1 Corinthians 16:22

If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ,.... The Vulgate Latin, and the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, read "our Lord".

If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. A solemn closing warning added in his own hand: as in Ephesians 6:24; Colossians 4:18.

If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ: love is an affection of the heart, but discernible by overt acts: the meaning is: If any man, by any notorious acts, declareth that he loveth not the Lord Jesus, whether he be a hypocrite, owning the name of Christ, but living in a contempt of and disobedience to his commandments; or an apostate, who showeth his want of love to Christ by denying him in an hour of danger and persecution, or an open enemy and persecutor of Christ and his gospel. Let him be Anathema Maran-atha; let him be accursed, let him be looked upon as a detestable and abominable person. Some tell us, that the Jews having three excommunications, this word signifieth their highest degree, by which the person was given up to the judgment and vengeance of God; but others say, there is no such term to be found among them, and that the term Maran-atha signifies no more than: The Lord is come. Let the Jews and other vain persons say what they will, the Lord is come; and if any love him not, let him be looked on as a detestable person.

22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. Ver. 22. If any man love not] That is, desperately hate. A sin so execrable, that the apostle would not once name it. So the Jews would not name leaven at the passover, nor a sow at any time, but called it dabar achar, another thing. Anathema, Maranatha] Accursed upon accursed, put over to God to punish. This is a dreadful curse. (Elias Thisbit.) See a gracious promise, Ephesians 6:24. God may suffer such as love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, to be Anathema secundum dici (as Bucholcer said), but not secundum esse. See an instance, Isaiah 66:5, and say with David, "Let them curse, but do thou bless, Lord."

(22) If any man love not the Lord Jesus.—From all the argument and controversy which form the main portion of the Epistle, the Apostle with his own hand brings back the thoughts of the Corinthians to the true test of their Christianity. Do they love the Lord Jesus? The word here used for love signifies not merely affectionate regard, but personal devotion. Let him be Anathema Maran-atha.—Better Let him be Anathema. Maranatha. There is no connection between these two words. Anathema signifies “accursed.” The absence of love to Christ is condemnation. The word Maranatha is a Syriac expression—“the Lord is at hand,” or “the Lord is come;” probably the former. The uncertainty of the moment when the Lord may come is the most solemn thought with which to remind them of the importance of being one with Christ. Stanley gives the following interesting Note:—“The name Maronite is sometimes explained by a tradition that the Jews in their expectation of the Messiah were constantly saying, Maran (Lord). To which the Christians answered, Maranatha (The Lord is come), why do you expect Him? Hence the name, ‘Maronite’ is applied to the Jews, especially Spanish Jews and Moors who confessed Maran, but not Maranatha.”

Verse 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus] This is directed immediately against the Jews. From 1 Corinthians 12:3, we find that the Jews, who pretended to be under the Spirit and teaching of God, called Jesus αναθεμα, or accursed; i.e. a person who should be devoted to destruction: see the note there. In this place the apostle retorts the whole upon themselves, and says: If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let HIM be αναθεμα, accursed, and devoted to destruction. This is not said in the way of a wish or imprecation, but as a prediction of what would certainly come upon them if they did not repent, and of what did come on them because they did not repent; but continued to hate and execrate the Lord Jesus; and of what still lies upon them, because they continue to hate and execrate the Redeemer of the world. It is generally allowed that the apostle refers here to some of the modes of excommunication among the Jews, of which there were three, viz.:- 1. Niddui נדוי, which signifies a simple separation or exclusion of a man from the synagogue, and from his wife and family, for THIRTY days. 2. Cherem חרם which was inflicted on him who had borne the niddui, and who had not, in the thirty days, made proper compensation, in order to be reconciled to the synagogue. This was inflicted with dire execrations, which he was informed must all come upon him if he did not repent; but the cherem always supposed place for repentance. 3. Shammatha שמתא: this was the direst of all, and cut off all hope of reconciliation and repentance; after which the man was neither reconcilable to the synagogue, nor acknowledged as belonging even to the Jewish nation. See these different forms in Buxtorf's Rabbinical and Talmudical Lexicon, under their respective words. In the Lexicon just now quoted, Buxtorf gives a form of the cherem, which he says he copied from an ancient Hebrew MS. Of this awful piece I shall lay a translation before the reader. "By the sentence of the Lord of lords, let P. the son of P. be anathematized in both houses of judgment; the superior and inferior. Let him be anathematized among the highest saints; let him be anathematized among the seraphim and ophanim; and finally, let him be anathematized by all the congregations of the great and the small! Let great and continued plagues rest upon him; with great and horrible diseases! Let his house be the habitation of dragons! and let his constellation be darkened in the clouds! Let him be for indignation, and wrath, and burning! Let his carcass be thrown to the wild beasts and serpents! Let his enemies and his adversaries triumph over him! Let his silver and gold be given to others! And let all his children be exposed at the doors of their enemies! And let posterity be astonished at his day!

22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ] The word here translated love applies to the intimate and familiar personal affection subsisting between individuals, rather than the wider and more general feeling of love usually enjoined in the N. T. It is the word used when our Lord for the third time asks St Peter the question ‘Lovest thou me?’ (St John 21:17). Christians are to cultivate a feeling of personal loyalty and affection for Jesus Christ, such as a soldier feels for his general, or a disciple for his master. And this though they have never seen Him. As the natural precedes the spiritual (ch. 1 Corinthians 15:46), so the love for Christ as Man must precede, and lead up to, the love for Him as God. See notes on ch. 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Corinthians 15:28.let him be anathema] The word is derived from two Greek words signifying to set apart, and is equivalent to the Hebrew cherem, which denotes something devoted to destruction for God’s honour’s sake, as the city and spoil at Jericho, Joshua 6:17. See also Leviticus 27:28-29.Maran-atha] Two Syriac words Maran, atha, signifying either (1) our Lord is come, or (2) our Lord is coming. If the former, the meaning is ‘our Lord is come, beware how you treat Him.’ If the latter, it will be ‘our Lord is coming, and He will judge those who have set Him at nought.’ Cf. Philippians 4:5; James 5:8-9. Lightfoot cites Malachi 4:6, the last words of the last prophet, ‘Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse’ (cherem). It is difficult to account for the Aramaic form of the word, unless we suppose with some that the utterance of the formula in the Apostle’s own language was likely to be more impressive. For this and the foregoing word consult Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible.

If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ - This is a most solemn and affecting close of the whole epistle.

22. If—This awful woe, given by Paul’s own hand, closing with the solemn Aramaic watchword, formed an impressive and memorable sentence for the Corinthian Church.