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FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.

PAUL

CHAPTER I.

AUL, called to be an apostle
of Jesus Christ through the

CHAPTER I.

will of God, and Sosthenes, our brother,

2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them

modest reference to his "heavenly call-
ing," the apostle admonished his breth-
ren of their duty to give diligent heed
to his words. T And Sosthenes. This
person is generally supposed to have
been the same who is mentioned, Acts
xviii. 17, where he is represented as
engaged in an "insurrection against
Paul," and as involved in unpleasant
consequences. If this be the same, he
was subsequently converted, and be-
came as prominent among the Chris-
tians as he formerly had been among
the Jews at Corinth, when he was the
chief ruler of the synagogue." His
name is joined with that of the apostle
in this salutation, perhaps because he
was the amanuensis on this occasion.
See note on Rom. xvi. 22; or perhaps,
because the acknowledged conversion
of one holding such a high official posi-
tion among the Jews might be expected
to have a favorable influence upon the
Jewish converts at Corinth.
It was
not unusual for Paul thus to join with
himself some prominent brother in his
salutations to the churches. See 2 Cor.
i. 1; Phil. i. 1; 1 Thess. i. 1.

1. Paul. As in his epistle to the Church at Rome, the apostle here uses his Gentile name, and for the same reason. See note on Rom. i. 1. ¶ Called to be an apostle, or, a called apostle. See note on Rom. i. 1. T Through the will of God. Paul was not one of the twelve original apostles of Jesus Christ. Indeed, he was an unbeliever and a persecutor, after our Lord's ascension into heaven. For this or for some other reason, his apostolical authority was often questioned by false teachers. It was fitting, therefore, that he should refer to his divine commission at the very commencement of an epistle designed, not only to announce the truth of the gospel, but to rebuke false teachers and to counteract the unhappy consequences of their labors. The manner in which Paul was called to be an apostle is related in Acts ix: 1-9; xxii. 1-16; xxvi. 9-18. Not only did he receive his commission "through the will of God," or by divine authority, but he also received his instruc- 2. Unto the church of God. The tions in like manner. Hence he says, church at Corinth was gathered under "The gospel which was preached of me the personal exertions of Paul during is not after man: for I neither received his residence there for "a year and it of man, neither was I taught it, but six months." See Acts xviii. 1-18. by the revelation of Jesus Christ." It was gathered chiefly from among the Gal. i. 11, 12. He was not like Matthi- Gentiles, the Jews having generally as, an apostle by election; but solely refused to hear the gospel. Its mem"through the will of God," who had bers were formerly among the most prointerposed by miracle for his conver- fane of the Gentiles, their city being sion, and had communicated the truth pre-eminently conspicuous for wickedto him by direct revelation. By thisness. They had embraced the gos

that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

pel, and acknowledged the Lord Jesus Christ: yet they were very far from having attained perfection. Many of their philosophical errors were not yet eradicated, and many of their vicious practices were not yet reformed, as is evident from what follows in this epistle. Nevertheless, with all their imperfections, both of faith and of conduct, the apostle recognizes them as the "church of God." They had been called, according to the will of God, 2 Tim. i. 9; and the work of sanctification had been commenced in them. Notwithstanding all their errors, they cherished faith in God, and acknowledged his son Jesus as the Christ: and notwithstanding their many imperfections in morality, they were not entirely destitute of a spirit of righteousness. Instead of repudiating them, and refusing them fellowship, on account of their short-comings, the apostle acknowledged them as brethren, gave thanks to God for so much improvement as they had experienced, ver. 4-6, and exhorted them throughout the epistle to strive for a more correct faith and a more pure conduct, so that they might enjoy a fulness of the divine gifts and be blameless in all things, ver. 7, 8. To them that are sanctified, or, made holy. Of course, we are not to understand that they had already attained perfection in holiness; for this is not true of Christians generally, and certainly not of the persons here addressed, as is manifest from the whole scope of this epistle. But they were separated from the heathen; they had professed faith in Christ; they had renounced their former idolatrous opinions and practices, they had made an effort to break off their sins by righteousness; their spirits had felt the influence of the divine spirit, and the work of sanctification was in progress. T Called to be saints. See note on Rom. i. 7. With all that in every place, &c. It would seem that Paul

