The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 86

He must ha'l"e seen how it "bcho'l"cd Christ thus to suffer." He knew thnt this wns the necessary completion of his e<irt h ly mission, the last earthly step, to be folk,wed by a footfall in the "hea'l"cnly places" where he should receive authority and power to saYe. The "history" would be incomplete without the Crucifixion. 'l'he "mi~Rion" would ha'l"e been altogether a failurt' without the Crucifixion. 'l'he Christian doct.rino would be a moral schl'me, and not a Divine salvation, without the Crucil1xion. IV. THAT IX WHICH C1rnrsT's WHOLE HISTORY CULMINATED. St. Paul could not stay and rest in a human Christ, however attractive the records of his lifo and doin"s or however quickening to human sympathy the story of his suffering death. He says: "Though we lrnYe known Christ after the llcsb, yet now henceforth know we him [thus] no more." The earth-story culminated in this, viz. that he is exalted, a Prine~ and a SaYiour. He is endowed with a present saving power. Crucified in weakness, he li,eth hy the power of God. From the cross ho went to the throne, and St. Paul himself saw him at the right hand of God. St. Paul's subject was-The once-crucified Christ, who can sa'\"e to the uttermost now. Impress that men find shame in the Crucified until they can read the mystery of the cross: thcn_thcy glory in the shame, glory even in the cross. There will !1-lwa.ys, for true Christian_ he:1-rts, be d~rkness and sadness hanging all a.bout the cross, and yet the darkness 1s dispelled with streams of holy, loving light, and the sadness of our sympathy passes, gi,ing place to songs of joyous triumph. "We sing the praise of him who died, Of him who died upon the cross." R.T. Vers. 3-5.-Personal weakness and spiritual strength. In both the ordinary daily concerns and in the special religious service of life, a. man may be fust himself alone, confident in his own powers, self-centred, self-satisfied, reliant on bis own health of body, ,igour of mind, well-trained habits, quick judgment, and sound wisdom. Then, no matter how safe and strong he may seem to be, he is really weak'; and, a.s life ad,ances and testing-times take new and severer forms, his weakness will be proved and his pride effe~ti,ely humbled. A man may even now be moved and possessed by an evil spirit. Still the solemn fact remains that man's soul lies open to malign spiritual influences, which work through the bodily lusts and passions. Then the man himself i, weak indeed, and the alien force within him shows strength only unto r.hings that are debasing and evil. .A. man may be God's agent, having the Spirit of God dwelling in him and working through him. Then, no matter what may be the bodily frailties or tbe untoward earthly suJToundings, the man will be found really strong, efficient to all spiritual work, which the indwelling Spirit may move him to undertake. This last is St. Paul's experience. Men saw in him great human weak- ness. He felt within him great spiritual power, for he was the agent of the Holy Ghost. I. THE IMPRESSION MADE BY ST. PAUL'S APPEARANCE. There can be little doubt that he was diminutive in stature, frail in health, unskilful as a. rhetorician, and probably he was suffering from some disease or infirmity which made his appearance even unsightly. Of this his enemies were prepared to take undue advantage. The various descriptions of St. Paul's person should be considered, and the various theories con- cerning the special infirmity from which he suffered. Many of God's most devoted servants have, like Richard Baxter, Robert Hall, and many others, had to bear the heavy burden of constitutional disease, of intense physical suffering. But these things have been overruled, as in St. Paul's case, for good, so that they have become the very forces that have fitted the men for the nobler discharge of their great life-works. II. THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF FRAILTY WITII WIIICH ALL HIS WORK WAS DONE. There was not only the fact of suffering, but also the feeling of frailty. 'l'here was the sense of" fear," and there was much "trembling." He did not overmaster his trouble, but actually worked with it ever pressing upon him. "There was no self-confidrnce, nothing but self-mistrust, anxiety, the deepest sense of unworthiness" (comp. 2 Cor. x:. 10; xi. 30; xii. 5, 7, 9, 10; Gal. iv. 13, 14). "There was a. large element of that ;elf-dist•ust ~hich so noble and se1J,itive a. nature would foe! in the fulfilment of such -en. II. 1-16.J THE FIIlST EPISTLE ·ro nrn COTIINTHIANS. 87