1 Corinthians 16:23

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. THE GRACE ... This is the salutation meant in ; from which unbelievers (: cf. :11 ) are excluded....

19-24 Christianity by no means destroys civility. Religion should promote a courteous and obliging temper towards all. Those give a false idea of religion, and reproach it, who would take encouragement from it to be sour and morose. And Christian salutations are not mere empty compliments; but are real expressions of good-will to others, and commend them to the Divine grace and blessing. Every Christian family should be as a Christian church. Wherever two or three are gathered together in the name of Christ, and he is among them, there is a church. Here is a solemn warning. Many who have Christ's name much in their mouths, have no true love to him in their hearts. None love him in truth, who do not love his laws, and keep his commandments. Many are Christians in name, who do not love Christ Jesus the Lord in sincerity. Such are separated from the people of God, and the favour of God. Th...

Verse 23. _THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS_] May the favour, influence, mercy, and salvation procured by Jesus Christ, be _with_ _you_-prevail among you, rule in you, and be exhibited by you, in your life and conversation! Amen....

THE GRACE ... - See the note at Romans 16:20....

EXPOSITION 1 CORINTHIANS 16:1 _Directions and arrangements._ 1 CORINTHIANS 16:1 NOW CONCERNING THE COLLECTION FOR THE SAINTS. "The saints" are here the poor Christians at Jerusalem (Romans 15:26). The subject weighed much on St. Paul's mind. First, there was real need for their charity, for at Jerusalem there was as sharp a contrast between the lots of the rich and poor as there is in London, and the "poor saints," being the poorest of the poor (James 2:5), must have often been in deep distress. Not many years before this time, in

THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU. This is the apostle's salutation in all his epistles, and is a token of the truth and genuineness of them; Romans 16:20; and is a wish for a supply of all grace from Christ, and an increase of it in the saints; that they may have the communications of it to them, to quicken, invigorate, and draw forth into exercise the grace they have received, and to enable and assist them in the discharge of every duty....

1 CORINTHIANS 16:23 VIhsou/ The Textus Receptus, following ac A C D F G K L M most minuscules, including 6 424c 920 1739, itd, g, r syrp, h copsa, bo arm eth, reads VIhsou/ Cristou/. The shorter reading VIhsou/, which is supported by a* B 2 33 35 226 356 442 823 1611 1908 2004 vg goth _al,_ is to be preferred. In view of the presence of the longer reading in other Pauline benedictions ( Romans 16:24; 2 Corinthi...

2. EXHORTATIONS AND CONCLUSION. CHAPTER 16 _ 1. Concerning Collections. (1 Corinthians 16:1)_ 2. Ministry. (1 Corinthians 16:5) 3. Greetings. (1 Corinthians 16:19) First, in concluding this Epistle, he writes them about collections for the Saints. The same directions, he had given to the assemblies in Galatia. The collection for the Saints was to be taken on the first day of the week in connection with the remembrance of Him who had said, “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” He did not want to have any collections when he came, His presence might have influenced them in some way and he wanted to avoid this. How different is the collecti

1 CORINTHIANS 16. VARIOUS BUSINESS AND PERSONAL MATTERS. SALUTATION. First (1 Corinthians 16:1) he gives instructions as to the collection for the poor Christians at Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8 f.*, Romans 15:25; Acts 24:17, p. 771). The Church had apparently consulted him on the matter. We have no information as to the injunctions given to the Galatian churches. Every Sunday something should be laid by at home for the purpose. This is the first indication we have of any special importance being attached to Sunday. The term the Lord's day (Revelation 1:10) had not apparently as yet come into use. The term Day of the Sun, w

PRACTICAL PLANS (1 Corinthians 16:1-12)...