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rule; to hold offices; to instruct and govern the church; and it is improper that women should assume that office upon themselves. This evidently and obviously refers to the church assembled for public worship, in the ordinary and regular acts of devotion. There the assembly is made up of males and females, of old and young, and there it is improper for them to take part in conducting the exercises. But this cannot be interpreted as meaning that it is improper for females to speak or to pray in meetings of their own sex, assembled for prayer or for benevolence; nor that it is improper for a female to speak or to pray in a sabbath-school. Neither of these come under the apostle's idea of a church. And in such meetings, no rule of propriety or of the Scriptures is violated in their speaking for the edification of each other, or in leading in social prayer. It may be added here, that on this subject the Jews were very strenuous, and their laws were very strict.

The Rabbins taught that a woman should know nothing but the use of the distaff; and they were specially prohibited from asking questions in the synagogue, or even from reading. See Lightfoot. The same rule is still observed by the Jews in the synagogues.

VER. 36. What! came the word of God out from you? or 'came it unto you only?

I Chap. iv. 7.

What! came the word of God out from you?— The meaning of this is, "Is the church at Corinth the mother church? Was it first established; or has it been alone in sending forth the word of God? You have adopted customs which are unusual. You have permitted women to speak in a manner unknown to other churches. See chap. xi. 16. You have admitted irregularity and confusion unknown in all the others. You have allowed many to speak at the same time, and have tolerated confusion and disorder. Have you any right thus to differ from others? Have you any authority, as it were, to dictate to them, to teach them, contrary to their uniform custom, to allow these disorders? Should you not rather be conformed to them, and observe the rules of the churches which are older than yours?" The argument here is, that the church at Corinth was not the first that was established; that it was one of the last that had been founded; and that it could, therefore, claim no right to differ from others, or to prescribe to them. The same argument is employed in chap. xi. 16. See Note. Or came it unto you only?-As you are not the first of those who believed, neither are you the only ones. God has sent the same gospel to others, and it is travelling over the world. Others, therefore, have the same right as you to originate customs and peculiar habits; and as this would be attended with confusion and disorder, you should all follow the same rule, and the customs which do not prevail in other churches should not be allowed in yours.

VER. 37. If m any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the

m 2 Cor. x. 7. 1 John iv. 6.

things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

If any man think himself to be a prophet.-Note. ver. 1. If any man claim to be divinely endow ed. Macknight renders it, “be really a prophet." But the more correct meaning here is, doubtless, "If any man profess to be a prophet; or is reputed to be a prophet."-Bloomfield. The proper meaning of the word core is to seem to one's self; to be of opinion, to suppose, believe, &c.; and the reference here is to one who should regard himself, or who should believe and profess to be thus endowed. Or spiritual.—Regarding himself as under the extraordinary influence of the Spirit. Let him acknowledge, &c.-He will show that he is truly under the influence of the Holy Spirit, by acknowledging my authority, and by yielding obedience to the commands which I utter in the name and by the authority of the Lord. All would probably be disposed to acknowledge the right of Paul to speak to them; all would regard him as an apostle; and all would show that God had influenced their hearts, if they listened to his commands, and obeyed his injunctions. I do not speak by my own autho rity, or in my own name, says Paul. I speak in the name of the Lord; and to obey the commands of the Lord is a proof of being influenced by his Spirit. True religion every where, and the most ardent and enthusiastic zeal that is prompted by true religion, will show their genuineness and purity, by a sacred and constant regard for the commands of the Lord. And that zeal which disregards those commands, and which tramples down the authority of the Scriptures and the peace and order of the church, gives demonstration that it is not genuine. It is false zeal, and, however ardent, will not ultimately do good to

the cause.

VER. 38. But if any be ignorant, let him be ig

norant.

