1 Corinthians 16:5 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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1 Corinthians 16:5

Comments

Here Paul raises a different issue. Paul's present plan is to proceed from Ephesus and to go through Macedonia – that part of the plan is going to be firm – and then to come last to them – that part of the plan had changed. His original plan, we learn elsewhere, was to go first to Corinth and then to Macedonia. But that would have made his visit to Corinth a matter of passing through, a brief visit. He has decided that Corinth needs more time, so he's going to go through Macedonian churches first, and then on to Corinth. He intended to stay with them over winter. It would then fall to the Corinthians to assist the apostle until his next port of call, perhaps by sending companions with him. That was invariably what it meant, and helping also financially. Paul travelled simply: he was very little expense. Whenever he could, even the great apostle worked for a living, attached himself to a tent maker. Even the intellectual Jews of that time had a fallback trade, a manual secondary trade, and tent making was Paul's, and he would exercise himself in that to be no expense to those he was reaching with the gospel. Nevertheless the Corinthians, would undertake for him for the next portion of his journey. It is a beautiful insight. ‘That ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.’ You will be responsible for me for the next stage.

Application

Today what sometimes happens is this: a missionary society supports the missionary, and a church will just send funds to the missionary society. Well, thank God for missionary societies! You know, biblically there shouldn't really be any missionary societies. Churches should do it all themselves. But churches didn't do it all themselves, and so missionary societies arose. So we’re not going to gun them down, because even though they're not the scriptural ideal, at least historically they got on with the work, and so they've been used and instrumental of God. But it isn’t really how it ought to be, because the presence of a missionary society does have a side effect. Whatever efforts you make, it very largely cuts the church off from its missionary members. Sometimes it doesn't even know them; it doesn’t have missionary members of its own, and it depends upon the missionary society. But here you’ve got a little insight: how the apostle under God's inspired guidance did it. The sending church was responsible. You will see me on my way, pay the charges of the preachers, not excessively, but care for them. Again, let all your things be done in love because you love them, and you love most of all, the gospel and the Lord. Therefore, you will be concerned to support those men and women, and keep your mind and your eye on them and help them, and communicate with them and encourage them. It's a personal thing, and there is loving in it.

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1 Corinthians 16:5 Commentary and Bible Study