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9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that

ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you ; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. 11 For it hath been de

clared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ.

9 Πιςος ὁ Θεός, δι' ὁ εκλήθητε εις κοινωνιαν του υἱου αυτου Ιησού Χριςου, του Κυρίου ἡμων.

10 Παρακαλω δε ύμας, αδελφοι, δια του ονόματος του Κυρίου ἡμων Ιησου Χριςου, ίνα το αυτό λέγητε πάντες, και μη η εν ὑμῖν σχίσματα, ητε δε κατηρτισμένοι εν τῷ αυτῷ νοι και εν τη αυτή γνωμη.

11 Εδηλώθη γαρ μοι περι ύμων, αδελφοι μου, υπο των Χλοης, ότι εριδες εν υμιν εισι,

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Ver. 10.1. By the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This may signify the person and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. See Ess. iv. 51. Locke is of opinion, that the apostle, intending to abolish the names of the leaders whereby the parties distinguished themselves, besought them by the name of Christ. The same author mentions this as an instance, that the apostle scarcely makes use of a word or expression, which hath not some relation to his main purpose.

2. Le be compactly joined, εν τω αυτῷ και, by the same mind, that is, by mutual good affection: for the same mind, in the sense of the same opinion, is not to be expected in any numerous society. We have the same direction, Rom. xv. 5. thus expressed, the same disposition towards one another. See also 1 Pet. iii. 8.

3. By the same, γνωμη, judgment. This word denotes that practical judgment which precedes volition. The meaning is, that in our deliberations we should yield to each other from mutual affection, and from a love of peace. Accordingly, the heathen moralists described true friendship, as cemented by the same inclinations and aversions : Idem velle, et idem nolle, &c.

Ver 11.-1. My brethren. Locke observes that brethren is a name of union and friendship, and that it is twice used by the apostle, in this exhor, tation to union and friendship.

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9 Faithful is God, by whom ye have been called to partake of the benefits of the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. He will, therefore, perform his promise concerning your acquittal at the judgment.

10 Now brethren, since ye are called into the fellowship of Christ, I beseech you, by every consideration implied in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all agree in the same measures for promoting the interests of that fellowship, that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be firmly joined (See 2 Cor. xiii. 9. note) as members of one body, by the same good affection towards each other, and by the same practical judgment.

11 I give you this exhortation, because it hath been told me, concerning you, my brethren, by some of the family of Chloe, with whom I have conversed in this place, that there are (egides,) violent contentions among

you.

12 And, I mention this as an instance, that each of you saith, peculiar respect is due to me, because I indeed am a disciple of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Peter, and I of Christ himself.

2. By some of the family of Chloe. According to Grotius, these were Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, mentioned chap. xvi. 17. who, he thinks, were Chloe's sons, and the bearers of the letter which the Corinthians sent to the apostle, chap. vii. 1. That they were the bearers of the letter, may be admitted. But I am of opinion, that the apostle had heard of the divisions at Corinth before these messengers arrived. If so, the persons mentioned were not the members of the family of Chloe here spoken of.

Ver. 12.-1. And I of Cephas. This seems to have been the boast of the false teacher. For as he came recommended by letters from Judea, he may have been converted by Peter.

2. And I of Christ. There were now in the church at Corinth, some Jews, who having heard Christ preach, had been converted by him, and who

13 Is Christ divided?

was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul ?

14 I thank God, that I

baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius:

15 Lest any should say, that I had baptized in mine own name.

16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

17 For Christ sent me

13 Μεμεριςαι ὁ Χριςος; μη Παυλος εςαυρωθη ὑπερ ύμων, η εις το όνομα Παύλου εβαπ τισθήτε.

14 Ευχαριςω τῷ Θεῷ ὅτι ουδενα ύμων εβάπτισα, ει μη Κρισπον και Γαιον

15 Ίνα μη τις ειπῃ ότι εις το εμον ονομα εβάπτισα.

16 Εβαπτισα δε και τον Στεφανα οικον λοιπον ουκ οιδα ει τινα αλλον εβαπτισα.

17 Ου γαρ απέςειλε με

claimed great respect on that account. Chrysostome thought this was said by Paul himself, to shew the Corinthians that all ought to consider themselves as the disciples of Christ, and of no other master; otherwise they derogated from the honour due to Christ.

The Greeks valued themselves greatly on the fame of their masters in philosophy, and in the arts. This humour the Corinthians brought with them into the church. For some, especially the heads of the faction, claimed an authority over others, on account of the dignity of the persons who had converted them, and to whom they had attached themselves as their masters in the gospel. But others, who reckoned themselves equally honourable on account of the reputation of their teachers, opposed their pretensions. Hence arose those envyings, strifes, and divisions, which prevailed in the Corinthian church, and which the apostle termed, a walking after the manner of men, chap. iii. 3.