But if any be ignorant, &c.-If any one affects to be ignorant of my authority, or whether I have a right to command. If he affects to doubt whether I am inspired, and whether what I utter is in accordance with the will of God. Let him be ignorant.-At his own peril, let him remain so, and abide the consequences. I shall not take any further trouble to debate with him. I have stated my authority. I have delivered the commands of God. And now, if he disregards them, and still doubts whether all this is said by divine authority, let him abide the consequences of rejecting the law of God. I have given full proof of my divine commission. I have nothing more to say on that head. And now, if he chooses to remain in ignorance or incredulity, the fault is his own, and he must answer for it to God.

VER. 39. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy,

and forbid not to speak with tongues.

ming up of all that he had said. It was desirable Covet to prophesy.-Note, ver. 1. This is the sam that a man should wish to be able to speak, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, in such a man

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mage of the heart. Assuredly, God does not require the offering of unmeaning words. Yet, this has been a grand device of the great enemy of man. It has contributed to keep the people in ignorance and superstition; it has prevented the mass of the people from seeing how utterly unlike the New Testament are the sentiments of the

VER. 40. Let "all things be done decently and papists; and it has, in connexion with the kinin order.

n Ver. 26, 33.

Let all things be done decently and in order.Let all things be done in an appropriate and becoming manner; decorously, as becomes the worship of God. Let all be done in order, regularly, without confusion, discord, tumult. The word used here (karà ráživ) is properly a military term, and denotes the order and regularity with which an army is drawn up. This is a general rule, which was to guide them. It was simple, and easily applied. There might be a thousand questions started about the modes and forms of worship, and the customs in the churches, and much difficulty might occur in many of these questions; but here was a simple and plain rule, which might be easily applied. Their good sense would tell them what became the worship of God; and their pious feelings would restrain them from excesses and disorders. This rule is still applicable, and is safe in guiding us in many things in regard to the worship of God. There are many things which cannot be subjected to rule, or exactly prescribed; there are many things which may and must be left to pious feeling, to good sense, and to the views of Christians themselves, about what will promote their edification and the conversion of sinners. The rule in such questions is plain. Let all be done decorously, as becomes the worship of the great and holy God; let all be without confusion, noise, and disorder.

In view of this chapter, we may remark : (1.) That public worship should be in a language understood by the people; the language which they commonly employ. Nothing can be clearer than the sentiments of Paul on this. The whole strain of the chapter is to demonstrate this, in opposition to making use of a foreign and unintelligible language in any part of public worship. Paul specifies in the course of the discussion every part of public worship; public preaching, (ver. 2, 3, 5, 13, 19;) prayer, (ver. 14, 15;) singing, (ver. 15;) and insists that all should be in a language that should be understood by the people. It would almost seem that he had anticipated the sentiments and practice of the Roman Catholic denomination. It is remarkable that a practice should have grown up, and have been defended, in a church professedly Christian, so directly in opposition to the explicit meaning of the New Testament. Perhaps there is not, even in the Roman Catholic denomination, a more striking instance of a custom or doctrine in direct contradiction to the Bible. If any thing is plain and obvious, it is that worship, in order to be edifying, should be in a language that is understood by the people; nor can that service be acceptable to God which is not understood by those who offer it, which conveys no idea to their minds, and which cannot, therefore be the ho

dred doctrine that the Scripture should be withheld from the people, contributed to perpetuate that dark system, and to bind the human mind in chains. Well do the Roman Catholics know, that if the Bible were given to the people, and public worship conducted in a language which they could understand, the system would soon fall. It could not live in the midst of light. It is a system which lives and thrives only in dark

ness.

(2.) Preaching should be simple and intelligible. There is a great deal of preaching which might as well be in a foreign tongue, as in the language which is actually employed. It is dry, abstruse, metaphysical, remote from the common manner of expression, and the common habits of thought among men. It may be suited to schools of philosophy, but it cannot be suited to the pulpit. The preaching of the Lord Jesus was simple, and intelligible even to a child. And nothing can be a greater error, than for the ministers of the gospel to adopt a dry and metaphysical manner of preaching. The most successful preachers have been those who have been most remarkable for their simplicity and clearness. Nor is simplicity and intelligibleness of manner inconsistent with bright thought and profound sentiments. A diamond is the most pure of all minerals; a river may be deep, and yet its water so pure that the bottom may be seen at a great depth; and glass in the window is most valuable the clearer and purer it is, when it is itself least seen, and when it gives no obstruction to the light. If the purpose is, that the glass may be itself an ornament, it may be well to stain it; if to give light, it should be pure. shallow stream may be very muddy; and because the bottom cannot be seen, it is no evidence that it is deep. So it is with style, If the purpose is to convey thought, to enlighten and save the soul, the style should be plain, simple, pure. If it be to bewilder and confound, or to be admired as unintelligible, or perhaps as profound, then an abstruse and metaphysical, or a flowery manner, may be adopted in the pulpit.

