µεμµέρισται 6 Χριστός; reveals the radical mischief at work in Corinth. The Church was in the eyes of some of its members a kind of de- bating club or philosophical school, in which αἱρέσεις and σχίσµατα were matters of course; to others it was a benefit society, to be used so far as suited inclination and convenience. Against all such debased notions of social life, and selfish abuse of Church privilege, this Epistle is a sustained protest.
This fellowship of Christ is symbolised and sealed by the bread and cup of the Lord’s Supper (x. 16 ff.)—the ‘‘ one loaf’”’ and “one cup” in which all participate, since it is a “communion of the body of Christ” and ‘of the blood of Christ”. The ‘word of the cross” is made by this ordinance a binding “ covenant in Christ’s blood”. The Christian Society is thus known as the fraternity of the Crucified ; evermore it “ proclaims the Lord’s death, till He come” (xi. 26). Such fellowship in Christ, appropriating the whole man, the body with the spirit (vi. 15, 19), excludes ipso facto all inter- course with ‘‘the demons” and feasting at their ‘‘table”’ (x. 20 ff.); their communion is abhorrent and morally impossible to those who have truly partaken with Christ (cf. 2 Cor. vi. 14 Π.).
The introductory thanksgiving signally connects the κοινωνία τοῦ Χριστού with His παρουσία. Hope is a uniting principle, along with faith and love (xiii. 13, cf. Eph. iv. 4). The Church of God is no mere temporal fabric. The “gold, silver, precious stones”’ of its construction will brave the judgment fires (iti. 12-15). “Those whe are Christ’s, at His coming,” form the nucleus of the eternal king- dom of God (xv. 23-28). ‘‘The day” which reveals the completed work of Christ ‘‘ will declare every man’s work, of what sort it is”; each of Christ’s helpers will then receive his meed of “ praise from God,” and the approved “ saints,” as Christ’s assessors, will ‘“ judge the world” and “ angels” (iii. 13, iv. 5, vi. 2 f). :
(4) The regulation of the charismata, the wealth and the em- barrassment of this Church, is deduced from the above principles. These powers, however manifold, are manifestations of “the same Spirit,’ who inhabits the entire body of Christ and whose ‘ will” determines the various endowments of its several members (xii. 7-11). They are distributed, as the bodily functions are assigned to their proper organs, for the service of the whole frame. ‘The possessor of one cannot dispense with, and must not despise, his differently gifted brother (xii. 14 ff.). Yet there is a gradation in the charisms ; it is right to covet “the greater” among them. Love supplies the criterion ; the most edifying gifts are the most desirable (xii. 31- xiv. 19). Self-restraint must be exercised by gifted persons, and