1 Corinthians 16:1-4

“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 each one of you lay by him in store, as he hath prospered, that the gatherings be not only when I come; 3. and when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by 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.”

When dividing among themselves the preaching of the gospel throughout the whole world, the apostles had made an arrangement by which Paul and Barnabas should from time to time renew the help sent by the Church of Antioch in a particular case, in behalf of the poor Christians of Jerusalem (Galatians 2:10; Acts 11:27-30). It has been asked whether the indigence of these last did not arise from the community of goods which had prevailed in the Church for a time, after Pentecost. Augustine had already suggested this idea. Reuss speaks in this connection of imprudence, of squandering of fortunes, misunderstood charity. But it is impossible that sacrifices made for the time, to keep up common tables, and of which a few examples only are quoted in the Acts, could have had so considerable an influence on the monetary condition of the Christians of the capital. Edwards calls attention to the expression τοὺς πτωχοὺς τῶν ἁγίων, the poor among the saints (Romans 15:26), which proves that the indigence did not extend to all. We must remember what appears clearly from the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistle of James, as well as from the term Ebionites (poor) by which Christians of Jewish origin are designated: viz. that Christianity had gained the mass of its adherents from the poor population of Palestine. Now the Christians were hated by the great and rich of Jerusalem on whom they depended for their work. Nothing easier for them, consequently, than to reduce Christians to the last extremity. Moreover, believers must have been exposed by the Jewish authorities in Palestine to a thousand vexations and penalties from which the Churches of other countries were free. If we read carefully Jam 2:6 in connection with chap. 1 Corinthians 5:1-6, we shall have an idea of the painful situation of the Churches of Palestine, and particularly of that of Jerusalem, at this period. It closely resembled the position of Hindoo converts excluded from their caste, or that of Protestants, newly converted from Catholicism, in Spain or Italy, whom the animosity of the clergy, and their influence over the wealthy classes, often deprive of their means of subsistence. Finally, it must not be forgotten that we have here the imitation of a custom which prevailed among the Jews from the time that the people were scattered over the Gentile world. It appears from Josephus (Antiq. 18.9. 1) and from Philo (Leg. ad Caium, § 40) that, in all the cities where there was a Jewish colony, there was a treasury established in which every Israelite deposited the offerings which he destined for the temple and for the inhabitants of the capital. It was from Babylonia that the richest contributions came. Men of the noblest families were chosen to carry those collections to Jerusalem. It was therefore most natural for the Church to appropriate this usage in behalf of the mother Church of Christendom, all the more because such manifestations of Christian love were the finest testimony to the communion of saints, a close bond formed by the Spirit of God between the two great divisions of the primitive Church; comp. 2 Corinthians 8:9 and Romans 15:25-27.

The form περὶ δέ, as to what concerns, concerning, as well as the art. τῆς, the, introduce the subject as one already known to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 9:2); and what is to be said immediately of the Churches of Galatia proves that the matter had long engaged attention. Besides, the passage Galatians 2:10 shows that it was not the first time such a thing had been done.

The expression the saints, though frequently denoting all Christians (1 Corinthians 6:2; Romans 12:13), is certainly not used here by Paul without allusion to the peculiar dignity belonging to the members of the primitive Church of Jerusalem; comp. 2 Corinthians 8:4; 2 Corinthians 9:1; 2 Corinthians 9:12. They possess, whatever Holsten may say in opposition to Hofmann, a special consecration; they are the natural branches of the good olive tree (Romans 11:16-17; Romans 11:24), whereas believers of the Gentiles are branches of the wild olive grafted among the former on the patriarchal stem. According to Ephesians 2:19, the Gentiles become by faith fellow-citizens of the saints, that is to say, of Christians of Jewish origin. It is from the Church of Jerusalem, St. Paul says (Romans 15:27), that spiritual blessings have spread throughout the world. There is much delicacy on Paul's part in emphasizing this characteristic when speaking of an act which might have had something humiliating about it for those who were its objects. This almsgiving thus became the payment of a debt, or better still an act of homage, a sort of tithe offered by the Church of the Gentiles to the Levites of the human race.