A very

(3.) We should learn to value useful talent more than that which is splendid and showy. (Ver. 3.) The whole scope of this chapter goes to demonstrate that we should more highly prize and desire that talent which may be useful to the church, or which may be useful in convincing unbelievers, (ver. 24, 25,) than that which merely dazzles or excites admiration. Ministers of the gospel who preach as they should do, engage in their work to win souls to Christ, not to induce them to admire eloquence; they come to teach men to adore the great and dreadful God, not to be loud in their praises of a mortal man.

(4.) Ministers of the gospel should not aim to be admired. They should seek to be useful. Their aim should not be to excite admiration of

their acute and profound talent for reasoning; of their clear and striking power of observation; of their graceful manner; of their glowing and fervid eloquence; of the beauty of their words, or the eloquence of their well-turned periods. They should seek to build up the people of God in holy faith, and so to present truth as that it shall make a deep impression on mankind. No work is so important, and so serious in its nature and results, as the ministry of the gospel; and in no work on earth should there be more seriousness, simplicity, exactness, and correctness of statement, and invincible and unvarying adherence to simple and unvarnished truth. Of all places, the pulpit is the last, in which to seek to excite admiration, or where to display profound learning, or the powers of an abstract and subtle argu- | mentation, for the sake of securing a reputation. Cowper has drawn the character of what a minister of the gospel should be, in the well-known and most beautiful passage in the "Task."

"Would I describe a preacher, such as Paul,

Were he on earth, would hear, approve, and own,
Paul should himself direct me. I would trace
His master-strokes, and draw from his design.
I would express him simple, grave, sincere,
In doctrine uncorrupt; in language plain;
And plain in manner; decent, solemn, chaste,
And natural in gesture; much impressed
Himself, as conscious of his awful charge,
And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds
May feel it too; affectionate in look,
And tender in address, as well becomes
A messenger of grace to guilty men.

He stablishes the strong, restores the weak,
Reclaims the wanderer, binds the broken heart,
And, armed himself in panoply complete
Of heavenly temper, furnishes with arms,
Bright as his own, and trains, by every rule
Of holy discipline, to glorious war,
The sacramental host of God's elect."

CHAPTER XV.

a

VER. 1. Moreover, brethren, I a declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand: a Gal. i. 11. b Chap. i. 4-8. c 1 Pet. v. 12.

This important and deeply interesting chapter, I have spoken of as the third part of the epistle. See the Introduction. It is more important than any other portion of the epistle, as it contains a connected, and laboured, and unanswerable argument for the main truth of Christianity, and, consequently, of Christianity itself; and it is more interesting to us as mortal beings, and as having an instinctive dread of death, than any other portion of the epistle. It has always, therefore, been regarded with deep interest by expositors, and it is worthy of the deepest attention of all. If the argument in this chapter is solid, then Christianity is true; and if true, then this chapter unfolds to us the most elevated and glorious prospect which can be exhibited to dying, yet immortal man.

