Called to be an apostle. See on Romans 1:1. Compare 1 Timothy 1:1. Not distinguishing him from other apostles. Compare Matthew 4:21; John 6:70; but Paul was called no less directly than these by Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:12-16. John does not use the word apostle, but gives the idea, John 13:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
Corinth. The Corinth of this period owed the beginning of its prosperity to Julius Caesar, who, a hundred years after its destruction by Mummius (B. C. 146), rebuilt and peopled it with a colony of veterans and freedmen. It was situated on the isthmus which divided Northern Greece from the Peloponne... [ Continue Reading ]
Grace - peace. Grace is the Greek salutation, peace the Jewish. Both in the spiritual sense. Compare Numbers 6:25; Numbers 6:26. This form of salutation is common to all Paul's epistles to the churches. In Timothy and Titus, mercy is added. James alone has the ordinary conventional salutation, caire... [ Continue Reading ]
I thank [ε υ χ α ρ ι σ τ ω]. Found in the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation, but most frequently in Paul. My God. Some very high authorities omit. The pronoun implies close personal relationship. Compare Acts 27:23; Philippians 1:3; Philippians 3:8. By Christ Jesus [ε ν]. Better, as Rev., in; in fellow... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye are enriched [ε π λ ο υ τ ι σ θ η τ ε]. Rev. more literally, "were enriched." Compare Colossians 3:16; and see on Romans 2:4. Utterance - knowledge [λ ο γ ω - γ ν ω σ ε ι]. The two words are found together, ch. 12 8; 2 Corinthians 11:6; 2 Corinthians 8:7. For knowledge, see on Romans 11:33. Utte... [ Continue Reading ]
Witness of Christ [μ α ρ τ υ ρ ι ο ν τ ο υ χ ρ ι σ τ ο υ]. Testimony concerning Christ. See on John 1:7. Compare Acts 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
Come behind [υ σ τ ε ρ ε ι σ θ α ι]. See on Luke 14:14, and compare Romans 3:23. Contrast with were enriched. Gift [χ α ρ ι σ μ α τ ι]. See on Romans 1:11. Its prevailing sense in this epistle is that of special spiritual endowments, such as tongues, prophecy, etc. Here of spiritual blessings gener... [ Continue Reading ]
Confirm. Compare ver. 6. Unto the end. Of the present aeon or period. See on end of the world, Matthew 28:20. Blameless [α ν ε γ κ λ η τ ο υ ς]. Used by Paul only. In apposition with you. Rev., unreprovable. The kindred verb ejgkalew occurs only in Acts and Romans. See on Romans 8:33. It means to... [ Continue Reading ]
Faithful [π ι σ τ ο ς]. Emphatic, and therefore first in the sentence. See on 1 John 1:9; Revelation 1:5; Revelation 3:14. Compare 2 Timothy 2:13. Ye were called [ε κ λ η θ η τ ε]. See on Romans 4:17. Fellowship [κ ο ι ν ω ν ι α ν]. See on 1 John 1:3; Acts 2:42; Luke 5:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
I beseech [π α ρ α κ α λ ω]. See on consolation, Luke 6:24. The word occurs more than one hundred times in the New Testament. Divisions [σ χ ι σ μ α τ α]. See on John 10:19. In classical Greek used only of actual rents in material. So in Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21. In the sense of discord, see John 7:4... [ Continue Reading ]
It hath been declared [ε δ η λ ω θ η]. Rev., signified, which is hardly strong enough. The word means to make clear, or manifest [δ η λ ο ς]. Compare ch. 3 13. It may imply that Paul was reluctant to believe the reports, but was convinced by unimpeachable testimony. Of the household of Chloe [τ ω ν... [ Continue Reading ]
Now this I say [λ ε γ ω δ ε τ ο υ τ ο]. A familiar classical formula : What I mean is this. Rev., Now this I mean. This usually refers to what follows. Compare Galatians 3:17; Ephesians 4:17. I am of Paul and I of Apollos. The repeated de and, expresses the opposition between the respective parties... [ Continue Reading ]
