Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat

CHAP. XI.

[the Lord's Supper.

this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall he guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. (M)

EXPOSITION.

(M) Ver. 1-34. St. Paul corrects sundry irregularities and indecencies, into which he hears that the Corinthians had fallen. The first relates to the manner in which the different sexes had exercised their prophetic gifts, for it is most certain that the extraordinary gifts bestowed on the day of Pentecost were not confined to the male sex, for we read of prophetesses as well as prophets (Acts ii. 17, 18; xxi. 9, &c.), and the apostle does not censure the exercise of these gifts, but only some indecorous circumstances in the dress and manner of the prophetesses. To understand St. Paul's reproofs, it is necessary to recur to the use

of veils both among the Jews and Greeks. These were evidently worn by the women as a token of modesty and subjection, and to show that they were under the power of their husbands. On the other hand, men, for the contrary reason, prayed, preached, or prophesied, with their heads uncovered, to show that they were under no such subjection; and the ground of this distinction is founded in nature and in general custom for a woman veiled was under coverture, that is, under the protection of her husband, or (if single) of her father. But this practice in men was effeminate, and at the same time dishonoured God, whom they represented; while the women, by an

NOTES-Chap. XI. Con.

not eat the Lord's Supper-i. e. not in this way. Mackn. "Your coming together into one place is not," &c.; i. e. it is not merely meeting at the same place, unless you are united in the same devotional views.

Ver. 21. Is drunken.-Doddr." Drinks to excess." Ver. 22. And shame them that have not-That is, says Doddr.," that have not provisions and accommodations of their own"-i. e. the poor.

Ver. 24. In remembrance.-Marg. "For a remembrance."

Ver. 26. Eat this bread.-Anti-papistical writers here observe, that this element bears the name of bread after consecration; consequently was not transubstantiated.-Ye do shew,-Marg. "Shew ye."

Ver. 29. Damnation. — Margin, “judgment;" Macknight," punishment;" but all commentators agree in reprobating what the former calls "an unhappy mistake" in our version. See our Note on Rom. xiv. 23.

Ver. 30. Many sleep.-Commentators generally apply this to the sleep of death; and it is true, that the death of believers is called a sleep (ch. xv. 21): but this is called a chastening of the Lord, that such might not be condemned (verse 32), which implies a recovery from their sleep. We therefore incline to understand the phrase as implying a religious torpor. See Matt. xxv. 5; Ephes. v. 14.

Ver. 34. Condemnation.-Marg. " Judgment."

[blocks in formation]

opposite conduct, dishonoured the men. These improper customs, it should seem, had been introduced by some of the false teachers who had opposed Paul, and had endeavoured probably to bring into contempt the regulations he had established when present with them; but he appeals to their reason against the indecorous character of their innovations, and their inconsistency with the practice of all the Christian churches.

What the apostle says of divisions (or schisms) among them is repetition (see chap. i. 10, &c.); and into the nature of heresies we shall have farther occasion to inquire. See Gal. v. 20.

A more serious abuse than any of the preceding, appears to have taken place relative to the Lord's Supper, which they seem, in some degree, to have assimilated to the feasts in the idol-temples, mingling with the sacred elements the provisions for their own suppers, forming convivial parties in the church; and while the poor were unprovided for, the rich indulged themselves to great excess.

Shocked at the idea, the apostle expresses himself with more than his usual severity. "What! (says he) have ye not houses to eat and drink in," that ye come to the Lord's table to take your meals; and instead of being united as the disciples of Christ should be, ye fall into little parties with your favourite leaders, and such of you as have provisions eat and drink even to excess; while the poor, who are guests equally welcome at the Lord's table with the rich, are neglected and despised. "This is not [the way] to eat the Lord's Supper:" and then he proceeds to repeat what he had before delivered to them; namely, "That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread"-that is, took one of the unlea

vened cakes that had been provided for the Passover, and brake and distributed it to his disciples, as we find related by the Evangelists. (Matt. xxvi. 26-28; Luke xxii. 19, 20.) Now in this way of celebrating the Lord's Supper, believers show (or exhibit) the emblems of his sufferings and death in a most striking manner, as thus represented by an eminent divine of the present day :

"In eating of this bread, and drinking of this cup (says Dr. Belfrage), we show the manner of our Lord's death. The breaking of the bread represents the sufferings of his body; the pouring out of the wine, the shedding of his blood. And while we contemplate these, shall not penitential sorrow rend our hearts? Shall not we pour out our hearts before him, in the language of devotional feeling?.... In eating of this bread, and drinking of this cup, we profess our interest in the blessings of Christ's death"-show our affectionate remembrance of his love and kindness, and our inviolable attachment to the doctrine of the cross. (See Sacramental Addresses, No. 50.)

