Commentary
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Submitted by F B Hole on Wed, 03/22/2006 - 06:00
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The opening verses show the thorough and systematic way in which the
Lord Jesus evangelized the cities and villages. He announced the
kingdom of God, which involves God's authority being established and
man's salvation secured through judgment. It was too early as yet for
the Gospel of 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4 to be preached, though, now that we
have that Gospel, we can still preach the kingdom of God in its present
form. The twelve were with Him, and being trained under His eye. The
ot...
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Submitted by F B Hole on Wed, 03/22/2006 - 06:00
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The remark with which the Apostle opens chapter 12 again indicates
that this speaking about himself was repugnant to him, though he found
himself impelled to do it. The New Translation renders it, "Well, it is
not of profit to me to boast," so his thought may have been that what
he had to say about himself brought no profit or credit to him. The
beatings, the perils, the hunger, the thirst, the nakedness, the
infirmities, of which he had just spoken were not the kind of
experiences whic...
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Submitted by F B Hole on Wed, 03/22/2006 - 06:00
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In the light of the coming day, when the Lord will commend His
servants, the commendation of oneself in the presence of one's fellows
appears to be but folly. Paul acknowledges this in the first verse of
our chapter. He had been speaking about himself in the previous
chapter, and he goes on to do so more fully in the chapter before us,
but all with a view to assuring the Corinthians of the reality and
genuineness of his apostolic mission. He pleads guilty to this "folly"
and asks them to ...
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Submitted by F B Hole on Wed, 03/22/2006 - 06:00
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The last four chapters of this epistle are mainly concerned with
matters of a more personal sort, that lay between Paul and the
Corinthians. To write so much of such matters may appear to be egotism
on the part of Paul. Paul himself speaks of it as his "folly" (2 Cor.
11: 1). Still what he wrote is as much inspired as the rest of the
epistle, and as full of profit also. Much that is of deep importance
for all saints, and for all time, is embedded in these chapters; and we
gain immensely...
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Submitted by F B Hole on Wed, 03/22/2006 - 06:00
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In the part five verses of chapter 9, Paul renews his appeal to the
Corinthian saints. They had been so very forward a year before, when
the matter had been started, that he had even boasted of them to the
Macedonians, who had now out-stripped them altogether in actual
performance. Let them now really act, and act at once, so that their
contribution might be seen to be a gift of the heart, and not something
extracted from them almost as a matter of extortion. This fresh appeal
is follow...
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Submitted by F B Hole on Wed, 03/22/2006 - 06:00
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Having opened his heart to the Corinthians, both as to his own
experiences and as to their need of separation from the world of
unbelievers, and having expressed his joy in their obedience to the
Word of God, and the confidence as to them which this gave him, Paul
now felt ready to write to them more particularly concerning the
collection then being made amongst the various Gentile assemblies for
the benefit of poor saints in Jerusalem. He had alluded to it briefly
in the closing chapte...
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Submitted by F B Hole on Wed, 03/22/2006 - 06:00
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We have then these striking promises from the lips of God. If we are
separate from the world, and face whatever loss that may involve, we
shall find God acting as Father toward us, and we shall enter
consciously into the good and sweetness of the relationship in which we
are set. Now having such promises we are exhorted (as we open chapter
7) to purify ourselves, and thus perfect holiness in the fear of God.
Notice that it says, "from all filthiness of the flesh and
spirit." This is a v...
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Submitted by F B Hole on Wed, 03/22/2006 - 06:00
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As we open chapter 6, we find Paul making a personal application and
an appeal to the Corinthians concerning these things. Paul and his
companions were fellow-workers in connection with the ministry (the
words, "with Him," are to be omitted); and they had faithfully brought
the word whether of new covenant grace or of reconciliation, to the
Corinthians. Now their beseeching was that the grace of the Gospel
should not be received in vain by them. Grace is received in vain if it
does not ...
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Submitted by F B Hole on Wed, 03/22/2006 - 06:00
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There is no real break between chapters 4 and 5, for he passes on to
show that if our outward man does perish, and so our earthly tabernacle
house be dissolved, we are to have a house of another order which shall
be eternal. The thought of what is eternal links these verses
together. Eternal things are brought within the sight of our faith. An
eternal weight of glory awaits us. And we shall need a resurrection
body, which shall be eternal, in order to sustain that eternal weight
of glor...
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Submitted by F B Hole on Wed, 03/22/2006 - 06:00
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The new covenant ministry entrusted to the Apostle Paul is unfolded
to us in chapter 3. As we open chapter 4, our thoughts are directed to
the things that characterized him as the minister of it. And first of
all he was marked by good courage. Since God had entrusted him with the
ministry, He gave with it suitable mercy. So, whatever the opposition
or difficulty he did not faint. The same thing holds good for us. The
Lord never calls us to ministry of any kind without the needed mercy
b...
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