1 Corinthians 16:1-24

CHAPTER 16 Ver. 1. Now concerning the collection for the saints. The saints here meant were the poor Christians living at Jerusalem. Cf. ver. 3 and Romans 15:26. For the Christians at Jerusalem, as appears from Heb. x. 34, were robbed of their goods and grievously harassed by their fellow-countrymen, who were the most bitter foes of Christ. Hence an injunction was given to S. Paul in the Council of Jerusalem to be as mindful of the poor Jews as of the Gentiles (Gal 2:10). He orders, therefore, that alms be regularly collected for them; and this practice lasted till the time of Theodosius. Cf. 2 Corinthians 8 Ver. 2. Let every one lay by him in store the amount that he may wish to give at this collection on the Lord's Day. The first day of the week was the day on which the faithful assembled in church and made their oblations, even as they do now; for from this passage it is evident that, by Apostolic institution, a collection was wont to be made on the Lord's Day. When this custom had been discontinued at Constantinople, S. Chrysostom had it restored, and delivered a remarkable sermon on almsgiving and collections at the time. Again, S. Chrysostom well remarks that it was well ordered that the collection should take place on the Lord's Day, for on it God created the world and re-created it when lost, when Christ rose on the first day of the week and sent His Holy Spirit an the same day; and, therefore, we should keep in mind the great mercy that we have received on that day, and be merciful and liberal ourselves to others who are in need.

Moreover, it appears from this verse, that in the time of the Apostles the Sabbath had given way to the Lord's Day, and that is evidently implied by S. John (Rev 1:10), when He says: "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day" Moreover, it follows secondly, in opposition to the Protestants, that even unwritten traditions are to be observed, for Scripture nowhere orders the Lord's Day to be kept instead of the Sabbath.

S. Thomas and Cajetan think that each one of the faithful is here bidden to lay by at home, each Lord's Day, his offering, and give it in the church, not on that day, but later on, when it was to be sent to the poor of Jerusalem. But the practice of the Church shows that the opposite is meant, viz., that the oblations should be offered at the altar each Lord's Day, and the same thing is shown by the words that follow, "that there be no gatherings when I come." He wishes, then, these offerings to be put by each Lord's Day, before the supper and the agape, and then, when the Eucharist was celebrated in the church, to be collected as alms. Notice that "to lay by in store" is in Greek "to treasure up," for he who treasures up for the poor lays up treasure for himself in heaven. Ver. 3. I will send your liberality to Jerusalem. Œcumenius points out that he does not here speak of alms, as he might truly have done, because the name of alms is degrading and insulting to the saints who were to receive them, but he uses a more polite term liberality, kindness, blessing.

And if it be meet that I go also they shall go with me. S. Paul stirs up the Corinthians by these words to make a larger collection, one large enough to be fit for him to take.