All shall not die, A. M. 4060. A. D. 56. A. U. C. 809. Anno Imp. Ne a 50 Now this I say, brethren, that || shall sound, and the dead shall be ronis Cas. 3. kingdom of God; neither doth cor- b 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, d 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So, when this corruptible shall have put on at the last trump: for the trumpet incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on b a Matt. 16. 17. John 3. 3, 5.- 1 Thess. 4. 15, 16, 17.- Phil. 3. 21. d Zech. 9. 14. Matt. 24. 31. John 5. 25. 1 Thess. 4. 16.- - 2 Cor. 5.4. to that time, and the change of all the living then upon earth, shall be the work of a single moment. 2. From all this, and much more might be produced on the as he does all his works: He calls, and it is done. The resubject, (See Schoettgen,) it appears that the apostle follows,surrection of all the dead, from the foundation of the world as far as it could comport with his design, the sentiments of his countrymen; and that he adopts their very phraseology: and that it is through the medium of these sentiments, and this phraseology, that he is to be understood and interpreted. Others may understand all these passages differently; and still consider them as a parallel between Adam and Christ, which is the general view of interpreters. The view which I have taken of them appears to me to be much more consistent with the nature of the discourse, and the scope and design of the apostle. The common opinion is orthodox: what I here propose is no heresy. There are many difficulties in the chapter; and not a few in the verses immediately || under consideration. At the last trump] This, as well as all the rest of the pe culiar phraseology of this chapter, is merely Jewish; and we must go to the Jewish writers to know what is intended. On this very subject, the rabbins use the very same expression. Thus Rabbi Akiba, "How shall the holy blessed God raise the dead? We are taught that God has a trumpet, a thousand ells long, according to the ell of God: this trumpet he shall blow, so that the sound of it shall extend from one extremity of the earth to the other. At the first blast, the earth shall be shaken; at the second, the dust shall be sepa rated; at the third, the bones shall be gathered together; at Verse 50. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom] the fourth, the members shall wax warm; at the fifth, the This is a Hebrew periphrasis for man; and man in his pre-heads shall be covered with skin; at the sixth, the souls shall sent state of infirmity and decay. Man, in his present state, be rejoined to their bodies; at the seventh, all shall revive cannot inherit the kingdom of God; his nature is not suited and stand clothed: See Wetstein. This tradition shews us to that place he could not, in his present weak state, endure what we are to understand by the last trump of the apostle : an exceeding great and eternal weight of glory. Therefore, it is the seventh of Rab. Akiba, when the dead shall be all it is necessary that he should die, or be changed; that he raised, and being clothed upon with their eternal vehicles, they should have a celestial body suited to the celestial state. The shall be ready to appear before the judgment-seat of God. apostle is certainly not speaking of flesh and blood in a moral sense, to signify corruption of mind and heart; but in a natural sense; as such flesh and blood cannot inherit glory, for the reasons already assigned. Verse 51. I shew you a mystery] That is, a thing which you have never known before. But what is this mystery? Why, that we shall not all sleep; we shall not all die; but we shall all be changed: of this the Jews had not distinct notions. For, as flesh and blood cannot inherit glory, and all shall not be found dead, at the day of judgment; then all must be changed; undergo such a change that their bodies may become spiritual, like the bodies of those who shall be raised from the dead. Verse 52. In a moment] Ev atoμw, in an atom; that is, an indivisible point of time. In the twinkling of an eye; as soon as a man can wink: which expressions shew that this mighty work is to be done by the Almighty power of God, For the trumpet shall sound] By this the apostle confirms the substance of the tradition; there shall be the sound of a trumpet on this great day; and this, other Scriptures teach: See Zach. ix. 14. Matt. xxiv. 31. John v. 25. 1 Thess. iv. 16. in which latter place, the apostle treats this subject among the Thessalonians; as he does here among the Corinthians. See the Notes there. Shall be raised incorruptible] Fully clothed, with a new body, to die no more. We shall be changed.] That is, those who shall then be found alive. Verse 53. For this corruptible, &c.] Because flesh and blood cannot inherit glory; therefore, there must be a refinement by death, or a change without it. Verse 54. Death is swallowed up in victory.] KaTerody ó bavaros eis vinos. These words are a quotation from Isai. xxv. 8. where the Hebrew is ny man ha bila he-maveth serve also, that the ehi, (I will be,) of the Hebrew text, la-netsach; He, (God,) hath swallowed up death in victory; or, for ever. These words in the Septuagint are thus translated, xZTETIEV bavaros oxuras: death, having prevailed or conquered, hath swallowed up. But in the version of Theodotion, the words are the same with those of the apostle. The Hebrew la-netsach, the Septuagint sometimes translate is vixos, in victory; but most commonly as TEños" I will be thy king," but have this note in the margin, for ever both, as Bishop Pearce observes, in such kind of "Rather, where is thy king? King Hoshea being then in phrases, signifying the same thing; because eternity con- prison." The apostle, therefore, and the Septuagint, are quers all things and accordingly, in 2 Sam. ii. 26. where sufficiently vindicated by the use of the word elsewhere: the Septuagint have μη εις νικος καταφάγεται ἡ ρομφαία; our and the best Jewish commentators allow this use of the word. English version has Shall the sword devour FOR EVER? And The Targum, Syriac, Arabic, Vulgate, and some MSS. of the same may be seen in Job xxxiv. 