kind of structure which shall be reared on that; dwell; or to lay too much stress. Gold is the l 66 That proved, and seen to be genuine piety in the day VER. 13. Every man's work shall be made ma- h is. i Zech. xiii. 9. 2 Pet. i. 7; iv. 12. Every man's work shall be made manifest.— What every man has built on this foundation shall be seen. Whether he has held truth or error; whether he has had correct views of piety or false; whether what he has done has been 66 this. He shall receive a reward.-According to the nature of his work. See Note on ver. 8. This refers, I suppose, to the proper rewards on the day of judgment, and not to the honours and the recompense which he may receive in this world. If all that he has taught and done shall be proved to have been genuine and pure, then his reward shall be in proportion. VER. 15. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. k Zech. iii. 2. Jude 23. what he should have done or not. For the day. -The day of judgment. The great day which shall reveal the secrets of all hearts, and the trath in regard to what every man has done. The event will show what edifices on the true foundation are firmly, and what are weakly built. Perhaps the word day here may mean time in general, as we say, time will show"-and as the Latin adage says, dies docebit; but it is more natural to refer it to the day of judgment. Be- If any man's work shall be burned.—If it shall cause it shall be revealed by fire.-The work, the not be found to bear the test of the investigation edifice which shall be built on the true founda- of that day-as a cottage of wood, hay, and tion shall be made known amidst the fire of the stubble would not bear the application of fire. If great day. The fire which is here referred to is, his doctrines have not been true; if he has had doubtless, that which shall attend the consumma- mistaken views of piety; if he has nourished tion of all things-the close of the world. That feelings which he thought were those of religion; the world shall be destroyed by fire, and that the and inculcated practices which, however well solemnities of the judgment shall be ushered in meant, are not such as the gospel produces; if he by a universal conflagration, is fully and fre- has fallen into error of opinion, feeling, practice, quently revealed. See Isa. Ixvi. 15. 2 Thess. however conscientious, yet he shall suffer loss. He i. 8. 2 Pet. iii. 7, 10, 11. The burning fires of shall suffer loss.-(1.) He shall not be elevated to as that day, Paul says, shall reveal the character of high a rank and to as high happiness as he otherevery man's work, as fire sheds light on all wise would. That which he supposed would be around, and discloses the true nature of things. regarded as acceptable by the Judge, and reIt may be observed, however, that many critics warded accordingly, shall be stripped away, and suppose this to refer to the fire of persecution, &c. shown to be unfounded and false; and, in conse-Macknight. Whitby supposes that the apostle quence, he shall not obtain those elevated rerefers to the approaching destruction of Jeru- wards which he anticipated. This, compared salem. Others, as Grotius, Rosenmüller, &c. with what he expected, may be regarded as a suppose that the reference is to time in general; loss. (2.) He shall be injuriously affected by it shall be declared ere long; it shall be seen this for ever. It shall be a detriment to him to whether those things which are built on the true all eternity. The effects shall be felt in all his foundation are true by the test of time, &c. But residence in heaven-not producing misery—but the most natural interpretation is that which re- attending him with the consciousness that he fers it to the day of judgment. And the fire shall might have been raised to superior bliss in the try every man's work. It is the property of fire to eternal abode.-The phrase here literally means, test the qualities of objects. Thus, gold and "he shall be mulcted." The word is a law term, silver, so far from being destroyed by fire, are and means that he shall be fined, i. e. he shall purified from dross. Wood, hay, stubble, are suffer detriment. But he himself shall be saved. consumed. The power of fire to try or test the -The apostle all along has supposed that the nature of metals, or other objects, is often re- true foundation was laid, (ver. 11,) and if that is ferred to in the Scripture. Comp. Isa. iv. 4; laid, and the edifice is reared upon that, the perxxiv. 15. Mal. iii. 2. 