the apostle
wished to convey. The sense is, ' If I
could speak all languages, yet if I had
not love, the faculty would be like the
clattering, clanging sound of the cym-
bal, that contributes nothing to the
welfare of others. It would all be hol-
low, vain, useless. It could neithe)
save me nor others, any more than the
notes of the trumpet, or the jingling of
the cymbal, would promote salvation.
Love is the vital principle; it is that
without which all other endowments
are useless and vain.'
2. And though I have the gift of pro*
phecy. See Note, ch. xii. 10; xiv. 1.
1 And understand all mysteries. On
the meaning of the word mystery, see
Note, ch. ii. 7. This passage proves
that it was one part of the prophetic
office, as referred to here, to be able to
understand and explain the mysteries
of religion ; that is, the things that
were before unknown, or unrevealed.
It does not refer to the prediction of fu-
ture events, but to the great and deep
truths connected with religion ; the
| things that were unexplained in the
old economy, the meaning of types
and emblems ; and the obscure por-
tions of the plan of redemption. All
these might be plain enough if they
were revealed ; but there were many
things connected with religion which
aca
I. CORINTH.ANS.
[A. D. 59
that I could remove " mountains,
and have not charity, I am no-
thing. *
a Matt. 17.20. 6 Matt.21.19.
God had not chosen to reveal to
men. ^ And all knowledge. Note,
ch. xii. 8. Though I knew every thing.
Though I were acquainted fully with
all the doctrines of religion ; and were
with all sciences and arts. f And
though 1 have all faith, so that I could
remove mountains. Though I should
have the highest kind of faith. This
is referred to by the Saviour (Matt,
xvii. 20), as the highest kind of faith ;
and Paul here had this fact doubt-
'ess in his eye. ^ I am nothing. All
would be of no value. It would not
save me. I should still be an unre-
deemed, unpardoned sinner. I should
do good to no one ; I should answer
none of the great purposes which God
has designed ; I should not by all this
secure my salvation. All would be in
vain in regard to the great purpose of
my existence. None of these things
could be placed before God as a ground
of acceptance in the day of judgment.
Unless I should have love, I should still
be lost. A somewhat similar idea is
expressed by the Saviour, in regard to
the day of judgment, in Matt. vii. 22,
23, " Many will say unto me in that
day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophe-
sied in thy name 1 and in thy name
have cast out devils 1 and in thy name
done many wonderful works? And
then will I profess unto them, I never
knew you : depart from me, ye that
work iniquity."
3. And though I bestow. The Greek
word here used (-^ay/tVa*, from ~^dee, to
break off) meant properly to break off,
and distribute in small portions ; to
feed by morsels ; and may be applica-
ble here to distributing one's property
in small portions. Charity, or alms to
the poor, was usually distributed at
one's gate (Luke xvi. 20), or in
some public place. Of course, if pro-
perty was distributed in this manner,
many more would be benefited than if
3 And though e I bestow all
my goods to feed the poor, and
though d I give my body to be
c MaU.6.1,2. d Matt.7.22.23. James 2.14.
all were given to one person. There
would be many more to be thankful,
and to celebrate one's praises. This
was regarded as a great virtue ; and
was often performed in a most ostenta-
tious mariner. It was a gratification to
wealthy men who desired the praise of
being benevolent, that many of the
poor flocked daily to their houses to be
fed ; and against this desire of distinc-
tion, the Saviour directed some of his
severest reproofs. See Matt. vi. 1 4.
To make the case as strong as possible,
Paul says that if ALL that a man had
were dealt out in this way, in small
portions, so as to benefit as many as
possible, and yet were not attended
with true love toward* God and to-
wards man, it would be all false, hol-
low, hypocritical, and really of no value
in regard to his own salvation. It
would profit nothing. It would not be
such an act as God would approve ; it
would be no evidence that the soul
would be saved. Though good might
be done to others, yet where the mo-
tive was wrong, it could not meet with
the divine approbation, or be connected
with his favour. ^ And though I give
my body to be burned. Evidently as i
martyr, or a witness to the truth of re-
ligion. Though I should be willing to
lay down my life in the most painful
manner, and have not charity, it would
profit me nothing. Many of the an-
cient prophets were called to suffer
martyrdom, though there is no evidence
that any of them were burned to death as
martyrs. Shadrach, Meshech, and Abed-
nego were indeed thrown into a fiery
furnace, because they were worshippers
of the true God , but they were not
consumed in the flame. Dan. iii. 19
26. Comp. Heb. xi. 34. Though
Christians were early persecuted, yet
there is no evidence that they were
burned as martyrs as early as this episr
was written, Nero is the first who
A. D. 59.]
burned, and have not charity, it
profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suflereth" long, and
CHAPTER XIII.
263
a Prov.10.12.
is kind ; charity envieth * not;
charity * vaunteth not itself, is
not puffed e up,
b James 3. 16. or, is not rash. c Col.2.lrt
js believed to have committed this hor-
rible act; and under his reign, and dur-
ing the persecution which he excited,
Christians were covered with pitch, and
set on fire to illuminate his gardens. It
is possible that some Christians had been
put to death in this manner when Paul
wrote this epistle ; but it is more probable
that he refers 10 this as the most awful
kind of death, rather than as any thing
which had really happened. Subse-
quently, however, as all know, this was
often done, and thousands, and perhaps
tens of thousands, of Christians have
been called to evince their attachment
to religion in the flames. ^ And have
not charity. Have no love to God, or
to men ; have no true piety. If I do
rt from any selfish or sinister motive ;
if I do it from fanaticism, obstinacy, or
vainglory ; if I am deceived in regard
to my character, and have never been
born again. It is not necessary to an
explanation of this passage to suppose
that this ever had been done, for the
apostle only puts a supposable case.
There is reason, however, to think that
it has been done frequently ; and that
when the des-lre of martyrdom became
the popular passion, and was believed
to be connected infallibly with heaven,
not a few have been willing to give
themselves to the flames who never
knew any thing of love to God or true
piety. Grotius mentions the instance
of Calanus, and of Peregrin us the phi-
losopher, who did it. Although this
was not the common mode of martyr-
dom in the time of Paul, and although
it was then perhaps unknown, it is re-
markable that he should have referred
to that which in subsequent times be-
came the common mode of death on
account of religion. In his time, and
before, the common mode was by ston-
ing, by the sword, or by crucifixion.
Subsequently, however, all these were
laid aside, and burning became the
common way in which martyrs suffer
ed. So it was, extensively, under Nero ;
and so it was, exclusively, under the In-
quisition ; and so it was in the persecu-
tions in England in the time of Mary.
Paul peerns to have been directed to
specify this rather than stoning, the
sword, or crucifixion, in order that, in
subsequent times, martyrs might be led
to examine themselves, and to see
whether they were actuated by true love
to God in being willing to be consumed
in the flames, ^f // projiteth me no-
thing. If there is no true piety, there
can be no benefit in this to my soul.
It will not save me. If I have no true
love to God, I must perish, after all.
Love, therefore, is more valuable and
precious than all these endowments".
Nothing can supply its place ; nothing
can be connected with salvation with-
out it.
4. Charity sufferelh long. Paul
now proceeds to illustrate the nature of
love, or to show how it is exemplified.
His illustrations are all drawn from its
effect in regulating our conduct towards
others, or our intercourse with them.
The reason why he made use of this
illustration, rather than its nature as
evinced towards God, was, probably, be-
cause it was especially necessary for
them to understand in what way it
should be manifested towards each
other. There were contentions and
strifes among them ; there were of course
suspicions, and jealousies, and heart-
burnings ; there would be unkind judg-
ing, the imputation of improper mo-
tives, and selfishness ; there were envy,
and pride, and boasting, all of which
were inconsistent with love ; and Paul
therefore evidently designed to correct
these evils, and to produce a different
state of things by showing them what
would be produced by the exercise of
love. The word here used ( fjna^v^ti )
j denotes longanimity, slowness to an-
264
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
ger or passion ; long-suffering, patient
endurance, forbearance. It is opposed
to haste ; to passionate expressions and
thoughts, and to irritability. It de-
notes the state of mind which can BEAU
IX T G when oppressed, provoked, calum-
niated, and when one seeks to injure
us. Comp. Rom. ii. 4 ; ix. 22. 2 Cor.
vi. 6. Gal. v. 22. Eph. iv. 2. Col. iii.
12. 1 Tim. i. 16. 2 Tim. iii. 10 ; iv.
2. 1 Pet. iii. 20. 2 Pet. iii. 15. J And
is kind. The word here used denotes
to be good-natured, gentle, tender, af-
fectionate. Love is benignant. It wishes
well. It is not harsh, sour, morose, ill-
natured. Tindnl renders it, " is cour-
teous." The idea is, that under all pro-
vocations and ill-usage it is gentle and
mild. Hatred prompts to harshness,
severity, unkindness of expression, an-
ger, and a desire of revenge. But love
is the reverse of all these. A man who
truly loves another will be kind to bin,
desirous of doing him good ; will be
gentle, not severe and harsh ; will be
courteous because he desires his happi-
ness, and would not pain his feelings.
And as religion is love, and prompts to
love, so it follows that it requires cour-
tesy or true politeness, and will secure
it. See 1 Pet. iii. 8. If all men were
under the influence of true religion,
they would always be truly polite and
courteous ; for true politeness is no-
thing more than an expression of be-
nignity, or a desire to promote the hap-
piness of all around us. ^ Envieth
not (it, "*<>') This word properly
means to be zealous for or against any
person or thing ; i. e. to be eager for,
or anxious for or against any one. It
is used often in a good sense (1 Cor.
xii. 31. Note, xiv. 1. 39. 2 Cor. xi.
2, &c.) ; but it may be used in a bad
sense to be zealous against a person ;
to be jealous of; to envy. Acts vii. 9;
xvii. 5. James iv. 2, "Ye kill and
e-nvy." It is in this sense, evidently,
tiiat it is used here, as denoting zeal,
or ardent desire against any person.
The sense is, love does not envy others
i lie happiness which they enjoy; it de-
lights in their welfare ; and as their
happiness is increased by their endow-
ments, their rank, their reputation, their
wealth, their health, their domestic com-
forts, their learning &c., those who ai
influenced by love rejoice in all this.
They would not diminish it ; they
would not embarrass them in the pos-
session ; they would not detract from
that happiness; they would not mur-
mur or repine that they themselves are
not so highly favoured. To envy is to
feel uneasiness, mortification, or discon-
tent at the sight of superior happiness,
excellence, or reputation enjoyed by
another ; to repine at another's pros-
perity ; and to fret oneself on account
of his real or fancied superiority.
Of course, it may be excited by any
ihing in which another excels, or in
which he is more favoured than we are.
It may be excited by superior wealth,
beauty, learning, accomplishment, repu-
tation, success. It may extend to any
employment, or any rank in life. A
man may be envied because he is happy
while we are miserable ; well, while we
are sick ; caressed, while we are neglect-
ed or overlooked ; successful, while we
meet with disappointment ; handsome,
while we are ill-formed ; honoured with
office, while we are overlooked. He
may be envied because he has a better
farm than we have, or is a more skilful
mechanic, or a more successful physi-
cian, lawyer, or clergyman. Envy com-
monly lies in the same line of business,
occupation, or rank. We do not
usually envy a monarch, a conqueror,
or a nobleman, unless we are aspiring
to the same rank. The farmer does
not usually envy the blacksmith, but
another farmer ; the blacksmith does not
usually envy the schoolmaster, or the
lawyer, but another man in the same
line of business with himself. The
physician envies another physician more
learned or more successful ; the law-
yer, another lawyer ; the clergyman, an-
other clergyman. The fashionable fe-
male, who seeks admiration or flattery on
account of accomplishment or beauty,
envies another who is more distinguish-
ed and more successful in those things.
And so the poet envies a rival poet;
and the orator, a rival orator ; and the
A.D 59.]
CHAPTER XIII.
2C5
statesman, a rival statesmen. The cor-
rection of all these things is love. If
we loved others ; if we rejoiced in their
happiness, we should not envy them.
They are not to blame for these supe-
rior endowments ; but if those endow-
ments are the direct gift of God, we
should be thankful that he has made
others happy ; if they are the fruit of
their own industry, and virtue, and skill,
and application, we should esteem them
the more, and value them the more high-
ly. They have not injured us / and we
should not be unhappy, or seek to in-
jure them, because God has blessed
them, or because they have been more
industrious, virtuous, and successful
than we have. Every man should have
his own level in society, and we should
rejoice in the happiness of all. Love
will produce another effect. We should
not envy them, because he that is under
the influence of Christian love is more
happy than those in the world who are
usually the objects of envy. There is
often much wretchedness under a cloth-
ing of " purple and fine linen." There
is not always happiness in a splendid
mansion ; in the caresses of the great ;
in a post of honour ; in a palace, or on
a throne. Alexander the Great wept on
the throne of the world. Happiness is
in the heart ; and contentment, and the
love of God, and the hope of heaven
produce happiness which rank, and
wealth, and fashion, and earthly honour
cannot purchase. And could the sad
and heavy hearts of those in elevated
ranks of life be always seen ; arid espe-
cially cou'd their end be seen, there
would Us no occasion or disposition to
invy them.
Lord, what a thoughtless wretch was T,
To mourn, and murmur, and repine,
To see the wicked placed on high,
In pride and robes of honour shine!
But oh ! their end, their dreadful end !
Thy sanctuary taught me so ;
On slipp'ry rocks I see them stand,
And fiery billows roll below.
Now let them boast how tall they rise,
I'll never envy them azain ;
There they may stand with haughty eyes,
Till they plunge deep in endless pain.
Their fancied joys how fast they flee,
Like dreams as fleeting and as vain ;
Their songs of softest harmony
Are but a prelude to their pain.
Now I esteem their mirth and wine
Too dear to purchase with my blood
Lord, 'tis enough that thou art mine,
My life, my portion, and my God.
If Vaunteth not itself (^^ivrrat/,
from Trtgrrt^tc, a boaster, braggart. Ro-
binson). The idea is that of boasting,
bragging, vaunting. The word occurs
nowhere else in the New Testament
Bloomfield supposes that it has the idea
of acting precipitously, inconsiderately,
incautiously; and this idea our trans-
lators have placed in the margin, "he
is not rash." But most expositors sup-
pose that it has the notion of boasting,
or vaunting of one's own excellencies
or endowments. This spirit proceeds
from the idea of superiority over others;
and is connected with a feeling of con-
tempt or disregard for them. . Love
would correct this, because it would
produce a desire that they should be
happy and to treat a man with con-
tempt is not the way to make him
happy ; love would regard others with
esteem and to boast over them is not
to treat them with esteem ; it would
teach us to treat them with affectionate
regard and no man who has affec-
tionate regard for others is disposed to
boast of his own qualities over them.
Besides, love produces a state of mind
just the opposite of a disposition to
boast. It receives its endowments with
gratitude ; regards them as the gift of
God ; and is disposed to employ them
not in vain boasting, but in purposes
of utility, in doing good to all others
on as wide a scale as possible. The
boaster is not a man who does good.
To boast of talents is not to employ
them to advantage to others. It will
be of no account in feeding the hungry,
clothing the naked, comforting the sick
and afflicted, or in saving the world.
Accordingly, the man who does the
most good is the least accustomed to
boast ; the man who boasts may be re-
garded as doing nothing else, f Is not
puffed up (<$v<riouryu). This word rreans
to blow, to puff, to pant ; then to in-
flate with pride, and vanity, and self-
esteem. See the word explained in the
266
I. CORINTHIANS.
5 Doth not behave itself un-
seemly, seeketh not " her own,
a c. 10.24.
[A. D. 59
is not * easily provoked, think
eth no evil;
b Prov.14.17.
Note on ch. viii. 1. It perhaps differs
from the preceding word, inasmuch as
that word denotes the expression of the
feelings of pride, vanity, &c., and this
word the feeling itself. A man may
be very proud and vain, and not ex-
press it in the form of boasting. That
state is indicated by this word. If he
gives expression to this feeling, and
boasts of his endowments, that is indi-
cated by the previous word. Love
would prevent this, as it would the
former. It would destroy the feeling,
as well as the expression of it. It
would teach a man that others had
good qualities as well as he ; that they
had high endowments as well as he ;
and would dispose him to concede to
them full credit for all that they have,
and not to be vainglorious of his own.
Besides, it is not the nature of love to
lill the mind in this manner. Pride,
vanity, and even knowledge (ch. viii.
1), may swell the mind with the con-
viction of self-importance ; but love is
humble, meek, modest, unobtrusive. A
brother that loves a sister is not filled
with pride or vanity on account of it ;
a man that loves the whole world, and
desires its salvation, is not filled with
pride and vanity on account of it.
Hence the Saviour, who had most love
tor the human race, was at the farthest
possible remove from pride and vanity.
5. Doth not behave itself unseemly
(six ar%Hf*ovtl'). This word occurs in
ch. vii. 36. See Note on that verse.
It means to conduct improperly, or
disgracefully, or in a manner to de-
serve reproach. Love seeks that which
is proper or becoming in the circum-
stances and relations of life in which
we are placed. It prompts to the due
respect for superiors, producing venera-
tion and respect for their opinions ; and
it prompts to a proper regard for infe-
riors, not despising their rank, their
poverty, their dress, their dwellings,
their pleasures, their views of happi-
tess ', it prompts to the due observance
of all the relations of life, as those of a
husband, wife, parent, child, brother,
sister, son, daughter, and produces a
proper conduct and deportment in al]
these relations. The proper idea of the
phrase is, that it prompts to all that is
fit and becoming in life; and would
save from all that is unfit and unbe-
coming. There rray be included in
the word also the idea that it would
prevent any thing that would be a vio-
lation of decency or delicacy. It is
well known that the Cynics were in the
habit of setting at defiance all the usual
ideas of decency ; and indeed this was,
and is, commonly done in the temples
of idolatry and pollution everywhere.
Love would prevent this, because it
teaches to promote the happiness of
all, and of course to avoid every thing
that would offend purity of taste and
mar enjoyment. In the same way it
prompts to the fit discharge of all the
relative duties, because it leads to the
desire to promote the happiness of all.
And in the same manner it would lead
a man to avoid profane and indecent
language, improper allusions, double
meanings and innuendoes, coarse and
vulgar expressions, because such things
pain the ear, and offend the heart of
purity and delicacy. There is mucn
that is indecent and unseemly still in
society that would be corrected by
Christian love. What a change would
be produced if, under the influence of
that love, nothing should be said or
done in the various relations of life but
what would be seemly, Jit, and decent/
And what a happy influence would the
prevalence of this love have on the
intercourse of mankind ! *jf Seeketh
not her own. There is, perhaps, not a
more striking or important expression
in the New Testament than this ; 01
one that more beautifully sets forth the
nature and power of that love which is
produced by true religion. Its evidenV
meaning is, that it is not selfish ; U
does not seek its own happiness exclu
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER XIII.
267
sively or mainly ; it does not seek its
own happiness to the injury of others.
This expression is not, however, to be
pressed as if Paul meant to teach that
a man should not regard his own wel-
fare at all ; or have no respect to his
health, his property, his happiness, or
his salvation. Every man is bound to
pursue such a course of life as will ulti-
mately secure his own salvation. But
it is not simply or mainly that he
may be happy that he is to seek it.
It is, that he may thus glorify God his
Saviour ; and accomplish the great de-
sign which his Maker has had in view
in his creation and redemption. If his
happiness is the main or leading thing,
it proves that he is supremely selfish ;
and selfishness is not religion. The
expression here used is comparative,
and denotes that this is not the main,
the chief, the only thing which one who
is under the influence of love or true
religion will seek. True religion, or
love to others, will prompt us to seek
their welfare with self-denial and per-
sonal sacrifice and toil. Similar ex-
pressions, to denote comparison, occur
frequently in the sacred Scriptures.
Thus, where it is said (Hos. vii. 6.
Comp. Micah vi. 8. Matt. ix. 13), " I
desired mercy, and not sacrifice ;" it is
meant, ' I desired mercy more than I
desired sacrifice ; I did not wish that
mercy should be forgotten or excluded
in the attention to the mere ceremonies
of religion.' The sense here is, there-
fore, that a man under the influence of
true love or religion does not make his
own happiness or salvation the main or
leading thing; he does not make all
other things subservient to this; he
seeks the welfare of others, and desires
to promote their happiness and salva-
tion, even at great personal sacrifice
and self-denial. It is the characteristic
of the man, not that he promotes his
own worth, health, happiness, or salva-
tion, but that he lives to do good to
others. Love to others will prompt to
that, and that alone. There is not a
particle of selfishness in true love. It
seeks the welfare of others, and of all
others. That true religion will produce
this, is evident everywhere in the New
Testament; and especially in the life
of the Lord Jesus, whose whole bio-
graphy is comprehended in one ex-
pressive declaration, " who went about
DOING GOOD." Acts X. 38. It follows
from this statement, (1.) That no man
is a Christian who lives for himself
alone ; or who makes it his main busi-
ness to promote his own happiness and
salvation. (2.) No man is a Christian
who does not deny himself; or no one
who is not willing to sacrifice his own
comfort, time, wealth, and ease, to ad-
vance the welfare of mankind. (3.) It
is this principle which is yet to convert
the world. Long since the whole world
would have been converted,' had all
Christians been under its influence.
And when ALL Christians make it their
grand object not to seek their own, but
the good of others ; when true charity
shall occupy its appropriate place in
the heart of every professed child of
God, then this world will be speedily
converted to the Saviour. Then there
will be no want of funds to spread
Bibles and tracts ; to sustain mission-
aries, or to establish colleges and
schools ; then there will be no want of
men who shall be willing to go to any
part of the earth to preach the gospel ;
and then there will be no want of prayer
to implore the divine mercy on a ruined
and perishing world. O may the time
soon come when all the selfishness in
the human heart shall be dissolved,
and when the whole world shall be
embraced in the benevolence of Chris-
tians, and the time, and talent, and
wealth of the whole church shall be
regarded as consecrated to God, and
employed and expended under the in
fluence of Christian love ! Comp. Note,
ch. x. 24. H Is not easily provoked
(Tragc^t/yersu). This word occurs in the
New Testament only in one other place.
Acts xvii. 16, "His spirit was stirred
within him when he saw the city wholly
given to idolatry." See Note on that
place. The word properly means to
sharpen by, or with, or on any thing
(from oi/c, sharp}, and may be applied
to the act of sharpening a knife or
I. CORINTHIANS.
L A.D. 59
3 Rejoiceth " not in iniquity,
a Rom. 1.32.
jword ; then it means to sharpen the
nind, temper, courage of any one ; to
sxcite, impel, &c. Here it means evi-
dently to rouse to anger ; to excite to
indignation or wrath. Tindal renders
it, " is not provoked to anger." Our
translation does not exactly convey the
sense. The word "easily" is not ex-
pressed in the original. The translators
have inserted it to convey the idea that
he who is under the influence of love,
though he may be provoked, that is,
injured, or though there might he in-
citements to anger, yet that he would
not be roused, or readily give way to
it. The meaning of the phrase in the
Greek is, that a man who is under the
influence of love or religion is not prone
to violent anger or exasperation ; it is
not his character to be hasty, excited,
or passionate. He is calm, serious,
patient. He looks soberly at things;
and though he may be injured, yet he
governs his passions, restrains his tem-
per, subdues his feelings. This, Paul
eays, would be produced by love. And
this is apparent. If we are under the
influence of benevolence, or love to any
one, we shall not give way to sudden
bursts of feeling. We shall look kindly
on his actions ; put the best construc-
tion on his motives ; deem it possible
that we have mistaken the nature or
the reasons of his conduct; seek or de-
sire explanation (Matt. v. 23, 24) ; wait
till we can look at the case in all its
bearings ; and suppose it possible that
he may be influenced by good motives,
and that his conduct will admit a satis-
factory explanation. That true religion
is designed to produce this, is apparent
everywhere in the New Testament, and
especially from the example of the Lord
Jesus ; that it actually does produce it,
is apparent from all who come under
its influence in any proper manner.
The effect of religion is nowhere else
more striking and apparent than in
changing a temper naturally quick, ex-
citable, and irritable, to one that is
calm, and gentle, and subdued. A con-
but rejoice-h *in the truth;
> or, tcilh
sciousness of the presence of God will
do much to produce this state of mind ;
and if we truly loved all men, we should
be soon angry with none. 1 Thinketh
no evil. That is, puts the best possible
construction on the motives and the
conduct of others. This expression
also is comparative. It means 'that
love, or that a person under the influ
ence of love, is not malicious, censo-
rious, disposed to find fault, or to im-
pute improper motives to others. It is
not only " not easily provoked," not
soon excited, but it is not disposed to
think that there was any evil intention
even in cases which might tend to irri-
tate or exasperate us. It is not dis-
posed to think that there was any evil
in the case ; or that what was done was
with any improper intention or design ;
that is, it puts the best possible con-
struction on the conduct of others, and
supposes, as far as can be done, that it
was in consistency with honesty, truth,
friendship, and love. The Greek word
(*c}jsT*<) is that which is commonly
rendered impute, and is correctly ren-
dered here thinkdh. It means, does
not reckon, charge, or impute to a man
any evil intention or design. We de-
sire to think well of the man whom we
love ; nor will we think ill of his mo-
tives, opinions, or conduct until we arr
compelled to do so by the most irre-
fragable evidence. True religion, there-
fore, will prompt to charitable judging ;
nor is there a more striking evidence
of the destitution of true religion than
a disposition to impute the worst mo-
tives and opinions to a man.
6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity. Doet,
not rejoice over the vices of other men
does not take delight when they are
guilty of crime, or when, in any man-
ner, they fall into sin. It does not nnd
pleasure in hearing others accused of
sin, and in having it proved that they
have committed it. It does not find a
malicious pleasure in the report thai
they have done wrong ; or in following
up that report, and finding it established
. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XIII.
269
7 Beareth a all things, believ-
es Rom.lo.l.
d Job 13. 15.
6 Ps.119.G6. c Rom.8.24.
Wicked men often find pleasure in this
(Rom. i. 32), and rejoice when others
have fallen into sin, and have disgraced
and ruined themselves. Men of the
world often find a malignant pleasure
in the report, and in the evidence that
a member of the church has brought
dishonour on his profession. A man
often rejoices when an enemy, a per-
secutor, or a slanderer has committed
some crime, and when he has shown
an improper spirit, uttered a rash ex-
pression, or taken some step which shall
involve him in ignominy. But love
does none of these things. It does not
desire that an enemy, a persecutor, or a
slanderer should do evil, or should dis-
grace and ruin himself. It does not
rejoice, but grieves, when a professor
of religion, or an enemy of religion
when a personal friend or foe has done
any thing wrong. It neither loves the
wrong, nor the fact that it has been
done. And perhaps there is no greater
triumph of the gospel than in its en-
abling a man to rejoice that even his
enemy and persecutor in any respect
does well ; or to rejoice that he is in
any way honoured and respected among
men. Human nature, without the gos-
pel, manifests a different feeling; and
it is only as the heart is subdued by the
gospel, and filled with universal benevo-
lence, that it is brought to rejoice when
all men do well. | Rejoiceth in the
truth. The word truth here stands
opposed to iniquity, and means virtue,
piety, goodness. It does not rejoice in
the vices, but in the virtues of others.
It is pleased, it rejoices when they do
well. It is pleased when those who
differ from us conduct in any manner
in such a way as to please God, and to
advance their own reputation and hap-
piness. They who are under the in-
fluence of that love rejoice that good is
done, and the truth defended and ad-
vanced, whoever may be the instru-
ment; rejoice that others are success-
ful in their plans of doing good, though
23*
eth * all things, hopeth all
things, endureth d all things.
they do not act with us; rejoice that
other men have a reputation well earned
for virtue and purity of life, though they
may differ from us in opinion, and may
be connected with a different denomi-
nation. They do not rejoice when
other denominations of Christians fall
into error; or when their plans are
blasted ; or when they are calumniated,
and oppressed, and reviled. By whom-
soever good is done, or wheresoever, it
is to them a matter of rejoicing ; and by
whomsoever evil is done, or whereso-
ever, it is to them a matter of grief.
See Phil. i. 14 18. The reason of this
is, that all sin, error, and vice will ulti-
mately ruin the happiness of any one ;
and as love desires their happiness, it
desires that they should walk in the
ways of virtue, and is grieved when
they do not. What a change would
the prevalence of this feeling produce
in the conduct and happiness of man-
kind ! How much ill-natured joy would
it repress at the faults of others ! How
much would it do to repress the pains
which a man often takes to circulate
reports disadvantageous to his adver-
sary ; to find out and establish some
flaw in his character ; to prove that he
has said or done something disgraceful
and evil ! And how much would it do
even among Christians, in restraining
them from rejoicing at the errors, mis-
takes, and improprieties of the friends
of revivals of religion, and in leading
them to mourn over their errors in se*
cret, instead of taking a malicious plea-
sure in promulgating them to the world !
This would be a very different world if
there were none to rejoice in iniquity :
and the church would be a different
church if there were none in its bosom
but those who rejoiced in the truth, and
in the efforts of humble and self-denying
piety.
7. Beareth all things. Coinp. Note,
ch. ix. 12. Doddridge renders this,
" covers all things." The word here
used (crTsya) properly means to cuvet
270
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
(from a-itya, a covering, roof. Matt.
viii. 8. Luke vii. 6) ; and then to hide,
conceal, not to make known. If this
>e the sense here, then it means that
love is disposed to hide or conceal the
faults and imperfections of others ; not
to promulgate or blazon them abroad,
or to give any undue publicity to them.
Benevolence to the individual or to the
public would require that these faults
and errors should be concealed. If this
is the sense, then it accords nearly with
what is said in the previous verse. The
word may also mean, to forbear, bear
with, endure. Thus it is used in
1 Thess. iii. 1. 5. And so our trans-
lators understand it here, as meaning
that love is patient, long-suffering, not
soon angry, not disposed to revenge.
And if this is the sense, it accords with
the expression in ver. 4, " love suffers
long." The more usual classic mean-
ing is the former; the usage in the
New Testament seems to demand the
latter. Rosenmiiller renders it, "bears
all things ;" Bloomfield prefers the other
interpretation. Locke and Macknight
render it " cover." The real sense of the
passage is not materially varied, which-
ever interpretation is adopted. It means,
that in regard to the errors and faults
of others, there is a disposition not to
notice or to revenge them. There is a
willingness to conceal, or to bear with
them patiently. ^ All things. This is
evidently to be taken in a popular sense,
and to be interpreted in accordance
with the connexion. All universal ex-
pressions of this kind demand to be thus
limited. The meaning must be, ' as far
as it can consistently or lawfully be
done.' There are offences which it is
not proper or right for a man to con-
ceal, or to suffer to pass unnoticed.
Such are those where the laws of the
land are violated, and a man is called
on to testify, &c. But the phrase here
refers to private matters ; ind indicates
a disposition not to make public, or to
avenge the faults committed by others.
f Believeth all things. The whole
scope of the connexion and the argu-
ment here requires us to understand
not mean, that the man who is undei
the influence of love is a man of uni-
versal credulity ; that he makes no dis-
crimination in regard to things to be
believed ; and is as prone to believe a
falsehood as the truth ; or that he is at
no pains to inquire what is true and
what is false, what is right and what is
wrong. But it must mean, that in re-
gard to the conduct of others, there is a
disposition to put the best construction
on it; to believe that they may be
actuated by good motives, and that they
intend no injury ; and that there is a
willingness to suppose, as far as can
be, that what is done is done consist-
ently with friendship, good feeling, and
virtue. Love produces this, because it
rejoices in the happiness and virtue of
others, and will not believe the con-
trary except on irrefragable evidence.
1 Hopcth all things. Hopes that all
will turn out well. This must also
refer to the conduct of others ; and it
means, that however dark may be ap-
pearances ; how much soever there may
be to produce the fear that others are
actuated by improper motives or are
bad men, yet that there is a hope that
matters may be explained and made
clear ; that the difficulties may be made
to vanish; and that the conduct of
others may be made to appear to be
fair and pure. Love will hold on to
this hope until all possibility of such a
result has vanished, and it is compelled
to believe that the conduct is not sus-
ceptible of a fair explanation. This
hope will extend to all things to
words, and actions, and plans ; to pub-
lic and to private intercourse ; to what
is said and done in our own presence,
and to what is said and done in our
absence. Love will do this, because it
delights in the virtue and happiness of
others, and will not credit any thing to
the contrary unless compelled to do so.
f Endureth all things. Bears up un-
der, sustains, and does not murmur.
Bears up under all persecutions at the
hand of man ; all efforts to injure the
person, property, or reputation ; and
bears all that may be laid upon us in
this of the conduct of others. It can- | the providence and by the direct agency
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XI11.
271
8 Charity never faileth : but
whether there be prophecies,
of God. Comp. Job xiii. 15. The con-
nexion requires us to understand it
principally of our treatment at the hands
of our fellow men.
8. Charity never faileth. Paul here
proceeds to illustrate the value of love,
from its permanency as compared with
other valued endowments. It is valu-
able, and is to be sought because it will
always abide; may be always exer-
cised ; is adapted to all circumstances,
and to all worlds in which we may be
placed, or in which we may dwell.
The word rendered faileth (atTrivrtt)
denotes properly to fall out of, to fall
from or off; and may be applied to the
stars of heaven falling (Mark xiii. 25),
or to flowers that fall or fade (James i.
11. 1 Pet. i. 24), or to chains falling
from the hands, &c. Acts xii. 7. Here
it means to fall away, to fail ; to be
without effect, to cease to be in exist-
snce. The expression may mean that
it will be adapted to all the situations
of life, and is of a nature to be always
exercised ; or it may mean that it will
continue to all eternity, and be exer-
cised in heaven for ever. The con-
nexion demands that the latter should
he regarded as the true interpretation.
See ver. 13. The sense is, that while
other endowments of the Holy Spirit
must soon cease and be valueless, LOVE
would abide, and would always exist.
The argument is, that we ought to
seek that which is of enduring value ;
and that, therefore, love should be pre-
ferred to those endowments of the Spi-
rit on which so high a value had been
set by the Corinthians. ^But whether
there be prophecies. That is, the gift
of prophecy, or the power of speaking
us a prophet ; that is, of delivering the
truth of God in an intelligible manner
under the influence of inspiration ; the
gift of being a public speaker, of in-
structing and edifying the church, and
foretelling future events. See Note, ch.
xiv. 1. f They shall fail. The gift shall
cease to be exercised; shall be abolished,
they shall fail ; whether there
be tongues, they shall cease ;
come to naught. There shall be no
further use for this gift in the light and
glory of the world above, and it shall
cease. God shall be the teacher there.
And as there will be no need of con-
firming the truth of religion by the
prediction of future events, and no need
of warning against impending dangers
there, the gift of foretelling future events
will be of course unknown. In heaven,
also, there will be no need that the faith
of God's people shall be encouraged, or
their devotions excited, by such exhorta-
tions and instructions as are needful
now ; and the endowment of prophecy
will be, therefore, unknown. ^ There
be tongues. The power of speaking
foreign languages. ^ They shall cease.
Macknight supposes this means that
they shall cease in the church after the
gospel shall have been preached to all
nations. But the more natural inter-
pretation is, to refer it to the future
life ; since the main idea which Paul is
urging here is the value of love above
all other endowments, from the fact
that it would be abiding^ or perma-
nent an idea which is more certainly
and fully met by a reference to the
future world than by a reference to
the state of things in the church on
earth. If it refers to heaven, it means
that the power of communicating
thoughts there will not be by the me-
dium of learned and foreign tongues.
What will be the mode is unknown.
But as the diversity of tongues is one
of the fruits of sin (Gen. xi.), it is evi-
dent that in those who are saved there
will be deliverance from all the disad-
vantages which have resulted from the
confusion of tongues. Yet LOVE will
not cease to be necessary; and LOVE
will live for ever. | Whether there be
knowledge. See Note, ch. xiv. 8. This
refers, I think, to knowledge as we now
possess it. It cannot mean that there
will be no knowledge in heaven ; for
there must be a vast increase of know-
ledge in that world among all its inh*
272
1. CORINTHIANS.
whether there be knowledge, it
shall vanish away.
bitants. The idea in the passage here,
I think, is, 'All the knowledge which
we now possess, valuable as it is, will
be obscured and lost, and rendered com-
paratively valueless, in the fuller splen-
dours of the eternal world ; as the feeble
light of the stars, beautiful and valuable
as it is, vanishes, or is lost in the splen-
dours of the rising sun. The know-
ledge which we now have is valuable,
as the gift of prophecy and the power
of speaking foreign languages is valu-
able, but it will be lost in the brighter
visions of the world above.' That this
is the sense is evident from what Paul
says in illustration of the sentiment in
ver. 9, 10. Now we know in part.
What we deem ourselves acquainted
with, we imperfectly understand. There
are many obscurities and many diffi-
culties. But in that future world we
shall know distinctly and clearly (ver.
12) ; and then the knowledge which
we now possess will appear so dim and
obscure, that it will seem to have va-
nished away and disappeared,
"As a rlim candle dies at noon."
Macknight and others understand this
of the knowledge of the mysteries of
the Old Testament, or " the inspired
knowledge of the ancient revelations,
which should be abolished when the
church should have attained its mature
state ;" a most meager, jejune, and
frigid interpretation. It is true, also,
that not only shall our imperfect know-
ledge seem to have vanished in the su-
perior light and glory of the eternal
world, but that much of that which
here passes for knowledge shall be then
unknown. Much of that which is called
science is " falsely so called ;" and much
that is connected with literature that
has attracted so much attention, will
be unknown in the eternal world. It
is evident that much that is connected
with criticism, and the knowledge of
language, with the different systems
of mental philosophy which are erro-
[A. D 59.
9 For \ve know in part, "and
we prophesy in part ;
a c.8.2.
neous ; perhaps much that is connected
with anatomy, physiology, and geo-
logy ; and much of the science which
now is connected with the arts, and
which is of use only as tributary to the
arts, will be then unknown. Other
subjects may rise into importance which
are now unknown ; and possibly things
connected with science which are now
regarded as of the least importance will
then become objects of great moment,
and ripen and expand into sciences that
shall contribute much to the eternal
happiness of heaven. The essential
idea in this passage is, that all the
knowledge which we now possess shall
lose its effulgence, be dimmed and lost
in the superior light of heaven. But
LOVE shall live there ; and we should,
therefore, seek that which is permanent
and eternal.
9. For we know in part. Comp.
Note on ch. xii. 27. This expression
means " only in part ;" that is, imper-
fectly. Our knowledge here is imperfect
and obscure. It may, therefore, all va-
nish in the eternal world amidst its su-
perior brightness; and we should not
regard that as of such vast value which
is imperfect and obscure. Comp. Note,
ch. viii. 2. This idea of the obscurity
and imperfection of our knowledge, as
compared with heaven, the apostle illus-
trates (ver. 11) by comparing it with
the knowledge which a child has, com-
pared with that in maturer years ; and
(ver. 12) by the knowledge which we
have in looking through a glass an
imperfect medium compared with that
which we have in looking closely and
directly at an object without any me-
dium, t And we prophesy in part.
This does not mean that we partly
know the truths of religion, and partly
conjecture or guess at them ; or that
we know only a part of them, and
conjecture the remainder. But the apos-
tle is showing the imperfection of the
prophetic gift ; and he observes, that
there is the same imperfection which
A.. D. 59.J
CHAPTER XIII.
273
10 But when that which is
perfect is come, then that which
is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child,
a Uno.3.2.
attends knowledge. It is only in part ;
it is imperfect ; it is indistinct, compar-
ed with the full view of truth in heaven ;
it is obscure, and all that is imparted by
that gift will soon become dim and lost
in the superior brightness and glory of
the heavenly world. The argument is,
that we ought not to seek so anxiously
that which is so imperfect and obscure,
and which must soon vanish away ;
but we should rather seek that love
which is permanent, expanding, and
.eternal.
10. But when that which is perfect
is come. Does come ; or shall come.
This proposition is couched in a gene-
ral form. It means that when any
thing which is perfect is seen or en-
joyed, then that which is imperfect is
forgotten, laid aside, or vanishes. Thus,
in the full and perfect light of day, the
imperfect and feeble light of the stars
vanishes. The sense here is, that in
heaven a state of absolute perfection
that which is " in part," or which is
imperfect, shall be lost in superior
brightness. All imperfection will va-
nish. And all that we here possess
that is obscure shall be lost in the su-
perior and perfect glory of that eternal
world. All our present unsatisfactory
modes of obtaining knowledge shall be
unknown. All shall be clear, bright,
and eternal.
