Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 16:3

"And when I arrive, whomsoever ye shall approve, them will I send with letters to carry your bounty unto Jerusalem:" — 1 Corinthians 16:3 (ASV)

Whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters. There has been great variety of opinion regarding the proper construction of this verse. Macknight supposes that the "letters" here referred to were not letters either to or from the apostle, but letters signed and sent by the church at Corinth, designating their appointment and their authority.

With this interpretation Doddridge coincides; and this is required by the usual punctuation of the Greek text, where the comma is inserted after the word letters, as in our translation. But a different interpretation has been proposed by inserting the comma after the word "approve," so that it reads, "Whom you approve, or designate, them I will send with letters to convey your charity to Jerusalem." This is followed by Griesbach, Locke, Rosenmuller, Bloomfield, Beza, Hammond, Grotius, Whitby, etc.

Certainly, this accords better with the design of the passage. For it is evident (1 Corinthians 16:4) that, though Paul was willing to go, yet he was not expecting to go. If he did not go, what was more natural than that he should offer to give them letters of commendation to his brethren in Judea?

Mill has doubted whether this construction is in accordance with Greek usage, but the names cited above are sufficient authority on that subject. The proper construction, therefore, is that Paul would give them letters to his friends in Jerusalem, and certify their appointment to dispense the charity, and commend the persons sent to the favour and hospitality of the church there.

Your liberality. Margin, Gift. Your donation; your alms. The Greek word charin usually signifies grace, or favour; here it means an act of grace or favour; kindness; a favour conferred; benefaction. (Compare to 2 Corinthians 8:4, 6, 7, 19).