The Apoftle propofes a Collection for the Saints in Judea.

SECT. XXXI.

The Apoftle gives fome Advices, relating to the propofed Collection for the poor Saints in Judea. 1 Cor. XVI. 1,--- 1 2.

BE

I CORINTHIANS XVI. I.

your 2

401

EFORE I conclude this Epistle, I must Sect. 31. add a Word or two concerning the Collection, Cor. XVI. which you propofe making, for the pocr Saints I. which are in Judea, who are in fuch great Straits, both on Account of the Famine, and the Persecution, to which they are expofed. And here I would only say this; as I have given it in Charge to the Churches of Galatia, fo alfo do ye proceed; for nothing occurs to my Thoughts at prefent, which can be more fubfervient to that generous and good Defign. When you hold Chriftian Affemblies on the first Day of the Week (a), in Commemoration of the Refurrection of our Lord, which has made that Day facred amongst us, let every one of you lay fomething by, in Proportion to the Degree, in which, by the Divine Bleffing, he hath been profpered in his Affairs; and let him bring it with him to the Place, where you meet for your publick Worship; then treasuring it up (b) in the common Stock, that fo may be ready in one Sum, and there may Neceffity of making any particular Collections, when I come. This will fave us fome Trouble, at a Time when we fhall neceffarily have fo much important Business on our Hands; and when a

it

be no

little

(a) On the first Day of the Week.] So nalaman σaßßalwv fignifies. Compare Luke xxiv. 1. John xx. 1. with Mat. xxvii. 1. Mark xvi. 2.

(b) Freafuring it up: Exasos Tap savla Tibela Incαupigwv.] We render it, let every one of your lay by him in Store. But the following Words fhew, that it was to be put into a common Stock, The Argument drawn from hence for the religious Obfervation of the first Day of the Week in thefe primitive Churches of Corinth, and Galatia, is too obvious to need any. farther Illustration, and yet too important to be paffed by in an intire Silence. el

VOL. IV.

402

Sect. 31.

3.

He would come to them, when he paffed thro' Macedonia; little is added to the Stock weekly, it may rife by almoft imperceptible Degrees, to a greater Sum,

3 And when I come, prove by your Letters, them whomfoever you fhall apwill I fend to bring your Liberality unto Jerufalem.

1 Cor. XVI. than could perhaps be expected, . if the whole were to be depofited at once. But when I am arrived at Corinth, whomfoever ye shall appoint and recommend by your Letters, figned by the Congregation, or its proper Reprefentatives; them will I Jend, to carry your Favour to Jerufalem, and fhall chearfully entruft them to deliver it with their own Hands to the poor Chr Chriftians 4 there. And if it be thought convenient, that I fhould alfo go up thither myfelf on this Occafion, I go alfo, they fhall go with they fhall go with me; that every Thing-may conducted in the moft open and honourable Manner, and that your Meffengers may witness for me, that none of the Money has been employed to any Purposes whatsoever, different from thofe for which it was given.

5

6

be

This, I hope, will quickly be difpatched; for
I will, if Providence permit, come to you, when I
have paffed thro' Macedonia; and I am juft upon
my Journey thro' Macedonia (c); And then per-
haps may continue awhile with you, and even spend
the Winter among you; that fo, when I have
made you as long a Vifit as my Affairs will ad-
mit, you may bring me forward on my Journey to
Jerufalem, or whither foever elfe 1 fhall
go (d), or
thro' whatever Parts I may pafs to it; for that is
a Circumftance, about which I am not yet de-
termined, and in which I refer myfelf to the fu-
7 ture Direction of Providence. I fpeak of my
Coming as at fome Distance; for tho' from thefe
maritime Parts I might eafily come to you by Sea,
and so travel northward, when I have dispatched-

my

me.

4 And if it be meet that

5 Now I will come unto you, when I fhall pals thro' through Macedonia) Macedonia: (for I do pafs

with

6 And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter you, that ye may bring me on my Journey, whi therfoever I go.

