be objected that the whole expression is thus obscure and awkward. ' Let every one at home place, treasuring up what he has to give.' The words do not mean to lay by at home^ but to lay by himself. The direction is nothing more definite than, let him place by him,self\ i. e. let him take to himself what he means to give. What he was to do with it, or where he was to deposit it, is not expressed. The word ^-qaavpitfuv means putting into the treasury^ or hoarding iip^ and is per- fectly consistent with the assumption that the place of deposit was some common treasury, and not every man's own house. 2. If Paul directed this money to be laid up at home., why was the first day of the week selected ? It is evident that the fii-st day must have offered some special facility for doing what is here enjoined. The only reason that can be assigned for requiring the thing to be done on the first day of the week, is, that on that day the Christians were accustomed to meet, and what each one had laid aside from his weekly gains could be treasured up, i. e. put into the common treasury of the church. 3. The end which the apostle desired to accomplish could not otherwise have been effected. He wished that there m,ight be no collections when he came. But if every man had his money laid by at home, the collection would be stiU to be made. The probabiUty is, therefore, Paul intended to direct the Corinthians to make a collection every Lord's day for the poor, when they met for worship. As God hath prospered him ; literally, whatever has gone well with him. He was to lay aside what by his success in business he was able to give. This is another principle which the apostle would have Chris- tians to act upon. Their contribution should be in proportion to their means.
3. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by (your) letters, them will I send to bring your Hber- ality unto Jerusalem.
Paul was not to receive the money himself. It was to be given to men selected and approved by the Corinthians, whom Paul promised to send, furnished with letters from himself, to Jerusalem. The words hC iTna-roXwv, with letters, are not to be connected with what precedes, " approved by your letters," but with what follows, " I wiU send with letters." Otherwise there would have been no need of Paul's sending them, i. e. the persons approved by the Corinthians. The people wero