Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Corinthians 16:21

"The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand." — 1 Corinthians 16:21 (ASV)

Paul is now ready to take the pen to append a greeting and sign the letter, as was his practice (Colossians 4:18; Phm 19). This was a mark of the letter’s authenticity (2 Thessalonians 3:17). Up to this point, he had dictated the letter to an amanuensis (secretary). Then, in view of the problems existing at Corinth, Paul felt the need to add a strong warning: “a curse be on him” (v.22). A curse (anathema; GK 353; cf. 12:3; Romans 9:3; Galatians 1:8) meant that the person involved was to be delivered over or “devoted to the divine displeasure” as being under the wrath and curse of God. Paul’s use of this curse is not at variance with Jesus’ words in Mt 5:34, because there Jesus qualifies what he means by saying in effect: “Do not take oaths on the basis of any of God’s created things—the heavens, the earth, or Jerusalem.” Here Paul is bringing God himself to witness and is saying he who does not love and obey God is under God’s wrath. Having spoken so strongly, Paul then turns to the future hope and cries out, “Marana tha”—Aramaic words that came to be used in the early church and that can best be translated “Our Lord, come!” Paul ends with his usual shorter benediction (Galatians 6:18; Ephesians 6:21; et al.; cf. 2 Corinthians 13:14 for its enlarged trinitarian form).

In concluding with an expression of his own love for all the believers (v.21), Paul wants the whole Corinthian church to know that, in spite of the stern way in which he has had to rebuke them, he really loves them. The Old Testament in the New NT Text OT Text Subject 1 Corinthians 1:19Isaiah 29:14 Worldly wisdom perishes 1 Corinthians 1:31Jeremiah 9:24 Boasting in the Lord 1 Corinthians 2:9Isaiah 64:4 What no eye has seen 1 Corinthians 2:1 6Isaiah 40:13 The mind of the Lord 1 Corinthians 3:19Job 5:13 God and the crafty 1 Corinthians 3:20Psalms 94:11 God knows human thoughts 1 Corinthians 5:13 Dt 17:7 Purge out evil 1 Corinthians 6:16Genesis 2:24 Institution of marriage 1 Corinthians 9:9 Dt 25:4 Not muzzling an ox 1 Corinthians 10:7Exodus 32:6 Sin of idolatry 1 Corinthians 10:26Psalms 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s 1 Corinthians 14:21Isaiah 28:11–12 Through strange tongues 1 Corinthians 15:27Psalms 8:6 Everything subject to Christ 1 Corinthians 15:32Isaiah 22:13 Tomorrow we die 1 Corinthians 15:45Genesis 2:7 Creation of Adam 1 Corinthians 15:54Isaiah 25:8 Death is swallowed up 1 Corinthians 15:55Hosea 13:14 Victory over death 2 Corinthians INTRODUCTION