duce a condensed and connected statement of the main argument for the truth of Christianity, The Corinthians had been perplexed with subtle questions, and torn by sects and parties, and it was possible that in their zeal for sect and party, they would lose their hold on this great and vital argument for the truth of religion itself. It might be further apprehended, that the enemies of the gospel, from seeing the divisions and strifes which existed there, would take advantage of these contentions, and say that a religion which produced such fruits could not be from God. I: was important, therefore, that they should have access to an argument plain, clear, and unanswerable, for the truth of Christianity; and that thus the evil effects of their divisions and strifes might be counteracted. Secondly, It is evident from ver. 12, that the important doctrine of the resurrection of the dead had been denied at Corinth, and that this error had obtained a footing in the church itself. On what grounds, or by what portion or party it was denied, is unknown. It may have been that the influence of some Sadducean teacher may have led to the rejection of the doctrine; or it may have been the effect of philosophy. From Acts xvii. 32, we know that among some of the Greeks, the doctrine of the resurrection was regarded as ridiculous; and from 2 Tim. ii. 18, we learn that it was held by some that the resurrection was passed already, and consequently that there was nothing but a spiritual resurrection. To counteract these errors, and to put the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead on a firm foundation, and thus to furnish a demonstration of the truth of Christianity, was the design of this chapter.

The chapter may be regarded as divided into four parts, and four questions in regard to the resurrection are solved. 1. Whether there is any resurrection of the dead? (Ver. 1-34) 2. With what body will the dead rise? (Ver. | 35-51.) 3. What will become of those who shall be alive when the Lord Jesus shall come to

judge the world? (Ver. 51-54.) 4. What are the practical bearings of this doctrine? (Ver. 55-58.)

I. The dead will be raised. (Ver. 1-34.) This Paul proves by the following arguments, and illustrates in the following manner.

(1.) By adducing reasons to show that Christ rose from the dead. (Ver. 1-11.)

(a) From the Scripture. (Ver. 1-4.) (b) From the testimony of eyewitnesses. (Ver. 5-11.)

(2.) By showing the absurdity of the contrary doctrine. (Ver. 12—34.)

(a) If the dead do not rise, it would follow that Christ has not risen. (Ver. 13.)

(b) It Christ is not risen, he is preached in vain, and faith is reposed in him for nought. (Ver. 14.)

(c) It would follow that the apostles would be false witnesses and wicked men; whereas the Corinthians had abundant reason to know the contrary. (Ver. 15.)

(d) The faith of the Corinthians must be vain There were, probably, two reasons why the if he was not risen, and they must regard themapostle introduced here this discussion about the selves as still unpardoned sinners, since all their resurrection. First, It was desirable to intro-hope of pardon must arise from the fact that his

1

work was accepted, and that he was raised up. (Ver. 16, 17.)

(e) If Christ was not risen, then all their pious friends who had believed in him must be regarded as lost. (Ver. 18.)

(f) It would follow that believers in Christ would be in a more miserable condition than any others, if there was no resurrection. (Ver. 19.)

(g) Baptism for the resurrection of the dead would be absurd and in vain, unless the dead arose; it would be vain to be baptized with the belief, and on the ground of the belief that Christ rose, and on the ground of the hope that they would rise. (Ver. 29.)

(h) It would be in vain that the apostles and others had suffered so many toils and persecutions, unless the dead should rise. (Ver. 3032.)

In the course of this part of his argument, (ver. 20-28,) Paul introduces an illustration of the doctrine, or a statement of an important fact in regard to it, thus separating the argument in ver. 19 from the next, which occurs in ver. 29. Such interruptions of a train of thinking are not uncommon in the writings of Paul, and indicate the fulness and richness of his conceptions, when some striking thought occurs, or some plausible objection is to be met, and when he suspends his argument in order to state it. This interjected portion consists of the following items. (1.) A triumphant and joyful assurance that Christ had in fact risen; as if his mind was full, and he was impatient of the delay caused by the necessity of slow argumentation. (Ver. 19, 20.) (2.) He illustrates the doctrine, or shows that it is reasonable that the certainty of the resurrection should be demonstrated by one in human nature, since death had been introduced by man. (Ver. 21, 22.) This is an argument from analogy, drawn from the obvious propriety of the doctrine that man should be raised up in a manner somewhat similar to the mode in which he had been involved in ruin. (3.) He states the order in which all this should be done. (Ver. 23-28.) It is possible that some may have held that the resurrection must have been already passed, since it depended so entirely and so closely on the resurrection of Christ. Comp. 2 Tim. ii. 18. Paul, therefore, meets this objection; and shows that it must take place in a regular order; that Christ rose first, and that they who were his friends should rise at his coming. He then states what would take place at that time, when the work of redemption should have been consummated by the resurrection of the dead, and the entire recovery of all the redeemed to God, and the subjection of every foe.