11. When I was a child. The idea
here is, that the knowledge which we
now have, compared with that which
we shall have in heaven, is like that
which is possessed in infancy compared
with that we have in manhood ; and
that as, when we advance in years, we
lay aside, as unworthy of our attention,
the views, feelings, and plans which we
had in boyhood, and which we then
esteemed to be of so great importance,
so, when we reach heaven, we shall lay
aside the views, feelings, and plans
spake as a child, I understood as
a child, I 1 thought as a child ;
but when I became a man, I put
away childish things.
or, reasoned.
which we have in this life, and which
we now esteem so wise and so valuable.
The word child here (infjvwc) denotes
properly a babe, an infant, though with-
out any definable limitation of age. It
refers to the first periods of existence :
before the period which we denominate
boyhood, or youth. Paul here refers to
a period when he could speak, though
evidently a period when his speech was
scarcely intelligible when he first be-
gan to articulate. Tf I spake as a child.
Just beginning to articulate, in a broken
and most imperfect manner. The idea
here is, that our knowledge at present,
compared with the knowledge of heaven,
is like the broken and scarcely intelli-
gible efforts of a child to speak com-
pared with the power of utterance in
manhood. \Iunderstood as a child.
My understanding was feeble and im-
perfect. I had narrow and imperfect
views of things. I knew little. I fixed
my attention on objects which I now
see to be of little value. I acquired
knowledge which has vanished, or
which has sunk in the superior intelli-
gence of riper years. " I was affected
as a child. I was thrown into a trans-
port of joy or grief on the slightest oc-
casions, which manly reason taught nvi
to despise." Doddridge. ^ I thought
as a child. Marg. Reasoned. The word
may mean either. I thought, argued
reasoned in a weak and inconclusive
manner. My thoughts, and plans, ant 1
argumentations were puerile, and sucl
as I now see to be short-sighted and
erroneous. Thus it will be with our
thoughts compared to heaven. There
will be, doubtless, as much difference
between our present knowledge, and
plans, and views, and those which we
shall have in heaven, as there is be-
tween the plans and views of a child
and those of a man. Just before his
death, Sir Isaac Newton made this re-
274 I.CORINTHIANS. [A. D. 59.
12 For now we see through ! to face: now I know in part:
a glass, "darkly; 1 but then face but then shall I know even as
a 2Cor.3.18.
or, in a riddle.
mark : " I do not know what I may
appear to the world ; but to myself I
seem to have been only like a boy play
ing on the sea-shore, and diverting my
self by now and then finding a smoother
pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary,
while the great ocean of truth lay all
undiscovered before me." Brewster's
Life of Newton, pp. 300,301. Ed. New
York, 1832*
12. For now we see through a glass.
Paul here makes use of another illus-
tration to show the imperfection of our
knowledge here. Compared with what
it will be in the future world, it is like
the imperfect view of an object which
we have in looking through an obscure
and opaque medium compared with the
view which we have when we look at
it " face to facie." The word glass here
(ta-oTTT^v) means properly a mirror, a
looking-glass. The mirrors of the an-
cients were usually made of polished
metal. Ex. xxxviii. 8. Job xxxvii. 18.
Many have supposed (see Doddridge,
in loc. and Robinson's Lexicon) that
the idea here is that of seeing objects
by reflection from a mirror, which re-
flects only their imperfect forms. But
this interpretation does not well accord
with the apostle's idea of seeing things
obscurely. The most natural idea is
that of seeing objects by an imperfect
medium, by looking through something
in contemplating them. It is, therefore,
probable that he refers to those trans-
parent substances which the ancients
had, and which they used in their win-
dows occasionally ; such as thin plates
of horn, transparent stone, &c. Win-
dows were often made of the lapis spe-
cularis described by Pliny (xxxvi. 22),
which was pellucid, and which admit-
ted of being split into thin laminae, or
scales, probably the same as mica.
Humboldt mentions such kinds of stone
us beirg used in South America in
church windows. Bloomfield. It is
not improbable, I think, that even in
also I am known.
the time of Paul the ancients had the
knowledge of glass, though it was pro-
bably at first very imperfect and ob-
scure. There is some reason to believe
that glass was known to the Phoenicians,
the Tyrians, and the Egyptians. Pliny
says that it was first discovered by acci-
dent. A merchant vessel, laden with
nitre or fossil alkali, having been driven
on shore on the coast of Palestine near
the river Belus, the crew went in search
of provisions, and accidentally support-
ed the kettles on which they dressed
their food upon pieces of fossil alkali.
The river sand above which this opera-
tion was performed was vitrilied bv its*
union with the alkali, and thus pro-
duced glass. See Edin. Ency., art.
Glass. It is known that glass was in
quite common use about the commence-
ment of the Christian era. In the reign
of Tiberius an artist had his house de-
molished for making glass malleable.
About this time drinking vessels were
made commonly of glass ; and glass
bottles for holding wine and flowers
were in common use. That glass was
in quite common use has been proved
by the remains that have been discovered
in the ruins of Herculaneum and Pom-
peii. There is, therefore, no impro-
priety in supposing that Paul here may
have alluded to the imperfect and dis-
coloured glass which was then in ex-
tensive use ; for we have no reason to
suppose that it was then as transparent
as that which is now made. It was,
doubtless, an imperfect and obscure
medium, and, therefore, well adapted
to illustrate the nature of our know-
ledge here compared with what it will
be in heaven, f Darkly. Marg. In a
riddle (tv ttlttyfJutfrty-, The word means
a riddle ; an enigma ; then an obscure
intimation. In a riddle a statement is
made with some resemblance to the
truth ; a puzzling question is proposed,
and the solution is left to conjecture.
Hence it means, as here, obscurely
A.D. 59.]
13 And now abideth faith,
a Heb. 10.35,39. lPet.1.21.
CHAPTER XIII.
276
hope, charity, these three ; but
the greatest of these is charity.
darkly, imperfectly. Little is known ;
much is left to conjecture ; a very ac-
curate account of most of that which
passes for knowledge. Compared with
heaven, our knowledge here much re-
sembles the obscure intimations in an
enigma compared with clear statement
and manifest truth. \ But then. In
the fuller revelations in heaven. If Face
to face. As when one looks upon an
object openly, and not through an ob-
scure and dark medium. It here means,
therefore, clearly, without obscurity.
1 / know in part. ver. 9. ^ But then
shall I know. My knowledge shall be
clear and distinct. I shall have a clear
view of those objects which are now so
indistinct and obscure. I shall be in
the presence of those objects about
which I now inquire ; I shall see them ;
I shall have a clear acquaintance with
the divine perfections, plans, and cha-
racter. This does not mean that he
would know every thing, or that he
would be omniscient; but that in regard
to those points of inquiry in which he
was then interested, he would have a
view that would be distinct and clear
a view that would be clear, arising from
the fact that he would be present with
them, and permitted to see them, in-
stead of surveying them at a distance,
and by imperfect mediums. 1 Even as
also lam known. In the same manner
(**3-wc), not to the same extent. It
does not mean that he would know God
as clearly and as fully as God would
know him ; for his remark does not re-
late to the extent, but to the manner
and the comparative clearness of his
knowledge. He would see things as he
was now seen and would be seen there.
It would be face to face. He would
be in their presence. It would not be
where he would be seen clearly and
distinctly, and himself compelled to look
upon all objects confusedly and ob-
scurelv, and through an imperfect me-
lium. But he would be with them ;
would see them face to face ; would see
them without any medium ; would see
them in the same manner as they would
see him. Disembodied spirits, and the
inhabitants of the heavenly world, have
this knowledge ; and when we are there,
we shall see the truths, not at a dis-
tance and obscurely, but plainly and
openly.
13. And now abideth. Remains
(p'tvy). The word means properly to
remain, continue, abide ; and is applied
to persons remaining in a place, in a
state or condition, in contradistinction
from removing or changing their place,
or passing away. Here it must be un-
derstood to be used to denote perma-
nency, when the other things of which
he had spoken had passed away ; and
the sense is, that faith, hope, and love
would remain when the gift of tongues
should cease, and the need of prophecy,
&c. ; that is, these sV. -mid survive them
all. And the connexion certainly re-
quires us to understand him as saying
that faith, hope, and love would survive
all those things of which he had been
speaking, and must, therefore, include
knowledge (ver. 8, 9), as well as mira-
cles and the other endowments of the
Holy Spirit. They would survive them
all ; would be valuable when they
should cease; and should, therefore,
be mainly sought; and of these the
greatest and most important is love.
Most commentators have supposed that
Paul is speaking here only of this life,
and that he means to say that in this
life these three exist ; that " faith, hope,
and charity exist in this scene only, but
that in the future world faith and hope
will be done away, and therefore the
greatest of these is charity." Bloom-
field. See also Doddridge, Macknight,
Rosenmuller, Clarke, &c. But to me
it seems evident that Paul means to
say that faith, hope, and love will sur-
vive all those other things of which he
had been speaking; that they wouhf
276
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 53.
vanish away, o be lost in superior at-
tainments and endowments ; that the
time would come when they would be
useless ; but that faith, hope, and love
would then remain ; but of these, for
important reasons, love was the most
valuable. Not because it would en-
dure the longest, for the apostle does
not intimate that, but because it is more
important to the welfare of others, and
is a more eminent virtue than they are.
As the strain of the argument requires
us to look to another state, to a world
where prophecy shall cease and know-
ledge shall vanish away, so the same
strain of argumentation requires us to
understand him as saying that faith,
and hope, and love will subsist there ;
and that there, as here, LOVE will be
of more importance than faith and hope.
It cannot be objected to this view that
there will be no occasion for faith and
hope in heaven. That is assumed with-
out evidence, and is not affirmed by
Paul. He gives no such intimation.
Faith is confidence in God and in
Christ ; and there will be as much ne-
cessity of confidence in heaven as on
earth. Indeed, the great design of the
plan of salvation is to restore confidence
in God among alienated creatures ; and
heaven could not subsist a moment
without confidence; and faith, there-
fore, must be eternal. No society be
it a family, a neighbourhood, a church,
or a nation; be it mercantile, profes-
sional, or a mere association of friend-
ship can subsist a moment without
mutual confidence or faith, and in hea-
ven such confidence in God MUST sub-
sist for ever. And so of hope. It is
true that many of the objects of hope
will then be realized, and will be suc-
ceeded by possession. But will the
Christian have nothing to hope for in
heaven 1 Will it be nothing to expect
and desire greatly augmented know-
ledge, eternal enjoyment ; perfect peace
; n all coming ages, and the happy so-
ciety of the blessed for ever 1 All heaven
cannot be enjoyed at once ; and if there
is any thing future that is an object
of desire, there will be hope. Hope iu
a compound emotion, made up of a
desire for an object and an expectation
of obtaining it. But both these will
exist in heaven. It is folly to say that
a redeemed saint will not desire there
eternal happiness; it is equal folly to
say that there will be no strong ex-
pectation of obtaining it. All that is
said, therefore, about faith as about to
cease, and hope as not having an exist-
ence in heaven, is said without the au-
thority of the Bible, and in violation of
what must be the truth, and is contrary
to the whole scope of the reasoning of
Paul here. ^ Bat.the greatest of these is
charity. Not because it is to endure the
longest, but because it is the more im-
portant virtue ; it exerts a wider influ
ence ; it is more necessary to the hap-
piness of society ; it overcomes more
evils. It is the great principle which
is to bind the universe in harmony,
which unites God to his creatures, and
his creatures to himself, arid which
binds and confederates all holy beings
with each other. It is therefore more
important, because it pertains to society
to the great kingdom of which God is
the head, and because it enters into the
very conception of a holy and happy
organization. Faith and hope rather
pertain to individuals ; love pertains to
society, and is that without which the
kingdom of God cannot stand. Indi-
viduals may be saved by faith and
hope ; but the whole immense king-
dom of God depends on LOVE. It is,
therefore, of more importance than all
other graces and endowments ; more
important than prophecy and miracles,
and the gift of tongues and knowledge,
because it will SDRV IVE them all ; more
important than faith and hope, because,
although it may co-exist with them, and
though they all shall live for ever, yet
LOVE enters into the very nature of the
kingdom of God ; binds society toge-
ther ; unites the Creator and the cre?-
ture ; and blends the interests of all tbf
redeemed, and of tie angels, and *
God, INTO ONE.
\.D. 59.] CHAPTER XIV. 271
CHAPTER XIV. but rather that ye may pro
|7^OLLOW after charity, and
desire spiritual a gifts;
CHAPTER XIV.
THIS chapter is a continuation of the
subject commenced in ch. xii. and pur-
suec through ch. xiii. In ch. xii. Paul
had entered on the discussion of the
various endowments which the Holy
Spirit confers on Christians, and had
shown that these endowments were be-
stowed in a different degree on different
individuals, and yet so as to promote
in the best way the edification of the
church. It was proper, he said (ch.
xii. 31), to desire the more eminent of
these endowments, and yet there was
one gift of the Spirit of more value than
all others, which might be obtained by
all, and which should be an object of
desire to all. That was LOVE ; and to
show the nature, power, and value of
this, was the design of the thirteenth
chapter, certainly one of the most ten-
der and beautiful portions of the Bible.
In this chapter the subject is continued
with special reference to the subject of
prophecy, as being the most valuable
of the miraculous endowments, or the
extraordinary gifts of the Spirit.
In doing this, it was necessary to
correct an erroneous estimate which
they had placed on the power of speak-
ing foreign languages. They had prized
this, perhaps, because it gave them im-
portance in the eyes of the heathen.
And in proportion as they valued this,
they undervalued the gift of being able
to edify the church by speaking in a
known and intelligible language. To
correct this misapprehension ; to show
the relative value of these endowments,
and especially to recommend the gift
of "prophecy" as the more useful and
desirable of the gifts of the Spirit, was
the leading design of this chapter. In
doing this, Paul first directs them to
seek for charity. He also recommends
to them, as in ch. xii. 31, to desire spi-
ritual endowments, and of these en-
dowments especially to desire prophecy.
24
phesy.
aEph.1.3.
ver. 1. He then proceeds to set forth
the advantage of speaking in intelligible
language, or of speaking so that the
church may be edified, by the follow-
ing considerations, which comprise the
chapter :
1. The advantage of being undei
stood, and of speaking for the edifica-
tion of the church, ver. 2 5.
2. No man could be useful to the
church except he delivered that which
was understood, any more than the
sound of a trumpet in times of war
would be useful, unless it were so
sounded as to be understood by the
army. ver. 6 11.
3. It was the duty of all to seek to
edify the church ; and if a man could
speak in an unknown tongue, it was
his duty also to seek to be able to in-
terpret what he said. ver. 12 15.
4. The use of tongues would pro-
duce embarrassment and confusion,
since those who heard them speak
would be ignorant of what was said,
and be unable to join in the devotions.
ver. 16, 17.
5. Though Paul himself was more
signally endowed than any of them,
yet he prized far more highly the power
of promoting the edification of the
church, though he uttered but five
words, if they were understood, than
all the power which he possessed of
speaking foreign languages, ver. 18, 19.
6. This sentiment illustrated from
the Old Testament, ver. 20, 21.
7. The real use of the power of
speaking foreign languages was to be a
sign to unbelievers, an evidence that
the religion was from God, and not to
be used among those who were already
Christians, ver. 22.
8. The effect of their all speaking
with tongues would be to produce con-
fusion and disorder, and disgust among
observers, and the conviction that they
were deranged ; but the effect of order
278
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D b\)
and ol speaking intelligibly, would be
f.o convince and convert them. ver.
2325.
9. The apostle then gives rules in
regard to the proper conduct of those
who were able to speak foreign lan-
guages, ver. 26 32.
10. The great rule was, that order
was to be observed, and that God was
the author of peace, ver. 33.
11. The apostle then gives a posi-
tive direction that on no pretence are
women to be allowed to speak in the
church, even though they should claim
to be inspired, ver. 34, 35.
12. He then required all to submit
to his authority, and to admit that what
he had spoken was from the Lord. ver.
36, 37. And then,
13. Concludes with directing them
to desire to prophesy, and not to forbid
speaking with tongues on proper occa-
sions, but to do all things in decency
and order, ver. 38 40.
1. Follow after charity. Pursue love
(ch. xiii. 1) ; that is, earnestly desire
it ; strive to possess it ; make it the
object of your anxious and constant
solicitude to obtain it, and to be influ-
enced by it always. Cultivate it in your
own hearts, as the richest and best en-
dowment of the Holy Spirit, and en-
deavour to diffuse its happy influence
on all around you. ^ And desire spi-
ritual gifts. I do not forbid you, while
you make the possession of love your
great object, and while you do not
make the desire of spiritual gifts the
occasion of envy or strife, to desire the
miraculous endowments of the Spirit,
and to seek to excel in those endow-
ments which, he imparts. See Note,
ch. xii. 31. The main thing was to
cultivate a spirit of love. Yet it was
not improper also to desire to be so en-
dowed as to promote their highest use-
fulness in the church. On the phrase
"spiritual gifts," see Note, ch. xii. 1.
t But rather that ye may prophesy.
But especially, or particularly desire to
be qualified for the office of prophesy-
ing. The apostle does not mean to say
that prophecy is to be preferred to love
or charity; but that, of the spiritual
gifts which it was proper for them tc
desire and seek, prophecy was the most
valuable. That is, they were not most
earnestly and especially to desire to be
able to speak foreign languages or to
work miracles ; but they were to desire
to be qualified to speak in a manner
that would be edifying to the church.
They would naturally, perhaps, most
highly prize the power of working mira-
cles and of speaking foreign languages.
The object of this chapter is to show
them that the ability to speak in a plain,
clear, instructive manner, so as to edify
the church and convince sinners, was
a more valuable endowment than the
power of working miracles, or the power
of speaking foreign languages. On the
meaning of the word prophesy, see
Note, Rom. xii. 6. To what is said
there on the nature of this office, it
seems necessary only to add an idea
suggested by Prof. Robinson (Gr. and
Eng. Lexicon, Art. rTgopW), that the
prophets were distinguished from the
teachers (tWao-xaAw), "in that, while
the latter spoke in a calm, connected,
didactic discourse adapted to instruct
and enlighten the hearers, the prophet
spoke more from the impulse of sudden
inspiration, from the light of a sudden
revelation at the moment (1 Cor. xiv,
30, uTrcjtuXi/p&g), and his discourse wan
probably more adapted, by means of
powerful exhortation, to awaken the
feelings and conscience of the hearers."
The idea of speaking from revelation,
he adds, seems to be fundamental to
the correct idea of the nature of the
prophecy here referred to. Yet the
communications of the prophets were
always in the vernacular tongue, and
were always in intelligible language,
and in this respect different from the
endowments of those who spoke foreign
languages. The same truth might be
spoken by both ; the influence of the
Spirit was equally necessary in both ;
both were inspired ; and both answered
important ends in the establishment
and edification of the church. The
gift of tongues, however, as it was the
most striking and remarkable, and pro-
bably the most rare, was nnst highlv
A.D 59.]
2 For he that speaketh in an
Unknown tongue, a speaketh not
onto men. but unto God : for *
no man 1 understandeth him ;
a Acts 10.46. b Acts 22.9. hearelh.
CHAPTER XIV.
27S
howbeit in the spirit he speak-
eth mysteries.
3 But he that prophesieth
speaketh unto men to edifica-
prized and coveted. The object of Paul
here is, to show that it was really an
endowment of less value, and should
be less desired by Christians than the
gift of prophetic instruction, or the abi-
lity to edify the church in language in-
telligible and understood by all, under
the immediate influences of the Holy
Spirit.
2. For he that speaketh in an un-
known tongue. This verse is designed
to show that the faculty of speaking
intelligibly, and to the edification of the
church, is of more value than the power
of speaking a foreign language. The
reason is, that however valuable may
be the endowment in itself, and how-
ever important the truth which he may
utter, yet it is as if he spoke to God
only. No one could understand him.
^ Speaketh not unto men. Does not
speak so that men can understand him.
His address is really not made to men,
that is, to the church. He might have
this faculty without being able to speak
to the edification of the church. It is
possible that the power of speaking fo-
reign languages and of prophesying
were sometimes united in the same
person ; but it is evident that the apos-
tle speaks of them as different endow-
ments, and they probably were found
usually in different individuals, f But
unto God. It is as if he spoke to God.
No one could understand him but God.
This must evidently refer to the ad-
dresses in the church, when Christians
only were present, or when those only
were present who spoke the same lan-
guage, and who were unacquainted
with foreign tongues. Paul says that
there that faculty would be valueless
compared with the power of speaking
in a manner that should edify the
church. He did not undervalue the
power of speaking foreign languages
when foreigners were present, or when
they went to preach to foreigners. See
ver. 22. It was only when it was need-
less, when all present spoke one lan-
guage, that he speaks of it as of com-
paratively little value. \ For no man
understandeth him. That is, no man
in the church, since they all spoke the
same language, and that language was
different from what was spoken by him
who was endowed with the gift of
tongues. As God only could know
the import of what he said, it would be
lost upon the church, and would be
useless. ^ Howbeit in the Spirit. Al-
though, by the aid of the Spirit, he
should, in fact, deliver the most im-
portant and sublime truths. This would
doubtless be the case, that those who
were thus endowed would deliver most
important truths, but they would be
lost upon those who heard them, be-
cause they could not understand them.
The phrase " in the Spirit" evidently
means ' by the Holy Spirit,' i. e. by his
aid and influence. Though he should
be really under the influence of the
Holy Spirit, and though the important
truth which he delivers should be im-
parted by his aid, yet all would be
valueless unless it were understood by
the church. 1 He speaketh mysteries
For the meaning of the word mystery,
see Note, ch. ii. 7. The word here
seems to be synonymous with sublime
and elevated truth ; truth that was not
before known, and that might be of the
utmost importance.
3. But he that prophesieth. Note,
ver. 1. He that speaks under the in-
fluence of inspiration in the common
language of his hearers. This seems
to be the difference between those who
spoke in foreign languages and those
who prophesied. Both were under the
influence of the Holy Spirit; both
might speak the same truths ; both
might occupy an equally important and
aso
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
tion, and exhortation, and com-
fort.
4 He that speaketh in an un-
known tongue edifieth himself;
but he that prophesieth edifieth
the church.
5 I would that ye all spake
with tongues, but rather that ye
prophesied : for greater is he
that prophesieth than he that
speaketh with tongues, except
he interpret, that the church
may receive edifying."
6 Now, brethren, if I come
a ver.26.
necessary place in the church ; but the
language of e the one was intelligible to
the church, the other not; the one was
designed to edify the church, the other
to address those who spoke foreign
tongues, or to give demonstration, by
the power of speaking foreign lan-
guages, that the religion was from God.
t Speaketh unto men. So as to be un-
derstood by those who were present.
1 To edification. Note, ch. x. 8. 23.
Speaks so as to enlighten and strengthen
the church, f And exhortation. See
\ote, Rom. xii. 8. He applies and
enforces the practical duties of religion,
and urges motives for a holy life, f And
comfort. Encouragement. That is, he
presents the promises and the hopes of
the gospel ; the various considerations
adapted to administer comfort in the time
of trial. The other might do this, but
it would be in a foreign language, and
would be useless to the church.
4. Edifieth himself. That is, the
truths which are communicated to him
by the Spirit, and which he utters in
an unknown language, may be valu-
able, and may be the means of strength-
ening his faith, and building him up in
the hopes of the gospel, but they can
be of no use to others. His own holy
affections might be excited by the truths
which he would deliver, and the con-
sciousness of possessing miraculous
powers might excite his gratitude. And
yet, as Dodd ridge has well remarked,
there might be danger that a man might
be injured by this gift when exercised
in this ostentatious manner.
5. / would that ye all spake with
tongues. It is an important endow-
ment, and is not, in its place, to be un-
dervalued. It may be of great service
in the cause of truth, and if properly
regulated, and not abused, I would re-
joice if these extraordinary endowments
were conferred on all. I have no envy
against any who possess it ; no opposi-
tion to the endowment ; but I wish that
it should not be overvalued ; and would
wish to exalt into proper estimation the
more useful but humble gift of speak-
ing for the edification of the church.
1 Greater is he that prophesieth. This
gift is of more value, and he really occu-
pies a more elevated rank in the church.
He is more useful. The idea here is,
that talents are not to be estimated by
their brilliancy, but by their useful-
ness. The power of speaking in an
unknown tongue was certainly a more
striking endowment than that of speak-
ing so as simply to be useful, and yet
the apostle tells us that the latter is the
more valuable. So it is always. A
man who is useful, however humble
and unknown he may be, really occu-
pies a more elevated and venerable rank
than the man of most splendid talents
and dazzling eloquence, who accom-
plishes nothing in saving the souls of
men. t Except he interpret. How-
ever important and valuable the truth
might be which he uttered, it would be
useless to the church, unless he should
explain it in language which they could
understand. In that case, the apostle
does not deny that the power of speak-
ing foreign languages was a higher en-
dowment and more valuable than the
gift of prophecy. That the man who
spoke foreign languages had the power
of interpreting, is evident from this
verse. From ver. 27, it appears that
the office of interpreting was sometimes
performed by others.
6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you,
&c. The truth which the apostle' had
A.D. 59.J
CHAPTER XIV.
281
unto you speaking with tongues,
what shall I profit you, except I
shall speak to you either by re-
velation, or by knowledge, or
by prophesying, or by doc-
trine T
a ver.26.
been illustrating in an abstract manner,
he proceeds to illustrate by applying it
to himself. If he should come among
them speaking foreign languages, it
could be of no use unless it were in-
terpreted to them. ^ Speaking with
tongues. Speaking foreign languages ;
that is, speaking them only, without
any interpreter. Paul had the power
of speaking foreign languages (ver. 18) ;
but he did not use this power for osten-
tation or display, but merely to com-
municate the gospel to those who did
not understand his native tongue.
1 Either by revelation. Macknight
renders this, "speak INTELLIGIBLY;"
that is, as he explains it, " by the re-
velation peculiar to an apostle." Dod-
dridge, " by the revelation of some gos-
pel doctrine and mystery." Locke in-
terprets it, " that you might understand
the revelation, or knowledge," &c. ; but
says in a note, that we cannot now
certainly understand the difference be-
tween the meaning of the four words
here used. " It is sufficient," says he,
" to know that these terms stand for
some intelligible discourse tending to
the edification of the church." Rosen-
miiller supposes the word revelation
stands for some ' clear and open know-
ledge of any truth arising from medita-
tion.' It is probable that the word here
does not refer to divine inspiration, as
it usually does, but that it stands op-
posed to that which is unknown and
unintelligible, as that which is revealed
(uTroKDuy^/f) stands opposed to what is
unknown, concealed, hidden, obscure.
Here, therefore, it is synonymous, per-
haps, with explained. ' What shall it
profit, unless that which I speak be
brought out of the obscurity and dark-
ness of a foreign language, and un-
covered or explained V The original
24*
7 And even things without
life giving sound, whether pipe
or harp, except they give a dis-
tinction in the * sounds, how shall
it be known what is piped
harped ?
i or, tunes.
or
sense of the word revelation here is, I
suppose, intended (a7rcxaA!/'4K> from
ciTrcjcct/.uTprai, to uncover), and means
that the sense should be uncovered,
i. e. explained, or what was spoken
could not be of value. ^ Or by know-
ledge. By making it intelligible. By
so explaining it as to make it under-
stood. Knowledge here stands opposed
to the ignorance and obscurity which
would attend a communication in a
foreign language. ^ Or by prophesy
ing. Note, ver. 1. That is, unless it
be communicated, through interpreta-
tion, in the manner in which the pro-
phetic teachers spoke ; that is, made
intelligible, and explained, and actually
brought down to the usual characteris-
tics of communications made in theii
own language. ^ Or by doctrine. By
teaching OWufcjj). By instruction ; in
the usual mode of plain and familial
instruction. The sense of this passage,
therefore, is clear. Though Paul should
utter among them, as he had abundant
ability to do, the most weighty and im-
portant truths, yet, unless he interpreted
what he said in a manner clear from
obscurity, like revelation,- or intelligibly,
and so as to constitute knowledge,- or
in the manner that the prophets spoke,
in a plain and intelligible manner; or
in the manner usual in simple and plain
instruction, it would be useless to them.
The perplexities of commentators may
be seen stated in Locke, Bloomfield,
and Dodd ridge.
7. Things without life. Instruments
of music. T Whether pipe. This in-
strument (AI/AG?) was usually made of
reeds, and probably had a resemblance
to a flageolet. 1 Or harp. This in-
strument (x<3-a*) was a stringed in-
strument, and was made in the same
way as a modern harp. It usually had
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
8 Foi if the trumpet fl give an
uncertain sound, who shall pre-
pare himself to the battle ?
9 So likewise ye, except ye
utter by the tongue words 1 easy
a Num. 10.9. significant.
to be understood, how shall it be
known what is spoken ? for ye
shall speak into the air.
10 There are, it may be, so
many kinds of voices in the
ten strings, and was struck with the
plectrum, or with a key. It was com-
monly employed in praise. ^ Except
they give a distinction in the sounds.
Unless they give a difference in the
tones, such as are indicated in the
gamut for music, ^f How shall it be
known, &c. That is, there would be
no time, no music. Nothing would be
indicated by it. It would not be fitted
to excite the emotions of sorrow or of
joy. All music is designed to excite
emotions ; but if there be no difference
in the tones, no emotion would be pro-
duced. So it would be in words ut-
tered. Unless there was something
that was fitted to excite thought or
emotion ; unless what was spoken was
made intelligible, no matter how im-
portant in itself it might be, yet it would
be useless.
8. For if the trumpet give an un-
certain sound. The trumpet was used
commonly in war. It is a well-known
wind instrument, and was made of
brass, silver, &c. It was used for va-
rious purposes in war to summon the
soldiers ; to animate them in their
march ; to call them forth to battle ; to
sound a retreat ; and to signify to them
what they were to do in battle, whether
to charge, advance, or retreat, &c. It
therefore employed a language which
was intelligible to an army. An un-
certain sound was one in which none
of these things were indicated, or in
which it could not be determined what
was required. ^ Who shall prepare
himself, &c. The apostle selects a
single instance of what was indicated
by the trumpet, as an illustration of
what he meant The idea is, that fo-
reign tongues spoken in their assembly
would be just as useless in regard to
their duty, their comfort, and edifica-
tion, as would be the sound of a trum-
pet when it gave one of the usual and
intelligible sounds by which it was
known what the soldiers were required
to do. Just as we would say, that the
mere beating on a drum would be use-
less, unless some tune was played by
which it was known that the soldiers
were summoned to the parade, to ad-
vance, or to retreat.
9. So likewise ye, &c. To apply tho
case. If you use a foreign language
how shall it be known what is said, 01
of what use will it be, unless it is mad*
intelligible by interpretation 1 1 Utlet
by the tongue. Unless you speak
T[ Words easy to be understood. Signi
ficant words (margin), words to which
your auditors are accustomed. T Fm
ye shall speak into the air. You will
not speak so as to be understood ; ana
it will be just the same as if no oni
was present, and you spoke to the air
We have a proverb that resembles this
" You may as well speak to the winds ;'
that is, you speak where it would noi
be understood, or where the words
would have no effect. It may be ob-
served here, that the practice of the
papists accords with what the apostle
here condemns, where worship is con-
ducted in a language not understood
by the people ; and that there is much
of this same kind of speaking now,
where unintelligible terms are used, or
words are employed that are above the
comprehension of the people ; or where
doctrines are discussed which are un-
intelligible, and which are regarded by
them without interest. All preaching
should be plain, simple, perspicuous,
arid adapted to the capacity of the
hearers.
10. There are, it may be, &c. There
has been considerable variety in the in-
terpretation of this expression. Kosen-
muller renders it. " for the sake of ex
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER XIV.
2*3
world, and none of them is with-
out signification.
1 1 Therefore if I know not
the meaning of the voice, I sha.l
be unto him that speaketh a bar-
barian ; a and he that speaketh
shall be a barbarian unto me.
a Rom.1.14.
12 Even so ye, forasmuch as
ye are zealous of l spiritual gifts,
seek that ye may excel to the
edifying of the church.
13 Wherefore let him that
speaketh in an unknown tongue,
pray that he may interpret.
spirits.
ample." Grotius supposes that Paul
meant to indicate that there were, per-
haps, or might be, as many languages
as the Jews supposed, to wit, seventy.
Beza and others suppose it means, that
there may be as many languages as
there are nations of men. Bloomfield
renders it, " Let there be as many kinds
of languages as you choose." Mac-
knight, " There are, no doubt, as many
kinds of languages in the world as ye
speak." Robinson (Lex.) renders it,
" If so happen, it may be ; perchance,
perhaps ;" and says the phrase is equi-
valent to " for example." The sense
is, ' There are perhaps, or for example,
very many kinds of voices in the world ;
and all are significant. None are used
by those who speak them without mean-
ing ; none speak them without design-
ing to convey some intelligible idea to
their hearers.' The argument is, that
as all the languages that are in the
world, however numerous they are, are
for utility, and as none are used for
the sake of mere display, so it should
be with those who had the power of
speaking them in the Christian church.
They should speak them only when
and where they would be understood.
^ Voices. Languages.
11. The meaning of the voice. Of
the language that is uttered, or the
sounds that are made, ^ / shall be
unto him, &c. What I say will be
unintelligible to him, and what he
says will be unintelligible to me. We
cannot understand one another any
more than people can who speak differ-
8nt languages, f A barbarian. See
Note, Rom. i. 14. The word means
one who speaks a different, or a foreign
language.
12. Even so ye. Since you desire
spiritual gifts, I may urge it upon you
to seek to be able to speak in a clear
and intelligible manner, that you may
edify the church. This is one of the
most valuable endowments of the Spi-
rit; and this should be earnestly de-
sired. 1 Forasmuch as ye are zealous,
Since you earnestly desire. Note, ch,
xii, 31. 1 Spiritual gifts. The endow
ments conferred by the Holy Spirit.
Note, ch. xii. 1 . Tf Seek that ye may
excel, &c. Seek that you may be able
to convey truth in a clear and plain
manner ; seek to be distinguished for
that. It is one of the most rare and
valuable endowments of the Holy Spirit.
13. Pray that he may interpret.
Let htm ask of God ability that he may
explain it clearly to the church. It
would seem probable that the power
of speaking foreign languages, and the
power of conveying truth in a clear and
distinct manner, were not always found
in the same person, and that the one
did not of necessity imply the other.
The truth seems to have been, that
these extraordinary endowments of the
Holy Spirit were bestowed on men in
some such way as ordinary talents and
mental powers are now conferred ; and
that they became in a similar sense the
characteristic menial endowments of
the individual, and of course were sub-
ject to the same laws, and liable to the
same kinds of abuse, as mental endow-
ments are now. And as it now hap-
pens that one man may have a peculiar
faculty for acquiring and expressing
himself in a foreign language who may
not be by any means distinguished foi
clear enunciation, or capable of convey-
ing his ideas in an interesting mannei
to a congregation, so it was then. The
apostle, therefore, directs such, if any
284
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
14 For if I pray in an un-
known tongue, my spirit pray-
eth ; but my understanding i
unfruitful.
there were, instead of priding them-
selves on their endowments, and in-
stead of always speaking in an un-
known tongue, which would be useless
to the church, to pray for the more
useful gift of being able to convey their
thoughts in a clear and intelligible man-
ner in their vernacular tongue. This
would be useful. The truths, there-
fore, that they had the power of speak-
ing with eminent ability in a foreign
language, they ought to desire to be
able to interpret so that they would be
intelligible to the people whom they
addressed in the church. This seems
to me to be the plain meaning of this
passage, which has given so much per-
plexity to commentators. Macknight
renders it, however, " Let him who
prayeth in a foreign language, pray so
as SOME ONE may interpret;" meaning
that he who prayed in a foreign lan-
guage was to do it by two or three
sentences at a time, so that he might
be followed by an interpreter. But
this is evidently forced. In order to
this, it is needful to suppose that the
phrase o x*xv, " that speaketh," should
be rendered, contrary to its obvious and
usual meaning, " who prays," and to
supply T/?, some one, in the close of
the verse. The obvious interpretation
is that which is given above ; and this
proceeds only on the supposition that
the power of speaking foreign lan-
guages and the power of interpreting
were not always united in the same
person a supposition that is evidently
true, as appears from ch. xii. 10.
14. For if I pray, &c. The refer-
ence to prayer here, and to singing in
ver. 15, is designed to illustrate the pro-
priety of the general sentiment which
he is defending, that public worship
should be conducted in a language that
would be intelligible to the people.
However well meant it might be, or
however the heart might be engaged
in it, vet, unless it was intelligible, and
the understanding could join in it, i
would be vain and profitless. ^ M?
spirit prayeth. The word spirit her*
(jrvey^a) has been variously understood.
Some have understood it of the Hol.r
Spirit the Spirit by which Paul sayr
he was actuated. Others of the spi-
ritual gift, or that spiritual influence
by which he was endowed. Others ol
the mind itself. But it is probable that
the word " spirit" refers to the will; or
to the mind, as the seat of the affections
and emotions ; i. e. to the heart, desires,
or intentions. The word spirit is often
used in the Scriptures as the seat of
the affections, emotions, and passions
of various kinds. See Matt. v. 3,
" Blessed are the poor in spirit." Luke
x. 21, "Jesus rejoiced in spirit." So
it is the seat of ardour or fervour (Luke
i. 17. Acts xviii. 25. Rom. xii. 11) ; of
grief or indignation. Mark iii. 1 2. John
xi. 33; xiii. 21. Acts xvii. 16. It re-
fers also to feelings, disposition, or tern
per of mind, in Luke ix. 55. Rom. viii.
15. Here it refers, it seems to me, to
the heart, the will, the disposition, the
feelings, as contradistinguished from
the understanding ; and the sense is,
' My feelings find utterance in prayer ;
my heart is engaged in devotion ; my
prayer will be acceptable to God, who
looks upon the feelings of the heart,
and I may have true enjoyment; but
my understanding will be unfruitful,
that is, will not profit others. What I
say will not be understood by them ;
and of course, however much benefit
I might derive from my devotions, yet
they would be useless to others.' ^ But
my understanding (o At vwc /MCW). My
intellect, my mind ; my mental efforts
and operations. | Is unfruitful. Pro-
duces nothing that will be of advantage
to them. It is like a barren tree ; a tree
that bears nothing that can be of bene-
fit to others. They cannot understand
what I say, and, of course, they canu ti
be profited by what I utter
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER XIV
285
15 What is it then? I will
pray with the spirit, and I will
pray with the understanding
also : I will sing b with the spi-
aJno.4.24. b Eph.5.19. Col.3.16.
rit, and I will sing with the un-
derstanding 'also.
16 Else, when thou shalt bless
with the
spirit, how
c Ps.47.7.
shall he
15. What is it then? What shall I
do ] What is the proper course for me
to pursue] What is my practice and
my desire 1 See the same form of ex-
pression in Rom. iii. 9, and vi. 15. It
indicates the conclusion to which the
reasoning had conducted him, or the
course which he would pursue in view
of all the circumstances of the case.
t / will pray with the spirit, &c. I
will endeavour to blend all the advan-
tages which can be derived from prayer ;
I will unite all the benefits which can
result to myself and to others. I deem
it of vast importance to pray with the
spirit in such a way that the heart and
the affections may be engaged, so that I
may myself derive benefit from it ; but
I will also unite with that, utility to
others ; I will use such language that
they may understand it, and be profited.
^ And I will pray with the under-
standing also. So that others may un-
derstand me. I will make the appro-
priate use of the intellect, so that it may
convey ideas, and make suitable im-
pressions on the minds of others. ^ /
will sing with the spirit. It is evident
that the same thing might take place in
singing which occurred in prayer. It
might be in a foreign language, and
might be unintelligible to others. The
affections of the man himself might be
excited, and his heart engaged in the
duty, but it would be profitless to others.
Paul, therefore, says that he would so
celebrate the praises of God as to excite
the proper affections in his own mind,
and so as to be intelligible and profitable
to others. This passage proves, (1.)
That the praises of God are to be cele-
brated among Christians, and that it
is an important part of worship ; (2.)
That the heart should be engaged in it,
and that it should be so performed as to
excite proper affections in the hearts of
Ihose who are engaged in it ; and, (3.)
That it should be so done as to be in-
telligible and edifying to others. The
words should be so uttered as to be
distinct and understood. There should
be clear enunciation as well as in prayer
and preaching, since the design of sa-
cred music in the worship of God is
not only to utter praise, but it is to im-
press the sentiments which are sung on
the heart by the aid of musical sounds
and expression more deeply than could
otherwise be done. If this is not done,
the singing might as well be in a fo-
reign language. Perhaps there is no
part of public worship in which there
is greater imperfection than in the mode
of its psalmody. At the same time,
there is scarcely any part of the devo-
tions of the sanctuary that may be
made more edifying or impressive. It
has the advantage an advantage which
preaching and praying have not of
using the sweet tones of melody and
harmony to impress sentiment on the
heart ; and it should be done.
