Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
1 Corinthians 16:2

Clarke's Commentary

Verse 1 Corinthians 16:2. Upon the first day of the week — The apostle prescribes the most convenient and proper method of making this contribution.

1. Every man was to feel it his duty to succour his brethren in distress.

2. He was to do this according to the ability which God gave him.

3. He was to do this at the conclusion of the week, when he had cast up his weekly earnings, and had seen how much God had prospered his labour.

4. He was then to bring it on the first day of the week, as is most likely, to the church or assembly, that it might be put in the common treasury.

5. We learn from this that the weekly contribution could not be always the same, as each man was to lay by as God had prospered him: now, some weeks he would gain more; others, less.

6. It appears from the whole that the first day of the week, which is the Christian Sabbath, was the day on which their principal religious meetings were held in Corinth and the Churches of Galatia; and, consequently, in all other places where Christianity had prevailed. This is a strong argument for the keeping of the Christian Sabbath.

7. We may observe that the apostle follows here the rule of the synagogue; it was a regular custom among the Jews to make their collections for the poor on the Sabbath day, that they might not be without the necessaries of life, and might not be prevented from coming to the synagogue.

8. For the purpose of making this provision, they had a purse, which was called ארנקי של צדקה Arneki shel tsedakah, "The purse of the alms," or what we would term, the poor's box. This is what the apostle seems to mean when he says, Let him lay by him in store-let him put it in the alms' purse, or in the poor's box.

9. It was a maxim also with them that, if they found any money, they were not to put it in their private purse, but in that which belonged to the poor.

10. The pious Jews believed that as salt seasoned food, so did alms, riches; and that he who did not give alms of what he had, his riches should be dispersed. The moth would corrupt the bags, and the canker corrode the money, unless the mass was sanctified by giving a part to the poor.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

16:1-24 FINAL INSTRUCTIONS

Plans for the collection (16:1-4)

For many years Paul had been concerned for the poor Christians in Jerusalem, and he was always doing his best to help them (Acts 11:27-30; Galatians 2:10). During his third missionary journey he had been organizing a collection of money and goods among the Gentile churches to take to Jerusalem. He hoped that as the Jerusalem Christians saw the loving concern that the Gentile churches had for them, they would feel a greater sense of unity and fellowship with their Gentile brothers in other countries (cf. Acts 24:17; Romans 15:25-27). (Paul talks about this collection more fully in 2 Corinthians 8:1-15.)

The Corinthians were participating in this collection and had written to Paul about it. In response Paul advises them to put their offerings into the fund each Sunday, so that the money will be ready when he visits Corinth. The amount people give will depend on the amount they earn (16:1-2). The church should also choose representatives to take the money to Jerusalem, and when Paul comes to Corinth he will write letters to introduce these men to the Jerusalem church. In fact, he might even go with them (3-4).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.

Upon the first day of the week … The astounding remark by Farrar that "This verse can hardly imply any religious observance of the Sunday" F. W. Farrar, op. cit., p.549. is to be rejected. That is exactly what it does imply. Macknight translated this clause, "On the first day of every week"; James Macknight, Apostolical Epistles and Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1969), p. 291. Grosheide declared the meaning to be "On every Sunday"; F. W. Grosheide, The New International Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1953), p. 398. and Hodge said it means, "The collection was to be made every Lord’s day." Charles Hodge, First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, Publishing Company, 1974), p. 363. Pliny’s letter to Trajan bears testimony to the fact that the Christians of his day (prior to his death in 113 A.D.) were accustomed to meet on "an appointed day"; Henry Bettenson, Documents of the Christian Church (New York and London: Oxford University Press, 1947), p. 6. and here that appointed day is somewhat inadvertently identified by the apostle Paul as every Sunday.

There is no fact connected with Christianity any more certain than the apostolic custom of worship services every Lord’s day. Beginning with the very day of our Lord’s resurrection, and continuing upon successive Sundays thereafter (John 20:18; John 20:24; John 20:26), worship was observed by the apostles. A careful study of Acts 20:6-7; Acts 21:4 and Acts 28:14 discloses not merely that the worship and observance of the Lord’s supper took place on Sundays, but also that the Lord’s supper was never observed by the apostolic church on any other day. See my Commentary on Luke, p. 517. Added to that testimony is the undeniable meaning of the verse before us.

Let each one of you lay by him in store … It is generally admitted that every Christian was to participate in the giving, but "by him" has given the commentators a lot of trouble. Thus Johnson thought it was "a reference to the home-giving was to be private giving." S. Lewis Johnson, Jr., Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 646. The word "home" is not in the Greek text, nor is such an idea to be found there. As Lipscomb and many others have noted, "The idea that the storing was to be at home is incompatible with the idea that `no collections be made when I come.’" David Lipscomb, op. cit., p. 249. "The words do not mean "to lay by at home," but "to lay by himself."" Charles Hodge, op., cit., p.364. This indicates that the amount of giving was to be determined by the man HIMSELF, not by any tax or suggestion from others. The word rendered "in store" means "putting in the treasury … the common treasury, not every man’s own house." Ibid.

As one studies some of the so-called modern translations of this place, it is clear that they are not translations in any sense, but human commentary substituted for the word of God. Even the RSV is seriously at fault in handling this passage. As Wallace said, "They changed Paul’s words from `lay by him in store’ to `put something aside and save’; but in 1952 they revised their own rendition to `store up’" Foy E. Wallace, Jr., A Review of the New Versions (Fort Worth, Texas: The Foy E. Wallace, Jr., Publications, 1973), p. 436.

For its hermeneutical value, the following list of Greek words translated "giving" or its equivalent are compiled from William Barclay:

[@Logeia] (1 Corinthians 16:1) means "a special collection" (Churches which do not like special appeals, take note).

[@Charis] (1 Corinthians 16:3) means bounty or "free gift freely given."

[@Koinonia] (2 Corinthians 8:4; 2 Corinthians 9:13; Romans 15:6) means "fellowship."

[@Diakonia] (2 Corinthians 8:4; 2 Corinthians 9:1; 2 Corinthians 9:12-13) means practical Christian service." Our word "deacon" is related to it.

[@Hadrotes] (2 Corinthians 8:20) means "abundance."

[@Eulogia] (2 Corinthians 9:5) means "bounty" in the sense of what is given joyfully

[@Leitourgia] (2 Corinthians 9:12) means giving of money or services voluntarily, especially some large gift.

[@Eleemosune] (Acts 24:17) is the Greek word for "alms." Our word "eleemosynary" as applied to charitable institutions comes from this.

[@Prosfora] (Acts 24:17) means "offering or sacrifice." Thus what is given to the needy, or to the church, is a sacrifice or offering to God.

This impressive list is a testimony to the importance of giving as laid down in the New Testament; and any preacher will find such a catalogue as this helpful and stimulating.

A concluding line on this verse is from Hodge:.

The only reason that can be assigned for requiring the thing to be done on the first day of the week, is that on that day the Christians were accustomed to meet, and what each one had laid aside from his weekly gains could be treasured up, i.e., put into the common treasury of the church. Ibid.

As he may prosper … This does not mean that only the prosperous should give, but that every man, in the extent of his prosperity, should give to the proposed collection.

In the whole matter of Christian giving, these verses indicate that: (1) all should participate, (2) according to the ability of each, and (3) that it should be done regularly and continually.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

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; Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:9; Luke 18:12; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, John 20:19; compare Leviticus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:9. It is universally agreed that this here denotes 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 - (παρ ̓ ἑαυτῷ τιθέτω θησαυρίζων par' heautō tithetō thēsaurizōn). 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 evidence 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, “treasuring up,” may mean that each one was to put the part which he had designated into the common treasury. This interpretation seems to be demanded 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 evidently to be done not on one Sunday only, but was to be done on each Lord’s Day until he should come.

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” (εὐοδῶται euodōtai) means, properly, to set forward 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 collections λογίαι logiai, 1 Corinthians 16:1). 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 Jerusalem; 1 Corinthians 16:3 - In view of this important verse, we may remark:

(1) That there is here clear proof that the first day of the week was observed by the church at Corinth as holy time. If it was not, there can have been no propriety in selecting 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 charity 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 toward others.

(2) This order extended also to the churches in Galatia, proving also that the first day of the week was observed by them, and was regarded as a day proper for the exercise of charity toward 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, therefore, demonstrates that it was the custom to observe this day, and that it was observed by the authority of the early founders of Christianity.

(3) Paul intended 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 honestly to lay by each week what they could then give, and to regard it as a sacred treasure. How much would the amount of charities 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.

(6) The true rule of giving is, “as the Lord hath prospered us.” If he has prospered us, we owe it to him as a debt of gratitude. And according to our prosperity and success, we should honestly devote our property to God.

(7) It is right and proper to lay by of our wealth for the purposes of benevolence on Sunday. It is right to do good then Matthew 12:12; 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 be permitted to give to advance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus.

(8) If every Christian would honestly do this every week, it would do much to keep down the spirit of worldliness that now prevails everywhere in the Christian church; and if every Christian would conscientiously follow the direction of Paul here, there would be no lack of funds for any well-directed plan for the conversion of the world.

Living By Faith: Commentary on Romans & 1st Corinthians

16:2: Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.

As shown by the preceding information as well as the introductory commentary on 1 Corinthians 10:16 and the commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:20 b, the “first day of the week” refers to the day we now call “Sunday.” Since there are 7 days in a week and the 7^th day is “Saturday,” the “first day of the week” is Sunday. The Jewish people had the Sabbath (Saturday) as their special day, but all now live under a “new testament” and this new covenant has a new day to honor God (Sunday). Some calendars portray Monday as the first day of the week, but this reflects the first day of our work week or school week. The true first day of the week is Sunday

The beginning of this verse is translated “Upon the first day of the week” in the ASV and KJV. We also find this expression in Acts 20:7: “And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread.” This cross-reference is useful because it illustrates that Christians were in the habit of meeting on Sunday. If Acts 20:7 said: “At evening Christians came together,” this would imply a daily meeting. If this passage said: “On the 20^th day of the month,” this would imply a monthly meeting. If Acts 20:7 said: “During the quarter,” this would imply a quarterly assembly. If Acts 20:7 said: “On the 7^th day of the 8^th month,” this would imply a yearly meeting. Since Acts 20:7 says Christians met on the first day of the week, this is one more proof that Christians are supposed to meet on a weekly basis (every Sunday).

A regular Sunday meeting is also expressed in 1 Corinthians 16:1-24. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 16:2 there is a preposition in the Greek text (“kata”) that has the sense of “every” (this is why the NASB, NIV, and RSV actually use the word “every”). Stated another way, the text could and should read “every first day of the week.” Lenski (First Corinthians, p. 759) suggested this rendering: “Sunday by Sunday.” The Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament (2:253), said “on each first day of the week/on each Sunday.” Other passages that have this same preposition (kata) and use it in this same way (i.e. it has the sense of “every”) include Luke 8:1 (KJV); Luke 8:4; Acts 8:3; Acts 13:27; Acts 15:21; Acts 15:36; Acts 17:17; Acts 20:23; Acts 22:19; Titus 1:5; Revelation 22:2.

MacKnight (p. 208) noted how, kata polin signifies every city, kata meena signifies every month, and kata ekklesian signifies every church. Thus, the Greek text in 1 Corinthians 16:2 (kata mian sabbatoon) describes the first day of every week. The Corinthians as well as Christians in every other first century congregation (compare 4:17b) were to meet every Sunday. Readers may also wish to refer back to 14:26, a place where Paul used a present tense verb to describe the Corinthians’ “coming together” (the Corinthians knew they were to be meeting on a regular basis).

When the first Christians came together on Sunday, they engaged in various acts of worship (this point is discussed in the commentary just prior to 12:1-see “Some thoughts on worship”). Here Paul had some additional things to say about the “collection for the saints” (verse 1). As noted in the commentary on verse 1, the word collection (logia) described a formal collection. Paul wanted each one to “lay by him in store” so “no collections” would need to be made when he arrived. Paul also said the collected funds were to be based on how Christians had “prospered” and these funds were to be collected from everyone (“each one of you,” ASV and “every one of you,” KJV).

The word prosper (euodoomai) is only found here, Romans 1:10 and 3 John 1:2 (in 3 John 1:2 this term is used twice). Here the word prosper means “‘as much as he may prosper’ (not ‘as much as he makes a profit’)” (Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 2:81). Kittel (Abridged Edition, p. 673) said this term means “as much as possible” and it “is unlikely that there is reference to ‘profit’; the idea of success is linked to saving, which each is to accomplish with genuine weekly sacrifice.” If a billionaire gives $25 for his Sunday offering, he is not giving as he has prospered (people are to give based on what they have received). “On one Sunday he may be able to lay by more, on another Sunday less” (Lenski, First Corinthians, p. 760). MacKnight (p.208) noted how Paul meant a Christian was “to separate, from the gains of the preceding week, such a sum as he could spare, and put it into the treasury.” The KJV adds the word “God” (“as God hath prospered him”), but God is not in the original text.

Some believe the Corinthians were to habitually come together for worship, but they were supposed to keep their money at home (i.e. funds were “set aside” in a person’s home instead of a church treasury). This explanation is possible, but if this is what Paul meant, why specify that funds be set aside on the first day of the week? Why not say “when you get paid?” Why did Paul specifically refer to setting aside funds on Sunday?

It seems more likely that these Christians were to save their money at home and then bring part of what was saved to the Sunday worship where it was kept until Paul arrived. This conclusion is partly based on four facts: (1) Paul spoke about a collection; (2) Christians were in the habit of meeting on Sundays; (3) Paul said the collection was to be given on Sundays; (4) This procedure would have allowed Paul to avoid any last minute collections when he came. Paul “wanted the money to be ‘in hand’ by the time he arrived” (Gromacki, p. 200). If the Corinthians were keeping their contributions at home, this would have led to the type of last minute collections Paul wanted to avoid.

The explanation in the preceding paragraph is reinforced with the words, by him. Though some have understood by him to mean Christians were to keep their contributions at home, the text does not say, “lay by at home.” The text says, lay by him (himself). In other words, these Christians were to decide how much they planned to give before they came to worship. We decide what to give beforehand and then we lay by in store at worship (i.e. contributions are put into some type of treasury or account for future use).

The verb translated lay (tithemi) meant “put aside, store up, or deposit” and here this verb is expressed with the present tense and the imperative mood (this was an on-going command). The Corinthians had to realize that “Christian giving is not a hit-or-miss matter. Nor is it a once-and-for-all proposition. A Christian gives systematically and consistently” (Beacon Bible Commentary, 8:475). The word translated in store (thesaurizo) is also expressed with the present tense. Jesus used this same term in Matthew 6:19-20 and Luke 12:21 and Paul used this word in Romans 2:5 to describe the “treasuring up” of “wrath.” Aside from these passages and 1 Corinthians 16:2, the word translated in store is only found in 2 Corinthians 12:14; James 5:3; 2 Peter 3:7. Here it means the “Corinthians were to ‘save’ their finances according to his instructions” (CBL, GED, 3:112).

Paul had already spoken about money earlier in this letter (see 1 Corinthians 9:1-14), but here he spoke about giving from the standpoint of “the first day of the week” (the day on which Jesus was raised from the dead, Mark 16:9). “The day itself was enough to move them to compassion” (The Church’s Bible, p. 283). Paul was also gentle in that he did not require these Christians to provide all the needed funds at once. Christians could give as they had been blessed and avoid a “lump sum” contribution. Today this example is still important for us. People can bring funds week by week and these funds can be stored until they are needed for church related work.

Additional thoughts on Christian giving and the Sunday collection:

As noted in the discussion on 16:2, giving is not limited to the rich or middle class-each one is to take part in the “collection.” Each one does not mean each person in a family is literally required to make an offering (there can be a “family contribution” from each family). Whether we are young, middle aged, retired, poor, or rich, we have a duty to give if “we have been prospered.” If people have children or grandchildren, they may wish to encourage these children to also participate in this act of worship.

