| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
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| 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, through the will of God, and Timothy the brother,–unto the assembly of God which is in Corinth, together with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: |
An apostle – Showing the divine authority for Paul's teachings. R1419:2
All the saints – The word "saint" is used to designate the truly consecrated. R1139:1
This entire epistle is addressed to the Church, the saints. NS569:3
Those who can not properly apply the term "saint"--sanctified in Christ Jesus--to themselves, can not properly apply to themselves the exceeding great and precious promises. R2987:4
Prospective "saints," the "elect," a "Little Flock." This class alone that receives spirit-begetting is the only class addressed throughout the New Testament. SM628:1
The followers of Jesus, of no earthly sect or party, "The church of the first-borns, whose names are written in heaven," (Heb. 12:23) who have died to worldly it. SM391:2
This letter, together with the other epistles, was designed by the holy Spirit for the instruction of the whole Church, during the entire Gospel age. R1386:1
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| 2 Favour unto you, and peace, from God [our] Father, and Lord Jesus Christ. |
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| 3 Blessed, be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions, and God of all encouragement, |
Father of our Lord – Our Lord Jesus is not THE God, he never was and never will be. R5748:3
Father of mercies – The God of the Bible is not a vengeful God, not unkind. R4982:3
"The God of all grace," whose name is love, and who is perfect in all his ways. SM443:1-445:2
All comfort – The Apostle used "comfort" ten times in vss. 3-7. He used it seven times in chapter 7, vss. 4-13. R3435:4
Paul was peculiarly fond of repetition. Our modern taste prefers a change in sound to monotonous repetition, but change sometimes loses the force and power of repetition. R52:5*
Only the Bible reveals a God that is working all things for the ultimate comfort of as many of his creatures as will accept his favors after being brought to a knowledge of the truth respecting them. NS836:4
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| 4 Who encourageth us in all our tribulation, to the end we may be able to encourage them who are in any tribulation–through means of the encouragement wherewith we, ourselves, are encouraged by God. |
Who comforteth us – With the holy Spirit--the channel of divine favor--called the Comforter. (John 14:26) R2665:1
How often the Lord has thus comforted us, and how such comfort offsets the adverse conditions incident to the present pilgrim way! R3384:4
Paul exemplified his own words on an ill-fated ship. (Acts 27) R4506:5
To comfort them – The children of God, who have learned the true source of comfort, are the only ones properly qualified to be comforters, in the Scriptural sense. R5537:4
Whether while still in the flesh, or after we have come into our inheritance beyond the veil, we are to be comforters. R5537:4
Ability to be a comforter depends upon growth in grace and knowledge, for none but those who themselves are comforted can dispense this grace to others. R3435:3
All of our lessons and experiences in life in connection with trials and difficulties should make us the more capable in communicating comfort to others. R2665:5
"Comfort all that mourn." (Isa. 61:2) R2665:4
The word comfort does not contain the thought of relief, but rather that of strengthen together, or added strength. R3734:4
By the comfort – "Patience and comfort of the scriptures." (Rom. 15:4) R2665:1
Comforted of God – "Comfort one another with these words." (1 Thes. 4:18) R2665:2
"Comfort yourselves together and edify one another." (1 Thes. 5:11) R2665:4
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| 5 Because, even as the sufferings of the Christ overflow unto us, so, through the Christ, overfloweth, our encouragement also. |
Sufferings of Christ – We, the members of his Body, fill up the measure of the sufferings of Christ which are behind. And these sufferings require all of the Gospel age to complete. T50
Whosoever believeth in Christ is justified from all sin, and sickness is a mark of sin; yet God appoints this Gospel age as the time for the Church's trial and suffering, so we are not freed from sickness yet. R2000:3
The afflictions of the gospel can not be endured without the consolations of the gospel. R27:3*
Our consolation – How much the Church needed such consolation, how much the God of all comfort wished to have his faithful ones comforted, and even the strongest in the Church, the apostles, needed comfort. R3435:4
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| 6 But, whether we are in tribulation, it is for your encouragement and salvation; whether we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement, which worketh inwardly by the endurance of the same sufferings which, we also, suffer;– |
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| 7 And so, our hope, is sure in your behalf,–knowing that,–as ye are sharers of the sufferings, so, also of the encouragement. |
Ye are partakers – "Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings." (1 Pet. 4:13) T50 When Jesus gave his ctakers of the sufferings of Christ. R4475:1
Of the sufferings – These sufferings require all of the Gospel age to complete them. T50
Blessed are all in Zion who mourn over and lament the mighty power of evil in high places, both of church and of state. Setting themselves in opposition to it, they incur reproach. R1493:6*
The consolation – "Your sorrow shall be turned into joy." (John 16:20) R1493:6*
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| 8 For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, as to our tribulation which happened in Asia,–that, exceedingly, beyond power, were we weighed down, so that we despaired, even of life. |
Our trouble – It may have been the intention to have the Apostle cast into the arena to be devoured by wild beasts (1 Cor. 15:32), or it is possible that hfe. R2207:5
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| 9 But, we ourselves, within ourselves, have had the sentence of death, that we might not rest our confidence upon ourselves, but upon God, who raiseth the dead, |
