PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians
Hodge, Charles, 1797–1878 · 167,870 words · 392 reading sections
I. CORINTHIANS 11, 23. 223
give authority to his account of the ordinance. It was not only of importance for the Corinthians, but for the whole church, to be assured that this account of the Lord's supper, was communicated immediately by Christ to the apostle. It shows the importance which our Lord attributes to this ordi- nance. The account wh…
453 wordsSECTION 242224 I. CORINTHIANS 11, 23.24.
being dropped, the Greeks retained the use of fermented bread, and accused the Latins of Judaizing. Romanists and Lutherans use unleavened wafers ; Protestants generally ordi- nary bread. 24. And when he had given thanks, he brake (it), and said, Take, eat ; this is my body, which is broken for you : this do in rememb…
412 wordsSECTION 243I. CORINTHIANS 11, 24. 225
which I give to you, is my body.' That is, is the symbol of my body ; precisely as we say of a statue, it is the person which it represents ; or as the Scriptures say that the sign is the thing of which it is the symbol, Ez. 5, 4. 5. Gal. 4, 24 ; or as our Saviour says, I am the vine, ye are the branches. I am the door…
497 wordsSECTION 244226 I. CORINTHIANS 11, 24.25.
Calvin was this presence of power.* The Reformed churches teach that the bread is called the body of Christ in the same sense that the cup is called the new covenant. He Avho in faith receives the cup, receives the covenant of which it was the pledge ; and he who receives in faith the bread receives the benefits of Chr…
452 wordsSECTION 245I. CORINTHIANS 11, 25. 227
ment in my blood : this do ye, as oft as ye drink (it), in remembrance of me. This second part of the service is introduced by Luke with the same words which are here used, though our translators there render them Likewise also the cup^ after supper. This latter version is the literal and simple rendering of the origi…
442 wordsSECTION 246228 I. CORINTHIANS 11, 25.
the blood of the heifer was sprinkled upon them, and thereby bound themselves to be obedient to the Mosaic institutions, and as God thereby graciously bound himself to confer upon them all its promised blessings on condition of that obedience ; so, in the Lord's supper, those who receive the cup profess to embrace the …
482 wordsSECTION 247I. CORINTHIANS 11, 25.26. 229
same time shed for many^ not merely for their benefit in the general, but for the specific object of securing the remission of sins. It was, therefore, truly a sin-ofiering. Thus does Scripture explain Scripture. What is said concisely in one place is more fully and clearly stated in another. This do^ as oft as ye dri…
446 wordsSECTION 248230 I. CORINTHIANS 11, 26.27.
Lamb of God, who was to bear the sins of the world ; so the Lord's Slipper is at once the commemoration of the death of Christ and a pledge of his coming the second time without sin unto salvation. 27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink .(this) cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body …
447 wordsSECTION 249I. CORINTHIANS 11, 27.28. 231
eat and drink with a consciousness of unworthiness, for such a sense of ill-desert is one of the conditions of acceptable com- munion. It is not the whole, but the consciously sick whom Christ came to heal. Nor is it to eat with doubt and misgiv- ing of our being duly prepared to come to the Lord's table ; for such dou…
439 wordsSECTION 250232 I. CORINTHIANS 11, 28.29.
partakers of his body and blood ; " if we contract such guilt by eating and drinking unworthily ; in other words, if such blessings attend the Avorthy receiving, and such guilt the unworthy receiving of this ordinance, it is evident that we should not approach it without due self-inspection and prepa- ration. Let a man…
429 wordsSECTION 251I. CORINTHIANS 11, 29.30. 233
fore sim^lj Judgment, not the judgment. The meaning obvi- ously is, that the unworthy eater contracts guilt ; he exposes himself to the judgments of God. What kind of judgments the apostle had in his mind is plain from the next verse, where he refers to sickness and death.* This verse is only a repeti- tion of the sent…
414 wordsSECTION 252234 I. CORINTHIANS 11, 30.31.32.33.34.
