Calvin says, “The sixteenth chapter consists of two parts. In the first of these he exhorts them to relieve the necessity of the brethren at Jerusalem. They were at that time pinched with famine, and they were cruelly treated by the wicked. The apostles had assigned to Paul the charge of stirring up the Churches of the Gentiles to afford them help. He accordingly exhorts them to lay up in store whatever they were inclined to contribute, that it might be transmitted to Jerusalem without delay. He at length concludes the Epistle with a friendly exhortation and congratulations.” Let’s take a look.
The Collection for God's People
1Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.
From 2 Corinthians 8:1 – 9:15 and Romans 15:25-27, it appears that one purpose for Paul’s third mission trip was to gather a collection from the mostly Gentile congregations he had founded for the Jewish Christians of Judea under sharp persecution (Acts 11:28; 1 Corinthians 5:9), but the Corinthians may have asked for more information about this collection. And on the heels of speaking of the resurrection and giving one motive for standing firm, that our working for the Lord is not done in vain, Paul talks about generous giving. It’s as if God were giving a glimpse of heaven in order to motive us for our work here. So in v1-4, Paul explains how the offering should be collected, namely at Sunday (“the first day of every week”) worship gatherings (weekly tithe).
One pastor breaks this passage down to show eight important points concerning collections. They are to be: (1) purposeful (v1) – Paul was concerned for Jews (Romans 9:1-4; 10:1), for Gentiles (Ephesians 3:8), and for the poor (Acts 24:17; Galatians 2:10); (2) periodical (v2a) – regular and planned giving, opposed to merely spontaneous, “Spirit-led” giving; (3) personal (v2b) – individually decide (2 Corinthians 9:7); (4) systematic (v2c) – store it up with generous intention (Matthew 6:20), speaking collectively of the congregation in a treasury or storehouse; (5) providential (v2d) – where we read “in keeping with his income,” a better translation would be, “as God prospers,” pointing to the providential nature of income and giving ability; (6) proportionate (v2e) – speaking not of a specific percentage but more of a ratio determined by how generous you perceive that God has been to you (a lot! / everything!); preventative (v2f) – keep the ability to meet present needs, so no collections have to be made (equivalent, perhaps, to an emergency fund); and (7) intelligent (v3,4) – Paul yields authority in allowing the Corinthians to approve men to send with their gift, and at the same time keeps authority by reserving the right to let them accompany him if he deems it necessary to go along; Paul avoids a potential accusation of being a money launderer with his wise words (cf. 2 Corinthians 8).
Personal Requests
5After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you--for I will be going through Macedonia. 6Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
10If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11No one, then, should refuse to accept him. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.
12Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
Paul relates his plans in v5-9. He wrote from Ephesus, presumably in the spring (for he intended to stay, as v8-9 show, “until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work [had] opened to [him], and there [were] many who” opposed him), and he planned to visit Corinth the following fall after summering in Macedonia, which was the northern land route from Ephesus to Corinth. He wanted to winter with the Corinthians in order to be aided on his next journey (v6); a mere “passing visit” wasn’t desirable, but Paul acknowledged that it would be whatever “the Lord permits” (v7). Acts 20:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 2:12-13 reveal that he did make that visit, staying 3 months in Greece, though some commentators disagree that he spent the majority of this time in Corinth. Nonetheles, leaving Corinth for a return through Macedonia, he sailed for Jerusalem from Troas, skipping Ephesus in order to be in Jerusalem for Pentecost (Acts 20). Neither Luke nor Paul wrote about the short, unplanned, and unpleasant trip to Corinth, which he had to take shortly after writing this letter (2 Corinthians 1:23; 2:1,13; 13:2). So he mentions the desire for a lengthy visit here, but he actually makes a prior, painful visit before this one, because things weren’t going well. For application, we might strive to plan our way to the obvious opportunities without avoiding the opposition, knowing that the Lord directs our steps (Proverbs 16:9).