16. Else ('*). Since; if this is
not done ; if what is said is not intel-
ligible, how shall the unlearned be able
appropriately to express his assent, and
join in your devotions 1 ^ When thou
shalt bless. When thou shalt bless God,
or give thanks to him. If thou shalt
lead the devotions of the people in ex
pressing thanksgiving for mercies and
favours. This may refer to a part of
public worship, or to the thanks which
should be expressed at table, and the
invocation of the divine blessing to at-
tend the bounties of his providence.
Paul had illustrated his subject by
prayer and by singing ; he now does
it by a reference to the important part
of public worship expressed in giving
thanks. ^ With the spirit. In the
manner referred to above ; tnat is, in
an unknown tongue, in such a way
that your own heart n>ay be engaged
'286
I. CORINTHIANS.
that occupieth the room of the
unlearned, say Amen at thy giv-
ing of thanks ? seeing he under-
standeth not what thou sayest.
17 For thou verily givest
thanks well, but the other is not
edified.
18 I thank my God, I speak
a c.l 124.
[A. D. 59
with tongues more than ye all.
19 Yet in the church I had
rather speak five words with my
understanding, that by my voice
I might teach others also, than
ten thousand words in an un~
I known tongue.
20 Brethren, be not b children
b Eph.4.14.15. Heb.6.1 3. 2Pet.3.18.
in it, but which would be unintelligible
to others, f He that occupieth the
room. Is in the place, or the seat of
the unlearned ; that is, he who is un-
learned. On the meaning of the word
room, see Note, Luke xiv. 8. To fill j
a place means to occupy a station, or |
to be found in a state or condition.
^ Of the unlearned (TOU *V*w<r;y). On
the meaning of this word, see Note,
Acts iv. 13. Here it means one who
was unacquainted with the foreign lan-
guage spoken by him who gave thanks.
It properly denotes a man in private,
in contradistinction from a nv ..J pub-
lic life ; and hence a man w\io is igno-
rant and unlettered, as such men gene- j
rally were. ^ Say Amen. This word
means truly, verily ; and is an ex- :
pression of affirmation (John iii. 5)
or of assent. Here it means assent.
How can he pronounce the AMEN ; how
can he express his assent; how can
he join in the act of devotion 1 This
might have been, and probably was, '
expressed aloud ; and there is no im-
propriety in it. It may, however, be
mental a silent assent to what is said,
and a silent uniting in the act of thanks-
giving. In one way or the other, or in*
both, the assent should always be ex-
pressed by those who join in acts of
public worship.
17. For thou verily givest thanks well.
That is, even if you use a foreign lan-
guage. You do it with the heart ; and ,
it is accepted by God as your offering ;
but the other, who cannot understand it,
cannot be benefited by it.
18. / thank my God. Paul here
shows that he did not undervalue or de-
spise the power of speaking foreign
languages. It was with him a subject
of thanksgiving that he could speak so
many ; but he felt that there were more
valuable endowments than this. See
the next verse. \ With tongues more
than ye all. I am able to speak more
foreign languages than all of you.
How many languages Paul could
speak, he has nowhere told us. It is
reasonable, however, to presume that he
was able to speak the language of any
people to -whom God in his providence,
and by his Spirit, called him to preach,
He had been commissioned to preach
to the Gentiles, and it is probable that
he was able to speak the languages of
all the nations among whom he ever
travelled. There is no account of his
being under a necessity of employing
an interpreter wherever he preached.
19. Yet in the church. In the
Christian assembly. The word church
does not refer to the edifice where
Christians worshipped, but to the or-
ganized body of Christians. ^ / had
rather, &c. It is probable that in the
Christian assembly, usually, there were
few who understood foreign languages.
Paul, therefore, would not speak in
a foreign language when its only use
would be mere display. ^ With my
understanding. So as to be intelligible
to others ; so that / might understand
it, and so that at the same time others
might be benefited.
20. Brethren, be not children in un-
derstanding. Be not childish ; do not
behave like little children- They ad-
mire, and are astonished at what is
striking, novel, and what may be of no
real utility. They are pleased with
any thing that will amuse them, and at
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XIV
287
in understanding . howbeit in
malice be " ye children, but in
understanding be 'men. 4
a Ps. 131. 2. Matt.18.3. Roin.16.19. lPet.2.2.
perfect, or of a riper age. b Ps. 1 14.99.
21 In the law c it is written,
d With men of other tongues and
other lips will I speak unto this
cJno.10.34. dlsa.28.11,12.
.ittle things that afford them play and
pastime. So your admiration of a fo-
reign language, and of the ability to
apeak it, is of as little solid value as the
common sports and plays of boys.
This, says Dodd ridge, is an admirable
stroke of oratory, and adapted to bring
down their pride by showing them that
those things on which they were dis-
posed to value themselves were really
'hildish. It is sometimes well to ap-
peal to Christians in this manner, and
to show them that what they are en-
gaged in is unworthy the dignity of
the understanding unfit to occupy the
time and attention of an immortal
mind. Much, alas ! very much, of that
which engages the attention of Chris-
tians is just as unworthy of the dig-
nity of the mind, and of their immortal
nature, as were the aims and desires
which the apostle rebuked among the
Christians at Corinth. Much that per-
tains to dress, to accomplishment, to
living, to employment, to amusement,
to conversation, will appear, when we
;ome to die, to have been like the play-
vhings of children , and we shall feel
that the immortal mind has been em-
ployed, and the time wasted, and the
itrength exhausted in that which was
foolish and puerile, t Howbeit in ma-
lice be ye children. This is one of
Paul's most happy turns of expression
and of sentiment. He had just told
them that in one respect they ought not
to be children. Yet, as if this would
appear to be speaking lightly of child-
ren and Paul would not speak lightly
of any one, even of a child he adds,
that in another respect it would be well
to be like them nay, not only like
children, but like infants. The phrase
" be ye children," here, does not express
the force of the original vvdm. It
means, ' be infants, 1 and is emphatic,
and was used, evidently, by the apostle
of design. The meaning may be thus
expressed. * Your admiration of fo-
reign languages is like the sports and
plays of childhood. In this respect be
not children (arauJit) ; be men. Lay
aside such childish things. Act worthy
of the understanding which God has
given you. I have mentioned children.
Yet I would not speak unkindly or with
contempt even of them. In one respect
you may imitate them. Nay, you should
not only be like children, that are some-
what advanced in years, but like zn-
fants. Be as free from malice, from
any ill-will toward others, from envy,
and every improper passion, as they are.'
This passage, therefore, accords with
the repeated declaration of the Saviour,
that in order to enter into heaven, i*.
was needful that we should become as
little children. Matt, xviii. 3. ^ Be
men. Margin, ' Perfect, or of a riper
age' (TSAR'S/). The word means full
grown men. Act like them whose un-
derstandings are mature and ripe.
21. In the law it is written. Thii
passage is found in Isa. xxviii. 11, 12.
The word law here seems to mean the
same as revelation ; or is used to denote
the Old Testament in general. A simi-
lar use occurs in John x. 34, and John
xv. 25. K With men of other tongues,
&c. This passage, where it occurs in
Isaiah, means, that God would teach the
rebellious and refractory Jews submis-
sion to himself, by punishing them
amidst a people of another language, by
removing. them to a land the land of
Chaldea where they would hear only
a language that to them would be unin-
telligible and barbarous. Yet, notwith-
standing this discipline, they would be
still, to some extent, a rebellious people.
The passage in Isaiah has no reference
to the miraculous gift of tongues, and
cannot have been used by the apostle
as containing any intimation that such
miraculous gifts would be imparted. It
seems to have been used by Paul, be-
2S8
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D.
people ; and yet for all that will
they not hear me, saith the Lord.
122 Wherefore tongues are for
a sign, " not to them 6 that believe,
a Mark 16.17. Acts2.6,&c. & lTim.1.9.
but to them that believe not : but
prophesying serveth not for them
that believe not, but for them
which believe.
cause the words which occurred in
Isaiah would appropriately express the
idea which he wished to convey (see
Note, Matt. i. 23), that God would
make use of foreign languages for some
valuable purpose. But he by no means
intimates that Isaiah had any such re-
ference ; nor does he quote this as a ful-
filment of the prophecy ; nor does he
mean to say, that God would accom-
plish the same purpose by the use of
foreign languages, which was contem-
plated in the passage in Isaiah. The
sense is, as God accomplished an im-
portant purpose by the use of a foreign
language in regard to his ancient peo-
ple, as recorded in Isaiah, so he will
make use of foreign languages to ac-
complish important purposes still. They
shall be used in the Christian church
to effect important objects, though not
in the same manner, nor for the same
end, as in the time of the captivity.
What the design of making use of fo-
reign languages was, in the Christian
church, the apostle immediately states,
ver. 22, 23. ^ Yet for all that, &c.
Notwithstanding all this chastisement
that shall be inflicted on the Jews in a
distant land, and among a people of a
different language, they will still be a
reoellious people. This is the sense of
the passage, a& it is used by Isaiah. See
Isa. xxviii. 12. It is not quoted literally
by the apostle, but the main idea is re-
tained. He does not appear to design
to apply this to the Corinthians, unless
it may be to intimate that the power of
speaking foreign languages did not of
necessity secure obedience. It might
be that this power might be possessed,
and yet they be a sinful people ; just as
the Jews were admonished by the judg-
ments ef God, inflicted by means of a
people speaking a foreign language,
and yet we-e not reformed or made
boly
22. Wherefore. Thus ("dfn), or
wherefore. The apostle does not mean
to say that what he was about to state
was a direct conclusion from the pas-
sage of Scripture which he had quoted,
but that it followed from all that he had
said, and from the whole view of the
subject. ' The true statement or doc-
trine is, that tongues are for a sign,' &c.
If Tongues. The power of speaking
foreign languages. T Are for a sign.
An indication, an evidence, or a proof
that God has imparted this power, and
that he attends the preaching of the
gospel with his approbation. It is a
sign, or a miracle, which, like all other
miracles, may be designed to convince
the unbelieving world that the religion
is from God. t Not to them that be-
lieve. Not to Christians. They are
already convinced of the truth of reli-
gion, and they would not be benefited
by that which was spoken in a language
which they could not understand.
^ But to them that believe not. It is a
miracle designed to convince them of
the truth of the Christian religion.
God alone could confer the power of
thus speaking ; and as it was conferred
expressly to aid in the propagation of
the gospel, it proved that it was from
God. See Note on Acts ii. 115.
^ But prophesy ing. Speaking in a calm,
connected, didactic manner, in language
intelligible to all under the influence of
inspiration. See Notes on ver. 1. ^ For
them that believe not. Is not particu-
larly intended for them ; but is intend-
ed mainly for the edifying of the church
It is not so striking, so replete with
proofs of the divine presence and pow-
er as the gift of tongues. Though il
may be really under the influence of
the Holy Spirit, and may be really by
inspiration, yet it is not so evidently
such as is the power of speaking fo-
reign languages. It was, therefore, bet-
A.D 59.]
CHAPTER XIV.
23 If therefore the whole
church be come together into
one place, and all speak with
tongues, and there come in those
that are unlearned or unbeliev-
ter adapted to edify the church than to
convince gainsay ers. At the same time
the truths conveyed by it, and the con-
solations administered by it, might be as
clear evidence to the church of the at-
tending power, and presence, and good-
ness of God, as the power of speaking
foreign languages might be to infidels.
23. Be come together into one place.
For public worship. ^And all speak
with tongues. All speak with a variety
of unknown tongues ; all speak foreign
languages. The idea is, that the church
would usually speak the same language
with the people among whom they
dwelt ; and if they made use of foreign
languages which were unintelligible to
their visitors, it would leave the impres-
sion that the church was a bedlam.
lAnd there come in those that are un-
learned. Those that are unacquainted
with foreign languages, and to whom,
therefore, what was said would be unin-
telligible. ^Or unbelievers. Heathen,
or Jews, who did not believe in Christ.
It is evident from this, that such per-
sons often attended on the worship of
Christians. Curiosity might have led
them to it ; or the fact that they had
relatives among Christians might have
caused it. U That ye are mad. They
will not understand what is said; it
will be a confused jargon ; and they
will infer that it is the effect of insanity.
Even though it might not, therefore, be
i itself improper, yet a regard to the
honour of Christianity should have led
them to abstain from the use of such
languages in their worship when it was
needless. The apostles were charged,
from a similar cause, with being intoxi-
cated. See Acts ii. 13.
24. But if all prophesy. Note, ver.
1. If all, in proper order and time,
shall utter the truths of religion in a
language intelligible to all. t Or one
25
ers, will they not say that ye are
mad ?"
24 But if all prophesy, and
there come in one that believeth
not, or one unlearned, he is con-
a Acts 2.13.
unlearned. One unacquainted with the
nature of Christianity, or the truths of
the gospel. ^He is convinced of all.
He will be convinced by all that speak.
He will understand what is said ; he
will see its truth and force, and he will
be satisfied of the truth of Christianity.
The word here rendered convinced
(t\iy-%rrdt') is rendered reprove in John
xvi. 8, " And when he is come, he will
reprove the world of sin," &c. Its pro-
per meaning is to convict, to show one
to be wrong ; and then to rebuke, re-
prove, admonish, &c. Here it means,
evidently, that the man would be con-
victed, or convinced of his error and of
his sin ; he would see that his former
opinions and practice had been wrong;
he would see and acknowledge the force
and truth of the Christian sentiments
which should be uttered, and would ac-
knowledge the error of his former opi-
nions and life. The following verse
shows that the apostle means something
more than a mere convincing of the un-
derstanding, or a mere conviction that
his opinions had been erroneous. He
evidently refers to what is now known
also as conviction for sin ; that is, a deep
sense of the depravity of the heart, of
the errors and follies of the past life,
accompanied with mental anxiety, dis-
tress, and alarm. The force of truth,
and the appeals which should be made,
and the observation of the happy effects
of religion, would convince him that he
was a sinner, and show him also his
need of a Saviour. \He is judged by all.
By all that speak ; by all that they say.
The effect of what they say shall be, as
it were, to pass a judgment on his
former life ; or to condemn him. What
is said will be approved by his own con-
science, and will have the effect to con-
demn him in his own view as a lost
sinner. Thi is now the effect of faith-
290
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59.
of all, he is judged of all :
25 And thus are the secrets
of his heart made manifest ; and
so, falling down on his face, he
will worship God, and report
that God is " in you of a truth.
a!sa.45.14.Zech.8.23.
26 How is t then, brethren?
when ye come together, every one
of you hath a psalm, hath a doc-
trine, * hath a tongue, hath a reve-
lation, hath an interpretation. Let
c all things be done unto edifying.
ft ver.G. c ver.40.
ful preaching, to produce deep self-con-
demnation in the minds of sinners.
25. And thus are the secrets of his
heart made manifest. Made manifest to
himself in a surprising and remarkable
manner. He shall be led to see the
real designs arid motives of his heart.
His conscience would be awakened ; he
would recall his former course of life ;
he would see that it was evil ; and the
present state of his heart would be made
known to himself. It is possible that he
would suppose that the speaker was aim-
ing directly at him, and revealing his
feelings to others ; for such an effect is
often produced. The convicted sinner
often supposes that the preacher particu-
larly intends him, and wonders that he
has such an acquaintance with his feel-
ings and his life ; and often supposes
that he is designing to disclose his feel-
ings to the congregation. It is possible
that Paul here may mean that the pro-
phets, by inspiration, would be able to
reveal some secret facts in regard to the
stranger; or to state the ill design which
he might have had in coming into the
assembly ; or to state some things in re-
gard to him which could be known only
to himself; as was the case with Ananias
and Sapphira (Acts v. 1, seq.) ; but
perhaps it is better to understand this
in a more general sense, as describing
the proper and more common effect of
truth, when it is applied by a man's own
conscience. Such effects are often wit-
nessed now ; and such effects show the
truth of religion; its adaptedness to men;
the omniscience and the power of God ;
the design of the conscience, and its
use in the conversion of sinners. T And
so falling down on his face. The usual
posture of worship or reverence in east-
ern countries. It was performed by
sinking on the knees and hands,and then
placing the face on the ground. This
might be done publicly ; or the apostle
may mean to say that it would lead him
to do it in private, t He will worship
God. He will be converted, and become
a Christian, f And report that God,
&c. Will become your friend, and an
advocate for the Christian religion. An
enemy will be turned to a friend. Doubt-
less this was often done. It is now often
done. Paul's argument is, that they
should so conduct their public devotions
as that they should be adapted to pro-
duce this result.
26. How is it then, brethren ? Note,
ver. 15. What is the fact? What actual-
ly occurs among you ? Does that state
of things exist which I have described 1
Is there that order in your public worship
which is demanded and proper ] It is
implied in his asking this question that
there might be some things among them
which were improper, and which deserv-
ed reproof. K When ye come together.
For worship. ^ Every one of you, &c.
That is, all the things which are speci-
fied would be found among them. It is,
evidently, not meant that all these things
would be found in the same person, but
would all exist at the same time ; and
thus confusion and disorder would be
inevitable. Instead of waiting for an
intimation from the presiding officer in
the assembly, or speaking in succession
and in order, each one probably regar^P
ed himself as under the influence of the
Holy Spirit; as having an important
message to communicate, or as being
called on to celebrate the praises of God*
and thus contusion and disorder would
prevail. Many would be speaking at
the same time, and a most unfavourable
impression would be made on the minds
of the si-rangers who should be present
ver. 23. This implied reproof of th* 5
. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XIV. 291
28 But if there be no inter-
27 If any man speak in an i
unknown tongue, let it be by j pretejr, let him keep silence in
two, or at the most by three,
and that by course ; and let one
interpret.
Corinthians is certainly a reproof of those
public assemblies where many speak at
the same time ; or where a portion are
engaged in praying, and others in ex-
hortation. Nor can it be urged that in
such cases those who engage in these
exercises are under the influence of the
Holy Spirit ; for, however true that may
be, yet it is no more true than it was in
Corinth, and yet the apostle reproved the
practice there. The Holy Spirit is the
author of order, and not of confusion
(ver. 33) ; and tiue religion prompts to
peace and regularity, and not to discord
and tumult. 1 Hath a psalm. Is dis-
posed to sing; is inclined to praise; and,
however irregular or improper,expresses
his thanks in a public manner. Note,
ver. 15. 1 Hath a doctrine. Has some
religious truth on his rnind which he
deems it of special importance to incul-
cate. Note, ver. 6. 1 Hath a tongue.
Has something made known to him in
a foreign language ; or has a power of
speaking a foreign language, and exer-
cises it, though it produces great confu-
sion. Y Hath a revelation. Some truth
which has been particularly revealed to
him ; perhaps an explanation of some
mystery (Doddridge) \ or a revelation
of some future event (Macknight) ; or
a prophecy (Bloom-field} ; or a power of
explaining some of the truths couched in
the types and figures of the Old Testa-
ment. Grotius. ^f Hath an interpre-
tation. An explanation of something
that has been uttered by another in a
foreign language. Note, ch. xii. 10.
1 Let all things, &c. Let this be the
great principle, to promote the edifica-
tion of the church. Note, ver. 12. If
this rule were followed, it would prevent
confusion and disorder.
27. Let it be by two, or at the most
by three. That is, two, or at most three
in one day, or in one meeting. So Gro-
the church ; and let him speak
to himself and to God.
29 Let a the prophets speak
aver.39. lThess.5. 19,20.
tius, Rosenmuller, Doddridge, Bloom-
field, and Locke understand it. It is
probable that many were endowed with
the gift of tongues ; and it is certain that
they were disposed to exercise the gift
even when it could be of no real advan-
tage, and when it was done only for
ostentation. Paul had shown to them
(ver. 22) that the main design of the
gift of tongues was to convince unbeliev-
ers ; he here shows them that if that gift
was exercised in the church, it should
be in such a way as to promote edifica-
tion. They should not speak at the
same time ; nor should they regard it as
necessary that all should speak at the
same meeting. It should not be so as
to produce disorder and confusion ; nor
should it be so as to detain the people
beyond a reasonable time, /he speak-
ers,therefore,in any one assembly should
not exceed two or three. ^ And that
by course. Separately ; one after an j
other. They -should not all speak at thff
same time. Tf And let one interpret.
One who has the gift of interpreting
foreign languages (Note, ch. xii. 10),
so that they may be understood, and the
church be edified.
28. But if there be no interpreter.
If there be no one present who has the
gift of interpretation, f And let him
speak to himself end to God. See
Note, ver. 2. 4. Let him commune
with himself, and with God ; let him
meditate on the truths which are reveal-
ed to him, svnd let him in secret express
his desires to God.
29. Let the prophets. Note, ver. 1.
H Speak two or three. On the same days,
or at the same meeting. Note, ver. 27.
1 And let the other judge. The word
"other" (zi \>.ci, the others"), Bloomfield
supposes refers to the other prophets ,
and that the meaning is, that they should
decide whether what was said was die
293
1. CORINTHIANS.
two or three and let the other
judge.
30 If any thing be revealed
to another that sitteth by, let the
" first hold his peace
a Job 32.11.
tated by the Holy Spirit, or not. But
the more probable sense, I think, is that
which refers it to the rest of the congre-
gation, and which supposes that they
were to compare one doctrine with an-
other,and deliberate on what was spoken,
and determine whether it had evidence
of being in accordance with the truth.
It may be that the apostle here refers to
those who had the gift of discerning spi-
rits, and that he meant to say that they
were to determine by what spirit the
prophets who spoke were actuated. It
was possible that those who claimed to
be prophets might err ; and it was the
duty of all to examine whether that
which was uttered was in accordance
with truth. And if this was a duty then,
it is a duty now ; if it was proper even
when the teachers claimed to be under
divine inspiration, it is much more the
duty of the people now. No minister
of religion has a right to demand that
all that he speaks shall be regarded
as truth, unless he can give good reasons
for it : no man is to be debarred from the
right of canvassing freely, and comparing
with the Bible, and with sound reason,
all that the minister of the gospel ad-
vances. No minister who has just views
of his office, and a proper acquaintance
with the truth, and confidence in it,
would desire to prohibit the people from
the most full and free examination of all
that he utters. It may be added, that
the Scripture everywhere encourages the
most full and free examination of all
doctrines that are advanced ; and that
true religion advances just in proportion
as this spirit of candid, and earnest, and
prayerful examination prevails among
a people. See Note, Acts xvii. 11.
Comp. iThess. v. 21.
30. If any thing be rt sealed to another.
If, while one is speaking, an important
truth is revealed to another, or is sug
[A.H.59
31 For ye may all prophesy
one by one, that all may learn,
and all may be comforted.
32 And the spirits 1 of the pro-
phets are subject to the prophets.
b Uno.4.1.
gested to his mind by the Holy Spirit,
which he feels it to be important to com-
municate. 1 Let the first hold his peace.
That is, let him that was speaking con-
clude his discourse, and let there not be
the confusion arising from two persons
speaking at the same time. Doddridge
understands this as meaning, that he to
whom the revelation was made should
sit still, until the other was done speak-
ing, and not rise and rudely interrupt
him. But this is to do violence to the
language. So Macknight understands
it, that the one who was speaking was
first to finish his discourse, and be silent,
before the other began to speak. But
this is evidently a forced construction.
Locke understands it as meaning, that
if, while one was speaking, the meaning
of what he said was revealed to another,
the first was to cease speaking until the
other had interpreted or explained it.
But the obvious meaning of the passage
is, that the man that was speaking was to
close his discourse and be silent. It does
not follow, however, that he was to be
rudely interrupted. He might close his
discourse deliberately, or perhaps by an
intimation from the person to whom the
revelation was made. At any rate, two
were not to speak at the same time, but
the one who was speaking was to con
elude before the other addressed the
assembly.
31. For ye may all prophesy, &c.
There is time enough for all ; there is
no need of speaking in confusion and
in disorder. Every person may have an
opportunity of expressing his sentiments
at the proper time. ^ That all may
learn. In such a manner that there may
be edification. This might be done if
they would speak one at a time in their
proper order.
32. And the spirits of the prophets
See in ver. 1 for the meaning of the word
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER XIV.
293
33 For God is not the ait
thor of ' confusion, but of peace,
* tumult, or unquittness.
as in all churches of the
saints.
ac.ll.16.
prophets. The evident meaning of this
ia, that they were able to control their
inclination to speak ; they were not
under a necessity of speaking, even
though they might be inspired. There
was no need of disorder. This verse
giveci confirmation to the supposition,
that the extraordinary endowments of
the Holy Spirit were subjected to sub-
stantially the same tews as a man's na-
tural endowments. They were conferred
by the Holy Ghost ; but they were con-
ferred on free agents, and did not inter-
fere with their free agency. And as a
man, though of the most splendid talents
and commanding eloquence, has control
over his own mind, and is not compelled
to speak, so it was with those who are
here called prophets. The immediate
reference of the passage is to those who
are called prophets in the New Testa-
ment ; and the interpretation should be
confined to them. It is not improbable,
however, that the same thing was true
of the prophets of the Old Testament ;
and that it is really true as a general
declaration of all the prophets whom
God has inspired, that they had control
over their own minds, and could speak
or be silent at pleasure. In this the
spirit of true inspiration differed essen-
tially from the views of the heathen, who
regarded themselves as driven on by a
wild, controlling influence, that compel-
led them to speak even when they were
unconscious of what they said. Uni-
versally,in the heathen world, the priests
and priestesses supposed or feigned that
they were under an influence which was
incontrollable ; which took away their
powers of self-command, and which made
them the mere organs or unconscious
instruments of communicating the will
of the gods. The Scripture account of
inspiration is, however, a very different
thing. In whatever way the mind was
influenced, or whatever was the mode in
which the truth was conveyed, yet it
was not such as to destroy the conscious
powers of free agency, nor such as to
25*
destroy the individuality of the inspired
person, or to annihilate what was pecu-
liar in his mode of thinking, his style,
or his customary manner of expression
33. God is not the author of confu-
sion. Marg. Tumult, or unquietness
His religion cannot tend to produco
disorder. He is the God of peace ; and
his religion will tend to promote order.
It is calm, peaceful, thoughtful. It is
not boisterous and disorderly. ^ As in
all churches of the saints. As was every-
where apparent in the churches. Paul
here appeals to them, and says that
this was the fact wherever the true re-
ligion was spread, that it tended to pro-
duce peace and order. This is as true
now as it was then. And we may
learn, therefore, (1.) That where there
is disorder, there is little religion. Re-
ligion does not produce it; and the
tendency of tumult and confusion is to
drive religion away. (2.) True religion
will not lead to tumult, to outcries, 01
to irregularity. It will not prompt many
to speak or pray at once; nor will il
justify tumultuous and noisy assem-
blages. (3.) Christians should regard
God as the author of peace. They
should always in the sanctuary ed-
mean themselves in a reverent man-
ner, and with such decorum as becomes
men when they are in the presence of
a holy and pure God, and engaged ir
his worship. (4.) All those pretended
conversions, however sudden and strik-
ing they may be, which are attended
with disorder, and confusion, and pub-
ic outcries, are to be suspected. Such
excitement may be connected with ge-
nuine piety, but it is no part of pur*
religion. That is calm, serious, orderly,
heavenly. No man who is under its
nfluence is disposed to engage in scenes
of confusion and disorder. Grateful he
may be, and he may and will express
is gratitude ; prayerful he will Ie, and
e will pray ; anxious for others he wilj
>e, and he will express that anxiety
but it will be with seriousness, tender*
294
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
34 Let a your women keep
silence in the churches ; for it is
not permitted unto them to speak;
but they are commanded to be l
a lTim.2.11,12 b Eph.5.22. Tit.2.5. lPet.3.1.
under obedience, as also saith
c the law.
35 And if they will learn any
thing, let them ask their hus-
c Gen.3.16. Num.30.3-12. Esth.1.20.
ness, love ; with a desire for the order
of God's house, and not with a desire
to break in upon and disturb all the
solemnities of public worship.
34. Let your women keep silence,
&c. This rule is positive, explicit, and
universal. There is no ambiguity in
the expressions ; and there can be no
difference of opinion, one would sup-
pose, in regard to their meaning. The
sense evidently is, that in all those
things which he had specified, the wo-
men were to keep silence; they were
to take no part. He had discoursed of
speaking foreign languages, and of pro-
phecy ; arid the evident sense is, that
in regard to all these they were to keep
silence, or were not to engage in them.
These pertained solely to the male por-
tion of the congregation. These things
constituted the business of the public
teaching; and in this the female part
of the congregation were to be silent.
" They were not to teach the people, nor
were they to interrupt those who were
speaking." Rosenmuller. It is probable
that, on pretence of being inspired, the
women had assumed the office of public
teachers. In ch. xi. Paul had argued
igainst tbeir doing this in a certain
manner without the;r veils (ch. xi. 4),
and he had shown, that on that account,
and in that manner, it was improper
for them to assume the office of public
teachers, and to conduct the devotions
of the church. The force of the argu-
ment in ch. xi. is, that what he there
states would be a sufficient reason
against the practice, even if there were
no other. It was contrary to ;'! de-
cency and propriety that they should
appear in that manner in public. He
here argues against the practice ON
EVERY cnouxn ; forbids it altogether ;
and shows that on every consideration
it was to be regarded as improper for
them even so much as to ask a question
in time of public service. There is,
therefore, no inconsistency between the
argument in ch. xi. and the statement
here ; and the force of the whole is, that
on every consideration it was improper,
and to be expressly prohibited, for wo-
men to conduct the devotions of the
church. It does not refer to those only
who claimed to be inspired, but to all ;
it does not refer merely to acts of public
preaching, but to all acts of speaking
or even asking questions, when the
church is assembled for public worship.
No rule in the New Testament is more
positive than this ; and however plausi-
ble may be the reasons which may be
urged for disregarding it, and for suffer-
ing women to take part in conducting
public worship, yet the authority of the
apostle Paul is positive, and his mean-
ing cannot be mistaken. Comp. 1 Tim.
ii. 11, 12. ^ To be under obedience
To be subject to their husbands ; to ac-
knowledge the superior authority of the
man. Note, ch. xi. 3. ^ As also saith
the law. Gen. iii. 1 6, " And thy desire
shall be to thy husband, and he shall
rule over thee."
35. And if they will learn any thing,
If any thing has been spoken which
they do not understand ; or if on any
particular subject they desire more full
information, let them inquire of theii
husbands in their own dwelling. They
may there converse freely ; and their
inquiries will not be attended with the
irregularity and disorder which would
occur should they interrupt the order
and solemnity of public worship, ^ For
it is a shame. It is disreputable and
shameful ; it is a breach of propriety.
Their station in life demands modesty,
humility, and they should be free from
the ostentation of appearing so much
in public as to take part in the public
services of teaching and praying. It
does not become their rank in i'if 't
A..D. 59.]
CHAPTER XIV.
295
bands at home : for it is a shame
for women to speak in the church.
36 What! came the word of
is not fulfilling the object which God
evidently intended them to fill. He has
appointed men to rule ; to hold offices ;
to instruct and govern the church ; and
it is improper that women should as-
sume that office upon themselves. This
evidently and obviously refers to the
church assembled for public worship,
in the ordinary and regular acts of de-
votion. There the assembly is made
up of males and females, of old and
young, and there it is improper for them
to take part in conducting the exercises.
But this cannot be interpreted as mean-
ing that it is improper for females to
speak or to pray in meetings of their
own sex, assembled for prayer or for
benevolence; nor that it is improper
for a female to speak or to pray in a
Sabbath School where the teachers
are, as often happens, all females.
And in such meetings, no rule of pro-
priety or of the Scriptures is violated in
their speaking for the edification of each
other, or in leading in social prayer. It
may be added here, that on this subject
the Jews were very strenuous, and their
laws were very strict. The Rabbins
taught that a woman should know no-
thing but the use of the distaff; and
they were specially prohibited from
asking questions in the synagogue, or
even from reading. See Lightfoot. The
same rule is still observed by the Jews
in the synagogues.
36. What ! came the word of God
out from you ? The meaning of this
is, ' Is the church at Corinth the mother
church? Was it first established; or
has it been alone in sending forth the
word of God 1 You have adopted cus-
toms which are unusual. You have
permitted women to speak in a manner
unknown to other churches. See ch.
xi. 16. You have admitted irregularity
and confusion unknown in all the o'hers.
You have allowed many to speak at the
same time, and have tolerated confusion
and disorder. Have you any right thus
God out from you ? or came it
unto you only ?
37 If * any man think himself
a c.4.7. b 2Cor.l0.7. Uno.4.6.
to differ from others ! Have you anj
authority, as it were, to dictate to them,
to teach them, contrary to their uni-
form custom, to allow these disorders ?
Should you not rather be conformed to
them, and observe the rules of the
churches which are older than yours 7 J
The argument here is, that the church
at Corinth was not the first that was
established ; that it was one of the last
that had been founded ; and that it
could, therefore, claim no right to differ
from others, or to prescribe to them.
The same argument is employed in
ch. xi. 16. See Note. 1 Or came it
unto you only? As you are not the
first of those who believed, neither are
you the only ones. God has sent the
same gospel to others, and it is travel-
ling over the world. Others, therefore,
have the same right as you to originate
customs and peculiar habits; and as
this would be attended with confusion
and disorder, you should all follow the
same rule, and the customs which do
not prevail in other churches should
not be allowed in yours.
37. If any man think himself to be.
a prophet. Note, ver. 1. If any man
claim to be divinely endowed. Mac-
knight renders it, " be really a prophet."
But the more correct meaning here is,
doubtless, ' If any man profess to be a
prophet ; or is reputed to be a prophet.'
Bloornfield. The proper meaning of
the word sf<3xea> is to seem to one's self;
to be of opinion, to suppose, believe,
fee. ; and the reference here is to on;
who should regard himself, or who
should believe and profess to be thus
endowed, t Or spiritual. Regarding
himself as under the extraordinary in-
fluence of the Spirit If Let him cc
knowledge, &c. He will show that he
is truly under the influence of the Holy
Spirit, by acknowledging my authority,
and by yielding obedience to the com-
mands which I utter in the name and
by the authority of the Lord. All would
396
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
to be a prophet, or spiritual, let
him acknowledge that the things
that I write unto you are the
commandments of the Lord.
38 But if any be ignorant, let
him be ignorant.
39 Wherefore, brethren, covet
to prophesy, and forbid not to
speak with tongues.
40 Let a all things be done
decently and in order.
a ver.26,33.
probably be disposed to acknowledge
the right of Paul to speak to them ; all
would regard him as an apostle ; and
all would show that God had influenced
their hearts, if they listened to his com-
mands, and obeyed his injunctions. I
do not speak by my own authority, or
in my own name, says Paul. I speak
in the name of the Lord ; and to obey
the commands of the Lord is a proof of
being influenced by his Spirit. True re-
ligion everywhere, and the most ardent
and enthusiastic zeal that is prompted
by true religion, will show their genu-
ineness and purity by a sacred and
constant regard for the commands of
the Lord. And that zeal which disre-
gards those commands, and which
tramples down the authority of the
Scriptures and the peace and order of
the church, gives demonstration that it
is not genuine. It is false zeal, and,
however ardent, will not ultimately do
good to the cause.
38. But if any be ignorant, &c. If
any one affects to be ignorant of my
authority, or whether I have a right to
command. If he affects to doubt whe-
ther I am inspired, and whether what I
utter is in accordance with the will of
God. ^f Let him be ignorant. At his
own peril, let him remain so, and abide
the consequences. I shall not take any
further trouble to debate with him. I
have stated my authority. I have de-
livered the commands of God. And
now, if he disregards them, and still
doubts whether all this is said by divine
authority, let him abide the conse-
quences of rejecting the law of God.
I have given full proof of my divine
commission. I have nothing more to
say on that head. And now, if he
chooses to remain in ignorance or in-
credulity, the fault is his own, and he
must answer for it to God.
39. Covet to prophesy. Note, ver. 1.
This is the summing up of all that he
had said. It was desirable that a man
should wish to be able to speak, under
the teaching of the Holy Spirit, in such
a manner as to edify the church. ^ And
forbid not, &c. Do not suppose that
the power of speaking foreign languages
is useless, or is to be despised, or that it
is to be prohibited. In its own place
it is a valuable endowment; and on
proper occasions the talent should be
exercised. See in ver. 22.
40. Let all things be done decently
and in order. Let all things be done
in an appropriate and becoming man-
ner ; decorously, as becomes the worship
of God. Let all be done in order,
regularly, without confusion, discord,
tumult. The word used here (x.xrd
Tdj/v) is properly a military term, and
denotes the order and regularity with
which an army is drawn up. This is a
general rule, which was to guide them.
It was simple, and easily applied. There
might be a thousand questions started
about the modes and forms of worship,
and the customs in the churches, and
much difficulty might occur in many
of these questions ; but here was a sim-
ple and plain rule, which might be
easily applied. Their good sense would
tell them what became the worship of
God ; and their pious feelings would
restrain them from excesses and disor-
ders. This rule is still applicable, and
is safe in guiding us in many things in
regard to the worship of God. There
are many things which cannot be sub-
jected to rule, or exactly prescribed
there are many things which may and
must be left to pious feeling, to good
sense, and to the views of Christians
themselves, about what will promote
their edification and the conversion of
sinners. The rule in such questions is
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER. XIV.
3D?
plain. Let all be done decorously, as
becomes the worship of the great and
holy God : let all be without confusion,
noise, and disorder.
In view of this chapter, we may re-
mark :
(1.) That public worship should be in
a language understood by the people ;
the language which they commonly em-
ploy. Nothing can be clearer than the
sentiments of Paul on this. The whole
strain of the chapter is to demonstrate
this, in opposition to making use of a
foreign and unintelligible language in
any part of public worship. Paul spe-
cifies in the course of the discussion
every part of public worship ; public
preaching (ver. 2. 3. 5. 13. 19) ;
prayer (ver. 14, 15) ; singing (ver.
15) ; and insists that all should be in a
language that should be understood by
the people. It would almost seem that
he had anticipated the sentiments and
practice of the Roman Catholic deno-
mination. It is remarkable that a prac-
tice should have grown up, and have
been defended, in a church professedly
Christian, so directly in opposition to
the explicit meaning of the New Testa-
ment. Perhaps there is not even in the
Roman Catholic denomination, a more
striking instance of a custom or doc-
trine in direct contradiction to the Bi-
ble. If any thing is plain and obvious,
it is that worship, in order to be edify-
ing, should be in a language that is
understood by the people. Nor can
that service be acceptable to God which
is not understood by those who offer it ;
which conveys no idea to their minds,
and which cannot, therefore, be the
homage of the heart. Assuredly, God
does not require the offering of unmean-
ing words. Yet, this has been a grand
device of the great enemy of man. It
has contributed to keep the people in
ignorance and superstition ; it has pre-
vented the mass of the people from see-
ing how utterly unlike the New Testa-
ment are the sentiments of the papists ;
and it has, in connexion with the kin-
dred doctrine that the Scripture should
be withheld from the people, contribut-
ed to perpetuate that dark system, and
to bind the human mind in :hains ;
Well do the Roman Catholics know,
that if the Bible were given to the peo-
ple, and public worship conducted in a
language which they could understand,
the system would soon fall. It could
not live in the midst of light. It is
a system which lives and thrives only
in darkness.
(2.) . Preaching should be simple and
intelligible. There is a great deal of
preaching which might as well be in a
foreign tongue as in the language
which is actually employed. It is dry.
abstruse, metaphysical, remote from the
common manner of expression, and the
common habits of thought among men
It may be suited to schools of philoso-
phy, but it cannot be suited to the pul-
pit. The preaching of the Lord Jesus
was simple, and intelligible even to a
child. And nothing can be a greater
error, than for the ministers of the gos-
pel to adopt a dry and metaphysical
manner of preaching. The most suc-
cessful preachers have been those who
have been most remarkable for their
simplicity and clearness. Nor is sim-
plicity and intelligibleness of manner
inconsistent with bright thought and
profound sentiments. A diamond is the
most pure of all minerals ; a river may
be deep, and yet its water so pure that
the bottom may be seen at a great
depth; and glass in the window is most
valuable the clearer and purer it is,
when it is itself least seen, and when it
gives no obstruction to the light. If
the purpose is that the glass may be
itself an ornament, it may be well to
stain it ; if to give light, it should be
pure. A very shallow stream may bo
very muddy ; and because the bottom
cannot be seen, it is no evidence that it
is deep. So it is with style. If the
purpose is to convey thought, to en-
lighten and save the soul, the style
should be plain, simple, pure. If it be
to bewilder and confound, or to be ad-
mired as unintelligible, or perhaps as
profound, then an abstruse and meta-
physical, or a flowery manner may be
adopted in the pulpit.
(3.) We should learn to value usf
'298
M
1. CORINTHIANS.
CHAPTER XV.
OREOVEP, brethren,
I
declare unto you the gos-
a Gal. 1.1 i.