are used figuratively of moral infirmities and spiritual declen- sion, they should be taken in their literal sense. Paul knew that the prevailing sickness and frequent deaths among the Christians of Corinth were a judgment from God on account of the irreverent manner in which they had celebrated the Lord's supper. 31.…
330 wordsSECTION 253I. CORINTHIANS 11, 33.34. 235
hunger. That is, they made it an ordinary meal. They thus sinned against their brethren, v. 22, and they sinned against Christ, V. 27. In the conclusion, therefore, of the whole discus- sion, he exhorts them to correct these evils ; to wait for each other, and make it a joint service ; and to satisfy their hunger at ho…
453 wordsSECTION 254236 I. CORINTHIANS 11, 33.34.
be connected, should be regarded as the occasion of satisfying hunger. The communion of saints and the commemoration of the death of Christ as a sacrifice for our sins, are the only legitimate objects which could be contemplated in the service. And by exhibiting the intimate fellowship with the Lord in- volved in the r…
455 wordsSECTION 255CHAPTER Xn.
Of Spiritual Gifts, vs. 1-31. The ancient prophets had clearly predicted that the Messianic period should be attended by a remarkable effusion of the Holy Spirit. " And it shall come to pass in those days," it is said in the prophecies of Joel, " saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh ; and your sons a…
399 wordsSECTION 256238 I. CORINTHIANS 12.
the Corinthians, as members of that body which was instinct with the Hfe-giving Spirit of God, with their former condition as the senseless worshipj^ers of dumb idols, he, First, lays down the criterion by Avhich they might decide whether those who pretended to be the organs of the Spirit were really under his influenc…
490 wordsSECTION 257I. CORINTHIANS 12, 1.2. 239
one should be contented with the gift which he has received of the Lord, just as the hand and foot are contented with their position and office in the body. 2. There should be no exaltation of one member of the church over others, on the ground of the supposed superiority of his gifts. 3. There should, and must be mutu…
408 wordsSECTION 258240 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 2.3.
dition is here adverted to as affording a reason why they needed instruction on this subject. It was one on which their previous experience gave them no information. Ye know that * ye were Gentiles. This is the comprehen- sive statement of their former condition. Under it are includ- ed the two particulars which follo…
426 wordsSECTION 259I. CORINTHIANS 12, 3. 241
By Jesus, the historical person known among men by that name is indicated. And, therefore, Paul uses that word and not Christ, which is a term of office. Accursed, i. e. anathe- ma. This word properly means something consecrated to God; and as among the Jews what was thus consecrated could not be redeemed, but, if a li…
480 wordsSECTION 260242 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 3.4.5.6.
is the Son of God," Acts 8, 37, was the form of professing al- legiance to Christ. Men acknowledged themselves to be Christians, by acknowledging the divinity of Christ. These passages, therefore, teach us first, whom we are to regard as Christians, viz., those who acknowledge and worship Jesus of Nazareth as the true …
415 wordsSECTION 261I. CORINTHIAKS 12, 4. 5. 6. 7. 243
minds of men. There is no inconsistency between this state- ment and V. 11, where the Spirit is said to work all these gifts ; because God works by his Spirit. So in one place we are said to be born of God, and in another to be born of the Spirit. Thus, the doctrine of the Trinity underlies the whole scheme of redempti…
439 wordsSECTION 262244 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 1.
for the benefit, much less for the gratification of their recipi- ents; but for the good of the church. Just as the power of vision is not for the benefit of the eye, but for the man. When, therefore, the gifts of God, natural or supernatural, are perverted as means of self-exaltation or aggrandizement, it is a sin aga…
884 wordsSECTION 2631846 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 8.9.
apostles alone ; partially, however, also, to the prophets of the New Testament. Hence apostles and prophets are often as- sociated as possessing the same gift, although in different degrees. " Built on the foundation of the apostles and pro- phets," Eph. 2, 20. " As now revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets by …
430 wordsSECTION 264I. CORINTHIANS 12, 9. 10. 247
enumerated under this class, that is, in miracles, in healing, in prophecy, and in discerning of spirits. But then it is nothing peculiar ; it is a gift common to all under this head, .whereas it is as much distinguished from them, as they are from each other. Besides, no degree of faith involves inspiration which is s…
389 wordsSECTION 265248 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 10.
