1Cor 16:19-24 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 19. The churches of Asia . The word "Asia" in the New Testament usually denotes Asia Minor in general. . It was sometimes used in a more limited sense, to denote the region around Ephesus, and of which Ephesus was the centre and capital. . This is the region undoubtedly which is intended here. Salute you . Greet you; send respectful and affectionate Christian regards. . Aquila and Priscilla . . Much in the Lord . With affectionate Christian salutations; or as Christians. Wishing the blessing and favour of the Lord. With the church that is in their house . . (k) "Aquila and Priscilla"

1 Corinthians 16:19-24

Verse 19. The churches of Asia. The word "Asia" in the New Testament usually denotes Asia Minor in general. Acts 2:9.

It was sometimes used in a more limited sense, to denote the region around Ephesus, and of which Ephesus was the centre and capital. Acts 16:6. This is the region undoubtedly which is intended here.

Salute you. Greet you; send respectful and affectionate Christian regards. Rom 16:3.

Aquila and Priscilla. Acts 18:26.

Much in the Lord. With affectionate Christian salutations; or as Christians. Wishing the blessing and favour of the Lord.

With the church that is in their house. Rom 16:5.

(k) "Aquila and Priscilla" Rom 16:5,15 Verse 20. All the brethren, etc. All the Christians with whom Paul was connected in Ephesus. They felt a deep interest in the church at Corinth, and sent to them Christian salutations.

With an holy kiss. Rom 16:16.

(*) "greet" "salute" Verse 21. The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. It is evident that Paul was accustomed to employ an amanuensis in penning his epistles, Rom 16:22 though he signed his own name, and expressed his Christian salutation in every epistle, 2Thes 3:17, Col 4:18. This gave a sanction to what was written; was a proof that it was his own, and was a valuable token of affectionate regard. It was a proof that there was no fraud or imposition. Why he employed an amanuensis is not known. Verse 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a most solemn and affecting, close of the whole epistle. It was designed to direct them to the great and essential matter of religion, the love of the Lord Jesus; and was intended, doubtless, to turn away their minds from the subjects which had agitated them, the disputes and dissensions which had rent the church into factions, to the great inquiry whether they truly loved the-Saviour. It is implied that there was danger, in their disputes and strifes about minor matters, of neglecting the love of the Lord Jesus, or of substituting attachment to a party in the place of that love to the Saviour, which alone could be connected with eternal life.

Let him be Anathema. On the meaning of the word anathema, 1Cor 12:3. The word properly means accursed, or devoted to destruction; and the idea here is, that he who did not believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him, would be, and ought to be, devoted to destruction, or accursed of God. It expresses what ought to be done; it expresses a truth in regard to God's dealings, not the desire of the apostle. No matter what any man's endowments might be; no matter what might be his wealth, his standing, or his talent; no matter if he were regarded as a ruler in the church, or at the head of a party; yet, if he had not true love to the Lord Jesus, he could not be saved. This sentiment is in accordance with the declaration of the Scripture everywhere. See, particularly, Jn 3:36, Mk 16:16; Mk 16:16.

Maran-atha. These are Syriac words, Moran Etho--" the Lord comes;" .i.e., will come. The reason why this expression is added may be,

(1.) to give the greater solemnity to the declaration of the apostle; i. e.,. to give it an emphatic form.

