1 Corinthians 1:1-9
1 Corinthians 1:1-9. SALUTATION AND INTRODUCTION... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Corinthians 1:1-9. SALUTATION AND INTRODUCTION... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΑΥ͂ΛΟΣ. We find this name first given to the Apostle in Acts 13:9. His real name was Saul. But it was usual for Jews to have a name of similar sound to their own for use in the Gentile world, as Jason for Joseph, Ἰοῦστος (perhaps) for Ἰησοῦς (Colossians 4:11), and the like. Some have suggested that... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΗ͂Ι ἘΚΚΛΗΣΊΑΙ ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΟΥ͂. ἐκκλησία signifies an assembly. St Paul adds the words ‘of God’ to shew that it should be one in Him, ‘For the Church’s name is not one of separation, but of unity and concord.’ Chrysostom. ἩΓΙΑΣΜΈΝΟΙΣ. Literally, TO THEM THAT HAVE BEEN SANCTIFIED. The word here rendered _... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΠῸ ΘΕΟΥ͂ ΠΑΤΡῸΣ ἩΜΩ͂Ν ΚΑῚ ΚΥΡΊΟΥ ἸΗΣΟΥ͂ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂. The close association of these words—for the preposition is not repeated twice—has been held to imply the oneness of substance of the Father and the Son. See Winer _Gr. Gram._ § 50, 7. It is also worthy of remark that the grace and peace are said to... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΗ͂Ι ΧΆΡΙΤΙ ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΟΥ͂ ΤΗ͂Ι ΔΟΘΕΊΣΗΙ ὙΜΙ͂Ν ἘΝ ΧΡΙΣΤΩ͂Ι ἸΗΣΟΥ͂. Literally, _the_ FAVOUR _of God which was given you_ IN _Christ Jesus_. χάρις is here used in the signification of favour, kindness, rather than in the usual theological signification of Divine assistance. The Apostle is speaking of that... [ Continue Reading ]
ὍΤΙ ἘΝ ΠΑΝΤῚ ἘΠΛΟΥΤΊΣΘΗΤΕ. BECAUSE IN EVERY THING YE WERE ENRICHED, i.e. at your baptism, when you entered into the covenant-union with Christ. See last note. The gifts of utterance, knowledge and the like, were the result of the favour of God towards you. It appears evident from the rest of the Epi... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΘΏΣ. INASMUCH AS. The ground of the former assertion is here given. Ye were enriched, because the testimony of Christ was made sure unto you. Cf. ch. 1 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 1:28; Ephesians 1:4, &c. Or, EVEN AS, the usual sense of καθώς, i.e. in exact measure as. ΤῸ ΜΑΡΤΎΡΙΟΝ ΤΟΥ͂ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂. The... [ Continue Reading ]
ὙΣΤΕΡΕΙ͂ΣΘΑΙ. ARE LACKING. Cf. ἐπλουτίσθητε above. No comparison with other churches is hinted at. The middle voice here seems to decide this point. ΧΑΡΊΣΜΑΤΙ. See ch. 1 Corinthians 7:7; 1 Corinthians 12:4, note. The special gifts of the Spirit are intended. The Apostle’s drift in 1 Corinthians 1:4... [ Continue Reading ]
ὋΣ ΚΑῚ ΒΕΒΑΙΏΣΕΙ ὙΜΑ͂Σ. ‘Who shall establish us, so that we shall be blameless in the day of Jesus Christ.’ ἝΩΣ ΤΈΛΟΥΣ. This fixes the sense of ἀποκάλυψις above as a gradual revelation, leading up to the great day. ἈΝΕΓΚΛΉΤΟΥΣ. The construction is ‘shall make you firm, as men against whom no accus... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΙΣΤΌΣ. God is _faithful_, i.e. to be depended upon. He will not fail on His part, if we are but true to ourselves and to Him. ΔΙ' ΟὟ. This use of διὰ in reference to the _causa principalis_ is unusual. See Winer, _Gr. Gram._ Pt III. § 47. ΚΟΙΝΩΝΊΑΝ. The important word here rendered _fellowship_ in... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΑΡΑΚΑΛΩ͂ ΔῈ ὙΜΑ͂Σ. See ch. 1 Corinthians 14:31, note. The Apostle now enters on the subject of the divisions among his Corinthian converts, for which his introduction (see next note) was intended as a preparation. ΔΙᾺ ΤΟΥ͂ ὈΝΌΜΑΤΟΣ ΤΟΥ͂ ΚΥΡΊΟΥ ἩΜΩ͂Ν ἸΗΣΟΥ͂ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂. St Chrysostom says that the rea... [ Continue Reading ]
