the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, a priest presenting an offering in respect of the gospel of God, that there might be an offering of the Gentiles acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. 17. I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ, in those things which pertain to God. I have therefore a boasting in Christ Jesus, in those things which pertain to God, 18. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed. (For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient in word and deed2) 19. Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; &c. In the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God; &c. 26. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make 1 Ἱερουργοῦντα. In this verse, says Dr. Whitby, is a plain allusion to the offerings made by the Jewish priests, and sanctified by the libamen offered with them. The Gentiles, converted by him, are Paul's sacrifices, and the Holy Spirit, poured on them, is the libamen. See Isaiah lxvi. 20, which might, says Adam Clarke, have suggested the idea to the Apostle. 2 This verse appears to be parenthetical; and by reading it so, and by thus bringing the 17th and 19th verses together, the confusion of our version is avoided, and a clear sense of the passage educed. a certain contribution to the poor3 of the saints at Jerusalem. XVI. 1. I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, &c. 4(I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, &c. 9. Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, &c. Salute Urbanus,5 our fellow-workman in Christ, &c. 23. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and the brother Quartus. ¶ Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent &c. THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. I. 1. PAUL, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, ther, through the will of God, and Sosthenes our bro Paul, a called apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2. Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be 3 Εἰς τοὺς πτωχοὺς τῶν ἁγίων. 4 A parenthesis commences here, and continues to the end of the 20th verse. 5"Urbane" may be mistaken for the name of a female. 6 The article (8) marks Quartus as well known to the Romans. Had he not been so, why should he salute them? 7 The sign is intended to distinguish the subscription, as it is called, from the Epistle itself. The subscriptions of the Epistles, saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to the sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints,1 with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in every place, both their home and ours : 7. So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ: 12. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, &c. I means this, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, &e. 13. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name of Paul? 18. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. though of manuscript authority, and very ancient, are no part of the original Scripture, and contain statements which cannot be relied on. · Κλητοῖς ἁγίοις. See note on Rom. i. 7. 2 Αποκάλυψιν means α revelation to sight. Christ has come to the world since He ascended, by His Spirit, which is the fulfilment of His promise, "I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you (John xiv. 18); and this presence is to abide with us for The ἀποκάλυψις here ever. mentioned, however, is the revelation of the person of Christ, God and Man, at the last day, when "we shall see Him as He is." 3 In this verse the Apostle does not open any new matter of complaint, but explains the " contentions" mentioned in verse 11. But the Authorized Version would lead us to suppose otherwise. 4 See note on Matt. xxviii. 19, where the value of this correct translation of g is shown. For the preaching of the cross is to them who are on the road to ruin foolishness; but unto us who are on the road to life it is the power of God.5 20. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this passing age?6 hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the preaching of foolishness to save them that believe. 26. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, were your callers.8 5 The received translation here clearly expresses absolute predestination, which however the Greek does not. The expressions "saved" and "lost" represent words in the original which are not in the perfect, but in the imperfect tense, denoting not that which is completed, but that which is in progress towards completion. Similar mistranslations occur Acts ii. 47, and 2 Cor. iv. 3. 6 "Atwv here means transitory duration, and ought to be distinguished from κóoμos at the close of the verse. του 7 Διὰ τῆς μωρίας κηρύγματος is for κηρύγματος μwpov, i. e. according to a figure occurring in the classical writers, what was thought, or seemed to men, foolishness.Bloomfield. It was not by the foolishness of preaching, literally, nor by the foolish preaching, that God saved the world; but by that gospel which the Gentiles called foolishness, in opposition to their own doctrines, which they termed wisdom. See verse 23. 8 The words "are called " in the Authorized Version be II. 2. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. For I determined not to make1 known anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him—crucified. 4. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power : And my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, even by power: 6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are ripe in knowledge: yet not the wisdom of this passing age, nor of the princes of this passing age,3 that come to nought: 12. That we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. ing in Italics tell us that there is nothing in the original to correspond to them. The supplied words then must be determined by the drift of the whole passage. Now what the Apostle is dwelling on is, the weakness of the instrumentality which the Lord was employing to convert the world. This he further illustrates by reference to himself, who although not without worldly wisdom, yet did not employ it for the purpose. See Hinds' History of Christianity, p. 468, note; also the same Author's That we Scripture and the Authorized 2 The meaning is, inspiration proved by miracle. See note on Luke i. 17, and Acts x. 38. 3 Τελείοις may mean ripe in age (see xiv. 20, where in the text it is translated men, and in the margin of a ripe age); but more probably here it has the meaning of ripe in knowledge. 'Avoc. See note i. 20. The same word occurs in verses 7 and 8, and should be translated in the same manner. 5 ̓Αιῶνος. |