3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of

expected his epistle would be read by others besides the Corinthians; and to all such he offers his Christian salutation. His desire for the advancement of the gospel was not limited by geographical lines, nor was his Christian affection bounded by the extent of a particular church or sect. To all who professed the name of Christ he extended a fraternal greeting, even as he exhorted all men, everywhere, to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that they might enter into life. ¶ Call upon the name, &c. That is, who call on Jesus Christ; who believe in him as a divinely-commissioned messenger, and acknowledge him to be Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil. ii. 11. See note on Rom. x. 13. ¶ Both theirs and ours. Jesus Christ is the equal Lord of all his disciples. To all, there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all." Eph. iv. 5, 6. With much propriety the apostle announces this fact in the outset, as he is about to rebuke his brethren for their unchristian divisions. He thus intimates the great impropriety of party names, in honor of mere men; when the only proper subjection of Christians is to one Lord and master. Of what consequence is it, whether the gospel be preached by Paul, or Apollos, or Peter? It should be remembered that they are only ministers of the word; but that Jesus is "the author and finisher of faith," Heb. xii. 2, and the only Lord to whom our allegiance is due, with the single exception of him by whom we were placed under subjection to our Lord's authority, ch. xv. 27.

3. Grace be unto you, notes on Rom. i. 7.

&c. See

4. I thank my God, &c. See note on Rom. i. 8. The apostle had occasion to reprove his brethren for many faults both in word and in deed; yet he recognized some good in them, for which he was thankful to God, and was will

God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all

and God shall be all in all, ch. xv. 28. Through him, spiritual gifts are communicated to men; and through him, it is meet that their gratitude and thanksgivings should be rendered to his God and theirs. See note on Rom. i. 8.

5. That in every thing. Namely of a spiritual character; for the apostle is here speaking of the fruits of divine grace, ver. 4, which were bestowed on the Corinthians through Jesus Christ. Two particular gifts are specified in this verse, which are clearly of this character. The temporal blessings of life were enjoyed by believers in com

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ing to award them the meed of approbation. He would not deny them the Christian name, because their faith was not in all points accurate; nor would he withhold Christian fellowship because they were not entirely pure from sin. On the contrary, he commended them for what they had received or attained, and then, by reproof and exhortation, stimulated them to strive for more knowledge and greater purity. For the grace of God. Here, as everywhere in his epistles, Paul ascribes to divine grace the salvation of men from error and from sinfulness. The Corinthian brethren had turned from idols unto God, and had aban-mon with unbelievers, except so far as doned many of their sinful practices; and this saving change in them is attributed by the apostle to the grace of God. They had not converted themselves. They had not, by their own strength, wrought out their salvation; but the grace of God had wrought in them, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure. Phil. ii. 12, 13. It is generally understood that the reference here is particularly to the miraculous gifts of the spirit; but it may be doubted whether the meaning be not more general, including not only miraculous gifts, but the ordinary influences and fruits of the spirit. See note on Rom. xii. 6. ¶ By Jesus Christ. Or through Jesus Christ, the appointed medium of communication between God and man. The apostle recognizes God as the author and bestower of all blessings; yet they are bestowed through his Son, whom he hath constituted the head of every man, ch. xi. 3. All the present blessings of the gospel are derived through the ministry of Jesus, who revealed it, and who exemplified its nature in his conduct, and demonstrated the truth of its crowning promise, by his own resurrection and ascension. He is to remain the minister of God unto men for good, until he shall have subdued all hearts, and completed the work committed unto him. Then, and not sooner, will he resign his dominion,

