1. UauXog, Paul. The epistle consists —
I. Of the Insckiption, ch. i. 1 -3.
II. Of the Discussion ; in which we have —
I. An exhortation to concord, depressing the elated judg- ments of the flesh, ver. 4, iv. 21. ii. A reproof, —
1) For not putting away the wicked person, v. 1-13.
2) For perverse lawsuits, vi. 1-11.
Hi. An exhortation to avoid fornication, vi. 12—20.
IV. His answer to them in regard to marriage, vii. 1, 10, 25, 36, 39.
V. On things offered to idols, viii. 1, 2, 13 — ix. 27 — x. 1, — xi. 1.
vi. On a woman being veiled, xi. 2.
vii. On the Lord’s Supper, xi. 17.
viii. On spiritual gifts, xii. xiii. xiv.
ix. On the resurrection of the dead, xv. 1, 12, 29, 35.
X. On the collection : on his own coming, and that of Timothy and Apollos ; on the sum and substance of the whole subject, xvi. 1, 5, 10, 12, 13, 14.
200
III. Of the Conclusion, xvi. 15, 17, 19, 20.
— uKoaroXog ’iqtfou Xpusrov, an apostle of Jesus Christ) ver. 17. — biu hxij^arog ©sou, by the will of God) so 2 Cor. i. 1 ; Eph. i. 1 ; Col. i. 1 ; 2 Tim. i. 1. His apostleship is said to be u by the commandment of God,” in 1 Tim. i. 1. This was the principle on which rested the apostolic authority in regard to the churches : and the principle of the zealous and humble mind which characterized Paul himself; comp. Rom. i. 1, note. For by the mention of God, human claim to wages (auctoramentum) is excluded, Gal. i. 1 ; by the mention of the will of God, merit on the part of Paul is excluded, ch. xv. 8, etc. : whence this apostle is in proportion the more grateful and zealous, 2 Cor. viii. 5, at the end of the verse. Had Paul been left to his own will, he would n^ver have become an apostle.1 — 'ZusdUrig, Sos - thenes) a companion of Paul, a Corinthian. Apollos is not mentioned here, nor Aquila ; for they do not appear to have been at that time with Paul, although they were in the same city, ch. xvi. 12, 19. In the second epistle, he joins Timothy to himself.
2. Tjj rov ©sou, To the Church of God) Paul, writing
somewhat familiarly to the Thessalonians, Corinthians, and Galatians, uses the term, Church ; to the others he employs a more solemn periphrasis. The Church of God in Corinth: a great and joyful paradox.2 — ry outsri, which is), [at Corinth and moreover] flourishing [there], ver. 5, 6. So, [the Church] which was [at Antioch], Acts xiii. 1. — Yiyiaa/Jevoig, to them that are sanctified) them, who have been claimed for God [by being set apart as holy to Him]. Making a preludeAalready to the dis- cussion, he reminds the Corinthians of theMown dignity, lest they should suffer themselves to be enslaved®'- men. [ Then in the Introduction also, ver. 4—9, he highly pT^mes the same per- sons, how near soever they may have come to undue elation of mind. The praise which is derived from Divine grace rather
1 It is of the greatest advantage to have the will of God for our guide. To attempt anything under the guidance of a man’s own will is an under- taking full of hazard, under however specious a name it may be capable of being commended. In the world it readily produces embarrassments, troublesome and very difficult to be got rid of. — V. g.
2 Religion and Corinth, a city notorious for debauchery, might have seemed terms utterly incapable of combination. — Ed.