The giving described in 1 Corinthians 16:1-24 was for a specific purpose (“the collection for the saints” in Jerusalem, verses 1, 3), but Bible authority for a general weekly collection is found earlier in this book. If preachers are going to be paid, and Paul said this is right (1 Corinthians 9:14), how can this be done effectively if a local congregation is not taking up a weekly collection?

In these opening verses we see that God does not want people to be forced into giving; Christians are to give because they love God and His work. We also see that giving is to be personal (each one of you), planned (the first day of the week), and proportional (as God has prospered us). Giving may also be broken down into when (on the first day of the week), who (let every one of you), what (lay be him in store), how much (as God as prospered us), and why (that no gatherings had to be made later).

Unlike the Jewish people who were told to offer “tithes” and other offerings (see this topic discussed in this author’s commentary on Romans 13:6-7 and compare Malachi 3:10), Christians are to give based on what they have been “prospered” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Some have tried to bind the practice of tithing (the giving of 10%) on Christians, but this is not right. As the Bible Knowledge commentary (p. 546) noted, “Paul never used the word ‘tithe’ when he discussed giving, even though he gave more attention to giving than any other New Testament writer.” Lenski (First Corinthians, p. 760) observed, “Although Paul comes from Judaism, and the Corinthian church has its contingent of Jews, at no time does he propose the old Jewish system of tithing to the churches under his care. The only references to tithes found in the New Testament take us back into the Old Testament, Hebrews 5:7-9, or criticize the Pharisees at Christ’s time, Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; Luke 18:12. This is quite decisive for us.” When Christians give “as they have been prospered” (and they will do this if they truly love God, Matthew 22:37), local congregations can meet their needs plus engage in mission work outside their local area. Moreover, giving as we have been prospered eliminates the need for the “money making schemes” and “church fundraisers” found in many groups that profess to follow Christ.

Most know of at least one religious group that has engaged in carwashes, bake sales, thrift sales, calendar sales, pancake suppers, etc. to pay for repairs to their meeting place, fund a mission trip, etc. These practices are common, but they are also contrary to New Testament Christianity. As Willimington (p. 204) noted, a local congregation “is to be supported by its members, and not through bake sales, raffles, bingo parties and oyster stews!” Had we been with the first century church, we would have never heard of things like “camel rides,” “auctioning off a scroll of Isaiah,” or something else, in the name of the church, to raise money. In fact, 3 John 1:7 specifically says, “taking nothing of the Gentiles” (Christians did not seek financial aid from non-Christians). If Christians do not believe in the church enough to fully fund their local needs, why should non-members be asked or expected to contribute anything?

In many congregations there are those who could be good givers but these Christians do not give as they have “been prospered” (verse 2). Some fail to give as they should because they have not been properly taught. If people are ignorant about New Testament giving, we need to teach them what the Bible says on this topic (compare Acts 17:30). Others are poor givers because they lack faith. People in this category may see verses like Luke 6:38 (“give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again”) and think: “That may work for some, but it will not work for me.” Those who reason in this way need to know that God is not pleased with unbelief (Hebrews 4:2; Hebrews 4:11). Others fail to give as they have been prospered because they are covetous (filled with greed). These people need to hear that greed is in the same category as idolatry (Colossians 3:5 and compare Mark 10:17-22 and 1 Timothy 6:9-10). There are also those who fail to give as they should because they have a wrong attitude (see the story about Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-42 and compare the information about Judas in John 12:3-6).

We have several Bible examples that can help Christians use their money in a good way and teach people how to be good givers. These examples include Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37), a Christian who is called a “good man” (Acts 11:24). There is also the example of a poor widow (Mark 12:41-44), a woman who “cast in all she had.” The first century saints in Jerusalem were liberal givers (Acts 2:44-45). David (2 Samuel 24:24) said he would not give an offering to God that “cost him nothing.” The Hebrew people were taught to offer God the “firstfruits” of what they received (Exodus 23:19; Leviticus 23:10; Deuteronomy 26:2). Jesus warned that we can be “faithful” or “unfaithful” with our resources (Luke 16:10-11).

Warren Wiersbe (First Corinthians, p. 622) said the “trouble is, too many saints, as they earn more, involve themselves in more and more financial obligations; and then they do not have more to give to the Lord. Instead of finding a suitable ‘level’ and remaining there, they keep trying to ‘go higher,’ and their income is spent rather than invested.” These observations are true and they are especially accurate for those in the United States. Christians in America could do a lot better in the area of giving and just a little more effort in this area would accomplish an unbelievable amount of good.

If there are 2 million New Testament Christians in the United States who give a weekly offering, and each contributor increased his contribution by just $2.00 per week, the churches in America would have an extra 4 million dollars per week to spend on good works such as missions. If this were done for a whole year, an extra two hundred and eight million dollars would be raised. If our giving was increased to a sacrificial level, the extra contributions could easily exceed a billion dollars a year. God directs us to give “bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6), with “purpose” (intent- 2 Corinthians 9:7), without a “grudging” attitude (2 Corinthians 9:7), without a feeling of “compulsion” (2 Corinthians 9:7), and “cheerfully” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

God has not told Christians exactly how much to give, but we can consider what our lives would be like if God gave us 10-15 times what we contribute to His work on an average Sunday. Stated another way, would we be satisfied with our income if it was 10-15 times our contribution? If God multiplied our contribution by 15, a $1 contribution would mean we receive back $15. A $20 contribution would mean we receive back $300. A $50 contribution would mean we receive back $750. A $100 contribution would mean we receive back $1,500.

Christian giving starts in the heart and sometimes it is also stopped or hindered by the heart. There have been cases where Christians “withheld” their weekly contribution because they disagreed with a decision that was made or because they disagreed with a fellow Christian at their place of worship. When people try to use money to force or manipulate others into doing what they want, they “rob God” (Malachi 3:8), they act in a childish way, and they give Satan a foothold in their local congregation. Unless a congregation is involved with false doctrine, or there is financial mismanagement (funds are being stolen or misdirected), a Christian’s obligation is set forth by the principle in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2: Christians give on a weekly basis to help meet the needs associated with their local congregation.

A church treasury, “special contributions,” and “the proper use of church funds”:

Some have asked if a church treasury is a Biblical concept and the answer to this question is yes. What we read about in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 is not a “church treasury” in the modern sense, but we do find our concept of a “church treasury” in the Scriptures. Jesus and the apostles had something like a treasury (John 12:5-6; John 13:29). A church treasury is also suggested by Acts 4:34-35 and 1 Timothy 5:9 (the “enrolled” widows would have received their support from something like a modern church treasury).

Christians have also asked about “special collections.” Does the Bible ever refer to special contributions? If it does, is it right to take up a “special contribution” on a day other than Sunday, the “first day of the week”?

The information in 1 Corinthians 16:1-24 is an example of a “special collection” (this contribution was for the “saints” who needed financial assistance in Jerusalem, verses 1, 3). In this case the “special collection” was taken up on multiple Sundays. There also seems to have been some “special collections” soon after the church was established (Acts 2:44-45; Acts 4:34-37), but there are not enough details about these collections to draw any firm conclusions. A third passage related to this topic is found in Galatians 6:1-18. Since Paul said Christians are to help people as “opportunity” arises (Galatians 6:10), and there are often opportunities on days other than Sunday, it would not be wrong to take up a “special collection” on a day other than Sunday if such is necessary.

The final point involves the proper use of treasury funds. Some have understood 1 Corinthians 16:1 to mean that “for the saints” in verse 1 means “for the saints only” (i.e. treasury funds cannot be used to help non-Christians). This belief is somewhat odd because Paul did not say “saints only.” If we are justified in adding the word only in 1 Corinthians 16:1, why not add it when Paul speaks about faith in places like Romans 5:1? Too, in Galatians 6:10 Paul spoke about helping “all men” (Paul specifically mentioned Christians-the “household of faith.” He also made reference to everyone else-the unsaved).

Being concerned about the proper use of church funds is good and right, but the information in 1 Corinthians 16:1-24 is not a treatise on how to use church money. A passage that does offer a useful principle for spending treasury funds is Romans 13:7 (“Render to all their dues”). If a church (a congregation of people) owns property, they will have utility bills and the principle in Romans 13:7 says these bills must be paid. The church may also spend money on the poor (Galatians 2:10) and the work of evangelism (Matthew 28:19). It is also right to pay preachers (1 Corinthians 9:14) and even elders (1 Timothy 5:17, “double honor”). Older preachers tried to summarize the work of the church with three categories (edification, evangelism and benevolence) and this is a pretty good overview of how church funds are to be spent. Contributed funds should help maintain and promote the work of a congregation in its local area as well as help take the gospel throughout the world.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

2.On one of the Sabbaths. The end is this — that they may have their alms ready in time. He therefore exhorts them not to wait till he came, as anything that is done suddenly, and in a bustle, is not done well, but to contribute on the Sabbath what might seem good, and according as every one’s ability might enable — that is, on the day on which they held their sacred assemblies. The clause rendered on one of the Sabbaths, ( κατὰ μίαν σαββάτων ,) Chrysostom explains to mean — the first Sabbath. In this I do not agree with him; for Paul means rather that they should contribute, one on one Sabbath and another on another; or even each of them every Sabbath, if they chose. For he has an eye, first of all, to convenience, and farther, that the sacred assembly, in which the communion of saints is celebrated, might be an additional spur to them. Nor am I more inclined to admit the view taken by Chrysostom — that the term Sabbath is employed here to mean the Lord’s day, (Revelation 1:10,) for the probability is, that the Apostles, at the beginning, retained the day that was already in use, but that afterwards, constrained by the superstition of the Jews, they set aside that day, and substituted another. Now the Lord’s day was made choice of, chiefly because our Lord’s resurrection put an end to the shadows of the law. Hence the day itself puts us in mind of our Christian liberty. We may, however, very readily infer from this passage, that believers have always had a certain day of rest from labor — not as if the worship of God consisted in idleness, but because it is of importance for the common harmony, that a certain day should be appointed for holding sacred assemblies, as they cannot be held every day. For as to Paul’s forbidding elsewhere (Galatians 4:10) that any distinction should be made between one day and another, that must be understood to be with a view to religion, ⁽¹⁵⁰⁾ and not with a view to polity or external order. ⁽¹⁵¹⁾

Treasuring up I have preferred to retain the Greek participle, as it appeared to me to be more emphatic. ⁽¹⁵²⁾ For although θησανρίζειν means to lay up, yet in my opinion, he designed to admonish the Corinthians, that whatever they might contribute for the saints would be their best and safest treasure. For if a heathen poet could say — “What riches you give away, those alone you shall always have, ⁽¹⁵³⁾ how much more ought that consideration to have influence among us, who are not dependent on the gratitude of men, but have God to look to, who makes himself a debtor in the room of the poor man, to restore to us one day, with large interest, whatever we give away? (Proverbs 19:17.) Hence this statement of Paul corresponds with that saying of Christ —

Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where it will not be exposed either to thieves, or to moths. (Matthew 6:20.)

According as he has prospered. Instead of this the old translation has rendered it, What may seem good to him, misled, no doubt, by the resemblance between the word made use of, and another. ⁽¹⁵⁴⁾ Erasmus renders it, What will be convenient. ⁽¹⁵⁵⁾ Neither the one nor the other pleased me, for this reason — that the proper signification of the word brings out a meaning that is much more suitable; for it means — to go on prosperously. Hence he calls every one to consider his ability — “Let every one, according as God hath blessed him, lay out upon the poor from his increase.”

(150) See Calvin’s Institutes, volume 1.

(151) “Quand on le fait pour deuotion, comme cela estant vn seruice de Dieu, et non pas pour la police externe;” — “When it is done for the sake of devotion, as though it were a service done to God, and not with a view to external polity’.”

(152) “On a par ci deuant traduit, amassant; mais i’ay mieux aired retenir la propriete du mot Grec;” — “The word before us has been rendered laying up; but I have preferred to retain the peculiar force of the Greek word.”

(153) “Quas dederis, solas semper habebis opes.” (Martial. Epage 5:42.) A similar sentiment occurs in the writings of the poet Rabirius. “ Hoc habeo, luodeunque dedi;” — “ I have whatever I have given away.” (See Seneca, ib. 6, de Beneft) Alexander the Great, (as stated by ­Plutarch,) when asked where he had laid up his treasures, answered, “ Apud amicos;” — “Among my friends.” — Ed.

(154) “ S’abusant a l’affinite des deux mots Grecs;” — “ Misled by the resemblance between two Greek words.” Calvin’s meaning seems to be that the verb εὐοδόομαι, (to be prospered,) made use of here by Paul, had been confounded with εὐδοκέω (to seem good.) Wiclif (1380) in accordance with the Vulgate, renders as follows — Kepynge that that plesith to hym. — Ed.

(155) “C’est a dire, selon sa commodite;” — “That is to say, according to his convenience.”

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 16

And so he writing to them now about taking up a collection for the saints [that are in Jerusalem], as he asked also the churches in the area of Galatia. Now he said on the first day of the week ( 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 )

Which would seem to indicate that they did gather together on Sunday.

let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him, that you don't take any collections when I come ( 1 Corinthians 16:2 ).

Paul didn't want them taking offerings while he was there, he wanted them to do this in advance before he got there.

And when I come, whoever you shall approve by your letters, I will send them to bring your liberality to Jerusalem. And if it is necessary that I go also, I will take them with me. Now I will come unto you, when I will pass through Macedonia: for I am going to pass through Macedonia. And it may be that I will abide with you, in fact even spend the winter with you, that you may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go. For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permits ( 1 Corinthians 16:3-7 ).

Now Paul's plans here are all loose, hanging loose, whatever the Lord permits. Now this is what I'm hoping to do, this is what I plan to do. Plan to, you know, I'm going to pass through Macedonia, upper Greece, and I'm going to come on down there to Corinth, so I want you to have this offering all set. And I plan to spend maybe the winter there with you, if the Lord permits.

You know, it's always good when you're walking with the Lord to just hang loose. Whatever the Lord has in mind. I think that we make a mistake sometimes in getting so set in routines that we're not available for God to change our plans.

You know, a good way never to be disturbed is to always expect to be disturbed. If I'm always expecting God to disturb me at anytime, then I'm never disturbed when He does. But if I try to so order my life down to every last little facet, then I'm really disturbed when I'm disturbed. But if I'm expecting to be disturbed, then I'm never disturbed. Because I'm expecting it. So, James said, "Go to now you who say, tomorrow we're going to do this and this and this," he said you should rather say, "if the Lord wills tomorrow we will do this and this," because you don't know what tomorrow holds. Life is but a vapor, it just appears for a moment and it's gone. So you really don't know what tomorrow . . . so better to say, "If the Lord wills." And so Paul here, "if the Lord permits. You know, this is what I am planning to do providing if the Lord permits and the Lord wills." But he's leaving the options open for God to guide him. And this is what I am intending, it's what I'm hoping, what I'm planning, if the Lord permits.

But I'm going to tarry here in Ephesus until Pentecost ( 1 Corinthians 16:8 ).

That would be in until June. Then hoping to come on over to Macedonia, passing on down, and spend the winter. Corinth would be a great place to spend the winter, and so spend the winter there in Corinth before I take off for Jerusalem. Desiring, of course, to be back in Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover.

"I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost."

For a great door and effectual door is open unto me, and there are many adversaries ( 1 Corinthians 16:9 ).

I love that, "I'm gonna stick around here because there are a lot of problems." A lot of enemies, a lot of adversaries. So, hey, this is rich. I'm gonna stick here for a while. You know, where we face adversaries, a time to run you know. A lot of adversaries around, let's get out of here. But it was a challenge to Paul. Oh, that we would be challenged more for the work of the Lord. There is an effectual door, but there are a lot of adversaries. But oh, the opportunities are so great. I'm gonna stick around here for a while, things are really cooking, you know. Opportunities are great. A lot of adversaries, but the opportunities are great.