Is Christ divided? [μ ε μ ε ρ ι σ τ α ι ο χ ρ ι σ τ ο ς]. Some of the best expositors render as an assertion. Christ has been divided by your controversies. He is broken up into different party Christs. This gives a perfectly good and forcible sense, and is favored by the absence of the interrogativ... [ Continue Reading ]
l had baptized [ε β α π τ ι σ α]. The correct reading is ejbaptisqhte ye were baptized. So Rev. Paul's commission contains no mention of baptism. Compare Acts 9:15, with Matthew 28:15. From his peculiar position as the inaugurator of a second epoch of Christianity, many would be tempted to regard hi... [ Continue Reading ]
And I baptized also. Another exceptional case occurs to him which he conscientiously adds. The de and has a slightly corrective force.... [ Continue Reading ]
Should be made of none effect [κ ε ν ω θ η]. Lit., emptied. Rev., made void. Compare is made void, Romans 4:14, and the kindred adjective kenon, kenh vain, ch. 14 14. The nucleus of the apostolic preaching was a fact - Christ crucified. To preach it as a philosophic system would be to empty it of it... [ Continue Reading ]
The word of the cross [ο λ ο γ ο ς ο τ ο υ σ τ α υ ρ ο υ]. Lit., the word, that, namely, of the cross. The second article is definitive and emphatic. The word of which the substance and purport is the cross. To them that perish [τ ο ι ς α π ο λ λ υ μ ε ν ο ι ς]. Lit., that are perishing. So Rev. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
I will destroy, etc. Cited literally from the Septuagint, Isaiah 29:14, except that the Septuagint has kruyw I will conceal, instead of I will reject. The Hebrew reads : "The wisdom of its (Judah 's) wise men shall perish, and the sagacity of its sagacious men shall hide itself." Wisdom - prudence ... [ Continue Reading ]
Scribe [γ ρ α μ μ α τ ε υ ς]. Always in the New Testament in the Jewish sense, an interpreter of the law, except Acts 19:35, the town - clerk. Disputer [σ υ ζ η τ η τ η ς]. Only here. Compare the kindred verb suzhtew to question with, Mark 1:27; Luke 22:23; Acts 6:9; and suzhthsiv disputation, Acts... [ Continue Reading ]
After that [ε π ε ι δ η]. Rev., correctly, seeing that. By wisdom [δ ι α τ η ς σ ο φ ι α ς]. Better, as Rev., giving the force of the article, "through its wisdom." Preaching [κ η ρ υ γ μ α τ ο ς]. Not the act, but the substance of preaching. Compare ver. 23. To save [σ ω σ α ι]. The word was tech... [ Continue Reading ]
The Jews. Omit the article. Among the Jews many had become Christians. Require (aijtousin). Rev., ask. But it is questionable whether the A. V. is not preferable. The word sometimes takes the sense of demand, as Luke 12:48; 1 Peter 3:15; and this sense accords well with the haughty attitude of the... [ Continue Reading ]
The foolishness [τ ο μ ω ρ ο ν]. Lit., the foolish thing. More specific than the abstract mwria foolishness (vers. 18, 21), and pointing to the fact of Christ crucified.... [ Continue Reading ]
Calling (klhsin). Not condition of life, but your calling by God; not depending on wisdom, power, or lineage. Noble [ε υ γ ε ν ε ι ς]. Of high birth. So originally, though as Greece became democratic, it came to signify merely the better sort of freemen. Plato applies it to the children of native A... [ Continue Reading ]
Hath chosen. The threefold repetition of the word emphasizes the deliberate and free action of God's gracious will.... [ Continue Reading ]
Base [ω γ ε ν η]. Of no family. The reverse of eujgeneiv noble. Despised [ε ξ ο υ θ ε ν η μ ε ν α]. Lit., set at nought. Not merely despised, but expressly branded with contempt. See Luke 23:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
Wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. The last three terms illustrate and exemplify the first - wisdom. The wisdom impersonated in Christ manifests itself as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. 79 For dikaiosunh righteousness, see on Romans 1:17. For aJgiasmov sanct... [ Continue Reading ]
He that glorieth, etc. From Jeremiah 9:23; Jeremiah 9:24, abridged after the Septuagint.... [ Continue Reading ]