(2.) To intimate that, though there were no earthly power to punish a want of love to the Saviour; though the state could not, and ought not to punish it; and though the church could not exclude all who did not love the Lord Jesus from its bosom, yet they could not escape. For the Lord would himself come to take vengeance on his enemies; and no one could escape. Though, therefore, those who did not love the Lord Jesus could not be punished by men, yet they could not escape Divine condemnation. The Lord would come to execute vengeance himself, and they could not escape. It is probable (see Lightfoot in loco) that the Jews were accustomed to use such a form in their greater excommunication; and that they meant by it, that the person who was thus devoted to destruction, and excommunicated, must be destroyed; for the Lord would come to take vengeance on all his enemies. "It certainly was not now, for the first time, used as a new kind of cursing by the apostle; but was the application of a current mode of speech to the purpose he had in contemplation. Perhaps, therefore, by inspecting the manners of the East, we may illustrate the import of this singular passage. The nearest approach to it that I have been able to discover, is in the following extract from Mr. Bruce; and though, perhaps, this does not come up to the full power of the apostle's meaning, yet, probably, it gives the idea which was commonly attached to the phrase among the public. Mr. Bruce had been forced by a pretended saint, in Egypt, to take him on board his vessel, as if to carry him to a certain place--whereas, Mr. Bruce meant no such thing; but, having set him on shore at some little distance from whence he came, 'we slacked our vessel down the stream a few yards, filling our sails, and stretching away. On seeing this, our saint fell into a desperate passion, cursing, blaspheming, and stamping with his feet; at every word crying, "Shar Ulah!" i.e., May God send, and do justice!' This appears to be the strongest execration this passionate Arab could use; i.e., 'To punish you adequately is out of my power: I remit you to the vengeance of God.' Is not this the import of anathema maranatha?" -- Taylor, in Calmet. This solemn declaration, or denunciation, the apostle wrote with his own hand, as the summary of all that he had said, in order that it might be attentively regarded. There is not a more solemn declaration in the Bible; there is not a more fearful denunciation; there is no one that will be more certainly executed. No matter what we may have--be it wealth, or beauty, or rigour, or accomplishment, or adorning, or the praise and flattery of the world; no matter if we are elevated high in office and in rank; no matter if we are honoured by the present age, or gain a reputation to be transmitted to future times; yet, if we have not love to the Saviour, we cannot be saved. We must be devoted to the curse; and the Lord Jesus will soon return to execute the tremendous sentence on a guilty world. How important, then, to ask whether we have that love? Whether we are attached to the Lord Jesus in such a manner as to secure his approbation? Whether we so love him as to be prepared to hail his coming with joy, and to be received into his everlasting kingdom. In the close of the Notes on this epistle, I may ask any one who shall read these pages, whether he has this love? And I may press it upon the attention of each one, though I may never see his face in the flesh, as the great inquiry which is to determine his everlasting destiny. The solemn declaration stands here, that if he does not love the Lord Jesus, he will be, and he ought to be, devoted to destruction. The Lord Jesus will soon return to make investigation, and to judge the world, There will be no escape; and no tongue can express the awful horrors of an ETERNAL CURSE, PRONOUNCED BY THE LIPS OF THE SON OF GOD!

(a) "love not the Lord Jesus" Eph 6:24 (b) "Anathema Maran-atha" Gal 1:8,9 (c) "Maran-atha" Jude 1:14,15 Verse 23. The grace, etc. Rom 16:20.

(d) "grace of" Rom 16:20 Verse 24. In Christ Jesus. Through Christ Jesus; or in connexion with your love to him; i.e., as Christians. This is an expression of tender regard to them as Christian brethren; of his love for the church; and his earnest desire for their welfare. It is in accordance with the usual manner in which he closes his epistles; and it is peculiarly tender, affectionate, and beautiful here, when we consider the manner in which he had been treated by many of the Corinthians; and as following the solemn declaration in 1Cor 16:22. Paul loved them; loved them intensely, and was ever ready to express his affectionate regard for them all, and his earnest desire for their salvation.

The subscription to the epistle, "The first epistle to the Corinthians," etc., was evidently written by some other hand than that of Paul, and has no claim to be regarded as inspired. Probably these subscriptions were added a considerable time after the epistles were first written; and in some instances evidently by some person who was not well informed on the subject. See the Note at the end of the Epistle to the Romans. In this instance, the subscription is evidently in its main statement false. The epistle bears internal marks that it was written from Ephesus, though there is every probability that it was sent by three of the persons who are here mentioned. It is absurd, however, to suppose that Timothy was concerned in bearing the epistle to them, since it is evident, that when it was written he was already on a visit to the churches, and on his way to Corinth. 1Cor 16:10, 1Cor 16:11; 1Cor 4:17. There is not the slightest internal evidence that it was written from Philippi; but everything in the epistle concurs in the supposition that it was sent from Ephesus. See the Introduction to the epistle. There is, however, a considerable variety among the Mss. in regard to the subscription. They are evidently none of them of any authority; and as these subscriptions generally mislead the reader of the Bible, it would have been better had they been omitted.