Ver. 13.-1. Is Christ divided? In this passage, as in chap. xii. 12. Christ signifies the Christian church. By asking, Is Christ divided? the apostle insinuated that the whole body of Christians have him as their only master, and that to consider ourselves as the disciples of any other master, is to rob him of his honour as our Master and Saviour. Others by Christ, understand the ministers of Christ. Are the faithful ministers of Christ divided? Do they not all preach the same doctrine, and labour for the same end? But according to others, Christ in this passage means Christ himself. Is he divided ? Did one Christ send Paul, and another Apollos ?

2. Was Paul crucified for you? This question implies, that the sufferings of Christ have an influence in saving the world, which the sufferings of no other man have, nor can have.

3. Baptized into the name of Paul. To be baptized into the name of any person, or into a person, is solemnly, as Locke observes, to enter one's self a

13 Is Christ divided ? 1 Was Paul crucified 2 for you? or were ye baptized (s) into the name of Paul?

3

1 13 Is Christ's church divided into parties under different leaders? Was Paul crucified for you to make atonement for your sins? Or were ye baptized into the name of Paul, as his disciples?

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14 Since ye reckon yourselves the disciples of the persons who baptized you, rather than of Christ, I give thanks to God, that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Caius:

15 Lest my enemies should say, that into mine own name I had baptized, making you my disciples, and not Christ's; a thought which I utterly detest.

16 And I baptized also the family of Stephanas, my first converts in Achaia. (chap. xvi. 15.) Besides, I do not recollect whether I baptized any other person among you.

17 For Christ hath not sent me to

disciple of him into whose name he is baptized, and to profess that he submits himself implicitly to his authority, and receives his doctrines and rules. In this sense, the Israelites are said, chap. x. 2. to have been baptized into Moses, in the cloud, and in the sea.

Ver. 14.-1. Except Crispus and Caius. Crispus was the ruler of the synagogue at Corinth; and among the first of the Corinthians who were converted by Paul, Acts xviii. 8. Gaius or Caius, was the person with whom the apostle lodged, when he wrote his epistle to the Romans, ch. xvi. 23. Both of them were persons of eminence. The other Corinthians may have been baptized by the apostle's assistants, Silas, Titus, and Timothy.

Ver. 16.-1. Stephanas. Theophylact says, Stephanas was a person of note among the Corinthians. The family of Stephanas seem all to have been adults when they were baptized. For they are said, chap. xvi. 15. to have devoted themselves to the ministry to the saints.

2. I know not whether I baptized any other. Here the apostle insinuates that he is speaking, not by inspiration, but from memory. He did not remember whether he baptized any other of the Corinthians. The Spirit was given to the apostles indeed, to lead them into all truth; but it was truth relative to the plan of man's salvation which was thus made known to them, and not truth like the fact here mentioned, the certain knowledge of which was of no use whatever to the world.

not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words,

lest the cross of Christ

should be made of none effect.

18 For the preaching of

the cross is to them that perish, foolishness : but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.

19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

20 Where is the wise?

where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world?

Χριςος βαπτίζειν, αλλ' ευ αγγελίζεσθαι

Ουκ εν σοφια λογον, ίνα μη κενωθῃ ὁ σταυρος του Χριςου.

18 Ο λογος γαρ ὁ του σταυρου τοις μεν απολλυμε νοις μωρια εςι, τοις δε σωζομενοις ἡμιν δυναμις Θεου εςι.

19 Γέγραπται γαρ Απολω την σοφίαν των σοφών, και την συνεσιν των συνετών

αθετησω.

20 Που σοφος, που γραμ ματευς; που συζητητης του αιωνος τουτου; ουχ εμωρανεν

Ver. 17.1 Hath not sent me to baptize, but to preach. The apostles being endued with the highest degree of inspiration and miraculous powers, had the office of preaching committed to them, rather than that of baptizing, because they were best qualified for converting the world, and had not time to give the converted, either before or after their baptism, such particular instruction as their former ignorance rendered necessary. These offices, therefore, were committed to the inferior ministers of the word.

2. Not however with wisdom of speech. Wisdom of speech, σοφια λογκ for λόγῳ σοφῷ, means learned speech. The observation, that the apostles were sent forth to convert mankind, not by the powers of philosophy and eloquence, was intended to shew the Corinthians, how ill founded the boasting of the faction was, who valued themselves on the learning and eloquence of their teachers. To shew that this is a declaration of the subject which the apostle is going to handle, I have separated it from the clause which goes

before it.

3. Be deprived of its efficacy. To have adorned the gospel with the paint of the Grecian rhetoric, would have obscured its wisdom and simplicity, just as the gilding of a diamond would destroy its brilliancy. Besides, it would have marred its operation as a revelation from God. For the evidence and efficacy of the gospel arises, not from its being proved by philosophical arguments, and recommended by the charms of human eloquence, but from its being proved by miracles, and founded on the testimony of God. Ver. 18. 1. For the preaching which is concerning the cross. Λογ@, Word, in scripture, is often used to denote the preaching of doctrine: Acts vi. 2. It is not reason, that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.

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