[A. D 59
pel which I preached unto you,
which * also ye have received,
and wherein c ye stand :
6 c.l. 4-8.
c lPet.5.12.
ful talent more than that which is splen-
did and showy, ver. 3. The whole
scope of this chapter goes to demon-
strate that we should more highly prize
and desire that talent which may be
useful to the church, or which may be
useful in convincing unbelievers (ver.
24, 25), than that which merely daz-
zles, or excites admiration. Ministers
of the gospel who preach as they should
do, engage in their work to win souls
to Christ, not to induce them to admire
eloquence ; they come to teach men to
adore the great and dreadful God, i;ot to
be loud in their praises of a mortal man.
(4.) Ministers of the gospel should
not aim to be admired. They should
seek to be useful. Their aim should
not be to excite admiration of their
acute and profound talent for reasoning ;
of their clear and striking power of ob-
servation ; of their graceful manner ;
of their glowing and fervid eloquence ;
of the beauty of their words, or the
eloquence of their well-turned periods.
They should seek to build up the peo-
ple of God in holy faith, and so to pre-
sent truth as that it shall make a deep
impression on mankind. No work is
so important, and so serious in its na-
ture and results, as the ministry of the
gospel ; and in no work on earth should
there be more seriousness, simplicity,
exactness, and correctness of statement,
and invincible and unvarying adhe-
rence to simple and unvarnished truth.
Of all places, the pulpit is the last, in
which to seek to excite admiration, or
where to display profound learning, or
the powers of an abstract and subtle
argumentation, for the sake of securing
a reputation. Covvper has drawn the
character of what a minister of the gos-
pel should be, in the well-known and
most beautiful passage in the " Task."
Would I describe a preacher, such as Paul
Were he on earth, would hear, approve, and
own,
Paul ihould himser direct me. I would trace
His master-strokes, and draw from his design
[ would express him simple, grave sincere ;
In doctrine aincorrupt; in language plain ;
And plain in manner; decent, solemn, chaste,
And natural in gesture ; much impress'd
Himself, as conscious of his awful charge.
And anxious mainly that the flock he feed*
May feel it too ; affectionate in look,
And tender in address, as well becomes
A messenger of grace to guilty men.
He stablishes the strong, restores the weak,
Reclaims the wanderer, binds the broken
heart,
And, arm'd himself in panoply complete
Of heavenly temper, furnishes with arms,
Bright as his own, and trains, by every rule
Of holy discipline, to glorious war,
The sacramental host of God's elect.
CHAPTER XV.
THIS important and deeply interest-
ing chapter, I have spoken of as the
third part of the epistle. See the In-
troduction. It is more important than
any other portion of the epistle, as it
contains a connected, arid laboured, and
unanswerable argument for the main
truth of Christianity, and, consequently,
of Christianity itself; and it is more in-
teresting to us as mortal beings, and as
having an instinctive dread of death,
than any other portion of the epistle.
It has always, therefore, been regarded
with deep interest by expositors, and it
is worthy of the deepest attention of all.
If the argument in this chapter is solid,
then Christianity is true ; and if true,
then this chapter unfolds to us the most
elevated and glorious prospect which
can be exhibited to dying, yet immortal
man.
There were, probably, two -easons
why the apostle introduced here this
discussion about the resurrection. First
it was desirable to introduce a condens-
ed and connected statement of the
main argument for the truth of Chris-
| tianity. The Corinthians had been per-
plexed with subtle questions, and torn
by sects and parties, and it was possible
that in their zeal for sect and party
they would lose their hold on this great
and vital argument for the truth of re-
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XV.
'299
ligion itself. It might be further appre-
hended, that the enemies of the gospel,
from seeing the divisions and strifes
which existed there, would take advan-
tage of these contentions, and say that
a religion which produced such fruits
could not be from God. It was import-
ant, therefore, that they should have
access to an argument plain, clear, and
unanswerable, for the truth of Chris-
tianity ; and that thus the evil effects of
their divisions and strifes might be coun-
teracted. Secondly. It is evident from
ver. 12, that the important doctrine of
the resurrection of the dead had been
denied at Corinth, and that this error
had obtained a footing in the church
itself. On what grounds, or by what
portion or party it was denied, is un-
known. It may have been that the in-
fluence of some Sadducean teacher
may have led to the rejection of the
doctrine ; or it may have been the ef-
fect of philosophy. From Acts xvii.
32, we know that among some of the
Greeks, the doctrine of the resurrection
was regarded as ridiculous ; and from 2
Tim. ii. 18, we learn that it was held
by some that the resurrection was pass-
ed already, and consequently that there
was nothing but a spiritual resurrection.
To counteract these errors, and to put
the doctrine of the resurrection of the
dead on a firm foundation, and thus to
furnish a demonstration of the truth of
Christianity, was the design of this
chapter.
The chapter may be regarded as di-
vided into four parts, and four ques-
tions in regard to the resurrection are
solved. 1. Whether there is any re-
surrection of the dead? ver. 1 34.
2. With what body will the dead rise 1
ver. 35 51. 3. What will become of
those who shall be alive when the Lord
Jesus shall come to judge the world ]
ver. 51 54. 4. What are the practical
bearings of this doctrine 1 ver. 5558.
I. The dead will be raised, ver. 1
34. This Piul proves by the following
arguments, and illustrates in the follow-
ing manner.
(10 By adducing reasons to show
that Christ rose from the dead, ver
111.
(a) From the Scripture, ver. 1--4.
(6) From the testimony of eyewit
nesses, ver. 5 11.
(2.) By showing the absurdity ol
the contrary doctrine, ver. 12 34.
(a) If the dead do not rise, it would
follow that Christ has notris,en. ver. 13.
(6) If Christ is not risen, he ia
preached in vain, and faith is reposed in
him for naught, ver. 14.
(c) It would follow that the apostles
would be false witnesses and wicked
men ; whereas, the Corinthians had
abundant reason to know the contrary,
ver. 15.
(d) The faith of the Corinthians must
be vain if he was not risen, and they
must regard themselves as still unpar-
doned sinners, since all their hope of
pardon must arise from the fact that his
work was accepted, and that he was
raised up. ver. 16, 17.
(c) If Christ was not risen, then all
their pious friends who had believed in
him must be regarded as lost. ver. 18.
(e) It would follow that believers in
Christ would be in a more miserable
condition than any others, if there was
no resurrection, ver. 19.
(/) Baptism for the resurrection of
the dead would be absurd and in vain,
unless the dead arose ; it would be vain
to be baptized with the belief, and on
the ground of the belief that Christ rose,
and on the ground of the hope that they
would rise. ver. 29.
(g) It would be in vain that the apos-
tles and others had suffered so many
toils and persecutions, unless the dead
should rise. ver. 30 32.
In the course of this part of his argu-
ment (ver. 20 28) Paul introduces an
illustration of the doctrine, or a state-
ment of an important fact ig regard to
it, thus separating the argument in ver
j 19 from the next, which occurs in ver
29. Such interruptions of a train of
thinking are not uncommon in the writ
ings of Paul, and indicate the fulness
and richness of his conceptions, when
some striking thought occurs, or some
300
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 5H
plausible objection is to be met, and
when he suspends his argument in order
to state it. This interjected portion
consists of the following items. (1.) A
triumphant and joyful assurance that
Christ had in fact risen ; as if his mind
was full, and he wart impatient of the de-
lay caused by the necessity cf slow argu-
mentation, ver. 19, S'.O. (2.) He illus-
trates the doctrine, or :>hows that it is rea-
sonable that the coriainty of the resurrec-
tion should be demonstrated by one in
human nature, since death had been in-
troduced by man. ver. 21,22. This is an
argument from analogy, drawn from the
obvious propriety of the doctrine that man
should be raised up in a manner somewhat
similar to the mode in which he had been
involved in ruin. (3.) He states the
order in which all this should be done,
ver. 23 28. It is possible that some
may have held that the resurrection must
have been already passed, since it depend-
ed so entirely and so closely on the resur-
rection of Christ. Comp. 2 Tim. ii. 18.
Paul, therefore, meets this objection ; and
shows that it must take place in a regular
order ; that Christ rose first, and that
they who were his friends should rise at
his coming. He then states what would
take place at that time, when the work
of redemption should have been consum-
mated by the resurrection of the dead,
and the entire recovery of all the redeemed
to God, and the subjection of every foe.
II. What will be the nature of the
bodies that shall be raised up 1 ver.
3551.
This inquiry is illustrated,
(1.) By a reference to grain that is
sown. ver. 36* 38.
(2.) By a reference to the fact that
there are different kinds of flesh, ver. 39.
(3.) By a reference to the fact that
there are celestial bodies and earthly
bodies, ve^. 40.
(4.) By the fact that there is a dif-
ference between the sun, and moon, and
tars. ver. 41.
(6.) By a d'.rect statement, for which
Ihe mind is prepared by these illustra-
tions, of the important changes which
the body of man must undergo, and of
the nature of that body which he will
have in heaven, ver. 42 50. It is
(a) Incorruptible, ver. 42.
(6) Glorious, ver. 43.
(c) Powerful, ver. 43.
(d) A spiritual body. ver. 44.
(e) It is like the body of the second
man, the Lord from heaven, ver. 45 50.
III. What will become of those who
shall be alive when the Lord Jesus shall
return to raise the dead 1
Ans. They shall be changed instantly,
and fitted for heaven., and made like the
glorified saints that shall be raised from
the dead. ver. 51 54.
IV. The practical consequences or
influences of this doctrine, ver. 55 58.
(1.) The doctrine is glorious and
triumphant ; it overcame all the evils of
sin, and should fill the mind with joy.
ver. 5557.
(2.) It should lead Christians to di-
ligence, and firmness of faith, and pa-
tience, since their labour was not to be
in vain. ver. 58.
1. Moreover. But (/i). In addition
to what I have said ; or in that which
I am now about to say, I make known
the main and leading truth of the gos-
pel. The particle Ji is " strictly adver-
sative, but more frequently denotes
transition and conversion, and serves to
introduce something else, whether oppo-
site to what precedes, or simply conti-
nuative or explanatory." Robinson.
Here it serves to introduce another topic
that was not properly a continuation of
what he had said, but which pertained
to the same general subject, and which
was deemed of great importance. } J
declare unto you (rva>/a>). This word
properly means to make known, to de-
clare, to reveal (Luke ii. 15. Rom. ix.
22, 23) ; then to tell, narrate, inform
(Eph.vi.21. Col.iv.7. 9); and also to
put in mind of, to impress, to confirm.
See Note, ch. xii. 3r Here it does not
mean that he was communicating to
them any new truth, but he wished to
remind them of it; to state the argu-
ments for it, and to impress it deeply on
their memories. There is an abruptness
in our translation which does not exist
A. D. 59.}
2 By which also ye are saved,
if a ye keep l in memory 2 what
a Heb.3.6. or, holdfast. by vckat speech.
CHAPTER XV.
30\
in the original. Bloonifidd. f The
gospel. Note, Mark i. 1. The word
here means the glad announcement, or
the good news about the coming of the
Messiah, his life, and sufferings, and
death, and especially his resurrection.
The main subject to which Paul refers
in this chapter is the resurrection ; but
he includes in the word gospel, here, the
doctrine that he died for sins, and was
buried, as well as the doctrine of his re-
surrection. See ver. 3, 4. f Which 1
preached unto you. Paul founded the
church at Corinth. Acts xviii. 1, seq.
It was proper that he should remind
them of what he had taught them at
first ; of the great elementary truths on
which the church had been established,
but from which their minds had been
diverted by the other subjects that had
been introduced as matters of debate
and strife. It was fair to presume that
they would regard with respect the doc-
trines which the founder of their church
had first proclaimed, if they were re-
minded of them; and Paul, therefore,
calls their attention to the great and
vital truths by which they had been
converted, and by which the church had
thus far prospered. It is well, often, to
remind Christians of the truths which
were preached to them when they were
converted, and which were instrumental
in their conversion. When they have
gone off from these doctrines, when they
have given their minds to speculation
and philosophy, it has a good effect to
remind them that they were converted
by the simple truths, that Christ died,
and was buried, and rose again from the
dead. The argument of Paul here is,
that they owed all the piety and comfort
which they had to these doctrines; and
that, therefore, they should still adhere
to them as the foundation of all tneir
hopes. ^ Which also ye. have received. \
Which you embraced ; which you all j
admitted as true; which were the means j
of your conversion. I would remind I
>ou, that, however that truth may now '
I preached unto you, unless l ye
have believed in vain
b Gal .3.4.
be denied by you, it was once received
by you, and you professed to believe in
the fact that Christ rose from the dead,
and that the saints would rise. 1 And
wherein ye stand. By which your
church was founded, and by which all
your piety and hope has been produced,
and which is at the foundation of all
your religion. You were built up by
this, and by this only can you stand as
a Christian church. This doctrine was
vital and fundamental. This demon-
strates that the doctrines that Christ
died " for sins," and rose from the dead,
are fundamental truths of Christianity.
They enter into its very nature; and
without them there can be no true re-
ligion.
2. By which also ye are saved. On
which your salvation depends ; the be-
lief of which is indispensable to your
salvation. See Note on Mark xvi. 16.
The apostle thus shows the importance
of the doctrine. In every respect it de-
manded their attention. It was that
which was first preached among them*
that which they had solemnly professed ;
that by which they had been built up ;
and that which was connected with their
salvation. It does not mean simply
that by this they were brought into a
salvable state (Clarke, Macknight, Whit
by, Bloomfield, &c.), but it means that
their hopes of eternal life rested on this ;
and by this they were then in fact saved
from the condemnation of sin, and were
in the possession of the hope of eternal
life. ^Ifye keep in memory. Mar-
gin, as in the Greek, if ye hold fast
The idea is, that they were saved by
this, or would be, if they faithfully re-
tained or held the doctrine as he deli-
vered it ; if they observed it, and still
believed it, notwithstanding all the ef-
forts of their enemies, and all the arts
of false teaching to wrest it from them.
There is a doubt delicately suggested
here, whether they did in fact still ad-
here tc his doctrine, or whether they had
not abandoned it in part for the opposite
I. CORINTHIANS.
3 For I delivered unto you
first of all that which I also re-
ceived, how that Christ died for
our sins according to the Scrip-
tures ;
a Gen.3.15. Ps.22. Isa.53. Dan.9.26. Zech.13.
7. Luke 24.26,46.
1 Unless ye have believed in vain. You
will be saved by it, if you adhere to it,
.inless it shall turn out that it was vain
to believe, and that the doctrine was
false. That it was not false, he proceeds
to demonstrate. Unless all your trials,
discouragements, and hopes were to no
purpose, and all have been the result of
imposture ; and unless all your profes-
sion is false and hollow, you will be
saved by this great doctrine which I first
preached to you.
3. For I delivered unto you. Note,
ch. xi. 23. t First of all. Among the
first doctrines which I preached. As the
leading and primary doctrines of Chris-
tianity. If That which I also received.
Which had been communicated to me.
Not doctrines of which I was the author,
or which were to be regarded as my
own. Paul here refers to the fact that
he had received these doctrines from the
Lord Jesus by inspiration. Comp. Note,
ch. x. 23. Gal. i. 2. This is one in-
stance in which he claims to be under
the divine guidance, and to have received
his doctrines from God. 1 How that
Christ died for our sins. The Messiah,
the Lord Jesus, died as an expiatory
offering on account of our sins. They
caused his death; for them he shed
his blood ; to make expiation for them,
and to wipe them away, he expired or
the cross. This passage is full proof
that Christ did not die merely as a mar-
tyr, but that his death was to make
atonement for sin. That he died as an
atoning sacrifice, or as a vicarious offer-
ing, is here declared by Paul to be among
theirs/ things that he taught ; and the
grand fundamental t*nth on which the
church at Corinth had been founded,
and by which it had been established,
and by which they would be saved. It
follows that there can be no true church,
[A D. 59
4 And that he was buried, and
that he rose again the third day
according b to the Scriptures ;
5 And that he was seen of
c Cephas, then of the twelve.
b Ps.16.10. Hos.6.2. c Luke 23.34,&c.
and no well-founded hope of salvation
where the doctrine is not held that
Christ died for sin. ^ According to the
Scriptures. The writings of the Old
Testament. Note, John v. 39. It is,
of course, not certain to what parts of
the Old Testament Paul here refers.
He teaches simply that the doctrine is
contained there that the Messiah would
die for sin ; and, in his preaching, he
doubtless adduced and dwelt upon the
particular places. Some of the places
where this is taught are the folknving
Ps. xx. Isa. liii. Dan. ix. 26. Zech,
xii. 10. Comp. Luke xxiv. 26. 46.
See also Hengstenberg's Christologj
of the O. T. vol. i. pp. 187. 216, trans'
lated by Keith.
4. And that he was buried. That is
evidently according to the Scriptures
See Isa. liii. 9. | And that he rose again
the third day, &c. That is, that he
should rise from the dead was foretold
in the Scriptures. It is not of neces-
sity implied that it was predicted that
he should rise on the third day, but
that he should rise from the dead. See
the argument for this stated in the dis-
course of Peter, in Acts ii. 24 32.
The particular passage which is there
urged in proof of his resurrection is
derived from Psalm xvi.
5. And that he was seen of Cephas.
Peter. Note, John i. 42. The resur-
rection of Christ was a fact to be
proved, like all other facts, by compe-
tent and credible witnesses. Paul, there-
fore, appeals to the witnesses who had
attested, or who yet lived to attest, the
truth of the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus ; and shows that it was not pos-
sible that so many witnesses should
have been deceived. As this was not
the first time in which the evidence had
been stated to them, and as his purpose
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER XV
303
6 After that, he was seen of
above five hundred brethren at
once ; of whom the greater part
remain unto this present, but
was merely to remind them of what
they had heard and believed, he does
not adduce all the witnesses to the
event, but refers only to the more im-
portant ones. He does not, therefore,
mention the woman to whom the Sa-
viour first appeared, nor does he refer
to all the times when the Lord Jesus
manifested himself to his disciples. But
he iloes not refer to them in general
meiely, but mentions names, and refers
to persons who were then alive, who
could attest the truth of the resurrec-
tion. It may be observed, also, that
Paul observes probably the exact order
in which the Lord Jesus appeared to
the disciples, though he does not men-
tion all- the instances. For an account
of the persons to whom the Lord Jesus
appeared after his resurrection, and the
order in which it was done, see Notes
on the Gospels, vol. i. pp. 312 314.
1 Then of the twelve. The apostles ;
still called " the twelve," though Judas
was not one of them. It was common
to call the apostles " the twelve." Jesus
appeared to the apostles at one time in
the absence of Thomas (John xx. 19.
24) ; and also to them when Thomas
was present. John xx. 24 29. Pro-
bably Paul here refers to the latter oc-
casion, when all the surviving apostles
were present.
6. Above five hundred brethren at
once. More than five hundred Chris-
tians or followers of Jesus at one time.
This was probably in Galilee, where
the Lord Jesus had spent the greater
part of his public ministry, and where
he had made most disciples. The place,
however, is not designated, and, of
course, cannot be known. It is remark-
able that this fact is omitted by all the
evangelists ; but why they should have
omitted so remarkable a proof of the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus, is un-
known. There is a slight circumstancl
hinted at in Matt, xxviii. 10, which may
throw some light on this passage. After
his resurrection, Jesus said to the wo-
men who were at the sepulchre, " Go
tell my brethren that they go into Gali-
lee, and there shall they see me." And
in ver. 16 it is said, "The eleven dis-
ciples went away into Galilee, into a
mountain where Jesus had appointed
them." Jesus had spent most of hi
public life in Galilee. He had made
most of his disciples there. It was pro-
per, therefore, that those disciples, who
would, of course, hear of his death,
should have some public confirmation
of the fact that he had risen. It is very
probable, also, that the eleven who went
down into Galilee after he rose would
apprize the brethren there of what had
been said to them, that Jesus would
meet them on a certain mountain ; and
it is morally certain that they who had
followed him in so great numbers in
Galilee would be drawn together by the
report that the Lord Jesus, who had
been put to death, was about to be seen
there again alive. Such is human na-
ture, and such was the attachment of
these disciples to the Lord Jesus, that
it is morally certain a large concourse
would assemble on the slightest rumour
that such an occurrence was to happen.
Nothing more would be necessary any-
where to draw a concourse of people
than a rumour that one who was dead
would appear again ; and in this in-
stance, where they ardently loved him,
and when, perhaps, many believed that
he would rise, they would naturally
assemble in great numbers to see him
once more. One thing is proved by
this, that *be Lord Jesus had many
more disciples than is generally sup-
posed. If there were five hundred who
could be assembled at once in a single
part of the land where he had preached,
there is every reason to suppose tha.
here were many more in ether parts
of Judea. ^ The greater part remain
into this present. Are now alive, and
can be appealed to, in proof that they
saw him. What more conclusive argu-
ment for the truth of his resurreetiou
304
some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of
James ; then of all the apostles
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59
8 And last of all, he was seen
of me also, as of *one born out
of due time.
a Acts 9.17. i or, an abortive.
could there be than that five hundred
persons had seen him, who had been
intimately acquainted with him in his
life, and who had become his followers?
If the testimony of five hundred could
not avail to prove his resurrection, no
number of witnesses could. And if
five hundred men could thus be de-
ceived, any number could; and it would
be impossible to substantiate any simple
matter of fact by the testimony of eye-
witnesses. 1 But some are fallen asleep.
Have died. This is the usual expres-
sion employed in the Scriptures to de-
scribe the death of saints. It denotes,
(1.) The calmness and peace with which
they die, like sinking into a gentle
sleep ; (2.) The hope of a resurrection,
as we sink to sleep with the expectation
of again awaking. See Note, John xi.
11. 1 Cor. xi. 30.
7. After that, he was seen of James.
This appearance is not recorded by the
evangelists. It is mentioned in the
fragment of the apocryphal gospel ac-
cording to the Hebrews, which is, how-
ever, of no authority. It is probable
that the Lord Jesus appeared often to
the disciples, as he was forty days on
earth after his resurrection, and the
evangelists have only mentioned the
more prominent instances, and enough
to substantiate the fact of his resurrec-
tion. This James, the fathers say, was
James the Less, the brother or cousin-
german of the Lord Jesus. The other
James was dead (see Acts xii. 1) when
this epistle was written. This James,
the author of the epistle that bears his
name, was stationed in Jerusalem.
When Paul went there, after \is return
from Arabia, he had an interview with
James (see Gal. i. 1 9, But other of the
apostles saw I none, save James the
Lord's brother"), and it is highly pro-
bable that Paul would state to him the
vision which he had of the Lord Jesus
on his way to Damascus, and that Jamei
also would state to Paul the fact that he
had seen him after he rose. This may
be the reason why Paul here mentions
the fact, because he had it from the lips
of James himself. 1 Then of all the
apostles. By all the apostles. Perhaps
the occasion at the sea of Galilee, re-
corded in John xxi. 14. Or it is pos-
sible that he frequently met the apostles
assembled together, and that Paul means
to say, that during the forty days after his
resurrection he was often seen by them.
8. And last of all. After all the other
times in which he appeared to men ,
after he had ascended to heaven. This
passage proves that the apostle Paul
saw the same Lord Jesus, the same
body which had been seen by the
others, or else his assertion would be
no proof that he was risen from the
dead. It was not a fancy, therefore,
that he had seen him ; it was not the
work of imagination ; it was not even
a revelation that he had risen ; it wa a
real vision of the ascended Redeemer.
f He was seen of me also. On the way
to Damascus. See Acts ix. 36. 17.
If As of one born out of due time.
Marg. Or, an abortive. Our transla-
tion, to most readers, probably, would
not convey the real meaning of this
place. The expression, " as of one
born out of due time," would seem to
imply that Paul meant to say that there
was some unfitness as to the time when
he saw the Lord Jesus ; or that it was
too late to have as clear and satisfacloiy
a view of him as those had who saw
him before his ascension. But this is
by no means the idea in the passage
The word here used (wrgay**) properly
means an abortion, one born prema-
turely. It is found nowhere else in
the New Testament ; and here it means,
fs the following verse shows, one that
was exceedingly unworthy,- that was
not worth regard ; that was unfit to be
employed in the service of the Lord
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER XV
9 For I am the least of the
apostles, that am not meet to be
called an apostle, because I per-
secuted the church of God.
a Eph.3.7,8.
10 But by the grace of God I
am what I am : and his grace
which was bestowed upon me
was not in vain ; but I laboured
Jesus; that had the same relation to
that which was worthy of the apostolic
office which an abortion has to a living
child. The word occurs (in the Sep-
tuagint) in Job iii. 16. Eccl. vi. 3, as
the translation of *?oj, nephel, an abor
tion, or untimely birth. The expres-
sion seems to be proverbial, and to de
note any thing that is vile, offensive,
loathsome, unworthy. See Num. xii.
11. The word, I think, has no refer-
ence to the mode of training of the
apostle, as if he had not had the same
opportunity as the others had, and was,
therefore, compared with their advan-
tages, like an untimely child compared
with one that had corne to maturity
before its birth, as Bloomfield supposes ;
nor does it refer to his diminutive sta-
ture, as Wetstein supposes ; but it means
that he felt himself vile, guilty, unwor-
thy, abominable as a persecutor, and as
unworthy to be an apostle. The verse
following shows that this is the sense
in which the word is used.
9. For. A reason for the appellation
which he had given to himself in ver. 8.
f / am the least of the apostles. Not
on account of any defect in his com-
mission, or any want of qualification to
bear witness in what he saw, but on
account of the great crime of his life,
the fact that he had been a persecutor.
Paul could never forget that ; as a man
who has been profane and a scoffer,
when he becomes converted, can never
forget the deep guilt of his former life.
The effect will be to produce humility,
and a deep sense of un worthiness, ever
onward. ^ Am not meet to be called
an apostk. Am not fit to be regarded
as a follower of the Lord Jesus, and as
appointed to defend his cause, and to
boar his name among the Gentiles.
Paul had a deep sense of his unworthi-
ness ; and the memory of his former life
tended ever to keep him humble. Such
26*
should be, and such will be, the effect
of the remembrance of a life of sin on
those who become converted to the gos-
pel, and especially if they are intrusted
with the high office of the ministry, and
occupy a station of importance in the
church of God. 1 Because. I persecuted
the church of God. See Acts ix. It is
evident, however, that deeply as Paul
might feel his unworthiness, and his
unfitness to be called an apostle, yet
that this did not render him an incom-
petent witness of what he had seen
He was unworthy ; but he had no doubt
that he had seen the Lord Jesus ; and
amidst all the expressions of his deep
sense of his unfitness for his office, he
never once intimates the slightest doubt
that he had seen the Saviour. He felt
himself fully qualified to testify to that ;
and with unwavering firmness he did
testify to it to the end of life. A man
may be deeply sensible that he is un-
worthy of an elevated station or office,
and yet not the less qualified to be a
witness. Humility does not disqualify
a man to give testimony, but rather
furnishes an additional qualification.
There is no man to whom we listen
more attentively, or whose words we
more readily believe, than the modest
and humble man, the man who has
had abundant opportunities to observe
that of which he testifies, and yet who
is deeply humble. Such a man was
the apostle Paul ; and he evidently felt
that, much as he felt his unworthiness,
and ready as he was to confess it, ye 4
tiis testimony on the subject of the re-
surrection of the Lord Jesus ought to
iiave, and would have, great weight in
the church at Corinth. Comp. Note
on Acts ix. 19.
10. But by the space of God I am
what I am,. By the favour or rnercy
of God. What I have is to be traced
to him and not to any native tendency
306
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D, 59.
more abundantly than they all :
yet not I, but the grace of God
which was with me.
1 1 Therefore whether it were
a Matt. 10.20.
to goodness, or any native inclination
to his service, or to any merit of my
own. All my hopes of heaven ; all my
zeal ; all my success ; all my piety ; all
my apostolic endowments, are to be
traced to him. Nothing is more com-
mon in the writings of Paul, than a
disposition to trace all that he had to
the mere, mercy and grace of God.
And nothing is a more certain indica-
tion of true piety than such a disposi-
tion. The reason why Paul here intro-
duces the subject seems to be this. He
had incidentally, and undesignedly, in-
troduced a comparison in one respect
between himself and the other apostles.
He had not had the advantages which
they had. Most of all, he was over-
whelmed with the recollection that he
had been a persecutor. He felt, there-
fore, that there was a peculiar obligation
resting on him to make up by diligence
ftr the want of their advantages of an
early personal conversation with the
Lord Jesus, and to express his gratitude
that so great a sinner had been made an
apostle. He, therefore, says, that he
had not been idle. He had been ena-
bled, by the grace of God, to labour
more than all the rest, and he had thus
shown that he had not been insensible
of his obligations, \ But I laboured
more abundantly, &c. I was more
diligent in preaching ; I encountered
more perils ; I have exerted myself more.
The records of his life, compared with
the records of the other apostles, fully
show this, t Yet not /. I do not at-
tribute it to myself. I would not boast
of it. The fact is plain, and undenia-
ble, that I have so laboured. But I
would not attribute it to myself. I
would not be proud or vain. I would
remember my former state ; would re-
member that I was a persecutor ; would
remember that all my disposition to la-
bour, and all my ability, and all my
I or they, so we preach, and su
ye believed.
12 Now if Christ be preached
that he rose from the dead, how
success, are to be traced to the mere fa-
vour and mercy of God. So every man
who has just views feels who has been
favoured with success in the ministry.
If a man has been successful as a
preacher ; if he has been self-denying,
laborious, and the instrument of good,
he cannot be insensible to the fact, and
it would be foolish affectation to pre-
tend ignorance of it. But he may feel
that it is all owing to the mere mercy
of God ; and the effect will be to pro-
duce humility and gratitude, not pride
and self-complacency.
11. Therefore, whether it were / or
they. I or the other apostles. It is com-
paratively immaterial by whom it was
done. The establishment of the truth is
the great matter ; and the question by
whom it is done is one of secondary im-
portance. If So tue preach. So we all
preach. We all defend the same great
doctrines ; we all insist on the fact that
the Lord Jesus died and rose ; and this
doctrine you all have believed. This doc-
trine is confirmed by all who preach; and
this enters into the faith of all who believe,
The design of Paul is to affirm that the
doctrines which he here refers to were
great, undeniable, and fundamental doc-
trines of Christianity ; that they were
proclaimed by all the ministers of the
gospel, and believed by all Christians.
They were, therefore, immensely im-
portant to all ; and they must enter es-
sentially into the hopes of all.
12. Now if Christ, &c. Paul, hav-
ing (ver. 1 11) stated the direct evi-
dence for the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus, proceeds here to demonstrate that
the dead would rise, by showing how
it followed from the fact that the Lord
Jesus had risen, and by showing what
consequences would follow from deny-
ing it. The whole argument is based on
:he fact that the Lord Jesus had risen.
[f that was admitted, he shows that il
CHAPTER XV,
A.D. 59.]
* say some among you that
there is no resurrection of the
dead ?
a Acts 26.8.
30?
13 But if* there be no resur-
rection of the dead, then is Christ
not risen.
b lThess.4.14.
must follow that his people would also
rise, t Be preached. The word preach-
ed here seems to include the idea of so
preaching as to be believed ; or so as to
demonstrate that he did rise. If this
was the doctrine on which the church
was based, that the Lord Jesus rose
from the dead, how could the resurrec-
tion of the dead be denied 1 f How say.
How can any say ; how can it be main-
tained ] f Some among you. See the
introduction to the chapter. Who these
were is unknown. They may have been
some of the philosophic Greeks, who
spurned the doctrine of the resurrec-
tion (see Acts xvii. 32) ; or they may
have been some followers of Sadducean
teachers ; or it may be that the Gnostic
philosophy had corrupted them. It is
most probable, I think, that the denial
)f the resurrection was the result of
reasoning after the manner of the
Greeks, and the effect of the introduc-
*ion of philosophy into the church.
1'his has been the fruitful source of
most of the errors which have been in-
troduced into the church. ^ That there
is no resurrection of the dead. That
the dead cannot rise. How can it be
held that there can be no resurrection,
while yet it is admitted that Christ rose 1
The argument here is twofold. (1.)
That Christ rose was one instance of a
fact which demonstrated that there had
been a resurrection, and of course that
it was possible. (2.) That such was
the connexion between Christ and his of the dead. If the whole subject
people that the admission of this fact
involved also.the doctrine that all his peo-
ple would also rise. This argument Paul
states at length in the following verses.
It was probably held by them that the
resurrection was impossible. To all
this, Paul answers in accordance with
the principles of inductive philosophy
the difficulties were met. Facts are un
answerable demonstrations ; and when
a fact is established, all the obstacles
and difficulties in the way must be ad-
mitted to be overcome. So philoso-
phers now reason ; and Paul, in accord-
ance with these just principles, labour-
ed simply to establish the fact that
one had been raised, and thus met at
once all the objections which could be
urged against the doctrine. It would
have been most in accordance with the
philosophy of the Greeks to have gone
into a metaphysical discussion to show
that it was not impossible or absurd,
and this might have been done. It was
most in accordance with the principles
of true philosophy, however, to estab-
lish the fact at once, and to argue from
that, and thus to meet all the difficulties
at once. The doctrine of the resurrec-
tion, therefore, does not rest on a meta-
physical subtilty ; it does not depend
on human reasoning; it does not de-
pend on analogy ; it rests just as the
sciences of astronomy, chemistry, ana-
tomy, botany, and natural philosophy
do, on well ascertained facts , and it is
now a well understood principle of all
true science that no difficulty, no ob-
stacle, no metaphysical subtilty ; no
embarrassment about being able to see
HOW it is, is to be allowed to destroy
the conviction in the mind which the
facts are fitted to produce.
13. But if there be no resurrection
held to be impossible and absurd, then
it must follow that Christ is not risen,
since there were the same difficulties it?
the way of raising him up which will
exist in any case. He was dead ; and
was buried. He had lain in the grave
three days. His human soul had left
the body. His frame had become cold
as now understood, by demonstrating j and stiff. The blood had ceased to cir-
afact, and showing that such an event culate, and the lungs to heave. In hia
had occurred, and that consequently all . case there was t*ie same difficult}
308
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D.
14 And if Christ be not risen,
then is our preaching vain and
vour faith is also vain. g
a Acts 17.31.
in raising him up to life that there is in
any other ; and if it is held to be im-
possible and absurd that the dead should
rise, then it must follow that Christ
has not been raised. This is the first
consequence which Paul states as re-
sulting from the denial of this doctrine,
and this is inevitable. Paul thus shows
them that the denial of the doctrine,
or the maintaining the general proposi-
tion ' that the dead would not rise,' led
also to the denial of the fact that the
Lord Jesus had risen, and consequently
to the denial of Christianity altogether,
and the annihilation of all their hopes.
There was, moreover, such a close con-
nexion between Christ and his people,
that the resurrection of the Lord Jesus
made their resurrection certain. See
1 Thess. iv. 14. See Note, John xiv. 19.
14. And if Christ is nut risen, then
is our preaching vain. Another con-
sequence which must follow if it be
held that there was no resurrection,
and consequently that Christ was not
risen. It would be vain and useless to
preach. The substance of their preach-
ing was that Christ was raised up ; and
all their preaching was based on that.
If that were not true, the whole system
was false, and Christianity was an im-
position. The word vain here seems
to include the idea of useless, idle,
false. It would be false to affirm that
the Christian system was from heaven ;
it would be useless to proclaim such a
system, as it could save no one. U And
your faith is also vain. It is useless
to believe. It can be of no advantage.
[f Christ was not raised, he was an im-
postor, since he repeatedly declared that
he would rise (Matt. xvi. 21 ; xviii. 22,
23. Luke ix. 22), and since the whole
of his religion depended on that. The
system could not be true unless Christ
had been raised, as he said he would be ;
and to believe a false system could be
of no use to any man. The argument
15 Yea, and we are found
false witnesses of God ; because
we have testified of God that he
here is one addressed to all their feel-
ings, their hopes, and their belief. It
is drawn from all their convictions that
the system was true. Were they, could
they be prepared to admit a doctrine
which involved the consequence that
all the evidences which they had that
the apostles preached the truth were de-
lusive, and that all the evidences of the
truth of Christianity which had affect-
ed their minds and won their hearts
were false and deceptive 1 If they were
not prepared for this, then it followed
that they should not abandon or doubt
the doctrine of the resurrection of the
dead.
15. Yea, and we are found. We are ;
or we shall be proved to be. It will
follow, if the Lord Jesus was not raised
up, that we have been false witnesses.
f Of God. Respecting God. It will be
found that we have affirmed that which
is not true of God ; or have said that
he has done that which he has not
done. Nothing could be regarded as a
greater crime than this, whatever might
be the immediate subject under consi-
deration. To bear false witness of a
man, or to say that a man has done
what he has not done, is regarded as a
grievous crime. How much more so to
bear false testimony of God ! 1 Because
we have testified of God. Or rather
against God (xard TC.U 3-soy). Our evi-
{ dence has been against him. We have
affirmed that which is not true ; and
this is against God. It is implied
here that it would be a crime to testify
that God had raised up the Lord Jesus
if he had not done it ; or that it would
be affirming that of God which would
be against his character, or which it
would be improper for him to do. This
would be so, (I.) Because it would be
wrong to bear any false witness of God,
or to affirm that he had done what ho
had not done ; (2.) Because if the
Lord Jesus had not been raised up, it
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER XV.
raised up Christ : whom he rais- ! 16 For if the dead rise
ed not up, if so be that the dead then is not Christ raised :
309
not.
rise not.
would prove that he was an impostor,
wnce he had declared that he would be
raised up ; and to affirm of God that he
had raised up an impostor would be
against him, and would be highly dis-
honourable to him. \ If the dead rise
not. If there is, and can be no resur-
rection. If this general proposition is
true that there can be no resurrection,
then it will apply to Christ as well as
any others, and must prove that he did
not rise. The argument in this verse
is this. (1.) If it was denied that
Christ was raised, it would prove that
all the apostles were false witnesses of
the worst character ; false witnesses
against God. (2.) This the apostle seems
to have presumed they could not be-
lieve. They had had too many evidences
that they spoke the truth ; they had
seen their uniform respect for God, and
desire to bear witness of him and in his
favour; they had had too conclusive
evidence that they were inspired by
him, and had the power of working
miracles ; they were too fully convinc-
ed of their honesty, truth, and piety,
tver to believe that they could be false
witnesses against God. They had had
ample opportunity to know whether
God did raise up the Lord Jesus; and
they were witnesses who had no in-
ducement to bear a false witness in the
case.
11. For if the dead rise not, &c.
This is a repetition of what is said in
ver. 13. It is repeated here, evidently,
because of its importance. It was a
great and momentous truth which
would bear repetition, that if thea^was
no resurrection, as some held, then it
would follow that the Lord Jesus was
not raised up.
14. Your faith is vain. ver. 14. The
meaning of this passage here is, that
their faith was vain, because, if Christ
was not raised up, they were yet un-
pardoned sinners. The pardon of sin
vas connected with the belief of the
17 And if Christ be not raised,
resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and, if
he was not raised, they were still in a
state of sin. ^ Ye are yet in your sins,
Your sins are yet un pardoned. They
can be forgiven only by faith in him,
and by the efficacy of his blood. But
if he was not raised, he was an impos-
tor ; and, of course, all your hopes of
pardon by him, and through him, must
be vain. The argument in this verse
consists in an appeal to their Christian
experience and their hopes. It may be
thus expressed: (1.) You have reason
to believe that your sins are forgiven.
You cherish that belief on evidence that
is satisfactory to you. But if Christ is
not raised, that cannot be true. He was
an impostor, and sins cannot be forgiven
by him. As you are not, and cannot be
prepared to admit that your sins are not
forgiven, you cannot admit a doctrine
which involves that. (2.) You have
evidence that you are not under the
dominion of sin. You have repented
of it; have forsaken it; and are leading
a holy life. You know that, and cannot
be induced to doubt this fact. But all
that is to be traced to the doctrine that
the Lord Jesus rose from the dead. It
is only by believing that, and the doc-
trines which are connected with it, that
the power of sin in the heart has been
destroyed. And- as you cannot doubt
that under the influence of that truth
you have been enabled to break off from
your sins, so you cannot admit a doc-
trine which would involve it as a con-
sequence that you are yet under the
condemnation and the dominion of sin.
You must believe, therefore, that the
Lord Jesus rose ; and that, if he rose,
others will also. This argument is
good also now, just so far as there is
evidence that, through the belief of a
risen Saviour, the dominion of sin has
been broken ; and every Christian is,
therefore, in an important sense, a wit-
ness of the resurrection of the Lord
j Jesus, a living proo f that a system
S10
1 CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
your faith a is vain ; ye are yet
in your sins.
18 Then they also whicli are
a Rom.4.25.
fallen asleep in Christ are pe-
rished.
