1 Corinthians 16:13

In this passage the apostle gives,

I. Some general advices; as, 1. That they should watch (Co1 16:13), be wakeful and upon their guard. A Christian is always in danger, and therefore should ever be on the watch; but the danger is greater at some times and under some circumstances. The Corinthians were in manifest danger upon many accounts: their feuds ran high, the irregularities among them were very great, there were deceivers got among them, who endeavoured to corrupt their faith in the most important articles, those without which the practice of virtue and piety could never subsist. And surely in such dangerous circumstances it was their concern to watch. Note, If a Christian would be secure, he must be on his guard; and the more his danger the greater vigilance is needful for his security. 2. He advises them to stand fast in the faith, to keep their ground, adhere to the revelation of God, and not give it up for the wisdom of the world, nor suffer it to be corrupted by it - stand for the faith of the gospel, and maintain it even to death; and stand in it, so as to abide in the profession of it, and feel and yield to its influence. Note, A Christian should be fixed in the faith of the gospel, and never desert nor renounce it. It is by this faith alone that he will be able to keep his ground in an hour of temptation; it is by faith that we stand (Co2 1:24); it is by this that we must overcome the world (Jo1 5:4), both when it fawns and when it frowns, when it tempts and when it terrifies. We must stand therefore in the faith of the gospel, if we would maintain our integrity. 3. He advises them to act like men, and be strong: "Act the manly, firm, and resolved part: behave strenuously, in opposition to the bad men who would divide and corrupt you, those who would split you into factions or seduce you from the faith: be not terrified nor inveigled by them; but show yourselves men in Christ, by your steadiness, by your sound judgment and firm resolution." Note, Christians should be manly and firm in all their contests with their enemies, in defending their faith, and maintaining their integrity. They should, in an especial manner, be so in those points of faith that lie at the foundation of sound and practical religion, such as were attacked among the Corinthians: these must be maintained with solid judgment and strong resolution. 4. He advises them to do every thing in charity, Co1 16:14. Our zeal and constancy must be consistent with charity. When the apostle would have us play the man for our faith or religion, he puts in a caution against playing the devil for it. We may defend our faith, but we must, at the same time, maintain our innocence, and not devour and destroy, and think with ourselves that the wrath of man will work the righteousness of God, Jam 1:24. Note, Christians should be careful that charity not only reign in their hearts, but shine out in their lives, nay, in their most manly defences of the faith of the gospel. There is a great difference between constancy and cruelty, between Christian firmness and feverish wrath and transport. Christianity never appears to so much advantage as when the charity of Christians is most conspicuous when they can bear with their mistaken brethren, and oppose the open enemies of their holy faith in love, when every thing is done in charity, when they behave towards one another, and towards all men, with a spirit of meekness and good will.

II. Some particular directions how they should behave towards some that had been eminently serviceable to the cause of Christ among them.

1. He gives us their character (1.) The household of Stephanas is mentioned by him, and their character is, that they were the first-fruits of Achaia, the first converts to Christianity in that region of Greece in which Corinth was. Note, It is an honourable character to any man to be early a Christian, betimes in Christ. But they had moreover addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints, to serve the saints. They have disposed and devoted themselves - etaxan heautous, to serve the saints, to do service to the saints. It is not meant of the ministry of the word properly, but of serving them in other respects, supplying their wants, helping and assisting them upon all occasions, both in their temporal and spiritual concerns. The family of Stephanas seems to have been a family of rank and importance in those parts, and yet they willingly offered themselves to this service. Note, It is an honour to persons of the highest rank to devote themselves to the service of the saints. I do not mean to change ranks, and become proper servants to the inferiors, but freely and voluntarily to help them, and do good to them in all their concerns. (2.) He mentions Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus, as coming to him from the church of Corinth. The account he gives of them is that they supplied the deficiencies of the church towards him, and by so doing refreshed his spirit and theirs, Co1 16:17, Co1 16:18. They gave him a more perfect account of the state of the church by word of mouth than he could acquire by their letter, and by that means much quieted his mind, and upon their return from him would quiet the minds of the Corinthians. Report had made their cause much worse than it was in fact, and their letters had not explained it sufficiently to give the apostle satisfaction; but he had been made more easy by converse with them. It was a very good office they did, by truly stating facts, and removing the ill opinion Paul had received by common fame. They came to him with a truly Christian intention, to set the apostle right, and give him as favourable sentiments of the church as they could, as peace-makers. Note, It is a great refreshment to the spirit of a faithful minister to hear better of a people by wise and good men of their own body than by common report, to find himself misinformed concerning them, that matters are not so bad as they had been represented. It is a grief to him to hear ill of those he loves; it gladdens his heart to hear the report thereof is false. And the greater value he has for those who give him this information, and the more he can depend upon their veracity, the greater is his joy.

2. Upon this account of the men, he directs how they should behave towards them; and, (1.) He would have them acknowledged (Co1 16:11), that is, owned and respected. They deserve it for their good offices. Those who serve the saints, those who consult the honour and good esteem of the churches, and are concerned to wipe off reproaches from them, and take off from the ill opinion fame had propagated, are to be valued, and esteemed, and loved. Those who discover so good a spirit cannot easily be over-valued. (2.) He advises that they should submit themselves to such, and to all who helped with the apostles, and laboured, Co1 16:16. This is not to be understood of subjection to proper superiors, but of a voluntary acknowledgment of their worth. They were persons to whom they owed peculiar respect, and whom they should have in veneration. Note, It is a venerable character which those bear who serve the saints and labour hard to help the success of the gospel, who countenance and encourage the faithful ministers of Christ, and endeavour to promote their usefulness. Such should be had in honourable esteem.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

1Co_16:13-14

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

The requirements of the Christian warfare

The associations of war and battle breathe in every word of this exhortation. It touches the heart as the spirit-stirring address of a trusted leader touches the hearts of his comrades at some great emergency of the conflict. As the foe gathers in the distance, half hidden behind the brow of the hill or beneath the shadow of the forest, and it remains doubtful for the moment at what quarter the storm will break, his warning voice calls to vigilance--Watch ye. As the tide of war rolls its threatening masses onwards, and the advancing column of the enemy, grim and ominous as a thundercloud, threatens to overwhelm the slender line of defenders, the leaders clear voice is heard in the momentary hush of suspense, exhorting them to steadiness and constancy--Stand fast. As the opposing lines break in the shock of battle confusedly, like the meeting of two angry tides, and warrior contends hand to hand with warrior, the familiar voice still sounds amid the tumult, Quit you like men. As beneath the fury of the assault the line of the patriot host shakes and wavers, and the crisis calls for a courage prepared to die, but never to yield, I picture to myself the figure of the dauntless leader as he lifts his banner aloft and shouts, Be strong. (Canon Garbett.)

The demands of Christianity

I. Vigilance. There were many evils in the Corinthian Church--dissensions, heresies, unchastity, intemperance, etc. Hence the necessity for watchfulness. But where do not evils abound? Hosts surround us all; hence Watch ye. Watch and pray.

II. Stability. Do not be wavering, vacillating, tossed about by every wind of doctrine. Strike the roots of your faith deep into the soil of eternal truth. Firmness is no more obstinacy than the strong rock or the deep-rooted oak.

III. Manliness. There is nothing higher than this. There are great philosophers, poets, statesmen, etc., who are small men leagues away from the ideal.

IV. Charity (1Co_16:14). Mans life consists of many things done. Activity is at once the law and necessity of his nature. He only really lives as he acts. But while acts are varied, the animating spirit should be one, and that is love. (D. Thomas, D.D.)

Four points in the Christian life

The text contains four points that should characterise the Christian life.

I. Vigilance. It is of the utmost importance that we should set a watch over our minds; for error is, so to speak, in the air. And since the ruling ideas of the mind colour all our thoughts, and affect all our actions, we cannot be too careful, when ideas seek admittance into our minds, to test them, that we may know their character; for false and evil ideas corrupt good and healthy minds. We see every object presented to the mind in the light of our ruling ideas; like coloured glass they transform everything into their own particular shade. In religious matters this is specially important. Whenever any object is presented to the mind for our acceptance, as religious men and women let us at once betake ourselves to the law and to the testimony. This is all the more imperative since error can put on the manners of truth, and actually pretend to do truths work. There are many false teachers in our day, and error is exceedingly busy; let us, therefore, vigilantly guard the door of our minds, that no false principles take possession of them to pervert our thoughts and best feelings. We need also set a watch over our hearts. The majority of people are easier influenced through their emotions than by means of their intellects. That is the secret of the numerous fascinating shows that are so carefully and strikingly got up and presented to the eye; the exhibitors know that men are moved by such things, and that when they are in such an excited state, they may be carried away and made anything of, whether for good or for evil, just as they may feel disposed. Whenever any serious attempt is made to excite our hearts affections we should be very careful to ask ourselves the questions, Are these appeals to my heart true? Are the means used for this purpose true in the highest and best sense? We should also be careful to ask ourselves the question, Whether the objects that are seeking entrance into our hearts are pure? The wisdom that is from above, is first pure. We should also ask ourselves the furl, her important question, Whether the things that are seeking our hearts are character-making in the truest sense? Whether they are likely to make us true, just, honourable, pure, lovely, and thoroughly virtuous? Further, we must set a watch upon our spirits to guard our spirituality. The sharp edge of a knife, if pressed carelessly against a hard substance, will blunt and become unfit for use. Great care should be taken by Christian people to preserve the tone of the spirituality and vigorous point. Whatever lowers the tone of a persons spirituality hinders the progress of his higher and nobler life. If mingled with a given society; if going to the theatre; if reading a certain class of book; if either of these things, or any other practice, chills the spirit, and indisposes it to pray, it should certainly be abandoned as dangerous. We need, therefore, to set a vigilant watch over our spirits, that we may preserve a healthy and vigorous tone of spirituality that will thoroughly command our carnal passions and keep them in subjection. But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh, etc.

II. Steadfastness. Stand fast in the faith.

1. In our faith is the one true and living God. The bane of Greece was the multitude of her gods. The idolatrous upbringing of the Corinthians was, no doubt, a great hindrance to their spiritual growth. With many Christians God is a God afar off, it is to be feared; hence their apathy and inertness in regard to religion and the state of their fellow-creatures around them. There were daring unbelievers in Corinth when Paul wrote this Epistle who denied the resurrection of the dead, and who were scattering error broadcast amongst the people. Let us stand fast in our faith in God, then, that He is a very present God, who never leaves nor forsakes those who trust in Him.

2. Let us be firm in our faith in Christ as the only and sufficient Saviour. The Corinthians were in danger, from the special importance which the Greeks attached to wisdom. And if wisdom did not actually save humanity, according to them only the wise, in their sense of the term, would be saved. Paul combats this erroneous idea in the first chapter of this Epistle. So it is faith that saves, not wisdom--not true wisdom even. It is not morality that saves either. If it could have saved any one, it most certainly would have saved the rich young ruler in the Gospels.

3. Let us stand fast in the faith, that the Scriptures are the only and sufficient rule of faith.

III. Manliness. Quit you like men. These words have a martial air about them; they sound like the utterance of a great general on the eve of a critical battle that was to decide the destiny of a mighty nation. The manliness of which the text speaks includes several parts.

1. In the first place, it includes uprightness. Man was made physically erect that he might look heavenward with ease and pleasure. And mans moral conduct is to resemble his physical flame; it is to be upright. It must not have any twists in it, nor angles of any kind. The eloquent statesman, Henry Clay, propounded a political scheme to a friend once. It will ruin your prospects for the Presidency, suggested the friend. Is it right? asked Clay. Yes, was the answer. Mr. Clay continued, I would rather be right than President. Every Christian should do right; his Christian manliness demands it of him. Anything like unprincipled policy or time-serving is utterly out of place in a disciple of Christs.

2. It also includes truth. The manly Christian is a true man. He does not think one thing and speak another. His words as truly represent his thoughts as the sound of a correct key in an organ represents a particular part of music. The same consistency is apparent between his feelings and his actions. Among the important objects of his life are Whatsoever things are true.

3. And, further, it includes courage. Christian manliness is full of true valour. Fortitude is as prominent a feature of the genuinely good mans life as uprightness and truth. They will boldly enter a lions den rather than deny their God.

IV. True and manly vigour. Be strong. The spiritual life is capable of great strength--that is clear from the characters of the faithful of all ages. Intellectual greatness may only be possible to a few; but great spiritual might is practically possible to all true Christians.

