Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 11:2

2. [ἀδελφοί] after ὑμᾶς, rec. with DEFG Vetus Lat. Vulg. Peshito. Omit אABC.

2. ἐπαινῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς. There is no contradiction between this verse and 1 Corinthians 11:17. The ordinances which St Paul had delivered to the Corinthians had on the whole been faithfully kept; but the principles of Christian liberty and Christian brotherhood had been, in some instances, unsatisfactorily carried out. He therefore proceeds to give other ordinances on matters which required immediate attention, leaving (1 Corinthians 11:34) those of less pressing importance till he himself arrived at Corinth. But he takes care to begin in a conciliatory manner. The ordinances of the present chapter relate (1) to the conduct of women in the public assemblies, and (2) to the Lord’s Supper.

πάντα must be taken adverbially, as μέμνημαι does not take an accusative in N.T.

καθὼς παρέδωκα ὑμῖν. ‘Large principles, when taken up by ardent and enthusiastic minds, without the modifications learnt by experience, are almost sure to run into extravagances, and hence the spirit of law is by degrees reduced to rules, and guarded by customs.’—Robertson, Lect. XXI. on 1st Ep. to Corinthians. The whole lecture is extremely valuable.

παραδόσεις. This word is translated indiscriminately by traditions or ordinances in the A.V. Its original meaning is things delivered, either orally or by written communication. Tradition, it should be remembered, means properly nothing more than what is delivered or handed over, though the idea of handing down is of course not excluded in all cases. Here, however, the idea of handing down cannot, of course, find a place. St Paul is speaking of the rules he himself had given for the government of the Church. These ‘traditions,’ or rather, ‘ordinances,’ were of three kinds: (1) regulations for the government of the Church, as here and in 2 Thessalonians 3:6; (2) statements concerning doctrine, as 2 Thessalonians 2:15; or (3) concerning fact, as in ch. 1 Corinthians 11:23; 1 Corinthians 15:3, which are spoken of as having been ‘delivered’ by the Apostle. The doctrines of the Rabbis are spoken of as ‘traditions’ in Matthew 15:2; Galatians 1:14.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 11:2

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