1 Corinthians 2

1 Corinthians 2:1

Distributing to the necessity of the saints. Making the needs of fellow saints your own and helping them. Given to hospitality. This duty was especially needful in those early days when Christians were so often driven from their homes by persecution.

1 Corinthians 2:2

Bless them which persecute you. See Matthew 5:44. Thus did Christ on the cross (Lu 23:34), and the martyred Stephen (Acts 7:60). He who can obey this precept is a transformed man.

1 Corinthians 2:3

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, etc. Sympathize with the joys and sorrows of others.

1 Corinthians 2:4

[Be] of the same mind one toward another. Let there be harmony; a spirit of concord. Mind not high things. Do not seek for official or social distinction. Obedience to this would eliminate caste from the church. But condescend to men of low estate. Instead of seeking pre-eminence, we are to walk in lowly spirit like our Savior. Be not wise in your own conceits. Conceited and opinionated as the result.

1 Corinthians 2:6

If it be porssible, . . . live peaceably with all men. If you can do so. Sometimes it is impossible. Sometimes sinners are exceedingly mad against the saints. But we are to be “peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9).

1 Corinthians 2:7

Beloved, avenge not yourselves. If we are injured, we are to leave the matter in the hands of God and give place unto wrath. He sees and resents the injuries of his children. For it is written. See Deuteronomy 32:35. Vengeance [is] mine . . . saith the Lord. The Lord claims it as his prerogative to avenge what needs to be avenged. When we do it, we trample on the divine rights.

1 Corinthians 2:8

If thine enemy hunger, feed him. This is the spirit of Christ’s command, to return good for evil. Compare Proverbs 25:21,23. In so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Thou wilt by this kindness most readily subdue him, and make him feel most keenly the wrong he has done.

1 Corinthians 2:9

Be not overcome by evil. Don’t let the fact that you are treated wickedly induce you to do wrong, but overcome evil with good , by returning good for evil. This sums up the whole matter respecting the treatment of adversaries. Happy would it be if the Christian world could come up to these requirements! The logic of kind deeds is more powerful than the logic of argument.

1 Corinthians 2:11

The Christians and Civil Government SUMMARY OF ROMANS 13: Civil Government an Appointment of God. A Protection to the Law-Abiding. A Terror to Evil Doers. Must Be Supported by Taxes and Customs. Love the Fulfillment of the Divine Law. The Christian to Live a Holy, Spiritual Life. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. To the established civil government. Why should Paul, in this portion of the epistle to Christian life, give this exhortation to obedience to civil government? Perhaps for several reasons: (1) The Christians at that early period were usually associated by the heathen with the Jews, and the Jews were noted for turbulence. See Acts 18:2. (2) The fires that broke forth a few years later, in the Jewish uprising that led to the destruction of Jerusalem, were already smoldering wherever there were those of Jewish blood. Many Christians were Jews by birth. (3) There was danger that Christians, especially under persecution, should be inclined to make disturbance. (4) Some even held that since Christ’s kingdom was established human governments had no rightful existence. There is no power but of God. He is the source of all authority, and he has appointed human governments for the welfare of man. The existing government over us is to be regarded as a divine arrangement.

1 Corinthians 2:12

Whosoever therefore resisteth the power. It follows that he who seeks to break down his government by fighting the ordinance of God, and shall be liable to punishment. This implies a loyal submission to the forms of government over us. It does not imply that we shall obey wicked magistrates when they command us to disobey God. See Acts 4:19.

1 Corinthians 2:13

For rulers are not a terror to good works. This is the general rule. Of course there have been occasional exceptions, when some human monster has been invested with absolute power, but the principle is true. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? It is not the law-abiding, but the lawless, who fear the law. Rulers as a class are a blessing. There was an exception a few years later when Nero developed his fiendish hate of all good.

1 Corinthians 2:14

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. The ruler, the guardian of order and the preserver of peace is, as a rule, a blessing. He beareth not the sword in vain. Not only did the magistrate wear the sword, but one was borne before him in public processions as an emblem of his right to use it in the interests of order and justice.

1 Corinthians 2:15

Wherefore . . . not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. There are two reasons for obedience to the civil ruler: (1) If one fails to obey him, he will be a subject of his wrath (judgment) and be punished. (2) It is God’s will that we should obey our civil rulers. Hence, conscience should be a motive.

1 Corinthians 2:16

For this cause pay ye tribute also. Taxes. The taxes gathered from the Roman provinces were called tribute. As the rulers are God’s ministers, his agents to attend to necessary duties, it is right that they should be supported.