Word Pictures in the New Testament - 1 Corinthians Author(s): Robertson, A. T. (1863-1934) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: A. T. Robertson was a renowned Greek New Testament scholar. His work on the Greek language is still consulted today. Word Pictures in the New Testament is his insightful treatment of that book. In the Greek New Testament, there are a variety of meaningful pictorial nuances implicit in the Greek constructions. These nuances are often lost in trans- lation. Word Pictures in the New Testament explains them. Robertson examines Greek constructions from many different Testament passages. He provides background to many of the Greek words and their connotations in the original Greek, thereby shedding new light on the meaning of passages. Many readers have gained a new, richer understanding of the New Testament by studying Word Pictures in the New Testament. And although no technical knowledge is required to study this work, familiarity with the Greek language makes this work much easier to digest. Consequently, it is ideal for pastors, theologians, and students of the New Testament. Tim Perrine CCEL Staff Writer Subjects: The Bible New Testament Works about the New Testament i Contents Title Page 1 Chapter 1 2 Chapter 2 12 Chapter 3 19 Chapter 4 26 Chapter 5 33 Chapter 6 38 Chapter 7 43 Chapter 8 53 Chapter 9 57 Chapter 10 64 Chapter 11 70 Chapter 12 76 Chapter 13 82 Chapter 14 86 Chapter 15 90 Chapter 16 100 Indexes 104 Index of Scripture References 105 Index of Scripture Commentary 110 ii This PDF file is from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, www.ccel.org. The mission of the CCEL is to make classic Christian books available to the world. • This book is available in PDF, HTML, ePub, Kindle, and other formats. See http://www.ccel.org/ccel/robertson_at/wp_1cor.html. • Discuss this book online at http://www.ccel.org/node/3731. The CCEL makes CDs of classic Christian literature available around the world through the Web and through CDs. We have distributed thousands of such CDs free in developing countries. If you are in a developing country and would like to receive a free CD, please send a request by email to [email protected]. The Christian Classics Ethereal Library is a self supporting non-profit organization at Calvin College. If you wish to give of your time or money to support the CCEL, please visit http://www.ccel.org/give. This PDF file is copyrighted by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library. It may be freely copied for non-commercial purposes as long as it is not modified. All other rights are re- served. Written permission is required for commercial use. iii Title Page Title Page Word Pictures in the New Testament 1 Corinthians A. T. Robertson 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 1:1 Called to be an apostle [klētos apostolos]. Verbal adjective [klētos] from [kaleō], without [einai], to be. Literally, a called apostle (Ro 1:1), not so-called, but one whose apostleship is due not to himself or to men (Ga 1:1), but to God, through the will of God [dia thelēmatos tou theou]. The intermediate [dia, duo], two) agent between Paul’s not being Christ’s apostle and becoming one was God’s will [thelēma], something willed of God), God’s command (1Ti 1:1). Paul knows that he is not one of the twelve apostles, but he is on a par with them because, like them, he is chosen by God. He is an apostle of Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus (MSS. vary here, later epistles usually Christ Jesus). The refusal of the Judaizers to recognize Paul as equal to the twelve made him the more careful to claim his position. Bengel sees here Paul’s denial of mere human authority in his position and also of personal merit: Namque mentione Dei excluditur auctoramentum humanum, mentione Voluntatis Dei, meritum Pauli. Our brother [ho adelphos]. Literally, the brother, but regular Greek idiom for our brother. This Sosthenes, now with Paul in Ephesus, is probably the same Sosthenes who received the beating meant for Paul in Corinth (Ac 18:17). If so, the beating did him good for he is now a follower of Christ. He is in no sense a co-author of the Epistle, but merely associated with Paul because they knew him in Corinth. He may have been compelled by the Jews to leave Corinth when he, a ruler of the synagogue, became a Chris- tian. See 1Th 1:1 for the mention of Silas and Timothy in the salutation. Sosthenes could have been Paul’s amanuensis for this letter, but there is no proof of it. 1:2 The