(Chap. 16:5-24)
Before closing the epistle, the Apostle gives the Corinthians some practical exhortations that he hoped would encourage them to do the will of God, and those things that he exhorted in the epistle.
Paul’s Planned Visit to Corinth Postponed
Vss. 5-9—Paul tells them of his plans to visit the assemblies in “Macedonia,” and also to come to them at Corinth, but for the time being he would stay at “Ephesus” because there was an open door in the gospel there (vss. 8-9). This shows that it is not wrong for the Lord’s servants to have an itinerary as he serves the Lord.
Verse 6 indicates that while the servant may have definite plans in his travels, he should also be flexible in those plans. He said that he would like to come to Corinth if the Lord opened the way (vss. 5-6), but for the time being he had postponed the trip (vs. 7). Had he gone to Corinth, he would have had to use his apostolic authority as a rod of correction and judge many of them who were at fault. Instead, he waited and looked for repentance in them and a setting right of the disorders in the assembly. He didn’t come out and tell them that directly here because it might have given them a wrong reason for correcting things. Therefore, he wisely desisted, and waited on the Spirit of God to work in them producing the necessary fruits of repentance. Later, when they had corrected the disorders in their midst, he wrote the second epistle and was free to tell them why he did not come at this time. It was to “spare” them (2 Cor. 1:2323Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. (2 Corinthians 1:23)). He would have had to use his apostolic power in a disciplinary way (1 Cor. 4:2121What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? (1 Corinthians 4:21)—“a rod”).
Service Under the Lordship of Christ
Vss. 10-18—In this whole closing passage we see a beautiful picture of the various servants of the Lord at work in His vineyard. Some were travelling from place to place ministering to the Lord’s people—such as “Paul,” “Timotheus,” and “Apollos.” Others were serving locally such as “Stephanas,” “Fortunatus,” and “Achaicus.” They are all found working under the Lordship of Christ and being directed by Him in their work. There is no mention of them reporting to a missionary board that would dispatch them to their appointed place of work, as it is usually done today. Such is a man-made idea that interferes with the servants’ immediate responsibilities under the Lordship of Christ.
This chapter shows that when Christ gives gifts (Eph. 4:1111And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (Ephesians 4:11)) that they are directly responsible to Him in their ministry. The Head of the Church is in heaven, and He will direct the members of His body in their sphere of ministry, if they look to Him. We find that in the early days of Christianity the work of the Lord was not carried out under an organization of men—not even the apostles. That was, and still is, solely the work of the Spirit of God. What He did then we can count on Him to do now. Scripture says, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:3838Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest. (Matthew 9:38)). And again, “As they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Separate Me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then, having fasted and prayed, and having laid their hands on them, they let them go. They therefore, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia” (Acts 13:2-42As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. (Acts 13:2‑4)).
These references indicate that the Lord’s servants are to be free to act under His immediate direction. Scripture knows nothing of the Lord’s servants being controlled by an earth organization of men, but by the Lord through the Holy Spirit. The Lord, by the Spirit, sent Paul and Barnabas into the field, and there is no mention of them reporting to a board for direction and support in that service. Neither was there any mention of the servants of the Lord in that day going to a seminary before they ministered. The possession of a gift to minister the Word was their warrant to use that gift (1 Peter 4:10-1110As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10‑11)). It should be the same today.
The Church should recognize a gift as being sent of the Lord and should give the person “the right hands of fellowship” in that work that he does, as was the case in Antioch in regard to Barnabas and Saul (Acts 13:33And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. (Acts 13:3); Gal. 2:99And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. (Galatians 2:9)). This might be a practical gift of financial support. But the Church or any parachurch organization involved in the work of sending servants is really interfering with the servant’s immediate responsibility to act under the Lord. They tend to become servants of that organization to fulfil its goals and are made answerable to it in their ministry.
We don’t see any such thing in this passage or any passage in the Scriptures. Earlier in the epistle Paul said that he would encourage Timothy to go to Corinth and remind them of his ways in Christ, and to exhort them as to their responsibility to set things in order (1 Cor. 4:1717For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. (1 Corinthians 4:17)). This was a nice desire of Paul, but it is as far as he would go. No apostle had authority over another servant to send him to a work if he didn’t feel led to do so. An apostle could recommend it, and encourage one in that direction, but ultimately a person has to feel led of the Lord. He says here, “Now if Timotheus come ... .” (vs. 10). This shows that even though the Apostle desired Timothy to go to Corinth, he understood that Timothy had to be directed of the Lord in it. There was a possibility that Timothy would not feel led to go.
