1 Corinthians 1

1 Corinthians 1:2

They were broken off for unbelief, and thou standest by faith - Both conditionally, not absolutely: if absolutely, there might have been room to boast. By faith - The free gift of God, which therefore ought to humble thee.

1 Corinthians 1:3

Be not highminded, but fear - We may observe, this fear is not opposed to trust, but to pride and security.

1 Corinthians 1:4

Else shalt thou - Also, who now “standest by faith,” be both totally and finally cut off.

1 Corinthians 1:6

Contrary to nature - For according to nature, we graft the fruitful branch into the wild stock; but here the wild branch is grafted into the fruitful stock.

1 Corinthians 1:7

St. Paul calls any truth known but to a few, a mystery. Such had been the calling of the gentiles: such was now the conversion of the Jews. Lest ye should be wise in your own conceits - Puffed up with your present advantages; dreaming that ye are the only church; or that the church of Rome cannot fail. Hardness in part is happened to Israel, till - Israel therefore is neither totally nor finally rejected. The fullness of the gentiles be come in - Till there be a vast harvest amongst the heathens.

1 Corinthians 1:8

And so all Israel shall be saved - Being convinced by the coming of the gentiles. But there will be a still larger harvest among the gentiles, when all Israel is come in. The deliverer shall come - Yea, the deliverer is come; but not the full fruit of his coming. Isaiah 59:20

1 Corinthians 1:10

They are now enemies - To the gospel, to God, and to themselves, which God permits. For your sake: but as for the election - That part of them who believe, they are beloved.

1 Corinthians 1:11

For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance - God does not repent of his gifts to the Jews, or his calling of the gentiles.

1 Corinthians 1:14

For God hath shut up all together in disobedience - Suffering each in their turn to revolt from him. First, God suffered the gentiles in the early age to revolt, and took the family of Abraham as a peculiar seed to himself. Afterwards he permitted them to fall through unbelief, and took in the believing gentiles. And he did even this to provoke the Jews to jealousy, and so bring them also in the end to faith. This was truly a mystery in the divine conduct, which the apostle adores with such holy astonishment.

1 Corinthians 1:15

O the depth of the riches, and wisdom, and knowledge of God - In the ninth chapter, St. Paul had sailed but in a narrow sea: now he is in the ocean. The depth of the riches is described, Romans 11:35; the depth of wisdom, Romans 11:34; the depth of knowledge, in the latter part of this verse. Wisdom directs all things to the best end; knowledge sees that end. How unsearchable are his judgments - With regard to unbelievers. His ways - With regard to believers. His ways are more upon a level; His judgments “a great deep.” But even his ways we cannot trace.

1 Corinthians 1:16

Who hath known the mind of the Lord - Before or any farther than he has revealed it. Isaiah 40:13.

1 Corinthians 1:17

Given to him - Either wisdom or power?

1 Corinthians 1:18

Of him - As the Creator. Through him - As the Preserver. To him - As the ultimate end, are all things. To him be the glory of his riches, wisdom, knowledge. Amen - A concluding word, in which the affection of the apostle, when it is come to the height, shuts up all.

1 Corinthians 1:20

I exhort you - St. Paul uses to suit his exhortations to the doctrines he has been delivering. So here the general use from the whole is contained in the first and second verses. The particular uses follow, from the third verse to the end of the Epistle. By the tender mercies of God - The whole sentiment is derived from Rom. i. - v. The expression itself is particularly opposed to “the wrath of God,” Romans 1:18.

It has a reference here to the entire gospel, to the whole economy of grace or mercy, delivering us from “the wrath of God,” and exciting us to all duty. To present - So Romans 6:13; 16:19; now actually to exhibit before God. Your bodies - That is, yourselves; a part is put for the whole; the rather, as in the ancient sacrifices of beasts, the body was the whole. These also are particularly named in opposition to that vile abuse of their bodies mentioned, Romans 1:24. Several expressions follow, which have likewise a direct reference to other expressions in the same chapter. A sacrifice - Dead to sin and living - By that life which is mentioned, Romans 1:17; 6:4, &c.

Holy - Such as the holy law requires, Romans 7:12. Acceptable - Romans 8:8. Which is your reasonable service - The worship of the heathens was utterly unreasonable, Romans 1:18, &c; so was the glorying of the Jews, Romans 2:3, &c. But a Christian acts in all things by the highest reason, from the mercy of God inferring his own duty.

1 Corinthians 1:21

And be not conformed - Neither in judgment, spirit, nor behaviour. To this world - Which, neglecting the will of God, entirely follows its own. That ye may prove - Know by sure trial; which is easily done by him who has thus presented himself to God. What is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God - The will of God is here to be understood of all the preceptive part of Christianity, which is in itself so excellently good, so acceptable to God, and so perfective of our natures.

1 Corinthians 1:22

And I say - He now proceeds to show what that will of God is. Through the grace which is given to me - He modestly adds this, lest he should seem to forget his own direction. To every one that is among you - Believers at Rome. Happy, had they always remembered this! The measure of faith - Treated of in the first and following chapters, from which all other gifts and graces flow.

1 Corinthians 1:24

So we - All believers. Are one body - Closely connected together in Christ, and consequently ought to be helpful to each other.

1 Corinthians 1:25

Having then gifts differing according to the grace which is given us - Gifts are various: grace is one. Whether it be prophecy - This, considered as an extraordinary gift, is that whereby heavenly mysteries are declared to men, or things to come foretold. But it seems here to mean the ordinary gift of expounding scripture. Let us prophesy according to the analogy of faith - St. Peter expresses it, “as the oracles of God;” according to the general tenor of them; according to that grand scheme of doctrine which is delivered therein, touching original sin, justification by faith, and present, inward salvation. There is a wonderful analogy between all these; and a close and intimate connexion between the chief heads of that faith “which was once delivered to the saints.” Every article therefore concerning which there is any question should be determined by this rule; every doubtful scripture interpreted according to the grand truths which run through the whole.

1 Corinthians 1:26

Ministering - As deacons. He that teacheth - Catechumens; for whom particular instructers were appointed. He that exhorteth - Whose peculiar business it was to urge Christians to duty, and to comfort them in trials.

1 Corinthians 1:27

He that presideth - That hath the care of a flock. He that showeth mercy - In any instance. With cheerfulness - Rejoicing that he hath such an opportunity.

1 Corinthians 1:28

Having spoken of faith and its fruit, Romans 12:3, &c., he comes now to love. The ninth, tenth, and eleventh verses refer to chapter the seventh; the twelfth verse to chapter the eighth; the thirteenth verse, of communicating to the saints, whether Jews or gentiles, to chapter the ninth, &c. Part of the sixteenth verse is repeated from Romans 11:25. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good - Both inwardly and outwardly, whatever ill - will or danger may follow.

1 Corinthians 1:29

In honour preferring one another - Which you will do, if you habitually consider what is good in others, and what is evil in yourselves.

1 Corinthians 1:30

Whatsoever ye do, do it with your might. In every business diligently and fervently serving the Lord - Doing all to God, not to man.

1 Corinthians 1:31

Rejoicing in hope - Of perfect holiness and everlasting happiness. Hitherto of faith and love; now of hope also, see the fifth and eighth chapters; afterwards of duties toward others; saints, Romans 12:13 persecutors, Romans 12:14 friends, strangers, enemies, Romans 12:15, &c.