19 If in this life only we
which can work so great changes, and
produce such evidence that sins are for-
given as are furnished in the conversion
of sinners, must be from God ; and, of
course, that the work of the Lord Jesus
was accepted, and that he was raised up
from the dead.
18. Then they also, <fec. This verse
contains a statement of another conse-
quence which must follow from the de-
nial of the resurrection that all Chris-
tians who had died had failed of salva-
tion, and were destroyed, f Which are
fallen asleep in Christ. Which have
died as Christians. Note, ver. 6. 1 Thess.
iv. 15. f Are perished. Are destroyed ;
are not saved. They hoped to have been
saved by the merits of the Lord Jesus ;
they trusted to a' risen Saviour, and
fixed all their hopes of heaven there ;
but if he did not rise, of course the
whole system was delusion, and they
have failed of heaven, and been de-
stroyed. Their bodies lie in the grave,
and return to their native dust without
the prospect of a resurrection, and their
souls are destroyed. The argument
here is mainly an appeal to their feel-
ings : ' Can you believe it possible that
the good men who have believed in the
Lord Jesus are destroyed 1 Can you
believe that your best friends, your
kindred, and your fellow Christians
who have died, have gone down to
perdition 1 Can you believe that they
will sink to wo with the impenitent,
and the polluted, and abandoned 1 If
you cannot, then it must follow that
they are saved. And then it will follow
that you cannot embrace a doctrine
which involves this consequence.' And
this argument is a sound one still.
There are multitudes who are made
good men by the gospel. They are
holy, humble, self-denying, and prayer-
ful friends of God. They have become
wch by the belief of the death and re-
surrection of the Lord Jesus. Can it
be believed that they will be destroyed !
That they will perish with the profane,
and licentious, and unprincipled 1 That
they will go down to dwell with the
polluted and the wicked 1 " Shall noi.
the judge of all the earth do right!'''
Gen. viii. 25. If it cannot be so be-
lieved, then they will be saved ; and if
saved, it follows that the system is true
which saves them, and, of course, thai
the Lord Jesus rose from the dead
We may remark here, that a denial ol
the truth of Christianity involves tht
belief that its friends will perish with
others ; that all their hopes are vain :
and that their expectations are delusive.
He, therefore, who becomes an infidel
believes that his pious friends his saint-
ed father, his holy mother, his lovely
Christian sister or child, is deluded and
deceived ; that they will sink down to
the grave to rise no more ; that their
hopes of heaven will all vanish, and
that they will be destroyed with the
profane, the impure, and the sensual.
And if infidelity demands this faith of
its votaries, it is a system which strikes
at the very happiness of social life, and
at all our convictions of what is true
and right. It is a system that is wither-
ing and blighting to the best hopes of
men. Can it be believed that God will
destroy those who are living to his ho-
nour ; who are pure in heart, and lovely
in life, and who have been made such
by the Christian religion ? If it can-
not, then every man knows that Chris-
tianity is not false, and thai infidelity
IS I^T TRUE.
19. If in this life only we have hope
in Christ. If our hope in Chiist shall
not be followed by the resurrection of
the dead and future glory, and if all our
hopes shall be disappointed. ^ We are,
&c. Doddridge, Macknight, Grotius,
and some others, suppose that this re-
fers to the apostles only, and that the
sense is, that if there was no resurrec-
A.fc 69
CHAPTER XV.
311
have hope in Christ, we " are
oJno.16.2 c.4.13. 2Tim.3.12.
tion, they, of all men, would be most to
be pitied, since they had exposed them-
selves to such a variety of dangers and
trials, in which nothing could sustain
them but the hope of immortality. If
they failed in that, they failed in every
thing. They were regarded as the most
vile of the human family ; they suffered
more from persecution, poverty, and
perils than other men ; and if, after all,
they were to be deprived of all their
hopes, and disappointed in their ex-
pectation of the resurrection, their con-
dition would be more deplorable than
that of any other men. But there is no
good reason for supposing that the word
" we," here, is to be limited to the
apostles. For, (1.) Paul had not men-
tioned the apostles particularly in the
previous verses ; and, (2.) The argu-
ment demands that it should be under-
stood of all Christians, and the declara-
tion is as true, substantially, of all Chris-
tians as it was of the apostles. 1 Of
all men most miserable. More to be
pitied or commiserated than any other
class of men. The word here used
(e\favoT6) means, properly, more de-
serving of pity, more pitiable. It may
mean sometimes, more wretched, or
unhappy; but this is not necessarily
its meaning, nor is it its meaning here.
It refers rather to their condition and
hopes than to their personal feeling;
and does not mean that Christians
are unhappy, or that their religion does
not produce comfort, but that their con-
dition would be most deplorable ; they
would be more deserving of pity than
any other class of men. This would
be, (1.) Because no other men had so
elevated hopes, and, of course, no others
could experience so great disappoint-
ment. (2.) They were subjected to
more trials than any other class of men.
They were persecuted and reviled, and
subjected to toil, and privation, and
want, on account of their religion ; and
if, after all, they were to be disappointed,
their condition was truly deplorable.
(3.) T\ ey do not indulge in the plea-
of all men most miserable
sures of this lift;; they do not give
themselves, as others do, to the enjoy-
ments of this world. They voluntarily
subject themselves to trial and self-de-
nial ; and if they are not admitted to
eternal life, they are not only disap-
pointed in this, but they are cut off from
the sources of happiness which their
fellow men enjoy in this world. Cal-
vin. (4.) On the whole, therefore,
there would be disappointed hopes, and
trials, and poverty, and want, and all
for naught ; and no condition could be
conceived to be more deplorable than
where a man was looking for eternal
life, and for it subjecting himself to a
life of want, and poverty, and persecu-
tion, and tears, and should be finally
disappointed. This passage, therefore,
does not mean that virtue and piety are
not attended with happiness ; it does
not mean that, even if there were no
future state, a man would not be more
happy if he walked in the paths of vir-
tue than if he lived a life of sin ; it does
not mean that the Christian has no
happiness in religion itself in the love
of God, and in prayer, and praise, and
in purity of life. In all this he has
enjoyment ; and even if there were no
heaven, a life of virtue and piety would
be more happy than a life of sin. But
it means that the condition of the Chris-
tian would be more deplorable than that
of other men ; he would be more to be
pitied. All his high hopes would be
disappointed. Other men have no such
hopes to be dashed to the ground ; and,
of course, no other men would be such
objects of pity and compassion. The
argument in this verse is derived from
the high hopes of the Christian. ' Could
they believe that all their hopes were to
be frustrated 1 Could they subject them-
selves to all these trials and privations,
without believing that they would rise
from the dead ? Were they prepared,
by the denial of the doctrine of the re-
surrection, to put themselves in the
condition of the most miserable and
wretched of the human family- --to at?*
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 69.
20 But now is a Christ risen j first-fruits * of them that slept.
f rom the dead, and become the
mit that they were in a condition most
to he deplored 1
20. But now is Christ risen, &c.
This language is the bursting forth of
a full heart and of overpowering con-
viction. It would seem as if Paul were
impatient of the slow process of argu-
ment; weary of meeting objections,
and of stating the consequences of a
denial of the doctrine ; and longing to
give utterance to what he knew, that
Christ was risen from the dead. That
was a point on which he was certain.
He had seen him after he was risen ;
and he could no more doubt this fact
than he could any other which he had
witnessed with his own eyes. He
makes, therefore, this strong affirma-
tion ; and in doing it, he at the same
time affirms that the dead will also rise,
since he had shown (ver. 12 18) that
all the objection to the doctrine of the
resurrection was removed by the fact
that Christ had risen, and had shown
that his resurrection involved the cer-
tainty that his people also would rise.
There is peculiar force in the word
" noiv" in this verse. The meaning
may be thus expressed : ' I have show-
ed the consequences which would follow
from the supposition that Christ was
not raised up. I have shown how it
would destroy all our hopes, plunge us
into grief, annihilate our faith, make our
preaching vain, and involve us in the
belief that our pious friends have pe-
rished, and that we are yet in our sins.
I have shown how it would produce
the deepest disappointment and misery.
But all this was mere supposition.
There is no reason to apprehend any
such consequences, or to be thus alarm-
ed. Christ is risen. Of that there is
no doubt. That is not to be called in
question. It is established by irrefraga-
ble testimony ; and consequently our
hopes are not vain, our faith is not
useless, our pious friends have not pe-
rished, and we shall not be disappoint-
ed.' J And become the first-fruits.
a lPet.1.3 b Acts 26.23. Col.l.l8.Rev.l.5.
The word rendered first-fruits
occurs in the New Testament in the
following places : Rom. viii. 23 (see
Note on this place); xi. 16; xvi. f.
1 Cor. xv. 20. 23 ; xvi. 15. James i.
18. Rev. xiv. 4. It occurs often in the
LXX. as the translation of aVn, fat, or
fatness (Num. xviii. 12. 29, 30. 32) ;
as the translation of ntpjjc, the tenth, or
tithe (Deut. xii. 6) ; of \\y, iniquity
(Num. xviii. 1) ; of rvc'K-i, the begin-
ning, the commencement, the first (Ex.
xxiii. 19. Lev. xxiii. 10. Num. xv. 18,
19, &c.) ; of HD^VS oblation, offering ,
lifting up ; of that which is lifted up 01
waved as the first sheaf of the harvest,
&c. Ex. xxv. 2, 3 ; xxxv. 5. Num. v
9 ; xviii. 8, &c. The first-fruits, or the
first sheaf of ripe grain, was required to
be offered to the Lord, and was waved
before him by the priest, as expressing
the sense of gratitude by the husband-
man, and his recognition of the fact that
God had a right to all that he had.
Lev. xxiii. 10 14. The word, there-
fore, comes to have two senses, or to
involve two ideas: (1.) That which is
first, the beginning, or that which has
the priority of time; and, (2.) That
which is a part and portion of the
whole which is to follow, and which is
the earnest or pledge of that ; as the first
sheaf of ripe grain was not only the
first in order of time, but was the
earnest or pledge of the entire harveet
which was soon to succeed. In allu-
sion to this, Paul uses the word here.
It was not merely or mainly that Christ
was the first in order of time that rose
from the dead, for Lrrarus and the wi-
dow's son had been .raised before him ;
but it was that he wj s chief in regard
to the dignity, value, and importance
of his rising ; he war connected with
all that should rise, as \l:e first sheaf of
the harvest was with tl e crop , he was
apart of the mighty hitsest of the re-
surrection, and his risin t ; wus a porf:un
of that great rising, as tl e sheaf wa* a
portion of the harvest .taelf; ani hfc
. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XV.
313
21 For 'since by man came
death, * by man came also the
resurrection of the dead.
aKom.5.12,17. 6Jna.ll.25.
*vas so connected with them all, and
their rising so depended on his, that
his resurrection was a demonstration
that they would rise. It may also be
implied here, as Grotius and Schoettgen
have remarked, that he is the first of
those who were raised so as not to die
again ; and that, therefore, those raised
by Elisha and by the Saviour himself
do not come into the account. They
all died again; but the Saviour will not
die, nor will those whom he will raise
up in the resurrection die any more.
He is, therefore, the first of those that
thus rise, and a portion o/ that great
host which shall be raised to die no more.
May there not be another idea ? The
first sheaf of the harvest was consecrated
to God, and then all the harvest was
regarded as consecrated to him. May
it not be implied that, by the resurrec-
tion of the Lord ^fesus, all those of
whom he speaks are regarded as sacred
to God, and as consecrated and accepted
by the resurrection and acceptance of
him who was the first-fruits'? \ Of them
that slept. Of the pious dead. Note,
*er. 6.
21. For since by man came death.
By Adam, or by means of his transgres-
sion See ver. 22. The sense is, evi-
dently, that in consequence of the sin
of Adam all men die, or are subjected
to temporal death. Or, in other words,
man would not have died had it not been
for the crime of the first man. See Note
on Rom. v. 12. This passage may be
regarded as proof that death would not
have entered the world had it not been
for transgression ; or, in other words, if
man had not sinned, he would have re-
mained immortal on the earth, or would
have been translated to heaven, as
Enoch and Elijah were, without seeing
death. The apostle here, by " man,"
undoubtedly refers to Adam ; but the
particular and specific idea which he
ntcnds to insist on is, that, as death
27
22 For as in Adam all die.
even so in Christ shall ail be
made alive. 9
came by human nature, or by a human
being, by a man, so it was important
and proper that immortality, or freedom
from death, should come in the same
way, by one who was a man. Man in-
troduced death ; man also would recover
from death. The evil was introduced
by one man ; the recovery would be by
another. 1 By man came also. By
the Lord Jesus, the Son of God in hu-
man nature. The resurrection came by
him, because he first rose first of those
who should not again die ; because he
proclaimed the doctrine, and placed it
on a firm foundation ; and because by
his power the dead will be raised up.
Thus he came to counteract the evils of
the fall, and to restore man to more than
his primeval iignity and honour. The
resurrection through Christ will be with
the assurance that all who are raised up
by him shall never die again.
22. For as in Adam (ev TW *Atf*^c).
By Adam ; by the act, or by means of
Adam ; as a consequence of his act
His deed was the procuring cause, or the
reason, why all are subjected to temporal
death. See Gen. iii. 19. It does not
mean that all men became actually dead
when he sinned, for they had not then
an existence ; but it must mean that the
death of ail can be traced to him as the
procuring cause, and that his act made
it certain that all that came into the
world would be mortal. The sentence
which went forth against him (Gen. iii.
19) went forth against all ; affected all
involved all in the certainty of death ;
as the sentence that was passed on the
serpent (Gen. iii. 14) made it certain
that all serpents would be " cursed above
all cattle," and be prone upon (he earth ;
the sentence that was passed upon the
woman (Gen. iii. 16) made it certain
that all woman would be subjected to
the same condition of suffering to which
Eve was subjected ; and the sentence
that was passed on man (Gen. iii IT)
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
that he should cultivate the ground in
sorrow all the days of his life, that it
should bring forth thistles and thorns to
him (ver. 18), that he -should eat bread
in the sweat of his brow (ver. 19), made
it certain that this would be the condi-
tion of all men as well as of Adam. It
was a blow at the head of the human
family, and they were subjected to the
same train of evils as he was himself.
In like manner they were subjected to
death. It was done in Adam, or by
Adam, in the same way as it was in him,
or by him, that they were subjected to
toil, and to the necessity of procuring
food by the sweat of the brow. See
Notes, Rom. v. 12 19. See ver. 47,
48. f All die. All mankind are sub-
jected to temporal death ; or are mortal.
This passage has been often adduced to
prove that all mankind became sinful in
Adam, or in virtue of a covenant trans-
action with him ; and that they are sub-
jected to spiritual death as a punishment
for his sins. But, whatever may be the
truth on that subject, it is clear that this
passage does not relate to it, and should
not be adduced as a proof text. For,
(1.) The words die and dieth obviously
and usually refer to temporal death ;
and they should be so understood, unless
there is something in the connexion
which requires us to understand them in
a figurative and metaphorical sense.
But there is, evidently, no such neces-
sity here. (2.) The context requires
us to understand this as relating to
temporal death. There is not here, as
there is in Rom. v., any intimation that
men became sinners in consequence of
the transgression of Adam, nor does the
course of the apostle's argument require
him to make any statement on that sub-
ject. His argument has reference to
the subject of temporal death, and the
resurrection of the dead ; and not to the
question in what way men became sin-
ners. (3.) The whole of this argument
relates to the resurrection of the dead.
That is the main, the leading, the ex-
clusive point. He is demonstrating that
the dead would rise. He is showing
how this would be done. It became,
therefore, important for him to show in
what way men were subjected to tem-
poral death. His argument, therefore,
requires him to make a statement on
that point, and that only ; and to show
that the resurrection by - Christ was
adapted to meet and overcome the evils
of the death to which men were subject-
ed by the sin of the first man. In
Rom. v. the design -of Paul b to prove
that the effects of the woik of Christ
were more than sufficient to meet ALL
the evils introduced by the sin of Adam.
This leads him to an examination there
of the question in what way men became
sinners. Here the design is to show
that the work of Christ is adapted to
overcome the. evils of the sin of Adam
in one specific matter the matter un-
der discussion, i. e. on the point of the
resurrection; and his argument therefore
requires hinj to show only that temporal
death, or mortality, was introduced by the
first man, and that this has been counter-
acted by the second ; and to this specific
point the interpretation of this passage
should be confined. Nothing is more
important in interpreting the Bible than
to ascertain the spe^fic point in the ar-
gument of a writer to be defended or
illustrated, and then to confine the inter-
pretation to that. The argument of the
apostle here is ample to prove that all
men are subjected to temporal death by
the sin of Adam ; and that this evil is
counteracted fully by the resurrection
of Christ, and the resurrection through
him. And to this point the passage
should be limited. (4.) If this passage
means, that in Adam, or by him, all men
became sinners, then the correspondent
declaration " all shall be made alive"
must mean that all men shall become
righteous, or that all shall be saved.
This would be the natural and obvious
interpretation ; since the words " be
made alive" must have reference to the
words " all die," and must affirm the
correlative and opposite fact. If the
phrase "all die" there means all be-
come sinners, then the phrase " all be
made alive" must mean all shall bf
made holy, or be recovered from their
spiritual death ; and thus an obvious
argument is furnished for the doctrine
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XV.
of universal sjuvation, which it is dif-
ficult, if not impossible, to meet. It is
not a sufficient answer to this to say,
that the word " all," in the latter part
of the sentence, means all the elect, or
all the righteous ; for its most natural
and obvious meaning: is, that it is co-
extensive with the word "all" in the
former part of the verse. And although
it has been held by many who suppose
that the passage refers only to the resur-
rection of the dead, that it means that
all the righteous shall be raised up, or
all who are given to Christ, yet that in-
terpretation is not the obvious one, nor
is it yet sufficiently clear to make it the
basis of an argument, or to meet the
strong argument which the advocate of
universal salvation will derive from the
former interpretation of the passage. It
i* true literally that ALL the dead will
rise ; it is not true literally that all who
became mortal, or became sinners by
means of Adam, will be saved. And it
must be held as a great principle that
this passage is not to be JBO interpreted
as to teach the doctrine of the salvation
of all men. At least, this may be adopt-
ed as a principle in the argument with
those who adduce it to prove that all
men became sinners by the transgres-
sion of Adam. This passage, therefore,
should not be adduced in proof of the
doctrine of imputation, or as relating to
the question how men became sinners,
but should be limited to the subject that
was immediately under discussion in the
argument of the apostle. That object
was, to show that the doctrine of the
resurrection by Christ was such as to
meet the obvious doctrine that men be-
came mortal by Adam ; or that the one
was adapted to counteract the other.
1 Even so (si/T). In this manner;
referring not merely to the certainty of
the event, but to the mode or manner.
As the death of all was occasioned by
the sin of one, even so, in like manner,
the resurrection of all shall be produced
by one. His resurrection shall meet
and counteract the evils introduced by
the other, so far as the subject under
discussior. is concerned ; that is, so far
as relates to temporal death. 1 In
Christ, By Christ; in viitue of him;
or as the result of his death and resur-
rection. Many commentators have sup-
posed that the word " all" here refers
only to believers, meaning all who were
united to Christ, or all who were his
friends ; all included in a covenant with
him ; as the word " all" in the former
member of the sentence means all who
were included in the covenant with
Adam; that is, all mankind. But to
this view there are manifest objections.
(1.) It is not the obvious sense; it is
not that which will occur to the great
mass of men who interpret the Scrip-
tures on the principles of common
sense ; it is an interpretation which is
to be made out by reasoning and by
theology always a suspicious circum-
stance in interpreting the Bible. (2.) It
is not necessary. All the wicked will
be raised up from the dead, as well as
all the righteous. Dan. xii. 2. John v.
28, 29. (3.) The form of the passage
requires us to understand the word
"all" in the same sense in both mem-
bers, unless there be some indispensable
necessity for limiting the one or the
other. (4.) The argument of the apos-
tle requires this. For his object is to
show that the effect of the sin of Adam,
by introducing temporal death, will be
counteracted by Christ in raising up all
who die ; which would not be shown if
the apostle meant to say that only a
part of those who had died in conse-
quence of the sin of Adam would be
raised up. The argument would then
be inconclusive. But now it is complete
if it be shown that all shall be raised
up, whatever may become of them af-
terwards. The sceptre of death shall
be broken, and his dominion destroyed,
by the fact that ALL shall be raised up
from the dead. 1 Be made alive. Be
raised from the dead; be made alive, in
a sense contradistinguished from that in
which he here says they were subjected
to death by Adam. If it should be held
that that means thai all were made win-
ners by him, then this means, as has
been observed, that all shall be made
righteous, and the doctrine of universal
salvation has an unanswerable argu-
t. CORINTHIANS.
23 But a every man in his own
order : Christ the first-fruits ;
afterward they that are Christ's,
at his coming.
24 Then cometh the
a lThess.4.15-17.
end,
when he shall
[A.D. 59
have delivered
up the kingdom * to God, even
the Father; when he shall have
put down all rule and all author
ity and power.
b Dan.7. 14,27
merit ; if it means, as it obviously does,
that all were subjected to temporal death
by him, then it means t'nat all shall be
raised from the dead by Christ.
23. But every man. Every one, in-
cluding Christ as well as others. | In
Ids own order. In his proper order,
rank, place, time. The word tay^a.
usually relates to military order or ar-
ray ; to the arrangement of a cohort, or
band of troops ; to their being properly
marshalled with the officers at the head,
and every man in his proper place in
the ranks. Here it means that there
was a proper order to be observed in the
resurrection of the dead. And the de-
sign of the apostle is, probably, to coun-
teract the idea that the resurrection was
passed already, or that there was no
future resurrection to be expected. The
order which is here referred to is, doubt-
less, mainly that of time,- meaning that
Christ would be first, and then that the
others would follow. But it also means
that Christ would be first, because it
was proper that he should be first. He
was first in rank, in dignity, and in ho-
nour ; he was the leader of all others,
and their resurrection depended on his.
And as it was proper that a leader or
commander should have the first place
on a march, or in an enterprise involving
peril or glory, so it was proper that
Christ should be first in the resurrec-
tion, and that the others should follow
on in due order and time, f Christ
the first-fruits. Christ first in time,
and the pledge that they should rise.
See note on ver. 20. t Afterward*
After he has risen. Not before, be-
cause their resurrection depended on
him. t They that are Christ's. They
who are Christians. The apostle, though
in ver. 22 he had stated the truth that
'.ill the dead would rise, yet here only
mentions Christians, because to them
only would the doctrine be of any con
solation, and because it was to them
particularly that this whole argument
was directed. ^ At his coming. When
he shall come to judge the world, and
to receive his people to himself. This
proves that the dead will not be raised
until Christ shall reappear. He shall
come for that purpose ; and he shall
assemble all the dead, and shall take his
people to himself. See Matt. xxv. And
this declaration fully met the opinion
of those who held that the resurrection
was past already. See 2 Tim. ii. 18.
24. TJien cometh the end. Then is
the end ; or then is the consummation.
It does not mean that the end, or con-
summation, is to follow that event; but
that this will be the ending, the wind-
ing up, the consummation of the affairs
under the mediatorial reign of Christ.
The word end (TIM?) denotes properly
a limit, termination, completion of any
thing. The proper and obvious mean-
ing of the word here is, that then shall
be the end or completion of the work
of redemption. That shall have been
done which was intended to be done
by the incarnation and the work of the
atonement; the race shall be redeem-
ed ; the friends of God shall be com
pletely recovered ; and the ad in in lot ra-
tion of the affairs of the universe shall
be conducted as they were before the
incarnation of the Redeemer. Some
understand the word " end" here, how-
ever, as a metaphor, meaning ' the last,
or the rest of the dead ;' but this is a
forced and improbable interpretation.
The word end here may refer to the
end of human affairs, or the end of the
kingdoms of this world, or it may refer
to the end of the mediatorial kingdom
of the Redeemer ; the consummation
of his peculiar reign and work resulting
in the surrender of the kingdom to th
. 59.]
CHAPTER XV.
Father. The connexion demands the
last interpretation, though this involves
also the former. K When he shall have
delivered up (TaguJw). This word means
properly to give near, with, or to any
one ; to give over, to deliver up. Ro-
binson. It is applied to the act of deli-
vering up persons to the power or au-
thority of others, as, e.g. to magistrates
for trial and condemnation (Matt. v.
85. Mark xv. 1. Luke xx. 20) ; to lie-
tors, or soldiers, for punishment (Matt,
xviii. 24) ; or to one's enemies. Matt,
xx vi. 15. It is applied also to persons
or things delivered over or surrendered,
to do or suffer any thing. Acts xv. 26.
1 Cor. xiii. 3. Eph. iv. 19. It is also
applied to persons or things delivered
over to the care, charge, or supervision
of any one, in the sense of giving up,
intrusting, committing. Matt. xi. 27 ;
xxv. 14. Luke iv. 6. 10. 22. Here the
obvious sense is that of surrendering,
giving back, delivering up, rendering
up that which had been received, im-
plying that an important trust had been
received, which was now to be rendered
back. And according to this interpreta-
tion, it means, (1.) That the Lord Jesus
had received or been intrusted with an
important power or office as mediator.
Comp. Note, Matt, xviii. 18. (2.) That
he had executed the purpose implied
in that trust or commission ; and, (3.)
That he was now rendering back to
God that office or authority which he
had received at his hands. As the
work had been accomplished which had
been contemplated in his design ; as
there would be no further necessity for
mediation when redemption should have
been made, and his church recovered
from sin and brought to glory ; there
would be no further need of that pecu-
liar arrangement which had been im-
plied in the work of redemption, and,
of course, all the intrustment of power
involved in that would be again re-
stored to the hands of God. The idea,
says Grotius, is, that he would deliver
up the kingdom as the governors of
provinces render again or deliver up
Jheir commission and authority to the
Caesars who appointed them There
27*
is no absurdity in this view. For if
the world was to be redeemed, it was
necessary that the Redeemer should be
intrusted with power sufficient for his
work. When that work was done, and
there was no further need of that pecu-
liar exercise of power, then it would be
proper that it should be restored, or that
the government of God should be ad-
ministered as it was before the work of
redemption was undertaken ; that the
Divinity, or the Godhead, as such,
should preside over the destinies of the
universe. Of course, it will not follow
that the Second Person of the Trinity
will surrender all power, or cease to
exercise government. It will be that
power only which he had as Mediator ;
and whatever part in the administration
of the government of the universe he
shared as Divine before the incarnation,
he will still share, with the additional
glory and honour of having redeemed
a world by his death. ^ The kingdom.
This word means properly dominion
reign, the exercise of kingly power.
In the New Testament it means com-
monly the reign of the Messiah, or the
dominion which God would exercise
through the Messiah ; the reign of God
over men by the laws and institutions
of the Messiah. See Note, Matt. iii. 2.
Here it means, I think, evidently, domi-
nion in general. It cannot denote the
peculiar, administration over the world
involved in the work of mediation, for
that will be ended ; but it means that
the empire, the sovereignty, shall have
been delivered up to God. His enemies
shall have been subdued. His power
shall have been asserted. The authority
of God shall have been established, and
the kingdom, or the dominion, shall be
in the hands of God himself; and he
shall reign, not in the peculiar form
which existed in the work of media-
tion, but absolutely, and as he did over
obedient minds before the incarnation.
1 To God. To God as God ; to the
Divinity. The Mediator shall have
given up the peculiar power and rule
as Mediator, and it shall be exercised
by God as God. t Even the Father
And (xx)) the Father. The word Fa
313
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D 59
ther, as applied to God in the Scrip-
tures, is used in two senses to desig-
nate the Father, the first person of the
Trinity as distinguished from the Son ;
and in a broader, wider sense, to denote
God as sustaining the relation of a Fa-
ther to his creatures ; as the Father of
all. Instances of this use are too nu-
merous to be here particularly referred
to. It is in this latter sense, perhaps,
that the word is used here not to de-
note that the second person of the Tri-
nity is to surrender all power into the
hands of the first, or that he is to cease
to exercise dominion and control ; but
that the power is to be yielded into the
hands of God as God, i. e. as the uni-
versal Father, as the Divinity, without
being exercised in any peculiar and
special manner by the different persons
of the Godhead, as had been done in
the work of redemption. At the close
of the work of redemption this peculiar
arrangement would cease ; and God, as
the universal Father and Ruler of all,
would exercise the government of the
world. See, however, Note on ver. 28.
1 When he shall have put down. When
he shall have abolished, or brought to
naught, all that opposed the reign of
God. 1 All rule, &c. All those mighty
powers that opposed God and resisted
his reign. The words here used do not
seem intended to denote the several de-
partments or forms of opposition, but
to be general terms, meaning that what-
ever opposed God should be subdued.
They include, of course, the kingdoms
of this world ; the sins, pride, and cor
ruption of the human heart ; the powers
of darkness the spiritual dominions
that oppose God on earth and in hell ;
and death and the grave. All shall be
completely subdued, and cease to inter-
pose any obstacles to the advancement
of his kingdom and to his universal
reign. A monarch reigns when all his
enemies are subdued or destroyed ; or
when they are prevented from opposing
his will, even though all should not vo-
luntarily submit to his will. The fol-
lowing remarks of Prof. Bush present p.
plausible and ingenious view of this
difficult passage, and they are, therefore,
subjoined here. " If the opinion of the
eminent critic, Storr, may be admitted,
that the kingdom here said to be deli-
vered up to the Father is not the king-
dom of Christ, but the rule and domi-
nion of all adverse powers an opinion
rendered very probable by the following
words : ' when he shall have put down
(Gr. done away, abolished) all rule, and
all authority and power,' and ver. 25,
' till he hath put all enemies under his
feet' then is the passage of identical
import with Rev. xi. 15, referring to
precisely the same period : ' And the
seventh angel sounded ; and there were
great voices in heaven, saying, The
kingdoms of the world are become the
kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ;
and he shall reign for ever and ever.'
It is, therefore, we conceive, out a pe-
culiar mode of denoting the transfer,
the making over of the kingdoms of
this world from their former despotic
and antichristian rulers to the sove-
reignty of Jesus Christ, the appointee, 1
heir and head of all things, whose king-
dom is to be everlasting. If this inter-
pretation be correct, we are prepared to
advance a step farther, and suggest that
the phrase, he shall have delivered up
(Greek, ;?*/), be understood as an
instance of the idiom in which the verb
is used without any personal nomina-
tive, but has reference to the purpost
of God as expressed in the Scriptures ,-
so that the passage may be read, ' Then
cometh the end (z. e. not the close, the
final winding up, but the perfect deve-
lopement, expansion, completion, con-
summation of the divine plans in regard
to this world), when the prophetic an-
nouncements of the Scriptures require
the delivering up (i. e. the making over)
of all adverse dominion into the hands
of the Messiah, to whose supremacy we
are taught to expect that every thing
will finally be made subject." Illus-
trations of Scripture. A more extend-
ed examination of this difficult passage
may be seen in Storr's Opuscula, vol. i
pp/274 282. See also Biblical Repo-
sitory, vol. iii. pp. 748755
\.D.5**.]
25 For he " must reign, till he
hath put all enemies under his
feet.
a Ps.2.6-10; 45.3-6; 110.1. Eph.1-22. Heb.1.13.
25. For he must reign. It is fit, or
proper (/?% that he should reign till
this is accomplished. It is proper that
the mediatorial kingdom should conti-
nue till this great work is eliected. The
word "must" here refers to the pro-
priety of this continuance of his reign,
and to the fact that this was contem-
plated and predicted as the work which
he would accomplish. He came to
subdue all his enemies. See Ps. ii.
610; or Ps. ex. 1, "The Lord said
unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right
hand until I make thine enemies thy
footstool." Paul, doubtless, had this
passage in his eye as affirming the
necessity that he should reign until all
his foes should be subdued. That this
refers to the Messiah is abundantly clear
from Matt. xxii. 44, 45.
26. The last enemy that shall be
destroyed is death. The other foes of
God should be subdued before the final
resurrection. The enmity of the human
heart should be subdued by the triumphs
of the gospel. The sceptre of Satan
should be broken and wrested from him.
The false systems of religion that had
tyrannized over men should be destroyed.
The gospel should have spread every-
where, and the world be converted to
God. And nothing should remain but
to sv^ilue or destroy death, and that
wou'd be by the resurrection. It would
be, ((.) Because the resurrection would
be 9 triumph over death, showing that
there was one of greater power, and that
the sceptre would be wrested from the
hands of death. (2.) Because death
would cease to reign. No more would
ever die. AH that should be raised up
would live for ever; and the effects of
sin and rebellion in this world would be
thus for ever ended, and the kingdom
of God restored. Death is here personi-
fied as a tyrant, exercising despotic
power over the human race ; and he is
to be subdued.
CHAPTER XV.
319
26 The last enemy that shah
be destroyed b is death.
27 For he c hath put all things
6 Hos.13.14. 2Tim.UO. Rev.20.14. c Pa.8.6.
27. For he hath put. God has put
by promise, purpose, or decree. ^ All
things under his feet. He has made
all things subject to him ; or has ap-
pointed him to be head over all things.
Comp. Matt xxvhi. 18. John xvii. 2.
Eph. i. 20 22. It is evident that Paul
here refers to some promise or prediction
respecting the Messiah, though he does
not expressly quote any passage, or
make it certain to what he refers. The
words " hath put all things under his
feet" are found in Ps. viii. 6, as appli-
cable to man, and as designed to show
the dignity and dominion of man. Whe-
ther the psalm has any reference to the
Messiah, has been made a question.
Those who are disposed to see an exa-
mination of this question, may find it
in Stuart on the Hebrews, on ch. ii.
6 8 ; and in Excursus ix. of the same
work, pp. 568570. Ed. 1833. In the
passage before us, it is not necessary
to suppose that Paul meant to say that
the psalm had a particular reference to
the Messiah. All that is implied is, that
it was the intention of God to subdue
all things to him ; this was the general
strain of the prophecies in regard to
him ; this was the purpose of God ; and
this idea is accurately expressed in the
words of the psalm ; or these words
will convey the general sense of the
prophetic writings in regard to the Mes-
siah. It may be true, also, that although
the passage in Ps. viii. has no immediate
and direct reference to the Messiah, yet
it includes him as one who possessed
human nature. The psalm may be
understood as affirming that all things
were subjected to human nature ; i. e.
human nature had dominion and control
over all. But this was more particularly
and eminently true of the Messiah than
of any other man. In all other cases,
great as was the dignity of man, yet his
control over "all things" was limited
and partial. In the Messiah it was
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59
under his feet. But when he
saith, All things are put under
him; it is manifest that he is
to be complete and entire. His domi-
nion, therefore, was a complete fulfil-
ment, i. e. filling up (srx^ay**) of the
words in the psalm. Under him alone
was there to be an 'entire accomplish-
ment of what is there said ; and as that
psalm was to be fulfilled, as it was to
be true that it might be said of man
that all things were subject to him, it
was to be fulfilled mainly in the person
of the Messiah, whose human nature
was to be exalted above all things.
Comp. Heb. ii. 6 9. ^ But when he
faith. When God says , or when it is
said ; when that promise is made re-
specting the Messiah. ^ It is manifest.
It must be so ; it must be so understood
and interpreted. ^ That he is excepted,
&c. That God is excepted ; that it
cannot mean that the appointing power
s to be subject to him. Paul may have
made this remark for several reasons.
Perhaps, (1.) To avoid the possibility
oi cavil, or misconstruction of the phrase,
" all things," as if it meant that God
would be included, and woultl be subdued
to him ; as among the heathen, Jupiter
is labled to have expelled his father Sa-
turn from his throne and from heaven.
(2.) It might be to prevent the suppo-
sition, from what Paul had said of the
extent of the Son's dominion, that he
was in any respect superior to the Fa-
ther. It is implied by this exception
here, that when the necessity for the
peculiar mediatorial kingdom of the Son
should cease, there would be a resuming
of the authority and dominion of the
Father, in the manner in which it sub-
sisted before the incarnation. (3.) The
expression may also be regarded as in-
tensive or emphatic ; as denoting, in the
most absolute sense, that there was no-
Ihing in the universe, but God, which
was not subject to him God was the
tnly exception ; and his dominion,
herefore, was absolute over all other
eings and things.
28. And when, &c. In this future
excepted which did put all things
under him.
28 And when all things shal'
time, when this shall be accomplished
This implies that the time has not ye
arrived, and that his dominion is now
exercised, and that he is carrying for
ward his plans for the subjugation of al)
things to God. 1 Shall be subdued unto
him. Shall be brought under subjection
When all his enemies shall be overcome
and destroyed ; or when the hearts of
the redeemed shall be entirely subject to
God. When God's kingdom shall be
fully established over the universe. It
shall then be seen that he is Lord of all.
In the previous verses he had spoken of
the promise that all things should be
subjected to God ; in this, he speaks of
its being actually done. ^ Then shall
the Son also himself be subject, &c.
It has been proposed to render this,
"even then shall the Son," &c.; imply-
ing that he had been all along subject
to God; had acted under his authority;
and that this subjection would continue
even then in a sense similar to that in
which it had existed ; and thai Christ
would then continue to exercise a dele-
gated authority over his people and
kingdom. See an article " on the dura-
tion of Christ's kingdom," by Prof.
Mills, in Bib. Rep. vol. iii. p. 748, seq.
But to this interpretation there are ob-
jections. (1.) It is not the obvious in-
terpretation. (2.) It does not seem to
comport with the design and scope of
the passage, which most evidently refers
to some change, or rendering back of
the authority of the Messiah ; or to some
resumption of authority by the Divinity,
or by God as God, in a different sense
from what existed under the Messiah.
(3.) Such a statement would be unne-
cessary and vain. Who could reason-
ably doubt that the Son would be as
much subject to God when all things
had been subdued to him as he was
before ! (4.) It is not necessary to sup-
pose this in order to reconcile the pas
sage with what is said of the perpetu-
ity of Christ's kingdom and his eternal
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER XV.
321
be subdued" unto him, then shall
the Son also himself be subject
aPhil.3.21. 6c.ll.3.
unto him b that put all things
under him, that God may be all
in all.
reign. That he would reign; that his
kingdom would be perpetual, and that
it would be unending, was indeed clear-
ly predicted. See 2 Sam. vii. 16. Ps.
xlv. 6. Isa. ix. 6, 7. Dan. ii. 44 ; vii.
14. Luke i. 22, 23. Heb. i. 8. But
these predictions may be all accom-
plished on the supposition that the pe-
culiar mediatorial kingdom of the Mes-
siah shall be given up to God, and that
ho shall be subject to him. For, (a)
His kingdom will be perpetual, in con-
tradistinction from the kingdoms of this
world. They are fluctuating, chang-
ing, short in their duration. His shall
not cease, and shall continue to the end
of time. (6) His kingdom shall be
perpetual because those who are brought
under the laws of God by him shall
remain subject to those laws for ever.
The sceptre never shall be broken, and
the kingdom shall abide to all eternity.
(<:) Christ, the Son of God, in his di-
vine nature, as God, shall never cease
fu reign. As Mediator, he may resign
his commission and his peculiar of-
fice, having made an atonement, hav-
ing recovered his people, having pro-
tected and guided them to heaven.
Y"et as one with the Father; as the
" Father of the everlasting age" (Isa.
ix. 6), he shall not cease to reign. The
functions of a peculiar office may have
been discharged, and delegated power
laid down, and that which appropri-
ately belongs to him in virtue of his
own nature and relations may be re-
sumed and executed for ever ; and it
shall still be true that the reign of the
Son of God, in union, or in oneness
with the Father, shall continue for ever.
(5.) The interpretation which affirms
that the Son shall then be subject to
the Father in the sense of laying down
his delegated authority, and ceasing to
exercise his mediatorial reign, has been
the common interpretation of all times.
This remark is of value only, because,
in the interpretation of plain words, it
is not probable that men of all classes
and ranks in different ages would err.
1 The Son also himself. The term
" Son of God" is applied to the Lord
Jesus with reference to his human na-
ture, his incarnation by the Holy
Ghost, and his resurrection from the
dead. See Note on Rom. i. 4. It re-
fers, I apprehend, to that in this place.
It does not mean that the second person
in the Trinity, as such, should be sub-
ject to the first ; but it means the In-
carnate Son, the Mediator, the man
that was born and that was raised from
the dead, and to whom this wide do-
minion had been given, should resign
that dominion, and that the govern-
ment should be reassumed by the Di-
vinity as God. As man, he shall cease
to exercise any distinct dominion.
This does not mean, evidently, that
the union of the divine and human na-
ture will be dissolved ; nor that im-
portant purposes may not be answered
by that continued union forever; nor that
the divine perfections may not shine forth
in some glorious way through the man
Christ Jesus ; but that the purpose of
government shall no longer be exer-
cised in that way ; the mediatorial
kingdom, as such, shall no longer be
continued, and power shall be exercised
by God as God. The redeemed will
still adore their Redeemer as their in-
carnate God, and dwell upon the re-
membrance of his work and upon his
perfections (Rev. i. 5, 6 ; v. 12 ; xi.
