13 Every one's work shall be made manifest: for the day will make it plain, because it is revealed by fire ;1 (x, 212.) and so the fire will try every one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If the work of any one remaineth, which he hath built upon THE FOUNDATION, he shall receive a reward. 15 If the work of any one shall be burnt, he will suffer loss himself, how ever, shall be saved, yet so as (dia Tup) through a fire.1 13 Every teacher's disciples shall be made manifest in their true characters: for the day of persecution which is coming on them, will make every one's character plain, because it is of such a nature as to be revealed by the fire of persecution; and so that fire falling on the temple of God, will try every teacher's disciples, of what sort they are. 14 If the disciples which any teacher has introduced into the church, endure persecution for the gospel without apostatizing, such a teacher shall receive the reward promised to them who turn others to righteousness, (Dan. xii. 3.) 15 If the disciples of any teacher, shall, in time of persecution, fall away through the want of proper instruction, he will lose his reward: he himself, however, having in general acted sincerely, shall be saved; yet, with such difficulty, as one is saved, who runs through a fire. but themselves saved, they fancied that all men, the righteous as well as the wicked, are to be burnt in the general conflagration; that the separation of the righteous from the wicked is thereby to be made; that the wicked are to be consumed; and that the righteous are to suffer, some more, some less, according to their character. The passages of the fathers to this purpose, Burnet hath collected, De Stat. Mort. ch. vi But the Komish clergy, perceiving that this doctrine, properly managed, might be made an inexhaustible source of wealth to their order, have represented this fire of purgatory as lighted up from the very beginning of the world, and have kept it burning ever since, and have assumed to themselves, the power of detaining souls in that fire, and of releasing them from it, according to their own pleasure; whereby they have drawn great sums of money from the ignorant and superstitious. Ver. 15.-1. Yet so, as día rug☞, through a fire This, as Elsner observes, is a proverbial expression, for one's escaping some evil with great difficulty, Psal. lxvi. 12. erdoμev dia mug☞ nas dia idar, We went through fire and through water; that is, we were in the greatest danger.-Isa xliii. 2. When thou walketh through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt --Amos iv 11. Ye were as a fire brand plucked out of the burning.—Jude ver. 23. Snatching them out of the fire. See the note on that verse. 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy : for the tem ple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 18 Let no man deceive himself: If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God: for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, The Lord 16 Ουκ οίδατε ότι ναος Θεου εςε, και το πνεύμα του Θεον οικεί εν μιν ; 17 Ει τις τον ναον του Θεου φθείρει, φέρει τουτον ὁ Θεος· ὁ γαρ ναος του Θεου ἅγιος εςιν, οιτινες εςε ύμεις. 13 Μηδεις ἑαυτον εξαπατατω ει τις δοκει σοφος είναι εν μιν εν τῳ αιωνι τουτῷ, μωρος γενέσθω, ίνα γενηται σοφος. 19 Ἡ γαρ σοφια του κοστ μου τούτου, μωρια παρα τῷ Θεῷ εςι γεγραπται γαρ Ὁ δρασσόμενος τους σοφους εν τη πανουργια αυτών. Κύριος Ver. 17.1. If any one, φθείρει, destroy the temple of God. Here the aposule describes the sin and punishment, not only of such teachers as from worldly motives, allure bad men into the church, or continue them in it, by wilfully perverting the doctrines and precepts of the gospel; but also of those hypocrites who, for worldly ends, intrude themselves among the faithful, and put on a great shew of godliness. Whereas, in ver. 15. he describes the sin of those teachers, who introduce bad men into the church, by ignorantly misrepresenting the doctrines and precepts of the gospel.-The expression in this verse, If any one destroy the temple of God, being general, is no doubt applicable to any false teacher and hypocritical Christian, who spoils the temple of God. Nevertheless, I agree with Locke in thinking, that the apostle, in this passage, had the false teacher and the faction at Corinth more particularly in his eye, who had spoiled the temple of God in the manner above described. Ver. 18.1. If any one among you, δοκεῖ, thinketh to be wise. So δοκει is translated, 1 Cor. viii. 2. The false teacher at Corinth, thought himself, it seems, extremely wise, because he had allured the heathens into the church, by concealing some of the doctrines and precepts of the gospel, and by misrepresenting others of them. But that sort of wisdom the apostle severcly condemned, because it stood in opposition to the wisdom of God, who commanded all the preachers of the gospel, to teach its doctrines and precepts sincerely. 16 Know ye not, that ye are the temple of God, and THAT the Spirit of God dwelleth (EV, 172.) among you? 17 If any one destroy1 the temple of God, him will God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which TEMPLE ye are. (See Eph. ii. 19—22.) 