1 Pet. i. 7. It is not to son who does it shall be safe. There may be be supposed here that the material fire of the last much error, and many false views of religion, day shall have any tendency to purify the soul, and much imperfection, still the man that is or to remove that which is unsound; but that the building on the true foundation shall be safe. investigations and trials of the judgment shall His errors and imperfections shall be removed, remove all that is evil, as fire acts with reference and he may occupy a lower place in heaven, but to gold and silver. As they are not burned, but he shall be safe. Yet so as by fire (wç dià πvợóc). purified; as they pass unhurt through the intense-This passage has greatly perplexed commenheat of the furnace, so shall all that is genuine pass through the trials of the last great day, of which trials the burning world shall be the antecedent and the emblem. That great day shall show what is genuine and what is not. VER, 14. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work abide, &c.-If it shall appear that he has taught the true doctrines of Christianity, and inculcated right practices and views of piety, and himself cherished right feelings: if the trial of the great day, when the real qualities of all objects shall be shown, shall show tators; but probably without any good reason. The apostle does not say that Christians will be doomed to the fires of purgatory; nor that they will pass through fire; nor that they will be exposed to pains and punishment at all; but he simply carries out the figure which he commenced, and says that they will be saved, as if the action of fire had been felt on the edifice on which he is speaking. That is, as fire would consume the wood, hay, and stubble, so on the great day every thing that is erroneous and imperfect in Christians shall be removed, and that which is true and genuine shall be preserved as if it had passed through fire. Their whole cha Ꭰ racter and opinions shall be investigated; and | the temple and the habitation of God. And the that which is good shall be approved; and that which is false and erroneous be removed. The idea is not that of a man whose house is burnt over his head and who escapes through the flames, nor that of a man who is subjected to the pains and fires of purgatory; but that of a man who had been spending his time and strength to little purpose; who had built, indeed, on the true foundation, but who had reared so much on it which was unsound, and erroneous, and false, that he himself would be saved with great difficulty, and with the loss of much of that reward which he had expected, as if the fire had passed over him and his works. The simple idea, therefore, is, that that which is genuine and valuable in his doctrines and works, shall be rewarded, and the man shall be saved; that which is not sound and genuine, shall be removed, and he shall suffer loss. Some of the fathers, indeed, admitted that this passage taught that all men would be subjected to the action of fire in the great conflagration with which the world shall close; that the wicked shall be consumed; and that the righteous are to suffer, some more and some less, according to their character. On passages like this, the Romish doctrine of purgatory is based. But we may observe, (1.) That this passage does not necessarily or naturally give any such idea. The interpretation stated above is the natural interpretation, and one which the passage will not only bear, but which it demands. (2.) If this passage would give any countenance to the absurd and unscriptural idea that the souls of the righteous at the day of judgment are to be re-united to their bodies, in order to be subjected to the action of intense heat, to be brought from the abodes of bliss, and compelled to undergo the burning fires of the last conflagration, still it would give no countenance to the still more absurd and unscriptural opinion that those fires have been and are still burning; that all souls are to be subjected to them; and that they can be removed only by masses offered for the dead, and by the prayers of the living. The idea of danger and peril is, indeed, in this text; but the idea of personal salvation is retained and conveyed. VER. 16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 2 Cor. vi. 16. Know ye not, &c. The apostle here carries forward and completes the figure which he had commenced in regard to Christians. His illustrations had been drawn from architecture; and he here proceeds to say that Christians are that building, (see ver. 9;) that they were the sacred temple which God had reared; and that, therefore, they should be pure and holy. This is a practical application of what he had been before saying. Ye are the temple of God.-This is to be understood of the community of Christians, or of the church, as being the place where God dwells on the earth. The idea is derived from the mode of speaking among the Jews, where they are said often in the Old Testament to be allusion is probably to the fact that God dwelt by a visible symbol-the Shechinah-in the temple, and that his abode was there. As he dwelt there among the Jews; as he had there a temple-a dwelling-place, so he dwells among Christians. They are his temple, the place of his abode. His residence is with them; and he is in their midst. This figure the apostle Paul several times uses. (1 Cor. vi. 19. 