Now if Timothy comes, see that he might be with you without fear ( 1 Corinthians 16:10 ):

Don't intimidate him, he's a young man.

for he works the work of the Lord, as I also do. Let no man therefore despise him ( 1 Corinthians 16:10-11 ):

Now you remember when Paul wrote to Timothy he said, "Let no man despise your youth. But be thou an example unto the believer in your godliness and in your walk and all." And now he is writing the church and saying, "Now don't despise him. He's just a young man. But he is laboring for the Lord even as I do." And Paul wrote of Luke in another epistle, "I really don't have anyone who has the same burden and mind that I do, than Luke." I mean, Luke was just really a pattern of Paul. He had caught the same vision of Paul. And Paul said, "There's really no one that sees things quite as much like me as does Timothy." So he is writing to them, "Receive Timothy. He is serving the Lord just like I do; don't despise him."

but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren ( 1 Corinthians 16:11 ).

So help him along his way, because I'm waiting for him and looking for him.

As touching our brother Apollos ( 1 Corinthians 16:12 ),

Now you remember in the beginning of the epistle, Paul spoke about Apollos, and some were saying, "I'm of Cephas. I'm of Peter. I'm of Apollos. I'm of Paul." And he said, "One plants, one waters; God gives the increase. I planted, Apollos watered; God gave the increase. He who plants is nothing, he who waters is nothing; it is God who gives the increase." Now, Paul is writing to them concerning Apollos.

Now touching our brother Apollos,

I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have a more convenient time. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, be ready like men, be strong [stand up like men, actually]. Let all your things be done with love ( 1 Corinthians 16:12-14 ).

So even as Paul closes so many of his epistles, you remember Romans 13 , he got into these short little exhortations. The last of Thessalonians he gets into short little exhortations. So here, short little exhortations: now watch, stand fast in the faith, be strong like men, stand like men, be strong. Do everything with love.

And I beseech you brethren, (you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry,) ( 1 Corinthians 16:15 )

I love that. What a great addiction. They've addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,

that you submit yourselves unto such, and to every one who helps with us, and labors. I am glad for the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and of Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied ( 1 Corinthians 16:16-17 ).

So I appreciate these fellows coming with the supplies that they've brought.

For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such. Now the churches of Asia ( 1 Corinthians 16:18-19 )

Paul was at Ephesus, you remember.

they salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you ( 1 Corinthians 16:19 )

Paul first met Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth. They were converts of Paul there in Corinth, it would appear. He first met them there, then they went on to Ephesus and worked with Paul in Ephesus.

Aquila and Priscilla salute you in the Lord, with the church that is in their house ( 1 Corinthians 16:19 ).

Churches don't have to meet in buildings. They can meet under trees, they can meet in houses, and where two or three are gathered together in His name, you've got a church. The Lord is there. Gathering to worship Him. And so, "The church that is in their house greets you."

All the brethren greet you. And greet one another with a holy kiss. The salutation of me Paul in my own hand ( 1 Corinthians 16:20-21 ).

So Paul had dictated the letter up to this point. Now he takes the pen out of the hand of the secretary there, who he's been dictating the letter to, and squinting bad eyes, he says, "I'm gonna write this in my own hand." And so the big scribbly letters, because he can't see very well, and so they really recognize, yea this is Paul. Look at that.

So the salutation of Paul is with my own hand.

If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Maranatha ( 1 Corinthians 16:22 ).

Let him be anathema. Anathema is accursed. Any man who doesn't love the Lord Jesus Christ is really accursed. Maranatha, the Lord cometh! This is the mental attitude that we are to have at all times. The mental attitude with which we live in this materialistic society. The mental attitude as we face the materialism of the world. The Lord cometh! We are in the world. We are not to be of the world. We are to have our every contact with the world as light as possible, realizing that the Lord is coming. Don't get too involved in the temporal, material things. Get more involved in the eternal, spiritual things. As we get into II Corinthians, Paul will tell us, "for we look not at the things which are seen, they are temporal, but the things which are not seen, they are eternal."

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus. So be it ( 1 Corinthians 16:23-24 ).

Glorious -- I Corinthians.

And next week, or the following week, we begin II Corinthians, the first couple chapters. And you'll find that it will also be a very fascinating epistle. You know, it's always exciting to realize that our next meeting could very possibly be in the air -- for Maranatha! The Lord is coming!

And so may the Lord be with you and bless you this week. May the Word of God dwell in your hearts richly through faith. And may you begin to comprehend with the saints just how much God really does love you. And may you begin to experience more and more God's touch of love and power in your life, as you seek to walk with Him in a way that is pleasing unto Him. God bless you, fill you with His love. In Jesus' name. "

Contending for the Faith

Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store: Paul answers four questions about the "collection": When? Who? How? and Why?

The first question is: "When are Christians to give?" Paul says that the collection is to take place "Upon the first day of the week." The word "upon" (kata) is used distributively (Vincent, Vol. III 288). The word "week" (sabbaton) means "the first day after the sabbath," indicating "the first day of every week" (Thayer 566-1-4521). MacKnight says, "...as kata polin signifies every city; and kata mena, every month; and, Acts 14:23, kata ekklesian, in every church: So kata mian sabbaton signifies the first day of every week" (291). The first day of the week became very significant after Christ died. It was on this day that Christ arose from the dead. It was on this day that He met with His disciples. It was on this day that God sent the Holy Spirit to Jerusalem (Acts 2). It was on this day that the disciples came together to "break bread" (Acts 20:7), and now Paul says that it is on this day that Christians are commanded to "lay by him in store."

The second question is: "Who is to give?" Paul answers, "let every one of you" lay by in store. This responsibility goes not only to the rich but also to the poor. "Every one" is to give as he is prospered by God and as he purposes in his heart.

The third question is: "How is this collection to be done?" Paul answers, "lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him." To "lay by" (tithemi) means to "let him put" (Vine 229) or "to lay aside money" (Thayer 623-2-5087).

The term "him" (heauton), often translated "himself" (Berry’s interlinear), has brought forth much confusion because of the definitions and comments of some writers. For example:

1.    "Each one is to put aside at home 1 Corinthians 16:2" (Bauer, Arndt, and Gingrich 36).

2.    "Note that the contribution is not paid into a common fund, but laid by at home" (Cambridge Greek Testament 246).

3.    "Lay by him i.e. at home, not in the assembly, as is generally supposed" (The Cambridge Bible 164).

4.    "On every first (day) of the week let each of you by himself (at home) lay up, making a store (of it), whatever he may be prospered in" (The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Vol. II 945).

5.    "Here there is no mention of their assembling, which we have in Acts 20:7, but a plain indication that the day was already considered as a special one, and one more than others fitting for the performance of a religious duty....let each of you lay up at home...whatsoever he may by prosperity have acquired (literally ’whatsoever he may be prospered in:’ that is the pecuniary result of any prosperous adventure, or dispensation of Providence)" (Alford, Vol. II 621).

6.    "The words ’lay by him in store’ indicate ’By himself, in his home’" (Robertson, Vol. IV 200).

7.    "Literally, put by himself treasuring. Put by at home" (Vincent, Vol. III 288).

8.    "...by or with oneself, in one’s house, at home" (Robinson 199).

9.    "...lay by him in store meaning at his home" (Thayer 163-1-1438).

10.    "...at home" (Kittel, Vol. V 731).

11.    "1 Corinthians 16:2; pros heauton, to one’s self, to one’s home" (Green 51).

12.    "...with one’s self, at home, 1 Corinthians 16:2" (The Analytical Greek Lexicon by Baxter 110)

13.    "...at his own house, 1 Corinthians 16:2" (Abbott-Smith 126).

14.    "...with one’s self, at home, 1 Corinthians 16:2" (Harper’s Analytical Greek Lexicon 110).

Because of these (and other) writers many believe that the collection is to be taken care of at home instead of in the assembly. However, Paul’s fourth question--"Why are we to give?"--proves this assumption to be wrong. Paul teaches that Christians are to lay by him in "store." The word "store" (thesaurizo) means "to gather and lay up, to heap up, (or) to store up" (Thayer 290-2-2343), indicating to accumulate riches.

as God hath prospered him: The word "prospered" (euodoo) means "gains" (Thayer 261-1-2137). Christians are to store aside a portion of the money they have gained through God’s blessing them. There is no set amount stated to be given. Paul says to give "as God hath prospered him"; however, Paul further teaches,

He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

that there be no gatherings when I come: The purpose of Christians "lay(ing) by him in store" is that there be no "gatherings" later. That there "be no gatherings when I (Paul) come" is the answer to the fourth question--"Why are Christians to give?" (See comments on "collection" in verse 1 for explanation of the word "gatherings.")

Paul is teaching that Christians must always be prepared to help the needy among God’s people. His instruction "...that there be no gatherings" when he returns to Corinth indicates that the "collection" was not at home but was all together. The purposing in the heart (2 Corinthians 9:6-7) is to be done beforehand, at home; however, the collection of money is to be in a common treasury. Any other conclusion would mandate "gatherings" when Paul returns to Corinth; and this is precisely what he wanted to avoid.

"The word ’thesaurizoon,’ translated ’in store,’ means ’put into the treasury’" (McGarvey 161). The money was to be separated at home from the money that was not given and then contributed into a common collection that would already be together when Paul came.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

1. Arrangements for the collection 16:1-4

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

G. The collection for the Jerusalem believers 16:1-12

I have chosen to include this section with the others that deal with questions the Corinthians had asked Paul rather than with Paul’s concluding comments because it begins "peri de" (1 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Corinthians 7:25; 1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 12:1; 1 Corinthians 16:12; cf. 1 Corinthians 8:4). Probably they had asked about the collection Paul was assembling in a letter or through messengers. This is the least confrontational section in this epistle, though we can detect tension here too. Problems over this collection emerge clearly in 2 Corinthians.

"Most ancient letters were brief, and a large number were business-related. Whereas most of Paul’s correspondence more closely resembles philosophers’ letters discoursing on moral topics, he is ready to address business as well." [Note: Keener, 1-2 Corinthians, p. 136.]

"This chapter may seem unrelated to our needs today, but actually it deals in a very helpful way with three areas of stewardship: money (1 Corinthians 16:1-4), opportunities (1 Corinthians 16:5-9), and people (1 Corinthians 16:10-24). These are probably the greatest resources the church has today, and they must not be wasted." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:621.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

From the earliest day of the church’s existence Christians assembled on Sundays to worship in commemoration of the Lord’s resurrection. The Lord had not commanded this, but it quickly became customary. The unsaved Jews met on Saturdays.

"This is our earliest evidence respecting the early consecration of the first day of the week by the Apostolic Church. Apparently, the name ’Lord’s Day’ was not yet in use, and the first day of the week is never called ’the sabbath’ in Scripture." [Note: Robertson and Plummer, p. 384.]

Sunday would have been a natural occasion to put money aside for fellow believers since it was particularly on this day that Christians reviewed their responsibilities. Paul did not specify whether the individual Christian should keep the money in his possession or whether a church official should. The former alternative seems more probable in view of the apostle’s language. [Note: Fee, The First . . ., p. 813.] Note also that he did not say how much to set aside except that it was to be as the Lord had blessed them. The amount was totally up to the givers. Paul mentioned nothing specifically here about giving proportionately to one’s income. We saw earlier that both rich and poor made up this church (1 Corinthians 11:21). Paul’s counsel amounted to: Set aside a little regularly now so you will not need to make a major withdrawal from your funds later.

"The essential features of Christian giving are stated here: (1) the time of giving; (2) the regularity of giving; (3) the participants in giving; (4) the basis of giving; and (5) the manner of giving." [Note: The New Scofield . . ., p. 1250.]

Barclay's Daily Study Bible

Chapter 16

PRACTICAL PLANS ( 1 Corinthians 16:1-12 )

16:1-12 With regard to the collection for the people of Christ, do you too follow the instructions which I gave to the Churches of Galatia. Every first day of the week each of you must put by and save up whatever his prosperity demands, so that there may be no need to take collections when I arrive. Whenever I arrive, I will send whoever you approve by letter to take your gifts to Jerusalem. If it is fitting for me to go, too, they will travel with me. I will come to you after I have passed through Macedonia. Possibly I may stay with you, or I may even spend the winter with you so that you may speed me on my way wherever I go. I do not want to see you now in the passing, for I hope to stay some time with you, if the Lord permits it. I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a great and effective door stands open to me, although my opponents are many.

There is nothing more typical of Paul than the abrupt change between 1 Corinthians 15:1-58 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-24. 1 Corinthians 15:1-58 has been walking in the loftiest realms of thought and theology, and discussing the life of the world to come. 1 Corinthians 16:1-24 deals with the most practical things in the most practical way and is concerned with the everyday life of this world and the administration of the Church. There is no reach of thought too high for Paul to scale and no practical detail of administration too small for him to remember. He was very far from being one of those visionaries, who are at home in the realms of theological speculation and quite lost in practical matters. There might be times when his head was in the clouds but his feet were always planted firmly on the solid earth.

He begins by dealing with the collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem. This was an undertaking very dear to Paul's heart. (compare Galatians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 8:1-24; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15; Romans 15:25; Acts 24:17). There was a certain brotherliness in the ancient world. In the Greek world there were associations called eranoi. If a person fell on evil days or was in sudden need, his friends would club together to raise an interest-free loan to help him. The synagogue had officials whose duty it was to collect from those who had and to share out to those who had not. Quite frequently Jews who had gone abroad and prospered sent their envoys to Jerusalem with contributions for the Temple and for the poor. Paul did not want the Christian Church to be behind the Jewish and the heathen world in generosity.

But to him this collection for the poor at Jerusalem meant more than that. (i) It was a way of demonstrating the unity of the Church. It was a way of teaching the scattered Christians that they were not members of a congregation only, but members of a Church, each part of which had obligations to the rest. The narrowly congregational outlook was far from the Pauline conception of the Church. (ii) It was a way of putting into effect the practical teaching of Christianity. By arranging this collection Paul was providing his converts with an opportunity of translating into action the teaching of Christ on the virtue of love.

It has been pointed out that, in different letters and speeches, Paul uses no fewer than nine different words to describe this collection.

(i) Here he calls it a logia ( G3048) ; the word means an extra collection. A logia was something which was the opposite of a tax which a man had to pay; it was an extra piece of giving. A man never satisfies his Christian duty by discharging the obligations which he can legally be compelled to fulfil. The question of Jesus was, "What more are you doing than others?" ( Matthew 5:47).

(ii) Sometimes he calls it a charis ( G5485) ( 1 Corinthians 16:3; 2 Corinthians 8:4). As we have already seen, the characteristic of charis ( G5485) is that it describes a free gift freely given. The really lovely thing is not something extracted from a man, however large it be, but something given in the overflowing love of a man's heart, however small it be. We must note that Paul does not lay down a flat rate which each Corinthian Christian must give; he tells them that they must give as their prosperity demands. A man's heart must tell him what to give.

(iii) Sometimes he uses the word koinonia ( G2842) ( 2 Corinthians 8:4; 2 Corinthians 9:13; Romans 15:6). Koinonia means fellowship, and the essence of fellowship is sharing. Christian fellowship is based on the spirit which cannot hug to itself that which it has, but which regards all its possessions as things to be shared with others. Its dominating question is not, "What can I keep?" but, "What can I give""

(iv) Sometimes he uses the word diakonia ( G1248) ( 2 Corinthians 8:4; 2 Corinthians 9:1, 2 Corinthians 9:12-13). Diakonia means practical Christian service. It is from its kindred word diakonos ( G1249) that we get our English word deacon. It may sometimes happen that the limitations of life prevent us from rendering personal service and it may often happen that our money can go where we cannot go.

(v) Once he uses the word hadrotes ( G100) , whose meaning is abundance ( 2 Corinthians 8:20). In that passage Paul speaks of the envoys of the Church who accompany him to guarantee that he does not misuse the abundance which is entrusted to him. Paul would never have desired an abundance for himself. He was content with what he could earn with the toil of his hands and the sweat of his brow. But he was glad in heart when he had abundance to give away. It is a grim commentary on human nature that, when a man is dreaming of what he would do if he was a millionaire, he almost always begins by thinking what he would buy for himself, and seldom of what he would give away.

