TEXT. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 29 Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the other judge. 30 If any thing be revealed to another, that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 31 For ye may all prophesy, one by one, that all may learn, that all may be comforted. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. PARAPHRASE. a gift that seems least intended for edification P; let but two, or three at most, at any one meeting, speak in an unknown tongue; and that separately, one after another; and let there 28 be but one interpreter 9. But if there be nobody present that can interpret, let not any one use his gift of tongues in the congregation; but let him, silently, within himself, speak 29 to himself, and to God. Of those, who have the gift of prophecy, let but two or three speak at the same meeting, and let 30 the others examine and discuss it. But if, during their debate, the meaning of it be revealed to one that sits by, let him, that 31 was discoursing of it before, give off. For ye may all pro phesy, one after another, that all may in their turns be 32 hearers, and receive exhortation and instruction. For the gifts of the Holy Ghost are not like the possession of the heathen priests, who are not masters of the spirit that possesses them. But Christians, however filled with the Holy Ghost, are masters of their own actions, can speak, or hold their peace, as they 33 see occasion, and are not hurried away by any compulsion. It is, therefore, no reason for you to speak, more than one at once, or to interrupt one another, because you find yourselves inspired and moved by the Spirit of God. For God is not the author of confusion and disorder, but of quietness and peace. And this is what is observed in all the churches of God. NOTES. "whether;" which is the common signification of rs. And, therefore, I take the apostle's sense to be this: "You must do nothing but to edification;" though you speak in an unknown tongue, "even an unknown tongue must be made use of, in your assemblies, only to edification." Vid. ver. 2 and 4. The rule of the synagogue was: "in the law, let one read, and one interpret: in the prophets, let one read, and two interpret: in Esther, ten may read, and ten interpret." It is not improbable, that some such disorder had been introduced into the church of Corinth, by the Judaizing, false apostle, which St. Paul would here put an end to. TEXT. 34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. 36 What! came the word of God out from you? Or came it unto you only? 37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. 39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. PARAPHRASE. 34 As to your women, let them keep silence in your assemblies; for it is not permitted them to discourse there, or pretend to teach; that does no way suit their state of subjection, ap35 pointed them in the law. But, if they have a mind to have any thing explained to them, that passes in the church, let them, for their information, ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for women to discourse and debate with men 36 publicly, in the congregation. What! do you pretend to give laws to the church of God, or to a right to do what you please amongst yourselves, as if the Gospel began at Corinth, and issuing from you was communicated to the rest of the world; or as if it were communicated to you alone of all the 37 world? If any man amongst you think that he hath the gift of prophecies, and would pass for a man knowing in the revealed will of God, let him acknowledge, that these rules, which I have here given, are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if any man' be ignorant that they are so, I have no more 39 to say to him: I leave him to his ignorance. To conclude, brethren, let prophecy have the preference in the exercise of NOTES. 34, 35 Why I apply this prohibition, of speaking only to reasoning and purely voluntary discourse, but suppose a liberty left women to speak, where they had an immediate impulse and revelation from the Spirit of God, vid. note on chap. xi. 3. In the synagogue it was usual for any man, that had a mind, to demand, of the teacher, a farther explication of what he had said: but this was not permitted to the women. 37 Пvevμalixòs, "a spiritual man," in the sense of St. Paul, is one, who founds his knowledge in what is revealed by the Spirit of God, and not in the bare discoveries of his natural reason and parts: vid. chap. ii. 15. 38 By the [any man] mentioned in this, and the foregoing verse, St. Paul seems to intimate the false apostle, who pretended to give laws amongst them, and, as we have observed, may well be supposed to be the author of these disorders; whom, therefore, St. Paul reflects on, and presses in these three verses. TEXT. bestowed upon me, was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. 12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you, that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God;, because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised : 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. PARAPHRASE. ascribe to any thing of myself, but to the favour of God, 11 which accompanied me. But whether I, or the other apostles, preached, this was that which we preached, and this was the faith ye were baptized into, viz. that Christ died, and rose 12 again the third day. If, therefore, this be so, if this be that, which has been preached to you, viz. that Christ has been raised from the dead; how comes it that some amongst you say, as they do, that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 And if there be no resurrection of the dead, then even Christ 14 himself is not risen: And if Christ be not risen, our preaching 15 is idle talk, and your believing it is to no purpose. And we, с who pretend to be witnesses for God, and his truth, shall be found liars, bearing witness against God, and his truth, affirming, that he raised Christ, whom in truth he did not 16 raise, if it be so, that the dead are not raised. For if the 17 dead shall not be raised, neither is Christ raised. And if Christ be not risen, your faith is to no purpose; your sins are not forgiven, but you are still liable to the punishment due NOTE. 12 This may well be understood of the head of the contrary faction, and some of his scholars: 1st, Because St. Paul introduces this confutation, by asserting his mission, which these, his opposers, would bring in question. 