2 Cor. vi. 16. Eph. ii. 20-22.) A great many passages have been quoted by Elsner and Wetstein, in which a virtuous mind is represented as the temple of God, and in which the obligation to preserve that inviolate and unpolluted is enforced. The figure is a beautiful one, and very impressive. A temple was an edifice erected to the service of God. The temple at Jerusalem was not only most magnificent, but was regarded as most sacred; (1.) From the fact that it was devoted to his service; and (2.) From the fact that it was the peculiar residence of JEHOVAH. Among the heathen also, temples were regarded as sacred. They were supposed to he inhabited by the divinity to whom they were dedicated. They were regarded as inviolable. Those who took refuge there were safe. It was a crime of the highest degree to violate a temple, or to tear a fugitive who had sought protection there from the altar. So the apostle says of the Christian community. They were regarded as his temple-God dwelt among them-and they should regard themselves as holy, and as consecrated to his service. And so it is regarded as a species of sacrilege to violate the temple, and to devote it to other uses. (1 Cor. vi. 19. See ver. 17.) And that the Spirit of God.-The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. This is conclusively proved by 1 Cor. vi. 19, where he is called "the Holy Ghost." Dwelleth in you.-As God dwelt formerly in the tabernacle, and afterwards in the temple, so his Spirit now dwells among Christians. This cannot mean, (1.) That the Holy Spirit is personally united to Christians, so as to form a personal union; or, (2.) That there is to Christians any communication of his nature or personal qualities; or, (3.) That there is any union of essence, or nature with them, for God is present in all places, and can, as God, be no more present at one place than at another. The only sense in which he can be peculiarly present in any place is by his influence And the idea is one which denotes agency, influence, favour, peculiar regard; and in that sense only can he be present with his church. The expression must mean, (1.) That the church is the seat of his operations, the field, or abode on which he acts on earth; (2.) That his influences are there, producing the appropriate effects of his agency, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, &c. (Gal. v. 22, 23 ;) (3.) That he produces there consolations, that he sustains and guides his people; (4.) That they are regarded as dedicated or consecrated to him; (5.) That they are especially dear to him-that he loves them, and thus makes his abode with them.-(See Note, John xiv. 23.) or agency. VER. 17. If any man" defile the temple of God, m Or, destroy. him shall God destroy; for the temple of God tation, and if he seeks that this should be his re is holy, which temple ye are. If any man defile, &c.-Or, destroy, corrupt (p). The Greek word is the same in both parts of the sentence. If any man destroy the temple of God, God shall destroy him." This is presented in the form of an adage or proverb. And the truth here stated is based on the fact that the temple of God was inviolable. That temple was holy; and if any man subsequently destroyed it, it might be presumed that God would destroy him. The figurative sense is, If any man by his doctrines or precepts shall pursue such a course as tends to destroy the church, God shall severely punish him." For the temple of God is holy.-The temple of God is to be regarded as sacred and inviolable. This was unquestionably the common opinion among the Jews respecting the temple at Jerusalem; and it was the common doctrine of the Gentiles respecting their temples. Sacred places were regarded as inviolable; and this general truth Paul applies to the Christian church in general. Locke supposes that Paul had particular reference here to the false teachers in Corinth. But the expression, "if any man," is equally applicable to all other false teachers as to him. Which temple ye are. This proves that though Paul regarded them as lamentably corrupt in some respects, he still regarded them as a true church -as a part of the holy temple of God. VER. 18. Let no man deceive himself. " If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. n Prov. xxvi. 12. putation among men. See instances of this construction in Bloomfield. In this world.-In this age, or world, (iv τ alov 7оúтy.) There is considerable variety in the interpretation of this passage among critics. It may be taken either with the preceding or the following words. Origen, Cyprian, Beza, Grot us, Hammond, and Locke, adopt the latter method, and understand it thus; "If any man among you thinks himself to be wise, let him not hesitate to be a fool in the opinion of this age, in order that he may be truly wise." But the interpretation conveyed in our translation is probably the correct one; "If any man has the reputation of wisdom, and prides himself on it," &c.; if he is esteemed wise in the sense in which the men of this world are, as a philosopher, a man of science, learning, &c. Let him become a fool.