Commentary on 1 Corinthians
Lecture 2. Farewell
16:10 Now if Timothy comes, see that he be with you without fear: for he works the work of the Lord, as I also do. [n. 1034]
16:11 Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him on his way in peace, that he may come to me. For I look for him with the brethren.
16:12 And concerning our brother Apollo, I give you to understand that I much entreated him to come unto you with the brethren: and indeed it was not his will at all to come at this time. But he will come when he shall have leisure. [n. 1036]
16:13 Watch: stand fast in the faith: do manfully and be strengthened. [n. 1037]
16:14 Let all your things be done in charity.
16:15 And I beseech you, brethren, you know the house of Stephanus, and of Fortunatus, and of Achaicus, that they are the firstfruits of Achaia, and have dedicated themselves to the ministry of the saints: [n. 1039]
16:16 That you also be subject to such and to everyone who works with us and labors.
16:17 And I rejoice in the presence of Stephanus and Fortunatus and Achaicus: because that which was wanting on your part, they have supplied. [n. 1041]
16:18 For they have refreshed both my spirit and yours. Know them, therefore, that are such.
16:19 The churches of Asia greet you. [n. 1042] Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house, with whom I also lodge.
16:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
16:21 The greeting of me, Paul, with my own hand. [n. 1044]
16:22 If any man loves not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maranatha. [n. 1045]
16:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
16:24 My charity be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
1034. Here he instructs them concerning the things which pertain to his disciples.
And first, concerning things that pertain to Timothy;
second, concerning things that pertain to Apollo, at concerning our brother Apollo.
1035. Concerning Timothy, he enjoins three things. First, that he be kept free of concern; hence he says, now if Timothy comes, see, be diligent, that he be with you without fear. Perhaps there was a certain disturbance there because of the false apostles: fighting without and fear within (2 Cor 7:5). And this you ought to do because he works the work of the Lord, as I also do by preaching: as for you, be vigilant in every labor (2 Tim 4:5).
Second, that he be held in honor, and so he says: let no man therefore despise him. And the reason for this is perhaps because he was young: let no one despise your youth (1 Tim 4:12); he who rejects you, rejects me (Luke 10:16).
Third, that he be led in peace, and this is what he says: but conduct him on his way in peace. And the reason for this is because I look for him with the brethren, who are with him.
1036. Concerning our brother Apollo. This is the Apollo of whom Acts says, a certain Jew (Acts 18:24), and the one who went to Achaia and was, as it were, their special doctor after the Apostle: I planted, Apollo watered (1 Cor 3:6). And as the Gloss says, he was a bishop. And because the Corinthians had behaved badly, he withdrew from them and went to the Apostle. Afterwards, the Corinthians asked the Apostle to send him back there, to which he responds to them saying, concerning our brother Apollo, whom you asked to be sent back to you, I give you to understand three things.
First, my requests made to him, I give you to understand that I much entreated him to come unto you with the brethren. And he says, I much entreated him, although he could direct him, because with great men a command ought not be made easily: do not rebuke an older man but exhort him as you would a father (1 Tim 5:1); if they make you master of the feast, do not exalt yourself (Sir 32:1).
But is it lawful for someone to abandon his people? To this should be said, as Gregory says, when all the subjects conduct themselves badly and are unwilling to be corrected, it is lawful for the bishop to withdraw from them. Hence, because they were such as these, it was lawful for him. Or it should be said that perhaps he was not their bishop, but was preaching to them specially.
Second, the response of Apollo, because he refuses to come to them: and indeed it was not his will at all to come at this time. And the reason for this is perhaps because they were not yet properly corrected, or because he himself was occupied in other difficulties.
Third, he promises him that he should go to them at some time. Hence, he says, but he will come when he shall have leisure, i.e., opportunity; he shall have, namely, when you will be corrected.
1037. After he instructed them about what they ought to do with respect to those who were absent, he then instructs them how to conduct themselves with those who are present.
Concerning the first, he does two things.
First, he shows how they should conduct themselves as to all in common;
second, as to some in particular, at and I beseech you, brethren.
1038. The Apostle instructs them in common about three things, namely, about faith, about a good work, and about the manner of working well. But he presents first one thing that is more necessary than all these three, i.e., watchful care. Hence he says, watch and pray: blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing (Luke 12:43); and watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation (Matt 26:41).
He instructs them about faith when he says, stand fast, i.e., in the faith: stand, therefore (Eph 6:14).
He instructs them about a good work when he says, do manfully, i.e., strongly, because faith without works is dead (Jas 2:26).