18 Let no one deceive himself: if any one among you (done! Elvas) thinketh to be wise (ET KIWI TOTW) in this age, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this (rus) world is foolishness with God; for it is written, (Job v. 13.) He catcheth the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, (Psal. xciv. 11.) The Lord knoweth the reasonings of 16 Know ye not, that ye, of whom the church is composed, are the temple of God, the building of which I am speaking; and that the Spirit of God dwelleth among you, by his gifts and graces, as in his temple? 17 If any one, handling the word of God deceitfully, allures wicked men into the church; or if any hypocrite intrudes himself into it, whose apostacy destroys the temple of God, him will God destroy: for the temple of God should consist of holy persons, which temple ye are, ver. 16. 18 Let no teacher deceive himself with false notions of prudence. If any teacher among you thinketh to be wise, in this age of spreading the gospel, by misrepresenting its doctrines for the purpose of rendering it acceptable to bad men, let him become a fool in his own eyes by preaching the gospel sincerely, that he may be really wise. 19 For the prudence of this world, in concealing or misrepresenting the gospel, is foolishness in the eye of God; for it is written, he catcheth the wise, &c. that is, he maketh the craftiness of those who think themselves wise,the occasion of their destruction. 20 And in another passage, The Lord knoweth the reasonings, the subtle contrivances, of the wise, that Ver. 19-1 The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; consequently will issue in punishment to these worldly wise teachers. That this is the apostle's meaning, is evident from his adding, For it is written, He catcbeth the wise in their own craftiness. Ver. 20.-1. That they are vain. The subtle contrivances of men, when opposed to the methods which God's wisdom hath appointed, are vain; are utterly ineffectual for accomplishing what they intend by them. Wherefore those wise teachers, whom the apostle reproved, laboured to no purpose, knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain. 21 Therefore let no man γινώσκει τους διαλογισμους των σοφών, ότι εισι ματαιοι. 21 Ωςε μηδεις καυχασ glory in men : for all things Sω εν ανθρωποις παντα γαρ ύμων εςιν are yours : 22 Whether Paul or Apolios, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. 22 Είτε Παυλος, είτε Απολλως, είτε Κηφας, είτε κοσμος, είτε ζωη, είτε θανατος, είτε ενεςώτα, είτε μελ λοντα· παντα ύμων εςιν 23 Ὑμεις δε, Χριςου Χριστ τος δε, Θεου. when they endeavoured to build the temple of God by methods which God condemned. Ver. 21.1. Wherefore let no one boast in men. Besides the general meaning of this verse, expressed in the commentary, I think the apostle insinuated, that the Corinthians in particular, had no reason to boast in the false teacher, who had spoiled the temple of God by building wicked men into it. Ver. 22.—1. Or things present, or things to come, all are yours. The apostle does not mean, as some fanatics have vainly imagined, that the property of all the things in the world is vested in believers, by an exclusive title; but that by the direction of the providence of God, all things prosperous or adverse, whether present or future, shall be made subservient to the promoting of their virtue in the present life, and of their felicity in the life to come. Thus far they may consider themselves as having an interest in all things; and may survey them with pleasure, as making a part of their treasures; and among the rest, death itself is theirs, as it is the appointed means of bringing them to the vision and enjoyment of God. the wise, that they are vain. : 21 Wherefore, let no one boast in men:1 for all things are yours; 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23 And ye ARE Christ's, and Christ is God's, 1 they are vain, when used in opposisition to his purposes. 21 Wherefore, since we are all joint labourers of God, let no one boast in men, as if any teacher belonged peculiarly to him; for all the ministers of the gospel, and all its privileges, and all the blessings of providence, belong equally to you all: 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the fabric of the world, or life with its enjoyments, or death with its consequences, or things firesent, or things to come, all belong to you in general, and each shall receive such a share of them, as is best for him. 23 And, instead of being the disciples of this or that teacher, ye are Christ's disciples, and Christ is God's disciple. Ver. 23.-1. And Christ is God's. As the foregoing expression, Ye are Christ's, means that the Corinthians belonged to Christ as his disciples, this expression, Christ is God's, I think means, that in making the gospel revelation, Christ is God's disciple or servant. So Christ himself says, John vii. 16. My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.-viii, 28. As my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.—xii. 49. I have not spoken of myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me commandment what I should say, and what I should speak.-xiv. 10. The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself. This I suppose is the apostle's meaning, likewise, when he tells us, 1 Cor. xi. 3. The head of Christ is God.—Others understand the pas. sage thus, All things are appointed for your good, and ye are appointed for Christ's honour, and Christ for God's glory. |