{"commentary":{"id":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","website":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamieson-Fausset-Brown_Bible_Commentary","licenseUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/","licenseNotes":null,"licenseNotice":null,"englishName":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","language":"eng","textDirection":"rtl","sha256":"db3d4c8b3c1f32ef9d1430a57392e02bda3a17aac1f9bbe398461de021a3cb13","availableFormats":["json"],"listOfBooksApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/books.json","listOfProfilesApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/profiles.json","numberOfBooks":66,"totalNumberOfChapters":1187,"totalNumberOfVerses":17056,"totalNumberOfProfiles":0,"languageName":"English","languageEnglishName":"English"},"book":{"id":"1CO","commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"1 Corinthians","commonName":"1 Corinthians","introduction":"The AUTHENTICITY of this Epistle is attested by CLEMENT OF ROME [First Epistle to the Corinthians, 47], POLYCARP [Epistle to the Philippians, 11], and IRENÆUS [Against Heresies, 4.27.3]. The city to which it was sent was famed for its wealth and commerce, which were chiefly due to its situation between the Ionian and Ægean Seas on the isthmus connecting the Peloponese with Greece. In Paul's time it was the capital of the province Achaia and the seat of the Roman proconsul (Act 18:12). The state of morals in it was notorious for debauchery, even in the profligate heathen world; so much so that \"to Corinthianize\" was a proverbial phrase for \"to play the wanton\"; hence arose dangers to the purity of the Christian Church at Corinth. That Church was founded by Paul on his first visit (Acts 18:1-17).\n\nHe had been the instrument of converting many Gentiles (Co1 12:2), and some Jews (Act 18:8), notwithstanding the vehement opposition of the countrymen of the latter (Act 18:5), during the year and a half in which he sojourned there. The converts were chiefly of the humbler classes (Co1 1:26, &c.). Crispus (Co1 1:14; Act 18:8), Erastus, and Gaius (Caius) were, however, men of rank (Rom 16:23). A variety of classes is also implied in Co1 11:22. The risk of contamination by contact with the surrounding corruptions, and the temptation to a craving for Greek philosophy and rhetoric (which Apollos' eloquent style rather tended to foster, Act 18:24, &c.) in contrast to Paul's simple preaching of Christ crucified (Co1 2:1, &c.), as well as the opposition of certain teachers to him, naturally caused him anxiety. Emissaries from the Judaizers of Palestine boasted of \"letters of commendation\" from Jerusalem, the metropolis of the faith. They did not, it is true, insist on circumcision in refined Corinth, where the attempt would have been hopeless, as they did among the simpler people of Galatia; but they attacked the apostolic authority of Paul (Co1 9:1-2; Co2 10:1, Co2 10:7-8), some of them declaring themselves followers of Cephas, the chief apostle, others boasting that they belonged to Christ Himself (Co1 1:12; Co2 10:7), while they haughtily repudiated all subordinate teaching. Those persons gave out themselves for apostles (Co2 11:5, Co2 11:13). The ground taken by them was that Paul was not one of the Twelve, and not an eye-witness of the Gospel facts, and durst not prove his apostleship by claiming sustenance from the Christian Church. Another section avowed themselves followers of Paul himself, but did so in a party spirit, exalting the minister rather than Christ. The followers of Apollos, again, unduly prized his Alexandrian learning and eloquence, to the disparagement of the apostle, who studiously avoided any deviation from Christian simplicity (Co1 2:1-5). In some of this last philosophizing party there may have arisen the Antinomian tendency which tried to defend theoretically their own practical immorality: hence their denial of the future resurrection, and their adoption of the Epicurean motto, prevalent in heathen Corinth, \"Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die\" (Co1 15:32). Hence, perhaps, arose their connivance at the incestuous intercourse kept up by one of the so-called Christian body with his stepmother during his father's life. The household of Chloe informed Paul of many other evils: such as contentions, divisions, and lawsuits brought against brethren in heathen law courts by professing Christians; the abuse of their spiritual gifts into occasions of display and fanaticism; the interruption of public worship by simultaneous and disorderly ministrations, and decorum violated by women speaking unveiled (contrary to Oriental usage), and so usurping the office of men, and even the holy communion desecrated by greediness and revelling on the part of the communicants. Other messengers, also, came from Corinth, consulting him on the subject of (1) the controversy about meats offered to idols; (2) the disputes about celibacy and marriage; (3) the due exercise of spiritual gifts in public worship; (4) the best mode of making the collection which he had requested for the saints at Jerusalem (Co1 16:1, &c.). Such were the circumstances which called forth the First Epistle to the Corinthians, the most varied in its topics of all the Epistles.