20---32.
9041
31. * kad’ * ἡμέραν ἀποθνήσκω, 7 νὴ τὴν "ὑμετέραν λ "καύχησιν 3 ἣν * 2 Cor. xi.
* exw *
Acts; Mt. xxvi. 55. xv. 4, See note below.
2 a Rom. xv. 17, ii. 19; Jas. iv. 16.
1 querepay: A, and many minn., Or., Thdrt.
Elzevir.
ἐν Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν: 32. εἰ ’ κατὰ Ὁ ἄνθρωποφ
y N.T.A.L; Gen. xlii. 15 f. For the noun, Rom. ili. 27,; 6 exx. in3 "ημα, 888 Vv. 6; -αομαι, Bee i. 29.
28; thrice in Heb.; 13 ΕΧΧ. in ; Lk. and
z = obj. gen., Rom. xi. 31; so ηµετ., Rom. res th. b See iii. 3, and note below.
So Stephens and Bega, but not
2Ins. αδελφοι NABKP, and 15 minn., sah. cop. vg. syrr.
Omdé. by the Western and Syrian codd.
lowing ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν indicates that by ὑπὲρ τῶν νεκρῶν definite (dead) persons are meant. Ed, notices with approval the rendering of John Edwards (Camb., 1692), who supposed these ‘‘ baptized” to be men converted to Christianity by the heroism of the martyrs; somewhat similarly, Gd. This points in the right direction, but misses the force of ὑπέρ (on behalf of; not διά, on account of), and narrows the ref. of τῶν νεκρῶν (cf. 18, 20, 23); there is no indication in the ep. of martyrdoms at Cor. (see, on the contrary, iv.9f.). P.is referring rather to a much commoner, indeed a normal experience, that the death of Christians leads to the conversion of survivors, who in the first instance ‘‘for the sake of the dead”’ (their beloved dead), and in the hope of reunion, turn to Christ—e.g., when a dying mother wins her son by the appeal, ‘‘Meet me in heaven!” Such appeals, and their frequent salutary effect, give strong and touching evidence of faith in the resurrection; some recent example of the kind may have suggested this ref. Paul designates such converts ‘‘ baptised for the dead,” since Baptism seals the new believer and commits him to the Christian life (see note, xii. 13) with all its losses and hazards (cf. 30). The hope of future blessedness, allying itself with family affections and friend- ship, was one of the most powerful factors in the early spread of Christianity. Mr. objects to this view (expounded by δειτε) that 7. νεκρῶν needs definition by συγγενῶν καὶ φίλων, or the like, to bear such meaning; but to each of these βαπτιζόµενοι those who had thus in- fluenced him would be “‘ the ἀεαά”'. The obscure passage has, upon this explana- tion, a large, abiding import suitable to the solemn and elevated context in which it stands; the words reveal a communion in Christ between the living and de- parted (cf. Rom. xiv. 9), to which the hope of the resurrection gives validity and worth (cf. 1 Thess. v. 1ο, 2 Thess. ii.
1).—For ἐπεί, since otherwise, else (alio- quin, Vg.; Germ. da sonst), see note on ν. Το.---τί ποιήσονσιν; (see LXX parls.) indicates that the hope on which these baptisms rest will be stultified, without a resurrection; it will betray them (Rom. v. 5).—el ὅλως νεκροὶ κ.τ.λ., “If ab- solutely (omnino, Vg.: see note, v. το) dead men are not raised” (the axiom of the unbelievers, 12, 15, etc.), unfolds the assumption involved in ἐπεὶ as the pro- tasis of τί καὶ βαπτίζονται ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν; which repeats, with emphasis on the pronoun, the former question—‘‘ Why indeed are they baptised for them?” how can they be interested in the bap- tism of survivors, if they have perished (18)? On this assumption, converts would have been gained upon false hopes (cf. 19), as well as upon false testimony (15).—‘‘ Why also do we run hazard every hour ?’’—further consequent of εἰ νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται: ‘our case (that of the App. and other missionaries, brav- ing death unceasingly: see 11; iv. g ff., 2 Cor. iv. ro ff., xi. 23 ff.; John xv. 18-xvi. 22) is parl. to theirs; as they, in love for the dead whom they hope to meet again, take up the cross of Christian profession, so we in the same hope face hourly peril’’.