(vi) Sometimes he uses the word eulogia ( G2129) , which in this case means bounty ( 2 Corinthians 9:5). There is a kind of giving which is not a bounty. The gift is given as a bleak and unavoidable duty, given with a grudge and with no delight. All true giving is a bounty which we are supremely glad to give.

(vii) Sometimes he uses the word leitourgia ( G3009) ( 2 Corinthians 9:12). In classical Greek this is a word with a noble history. In the great days of Athens there were generous citizens who volunteered out of their own pockets to shoulder the expenses of some enterprise on which the city was engaged. It might be to defray the expenses of training the chorus for some new drama or some team to compete for the honour of the city in the games; it might be to pay for the outfitting and manning of a trireme or man-of-war in time of the city's peril. A leitourgia ( G3009) was originally a service of the state voluntarily accepted. Christian giving is something which should be volunteered. It should be accepted as a privilege to help in some way the household of God.

(viii) Once he speaks of this collection as eleemosune ( G1654) ( Acts 24:17). That is the Greek word for alms. So central was alms-giving to the Jewish idea of religion, that the Jew could use the same word for almsgiving and righteousness.

"Alms given to a father shall not be blotted out,

And it shall stand firm as a substitute for sin;

In the day of trouble it shall be remembered,

Obliterating thine iniquities as the heat the

hoar frost" (Ecc 14:15).

The Jew would have said, "How can a man show that he is a good man except by being generous?"

(ix) Lastly he uses the word prosphora ( G4376) ( Acts 24:17). The interesting thing is that prosphora is the word for an offering and a sacrifice. In the realest sense that which is given to a man in need is a sacrifice to God. The best of all sacrifices to him, after the sacrifice of the penitent heart, is kindness shown to one of his children in trouble.

At the end of this section Paul commends two of his helpers. The first is Timothy. Timothy had the disadvantage of being a young man. The situation in Corinth was difficult enough for the experienced Paul; it would be infinitely worse for Timothy. Paul's commendation is that they are to respect Timothy, not for his own sake, but for the sake of the work that he is doing. It is not the man who glorifies the work but the work which glorifies the man. There is no dignity like the dignity of a great task. The second is Apollos. Apollos emerges from this passage as a man of great wisdom. Right at the beginning of this letter we saw that there was a party in Corinth who, quite without the sanction of Apollos, had attached themselves to his name. Apollos knew that, and, no doubt, he wished to stay away from Corinth, lest that party try to annex him. He was wise enough to know that, when a Church is torn with party politics, there is a time when it is wiser and more far-sighted to stay away.

CLOSING WORDS AND GREETINGS ( 1 Corinthians 16:13-21 )

16:13-21 Be on the alert; stand fast in the faith; play the man; be strong. Let all your affairs be transacted in love.

This is an interesting passage because its very practical nature and its ordinariness shed a vivid light on the day to day life of the early Church.

Paul begins with a series of five imperatives. It may well be that all the first four have a military background and are like a commander's orders to his soldiers. "As a sentinel, be ever on the alert. When under attack, stand fast in the faith and yield not an inch. In time of battle, play a hero's part. Like a well-equipped and well-trained soldier, be strong to fight for your King." Then the metaphor changes. Whatever the Christian soldier be to those persons and things which threaten the Christian faith from the outside, to those within the Church he must be a comrade and a lover. In the Christian life there must be the courage which will never retreat and the love which will never fail.

To Paul in Ephesus there had come Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus, and they had brought him first-hand information which filled in the gaps in his knowledge of what was happening at Corinth. His commendation of Stephanas is very interesting. Stephanas deserved respect because he had put himself at the service of the Church. In the early Church willing and spontaneous service was the beginning of official office. A man became a leader of the Church, not so much by man-made appointment, as by the fact that his life and work marked him out as one whom all men must respect. T. C. Edwards says, "In the Church many work, but few toil."

Verses 19 and 20,( 1 Corinthians 16:19-20), are a series of greetings. Greetings are sent from Aquila and Priscilla. These two people, man and wife, move across the background of Paul's letters and the Book of Acts. They were Jews, and, like Paul, were tent-makers. Originally they had been settled in Rome, but in A.D. 49 or 50 Claudius, the Roman Emperor, had issued a decree banishing all Jews from Rome. Aquila and Priscilla found their way to Corinth, and it was there that Paul first met them ( Acts 18:2). From Corinth they found their way to Ephesus, from which now Paul sends their greetings to their old associates in Corinth. From Romans 16:3 we find that they found their way back to Rome and settled there again. One of the interesting things about Aquila and Priscilla is that they show us how easy and natural travel was even at that time. They followed their trade from Palestine to Rome, from Rome to Corinth, from Corinth to Ephesus, and from Ephesus back to Rome.

There is one great thing about these two. In those early days there were no church buildings. It is, in fact, not until the third century that we hear about a church building at all. The little congregations met in private houses. If a house had a room big enough, it was there that the Christian fellowship met. Now wherever Aquila and Priscilla went, their home became a church. When they are in Rome, Paul sends greetings to them and to the church that is their house ( Romans 16:3-5). When he writes from Ephesus, he sends greetings from them and from the church that is in their house. Aquila and Priscilla were two of these wonderful people who make their homes centres of Christian light and love, who welcome many guests because Christ is always their unseen guest, who make their houses havens of rest and peace and friendship for the lonely and the tempted and the sad and the depressed. A great compliment Homer paid one of his characters was to say of him, "He dwelt in a house by the side of the road and he was the friend of wayfaring men." The Christian wayfarer ever found an inn of peace where Aquila and Priscilla lived. God grant to us to make our homes like that!

"Greet each other," writes Paul, "with a holy kiss." The kiss of peace was a lovely custom of the early Church. It may have been a Jewish custom which the early Church took over. It was apparently given at the end of the prayers and just before the congregation partook of the sacrament. It was the sign and symbol that they sat at the table of love joined together in perfect love. Cyril of Jerusalem writes of it, "Do not think that this kiss is like the kiss given to each other by mutual friends in the market place." It was not given promiscuously. Certainly in later times it was not given between men and women, but between man and man, and woman and woman. Sometimes it was given not on the lips but on the hand. It came to be called simply "The Peace." Surely never did a church need to be recalled to that lovely custom more than this Church at Corinth, so torn with strife and dissension.

Why did that lovely custom pass from the Church's life? First, it faded because, lovely though it was, it was obviously liable to abuse, and, still more, it was liable to misinterpretation by heathen slanders. Second, it faded because the Church became less and less of a fellowship. In the little house churches, where friend met with friend and all were closely bound together, it was the most natural thing in the world; but, when the house fellowship became a vast congregation and the little room became a great church, the intimacy went lost and the kiss of peace went lost with it. It may well be that with our vast congregations we have lost something, for the bigger and more scattered a congregation is the more difficult it is for it to be a fellowship, where people really know and really love each other. And yet a church which is a collection of strangers, or, at the best, of acquaintances, is not a true church in the deepest sense.

And so to the end. Paul sends his own autograph greeting on the last page of the letter which some secretary had taken down for him. He warns them against anyone who does not love Christ. And then he writes in Aramaic the phrase, "Maran atha ( G3134) ," which most probably means, "The Lord is at hand." It is strange to meet with an Aramaic phrase in a Greek letter to a Greek church. The explanation is that that phrase had become a watchword and a password. It summed up the vital hope of the early Church, and Christians identified each other by it, in a language which the heathen could not understand.

Two last things Paul sends to the folk at Corinth--the grace of Christ and his own love. He might have had occasion to warn, to rebuke, to speak with righteous anger, but the last word is love.

-Barclay's Daily Study Bible (NT)

FURTHER READING

1 Corinthians

F. F. Bruce, 1 and 2 Corinthians (NCB; E)

J. Hering, The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians (translated by A. W. Heathcote and P. J. Allcock)

J. Moffatt, 1 Corinthians (MC; E)

A. Robertson and A. Plummer, 1 Corinthians (ICC; G)

Abbreviations

ICC: International Critical Commentary

MC: Moffatt Commentary

NCB: New Century Bible

TC: Tyndale Commentary

E: English Text

G: Greek Text

-Barclay's Daily Study Bible (NT)

Gann's Commentary on the Bible

1 Corinthians 16:2

First day -- RSV, NIV, NASB "of every week"

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Upon the first day of the week,.... In an ancient copy of Beza's, and in some others, it is added, "the Lord's day". Upon some one first day of the week, or more, if there was a necessity for it, until the collection was finished; though the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, "every first day": but this is not the apostle's intention, that a collection should be made every first day, but only on some one day, or as long as it was necessary: for at the close of the verse he gives this reason for it, "that there be no gatherings when I come": whereas, if this collection was to have been every first day, and to have been always continued, it must have been when he was present, as well as when absent; but this was only designed for a certain time, and on a certain account: the reason of his fixing upon the first day of the week was, because on this day the disciples of Christ, and the primitive churches, met together for divine worship, to hear the word, and observe the ordinances of Christ; see John 20:19 and was a very fit reason for such a work, when their hearts were warmed with the presence of God and Christ, with the grace of the Spirit, and the doctrines of the Gospel, and their affections were knit to one another, and to all the saints: and so we find from the accounts of Justin Martyr w, and of Tertullian x, that it was usual for the primitive churches in the age following that of the apostles, after the worship of God was over, to collect money for widows and orphans, and for saints in distress, such as were banished into distant parts, or condemned to the mines; and this practice was very agreeable to the customs of the apostle's countrymen, the Jews, from whence he might take this, who used to collect for, and distribute to the poor on their sabbath y.

"The alms dish was every day, but the alms chest from evening of the sabbath to the evening of the sabbath,''

It was collected and distributed then, as their commentators say z.

Let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him. The persons who are to contribute are everyone, of every sex, age, state, and condition, male and female, young and old, servants and masters, the meaner as well as the richer sort; the poor widow threw in her mite into the treasury as well as the rich men: the act of communication or distribution is signified by laying by him in store; for this is not to be understood of separating a part of his substance from the rest, and laying it up בביתה, "in his own house", as the Syriac version renders it, or the putting it in his pocket in order to give it; though both these acts may be necessary, as preparatory to the work: but it intends the very act itself: for communicating to the poor is laying up in store a good foundation for the time to come; it is a laying up treasure in heaven, and riches there, which will never corrupt: the manner in which this is to be done, and the measure of it, "as God hath prospered him"; according to the success he has in his worldly business, and the increase of his worldly substance, and which is the way to have it enlarged. The Jews have a saying a,

"if a man observes his provisions to be straitened, let him do alms of them, how much more if they are large.''

The Vulgate Latin version renders, it, "laying up what pleases him well"; and the Arabic version, "what through liberality he pleases, and shall be convenient for him"; for this ought to be a freewill offering, as a matter of bounty and generosity, and not of covetousness, or of force and necessity, but as a man, of himself has purposed in his own heart, and which he does with cheerfulness and freedom.

That there be no gatherings when I come; who had other work, and greater service to do among them; besides, he was desirous of having this collection over and ready when he came, that he might directly send it away to Jerusalem, knowing the pressing necessities of the saints there.

w Apolog. 2. p. 98, 99. x Apolog. c. 39. y T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 8. 2. Maimon, Hilch. Mattanot Anayim, c. 9. sect. 6. z Maimon. R. Samson & Bartenora in Misn. Peah, c. 8. sect. 7. a T. Bab. Gittim, fol. 7. 1.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.   2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.   3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.   4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

      In this chapter Paul closes this long epistle with some particular matters of less moment; but, as all was written by divine inspiration, it is all profitable for our instruction. He begins with directing them about a charitable collection on a particular occasion, the distresses and poverty of Christians in Judea, which at this time were extraordinary, partly through the general calamities of that nation and partly through the particular sufferings to which they were exposed. Now concerning this observe,

      I. How he introduces his direction. It was not a peculiar service which he required of them; he had given similar orders to the churches of Galatia,1 Corinthians 16:1; 1 Corinthians 16:1. He desired them only to conform to the same rules which he had given to other churches on a similar occasion. He did not desire that others should be eased and they burdened,2 Corinthians 8:13. He also prudently mentions these orders of his to the churches of Galatia, to excite emulation, and stir them up to be liberal, according to their circumstances, and the occasion. Those who exceeded most churches in spiritual gifts, and, as it is probable, in worldly wealth (see the argument), surely would not suffer themselves to come behind any in their bounty to their afflicted brethren. Note, The good examples of other Christians and churches should excite in us a holy emulation. It is becoming a Christian not to bear to be outdone by a fellow-christian in any thing virtuous and praise-worthy, provided this consideration only makes him exert himself, not envy others; and the more advantages we have above others the more should we endeavour to exceed them. The church of Corinth should not be outdone in this service of love by the churches of Galatia, which do not appear to have been enriched with equal spiritual gifts nor outward ability.

      II. The direction itself, concerning which observe,

      1. The manner in which the collection was to be made: Every one was to lay by in store (1 Corinthians 16:2; 1 Corinthians 16:2), have a treasury, or fund, with himself, for this purpose. The meaning is that he should lay by as he could spare from time to time, and by this means make up a sum for this charitable purpose. Note, It is a good thing to lay up in store for good uses. Those who are rich in this world should be rich in good works, 1 Timothy 6:17; 1 Timothy 6:18. The best way to be so is to appropriate of their income, and have a treasury for this purpose, a stock for the poor as well as for themselves. By this means they will be ready to every good work as the opportunity offers; and many who labour with their own hands for a livelihood should so work that they may have to give to him that needeth, Ephesians 4:28. Indeed their treasury for good works can never be very large (though, according to circumstances, it may considerably vary); but the best way in the world for them to get a treasury for this purpose is to lay by from time to time, as they can afford. Some of the Greek fathers rightly observe here that this advice was given for the sake of the poorer among them. They were to lay by from week to week, and not bring in to the common treasury, that by this means their contributions might be easy to themselves, and yet grow into a fund for the relief of their brethren. "Every little," as the proverb says, "would make a mickle." Indeed all our charity and benevolence should be free and cheerful, and for that reason should be made as easy to ourselves as may be. And what more likely way to make us easy in this matter than thus to lay by? We may cheerfully give when we know that we can spare, and that we have been laying by in store that we may.

      2. Here is the measure in which they are to lay by: As God hath prospered them; ti an euodotai, as he has been prospered, namely, by divine Providence, as God has been pleased to bless and succeed his labours and business. Note, All our business and labour are that to us which God is pleased to make them. It is not the diligent hand that will make rich by itself, without the divine blessing, Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 10:22. Our prosperity and success are from God and not from ourselves; and he is to be owned in all and honoured with all. It is his bounty and blessing to which we owe all we have; and whatever we have is to be used, and employed, and improved, for him. His right to ourselves and all that is ours is to be owned and yielded to him. And what argument more proper to excite us to charity to the people and children of God than to consider all we have as his gift, as coming from him? Note, When God blesses and prospers us, we should be ready to relieve and comfort his needy servants; when his bounty flows forth upon us, we should not confine it to ourselves, but let it stream out to others. The good we receive from him should stir us up to do good to others, to resemble him in our beneficence; and therefore the more good we receive from God the more we should do good to others. They were to lay by as God had blessed them, in that proportion. The more they had, through God's blessing, gained by their business or labour, their traffic or work, the more they were to lay by. Note, God expects that our beneficence to others should hold some proportion to his bounty to us. All we have is from God; the more he gives (circumstances being considered), the more he enables us to give, and the more he expects we should give, that we should give more than others who are less able, that we should give more than ourselves when we were less able. And, on the other hand, from him to whom God gives less he expects less. He is no tyrant nor cruel taskmaster, to exact brick without straw, or expect men shall do more good than he gives ability. Note, Where there is a willing mind he accepts according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not (2 Corinthians 8:12); but as he prospers and blesses us, and puts us in a capacity to do good, he expects we should. The greater ability he gives, the more enlarged should our hearts be, and the more open our hands; but, where the ability is less, the hands cannot be as open, however willing the mind and however large the heart; nor does God expect it.

