1. Paul, called to be an apostle. See him with himself in writing this epistle. ing in the testimony of one well known 2. Unto the church of God which is in every place call1 upon the name of Jesus Christ our theirs and ours: 1 2 Tim. ii. 22, time and manner in which the church was established in Corinth, see the Introduction, and Notes on Acts xviii. 1-17. The church is called the church of God, because it had been founded by his agency, and was devoted to his service. It is worthy of remark, that although great disorders had been introduced; though there were separations and erroneous doctrines; though there were some who gave evidence that they were not sincere Christians, yet the apostle had no hesitation in calling them a church of God. ¶ To them that are sanctified. To those who are made holy. This does not refer to the profession of holiness, but implies that they were in fact holy. The word means that they were separated from the mass of heathens around them, and devoted to God and his cause. Though the word used here (yaoMévois) has this idea of separation from the mass around them, yet it is separation on account of their being in fact and not in profession merely, different from others and truly devoted to God. See Note, Rom. i. 7. ¶ In Christ Jesus. That is, by (v) the agency of Christ. It was by his authority, his power, and his spirit, that they had been separated from the mass of heathens around them, and devoted to God. Comp. John xvii. 19. Called to be saints. The word saints does not differ materially from the word sanctified in the former part of the verse. It means those who are separated from the world, and set apart to God as holy. The idea which Paul introduces here is, that they were called to be thus separate and set apart. The idea in the former part of the verse is, that this had been sanctified in or by Christ Jesus; here he says that they were called to this privilege. He doubtless means that it was not by any native tendency in themselves to holiness, but because God had called them to it. And this calling does not refer merely to an external invitation, but it was that which was made effectual in their case, 2 Ch. viii. 6. Lord,2 both Acts x. 36. Phil. ii. 9-11. or that on which the fact of their being saints could be predicated. Comp. v. 9. See 2 Tim. i. 9. 1 Pet. i. 15. Note, Rom. i. 6, 7; viii. 28. Eph. iv. 1. 1 Tim. vi. 12. 1 Pet. ii. 9. With all, &c. This expression shows, 1. That Paul had the same feelings of attachment to all Christians in every place; and 2. That he expected that this epistle would be read, not only by the church at Corinth, but also by other churches. That this was the uniform intention of the apostle in regard to his epistles, is apparent from other places. Comp. Col. iv. 16. 1 Thess. v. 27. It is evident that Paul expected that his epistles would obtain circulation among the churches; and it was morally certain that they would be soon transcribed and be extensively read. The ardent feelings of Paul embraced all Christians in every nation. He knew nothing of the narrowness of exclusive attachment to sect. His heart was full of love, and he loved, as we should, all who bore the christian name, and who evinced the christian spirit. ¶ Call upon the name of Jesus Christ. To call upon the name of any person, in scripture language, is to call on the person himself. Comp. John iii. 18. Note, Acts iv. 12. The expression implies worship, and prayer; and proves, 1. That the Lord Jesus is an object of worship; and 2. That one characteristic of the early Christians, by which they were known and distinguished, was their calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus, or their offering worship to him. That it implies worship, see Note on Acts vii. 59; and that the early Christians called on Christ by prayer, and were thus distinguished, see Note on Acts vii. 59, and compare Note, Acts i. 24, also Acts ii. 21; ix. 14; xxii. 16. 2 Tim. ii. 22. ¶ Both theirs and ours. The Lord of all-both Jews and Gentiles -of all who profess themselves Christians, of whatever country or name they might have originally been. Difference of nation or birth gives no pre 3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of eminence in the kingdom of Christ, but all are on a level, having a common Lord and Saviour. Comp. Eph. iv. 5. 3. Grace be unto you, &c. See Note, Rom. i. 7. God which is given you by Jesus 5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance,* and in all knowledge; 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 4 2 Cor. viii. 7. Eph. vi. 19. Col. iv. 3. 4. 