7. Sam. v. 20. Amos Kennicott and De Rossi, confirm this reading. i. 11. and viii. 7. from which authority the bishop translated the clause here Death is swallowed up FOR EV er. Death is here personified, and represented as a devouring being, swallowing up all the generations of men; and, by the resurrection of the body, and the destruction of the empire of death, God is represented as swallowing him up; or, that eternity gulps him down; so that he is endlessly lost and absorbed in its illimitable waste. How glorious a time to the righteous, when the inhabitant shall no more say, I am sick; when God shall have wiped away all tears from off all faces, and when there shall be no more death. This time must come. Hallelujah! The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth! ท oov Verse 55. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory 2] Που σου Θανατε, το κέντρον; που σου Αδη | TO VIXOS; These words are generally supposed to be taken from Hos. xiii. 14. where the Hebrew text stands thus: Sehi debareyca mavath; ehi katabca sheol: which we translate, O death! I will be thy plagues; O grave! I will be thy destruction; and which the Septuagint translate very nearly as the apostle, ou dixy σou Θανατε; που το κεντρον σου Αδη; Ο death, where is thy revenge, or judicial process? O grave, where is thy sting? And it may be remarked, that almost all the MSS., Versions, and many of the Fathers, interchange the two members of this sentence, as they appear in the Septuagint, attributing victory to Death; and the sting to Hades, or the grave: only the Septuagint, probably by mistake or corruption of copyists, have dixx, dike, revenge, or a judicial process, for vixos nikos, victory: a mistake which the similarity of the words, both in letters and sound, might readily produce. We may ob Having vindicated the translation, it is necessary to enquire into the meaning of the apostle's expressions. Both Death and Hades are here personified; death is represented as having a sting, dagger, or goad, by which, like the dri❤ ver of oxen, he is continually irritating and urging on; these irritations are the diseases by which men are urged on till they fall into hades, the empire of death. To hades, victory is attributed, having overcome and conquered all human life, and subdued all to its own empire. By the transposition of these two members of the sentence, the victory is given to Death, who has extinguished all human life; and the sting is given to Hades, as in his empire, the evil of death is fully displayed by the extinction of all animal life, and the destruction of all human bodies. We have often seen a personifcation of death in ancient paintings ; a skeleton crowned, with a dart in his hand; probably taken from the apostle's description. The Jews represent the angel of death as having a sword, from which deadly drops of gall fall. into the mouths of all men. Hades, which we here translate grave, is generally understood to be the place of separate spirits. See the Note on Matt. xi. 23. Verse 56. The sting of death is sin] The apostle explains himself particularly here: Death could not have entered into the world if sin had not entered first: it was sin that not only introduced death, but has armed him with all his destroying force: the goad, or dagger of death is sin ; by this, both body and soul are slain. The strength of sin is the law] The law of God forbids all transgression, and sentences those who commit it, to temporal and eternal death. Sin has its controuling and Exhortations to steadfastness, A. M. 4060. A. D. 56. A. U. C. 809. 57 But thanks be to God, which | stedfast, unmoveable, always aboundAnno Imp-Ne- giveth us the victory through our ing in the work of the Lord; forLord Jesus Christ. asmuch as ye know that your labour 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye is not in vain in the Lord. ronis Cæs. 3. C a Rom. 7. 25. 1 John 5. 4, 5. • 2 Pet. 3. 14.—* ch.3. 8. binding power from the law. The law curses the transgressor, and provides no help for him; and if nothing else intervene, he must, through it, continue ever under the empire of death. Verse 57. But thanks be to God] What the law could not do, because it is law, and law cannot provide pardon, is done by the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: he has died to slay death; he has risen again to bring mankind from under the empire of Hades. All this he has done through his mere unmerited mercy; and eternal thanks are due to God for this unspeakable gift. He has given us the victory over sin, Satan, death, the grave and hell. Verse 58. Be ye stedfast] 'Espais, from pa a seat; be settled, confide in the truth of this doctrine of the resurrection, and every thing that pertains to it, as confidently as a man sits down on a SEAT, which he knows to be solid, firm, and safe; and on which he has often sut. ficulties, much has been written in the preceding Notes. Though I have used all the helps in my power to guide me in explaining it, I have, upon the whole, been obliged to think for myself, and claim only the praise of severe labour, ever directed by honest intention; and an earnest desire to find out the truth. 