3 Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord

Jesus Christ.

4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge ;

6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed

3 Χαρις υμιν και ειρηνη απο Θεου πατρος ήμων, και Κυρίου Ιησού Χριςου.

4 Ευχαριςω τῷ Θεῷ μου παντοτε περι όμων, επι τη χαριτι του Θεου τη δοθείση υμιν εν Χριςῳ Ιησου

5 Ότι εν παντι επλουτι σθητε εν αυτῷ, εν παντι λογω και πάση γνώσει,

6 Καθώς το μαρτύριον του Χριςου εβεβαιωθη εν ύμιν

Ver. 4.1. On account of the grace of God; that is, on account of the spiritual gifts. For so the grace of God signifies, Rom. xii. 6. Having gifte differing according to the grace that is given to us. See also Ephes. iv. 7, 8. 1 Pet. iv. 10. That grace hath this signification here, is evident from ver. 5. Ver. 5.1. With all speech. Εν παντί λόγῳ, with all sorts of languages. From chap. xiv. we learn that many of the Gentiles at Corinth, as well as of the Jews, were endowed with the gift of tongues.

2. And all knowledge. See 1 Cor. xii. 8. note 2. What is here said concerning the enriching of the Corinthians with all knowledge, is to be understood chiefly of the spiritual men among the Jewish converts; for most of the Gentile converts at Corinth, were fleshly or weak persons, and babes in Christ, chap. iii. 1. 3.

Ver. 6.-1. When the testimony of Christ: the testimony concerning Christ. So the phrase signifies, 2 Tim. i. 8. See Ess. iv. 24.

Ver. 7.-1. So that ye come behind in no gift. The apostle speaks here, not of individuals, but of the church at Corinth, as having in it spiritual men, who possessed all the different spiritual gifts which common believers

3 May gracious dispositions be to you, with peace, temporal and eternal, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom God dispenses these blessings.

4 In my prayers, I give thanks to my God always concerning you, on account of the grace of God, which was given to you through the powerful operation, and agreeably to the will of Jesus Christ:

5 I mean, that ye were enriched with every spiritual gift by Jesus Christ; and in particular, with all sorts of languages, and with a great measure of inspired knowledge,

6 When our testimony concerning Christ, as the Son of God and Saviour of the world, was confirmed among you, by the miracles which I wrought, and the spiritual gifts I conferred on you.

7 So that ye come behind other churches, in no gift; firmly expecting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, by his appearing in the glory of the Father to judge the world.

8 He (God, ver. 4.) also will confirm you, until the end, in the belief of that testimony; so as to be without just cause of accusation, in the day of the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

could enjoy. Accordingly he asked them, 2 Cor. xii. 13. What is the thing wherein ye have been inferior to other churches? See 2 Cor. xii. 12. note 3.

Ver. 8.-1. He also will confirm you. "Os, here, is not the relative, but the personal pronoun. For the following verse shews that the person spoken of, is God, mentioned ver. 4. I give thanks to my God, &c.

2. Without accusation. The apostle in this, expresses only his charitable judgment, not of individuals, but of the body of the Corinthian church. For by no stretch of charity could he hope, that every individual of a church in which there were such great disorders, would be unaccusable at the day of judgment. See 1 Thess. iii. 13. note 2.

9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that

ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you ; but that ye be perfectly joined

together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. 11 For it hath been de

clared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which

are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ,

9 Πιςος ὁ Θεός, δι' ε εκλήθητε εις κοινωνίαν του υἱου αυτου Ιησού Χριςου, του Κυρίου ἡμων.

10 Παρακαλω δε ύμας, αδελφοι, δια του ονόματος του Κυρίου ἡμων Ιησου Χριςου, ίνα το αυτο λέγητε πάντες, και μη η εν ὑμῖν σχίσματα, ητε δε κατηρτισμενοι εν τῷ

αυτῷ νοι και εν τη αυτη γνωμη.

11 δηλώθη γαρ μοι περι ύμων, αδελφοι μου, υπο των Χλόης, ότι εριδες εν ὑμιν εισι.

Ver. 10.1. By the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This may signify the person and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. See Ess. iv. 51. Locke is of opinion, that the apostle, intending to abolish the names of the leaders whereby the parties distinguished themselves, besought them by the name of Christ. The same author mentions this as an instance, that the apostle scarcely makes use of a word or expression, which hath not some relation to his main purpose,

2. Ye be compactly joined, εν τῳ αυτῳ vol, by the same mind; that is, by mutual good affection: for the same mind, in the sense of the same opinion, is not to be expected in any numerous society. We have the same direction, Rom. xv. 5. thus expressed, the same disposition towards one another. See also 1 Pet. iii. 8.