1. Be strong in conviction. If we will but allow the light of the truth of the gospel to penetrate our minds, we shall be deeply convinced of its saving power, and the result will be that we shall be strong in our adherence to the truth. Let us be careful not to mistake mere tradition for troth.

2. Be strong in love. In the verse which immediately follows the text the apostle directs the Corinthians, Let all that ye do be done in love. Love is a special feature of Christianity. Love can do what no other faculty can; what many other faculties combined cannot do; hence our Lords new commandment. The loving man is a great actor--he is no dreamer, but a doer of the work of Christ.

3. Be strong in will. Strength of will is required in our struggles with the corruptions of our own hearts, and the sin that so abounds without and around us. (D. Rhys Jenkins.)

A manly Christianity

is--

I. Watchful. Because it--

1. Is enlightened.

2. Knows the danger.

3. Provides against it.

II. Steadfast. Because--

1. It understands the faith.

2. Appreciates its value.

3. Resists unto blood.

III. Strong--

1. In experience and purpose.

2. Hence immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. (J. Lyth.)

Wise counsels

1. Guard against temptation.

2. Hold fast your principles.

3. Act with courage.

4. Persevere with constancy.

5. Do all in the spirit of love. (J. Lyth.)

Three kinds of temptation

There is an indissoluble connection between a mans character and his view of life. As a man is in moral quality, so will he conceive life to be. It is only the feeble and the worthless who ask, Is life worth living? The brave and the good live worthily, and so feel life full of worth. Sin produces despair. Holiness begets courage and faith. Take, as an instance, the man who writes these words. He had known hardness; his life had been a life of trouble and change, yet he had dared to brave it. And now, summing up the lesson of his life to the men he loved, he says, Watch ye, etc. He enforces the duty. They are to watch. That duty is personal, and involves another: stand fast in the faith. As they watch they keep the faith. As they keep the faith they quit themselves like men. As these three are together bound and realised in one character they are strong.

I. Watch. The duty of watchfulness implies its need, and the need of watchfulness springs from the manifoldness of temptation.

1. There are three great conditions or forms under which temptations come.

(1) Social. True society is better than it was. Public life is purer and its standard higher. Education is more widely distributed, and as men say no man shall be ignorant, so they must come to say that no man shall make for us laws unless he be a moral man. Our commerce, too, has much of its ancient character of honour. But while we have ranch cause for gratitude, we have greater cause for watchfulness. Our society is sadly destitute of true economy, which means labour wisely directed and applied, the power of gathering in and reaping its abundant fruits, the skill and the will to make of these the most equal, ample distribution, so that they make wealth not simply for the few, but the whole. Our dangers grow from accumulation in the hands of the few, without distribution into the homes and for the comfort of the many. We spend their thirty millions on instruments of war, their three millions or a little more on education and the forming of men. Yet where lieth the strength of a people? Not in its arsenals, not in its army or navy, but in its men. The supreme need of a people is the forming of the people. There is something higher than the making of wealth; there is the making of men. The highest of all social necessities is the making of new men; that is possible only by the preaching and the teaching of the gospel of Christ.

(2) Moral. There are dangers when conventional standards of morality are unreal and unjust. See a banker who has for nigh a whole generation lived on the savings of the hard-working man, the store of the widow and orphan. See him hardly punished--it seems a little more than a severe rebuke; and some tempted lad, in some hour of great need, for miserable theft stamped through years a criminal. Look at the seducer fresh from his guilt, judged to be fit by mother to wed the daughter. And see the victim, by the same, cast out, a thing unclean. There is nothing more mischievous than standards of that kind.

(3) Intellectual. These are often said to rise from increased knowledge and activity. Nay, they rise from ignorance and intellectual frivolity. Newspapers to have power must be spiced. People must be tempted to read. And the result too often is that the mind grows so shallow that it cannot reflect the infinite heaven, So ruffled in its shallowness that it answers to every breeze of wind, and faileth ever to settle into an eternal calm, is a mind lost to holiest things, closed to dearest realities. Look at truth as needed by men for living, for dying, for eternity; and then dare no longer to be frivolous, come to have the truth, to seek the holy, to love the good, that is only of God.

2. All these dangers must be guarded against. Watch! Where a man carries that which is precious he ought ever to carefully guard it. Crossed you ever the mighty ocean on board a steamship that travels so stately and bears its hundreds in comfort and in joy? But, while all is lightness, there walks alone, solitary, watching in the very sunshine for sign of coming storm, the man who bears in his spirit that stately ship, these hundreds of lives, all the wealth she carries in her hold. And think you ever man went to sea, ever sailor guided across the ocean bark half so precious as you carry? Gifted with a nature so rich, a cargo so precious, the spirit ought to be all directed to the watching of evil, to the discovery of the good, and the place that is the haven of rest.

II. Stand fast in the faith. The man that watches will stand. From him it will not be taken--faith in God our Father, yet our King; in Christ who is our Brother, yet our Priest; in that Spirit who is our Comforter, yet our Advocate. Stand fast therein. See that no man spoil you by vain deceit. See that no passion rob you by promised momentary pleasure. Keep the faith. God gave it you, and the faith cannot be kept pure without keeping pure the spirit.

III. Be men. What is it to be a man? It is to bear Gods image. Let the young man dare to be a man, let him, face to face with temptation, look to Him who only hath the power to save. Lost in the multitude, men in the multitude lose themselves. Quit you like men. Dare to be innocent of vice, shut up the impure book, close the paragraph that speaks the unholy thing, and to be virtuous in thought, in speech, in feeling, knowing this, that the man who keepeth his own spirit pure is the man most approved of the Father. (Principal A. M. Fairbairn.)

Watchfulness, steadfastness, manliness, strength

I. Watch ye.

1. What is it to watch?

(1) It is opposed to carnal security.

(2) It implies a care of our souls (Eph_5:15).

2. What must we watch over?

(1) Our thoughts (Psa_139:2).

(2) Our affections (Pro_4:23; Col_3:2).

(3) Our words (Psa_17:3; Psa_39:1; Psa_141:3).

(4) Our actions (1Sa_15:22; 1Co_10:31).

3. What must we watch against?

(1) Ourselves (Jer_17:9; Jam_1:22).

(2) Satan (1Pe_5:8).

(3) The world (1Jn_2:15).

(4) Men.

(a) That they seduce us not into sin (Pro_1:10-11).

(b) Nor into error (Act_20:29-31; Mat_7:15; 2Pe_2:1; 2Pe_3:17).

4. What must we watch for?

(1) For opportunities of doing good (Gal_6:10), and performing our duty.

(2) For death (1Th_5:2-3).

(3) For the coming of Christ (Mat_24:44).

5. When must we watch?

(1) In time of prosperity.

(a) That you be not proud of it (Jer_9:23; 1Ti_6:17).

(b) Nor trust in it (1Ti_6:17; Psa_49:6; Psa_52:7)

(c) Nor abuse it (Jam_4:3).

(d) Nor set your hearts upon it (Psa_62:10).

(e) To improve it to Gods glory (Pro_3:9).

(2) In time of adversity (Ecc_7:14).

(a) Not to be impatient (Ezr_9:13; Lam_3:39).

(b) But to be thankful (Job_1:21).

(c) Not to charge God with injustice (Job_1:22).

(d) Nor draw sinful inferences from it (Ecc_9:1).

(e) To be better by it (Psa_119:71; Heb_12:10).

(3) At all times (Luk_21:36; 2Ti_4:5).

6. Why must we watch?

(1) It is for your lives (2Co_6:5).

(2) Many enemies watch against you (1Pe_5:8).

(3) Unless ye watch, no sin but you may fall into (1Co_10:12).

(4) The more we watch over ourselves, the more God will watch over us (Psa_121:1; Psa_127:1).

(5) The more watchful we are, the more comfortably we shall live.

(6) We have but a short time to watch (Mat_26:40).

(7) Eternity depends upon it (Mat_25:12-13).

(8) We know not when our Lord will come (Mar_13:33; Mar_13:37; Luk_12:37).

II. Stand fast in the faith.

1. What faith must we stand fast in?

(1) That God is (Heb_11:6).

(2) That He is a rewarder of all that come to Him (Heb_11:6).

(3) That the way to come to Him is by Christ (Heb_7:25).

(4) That this Christ is God-man (Joh_1:14).

(5) And hath satisfied for our sins (1Jn_2:1-2).

(6) And now intercedes for our souls (Heb_7:25).

(7) That by His satisfaction and intercession our sins may be pardoned (Rom_8:33-34).

(8) That He will come again at the last day (Act_1:11).

(9) That He will judge all the world (2Co_5:10).

(10) That the wicked will then be condemned to hell, and the righteous received up into glory (Mat_25:46).

2. Why stand fast in this faith?

(1) Otherwise we can do no acts of piety (Heb_11:6).

(2) Nor have our sins remitted (Gal_2:16).

(3) Nor our souls saved (Act_4:12).

3. What are the means of this steadfastness?

(1) Search the Scriptures (Joh_5:39).

(2) Converse much with God in prayer.

(3) Entertain no doubting thoughts.

(4) Indulge no sin, lest it debauch your principles.

(5) Oft frequent the public ordinances (Rom_10:17).

III. Quit you like men.

1. What is it to quit yourselves like men?

(1) Carry yourselves like men.

(a) Like rational creatures. What more rational than that we should serve Him that made us (1Co_6:20); choose the best things before the worst (Isa_55:1-2); mind our own good and welfare (Mat_16:26); do to others as we would have others do to us (Mat_7:12); and submit to Gods will (Lam_3:39).

(b) Like those who have immortal souls (Gen_2:7).

(c) Like those who are capable of the enjoyment of God Himself (1Co_13:12).

(2) Be valiant and courageous as men (Eph_6:10-11).

(a) Be not daunted with afflictions (2Co_4:16-17).

(b) Nor drawn aside with prosperity (Mar_4:19).

(c) Press through all difficulties for heaven (Act_14:22).

2. Why quit ourselves thus like men?

(1) We have many potent enemies (Eph_6:11-12).

(2) Without spiritual courage we can never conquer them.

(3) The reward will make amends for all (1Co_15:58).

IV. Be strong--

1. In faith (Mat_15:28; Rom_4:20).

2. Love (Mat_22:37).

3. Trust on God (Job_13:15; Heb_13:5-6).

4. Why? Be strong and courageous.

(1) The stronger your graces are the weaker will your temptations be.

(2) The stronger your grace is the greater will your comfort be (Joh_14:1).

(3) Be but strong, and you need not fear but to press through all difficulties, and get to heaven. (Bp. Beveridge.)

Stand fast in the faith

I. The object indicated.

1. The gospel requires faith.

2. Has a right to demand it.

II. The duty enjoined.

1. Adherence to its doctrines.

2. Conformity to its precepts.

3. Advocacy of its claims.

III. The importance of this duty. In its bearing upon--

1. Ourselves.

2. Others.

3. The cause of God. (J. Lyth, D.D.)

Christian steadfastness

We address this to new converts, restored backsliders, and to Christians generally.

I. The necessity for Christian steadfastness.

1. Many foes to contend against.

2. Much difficult service to perform.

3. Only the steadfast know true happiness and peace.

4. Lack of steadfastness is dishonouring to God.

II. Its means.

1. Prayer.

2. Watchfulness.

3. Use of every possible means of grace.

4. Faithful, open profession of allegiance to Christ.

III. Its end.

1. A place on Christs own throne (Rev_3:21).

2. A crown of life (Rev_2:10).

3. A call to the service of heaven. (John Stevens.)

Standing fast in the faith

We might infer from magazines and newspapers that orthodoxy, or steadfastness in faith, is becoming very unpopular. But philosophy, mathematics, etc., have their doctrines as well as Christianity. Note a few reasons for steadfastness in the truth.

I. The mind is so constituted as not to be satisfied with anything less than certitude. As nature abhors a vacuum, so the mind dreads doubt--dreads to be like a ship drifting in darkness and storm with neither star nor sun, compass nor rudder. What would one not give to be on solid earth, who, like Noahs dove, is thus driven? Stand fast in the faith! Buy the truth and sell it not.

II. This steadfastness is needed to withstand the influences working against us. A soldier in battle needs to stand, a tree in tempests needs to be rooted, and a ship needs an anchor; so we, in meeting the hostility of atheism and science, falsely so called, or kid-gloved, effeminate worldliness, or the supineness and apathy of the Church, need more than a feeble conviction of the truth, such as would be upset by some newly-discovered bone. Be rooted and grounded and able to give an answer, to him who asks you, of your faith.

