Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Corinthians 16

XVI.

Now concerning the collection for the saints.—This chapter deals briefly with the following subjects:

• 1 Corinthians 16:1–4. The collection for the poor at Jerusalem.
• 1 Corinthians 16:5–9. The Apostle’s prospective arrangement regarding his journey.
• 1 Corinthians 16:10–18. Commendation of various individuals.
• 1 Corinthians 16:19–20. The salutation of the Church.
• 1 Corinthians 16:21–24. The salutation of Paul himself.

From the fact that a collection was necessary for the poor Christians at Jerusalem, it is clear that the community of goods which had been established at the beginning in that Church had not proved successful. Christianity was largely recruited from the lower classes, especially in Jerusalem (James 2:6), and a common fund would not have flourished for long with so few contributors and so many sharers.

Moreover, the many who had been imprisoned had perhaps been released by this time in abject poverty. They would naturally be a subject of anxious concern to one who was identical with “persecuting Saul,” who “had given his voice against them,” and against others now dead .

It should be noted that the Apostle does not speak of them as “the poor,” but as “saints.” That was the true basis of their claim on their brethren.

As I have given order to the churches of Galatia.—Better, As I gave order to the churches of Galatia.

The order was definitely given by the Apostle in person when visiting these churches (Acts 18:23). It does not occur in his Epistle to that Church.

On this passage Bengel’s Note is worth quoting: “He proposes the Galatians as an example to the Corinthians, the Corinthians to the Macedonians, and the Corinthians and Macedonians to the Romans (2 Corinthians 9:2; Romans 15:26). Great is the power of examples.”

Upon the first day of the week.—The Greek phrase (as given in the best manuscripts) is literally, on one of the Sabbaths—this being, according to a Hebrew idiom, equivalent to “the day next after the Sabbath.” Already, the day of the week on which Christ had risen had become noted as a suitable day for distinctively Christian work and Christian worship.

It does not yet seem to have been designated by the phrase by which it later became universally known in Christendom—“the Lord’s Day”; that name first occurs in Revelation 1:10. This would be a convenient and suitable day for each person to set aside something, as they had purposed, storing it up until the Apostle’s arrival, for this was already the usual day for Christians to assemble (Acts 20:7).

I cannot agree with Stanley and others that the Apostle means that each person was to lay by “in his own house,” and not in some general treasury. The purpose of this directive is expressly stated: the money should all be ready as a lump sum when the Apostle arrived. This was to ensure that his time and that of the Christian community during his visit would not be taken up with this, but with more profitable matters. Such an outcome would not have been possible if the offering then had to be collected from each Christian home.

As God hath prospered him.—Better, whatsoever he may be prospered in. These words do not imply that only in cases of exceptional prosperity was a person to contribute, but everyone was to give from whatever fruits he had from his labour.

Whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters.—Better, whomsoever you shall approve, them I will send with letters to bring your gifts to Jerusalem. The Apostle had not finally decided whether he would take the gift himself or send it by messengers, whom he would accredit with letters, to the Church at Jerusalem.

He would probably be influenced by the amount collected and by the urgency, or lack thereof, of the needs of those at Jerusalem at the time. The Apostle was, in one sense, the humblest of men; but he valued highly the dignity of his apostolic office. If only a very small sum were ready for the Church at Jerusalem, he would have felt it to be beneath the dignity of his office, though not of himself, to be the bearer of such an offering.

The course finally adopted was that the Apostle went himself, and the selected brethren with him (Acts 21:15).

For I do pass through Macedonia.—A misrepresentation of these words gives rise to the incorrect statement that this Epistle was written at Philippi, which is to be found in the subscription at the end of this chapter in our English Bible. The Apostle does not here refer to where he is at the moment of writing, but to his intention regarding his journey.

He had intended to go first to Corinth (see 2 Corinthians 1:15–16), but he has altered that plan, and says that his intention now is to pass through Macedonia first, and then visit Corinth. Then he says, For I do pass through Macedonia. To this intention the Apostle adheres. (See Introduction.)

And it may be that I will abide . . .—His former plan had involved only a brief visit to the Church at Corinth, but the arrangement he now contemplated would permit a longer stay. So he adds, with affectionate emphasis, that you may send me on my journey. Where he would go from Corinth he had not yet determined; indeed, it was later determined for him by a conspiracy against him, which was fortunately discovered in time (Acts 20:3).

He remained three months at Corinth during winter, and as that brought him to a time of year when a voyage would be safe, he resolved to sail into Syria. The conspiracy of the Jews caused this plan to be abandoned, and a different course, through Troas, etc., was adopted. (Acts 20:13; Acts 20:17.) The phrase that you may send me on implies not merely that Corinth would be the starting point of his journey to Jerusalem, but that he would set out on that journey with the good wishes and blessing of his Corinthian friends (Acts 21:5).