REBUKE OF THE DIVISIONS IN THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΔΗΛΏΘΗ ΓΆΡ ΜΟΙ. The aorist here seems to imply some special occasion on which St Paul met his informants, and received the intelligence which pained him. Of Chloe nothing is known.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΛΈΓΩ ΔῈ ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟ. The force of this is well given by the A.V. NOW THIS I SAY, and still better by the R.V. (especially if transposed) NOW I MEAN THIS. ἝΚΑΣΤΟΣ ὙΜΩ͂Ν. This is not to be pressed literally. It is a Hebraism for ‘the great majority of you.’ ἘΓῺ ΜΈΝ ΕἸΜΙ ΠΑΎΛΟΥ. The idea of some commentat... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΜΈΡΙΣΤΑΙ Ὁ ΧΡΙΣΤΌΣ; Some editors (e.g. Westcott and Hort) have read this affirmatively, ‘_Christ is divided_.’ But _can_ Christ be divided? It seems better to render ‘Hath Christ (then) been divided?’ Dean Colet says in his Commentary on this chapter: ‘Quum itaque ejusmodi quiddam unum compositum... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΡΊΣΠΟΝ ΚΑῚ ΓΆΪΟΝ. The special honour of baptism by the hands of St Paul seems to have been accorded to Crispus, because he was ‘the chief ruler of the synagogue’ (Acts 18:8). Gaius, ‘mine host, and of the whole Church’ (Romans 16:23), must not be confounded with Gaius of Derbe (Acts 20:4), nor with... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣ ΤῸ ἘΜῸΝ ὌΝΟΜΑ. INTO MY OWN NAME.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΤΕΦΑΝΑ͂. Probably the bearer of the Epistle. He is mentioned in ch. 1 Corinthians 16:15; 1 Corinthians 16:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΛΛᾺ ΕΥ̓ΑΓΓΕΛΊΖΕΣΘΑΙ. ‘Even the less learned can baptize perfectly, but perfectly to preach the Gospel is a far more difficult task, and requires qualifications which are far more rare.’—Augustine. ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΝ ΣΟΦΊΑΙ ΛΌΓΟΥ. For σοφία see ch. 1 Corinthians 12:8, note. What the Apostle here means is not... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ΛΌΓΟΣ ΓᾺΡ Ὁ ΤΟΥ͂ ΣΤΑΥΡΟΥ͂. The Apostle here gives the reason _why_ he does not use what is reputed as wisdom in the external style and framework of his discourse. It would be of no use. His teaching is not intended to convince the intellect, but to change the heart. His message is the message of t... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD’S MESSAGE NOT INTENDED TO FLATTER THE PRIDE OF MAN... [ Continue Reading ]
ΓΈΓΡΑΠΤΑΙ ΓΆΡ. In Isaiah 29:14. ΤῊΝ ΣΎΝΕΣΙΝ ΤΩ͂Ν ΣΥΝΕΤΩ͂Ν. The distinction between σύνεσις and σοφία is said by Cremer in his Lexicon to be that between _reflective_ and _productive_ thinking. Rather perhaps, between reflection and _intuition_. For σύνεσις (from σύνειμι or συνίημι) involves a _proc... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΟΥ͂ ΣΟΦΌΣ; ΠΟΥ͂ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΕΎΣ; ΠΟΥ͂ ΣΥΝΖΗΤΗΤΉΣ; i.e. ‘the wise generally, the Jewish scribe, the Greek disputer.’—Dean Alford. ΤΟΥ͂ ΑἸΩ͂ΝΟΣ ΤΟΎΤΟΥ. These words, according to De Wette, apply, not to the last of the three substantives, but to all of them. αἰών is rather AGE than, with A.V., _world_. Ο... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΕΙΔῊ ΓΆΡ. A.V. ‘for after that.’ But Winer, _Gr. Gram._ Pt III. § 53 (and Moulton’s note), says that ἐπειδή is not used of time in N. T. Translate therefore FOR SINCE. The meaning is that since human wisdom could not enlighten the world, it pleased God to enlighten it by what man in his self-conce... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΕΙΔῊ ΚΑΊ. SINCE ALSO. Another proof of how little human wisdom availed to penetrate the counsels of the Most High. ΣΗΜΕΙ͂Α. The Jews (Matthew 12:38; Matthew 16:1; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16; John 2:18; John 6:30) required external attestations of the power of Christ, and especially that of the subjuga... [ Continue Reading ]
