The apostle had in the foregoing Chapter s, by many cogent arguments, exhorted the Corinthians to deny themselves the lawful use of their Christian liberty, for the benefit of their brethren; to enforce which argument he propounds to them his own example in this verse, BE YE FOLLOWERS OF ME EVEN AS.... [ Continue Reading ]
This commendation is to be restrained to the sounder part of the church at Corinth, who were mindful of his precepts and instructions which he had delivered to them concerning matters appertaining to the public worship of God; which precepts and rules for the worship of God he calls TRADITIONS, beca... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our apostle answers the query, and resolves the case which the Corinthians had put to him, and laid before him, about church-order, and concerning the decent behaviour of men and women in church- assemblies. And first he reminds them, that. subordination of persons in the church of God ought t... [ Continue Reading ]
By the man's PRAYING AND PROPHESYING, understand his performing any divine offices in the church, as prayer, and expounding the scriptures, singing of psalms, and the like. By doing this COVERED, understand not the natrual covering of the hair, but an artificial covering by. veil, after the manner... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle here proceeds by many arguments to evince and prove the woman's inferiority and subjection to the man, and that she ought to have. covering upon her head as. sign and token of it. First, because the image of God, that is, the image of his majesty, dominion, and power, shineth forth most... [ Continue Reading ]
Another argument which the apostle offers, to prove the inferiority of the woman, is this, That originally the man was not made of the woman, or for the woman, but the woman was made of the man, (his rib,) and for the man, that is, for his service and comfort, to be an help meet for him, and to be i... [ Continue Reading ]
Moreover, for this cause ought the woman TO HAVE POWER, (that is,. veil upon her head, as. sign and in token of her husband's power, and her own subjection,) BECAUSE OF THE ANGELS; that is, say some, 1. Because of the law of subjection given her by the ministry of angels. 2. Because of the pastors... [ Continue Reading ]
Because the apostle might seem to have been too harsh towards the woman, and lest the man should thereupon take occasion to carry himself with pride and insolence towards her, he prudently intimates the mutual help and need which both man and woman stand in of one another; for since the creation of... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. How our apostle closes his discourse, in which he had reproved the Corinthians, the men for covering, the women for uncovering, their heads, and laying aside their veils in time of religious worship: by an appeal to themselves and their own judgment concerning the matter he is speak... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle here enters upon. new argument or subject-matter of discourse; namely, to reprove the abuses which were crept in amongst them, in their administration of the holy sacrament of the Lord's supper. And the first abuse which he blames them for, was, the divisions and factions which were fou... [ Continue Reading ]
As if he had said, "True, ye Corinthians, when ye come together to one place, ye pretend to eat the Lord's supper, but though you eat it, yet ye do not eat it as ye ought to do; you perform the material part of the action, but you do not partake of it solemnly and religiously, according to the divin... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our apostle begins to reprove the Corinthians for the abuses found in their love-feasts. These love-feasts were founded on no express command in holy writ, but only on the custom of the church, who immediately before receiving the sacrament used to have. great feast, to which all the poor were... [ Continue Reading ]
A twofold sense and interpretation is given of these words, Some paraphrase them thus; What! must you make the house of God the place of your feasting? If you be disposed for mirth and jollity, have you not houses wherein you may do it with more privacy, and less offence? Or despise you the church o... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. How the apostle, for reforming those abuses which were crept into the church amongst them, relating to the holy sacrament, reduces them to the first institution of that sacred ordinance; I HAVE DELIVERED UNTO YOU WHAT. HAVE RECEIVED OF THE LORD. Mark, the apostle, did receive and d... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle having in the foregoing verses declared the original institution of the Lord's supper, he comes now to instruct the Corinthians in the right use of it; and to excite them to. due regard in their approaches to it, he acquaints them with the great danger of an unworthy receiving of it; WHO... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, The duty required to prevent the danger of unworthy receiving, and that is, the great and necessary duty of examination.. metaphor taken from goldsmiths, who try the truth of their gold by the touch-stone, the purity of their gold by the fire, the weight of it by the scale. Observe, 2... [ Continue Reading ]
What it is to eat and drink unworthily, we find explained before, at 1 Corinthians 11:27. Note here farther, That many persons of honest hearts, but weak heads, have sadly misunderstood the words of St. Paul, about unworthy receiving, thinking that such an excess of reverence and preparation is req... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS CAUSE; that is, for profaning the sacrament, and not discerning the Lord's body at the Lord's table; for not approaching it as. feast of love designed equally for the benefit of all his members, and to knit them in the closest bonds of unity and friendship each to other: therefore it was th... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, if we would examine, try, censure, and sentence ourselves, and so come to the Lord's table as penitent believers, with. purity of aim, and. sincere intention; we should thereby escape the castigatory punishments, and condemnatory sentence, of God. Learn hence, That as it is our duty often... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe, 1. The nature of those judgments, or afflictive evils, which do befall the children of God in this life: they are chastenings: WE ARE CHASTENED OF THE LORD. Chastenings belong properly to children who are wanton and ungovernable. TO BE CHASTENED has. double aspect; first upon our privilege,... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle here concludes his discourse with an exhortation to the Corinthians, to take heed for time to come that all these fore-mentioned miscarriages may be rectified; that when they come together to eat the Lord's supper, and the love-feasts, they should tarry one for another, that they may all... [ Continue Reading ]