But because a good work should not be attributed to us, but to God, therefore he adds, and be strengthened in the Lord: be strong and let your heart take courage (Ps 31:25).
He instructs them about the manner of acting when he says, let all your things be done in charity, i.e., all things should be referred to the end of charity, namely, that they might be done for the sake of God and neighbor: and above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony (Col 3:14).
1039. Then when he says, I beseech you, he instructs them how they ought to conduct themselves with some in particular.
And first, as to those who seem to have a privilege in spiritual things;
second, as to those who seem to have a privilege in corporal works, at and I rejoice.
1040. Therefore he says, I beseech you, brethren, you know, i.e., you approve, the house of Stephanus and of Fortunatus and of Achaicus. You approve them, I say, on account of two things: because they are the firstfruits, i.e., the first converted, because they were the first baptized by the Apostle himself: I did baptize also the household of Stephanus (1 Cor 1:16); and because all the more they were devoted and available for the service of the saints. Hence he says, and have dedicated themselves to the ministry of the saints: contribute to the needs of the saints (Rom 12:13). And so I urge that you also be subject to such: obey your leaders and submit to them (Heb 13:17). And to everyone who works with us and labors: help them, for they have labored side by side with me (Phil 4:3); or the fruit of good labors is renowned (Wis 3:15).
1041. He instructs them here as to those who are pre-eminent in ministry, and it can be expounded in two ways. In one way, so that it would say, and I rejoice in the presence of Stephanus and Fortunatus and Achaicus, who are present to you, whose presence is advantageous to you. Because that which was wanting on your part, they have supplied, by teaching you. And in this too they have refreshed both my spirit, insofar as I rejoice at your good; and your spirit as well, inasmuch as you are instructed: I rejoice in the Lord greatly (Phil 4:10). And so, because you have conducted yourselves in this way, know them, therefore, i.e., honor them.
In another way, so that it would say, I rejoice in the presence of Stephanus and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because namely, they are with me personally, and they serve me, by which they supply what was lacking from you, i.e., what you were not able to convey to me bodily. By this they have refreshed both my spirit, insofar as they have served me, and reverenced me; and refreshed your spirit insofar as you rejoice at my good, and so you acknowledge them, etc.
1042. All the brethren greet you. The Apostle mentions here what others do for the Corinthians.
And concerning this he does two things.
First, he mentions how they are greeted by others;
second, he adds his greeting, at the greeting of me, Paul.
1043. Concerning the first he does three things. First, he mentions how the whole church of Asia greets them together. Hence he says, the churches of Asia greet you: all the churches of Christ greet you (Rom 16:16).
Second, how the friends of Paul greet them in particular. Hence he says, Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord. There were friends of the Apostle, and concerning these it says in Romans: greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus (Rom 16:3); and he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, lately come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (Acts 18:2).
Third, how the Apostle and his intimate companions greet them. Hence he says, all the brethren greet you, who, namely, are with me: all the saints greet you (Phil 4:22).
From this, therefore, all greet you, and furthermore, you greet one another with a holy kiss; not sensually, as a woman seizes and kisses a youth: she seizes him and kisses him (Prov 7:13); not fraudulently, as Judas kissed Christ: and he came up to Jesus at once and said: hail, Master! And he kissed him (Matt 26:49).
1044. The greeting of me, Paul. He adds his greeting, and concerning this he does two things. First, he puts down a title of the greeting, saying, the greeting of me, is written, with my own hand. And he did this in his letters on account of some who wrote false letters under the name of the Apostle. Hence, so that they would not be deceived, after the letter was written by someone, the Apostle writes afterwards at the end in his own hand.
1045. Second, he set down the greeting itself, in which first, he speaks evil to evil ones, saying, if any man loves not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, i.e., separated or excommunicated; maranatha, i.e., may the Lord come! As if to say: whoever does not love the Lord Jesus Christ is cursed at the coming of the Lord.
But should all be excommunicated who are not in charity?
I respond: it should be said that this is understood if someone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, i.e., does not have faith in Christ, and these are heretics and are excommunicated. Or: if someone does not persevere to the point of death in the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, at his coming he will be separated from good things.
1046. Finally, he blesses the good ones, wishing them well, namely, the grace of Christ, when he says: the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. And wishing this, he wishes them every good, because in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is contained every good.
Furthermore, he wishes them his love, saying, my charity be with you all in Christ Jesus, so that you might love one another and God, with the love by which I love you, and not on account of something other save in Christ Jesus, i.e., on account of the love of Christ.
Amen, i.e., so be it.