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(5.) By a direct statement, for which the mind is prepared by these illustrations, of the important changes which the body of man must undergo, and of the nature of that body which he will have in heaven. (Ver. 42-50.) It is, (a) Incorruptible. (Ver. 42.) (b) Glorious. (Ver. 43.) (c) Powerful. (Ver. 43.)

(d) A spiritual body. (Ver. 44.)

(e) It is like the body of the second man, the Lord from heaven. (Ver. 45-50.)

III. What will become of those who shall be alive when the Lord Jesus shall return to raise the dead?

Ans. They shall be changed instantly, and fitted for heaven, and made like the glorified saints that shall be raised from the dead. (Ver. 51-54.)

IV. The practical consequences or influences of this doctrine. (Ver. 55-58.)

(1.) The doctrine is glorious and triumphant; it overcame all the evils of sin, and should fill the mind with joy. (Ver. 55-57.)

(2.) It should lead Christians to diligence, and firmness of faith, and patience, since their labour was not to be in vain. (Ver. 58.)

Moreover. But, (d). In addition to what I have said; or in that which I am now about to say, I make known the main and leading truth of the gospel. The particle dè is "strictly adversative, but more frequently denotes transition and conversion, and serves to introduce something else, whether opposite to what precedes, or simply continuative or explanatory."-Robinson. Here it serves to introduce another topic that was not properly a continuation of what he had said, but which pertained to the same general subject, and which was deemed of great importance. I declare unto you, (Tropi¿w.)—This word properly means to make known, to declare, to reveal, (Luke ii. 15. Rom. ix. 22, 23;) then to tell, narrate, inform, (Eph. vi. 21. Col. iv. 7, 9 ;) and also to put in mind of, to impress, to confirm. See Note, chap. xii. 3. Here it does not mean that he was communicating to them any new truth, but he wished to remind them of it; to state the arguments for it, and to impress it deeply on their memories. There is an abruptness in our translation which does not exist in

the original.- Bloomfield. The gospel.-Note, Mark i. 1. The word here means the glad announcement, or the good news about the coming of the Messiah, his life, and sufferings, and death, and especially his resurrection. The main subject to which Paul refers in this chapter is the resurrection; but he includes in the word gospel, here, the doctrine that he died for sins, and was buried, as well as the doctrine of his resurrection.

II. What will be the nature of the bodies that See ver. 3, 4. Which I preached unto you.-Paul shall be raised up? (Ver. 35-51.)

This inquiry is illustrated,

(1.) By a reference to grain that is sown. (Ver. 36-38.)

(2.) By a reference to the fact that there are different kinds of flesh. (Ver. 39.)

(3.) By a reference to the fact that there are celestial bodies and earthly bodies. (Ver. 40.)

(4.) By the fact that there is a difference between the sun, and moon, and stars. (Ver. 41.)

founded the church at Corinth. (Acts xviii. 1, seq.) It was proper that he should remind them of what he had taught them at first; of the great elementary truths on which the church had been established, but from which their minds had been diverted by the other subjects that had been introduced as matters of debate and strife. It was fair to presume that they would regard with respect the doctrines which the founder of their church had first proclaimed, if they were re

minded of them; and Paul, therefore, calls their attention to the great and vital truths by which they had been converted, and by which the church had thus far prospered. It is well, often, to remind Christians of the truths which were preached to them when they were converted, and which were instrumental in their conversion. When they have gone off from these doctrines, when they have given their minds to speculation and philosophy, it has a good effect to remind them that they were converted by the simple truths, that Christ died, and was buried, and rose again from the dead. The argument of Paul here is, that they owed all the piety and comfort which they had to these doctrines; and that, therefore, they should still adhere to them as the foundation of all their hopes. Which also ye have received.Which you embraced; which you all admitted as true; which were the means of your conversion. I would remind you, that, however that truth may now be denied by you, it was once received by you, and you professed to believe in the fact that Christ rose from the dead, and that the saints would rise. And wherein ye stand.—

By which your church was founded, and by which all your piety and hope has been produced, and which is at the foundation of all your religion. You were built up by this, and by this only can you stand as a Christian church. This doctrine was vital and fundamental. This de

monstrates that the doctrines that Christ died "for sins," and rose from the dead, are fundamental truths of Christianity. They enter into its very nature; and without them there can be no true religion.