-(1.) Let him be willing to be regarded as a fool. (2.) Let him sincerely embrace this gospel, which will inevitably expose him to the charge of being a fool. (3.) Let all his earthly wisdom be esteemed in his own eyes as valueless and as folly in the great matters of salvation. That he may be wise.-That he may have true wisdom, that which is of God. It is implied here, (1.) That the wisdom of this world will not make a man truly wise. (2.) That a reputation for wisdom may contribute nothing to a man's true wisdom, but may stand in the way of it. (3.) That for such a man to embrace the gospel it is necessary that he should be willing to cast away dependence on his own wisdom, and come with the temper of a child to the Saviour. (4.) That to do this will expose him to the charge of folly, and the derision of those who are wise in their own conceit. (5.) That true wisdom is found only in that science which teaches men to live unto God, and to be prepared for death and for heaven-and that science is found only in the gospel. VER. 19. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God: for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. o Job v. 3. Let no man deceive himself.-The apostle here proceeds to make a practical application of the truths which he had stated, and to urge on them humility, and to endeavour to repress the broils and contentions into which they had fallen. Let no man be puffed up with a vain conceit of his own wisdom, for this had been the real cause of all the evils which they had experienced. Grotins renders this, "See that you do not attribute For the wisdom of this world.-That which is too much to your wisdom and learning, by rest- esteemed to be wisdom by the men of this world ing on it, and thus deceive your own selves." on the subject of religion. It does not mean "All human philosophy," says Grotius, "that is that true wisdom is foolishness with him. It repugnant to the gospel, is but vain deceit." Pro- does not mean that science, and prudence, and bably there were many among them who would law-that the knowledge of his works-that asdespise this admonition as coming from Paul, but tronomy, and medicine, and chemistry, are rehe exhorts them to take care that they did not de- garded by him as folly, and as unworthy the atceive themselves. We are taught here, (1.) The tention of men. God is the friend of truth on all danger of self-deception, a danger that besets all subjects; and he requires us to become acquainted on the subject of religion. (2.) The fact that with his works, and commends those who search false philosophy is the most fruitful source of them. (Ps. xcii. 4; cxi. 2.) But the apostle reself-deception in the business of religion. So it fers here to that which was esteemed to be wiswas among the Corinthians; and so it has been dom among the ancients, and in which they so in all ages since. If any man among you.-Any much prided themselves, their vain, self-confiteacher, whatever may be his rank, or his confident, and false opinions on the subject of relidence in his own abilities; or any private mem- gion; and especially those opinions when they ber of the church. Seemeth to be wise.-Seems to himself; or is thought to be, has the credit or reputation of being wise. The word seems (Core) implies this idea,-if any one seems, or is supposed to be a man of wisdom; if this is his repu were opposed to the simple but sublime truths of revelation. See Note, chap. i. 20, 21. Is foolishness with God.-Is esteemed by him to be folly. Note, chap. i. 20-24. For it is written, &c.-Job v. 13. The word rendered "taketh" claimed or possessed over others. Envy every where is a fruitful cause of strife. Most contentions in the church are somehow usually connected with envy. And strife.-Contention and dispute. And divisions.-Dissensions and quarrels. The margin correctly renders it factions. The idea is, that they were split up into parties, and that those parties were imbittered with mutual recriminations and reproaches, as they always are in a church. And walk as men. Marg, according to man.-The word walk is used often in the Scriptures in the sense of conduct or act. You conduct as men, i. e. as men commonly do; you evince the same spirit that the great mass of men do. Instead of being filled with love; of being united and harmonious, as the members of the same family ought to be, you are split up into factions as the men of the world are. VER. 4. For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Chap. i. 12. For while one saith, &c.-See Note, chap. i. 12. VER. 5. Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? y Rom. xii. 3, 6. 1 Pet. iv. 11. Who then is Paul, &c.