31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn,

and all may be comforted.

observed in the worship of God.

33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace,

d

c

as in all churches of the

saints.

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a 1 Thess. v. 19, 20.- 1 John iv. 1.- C Gr. tumult, or, unquietness.

has a psalm; let another teach who has a doctrine; and let a third exhort, or comfort, who has a gift of

that kind.

And let the other judge.] The other prophets, or qualified persons, judge of the propriety of what had been spoken; or let them discern, diaкpiverwσav, how the revelation under the New Covenant confirmed and illustrated the revelation granted under the Old Testament. It appears to have been taken for granted, that a man might pretend to this spirit of prophecy who was not sent of God; and therefore it was the duty of the accredited teachers to examine whether what he spoke was according to truth, and the analogy of faith. For the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets; Every man's gift was to be judged of by those whose age, experience, and wisdom, gave them a right to decide. Besides, though the person who did speak might do it from an impulse of God, yet, if he was not sufficiently known, his testimony ought to be received with caution; and therefore the aged prophets should judge of his gift, lest false doctrines should slide into the church.

But all these provisions, as Schoettgen justly observes, were in imitation of the practice in the Jewish synagogues; for there it was customary for them to object, interrogate, judge, refute, &c.

Verse 30. Be revealed to another that sitteth by] Probably those who were teachers sat on a particular seat, or place, from which they might most readily address the people; and this may be the meaning of sitting by. If such a person could say, I have just received a particular revelation from God, then let him have the liberty immediately to speak it; as it might possibly relate to the circumstances of that time and place.

Verse 31. For ye may all prophesy one by one] The gifts which God grants are given for the purpose of edification; but there can be no edification where there is confusion; therefore let them speak one by one. Verse 32. And the spirits of the prophets, &c.] Let no one interrupt another; and let all be ready to prefer others before themselves; and let each feel a spirit of subjection to his brethren. God grants no ungovernable gifts.

beware how they attribute such disorder to the God of order and peace. The apostle calls such conduct AKATAOTασia, tumult, sedition; and such it is in the sight of God, and in the sight of all good men. How often is a work of God marred and discredited by the folly of men! for nature will always, and Satan too, mingle themselves as far as they can in the genuine work of the Spirit, in order to discredit and destroy it. Nevertheless, in great revivals of religion it is almost impossible to prevent wild-fire from getting in amongst the true fire; but it is the duty of the ministers of God to watch against and prudently check this; but if themselves encourage it, then there will be confusion and every evil work.

Verse 34. Let your women keep silence in the churches] This was a Jewish ordinance; women were not permitted to teach in the assemblies, or even to ask questions. The rabbins taught that "a woman should know nothing but the use of her distaff." And the sayings of Rabbi Eliezer, as delivered, Bammidbar Rabba, sect. 9, fol. 204, are both worthy of remark and of execration; they are these: 157

yisrephu dibrey torah veal yimsaru lenashim, "Let the words of the law be burned, rather than that they should be delivered to

women."

This was their condition till the time of the gospel, when, according to the prediction of Joel, the Spirit of God was to be poured out on the women as well as the men, that they might prophesy, i. e. teach. And that they did prophesy or teach is evident from what the apostle says, chap. xi. 5, where he lays down rules to regulate this part of their conduct while ministering in the church.

But does not what the apostle says here contradict that statement, and show that the words in chap. xi. should be understood in another sense? For, here it is expressly said that they should keep silence in the church; for it was not permitted to a woman to speak. Both places seem perfectly consistent. It is evident from the context that the apostle refers here to asking questions, and what we call dictating in the assemblies. It was permitted to any man to ask questions, to object, altercate, attempt to refute, &c., in the synagogue; but this liberty was not allowed to any woman. St. Paul confirms this in reference also to the Christian church; he orders them to keep silence; and, if they wished to learn any thing, let them in

fectly indecorous for women to be contending with men in public assemblies, on points of doctrine, cases

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

once;

с

f

preached to the Corinthians.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of

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all the apostles.