15) ; but not as exercising the peculiar
power which he now has, and which
was needful to effect their redemption.
t That God may be all in all. That
God may be SUPREME ; that the Di-
vinity, the Godhead, may rule ; and that
it may be seen that he is the Sovereign
over all the universe. By the word
"God" (o 0sic), Whitby and Ham-
mond, I think correctly, understand the
Godhead, the Divine Nature, the Di-
vinity, consisting of the thre* persons.
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59,
29 Else what shall they do
which " are baptized for the dead,
a Kom.G.3.4.
without respect to any peculiar office or
kingdom.
29. Else what shall they do, &c.
The apostle here resumes the argument
for the resurrection which was inter-
rupted at ver. 19. He goes on to state
further consequences which must fol-
l.)w from the denial of this doctrine,
and thence infers that the doctrine must
be true. There is, perhaps, no passage
of the New Testament in respect to
which there has been a greater variety
of interpretation than this ; and the
views of expositors now by no means
harmonize in regard to its meaning.
It is possible that Paul may here refer
U some practice or custom which exist-
ed in his time respecting baptism,
the knowledge of which is now lost.
The various opinions which have been
entertained in regard to this passage,
together with an examination of them,
may be seen in Pool's Synopsis, Ro-
senmUIler, and Bloomfield. It may be
not useless just to refer to some of
them, that the perplexity of commenta-
tors may be seen. (1.) It has been
held by some that by " the dead" here is
meant the Messiah who was put to death,
the plural being used for the singular,
meaning "the dead one." (2.) By others,
that the word baptized here is taken in
the sense of washing, cleansing, puri-
fying, as in Matt. viii. 4. Heb. ix. 10,
and that the sense is, that the dead
were carefully washed and purified
when buried, with the hope of the re-
surrection, and, as it were, preparatory
to that. (3.) By others, that to be bap-
tized for the dead means to be baptized
as dead, being baptized into Christ,
and buried with him in baptism, and
that by their immersion they were re-
garded as dead. (4.) By others, that
the apostle refers to a custom of vicari-
ous baptism, or being baptized for those
who were dead, referring to the prac-
tice of having some person baptized in
the place of one who had died without
baptism. This was the opinion of Gro-
tius, Michaelis, Tertullian, and Am-
brose. Such was the estimate which
was formed, it is supposed, of the im-
portance of baptism, that when one
had died without being baptized, some
other person was baptized over his dead
body in his place. That this custom
prevailed in the church after the time
of Paul, has been abundantly proved
by Grotius, and is generally admitted.
But the objections to this interpreta-
tion are obvious, (a) There is no evi-
dence that such a custom prevailed in
the time of Paul. (b~) It cannot be be-
lieved that Paul would give counte-
nance to a custom so senseless and so
contrary to the Scripture, or that he
would make it the foundation of a so-
lemn argument, (c) It does not ac-
cord with the strain and purpose of his
argument. If this custom had been
referred to, his design would have led
him to say, ' What will become of them
for whom others have been baptized 1
Are we to believe that they have pe-
rished ]' (d) It is far more probable
that the custom referred to in this opi-
nion arose from an erroneous interpret-
ation of this passage of Scripture, than
that it existed in the time of Paul.
(5.) There remain two other opinions,
both of which are plausible, and one
of which is probably the true one. One
is, that the word baptized is used here
as it is in Matt. xx. 22, 23. Mark x.
39. Luke xii. 50, in the sense of being
overwhelmed with calamities, trials, and
sufferings ; and as meaning that the
apostles and others were subjected to
great trials on account of the dead, i. e.
in the hope of the resurrection ; or
with the expectation that the dead
would rise. This is the opinion of
Lightfoor, Rosenmiiller, Pearce, Hom-
bcrg, Krause, and of Prof. Robinson
(Lex. art. B*5rr/), and has much thai
is plausible. That the word is thus
used to denote a deep sinking into ca-
lamities, there can be no doubt. And
that the apostles and early Christians
subjected themselves, or were subjected
to great and overwhelming calamities
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XV
325
if the dead rise not at all ? why
are they then baptized for the
dead?
30 And why stand we in
"jeopardy every hour?
a2Cor.ll.26.
on account of the hope of the resur-
rection, is equally clear. This inter-
pretation, also, agrees with the general
tenor of the argument ; and is an ar-
gument for the resurrection. And it
implies that this was the full and con-
stant belief of all who endured these
trials, that there would be a resurrec-
tion of the dead. The argument
would be, that they should be slow to
adopt an opinion which would imply
that all their sufferings were endured
for naught, and that God had support-
ed them in this in vain ; that God had
plunged them into all these sorrows,
and had sustained them in them only
to disappoint them. That this view is
plausible, and that it suits the strain of
remark in the following verses, is evi-
dent. But there are objections to it.
(a) It is not the usual and natural mean-
ing of the word baptize. (6) A meta-
phorical use of a word should not be re-
sorted to unless necessary, (c) The
literal meaning of the word here will
as well meet the design of the apostle
as the metaphorical, (c?) This inter-
pretation does not relieve us from any of
the difficulties in regard to the phrase
" for the dead ;" and, (e) It is altogether
more natural to suppose that the apos-
tle would derive his argument from the
baptism of all who were Christians,
than from the figurative baptism of a
few who went into the perils of mar-
tyrdom. The other opinion, therefore,
is, that the apostle here refers to bap-
tism as administered to all believers.
This is the mot correct opinion ; is the
most simple, and best meets the design
of the argument. According to this,
it means that they had been baptized
with the hops and expectation of a re-
surrection of *he dead. They had re-
ceived th : zf one of the leading doc-
trines of t-ie gospel when they were
baptized. It was a part of their full
find fir.p >elief that the dead would
'i*e. The argument according to this
interpretation is, that this was an essen-
tial article of the faith of a Christian ;
that it was embraced by all ; that it
constituted a part of their very pro-
fession ; and that for any one to
deny it was to deny that which enter-
ed into the very foundation of the
Christian faith. If they embraced a
different doctrine, if they denied the
doctrine of the resurrection, they struck
a blow at the very nature of Christi-
anity, and dashed all the hopes which
had been cherished and expressed at
their baptism. And what could they
do 1 What would become of them 1
What would be the destiny of all who
were thus baptized 1 Was it to be be-
lieved that all their hopes at baptism
were vain, and that they would all pe-
rish 1 As such a belief could not be
entertained, the apostle infers that, if
they held to Christianity at all, they
must hold to this doctrine as a part of
their very profession. According to
this view, the phrase " for the dead"
means, with reference to the dead ;
with direct allusion to the condition of
the dead, and their hopes ; with a be-
lief that the dead will rise. It is evi-
dent that the passage is elliptical, and
thus seems to be as probable as any in-
terpretation which has been suggested.
Mr. Locke says, frankly, " What this
baptizing for the dead was, I know not ;
but it seems, by the following verses, to
be something wherein they exposed
themselves to the danger of death."
Tindal translates it, " over the dead."
Dodd ridge renders it, " in the room of
the dead, who are just fallen in the
cause of Christ, but are yet supported
by a succession of new converts, who
immediately offer themselves to fill up
their places, as ranks of soldiers that
advance to the combat in the room of
their companions who have just been
slain in their sight."
30. And why stand we in jeopardy*
Why do we constantly risk our lives.
1 CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
31 1 protest by 1 your rejoic-
ing a which I have in Christ
some read, our. a Phi 1.3.3.
Jesus our Lord, 1 * die daily
32 If 2 after the manner of
b Rom.8.36. or, to speak after.
and encounter danger of every kind.
This refers particularly to Paul himself
and the other apostles, who were con-
stantly exposed to peril by land or by
sea in the arduous work of making
known the gospel. The argument here
is plain. It is, that such efforts would
would be vain, useless, foolish, unless
there was to be a glorious resurrection.
They had no other object in encoun-
tering these dangers than to make
known the truths connected with that
glorious future state ; and if there were
no such future state, it would be wise
for them to avoid these dangers. ' It
would not be supposed that we would
encounter these perils constantly, unless
we were sustained with the hope of the
resurrection, and unless we had evi-
dence which convinced our own minds
that there would be such a resurrection.'
1 Every hour. Constantly. Comp. 2
Cor. xv. 26. So numerous were their
dangers, that they might be said to oc-
cur every hour. This was particularly
the case in the instance to which he
refers in Ephesus. ver. 32.
31. I protest (wi). This is a particle
of swearing, and denotes a strong asse-
veration. The subject was important ;
it deeply interested his feelings ; and
he makes in regard to it a strong pro-
testation. Comp. John iii. 5. ' I so-
lemnly affirm, or declare.' ^By your
rejoicing;. Many MSS. here read " by
our rejoicing," but the correct reading
is doubtless that which is in the pre-
sent Greek text, by your rejoicing.
The meaning of the phrase, which is
admitted by all to be obscure, is proba-
bly, * I protest, or solemnly declare by
the glorying or exultation which I have
on your account ; by all my ground of
glorying in you ; by all the confident
boasting and expectation which I have
of your salvation.' He hoped for their
salvation. He had laboured for that.
He had boasted of it, and confidently
believed that they would be saved. Re-
garding that as safe and certain, he
says it was just as certain that he died
daily on account of the hope and be-
lief of the resurrection. * By oui
hopes and joys as Christians; by oui
dearest expectations and grounds cf
confidence, I swear, or solemnly declare,
that I die daily.' Men swear or af-
firm by their objects of dearest affec-
tion and desire ; and the meaning here
is, * So certainly as I confidently expect
your salvation, and so certainly as we
look to eternal life, so certain is it that
I am constantly exposed to die, and
suffer that which may be called a daily
death.' 1 Which I have in Christ Je-
sus. The rejoicing, boasting, glory-
ing in regard to you which I am per-
mitted to cherish through the grace
and favour of the Saviour. His boast-
ing, or confident expectation in regard
to the Corinthians, he enjoyed only by
the mercy of the Lord Jesus, and he
delighted to trace it to him. ^ / die
daily. Comp. Rom. viii. 36. I en-
dure so many sufferings and persecu-
tions, that it may be said to be a daily
dying. I am constantly in danger of
my life ; and my sufferings each day are
equal to the pains of death. Probably
Paul here referred particularly to the
perils and trials which he then endured
at Ephesus ; and his object was to im-
press their minds with the firmness of
his belief in the certainty of the resur-
rection, on account of which he suffer-
ed so much, and to show them that all
their hopes rested also on this doctrine
32. If after the manner of men
Marg. To speak after the manner of
men (x.*rai uvS-gTcy). There has been
a great difference of opinion in regard
to the meaning of these words. The
following are some of the interpreta-
tions proposed. (1.) If I have fought
after the manner of men, who act only
with reference to this life, and on the
ordinary principles of human conduct,
as men fought with wild beasts in the
amphitheatre. (2.) Or if, humanlj
speaking, or speaking after the mannei
A.D 59.]
CHAPTER XV.
men I have fought with beasts
at Ephesus, what advantageth it
me, if the dead rise not? Let
of men, I haie fought, referring to the
fact that he had contended with men
who should be regarded as wild beasts.
(3.) Or, that I may speak of myself as
men speak, that I may freely record the
events of my life, and speak of what has
occurred. (4.) Or, I have fought with
wild beasts as far as it was possible for
man to do it while life survived. (5.)
Or, as much as was in the power of
man, who had destined me to this ; if,
so far as depended on man's will, I
fought, supposing that the infuriated
multitude demanded that I should be
thus punished. So Chrysostom un-
derstands it. (6.) Or, that Paul actually
fought with wild beasts at Ephesus.
(7.) Others regard this as a supposable
case ; on the supposition that I had
fought with wild beasts at Ephesus.
Amidst this variety of interpretation, it
is not easy to determine the true sense
of this difficult passage. The following
thoughts, however, may perhaps make
it clear.
(1.) Paul refers to some real occur-
rence at Ephesus. This is manifest
from the whole passage. It is not a
supposable case.
(2.) It was some one case when his
life was endangered, and when it was
regarded as remarkable that he escaped
and survived. Comp. 2 Cor. i. 8 10.
(3.) It was common among the Ro-
mans, and the ancients generally, to
expose criminals to fight with wild beasts
in the amphitheatre for the amusement
of the populace. In such cases it was
but another form of dooming them to
certain death, since there was no human
possibility of escape. See Adams' Rom.
Ant., p. 344. That this custom prevailed
at the East, is apparent from the fol-
lowing extract from Rosenmiiller ; and
there is no improbability in the supposi-
tion that Paul was exposed to this :
" The barbarous custom of making men
combat with wild beasts has prevailed
in the East down to the most modem
28
us a eat and drink, for to-morrow
we die.
aEccl.2.24.
times. Jurgen Andersen, who visited
the states of the Great Mogul in 1646,
gives an account in his Travels of such
a combat with animals, which he wit-
nessed at Agra, the residence of the
Great Mogul. His description affords
a lively image of those bloody spectacles
in which ancient Rome took so much
pleasure, and to which the above words
of the apostle refer. Alamardan-chan,
the governor of Cashmire, who sat
among the chans, stood up, and ex-
claimed, ' It is the will and desire of
the great mogul, Schah Choram, that
if there are any valiant heroes who will
show their bravery by combating with
wild beasts, armed with shield and
sword, let them come forward ; if they
conquer, the mogul will load them with
great favour, and clothe their counte-
nance with gladness.' Upon this three
persons advanced, and offered to under-
take the combat. Alamardan-chan again
cried aloud, None should have any
other weapon than a shield and a
sword ; and whosoever has any breast-
plate under his clothes should lay it
aside, and fight honourably.' Hereupon
a powerful lion was let into the garden,
and one of the three men above men-
tioned advanced against him ; the lion,
on seeing his enemy, ran violently up
to him ; the man, however, defended
himself bravely, and kept off" the lion
for a good while, till his arms grew
tired; the lion then seized the shield
with one paw, and with the other his
antagonist's right arm, so that he was
not able to use his weapon ; the latter,
seeing his life in danger, took with his
left hand his Indian dagger, which he
had sticking in his girdle, and thrust it
as far as possible into the lion's mouth ;
the lion then let him go ; the man, how-
ever, was not idle, but cut the lion al-
most through with one stroke, and after
that entirely to pieces. Upon this vic-
tory the common people began to shout,
and ctH out, ' Than* 1 God, he has con-
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D 59,
queied.' But the mogul said, smiling,
to this conqueror, ' Thou art a brave
warrior, and hast fought admirably !
But did I not command to fight honour-
ably only with shield and sword 1 But,
like a thief, thou hast stolen the life of
the lion with thy dagger.' And imme-
diately he ordered two men to rip up
his belly, and to place him upon an
elephant, and, as an example to others,
to lead him about, which was done on
the spot. Soon after a tiger was set
loose ; against which a tall, powerful
man advanced with an air of defiance,
as if he would cut the tiger up. The
tiger, however, was far too sagacious
and active, for, in the first attack, he
seized the combatant by the neck, tore
his throat, and then his whole body in
pieces. This enraged another good fel-
low, but little, and of mean appearance,
from whom one would not have ex-
pected it : he rushed forward like one
mad, and the tiger on his part undaunt-
edly flew at his enemy ; but the man at
the first attack cut off his two fore paws,
so that he fell, and the man cut his body'
to pieces. Upon this the king cried,
' What is your name ?' He answered,
' My name is Geyby.' Soon after one
of the king's servants came and brought
hirn a piece of gold brocade, and said,
' Geyby, receive the robe of honour with
which the mogul presents you.' He
took the garment with great reverence,
kissed it three times, pressing it each
time to his eyes and breast, then held
it up, and in silence put up a prayer for
the health of the mogul ; and when he
concluded it, he cried, ' May God let
him become as great as Tamerlane,
from whom he is descended. May he
live seven hundred years, and his house
continue to eternity !' Upon this he
was summoned by a chamberlain to go
from the garden up to the king; and
when he came to the entrance, he was
received by two chans, who conducted
him between them to kiss the mogul's
feet. And when he was going to retire,
the king said to hirn, ' Praised be thou,
Geyby-chan, for thy valiant deeds, and
this name sh*Jt *bu keep to eternity.
I am your gracious master, and thou art
my slave.' " Bush's Illustrations.
(4.) It is the most natural interpret-
ation to suppose that Paul, on some
occasion, had such a contest with a
wild beast at Ephesus. It is that which
would occur to the great mass of the
readers of the New Testament as the
obvious meaning of the passage.
(5.) The state of things in Ephesus
when Paul was there (Acts xix.) was
such as to make it nowise improbable
that he would be subjected to such a
trial.
(6.) It is no objection to this sup-
position that Luke has not recorded this
occurrence in the Acts of the Apostles.
No conclusion adverse to this supposi-
tion can be drawn from the mere silence
of the historian. Mere silence is not a
contradiction. There is no reason to
suppose that Luke designed to record
all the perils which Paul endured. In-
deed, we know from 2 Cor. xi. 24 27,
that there must have been many dan-
gers which Paul encountered which are
not referred to by Luke. It must have
happened, also, that many important
events must have taken place during
Paul's abode at Ephesus which are not
recorded by Luke. Acts xix. Nor is it
any objection to this supposition that
Paul does not, in 2 Cor. xi. 24 27,
mention particularly this contest with a
wild beast at Ephesus. His statement
there is general. He does not descend
into particulars. Yet, in 2 Cor. xi. 23,
he says that he was " in deaths oft,"
a statement which is in accordance with
the supposition that in Ephesus he may
have been exposed to death in some
cruel manner.
(7.) The phrase nurd uv^urrov, as a
man, may mean, that to human appear*
ance, or so far as man was concerned,
had it not been for some divine inter-
position, he would have beei a prey to
the wild beasts. Had not God inter-
posed and kept him from harm, as in
the case of the viper at Melita (Acts
xxviii. 5), he would have beei put to
death. He was sentenced to this ; waa
thrown to the wild beast; had everv
. 59.]
CHAPTER XV.
327
33 Be not deceived : evil a
a c.5.6.
human prospect of dying ; it was done
on account of his religion ; and but for
the interposition of God, he would have
died. This I take to be the fair and
obvious meaning of this passage, de-
manded alike by the language which is
used and by the tenor of the argument
in which it is found.
t What advantageth it me? What
benefit shall I have] Why should I
risk my life in this manner] See Note
on ver. 19. ^ Let us eat and drink.
These words are taken from Isa. xxii.
13. In their original application they
refer to the Jews when besieged by
Sennacherib and the army of the Assy-
rians. The prophet says, that instead
of weeping, and fasting, and humilia-
tion, as became them in such circum-
stances, they had given themselves up
to feasting and revelry, and that their
language was, " Let us eat and drink,
for to-morrow we shall die;" that is,
shere is no use in offering resistance, or
m calling upon God. We must die;
and we may as well enjoy life as long
as it lasts, and give ourselves up to un-
restrained indulgence. Paul does not
quote these words as having any ori-
ginal reference to the subject of the re-
surrection, but as language appropriate-
ly expressing the idea, that if there is no
future state ; if no resurrection of the
dead ; if no happy result of toils and
sufferings in the future world, it is vain
and foolish to subject ourselves to trials
and privations here. We should rather
make the most of this life; enjoy all
the comfort we can ; and make pleasure
our chief good, rather than look for
happiness in a future state. This seems
to be the language of the great mass of
the world. They look to no future state.
They have no prospect, no desire of
heaven ; and they, therefore, seek for
happiness here, and give themselves up
to unrestrained enjoyment in this life.
1 To-morrow. Very soon. We have
no security of life ; and death is so near
that it may be said we must die to-
communications corrupt good
manners.
morrow. ^ We die. We must die. The
idea here is, ' We must die, without the
prospect of living again, unless the doc-
trine of the resurrection be true.'
33. Be not deceived. By your false
teachers, and by their smooth and plau-
sible arguments. This is an exhorta-
tion. He had thus far been engaged in
an argument on the subject. He now
entreats them to beware lest they be de-
ceived a danger to which they were
very liable from their circumstances.
There was, doubtless, much that was
plausible in the objections to the doc-
trine of the resurrection ; there was
much subtilty and art in their teachers,
who denied this doctrine ; perhaps, there
was something in the character of their
own minds, accustomed to subtle and
abstruse inquiry rather than to an ex-
amination of simple facts, that exposed
them to this danger, t Evil commu-
nications. The word rendered " com-
munications" means, properly, a being
together ; companionship ; close inter-
course ; converse. It refers not to dis-
course only, but to intercourse, or com-
panionship. Paul quotes these words
from Menander (in Sentent. Comicor.
Gr. p. 248, ed. Steph.), a Greek poet.
He thus shows that he was, in some
degree at least, familiar with the Greek
writers. Comp. Note, Acts xvii. 28.
Menander was a celebrated comic poet
of Athens, educated under Theophras-
tus. His writings were replete with
elegance, refined wit, and judicious ob-
servations. Of one hundred and eight
comedies which he wrote, nothing re-
mains but a few fragments. He is said
to have drowned himself, in the 52d
year of his age, B. C. 293, because
the compositions of his rival Philemon
obtained more applause than his own.
Paul quoted this sentiment from a
Greek poet, perhaps, because it might
be supposed to have weight with the
Greeks. It was a sentiment of one
of their own writers, and here was an
occasion in whi ch it was exactly appll
328
1. CORINTHIANS.
34 Awake * to righteousness,
and sin not ; for some have not
oRom.l3.11.Eph.5.14.
[A.I). 59.
the knowledge of God : I * speak
this to your shame.
b c.6.5.
cable. It is implied in this, that there
were some persons who were endeavour-
ing to corrupt their minds from the
simplicity of the gospel. The senti-
ment of the passage is, that the inter-
course of evil-minded men, or that
the close friendship and conversation
of those who hold erroneous opinions,
or who are impure in their lives,
tends to corrupt the morals, the heart,
the sentiments of others. The particu-
lar thing to which Paul here applies
it is, the subject of the resurrection.
Such intercourse would tend to cor-
rupt the simplicity of their faith, and
pervert their views of the truth of the
gospel, and thus corrupt their lives.
It is always true that such intercourse
has a pernicious effect on the mind and
the heart. It is done, (1.) By their direct
effort to corrupt the opinions, and to
lead others into sin. (2.) By the se-
cret, silent influence of their words,
and conversation, and example. We
have less horror at vice by becoming
familiar with it ; we look with less
alarm on error when we hear it often
expressed ; we become less watchful
and cautious when we are constantly
with the gay, the worldly, the unprin-
cipled, and the vicious. Hence Christ
sought that there should be a pure so-
ciety, and that his people should prin-
cipally seek the friendship and conver-
sation of each other, and withdraw
from the world. It is in the way that
Paul here refers to, that Christians
embrace false doctrines ; that they lose
their spirituality, love of prayer, fer-
vour of piety, and devotion to God. It
is in this way that the simple are be-
guiled, the young corrupted, and that
vice, and crime, and infidelity spread
over the world.
34, Awake to righteousness. See
Note, Rom. xiii. 11. The word here
translated "awake" denotes, properly,
to awake up from a deep sleep or tor-
por ; and is usually applied to those who
awake, or become sober after drunken-
ness. The phrase " to righteousness"
(cftx<*/a>f) may mean either ' rouse to
the ways of righteousness ; to a holy
life ; to sound doctrine,' &c. ; or it may
mean ' as it is right and just that you
should do.' Probably the latter is the
correct idea, and then the sense will be,
' Arouse from stupidity on this subject ;
awake from your conscious security ;
be alarmed, as it is right and proper
that you should do, for you are sur-
rounded by dangers, and by those who
would lead you into error and vice ; rouse
from such wild and delusive opinions
as these persons have, and exercise a
constant vigilance as becomes those
who are the friends of God and the
expectants of a blessed resurrection.'
1 And sin not. Do not err ; do not
depart from the truth and from holi-
ness ; do not embrace a doctrine which
is not only erroneous, but the tendency
of which is to lead into sin. It is im-
plied here, that if they suffered them-
selves to embrace a doctrine which was
a denial of the resurrection, the effect
would be that they would fall into sin ;
or that a denial of that doctrine led to
a life of self-indulgence and transgres-
sion. This truth is everywhere seen ;
and against this effect Paul sought to
guard them. He did not regard the
denial of the doctrine of the resurrection
as a harmless speculation, but as leading
to most dangerous consequences in re-
gard to their manner of life or their
conduct. \ For some have not. Some
among you. You are surrounded by
strangers to God ; you have those
among you who would lead you into
error and sin. ^ / speak this to your
shame. To your shame as a church ;
because you have had abundant oppor-
tunities to know the truth, and because it
is a subject of deep disgrace that there
are any in your bosom who deny the doc
trine of the resurrection of the dead, and
who are strangers to the grace of God.
A. D. 59.1
CHAPTER XV.
35 But some man will say,
How a are the dead raised up ?
a Ezek.37.3.
35. But some man will say. An
objection will be made to the statement
that the dead will be raised. This
verse commences the second part of
the chapter, in which the apostle meets
the objections to the argument, and
shows in what manner the dead will be
raised. See the Analysis. That objec-
tions were made to the doctrine is ap-
parent from ver. 12. Tf How are the
dead raised up ? (nc.) In what way
or manner ; by what means. This I
regard as the first objection which
would be made, or the first inquiry on
the subject which the apostle answers.
The question is one which would be
likely to be made by the subtle and
doubting Greeks. The apostle, indeed,
does not draw it out at length, or state
it fully, but it may be regarded proba-
bly as substantially the same as that
which has been made in all ages.
* How is it possible that the dead should
be raised 1 They return to their native
dust. They become entirely disorgan-
ized. Their dust may be scattered ;
how shall it be re-collected 1 Or they
may burned at the stake, and how shall
the particles which composed their bo-
dies be re-collected and reorganized ?
Or they may be devoured by the beasts
of the field, the fowls of heaven, or
the fishes of the sea, and their flesh
may have served to constitute the food
of other animals, and to form their bo-
dies ; how can it be re-collected and
reorganized 1 Or it may have been the
food of plants, and like other dust have
been used to constitute the leaves or
the flowers of plants, and the trunks
of trees ; and how can it he remoulded
into a human frame ?' This objection
the apostle answers in ver. 36 38.
T And with what body do they come ?
This is the second objection or inquiry
which he answers. It may be under-
stood as meaning, What will be the
form, the shape, the size, the organiza-
tion of the new body 1 Are we to sup-
pose that all the matter which at any
28*
and with what body do they come!
36 Thou fool ! that b which
b Jno. 12.24.
time entered into its composition here
is to be re-collected, and to consti-
tute a colossal frame ] Are we to sup-
pose that it will be the same as it
is here, with the same organization,
the same necessities, the same wants ?
Are we to suppose that the aged will
be raised as aged, and the young as
young, and that infancy will be raised
in the same state, and remain such for
ever 1 Are we to suppose that the bo-
dies will be gross, material, and needing
support and nourishment, or, that there
will be a new organization V All these
and numerous other questions have
been asked, in regard to the bodies at
the resurrection ; and it is by no means
improbable that they were asked by
the subtle and philosophizing Greeks,
and that they constituted a part of the
reasoning of those who denied the doc-
trine of the resurrection. This ques-
tion, or objection, the apostle answers
ver. 39 50. It has been doubted, in-
deed, whether he refers in this verse to
two inquiries to the possibility of the
resurrection, and to the kind of bodies
that should be raised ; but it is the most
obvious interpretation of the verse, and
it is certain that in his argument he
discusses both these points.
36. Thou fool. Foolish, inconsider-
ate man ! The meaning is, that it was
foolish to make this objection, when
the same difficulty existed in an unde-
niable fact which fell under daily ob-
servation. A man was a fool to urge
that as an objection to religion which
must exist in the undeniable and every-
day facts which they witnessed. The
idea is, The same difficulty may be
started about the growth of grain. Sup-
pose a man who had never seen it,
were to be told that it was to be put
into the earth ; that it was to die to
be decomposed ; and that from the de-
cayed kernel there should be seen to
start up first a slender, green, and
tender spire of grass, and that this wag
to send up a strong stalk, and was to
330
1. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
thou sowest is not quickened,
except it die :
produce hundreds of similar kernels at
some distant period. These facts would
be as improbable to him as the doctrine
of the resurrection of the dead. When
he saw the kernel laid in the ground ;
when he saw it decay ; when appa-
rently it was returning to dust, he
would ask, How CAN these be connected
with the production of similar grain 1
Are not all the indications that it will
be totally corrupted and destroyed?'
Yet, says Paul, this is connected with
the hope of the harvest, and this fact
should remove all the objection which
is derived from the fact that the body
returns to its native dust. The idea is,
that there is an analogy, and that the
main objection in the one case would
lie equally well against the acknow-
ledged and indisputable fact in the
other. It is evident, however, that this
argument is of a popular character,
and is not to be pressed to the quick ; nor
are we to suppose that the resemblance
will be in all respects the same. It is
to be used as Paul used it. The ob-
jection was, that the body died, and re-
turned to dust, and could not, therefore,
rise again. The reply of Paul is, ' You
may make the same objection to grain
that is sown. That dies also. The
main body of the kernel decays. In
itself there is no prospect that it will
spring up. Should it stop here, and
had you never seen a grain of wheat
grow; had you only seen it in the
earth, as you have seen the body in
the grave, there would be the same dif-
ficulty as to HOW it would produce
other grains, which there is about the
resurrection of the body.' 1 Is not
quickened. Does not become alive ;
does not grow. ^ Except it die. See
Note, John xii. 24. The main body of
the grain decays that it may become
food and nourishment to the tender
germ. Perhaps, it is implied here also
that there was a fitness that men
should die in order to obtain the glori-
ous body of the resurrection, in the
37 And that which thou sow-
est, thou sowest not that body
same way as it is fit that the kernel
should die, in order that there may be a
new and beautiful harvest.
37. And that which thou sowest.
The seed which is sown, t Not that
body that shall be. You sow one ker-
nel which is to produce many others.
They shall not be the same that is
sown. They will be new kernels raised
from that ; of the same kind, indeed,
and showing their intimate and neces-
sary connexion with that which is
sown. It is implied here that the body
which will be raised will not be the
same in the sense that the same parti-
cles of matter shall compose it, but the
same only in the sense that it will have
sprung up from that; will constitute
the same order, rank, species of being,
and be subject to the same laws, and
deserve the same course of treatment
as that which died ; as the grain pro-
duced is subject to the same laws, and
belongs to the same rank, order, and
species as that which is sown. And
as the same particles of matter which
are sown do not enter into that which
shall be in the harvest, so it is taught
that the same particles of matter which
constitute the body when it dies, do
not constitute the new body at the re-
surrection. ^ But bare grain. Mere
grain ; a mere kernel, without any
husk, leaf, blade, or covering of any
kind. Those are added in the process
of reproduction. The design of this
is to make it appear more remarkable,
and to destroy the force of the objec-
tion. It was not only not the grain
that should be produced, but it was
without the appendages and ornaments
of blade, and flower, and beard of the
new grain. How could any one tell
but what it would be so in the resur-
rection 1 How could any know but
what there might be appendages and
ornaments there, which were not con-
nected with the body that died 1 ^It
may chance of wheat, &c. For ex
ample ; or suppose it be wheat or any
A..D. 59.]
CHAPTER XV.
331
that shall be but bare grain, it
may chance of wheat, or of
some other grain :
38 But God" giveth it a body
a Gen.1.11,12.
as it hath pleased him, and to
every seed his own body.
39 All flesh is not the same
flesh : but there is one kind of
other grain. The apostle adduces this
merely for an example , not to inti-
mate that there is any chance about it.
38. But God giveth it a body, &c.
God gives to the seed sown its own
proper body, formation, and growth.
The word body here, as applied to
grain, seems to mean the whole sys-
tem, or arrangement of roots, stalks,
leaves, flowers, and kernels that start
out of the seed that is sown. The
meaning is, that such a form is pro-
duced from the seed sown as God
pleases. Paul here traces the result to
God, to show that there is no chance,
and that it did not depend on the na-
ture of things, but was dependent on
the wise arrangement of God. There
was nothing in the decaying kernel it-
self that would produce this result ; but
God chose that it should be so. There
is nothing in the decaying body of the
dead which in itself should lead to the
resurrection ; but God chose it should
be so. ^As it hath pleased him. As
he chose. It is by his arrangement
and agency. Though it is by regular
laws, yet it is as God pleases. He acts
according to his own pleasure, in the
formation of each root, and stalk, and
kernel of grain. It is, probably, here
intimated that God would give to each
one of the dead at the resurrection
such a body as he should choose,
though it will be, doubtless, in accord-
ance with general laws, f And to every
seed his own body. That which ap-
propriately belongs to it ; which it is
fitted to produce ; which is of the same
kind. He does not cause a stalk of rye
to grow from a kernel of wheat ; nor
of maize from barley ; nor of hemp
from lentiles. He has fixed proper
laws, and he takes care that they shall
be observed. So it will be in the re-
surrection. Every one shall have his
own, t. e. his proper body a body
which shall belong to him, and be fit-
ted to him. The wicked shall not rise
with the body of the just, or with a
body adapted to heaven ; nor shall the
saint rise with a body adapted to per-
dition. There shall be a fitness or ap-
propriateness in the new body to the
character of him who is raised. The
argument here is designed to meet the
inquiry HOW should the body be raised,
and it is that there is nothing more re-
markable and impossible in the doc-
trine of the resurrection, than in the
fact constantly before us, that grain that
seems to rot sends up a shoot or stalk, and
is reproduced in a wonderful and beau-
tiful manner. In a manner similar to this,
the body will be raised ; and the illus-
tration of Paul meets all the difficulties
about the fact of the resurrection. It
cannot be shown that one is more diffi-
cult than the other ; and as the facts
of vegetation are constantly passing
before our eyes, we ought not to deem
it strange if similar facts shall take
place hereafter in regard to the resur-
rection of the dead.
39. All flesh is not the same flesh.
This verse and the following are de-
signed to answer the question (ver.
35), " with what bodies do they come 1"
And the argument here is, that there
are many kinds of bodies ; that all are
not alike ; that while they are bodies,
yet they partake of different qualities,
forms, and properties ; and that, there-
fore, it is not absurd to suppose that
God may transform the human body
into a different form, and cause it to be
raised up with somewhat different pro-
perties in the future world. Why, the
argument is, why should it be regarded
as impossible "? Why is it to be held
that the human body may not undergo
a transformation, or that it will be ab-
surd to suppose that it may be differ-
ent in some respects from what it is
332
I. CORINTHIANS.
llesh of men, another flesh of
beasts, another of fishes, and
Another of birds.
40 There a are also celestial
a Gen. 1.16.
now ? Is it not a matter of fact that
there is a great variety of* bodies even
on the earth 1 The word flesh here is
used to denote body, as it often is. 1
Cor. v. 5. 2 Cor. iv. 11 ; vii. 1. Phil,
i. 22. 24. Col. ii. 5. 1 Pet. iv. 6.
The idea here is, that although all
the bodies of animals may be com-
posed essentially of the same elements,
yet God has produced a wonderful va-
riety in their organization, strength,
beauty, colour, and places of abode, as
the air, earth, and water. It is not ne-
cessary, therefore, to suppose that the
body that shall be raised shall be pre-
cisely like that which we have here.
It is certainly possible that there may
be as great a difference between that
and our present body, as between the
most perfect form of the human frame
here and the lowest reptile. It would still
be a body, and there would be no ab-
surdity in the transformation. The
body of the worm, the chrysalis, and the
butterfly is the same. It is the same
animal still. Yet how different the
gaudy and gay butterfly from the creep-
ing and offensive caterpillar ! So there
may be a similar change in the body
of the believer, and yet be still the
same. Of a sceptic on this subject we
would ask, whether, if there had been
a revelation of the changes which a
caterpillar might undergo before it be-
came a butterfly a new species of ex-
istence adapted to a new element, re-
quiring new food, and associated with
new and other beings if he had never
seen such a transformation, would it
not be attended with all the difficulty
which now encompasses the doctrine
of the resurrection ] The sceptic would
no more have believed it on the author-
ity of revelation than he will believe
the doctrine of the resurrection of the
dead. And no infidel can prove that
[A. D. 59
bodies, and bodies terrestrial
but the glory of the celestial i
one, and the glory of the terre*
trial is another.
the one is attended with any more dif-
ficulty or absurdity than the other.
40. There are also celestial bodies.
The planets ; the stars ; the host of
heaven. See ver. 41. t And bodies
terrestrial. On earth ; earthly. He re-
fers here to the bodies of men, beasts,
birds, &c. ; perhaps, also, of trees and
vegetables. The sense is, ' There is a
great variety of bodies. Look upon
the heavens, and see the splendour of
the sun, the moon, and the stars. And
then look upon the earth, and see the
bodies there the bodies of men, and
brutes, and insects. You see here two
entire classes of bodies. You see how
they differ. Can it be deemed strange
if there should be a difference between
our bodies when on earth and when in
heaven ? Do we nut, in fact, see a vast
difference between what strikes our eye
here on earth and in the sky 1 And why
should we deem it strange that be-
tween bodies adapted to live here and
bodies adapted to live in heaven, there
should be a difference, like that which
is seen between the objects which ap-
pear on earth and those which appear
in the sky 1* The argument is a popular
one ; but it is striking, and meets the
object which he has in view. 1 The
glory of the celestial is one. The
splendour, beauty, dignity, magnifi-
cence of the heavenly bodies differs
much from those on earth. That is
one thing,- the beauty of earthly ob-
jects is another and a different thing.
Beautiful as may be the human frame ;
beautiful as may be the plumage of
birds ; beautiful as may be the flower,
the fossil, the mineral, the topaz or the
diamond ; yet they differ fn m the
heavenly bodies, and are not to r.e com-
pared with them. Why should we
deem it strange that there may be a
similar difference between the bo ly as
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER XV.
333
41 There is one glory of the
sun, " and another glory of the
moon, and another glory of the
stars : for one star differeth from
another star in glory.
a Ps.19.4,5.
adapted to its residence here and as
Adapted to its residence in heaven ?
41. There is one glory of the sun,
&c. The sun has one degree of splen
dour, and the moon another, and so
also the stars. They differ from each
other in magnitude, in brightness, in
beauty. The idea in this verse differs
from that in the former. In that (ver.
40) Paul says, that there was a differ-
ence between the different classes of
bodies ; between those in heaven and
those on earth. He here says, that in
the former class, in the heavenly bodies
themselves, there was a difference.
They not only differed from those on
earth, but they differed from each other.
The sun was more splendid than the
moon, and one star more beautiful than
another. The idea here is, therefore, not
only that the bodies of the saints in hea-
ven shall differ from those on earth, but
that they shall differ among themselves,
in a sense somewhat like the difference
of the splendour of the sun, the moon,
and the different stars. Though all
shall be unlike what they were on earth,
and all shall be glorious, yet there may
be a difference in that splendour and
glory. The argument is, since we see
so great differences in fact in the works
of God, why should we doubt that he
is able to make the human body differ-
ent from what it is now, and to endow
it with immortal and eternal perfec-
eion?
42. So also is the resurrection. In
a manner similar to the grain that is
sown, and to the different degrees of
splendour and magnificence in the bo-
dies in the sky and on the earth. The
dead shall be raised in a manner analo-
gous to the springing up of grain ; and
there shall be a difference between the
body here and the body in the resur-
rection. T // is sown. In death. As
42 So also is the resurrection
of the dead. It is sown in cor-
ruption ; it is raised in incorrup-
tion.
43 It b is sown in dishonour ;
b Dan.12.3. Matt.13.43. Phil.3.21.
we sow or plant the kernel in the earth.
T In corruption. In the grave ; in a
place where it shall be corrupt ; in a
form tending to putrefaction, disorgani-
zation, and dust, t It is raised in in-
corruption. It will be so raised. In
the previous verses (36 41) he had
reasoned from analogy, and had de-
monstrated that it was possible that
the dead should rise, or that there was
no greater difficulty attending it than
actually occurred in the events which
were in fact constantly taking place.
He here states positively what would
be, and affirms that it was not only
possible, but that such a resurrection
would actually occur. The body would
be raised " in incorruption," " uncor-
rtiptible" (ver. 52) ; that is, no more
liable to decay, sickness, disorganiza-
tion, and putrefaction. This is one
characteristic of the body that shall be
raised, that it shall be no more liable,
as here, to wasting sickness, to disease,
and to the loathsome corruption of the
grave. That God can form a body of
that kind, no one can doubt ; that he
actually will, the apostle positively af-
firms. That such will be the bodies
of the saints is one of the most cheer-
ing prospects that can be presented to
those who are here wasted away by
sickness, and who look with dread and
horror on the loathsome putrefaction
of the tomb.
