“In this way let a man take account of us, _viz._, as servants of Christ, etc.” Οὕτως draws attention to the coming ὡς : the vb [631] λογιζέσθω implies a _reasonable_ estimate, drawn from admitted principles (_cf._ Romans 6:11; Romans 12:1, λογικήν), the pr [632] impv [633] an _habitual_ estimate. T... [ Continue Reading ]
ὧδε λοιπὸν (_proinde igitur_) ζητεῖται, ἐν τοῖς οἰκονόμοις κ. τ. λ.: “In such case, it is further sought in stewards (to be sure) that one be found faithful”. ὧδε gathers up the position given to “us” in 1 Corinthians 4:1; ἐν τοῖς οἰκονόμοις is therefore pleonastic, but repeated for distinctness and... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐμοὶ δὲ εἰς ἐλαχιστόν ἐστιν ἵνα κ. τ. λ.: “For myself however it amounts to a very small thing that by _you_ I should be put to trial, or by a human day (of judgment).” Fidelity is required of stewards: yes, but (δέ) _who is the judge of that fidelity?_ Not _you_ Cor [638], nor even my own good cons... [ Continue Reading ]
The negative clauses, οὐδὲν γὰρ … ἀλλʼ οὐκ, together explain, parenthetically, Paul's meaning in 1 Corinthians 4:3 : “For I am conscious of nothing against myself” (in my conduct as Christ's minister to you: _cf._ 10, 18; 2 Corinthians 1:12-17) nothing that calls for judicial inquiry on your part or... [ Continue Reading ]
The practical conclusion of the statement respecting Christ's servants (see note on ὥστε, 1 Corinthians 3:21): “So then do not before the time be passing any judgment”. τι, the cognate ace. = κρίσιν τινά, as in John 7:24. πρὸ καιροῦ (the _fit_ time, not the _set_ time) signifies _prematurely_ (so Æs... [ Continue Reading ]
Ταῦτα δὲ κ. τ. λ. (δὲ _metabatikon_, of transition): “Now these things I have adapted (in the way I have put them) to myself and Apollos”. μετα - σχηματίζω (see parls.), to _change the dress_, or _form of presentment_ (σχῆμα), of anything. P. has put in a specific personal way speaking _in concrete,... [ Continue Reading ]
§ 13. DISCIPLES ABOVE THEIR MASTER. What the Ap. has written, from 1 Corinthians 3:3 onwards, turns on the relations between himself and Apollos; but it has a wide application to the state of feeling within the Church (1 Corinthians 4:6 f.). To such extravagance of self-satisfaction and conceit in t... [ Continue Reading ]
τίς γάρ σε διακρίνει; “for who marks thee off?” (or “separates thee? _discernit_, Vg [691] ”) what warrant for thy boasting, “I am of Paul,” etc., for ranging thyself in this coterie or that? “The διάκρισις was self-made” (El [692]). The other rendering, “Who makes thee to differ?” (to be superior:... [ Continue Reading ]
depicts the unjustifiable “glorying” of the readers with an abruptness due to excited feeling (_cf._ the _asyndeton_ of 1 Corinthians 3:16): “How much you have received, and how you boast of it! So soon you are satiated!” etc. The three first clauses ἤδη, ἤδη, f1χωρὶς κ. τ. λ. are exclamations rathe... [ Continue Reading ]
gives reason in Paul's sorrowful state for the wish that has escaped him. δοκῶ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς κ. τ. λ. (ὅτι vanting after δοκῶ, as in 1 Corinthians 7:40; so in Eng.): “For, methinks, God has inhibited (_spectandos proposuit_, Bz [718]) us, the apostles, last” at the end of the show, in the meanest place... [ Continue Reading ]
represents the contrasted case of the App. and the Cor [726] Christians, as they appear in the estimate of the two parties. “We” are μωροί, ἀσθενεῖς, ἄτιμοι (_cf._ 1 Corinthians 1:18-27; 1 Corinthians 3:18, and notes; with 1 Corinthians 2:3, for ἀσθ.); “you,” φρόνιμοι, ἰσχυροί, ἔνδοξοι the last adj... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Corinthians 4:11-12 _a_. ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας … ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσὶν describes the ἄτιμοι, reduced to this position by the world's contempt and with no means of winning its respect a life at the farthest remove from that of the Gr [734] gentleman. The _despicableness_ of his condition touches the Ap.... [ Continue Reading ]
Οὐκ ἐντρέπων κ. τ. λ.: “Not (by way of) shaming you do I write this, but admonishing (you) as my children beloved”. It is in _chiding_ that the Ap. addresses both the Cor [759] and Gal. as his “children” (2 Corinthians 6:13; 2 Corinthians 12:14; Galatians 4:19); τέκνον ἀγαπητὸν he applies besides on... [ Continue Reading ]
§ 14. PAUL'S FATHERLY DISCIPLINE. All has now been said that can be concerning the Divisions at Cor [756] the causes underlying them, and the spirit they manifest and foster in the Church. In their self-complacent, ungrateful thoughts, the Cor [757] have raised themselves quite above the despised an... [ Continue Reading ]
Reason for this lighter reproof, where stern censure was due “For if you should have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet (you have) not many _fathers!_ ” The relation of the ἐποικοδομοῦντες to the θεμέλιον τιθείς (1 Corinthians 3:10) is exchanged for that of the παιδαγωγοὶ to the πατήρ. The παιδαγωγό... [ Continue Reading ]
“I beseech you therefore (as your father), be _imitators_ of me.” γίνεσθε (pr [766] impr.) signifies, in moral exhortations, _be in effect, show yourselves_ (_cf._ Ephesians 4:32; Ephesians 5:17). μιμηταὶ γίνεσθε demands, beyond μιμεῖσθε, a _character_ formed on the given model. Imitation is the law... [ Continue Reading ]
“For this reason” _viz._, to help you to imitate me as your father “I sent to you Timothy, who is a beloved child of mine, and faithful in the Lord”. Timothy had left P. before this letter was written, having been sent forward along with Erastus (possibly a Cor [767], Romans 16:23) to Macedonia (Act... [ Continue Reading ]
ὡς μὴ ἐρχομένου δὲ μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐφυσιώθησάν τινες : “Some however have been puffed up, under the idea that I am not coming to (visit) you”. The contrastive δὲ points to a group of inflated persons (_cf._ 1 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 8:2) hostile to Paul's “ways”. The wish was... [ Continue Reading ]
“For not in word (lies) the kingdom of God, but in power:” another of Paul's religious maxims (see note on 1 Corinthians 1:29), repeated in many forms: _cf._ 2 Corinthians 10:11; 2 Corinthians 13:3 f., etc. The βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ always (even in Romans 14:17) bears ref [785] to the final Messianic ru... [ Continue Reading ]
τί θέλετε; “What is your will?” what would you have? τί a sharper πότερον; the latter only once (John 7:17) in N.T. “ _With a rod_ am I to come to you? or in love and a spirit of meekness?” ἐνῥ άβδῳ (= ἐν κολάσει, ἐν τιμωρίᾳ, Cm [786]) is sound Gr [787] for “armed with a rod” (_cf._ Sir 47:4, ἐν λίθ... [ Continue Reading ]