Page images
PDF
EPUB

of the teachers who baptized them, he told them that he and his brethren apoftles, who, in refpect of their inspiration, were the chief teachers in the church, were fent by Chrift, not fo much to baptize, as to preach the gospel, ver. 17.

The falfe teacher, by introducing the Grecian philofophy and rhetoric into his difcourfes, had endeavoured to render them acceptable to the Corinthians, and had preferred himself to Paul, who he faid was unfkilful in these matters. Left therefore, the Corinthians should think meanly of his doctrine and manner of preaching, the apoftle told them, that Chrift had sent him to preach the gospel, not with wifdom of Speech, that is, with philofophical arguments expreffed in flowery harmonious language, fuch as the Greeks ufed in their fchools; because in that method, the gospel becoming a fubject of philofophical difputation, would have loft its efficacy as a revelation from God, ver. 17,

---

That though the preaching of falvation through the cross, appeared mere foolishness to the deftroyed among the heathen philofophers and Jewish fcribes, yet to the íaved from heathenifm and Judaism, it was found by experience to be the powerful means of their falvation, ver, 18.-That God foretold he would remove both philofophy and Judaifm on account of their ineffi cacy, ver. 19.-and make the Greek philofophers and Jewifh scribes afhamed to fhew themselves, because they had darkened and corrupted, rather than enlightened and reformed the world, ver. 20. That having thus experimentally fhewn the inefficacy of philosophy, it pleafed God, by the preaching of doctrines which to the philofophers appeared foolishness, to fave them who believed, ver. 21.And therefore, notwithstanding the Jews required the fign from heaven, in confirmation of the doc trines proposed to them, and the Greeks expected every doctrine to be conformable to their philofophical principles, the apoftle preached falvation through Chrift crucified, which he knew was to the Jews a ftumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness, ver. 22, 23.-But to them who were called, or perfuaded to believe the gofpel, both Jews and Greeks, that doctrine was the powerful and wife means which God made use of for their falvation, ver. 24.-Therefore, faid he, it is evident that the foolish doctrines of God have more wisdom in them than the wifeft doctrines of men; and the weak inftruments ufed by God for accomplishing his purposes, are more effectual than the greatest exertions of human genius, ver. 25.

Having thus defended both the doctrines of the gofpel, and the manner in which they were preached, the apoftle very properly proceeded to fhew the Corinthians, the folly of boasting in their teachers, on account of their learning, their eloquence, their high birth, or their power. Look, faid he, at the perfons

who

who have called you to the belief of the gospel; not many phi lofophers, not many warriors, not many noblemen, have been employed to call you, ver. 26.-But God hath chofen for that purpofe, unlearned perfons, to put to fhame the learned, ver. 27. - by their fuccefs in enlightening and reforming the world, ver, 28. that no flesh might take any honour to himself, in the

matter

OLD TRANSLATION. CHAP. I. I Paul called

to be an apoftle of Jefus Chrift, through the will of God, and Softhenes our brother,

2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are fandided in Chrift Jefus, called to be faints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jefus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours,

GREEK TEXT,

1 Παυλος κλητα απο ορ

& Inos Xp158, dia JeanMarQ O±8, xαι [wo Jeuns & αδελφα,

2 Τη εκκλησία τε Θεε τη έση εν Κορινθῳ, ἡγιασμένοις εν Χρισῳ Ιησε, κλητοις, απ γιοις, συν πασι τοις επικα λεμενοις το όνομα τε Κυριε ήμων Ιησε Χρισε εν παντι το πω, αυτών τε και ἡμων·

Ver. 1.-1. A called Apofle. Because the faction pretended to entertain doubts of Paul's apoftlefhip, chap. ix. 1. he began this letter with telling them, that he was not, like Matthias, an apostle made by men, neither did he affume the office by his own authority, but he was called to it by Chrift himself, who for that purpose appeared to him from heaven, as he went to Damafcus to perfecute his disciples; and that in calling him to be an apoftle, Chrift acted by the appointment of God. So Ananias affured Paul, Acts xxii. 14, 15. Wherefore, in refpect of the manner in which Paul was made an apoftle, he was more honourable than all the other apoftles. See Rom. i. 1. note 2.

2. Softhenes. If this perfon was the chief ruler of the fynagogue at Corinth, mentioned as active in perfecuting Paul, Acts xviii. 17. we must suppose that he was afterwards converted, and became an eminent preacher of the gofpel: and having a confiderable influence among the Corinthians, he joined in writing this letter, for the reasons mentioned, I Theff. Pref. fect. 2.

Ver. 2.-1. The church of God, &c. This is a much more august title than that mentioned, Gal. i. 2. The churches of Galatia.

2. To the fanctified. See Eff. iv. 53. and chap. vi. 11. note 2.

3. To the called into the fellowship of the faints; as the apoftle himfelf explains it, ver. 9.

matter of converting and faving mankind, ver. 29.-the whole glory being due to God, ver. 30, 31. In this light, the mean birth and low ftation of the first preachers of the gofpel, together with their want of literature and eloquence, inftead of being objections to the gospel, are a strong proof of its divine original.

[blocks in formation]

COMMENTARY.

