1 Corinthians 16 Commentary
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1 Corinthians 16 Commentary PREVIOUS NEXT 1 CORINTHIANS - PROBLEMS OF A LOCAL CHURCH Click chart to enlarge Charts from Jensen's Survey of the NT - used by permission 1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, sod o you also. (NASB 1995 - Lockman) concerning: Ac 11:28,30 Acts 24:17 Ro 15:25-26 2Co 8:1-9:15 Ga 2:10 the saints: Ac 9:41 Ro 12:13 2Co 9:12-15 Phm 1:5,7 Heb 6:10 1Jn 3:17 the churches: Ac 16:6 18:23 Ga 1:2 1 Corinthians 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Acts 11:28; 30+ (SEVERAL YEARS EARLIER THIS FAMINE OCCURRED AND PRESUMABLY THE ADVERSE EFFECTS WERE STILL BE EXPERIENCED IN JERUSALEM) One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. (11:30) And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders. Acts 6:1+ Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (CONTEXT IS COLLECTION FOR POOR SAINTS IN JERUSALEM - cf 1 Cor 16:3+) Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, 2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. 3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, 5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. Romans 15:25-27+ but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints (MOST OF THE BELIEVERS THERE WERE JEWISH). 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor (ptochos = GREEK WORD FOR ABSOLUTE POVERTY) among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles (MACEDONIA AND ACHAIA [CORINTH] PRIMARILY GENTILE BELIEVERS) have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. Acts 24:17+ (REFERS TO THE COLLECTION HE IS DESCRIBING IN THIS SECTION) “Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings; THE COLLECTION FOR GOD'S PEOPLE Alan Redpath has a good word as Paul comes down from the mountaintop truths of the "Resurrection Chapter" - These opening verses might appear an anticlimax to what has gone before. We have been given a glimpse of the glory that awaits us, and an assurance of the victory even over death that is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord. The sound of the trumpet with its call to resurrection has seemed wonderfully real. Surely, anything beyond that must be somewhat reactionary. “Now concerning the collection.” What a coming down to earth! Well, of course — because a Christian is a man whose heart is in heaven, but whose feet are on the ground. Every glimpse of future glory is given to the child of God in order to encourage him to present-day growth in consecration and responsibility. Certainly we do come down to earth here, but I trust we have been refreshed and greatly challenged by all that God has been saying to us in the course of our journey along the royal route to heaven. Every glimpse of future glory is given to the child of God in order to encourage him to present-day growth in consecration and responsibility. - Alan Redpath Now concerning -(with regard to, now regarding) - MIT = "Now for a word about offerings." This exact phrase is found only 7x in the NAS and 5 of the uses are in this book - Ex. 23:13; Deut. 4:32; 1 Co. 7:1; 1 Co. 7:25; 1 Co. 8:1; 1 Co. 12:1; 1 Co. 16:1. This phrase introduces another topic that Paul is to deal with. Brian Bell - When it comes to finances each individual church is usually guilty of talking about it too much, or not enough!. These principles apply to special offerings (logeia an extra piece of giving) as well as our regular giving. PROBLEM! A severe famine in Jerusalem. Luke described the problem in Acts 11:27-29 "Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. 29 And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea." Paul did his part in organizing a relief effort. Luther, “God doesn’t need our good works, but our neighbor does!”. Spurgeon, “If you want to give a hungry man a tract, then wrap it in a sandwich.” He mentions this in: Romans, 1st & 2nd Cor., Galatians, & Acts.. We also note it is not wrong to let your needs be known. The collection for the saints (God's people, holy ones) - Amplified - "CONCERNING the money contributed for [the relief of] the saints." The definite article before collection speaks of a specific (known) collection so apparently he had made them aware of this, possibly in the letter in 1 Cor 5:9 "I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people." Alternatively this could be an issue raised in their letter to him (cf 1 Cor 7:1). This collection refers to the contribution for the saints in Jerusalem and represented a special collection to meet the immediate need of “the poor among the saints at Jerusalem” (Ro. 15:26+, 1 Cor 16:3+). John MacArthur - Besides meeting the economic needs of the Jerusalem believers, Paul also wanted the collection to express the spiritual oneness of the church....Gentiles giving an offering to Jews would help strengthen the spiritual bond between the two groups (cf. Eph. 2:11–18). Giving and receiving in love always form a bond between the giver and receiver. You cannot share gifts without sharing fellowship. The association between Christians’ economic sharing and personal sharing is so close in Paul’s mind that three times he uses the term koinonia (usually translated “fellowship”) to represent offerings (Rom. 15:26+; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:13). The primary purpose of giving, as taught in the New Testament, is for the support of the saints, the church. A Christian’s first obligation is to support fellow believers, individually and collectively. The church’s first financial responsibility is to invest in its own life and its own people (cf. 2 Cor. 8:1–5; 9:12–15; Phil. 4:14–16). (MNTC- 1 Corinthians) Paul had used saints to describe the Corinthians in 1 Cor 1:2 (saints by calling), describing their position more than than practice, for the rest of his letter was occupied in correcting their errant behavior and thinking. The Corinthian saints were acting more like "ain'ts". THOUGHT - This is a good reminder to all of us because if any of us "thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall." (1Cor 10:12). We may be doing just fine spiritually today, but every day brings the potential that we might fall into errors similar to the Corinthians. And yet despite that potential reality, we are still saints by calling. As Paul later said "He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Php 1:6). Robertson and Plummer have an interesting note that "Paul uses seven words in speaking of this collection; logia (v. 1); charis (gift, favor)(1 Cor 16:3; 2 Cor. 8:4); koinonia (participation, contribution)(2 Cor. 8:4, 9:13; Ro. 15:26); diakonia (support, ministry)(2 Cor. 8:4, 2 Cor 9:1, 12, 13);hadrotes (generous) (2 Cor. 8:20); eulogia (bountiful - 2 Cor. 9:5); leitourgia (service) 2 Cor. 9:12); to which may be added eleemosunas (alms)(Acts 24:17, in the report of his speech before Felix) and prospsorai (offerings) (Acts 24:17). (Critical and Exegetical Commentary) Collection (3048)(logeia from lego = to gather, collect) is a collection usually of money, a receiving of money voluntarily contributed. Liddell-Scott - collection of taxes or voluntary contributions. The word appears in the papyri in the sense of collection, particularly in the sense of religious collection for a god or temple. The secular usage the word may refer to all kinds of contributions and sometimes to special tax levies, but it is used frequently of collections and levies made for religious purposes. Kittel adds "While the word can denote an extraordinary tax, there is here no thought of an assessment. Accompanying terms such as ministry and fellowship show that it is a gift comparable to the voluntary love offerings of the diaspora to Jerusalem rather than to the obligatory temple tax (cf. Ro 15:26, 31; 2 Cor.