To another discerning of spirits. It appears, especially from the epistles of the apostle John, that pretenders to inspi- ration were numerous in the apostolic age. He therefore exhorts his readers, " to try the spirits, whether they be of God ; for many false prophets are gone out into the world," 1 John 4, 1. It was …
470 wordsSECTION 266I. CORINTHIANS 12, 10. 249
Second, that the interchange of the expressions, new tongues, other tongues, and tongues^ in reference to the same event, shows that the last mentioned (to speak with tongues) must have the same sense with the two former expressions, which can only mean to speak in new languages. A third argument is, that the common in…
436 wordsSECTION 267250 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 10.
sistent with the fact that the gift of interpretation was distinct from that of speaking with tongues. If a man could speak a foreign language, why could he not interpret it? Simply, because it was not his gift. What he said in that foreign lan- guage, he said under the guidance of the Spirit ; had he at- tempted to in…
448 wordsSECTION 268I. CORINTHIANS 12, 10. 251
ecstasy, when the mind is entirely abstracted from the external world, and unconscious of things about it, as in a dream or trance. This, however, is liable to the objections already ad- duced against the other theories. Besides, it is evident from the whole discussion, that those who spake with tongues were self-contr…
451 wordsSECTION 269252 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 10.11.
was in the first instance, as recorded in Acts, and may have been afterwards. 6. Paul, in 1 Cor. 14, 14-19, does not place speaking with tongues and speaking in one's own language in opposition ; but speaking with the understanding and speak- ing with the sjDirit ; and therefore to speak with tongues, is to speak witho…
415 wordsSECTION 270I. CORINTHIANS 12, 11.12.13. 253
fects. Whatever the Father does, he does through the Spirit. The Holy Ghost not only produces these gifts in the minds of men, but he distributes them severally (l^ta) to every man as he will^ i. e. not according to the merits or wishes of men, but according to his own will. This passage clearly proves that the Holy Sp…
407 wordsSECTION 271254 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 13.
tween baptism with water and baptism with the Holy Ghost. " I indeed baptize you with water ... but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost," Matt. 3, 11. "He that sent me to bap- tize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizet…
482 wordsSECTION 272I. CORINTHIANS 12, 13. 255
those in whom the Spirit of God dwells are members of the church which is the body of Christ. And by parity of reason- ing, those in whom the Spirit does not dwell are not members of Christ's body. They may be members of the visible or nominal church, but they are not members of the church in that sense in which it is …
491 wordsSECTION 273256 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 13. 14. 15. 16.
life. * We have been made to drink (i. e. of the Spirit) so as to become one spirit.' Another interpretation of the common text supposes that the preposition (cis) into belongs to the construction of the verb — to drink into being equivalent to drink of. The sense is then the same as in the reading with- out the CIS, '…
425 wordsSECTION 274I. CORINTHIANS 12, 15. 16. 17. 18. 257
The first and most obvious conclusion from the view which Paul had given of the nature of the church is the duty of con- tentment. It is just as unreasonable and absurd for the foot to complain that it is not the hand, as for one member of the church to complain that he is not another; that is, for a teacher to complai…
411 wordsSECTION 275258 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 18.19.20.21.
poses, that as in the body the principle of life manifests itself under one form in the eye, and in another form in the ear, so the Spirit of God dwelling in the church manifests himself un- der one form in one member and under a different form in another ; and that the selection of his organs and distribution of his g…
380 wordsSECTION 276I. CORINTHIANS 12, 22.23.24. 269
22. 23. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary : and those (members) of the body, which we think to be less honom-able, upon these we bestow more abun- dant honour ; and our uncomely (parts) have more abundant comeliness. The fourth inference from the apostle's doctrine i…
405 wordsSECTION 277260 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 24.25.26.27.