III. Only by steadfastness in the truth can we render competent service to the cause of Christ. A man of negative opinion, though right, is a feebler power than he who is earnestly wrong. But, to be positively right, believing with all the soul, is to be an increment of might. Such were Luther and Whitfield. Such is Moody, who never even ventured to lean against the corner of a college. Truth did not run over such souls, but into them, becoming a part of their moral fibre, making them aggressive and progressive. Such are not literary Sybarites. (T. B. McLeod.)

Be strong

I. In body. Purity and (where God gives health) strength of body seemed ever to St. Paul one ingredient in his estimate of true manliness. What is brutal and sensual in your bodies Christianity tells you to conquer, so that that body and its merely animal propensities shall not become your master. All that is innocent and pure in the manly exercise of it, all that is fearless in the brave uses of it, you should cultivate, ennoble, strengthen. If you have to fight for country, truth, or right, then be utterly indifferent to danger or to death.

II. In soul, i.e., in intelleet. Be not children in understanding, but be ye men. The empty boast that there must be a divorce between intellect and religion is false. True unsanctified intellect has become too common a phrase; but there is such a thing too as unsanctified stupidity and perhaps the Church has suffered just as much from one as from the other. There is a poor weak thing that calls itself advanced thought--in which the thought is imaginary, and the advancement retrogressive--and which is, after all, merely the ghosts of old heresies, coming forth from their graves to frighten the nervous and unthinking. But real science, real philosophy, may ever win the homage of the holiest and most reverent souls. The truth they discover can never contradict the eternal truth of God. Antagonism between intellect and religion! Why the ablest thinkers have been Christians. The noblest high priests of science have also been the devoutest ministers at the altar of God.

III. In spirit. The influence of the spirit of man, acted on and illuminated by the Holy Spirit of God, will raise him to the true dignity of manhood in all his nature. There is nothing manly in being irreligious or indifferent. Would you consider him a man who was guilty of the basest ingratitude? And shall we consider the ingratitude less base--shall the unmanliness be diminished, because towards Him who emptied Himself of the splendour of the Godhead and died for us! (T. T. Shore, M.A.)

Manliness in religion

1. When Francis Xavier was passing through Navarre to his great life mission, he had to pass his ancestral castle. His companion asked whether he did not mean to visit his friends before he left Spain for ever. I defer that happiness, he quietly answered, until I shall see them in heaven. It was the manly utterance of a noble heart.

2. In the days of chivalry there was an ideal life, which our own matter-of-fact generation is disposed to despise. Underneath much that was over-strained and unnatural, there was taught a spirit of reverence, obedience, truth, and virtue, which it would be well for the world if they might be again brought back among us.

3. Even after the Fall man did not altogether lose the image of his Maker, and there is still left to him a portion which we call manliness. It is displayed by heroes on battle-fields, but the highest manifestation of it is in the consistent lives of devoted Christians. True manliness--

I. Is wholly incompatible with a half-way and reluctant obedience. If the religion of Christ be true, it is manly to confess it, and to act out our belief. They who receive the gospel in a manly spirit will shrink from no duty nor danger. Even the world will respect us when we are true to our principles. When Charles II visited Winchester during the building of his palace there, Dr. Ken was asked to entertain one of the kings concubines. This the good clergyman positively refused to do and Charles was much incensed. Again the application was made, and the stern response was, Not for his kingdom! Not long after, the bishopric of Bath and Wells became vacant, and Charles said, No one shall have it but the little fellow who would not give poor Nelly a lodging!

II. Supposes persevering persistency in the right, no matter what dangers may threaten. Soon after the Christian missionaries had settled in Fiji, the heathen held a cannibal feast in front of their residence. Shocked at the sight, the good men closed their doors and windows, when the savages insisted that they should come out and witness the custom. The captain of an American ship-of-war, hearing the startling tidings, came at once to the relief of the brave men, and offered to remove them to a place of safety. No, was the firm response; the worse these people are, the more need of our staying where we are to teach them better. When an insurrection broke out in Madagascar some time ago, before the soldiers set off, the great national idol was to be dragged forth to strengthen them for the conflict. It so happened that three hundred of the soldiers had cast off idolatry, many of whom began to waver, some through fear of death, others through love of wife and children. The leader of the party then read from the New Testament, He that loveth father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me; He that loveth his life more than Me, is not worthy of Me. It was enough, and all agreed to stand the fiery ordeal. The commanding officer was much enraged, and said, in a threatening tone, The god will avenge himself upon them! The army marched forth to meet the insurgents, and came up to them in a deep ravine. Here the Christians were made to take the front rank, and their enemies believed that their destruction was inevitable. The hand of God so arranged the order of battle, that the expected course of events was reversed, and the Christians were left unharmed.

III. Means indifference to the shafts of ridicule. A poor man, being much laughed at for his religion, was asked whether these constant, petty persecutions did not sometimes half tempt him to abandon it. No, indeed, he answered; If Christians are so foolish as to let such people laugh them out of their religion, until at last they drop into hell, it is certain they cannot laugh them out again. A young friend was making his first trip in a steamer, when his acquaintance was cultivated by a handsomely dressed person, who did his best to play the agreeable. Toward the close of day, the stranger remarked, in an indifferent tone, Some friends of mine are to have a nice game to-night, in my state-room, and we shall be glad to have you join us. Taking out his pocket prayer-book, he answered, This is the only card I ever play with!

IV. Involves prompt and vigorous action. Good resolutions are not enough; they must be followed up closely and persistently by becoming deeds. A little boy in Holland was returning home one night, when he observed the water trickling through a narrow crevice in the dyke. He had often heard of the sad disasters which had happened from these small beginnings, and his first thought was to hasten home for help, but he remembered that even during his brief absence the opening might so increase as to defy all attempts to close it. Seating himself on the bank of the canal, he stopped the leakage with his band, and in cold and darkness sat by his post of duty until dawn of day. Assistance then came, the dyke was repaired, and hundreds of lives were saved. Do you ever think what a tide of wretchedness and ruin you may be the means of turning aside from multitudes of immortal beings, if you would faithfully use your daily and hourly opportunities of good? (J. N. Norton, D.D.)

The manliness of godliness

I. Things which are not manly.

1. To believe without evidence. Credulity, the readiness to receive every assertion for truth, is childish; and it is worse than childish, when evil reports are easily credited and at all welcomed. We must believe much which we can never comprehend, and therefore cannot prove; but we must be sure that the witness is true.

2. To neglect known duty. Excuses are not arguments. That servant which knew his Lords will, and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes, etc. From which it is evident that every ones duty is according to the knowledge which he has, might, and ought to have.

3. To prefer pleasure to business. In this generation there is neither honour nor hope for the idler. And why should not this principle hold as to heavenly things?

4. To find fault with any one unless it be needful, and then face to face. I withstood him to the face, says Paul about Peter, because he was to be blamed. If mankind would but obey this rule, the happiness of the world would be doubled at once. The apostle is very severe against whisperers, backbiters and inventors of evil things.

5. To live only for the passing day. Brutes live for the present, men for the future. Forethought and prudence distinguish our nature from theirs. The wise man sent men to school to the ant: and that provident little creature is a very good tutor even for Christians.

II. Things which are manly. There are strange ideas abroad upon this subject, some concluding that scepticism, self-will, and swearing itself is manly. Some think that the more heartless, the more daring, the more manly. I give every one of sound mind at least the credit of knowing better. I am persuaded that there is truth in the saying, I dare do all things that become a man; and he who dares do more is none. It is manly--

1. To find out and hold fast the truth. All truth is precious, and the truth is of all things most precious. Little children, I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Surely in knowledge and discernment these little children were men.

2. To be serious about serious things. Men were made to laugh as well as to weep; but there is also abundant reason in the charge, Be sober. Some affect to smile at those who are religious for looking grave and speaking solemnly; but life and death, sin and holiness, are matters for deep thought; and the gospel which delivers from sin and death, and entitles to life through righteousness, is in its very nature matter to make men serious.

3. To be kindly to all, and most to the weakest. The manliness of Christ consisted largely in His gentleness.

4. To fear God more than any man or all men. Fear Him, ye saints, and you will then have nothing else to fear.

5. To overcome the devil himself by Gods help.

Conclusion:

1. You need not despair of doing this very thing.

2. By doing this you will recommend Christianity. (J. De Kewer Williams.)

True manliness

(To young men. 1Ki_2:2, and text). Buckminster says that the sublimest thing in nature is true manhood. But long before Buckminster, Terence said, I am a man, and I regard nothing pertaining to humanity as foreign to me. And long before him David said to his son and successor, Show thyself a man. And long since then we find Paul saying, Quit you like men, be strong; Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. True manliness does not consist in--

I. The strength and size of the human body. This is the barbarian idea of manhood.

II. Intellectual greatness--which our Maker confers on very few persons in any age. We are not responsible for the lack of great talents, but only for the culture and use of what we have. True manliness lies in heart power and conscience power.

III. Chafing under wholesome restraints. It is no uncommon thing to find young persons who think an independent disregard of authority is manly, and when constrained by unavoidable circumstances to feel that the proper domain of their liberties has been invaded. This mistaken and unmanly feeling is apt to show itself, first of all, in opposition to parental authority. And the boy that frets under the restraints of home, will fret under the restraints of the school-room. And, having disregarded the wholesome restraints of home and of the school, he is now ready to disregard those of society; and it is no uncommon thing to see a young man, who commenced his unmanly course of disobedience in the family, graduating in prison. Show yourself a man, then, in living in harmony with the Word of God, your conscience, and your environment.

IV. Imitating, indiscriminately, the conduct or habits of others. There are many great men who have their eccentricities and defects; and yet it is just these that younger and smaller men almost always imitate. Many of the admirers of Alexander the Great imitated his intemperance, and not his chastity and liberality; and many of the pupils of Plato imitated his crooked shoulders instead of his philosophy. Show yourself a man, then, not by merely imitating, but emulating the virtues of others and by shunning their vices.

V. Following popular opinion, right or wrong, or any party, right or wrong. Popular opinion is generally fickle and very often wrong. It imprisoned Galileo, and erected the guillotine in France. In the Southern States it raised the standard of rebellion. There is a great deal of blind leading, and when the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Show yourself a man, by thinking and investigating for yourself. Study both sides of every important question.

VI. A reckless disregard of the opinions of others. It is not manly to say, I dont care what others think of me. Every true man cares, and ought to care. While every true man maintains his own independence of character, he is ambitious, at the same time, to merit the golden opinions of the virtuous and the good. When a man enjoys the love and confidence of a virtuous woman he enjoys, next to the love of God, the noblest thing on earth. Show yourself a man, then, by showing yourself worthy of such confidence and such love. Again, if you would have others respect you, you must respect yourself. If you would enjoy the friendship of your fellow-men, you must be a true friend to yourself. Often the worst enemy a young man has is himself. Show yourself a man, then, by being true to yourself and to your principles.

VII. It is in vain to look for true manliness where there is no virtue or honesty or honour. The word virtue comes from vir, which means a man; and to be virtuous, etymologically, is to be manly in the true sense; an honest man is the noblest work of God. In the modern sense, virtue means manly purity as well as manly dignity.

1. Now, then, he that would be honest in the much must be honest in the little. A young aspirant for office arriving at the hotel where the governor was stopping, and seeing a man whom he supposed to be the porter, ordered him to take his trunk to his room. The supposed porter charged him twenty-five cents, which he paid with a marked silver quarter worth only twenty cents. The young office-seeker then said, Here, porter, take my card to Governor Grimes room and tell him I wish an interview with him at his earliest convenience. I am Governor Grimes, sir. Oh! I did not know you were ,Governor Grimes! I beg a thousand pardons! None needed, replied the governor. I was rather favourably impressed with your letter, and had thought you well suited for the office you desire; and holding up before him the defective quarter, he said: Any man who would swindle a poor labourer out of the paltry sum of five cents would defraud the public treasury if he had the opportunity. Good evening, sir. Again, it is dishonest and unmanly to try to sell an article for more than it is worth, or to try to buy an article for less than its market value.

2. Show yourself a man, too, by respecting your own rights and honour, even if others do not; and at the same time remember that others have rights which are entitled to respect. Be courteous. St. Paul shows what should be the deportment of a true gentleman or a true lady in these few words: In honour preferring one another.

3. Show yourself a man, by your moral courage and stability of character. Dare to do right, dare to be true. Dare to say No, when you are tempted to do wrong, or to go to a wrong place.