-See Notes, chap. i. 13. Why should a party be formed which should be named after Paul? What has he done or taught that should lead to this? What eminence has he that should induce any to call themselves by his name? He is on a level with the other apostles; and all are but ministers, or servants, and have no claim to the honour of giving names to sects and parties. God is the fountain of all your blessings, and whoever may have been the instrument by whom you have believed, it is improper to regard them as in any sense the fountain of your blessings, or to arrange yourselves under their name. But ministers.-Our word minister, as now used, does not express the proper force of this word. We, in applying it to preachers of the gospel, do not usually advert to the original sense of the word, and the reason why it was given to them. The original word (diákovoi) denotes properly servants in contradistinction from masters, (Matt. xx. 26; xxiii. 11. Mark ix. 35; x. 43;) and denotes those, of course, who are in an inferior rank of life. They had not command, or authority, but were subject to the command of others. It is applied to the preachers of the gospel, because they are employed in the service of God; because they go at his command, and are subject to his control and direction. They have not original authority, nor are they the source of influence or power. The idea here is, that they were the mere instruments or servants by whom God conveyed all blessings to the Corinthians; that they, as ministers, were on a level, were engaged in the same work, and that, therefore, it was improper for them to form parties that should be called by their names. By whom. Through whom (div), by whose instrumentality. They were not the original source of faith; but were the mere servants of God, in conveying to them the knowledge of that truth by which they were to be saved. Even as the Lord gave to every man. — God is the original source of faith; and it is by his influence that any one is brought to believe. See Note, Rom. xii. 3, 6. There were diversities of gifts among the Corinthian Christians, as there are in all Christians. And it is here implied, (1.) That all that any one had was to be traced to God as its author; (2) That he is a Sovereign, and dispenses his favours to all as he pleases; (3.) That since God had conferred those favours, it was improper for the Corinthians to divide themselves into sects, and call themselves by the name of their teachers, for all that they had was to be traced to God alone. This idea, that all the gifts and graces which Christians had were to be traced to God alone, was one which the apostle Paul often insisted on: and hearts of all Christians, it would have preand if this idea had been kept before the minds vented no small part of the contentions in the church, and the formation of no small part of the sects in the Christian world. VER. 6. I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. z Chap. xv. 10. I have planted. The apostle here compares the establishment of the church at Corinth to the planting of a vine, a tree, or of grain. The figure is taken from agriculture, and the meaning is obvious. Paul established the church. He was the first preacher in Corinth; and if any distinction was due to any one, it was rather to him than to the teachers who had laboured there subsequently; but he regarded himself as worthy of no such honour as to be the head of a party, for it was not himself, but God who had given the increase. Apollos watered.—This figure is taken from the practice of watering a tender plant, or of watering a garden or field. This was necessary in an especial manner in eastern countries: their fields became parched and dry from their long droughts, and it was necessary to irrigate them by artificial means. The sense here is, that Paul had laboured in establishing the church at Corinth; but that subsequently Apollos had laboured to increase it, and to build it up. It is certain that Apollos did not go to Corinth until after Paul had left it. See Acts xviii. 18. Comp. 27. gave the increase.--God caused the seed sown to take root and spring up; and God blessed the irrigation of the tender plants as they sprung up. and caused them to grow. This idea is still taken from the husbandman. It would be vain for the farmer to sow his seed unless God should give it i life. There is no life in the seed, nor is there any inherent power in the earth to make it grow. God only, the giver of all life, can quicken the germ in the seed, and make it live. So it would be in vain for the farmer to water his plant unless God should bless it. There is no living principle in the water; no inherent power in the rains of heaven to make the plant grow. It is adapted indeed, to this, and the seed would not germinate if it was not planted, nor grow if it was not watered, but the life is still from God. He arranged these means, and he gives life to the tender blade, God |