CHAP. I. 1 Paul, a miraculoufly called apoftle of Jefus Chrift, agreeably to the will of God, and Softhenes my fellow labourer in the gofpel,

2 To the worshippers of the true God, who are in Corinth; to the feparated from the heathens, by their being under Jefus Chrift; to the called people of God; to those who merit the appellation of faints, because they have renounced idolatry, and have devoted themselves to serve the true God; with all in every place, who worship our Lord Jefus Chrift, who is both their and our Lord who are Jews.

4. To the faints. See Eff. iv. 48. 1 Cor. vi. I. where the faints are opposed to the unrighteous, that is to idolaters.

5. All in every place. Though this epiftle was written to correct the diforderly practices of the Corinthians, it contained many general inftructions, which could not fail to be of use to all the brethren in the province of Achaia likewife, and even to Chriftians in every place: for which reafon, the infcription confifts of three members, and includes them all.

6. Call upon the name of our Lord Jesus. Tos eixarμs. This expreffion we have, Acts vii. 59. And they floned Stephen, Eixaμo, calling upon Chrift, and faying, Lord Jefus, receive my fpirit. See alfo Acts ix. 14. xxii. 16. Rom. x. 12, 13, 14.-Praying to Chrift was fo much practifed by the firft Chriftians, that Pliny mentioned it in his letter to Trajan: Carmen Chrifto, quafi Deo, dicere, They fing with one another, a hymn to Chrift as a God.

7. Both their and our Lord. This the apoftle mentioned in the beginning of his letter, to fhew the Corinthians how abfurd it was for the difciples of one mafter, to be divided into factions under particular leaders. Chrift is the only Lord or master of all his disciples, whether they be Jews or Gentiles.

VOL. II.

C

Ver. 4.

[blocks in formation]

3 Χαρις ὑμῖν και ειρηνη απο Θε8 πατρος ἡμων, και Κύριε Ιησε Χρις.

4 Ευχαρισω τῷ Θεῷ με παντοτε περὶ ὑμων, επι τη χαριτι τ8 Θε8 τη δοθείση υμιν εν Χρισώ Ιησε

5 Ότι εν παντι ἐπλ8τι· σθητε εν αὐτῷ, ἐν παντὶ λο

γω και πάση γνωσει,

6 Καθώς το μαρτύριον τε Χρισ8 εβεβαιωθη εν ὑμῖν·

7 Ωςε ὑμᾶς μη υπερείσα θαι εν μηδενι χαρισματι, απ πεκδεχόμενες την αποκαλυψιν το Κύριε ήμων Ιησε Χρις8. 8 Ος και βεβαιωσει ὑμας ἕως τελες ανεγκλητες εν τη ἡμερα τε το Κυριο ἡμων Ιησέ

Χριστο

Ver. 4. On account of the grace of God; that is on account of the fpiritual gifts. For fo the grace of God fignifes, Rom. xii. 6. Having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us. See alfo Ephef. That grace hath this fignification here, is evi

iv. 7, 8. 1 Pet. iv. 10. dent from ver. 5.

Ver 5. 1. With all fpeech. Εν παντί λόγῳ, with all forts of languages. From chap. xiv. we learn that many of the Gentiles at Corinth, as well as of the Jews, were endowed with the gift of tongues.

1

2. And all knowledge. See 1 Cor. xii. 8. note 2. What is here faid concerning the enriching of the Corinthians with all knowledge, is to be understood chiefly of the fpiritual men among the Jewish converts; for moft of the Gentile converts at Corinch, were flembly or weak perfons, and babes in Chrift, chap. iii. 1. 3.

Ver. 6. When the teftimony of Chrift: the teftimony concerning Chrift. So the phrafe fignifies, 2 Tim. i. 8. See Eff. iv. 24.

Ver. 7. So that ye come behind in no gift. The apoftle fpeaks here, not of individuals, but of the church at Corinth, as having in it fpiritual men, who poffeffed all the different fpiritual gifts which common believers could enjoy. Accordingly he alked them, 2 Cor. xis.

13.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

3 May gracious difpofitions be to you, with peace, temporal and eternal, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom God difpenfes these blessings.

4 In my prayers, I give thanks to my God, always concerning you, on account of the grace of God, which was given to you through the powerful operation, and agreeably to the will of Jefus Chrift:

5 I mean, that ye were enriched with every spiritual gift by Jefus Chrift; and in particular, with all forts of languages, and with a great measure of infpired knowledge,

6 When our teftimony concerning Chrift, as the Son of God and Saviour of the world, was confirmed among you, by the miracles which I wrought, and the fpiritual gifts I conferred on you.

7 So that ye come behind other churches, in no gift; firmly expecting the revelation of our Lord Jefus Chrift as the Son of God, by his appearing in the glory of the Father to judge the world.

8 He (God, ver. 4.) also will confirm you, until the end, in the belief of that teftimony; fo as to be without just cause of accufation, in the day of the revelation of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

13. What is the thing wherein ye have been inferior to other churches? See 2 Cor. xii. 12. note 3.

Ver. 8.-1. He also will confirm you. "Os, here, is not the relative, but the perfonal pronoun. For the following verfe fhews that the perfon fpoken of is God, mentioned ver. 4. I give thanks to my God, &c.

2. Without accufation. The apoftle in this, expreffes only his charitable judgment, not of individuals, but of the body of the Corinthian church. For by no ftretch of charity could he hope, that every individual of a church in which there were fuch great disorders, would be unaccufable at the day of judgment. Sce 1 Theff. iii. 13. note 2. Ver. 10.

Сг

« PreviousContinue »