4. Show yourself a man, by emulating the virtues of the great and the good.

5. And at the same time that you are developing and using aright your own manly resources, do not fail to recognise the real source of your success in life, to wit: the grace of God. The inspired apostle who says, Quit you like men, also says, Stand fast in the faith. And it is a fact that the great men of the world--the men whose names and whose deeds stand brightest on the scroll of fame, were men of faith in God. Conclusion: Diogenes is said to have gone through the streets of Athens, in broad daylight, with a lighted lantern in his hand, and when asked by a citizen for the object of his search, he replied, saying: A man, sir, a man. I have found children in Sparta and women in Athens, but I have not found a man. Now, I grant that since man fell from his climax in Eden, a man, a perfect man, has not been found save in the humanity of Jesus. Do you want a model of true manhood? You have it in Him. He has won His title to our heart-faith and our supreme regard by His God-like character. Christ died for us. Then show yourself a man, by showing yourself capable of appreciating such love as His; by giving Him your heart. Then and only then will you be in the line of your own true manhood. (W. B. Stewart, D.D.)

True manhood

What, then, is manliness?

1. First, it is self-respect. I need hardly warn you that self-respect has an analogy to pride, or to the wretched vulgar ape of pride which is self-conceit.

2. And next to self-respect, manliness is resistance. The true man will not bend like a reed to every passing gust of that insolent ignorance which sometimes in the light-headedness of nations arrogates to itself the name of public opinion. He will not swim with the stream either in the Church or in the State, but will strike out against its fiercest waves. He will not spread his sail to the soft breeze of flattery and self-interest, but even when menaced with shipwreck will oppose his constancy and his convictions to the fury of the storm. Resist the temptations to be idle, self indulgent, vicious, and all the more if those around you are so. Resist the prejudices and the littleness of your own profession or school or party; resist the temptations of the impulses of your lower nature; and so far from being weakened by the struggle, the strength and fire of the conquered temptation shall be to you an added element of force, even as the Indian warrior believes that the strength of his vanquished enemy passes into his own right arm. Resist difficulties! Show that you have some iron in you, and are not all of straw! There are many spurious forms of courage, and that which is often most admired is the lowest and poorest, like that of the brutes. The manliest courage is that which rises superior to the fear of man. The manly youth will have a certain disdain and impatience of evil, a certain violence of truthfulness, a certain impetuosity of principle, conquering and combating all that is hollow and base and mean. He will not be at the mercy of a wicked code of a few silly or depraved companions for a few brief years, at the cost of having to reproach himself as a fool all the rest of his life.

3. And again, manliness is self-mastery. It sits self-governed in the fiery prime of youth obedient at the feet of law. And this self-mastery cannot be had without self-sacrifice. Any fool, the weakest, dullest, paltriest that ever was, can make a drunkard or a debauchee. There is no human clay so vile, no sludge and scum of humanity so despicable, but out of it you may make an effeminate corrupter, or lying schemer; but it takes Gods own gold to make a man. No lacquer work, no tinsel suffices for the cherubim of the sanctuary. They must be hammered out of pure gold, seven times purified in the fire. (Archdeacon Farrar.)

Manliness

Manliness is not popularly associated with Christianity, and it is not difficult to see how this mistake has arisen. First of all, it has arisen because of the very prominence that is given in the New Testament to what it calls the virtues of meekness and forgiveness. Again, another cause for this popular misunderstanding arises from the mannerism of religious people. They get into a weak, maudlin condition, and adopt a voice and manner that repels any person who has got a spark of manliness in him, and thus there comes a certain smallness of mind, and a morose stupidity, that does much to strengthen the idea that to be a Christian is either to be a fanatic or an effeminate person. Another cause is distinctly attributable to the characters so often drawn by novelists of what a religious person is. They represent a man as a brave, generous, fine fellow, who was no religion at all. Furthermore, people have become accustomed to think of religion as something connected with deathbed scenes, with sickness, or as bearing an aspect of grim severity, and not at all enticing to any one who likes the free breezes blowing across the sea and across the moors, who likes a manly life, and wishes to take a manly part in it. What is Christian manliness? I answer that Christian muddiness is the courage of duty, according to the Christian ideal. Now let us try to understand this. Manliness is the courage of duty, because duty is the essence of all manliness. Courage separated from duty ceases to be manliness. There is a great deal of courage even in the criminal. That is the courage of the madman or of the devil. So mere physical courage may not be the courage of manliness in its best sense. The ferocity which makes the pugilist or the prize-fighter refuse to give in, that is not a bit more wonderful than what you find in brutes. The bulldog will do the same thing, so will the wild-cat, so will the ferret. That species of courage is not necessarily a high standard of courage. There is a certain spirit of self-assertion which is sometimes mistaken for manliness. The rough, impudent, I am as good as you, is no indication of the possession of a manly spirit. There is a spirit of arrogance which has nothing to do with manly independence. It is little more than rude incivility, arising from want of consideration from others. Manliness, as the courage of duty, must forbid such things as degrade a man. Look at Christ, the ideal man! There was a life of courage under duty to God and to others, with no thought of self. Christs life was one continual self-sacrifice. Duty to God and man is the climax of manliness. The great test of character is to be found in the manner in which the common details of life are met. It is far easier for the soldier in the rush of battle to do noble deeds than to live a faithful life in the barrack-yard, or in attending to dally drill. (D. Macleod, D.D.)

Christian warfare

I. The enemies with which you have to contend.

1. The devil.

2. The world.

(1) The men of the world engage on the side of the devil.

(2) The things of the world--honours, profits, and pleasures, how dangerous are these!

3. The flesh, by which is meant the corrupt nature, is the most dangerous enemy of all.

II. This exhortation implies--

1. That you banish unnecessary fears, and engage in the warfare with boldness and resolution.

2. That you fight in Divine strength.

3. That you persevere in the combat.

III. Motives.

1. Your cause is good and highly important. It is the good fight of faith.

2. You are engaged in the presence of many spectators.

(1) God, whose eye penetrates into the inmost recesses of your hearts. He will be your impartial judge.

(2) Angels. Shall we disgrace ourselves in the sight of heaven?

3. You fight under Jesus Christ, the Captain of salvation.

4. You are sure of victory in the end. (W. Linn, D.D.)

Christ satisfying the instinct of courage

I. Paul here appeals to the instinct of courage. In becoming Christians we do not cease to be men.

1. Courage lies midway between timidity and recklessness. In matters of daring there is a deficiency which is cowardice, and an excess which is foolhardiness.

(1) Timidity is common. Many shrink from pain, fly from danger, and in matters of principle more afraid of man that shall die than of God who must judge.

(2) Foolhardiness is common. What mad prank cannot a schoolboy be dared to do? Who has not been culpably indifferent to health, influence, and character? But often the foolhardy is a coward. The man who will undermine his constitution by vice is afraid of infection. We refuse to either of these the sacred name of instinct. They are perversions, distortions of nature.

2. Nature is brave. Nowhere is cowardice honoured.

(1) Greeks and Romans had but one word for courage and virtue. The coward in battle had better not return to face either his country or his home. The man who left wife or child a prey to violence or fire was henceforth an outlaw.

(2) Courage is the idol of the young. It is this which underlies the hero worship of the river, the course, the field.

(3) Nor will either young or old, so long as England is free or Europe Christian, fail to honour the sincerity that must speak the truth, and the conscience that would go to the stake for duty.

3. Yet courage has its abuses.

(1) There is an intellectual foolhardiness seen in the upsetting of established convictions, the inversion of established convictions, the establishment of some exploded error. Many heresies have sprung out of intellectual bravery. It has seemed so manly to contradict traditions and beliefs. But there is a mental audacity as perilous as and more culpable than that which flings away life in Alpine climbing or in the circus or hunting field.

(2) The same false courage has a more fatal place in things spiritual. What is it that sends the young traveller without arms, map, or guide on the journey of life? What is it that induces one who has been vanquished fifty times on a particular battlefield of temptation to try his chance there again? It was this instinct of courage that Satan appealed to in the wilderness. He had found it in its perversion in the fallen, but not in the perfect Man.

4. Though there is an instinct of courage in us, there are many counteracting instincts, insomuch that it must be, practically, either a rare gift, or else an acquired grace.

(1) Few soldiers probably go into the battle eager for the fray. The very faith of our immortality forbids it.

(2) We reverence and ought to reverence more the grace than the gift. If we know a person naturally sensitive, delicately organised, we admire far more in that person acquired courage, than the stolid acquiescence of one who has neither brain to throb, nor nerve to quiver. Christs courage was of this nobler, less constitutional kind, as we see from His natural shrinking from death, and yet His persistence in the path of sacrifice.

II. Christ satisfies this instinct--

1. Of physical courage by showing in Himself how they who may have not the gift may have the grace. Wonderful has been the issue. Witness the martyrs. But excitement of love, hate, bigotry, etc., have had their martyrs. But there is a courage unsupported by excitement and sympathy, in the strength of which Christians have endured in unmurmuring patience lifelong pains, want, etc.

2. Of moral courage. There is nothing in Christs character more pervasive than this. We see it in His fearless antagonism to the doctors of His age. He dared to speak the truth regardless of consequences. And thus He taught us courage. He bade us never fear truth--a thing necessary to remember in the face of the present attitude of Faith and Science. The moral courage which He showed in His teaching He also showed in His conduct; and it is here that we want most to cultivate it. Think of His solemn warnings against moral cowardice. How He bade us not be ashamed of Him and His words, and not to fear them who kill the body.

3. Of spiritual courage.

(1) The courage of enterprise and aggression.

(2) The courage of resistance. (Dean Vaughan.)

Be strong

1. Weakness is always miserable; sometimes sinful. If a man, e.g., abstain from food, having food before him; if he neglect necessary exercise and become, through inaction, enervated; if he pamper the body; if he curtail rest; under such circumstances, to be weak is to be sinful. It is to such weakness that the apostle refers here.

2. Our prayer for you is that you may be strong; and our hope of your strength is not entirely in our prayer, nor in yours. Something more is necessary. In answer to such prayer, God would say to you, You must lay aside that weight, and that sin, which doth so easily beset you. If you would be strong, you must nourish your spirit with that food which I give you. Suppose that, instead of laying aside that weight, you retain it, and refuse the food offered you. God has answered your prayer in the directions He has given you, and in bringing before you the provision for your strength. The apostle had his eye upon these provisions and directions when he said, Quit you like men, be strong.

I. The things that are necessary to spiritual strength.

1. Right and sound principle. God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind. Fear is a source of weakness, and love is a source of strength. If your religion is based upon dreading God, you will never be strong, if it is built up upon loving God you will be strong.

2. Mental and emotional nutriment. To have a strong mind, you must get Gods thoughts into it. To have a strong heart, God must be the supreme object of affection.

3. Work. The doing that which God bids us to do, for inactivity invariably brings weakness. The more you do, the more you will be able to do. You find this in prayer, and in the ministrations of benevolence.

4. Self-control and government. I keep under my body.

5. Seasonable rest. You must have repose; and if you do not get it, your power of doing sinks and dies out. You see this everywhere, and nowhere more than in the Christian Church.

6. Genial influences upon us. That which we may call light and sunshine--the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given unto us. Flowers will not bloom in darkness; and you cannot get a strong character, except in the love of your God. Thy gentleness hath made me great. There are those who expose their children to all sorts of rigors to make them hardy, and perhaps sink them to the grave. The genial influence of real love makes the strongest character.

7. A good atmosphere.

8. Help wisely administered. If, in teaching a child, you do everything for him, he will do nothing. In helping the poor, if you do everything, you impoverish them. God never does this; but He so helps us as to bring out our own resources.

9. Abstinence from all enervating influences. From the principle of fear, e.g., and from carefulness run to seed, Casting all your care upon Him. Fear not, say to them of timid heart, be strong. 10. A will to be strong.

II. All which is essential to strength we have in possession, or within reach.

1. Right principle is given by God in revelation, and by His Spirit.

2. Bread of life has come down to us from heaven; the well of the water of life has been opened to us.

3. There is work God requires us to do.

4. We have directions for self-control, and we have examples.

5. Rest is divinely promised.

6. There is pure air in the house of prayer, in the Church of Christ, and always on the mount of religious meditation.

7. Help may be always obtained of God. We can lay aside every weight, or it would not be commanded. All that is necessary to make you strong is provided. Do you suppose the Saviour has left His work half done? or that He is doing it now partially? Conclusion: Be strong in your whole spirit, but especially in faith, in hope, and in love. (S. Martin.)