43. It is soiun in dishonour. In the
grave, where it is shut out from human
view ; hurried away from the sight of
friends; loathsome and offensive as a
mass turning to decay. There is, more-
over, a kind of disgrace and ignominy
attending it here, as under the curse of
God, and, on account of sin, sentenced
to the offensiveness of the grave. ^ It
is raised in glory. In honour ; in
beauty ; honoured by God by the remo-
334
I. CORINTHIANS
[A.D. 59
it is raised in glory : it is sown
in weakness ;
power :
it is raised in
44 It is sown a natural body ;
va. of the curse, and in a form and
manner that shall be glorious. This
refers to the fact that every thing like
ilishonour, vileness, ignominy, which
attends it here shall be removed there,
and that the body shall bear a resem-
blance to the glorified body of Jesus
Christ. Eph. iii. 21. It shall be adapt-
ed to a world of glory ; and every thing
which here rendered it vile, valueless,
cumbersome, offensive, or degraded, shall
be there removed. Of course, every idea
which we can get from this is chiefly
negative, and consists in denying that
the body will have there the qualities
which here render it vile or loathsome.
The word glory (Joct) means dignity,
splendour, honour, excellence,perfection;
and is here used as denoting the com-
bination of all those things which shall
rescue it from ignominy and disgrace.
^ It is sown in weakness. Weak, fee-
ble, liable to decay. Here disease pros-
trates the strength, takes away its power,
consigns it to the dust. It denotes the
many weaknesses, frailties, and liabili-
ties to sickness to which we are here
exposed. Its feeble powers are soon
prostrate ; its vital functions soon cease
in death, ^f // is raised in power.
This does not denote power like that of
God, nor like the angels. It does not
affirm that it shall be endued with
remarkable and enormous physical
strength, or that it shall have the power
of performing what would now be re-
garded as miraculous. It is to be regard-
ed as the opposite of the word " weak-
ness," and means that it shall be no
longer liable to disease ; no more over-
come by the attacks of sickness ; no
more subject to the infirmities and
weaknesses which it here experiences.
It shall not be prostrate by sickness, nor
overcome by fatigue. It shall be capa-
ble of the service of God without weari-
ness and languor ; it shall need no rest
ss it does here (see Rev. vii. 15 : com*).
it is raised a spiritual body
There is a natural body, and
there is a spiritual " body.
o Luke 24.31. Jno.20. 19.26.
xxii. 5) ; but it shall be in a world
where there shall be no fatigue, lassitude,
disease ; but whe*e there shall be ample
power to engage in the service of God
for ever. There is, however, no impro-
bability in supposing that the physical
powers of man, as well as his intellec-
tual, may be greatly augmented in hea-
ven. But on this point there is no
revelation.
44. It is sown a natural body (<rZju,a.
4^/xir). This word, " natural," denotes
properly that which is endowed with
animal life, having breath, or vitality.
The word from which it is derived
(4 w yt rf/ ) denotes properly the breath ;
vital breath ; the soul, as the vital prin-
ciple ; the animal soul, or the vital
spirit ; the soul, as the scat of the sen-
tient desires, passions, and propensities ;
and then a living thing, an animal. It
may be applied to any animal, or any
living thing, whether brutes or men. It
is distinguished from the soul or spirit
(jTvez/jt/st), inasmuch as that more com
monly denotes the rational spirit, the
immortal soul, that which thinks, rea-
sons, reflects, &c. The word " natural"
here, therefore, means that which has
animal life ; which breathes and acts
by the laws of the animal economy ;
that which draws in the breath of life ;
which is endowed with senses, and
which has need of the supports of ani-
mal life, and of the refreshments derived
from food, exercise, sleep, &c. The
apostle here, by affirming that the body
will be spiritual, intends to deny that it
will need that which is now necessary
to the support of the animal functions ;
it will not be sustained in that way ; it
will lay aside these peculiar animal or-
ganizations, and will cease to convey
the idea which we now attach to the
word animal, or to possess that which
we now include under the name of
vital functions. Here the body of man
is endowed simply with animal func*
A. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XV.
335
45 And so it is written, a The
first man Adam was made a liv-
a Gen.2.7.
tions. It is the dwelling-place, indeed,
of an immortal mind ; but <w a body it
has the properties of animal life, and is
subject to the same laws and inconve-
niences as the bodies of other animals.
It is sustained by breath, and food, and
sleep ; it is endowed with the organs of
sense, the eye, the ear, the smell, the
touch, by which alone the soul can hold
communication with the external world ;
it is liable to disease, languor, decay,
death. These animal or vital functions
will cease in heaven, and the body be
raised in a different mode of being, and
where all the inconveniences of this mere
animal life shall be laid aside. K It is
raised a spiritual body. Not a mere
spirit, for then it would not be a body.
The word spiritual (Tya//u*<raoV) here
stands opposed to the word natural, or
animal. It will not be a body that is
subject to the laws of the vital functions,
or organized or sustained in that way.
It will still be a " body" (cr^x), but it
will have so far the nature of spirit as
to be without the vital functions which
here control the body. This is all that
the word here means. It does not mean
refined, sublimated, or transcendental ;
it does not mean that it will be without
shape or form ; it does not mean that it
will not be properly a body. The idea
of Paul seems to be this : ' We conceive
of soul or spirit as not subject to the
laws of vital or animal agency. It is
independent of them. It is not sustained
or nourished by the functions of the
animal organization. It has an economy
of its own ; living without nourishment ;
not subject to decay ; not liable to sick-
ness, pain, or death. So will be the
body in the resurrection. It will not be
subject to the laws of the vital organiza-
tion. It will be so much LIKE a spirit
as to be continued without food or nu-
triment ; to be destitute of the peculiar
physical organization of flesh, and blood,
and bones ; of veins, and arteries, and
nerves, as here (ver. 50) ; and it will
live in the manner in which we conceive
ing soul ; the * last Adam was
made a quickening spirit
b Jno.5.21; 6.33,40.
spirits to live ; sustained, and exercising
its powers, without waste, weariness,
decay, or the necessity of having ita
powers recruited by food and sleep.' All,
therefore, that has been said about a
refined body, a body that shall be spirit,
a body that shall be pure, &c., whatever
may be its truth, is not sustained by this
passage. It will be a body without the
vital functions of the animal economy ;
a body sustained in the manner in which
we conceive the spirit to be. f There
is a natural body. This seems to be
added by Paul in the way of strong af-
firmation arising from earnestness, and
from a desire to prevent misconception,
The affirmation is, that there is a natu-
ral body ; that is apparent ; it is every-
where seen. No one can doubt it. So,
^vith equal certainty, says Paul, there is
a spiritual body. It is just as certain
and indisputable. This assertion is
made, not because the evidence of both
is the same, but is made on his apostolic
authority, and is to be received on that
authority. That there was an animal
body was apparent to all ; that there
was a spiritual body was a position
which he affirmed to be as certain as the
other. The only proof which he alleges
is in ver. 45, which is the proof arising
from revelation.
45. And so it is written. Gen. ii. 7.
It is only the first part of the verse which
is quoted, 1 The first man Adam was
made a living soul. This is quoted
exactly from the translation by the
LXX., except that the apostle has added
the words " first" and " Adam." This
is done to designate whom he meant.
The meaning of the phrase " was made
a living soul" (Jvbsrs us \>' J 'X.* V ^ y "- tv in-
Hebrew, rrn JPDJ"?) is, became a living,
animated being ; a being endowed with
life. The use of the word " soul" in
our translation, for -{v% an( l ^03 ( nem
phesh), does not quite convey the idea.
We apply the word sot//, usually, to the
intelligent and the immortal part of
man ; that which reasons, thinks, ro-
336
J. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D 5
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which
members, is conscious, is responsible,
&c. The Greek and Hebrew words,
however, more properly denote that
which is alive, which is animated, which
breathes, which has an animal nature.
Note on ver. 44. And this is precisely
the idea which Paul uses here, that the
first man was made an animated being
by having breathed into him the breath
of life (Gen. ii. 7), and that it is the
image of this animated or vital being
which we bear. ver. 48. Neither Moses
nor Paul deny that in addition to this,
man was endowed with a rational soul,
an immortal nature; but that is not the
idea which they present in the passage
in Genesis which Paul quotes. ^ The
last Adam. The second Adam, or the
" second man." ver. 47. That Christ
is here intended is apparent, and has
been usually admitted by commentators.
Christ here seems to be called Adam
because he stands in contradistinction
from the first Adam ; or because, as we
derive our animal and dying nature
from the one, so we derive our immortal
and undying bodies from the other.
From the one we derive an animal or
vital existence ; from the other we derive
our immortal existence, and resurrection
from the grave. The one stands at the
head of all those who have an existence
represented by the words, "a living
soul ;" the other of all those who shall
have a spiritual body in heaven. He
is called " the last Adam ;" meaning
that there shall be no other after him
who shall affect the destiny of man in
the same way, or who shall stand at the
head of the race in a manner similar to
what had been done by him and the first
father of the human family. They sus-
tain peculiar relations to the race ; and
in this respect they were " the first" and
"the last" in the peculiar economy.
The name "Adam" is not elsewhere
given to the Messiah, though a compa-
rison is several times instituted between
him and Adam. See Rom. v. 12 19.
^ A quickening spirit ('? Trvtv/uu w
ntouv). A vivifying spirit ; a spirit
giving or imparting life. Not a being
having mere vital functions, or an ani
mated nature, but a being who has the
power of imparting life. This is not a
quotation from any part of the Scrip-
tures, but seems to be used by Paul
either as affirming what was trie on hi*
own apostolic authority, or as conveying
the substance of what was revealed re-
specting the Messiah in the Old Testa-
men. There may be also reference to
what the Saviour himself taught, that
he was the source of life ; that he had
the power of imparting life, and that he
gave life to all whom he pleased. See
Note, John i. 4 ; v. 26, " For as the
Father hath life in himself, so hath he
given to the Son to have life in himself."
ver. 21, "For as the Father raiseth up
the dead, and quickeneth them, even so
the Son quickeneth whom he will."
The word "spirit," here applied to
Christ, is in contradistinction from " a
living being," as applied to Adam, and
seems to be used in the sense of spirit %
of life, as raising the bodies of his people
from the dead, and imparting life to
them. He was constituted not as hav-
ing life merely, but as endowed with
the power of imparting life ; as endowed
with that spiritual or vital energy which
was needful to impart life. All life is
the creation or production of spirit
(Uvt-ifjut) ; as applied to God the Father,
or the Son, or the Holy Spirit. Spirit
is the source of all vitality. God is a
spirit, and God is the source of all life.
And the idea here is, that Christ had
such a spiritual existence, such power
as a spirit ; that he was the source of
all life to his people. The word spirit
is applied to his exalted spiritual nature,
in distinction from his human nature, in
Rom. i. 4. 1 Tim. iii. 16. 1 Pet. iii. 18.
The apostle does not here affirm that h
had not a human nature, or a vital ex-
istence as a man ; but that his main
characteristic in contradistinction from
Adam was, that he was endowed with
an elevated spiritual nature, which was
capable of imparting vital existence to
the dead.
46. Howbeit. There is a due erde
A. D. 59.]
is natural ; and afterward that
which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the
earth, earthy: the second man
is the Lord from heaven.
aJno.3.13,31.
CHAPTER XV. 337
48 As is the earthy, such are
they also that are earthy: and
as is the heavenly, such are they
also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the
observed, ver. 23. The decaying, the
dying, the weak, the corruptible, in the
proper order of events, was first This
order is necessary, and this is observed
everywhere. It is seen in the grain
that dies in the ground, and in the re-
surrection of man. The imperfect is
succeeded by the perfect ; the impure
by the pure ; the vile and degraded by
the precious and the glorious. The
idea is, that there is a tendency to-
wards perfection, and that God observes
the proper order by which that which
is most glorious shall be secured. It was
not his plan that all things in the be-
ginning should be perfect; but that
perfection should be the work of time,
and should be secured in an appro-
priate order of events. The design of
Paul in this verse seems to be to vindi-
cate the statement which he had made,
by showing that it was in accordance
with what was everywhere observed,
that the proper order should be main-
tained. This idea is carried through
the following verses.
47. The first man. Adam, f Is of
the earth. Was made of the dust.
See Gen. iL 7. t Earthy. Partaking
of the earth ; he was a mass of ani-
mated clay, and could be appropriately
called "DUST." Gen. iii. 19. Of course,
he must partake of a nature that was
low, mean, mortal, and corruptible.
^ The second man. Christ. See Note
on ver. 45. He is called the second
man, as being the second who sustained
a relation to men that was materi-
ally to affect their conduct and destiny ;
the second and the last (ver. 45), who
should sustain a peculiar headship to
the race. ^ The Lord from heaven.
Called in ch. ii. 8, the "Lord of
glory." See Note on that place. This
expression refers to the fact that the
Lord Jesus had a heavenly origin, in
29
contradistinction from Adam, who was
formed from the earth. The Latin
Vulgate renders this, " the second man
from heaven is heavenly ;" and this
idea seems to accord with the meaning
in the former member of the verse. The
sense is, evidently, that as the first man
had an earthly origin> and was, there-
fore, earthy, so the second man being
from heaven, as his proper home, would
have a body adapted to that abode ; un-
like that which was earthy, and whica
would be fitted to his exalted nature,
and to the world where he would
dwell. And while, therefore, the phrase
" from heaven" refers to his heavenly
origin, the essential idea is, that he
would have a body that was adapted to
such an origin and such a world a
body unlike that which was earthy.
That is, Christ had a glorified body
to which the bodies of the saints must
yet be made like.
48. As is the earthy. Such as Adam
was. t Such are they also, &c. Such
are all his descendants ; all who derive
their nature from him. That is, they
are frail, corruptible, mortal ; they live
in an animal body as he did, and like
him, they are subject to corruption and
decay, t And as is the heavenly. As
is he who was from heaven ; as is the
Lord Jesus now in his glorified body.
^ Such are they also, &c. Such will
they be also. They will be like him ;
they will have a body like his. This
idea is more fully expressed in Phil. iii.
21, " Who shall change our vile body,
that it may be fashioned like unto his
glorious body."
49. And as we have borne the image
of the earthy. As like our first father,
we are frail, decaying, dying as we
are so closely connected with him as to
be like him. This does not refer,
mainly, to one bearing his moral cha-
338
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
*mage of the earthy, we shall
also a bear the image of the hea-
venly.
50 Now this I say, brethren,
ractcr, but to the fact that we are, like
him, subject to sickness, frailty, sorrow,
and death, t We shall also bear the
image of the heavenly. The Lord Jesus
Christ, who was from heaven, and who
is in heaven. As we are so closely con-
nected with Adam as to resemble him,
so by the divine arrangement, and by
faith in the Lord Jesus, we are so
closely connected with him that we
shall resemble him in heaven. And as
he is now free from frailty, sickness,
pain, sorrow, and death, and as he has
a pure and spiritual body, adapted to a
residence in heaven, so shall we be in
that future world. The argument here
is, that the connexion which is formed
between the believer and the Saviour
is as close as that which subsisted be-
tween him and Adam ; and as that con-
nexion with Adam involved the cer-
tainty that he would be subjected to
pain, sin, sickness, and death, so the con-
nexion with Christ involves the cer-
tainty that he will like him be free
from sin, sickness, pain, and death, and
like him will have a body that is pure,
incorruptible, and immortal.
50. Now this I say, brethren. 'I
make this affirmation in regard to this
whole subject. I do it as containing
the substance of all that I have said. I
do it in order to prevent all mistake in
regard to the nature of the bodies
which shall be raised up.' This af-
firmation is made respecting all the
dead and all the living, that there must
be a material and important change in
regard to them before they can be pre-
pared for heaven. Paul had proved
in the previous verses that it was pos-
sible for God to give us bodies dif-
ferent from those which we now pos-
sess ; he here affirms, in the most posi-
tive manner, that it was indispensable
that we should have bodies different
that * flesh and blood cannot in-
herit the kingdom of God ; nei-
ther doth corruption inherit in
corruption.
frjno.3.3,5.
from what we now have, f Flesh and
blood. Bodies organized as ours now
are. " Flesh and blood" denotes such
bodies as we have here, bodies thai
are fragile, weak, liable to disease, sub-
ject to pain and death. They are com
posed of changing particles ; to be re-
paired and strengthened daily ; they
are subject to decay, and are wasted
away by sickness, and of course they
cannot be fitted to a world where there
shall be no decay and no death.
f Cannot inherit. Cannot be admit-
ted as heir to the kingdom of God.
The future world of glory is often re-
presented as an heirship. See Note on
Rom. viii. 17. ^ The kingdom of God.
Heaven ; appropriately called his king-
dom, because he shall reign there in
undivided and perfect glory for ever.
^ Neither doth corruption, &c. Nei-
ther can that which is in its nature cor-
ruptible, and liable to decay, be adapted
to a world where all is incorruptible.
The apostle here simply states the fact.
He does not tell us why it is impossi-
ble. It may be because the mode of
communication there is not by the bo-
dily senses ; it may be because such
bodies as ours would not be fitted to
relish the pure and exalted pleasures
of an incorruptible world; ii may be
because they would interfere with the
exalted worship, the active eorvice, and
the sleepless employments of the hea-
venly world ; it may be because such a
body is constituted to derive pleasure
from objects which shall not be found
in heaven. It is adapted to enjoyment
in eating and drinking, and the plea-
sures of the eye, the ear, the taste, the
touch ; in heaven the soul shall be
awake to more elevated and pure enjoy-
ments than these, and, of course, such
bodies as we here have TV ould impede oui
progress and destroy our comforts, and
A. D. 59.]
51 Behold,
mystery :
CHAPTER XV.
339
I show you a
not all
We shall
olThess.4.15 17.
be ill adapted to all the employments
and enjoyments of that heavenly world.
61. Behold 1 show you. This com-
mences the third subject of inquiry in
the chapter, the question, what will
become of those who are alive when
the Lord Jesus shall return to raise
the dead 1 This was an obvious in-
quiry, and the answer was, perhaps,
supposed to be difficult. Paul answers it
directly, and says that they will undergo
an instantaneous change, which will
make them like the dead that shall be
raised, f A mystery. On the mean-
ing of this word, see Note, ch. ii. 7.
The word here does not mean any
thing which was in its nature unintel-
ligible, but that which to them had
been hitherto unknown. ' I now com-
municate to you a truth which has not
been brought into the discussion, and in
regard to which no communication has
been made to you.' On this subject
there had been no revelation. Though
the Pharisees held that the dead would
rise, yet they do not seem to have
made any statement in regard to the
living who should remain when the
dead should rise. Nor, perhaps, had
the subject occupied the attention of
the apostles ; nor had there been any
direct communication on it from the
Lord Jesus himself. Paul then here
says, that he was about to communicate
a great truth which till then had been
unknown, and to resolve a great in-
quiry on which there had as yet been
no revelation, f We shall not all sleep.
We Christians,- grouping all together
who then lived and should live after-
wards, for his discussion has relation
to them all. The following remarks
may, perhaps, remove some of the diffi-
culty which attends the interpretation
of this passage. The objection which
is made to it is, that Paul expected to
live until the Lord Jesus should return ;
that he, therefore, expected that the
world would soon end, and that in this
sleep, but wo shall all be chang-
ed.
he was mistaken, and could not be in-
spired. To this, we may reply, (1.)
He is speaking )i Christians as such--
of the whole c'lurch that had been re-
deemed <f th ientire mass that should
enter heaven ; and he groups them all
together, and connects himself with
them, and saj s, " We shall not die ;
we Christians, including the whole
church, shall not all die," &c. That
he did not refei only to those whom he
was then addressing, is apparent from
the whole disc as? ion. The argument
relates to Christians to the church at
large ; and the affirmation here has re-
ference to that ;hurch considered as one
church that was to be raised up on the
last day. (2.) That Paul did not ex-
pect that the Lord Jesus would soon
come, and that the world would soon
come to ;m ei.d, is apparent from a
similar place in the epistle to the Thes-
salonians. In 1 Tl.ess. iv. 15, he uses
language remarkably similar to that
which is here used : " We which are
alive, and rem tilt unto the coming of
the Lord," &*\ 1 his language was
interpreted by the Thessalonians as
teaching that the world would soon
come to aa end and the effect had been
to produce a st-ite of ilarm. Paul was,
therefore, at sj e< ial pains to show in
his second epistle to '.hem, that he did
not mean any f-u<h thing. He showed
them (2 Thess ii.) that the end of the
world was not noar ; that very import-
ant events were-to occur before the world
would come to an end ; and that his
language did i iot imj ly any expecta-
tion on his pa t that I he woi Al would
soon terminate or that the Lord Jesus
would soon ct me. (').) Parallel ex-
pressions occui i n the other writers of
the New Testa nent, and with a simi-
lar signification Thus, John (1 Epis.
ii. 18) says, ' 'It is (he last time."
Comp. Heb. i. I. But the meaning of
this is not that the woild would soon
come to an em' The prophets spoke
340
1. CORINTHIANS.
LA. D. 69.
rf a period which they called " the
Vist days" (Isa. ii. 2. Micah iv. 1 ;
in Hebrew, "the after days"), as the
period in which the Messiah would live
and reign. By it they meant the dis-
pensation which should be the last ,
that under which the world would
close ; the reign of the Messiah, which
would be the last economy of human
things. But it did not follow that
this was to be a short period , or that
it might not be longe* than any one of
the former, or than all the former put
together. This was that which John
spoke of as the last time. (4.) I do
not know that the proper doctrine, of
inspiration suffers, if we admit that the
apostles were ignorant of the exact
time when the world would close ; or
even that in regard to the precise pe-
riod when that would take place, they
might be in error. The following con-
siderations may be suggested on this
subject, showing that the claim to in-
spiration did not extend to the know-
ledge of this fact, (a) That they were
not omniscient, and there is no more
absurdity in supposing that they were
ignorant on this subject than m regard
to any other. (6) Inspiration extend-
ed to the order of future events, and
not to the times. There is in the
Scriptures no statement of the time
when the world would close. Future
events were made to pass before the
mind of the prophets, as in a land-
scape. The order of the images may
be distinctly marked, but the times
may not be designated. And even
events which may occur in fact at dis-
tant periods, may in vision appear to
be near each other ; as in a landscape,
objects which are in fact separated by
distant intervals, like the ridges of a
mountain, may appear to lie close to
each other, (c) The Saviour ex-
pressly said, that it was not designed
that they should know when future
events would occur. Thus, after his
ascension, in answer to an inquiry whe-
ther he then would restore the kingdom
to Israel, he said (Acts i. 7), " It is not
for you to know the times or the sea-
sons which the Father hath put in his
own power." See Note on that verse,
(d) The Saviour said that even he
himself, as man, was ignorant in regard
to the exact time in which future
events would occur. " But of that
day, and that hour, knoweth no man,
no, not the angels which are in hea-
ven, neither the Son, but the Father."
Mark xiii. 32. (e) The apostles were
in fact ignorant, and mistaken in re-
gard to, at least, the time of the occur-
rence of one future event, the death of
John. xxi. 23. There is, therefore, no
departure from the proper doctrine of
inspiration, in supposing that the apos-
tles were not inspired on these subjects,
and that they might be ignorant like
others. The proper order of events
they state truly and exactly ; the exact
time God did not, for wise reasons, intend
to make known, f Shall not all sleep.
Shall not all die. See Note, ch. xi. 30.
1 But we shall all be changed. There
is considerable variety in the reading
of this passage. The Vulgate reads
it, " We shall all indeed rise, but we
shall not all be changed." Some
Greek MSS. read it, " We shall all
sleep, but we shall not all be changed."
Others, as the Vulgate, " We shall all
rise, but we shall not all be changed."
But the present Greek text contains,
doubtless, the true reading; and the
sense is, that all who are alive at the
coming of the Lord Jesus shall un-
dergo such a change as to fit them for
their new abode in heaven ; or such as
shall make them like those who shall
be raised from the dead. This change
will be instantaneous (ver. 52), for it
is evident that God can as easily
change the living as he can raise thie
dead ; and as the affairs of the world
will then have come to an end, there
will be no necessity that those who are
then alive should be removed by death ,
nor would it be proper that they should
go down to lie any time in the grave.
The ordinary laws, therefore, by wljich
men are removed to eternity, will not
t operate in regard to them, and they will
be removed at once to their new abode
A.D. 59.]
52 In a moment, * in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump : for the b trumpet shall
sound, and the dead c shall be
JHAPTER XV.
341
raised incorruptible,
shall be changed.
and
we
53 For this corruptible must
a2Pet.3.10.
c Jno.5.25.
6Zech.9.14. Matt.24.31.
put on incorruption, and this
mortal d must put on immor-
tality.
54 So when this corruptible
shall have put on incorruption,
and this mortal shall have put
on immortality, then shall be
d 2Cor.5.4. Uno.3.2.
52. In a moment (tt (iroyuao). In
an atom, scil. of time ; a point of time
which cannot be cut or divided (a priv.
and ro f u, from Tt/u.vu>, to cut). A single
instant ; immediately. It will be done
instantaneously. ^ In the twinkling
of an eye. This is an expression also de-
noting the least conceivable duration of
time. The suddenness of the coming of j
the Lord Jesus is elsewhere compared to j
the coming of a thief in the night. 2 Pet. !
Hi. 10. The word rendered " twinkling"
rj, from I'nr-Tce, to throw, cast) means !
a throw, cast, jerk, as of a stone ; and j
then a jerk of the eye, {. e. a wink. j
Robinson, t At the lost trump. When j
the trumpet shall sound to raise the
dead. The word " last" here does not
imply that any trumpet shall have been
before sounded at the resurrection, but
is a word denoting that this is the con-
summation or close of things; it will
end the economy of this world ; it will
be connected with the lost state of
things. Tf For the trumpet shall sound.
See Note, Matt. xxiv. 31. ^ And the
dead shall be raised. Note, John v. 25.
53. For this corruptible, &c. It is
necessary that a change should take
place, either by dying and then being
raised, or by being changed without
seeing death ; for we cannot enter hea-
ven as we are now. f Must put on.
The word here used (\v3wu>} properly
means to go in, to envelope, to put on
as a garment ; and then to put on any
thing ; as the soul is, as it were, clothed
with, or invested with a body ; and here
jt means, must be endued with, or fur-
nished with. It is equivalent to saying
that this corruptible must become incor-
ruptible, and this mortal must become
immortal. We must cease to be cor-
29*
ruptible and mortal, and must become
incorruptible and immortal. The right-
eous who remain till the coming of
Christ shall be at once changed, and
invested, as Enoch and Elijah were,
with incorruption and immortality.
54. So when, &c. In that future
glorious world, when all this shall have
been accomplished. K Then shall be
brought to pass. Then shall be fully
accomplished; these words shall then
receive their entire fulfilment ; or this
event shall meet all that is implied in
these words, f The saying that is
written. What is written, or the record
which is made. These words are quoted
from Isa. xxv. 8 ; and the fact that Paul
thus quotes them, and the connexion in
which they stand, prove that they had
reference to the times of the gospel, and
to the resurrection of the dead. Paul
does not quote directly from the Hebrew,
or from the LXX., but gives the substance
of the passage. ^ Death. Referring
here, undoubtedly, to death in the pro-
per sense ; death as prostrating the liv-
ing, and consigning them to the grave.
H Is swallowed up. KaTeroSvf (from
xxTXTriva, to drink down, to swallow
down) means to absorb (Rev. xii. 16) ;
to overwhelm, to drown (Heb. xi. 29)
and then to destroy or remove. The
idea may be taken from a whirlpool, or
Maelstrom, that absorbs all that comes
near it ; and the sense is, that he will
abolish or remove death ; that is, cause
it to cease from its ravages and triumphs.
T In victory (el? y7if). Unto victory ;
so as to obtain a complete victory. The
Hebrew (Isa. xxv. 8) is nxjS. The
LXX. often render the word nxj, which
properly means splendour, purity, trust,
perpetuity, eternity, perfection, by 7*oc.
342
I. CORINTHIANS.
59.
brought to pass Ihr s tying that
is written, Death a is swallowed
up in victory.
a Isa.2o.8
victory. 2 Kings ii. 26 Jcb xxxvi. 7.
Lam. iii. 18; v. 20. Amas i.; ii.; viii. 7.
The Hebrew word h< re may be ren-
dered either unto the end, i. e. to com-
pleteness or perfection, or unto victory,
with triumph. It mat'ers little which
is the meaning, for they both come to
the same thing. The dea is, that the
power and dominion ol death shall be
entirely destroyed, or br night to an end.
55. O death. This triumthant ex-
clamation is the commencement of the
fourth division of th -i chapter, the
practical consequences )f the loctrine.
It is such an exclamation as every
man with right feelings will be dis-
posed to make, who c- mtcmpl ites the
ravages of death ; wh > 1 oks upon a
worl J where in all forme ho has ) eigned,
and who then contempl ites the glorious
truth, that a complete a.ul tinal t iumph
has been obtained over t his great enemy
of the happiness of man, and thiit man
woul-1 die no more. It is a triumphant
view which bursts upoi v the soul as it
contemplates the fact that the work of
the second Adam has repaired the ruins
of the first, and that m in is redeemed ;
his body will be raised; not another
human being should di>% and the work
of death should be em led. Nay, it is
more. Death is not only at an en 1 ; it
shall not only cease, but its evils .shall
be repaired; and a glry and honour
shall encompass the body of man, such
as would have been unknown had there
been no death. NJ commentary can
add to the beauty and force of the lan-
guage in this verse ; ar d the best way
to see its beauty, and to enjoy it, is to
sit down and think of i EATH ; of what
death has been, and bis done; of the
millions and millions th it have died ; of
the earth strewed witli the dead, and
** archrd with graves; '' of our own
death ,- the certainty th it we must di 3,
and out parents, ami b. others, and sis-
ters, an I children, and i rieads ; that all,
55 6 death, where is thy
sting ? O grave, * where is thy
victory ?
b Hos.13.14. or, hell.
all must die ; and then to suffer the
truth, in its full-orbed splendour, to rise
upon us, that the time will come when
DEATH SHALL BE AT AN EXD. Who,
in such contemplation, can refrain from
the language of triumph, and from
hymns of praise ? f Where is thy sting ?
The word which is here rendered sting
(jtli'Tgoi') denotes properly a prick, a
point ; hence a goad or stimulus ; i. e.
a rod or staff with an iron point, for
goading oxen (see Note, Acts ix. 5) ;
and then a sting properly, as of scor-
pions, bees, &c. It denotes here a ve-
nomous thing, or weapon, applied to
death personified, as if death employed
it to destroy life, as the sting of a bee
or a scorpion is used. The idea is de-
rived from the venomous sting of ser-
pents, or other reptiles, as being destruc-
tive and-painful. The language here is
the language of exultation, as if that
was taken away or destroyed. ^
frave (<*#'). Hades, the place of the
ead. It is not improperly rendered,
however, grave. The word properly
denotes a place of darkness ; then the
world, or abodes of the dead. Accord
ing to the Hebrews, Hades, or Sheol,
was a vast subterranean receptacle, or
abode, where the souls of the dead ex-
isted. It was dark, deep, still, awful.
The descent to it was through the grave ;
and the spirits of all the dead were sup-
posed to be assembled there; the right-
eous occupying the upper regions, and
the wicked the lower. See Note on Isa
xiv. 9. Comp. Lowth, Lect. on Heb.
Poet. vii. Campbell, Prel. Diss. vi.
part 2, 2. It refers here to the dead ;
and means that the grave, or Hades,
should no longer have a victory, f Thy
victory. Since the dead are to rise;
since all the graves are to give up all
that dwell in them ; since no man will
die after that, where is its victory 1 It
is taken away. It is despoiled. The
power of death and the grave is van
A D. 59.]
56 The* sting of death is sin ;
and * the strength of sin is the
law.
a Kom.6-23. b Rom.4.15.
CHAPTER XV.
343
57 But thanks c be to God,
which giveth us the victory d
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
cKom.7.25. d Rom.a37. Uno.5.4,5.
quished, and Christ is triumphant over
all. It has been well remarked here,
that the words in this verse rise above
>he plain and simple language of prose,
and resemble a hymn, into which the
apostle breaks out in view of the glorious
truth which is here presented to the
mind. The whole verse is indeed a
somewhat loose quotation from Hos.
xiii. 14, which we translate,
" O death,! will be thy plagues;
O grave, I will be thy destruction."
But which the LXX. render,
" O death, where is thy punishment ?
O grave, where is thy sting?"
Probably Paul did not intend this as a
direct quotation ; but he spoke as a man
naturally does who is familiar with the
language of the Scriptures, and used it
to express the sense which he intended,
without meaning to make a direct and
literal quotation. The form which Paul
uses is so poetic in its structure that
Pope has adopted it, with only a change
in the location of the members, in the
" Dying Christian :"
" O erave, where is thy victory 1
O death, where is thy sting 1"
6fi. The sting of death. The sting
which death bears ; that with which he
effects his purpose ; that which is made
use of to inflict death ; or that which is
the cause of death. There would be no
death without sin. The apostle here
personifies death, as if it were a living
being, and as making use of sin to in-
flict death, or as being the sting, or en-
venomed instrument, with which he
inflicts the mortal agony. The idea is,
that sin is the cause of death. It intro-
duced it ; it makes it certain ; it is the
cause of the pain, distress, agony, and
horror which attends it. Had there
been no sin, men would not have died.
If there were no sin, death would not
be attended with horror or alarm. For
why should innocence be afraid to die ?
What has innocence to fear anywhere
in the universe of a just God ? The
fact, therefore, that men die, is proof
that they are sinners; the fact that they
feel horror and alarm, is proof that they
feel themselves to be guilty, and that
they are afraid to go into the presence
of a holy God. If this be taken away,
if sin be removed, of course the horror,
and remorse, and alarm which it is fit-
ted to produce will be removed also.
Tf Is sin. Sin is the cause of it. See
Note, Rom. v. 12. 1 The strength of
sin. Its power over the mind ; its ter-
rific and dreadful energy ; and especially
its power to produce alarm in the hour
of death. T Is the law. The pure and
holy law of God. This idea Paul has
illustrated at length in Rom. vii. 9 13.
See Notes on that passage. He proba-
bly made the statement here in order to
meet the Jews, and to show that the
law of God had no power to take away
the fear of death ; and that, therefore,
there was need of the gospel, and that
this alone could do it. The Jews main-
tained that a man might be justified and
saved by obedience to the law. Paul
here shows that it is the law which
gives its chief vigour to sin, and that it
does not tend to subdue or destroy it ;
and that power is seen most strikingly
in the pangs and horrors of a guilty
conscience on the bed of death. There
was need, therefore, of the gospel, which
alone could remove the cause of these
horrors, by taking away sin, and thus
leaving the pardoned man to die in
peace. Comp. Note, Rom. iv. 15.
57. But thanks be to God. See
Note, Rom. vii. 25. 1 Which giveth
us the victory. Us who are Christians ;
all Christians. The victory over sin,
death, and the grave. God alone is
the author of this victory. He formed
the plan ; he executed it in the gift of
his Son ; and he gives it to us person-
ally when we come to die. J Through
our Lord Jesus Christ. By his death
344
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59.
58 Therefore, my beloved
brethren, a be ye steadfast, im-
movable, always abounding in
a 2Pet.3.14.
the work of the Lord, forasmuch
as ye know that your labour is
not in vain in the Lord.
thus destroying the power of death ;
by his resurrection and triumph over
the grave ; and by his grace imparted
to us to enable us to sustain the pains
of death, and giving to us the hope of a
glorious resurrection. Comp. Note, Rom.
vii. 25 ; viii. 37.
58. Therefore, my beloved brethren.
In view of the great and glorious truths
which have been revealed to us respect-
ing the resurrection. Paul closes the
whole of this important discussion with
an exhortation to that firmness in the
faith which ought to result from truths
so glorious, and from hopes so elevated
as these truths are fitted to impart.
The exhortation is so plain, that it
needs little explanation ; it so obviously
follows from the argument which Paul
had pursued, that there is little need
to attempt to enforce it. 1 Be ye stead-
fast (/{>*?, from fcfg*). Seated, se-
dentary (Robinson); perhaps with an
allusion to a statue (Bloomfield) ; or
perhaps to wrestling, and to standing
one's ground (Wolf). Whatever may
be the allusion, the sense is clear. Be
firm, strong, confident in the faith, in
view of the truth that you will be raised
up. Be not shaken or agitated with
the strifes, the temptations, and the
cares of life. Be fixed in the faith,
and let not the power of sin, or the
sophistry of pretended philosophy, or
the arts of the enemy of the soul seduce
you from the faith of the pospel. H Un-
movable. Firm, fixed, stfeP unmoved.
This is probably a stronger expression
than the former, though meaning sub-
stantially the same thing that we are
to be firm and unshaken in our Chris-
tian hopes, and in our faith in
gospel, f Always abounding in ti:
work of the. Lord. Always engaged in
doing the will of God ; in promoting
his glory, and advancing his kingdom.
The phrase means not only to be en-
gaged in this, but to be engaged dili-
gently, laboriously ; excelling in this.
The "work of the Lord" here means
that which the Lord requires ; all the
appropriate duties of Christians. Paul
exhorts them to practise every Chris-
tian virtue, and to do all that they could
do to further the gospel among men.
^ Forasmuch as ye know. Gr. Know-
ing. You know it by the arguments
which have been urged for the truth
of the gospel ; by your deep conviction
that that gospel is true. Tf Your labour
is not in vain. It will be rewarded.
It is not as if you were to die and never
live again. There will be a resurrec-
tion, and you will be suitably recom-
pensed then. What you do for the
honour of God will not only be attend-
ed with an approving conscience, and
with happiness here, but will be met
with the glorious and eternal rewards
of heaven. ^ In the Lord. This pro-
bably means, ' Your labour or work in
the Lord, i.e. in the cause of the Lord,
will not be in vain.' And the senti-
ment of the whole verse is, that the
hope of the resurrection and of future
glory should stimulate us to great and
self-denying efforts in honour of Him
who has revealed that doctrine, and
who purposes graciously to reward us
there. Other men are influenced and
excited to great efforts by the hope of
honour, pleasure, or wealth. Chris-
tians should be excited to toil and self-
denial by the prospect of immortal
glory ; and by the assurance that their
hopes are not in vain, and will not de-
ceive them.
Thus closes this chapter of inimitable
beauty, and of unequalled power of
argumentation. Such is the pi aspect
which is before the Christen. He
. indeed die like other men. But
his death is a sleep a calm, gentle
undisturbed sleep, in the expectation
of being again awaked to a brighter
day. ver. 6. He has the assurance
that his Saviour rose, and that hia
people shall therefore also rise, ver
A.J).59.]
CHAPTER XVI.
N
OW concerning the collec-
tion for the saints, as I
CHAPTER XVI. 345
. y -1^ v. *> !
have given order to tl e churches
12 20. He encounters peril, and
privation, and persecution ; he may be
ridiculed and despised ; he may be
subjected to danger, or doomed to fight
with wild beasts, or to contend with
men who resemble wild beasts ; he may
be doomed to the pains and terrors of a
martyrdom at the stake, but he has the
assurance that all these are of short
continuance, and that before him there
is a world of eternal glory, ver. 29 32.
He may be poor, unhonoured, and ap-
parently without an earthly friend or
protector, but his Saviour and Redeem-
er reigns, ver. 25. He may be opposed
by wicked men, and his name slandered,
and body tortured, and his peace marred,
but his enemies shall all be subdued.
ver. 26, 27. He will himself die, and
sleep in his grave, but he shall live again,
ver. 22, 23. He has painful proof that
his body is corruptible, but it will be
incorruptible ; that it is now vile, but it
will be glorious ; that it is weak, frail,
feeble, but it will yet be strong, and no
more subject to disease or decay, ver.
42, 43. And he will be brought under
the power of death, but death shall be
robbed of its honours, and despoiled of
its triumph. Its sting from the saint is
taken away, and it is changed to a bless-
ing. It is now not the dreaded monster,
the king of terrors ; it is a friend that
comes to remove him from a world of
toil to a world of rest ; from a life of sin
:o a life of glory. The grave is not to
dim the gloomy abode, the permanent
resting-place of his body ; it is a place
of rest for a little time ; grateful like the
bed of down to a wearied frame, where
he may lie down and repose after the
fatigues of the day, and gently wait "
the morning. He has nothing to fear in
death ; nothing to fear in the dying
pang, the gloom, the chill, the sweat,
the paleness, the fixedness of death ;
nothing to fear in the chilliness, the
darkness, the silence, the corruption of
the grave. All this is in the way to
of Galatia, even so do ye.
a Gal.2.10.
immortality, and is closely and indisso-
lubly connected with immortality, ver.