3. By the same, γνωμη, judgment. This word denotes that practical judge ment which precedes volition. The meaning is, that in our deliberations we should yield to each other from mutual affection, and from a love of peace. Accordingly, the heathen moralists described true friendship, as cemented by the same inclinations and aversions : Idem velle, et idem nolle, &c.

Ver 11.1. My brethren: Locke observes that brethren is a name of union and friendship, and that it is twice used by the apostle, in this exhortation to union and friendship.

9 Faithful is God, by whom ye have been called to partake of the benefits of the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. He will, therefore, perform his promise concerning your acquittal at the judgment.

10 Now brethren, since ye are called into the fellowship of Christ, I beseech you, by every consideration implied in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all agree in the same measures for promoting the interests. of that fellowship, that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be firmly joined (See 2 Cor. xiii. 9. note) as members of one body, by the same good affection towards each other, and by the same practical judgment.

11 I give you this exhortation, because it hath been told me, concerning you, my brethren, by some of the family of Chloe, with whom I have conversed in this place, that there are (egides,) violent contentions among

you.

12 And, I mention this as an instance, that each of you saith, peculiar respect is due to me, because I indeed am a disciple of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Peter, and I of Christ himself.

2. By some of the family of Chloe. According to Grotius, these were Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, mentioned chap. xvi. 17. who, he thinks, were Chloe's sons, and the bearers of the letter which the Corinthians sent to the apostle, chap. vii. 1. That they were the bearers of the letter, may be admitted. But I am of opinion, that the apostle had heard of the divisions at Corinth before these messengers arrived. If so, the persons mentioned were not the members of the family of Chloe here spoken of.

Ver. 12.-1. And I of Cephas. This seems to have been the boast of the false teacher. For as he came recommended by letters from Judea, he may have been converted by Peter.

2. And I of Christ. There were now in the church at Corinth, some Jews, who having heard Christ preach, had been converted by him, and who

13 Is Christ divided?

was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the

name of Paul?

14 I thank God, that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius :

15 Lest any should say, that I had baptized in

mine own name.

16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas : besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

17 For Christ sent me

13 Μεμεριςαι ὁ Χριςος ; μη Παυλος εςαυρωθη ὑπερ ύμων, η εις το ονομα Παυλου εβαπο τισθήτε.

14 Ευχαριςω τῷ Θεῷ ότι ουδενα ὑμων εβάπτισα, ει μη Κρισπον και Γαιον

15 Ίνα μη τις είπη ότι εις το εμον ονομα εβαπτισα.

16 Εβαπτισα δε και τον Στεφανα οικον λοιπον ουκ οιδα ει τινα αλλον εβαπτισα.

17 Ου γαρ απέςειλε με

claimed great respect on that account. Chrysostome thought this was said by Paul himself, to shew the Corinthians that all ought to consider themselves as the disciples of Christ, and of no other master; otherwise they derogated from the honour due to Christ.

The Greeks valued themselves greatly on the fame of their masters in philosophy, and in the arts. This humour the Corinthians brought with them into the church. For some, especially the heads of the faction, claimed an authority over others, on account of the dignity of the persons who had converted them, and to whom they had attached themselves as their masters in the gospel. But others, who reckoned themselves equally honourable on account of the reputation of their teachers, opposed their pretensions. Hence arose those envyings, strifes, and divisions, which prevailed in the Corinthian church, and which the apostle termed, a walking after the manner of men, chap. iii. 3.

Ver. 13.-1. Is Christ divided? In this passage, as in chap. xii. 12. Christ signifies the Christian church. By asking, Is Christ divided? the apostle insinuated that the whole body of Christians have him as their only master, and that to consider ourselves as the disciples of any other master, is to rob him of his honour as our Master and Saviour. Others by Christ, understand the ministers of Christ. Are the faithful ministers of Christ divided? Do they not all preach the same doctrine, and labour for the same end? But according to others, Christ in this passage means Christ himself. Is he divided? Did one Christ send Paul, and another Apollos?

2. Was Paul crucified for you ? This question implies, that the sufferings of Christ have an influence in saving the world, which the sufferings of no other man have, nor can have.

3. Baptized into the name of Paul. To be baptized into the name of any person, or into a person, is solemnly, as Locke observes, to enter one's self a