      3. Here is the time when this is to be done: The first day of the week, kata mian sabbaton (Luke 24:1), the Lord's day, the Christian holiday, when public assemblies were held and public worship was celebrated, and the Christian institutions and mysteries (as the ancients called them) were attended upon; then let every one lay by him. It is a day of holy rest; and the more vacation the mind has from worldly cares and toils the more disposition has it to show mercy: and the other duties of the day should stir us up to the performance of this; works of charity should always accompany works of piety. True piety towards God will beget kind and friendly dispositions towards men. This commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also,1 John 4:21. Works of mercy are the genuine fruits of true love to God, and therefore are a proper service on his own day. Note, God's day is a proper season on which to lay up for charitable uses, or lay out in them, according as he has prospered us; it is paying tribute for the blessings of the past week, and it is a proper way to procure his blessing on the work of our hands for the next.

      4. We have here the disposal of the collections thus made: the apostle would have every thing ready against he came, and therefore gave direction as before: That there be no gatherings when I come,1 Corinthians 16:2; 1 Corinthians 16:2. But, when he came, as to the disposal of it, he would leave it much to themselves. The charity was theirs, and it was fit they should dispose of it in their own way, so it answered its end, and was applied to the right use. Paul no more pretended to lord it over the purses of his hearers than over their faith; he would not meddle with their contributions without their consent. (1.) He tells them that they should give letters of credence, and send messengers of their own with their liberality, 1 Corinthians 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:3. This would be a proper testimony of their respect and brotherly love to their distressed brethren, to send their gift by members of their own body, trusty and tenderhearted, who would have compassion on their suffering brethren, and a Christian concern for them, and not defraud them. It would argue that they were very hearty in this service, when they should send some of their own body on so long and hazardous a journey or voyage, to convey their liberality. Note, We should not only charitably relieve our poor fellow-christians but do it in such a way as will best signify our compassion to them and care of them. (2.) He offers to go with their messengers, if they think proper, 1 Corinthians 16:4; 1 Corinthians 16:4. His business, as an apostle, was not to serve tables, but to give himself to the word and prayer; yet he was never wanting to set on foot, or help forward, a work of charity, when an opportunity offered. He would go to Jerusalem, to carry the contributions of the church at Corinth to their suffering brethren, rather than they should go without them, or the charity of the Corinthians fail of a due effect. It was no hindrance to his preaching work, but a great furtherance to the success of it, to show such a tender and benign disposition of mind. Note, Ministers are doing their proper business when they are promoting or helping in works of charity. Paul stirs up the Corinthians to gather for the relief of the churches in Judea, and he is ready to go with their messengers, to convey what is gathered; and he is still in the way of his duty, in the business of his office.

Kelly Commentary on Books of the Bible

As usual, the introductory words (1 Corinthians 1:1-3) of the epistle give us no little intimation of that which is to follow. The apostle speaks of himself as such "called [to be ] an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God," but coupling a brother with him, "and Sosthenes our brother," he writes to "the church of God at Corinth" not to the saints, as was the case in the epistle to the Romans, but to the church at Corinth "to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus," as in the former epistle "called [to be] saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours."

This will be found to lead the way into the main subject of the present communication. Here we must not look for the great foundations of Christian doctrine. There is the unfolding of the assembly in a practical way; that is, the church of God is not viewed here in its highest character. There is no more than an incidental glance at its associations with Christ. No notice is here taken of the heavenly places as the sphere of our blessing; nor are we given to hear of the bridal affections of Christ for His body. But the assembly of God is addressed, those sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints called, "with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord." Thus room is left for the profession of the Lord's name. It is not, as in Ephesians, "to the saints which are in Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus." There is no such closeness of application, nor intimacy, nor confidence in a really intrinsically holy character. Sanctified they were in Christ Jesus. They had taken the place of being separate, "calling upon the name of the Lord;" but the remarkable addition should be noticed by the way "with all that in every place call upon the name of the Lord, both theirs and ours." And this is the more notable, because if there be an epistle which the unbelief of Christendom tries more than another to annul in its application to present circumstances, it is this first letter to the Corinthians. Nor need we wonder. Unbelief shrinks from that which calls, now rather recalls, the saints to a due sense of their responsibility in virtue of their position as the church of God here below. Those at Corinth had forgotten it. Christendom has not merely forgotten but denied it, and so would fain treat a large part of that which will come before us tonight as a bygone thing. It is not disputed that God did thus work in times past; but they have not the smallest serious thought of submitting to its directions as authoritative for present duty. Yet who can deny that God has taken more care to make this plain and certain in the very frontispiece of this epistle than anywhere else? He is wise and right: man is not. Our place is to bow and believe.

There is another point also to be weighed in the next verses (4-8). The apostle tells them how he thanks his God always on their behalf, but refrains from any expression of thankfulness as to their state. He recognises their rich endowments on God's part. He owns how they had been given all utterance, and all knowledge, the working of the Spirit of God, and His power. This is exceedingly important; for there is a disposition often to consider that difficulties and disorder among the saints of God are due to a want of government and of ministerial power. But no amount of gift, in few or many, can of itself produce holy spiritual order. Disorder is never the result of weakness alone. This, of course, may be taken advantage of, and Satan may tempt men to assume the semblance of a strength they do not possess. No doubt assumption would produce disorder; but weakness simply (where it leads souls, as it should, to spread out their need before the Lord) brings in the gracious action of the Holy Ghost, and the unfailing care of Him who loves His saints and the assembly. It was not so at Corinth. Theirs was rather the display of conscious strength; but at the same time they lacked the fear of God, and the sense of responsibility in the use of what God had given them. They were like children disporting themselves with not a little energy that wrought in vessels which altogether failed in self-judgment. This was a source, and a main source, of the difficulty and disorder at Corinth. It is also of great importance to us; for there are those that continually cry out for increase of power as the one panacea of the church. What reflecting spiritual mind could doubt that God sees His saints are not able to bear it? Power in the sense in which we are now speaking of it that is, power in the form of gift is far from being the deepest need or the gravest desideratum of the saints. Again, is it ever the way of God to display Himself thus in a fallen condition of things? Not that He is restrained, or that He is not Sovereign. Not, moreover, that He may not give, and liberally as suits His own glory; but He gives wisely and holily, so as to lead souls now into exercise of conscience and brokenness of spirit, and thus keep and even deepen their sense of that to which God's church is called, and the state into which it has fallen.

At Corinth there was a wholly different state of things. It was the early rise of the church of God, if I may so say, among the Gentiles. And there was not wanting an astonishing sample of the power of the Spirit in witness of the victory that Jesus had won over Satan. This was now, or at least should have been, manifested by the church of God, as at Corinth. But they had lost sight of God's objects. They were occupied with themselves, with one another, with the supernatural energy which grace had conferred on them in the name of the Lord. The Holy Ghost in inspiring the apostle to write to them in no way weakens the sense of the source and character of that power. He insists on its reality, and reminds them that it was of God; but at the same time he brings in the divine aim in it all. "God," says he, "is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." Immediately after he alludes to the schisms that were then at work among them, and calls on them to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment; informing them of the tidings which had reached him through the house of Chloe, that there were contentions among them, some saying, "I am of Paul," others "I am of Apollos;" some, "I am of Cephas," and others "I am of Christ himself." There is no abuse to which flesh cannot degrade the truth. But the apostle knew how to introduce the Lord's name and grace with the grandly simple but weighty facts of His person and work. It was unto His name that they were baptized; it was He that had been crucified. And be it observed, that from the first of this epistle it is the cross of Christ that has the prominence. It is not so much His blood-shedding, nor even His death and resurrection, but His cross. This would have been as much out of place in the beginning of Romans as the putting forward of propitiation would be out of place here. Expiation of sins by Christ, His death and resurrection, are given of God to be displayed before the saints, who needed to know the firm, immutable foundation of grace; but what the saints wanted most was to learn the gross inconsistency of turning to selfish ease, honour, and aggrandisement the privileges of God's church, and the power of the Spirit of God that wrought in its members.

It is the cross which stains the pride of man, and puts all his glory in the dust. Hence the apostle brings Christ crucified before them. This to the Jew was a stumbling-block, and to the Greek foolishness. These Corinthians were deeply affected by the judgment of both Jews and Greeks. They were under the influence of man. They had not realized the total ruin of nature. They valued those that were wise, scribes, or disputers of this world. They were accustomed to the schools of their age and country. They conceived that if Christianity did such great things when those who possessed it were poor and simple, what might it not do if it could only be backed by the ability, and the learning, and the philosophy of men! How it must ride triumphantly to victory! How the great must bow, and the wise be brought in! What a glorious change would result when not the unlettered poor only, but the great and the noble, the wise and the Prudent, were all joined in the confession of Jesus!

Their thoughts were fleshly, not of God. The cross writes judgment on man, and folly on his wisdom, as it is itself rejected by man as folly; for what could seem more egregiously unreasonable to a Greek than the God that made heaven and earth becoming a man, and, as such, crucified by the wicked hands of His creatures here below? That God should use His power to bless man was natural; and the Gentile could coalesce as to it with the Jew. Hence too, in the cross, the Jew found his stumbling-block; for he expected a Messiah in power and glory. Though the Jew and the Greek seemed opposite as the poles, from different points they agreed thoroughly in slighting the cross, and in desiring the exaltation of man as he is. They both, therefore, (whatever their occasional oppositions, and whatever their permanent variety of form,) preferred the flesh, and were ignorant of God the one demanding signs, the other wisdom. It was the pride of nature, whether self-confident or founded on religious claims.

Hence the apostle Paul, in the latter part of chap. 1, brings in the cross of Christ in contrast with fleshly wisdom, as well as religious pride, urging also God's sovereignty in calling souls as He will. He alludes to the mystery (1 Corinthians 2:1-16), but does not develop here the blessed privileges that flowed to us from a union with Christ, dead, risen, and ascended; but demonstrates that man has no place whatever, that it is God who chooses and calls, and that He makes, nothing of flesh. There is glorying, but it is exclusively in the Lord. No flesh should glory in his presence."

This is confirmed in1 Corinthians 2:1-16; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16, where the apostle reminds them of the manner in which the gospel had entered Corinth. He had come there setting his face against all things that would commend himself. No doubt, to one of such eminent ability and such varied gifts as the apostle Paul, it was hard, to speak after the manner of men, to be nothing. How much it must have called for self-denial utterly to decline that which he could have handled so well, and which people at Corinth would have hailed with loud acclamation. Just think of the great apostle of the Gentiles, on the immortality of the soul, giving free rein to the mighty spirit that was in him! But not so. What absorbed his soul, in entering, the intellectual and dissolute capital of Achaia, was the cross of Christ. He determined therefore, as he says, to know nothing else not exactly to know the cross alone, but "Jesus Christ and him crucified." It was emphatically, though not exclusively, the cross. It was not simply redemption, but along with this another order of truth. Redemption supposes, undoubtedly, a suffering Saviour, and the shedding of that precious blood which ransoms the captives. It is Jesus who in grace has undergone the judgment of God, and brought in the full delivering power of God for the souls that believe. But the cross is more than this. It is the death of shame pre-eminently. It is utter opposition to the thoughts, feelings, judgments, and ways of men, religious or profane. This is the part accordingly that he was led in the wisdom of God to put forward. Hence the feelings of the apostle were distrust of self, and dependence on God according to that cross. As he says, "I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling." Thus, as Christ Himself is said in 2 Corinthians 13:1-14 to be crucified in weakness, such was also the servant here. His speech and his preaching was "not in enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." Accordingly, in this chapter he proceeds to supplement the application of the doctrine of the cross to the state of the Corinthians by bringing in the Holy Ghost; for this again supposes the incapacity of man in divine things.

All is opened out in a manner full of comfort, but at the same time unsparing to human pride. Weigh from the prophecy of Isaiah the remarkable quotation "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit." There is first the great standing fact before our eyes. Such is the Saviour to the saved. Christ crucified is the death-knell on all man's wisdom, and power, and righteousness. The cross writes total condemnation on the world. It was here the world had to say to Jesus. All that it gave Him was the cross. On the other hand, to the believer it is the power of God and the wisdom of God, because he humbly but willingly reads in the cross the truth of the judgment of his own nature as a thing to be delivered from, and finds Him that was crucified, the Lord Himself, undertaking a deliverance just, present, and complete; as he says, "Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." Flesh is absolutely put down. Man cannot go lower for weakness and ignominy than the cross on which hangs all the blessedness God gives the believer. And therein God is glorified as He is nowhere else. This in both its parts is exactly as it should be; and faith sees and receives it in Christ's cross. The state of the Corinthians did not admit of Christ risen being brought in, at least here. It might have drawn a halo, as it were, round human nature this presenting the risen man in the first instance. But he points to God as the source, and Christ as the channel and means, of all the blessing. "Of him," says he, "are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." But then, as he shows, there was not only this great source of blessing in Christ, but there is the power that works in us. Never is it the spirit of man that lays hold of this infinite good which God vouchsafes him. Man requires a divine power to work within him, just as he needs the Saviour outside himself

Accordingly, in 1 Corinthians 2:1-16, still carrying on the thought of Christ crucified, and connecting it with their condition, he intimates that he was in no wise limited to it. If persons were grounded in Christianity, he was prepared to go into the greatest depths of revealed truth; but then the power of entering safely was not human, but of the Holy Ghost. Man is no more capable of fathoming the depths of divine things than a brute can comprehend the works of human wit or science. This doctrine was utterly repulsive to the pride of the Greeks. They might admit man to have need of pardon, and of moral improvement. They fully admitted his want of instruction, and refinement, and, so to speak, of spiritualization, if it only might be. Christianity deepens our estimate of every want. Man not only wants a new life or nature, but the Holy Ghost. It is not merely His grace in a general sense, but the power of the Holy Ghost personally dwelling in him. It is this alone which can lead us into the deep things of God. And this, he lets us see, affects not merely this particular or that, but the whole working of divine grace and power in man. The whole and sole means of communicating blessing to us must be the Holy Ghost. Hence he insists, that as it is the Spirit of God in the first place who reveals the truth to us, so it is the same Spirit who furnishes suitable words, as, finally, it is through the Holy Ghost that one receives the truth revealed in the words He Himself has given. Thus, from first to last, it is a process begun, carried on, and completed by the Holy Ghost. How little this makes of man!

This introduces 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 and gives point to his rebukes. He taxes them with walking as men. How remarkable is such a reproach! Walking as men! Why, one might ask, how else could they walk? And this very difficulty as no doubt it would be to many a Christian now (that walking as men should be a reproach) was no doubt a clap of thunder to the proud but poor spirits at Corinth. Yes, walking as men is a departure from Christianity. It is to give up the distinctive power and place that belongs to us; for does not Christianity show us man judged, condemned, and set aside? On the faith of this, living in Christ, we have to walk. The Holy Ghost, besides, is brought in as working in the believer, and this, of course, in virtue of redemption by our Lord Jesus. And this is what is meant by being not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, which is proved by the Holy Ghost dwelling in us.

Here the apostle does not explain all this, and he gives a very withering reason for his reticence. These Corinthians had an uncommonly good opinion of themselves, and so they must be told plainly the reason why he does not open out these deep things. They themselves were not fit; they were but babes. What! the polished Greek believers no more than babes! This was rather what they would have said of the apostle or of his teaching. They thought themselves far in advance. The apostle had dwelt on the elementary truths of the gospel. They yearned after the fire of Peter and the rhetoric of Apollos. No doubt they might easily flatter themselves it was to carry on the work of God. How little many a young convert knows what will best lead him on! How little the Corinthians dreamt of depreciating the Second man, or of exalting the first! Hence the apostle tells them that he could not speak unto them as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat." Far from denying, he owns that their insinuation was true he had only brought before them elementary truths. They were not in a condition to bear more. Now this is full of meaning and importance practically at all times. We may damage souls greatly by presenting high truths to those that want the simplest rudiments of divine truth.