But this is not a feast to be partaken of with levity or indifference: "Let a man examine himself" with what temper and disposition he is prepared to receive it, and if he discerns therein the emblems of our Lord's death, and feels a proper sense of his obligations to his love" So let him eat." But he that eateth and drinketh unworthily," that is, as Dr. Doddridge explains it," in an irreverent, profane, and unworthy manner," is guilty of [profaning] the body and blood of Christ, and thereby eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself. For this cause many are weak and sickly, and many sleep in religious indifference, if not in death.

NOTES.

CHAP. XII. Ver. 2. These dumb idols.-The Images with which, in that idolatrous city, they were every where surrounded.-Even as ye were led-By the popular superstition, and by the artifices of their priests.

Ver.3. Accursed.-Gr. Anathema. Moses says, "He

that is hanged is accursed of God" (Deut. xxi. 23), which applies equally to those that were crucified, so that "The hanged Christ" is applied to our Lord Jesus Christ by the infidel Jews, as a title of reproach, to the present day.

[blocks in formation]

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit

withal.

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit ;

10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

11 But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body : so also is Christ.

[body of Christ.

13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

14 For the body is not one member, but many.

15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.

21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

NOTES-Chap. XII. Con.

Ver. 5. Administrations.-Marg. " Ministries." Ver. 6. The same God.-Comparing this verse with the two preceding, we have an argument for the proper divinity of the Holy Spirit, here called both God and Lord.

Ver. 8. To one is given .... the word of wisdom .... the word of knowledge.-Mr. Preb. Townsend has given in his Arranged New Testament (vol. ii. pp. 190-198) a copious abstract of the very learned discussions of the first Lord Barrington (the friend of Watts and Doddridge), to which we shall make some references, without pledging ourselves to adopt his explications, though nearly followed, not only by Mr. T., but also by Bishop Horsley and Dr. Hales. By the word of wisdom," he understands that knowledge peculiar to an apostle; and by" the word of knowledge," the like attainment of the prophets. But with all due submission to these great names, we consider wisdom as an immediate endowment from heaven; knowledge, as an acquired talent, no less the gift of God, though the result of experience and of study. Paul eminently possessed both.

Ver. 9. To another faith.-According to Mr. Locke, a full persuasion of the truth of the gospel.

Ver. 10. The working of miracies.-This, as distinguished from the gift of healing, may intend the power of inflicting disease and death, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, &c. Discerning of spiTits-i, e. of detecting hypocrisy, or imposition, as in the case just referred to Divers kinds of tongues ; .... the interpretation of tongues. - From this distinction of talent, it is evident that some pos

sessed the talent of interpreting tongues who had not the power of speaking them.

Ver. 11. Severally as he will.-Doddr. "As he thinketh fit; Mackn. "As he pleaseth." From this expression has been forcibly argued the distinct personality of the Holy Spirit.

Ver. 12. So also is Christ-i. e. Christ mystical, or his true church.

Ver. 13. Drink into one spirit-namely, the Spirit of Christ, which also animates his church.

Ver. 15. If the foot shall say.-This beautiful apologne reminds us of the political apologue of Menenins Agrippa. At a time when the lower orders of the Roman people were rising in insurrection against the Nobles, this celebrated Orator and General addressed to them this fable:-That once upen a time, when the different members of the bumsn body were not in that state of unity in which they now are, they became discontented, because all the fruits of their labour were bestowed upon the belly, which did nothing but lie at ease and enjoy them. The hands therefore refused to convey food to the mouth, the mouth to receive it, and the teeth to chew it. Acting on this principle, they reduced the corpulency of the belly; but, at the same time, the whole body, with all its merabers, became enteebled, and were reduced to the last stage of a decline. It was then found that the idle belly (as they called it) contributed no less to the nourishment of the whole body, than the other members did to the support of the belly. This ingenious fable convinced the people that the Senators were as necessary to the body politic as were themselves. See Livy's Hist, Bk. ii chap. 32.

The doctrine of]

CHAP. XII.

22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more eeble, are necessary:

23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, pon these we bestow more abundant onour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

24 For our comely parts have no eed: but God hath tempered the body ogether, having given more abundant onour to that part which lacked:

25 That there should be no schism the body; but that the members ould have the same care one for other.

26 And whether one member suffer, I the members suffer with it; or one

CHAP. XII.

[Christian sympathy.

member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

28 And God hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. (N)

EXPOSITION.

(N) Ver. 1-31. The variety of spiritual fts, and their design.-One great cause the dissensions and divisions in the urch of Corinth, certainly was the imoper display of spiritual gifts among its embers, and their undue attachment the most showy and popular talents, stead of those which were the most useI to the church. It appears, also, that ere were false pretensions to these gifts some instances, which fact induces the ostle to insert a caveat against their ing misled by ambitious and vain-glorious en. 1. They might be certain that no an, though he were an Hebrew of the ebrews, or even the High Priest himself, uld speak by the Spirit of God, who viled our Saviour for his crucifixion, as is well known the unbelieving Jews did.

