Chapter Sixteen

¹ Chapter Sixteen. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the Churches of Galatia, so do you also. Having brought to completion his discourse concerning the doctrines, he came to the chief of the virtues, namely almsgiving. And he calls it a “collection,” at once making the matter light from the very outset; for what is contributed by many was light for each one. Then he leads them to emulation: “As it was directed by me, things already set right by others.” For as the Galatians, he says, have done. And he did not say, “I exhorted,” but “I directed,” which is more authoritative, that you may learn that it is a royal ordinance, and may not hold the matter in contempt.

² On the first day of the week let each of you lay aside by himself, storing up whatever he may be prospered in. By “the first day of the week” he means the Lord’s Day, that is, the first of the days of the week. And from the day itself he urges them on to almsgiving, reminding them of the mysteries accomplished on it. And very providently he commands each to store up whatever he may be prospered in—that is, whatever God may send, and what he may have ready to hand. For he did not say, “Bring it at once,” lest anyone who has little be ashamed, but, “Gather it beside yourself, and when it has become worth mentioning, then bring it.”

³ That there be no collections when I come. That there be no gathering, he says, at the very time when there is need to expend. And by saying “When I come,” he makes them more eager toward the collection, since the contribution is to be made, as it were, before his very eyes.

⁴ And when I arrive, whomever you approve by letters, these I will send to carry your gift to Jerusalem. Well has he set down “whomever you approve,” everywhere avoiding occasions of stumbling, lest they suspect that he himself wishes to embezzle anything from what is gathered. Place a stop, then, at “approve”; then read on, “by letters these I will send”; so that the sequence is as follows: Whomever you approve, these I will send by my letters—as though saying, “I too will be present with them, and will share in the ministry through my letters.” And he called the matter a “gift,” that is, a generous bounty, in order to show that they were doing something great, and not out of grief or out of necessity; for such is a gift. For to have called it almsgiving would have been unworthy of those illustrious saints.

⁵ And if it be worthwhile that I also should go, they will go with me. If what is gathered, he says, be so much as to be worthy even of my own ministry, I will go. And by this he urges them on to liberality. And in this way too he wishes to have witnesses, that he himself will take nothing; wherefore he says, “They will go with me.”

⁶ But I will come to you when I have passed through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia); and with you perhaps I will even remain, or even spend the winter, that you may send me forward, wherever I may go. For I do not wish to see you now in passing; but I hope to abide some time with you, if the Lord permits. He did not say, “I am going away to Macedonia,” lest they say, “You prefer the Macedonians to us,” but, “I am passing through Macedonia,” that is, “I look upon them as in haste and in passing, but with you I remain.” And by this he shows both that he prefers them to the Macedonians, as more genuine disciples and more worthy of mention—for great was the Church in Corinth—and he also strikes fear into those who were sinning, by the word “I will remain.” And he adds “perhaps,” because of the uncertainty; for he did not know whether this would be permitted him by the Spirit or not, since he was led by the Spirit wherever It willed. And being in Ephesus, he then looked to go away into Macedonia, and to pass through it more quickly, and then to go away to them. And in many ways he shows his disposition toward them, both by not wishing to see them in passing, and by wishing to be sent forward by them.

⁷ But I will remain at Ephesus until Pentecost,—and this too belongs to one who loves greatly: both to say where he will remain, and until when; and moreover to add the reason. For he goes on to say:

⁸ For a door has been opened to me, great and effectual, and the adversaries are many. That is, “Many are about to come to the faith, and a broad entrance to them has been opened to me, inasmuch as their ministry toward the faith is at its height.” For to the teacher there is straitness when he does not have eager disciples, but spaciousness when he finds them. And the adversaries are many—which does not hinder, but rather provokes; for the devil, seeing himself being stripped bare, is the more troubled, and stirs up those who oppose.

⁹ Now if Timothy come, see that he be without fear among you. Since it was likely that Timothy, having come to Corinth, would lay hold of those who were sinning and rebuke them, he secures them, lest the rich and wise rise up against him—not because Timothy, being unmanly, was about to fall, but because they themselves were about to be harmed. For that man was exceedingly well prepared for dangers. And well did he say, “among you.” For do not cite to me the Greeks; for the present I require it of you.

¹⁰ For he works the work of the Lord, as I also do; let no one therefore despise him. That is, “He preaches and teaches; and not simply, but as I do.” Which is great praise for Timothy. Since, then, he is such a one, “let no one despise him”; for he was young, and alone, and had been entrusted with the care of so great and so haughty a people, and it was likely that he would be held in contempt.

¹¹ But send him forward in peace, that he may come to me; for I am awaiting him with the brethren. “Rather, then,” he says, “honor him also”; for “send him forward” makes this plain. And “in peace,” that is, without fear, without battle and contention, with all submission. And “I am awaiting him” belongs to one striking fear, that, knowing he will report everything to him, they may in no way grieve him; and at the same time he makes him more reverend, seeing that he holds him so necessary as even to await him.