church of God [tēi ekklēsiāi tou theou]. Belonging to God, not to any individual or faction, as this genitive case shows. In 1Th 1:1 Paul wrote “the church of the Thessalonians in God” [en theōi], but “the churches of God” in 1Th 2:14. See same idiom in 1Co 10:32; 11:16,22; 15:9; 2Co 1:1; Ga 1:13, etc. Which is in Corinth [tēi ousēi en Korinthōi]. See on Ac 13:1 for idiom. It is God’s church even in Corinth, “laetum et ingens paradoxon” (Bengel). This city, destroyed by Mummius B.C. 146, had been restored by Julius Caesar a hundred years later, B.C. 44, and now after another hundred years has become very rich and very corrupt. The very word “to Corinthianize” meant to practise vile immoralities in the worship of Aphrodite (Venus). It was located on the narrow Isthmus of the Peloponnesus with two harbours (Lechaeum and Cenchreae). It had schools of rhetoric and philosophy and made a flashy imitation of the real culture of Athens. See Ac 18 for the story of Paul’s work here and now the later developments and divisions in this church will give Paul grave concern as is shown in detail in I and II Corinthians. All the problems of a modern city church come to the front in Corinth. They call for all the wisdom and statesmanship in Paul. That are sanctified [hēgiasmenois]. Perfect passive participle of [hagiazō], late form for [hagizō], so far found only in the Greek Bible and in ecclesiastical writers. It means to make or to declare [hagion] (from [hagos], awe, reverence, and this from [hazō], to venerate). It is significant 2 Chapter 1 that Paul uses this word concerning the called saints or called to be saints [klētois hagiois] in Corinth. Cf. [klētos apostolos] in 1:1. It is because they are sanctified in Christ Jesus [en Christōi Iēsou]. He is the sphere in which this act of consecration takes place. Note plural, construction according to sense, because [ekklēsia] is a collective substantive. With all that call upon [sun pāsin tois epikaloumenois]. Associative instrumental case with [sun] rather than [kai] (and), making a close connection with “saints” just before and so giving the Corinthian Christians a picture of their close unity with the brotherhood everywhere through the common bond of faith. This phrase occurs in the LXX (Ge 12:8; Zec 13:9) and is applied to Christ as to Jehovah (2Th 1:7,9,12; Php 2:9,10). Paul heard Stephen pray to Christ as Lord (Ac 7:59). Here “with a plain and direct reference to the Divinity of our Lord” (Ellicott). Their Lord and ours [autōn kai hēmōn]. This is the interpretation of the Greek comment- ators and is the correct one, an afterthought and expansion [epanorthōsis] of the previous “our,” showing the universality of Christ. 1:3 Identical language of 2Th 1:2 save absence of [hēmōn] (our), Paul’s usual greeting. See on 1Th 1:1. 1:4 I thank my God [eucharistō tōi theōi]. Singular as in Ro 1:8; Php 1:3; Phm 1:4, but plural in 1Th 1:2; Col 1:3. The grounds of Paul’s thanksgivings in his Epistles are worthy of study. Even in the church in Corinth he finds something to thank God for, though in II Cor. there is no expression of thanksgiving because of the acute crisis in Corinth nor is there any in Galatians. But Paul is gracious here and allows his general attitude (always, [pantote] concerning [peri], around) the Corinthians to override the specific causes of irritation. For the grace of God which was given to you in Christ Jesus [epi tēi chariti tou theou tēi dotheisēi humin en Christōi Iēsou]. Upon the basis of [epi] God’s grace, not in general, but specifically given [dotheisēi], first aorist passive participle of [didōmi], in the sphere of [en] as in verse 2) Christ Jesus. 1:5 That [hoti]. Explicit specification of this grace of God given to the Corinthians. Paul points out in detail the unusual spiritual gifts which were their glory and became their peril (chapters 1Co 12-14). Ye were enriched in him [eploutisthēte en autōi]. First aorist passive indicative of [ploutizō], old causative verb from [ploutos], wealth, common in Attic writers, dropped out for centuries, reappeared in LXX. In N.T. only three times and alone in Paul (1Co 1:5; 2Co 6:10, 11). The Christian finds his real riches in Christ, one of Paul’s pregnant phrases full of the truest mysticism. In all utterance and all knowledge [en panti logōi kai pasēi gnōsei]. One detail in explanation of the riches in Christ. The outward expression [logōi] here is put before the inward knowledge [gnōsei] which should precede all speech. But we get at one’s knowledge by means of his speech.