VER. 2. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

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By which also ye are saved.-On which your salvation depends; the belief of which is indispensable to your salvation. See Note on Mark xvi. 16. The apostle thus shows the importance of the doctrine. In every respect it demanded

their attention. It was that which was first preached among them; that which they had solemnly professed; that by which they had been built up; and that which was connected with their salvation. It does not mean simply that by this they were brought into a salvable state, (Clarke, Macknight, Whitby, Bloomfield, &c.,) but it means that their hopes of eternal life rested on this; and by this they were then in fact saved from the condemnation of sin, and were in the possession of the hope of eternal life. If ye keep, in memory. Margin, as in the Greek, if ye hold fast. The idea is, that they were saved by this, or would be, if they faithfully retained or held the doctrine as he delivered it; if they observed it. and still believed it, notwithstanding all the efforts of their enemies, and all the arts of false teaching to wrest it from them. There is a doubt delicately suggested here, whether they did in fact still adhere to his doctrine, or whether they had not abandoned it in part for the opposite. Unless ye have believed in vain.-You will be

saved by it, if you adhere to it, unless it shall turn out that it was vain to believe, and that the doctrine was false. That it was not false, he proceeds to demonstrate. Unless all your trials, discouragements, and hopes, were to no purpose, and all have been the result of imposture; and unless all your profession is false and hollow, you will be saved by this great doctrine which I first preached to you.

VER. 3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;

h Gen. iii. 15. Ps. xxii. Isa. liii. Dan. ix. 26. Zech. xii. 7. Luke xxiv. 24, 46.

For I delivered unto you.-Note, chap. xi. 23. First of all.-Among the first doctrines which I preached. As the leading and primary doctrines of Christianity. That which I also received.— Which had been communicated to me. doctrines of which I was the author, or which were to be regarded as my own. Paul here refers to the fact, that he had received these doctrines

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from the Lord Jesus by inspiration. Comp. in which he claims to be under the divine guidNote, chap. x. 23. Gal. i. 2. This is one instance ance, and to have received his doctrines from God. How that Christ died for our sins.-The Messiah, the Lord Jesus, died as an expiatory offering on account of our sins. They caused his death; for them he shed his blood; to make expiation for them, and to wipe them away, he expired on the cross. This passage is full proof that Christ did not die merely as a martyr, but that his death was to make atonement for sin.

That he died as an atoning sacrifice, or as a vicarious offering, is here declared by Paul to be among the first things that he taught; and the grand fundamental truth on which the church at Corinth had been founded, and by which it had been established, and by which they would be saved. It follows that there can be no true church, and no well-founded hope of salvation. where the doctrine is not held that Christ died for sin. According to the Scriptures.-The writings of the Old Testament. Note, John v. 39. It is, of course, not certain to what parts of the Old Testament Paul here refers. He teaches

simply that the doctrine is contained there, that the Messiah would die for sin; and, in his preaching, he doubtless adduced and dwelt upon the particular places. Some of the places where this is taught are the following: Ps. xx. Isa. liii. Dan. ix. 26. Zech. xii. 10. Comp. Luke xxiv. 26, 46. See also Hengstenberg's Christology of Keith. the O. T., vol. i. pp. 187 216, translated by

VER. 4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures;

i Ps. xvi. 10. Hos. vi. 2.

And that he was buried.-That is, evidently according to the Scriptures. See Isa. liii. 9. And that he rose again the third day, &c.-That is, that he should rise from the dead was foretold in

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