ἩΜΕΙ͂Σ ΔΈ. WE, ON THE CONTRARY. ΧΡΙΣΤῸΝ ἘΣΤΑΥΡΩΜΈΝΟΝ. The Christian doctrine was the very reverse of what Jews and Greeks demanded. Instead of Messiah upon an earthly throne, triumphant over His enemies, instead of a skilful and original disputant, the Christian preachers speak of a condemned crimi... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑΥ̓ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΔῈ ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΚΛΗΤΟΙ͂Σ. BUT TO THE CALLED THEMSELVES, i.e. as opposed to all others. ΧΡΙΣΤῸΝ ΘΕΟΥ͂ ΔΎΝΑΜΙΝ ΚΑῚ ΘΕΟΥ͂ ΣΟΦΊΑΝ. He is so called, because in Him dwelt all the fulness of the Divine manifested in bodily form, Colossians 2:9. See note on 1 Corinthians 1:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
ὍΤΙ ΤῸ ΜΩΡῸΝ ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΟΥ͂. Dean Colet remarks that this may either refer to what precedes or what follows. If to the latter, it refers to those who receive the Gospel, who are wiser and more powerful than other men. If the former, we must explain it thus. What was folly in the eyes of the Greek, or we... [ Continue Reading ]
ΒΛΈΠΕΤΕ ΓᾺΡ ΤῊΝ ΚΛΗ͂ΣΙΝ ὙΜΩ͂Ν. Perhaps, BEHOLD YOUR CALLING. So Vulgate, Wiclif and Tyndale. The Apostle adds an illustration of his paradox in 1 Corinthians 1:25. The truth is exemplified in the growth of the Christian Church. Its law of progress is the very opposite to that of all ordinary bodies.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΞΕΛΈΞΑΤΟ. SELECTED. The preposition denotes selection from among a number; the voice denotes the purpose for which God called them, i. e. to do His work; the tense denotes the act of choice itself. ἽΝΑ ΚΑΤΑΙΣΧΎΝΗΙ. IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT BRING TO SHAME. It is stronger than the A.V. ‘confound.’ Man... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΓΕΝΗ͂. LOW BORN. Men of no family, as we should say. ἘΞΟΥΘΕΝΗΜΈΝΑ. The perfect participle intensifies the contempt. ΤἈ ΜῊ ὌΝΤΑ, i.e. ‘things which by comparison are non-existent’—things which by the side of other things of higher importance in our human eyes appear to us as nothing. Yet these, in... [ Continue Reading ]
ὍΠΩΣ. God’s purpose in all this is here distinctly pointed out. It was to remove all possibility of self-glorification from mankind.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΞ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂ ΔῈ ὙΜΕΙ͂Σ. FROM HIM, i.e. as the source of your life. To the world you seem as nothing. Yet in truth, as being in Him, through His Son (ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ), you are greater than all beside. For yours, as derived from Him, is the only true birth and being. Cf. John 1:13; John 1:16. ὋΣ ἘΓΕΝΉΘ... [ Continue Reading ]
ἽΝΑ. The sentence is incomplete. We must supply γένηται or some equivalent word. Ὁ ΚΑΥΧΏΜΕΝΟΣ, ἘΝ ΚΥΡΊΩΙ ΚΑΥΧΆΣΘΩ. The whole work of salvation is of God. The Corinthians, like many others since, were inclined to take some of the credit to themselves. The Apostle reminds them to Whom it is due. These... [ Continue Reading ]