Christian strength

I. The exhortation: Be strong.

1. It is not natural, but moral strength that is here intended. A man may be as strong as Goliath, and at the same time quite as wicked. He may have the courage and magnanimity of an Alexander or a Caesar, and yet be a slave to his own lusts. The strength which Paul speaks of, like wisdom, it cometh from above, and consists in our being strengthened with all might by Gods Spirit in the inner man (Pro_16:32; Jam_3:17; Eph_3:16).

2. The exhortation is addressed to all Christians, whatever be their circumstances or situation, whether in a public or private capacity (Isa_35:4; Zec_10:6).

3. We need to be reminded that our strength lies not in ourselves, but in Christ our head (2Co_12:9-10).

II. The particular cases to which the exhortation is applicable. We must be strong--

1. To labour. The Christians work is constant and complicated; it is not the work of a day or two, as Ezra said respecting the reformation to be wrought in Israel, but of a whole life. As to the things of this life, he is not to be slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. But the labours of the spiritual life are still more arduous, and require greater efforts and greater self-denial (Act_20:24; 1Co_15:10; 2Co_1:8).

2. To conquer. Christians are not only labourers, but soldiers; and as such they are called to endure hardness. Seeing that so many forces are combined against us, it is necessary that great strength be exerted. We must not indulge a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (Eph_6:11-12).

3. To suffer (Rom_5:3; Col_1:11). Gods grace is sufficient for us, though nothing else is. If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

4. To die. In order to obtain the victory and to die happy, we shall need--

(1) A strong and lively faith, well founded and brought into vigorous exercise (Gen_49:18; Psa_23:4; Psa_73:26; 2Ti_4:6-8).

(2) A well-founded and animating hope.

(3) Great strength of affection, desiring to depart and be with Christ, which is far better (1Th_1:10; 2Pe_3:12).

(4) Strong consolation, and a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. (B. Beddome, M. A.)

Strength

Never would Christianity have made any impression upon the godless world which, eighteen centuries ago, it confronted and withstood, had its first teachers and disciples not been men of strength. It may be well, therefore, to consider--

1. The nature.

2. The extent.

3. The source of Christian strength.

(1) What kind of strength is required? Mere physical courage is not enough: we share that with the lower animals. Nor will intellectual power alone suffice; that may be sadly perverted and misused. Both of these are good in their way; but nothing save spiritual strength will carry the Christian triumphantly through the battle of life. This may co-exist with great natural timidity.

(2) When do we need to be strong? At all times and in all circumstances: more than ever before, now that the line of demarcation between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God is so finely drawn. To live a consistent Christian life in these days, steering clear of the dishonesties practised in the name of business, and the shams countenanced in the code of society; to denounce, heedless of self-interest, with firm faith in the ultimate victory of goodness and truth, will assuredly tax our strength to the utmost.

(3) Whence are we to derive this strength? In ourselves it cannot be found; its source lies beyond the range of our natural abilities. It comes only from God, the Lord of all power and might, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy. He waits to infuse into each soldier of His the invincible strength which carries all before it. Those who profess to serve Him have no excuse for weakness. The weaker the instrument is by nature, the more splendid is the triumph of Divine grace and the testimony to the sovereign power of God. (J. H. Burn, B.D.)

True strength

We mistake strong feelings for strong character. A man who bears all before him--before whose frown domestics tremble, and whose bursts of fury make the children of the house quake--because he has his will obeyed and his own way in all things, we call him the strong man. The truth is, that is the weak man: it is his passions that are strong; he, mastered by them, is weak. You must measure the strength of a man by the power of the feelings be subdues, not by the power of those which subdue him. And hence composure is often the highest result of strength. Did we never see a man receive a flagrant insult, and only grow a little pale, and then reply quietly? That was a man spiritually strong. Or did we never see a man in anguish stand as if carved out of solid rock, mastering himself? Or one bearing a hopeless daily trial remain silent, and never tell the world what it was that cankered his home peace? That is strength. He who, with strong passions, remains chaste--he who, keenly sensitive, with manly power of indignation in him, can be provoked, yet can restrain himself and forgive--these are strong men, spiritual heroes. (New York Observer.)

Vigilance needed

If we travel by river steamer we are admonished by an inscription just below the steersmans platform not to speak to the man at the wheel. A momentary distraction from attention to his duties might, in some circumstances, involve a deviation from the vessels course full of danger to all on board. Like vigilance is needful in spiritual things. The soul must look right on, undistracted by the vain conversation of a babbling world, if she would steer her course well for eternity, and avoid making shipwreck of her faith. (J. Halsey.)

Watchfulness needed

A thoughtful scholar of a generation that is passing away was once asked if he would take some bread and a glass of wine. His answer was, No; I will take some bread and a glass of water. His friend smilingly answered, Bread and water--that is prison fare. No, said he, not prison fare, but garrison fare. And it is garrison time down here. We cant afford to be off our watch, not keeping a constant look-out for dangers that are very real and imminent. What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch!

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co 16:13-14. To conclude. Watch ye — Against all your seen and unseen enemies; stand fast in the faith — Seeing and trusting in Him that is invisible: quit you like men — With courage and patience; be strong — To do and suffer his will. Let all your things be done with charity — Namely, your differences about worldly affairs, mentioned chap. 6., your disputes concerning marriage and a single state; (chap. 8.;) your eating things sacrificed to idols; (chapters 8., 10;) your eating the Lord’s supper; (chap. 11.;) and your method of exercising your gifts, chapters 12., 14. In all these ye ought to have a regard to the good of your neighbours, that ye may not occasion each other to sin.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

c. Paul’s final interjected admonition, 1Co_16:13-14.

Paul must utter a few more words of rousing admonition before he closes. His words are almost all of military force.

13. Watch—Like a wakeful sentinel when the enemy is near.

Stand fast in the faith—Whether foes assault or deceivers seduce you.

Quit… men—A single word in the Greek—be men; exert your Christian manhood.

Be strong—Strain up your nerve and sinew.

With charity— Rather, in love; a caution against factions, and a reminder of chapter 13.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1 Corinthians

STRONG AND LOVING

1Co 16:13 - 1Co 16:14.

There is a singular contrast between the first four of these exhortations and the last. The former ring sharp and short like pistol-shots; the last is of gentler mould. The former sound like the word of command shouted from an officer along the ranks; and there is a military metaphor running all through them. The foe threatens to advance; let the guards keep their eyes open. He comes nearer; prepare for the charge, stand firm in your ranks. The battle is joined; ‘quit you like men’-strike a man’s stroke-’be strong.’

And then all the apparatus of warfare is put away out of sight, and the captain’s word of command is softened into the Christian teacher’s exhortation: ‘Let all your deeds be done in charity.’ For love is better than fighting, and is stronger than swords. And yet, although there is a contrast here, there is also a sequence and connection. No doubt these exhortations, which are Paul’s last word to that Corinthian Church on whom he had lavished in turn the treasures of his manifold eloquence, indignation, argumentation, and tenderness, reflected the deficiencies of the people to whom he was speaking. They were schismatic and factious to the very core, and so they needed the exhortation to be left last in their ears, as it were, that everything should be done in love. They were ill-grounded in regard to the very fundamental doctrines of the faith, as all Paul’s argumentation about the resurrection proves, and so they needed to be bidden to ‘stand fast in the faith.’ Their slothful carelessness as to the discipline of the Christian life, and their consequent feebleness of grasp of the Christian verities, made them loose-braced and weak in all respects, and incapacitated them for vigorous warfare. Thus, we see a picture in these injunctions of the sort of community that Paul had to deal with in Corinth, which yet he called a Church of saints, and for which he loved and laboured. Let me then run over and try to bring out the importance and mutual connection of what I may call this drill-book for the Christian warfare, which is the Christian life.

‘Watch ye.’ That means one of two things certainly, probably both-Keep awake, and keep your eyes open. Our Lord used the same metaphor, you remember, very frequently, but with a special significance. On His lips it generally referred to the attitude of expectation of His coming in judgment. Paul uses sometimes the figure with the same application, but here, distinctly, it has another. As I said, there is the military idea underlying it. What will become of an army if the sentries go to sleep? And what chance will a Christian man have of doing his devoir against his enemy, unless he keeps himself awake, and keeps himself alert? Watchfulness, in the sense of always having eyes open for the possible rush down upon us of temptation and evil, is no small part of the discipline and the duty of the Christian life. One part of that watchfulness consists in exercising a very rigid and a very constant and comprehensive scrutiny of our motives. For there is no way by which evil creeps upon us so unobserved, as when it slips in at the back door of a specious motive. Many a man contents himself with the avoidance of actual evil actions, and lets any kind of motives come in and out of his mind unexamined. It is all right to look after our doings, but ‘as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.’ The good or the evil of anything that I do is determined wholly by the motive with which I do it. And we are a great deal too apt to palm off deceptions on ourselves to make sure that our motives are right, unless we give them a very careful and minute scrutiny. One side of this watchfulness, then, is a habitual inspection of our motives and reasons for action. ‘What am I doing this for?’ is a question that would stop dead an enormous proportion of our activity, as if you had turned the steam off from an engine. If you will use a very fine sieve through which to strain your motives, you will go a long way to keeping your actions right. We should establish a rigid examination for applicants for entrance, and make quite sure that each that presents itself is not a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Make them all bring out their passports. Let every vessel that comes into your harbour remain isolated from all communication with the shore, until the health officer has been on board and given a clean bill. ‘Watch ye,’ for yonder, away in the dark, in the shadow of the trees, the black masses of the enemy are gathered, and a midnight attack is but too likely to bring a bloody awakening to a camp full of sleepers.

My text goes on to bring the enemy nearer and nearer and nearer. ‘Watch ye’-and if, not unnoticed, they come down on you, ‘stand fast in the faith.’ There will be no keeping our ranks, or keeping our feet-or at least, it is not nearly so likely that there will be-unless there has been the preceding watchfulness. If the first command has not been obeyed, there is small chance of the second’s being so. If there has not been any watchfulness, it is not at all likely that there will be much steadfastness. Just as with a man going along a crowded pavement, a little touch from a passer-by will throw him off his balance, whereas if he had known it was coming, and had adjusted his poise rightly, he would have stood against thrice as violent a shock, so, in order that we may stand fast, we must watch. A sudden assault will be a great deal less formidable when it is a foreseen assault.

‘Stand fast in the faith.’ I take it that this does not mean ‘the thing that we believe,’ which use of the word ‘faith’ is the ecclesiastical, but not the New Testament meaning. In Scripture, faith means not the body of truths that we believe, but the act of believing them. This further command tells us that, in addition to our watchfulness, and as the basis of our steadfastness, confidence in the revelation of God in Jesus Christ will enable us to keep our feet whatever comes against us, and to hold our ground, whoever may assault us.

But remember that it is not because I have faith that I stand fast, but because of that in which I have faith. My feet may be well shod-and it used to be said that a soldier’s shoes were of as much importance in the battle as his musket-my feet may be well shod, but if they are not well planted upon firm ground I never shall be able to stand the collision of the foe. So then, it is not my grasp of the blessed truth, God in Christ my Friend and Helper, but it is that truth which I grasp at, that makes me strong. Or, to put it into other words, it is the foothold, and not the foot that holds it, that ensures our standing firm. Only there is no steadfastness communicated to us from the source of all stability, except by way of our faith, which brings Christ into us. ‘Watch ye; stand fast in the faith.’

The next two words of command are very closely connected, though not quite identical. ‘Quit you like men.’ Play a man’s part in the battle; strike with all the force of your muscles. But the Apostle adds, ‘be strong.’ You cannot play a man’s part unless you are. ‘Be strong’-the original would rather bear ‘become strong.’ What is the use of telling men to ‘be strong’ ? It is a waste of words, in nine cases out of ten, to say to a weak man, ‘Pluck up your courage, and show strength.’ But the Apostle uses a very uncommon word here, at least uncommon in the New Testament, and another place where he uses it will throw light upon what he means: ‘Strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.’ Then is it so vain a mockery to tell a poor, weak creature like me to become strong, when you can point me to the source of all strength, in that ‘Spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind’ ? We have only to take our weakness there to have it stiffened into strength; as people put bits of wood into what are called ‘petrifying wells’ which infiltrate into them mineral particles, that do not turn the wood into stone, but make the wood as strong as stone. So my manhood, with all its weakness, may have filtered into it divine strength, which will brace me for all needful duty, and make me ‘more than conqueror through Him that loved us.’ Then, it is not mockery and cruelty, vanity and surplusage to preach ‘Quit you like men; be strong, and be a man’; because if we will observe the plain and not hard conditions, strength will come to us according to our day, in fulfilment of the great promises: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee; and My strength is made perfect in weakness.’