d

k

Lake xxiv. 34.- b Matt. xxviii. 17. Mark xvi. 14. Luke xxiv. 36. John xx. 19, 26. Acts x. 41.- - Luke xxiv. 50. Acts i. 3, 4-d Acts ix. 4, 17. xxii. 14, 18. Ch. ix. 1. Or, an abortive.- - Eph. iii. 8.- - Acts

was a figure of Christ's resurrection. Bishop Pearce and others refer to Matt. xii. 40; xvi. 21; and Luke ix. 22; "which two gospels, having been written at the time when Paul wrote this epistle, were properly called by the name of the Sacred Scriptures." It might be so; but I do not know of one proof in the New Testament where its writings, or any part of them, are called the scriptures.

Verse 5. That he was seen of Cephas, then of the turtle] This refers to the journey to Emmaus, Luke xxiv. 13 and 34; and to what is related Mark xvi. 14. Then of the twelve] Instead of dwoɛka, twelve, evdɛкa, elete, is the reading of D*EFG, Syriac in the margin, some of the Slavonic, Armenian, Vulgate, Itain, and several of the Fathers; and this reading is supported by Mark xvi. 14. Perhaps the term twelve is used here merely to point out the society of the pats, who, though at this time they were only detea, were still called the twelve, because this was their original number, and a number which was afterwards filled up. See John xx. 24.

Verse 6. Above five hundred brethren at once] This was probably in Galilee, where our Lord had many disciples. See Matt. xxviii. 16. What a remarkable testimony is this to the truth of our Lord's resurrection Fire hundred persons saw him at one time; the greater part of whom were alive when the apostle wrote, and he might have been confronted by many if he had dared to assert a falsity.

Verse 7. After that, he was seen of James] But there, and on what occasion, we are not told; nor indeed do we know which James is intended; James the son of Zebedee, or James the son of Alpheus. But one thing is sufficiently evident, from what is here said, that this James, of whom the apostle speaks, was still alive; for the apostle's manner of speaking justifies this conclusion.

Then of all the apostles.] Including, not only the dren, but, as some suppose, the seventy-two disdales.

Verse 8. And last of all—of me also] It seems that it was essential to the character of a primitive apostle that he had seen and conversed with Christ; and it is evident, from the history of Saul's conversion, Acts ix. 4-7, where see the notes, that Jesus Christ did appear to him; and he pleaded this ever

viii. 3. ix. 1. Gal. i. 13. Phil. iii. 6. 1 Tim. i. 13. b Eph. ii. 7, 8.- 2 Cor. xi. 23. xii. 11.- k Matt. x. 20. Rom. xv. 18, 19. 2 Cor. iii. 5. Gal. ii. 8. Eph. iii. 7. Phil. ii, 13.

And it

after as a proof of his call to the apostleship. does not appear that, after this time, Jesus ever did make any personal discovery of himself to any one.

As of one born out of due time.] The apostle considers himself as coming after the time in which Jesus Christ personally conversed with his disciples; and that, therefore, to see him at all, he must see him in this extraordinary way. Some have entered into a very disgusting detail on the figure used here by the apostle. The words, σTEρEL TO EкTowμаTɩ, signify not merely one born out of due time, but one born before his time; and consequently, not bidding fair for vigour, usefulness, or long life. But it is likely that the apostle had a different meaning; and that he refers to the original institution of the twelve apostles, in the rank of whom he never stood, being appointed not to fill up a place among the twelve, but as an extra and additional apostle. Rosenmüller says that those who were beyond the number of twelve senators were termed abortivi, abortives; and refers to Suetonius in Octavio, cap. 35. I have examined the place, but find no such epithet. According to Suetonius, in that place, they were called orcini-persons who had assumed the senatorial dignity after the death of Julius Cæsar, pretending that they had derived that honour from him.

Verse 9. I am the least of the apostles] This was literally true in reference to his being chosen last, and chosen not in the number of the twelve, but as an extra apostle. How much pains do some men take to make the apostle contradict himself, by attempting to show that he was the very greatest of the apostles, though he calls himself the least! Taken as a man, and a minister of Christ, he was greater than any of the twelve; taken as an apostle he was less than any of the twelve, because not originally in that body.