¹² But concerning Apollos the brother, I greatly besought him to come to you with the brethren; and it was altogether not his will to come now. Apollos was both older than Timothy and an eloquent man. So that they might not say, “Why ever did he not send him, but the younger man?” he says, “I besought him much.” And he does not say, “He withstood me,” but, absolving him too of blame, he says, “It was altogether not the will”—that is, God did not will it. And lest they say that these things are a pretext and an excuse, he says:

¹³ But he will come when he has opportunity. At once both making his defense on that man’s behalf, and consoling them, who longed to see him, with the hope of his coming.

¹⁴ Watch. Again he exhorts them toward the end, showing that they must not place their hopes upon their teachers, but also in themselves. “Watch,” because of those who deceive; and he said this as to men who were drowsing.

¹⁵ Stand firm in the faith. Not in the outward wisdom; for in that it is not possible to stand, but to be carried about; and he said this as to men who were being shaken.

¹⁶ Be manful, be strong. Because of those who plot against them; and he said this as to men growing soft.

¹⁷ Let all your affairs be done in love. This is directed against those who were forming factions and tearing apart the Church. For whether, he says, one teaches, or learns, or rebukes, let all be in love; and there will be no puffing up nor division, with love mediating.

¹⁸ Now I exhort you, brethren. This is a transposition: “I exhort you, that you also submit yourselves to such as these”; and the rest is inserted between.

¹⁹ You know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia. “You,” he says, “know it, and have no need to learn it from me.” And he calls the household of Stephanas the firstfruits of Achaia, either because they were the first to believe, or because they also chose the best manner of life. For the firstfruits must in every respect have the most excellent of those things whose firstfruits it is. And by Achaia he means Hellas.

²⁰ And they appointed themselves to the ministry of the saints. To receiving the faithful poor, and ministering to them, they appointed and set apart themselves—not constrained by others through necessity, but willingly, of themselves.

²¹ That you also submit yourselves to such as these, and to everyone who works together and labors. That is, “Take part with them both in the expending of money and in bodily service.” And he did not say simply, “Work together,” but, showing an intensified obedience, “Submit yourselves.” And lest he should seem to be favoring Stephanas alone, he adds, “and to everyone who works together and labors.” Where? In the ministry of the saints. For all such are worthy of honor; for thus would they also bear their toil nobly.

²² And I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus, because these supplied what was lacking on your part. These were the ones who announced to Paul concerning the dissension in Corinth and the other sins; and those of Chloe’s household perhaps disclosed it through them. Since, then, it was likely that the Corinthians had been made savage toward these men, he commends them, saying, “They supplied what was lacking on your part”—that is, “They came in the stead of all of you, and for your sakes undertook so great a journey to me.”

²³ For they refreshed my spirit and yours. He showed them that his own refreshment is theirs. So that, since when I was refreshed by them you too gained it, namely my refreshment, you should display nothing ungracious toward these same men.

²⁴ Acknowledge, therefore, such as these. That is, “Hold them in honor.”

²⁵ The Churches of Asia greet you. He glues together the members of Christ through the greeting, as he is ever wont to do.

²⁶ Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, with the Church that is in their house. For with them he abode, being himself also a tentmaker. And observe their virtue, that they made their house a Church, having made within it a gathering of the faithful.

²⁷ All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. This addition of the holy kiss he adds here alone, because of the many dissensions. Since, then, he had exhorted them much concerning being united, he now unites them also through the holy kiss—the genuine, the guileless, the unfeigned.

²⁸ The greeting of Paul with my own hand. He makes the greeting with his own hand, in order to show that he made much of the Epistle.

²⁹ If anyone does not love our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. By this one saying he struck fear into all—the fornicators, the dissenters, those who ate things sacrificed to idols, those who disbelieved the resurrection, and, in a word, all those among them who were living outside his teaching and tradition. For all such do not love the Lord.

³⁰ Maran atha.[1] That is, “The Lord has come.” And he said this, at once confirming the word of the Incarnation, and thereby the resurrection; and at the same time putting them to shame, that “The Master accepted all things on our behalf, while you provoke Him to anger—some being called after men, and some doing base things.” And he did not use the Greek tongue, but the Hebrew, or rather the Syrians’ language, since he was speaking to the Corinthians, who prided themselves greatly on the outward wisdom and on the elegance of the Greek tongue, showing that he himself had so little need of it that he gloried in his plainness of speech, so as even to utter a barbarian tongue.

³¹ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. This belongs to a teacher: not only to exhort, but also to pray, and to give support in twofold manner—both by teaching, and by the supply of the help from above through prayers.

³² My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. Since he was separated from them by place, as it were by the stretching out of some right hand, he embraces them with the hands of love, saying, “My love be with you”—which is, “I am with you all; for I am not absent, even though I am separated by place.” And through these words he shows that the things written were not of wrath nor of anger, but of love and solicitude, even if they revealed some bitterness. And lest they think that he says these things to flatter them, he says, “in Christ Jesus”—that is, “My love has nothing human or fleshly, but is spiritual and in Christ.” Let us, then, pray also ourselves that, loving one another in Christ, we may carry about within ourselves nothing of worldly love, which is enmity toward God. For thus shall we also be counted worthy of the beloved tabernacles of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, who has loved us; to whom be the glory to the ages of ages. Amen.