And now we have done with the fighting words of command, and come to the gentler exhortation: ‘Let all your things be done in charity.’

That was a hard lesson for these Corinthians who were splitting themselves into factions and sects, and tearing each other’s eyes out in their partisanship for various Christian teachers. But the advice has a much wider application than to the suppression of squabbles in Christian communities. It is the sum of all commandments of the Christian life, if you will take love in its widest sense, in the sense, that is, in which it is always used in Paul’s writings. We cut it into two halves, and think of it as sometimes meaning love to God, and sometimes love to man. The two are inseparably inter-penetrated in the New Testament writings; and so we have to interpret this supreme commandment in the whole breadth and meaning of that great word Love. And then it just comes to this, that love is the victor in all the Christian warfare. If we love God, at any given moment, consciously having our affection engaged with Him, and our heart going out to Him, do you think that any evil or temptation would have power over us? Should we not see them as they are, to be devils in disguise? In the proportion in which I love God I conquer all sin. And at the moment in which that great, sweet, all-satisfying light floods into my soul, I see through the hollowness and the shams, and detect the ugliness and the filth of the things that otherwise would be temptations. If you desire to be conquerors in the Christian fight, remember that the true way of conquest is, as another Apostle says, ‘Keep yourselves in the love of God.’ ‘Let all your things be done in charity.’

And, further, how beautifully the Apostle here puts the great truth that we are all apt to forget, that the strongest type of human character is the gentlest and most loving, and that the mighty man is not the man of intellectual or material force, such as the world idolises, but the man who is much because he loves much. If we would come to supreme beauty of Christian character, there must be inseparably manifested in our lives, and lived in our hearts, strength and love, might and gentleness. That is the perfect man, and that was the union which was set before us, in the highest form, in the ‘Strong Son of God, Immortal Love,’ whom we call our Saviour, and whom we are bound to follow. His soldiers conquer as the Captain of their salvation has conquered, when watchfulness and steadfastness and courage and strength are all baptized in love and perfected thereby.

Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (1904–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co 16:13. Γρηγορεῖτε, watch) The conclusion exhorting chiefly to faith and love [This is the sum of all those things, which either Timothy or Apollos thought should be inculcated on the Corinthians.—V. g.]—ἐν τῇ πίστει, in the faith, ch. 1Co 15:2; 1Co 15:11; 1Co 15:14; 1Co 15:17.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_16:13 f. In conclusion of the whole Epistle, and without connection or reference to what has immediately preceded, there is now added a concise exhortation which compresses closely together, in five imperatives following each other asyndetically, the whole sum of the Christian calling, upon which are then to follow some personal commendations and greetings, as well as, lastly, the proper closing greeting and the benediction.

The γρηγορεῖτε summons to Christian foresight and soberness, without which stedfastness in the faith (στήκ. ἐν τ. πίστ.) is not possible; ἀνδρίζεσθε and κραταιοῦσθε, again, to the manly (muliebris enim omnis inconstantia, Pelagius) and vigorous resistance against all dangers, without which that stedfastness cannot continu.

ἀνδρίζεσθαι] to bear oneself manfully, to be manly in bearing and action; only here in the New Testament, but often in classic writers, see Wetstein, and in the LXX. Comp. the Homeric ἀνέρες ἐστε, Il. v. 529; and see, also, Valckenaer, ad Herod. vii. 210; Heind. ad Plat. Phaedr. p. 239 B. Comp. ἀνδρικῶς ὑπομεῖναι μάχεσθαι κ.τ.λ., Ast, Lex. Plat. I. p. 165.

κραταιοῦσθε] be strong. Comp. Eph_3:16 : δυνάμει κραταιωθῆναι διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον. The verbal form occurs in the LXX. and Apocrypha; not in Greek writers, who say κρατύνεσθαι.

ἐν ἀγάπῃ] as in the life-sphere of the whole Christian dispositions and action, chap. 13, and, in particular, of mutual edification, 1Co_8:1.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co 16:13-18 . § 59. CONCLUDING HOMILY. According to the Apostle’s wont, at the end of his letter he gathers up the burden of his message into a single concise and stirring exhortation (1Co 16:13 f.). Watchfulness , steadfastness, manly vigour , above all Christian love , were the qualities in which this Church was lacking. Their “love” they would have a particular opportunity of showing to the family of Stephanas, who had been foremost in works of benevolence (1Co 16:15 f.); for St. is now returning home in charge of this Ep. with his two companions, after they had brought the letter of the Church to P. and cheered him by their society. The deputation has done a timely public service in the best spirit; their kindly offices must be duly acknowledged (1Co 16:17 f.).

1Co 16:13-14 . Γρηγορεῖτε , στήκετε belong to a class of vbs. peculiar to later Gr [2670] presents based on older perfects; the former from ἐγρήγορα ( ἐγείρω ), the latter from ἕστηκα ( ἵστημι ). The first exhortation recalls 1Co 15:33 f., the second 1Co 4:17 , 1Co 10:12 , 1Co 15:2 ; 1Co 15:11 ff. ἀνδρίζεσθε , “play the man,” viriliter agite (Vg [2671] ), adds an active element to the passive and defensive attitude implied in the previous impvs.; it looks back to 1Co 13:11 and 1Co 14:20 (relating to the glossolalia ), but exhorts in general to the courageous prosecution of the Christian life by the Cor [2672] , who were enfeebled by contact with heathen society (x., 2Co 6:11 ff.). This word is common in cl [2673] Gr [2674] ; cf. 1Ma 2:64 , ἰσχύσατε κ . ἀνδρίζεσθε ἐν τῷ νόμῳ , also the Homeric ἀνέρες ἐστέ . κραταιοῦσθε enjoins manful activity, in its most energetic form (see parls.). κράτος , from which, through κραταιός (1Pe 5:6 ), the vb [2675] is derived (cl [2676] Gr [2677] κρατύνω ), signifies superior power, mastery (see Col 1:11 , 1Ti 6:16 ): “be [not merely strong, but] mighty ”. The four impvs. of 1Co 16:13 are directed respectively against the heedlessness, fickleness, childishness , and moral enervation of the Cor [2678] : the fifth “All your doings, let them be done (or carried on: γινέσθω ) in love” reiterates the appeal of chh. 8 and 13 touching the radical fault of this Church; see also 1Co 2:3 , 1Co 4:6 , 1Co 6:1-8 , 1Co 11:21 f., 1Co 11:12 . as, etc.

[2670] Greek, or Grotius’ Annotationes in N.T.

[2671] Latin Vulgate Translation.

[2672] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[2673] classical.

[2674] Greek, or Grotius’ Annotationes in N.T.

[2675] verb

[2676] classical.

[2677] Greek, or Grotius’ Annotationes in N.T.

[2678] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_16:13, 1Co_16:14

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity.

These concise exhortations form a fitting close to the epistle; each being adapted to the peculiar circumstances of the Corinthians, though of course applicable to all Christians in their conflicts with the world.

1. He exhorts them to watch, i.e. to be wakeful, constantly on the alert, that their spiritual enemies might not gain advantage over them before they were aware of their danger.

2. Beset as they were with false teachers, who handled deceitfully the word of God, 2Co_4:2, he exhorts them to stand fast in the faith. Do not consider every point of doctrine an open question. Matters of faith, doctrines for which you have a clear revelation of God, such for example as the doctrine of the resurrection, are to be considered settled, and, as among Christians, no longer matters of dispute. There are doctrines embraced in the creeds of all orthodox churches, so clearly taught in Scripture, that it is not only useless, but hurtful, to be always calling them into question.

3. Quit you like men. The circumstances of the Corinthians called for great courage. They had to withstand the contempt of the learned, and the persecutions of the powerful.

4. Be strong. Not only courage, but strength, was needed to withstand their enemies, and to bear up under the trials which were to come upon them.

5. Let all your affairs be conducted in love, i.e. let love prevail, in your hearts, in your families, in your assemblies. The preceding parts of the epistle show how much need there was for this exhortation; as the church was rent with factions, and even the Lords supper, every where else a feast of love, had become in Corinth a fountain of bitterness.

Charles Hodge — Commentary on Romans (1835), First Corinthians (1857), and Ephesians (1856) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He shows that they ought to make their hopes of salvation to depend not on Apollos or any other teacher; that it rests with themselves. "Watch ye": for ye are slumbering. "Stand": for ye are like men tottering. "Quit you like men; be strong": for ye are effeminate (Co1 16:14). "Let all your things be done with charity" (Co1 8:1; Co1 13:1): not with strifes as at present [CHRYSOSTOM]. "In the faith" which was assailed by some (Co1 15:1-2, Co1 15:12-17).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 13. Watch ye] You have many enemies; be continually on your guard; be always circumspect:-

1. Watch against evil;

2. Watch for opportunities to receive good;

3. Watch for opportunities to do good;

4. Watch over each other in love;

5. Watch, that none may draw you aside from the belief and unity of the Gospel.

Stand fast in the faith] Hold in conscientious credence what you have already received as the truth of God; for it is the Gospel by which ye shall be saved, and by which ye are now put into a state of salvation: see 1Co 15:1; 1Co 15:2.

Quit you like men] Be not like children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine; let your understanding receive the truth; let your judgment determine on the absolute necessity of retaining it; and give up life rather than give up the testimony of God.

Be strong.] Put forth all the vigour and energy which God has given you in maintaining and propagating the truth, and your spiritual strength will increase by usage. The terms in this verse are all military: Watch ye, γρηγορειτε, watch, and be continually on your guard, lest you be surprised by your enemies; keep your scouts out, and all your sentinels at their posts, lest your enemies steal a march upon you. See that the place you are in be properly defended; and that each be alert to perform his duty.

Stand fast in the faith - Στηκετε εν τῃ πιστει·. Keep in your ranks; do not be disorderly; be determined to keep your ranks unbroken; keep close together. On your unity your preservation depends; if the enemy succeed in breaking your ranks, and dividing one part of this sacred army from another, your rout will be inevitable.

Quit yourselves like men - Ανδριζεσθε· When you are attacked, do not flinch; maintain your ground; resist; press forward; strike home; keep compact; conquer.

Be strong - Κραταιουαθε. If one company or division be opposed by too great a force of the enemy, strengthen that division, and maintain your position; if an attack is to be made on any part or intrenchment of the foe, summon up all your courage, sustain each other; fear not, for fear will enervate you. Your cause is good; it is the faith, the religion of Jesus; he is your Captain in the field; and, should you even die in the contest, the victory is yours.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(13, 14) Watch ye, stand fast.—These words of stirring exhortation come in here somewhat abruptly. It is possible that they conclude the epistle so far—the Apostle intending to add immediately before sending it, the verses which follow, and which contain messages from, or commendations of their friends who were with him. Living in a profound consciousness of the uncertainty of life, St. Paul might wish not to have such references to friends with him added until the last moment along with his own autograph (see 1Co_16:21). The Apostle’s mind is full of the hope of beneficial results following from this letter and from the exertions of Titus; yet, after all, everything depends upon the Corinthians themselves. Chrysostom’s Note on these words brings out their meaning well. “Now in saying these things, he seems indeed to advise; but he is reprimanding them as indolent. Wherefore he saith, Watch, as though they slept; stand, as though they were rocking to and fro; quit you like men, as though they were playing the coward; let all your things be done with charity, as though they were in dissensions. And the first caution refers to the deceivers, viz., Watch, stand; the next to those who plot against us, quit you like men; the third to those who make parties and endeavour to distract, let all your things be done with charity, which thing is the bond of perfection, and the root and the fountain of all blessings.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. quit you like men, be strong] Rather, be strengthened, implying that the source of strength was not in themselves. “If you think Christianity a feeble, soft thing, ill adapted to call out the manlier features of character, read here.”—Robertson.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let all your things be done with charity. Signifying, that the whole of their obedience to Christ, their observation of, and subjection to all his ordinances and commands, should spring from, and be done in love to him; and that the whole of their conduct and behaviour towards one another ought to be with charity, which bears all things, and covers a multitude of sins; and that all their church affairs, their business at church meetings, should be transacted, not with strife and vain glory, but in peace, and with mutual affection, with a concern for the good of each other, and of the whole body, and for the glory of God; for without charity or love, and the exercise of this grace, it signifies little what men either have or do; and such an exhortation was the more necessary to this church, since it was so full of factions, contentions, and divisions.