2. There are many questions connected with the doctrine of the resurrection, which I could not introduce here, with out writing a book, instead of short notes on a very long chapter. On such subjects, I again beg leave to direct the Reader to Mr. Samuel Drew's Essay on that subject. 3. One remark I cannot help making; the doctrine of the resurrection, appears to have been thought of much more consequence among the primitive Christians than it is now! How is this? The apostles were continually insisting on it, and exciting the followers of God to diligence, obedience, and cheerfulness through it. And their successors in the So apostles preached; and so primitive Christians believed: so we preach, and so our hearers believe. There is not a doctrine in the gospel on which more stress is laid and there is not a doctrine in the present system of preaching which is treated with more neglect ! Unmoveable] ApμeTaxivyo, from a negative; and pera-present day seldom mention it! xivew to move away; let nothing shake your faith: let nothing move you away from this hope of the gospel which is given unto you. What I tell you, I receive from God; your false teachers cannot say so: in a declaration of God you may unshakenly confide. Always abounding in the work of the Lord] The work of the Lord is obedience to his holy word: every believer in Christ is a workman of God. He that works not, to bring glory to God, and good to man, is not acknowledged as a servant of Christ: and, if he be not a servant, he is not a son; and if not a son, then not an heir. And he must not only work, but abound in that work; ever exceeding his former self; and this, not for a time, but always; beginning, continuing, and ending every act of life to God's glory, and the good of his fellows. Your labour is not in vain] Your labour in the Lord, is not in vain you must not only work, but you must Labour, put forth all your strength: and you must work and labour in the Lord, under his direction, and by his influence; for, without Him, you can do nothing. And this labour cannot be in vain; you shall have a resurrection unto eternal life: not because you have laboured, but because Christ died, and gave you grace to be faithful. 1. The chapter through which the Reader has passed, is a chapter of great importance and difficulty; and, on its dif 4. Though all men shall rise again; yet it will be in widely different circumstances: some will rise to glory and honour; others, to shame and everlasting contempt. Those alone who here received the salvation of God, and continued faithful unto death, shall have a resurrection to everlasting glory; not every believer, but every loving, obedient believer, shall enter into the Paradise of God; and have a body fashioned like unto his Lord's glorious body. 5. All glorified spirits will not have the same degree of glory. Two things will necessarily cause great difference: 1. The quantum of mind; and, 2. The quantum of grace. (1.) It is idle to suppose that God has made all human souls with the same capacities: he has not. There is an infinite diversity; he who has the greatest mind, can know most, do most, suffer most, and enjoy most. (2.) The quantum of grace will be another great cause of diversity in glory. He who received most of Christ here, and was most devoted to his service, shall have the nearest approach to him in his own kingdom. But all equally holy, and equally faithful souls, shall not have equal degrees of glory, for the glory will be according to the capa'y Observations on stars CHAP. XV. of different magnitudes. : of the mind, as well as the degree of grace and improvement. || ferent magnitudes. I will state a remarkable fact: The norThe greater the capacity, provided it be properly influenced by the grace of Christ, the greater will be the enjoyment. 6. That there will be great diversity in the states of glorified saints is the apostle's doctrine; and he illustrates it by the different degrees of splendor between the sun, moon, planets, and stars. This needs little application. There are some of the heavenly bodies that give heat, light, and splendor, as the SUN; and are of the utmost service to the world: some that give light, and comparative splendor, without heat, as the MOON; and yet are of very great use to mankind: others again, which give a steady but not a splendid light, as the PLANETS; and are serviceable in their particular spheres: and, lastly, others which twinkle in their respective systems, as the stars of different magnitudes. || thern and southern hemispheres of the heavens, have been divided into 102 constellations, and in these constellations professor Bode has set down the places of 17,240 stars; simple, nebulous, conglobate, and double.-The stars have been distinguished by their apparent magnitudes, or rather splendor, into stars of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, &c. magnitudes of these 17,240, only sixteen are, by astronomers in general, agreed to be of the first magnitude; all of which are set down in the following catalogue; with some of those that are remarkable in the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth magnitudes. The Reader will observe, that the name of the constellation, or star, is first mentioned: the Greek letters, &c. are those by which they are distinguished on maps and globes; and they are, by astronomers, referred to by these letters and numbers. My inferences shall follow the Table. 