2dly, Because he is so careful to let the Corinthians see, he maintains not the doctrine of the resurrection, in opposition to these their new leaders, it being the doctrine he had preached to them, at their first conversion, before any such false apostle appeared among them, and misled them about the resurrection. Their false apostle was a Jew, and in all appearance Judaized: may he not also be suspected of Sadducism? For it is plain, he, with all his might, opposed St. Paul, which must be from some main difference in opinion at the bottom. For there are no footsteps of any personal provocation. TEXT. 18 Then they also, which are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, afterwards. they that are Christ's, at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith," All things are put under him," it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. PARAPHRASE. 18 to them. And they also, who died in the belief of the Gospel, 19 are perished and lost. If the advantages we expect from Christ are confined to this life, and we have no hope of any benefit from him, in another life hereafter, we Christians are 20 the most miserable of all men. But, in truth, Christ is actually risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of 21 those who were dead. For since by man came death, by d man came also the resurrection of the dead, or restoration to 22 life. For as the death that all men suffer is owing to Adam, so the life, that all shall be restored to again, is procured them 23 by Christ. But they shall return to life again not all at once, but in their proper order: Christ, the first-fruits, is already risen; next after him shall rise those, who are his people, his 24 church, and this shall be at his second coming. After that shall be the day of judgment, which shall bring to a conclusion and finish the whole dispensation to the race and posterity of Adam, in this world: when Christ shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, the Father; which he shall not do, till he hath destroyed all empire, power, and authority, that shall be 25 in the world besides. For he must reign, till he has totally subdued and brought all his enemies into subjection to his 26 kingdom. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For God hath subjected all things to Christ: but when it is said, "All things are subjected," it is plain that he is to be NOTE. 20 The first-fruits were a small part, which was first taken and offered to God, and sanctified the whole mass, which was to follow. TEXT. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him, that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they, then, baptized for the dead? 30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? 31 I protest, by your rejoicing, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If, after the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die. 33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. PARAPHRASE. 28 excepted, who did subject all things to him. But when all things shall be actually reduced under subjection to him, then, even the Son himself, i. e. Christ and his whole kingdom, he and all his subjects and members, shall be subjected to him, that gave him this kingdom, and universal dominion, that 29 God may immediately govern and influence all. Else, what 30 shall they do, who are baptized for the dead? And why do 31 we venture our lives continually? As to myself, I am exposed, vilified, treated so, that I die daily. And for this I call to witness your glorying against me, in which I really glory, as 32 coming on me for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake. And particularly, to what purpose did I suffer myself to be exposed to wild beasts at Ephesus, if the dead rise not? If there be no resurrection, it is wiser a great deal to preserve ourselves, as long as we can, in a free enjoyment of all the pleasures of this life; for when death comes, as it shortly will, there is an 33 end of us for ever. Take heed that you be not misled by such discourses: for evil communication is apt to corrupt 34 even good minds. Awake from such dreams, as it is fit you should, and give not yourselves up sinfully to the enjoyments NOTES. 29"Else," here relates to ver. 20, where it is said, "Christ is risen:" St. Paul having, in that verse, mentioned Christ being the first-fruits from the dead, takes occasion from thence, now that he is upon the resurrection, to inform the Corinthians of several particularities, relating to the resurrection, which might enlighten them about it, and could not be known but by revelation. Having made this excursion, in the eight preceding verses, he here, in the 29th, reassumes the thread of his discourse, and goes on with his arguments for believing the resurrection. f What this baptising for the dead was, I confess I know not: but it seems, by the following verses, to be something wherein they exposed themselves to the danger of death. |