If even they should work miracles and cast out devils, they could no more act under the influence of God's Spirit, than could the prophets of idolatry spoken of by Moses. (Deut. xiii. 1-5.) On the other hand, he that should call Jesus LORD, and should seek to promote his honour and service, might fairly be considered as speaking under the influences of the Holy Spirit.

We are aware that learned and good men have attempted to distinguish and explain the various operations of the Divine Spirit, and to appropriate them to the different classes of Christian ministers; but however ingenious may be the conjecture (See Note on ver. 28), we doubt if it can be depended on : for various gifts, we apprehend, were conferred on the same persons, and perhaps all of them on the apostles.

NOTES.

Ver. 23. We bestow-Marg. " put on."Our acomely parts have more abundant comelinesse. by means of ornamental dress. So in the myscal body of Christ, those members of least appaat consequence, and personal comeliness, are ften endowed with talents of the first order-they have more abundant comeliness."

Ver. 25. That there should be no schism—The same Ford is used chap. i. 10; xi. 18; and it appears com the context in the former place, that the Cointhians split themselves into little parties under he name, though without the sanction of their faourite preachers: so far, at least, as respects Paul, Apollos, and Cephas. These parties, though hey met in one house, probably met in separate ooms, and held little or no communion with each other. See chap. xi. 20-22.

Ver. 26. Whether one member suffer, &c.-This s the doctrine of sympathy, arising literally from the nervous system, by which the head and the heart

participate in the sufferings of the hand or foot, &c. So in a Christian church, the heads of it should sympathize in the sufferings of the humblest members.

Ver. 28. First Apostles, &c.-Mr. Townsend has given a table, comparing this and the two following verses with verses 8 to 10, and assigning to each order of ministers his peculiar talent, as to apostles wisdom, to prophets knowledge, &c. according to the system of Lord Barrington, Bp. Horsley, &c. ; but we confess that this system appears to us more ingenious than satisfactory.- -After that miracles, then gifts, &c.-i. e. those who had the power of working miracles, and healing diseases. Helps, governments-May refer, as we conceive, to those who assisted or superintended schools, or other charities for the poor.

Ver. 31. But covet earnestly.-Mackn." Ye earnestly desire the best gifts; but I shew you," &c, So Doddr, in effect,

2 N

The supreme]

CHAP. XIII.

1 CORINTHIANS.

THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up;

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

[excellence of love.

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be know. ledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now! know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope,

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but re- charity, these three; but the greatest of joiceth in the truth; these is charity. (0)

EXPOSITION.

The apostle Paul then illustrates the use of these various gifts to the body of Christ mystical, or the Christian Church, the members of which he compares to the different members of the human body, all of which contribute, by their different functions, to the service and perfection of the whole : : so that no Christian ought to be despised for the meanness, nor idolized for the splendour, of his gifts. All the officers of the church, and all its members, are useful and honourable in their respec

tive places. The Corinthians, however, encouraged an ambition for the best or most splendid gifts; but the apostle holds out to them a far better way in true Christian charity, or in love to God and man.

CHAP. XIII.

(0) Ver. 1-13. The pre-eminence of Christian love to all other gifts.-Drs. Doddridge, Macknight, and other eminent commentators, begin this chapter with the last verse of the preceding; and if, with

NOTES.

CHAP XIII. Ver. 1. And have not charity.The original word (agapé), though sometimes rendered charity, is more frequently and accurately rendered love, and no doubt our translators here so meant it; and so it is used in the writings of Milton, Dryden, Hooker, and Atterbury, as may be seen in Dr. Johnson. There is no doubt, however, but that our translators derived the word immediately from the Vulgate, caritas; but its insertion here has unhappily led many persons to conclude that alms-giving, or practical benevolence, is the only thing intended; though that is exactly contrary

to verse 3.

Ibid. As sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.This probably refers to the different kinds of cymbal used by the ancients, the large and small; the former very sonorous, the latter more like bells. See Ps. cl. 5, and Note.

Ver. 2. And have not charity.-This word should have been rendered love, throughout the chapter.

Ver. 4. Vannteth not-Marg. "Is not rash." But we prefer the text.

Ver. 6. In (Marg "with") the truth. Ver. 7. Beareth- Doddr. covereth "all things. More ready to conceal a fault than to es pose it.

Ver. 10. When that which is perfect is come-it. when perfection shall succeed to imperiection, namely, in a future world.

Ver 11. I thought -Margin, "reasoned." So Doddridge.

Ver 12. We see through a glass-Though glass was probably made before this time, we have no proof of its being used for windows before the third century, thin plates of horn, &c. being used instead and perhaps it was long before it was manufactured to be so transparent as at present, and telescopes allowed to be a much more modern invention. (See Ency. Brit.)Darkly-Marg. "In a riddle, a enigma. See Ps. xlix. 4, and Note

are

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »