1 Corinthians: A Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians

16 1 6 10 13 1 Corinthians 16 Information and Greetings Now concerning the collection for the saints, you should do as I have appointed for the churches in Galatia. 21 On the first day of the week1 let each of you put aside and store up whatever he can spare,2 so that collections be not made only when I come. 31 After my arrival I shall send people of your choice3 with letters4 to bring your gift to Jerusalem. 41 If it is your mind5 that I should also go, then they shall go with me. I shall come to you when I have passed through Macedonia. I shall (only) pass through Macedonia, 61 but if possible I will stay with you. or even spend the winter. Then you can send me on my way6 wherever I wish to go. 7 I For I do not wish to see you only just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, ifthe Lord permits. 81 I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 I For a great and effectual door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. But when Timothy comes, then see to it that he can be with you without fear. For he is engaged in the work of the Lord as lam.11 I So let no one despise him. Send him on his way in peace. that he may come to me. For I am waiting for him together with the brothers. 12I As regards the brother Apollos, I have often urged him to go to you with the brothers.1 But it was not at all the wi118 that he should go now; but he will come as soon as he finds an opportunity. Be alert. stand fast in the faith, be manly and strong. 141 Let everything among you be done in love. The final chapter brings, as usual, correspondence, concluding exhortation, and greetings. Schmithals8 a disputes the literary unity of the chapter. He argues that between vv 12-13 there is a break; that v 13 is better in place after 15:58 than after 16:12; that exhortations at the close of an epistle always begin else294 For the expression cf. Mk 16:2 par.; Acts 20:7.1t is 5 not normal Greek, but probably Hebraizing; cf. Nurn 1:1: El' ILL~ rov !L7JI'OS rov lJEvTtpov, "on the first day of the s.cond month" (RSV);Jos., Ant. 1.29; Blass-Debrunner §247(1 ). uaf3{3aTOI': Singular and plural both mean "Sabbath" and also "week." 2 EoolJovuOat: "have good success"; Lietzmann under- 6 stands it here as "acquire." 3 The word can be used technically for the recognition 7 of suitability for an official function; Bauer and Moulton-Milligan, s.v. 8 4 lJt' bnuro>..wv, "together with the brothers," to be taken with avrov, "him," (Lietzmann), or with EKOEXEU0aL, "wait for"? •12 For Apollos see on 1:12; 4:6. May we conclude from the tense ofOVK ~J! 0EATJJ.L4, "it was not the wi11,"31 that at the moment he is absent? In view of the beginning of the epistle it should be noticed that the matter-of-fact way in which Paul speaks ofApollos counteracts the division of the community into groups. • 13-14 The paraenesis comes unexpectedly. And afterwards v 15 begins again as ifvv 13 and 14 were not there.32 Yet this circumstance is not sufficient reason for operations ofliterary criticism. It is a case of the customary , loose formation of the conclusion ofan epistle; cf. 1 Thess 5:12ff: Phil4;33 Col4:2ff; Eph 6:10ff. 'YPTJ'YOpliv , "be alert," is a well-known keyword in paraenesis, especially in an eschatological context.34 ur~KETE, "stand fast": cf. 15:1, 58; Gal 5:1; Phil4: 1. Therefollows an allusion to Ps 30:25 LXX. 35 1ravra KTX., "let everything, etc.": 14:40. bearers of the epistle know the facts and can answer questions. Weiss' doubts as to whether vv 5-7 and 8fbelong to the same letter are also unnecessary. mann: "The authority of the young assistant [1 Tim 4:12] is weak.'' 31 Schmiedel adds: and the absence of a greeting from Apollos. 26 Weiss finds that the indefinite statement in v 7 following the definite one in v 6 is surprising. This, too, is too subtle. 27 Ps.-Plat., Ale. 1.135d: 'Eav fjo&Xv u&, w~wKpa'TES. -Ou KaXws XE-ym, w'AXKL{3LM71.-'AXXa 1rws...