1 Corinthians 16:1 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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1 Corinthians 16:1

Comments

This final chapter is full of practical and personal matters, a great insight into the methods and ways of the apostle Paul, but with principles for us too. It starts with an apostolic direction about the taking up of a collection. As we read in Romans and in 2 Corinthians also, this is for the poor saints at Jerusalem. There were great shortages; there was a kind of famine, but not total famine. They probably had two problems – not only famine, but also persecution. Many, many people were poor; because being converted to Christ, the Jewish population of Jerusalem and the areas immediately around would throw people out of their homes, and disown them, and so there was, for many years, great hardship. It was resolved at first in Jerusalem to some extent by the practice of the community of goods. But there were always problems; and when famine or something of the sort hit the region, it was so much worse. Paul has it laid upon his heart and others also, and they see it as a duty that the Gentile churches must gather an offering and send it back to Jerusalem for the relief of the poor saints. It is organised throughout the churches. Elsewhere, there is reasoning attached to this. The first Christians were Jewish converts and they were dispersed, and many went out evangelising and preaching, and through the labours of the Jewish converts, originally from Jerusalem and Judaea, Gentile churches sprang up in the regions around and increasingly through other nations. ‘Now,’ says the apostle Paul, ‘you must have a heart and feeling for people at the source of this great movement, those sacrificial Jewish Christians who were working to reach you.’ The 14th verse of this chapter has vital words, ‘Let all your things be done with charity’, with love, with outgoing love. This isn’t just a conclusion that the apostle has thought of; it really looks back across all the preceding verses. ‘Concerning the collection for the saints’ – it's going to be done out of love for the poor saints at Jerusalem. ‘As I have given order to the churches of Galatia.’ They weren’t ordered to give to the collection. The order governs the manner in which the collection is to be taken up. There’s no compulsory giving in the church of Jesus Christ, because it must come from our hearts; it is a voluntary matter. So, the apostle’s order isn't a command to give; it’s concerning the arrangements – how the giving is to be handled.

Application

Questions

It is very interesting that here in this passage you see two distinct aspects of the conduct of the apostle Paul. In one case – the collection to be taken up for the poor – as an apostle of the Lord, he gives a direction, a command, something to be obeyed. But further on in the chapter we will see him speaking about Apollos. He pleads with Apollos to visit Corinth, but Apollos is not minded to do so at the moment. That godly man and strident preacher of the gospel is with Paul in Ephesus working alongside him at the time of writing; but he is not minded to accompany Paul to Corinth just yet. He would rather wait for a better, more suitable time, and the apostle Paul doesn't direct him what to do. We see a distinction and an insight into apostolic authority. When it is a matter of arranging matters in the churches, and providing a blueprint or a pattern for churches throughout time, the inspired apostle is given these instructions by God to pass on to them, and they are authoritative instructions. But when it comes to his asking Apollos to accompany him, he is an individual pastor, minister, preacher, before God, and he has his own duty to seek the will of the Lord and guidance. So the apostle Paul says to him, ‘It seems to me that would be a great advantage at Corinth, if you came, and if you spent a period once again back at Corinth, following up my labours as you have done before.’ But Apollos doesn't agree. Not that the apostle has got it wrong, but Apollos has his own guidance to consider. You see the balance. The apostle doesn't direct everything, but he has authority from God to arrange and order matters in the churches for all time, and of course his words – when he utters doctrine, truth – are authoritative; they are from God.

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

1 Corinthians 16:1 Commentary and Bible Study