The apostle, as a wise master-builder, laid the foundation. The state of the Corinthians was such that he could not build on the foundation as he would have desired. His absence had given occasion for the breaking out of their carnal wishes after the world's wisdom. They were making even the ardour of a Peter and the eloquence of an Apollos to be a reason for dissatisfaction with one that, I need not say, was superior to both of them. But the apostle meets them in a way most unexpected to their self-satisfaction and pride, and lets them know that their carnality was the real reason why he could not go on with them into deeper things.

This leads him to point out the seriousness of the work or building; for he presents the church of God under this figure. What care each servant needs to take how and what he builds! What danger of bringing in that which would not stand the fire or judgment of God nay, further, of bringing in that which was not simply weak and worthless, but positively corrupting; for it was to be feared there were such elements even then at Corinth! Again he brings in another principle to bear upon them. Their party spirit, their feeling of narrowness, the disposition to set up this servant of Christ or that, was not only a dishonour to the Master, but a real loss to themselves. Not that there is any ground to suppose it was the fault of Peter or Apollos any more than of Paul. The evil was in the saints themselves, who indulged in their old zeal of the schools, and allowed their natural partiality to work. In point of fact this never can be without the most grievous impoverishment to the soul, as well as a hindrance to the Holy Ghost. What faith must learn is, that "all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas; . . . . . all are yours." Thus the subject enlarges, as is his wont, taking in an immense breadth of the Christian's possessions life, death, things present, and things to come. "All are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's."

This again brings in another point before the subject closes. He is not content with the pressing of responsibility on others; he had a solemn sense of his own place, which made him wonderfully independent of the judgments of men. Obedience gives firmness as well as humility. Not in the smallest degree was the pride of the Corinthians met by pride on his part, but by keeping the Lord and His will before his soul. Yet this is certainly true that this effect of faith looks like pride to a man who merely views things on the surface. The calm going on in the service of Christ, the endurance of this spirit or that, as no more than the idle wind, was no doubt exceedingly unpleasant to such as were wise in their own conceit, and valued the criticism they freely bestowed on the different servants of the Lord. But Paul sees all in the light of the eternal day. They had forgotten this, and were in a sense trafficking with these powers of the Spirit of God. They were making them the counters of a game they were playing in this world. They had forgotten that what God gives He gives in time, but in view of eternity. The apostle puts the truth of the case before their souls as he had it vividly before his own. (1 Corinthians 4:1-21)

Another thing is noticeable here. He had reproached them with walking not as Christians but as men (that is, with their habitual life and conversation formed on human principles instead of divine). On the other hand, it would appear from what follows, that they reproached the apostle in their hearts, not, of course, in so many words, with not being enough of a gentleman for their taste. This seems to me the gist of the fourth chapter. It was a thing that they considered quite beneath a Christian minister to work from time to time with his hands, often poor, occasionally in prison, knocked about by crowds, and so on. All this they thought the fruit of indiscretion and avoidable. They would have preferred respectability, public and private, in one who stood in the position of a servant of Christ. This the apostle meets in a very blessed way. He admitted that they were certainly not in such circumstances; they were reigning as kings. As for him it was enough to be the off-scouring of all men, this was his boast and blessedness. He wished that they did indeed reign that he might reign with them (that the blessed time might really arrive). How his heart would rejoice in that day with them! And surely the time will come, and they would all reign together when Christ reigns over the earth. But he quite admits that for the present the fellowship of Christ's sufferings was the place he had chosen. Of honour in the world, and ease for the flesh, he at least could not, if they could, boast. Present greatness was what he in no wise coveted; to suffer great things for His sake was what the Lord had promised, and what His servant expected in becoming an apostle. If his own service was the highest position in the church, his was certainly the lowest position in the world. This was as much an apostle's boast and glory as anything that God had given them. No answer can I conceive more telling to any one of his detractors at Corinth who had a heart and conscience.

In 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 we enter on another and more painful part of the epistle. A fearful instance of sin had come to light, so gross, indeed, that the like was not even named among the Gentiles. In fact it was a case of incest, and this among those called of God, and sanctified in Christ Jesus! The question is not in the least raised whether the guilty person was a saint or not; still less does he allow that which one so often and painfully heard pleaded in extenuation, "Oh, but he [or she] is a dear Christian." Christian affection is most excellent; as brethren we should love even to laying down life for each other; as it is also very right that we should own the work God has wrought, above all what He has wrought in grace. But when one bearing the name of the Lord has, through unwatchfulness, fallen into wickedness, which of course grieves the Holy Ghost and stumbles the weak, it is not the time to talk thus. It is the time, in the very love that God implants, to deal sternly with that which has disgraced the name of the Lord. Is this to fail in love to the person? The apostle showed ere long that he had more love for this evildoer than any of them. The second epistle to the Corinthians entreats them to confirm their love to him whom they had put away. They were too hard against him then, as they were too loose now. Here their consciences needed to be roused. To deal with the matter they owed to the Lord Jesus. It was not merely getting rid of the obnoxious man. They had to prove themselves clear in the matter certainly; but he puts before them another course, whenever the guilty one had repented.

"I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already," etc. The case was most gross, and there was no question about it. The facts were indisputable; the scandal was unheard of. "I have judged already, as though present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh." There was no discussion raised whether the person might be converted. The fact is, church discipline supposes and goes on the ground that those on whom it is exercised are Christians; but when it is a question of discipline, it is not the season for the display of Christian affection. This would falsify the conscience and turn the eye from off the point to which the Holy Ghost was directing attention. There was wickedness in their midst; and while known and unjudged, all were implicated; none could be clean till it was put away. Accordingly the apostle, while he expresses the desire that the spirit of the man should be saved in the day of the Lord, flesh being destroyed, at the same time rouses the saints to that which became the name of the Lord on the very ground that they were unleavened. If they were free from evil, let them act consistently. Let them preserve that purity in practice which was theirs in principle. They were unleavened, and therefore should be a new lump. Notoriously there was old leaven among them. What business had it there? "Put away from" not the table of the Lord merely, this he does not say, but "Put away from among yourselves." This is much stronger than expelling from the table. Of course, it implies exclusion from the Lord's table, but from their table too "with such an one, no, not to eat." An ordinary meal, or any such act expressive even in natural things of fellowship with the person thus dishonouring the Lord, is forbidden.

Mark, they must put away. It is not the apostle acting for them; for God took particular care that this case, demanding discipline to the uttermost, should be where the apostle was not. What an admirable instruction for us who have no longer an apostle! None can pretend that it was an assembly where there was a high degree of knowledge or spirituality. The very reverse was the case. The responsibility of discipline depends on our relationship as an assembly to the Lord, not on its changing states. The Corinthians were babes; they were carnal. He who loved them well could not speak of them as spiritual. Nevertheless, this responsibility attached to the very fact that they were members of Christ His body. If saints are gathered to the name of the Lord, and so are God's assembly, if they have faith to take such a position here below, and have the Holy Ghost owned as in their midst, this, and nothing short of this, is their responsibility; nor does the ruined state of the church touch the question, nor can it relieve them from their duty to the Lord. The church at Corinth had soon failed most gravely far and wide. This was the more shameful, considering the brightness of the truth vouchsafed to them, and the striking manifestation of divine power in their midst. The presence of apostles elsewhere in the earth, the beautiful display of Pentecostal grace at Jerusalem, the fact that so short a time had elapsed since they had been brought out of heathenism into their standing in God's grace, all made the present state of the Corinthians so much the more painful; but nothing can ever dissolve the responsibility of saints, whether as individuals or as an assembly. "Put away from among yourselves that wicked person."

Another thing is to be observed, that the Holy Spirit's scale of sin is not that of man. Which of you, my brethren, would have thought of classing a railer with an adulterer? A railer is one who uses abusive language for the purpose of injuring another, not the transient out-breaking of flesh, sad as it is, but provoked it may be, or at any rate, happening through unwatchfulness. The habit of evil speaking stamps him who practises it as a railer; and such a man is unfit for the company of the saints, for God's assembly. It is the old leaven of malice and wickedness. He is unclean. Doubtless the world would not so judge; but this is not the world's judgment. The Corinthians were under the influence of the world. The apostle had already shown that to walk as men is beneath the Christian. Now we see that to walk as the world, no matter how refinedly, ever exposes Christians to act worse than men of the world. God has stamped upon His children the name of Christ; and what does not express His name is inconsistent, not only with the Christian, but with His assembly. They are all as such held responsible, according to the grace and holiness and glory of Christ, for the sin done in their midst, of which they are cognisant. They are bound to keep themselves pure in ways.

There was another case also: brother was going to law with brother. (1 Corinthians 6:1-20) We have no reason to think they had fallen so far as to go to law with those that were not brethren; this would seem to be a lower step still. But brother was going to law with brother, ,and this before the unjust. How often now-a-days one hears, "Well, one expects something better from a brother; and surely he ought to suffer the consequences of his ill-doing." This was just the feeling of the Corinthian plaintiff. What, then, is the weapon that the apostle uses in this case? The dignified place in the glory that God designs for the Christian: "Know ye not that we shall judge the world judge angels?" Were such going before the Gentiles? Thus is seen how practical all truth is, and how God casts the bright light of the approaching day on the smallest matters of the life of today.

Again, there was no quarter in the world where personal purity was more unknown than at Corinth. Indeed, such were the habits of the ancient world, it would only defile the ears and minds of God's children to have any proofs of the depravity in which the world then lay, and that too in its best estate, the wisest and the greatest not excepted, those, alas. whose writings are in the hands of the youth of our day, and more than ever, perhaps, in their hands. Those wits, poets, and philosophers of heathen antiquity lived in habitual, yea, often in unnatural grossness, and thought nothing of it. It is a danger for the saints of God to be tinctured by the atmosphere of the world outside when the first fervour of grace cools, and they begin to take up their old habits. It was certainly so at Corinth.

Accordingly the believers there were betrayed into their former uncleanness of life when the heavenly light got dim. And how does the apostle deal with this? He recalls to them the Holy Spirit's dwelling in them. What a truth, and of what force to the believer! He does not say simply that they were redeemed, though he brings it in also; still less does he merely reason on the moral heinousness of the sin; neither does he cite the law of God that condemned it. He presses upon them that which was proper to them as Christians. It was no question of man, let him be Gentile or Jew, but of a Christian. Thus he sets before them the distinctive Christian blessing the Holy Ghost dwelling in the believer, and making his body (not his spirit but his body) a temple of the Holy Ghost; for here was precisely where the enemy seems to have misled these Corinthians. They affected to think they might be pure in spirit, but do what they liked with their bodies. But, answers the apostle, it is the body which is the temple of the Holy Ghost. The body belongs to the Lord and Saviour; the body, therefore, and not the spirit only, He claims now. No doubt that the spirit be occupied with Christ is a grand matter; but the licentious flesh of man would talk, at any rate, about the Lord, and at the same time indulge in evil. This is set aside by the blessed fact that the Holy Ghost even now dwells in the Christian, and this on the ground of his being bought with a price. Thus the very call to holiness ever keeps the saint of God in the sense of his immense privileges as well as of his perfect deliverance.

1 Corinthians 7:1-40 naturally leads from this into certain questions that had been proposed to the apostle touching marriage and slavery questions which had to do with the various relationships of life. The apostle accordingly gives us what he had learned from the Lord, as well as what he could speak of as a commandment of the Lord, distinguishing in the most beautiful manner, not between inspired and non-inspired, but between revelation and inspiration. All the word is inspired; there is no difference as to this. There is no part of Scripture that is less inspired than another. " All (every) scripture is given by inspiration of God;" but all is not His revelation. We must distinguish between parts revealed and the whole inspired. When a thing is revealed of God, it is absolutely new truth, and of course is the commandment of the Lord. But the inspired word of God contains the language of all sorts of men, and very often the conversation of wicked men nay, of the devil I need not say that all this is not a revelation; but God communicates what Satan and wicked men say (as for instance Pilate's words to our Lord and the Jews). None of these evidently was that which is called a revelation; but the Holy Ghost inspired the writers of the book to give us exactly what each of these said, or revealed what was in the mind of God about them. Take, for example, the book of Job, in which occur the sayings of his friends. What intelligent reader could think that they were in any way authorised communicators of the mind of God? They say sometimes very wrong things, and sometimes wise, and often things that do not in the smallest degree apply to the case. Every word of the book of Job is inspired; but did all the speakers utter necessarily the mind of God? Did not one of the speakers condemn one or other of the rest? Need one reason on such facts? This, no doubt, makes a certain measure of difficulty for a soul at the first blush; but on maturer consideration all becomes plain and harmonious, and the word of God is enhanced in our eyes.

And so it is in this chapter, where the apostle gives both the commandment of the Lord, and his own matured spiritual judgment, which he expressly says was not the commandment of the Lord. Still he was inspired to give his judgment as such. Thus the whole chapter is inspired, one part of it just as much as another. There is no difference in inspiration. What was written by the different inspired instruments is of God as absolutely as if He had written it all without them. There is no degree in the matter. There can be no difference in inspiration. But in the inspired word of God there is not always revelation. Sometimes it is a record which the Spirit gave a man to make of what he had seen and heard, sometimes he recorded by the Spirit what no man could have seen or heard. Sometimes it was a prophecy of the future, sometimes a communication of God's present mind according to His eternal purpose. But all is equally and divinely inspired.

The apostle then lays down at least as far as may be here briefly sketched that while there are cases where it is a positive duty to be married, undisguisedly there was a better place of undivided devotedness to Christ. Blessed is he who is given. thus to serve the Lord without let: still it must be the gift of God. The Lord Jesus had laid down the same principle Himself. InMatthew 19:1-30; Matthew 19:1-30, it is needless to say, you have the selfsame truth in another form.

Again, while the Lord employs the apostle thus to give us both His own commandment and His mind, the general principle is stated as to the relationships of life. It is broadly laid down that one should remain in that condition in which he is called, and for a very blessed reason. Supposing one were a slave even, he is already, if a Christian, a freeman of Christ. You must remember that in these days there were everywhere bondmen: those that then ruled the. world took them from all classes and all countries There were bondmen highly educated, and once in a high position of life. Need it be said that often these bondmen rose up against their cruel masters? The very knowledge of Christ, and the possession of conscious truth, if grace did not counteract mightily, would tend to increase their sense of horror at their position. Suppose, for instance, a refined person, with the truth of God communicated to his soul, was the slave of one living in all the filth of heathenism, what a trial it would be to serve in such a position! The apostle urges the truth of that liberty in Christ which Christendom has well-nigh forgotten that if I am Christ's servant I am emancipated already. Match if you can the manumission he has got. Twenty millions will procure no such emancipation. At the same time, if my master allows me liberty, let me use it rather. Is it not a remarkable style of speech and feeling? The Christian, even if a slave, possesses the best freedom after all: anything else is but circumstantial. On the other hand, if you are a freeman, take care how you use your liberty: use it as the Lord's bondman. The freeman is reminded of his bondmanship; the bondman is reminded of his freedom. What a wonderful antithesis of man is the Second Man! How it traverses all the thoughts, circumstances, and hopes of flesh!

Then he brings before us the different relationships at the end of the chapter, as they are affected by the coming of the Lord. And there is nothing which shows more the importance of that hope as a practical power. There is not only the direct but the indirect allusion when the heart is filled with an object; and the indirect is a yet stronger witness of the place it holds than the direct. A mere hint connects itself with that which is your joy and constant expectation; whereas when a thing is little before the heart you require to explain, prove, and insist upon it. But this chapter brings vividly before them how all outward things pass away, even the fashion of this world. Time is short. It is too late either to make much of scenes so changing, or to seek this thing or that here below with such a morrow before our eyes. Hence he calls on those who had wives to be as those who had none, on those who were selling and buying to be above all the objects that made up the sum of business. In short, he puts Christ and His coming as the reality, and all else as the shadows, transitions, movements of a world that even now crumbles underneath us. No wonder that he follows all up at the end with his own judgment, that the man most blessed is he who has the least entanglement, and is the most thoroughly devoted to Christ and His service.

