NOTES ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.

[THE following notes are the substance of sermons delivered by the Rev. A. F. BARFIELD, pastor of Bridge Street Congregational Church, Walsall. This is stated because in some instances only the bare outline of thought is presented; while in others the ideas are more fully amplified. Mr. Barfield's aim, however, both in preaching and writing has been to be suggestive rather than diffusive—to give germ thoughts rather than to elaborate them.-ED.]

I. SALUTATION AND BENEDICTION.-CHAP. i, 1-3. In our exposition of this epistle we have to deal principally with the religious history of Corinth; still one or two remarks on its material and physical aspects may not be out of place nor uninteresting. "Corinth was a Greek city, but we must not confound the town to which Paul wrote with that ancient Corinth which is so celebrated, and with which we are so familiar in Grecian history; that Corinth had been destroyed nearly two centuries before the time of these Epistles." (F. W. Robertson). It was inhabited by Greeks, Romans, and Jews. It had great commercial advantages, and was at one and the same time learned, wealthy, and wicked. It has its antitype in the Paris or London of to-day. Paul visited Corinth and formed a Christian church about the year 52 A.D. He was then on his way from Macedonia to Jerusalem. (Acts xviii.) He had left Athens, where he had preached the Gospel, but not with much success. Upon reaching Corinth he joined himself to Aquila and Priscilla. Shortly after Silas and Timotheus came to him from Macedonia, and he began publicly to preach Christ. Nothing is known of the size of the church save what we gather from the Epistle itself. It is supposed by most commentators that the Epistle was written from Ephesus, for in it he speaks of fighting with beasts at Ephesus; a great door and effectual being opened to him in Ephesus. "I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost."

The Epistle has been divided into three leading parts by Barnes, and those divisions I adopt as giving a general view of the subjects treated. The following are the divisions :

I. The discussion of irregularities and abuses prevailing in the church of which the apostle had learned in various ways. Chap. i, 6.. II. The discussion of various subjects which had been submitted to him in a letter from the Church. Chap. vii. 15.

III. The discussion of the great doctrine of the resurrection of Christ. Chap. xv.

Such is a brief outline of the origin, inhabitants, and condition of Corinth. We turn now to our examination of the Epistle itself. THE SUBJECT IS THE SALUTATION AND BENEDICTION OF PAUL AND

SOSTHENES.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE

I.-" Paul called to be an Apostle." MUST ASSERT OUR POSITION. It was so in this case, as we shall learn further on. Chloe, a Christian lady, or some of her household, had been to Ephesus, and told the apostle, amongst other things, that his authority was called in question; that he was represented as an impostor by some in the church. And so he replies, " You say I am not an apostle, but I assert my apostolic office notwithstanding. I am an apostle of Jesus Christ; called to that position by the will of God." 1. Every true minister is the subject of a Divine call; indeed, I do not go beyond the teaching of the Bible when I say that all men engaging in lawful work for which they are particularly fitted are called to it. The shoemaker, carpenter, or mason may be recipients of a Divine call as well as the minister in the Church.

2. Not only was Paul called, but he was Divinely appointed. The sphere of his work was indicated, he was especially sent to the Gentiles. One reason of failure in our ministry to-day is that we put ourselves into places instead of waiting until God sends us.

II." And Sosthenes our brother." Not much is known of Sosthenes; supposed by many to have been the Sosthenes mentioned in Acts xviii, 17. If this be so then see

1. The power of the Gospel, a ringleader against Christianity changed

into a friend.

2. The conduct of a Christian. now calls a brother.

The man who was an enemy Paul

III." Unto the Church which is at Corinth." The question has often been asked, What is the Church? We have heard Roman

Catholics say, "We are the Church"; Anglicans, "We are the

Church; " various sections of Nonconformity, "We are the Church." The question is answered here. The true Church of Christ consists of men, women, and children, who love Jesus. No matter by what denominational name they may be called if they are only "sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord." Here then we get as characteristics of the true Church. The following divisions are suggested by Robert

son:

(a) Catholicity.-Paul was no bigot; he included all who called upon the name of Jesus.

(b) Saintship.-It consisted of all who had withdrawn themselves from the world, and this was a proof of their calling.

(c) Sanctity. This also is a proof of saintship; those who are called to be saints are sanctified in Christ Jesus.

(d) Unity.-Many members but one body. Thus then with one sweep we do away with all sectarianism. The true Church is one.

IV.-" Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ." THE APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION. Here and in all such expressions we are taught―

THE DIVINITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

1. Because the Father and Christ are spoken of with the same

reverence.

2. Because Christ is recognised as the author of grace and peace equally with the Father.

3. Because the form of expression shows that the Apostle had no doubt on the matter.

'"'" Sosthenes."

Looking at the whole passage we have— I. A DOUBLE SALUTATION, 66 Paul," II. A DOUBLE AUTHORITY, "An Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God."

III.—A DOUBLE OBJECT, "To the Church of God in Corinth, with all, &c"

IV.—A DOUBLE BENEDICTION, Grace and peace.”

V.—A DOUBLE SOURCE OF SUPPLY, " God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ" (Dr. Lyth).

