1 Corinthians ~ Part 31

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As I emphasized in my previous post, we are delving into the profound significance of Sha’ul’s Letters to the Corinthians, a crucial cornerstone of our faith.

Closing Personal Thoughts

Collection For Yerushalayim

The collection may be for the Messianic Jewish community in Yerushalayim. Still, a good case can be made that God’s people (literally, “the saints” or “the holy ones”) means all the Jewish people, Messianic or not—see Romans 15:25–27, where Sha’ul, our esteemed teacher, teaches that Gentile Believers have a duty to aid “the Jews” materially. Whichever is the case, Sha’ul, in his wisdom, had promised the Messianic Jewish leaders in Yerushalayim that he would “remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10). Sha’ul, a man of action, took an earlier such collection to Yerushalayim (Acts 11:27–30, 12:25); this one may be the same as that spoken of in Romans and at Acts 24:17 (compare Acts 20:4, 16 with vv. 3, 8 here). In fundraising, as in other matters, Sha’ul was no slouch; see 2 Corinthians 8:1–9:15 for his skillful and tactful “follow-up letter”; Romans 15:26–27a seems to imply that his efforts succeeded.

16 ¹ Now, in regard to the collection being made for God’s people: you are to do the same as I directed the congregations in Galatia to do. ² Every week, on Motza’ei-Shabbat, each of you should set some money aside, according to his resources, and save it up; so that when I come, I won’t have to do fundraising.

The Hebrew expression ‘departure of the Sabbath’ signifies Saturday night. It is a translation of the Greek phrase, which means ‘every one of a week,’ that is, every first day of the week. The question that arises is: Does this refer to Saturday night or Sunday?

Click here for an exciting discussion of the answer to that question.

³ And when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the people you have approved of, and I will send them to carry your gift to Yerushalayim. ⁴ If it seems appropriate that I go too, they will go along with me.

Sha’ul’s Personal Plans

⁵ I will visit you after I have gone through Macedonia, for I am intending to pass through Macedonia, ⁶ and I may stay with you or even spend the winter so that you may help me continue my travels wherever I may go. ⁷ For I don’t want to see you now when I am only passing through because I am hoping to spend some time with you if the Lord allows it. ⁸ But I will remain in Ephesus until Shavu’ot ⁹ because a great and important door has opened for my work, and there are many people opposing me.

Sha’ul planned to go through Macedonia to Corinth (on his third missionary journey) and possibly spend the winter there. He expected the Corinthians to provide supplies for his journey when he left them. In the meantime, he intended to stay in Ephesus until May (the Jewish feast of Shavu’ot Pentecost) because of the favorable response to the gospel in that city.

About Timothy and Apollos

¹⁰ If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to be afraid of while he is with you; for he is doing the Lord’s work, just as I am. ¹¹ So let no one treat him with disrespect. Help him on his way in peace so that he will return to me, for the brothers and I are expecting him.

Sha’ul gave instructions on how the Corinthian Believers should receive Timothy. The word if (Gk ean) here is equivalent to “whenever.” Sha’ul was certain Timothy was going to Corinth. Help him on his way in peace is idiomatic: “supply him with all he needs for the journey.”

¹² As for Brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to go and visit you along with the other Brothers; and although it was not at all his desire to come at this time, he will come when he has the opportunity. [1]

Apollos, whose vital role in growing the Corinthian church Paul readily acknowledged (see 3:5–6 and note), was most likely unwilling to come now because of gospel duties elsewhere.

In our next post, we will conclude Sha’ul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, starting with 1 Corinthians 16:13 and delving deeper into our topic of Closing Personal Thoughts. Stay tuned for more insights and revelations.

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^[1] 1 Corinthians 16:1-12