5 Acts xi. 17-21. Rom. xv. 19. Gal. iii. 5. abound in these things; they are conferred abundantly upon you.' By the use of this word, the apostle intends doubtless to denote the fact that these blessings had been conferred on them 4. I thank my God, &c. No small abundantly; and also that this was a part of this epistle is occupied with valuable endowment, so as to be proreproofs for the disorders which had perly called a treasure. The mercies of arisen in the church at Corinth. Before God are not only conferred abundantly proceeding, however, to the specific on his people, but they are a bestowstatement of those disorders, the apostle ment of inestimable value. Comp. 2 Cor. commends them for the attainments vi. 10. In all utterance. With the which they had really made in divine power of speaking various languages (èv knowledge, and thus shows that he was al Aóy). That this power was condisposed to concede to them all that he ferred on the church at Corinth, and could. It was no part of the disposition that it was highly valued by them, is of Paul to withhold commendation evident from ch. xiv. Comp. 2 Cor. viii. where it was due. On the contrary, as he 7. The power of speaking those lanwas disposed to be faithful in reproving guages the apostle regarded as a subject the errors of Christians, he was no less of thanksgiving as it was a proof of the disposed to commend them when he divine favour to them. See ch. xiv. 5. could. Comp. Note, Rom. i. 8. A 22. 39. And in all knowledge. In the willingness to commend those who do knowledge of divine truth. They had well is as much in accordance with the understood the doctrines which they gospel, as a disposition to reprove had heard, and had intelligently emwhere it is deserved; and a minister, or braced them. This was not true of all a parent, may frequently do as decided of them, but it was of the body of the good by judicious commendation as by church; and the hearty commendation reproof, and much more than by fault- and thanksgiving of the apostle for finding and harsh crimination. On these favours, laid the foundation for your behalf. In respect to you; that the remarks which he had subsequently God has conferred these favours on to make, and would tend to conciliate you. For the grace of God. On ac- their attention, and dispose them to count of the favours which God has be- listen attentively, even to the language stowed on you through the Lord Jesus. of reproof. Those favours are specified in the following verses. For the meaning of the word grace, see Note, Rom. i. 7. 5. That in every thing. In every respect, or in regard to all the favours conferred on any of his people. You have been distinguished by him in all those respects in which he blesses his own children. Ye are enriched by him. Comp. Note, Rom. ii. 4. The meaning of this expression is, 'you 6. Even as. (Kaws). The force of this expression seems to be this, The gospel of Christ was at first established among you by means of the miraculous endowments of the Holy Ghost. Those same endowments are still continued among you, and now furnish evidence of the divine favour, and of the truth of the gospel to you, even as-i. e. in the same measure as they did when the gospel was first preached. The power 1 7 So that ye come behind in unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm3 you to speak with tongues, &c., ch. xiv., would be a continued miracle, and would be a demonstration to them then of the truth of Christianity as it was at first. The testimony of Christ. The gospel. It is here called the testimony of Christ, because it bore witness to Christ-to his divine nature, his miracles, his messiahship, his character, his death, &c. The message of the gospel consists in bearing witness to Christ and his work. See ch. xv. 1-4. 2 Tim. i. 8. Was confirmed. Was established, or proved. It was proved to be divine, by the miraculous attestations of the Holy Spirit. It was confirmed, or made certain to their souls by the agency of the Holy Spirit, sealing it on their hearts. The word translated confirmed (¿ßeßviwon), is used in the sense of establishing, confirming, or demonstrating by miracles, &c. in Mark xvi. 20. Comp. Phil. i. 7. Heb. xiii. 9. ¶In you (èv vuiv). Among you as a people, or in your hearts. Perhaps the apostle intends to include both. The gospel had been established among them by the demonstrations of the agency of the Spirit in the gift of tongues, and had at the same time taken deep root in their hearts, and was exerting a practical influence on their lives. 7. So that. God has so abundantly endowed you with his favours. Ye come behind (voтepeîolai). You are not wanting, or deficient. The word is usually applied to destitution, want, or poverty; and the declaration here is synonymous with what he had said, ver. 5, that they abounded in every thing. In no gift. In no favour or gracious endowment. The word used here (xapioua), does not refer necessarily to extraordinary and miraculous endowments, but includes also all the kindnesses of God towards them in producing peace of mind, constancy, humility, &c. And the apostle meant evidently to say that they possessed, Col. i. 22. 4 Eph. v. 27. v. 23, 24. 2 Pet. iii. 14. 1 Thess. iii. 13; in rich abundance, all those endowments which were bestowed on Christians. Waiting for. Expecting, or looking for this coming with glad and anxious desire. This was, certainly, one of the endowments to which he referred, to wit, that they had grace given them earnestly to desire, and to wait for the second appearing of the Lord Jesus. An earnest wish to see him, and a confident expectation and firm belief that he will return, is an evidence of a high state of piety. It demands strong faith, and it will do much to elevate the feelings above the world, and to keep the mind in a state of peace. The coming, &c. Greek. The revelation — (THν àπоKáλ) the manifestation of the Son of God. That is, waiting for his return to judge the world, and for his approbation of his people in that day. The earnest expectation of the Lord Jesus became one of the marks of early Christian piety. This return was promised by the Saviour to his anxious disciples, when he was about to leave them. John xiv. 3. The promise was renewed when he ascended to heaven. Acts i. 11. It became the settled hope and expectation of Christians that he would return. Tit. ii. 13. Heb. ix. 28. 