Am not meet to be called an apostle] None of the twelve had ever persecuted Christ, nor withstood his doctrine: Saul of Tarsus had been, before his conversion, a grievous persecutor; and therefore he says, ovк εijui ikavos, I am not proper to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God, i. e. of Christ, which none of the apostles ever did.

Verse 10. But, by the grace of God I am what I am] God, by his mere grace and good will, has called me to be an apostle, and has denominated me such.

Arguments to prove the

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b

resurrection of the dead.

And his grace, &c.] Nor have I been unfaithful to the divine call; I used the grace which he gave me; and when my labours, travels, and sufferings are considered, it will be evident that I have laboured more abundantly than the whole twelve. This was most literally true.

Yet not I, but the grace of God] It was not through my own power or wisdom that I performed these things, but through the divine influence which accompanied me.

Verse 11. Whether it were I or they] All the apostles of Christ agree in the same doctrines; we all preach one and the same thing; and, as we preached, so ye believed; having received from us the true apostolical faith, that Jesus died for our sins, and rose again for our justification; and that his resurrection is the pledge and proof of ours. Whoever teaches contrary to this does not preach the true apostolic doctrine.

Paul was the last of the primitive apostles. The primitive apostles were those who had seen Christ, and got their call to the apostolate immediately from himself. There were many apostles after this time, but they were all secondary; they had a divine call, but it was internal, and never accompanied by any vision or external demonstration of that Christ who had been manifested in the flesh.

Verse 12. Now if Christ be preached, &c.] Sceing it is true that we have thus preached Christ, and ye have credited this preaching, how say some among you, who have professed to receive this doctrine from us, that there is no resurrection of the dead, though we have shown that his resurrection is the proof and pledge of ours? That there was some false teacher, or teachers, among them, who was endeavouring to incorporate Mosaic rites and ceremonies with the Christian doctrines, and even to blend Sadduceeism with the whole, appears pretty evident. To confute this mongrel Christian, and overturn his bad doctrine, the apostle writes this chapter.

Verse 13. If there be no resurrection of the dead] As Christ was partaker of the same flesh and blood with us, and he promised to raise mankind from the dead through his resurrection, if the dead rise not then Christ has had no resurrection. There seem to

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16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

с

18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in

e Rom. iv. 25.- d 2 Tim. iii. 12.

have been some at Corinth who, though they denied the resurrection of the dead, admitted that Christ had risen again: the apostle's argument goes therefore to state that, if Christ was raised from the dead, mankind may be raised; if mankind cannot be raised from the dead, then the body of Christ was never raised.

Verse 14. Then is our preaching vain] Our whole doctrine is useless, nugatory, and false. And your faith is also vain.] Your belief of a false doctrine must necessarily be to you unprofitable. Verse 15. False witnesses.] As having testified the fact of Christ's resurrection, as a matter which ourselves had witnessed, when we knew that we bore testimony to a falsehood. But could five hundred persons agree in this imposition? And, if they did, is it possible that some one would not discover the cheat, when he could have no interest in keeping the secret, and might greatly promote his secular interest by making the discovery? Such a case never occurred, and never can occur. The testimony, therefore, concerning the resurrection of Christ, is incontrovertibly true.

If so be that the dead rise not.] This clause is wanting in DE, Syriac, some of the Slavonian, and Itala; several also of the primitive Fathers omit it. Its great similarity to the following words might be the cause of its omission by some copyists.

Verse 17. Ye are yet in your sins.] If Christ has not risen from the dead, there is no proof that he has not been justly put to death. If he were a malefactor, God would not work a miracle to raise him from the dead. If he has not been raised from the dead, there is a presumption that he has been put to death justly; and, if so, consequently he has made no atonement; and ye are yet in your sins-under the power, guilt, and condemnation of them. All this reasoning of the apostle goes to prove that at Corinth, even among those false teachers, the innocency of our Lord was allowed, and the reality of his resurrection not questioned.

Verse 18. They also which are fallen asleep] All those who, either by martyrdom or natural death, have departed in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, are perished; their hope was without foundation, and