The American Wisdom Series 
 https://www.americanwisdomseries.com

Presents 
1 Corinthians

Chapter 16

Caution to students of God's Word - Please remember two things when using our studies: #1. Our commentary is not God's Word. It is only our interpretation or understanding of "His Word" and even though we try our best to be accurate we may or may not be correct. #2. The King James translation, or any other translation, of the original Hebrew text has some words which were given different translations at different places probably because of the interpreters preconceived ideas of what they think God meant to say. For example: According to the notes in the "Dake's Annotated Reference Bible" the Hebrew word hayah in the KJV is Trans. (became) 67 times, (becamest or came to pass) 505 times, (become) 66 times, and (come to pass) 131 times, but for some reason in Genesis 1:2 it is translated (was)! That sure changes the way a person perceives the original creation of the earth, doesn't it?  Gen. 1:2 And the earth was (became) without form, ... Having said that, let us continue with our "Key Knowledge" lessons. These are pamphlets containing knowledge, we believe, you must have to fully and accurately unlock and understand the Word of God.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13-14
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

This Bible Study was originally written by Roger Christopherson,
 published at http://www.theseason.org/ 

Without the leading by the Holy Spirit, there is no understanding of the truths, for all the truth of the Scriptures are revealed to us by God's Spirit.

Now here is our study of:

1 Corinthians

Chapter 16

"Paul's order to the Church, the Salutation."

Paul is now talking about the collection of the tithes and offerings that He and Timothy are going to gather up and take to poor that are in Jerusalem.

I Corinthians 16:2 "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gathers when I come."

Paul is saying that they are to do their gathering of the tithe each Sunday when they meet, so that they don't have to bother with this later when Paul arrives. Paul wants to distance himself between the collecting of money and his teaching of the Word of God."

I Corinthians 16:3 "And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem."

I Corinthians 16:4 "And if it meet that I go also, they shall go with me."

I will take your tithes and offerings to Jerusalem, with those that you have appointed to go also. I will take them with me.

I Corinthians 16:5 "Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia."

Paul is declaring that He definitely will be coming back to Corinth, and he will do it on his way back to through Macedonia. Paul has already set his return route to Jerusalem.

I Corinthians 16:6 "And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go."

Paul was unhappy with these Corinthians, and he is letting them know that he plans on spending a good deal of time with them. He will spend the winter with them when he comes. There was incest, and divisions going on right within the church, and Paul was anxious to do a lot of correcting of their doctrines and understanding before he departed from them.

I Corinthians 16:7 "For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit."

I Corinthians 16:8 "But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost."

There was some problems in Ephesus also that had to be tended to and they will be addressed in Paul next letter to the Corinthians.

I Corinthians 16:9 "For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries."

Everywhere that Paul went the adversaries, or Kenites, were right on his heels, and this was because Paul was such a strong teacher.

I Corinthians 16:10 "Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do."

"Timotheus" is Timothy, and Paul had a lot of love for Timothy. Paul always sought to protect Timothy. This was probably because of the many hardships that he faced when he faced the Jerusalem crowd.

I Corinthians 16:11 "Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren."

We will see later that Paul would receive good news from the Corinthians concerning Timothy. It is clear from verses ten and eleven that this first letter to the Corinthians was not sent by Timothy. Timothy had already departed, as is given in I Corinthians 4:17 and because Timothy would travel a circuit route to Corinth, this letter might arrive in Corinth long before Timothy's arrival. However, Paul was expecting Timothy to be in time to return with the bearers of the letter, who were probably the men named in verse seventeen [Stephanas, Achaicus and Fortunatus].

I Corinthians 16:12 "As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time."

Apollos will to be with the Corinthians was very strong negatively to go there. With all the things what were going on in Corinth at this time, Apollos simply did not to have any thing to do with these Christians. They were trying to case a split between the Christians into division, where one sided with Paul and another with Apollos, yet Paul and Apollos were of one mind concerning the doctrines of Christ. When you stop and think of what was happening In Corinth, the divisions were over the levels of understanding of God's Word. Paul planted the seed, Apollos watered that seed, Peter gave another watering of the same seed , which was the Word of God and the other division was to disregard the others and go to the Word of God, which was the teachings of the Old Testament regarding the body of Christ. The seed is the Word of God, and no matter if it is taught on the first, second or third lever, it is all the Word of God on the level of understanding of the hearer.

Much like the church world today, the Corinthians were were so busy in their divisions that they could not stop and consider the fact that it is not the man doing the teaching, but Gods through the Word itself. Apollos saw the divisions that were taking place and he did not want to add to the confusion that they were bringing upon themselves. However, he does come at a later time when he finds pleasure in what they were doing. Apollos knew that Paul started the church there in Corinth, and you can see the love of Apollos for Paul by stepping aside and allowing Paul to straighten out the Church in their doctrine before he would return.

I Corinthians 16:13 "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."

Paul is telling the Corinthians to stand strong in their faith in Jesus Christ, and stop being like the men of the world. Learn to be strong in your faith to where every wind of doctrine will send you in many directions. Drop that incest, and all those other divisions and other things that are going on right inside the church.

I Corinthians 16:14 "Let all your things be done with charity."

Let love come into your hearts towards your brethren.

I Corinthians 16:15 "I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)"

Paul is saying, if you want to be addicted to something, be addicted like Stephanas was to the ministry of the saints. There are thousands of souls that are brought of the power and addiction of drugs and alcohol, when they became addicted to the power of the Word of God, and the ministry of the saints. Our heavenly Father gives them the strength to do it, and they do.

I Corinthians 16:16 "That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth."

I Corinthians 16:17 "I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which as lacking on your part they have supplied."

These three men from Corinth, Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus kept Paul's company and cheered him up when they stopped by there with their letters from Corinth.

I Corinthians 16:18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such."

I Corinthians 16:19 "The church of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house."

Aquilla and Priscilla were very popular with Paul, and they held church right in their home.

I Corinthians 16:20 "All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss."

I Corinthians 16:21 "The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand."

I Corinthians 16:22 "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha."

When you read this verse, make sure you give a pause between "Anathema..". and "Maran-atha". "Anathema" means "accursed" in the Greek. And according to Dr. James Moffitt "Maran-atha" means "Lord come". It is a state of looking forward anxiously to the coming of the Lord.

I Corinthians 16:23 "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."

I Corinthians 16:24 "My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen."

This concludes the first book or letter to the Corinthians. Paul loved this church that he established at the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though Paul was disappointed in the Corinthians, he still have a very special place in his heart for them. Paul asked them, should I appear with a whip in my hand, or with love? For it was up to them how Paul would come to them.