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TEXT.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

PARAPHRASE.

this corruptible frame and constitution of ours must put on 54 incorruption, and from mortal become immortal. And, when we are got into that state of incorruptibility and immortality, then shall be fulfilled what was foretold in these words, "Death is swallowed up of victory P;" i. e. death is perfectly subdued and exterminated, by a complete victory over 55 it, so that there shall be no death any more. Where, O death, is now that power, whereby thou deprivest men of life? What is become of the dominion of the grave, whereby 56 they were detained prisoners there? That, which gives death

NOTES.

53 • To płaρrdy, "corruptible," and Tò rò, "mortal," have not here cμ, "body," for their substantive, as some imagine; but are put in the neuter gender absolute, and stand to represent vexpol, "dead;" as appears by the immediately preceding verse, and also ver. 42, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἀνάςασις τῶν νεκρῶν, σπείρεται ἐν φθορᾶ. "So is the resurrection of the dead: it is sown in corruption;" i. e. mortal, corruptible men are sown, being corruptible and weak. Nor can it be thought strange, or strained, that I interpret 9apòv and Judy, as adjectives of the neuter gender, to signify persons, when, in this very discourse, the apostle uses two adjectives, in the neuter gender, to signify the persons of Adam and Christ, in such a way, as it is impossible to understand them otherwise. The words, no farther off than ver. 46, are these: 'Αλλ' οὐ πρῶτον τὸ πνευματικὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ψυχικών, iπeila Td wreuμalixò. The like way of speaking we have, Matt. i. 20, and Luke i. 35, in both which the person of our Saviour is expressed by adjectives of the neuter gender. To any of all which places I do not think any one will add the substantive σῶμα, σε body," to make out the sense. That, then, which is meant here being this, that this mortal man shall put on immortality, and this corruptible man incorruptibility; any one will easily find another nominative case to σneipela, "is sown," and not owμa, "body," when he considers the sense of the place, wherein the apostle's purpose is to speak of expoì, "mortal men," being dead, and raised again to life, and made immortal. Those, with whom grammatical construction, and the nominative case, weigh so much, may be pleased to read this passage in Virgil:

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Linquebant dulces animas, aut ægra trahebant
Corpora." Æneid. 1. 3, ver. 140,

where, by finding the nominative case to the two verbs, in it, he may come to discover that personality, as contradistinguished to both body and soul, may be the nominative case to verbs.

54 P Nixos, "victory," often signifies end and destruction. See Vossius "de lxx interpret." cap. 24.

55 This has something of the air of a song of triumph, which St. Paul breaks out into, upon a view of the saints' victory over death, in a state, wherein death is never to have place any more.

TEXT.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

PARAPHRASE.

the power over men is sin, and it is the law, by which sin has 57 this power. But thanks be to God, who gives us deliverance and victory over death, the punishment of sin, by the law, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has delivered us from the 58 rigour of the law. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, continue stedfast and unmoveable in the Christian faith, always abounding in your obedience to the precepts of Christ, and in those duties which are required of us by our Lord and Saviour knowing that your labour will not be lost. Whatsoever you shall do, or suffer for him, will be abundantly rewarded, by eternal life.

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SECTION XI.

CHAPTER XVI. 1-4.

CONTENTS.

He gives directions concerning their contribution to the poor Christians at Jerusalem.

TEXT.

1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order
to the churches of Galatia, even so do
ye.

2 Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in
store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when
I come.

PARAPHRASE.

1 As to the collection for the converts to Christianity, who are at Jerusalem I would have you do as I have directed 2 the churches of Galatia. Let every one of you, according as he thrives in his calling, lay aside some part of his gain by

VOL. VIII.

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TEXT.

3 And when I come, whomsoever you shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. 4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

PARAPHRASE.

itself, which, the first day of the week, let him put into the common treasury of the church, that there may be no need of 3 any gathering when I come. And when I come, those, whom you shall approve of, will I send with letters to Jerusalem, to 4 carry thither your benevolence. Which if it deserves that I also should go, they shall go along with me.

a

NOTES.