they were prevented by persecution.
But spiritual blessings were enjoyed
through faith; in these, unbelievers
had no present part or lot.
¶ Ye are
enriched by him. Not only were they
partakers of the blessings, but they had
received them in abundant measure.
"By the use of this word, the apostle
intends doubtless to denote the fact
that these blessings had been conferred
on them abundantly; and also that this
was a valuable endowment, so as to be
properly called a treasure. The mercies
of God are not only conferred abun-
dantly on his people, but they are a
bestowment of inestimable value.".
Barnes. The spiritual blessings here
indicated were valuable in a two-fold
sense: they contributed to the spiritual
growth and happiness of those upon
whom they were bestowed, and more-
over enabled them to communicate
happiness to others by bringing them
to a knowledge of the truth. In all
utterance. The apostle probably here
refers not to the natural ability of
his brethren to utter their thoughts in
appropriate language, but to the com-
municated power of speaking in tongues,
or using foreign languages, which
they had never learned, but which
were native to some of their hearers.
See ch. xiv. And in all knowledge.
That is, of the truths of the gospel.
The apostle does not here refer to what
is sometimes denominated human

utterance, and in all knowl- of Christ was confirmed in edge; you:

6 Even as the testimony

knowledge, or a knowledge of the lib-
eral arts and sciences. Not many of
the Corinthian brethren were educated
men; not many of them were eminently
skilled in polite literature. It was
not from the highly-polished class that
the larger portion of early teachers
or disciples was taken. But the persons
here addressed had received a knowl-
edge of
the gospel, through the
preaching of Paul and his associ-
ates. They had believed the truths
uttered, and although in many respects
their knowledge was deficient, which
deficiencies this epistle was partly de-
signed to supply, yet it was so far su-
perior to that which their unbelieving
fellow-citizens possessed, that they
might well be said to be "enriched-
in all knowledge."

7 So that ye come behind in

is called "the testimony of Christ," because it embraced an account of his doctrines, his labors, his sufferings, his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. Such was the gospel which he was commanded to preach. Acts xxvi. 16-18; and such was the gospel which he did preach, Acts xxiii. 1-11; 1 Cor. xv. 1-9. T Was confirmed in you. Or, confirmed among you. Confirmed in your hearts, or established among you as a truth. The word here translated confirmed is used in a similar sense, Mark xvi. 20: "the Lord - confirming the word with signs following." In like manner was the "testimony of Christ" confirmed or established or demonstrated, among the Corinthian converts, by signs and miraculous gifts, as well as by the influence of the divine spirit in their. hearts. See 2 Cor. xii. 12, 13. One of these gifts, the ability to speak in foreign tongues, is specified in the preceding verse. The apostle believed, and his disciples believed, that divine truth was demonstrated by miracles, and that miracles were a sufficient demonstration of the truth: in other words, that this kind of demonstration was both proper and conclusive. His Lord and ours had before appealed to the miraculous power of God exhibited among men, as a sufficient proof of the truths which he taught. John x.

6. Even as. Macknight translates when, connecting this verse with the preceding: " ye were enriched with every gift by him, even with all speech and all knowledge, when the testimony of Christ was confirmed among you." This gives a good sense to the passage, more natural, perhaps, than the common version. Yet it must be confessed that the word used here, though of very frequent occurrence in the New Testament, is nowhere else translated when, except in Acts vii. 17. The more common opinion is, that this particle connects the two verses thus: the mir-37, 38. See also Acts ii. 22. There are aculous gifts imparted to believers furnished a confirmation of the gospel, and as those gifts remained, they continued to afford confirmation, even as at the beginning: or, these gifts remain with believers confirming their faith, even as their faith was first established by the bestowment of the gifts. The testimony of Christ. That is, the testimony concerning Christ. Probably none of the Corinthian brethren had enjoyed the personal instructions of Christ. But they had received the testimony concerning Christ from his authorized agents, and had been convinced of its truth. The gospel which Paul had preached to the Corinthians

those who reject the miracles, and yet profess to believe the gospel. A firm belief in the miracles might add confirmation and stability to their faith.

7. Ye come behind in no gift. Ye are not lacking in any gift. Equivalent to being enriched, as in ver. 5. The idea is, that they had shared abundantly in the gifts of the spirit; perhaps not exclusively miraculous gifts, but with these also the "joy of the Holy Ghost," which accompanied their belief, 1 Thess. i. 6, and all the purifying and comforting influences of the divine spirit, which were shed abroad in their hearts. In common with other Christians, they had

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