1 Corinthians 16:22

If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema. "Anathema" denotes anything separated by a curse, thrown away, and destined for utter destruction. In the case of men it denotes, therefore, eternal damnation. These are not words of excommunication merely, but of cursing, and of denunciation of eternal damnation against unbelievers and all who love not Christ. Cf. notes on Rom ix. 3. Next to "anathema" was reckoned "katathema," which was a term applied to those who allied themselves to persons under condemnation. Hence Justin (qu. 121) says: "' Anathema ' denotes anything, laid aside and set apart for God, and no longer put to common uses, or what has been cut off from God because of its vice or guilt. ' Katathema ' is applied to those who consent to men under anathema, or who devote themselves to the gods below. "

Maran-atha. This is properly two words. Erasmus thinks it is the same as "anathema," and he compares with its use here, "Abba Father." But he is mistaken: the words are Hebrew-Syriac, and signify, "The Lord has come." The first part is still in common use among the Christian churches of India and Babylon, which look to S. Thomas as their founder, and is applied to their bishops, as Mar Simeon, Mar Joseph, &c. But what has the phrase, "the Lord has come," to do with the context here? Chrysostom and Theophylact say that S. Paul uses this word in order to point to Christ's coming in our flesh, and His charity, to stimulate us to endeavour to come to every degree of virtue, and, as S. Jerome says, to hint that it is foolish to contend any longer by wanton hatred of one another against Him who, as every one knows, has now come. S. Chrysostom says, further, that the reason why S. Paul denounces anathema against those who love not Jesus is, that He has now come in His humility to save so that there is now no excuse for not loving Him; for the Incarnation and Passion of Christ so win our love that the man who does not love Him is unworthy of pardon.

But this explanation seems too forced. Notice, then, that "Maran-atha" is a Syro-Hebraic phrase, which, with Amen, Hosanna, and Alleluia, has been transliterated into other languages. Cf. S. Jerome (Ep. 137 ad Marcellam) and S. Augustine (Ep. 178). And so S. Paul adds here, after "Anathema," "Maran-atha," because the Hebrews, when passing sentence on any one, were in the habit of invoking the Divine justice to confirm their own. Cf. Dan 12:55 and Dan 12:59 (Vulg.), and Psalms 9:19. It is, then, a prayer: "May the Lord come as judge to punish him who loves not Christ."

Notice again that by a euphemism the Hebrews commonly let this punishment be understood. Their usual formula is, "May God do so to me and more also," without specifying the particular form of punishment that they wish to call down on themselves if they break their oath. They do this out of reverence for an oath, and from the fear that the curse, if openly expressed, may fall upon them in some way, just as among us now-a-days, when any one is enraged and falls to cursing, or calling down on his friend some dreadful disaster, he will by-and-bye add: "God avert this!" "God forbid it!" "God protect us!" Similarly, when it is here said, "The Lord is coming," or, "May the Lord come," supply "to judgment," viz., to inflict everlasting punishment on unbelievers and the enemies of Christ. Anselm says: " If any one love not the Lord Jesus Christ, as His first coming is of no use to him, so neither will His second coming to judgment be." The explanation of Titelman is the same: " Let him be anathema in the coming of the Lord to judgment." S. Clement, too, seems to interpret "Maran-atha" in the same way (Ephesians 2 in Fine), when, in allusion to this passage, he says: " This, my brother James, have I heard enjoined by the mouth of S. Peter: 'If any one keep not these precepts entire, let him be anathema till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.'" What else explains these last words but the "Maran-atha" of SS. Peter and Paul?

S. Paul refers here to the last verse of the prophecy of Malachi, "lest I come and smite the earth with a curse," and primarily to the Book of Enoch, quoted. by S. Jude in his epistle (vers. 14 and 15): "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly," &c.