Perhaps in the letter of the Corinthians to Paul a question had been put to him as to the steps to be taken for the success of this business. To his high speculative and dialectic powers the apostle united an eminently practical mind. The plan which he advised the Churches of Galatia to follow, and which the Corinthians are now called to imitate, is no other than that which he points out in 1 Corinthians 16:2. The κατά is distributive: every first day; the cardinal numeral μία, one, used instead of the ordinal first, is a Hebraism; comp. Mark 16:2; Mark 16:9. The terms σάββατον (sometimes σάββας) and σάββατα gradually took the meaning of week; comp. Luke 18:12; for weeks are measured by Sabbaths. It seems probable from this passage, as from Acts 20:7, that the day which followed the Sabbath, and which was the day of the resurrection of Jesus, was early distinguished from the other days of the week and substituted for the Sabbath as the ordinary day for religious worship; comp. Revelation 1:10. The Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles calls it, as the Apocalypse does, the Lord's day, omitting even the word ἡμέρα, which already makes κυριακή an entirely technical term (see Edwards). Our passage presents one of the first indications of the special religious consecration of this first day of the week.

Each one; even the least wealthy, even slaves; however little it may be.

The words: by him, denote an act done by each in his own house, and not, as some have thought, a gift bestowed in church and known to the giver only.

The expression θησαυρίζων, storing up a treasure, is very beautiful; while expressing the same thought as τιθέναι παῤ ἑαυτῷ, to set aside, it brings out the encouraging aspect of this method; such successive deposits, little as they may be, gradually become a respectable sum, a treasure. But the apostle would not have this measure to become a burden such as might oppress the hearts of the givers (2 Corinthians 9:7). Hence he adds: as he hath prospered. The verb εὐοδοῦν, to guide happily in a journey, signifies in the Middle: to make a journey happily oneself; and hence: to prosper in one's business. The plan in question therefore is the setting apart regularly of a certain proportion of the weekly gain.

The object of this measure is that the sums may be ready when Paul comes, and that there may be nothing to do except to lift them, which will be done quickly and easily, and will give an ampler sum than if the gift were all bestowed at one time.

Vv. 3. Paul has no thought of taking charge of the sum collected himself. He is the ambassador of Christ to the Church, and not a deputy between different Churches. In the passage 2 Corinthians 8:23 he speaks of apostles, that is, delegates, of the Churches to one another. It is such delegates that the Corinthians will name to represent them to the Church of Jerusalem, and to offer it this testimony of their love; οὓς δοκιμάσητε : “ Those whom you (yourselves) shall count worthy (of this mission).” Several commentators (Calvin, Beza, etc.) connect the regimen by letters with the verb δοκιμάσητε : “Whom ye shall approve by letters.” It was the Church of Corinth, according to them, which was to furnish its delegates with letters of introduction to the Church of Jerusalem. But does δοκιμάζειν admit of such a meaning? The verb bears rather on the choice than on the envoy. Here it would be necessary to give it the meaning, not only of declaring worthy, but of recommending as worthy. It is therefore better to connect the regimen by letters, as the ancient Greek commentators and many moderns do, with the verb πέμψω, I shall send. It is Paul who will introduce them to the Church of Jerusalem, which is much more natural, for he only stands in relation to it. The plural ἐπιστολῶν might designate several letters; but it is more natural to understand here only one, whether we take ἐπιστολῶν as a plural of category, or give the singular meaning to the plural substantive, as the Latin litterae so often has. This letter would no doubt be addressed to James as head of the council of elders at Jerusalem (Acts 21:18). Meyer justly observes that the δἰ ἐπιστολῶν is placed first in contrast to the other possible case: that of Paul going and introducing them himself (1 Corinthians 16:4).

Vv. 4. He is not yet certain that he will go to Jerusalem; but if the collection is large enough, that will determine him to go personally to Palestine, and he will join those who may be charged with presenting it. But in this case Paul is careful not to say: “I will go with them.” Conscious as he is of his apostolic dignity, he is well aware that he will be the principal personage of the deputation; and therefore he says: They will go with me.

In taking all these measures, Paul's object was not merely to respect the autonomy of the Churches; he wished also to secure himself against the odious suspicions which prevailed at Corinth in the minds of adversaries who were utterly unscrupulous as to the means they used to blacken his character and undermine his authority; comp. 2 Corinthians 12:16-18.

The question which Paul here leaves in suspense, we find answered affirmatively, Romans 15:25: “Now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints,” and Acts 20:1-6, where we find him at Corinth surrounded by deputies from all the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia, who are preparing to start with him for Jerusalem.