Paul says in v10, “If Timothy comes.” Perhaps Paul is anticipating sending Timothy as his representative to follow up on the impact of this letter in Corinth. Maybe Timothy made that trip and had bad news to report, prompting the short and painful visit from Paul. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:15-16 and 2:1, “I wanted to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea…[but] I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.” And we do know that Timothy wrote 2 Corinthians alongside Paul. We also know that Titus was instrumental in working with Paul regarding the news of the Corinthians obedience (2 Corinthians 2:13; 7:6,13-14; 8:6,16-17,23; 12:18). Whatever the case, the Corinthians ought to have given him respect, for though he was younger and less experienced, he was effectively the same as Paul. Some of the Corinthians must have asked for Apollos to visit, but Paul, though he urged Apollos to go, relays the news that Apollos won’t come now; instead, he may come later (v12). This is remarkable, given the authority of Paul, as it displays the independence of Apollos, and us as Christians. The application is to walk through God’s open doors of opportunity.
13Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14Do everything in love.
15You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, 16to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. 17I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. 18For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.
Final Greetings
19The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla[1] greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. 20All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.
22If anyone does not love the Lord--a curse be on him. Come, O Lord[2] !
23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.[3]
Paul issues a series of five, short, yet weighty, commands in v13-14. He says to “be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” These are urgent, military-style calls to alertness, for we are in the midst of a war. One commentator says, “Someone has rightly said in a secular sense that the world can be divided into three categories: the few who make things happen, the many who watch things happen, and the vast majority who have no idea what in the world is happening. The fact of the matter is, many Christians are ignorant to what is going on not in our temporal seen world of the material and the physical, but in the unseen world of the spiritual where there is a great battle occurring at this very moment in time. What Paul is saying in these two verses is: don’t be characterized by ignorance, believers – be alert! Realize that you are in a battle.” We could elaborate on each of these commands, but they are very similar to Paul’s commands elsewhere, so we’ll move on to Paul’s final greetings.
Paul mentions Stephanas (he and his household, baptized by Paul (1 Corinthians 1:16) as the first converts to Christianity in Achaia, were devoted (literally “appointed themselves” or “addicted”) to serving the saints), Fortunatus, and Achaicus, who were likely the Corinthian representatives who delivered their letter to Paul. In this return letter, he urges the congregation to respect them (submit) as their valued, laboring, service-oriented leaders (v16). These men were refreshing for Paul, and for their own congregation, in the midst of everything being dealt with in this letter. It’s good to know some people are doing it right, and they deserve recognition (v18). Calvin says that we ought to humble ourselves and avoid despising God by submitting to those with greater spiritual gifts than we have.
“The churches in the province of Asia” mentioned in v19 include the various congregations in western Turkey, such as Ephesus, Colosse, etc. (Acts 19:10; Revelation 2-3). Aquila and Priscilla were well known to the Corinthians (Acts 18:1-3), and they not only sent their greetings to the Corinthians, but also opened their doors for a church to meet in their house. Our homes and marriages ought to be seen as instruments for the Lord. The emphasis on “a holy kiss” in v20 reveals the importance of the brother/sister, affectionate relationship Christians should share. Calvin says, “Paul meant to exhort them to the cultivation of good-will among themselves – not merely in their minds – by inward affection – and in needful services, but also by that token” – a culturally appropriate hug or kiss.
Paul concludes v21-24 with his own handwriting, and his strong words curse (anathema, Galatians 1:8) those who reject the letter’s authority (Galatians 1:8-9; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15). Calvin says, “The close of the Epistle consists of three parts. He entreats the grace of Christ in behalf of the Corinthians: he makes a declaration of his love towards them, and, with the severest threatening, he inveighs against those that falsely took upon themselves the Lord’s name, while not loving Him from the heart. For he is not speaking of strangers, who avowedly hated the Christian name, but of pretenders and hypocrites, who troubled the Churches for the sake of their own belly, or from empty boasting.” After a call for the Lord Jesus to come (Maranatha directly follows anathema), in order both to rid the church of hypocrites and also to rescue the church from persecution, Paul concludes aptly with a petition of grace from God and the blessing of his genuine, Christian, brotherly love (phileo) for them. Some manuscripts do not have “Amen.”
Footnotes
- 16:19 Greek Prisca, a variant of Priscilla
- 16:22 In Aramaic the expression Come, O Lord is Marana tha.
- 16:24 Some manuscripts do not have Amen.
Bible text from Gospelcom.net. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.