Paul exhorted the Corinthians that “if” he did come, that they were to let him be among them “without fear.” Timothy was a timid young worker, and they needed to give him space to exercise his gift in ministry. With the confusion going on in their meetings (chap. 14:26), someone like Timothy would never be able to get a word in. So Paul said, “Let no man therefore despise him” (vs. 11). Timothy not only did “the work of the Lord,” but he did it in the same manner and spirit “as” the Apostle Paul. This was a high commendation indeed.
We see here that “Apollos” was not under apostolic direction either (vs. 12). Paul said that he “greatly desired” that Apollos would go to Corinth, but he had other places on his heart. Apollos looked to the Lord and felt directed not to go at that time. The Apostle, having expressed his desire, respects his convictions and leaves the servant of the Lord free to act before his Master.
We might wonder if Paul would not go to Corinth because of the problems, and why he would encourage other servants to go. The reason, we believe, is that he was an apostle and would be forced to act in judgment among them. Carrying such a responsibility, he desired that others would go and seek to bring them to repentance, so that when he came, he would not have to act in judgment.
Verses 13-14 indicate that the assembly at Corinth was not dependent on the servants of the Lord coming to correct things; they were directly responsible to the Lord to set things in order themselves. Five little exhortations follow. All were aimed at stirring the Corinthians into action in regards to the need to set right the disorders in their assembly. He says, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity [love].”
We see in the case of “Stephanas,” “Fortunatus,” and “Achaicus,” that they too were doing the work of the Lord. But it was primarily in a local sense. “The house of Stephanas” is set before us as a model of leadership in the assembly. They were marked by caring for the flock. They had “addicted [devoted] themselves to the ministry [service] of the saints” (vs. 15). This is a beautiful commendation. We do not read that Paul had appointed elders in that assembly (perhaps because of their carnality), but even though there were none in that place officially, the work of oversight went on.
This is a pattern for us today since we have no apostle to appoint elders in our assemblies. The Spirit of God can still raise up ones to take the lead and care for the flock, and the work of oversight can still go on (Acts 20:2828Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)). It is just that we don’t have any apostolic power to appoint them to that place officially. The Corinthians were to “submit” themselves to such (vs. 16) and “acknowledge” them in that place (vs. 18). Compare also Hebrews 13:1717Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17) and 1 Thessalonians 5:11-1211Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 12And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; (1 Thessalonians 5:11‑12).
We find that as was the case with the other servants of the Lord, “Stephanas,” “Fortunatus,” and “Achaicus” were not under any apostolic direction. They had gone to the Apostle on their own volition as led by the Lord and supplied things to him which were “lacking” on the part of the Corinthian assembly (vs. 17). This is a reference to their practical fellowship with the Apostle that the assembly as a whole did not communicate. In the face of this lack, these three brothers provided for Paul out of their own pockets.
Final Salutations
Vss. 19-24—Various salutations from various assemblies and individuals are given by the Apostle as he closes the epistle. Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that even though there were serious things in their assembly that needed to be corrected, the other assemblies were still in fellowship with them, and saluted them. This was to confirm to the Corinthians that the assemblies abroad had not abandoned them. If they refused to correct those things, actions would have to be taken whereby they would be disowned as an assembly, but until that time they were still in fellowship. This is an important principle. The presence of sin in an assembly does not automatically make it cease to be an assembly gathered to the Lord’s name (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)). It is only after patience and remonstrance with such an assembly that proves to be harbouring evil in its midst in self-will, that an action must be made to clear the Lord’s name. Another assembly that is nearest to the problem morally—in the sense of having had some prior interaction with them in regard to the issue at hand—should act on behalf of the assemblies at large to disown the assembly at fault. They may not be the assembly that is geographically nearest, but they are morally nearest the problem.
Paul closes with a solemn warning to any among them who might not be saved. He says, “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha” (vs. 22). “Anathema Maranatha” means to be accursed when the Lord comes. He has alluded in various places in the epistle that there was a strong likelihood that there were some among them who were mere professors. Every true believer will “love” the Lord Jesus Christ. They prove their love to Him by keeping His commandments (John 14:1515If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15); 1 Cor. 14:3737If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 14:37)). Those who will not walk in obedience prove themselves to be false, and Paul warns that certain judgment was awaiting them.
“Grace” from the Lord Jesus Christ and “love” from the Apostle is commended to the Corinthians as the final motive to bestir them to action in dealing with the various things that needed to be attended to in regards to the disorders in their assembly (vss. 23-24).