55 57. And in view of all this, we
should be patient, faithful, laborious,
self-denying ; we should engage with
zeal in the work of the Lord; we should
Calmly wait till our change come. ver.
58. No other system of religion has
any such hopes as this ; no other sys-
tem does any thing to dispel the gloom,
or drive away the horrors of the grave
How foolish is the man who rejects the
gospel the only system which brings
life and immortality to light! How
foolish to reject the doctrine of the re-
surrection, and to lie down in the grave
without peace, without hope, without
any belief that there will be a world of
glory ; living without God, and dving
like the brute. And yet infidelity seeks
and claims its chief triumphs in the at-
tempt to convince poor dying man that
he has no solid ground of hope ; that
the universe is "without a Father
and without a God;" that the grave
terminates the career of man for ever ,
and that in the grave he sinks away to
eternal annihilation. Strange that man
should seek such degradation ! Strange
that all men, conscious that they must
die, do not at once greet Christianity as
their best friend, and hail the doctrine
of the future state, and of the resurrec-
tion, as that which is adapted to meet
the deeply-felt evils of this world; to
fill the desr> -ing mind with peace;
and to sustain the soul in the tempta-
tions and trials of life, and in the gloom
and agony of death !
CHAPTER XVI.
doctrinal part of this epistle was
' *1 at the end of the fifteenth chap-
ter. See the Introduction. Before
closing the epistle, Paul adverts to soms
subjects of a miscellaneous nature, and
particularly to the subject of a collection
for the poor and persecuted Christians
in Judea, on which his heart was much
set. and to which he several times ad-
346
I. CORIN1HIANS.
[A. D. 59.
verts in Ins epistles. See Note on ver.
1. This subject he h<d suggested to
them when he was with them, and they
had expsessed, some t mo before, the
utmost readiness to male the collection,
and Paul had common led their readi-
ness when he was .urgii ig the same sub-
ject in Macedonia, See 2 Cor. ix. It
is evident, however, thai for some cause,
perhaps owing to the di\is : ons and con-
tentions in the chvirch this collection
had not yet been maf Paul, there-
fore, calls their attention to it, and urges
them to make it, anil to forward it either
by him alone, or with otl .ers, whom they
might designate, to Julea. ver. 1 4.
In connexion with this, he expresses
his intention of coming to Corinth, and
perhaps of passing the w inter with them.
He was then in Ephesus. He was ex-
pecting to go to Macedonia, probably
on the business of the collection. He
purposed not to visit them on his way
to Macedonia, but on lis return. He
had formerly intended to pass through
Corinth on his wav to Macedonia, and
had perhaps given them such an inti-
mation of his purpose. 2 Cor. i. 16, 17.
But from pome cause (see Notes on
2 Cor. i. 1523), he trlls the Corinth-
ians that he had abandoned the pur-
pose of seeing them on the way to
Macedonia, though he still intended to
go to Macevlonia, and would sec them
on his return, ver. 5 ''. At that time
there was a state of things in Ephesus
which required his presence. His la-
bours were greatly blessed ; and, as a
consequence which often attends the
successful preaching of the gospel, there
was much oj position. He had resolved,
therefore, to remain in Uphesus until
Pentecost, ver. 8, 9. In live mean time,
to show them his deep interest in them,
he informed them tha Timothy was
coming among them, foi whom he asked
a kind and cordial r eccpt ion, and assured
them that he had endeavoured to per-
uade Apollos to visit them, but was
not able. ver. 10 12. Paul then urges
them to watch, anJ be llrm, and live in
love (ver. 13, 14) ; and then besought
them to show particulai attention to the
family of Stephanas, the first-fruits of
Achaia (ver. 15, 16) ; and expresses
hi> gratitude that Stephanas, and For-
tuaatus, and Achaicus had come to him
at Ephesus. ver. 17, 18. They were
pn bably the persons by whom the Co-
rin hians had sent their letter (ch. viii.
1), and by whom Paul sent this epistle
He then closes the whole epistle with
Chi istian salutations ; with an expres-
sion of regard in his own handwriting ;
with a solemn charge to love the Lord
Jesus Christ, as the great thing to be
done and with the assurance that, if not
done, it would expose the soul to a
dreadful curse when the Lord should
come , w ; .th an invocation of the grace
of ths L )rd Jesus to be with them ;
and with a tender expression of his own
love to them all. ver. 19 24.
1. Now concerning the collection for
the. saints. The use of the article here
shows that he had mentioned it to them
before, and that it was a subject which
they would readily understand. It was
not new to them, but it was needful
only to give some instructions in regard
to the manner in which it should be
done, and not in regard to the occasion
for the collection, or the duty of making
it. Accordingly, all his instructions
relate simply to the manner in which
the collection should be made. The
word ren lered collection (AS},/*) does
not occur anywhere else in the New
Testament, and is not found in the
classic writers. It is from bzyct, to col-
lect, and, undoubtedly, here refers to a
contribution, or collection of money fo
a charitable purpose. The word saints
(ayUvi) hex e refers, doubtless, to Chris-
tians,- to the persecuted Christians in
Judea. There were many there ; and
they were generally poor, and exposed
to various trials. In regard to the
meaning of this word, and the circum-
stances and occasion of this collection,
see Notes on Worn. xv. 25, 26. 1 As )
have given aider (JKTOL^ct). As I have
directed, enjoined, commanded, arrang-
ed. It does not mean that he had as-
sumed the authority to tax them, or
that he had commanded them to make
a collection, but that he had left direc-
tions as to the best manner and time in
A.D. 59.]
CHAPTER XVI.
347
2 Upon the first "day of the
week let every one of you lay
aActs20.7.Rev.UO.
by him in store, as God hath
prospered him, that there be no
gatherings when I come.
which it should be done. The collec-
tion was voluntary and cheerful in all
the churches (Rorn. xv. 26, 27. 2 Cor.
ix. 2) ; and Paul did not assume au-
thority to impose it on them as a tax.
Nor was it necessary. Self-denial and
liberality were among the distinguishing
virtues of the early Christians ; and to
be a Christian then, implied that a man
would freely impart of his property to
aid the poor and the needy. The order
related solely to the manner of making
the collection ; and as Paul had suggest-
ed one mode to the churches in Galatia,
he recommended the same now to the
Corinthians. ^ To the churches of
Galatia. Galatia was a province in
Asia Minor. On its situation, see Note,
Acts xvi. 6. There were evidently
several churches planted in that region.
See Gal. i. 2. At what time he gave
this order to the churches there is not
mentioned ; though it was doubtless on
occasion of a visit to the churches there.
See Acts xvi. 6.
2. Upon the first day of the week.
Greek, " On one of the Sabbaths." The
Jews, however, used the word Sabbath
to denote the week ; the period of seven
days. Matt, xxviii. 1. Mark xvi. 9.
Luke xviii. 12; xxiv. 1. John xx. 1. 19.
Comp. Lev. xxiii. 15. Deut. xvi. 9. It
is universally agreed that this here de-
notes the first day of the week, or the
Lord's-day. ^ Let every one of you.
Let the collection be universal. Let
each one esteem it his duty and his
privilege to give to this object. It was
not to be confined to the rich only, but
was the common duty of all. The poor,
as well as the rich, were expected to
contribute according to their ability.
^ Lay by him in store ("""' *UT
T/S-4T&) vb(3-*wg/a>i'). Let him lay up at
home, treasuring up as he has been
prospered. The Greek phrase, " by
himself," means, probably, the same as
at home. Let him set it apart ; let him
designate a certain portion ; let him do
this by himself, when he is at home,
when he can calmly look at the evi-
dence of his prosperity. Let him do
it not under the influence of pathetic
appeals, or for the sake of display when
he is with others; but let him do it as a
matter of principle, and when he is by
himself. The phrase in Greek, " trea-
suring up," may mean that each one
was to put the part which he had de-
signated into the common treasury,
This interpretation seems to be de-
manded by the latter part of the verse.
They were to lay it by, and to put it
into the common treasury, that there
might be no trouble of collecting when
he should come. Or it may, perhaps,
mean that they were individually to
treasure it up, having designated in
their own mind the sum which they
could give, and have it in readiness
when he should come. This was evi-
dently to be done not on one Sabbath
only, but was to be done on each Lord's-
day until he should come, f As God
hath prospered him. The word " God"
is not in the original, but it is evidently
understood, and necessary to the sense.
The word rendered " hath prospered"
(tiidZsrctt) means, properly, to set for-
ward on one's way ; to prosper one's
journey ; and then to prosper, or be
prospered. This is the rule which Paul
lays down here to guide the Christians
at Corinth in giving alms, a rule that
is as applicable now, and as valuable
now, as it was then. ^ That there be
no gatherings when I come. No col-
lections (Kvyixi, ver. 1). The apostle
means that there should be no trouble
in collecting the small sums; that it
should all be prepared ; that each one
might have laid by what he could give ;
and that all might be ready to be handed
over to him, or to whomsoever they
might choose to send with it to Jerusa-
lem, ver. 3. In view of this important
verse, we may remark, (1.) That there
is here clear proof that the first day of
348
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59.
3 And when I come, whom-
soever a ye shall approve by your
a 2Cor.8.1 ( J.
the week was observed by the church
at Corinth as holy time. If it was not,
there can have been no propriety in se-
lecting that day in preference to any
other in which to make the collection.
It was the day which was set apart to
the duties of religion, and therefore an
appropriate day for the exercise of cha-
rity and the bestowment of alms. There
can have been no reason why this day
should have been designated except
that it was a day set apart to religion,
and therefore deemed a proper day for
the exercise of benevolence towards
others. (2.) This order extended also
to the churches in Galatia, proving also
that the first day of the week was ob-
served by them, and was regarded as a
day proper for the exercise of charity
towards the poor and the afflicted. And
if the first day of the week was observed,
by apostolic authority, in those churches,
it is morally certain that it was observed
by others. This consideration, there-
fore, demonstrates that it was the cus-
tom to observe this day, and that it was
observed by the authority of the early
founders of Christianity. (3.) Paul in-
tended that they should be systematic
in their giving, and that they should
give from principle, and not merely
under the impulse of feeling. (4.) Paul
designed that the habit of doing good
with their money should be constant.
He, therefore, directed that it should be
on the return of each Lord's-day, and
that the subject should be constantly
before their minds. (5.) It was evident
that Paul in this way would obtain
more for his object than he would if
he waited that they should give all at
once. He therefore directed them ho-
nestly to lay by each week what they
could then give, and to regard it as a
sacred treasure. How much would the
amount of charites in the Christian
churches be swelled if this were the
practice now, and if all Christians would
lay by in store each week what they
could then devote to sacred purposes.
letters, them will I send to bring
your J liberality unto Jerusalem
1 gift.
(6.) The true rule of giving is, ' as the
Lord has prospered us.' If he has pros-
pered us, we owe it to him as a debt of
gratitude. And according to our pros-
perity and success, we should honestly
devote our property to God. (7.) It ia
right and proper to lay by of our wealth
for the purposes of benevolence on the
Sabbath-day. It is right to do good
then (Matt. xii. 12); and one of the
appropriate exercises of religion is to
look at the evidence of our prosperity
with a view to know what we may^bo
permitted to give to advance the king-
dom of the Lord Jqsus. (8.) If every
Christian would honestly do this every
week, it would do much to keep down
the s^'nLof worldliness that now prevails
everywhere in the Christian church ,
and if every Christian would conscien-
tiously follow the direction of Paul here,
there would be no want of funds for any
well-directed plan for the conversion of
the world.
3. WJwmsoever ye shall approve by
your letters. There has been great va-
riety of opinion in regard to the proper
construction of this verse. Macknight
supposes that the " letters" here referred
to were not letters either to or from the
apostle, but letters signed and sent by
the church at Corinth, designating their
appointment and their authority. With
this interpretation Doddridge coincides
and this is required by the usual point
ing of the Greek text, where the comma
is inserted after the word letters, as in
our translation. But a different inter-
pretation has been proposed by inserting
the comma after the word " approve,"
so that it shall road, ' Whom you ap-
prove, or designate, them I will yend
with letters to convey your charity to
Jerusalem.' This is followed by Gries-
bach, Locke, Rosenmiiller, Bloomfiekl,
Beza, Hammond, Grotius, Whitby, &c.
Certainly this accords better with the
design of the passage. For it is evident
(see ver. 4) that, though Paul was willing
to go, yet he was not expecting to go.
A, P. 59.]
CHAPTER XVI.
349
4 And if it be meet that I go
also, they shall go with me.
5 Now I will come unto you,
when I shall pass through Ma-
cedonia: for I do pass through
Macedrnia.
6 And it may be that I will
abide, yea, and winter with you,
a2Cor.l.!5.
that ye may bring me on my
journey whithersoever I go.
7 For I will not see you now
by the way ; but I trust to tarry
a while with
you,
if the Lord
permit.
8 But I will tarry at Ephesus
until Pentecost.
If he did not go, what, was more natural
than that he should offer to give them
letters of commendation to his brethren
in Judea 1 Mill has doubted whether
this construction is in accordance with
Greek usage, but tho names above cited
are sufficient authority on that subject.
The proper construction, therefore, is,
that Paul would give them letters to his
friends in Jerusalem, and certify their
appointment to dispense the charity,
and commend the persons sent to the
favour and hospitality of the church
there. ^ Your liberality. Marg. Gift.
Your donation ; your alms. The Greek
word %d$tv usually signifies grace, or
favour. Here it means an act of grace
or favour; kindness; a favour confer-
red ; benefaction. Comp. 2 Cor. viii. 4.
6. 7. 19.
4. And if it be meet, &c. If it be
judged desirable and best. If my pre-
sence can further the object; or will
satisfy you better; or will be deemed
necessary to guide and aid those who
may be sent, I will be willing to go
ulso. For some appropriate and valu-
able remarks in regard to the apostle
Paul's management of pecuniary mat-
ters, so as not to excite suspicion, and
to preserve a blameless reputation, see
Paley's Horae Paulinas, ch. iv. No. 1. 3.
Note.
5. Now I will come unto you. I pur-
pose to come unto you. He had ex-
pected to see them on his way to Mace-
donia, but, on some account, had been
induced to abandon that design. See
Notes, 2 Cor. i. 1517. J When I
shall pass through Macedonia. When
I shall have passed through Macedonia.
He proposed to go to Macedonia first,
30
and, having passed through that coun-
try, visiting the churches, to go to Co-
rinth. For the situation of Macedonia,
see Note, Acts xvi. 9. t For I do pass
through Macedonia. I design to do it.
It is my present intention. Though he
had abandoned, from some cause, the
design of passing through Corinth on
his way to Macedonia, yet he had not
given up the design itself. It was still
his intention to go there.
6. That ye may bring me on my
journey. That 3sou may accompany
me, or aid me, and furnish me the
means of going on my journey. It was
customary for the apostles to be attend-
ed by some members of the churches
and friends in their travels. See Note,
Acts x. 23. 1 On my journey, &c.
Probably to Judea. This was evidently
his intention. But wherever he should
go, it would be gratifying to him to
have their aid and companionship.
7. For I will not see you now by
the way. On the way to Macedonia.
Something had occurred to change his
mind, and to induce him to go to Ma-
cedonia by another way. ^ But I trust
to tarry a while with you. That is,
on my return from Macedonia, ver. 5.
I Greek, " I hope to remain with you a
! little while." 1 If the Lord permit.
The apostle did not use the language
of certainty and of confidence. He felt
! his dependence on God, and regarded
1 all as under his direction. See the same
form of expression in 1 Cor. iv. 1 9, and
the Note on that place.
8. But I will tarry at Ephesus. Thin
passage proves that this letter was writ-
ten from Ephesus. It is by such indi-
cations as this usually that we are able
330
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59
9 For a great door a and ef-
a 2Cor.2.12. Rev.3.8. b Phil. 3. 18.
fectual is opened unto me, and
there are many adversaries.*
to determine the place where the epis-
tles were written. In regard to the
situation of Ephesus, see Note on Acts
xviii. 19. f Until Pentecost. This was
a Jewish festival occurring fifty days
after the Passover, and hence called the
Pentecost. See Note, Acts ii. 1. As
there were Jews at Corinth, and doubt-
less in the church, they would under-
stand the time which Paul referred to ;
and as he was a Jew, he naturally used
their mode of reckoning time where it
would be understood. Doubtless the
great festivals of the Jews were well
known among most of the cities of
Greece, as there were Jews in them all
who w,/e scrupulous in their observ-
ances. It is no improbable supposi-
tion, alto, that Christians everywhere
regarded this day with deep interest, as
being the day on which the Holy Spirit
descended on the apostles and on the
people oi Jerusalem. Acts ii.
9. For a great door. There is abun-
dant opportunity for usefulness. The
word door is used evidently to denote
an occasion or an opportunity for doing
any thing. It is the means by which
we have entrance or access ; and hence
denotes facility in doing any thing
when theij is no obstruction. See Acts
xiv.27. 2 Cor. ii. 12. Col. iv. 3. t And
effectual. That is, effective, or adapted
to success ; presenting opportunity for
great effects. There is abundant oppor-
tunity to preach the gospel; there is
attention to what is spoken, and great
interest in it ; there is great encourage-
ment to labour. It is possible that this
was one of the reasons why Paul had
changed his mind about passing through
Corinth on his way to Macedonia. It
would require time to visit Corinth, as
he would wish to remain there ; and an
unexpected opportunity having arisen
for doing good, he judged it best to re-
main at Ephesus as long as practicable,
and then to go at once to Macedonia.
1 And there are many adversaries.
Many opposers; many who resist the
gospel. These were doubtless in part
Jews who excited opposition to him,
and in part the friends of Demetrius.
See Acts xix. That Paul had great
success in Ephesus, and that his labours
were attended with a great revival of
religion there, is manifest from that
chapter. We may remark here, (1.)
That such a work of grace, such a set-
ting open a great and effectual door, is
often the occasion of increased opposi-
tion to the gospel. It is no uncommon
thing that the adversaries of Christ
should be excited at such times ; and
we are not to be surprised if the same
thing should occur now which occurred
in the time of Paul. (2.) This was
regarded by Paul as no reason why he
should leave Ephesus, but rather as a
reason why he should remain there.
It was regarded by him as an evidence
that the Holy Spirit was there. It was
proof that the enemies of God were
alarmed, and that the kingdom of Christ
was advancing. His presence, also,
would be needed there, to encourage
and strengthen the young converts who
would be attacked and opposed; and
he deemed it his duty to remain. A
minister should never wish to make
enemies to the gospel, nor seek to ex-
cite them to make opposition ; but such
opposition is often evidence that the
Spirit of God is among a people ; that
the consciences of sinners are aroused
and alarmed ; and that the great enemy
of God and man is making, as he was
at Ephesus, a desperate effort to pre-
serve his kingdom from being destroy-
ed. (3.) A minister should regard it
as his duty in a special manner to be
among his people when there is such
opposition excited. His presence is
needed to comfort and encourage the
church ; and when the minds of me;,
are excited, it is often the best time to
present truth, and to defend success-
fully the great doctrines of the Bible
(4.) Ministers should not be discou-
aged because there is opposition to
the gospel, It is one ground of encou-
ragement. It is an indication of the
A D. 59.J
CHAPTER XVI.
351
10 Now if Timotheus a come,
*ee that he may be with you
without fear : fof he worketh l
the work of the Lord, as I also
do.
11 Let no man therefore de-
jpise e him : but conduct * him
a Acts 19.22. b Phil.2.19-22. c lTim.4.12.
d SJno.G.
presence of God in awakening the con-
science. And it is far more favourable
as a season to do good than a dead
calm, and when there is universal stag-
nation and unconcern.
10. Now if Timotheus come. Paul
had sent Timothy to them (see Note,
ch. iv. 17, 18), but as he had many
churches to visit, it was not absolutely
certain that he would go to Corinth.
^ May be with you luithout fear. Let
him be received kindly and affection-
ately. Timothy was then a young man.
Acts xvi. 13. 1 Tim. iv. 12. There
might be some danger that he might
feel himself embarrassed among the
rich, the gay, and the great. Paul,
therefore, asks them to encourage him,
to receive him kindly, and not to em-
barrass him. Perhaps, also, there may
be some reference to the false teachers
whom Timothy might be called on to
oppose. They were powerful, and they
might endeavour to intimidate and alarm
him. Paul, therefore, asks the church
to sustain him in his efforts to defend
the truth. ^ For he worketh the work
of the Lord. He is engaged in the
service of the Lord ; and he is worthy
of your confidence, and worthy to be
sustained by you.
11. Let no man, therefore, despise
him. Let no one despise him on ac-
count of his youth and inexperience.
It is probable that some of the mo/e
wealthy and proud, some who valued
themselves on their wisdom and expe-
rience, would be disposed to look upon
him with contempt. On another occa-
sion, he directed Timothy so to live as
that no one should have occasion to
despise him on account of his youth
f i Tim. iv 12) ; and he here urges on
forth in peace, that he may come
unto me : for I look for him with
the brethren.
12 As touching our brother
Apollos, I greatly desired hkn
to come unto you with the bre-
thren : but his will was not at
c.i. 12.
the Corinthians, that they should not
despise him because he was a young
man, and comparatively inexperienced.
A minister of the gospel, though young,
should receive the respect that is due
to his office ; and if he conducts him-
self in accordance with his high calling,
his youth should be no barrier to the
confidence and affection of even aged
and experienced Christians. It should
be rather a reason why they should
treat him with affection, and encourage
him in his work, f But conduct him
forth in peace. That is, when he leaves
you. Attend him on his way, and help
him forward on his journey to me. See
Note on ver. 6. 1 For I look for him
with the brethren. Erastus accompa-
nied Timothy in this journey (Acts
xix. 22), and probably there were others
with him. Titus also had been sent to
Coranth (2 Cor. xii. 17, 18), and it is
not improbable that Paul had desired
Titus to bring with him to Ephesus
some of the Corinthian brethren, as he
might need their assistance there.
Grotius.
12. As touching our brother Apollos.
Tindal renders this, " To speak of bro-
ther Apollo." In regard to Apollos, see
Note, ch. i. 12. J IRs will was not at
all to come at this time. It is probable
that there were matters which detained
him, or which required his presence in
Ephesus. It is not known why Apol-
los had left Corinth, but it has been
supposed that it was on account of the
dissensions which existed there. For
the same reason he might not be in-
duced to return there while those dis-
sensions lasted, and there might be
employment which he had where he
then was which rendered his presence
352
1. CORINTHIANS
[A. V. 59
all to come at this time ; but he
will come when he shall have
convenient time.
13 Watch- ye, standfast in
a lPet.5.8. 6 2Thess.2.15.
the faith, quit you like men, c be
strong. d
14 Let
all your things be
done' with charity.
cc.14.20. dEph.6.10. e lPet.4..
there important. The Latin fathers say
that Apollos did after this return to
Corinth, when the religious differences
had been settled. Bbomfield. It is
probable that the Corinthians had re-
quested, by the messengers who carried
their letter to Paul, that either he or
Apollos would come and visit them.
Paul states, in reply, that he had en-
deavoured to prevail on Apollos to go,
but had not succeeded. } He will come
when he shall have convenient time.
The Greek word means, when he should
have leisure, or a good opportunity.
He might then be engaged ; or he
might be unwilling to go while their
contentions lasted. They had probably
(ch. i. 12) endeavoured to make him
the head of a party, and on that ac-
count he might have been unwilling to
return at present among them. But
Paul assures them that he designed to
come among them at some future time.
This was said probably to show them
that he still retained his affection for
them, and had a tender solicitude for
their peace and prosperity. Had this
not been said, they might, perhaps,
have inferred that he was offended, and
had no desire to come among them.
13. Watch ye. The exhortation in
this and the following verse is given
evidently in view of the peculiar dan-
gers and temptations which surrounded
them. The word here used (r>og?Te)
means, to keep awake, to be vigilant,
&c. ; and this may, perhaps, be a mili-
tary metaphor derived from the duty of
those who are stationed as sentinels to
guard a camp, or to observe the motions
of an enemy. The term is frequently
used in the New Testament, and the
duty frequently enjoined. Matt. xxiv.
41,42; xxv. 13. Mark xiii. 35. Luke
xxi. 36. Acts xx. 31. 1 Thess. v. 6.
2 Tim. iv. 5. The sense here is, that
they were to watch, ar be vigilant,
against all the evils of which he had
admonished them, the evils of dissen-
sion, of erroneous doctrines, of disor-
der, of false teachers, &c. They were
to watch lest their souls should be
ruined, and their salvation endangered ;
lest the enemies of the truth and of
holiness should steal silently upon them,
and surprise them. They were to watch
with the same vigilance that is required
of a sentinel who guards a camp, lest
an enemy should come suddenly upon
them, and surprise the camp when the
army was locked in sleep, ^f Stand
fast in the faith. Be firm in holding
and defending the truths of the gospel.
Do not yield to any foe, but maintain
the truth, and adhere to your confidence
in God and to the doctrines of the gos-
pel with unwavering constancy. See
Note, ch. xv. 1. Be firm in maintain-
ing what you believe to be true, and in
holding on to your personal confidence
in God. notwithstanding all the arts,
insinuations, and teachings of sedu-
cers and the friends of false doctrine.
If Quit you like men (avJ^ar^-t, from
dvw'g, a man). The word occurs no-
where else in the New Testament. In
the LXX. it occurs in Josh. i. 6, 7. 9.
18. 1 Chron. xxviii. 20. 2 Chron. xxxii.
vii. Neh. ii. 1 ; and in eighteen other
places. See Trommius' Concordance.
It occurs also in the classic authors.
See Xen. Oec. v. 4. It means, to ren-
der one manly or brave ; to show one's-
self a man ; that is, not to be a coward,
or timid, or alarmed at enemies, but to
be bold and brave. We have a similar
phrase in common use : " Be a man," or
" Show yourself a man ;" that is, be not
mean, or be not cowardly. 1 Be strong.
Be firm, fixed, steadfast. Comp. Eph.
vi. 10, " Be strong in the Lord, and in
the power of his might."
14. Let all your things, &c. All
that you do. This direction is repeated
i. D. 59.]
15 I beseech you, brethren,
(ye know the house of Stepha-
nas, that it is the a first-fruits of
Achaia, and that they have ad-
dicted themselves to the ministry
of the saints,)
16 That ye submit ''yourselves
a Rom. 16.5. b Heb.13.17.
CHAPTER XVI.
353
unto such, and to every one that
helpeth with ws, and laboureth.
17 I am glad of the coming
of Stephanas and Fortunatus and
Achaicus : for that which was
lacking e on your part they have
supplied.
c Phil. 2.30.
on account of its great importance, and
because it is a summing up of all that
he had said in this epistle. See ch.
xiii. ; xiv. 1. Here he says, that cha-
rity, or love, was to regulate all that
they did. This was a simple rule ; and
if this was observed, every thing would
be done well.
15. / beseech you, brethren. The
construction here is somewhat involved,
but the sense is plain. The words, " I
beseech you," in this verse, are evi-
dently to be taken in connexion with
ver. 16, "I beseech you that ye submit
yourselves unto such," &c. The design
is to exhort them to pay proper defer-
ence to Stephanas, and to all who sus-
tained the same rank and character;
and the remainder of ver. 15 is designed
to state the reason why they should
show respect and kindness to the house-
hold of Stephanas. ^ Ye know the
house. You are acquainted with the
household, or family. Probably a con-
siderable portion, or all, of the family
of Stephanas had been converted to the
Christian faith, t Of Stephanas. See
Note, ch. i. 16. Paul there says that
ne had baptized his family. | That it
is the first-fruits of Achaia. They
were the first converted to the Christian
religion in Achaia. See Note, Rom.
xvi. 5. Respecting Achaia, see Note,
Acts xviii. 12. ^ That they have ad-
dicted themselves, &c. That they have
devoted themselves to the service of
Christians. That is, by aiding the mi-
nistry ; by showing hospitality ; by pro-
viding for their wants ; by attending
and aiding the apostles in their jour-
neys, &c.
16. That ye submit yourselves, &c.
The word used here means evidently
that you would show them proper de-
30*
ference and regard ; that you would
treat them with distinguished respect
and honour for what they have done.
^ And to every one that helpeth with
us, &c. Every one that aids us in the
ministry, or provides for our wants,
&c. It is possible that Stephanas lived
among them at this time (Note, ch. i.
16), though he had been converted in
Achaia ; and it is probable that, as Co-
rinth was a central place and a tho-
roughfare, others might come among
them who were the personal friends of
Paul, and who had aided him in the
ministry. Towards all such he bespeaks
their kind, and tender, and respectful
regards.
17. I am glad of the coming. That
is, I am glad that they have come to
me at Ephesus. I rejoice that he who
was converted by my ministry in Achaia,
and who has so long shown himself to
be a personal friend to me, and an aid
in my work, came where I am. f Ste-
phanas. The same person evidently
mentioned in the previous verses. Pro-
bably he, as one of the oldest and most
respected members of the church, had
been selected to carry the letter of the
Corinthians (ch. vii. 1) to Paul, and to
consult with him respecting the affairs
of the church there. Tf Fortunatus and
Achaicus. These persons are not re-
ferred to anywhere else in the New
Testament. It appears that Fottunatus
survived Paul, for he was subsequently
the messenger of the church at Corinth
to that at Rome, and bore back to the
Corinthians the epistle which Clement
of Rome sent to them. See that epistle,
59. 1 For that ivhich was lacking,
&c. The word whicn is here usud,
and rendered " that which was lacking"
, does not occur in the classic
354
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A.D. 59
18 For they have refreshed '
my spirit and yours : therefore
acknowledge tf ye them that are
such.
19 The churches of Asia sa-
lute you. Aquila*and Priscilla
a lThess.5.12. ft Acts 18.26.
writers. It means properly that which
is wanting, w-ant, lack. Robinson. It
may be used to denote a want or lack
of any kind, whether of support, suste-
nance, aid, consolation, information, or
counsel. See Luke xxi. 4. Phil. ii.
30. 1 Thess. iii. 10. What this was
which the Corinthians had neglected
or failed to furnish Paul, and which
had been supplied by the presence of
these persons, can be only a matter of
conjecture ; and different commentators
have supposed different things. It might
be a neglect to provide for his wants,
or a defect of informing him about their
affairs in the letter which they had sent
him ; or it might be that these persons
had furnished, by their presence and
conversation, those consolations and
friendly offices which the church at
Corinth would have rendered had they
been all present ; and Paul may mean
to say, that he had enjoyed with them
that friendly intercourse and Christian
communion which he had desired with
them, but which was lacking, i. e. which
he had not been permitted to enjoy by
reason of his absence. This is the view
which is given by Rosenmiiller, Dod-
dridge, Bloomfield ; and as Paul does
not seem here inclined to blame them,
this view is most in accordance with
the general strain of the passage.
18. For they have refreshed my
spirit. By their presence and conver-
sation. They have given me informa-
tion respecting the state of things in
the church ; and their society has been
with me of the most gratifying and
cheering kind. 1 And yours. " By
removing," says Locke, "those suspi
cions and fears that were on both sides."
M By thus supplying your absence, they
have benefited us both. For Paul
pained information of those absent, and
salute you much in the Lord
with the church e that is in theii
house.
20 All the brethren greet you
Greet ye one another with a
tioly kiss.
c Rom.16.5.15.
they gained in the counsel afforded to
;hem by the apostle." Bloomfield.
1 For they refreshed my spirit by their
obliging behaviour and edifying con-
versation, as, I doubt not, they have
often refreshed yours by their ministra-
tions among you." Doddridge. The
sense seems to be, that their visit to him
would be a benefit to both ; would re-
sult in imparting comfort, a good un-
derstanding, an increase of their mutual
attachment, and ultimately a large ac-
cession to their mutual joy when they
should again meet, f Therefore ac-
knowledge ye them that are such. Re-
ceive affectionately ; recognise as bre-
thren; cherish, treat kindly all that
evince such a spirit. See Notes on
ver. 15, 16. The apostle here designs,
evidently, that the Corinthians should
receive them kindly on their return,
and regard with deference and respect
the counsel which they might offer,
and the message which they might beai
from him.
19. The churches of Asia. The word
" Asia" in the New Testament usually
denotes Asia Minor in general. See
Note on Acts ii. 9. It was sometimes
used in a more limited sense, to denote
the region around Ephesus, and of
which Ephesus was the centre and
capital. See Note, Acts xvi. 6. This
is the region undoubtedly which is in-
tended here. ^ Salute you. Greet you ;
send respectful and affectionate Chris-
tian regards. See Note, Rom. xvi. 3.
T Aquila and Priscilla. See Note on
Acts xviii. 26. <f Much in the Lord.
With affectionate Christian salutations ;
or as Christians. Wishing the blessing
and favour of the Lord. 1 With the
church that is in their house. Note,
Rom. xvi. 5.
20. All the brethren, &c. All the
A.. P. 59.]
CHAPTER XVI.
21 The salutation of me Paul
with mine own hand.
22 If any man love a not the
Christians with whom Paul was con-
nected in Ephesus. They felt a deep
interest in the church at Corinth, and
sent to them Christian salutations.
1 With a holy kiss. See the Note on
Rom. xvi. 16.
21. The salutation of me, Paul,
with mine own hand. It is evident
that Paul was accustomed to employ
an amanuensis in penning his epis-
tles (see Note on Rom. xvi. 22),
though he signed his own name, and
expressed his Christian salutation in
every epistle. 2 Thess. iii. 17. Comp.
Col. iv. 18. This gave a sanction
*o what was written ; was a proof
.hat it was his own, and was a valuable
token of affectionate regard. It was a
oroof that there was no fraud or im-
position. Why he employed an ama-
nuensis is not known.
22. If any man love not the Lord
Jesus Christ. This is a most solemn
and affecting close of the whole epis-
tle. It was designed to direct them to
the great and essential matter of reli-
gion, the love of the Lord Jesus ; and
was intended, doubtless, to turn away
their minds from the subjects which
had agitated them, the disputes and dis-
sensions which had rent the church
into factions, to the great inquiry
whether they truly loved the Saviour.
It is implied that there was danger, in
their disputes and strifes about minor
matters, of neglecting the love of the
Lord Jesus, or of substituting attach-
ment to a party in the place of that
love to the Saviour which alone could
be connected with eternal life. J Let
him be anathema. On the meaning
of the word anathema, see Note, ch.
xii. 3. The word properly means ac-
cursed, or devoted to destruction ; and
the idea here is, that he who did not
believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him,
would be, and ought to be, devoted to
destruction, or accursed of God. It
expresses what ough. to be done; it
355
be
Lord Jesus Christ, let him
anathema b maran-atha.'
aEph.6.24. b Gal.1.8,9- cJude 14,15.
expresses a truth in regard to God's
dealings, not the desire of the apostle.
No matter what any man's endow-
ments might be ; no matter what might
be his wealth, his standing, or his ta-
lent ; no matter if he were regarded as
a ruler in the church, or at the head of
a party ; yet if he had not true love to
the Lord Jesus, he could not be saved.
This sentiment is in accordance with
the declaration of the Scripture every-
where. See particularly, John iii. 31.
Micah xvi. 16, and the Note on the
latter place. ^ Maran-atha, These
are Syriac words, Moran Etho ' the
Lord come % s ;' i. e. will come. The
reason why this expression is add-
ed may be, (I.) To give the greater
solemnity to the declaration of the
apostle ; i. e. to give it an emphatic
form. (2.) To intimate that, though
there were no earthly power to punish
a want of love to the Saviour ; though
the state could not, and ought not to
punish it ; and though the church
could not exclude all who did not love
the Lord Jesus from its bosom, yet
they could not escape. For, the Lord
would himself come to take vengeance
on his enemies ; and no one could es-
cape. Though, therefore, those who
did not love the Lord Jesus could not
be punished by men, yet they could
not escape divine condemnation. The
Lord would come to execute vengeance
himself, and they could not escape.
It is probable (see Lightfoot in loco)
that the Jews were accustomed to
use such a form in their greater ex-
communication, and that they meant
by it, that the person who was thus
devoted to destruction, and excom-
municated, must be destroyed ; for the
Lord would come to take vengeance
on all his enemies. "It certainly was
not now, for the first time, used as
a new kind of cursing by the apostle ;
but was the application of a current
mode of speech to the purpose he had
356
I. CORINTHIANS.
[A. D. 59
23 The grace b of our Lord
Jesus Christ b", with you.
a Rom.16.20.
24 My lovv be with you all
in Christ Jesus. Amen.
in contemplation. Perhaps, therefore,
by inspecting the manners of the East,
we may illustrate the import of this
singular passage. The nearest approach
to it that I have been able to discover
is in the following extract from Mr.
Bruce ; and though, perhaps, this does
not come up to the full power of the
apostle's meaning, yet, probably, it
gives the idea which was commonly
attached to the phrase among the pub-
lic. Mr. Bruce had been forced by a
pretended saint, in Egypt, to take him
on board his vessel, as if to carry him
to a certain place whereas, Mr. Bruce
meant no such thing ; but, having set
him on shore at some little distance
from whence he came, ' we slacked our
vessel down the stream a few yards,
filling our sails, and stretching away.
On seeing this, our saint fell into a des-
perate passion, cursing, blaspheming,
and stamping with his feet ; at every
word crying " Shar Ullah .'" i. e. May
God send, and do justice /' This ap-
pears to be the strongest execration
this passionate Arab could use, i. e.
' To punish you adequately is out of
my power : I remit you to the ven-
geance of God.' Is not this the import
of anathema maran-atha ?" Taylor
in Calmet. This solemn declaration,
or denunciation, the apostle wrote with
his own hand, as the summary of all
that he had said, in order that it might
be attentively regarded. There is not
a more solemn declaration in the Bible ;
there is not a more fearful denuncia-
tion ; there is no one that will be more
certainly executed. No matter what
we may have be it wealth, pr beauty,
or vigour, or accomplishment, or adorn-
ing, or the praise and flattery of the
world ; no matter if we are elevated
high in office and in rank ; no matter
if we are honoured by the present age,
or gain a reputation to be transmitted
to future times ; yet if we have not love
to the Saviour, we cannot be saved.
We must be devoted to the curse ; and
the Lord Jesus will soon return to ex-
ecute the tremendous sentence on a
guilty world. How important then to
ask whether we have that love ? Whe-
ther we are attached to the Lord Jesui
in such a manner as to secure his appro-
bation ? Whether we so love him as to
be prepared to hail his coming with
joy, and to be received into his ever-
lasting kingdom. In the close of tho
Notes on this epistle, I may ask any
one who shall read these pages whe-
ther he has this love? And I may
press it upon the attention of each one,
though I may never see their faces in
the flesh, as the great inquiry which is
to determine their everlasting destiny.
The solemn declaration stands here,
that if they do not love the Lord Jesus,
they will be, and they ought to be, de-
voted to destruction. The Lord Jesus
will soon return to make investigation,
and to judge the world. There will
be no escape ; and no tongue can ex-
press the awful horrors of an ETERNAI
CURSE PRONOUNCED BT THE LIPS OF
THE SON OF GOD.
23. The grace, &c. Note, Rom.
xvi. 20.
24. In Christ Jesus. Through
Christ Jesus ; or in connexion with
your love to him ; i. e. as Christians.
This is an expression of tender regard
to them as Christian brethren ; of his
love for the church ; and his earnest
desire for their welfare. It is in accord-
ance with the usual manner in which
he closes his epistles ; and it is pecu-
liarly tender, affectionate, and beautiful
here, when we consider the manner in
which he had been treated by many of
the Corinthians ; and as following the
solemn declaration in ver. 22. Paul
loved them ; loved them intensely, and
was ever ready to express his affection-
ate regard for them all, and his earnest
desire for their salvation.
The subscription to the epistle, " The
first epistle to the Corinthians," &c.
was evidently written by some other
. D. 59.]
CHAPTER XVI.
367
hand than that >f Paul, and has no
claim to be regaided as inspired. Pro-
bably these subscriptions were added
a considerable time after the epistles
were first written ; and in some in-
stances evidently by some person who
was not well informed on the subject.
See the Note at the end of the Epistle
to the Romans. In this instance, the
subscription is evidently in its main
statement false. The epistle bears in-
ternal marks that it was written from
Ephesus, though there is every proba-
bility that it was sent by three of the
persons who are here mentioned. It is
absurd, however, to suppose that Timo-
thy was concerned in taasirg the epis-
tle to them, since it is evident that
when it was written he was already on
a visit to the churches, and on his way
to Corinth. See Notes on ch. xvi. 10,
11 ; iv. 17. There is not the slightest
internal evidence that it was written
from Philippi : but every thing in the
epistle concurs in the supposition that
it was sent from Ephesus. See the In-
troduction to the epistle. There is,
however, a considerable variety among
the MSS. in regard to the subscrip-
tion ; and they are evidently none of
them of any authority, and as these
subscriptions generally mislead the
reader of the Bible, it would have been
better had they been omitted.
THE END.
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