Let all your things be done with charity. Signifying, that the whole of their obedience to Christ, their observation of, and subjection to all his ordinances and commands, should spring from, and be done in love to him; and that the whole of their conduct and behaviour towards one another ought to be with charity, which bears all things, and covers a multitude of sins; and that all their church affairs, their business at church meetings, should be transacted, not with strife and vain glory, but in peace, and with mutual affection, with a concern for the good of each other, and of the whole body, and for the glory of God; for without charity or love, and the exercise of this grace, it signifies little what men either have or do; and such an exhortation was the more necessary to this church, since it was so full of factions, contentions, and divisions.

1 Corinthians 16:15

co1 16:15

co1 16:15

co1 16:15I beseech you, brethren,.... Entreat or exhort you as brethren in the Lord; this entreaty or exhortation is to submission to fellow helpers and labourers of the ministry, more particularly expressed in the following verse, after the apostle has given a character of the household of Stephanas, who are principally intended, and which contains reasons and arguments why they should be submitted to; and which account stands in the following parenthesis,

ye know the house of Stephanas; a person of note at Corinth, whom the apostle had baptized, together with his family, Co1 1:16. The Vulgate Latin version, and some copies, add, "and of Fortunatus and Achaicus", persons mentioned along with Stephanas, in Co1 1:17;

that it is the firstfruits of Achaia: this family was one of the first in the regions of Achaia, of which Corinth was the metropolis, that believed in Christ; these were some of the first instances of conversion, and who received the firstfruits of the Spirit in these parts, and by the grace of God had been enabled to persevere hitherto, and were worthy of respect: the same he says of Epaenetus, in Rom 16:5;

and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints; that is, either to minister to the wants of poor saints, whether out of their own substance, or the churches' stock, being deacons, or to minister to the saints by preaching the Gospel; which good work they desired, willingly gave up themselves to, and cheerfully engaged in, and took the oversight and care of the flock, not by constraint, but willingly; not that they thrust themselves into an office, or came into it in an irregular way, but being called into it in an orderly manner by the church, and invested with it, they applied to the execution of it with great heartiness, diligence, and zeal, and so were very deserving of due respect, as next mentioned.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Ver. 13. Watch ye, &c.] Solomon’s wisdom, Lot’s integrity, and Noah’s sobriety felt the smart of the serpent’s sting. The first was seduced, the second stumbled, the third fell, while the eye of watchfulness was fallen asleep.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Watch ye - The exhortation in this and the following verse is given evidently in view of the special dangers and temptations which surrounded them. The word used here (Γρηγορεῖτε Grēgoreite) means, to keep awake, to be vigilant, etc.; and this may, perhaps, be a military metaphor derived from the duty of those who are stationed as sentinels to guard a camp, or to observe the motions of an enemy. The term is frequently used in the New Testament, and the duty frequently enjoined; Mat 24:41-42; Mat 25:13; Mar 13:35; Luk 21:36; Act 20:31; 1Th 5:6; 2Ti 4:5. The sense here is, that they were to watch, or be vigilant, against all the evils of which he had admonished them, the evils of dissension, or erroneous doctrines, of disorder, of false teachers, etc. They were to watch lest their souls should be ruined, and their salvation endangered; lest the enemies of the truth and of holiness should steal silently upon them, and surprise them. They were to watch with the same vigilance that is required of a sentinel who guards a camp, lest an enemy should come suddenly upon them, and surprise the camp when the army was locked in sleep.

Stand fast in the faith - Be firm in holding and defending the truths of the gospel. Do not yield to any foe, but maintain the truth, and adhere to your confidence in God and to the doctrines of the gospel with unwavering constancy; see the note at 1Co 15:1. Be firm in maintaining what you believe to be true, and in holding on to your personal confidence in God, notwithstanding all the arts, insinuations, and teachings of seducers and the friends of false doctrine.

Quit you like men - (ἀνδρίζεσθε andrizesthe, from ἀνήρ anēr, a man). The word occurs no where else in the New Testament. In the Septuagint it occurs in Jos 1:6-7, Jos 1:9,Jos 1:18; 1Ch 28:20; 2Ch 32:7; Neh 2:1; and in 18 other places. See Trommius’ Concordance. It occurs also in the classic authors; see Xenophon, Oec. Neh 5:4. It means, to render one manly or brave; to show oneself a man; that is, not to be a coward, or timid, or alarmed at enemies, but to be bold and brave. We have a similar phrase in common use: “Be a man,” or “Show yourself a man;” that is, be not mean, or be not cowardly.

Be strong - Be firm, fixed, steadfast; compare Eph 6:10, “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

A Christian is a soldier, environed and attacked on all sides by enemies. It is his duty to guard against surprise. He should never abandon the post of faith, nor the fortress of the Church, unless he wish to fall an easy prey to his adversaries. He should fight with courage, and after each attack, carefully repair the breaches made by the enemy, that he may be in a condition to sustain fresh attacks by charity, which is the principle, the soul, the life, and heart of our every action.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Watch ye: watching, in its usual acceptation, signifieth a forbearing of sleep; and that in order to some end. Sin is set out under the notion of sleep, Eph 5:14; so that spiritual watching signifies a diligent abstaining from sin, and from whatsoever may be to us a temptation to sin against God, in order to the perfecting of holiness, and the obtaining life and immortality.

Stand fast in the faith; be steady in the profession of the truth, and holding close to the doctrine of faith.

Quit you like men, be strong; you are as soldiers fighting against the world, the flesh, and the devil; do not behave yourselves like children, whom the least opposition will terrify and throw down; but like men, with a spiritual courage and fortitude, becoming such who have so good a Captain, and so good a cause.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Watch, etc. The brief impetuous imperatives show a sudden burst of emotion as he draws to a close. The next clause seems like an after-thought. Watchfulness (1Th_5:6 1Pe_5:8; Rev_3:2 Rev_16:15) steadfastness, (Php_1:27) and strength (Eph_6:10; Col_1:11; 2Ti_2:1) and love (1Co 13.; 1Pe_4:8, etc.) were frequent subjects of Christian exhortation. The verb which expresses Christian manliness ("Play the men!") occurs here only. It is found in the LXX of Jos_1:6. They needed, as Chrysostom says, all these exhortations, for they were, in Christian matters, drowsy, unstable, effeminate, and factions.

Vers. 13, 14.

The demands of Christianity on its adherents.

ye, stand fast in the faith," etc. Here are certain demands which Christianity makes on all men.

I A demand for VIGILANCE. "Watch ye." A military metaphor this, derived from the duty of those who are stationed to guard a camp or to observe the motions of an enemy. There were many evils, as we have seen, in the Corinthian Church dissensions, heresies, inchastities, intemperances, etc. Hence the necessity of watchfulness. But where do not evils abound? Hosts surround us all, hence, "Watch ye." "Watch and pray," says Christ.

II A demand for STABILITY. "Stand fast in the faith." Do not be vacillating, wavering, "tossed about by every wind of doctrine." Strike the roots of your faith deep into the soil of eternal realities. Firmness is no more obstinacy than the stony rock is the deep-rooted oak.

III A demand for MANLINESS. "Quit you like men." Be courageous, invincible, well equipped, manly. Be an ideal man; you can be nothing higher than this, nothing greater. There are great philosophers, great poets, great statesmen, great orators, great warriors, who are small men, if men at all, leagues away from the ideal. A great functionary is often a very small man. "Quit you like men." Be heroes in the strife, Here is

IV A demand for CHARITY. "Let all your things be done with charity" or love. Man"s life consists of many acts, many "things done." Activity is at once the law and the necessity of his nature. He only really lives as he acts; inactivity is death. But whilst the acts of men are numerous and varied, the animating and controlling spirit should be one, and that spirit is love.

The word of command to Christian soldiers.

Now and again we meet with passages in the New Testament which remind us that Christianity does not lose sight of the sterner virtues. Certainly our religion has brought the softer and more amiable virtues into honour and prominence; but we should make a mistake did we suppose that for the severer excellences of character it finds no place.

I THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A SCENE OF WARFARE. It is an opportunity for bearing witness to the grace of God, an opportunity for faithful and diligent service. But this is not all. Who can, in any station of life, sincerely endeavor to live as a Christian, without finding out that life is a campaign, a scene of discipline, of conflict? Surely the language of the New Testament in which we are addressed as soldiers of the cross, is not mere poetry, the utterance of imagination!

II THE FOES WHOM THE CHRISTIAN IS CALLED TO ENCOUNTER ARE SPIRITUAL. As the apostle, expresses it elsewhere, "We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers," etc. Whether at Corinth or at Ephesus, or in modem London, or far away beyond the seas, he who is bent upon doing the will of God must needs make up his mind to face the adversary. Many are the forms assumed by the foe of souls, many his devices, great his craft and power. In his temptation, our Divine Lord and Leader, the Captain of our salvation, himself faced the enemy, and withstood his repeated and various assaults.

III OUR POSITION OF DANGER CALLS FOR THE EXERCISE OF THE SOLDIER LIKE VIRTUES OF COURAGE AND ENDURANCE.

1. Watchfulness; lest the soldier be surprised at his post, and fall a victim to his foe. What stress our Lord and his apostles have laid upon this attitude of vigilance! If we know ourselves, our weakness, our liability to sin; if we know the resources of our enemies we shall feel the necessity of watching, lest we enter into temptation.

2. Steadfastness in the faith; lest we be tossed to and fro by our indecision and vacillation. Persecution and prosperity are alike in this, that they expose us to this danger.

3. Manliness is, no doubt, in contrast to the spirit of effeminacy and sloth. "Quit you like men!" is the ringing battle cry of one whose own life illustrated the precept.

4. Strength is needed in such a combat, in which only the weapons of warfare which are not carnal are mighty through God to the pulling down of the strongholds.

IV DIVINE GRACE ALONE CAN EQUIP AND UPHOLD THE SOLDIERS IN THIS HOLY WAR. This great truth is always, when not expressed, in the background, when admonitions to vigilance and courage are addressed to Christians. It is not to be supposed that in our own strength we can comply with requirements so stringent and conduct a warfare so perilous. But "if God be for us, who can be against us?" The warfare is not ours, but God"s, and his are the weapons and his the might, even as his is the glory of the victory. T.

Vers. 13, 14.

A fivefold exhortation.

This the Corinthians needed. It fitly comes near the conclusion of the Epistle, summarizing much that has gone before. The Corinthians tended towards false security, reliance upon gifts and teachers; so the apostle says, "Watch ye." They were wavering in adhesion to the gospel which Paul preached; so he says, "Stand fast in the faith." They were but "babes"; (1Co_3:1) so the apostle incites them to seek more of the qualities of manhood: "Quit you like men." They were enfeebled by false doctrine, Church abuses, irregularity of spiritual life; so he says, "Be strong." They were more remarkable for jealousy, rivalry, contempt, pride, than for the pre-eminent Christian grace; so Paul says, "Let all that ye do be done in love." Corinthian perils are our perils. Corinthian failures may be our failures perhaps are. Let us heed the apostolic exhortation to

I WATCHFULNESS.

1. Against dangers from without. False teachers, bad examples, unholy influences, Satanic attacks. We who are of the day should be awake.

2. Against danger from within. We often tempt ourselves, often deceive ourselves, often injure ourselves. Our greatest enemy is within, not without. It is the traitor in the camp who does the mischief.

3. For opportunities of usefulness. Our day is short. Soon the final account must be rendered. We have many opportunities, but they never wait for us. We must watch for them, and catch them as they come. Opportunities have no resurrection.

4. For the coming of Christ. The Master himself enjoined this: "What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch". (Mar_13:37)

II STEADFASTNESS. We have to abide in the faith. He that "endureth to the end" shall be saved. Lack of steadfastness

(1) hinders our spiritual growth;

(2) mars our usefulness;

(3) imperils our salvation;

(4) is a stumbling block to others;

(5) a great offence to Christ;

(6) spoils our spiritual joys.

III MANLINESS. Christians should be robust. They are not always to be children in the faith. They need a manly temper,

(1) to contend with difficulties;

(2) to bear up under opposition;

(3) to endure temporary defeat.

Christians should be bold and fearless. Every Christian should be a courageous Christian. The service in which we are engaged is grand beyond conception the issues how momentous! "Quit you like men!

IV STRENGTH. Does it seem strange that we are commanded to be strong? Some will say we can only be what we are, and it is worse than futile to say to a weak man, "Be strong." But Paul said, "When I am weak then am I strong." When we are bidden to be strong, then we often feel most our weakness; but then we go to the Strong for strength. The Lion of the tribe of Judah can give to us a lionlike might. As to means: if we would be strong we must

(1) abound in prayer

(2) and in work using all the strength we have;

(3) avoid evil influences not be more than duty calls us in pestilential worldly atmospheres;

(4) seek solid knowledge of things Divine;

(5) strive against sin.