7. One star, says the apostle, differs from another in glory, i. e. in splendor, according to what is called their difA TABLE of the most remarkable FIXED STARS, from the FIRST to the SIXTH Magnitude. Observations on stars I. CORINTHIANS. of different magnitudės. and B in the ship Argo, which I have placed among those of the second magnitude, because astronomers are not agreed on the subject, some ranking them with stars of the first magnitude; others, with stars of the second. The Reader is probably amazed at the paucity of large stars in the whole firmament of heaven! Will he permit me to carry his mind a little farther, and either stand astonished at, or deplore with me the fact, that, out of the millions of Christians in the vicinity and splendor of the eternal Sun of righteousness, how very few are found of the first order! Observations on the preceding Table: The five stars of the second magnitude in the above list, marked with an asterisk, are, by some writers, denominated of the first magnitude; and those named of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth magnitudes, (the stars of the last-mentioned order being barely visible to the naked eye,)|| are such as the moon can occult, or make a near appulse to; except the last sixteen, in the column of stars of the third magnitude, and the last twenty-nine in that of the sixth magnitude, which never set in the latitude of London. The stars Algol, and o Ceti, are set down according|| How very few can stand examination by the test laid down in to their brightest appearance; the former varying from the second to the fourth magnitude every two days, 20 hours, 48 minutes, 58 seconds, 18 thirds, and 25 fourths; and the latter, from the second to the seventh, and sometimes to the tenth, every 331 days and 10 hours. The stars of the first magnitude, Capella and Lyra, never set in the latitude of London: Acharnar, Canopus, 6 in Argo, and a in the Cross and Centaur, never rise. Of the stars of the second magnitude, in the preceding list, ß in Medusa's head, or Algol, a in Perseus, the Two Pointers, the Dragon's tail, and the Swan's tail, never set; the head of the Phoenix, and the bright star in the Crane, never rise. The stars marked with an asterisk in the third column, are between the third and fourth magnitudes; and those in the last column, with the same mark, are between the fifth and sixth magnitudes. Stars fainter than those of the sixth magnitude, cannot be discerned without the help of a glass, and are therefore called telescopic. The a in the tail of the Dragon is marked by Bode of the third magnitude, and the B in the same constellation of the second. 8. This subject, as far as it concerns the present place, admits of few remarks or reflections. It has already been observed, that, of all the stars which our best astronomers have been able to describe and lay down in tables and maps, only sixteen are of the first magnitude; i. e. appear more luminous than any other stars in the firmament: some indeed increase the number to twenty-one, by taking in Castor and Pollux, the upper pointer, Atteer in the Eagle, the 13th chapter of this Epistle! How very few love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength; and their neighbour as themselves! How few mature Christians are found in the church! How few are in all things living for eternity! How little light, how little heat, and how little influence and activity are to be found among them that bear the name of Christ! How few stars of the FIRST magnitude will the Son of God have to deck the crown of his glory! Few are striving to excel in righteousness; and it seems to be a principal concern with many, to find out how little grace they may have, and yet escape hell! How little conformity to the will of God they may have, and yet get to heaven! In the fear of God I register this testimony, that I have perceived it to be the labour of many to lower the standard of Christianity; and to soften down, or explain away, those promises of God that himself has linked with duties; and because they know that they cannot be saved by their good works, they are contented to have no good works at all: and thus the necessity of Christian obedience, and Christian holiness, makes no prominent part of some modern creeds. Let all those who retain the apostolic doctrine, that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin in this life, press every believer to go on to perfection; and expect to be saved, while here below, into the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Jesus. To all such, my soul says, labour to shew yourselves approved unto God; workmen that need not be ashamed; rightly dividing the word of truth; and may the pleasure of the Lord prosper in your hands!—Amen. ! CHAPTER XVI. The apostle exhorts the Corinthians to make a contribution for the relief of the poor Christians at Jerusalem; and directs to the best mode of doing it, 1-4. Promises to pay them a visit after Pentecost, 5-9. Gives direc• 23 tions about the treatment of Timothy and Apollos, 10-12. And concerning watchfulness, &c. 13, 14. Commends the house of Stephanas, and expresses his satisfaction at the visit paid him by Stephanas, Fortu natus, and Achaicus, 15-18. Sends the salutations of different persons, 19-21. Shews the awful state of those who were enemies, to Christ, 22. And concludes the Epistle with the apostolical benediction, 23, 4. |