Next in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 he begins to take up another danger for the Corinthian saints. They had the sound of the truth ringing in their ears; and assuredly there are few sounds sweeter than the liberty of the Christian. But what is more liable to abuse? They had abused power to self-exaltation; they were now turning liberty to license. But there is a solemn fact which none can afford to forget as to both power and liberty that without responsibility nothing is more ruinous than either. Herein lay the sad failure of these saints. In the sense of responsibility they were utterly wanting They seem to have forgotten completely that the Lord from whom the liberty had come is the One in whose sight, and for whose glory, and according to whose will, all power was to be used. The apostle recalls them to this; but he takes up their license in going into heathen temples, and eating things offered to idols, not first of all on the high ground of the Lord, but on account of their brethren. In their boasted liberty, and because they knew an idol was nothing, they considered that they might go anywhere, and do what they pleased. Nay, not so, cries the apostle; you must consider your brother. There is many a disciple who, far from knowing how vain idolatry is, thinks a good deal of the idol. Thus, you that know so much, if you make light of going here and there, will induce other disciples to follow your steps who may slip into idolatry through it, and thus a brother perish for whom Christ died; and what is the liberty of one who is instructed may prove the extreme ruin of one who is equally a believer in the Lord. Thus he looks at the thing in its full character and ultimate tendency if unchecked. Grace, as we know, can arrest these tendencies, and avert the evil results.

In 1 Corinthians 9:1-27 he interrupts the course of his argument by an appeal to his own place as an apostle. Some were beginning to question his apostolate. It was not that he in the slightest degree forgot his call by God's will to that special service; neither was he insensible to the blessed liberty in which he was serving the Lord. He could lead about a sister-wife like another; he had foregone this for the Lord's sake. He could look for support from the church of God; he preferred to work with his own hands. So in the second epistle to the Corinthians he begs them to forgive the wrong; for he would not accept anything from them. They were not in a condition to be entrusted with such a gift. Their state was such, and God had so overruled it in His ways, that the apostle had received nothing from them. This fact he uses in order to humble them because of their pride and licentiousness.

The course of this chapter then touches on his apostolic place, and at the same time his refusal to use the rights of it. Grace can forego all questions of right. Conscious of what is due, it asserts rights for others, but refuses to use them for itself. Such was the spirit and the faith of the apostle. And now he shows what he felt as to practical state and walk. Far from being full of his knowledge, far from only using his place in the church for the assertion of his dignity and for immunity from all trouble and pain here below, he on the contrary was as one under the law to meet him that was under it; he was as a Gentile to meet him that was free from law (that is, a Gentile). Thus he was a servant of all that he might save some. Besides, he lets them know the spirit of a servant, which was so lacking in the Corinthians in spite of their gifts; for it is not the possession of a gift, but love which serves and delights in service. The simple fact of knowing that you have a gift may and often does minister to self-complacency. The grand point is to have the Lord before you, and when others are thought of, it is in the love which has no need to seek greatness, or to a et it. The love of Christ proves its greatness by serving others.

This, then, was the spirit of that blessed servant of the Lord. He reminds them of another point that he was himself diligent in keeping his body in subjection. He was like a man with a race that was going to be run, and who gets his body into training. He puts this in the strongest way, "Lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." Mark the tact of the apostle. When he has something discreditable to say, he prefers to say it about himself; when he has something pleasing to say, he loves to put it with regard to others. So here he says, "Lest I myself become a castaway," not " you." He meant their profit, no doubt; his aim was for them to have their own consciences searched by it. If Paul even was exercising himself to have a conscience void offence; if Paul was keeping his body in subjection, how much more did these men need it? They were abusing all the comfort that Christianity brings, to live at ease and play the gentleman, if one may speak according to modern language. They had not entered in the smallest degree into the spirit of the moral glory of Christ humbled here below. They had dislocated the cross from Christianity. They had severed themselves from the power of service. Thus they were in the utmost possible jeopardy; but the apostle, who had the blessedness of Christ before him, and the fellowship of His sufferings is scarce another had like him, even he used all diligence of heart, and held a tight rein over himself. Faithful man as he was, he allowed himself none of these licenses. Liberty indeed he prized, but it was not going here and there to feasts of idols. He was free to serve Christ, and time was short: what had such an one to do with heathen temples?

Thus he wants them to feel their danger, but first of all he begins with himself. He was free but watchful; and he was jealous over himself, the greater the grace shown him. It was not that he in the smallest degree doubted his security in Christ, as some so foolishly say; or that such as have eternal life may lose it again. But it is plain that men who merely take the place of having eternal life may, and often do, abandon that place. Those who have eternal life prove it by godliness; those who have it not prove the lack of it by indifference to holiness, and lack of that love which is of God. So the apostle shows that all his knowledge of the truth, far from making him careless, prompted him to yet greater earnestness, and to daily denial of himself. This is a very important consideration for us all (I press it more especially on the young in such a day as this); and the greater the knowledge of the saints, the more they need to keep it in view.

The apostle draws their attention to another warning in the history of Israel. These had eaten of the same spiritual meat, for so he calls it; they had the heaven-sent manna, had drunk of the same spiritual drink; yet what became of them? How many thousands of them perished in the wilderness? The apostle is approaching far closer to their state. He began with application to his own case, and now he points to Israel as a people sanctified to Jehovah. At length the word is, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful." This was a great comfort, but it was also a serious caution. "God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able." It is in vain, therefore, to plead circumstances as an excuse for sin. "But [He] will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry." He makes it plain that he is, with characteristic address, dealing with their little-exercised consciences from the statement of his own earnest vigilance over his ways, and then from the sad and solemn history of Israel judged of the Lord. Thus, too, he goes forward into new ground, the deeper spiritual motives, the appeal to Christian affection as well as to faith. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? He begins with that which most nearly touches the heart. It would have been an order more natural, if one may so say, to speak of the body of Christ; as we know in the Lord's supper habitually, there is that which brings before us first the body and then the blood. The departure from what may be called the historical order makes the emphasis incomparably greater. More than that, the first appeal is founded on the blood of Christ, the answer of divine grace to the deepest need of a soul found in its guilt before God and covered with defilement. Was this to be slighted? "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" He does not here say, "the blood" or the "body of the Lord." This we find in 1 Corinthians 11:1-34; but it is here Christ, because it becomes a question of grace. "The Lord" brings in the idea of authority. This, then, is evidently an immense advance in dealing with the subject. Accordingly he now develops it, not on the ground of injury to a brother, but as a breach of fellowship with such a Christ, and indifference to His immense love. But he does not forget His authority: "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of demons." It is not simply the love of Christ, but His full authority as the Lord. The apostle contrasts two mighty powers that were contesting demons, on the one hand, a power stronger than man, struggling as to him here below; and, on the other hand, there was the Lord that had shed His blood for them, but the Lord of all who should judge quick and dead. Hence he follows up with a comprehensive and simple principle, but full of liberty withal, that in going into the market you need ask no questions. If I do not know that the food has been connected with idols, the idol is nothing to me; but the moment I know it, it is no longer the question of an idol but a demon; and a demon, be assured, is a very real being indeed. Thus what the apostle insists on amounts to this, that their vaunted knowledge was short indeed. Whenever a person boasts, you will in general find. that he particularly fails precisely where he boasts most. If you set up for great knowledge, this will be the point in which you may be expected to break down. If you set up for exceeding candour, the next thing we may well dread to hear is that you have played very false. The best thing is to see that we give ourselves credit for nothing. Let Christ be all our boast. The sense of our own littleness and of His perfect grace is the way, and the only way, to go on well. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"

Then in 1 Corinthians 11:1-34 we enter on another point. It would seem that the sisters at Corinth gave them a deal of trouble, and that they had forgotten entirely their due relative place. No doubt the men were at least as much to blame. It is hardly possible that women should ever put themselves forward in the church unless Christian men have deserted their true, responsible position and public action. It is the man's place to guide; and although women may assuredly be far more useful in certain cases, still, unless the man guides, what an evident departure from the order God has assigned to them both! How complete a desertion of the relative position in which they were placed from the first! Thus it was at Corinth. Among the heathen, women played a most important part, and in no quarter of the world, perhaps, so prominent a one as there. Need it be said that this was to their deep shame? There was no city in which they were so degraded as that in which the attained such conspicuous and unnatural prominence. And how does the apostle meet this new feature? He brings in Christ. This is what decides all. He affirms the everlasting principles of God, and he adds that which has so brightly been revealed in and by Christ. He points out that Christ is the image and the glory of God, and that the man stands in an analogous place as connected with and distinguished from the woman. That is to say, the woman's place is one of unobtrusiveness, and in fact, she is most effective where she is least seen. The man, on the contrary, has a public part a rougher and ruder task, no doubt one that may not at all bring into play the finer affections, but which demands a calmer and more comprehensive judgment. The man has the duty of the outward rule and administration.

Accordingly he marks the first departure from what was right by the woman's losing the sign of her subjection. She was to have a covering, on her head; she was to have that which indicated as a sign that she was subject to another. The man seemed to have failed just in the opposite way; and although this may seem a very little thing, what a wonderful thing it is, and what power it shows, to be able to combine in the same epistle eternal things and the very smallest matter of personal decorum, the wearing of long hair or short, the use of a covering on the head or not! How truly it marks God and His word!! Men. would scorn to combine them both in the same epistle; it seems so petty and so incongruous. But it is the littleness of man which calls for big matters to make him important; but the smallest things of God have significance when they bear on the glory of Christ, as they always do. In the first place, it was out of order that a woman should prophesy with her head uncovered; man's place was to do so. He was the image and the glory of God. The apostle connects it all with first principles, going up to the creation of Adam and Eve in a very blessed manner, and above all bringing in the second Man, the last Adam. Did they think to improve on both?

The latter part of the chapter takes up not the relative place of the man and the woman, but the supper of the Lord, and so the saints gathered together. The first part of it, as is evident, has nothing to do with the assembly, and thus does not dispose of the question whether a woman should prophesy there. In fact, nothing is said or implied in the early verses of the assembly at all. The point primarily mooted is of her prophesying after the manner of a man, and this is done with the greatest possible wisdom. Her prophesying is not absolutely shut out. If a woman has a gift for prophecy, which she certainly may have as well as a man, for what is it given of the Lord but for exercise? Certainly such an one ought to prophesy. Who could say the gift of prophecy given to a woman is to be laid up in a napkin? Only she must take care how she does exercise it. First of all, he rebukes the unseemly way in which it was done the woman forgetting that she was a woman, and the man that he is responsible not to act as a woman. They seem to have reasoned in a petty way at Corinth, that because a woman has a gift no less than a man, she is free to use the gift just as a man might. This is in principle wrong; for after all a woman is not a man, nor like one officially, say what you please. The apostle sets aside the whole basis of the argument as false; and we must never hear reasoning which overthrows what God has ordained. Nature ought to have taught them better. But he does not dwell on this; it was a withering rebuke even to hint at their forgetfulness of natural propriety.

Then, in the latter verses, we have the supper of the Lord, and there we find the saints expressly said to be gathered together. This naturally leads the way to the spiritual gifts that are treated of in1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31. As to the supper of the Lord, happily I need not say many words to you. It is, by the great mercy of God, familiar to most of us; we live, I may say, in the enjoyment of it, and know it to be one of the sweetest privileges God vouchsafes us here below. Alas! this very feast had furnished occasion, in the fleshly state of the Corinthians, to a most humiliating abuse. What led to it was the Agape, as it was styled; for in those days there was a meal which the Christians used to take together. Indeed, the social character of Christianity never can be overlooked without loss, but in an evil state it is open to much abuse. Everything that is good may be perverted; and it never was intended to hinder abuse by extinguishing that which was only to be maintained aright in the power of the Spirit of God. No rules, no abstinence, no negative measures, can glorify God, or make His children spiritual; and it is only by the power of the Holy Ghost in producing a sense of responsibility to the Lord as well as of His grace that saints are duly kept. So it was then at Corinth, that the meeting for the Lord's Supper became mingled with an ordinary meal, where the Christians ate and drank together. They were glad to meet at any rate, originally it was so, when love was gratified with the company of each other. Being not merely young Christians, but unwatchful and then lax, this gave rise to sad abuse. Their old habits re-asserted their influence. They were accustomed to the feasts of the heathen, where people thought nothing whatever of getting drunk, if it was not rather meritorious. It was in some of their mysteries considered a wrong to the god for his votary not to get drunk, so debased beyond all conception were the heathen in their notions of religion.

Accordingly these Corinthian brethren had by little and little got on until some of them had fallen into intemperance on the occasion of the Eucharist; not, of course, simply by the wine drank at the table of the Lord, but through the feast that accompanied it. Thus the shame of their drunkenness fell upon that Holy Supper; and hence the apostle regulated, that from that time forward there should be no such feast coupled with the Lord's Supper. If they wished to eat, let them eat at home; if they came together in worship, let them remember it was to eat of the Lord's body, and to drink of the Lord's blood. He puts it in the strongest terms. He does not feel it needful or suitable to speak of "the figure" of the Lord's body. The point was to make its grace and holy impressiveness duly felt. It was a figure, no doubt; but .still, writing to men who were at least wise enough to judge aright here, he gives all its weight, and the strongest expression of what was meant. So Jesus had said. Such it was in the sight of God. He that partook undiscerningly and without self-judgment was guilty of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus. It was a sin against Him. The intention of the Lord, the true principle and practice for a saint, is to come, examining his ways, trying his springs of action, putting himself to the proof; and so let him eat (not stay away, because there is much discovered that is humbling). The guard and warning is, that if there be not self-judgment, the Lord will judge. How low is the state of things to which all saints tend, and not the Corinthians only! There ought to have been, I suppose, an interposition of the church's judgment between the Christian's lack of self-judgment and the Lord's chastenings; but, alas! man's duty was altogether lacking. It was from no want of gifts. They had no sense of the place God designed self-judgment to hold; but the Lord never fails.

In 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 accordingly, the apostle enters on a full statement of these spiritual powers. He shows that the distinctive feature of that which the Spirit of God leads to is the confession, not exactly of Christ, but of Jesus as Lord. He takes the simplest and most necessary ground that of His authority. This is observable in verse 3: "Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed, and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost." Impossible that the Spirit should dishonour, yea, that He should not exalt, Him who humbled Himself for God's glory. "Now, there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God that worketh all in all." They had forgotten all this. They were pre-occupied with human thoughts, with this clever Jew and that able Gentile. They had lost sight of God Himself working in their midst. The apostle points out that if there were different services, if distinct gifts to one and another, it was for the common good of all. He illustrates the nature of the church as a body with its various members subserving the interests of the body and the will of the head. "By one Spirit were we all baptized into one body;" it is not the Holy Ghost merely making many members, but "one body." Accordingly he confronts with this divine aim their misuse of their spiritual powers, independence one of another, disorder as to women, self-glorification, and the like, as we see in1 Corinthians 14:1-40; 1 Corinthians 14:1-40 the detail. He presses that the least comely members, those that are least seen, may be of more importance than any others; just as in the natural body some of the most vital parts are not even visible. What would a man do without a heart, or liver, or lungs? So in the spiritual body there are members which are most important and not seen at all. But men are apt to value most those which make a showy appearance. Thus he rebukes the whole tenor and spirit of Corinthian vanity; at the same time he maintains their place of blessing and responsibility to the last. After all their faults he does not hesitate to, say, "Now ye are the body of Christ." This way of dealing with souls has been grievously enfeebled in the present day. Grace is so feebly known, that the first thought you will find amongst godly people is what they ought to be; but the ground and weapon of the apostle Paul is what they are by God's grace. "Ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular; and God hath set some in the church." It was far from his mind in the least to deny it. Observe here an important use of the expression, "the church." It cannot be the local assembly, because, looking at Corinth, no apostles were there. Whatever might be the providential arrangements outside in the world, he is looking at the assembly of God here on earth; and it is the assembly as a whole, the Corinthian assembly being, as every true assembly is, a kind, of representative, of the church universally. It is the church of God here below; not merely churches, though that was true also.