2a Onσauρív seems used here in the sense I have given it. For it is certain that the apostle directs, that they should, every Lord's day, bring to the congregation what their charity had laid aside the foregoing week, as their gain came in, that there it might be put into some public box, appointed for that purpose, or officers* hands. For if they only laid it aside at home, there would nevertheless be need of a collection when he came.

3 b Δοκιμάσητε, δι ̓ ἐπιστολῶν τούτους πέμψω. This pointing, that makes δι' ἐπιστολῶν belong to wiμw, and not to doxiμáanle, the apostle's sense justifies; he telling them here, that finding their collection ready, when he came, he would write by those, they should think fit to send it by, or go himself with them, if their present were worthy of it. There needed no approbation of their messengers to him, by their letters, when he was present. And if the Corinthians, by their letters, approved of them to the saints at Jerusalem, how could St. Paul say, he would send them?

SECTION XII.

CHAPTER XVI. 5-12.

CONTENTS.

He gives them an account of his own, Timothy's, and Apollos's

intention of coming to them.

TEXT.

5 Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia (for I do pass through Macedonia :)

6 And it may be, that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey, whithersoever I go.

7 For I will not see you now, by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.

8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

10 Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.

11 Let no man, therefore, despise him; but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren. 12 As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you, with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come, when he shall have convenient time.

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PARAPHRASE.

5 I will come unto you, when I have been in Macedonia; for I 6 intend to take that in my way: And perhaps I shall make some stay, nay, winter with you, that you may bring me going 7 on my way, whithersoever I go. For I do not intend just to call in upon you, as I pass by; but I hope to spend some time 8 with you, if the Lord permit. But I shall stay at Ephesus till 9 Pentecost, i. e. Whitsuntide. For now I have a very fair and promising opportunity given me of propagating the Gospel, 10 though there be many opposers. If Timothy come to you, pray take care that he be easy, and without fear amongst you: for he promotes the work of the Lord, in preaching the Go11 spel, even as I do. Let nobody, therefore, despise him; but

treat him kindly, and bring him going, that he may come unto 12 me: for I expect him with the brethren. As to brother a Apollos, I have earnestly endeavoured to prevail with him to come to you with the brethren b: but he has no mind to it at all, at present. He will come, however, when there shall be a fit occasion.

NOTES.

12 There be few, perhaps, who need to be told it, yet it may be convenient here, once for all, to remark, that, in the apostle's time, "brother" was the ordinary compellation that Christians used to one another.

"The brethren," here mentioned, seem to be Stephanas, and those others, who, with him, came with a message, or letter, to St. Paul, from the church of Corinth, by whom he returned this epistle in answer.

SECTION XIII.

CHAPTER XVI. 13-24.

CONTENTS.

THE Conclusion, wherein St. Paul, according to his custom, leaves with them some, which he thinks most necessary, exhortations, and sends particular greetings.

TEXT.

be strong.

13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, 14 Let all your things be done with charity. 15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first-fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints)

16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.

17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus : for that, which was lacking on your part, they have supplied. 18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ve them that are such.

19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

PARAPHRASE.

13 Be upon your guard, stand firm in the faith, behave yourselves 14 like men, with courage and resolution: And whatever is done

amongst you, either in public assemblies, or elsewhere, let it all be done with affection, and good-will, one to another *. 15 You know the house of Stephanas, that they were the first converts of Achaia, and have all along made it their business 16 to minister to the saints: To such, I beseech you to submit yourselves: let such as, with us, labour to promote the Gospel, 17 be your leaders. I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus came to me; because they have supplied what was 18 deficient on your side. For, by the account they have given

me of you, they have quieted my mind, and yours too b: 19 therefore have a regard to such men as these. The churches

NOTES.

14. His main design being to put an end to the faction and division which the false apostle had made amongst them, it is no wonder that we find unity and charity so much, and so often pressed, in this and the second epistle.

18 ↳ Viz. By removing those suspicions and fears, that were on both sides.

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