\n\nIn Co1 5:9, \"I wrote unto you in an Epistle not to company with fornicators,\" it is implied that Paul had written a previous letter to the Corinthians (now lost). Probably in it he had also enjoined them to make a contribution for the poor saints at Jerusalem, whereupon they seem to have asked directions as to the mode of doing so, to which he now replies (Co1 16:2). It also probably announced his intention of visiting them on way to Macedonia, and again on his return from Macedonia (Co2 1:15-16), which purpose he changed hearing the unfavorable report from Chloe's household (Co1 16:5-7), for which he was charged with (Co2 1:17). In the first Epistle which we have, the subject of fornication is alluded to only in a way, as if he were rather replying to an excuse set up after rebuke in the matter, than introducing for the first time [ALFORD]. Preceding this former letter, he seems to have paid a second visit to Corinth. For in Co2 12:4; Co2 13:1, he speaks of his intention of paying them a third visit, implying he had already twice visited them. See on Co2 2:1; Co2 13:2; also see on Co2 1:15; Co2 1:16. It is hardly likely that during his three years' sojourn at Ephesus he would have failed to revisit his Corinthian converts, which he could so readily do by sea, there being constant maritime intercourse between the two cities. This second visit was probably a short one (compare Co1 16:7); and attended with pain and humiliation (Co2 2:1; Co2 12:21), occasioned by the scandalous conduct of so many of his own converts. His milder censures having then failed to produce reformation, he wrote briefly directing them \"not to company with fornicators.\" On their misapprehending this injunction, he explained it more fully in the Epistle, the first of the two extant (Co1 5:9, Co1 5:12). That the second visit is not mentioned in Acts is no objection to its having really taken place, as that book is fragmentary and omits other leading incidents in Paul's life; for example, his visit to Arabia, Syria, and Cilicia (Gal 1:17-21).\n\nThe PLACE OF WRITING is fixed to be Ephesus (Co1 16:8). The subscription in English Version, \"From Philippi,\" has no authority whatever, and probably arose from a mistaken translation of Co1 16:5, \"For I am passing through Macedonia.\" At the time of writing Paul implies (Co1 16:8) that he intended to leave Ephesus after Pentecost of that year. He really did leave it about Pentecost (A.D. 57). Compare Act 19:20. The allusion to Passover imagery in connection with our Christian Passover, Easter (Co1 5:7), makes it likely that the season was about Easter. Thus the date of the Epistle is fixed with tolerable accuracy, about Easter, certainly before Pentecost, in the third year of his residence at Ephesus, A.D. 57. For other arguments, see CONYBEARE and HOWSON'S Life and Epistles of St. Paul.\n\nThe Epistle is written in the name of Sosthenes \"[our] brother.\" BIRKS supposes he is the same as the Sosthenes, Act 18:17, who, he thinks, was converted subsequently to that occurrence. He bears no part in the Epistle itself, the apostle in the very next verses (Co1 1:4, &c.) using the first person: so Timothy is introduced, Co2 1:1. The bearers of the Epistle were probably Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus (see the subscription, Co1 16:24), whom he mentions (Co1 16:17-18) as with him then, but who he implies are about to return back to Corinth; and therefore he commends them to the regard of the Corinthians. \n\n\n\nNext: 1 Corinthians Chapter 1\n\n","order":46,"numberOfChapters":16,"sha256":"9bf5da45bfa8b3ebeb897bb227e19d039c2c950176364829d04b3dcc496cb600","firstChapterNumber":1,"firstChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/1CO/1.json","firstChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"1CO","chapter":1},"lastChapterNumber":16,"lastChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/1CO/16.json","lastChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"1CO","chapter":16},"totalNumberOfVerses":416},"chapter":{"number":13,"content":[{"type":"verse","number":2,"content":["mysteries-- (Rom 11:25; Rom 16:25). Mysteries refer to the deep counsels of God hitherto secret, but now revealed to His saints. Knowledge, to truths long known. \n\nfaith . . . remove mountains-- (Mat 17:20; Mat 21:21). The practical power of the will elevated by faith [NEANDER]; confidence in God that the miraculous result will surely follow the exercise of the will at the secret impulse of His Spirit. Without \"love\" prophecy, knowledge, and faith, are not what they seem (compare Co1 8:1-2; Mat 7:22; Jam 2:14; compare Co1 13:8), and so fail of the heavenly reward (Mat 6:2). Thus Paul, who teaches justification by faith only (Rom 3:4-5; Gal 2:16; Gal 3:7-14), is shown to agree with James, who teaches (Jam 2:24) \"by works\" (that is, by LOVE, which is the \"spirit\" of faith, Jam 2:26) a man is justified, \"and not by faith only.