7 For I will not fee you

now

(c) "I am just upon my Journey thro' Macedonia.] Thus, I think, we may juftly render Макдонах Maxsdonar yap depquas. Macedonia was not the direct Way from Ephefus to Corinth. It feems by his fecond Epiftle to the Corinthians, written a few Months after this, that was either in Macedonia, or on his Way thither; (Compare 2 Cor. i. 16.) from whence it appears, that he had a fecret Purpose of feeing Corinth in his Way to, as well as from, Macedonia; but he does not exprefs this Purpofe here, fo that we know not how it was fignified to them, as from the Text laft mentioned it feems that it was.

(d) Whither foever elfe I go.] In the forecited Text Judea is mentioned; but St. Paul does not feem to have fixed his Scheme fo particularly, as yet.

(e) Ifball

But should

now by the Way, but I

truft to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.

9 For a great Door and effectual is opened unto me,

tarry at Ephefus till Pentecost.

my

403

Business at Corinth; I will not now fee you in Sect. 31. this Manner, in my Way; but hope the little Delay,

7.

which this Scheme may occafion, will be made 1 Cor. XVI. up to your Satisfaction: For I fully propofe to Spend fome Time with you, if the Lord permit; which the Neceffities of the Churches of Macedonia will not at prefent give me Leave to do. 8 But I will tarry at E- But I fhall continue here at Ephefus till about 8 phesus until Pentecoft. Pentecoft (e), referving the Remainder of the Summer for my Tour thro' Macedonia, and the neighbouring Parts. In the mean Time, tho' 9 I have fpent fo many Months here, I am willing to make my Stay as long, as with tolerable any Convenience I can; for a great and effectual Door of Usefulness is opened to me under my apoftolical Character, in this populous and celebrated City. and [there are] many Oppofers, who may perhaps take the Advantage of my Abfence, to injure this new-planted Church, on which I have beftowed fo much Labour, and for the Intereft of which I have the tenderest Concern (ƒ).

and there are many Adversaries.

10 Now if Timotheus come, fee that he may be with you without Fear: For he worketh the Work of the Lord, as I alfo do.

But if, in the mean Time, my beloved Friend 10
and Brother Timothy fhould come to you, fee that
he be with you without Fear of any unkind Ufage,
or of any Attempt to fet him up as the Head of
a Party; as in fome Inftances you have been rea-
dy to do by others; for as he is a Man of a very
tender and affectionate, fo he is likewife of a very
candid and humble Spirit, and he laboureth in
the Work of the Lord Jefus Chrift with great Sin-
cerity

(e) I shall continue at Ephefus till Pentecoft.] I look upon this as a very plain Intimation, that he was now at Ephefus; and confequently, that the Infcription added at the End of this Epifle, which tells us, it was written from Philipi, is very far from being authentick; and I hope it will be remembered, that no Credit is to be given to any of thefe Additions, which have been very prefumptuously made, and I think very imprudently retained.

(f) A great and effectual Door is opened, &c.] Some think, that here is an Allufion to the Door of the Circus, from whence Chariots were let out, when the Races were to begin; and that the Word at, which I render Oppofers, fignifies the fame with Antagenifts, with whom the Apostle was to contend, as in a Course. (Acts xix. 20, &c.) This Oppofition rendered his Prefence more neceffary, to preferve thofe that were already converted, and to increase the Number, if GOD fhould blefs his Miniftry. Accordingly a celebrated Church was planted at Ephesus; and fo far as we can learn from the Tenor of his Epifle to it, there was lefs to correct and reprove among them, than in moft of the other Churches to which he wrote.

404 Sect.

II.