II. THANKSGIVING AND COMMENDATION.-i, 4-9.

The greater part of this Epistle is taken up with fault finding and reproof; the verses before us are, however, commendatory, and full of thankfulness, and from this we may learn—

I. THE IMPARTIALITY OF THE APOSTLE. He never shrank from telling the Corinthians of their failings, but he always praised them for their graces. One of the great faults of the present day is one-sidedness. There are one-sided ministers and one-sided Churches; ministers that are always preaching one thing. It may be that they always grumble, or they always select doleful subjects, as the case may be. One man is very fond of giving strong meat to his people, and they never get anything but that; another milk, and the Church never has any other diet, unless it be milk and water. There are churches that are as cold as icebergs, and they freeze every one that goes into them, minister and all. Their pastor never receives a word of encouragement, or praise, or love. No wonder that he becomes an icicle, and strangers say, "What a cold man Mr. is; we can never settle there." Let us learn to be impartial, never glossing over sins which

ought to be reproved, and never forgetting to praise where praise is due. Ministers, be men, and not machines; let your people know that you can preach on any theme needful, and that you are with them as a shepherd and a watchman to warn, to rebuke, to encourage, to love. Churches, be sensible, and say to your pastor, "Well done," when he does what is right and true; "Amen" when he speaks for your edification and good. Common brute animals will work better if you praise them a little; much more men.

II. MARK THE APOSTLE'S UNSELFISHNESS. "I thank my God always on your behalf." You will see this the more plainly if you consider for a moment his position, and what he experienced. There he was, away at Ephesus, where he had been literally fighting with wild beasts; and if you want to know more look at 2 Cor. xi, where he Speaks of his scourgings, shipwrecks, weariness, and various perils. And yet amidst it all he could think of the joy of others. Why, if some of us had to go through one half of what Paul had to endure we should be so overcome that we should have no time for anything but our own sorrows and complaints. Even those who are strong and hearty often find fault with everything, and go about with a sad countenance, as though they could not find joy anywhere. There are always two ways of looking at a thing, and some seem as if they can only look on the black side. Here is a little parable I picked up somewhere the other day, which well illustrates my meaning:-"How dismal you look," said a bucket to his companion one morning as they were both being carried to the well. "Ah," replied the other; "I was reflecting on the uselessness of our being filled, for let us go away ever so full we always come back empty." "Dear me, how strange to look at it in that way," said the first bucket; now I enjoy the thought that however empty we come we always go away full. Only look at it in that light and you will be as cheerful as I am." And so as a rule, if men would only look on the right side as well as the wrong, on the bright as well as the dark, they would always find something to praise God for; and even if it were otherwise they, like Paul, could rejoice in the welfare of others. II. PAUL THANKS GOD FOR THE GRACE OR FAVOUR, OR GIFTS SHOWN TO OR BESTOWED UPON THE CORINTHIANS BY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,

66

1. Here then is another argument for the Divinity of Jesus. He bestows these blessings.

"That in every

"In all utterance

2. The 5th verse tells us what these gifts were. thing ye are enriched by Him"; that is general. and in all knowledge"; that is particular. But God only could give knowledge and utterance and all things. Jesus Christ is here represented as the donor; therefore Jesus Christ is God.

3.

"Utterance." This doubtless refers to the gift of tongues spoken of more fully in chapters xii and xiv. The same gift that came upon the disciples of the Lord Jesus. Acts ii. Now what was this gift of tongues? My own impression is that the apostles especially, and after them many of the early Christians, received power from the Holy Ghost to speak in different languages as occasion required. With this many do not agree. Dr. Bushnell, e.g., in his work on "Nature and the Supernatural," and speaking of Mr. Irving and the two McDonalds, says, "Now there is nothing in this apparent gibberish that could anyhow become a temptation to the enthusiast or pretender for notwithstanding all that is said by commentators about tongues imparted for the preaching of the Gospel, I have found no one of all the reported cases of tongues, in which the tongue is intelligible either to the speaker or the hearers, except as it was made so by supernatural interpretation, which accords exactly also with what is said of tongues in the New Testament." Now I can't believe this, for then we should have on the day of Pentecost the gift of hearing rather than the gift of tongues, and the miracle would be performed on the multitude instead of the Apostles. I conclude then that the gift of tongues was a power given to some of the early Christians to speak whatever language was necessary; and it was for this utterance Paul gave thanks. "And in all knowledge." Some had utterance, others knowledge—knowledge of Old Testament truth, knowledge of the Christian religion so far as it had been taught, knowledge that would enable them to interpret when necessary the tongues. "Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you." What does Paul mean? I think he means this—that when the Church was first formed in Corinth these gifts were bestowed, and they were proofs of the truthfulness of Christianity; and these blessings which were given then were in full force at the time of his writing the letter. "The testimony of Christ," ie., the gospel, was confirmed by these gifts; and now they did not come behind other Churches in their manifestation of them.

4. "Waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus who shall confirm you unto the end." These words suggest the fact that the Apostolic Churches expected the speedy return of the Lord Jesus Christ. This view is still held by Millenarians. The true millenium will be a spiritual not a personal reign. In this verse also some find the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints; but whatever may be said for that doctrine I do not find it here. Paul is speaking of those who are waiting for the coming of Christ. It is these who will be confirmed. unto the end. A man cannot live in sin if he is really waiting for the coming of the Lord; but let him cease to wait in this deep true sense, and what will become of his confirmation? The two clauses depend