V LOVE. Love should rule all our thoughts, purposes, words, and acts. We are nothing if we are without love (ch. 13.). This is the key to the preceding exhortations. If we have a real living love towards God and man, it will become easy to live in watchfulness; we shall not want to relinquish our faith; our Christian manliness will rapidly develop; and we shall be strong, for we shall be like God. "God is love." Love is salt; it will preserve from corruption our whole spiritual life. H.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

To conclude. Watch ye - Against all your seen and unseen enemies. Stand fast in the faith - Seeing and trusting him that is invisible. Acquit yourselves like men - With courage and patience. Be strong - To do and suffer all his will.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

A concluding exhortation:

v. 13. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong

v. 14. Let all your things be done with charity.

v. 15. I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first-fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

v. 16. that ye submit yourselves unto such, and to everyone that helpeth with us and labors.

v. 17. I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus; for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.

v. 18. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours; therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.

According to his custom, the apostle here gives the gist of all his admonitions in a few brief sentences. The unusual and abundant gifts of grace which the Lord had given to the congregation at Corinth had produced a carnal and dangerous sleepiness in their midst. Hence the call: Watch, stand firm in the faith, prove yourselves men, be strong, manfully, mightily active. Watchfulness is necessary, lest they yield once more to the sins which Paul has reproved in his letter to them, to the attack of treacherous foes, both from without and from within. This watchfulness goes hand in hand with steadfastness in faith, a faith not dependent upon man’s wisdom, but upon God’s power. This faith was a gift of God’s grace, and, as such, must be held with all firmness. It brought about, in turn, a courageous, manly attitude, and a summoning up of strength to resist the might of every foe. It is the same admonition which we find Eph 6:10-17. On the other hand, however, it behooved the Corinthians to remember that all their doings should be carried on in love. All divisions and strife must be abandoned where the real spirit of Christ lives, where the spirit of unselfish service has the undisputed mastery.

The Corinthian Christians would have a good opportunity to exercise the proper brotherly love, according to the exhortation of Paul, in the case of the household and family of Stephanas, whom he calls the first-fruits of the province of Achaia. There were earlier individual converts in the province, Act 17:34, but this family as such was the first to be received into the Christian Church by Baptism, thus becoming the nucleus of a subsequent Christian congregation. The apostle gives them the testimony that they all, the entire household, set themselves for ministering to the saints, were always ready to give their ability and their time in the interest of any service of the brethren. In return for such services, which the Corinthians had enjoyed, the apostle wants to see them willing to submit themselves to such as these, since they were probably holding offices in the congregation, Heb 13:17, and to everyone that shares in the work and labors. This admonition does not establish a hierarchy, but merely "enjoins spontaneous submission to the direction of those that are able and disposed to lead in good works. " The gift of proper, tactful service ought to be recognized by every congregation, and the brethren and sisters that possess it ought to be honored accordingly.

As for the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, it had given great joy to the apostle. At the present time they were in Ephesus as delegates of the Corinthian congregation, and Paul was very glad of the fact. When they would return to Corinth, the brethren would surely show them that respect in love which was due them. These men were probably the principal, if not the only bearers of the present letter to the Corinthians. Paul rejoiced at their presence, because his lack of them (the Corinthians) these men had filled up. Here is another evidence of Paul’s delicate tact; for his words imply that the believers of Corinth, were they only present, would cheer him by their love and kindness; this being impossible at present, their delegates were representing them also in this respect, filling the place of their congregation in a very acceptable manner. And in doing so, they were giving recreation both to Paul’s spirit and to that of the brethren whom they represented; for such is the restful effect of friendly converse and sympathy: it cheers the receiver and reacts upon the giver. Therefore the Corinthians will surely acknowledge such men as these, not only to regard them according to their abilities, but also to treat them with due affection and respect—a fine example for Christian congregations at all times.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Three duties are here exhorted to, namely, watchfulness, stedfastness in the faith, and holy fortitude and courage.

1. Watchfulness, a necessary and daily duty; we cannot be safe one moment without it; something we must watch over, something we must watch against all sin, all appearance of sin, all temptations to sin, all occasions of sinning; we must watch for all opportunities of glorifying God, all opportunities of doing good to others.

2. Stedfastness in the faith; perseverance in the faith of Christ, and stedfastness in his holy religion, is the great and indispensible duty of every Christian that has a due regard to his soul’s salvation: Watch ye, stand fast in the faith:

3. Christian fortitude and holy courage: Quit yourselves like men, be strong. Where we have the Christian’s spiritual enemies supposed and implied, sin, Satan, and the world; and his duty declared, and himself encouraged to play the man in opposing, or contending with, and striving against, them.

Verily, a Christian above all men needs courage and resolution; he can do nothing as a Christian, but it is an act of valour; it requires much more courage to be a Christian than to be a captain.

Alas! how many of the valiant sword-men of the world have showed themselves mere cowards, who have come out of the field with victory, and banners displayed; but after all lived and died slaves at home, slaves to their base lusts! It requires more prowess, more bravery and greatness of spirit, to conquer ourselves, than to command an army of men. Therefore quit ye like men, be strong.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. “Watch, stand in the faith, be courageous, be strong.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong .

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13, 14. Watch ye. Be on the watch; a matter very needful in as gay and corrupt a city as Corinth.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Be watchful, stand fast in the faith, act like men, be strong

Paul is describing what he wants the Corinthians to do as if he was giving four commands to soldiers in war. These four commands mean almost the same thing and are used for emphasis. (See: Parallelism)

Be watchful

Paul speaks of people being aware of what is happening as if they were guards keeping watch over a city or vineyard. This can be stated more clearly. AT: "Be careful whom you trust" or "Watch out for danger" (See: Metaphor)

stand fast in the faith

Paul speaks of people continuing to believe in Christ according to his teaching as if they were soldiers refusing to retreat when the enemy attacks. Possible meanings are 1) "keep strongly believing what we have taught you" or 2) "keep strongly trusting in Christ" (See: Metaphor)

act like men

In the society in which Paul and his audience lived, men usually provided for families by doing the heavy work and fighting against invaders. This can be stated more clearly. AT: "be responsible" (See: Metaphor)

Let all that you do be done in love

"Everything you do should show people that you love them"

translationWords

faith

love

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

13. ἀνδρίζεσθε. Be manly, or behave like men. It is quite a mistake to insist exclusively on the softer characteristics of the Christian character. In the Christian, as in the soldier, endurance is of little use unless combined with courage. Courage is one of the most marked features of the character of Christ. ‘If you think Christianity a feeble, soft thing, ill-adapted to call out the manlier features of character, read here.’ Robertson.

κραταιοῦσθε. Grow strong, or be strengthened. The former is preferable, nor does it ignore the consideration which the latter makes prominent, that the source of our strength is not in ourselves, but in Christ. The classical form for κραταιοῦμαι is κρατύνομαι.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13.] εἶτα δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τοῖς διδασκάλοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ὀφείλουσι τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχειν τῆς σωτηρίας, φησί· γρηγ. κ.τ.λ. Chrys., who adds: διὸ λέγει, γρηγορεῖτε, ὡς καθευδόντων· στήκετε, ὡς σαλευομένων· ἀνδρίζεσθε, κραταιοῦσθε, ὡς μαλακιζομένων. πάντα ὑμ. ἐν ἀγάπῃ γινέσθω, ὡς στασιαζόντων. p. 407 f.

ἀνδρίζ.] Aristot. Eth. iii. 6. 12:—ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀνδρίζονται, ἐν οἷς ἐστιν ἡ ἀλκή, ἢ καλὸν τὸ ἀποθανεῖν. Wetst.: where see other examples.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13, 14. There is probably no thought of Apollos in this abrupt transition, such as, ‘Do not put your trust in any teacher, however competent; you must look to your own conduct.’ St Paul means to bring the letter to a close and begins his final exhortations. In five clear and crisp charges he gathers together the duties which he has been inculcating, the duties of a Christian soldier. Four of these have reference to spiritual foes and perils, while the last sums up their duty to one another. They are an army in the field, and they must be alert, steadfast, courageous, strong; and in all things united. “The four imperatives are directed respectively against the heedlessness, fickleness, childishness, and moral enervation of the Corinthians” (Findlay). Comp. 7:29-31, 10:12, 13, 15:1, 14:20, 9:24, 13.

13. Γρηγορεῖτε. This charge seems to have been often given by our Lord, especially at the close of His ministry; Mar 13:34, Mar 13:35, Mar 13:37, Mar 13:14:34, Mar 13:37, 38, and parallels; and μακάριος ὁ γρηγορῶν is one of the seven Beatitudes in Revelation (16:15; comp. 3:2, 3; Mat 24:42). For its use as a military charge see 1 Macc. 12:27 of Jonathan the high priest to his men, and for its metaphorical use, as here, γρηγόρει, ἀκόμητον πνεῦμα κεκτη μένος (Ign. Polyc. 1): comp. 1Th 5:6, 1Th 5:10; Col 4:2; 1Pe 5:8. The verb is a late formation from ἐγρήγορα, and is found in the later books of the LXX, in the Psalms of Solomon, and in the Testaments of the 12 Patriarchs. Watchfulness against various enemies and dangers and watchfulness for the coming of Christ are specially meant here.

στήκετε ἐν τῇ πίστει. The warning in 10:12 unites this charge with the preceding one: comp. Rom 5:2, Rom 5:11:20; Eph 4:13; 2Th 2:15. ‘The faith’ means belief in the Gospel as a whole, and especially in the atonement won by Christ’s death on the Cross (1) and in the life guaranteed by His Resurrection (15). There must be no desertion, no λειποταξία, with regard to that. These first two charges have reference to the Christian warrior awaiting attack; the next two refer to the actual combat.

ἀνδρίζεσθε. ‘Play the man,’ ‘act like men,’ viriliter agite (Vulg.). The verb occurs here only in N.T., but is common in LXX in exhortations; Deu 31:6, Deu 31:7, Deu 31:23; Jos 1:6, Jos 1:7, Jos 1:9, Jos 1:18, etc. In 2Sa 10:12 and Psa 27:14, 31:25, it is combined with κραταιοῦσθαι, as here. Comp. the dying charge of Mattathias to his sons; ‘And ye, my children, be strong, and show yourselves men in behalf of the law’ (1 Macc. 2:64). Arist. Eth Nic. III:VI. 12 and other illustrations in Wetstein.

κραταιοῦσθε. ‘Be not only manly but mighty; gain the mastery’ (Eph 3:16): κραταιός (1Pe 5:6) and κράτος (Eph 1:19, Eph 1:6:10; Col 1:2; 1Ti 6:16) are uniformly used of God.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vv. 13, 14. “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 14. Let all your things be done in charity.”

Does St. Paul mean, as Hofmann thinks, that the Corinthians should do among themselves what they would have Apollos to come and do among them? No such reference seems to me to be indicated. The apostle is preparing to close; comp. 2Co 12:11. The terms are taken from the position of an army ready for battle. And first there must be watching, putting itself on guard against surprises by the enemy. The Corinthians were sunk in carnal security, and exposed to all the seductions which arise from it. They were above all prone to the abuse of Christian liberty; comp. 1Co 6:12 seq., 1Co 10:12-14, etc.

Then, to stand firm in the faith; to strengthen themselves in their spiritual position to hold their ground against the enemy. The point in question is undoubtedly faith in the atonement by the cross of Christ (chap. 1), and faith in the resurrection with all its moral consequences (chap. 15). The Christian who holds to his faith is like a soldier who does not leave the ranks, however sorely pressed by the enemy; it is the opposite of what is called in Greek λειποταξία.

To act like men and to be strong are two phrases which refer to the right mode of fighting; the former to courage, energy — the subjective disposition; the latter to real force due to Divine aid — the objective state. The ἀνδρίζεσθαι is opposed to cowardice, effeminacy; the κραταιοῦσθαι to the weakness which may sometimes accompany courage. The Corinthians lacked energy when they accepted invitations to idolatrous feasts; compare Paul’s conduct, 1Co 9:27. They were wanting in spiritual power when they did nothing in the case of the incestuous person (chap. 5). — But energy and power should be directed by charity. Here we have to think of the divisions (chaps. 1-4) and of the vain and egotistical use of spiritual gifts (chaps. 12-14); comp. chap. 13.

There follows a more special recommendation in regard to the respect and deference due to the devoted members of the Church who give themselves to its service.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.