1. Collection (Aoyias). Peculiar to the New Testament, and occurring only here and ver. 2. The classical word is avAroyn, Vulg., collecta, which latter is also used of the as- semblies in which the collections took place. From éyw to collect. For such material ministries Paul uses a variety of words; as ydpus bounty, ver. 3; Kowwvia contribution, Rom.
of the law. This is true as a fact; for the believer is morally risen with Christ, walks in newness of life, and hath everlasting life (Rom. vi. 4-14; Eph. ii. 5-7; Col. iii, 1-5). But the whole drift of Paul’s thought is toward the final victory over death.
* One of the best popular expositions of this chapter is the Reverend Sam- uel Cox's little book, ‘‘ The Resurrection.” R. D. Dickinson, London.
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xv. 263; evrovla blessing, 2 Cor. ix. 5; Nevtoupyla ministration, 2 Cor. ix. 12; éXenuocvvar alms, Acts xxiv. 17. The word épavos was used by the Greeks to denote a feast of contribution or picnic y a club for mutual relief, and @ contribution, made as a club-subscription, or for the support of the poor.
The saints. At Jerusalem. Evidently the community of property (Acts ii. 44) had been abandoned ; and Augustine sup- poses that the poverty of the Jerusalem Christians was due to that practice. See note on Rom. xv. 26. The precise causes of the destitution in that church can be only conjectured.
2. Upon the first day of the week (cata piav caBBadrov). Kara has a distributive force, every first day. For week, lit., Sabbath, see on Acts xx. 7.
Lay by him in store (aap éavté tiWétw Inoavpitwv). Lit., put by himself treasuring. Put by at home.*
As God hath prospered (6 te av evoddrat). Lit., whatso- ever he may prosper in. See on Rom. i. 10; 3 John 2; and on Acts xi. 29 for the verb edzopéw in the similar sense of mak- ing a prosperous journey.
No gatherings, etc. Rev., collections. The amount would be greater through systematic weekly saving than through col- lections made once for all on his arrival.
When | am come (érav é\Sw Tote). Lit., then whenever I may have come. The indefinite whenever and the emphatic then indicate his unwillingness to rely upon a special contribu- tion called forth by his arrival at any uncertain time. Christ- ian beneficence is to be the outcome of a settled principle, not of an occasional impulse.
3. Approve by your letters. So A. V. and Rev. Others, however, connect by letters with will I send, making the letters to be Pavui’s introduction to the church at Jerusalem. The latter is preferable. The givers are to choose the bearers of
* See an article by Dean Plumptre, ‘St. Paul as a Man of Business,” ‘‘ Bix- positor,” first series, i., 259.
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the collection ; Paul, as the originator and apostolic steward of the collection, will send the money.
4. Meet for me to go (dEov tod Kae mopeverIar). Lit., of wt be worthy of my going, i.e., if the gift be sufficiently large to warrant an apostolic journey to Jerusalem. This is better than 7¢f et be becoming.
9. Great and effectual door. Door metaphorically for opportunity : great as to its extent; effectual as to the result. The figure of an effectual door, as it stands, is of course clumsy, but the idea as a whole is clear: a great opportunity for effect- ive work.
15. Achaia. In a restricted sense, the northwest of Pelop- onnesus; but often used by the poets for the whole of Greece. Under the Romans Greece was divided into two provinces, Macedonia and Achaia; the former including Macedonia proper, with Illyricum, Epirus, and Thessaly, and the latter all that lay south of these. In this latter acceptation the word is uniformly employed in the New Testament.