2 Pet. iii. 12. And with the earnest prayer that he would quickly come John closes the volume of inspiration. Rev. xxii. 20, 21. 8. Who shall also confirm you. Who shall establish you in the hopes of the gospel. He shall make you firm (BeBaiwoei) amidst all your trials, and all the efforts which may be made to shake your faith, and to remove you from that firm foundation on which you now rest. ¶ Unto the end. That is, to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He would keep them to the end of life in the path of holiness, so that at the coming of the Lord Jesus they might be found blameless. Comp. John xiii. 1. The sense is, that they 9 God is faithful, by whom 10 Now I beseech you, breye were called unto the fellow-thren, by the name of our Lord ship of his Son Jesus Christ our Jesus Christ,2 that ye all speak Lord. the same thing, and that there 1 1 1 John i. 3. 2 John xvii. 19. should be kept, and should not be is, that as they had been called by suffered to fall away and perish; and him into the fellowship of his Son, this is one of the many places which his faithfulness of character would express the strong confidence of Paul render it certain that they would be that those who are true Christians kept to eternal life. The same idea shall be preserved unto everlasting he has presented in Phil. i. 6. ¶ Ye life. Comp. Phil. i. 6. That ye were called. The word called here may be blameless. The word rendered does not refer merely to an invitation blameless (ἀνεγκλήτους) does not mean or an offer of life, but to the effectual perfect, but properly denotes those influence which had been put forth; against whom there is no charge which had inclined them to embrace of crime; who are unaccused, and the gospel. Note, Rom. viii. 30; ix. 11. against whom there is no ground of See Mark ii. 17. Luke v. 32. Gal. accusation. Here it does not mean i. 6; v. 8. 13. Eph. i. 4. Col. iii. 15. that they were personally perfect, but In this sense the word often occurs in that God would so keep them, and the scriptures, and is designed to deenable them to evince a christian note a power, or influence, that goes character, as to give evidence that forth with the external invitation, and they were his friends, and completely that makes it effectual. That power escape condemnation in the last day. is the agency of the Holy Spirit. See Notes on Rom. viii. 33, 34. Unto the fellowship of his Son. To There is no man who has not his participate with his Son Jesus Christ; faults; no Christian who is not con- to be partakers with him. See Notes, scious of imperfection; but it is the John xv. 1. 8. Christians participate design of God so to keep his people, with Christ. 1. In his feelings and and so to justify and sanctify them views. Rom. viii. 9. 2. In his trials through the Lord Jesus, that the and sufferings, being subjected to tempchurch may be presented "a glorious tations and trials similar to his. church, without spot or wrinkle" in i. 24. Phil. iii. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 13. 3. In the day of judgment. In the day, his heirship to the inheritance and &c. In the day when the Lord glory which awaits him. Rom. viii. Jesus shall come to judge the world; 17. 1 Pet. i. 4. 4. In his triumph in and which will be called his day, be- the resurrection and future glory. cause it will be the day in which he Matt. xix. 28. John xiv. 19. Rev. will be the great and conspicuous ob- iii. 21. From all this, the argument of ject, and which is especially appointed the apostle is, that as they partake to glorify him. See 2 Thess. i. 10. with Christ in these high privileges, and hopes, and promises, they will be kept by a faithful God unto eternal life. God is faithful to his Son, and will be faithful to all who are united to him. The argument for the perseverance of the saints is, therefore, sure. 9. God is faithful. That is, God is true, and constant, and will adhere to his promises. He will not deceive. He will not promise, and then fail to perform; he will not commence any thing which he will not perfect and finish. The object of Paul in introducing the idea of the faithfulness of God here, is, to show the reason for believing that the Christians at Corinth would be kept unto everlasting life. The evidence that they will persevere depends on the fidelity of God; and the argument of the apostle Col. 10. Now I beseech you, brethren. In this verse the apostle enters on the discussion respecting the irregularities and disorders in the church at Corinth, of which he had incidentally heard. See ver. 11. The first of which he had incidentally learned was that which pertained to the divisions and strifes |