\"\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":3,"content":["bestow . . . goods . . . poor--literally, \"dole out in food\" all my goods; one of the highest functions of the \"helps\" (Co1 12:28). \n\ngive . . . body to be burned--literally, \"to such a degree as that I should be burned.\" As the three youths did (Dan 3:28), \"yielded their bodies\" (compare Co2 12:15). These are most noble exemplifications of love in giving and in suffering. Yet they may be without love; in which case the \"goods\" and \"body\" are given, but not the soul, which is the sphere of love. Without the soul God rejects all else, and so rejects the man, who is therefore \"profited\" nothing (Mat 16:26; Luk 9:23-25). Men will fight for Christianity, and die for Christianity, but not live in its spirit, which is love.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":4,"content":["suffereth long--under provocations of evil from others. The negative side of love. \n\nis kind--the positive side. Extending good to others. Compare with love's features here those of the \"wisdom from above\" (Jam 3:17). \n\nenvieth--The Greek includes also jealousy. \n\nvaunteth not--in words, even of gifts which it really possesses; an indirect rebuke of those at Corinth who used the gift of tongues for mere display. \n\nnot puffed up--with party zeal, as some at Corinth were (Co1 4:6).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":5,"content":["not . . . unseemly--is not uncourteous, or inattentive to civility and propriety. \n\nthinketh no evil--imputeth not evil [ALFORD]; literally, \"the evil\" which actually is there (Pro 10:12; Pe1 4:8). Love makes allowances for the falls of others, and is ready to put on them a charitable construction. Love, so far from devising evil against another, excuses \"the evil\" which another inflicts on her [ESTIUS]; doth not meditate upon evil inflicted by another [BENGEL]; and in doubtful cases, takes the more charitable view [GROTIUS].\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":6,"content":["rejoiceth in the truth--rather, \"rejoiceth with the truth.\" Exults not at the perpetration of iniquity (unrighteousness) by others (compare Gen 9:22-23), but rejoices when the truth rejoices; sympathizes with it in its triumphs (Jo2 1:4). See the opposite (Ti2 3:8), \"Resist the truth.\" So \"the truth\" and \"unrighteousness\" are contrasted (Rom 2:8). \"The truth\" is the Gospel truth, the inseparable ally of love (Eph 4:15; Jo2 1:12). The false charity which compromises \"the truth\" by glossing over \"iniquity\" or unrighteousness is thus tacitly condemned (Pro 17:15).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":7,"content":["Beareth all things--without speaking of what it has to bear. The same Greek verb as in Co1 9:12. It endures without divulging to the world personal distress. Literally said of holding fast like a watertight vessel; so the charitable man contains himself in silence from giving vent to what selfishness would prompt under personal hardship. \n\nbelieveth all things--unsuspiciously believes all that is not palpably false, all that it can with a good conscience believe to the credit of another. Compare Jam 3:17, \"easy to be entreated\"; Greek, \"easily persuaded.\" \n\nhopeth--what is good of another, even when others have ceased to hope. \n\nendureth--persecutions in a patient and loving spirit.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":8,"content":["never faileth--never is to be out of use; it always holds its place. \n\nshall fail . . . vanish away--The same Greek verb is used for both; and that different from the Greek verb for \"faileth.\" Translate, \"Shall be done away with,\" that is, shall be dispensed with at the Lord's coming, being superseded by their more perfect heavenly analogues; for instance, knowledge by intuition. Of \"tongues,\" which are still more temporary, the verb is \"shall cease.\" A primary fulfilment of Paul's statement took place when the Church attained its maturity; then \"tongues\" entirely \"ceased,\" and \"prophesyings\" and \"knowledge,\" so far as they were supernatural gifts of the Spirit, were superseded as no longer required when the ordinary preaching of the word, and the Scriptures of the New Testament collected together, had become established institutions.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":9,"content":["in part--partially and imperfectly. Compare a similar contrast to the \"perfect man,\" \"the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ\" (Eph 4:11-13).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":10,"content":["that which is in part--fragmentary and isolated.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":11,"content":["When . . . a child-- (Co1 3:1; Co1 14:20). \n\nI spake--alluding to \"tongues.\" \n\nunderstood--or, \"had the sentiments of.\" Alluding to \"prophecy.\" \n\nI thought--Greek \"reasoned\" or \"judged\"; alluding to \"knowledge.\" \n\nwhen I became . . . I put away--rather, \"now that I am become a man, I have done away with the things of the child.