Thus we can look at what the church will be by-and-by glorified and absolutely perfect. We can also look at a particular local assembly. Besides there is this most important sense of the church never to be forgotten namely, that divine institution viewed as a whole on. earth. Members of Christ no doubt compose it; but there is His body, the assembly as a whole, in which God works here below. Such is the reason why we do not find in this epistle evangelists or pastors, because it is not a question of what is needed to bring souls in or lead them on. He looks at the church as a thing already, subsisting as the witness of the power of God before men. Therefore it was not at all necessary to dwell on those gifts which are the fruit of Christ's love to and cherishing of the church. It is regarded as a vessel of power for the maintenance of God's glory, and responsible for this here below. Therefore tongues miracles, healings, the use of outward powers, are largely dwelt on here.

But we pass on to another and a still more important theme, a wonderfully full picture even for God's word, that most perfect and beautiful unfolding of divine love which we have in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. After all, if the Corinthians had coveted gifts, they had not coveted the best But even if we may desire the best gifts, there is better still; and the best of all is charity love. Accordingly we have this in the most admirable manner brought out both in what it is and in what it is not, and that too as corrective of the wrong desires of the Corinthians, and the evil spirit which had manifested itself in the exercise of their gifts; so that what seems to be an interruption is the wisest of parentheses between chapter 12, which shows us the distribution of gifts and their character, and chapter 14, which directs the due exercise of gifts in the assembly of God. There is but one safe motive-power for their use, even love. Without it even a spiritual gift only tends to puff up its owner, and to corrupt those who are its objects.

Hence 1 Corinthians 14:1-40 thus opens: "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." And why? Prophecy seemed to be somewhat despised amongst the Corinthians. Miracles and tongues were liked, because these made themselves of importance. Such wonders made men stare, and drew general attention to those who were invested evidently with a superhuman energy. But the apostle lays it down, that the gifts which suppose the exercise of spiritual understanding have a far higher place. He himself could speak more tongues than they all. It need hardly be added that he did more miracles than any of them. Still, what he valued most was prophesying. We must not suppose that this gift simply means a man preaching. Prophesying never means preaching. More than this, prophesying is not simply teaching. It, no doubt, is teaching; but it is a good deal more. Prophesying is that spiritual application of the word of God to the conscience which puts the soul in His presence, and makes manifest as light to the hearer the mind of God. There is a great deal of valuable teaching, exhortation, and application, that has no such character. It is all very true, but it does not put the soul in the presence of God; it gives no such absolute certainty of God's mind flashing on the condition and judging the state of the heart before Him. I do not speak now of the unconverted, though prophesying might affect such as well as the converted. The direct object of it was, of course, the people of God; but in the course of the chapter the unbeliever is shown coming into the assembly and falling on his face, and owning that God was among them of a truth. Such is the genuine effect. The man finds himself judged in the presence of God.

There is no need to enter into all that this chapter brings before us, but it may be well to observe that we have giving of thanks and blessing, as well as singing and prayer. Prophesying and the rest are brought in as all pertaining to the Christian assembly. What was not directly edifying, as speaking in a tongue, is forbidden unless one could interpret. I doubt very much whether there was any revelation after the scheme of Scripture was complete. To suppose anything revealed, when that which is commonly called the canon was closed, would be an impeachment of God's purpose in it. But till the last portion of His mind was written down in a permanent form for the church, we can quite understand His goodness in allowing a special revelation now and then. This gives no warrant to look for anything of the sort at any time subsequent to the completion of the New Testament. Again, it is plain from this that there are certain modifications of the chapter. Thus so far it is true that if anything has, through the will of God, terminated (for instance, miracles, tongues, or revelations), it is evident that such workings of the Spirit ought not to be looked for; but this does not in the smallest degree set aside the Christian assembly or the exercise according to God's will of what the Spirit still distinctly gives. And undoubtedly He does continue all that is profitable, and for God's glory, in the present state of His testimony and of His church here below. Otherwise the church sinks into a human institute.

In the end of the chapter a very important principle is laid down. It is vain for people to plead the mighty power of God as an excuse for anything disorderly. This is the great difference between the power of the Spirit and the power of a demon. A demon's power may be uncontrollable: chains, fetters, all the power of man outside, may utterly fail to bind a man who is filled with demons. It is not so with the power of the Spirit of God. Wherever the soul walks with the Lord, the power of the Spirit of God on the contrary is always connected with His word, and subject to the Lord Jesus. No man can rightly pretend that the Spirit forces him to do this or that unscripturally. There is no justification possible against Scripture; and the more fully the power is of God, the less will a man think of setting aside that perfect expression of God's mind. All things therefore are to be done decently and in order an order which Scripture must decide. The only aim, as far as we are concerned, that God endorses, is that all be done to edification, and not for self-display.

The next theme (1 Corinthians 15:1-58) is a most serious subject doctrinally, and of capital importance to all. Not only had the devil plunged the Corinthians into confusion upon moral points, but when men begin to give up a good conscience, it is no wonder if the next danger is making shipwreck of the faith. Accordingly, as Satan had accomplished the first mischief among these saints, it was evident the rest threatened soon to follow. There were some among them who denied the resurrection not a separate state of the soul, but the rising again of the body. In fact the resurrection must be of the body. What dies is to be raised. As the soul does not die, "resurrection" would be quite out of place; to the body it is necessary for God's glory as well as man. And how does the apostle treat this? As he always does. He brings Christ in. They had no thought of Christ in the case. They seem to have had no wish to deny the resurrection of Christ; but should not a Christian have at once used Christ to judge all by? The apostle at once introduces His person and work as a test. if Christ did not rise, there is no resurrection, and therefore no truth in the Gospel; "your faith is vain: you are yet in your sins." Even they were quite unprepared for so dreadful a conclusion. Shake the resurrection and Christianity goes. Having reasoned thus, he next points out that the Christian waits for the time of joy and glory and blessing for the body by-and-by. To give up resurrection is to surrender the glorious hope of the Christian, and to be the most miserable of men.. For what could be more cheerless than to give up all present enjoyment without that blessed hope, for the future at Christ's coming? Thus strongly was the whole complex nature of man before the apostle's mind in speaking of this hope of blessedness by-and-by.

Then, somewhat abruptly, instead of discussing the matter any more, he unfolds a most weighty revelation of truth "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the. resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." True, the kingdom is not yet come for which we are waiting, but it 'will come. See how all truth hangs together, and how Satan labours to make a consistency in error. He knows the weakness of man's mind. Nobody likes to be inconsistent. You may be dragged into it, but you are never comfortable when you have a sense of inconsistency about you. Hence, after one. error gains empire over the mind of man, he is ready to embrace others just to make all consistent.

Such was the danger here among the Corinthians. They had been offended by the apostle's supreme indifference to all that is of esteem among men. His habits of speech and life were not at all up to the mark that they supposed seemly before the world in a servant of God. Out of this fertile root of evil has the clergy grown. It has been the effort to acquire as much refinement as possible. Holy orders make a man a sort of gentleman if he was not so before. This seems to have been at work in, the minds of these critics of the apostle. Here we find what lay at the bottom of the matter. There is generally a root of evil doctrine where you find people wrong in practice. At any rate, where it is a deliberate, persistent, and systematic error, it will not be merely a practical one, but have a root deep underneath. And this was what now came out at Corinth. It was feebleness about that which, after all, lies at. the very foundation of Christianity. They did not mean to deny the person of Christ or His condition as risen from the dead; but, this is what the enemy meant, and into this their wrong notion tended to drift them. The next step, after denying resurrection for the Christian, would be to deny it about Christ. And here the apostle does not fail to rebuke them, and in a manner trenchant enough. He (exposes the stupidity of their questions, wise as they flattered themselves to be. How? It is always the danger of man that he is not content to believe; he would like first of all to understand. But this is ruinous in divine things, which are entirely outside sense and reason. All real understanding for the Christian is the fruit of faith.

The apostle does not hesitate in apostrophising the unbeliever, or at any rate, the errorist he has in view, to expose his folly. "Thou fool," says he, "that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die." Thus the strongest possible censure falls on these Corinthians, and this for the very matter in which they plumed themselves. Human reasoning is poor indeed outside its own sphere. However, he is not content merely with putting down their speculations; he brings in subsequent and special revelation. The previous part of the chapter had pointed out the connection of Christ's resurrection with our resurrection, followed by the kingdom which finally gives place in order that God may be all in all. In the latter part of the chapter he adds what had not been explained hitherto, From the early portion we should not have known but that all saints die, and that all rise at Christ's coming. But this would not be the full truth. It is most true that the dead in Christ rise, of course, but this does not explain about the living saints. He had vindicated the glorious character of the resurrection; he had proved how fundamental, and momentous, and practical, is the truth that the body is to be raised again, which they were disposed to deny as though it were a low thing, and useless even if possible. They imagined the true way to be spiritual was to make much of the spirit of man. God's way of making us spiritual is by a simple but strong faith in the resurrection-power of Christ; look to His resurrection as the pattern and spring of our own. Then at the last he adds that he would show them a mystery. On this I must just say a few words in order to develop its force.

The resurrection itself was not a mystery, The, resurrection of just and unjust was a well-known Old Testament truth. It might be founded on Scriptures comparatively few, but it was a fundamental truth of the Old Testament, as the apostle Paul lets us hear in his controversy with the Jews in the Acts of the Apostles. In fact, the Lord Jesus also assumes the same thing in the gospels. But if the raising of the dead saints was known, and even the raising of the wicked dead, the change of the living saints was a truth absolutely unrevealed. Up to this it was not made known, It was a New Testament truth, as this indeed is what is meant by a "mystery." It was one of those, truths that were kept secret in the Old Testament, but now revealed not so much a thing difficult to comprehend when stated, as a thing not revealed before. "And behold," says he, "I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." Evidently this supports and confirms, while it might seem an exception to, the resurrection; but, in point of fact, it gives so much the more force and consistency to the rising of the dead in a very unexpected way. The general truth of the resurrection assuredly does put the sentence of death on all present things to the believer, showing that the earth cannot rightly be the scene of his enjoyment, where all is stamped with death, and that he must wait for the resurrection power of Christ to be applied before he enters the scene where the rest of God will be our rest, and where there will be nothing but joy with Christ, and even this earth will behold Christ and His saints reigning over it till the eternal day. The addition to this of the New Testament truth of the chance gives immense impressiveness to all, and a fresh force, because it keeps before the Christian the constant expectancy of Christ. "Behold, I show you a mystery" not now that the dead in Christ shall rise, but "we," beginning with the "we" "we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed; for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality." And "therefore," as he closes with the practical deduction from it all, "my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work, of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

The last chapter is now before us, in which the apostle lays down a weighty exhortation as to collections for the saints. He puts it on the ground of their being prospered in any degree, and connects it with the special day of Christian enjoyment, when they gather together for the communion of saints. "Upon the, first day of the week let every one of you lay by in store as he has been prospered, that there be no gatherings when I come." Need it be said how human influence has dislocated the truth there? No doubt this was precisely what the apostle, or the Holy Ghost rather, discerned to be at work at Corinth, the same mistake that has wrought so malignantly in Christendom; that is to say, personal rank, learning, eloquence, or a great name (as of an apostle for instance), invoked to call out the generosity of the saints (perhaps, even of the world), and increase the proceeds by all these or like means.

But is there not another danger? Is there no snare for you, beloved brethren? When persons are more or less free from the ordinary incubus of tradition, when they are not so much under the influence of excitement, and of those appeals to the love of being known and of pleasing this or that man, or the cause, or any of those human motives that often do operate, I apprehend that they are exposed to danger in a wholly opposite direction. Do we sufficiently make it a matter of personal responsibility to the Lord, everyone of us, to give, and that in connection with the first day of the week and its blessed surroundings and objects, when we meet at His table? Do we every one of us give as we are prospered by the way? It is very well to keep clear of human influence, but let us see to it that we do not forget that "the Lord has need" of our giving for the purposes He loves here below. And of this I am sure, that if we have rightly cast aside mere human calls, and if we do thank God for the deliverance from worldly influence, and from the power of custom, public opinion, etc., it would be a deep reproach if we did not do double as much now, under the grace that confides in us, as we used to do under the law that used to govern us. Your own consciences must answer whether you can meet the Lord about this matter. I believe that we are in no small danger of settling down in the conviction that our old way was quite wrong, and simply keeping the money in our pockets. It does seem to me, I confess, that bad as human pressure may be in order to raise money, bad as may be a variety of earthly objects in this way or that, bad as a worldly lavish expenditure is, after all, a selfish personal keeping to ourselves of what we have is the worst thing of all. I am quite persuaded that the danger of the saints of God who have been brought outside the camp lies here, lest, delivered from what they know to be wrong, they may not seek in this an exercised conscience. Standing in the consciousness of the power of God's grace, they need to be continually looking out that they be devoted to Him. To cease doing what was done in a wrong way, and sometimes for wrong ends too, is not enough. Let there be zealous and vigilant exercise of soul, and enquiry how to carry out right objects in right ways, and so much the more, if indeed a simpler, fuller knowledge of God's grace and of Christ's glory has been given us.

Then we have various forms of ministry noticed. It is not here gifts as such, but persons devoted to labouring in the Lord; for there is a difference between the two things, as this chapter shows us strikingly. For instance, the apostle himself comes before us in ministry with his especial gift and position in the church. Then again, Timothy is there, his own son in the faith, not only an evangelist, but with a charge over elders at length, to a certain extent acting occasionally for the apostle Paul. Again, we have the eloquent Alexandrian thus introduced: "As touching our brother Apollos I greatly desired him to come unto you, but his will was not at to come at this time." How delicate and considerate the grace of Paul who wished Apollos to go to Corinth then, and of Apollos who wished not to go under the circumstances! On the face of the case we have the working of liberty and responsibility in their mutual relations; and the apostle Paul is the very one to tell us that Apollos's will was not to go as he himself wished at this time. It was no question of one in a place of worldly superiority regulating the movements of another of subordinate degree. The apostle did express his strong desire for Apollos to go; but Apollos must stand to his Master, and be assured that he was using a wisdom greater than that of man's. Finally, we observe another character of service lower down in "the house of Stephanas." This was a simpler case and a humbler position, but very real before God, whatever the danger of being slighted of men. Hence, I think, the word of exhortation "I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first-fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)" etc. They gave themselves up in an orderly manner to this work. "That ye submit yourselves," not merely to Timothy or to Apollos, but to such, to the simple-hearted Christian men whose desire was to serve the Lord with the measure of power they had, and this proved by their persevering labour. Undoubtedly, in the midst of the difficulties of the church, in the face of the oppositions and disappointment, manifold griefs, enemies, and sources of sorrow and shame, it requires the power of God to go on without being moved by any of these things. It is an easy thing to make a start; but nothing short of the power of God can keep one without wavering at the work in the face of everything to cast down. And this was the question. We may suppose that these Corinthians were troublesome enough. From the statements made in the early part of the epistle it is evident; and so the apostle calls upon them to submit themselves. Evidently there was an unsubject spirit, and those ministered to thought they were just as good as the house of Stephanas. It is good to submit ourselves "unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us and laboureth." I am persuaded, beloved brethren, that it is no impeachment of the blessedness of the brotherhood to maintain the speciality of ministry in the Lord. There can be in these matters no more deplorable error than to suppose that there is not to be this godly submission one toward another, according to the place and power that the Lord is pleased to entrust.

The Lord grant that our souls may hold fast the truth here revealed, and in no general or perfunctory way. All I pretend to now is to give a sketch or combination of the parts of the epistle. But may the word itself, and every part of it, sink into our souls and be our joy, that we may not only take the precious truth of such an epistle as the Romans for the peace and joy of our hearts in believing individually, but also may understand our place by faith as of God's assembly on earth, and with thankful praise as those that call on the name of the Lord ours as well as theirs as those that find ourselves practically in need of such exhortations. The Lord give us His own spirit of obeying the Father.