former needs no adorning, the latter does. God hath tem- pered the body together^ i. e. he has so adjusted it and com- bined its several members, as to secure the result that more abundant honour should be given to thoseVhich lacked. By- making the uncomely parts essential to the well-being of the rest, and by diffusin…
393 wordsSECTION 278I. CORINTHIANS 12, 27.28. 261
really one, pervaded by oue and the same spirit ; it consists of many members of different gifts and functions, each accord- ing to the will of the Spirit ; these members are mutually de- pendent ; the humble and obscure are more necessary to the being and welfare of the church than those distinguished by attractive gi…
445 wordsSECTION 279202 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 28.
and members. In the church some were apostles, i. e. imme- diate messengers of Christ, rendered infallible as teachers and rulers by the gift of plenary inspiration. Secondly, prophets, i. e. men who spoke for God as the occasional organs of the Spirit. Thirdly, teachers^ i. e. uninspired men who had re- ceived the gif…
448 wordsSECTION 280I. CORINTHIANS 12, 28.29.30. 263 .
have no longer prophets, nor workers of miracles, nor gifts of tongues. The only evidence that an office was intended to be permanent is the continuance of the gift of which it was the organ, and the command to appoint to the office those who are found to possess the gift. The only evidence that God intended the eye to…
445 wordsSECTION 281264 I. CORINTHIANS 12, 29.30.31.
same office, so it is no less preposterous in the members of the church that all should covet the same gifts. It is the design of the apostle to suppress, on the one hand, all discontent and envy, and on the other, all pride and arrogance. God distrib- utes his gifts as he j^leases ; all are necessary, and the recipi- …
330 wordsSECTION 282CHAPTER XIII.
Christian Love. Vs. 1-13. Love is superior to all extraordinary gifts. It is better than the gift of tongues, v. 1 ; than the gifts of prophecy and know- ledge, V. 2 ; and than the gift of miracles, v. 2. All outward…
41 wordsSECTION 283I. CORINTHIANS 13. 265
works of charity mthout it are worthless, v. 3. Love has this superiority, first, because of its inherent excellence ; and sec ondly, because of its perpetuity. As to its superior excellence, it implies or secures all other excellence. 1. It includes all the forms of kindness. 2. It is humble and modest. 3. It is unsel…
473 wordsSECTION 284266 I. CORINTHIANS 13, 1.
costliness ; and then it came to express the feeling arising from the sight of want and suffering. And this is the com- mon meanmg still attached to the English word, which ren- ders it unsuitable as the substitute of the comprehensive word love. Many have been led to think that almsgiving covers a multitude of sins, b…
414 wordsSECTION 285I. CORINTHIANS 13, 1.2. 267
what follows to have been the case with the Corinthians. Paul says, 14, 23, the meetings for worship in Corinth, if all spoke with tongues, would be so confused as to make strangers think they were mad. 2. And though I have (the gift of) prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all …
396 wordsSECTION 286268 I. CORINTHIANS 13, 2.3.
to reveal, of the teacher to know and to instruct. Compare 14, 6, where Paul connects revelation with prophecy, and knowledge with doctrine or teaching. And all faith, i. e. aU degrees of the faith of miracles, so that the greatest wonders, such as removing mountains, could be thereby accomplished. Compare our Lord's l…
443 wordsSECTION 287I. CORINTHIANS 13, 3.4. 269
meaning would then be, ' Thougli I not only give away all my goods, but should sell myself as a slave for the sake of the poor, it would profit me nothing.' Had Paul intended to say this, he would probably have used the appropriate term for branding. We do not express the idea that an animal was branded, by saying it w…
438 wordsSECTION 288270 I. CORINTHIANS 13, 5. 6. V.
5. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil ; Doth not behave itself unseemly^ i. e. does nothing of which one ought to be ashamed. Its whole deportment is decorous and becoming. Seeketh not her own ; is disinterested, 10, 33. Is not easily provoked, i. e. is not q…
400 wordsSECTION 289I. CORINTHIANS 13, 7.8. 271
Beareth oil things. This may either mean, bears in silence all annoyances and troubles, or covers up all things (as a-riyoi may have either meaning), in the sense of concealing or ex- cusing the faults of others, instead of gladly disclosing them. The latter interpretation harmonizes better with what follows, but it is…
421 wordsSECTION 290272 I. CORINTHIANS 13, 8. 9. 10. 11.
i. e. knowledge in that form in which it was the foundation of the office of teacher, is to be done away with. Whether this means that hereafter there will be no need of the office of teacher, and therefore that the gift which qualified for that office shall cease ; or whether Paul means to say that the im- mediate vis…
419 wordsSECTION 291I. CORINTHIANS 13, 11.12. 273
of mature age, a child. I spake as a child. This does not refer to the gift of tongues as something childish, but simply to the mode of speaking characteristic of children. I under- stood as a child, rather, I felt and acted as a child ; otherwise too little distinction is made between this and the next clause. I thoug…
451 wordsSECTION 292274 I. CORINTHIANS 13, 12.13.
transj)arent, to see through a window was to see dimly. As the word, however, properly means a mirror, James 1, 23, the best interpretation probably is, 3. We see as through a mirror; the optical impression is that the object is behind the mirror, and the spectator seems to look through it. The ancient mirrors were of …
446 wordsSECTION 293I. CORINTHIANS 13, 13. 275
The words and now may either indicate time, now^ during the present state ; or they may be inferential, now^ i. e. since things are so, rebus sic stantibus. In the latter case, the sense is, 'Since these extraordinary gifts are to pass away, faith, hope, and love abide.' The former are temporary, the latter are permane…
471 wordsSECTION 294276 I. CORINTHIANS 13, 13.
faith and hope. It is said that we believe those whom we love, and hope for what we delight in. According to Scrip- ture, however, the reverse is true. Faith is the root of love. It is the believing apprehension of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, that calls forth love to him. Others say, the ground of sup…
281 wordsSECTION 295CHAPTER XIY.
Superiority of the gift of prophecy to that of tongues, vs. 1-25. Special directions for the conduct of public worship, vs. 26-40. Superiority of the gift of prophecy to that of tongues. Vs. 1-25. The superiority of the gift of prophecy to that of tongues is founded, 1. On the consideration that he who speaks with to…
102 wordsSECTION 296I. CORINTHIANS 14. 277
their own judgment and experience. If Paul came to them speaking in a way which they could not understand, what good could it do them ? But if, as a prophet, he brought them a revelation from God, or as a teacher, set before them a doctrine, they would be edified, v. 6. 2. From the analogy of musical instruments. It is…
470 wordsSECTION 297278 I. CORINTHIANS 14, 1.
sage is very obscure ; but the obscurity arises from our igno- rance of the facts described, which, though familiar to those to whom the apostle wrote, have ceased to occur." That this gift should be specially connected with prophesying, as in Acts 19, 6, "they spake with tongues and prophesied," and elsewhere, is to b…
440 wordsSECTION 298I. CORINTHIANS 14, 1.2. 279
struct and edify the hearer. Of these two gifts, he says, the latter is to be preferred. The reason for this preference is given in what follows. 2. For he that speaketh in an (unknown) tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God : for no man understandeth (him) ; howbeit in the spirit he speak- eth mysteries. What is…
405 wordsSECTION 299280 I. CORINTHIANS 14, 2.3.4.
speaks with tongues is not understood, yet, guided by the Spirit, he speaks mysteries. Mysteries mean divine truths; things which God has revealed. In Acts 2, 11, they are called " the wonderful things (ra fxeyaXela) of God." To make the word mean, things not understood by the hearer, is con- trary to the usage of the …
376 wordsSECTION 300I. CORINTHIANS 14, 4.5. 281
This follows from what had been said. The speaker with tongues did not edify the church, because he was not under- stood ; he did edify himself, because he understood himself. This verse, therefore, proves that the understanding was not in abeyance, and that the speaker was not in an ecstatic state. 5. I would that ye…
410 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1857). Text from OCR of an original Internet Archive scan; OCR may contain recognition errors.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.