\"\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":12,"content":["now--in our present state. \n\nsee--an appropriate expression, in connection with the \"prophets\" of seers (Sa1 9:9). \n\nthrough a glass--that is, in a mirror; the reflection seeming to the eye to be behind the mirror, so that we see it through the mirror. Ancient mirrors were made of polished brass or other metals. The contrast is between the inadequate knowledge of an object gained by seeing it reflected in a dim mirror (such as ancient mirrors were), compared with the perfect idea we have of it by seeing itself directly. \n\ndarkly--literally, \"in enigma.\" As a \"mirror\" conveys an image to the eye, so an \"enigma\" to the ear. But neither \"eye nor ear\" can fully represent (though the believer's soul gets a small revelation now of) \"the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him\" (Co1 2:9). Paul alludes to Num 12:8, \"not in dark speeches\"; the Septuagint, \"not in enigmas.\" Compared with the visions and dreams vouchsafed to other prophets, God's communications with Moses were \"not in enigmas.\" But compared with the intuitive and direct vision of God hereafter, even the revealed word now is \"a dark discourse,\" or a shadowing forth by enigma of God's reflected likeness. Compare Pe2 1:19, where the \"light\" or candle in a dark place stands in contrast with the \"day\" dawning. God's word is called a glass or mirror also in Co2 3:18. \n\nthen--\"when that which is perfect is come\" (Co1 13:10). \n\nface to face--not merely \"mouth to mouth\" (Num 12:8). Gen 32:30 was a type (Joh 1:50-51). \n\nknow . . . known--rather as Greek, \"fully know . . . fully known.\" Now we are known by, rather than know, God (Co1 8:3; Gal 4:9).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":13,"content":["And now--Translate, \"But now.\" \"In this present state\" [HENDERSON]. Or, \"now\" does not express time, but opposition, as in Co1 5:11, \"the case being so\" [GROTIUS]; whereas it is the case that the three gifts, \"prophecy,\" \"tongues,\" and \"knowledge\" (cited as specimens of the whole class of gifts) \"fail\" (Co1 13:8), there abide permanently only these three--faith, hope, charity. In one sense faith and hope shall be done away, faith being superseded by sight, and hope by actual fruition (Rom 8:24; Co2 5:7); and charity, or love, alone never faileth (Co1 13:8). But in another sense, \"faith and hope,\" as well as \"charity,\" ABIDE; namely, after the extraordinary gifts have ceased; for those three are necessary and sufficient for salvation at all times, whereas the extraordinary gifts are not at all so; compare the use of \"abide,\" Co1 3:14. Charity, or love, is connected specially with the Holy Spirit, who is the bond of the loving union between the brethren (Rom 15:30; Col 1:8). Faith is towards God. Hope is in behalf of ourselves. Charity is love to God creating in us love towards our neighbor. In an unbeliever there is more or less of the three opposites--unbelief, despair, hatred. Even hereafter faith in the sense of trust in God \"abideth\"; also \"hope,\" in relation to ever new joys in prospect, and at the anticipation of ever increasing blessedness, sure never to be disappointed. But love alone in every sense \"abideth\"; it is therefore \"the greatest\" of the three, as also because it presupposes \"faith,\" which without \"love\" and its consequent \"works\" is dead (Gal 5:6; Jam 2:17, Jam 2:20). \n\nbut--rather, \"and\"; as there is not so strong opposition between charity and the other two, faith and hope, which like it also \"abide.\"\n\n\n\n\nNext: 1 Corinthians Chapter 14\n\n"]}],"introduction":"CHARITY OR LOVE SUPERIOR TO ALL GIFTS. (Co1 13:1-13)\n\ntongues--from these he ascends to \"prophecy\" (Co1 13:2); then, to \"faith\"; then to benevolent and self-sacrificing deeds: a climax. He does not except even himself, and so passes from addressing them (\"unto you,\" Co1 12:31) to putting the case in his own person, \"Though I,\" &c. \n\nspeak with the tongues--with the eloquence which was so much admired at Corinth (for example, Apollos, Act 18:24; compare Co1 1:12; Co1 3:21-22), and with the command of various languages, which some at Corinth abused to purposes of mere ostentation (Co1 14:2, &c.). \n\nof angels--higher than men, and therefore, it is to be supposed, speaking a more exalted language. \n\ncharity--the principle of the ordinary and more important gifts of the Spirit, as contrasted with the extraordinary gifts (1Co. 12:1-31). \n\nsounding . . . tinkling--sound without soul or feeling: such are \"tongues\" without charity. \n\ncymbal--Two kinds are noticed (Psa 150:5), the loud or clear, and the high-sounding one: hand cymbals and finger cymbals, or castanets. The sound is sharp and piercing.\n\n"},"thisChapterLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/1CO/13.json","thisChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"1CO","chapter":13},"nextChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/1CO/14.json","nextChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"1CO","chapter":14},"previousChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/1CO/12.json","previousChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"1CO","chapter":12},"numberOfVerses":12}