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| 10 Who, out of so great a death, rescued us, and will rescue,–unto whom we have turned our hope, [that], even yet, he will rescue: |
He will yet deliver us – Saved from death as yet only by hope. (Rom. 8:24) Believers cannot experienresurrection. F697
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| 11 Ye also labouring together on our behalf, by your supplication, that, unto many persons, being due the gift of favour, unto us, through means of many, might thanks be given in our behalf. |
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| 12 For, our boasting, is, this,–the witness of our conscience, that, in sanctity and sincerity of God, [and] not in fleshly wisdom, but in God's favour, have we behaved ourselves in the world,–and more abundantly towards you. |
Godly sincerity – Delighting in the beauty of holiness, adorned with a meek and quiet spirit, submissive to discipline, patient in tribulation, abounding in the work of the Lord and delighting only in his manifest favor. R2123:3*
It requires constant watching and purging, humility, sobriety, godliness, to enable us to put this in practice. R2038:2
A warning to guard against every approach to a spirit of pride and vain glory. R1972:2
Fleshly wisdom – The wisdom of this world which depends on self and takes credit to self. R1988:1
By the grace of God – We are men of passions like Peter's: a very little exaltation often engenders pride, against which we must guard with the grace of God. R1988:1
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| 13 For, no other things, are we writing unto you, than what ye are either reading or even acknowledging,–I hope, moreover, that, throughout, ye will acknowledge, |
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| 14 According as ye have also acknowledged us, in part,–that, your theme of boasting, we are, even indeed as, ye, also [shall be], ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus. |
We are your rejoicing – Those who were noting Paul's trials and how he walked in them, were stimulated to do likewise. R4449:3*
As ye also are ours – Paul's hope is that in the day of the Lord Jesus the believers would be a cause of rejoicing, like epistles sent to the "ends of the earth," and "known and read of all men." (Acts 13:47; 2 Cor. 3:2) R1323:5
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| 15 And, in this confidence, I purposed, before, to come unto you,–in order that, a second joy, ye might have,– |
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| 16 And, by your means, to pass into Macedonia, and, again, from Macedonia, to come unto you, and, by you, be set forward unto Judea:– |
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| 17 This, then, being my purpose, perhaps, after all, with lightness, I dealt [with the matter]? or, the things that I purpose, according to the flesh, I purpose,–that, with me, should be the Yea, yea, and the Nay, nay? |
Did I use lightness? – False brethren urged that Paul erred in teaching that circumcision was unnecessary to the Gentiles; that his teachings were not fixed and consistent. R4517:6
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| 18 Faithful, however, is God, in that, our discourse, which was [delivered] unto you, is not Yea and Nay; |
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| 19 For, the Son of God, Christ Jesus–who, among you, through us, was proclaimed,–through me, and Silvanus, and Timothy, became not Yea and Nay,–but Yea, in him, hath it become; |
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| 20 For, how many soever be the promises of God, in him, is the Yea,–wherefore also, through him, [be] the Amen, unto God, for glory, through us. |
The promises of God – The world does not see the overshadowing wings of divine protection, but the faithful have a blessed secret realization of it and may sweetly rest in the precious promises. R4925:6, 3331:5
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| 21 Now, he that confirmeth us, together with you, for Christ, and hath anointed us, is God: |
Stablisheth us – Sets us, establishes us. R5498:3
Hath anointed us – Of the holy Spirit. R5498:3
The saints of this Gospel age are an anointed company--The Christ. A81
The Spirit in the sense of enlightening and anointing is given only to the Body of Christ (anointed). R218:5, 5498:3; F132; Q23:T
When we come into Christ, we come into the anointing. If you and I maintain our membership in his Body, we are members of the Anointed One, we are under that anointing. Q23:T
Is God – God does the calling of those who come to him. R5498:3
"No man taketh this honor to himself." (Heb. 5:4) R5498:3
It is not the province of even our Redeemer to set us and anoint us. R5498:6
We are anointed in him by God. We cannot deal directly with God apart from Christ; we are not independent of Jesus. R1768:3*
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| 22 Who also hath sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. |
Hath also sealed us – Sealing goes beyond the anointing; you were not only anointed with the holy Spirit--you were also sealed. Our sealing, the imprint of the Lord's character upon us, is continuing unto the day of redemption. Q23:1
Marked or indicated by the giving of the holy Spirit. (Eph. 1:13) F132
Not an outward sign upon our foreheads, but in the heart. The Spirit of adoption or sealing as sons--the very cream of Christian experiences in the present life. E247
Impressed by the holy Spirit into the image of our dear Master through the promises of God. Those who are sealed have a considerable measure of appreciation of the truth. R5498:6
God only seals those hearts that are submitted willingly, joyfully, gladly, and fully, to him. CR349:4
Once entered into, the covenant or agreement is unalterable, the matter is fixed and sealed. R131:5
The earnest of the Spirit – There is a change of nature for the Church, which begins here and is completed in the resurrection. R626:4
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| 23 But, I, call upon God, as a witness, against my own soul,–that, to spare you, not yet, have I come unto Corinth: |
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| 24 Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are, helpers, of your joy, for, by your faith, ye stand. |
But are helpers – The Lord does not raise up rulers from among our brethren in the Body of Christ; but he does raise up faithful leaders, to whom earnest heed should be given. R1559:4
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