31.

yet

I

II Let no Man therefore him forth in Peace, that he defpife him: But conduct may come unto me: For I look for him with the Bre

He informs them, that Apollos would not come to them now. cerity and Zeal; as I alfo [do]: And we are in all Repects fo much in the fame Sentiments, that 1 Cor. XVI. I am well affured, the Things which would grieve me in your Conduct, would be equally disagreeable to him. And therefore, tho' he be but a young Man, (1 Tim. iv. 12.) let no Man deSpife or make light of him; but on the contrary, bring him forward on his Journey in Peace, and do all that you can to make it commodious and agreeable to him; that fo he may come to me at Ephefus, as foon as poffible: For I expect him here with the other Brethren (g), who are now the Companions of his Journey, and who are all dear to me in the Bonds of Chriftian Love.

12

But as for [our] Brother Apollos, who is fo
well known to you, and for whom many of you
have fo high a Regard, I am forry to tell you,
that you are not at prefent to expect a Vifit from
him. I was indeed very importunate with him to
come to you with Timothy, and the other Brethren;
as I have an entire Confidence, both in his Friend-
fhip and Prudence, and hoped, that whatever
improper Ufe has been made of his Name, in Op-
pofition to mine, (Compare Chap. i. 12. Chap.
iii. 4,-6.) his Prefence among you might have
been useful, juft at this Crifis. Nevertheless he
was by no Means willing to come now, left any
Advantage fhould be taken from that Circum-
ftance to inflame thofe Divifions, he would glad-
ly do his utmost to allay: But he will come, when
be fhall have a convenient Opportunity; and you
may affure yourselves, that he retains a moft cor-
dial Affection for you, and tender Solicitude for
your
Peace and Profperity.

thren.

12 As touching our Brofired him to come unto you, ther Apollos, I greatly dewith the Brethren: But his Will was not at all to come at this Time; but he will convenient Time.

come when he fhall have

(g) I expect him here with the Brethren.] The original Words are fomething ambiguous; but I have taken the Senfe, which feemed moft natural. Accordingly I think it probable, that he came to Ephefus before St. Paul was driven out of it by the Tumult; and that the Apoftle being obliged to leave that City in fo abrupt a Manner, defired Timothy to ftay awhile after him, to fettle the Affairs of that important Church more compleatly, than he had an Opportunity of doing it. 1 Tim. i. 3.

Reflections on the Affair of the Collection.

405

ET Minifters, from the Example of the Apostle, learn to be ready Sect. 31. to promote charitable Collections for the Relief of poor Chriftians; Ver.1. and let them frequently exhort their Hearers to do Good, and to communicate; reminding them, that their Contributions ought to bear a Pro- Ver. 2. portion to the Degree in which GOD has been pleased to prosper them.

We fee an evident Reference to the stated Affemblies of the Church on the first Day of the Week in this early Age; and it is a proper Duty of that Day to devife and execute liberal Things, according to our respective

Abilities.

4

The prudent Caution of St. Paul, as to the Management of pecuniary Affairs, is worthy the Attention of the Minifters of the Gospel; Ver. 3, 4. and may teach them to take Care, not only that they fatisfy their own Confciences, in the Fidelity of their Tranfactions; but also that they provide Things honeft in the Sight of all Men. The Apostle's Courage, in making the Oppofition he met with at Ephefus a Reafon for his Continuance there, may inftruct us not to ftudy our own Eafe in the Choice Ver. 8. of our Abode; but rather to prefer those Circumstances, however disagreeable in themselves, wherein we may be providentially led to do moft, for the Advancement of Religion in the World.

1

His Care, that his young Friend Timothy might be as eafy as poffible, Ver. 10, 11. conftitutes likewife a very amiable Part of his Character; and fuggests, in a Manner well worthy of Notice, how careful private Chriftians should be, that they do not terrify and diftrefs the Minds of thofe, who are entering on the Ministerial Office. A faithful Difpofition to labour in the Ver. 12. Work of the Lord, ought to command Refpect; yet fometimes, as in the Inftance of Apollos, even that Diligence may be fo liable to Mifreprefentation, that it may be the Wisdom of Minifters to abfent themselves from Places, where they have many to caress and admire them. On the whole, the great Business of Life is to glorify GOD, in doing our best for promoting the Happiness, of Mankind, and no Self-denial ought to feem hard to us, while we keep that glorious End in View.