1 Corinthians 16:3

1Co 16:3. Οὓς ἂν δοκιμάσητε) whomsoever, when I am present, you shall approve, as faithful.—διʼ ἐπιστολῶν τούτους πέμψω, them will I send with letters) in your name. The antithesis is, Paul himself, 1Co 16:4: comp. διὰ, Rom 2:27; 2Co 2:4.—τὴν χαρίν ὑμῶν, your liberality) a gracious term, and therefore frequently employed.—2Co 8:4.

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

1Co_16:3. Οὓς ἐὰν δοκιμ.] whomsoever you shall consider fit. Paul thus makes the appointment of the persons who were to bring the money dependent upon the choice of his readers; hence Grotius observes: Vide, quomodo vir tantus nullam suspicioni rimam aperire voluerit. It is possible, however, that he had never thought of that; for it was quite natural for him, with his fine practical tact, not to anticipate the givers as respects the transmission of their gift.

διʼ ἐπιστολῶν] by means of letters, by my giving them letters along with them to express their mission. Comp. Winer, p. 356 [E. T. 476]. The plural might denote the category (by way of letter), and thus only one letter be meant (Heumann); but there is nothing to compel us to depart from the plural sense, for Paul very reasonably might design to write different letters to several persons at Jerusalem.[104] Διʼ ἐπιστ. is to be connected with what follows (Chrysostom, Theophylact, and the majority of modern expositors), and it is put first, because Paul has already in his mind the other possible alternative, that he himself may make the journey. The majority of the older editors (except Er. Schmid), also Beza, Calvin, Estius, al., connect it with δοκιμ.: quos Hierosolymitanis per epistolas commendaveritis, Wetstein. But in that case the ΠΈΜΨΩ would surely be somewhat meaningless! No; the bearers of the collection are to be chosen by the givers; but it is Paul, as the originator and apostolically commissioned steward (Gal_2:10) of the collection, who sends the mone.

τὴν χάριν ὑμ.] your love gift, beneficium. Comp. 2Co_8:4; 2Co_8:6-7; 2Co_8:19. Gratiosa appellatio, Bengel; comp. Oecumenius; Xen. Ag. iv. 4 f., Hier. viii. 4; Sir_3:29; Sir_30:6; Sir_29:15; 4Ma_5:8.

[104] We see, too, from this passage how common it was for the apostle, in the course of his work, to indite letters even to individuals. Who knows how many of such writings of his have been lost! The only letter of the kind which we still have (setting aside the pastoral Epistles), that to Philemon, owes its preservation perhaps solely to the circumstance that it was addressed at the same time to the church in the house (Phm_1:2).

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 16:3-4 . The Cor [2616] are to choose delegates to bear their bounty, who will travel to Jerus. with P., if this be deemed fit. Act 20:1-4 shows that in the event a large number of representatives of Gentile Churches voyaged with P., doubtless on this common errand. διʼ ἐπιστολῶν may qualify either δοκιμάσητε (Bz [2617] , Cv [2618] , Est., A.V. and R.V. txt., Ed [2619] ) or πέμψω (R.V. marg., with Gr [2620] Ff [2621] , and most moderns). Being chosen by the Cor [2622] , the delegates surely must have credentials from them ( cf. 2Co 3:1 , and Act 15 , for such letters passing from Church to Church; also 1 Clem. ad Corinth .). At the same time, as P. is directing the whole business, he will “send” the deputies and introduce them at Jerus. On δοκιμάζω , see note to 1Co 3:13 . ἐὰν δὲ ἄξιον ᾖ κ . τ . λ ., “But if it be worth while that I should journey too, they shall journey with me” a hint that P. would only take part in presenting the collection if the character of the aid sent made it creditable; otherwise the delegates must go alone; he will not associate himself with a mean charity. The inf [2623] (in gen [2624] case), τοῦ κἀμὲ πορεύεσθαι , depends on ἄξιον “worthy of my going,” “si dignum fuerit ut et ego earn” (Vg [2625] ); it can hardly be softened into “if it be right (seemly on any ground: as in 2Th 1:3 , where ἄξιον is unqualified) that I should go” (Ed [2626] ) as though the Ap. deprecated being obtrusive; he is guarding his self-respect, being scarcely sure of the liberality of the Cor [2627] “Justa estimatio sui non est superbia” (Bg [2628] ).

[2616] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[2617] Beza’s Nov. Testamentum: Interpretatio et Annotationes (Cantab., 1642).

[2618] Calvin’s In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii .

[2619] T. C. Edwards’ Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians . 2

[2620] Greek, or Grotius’ Annotationes in N.T.

[2621] Fathers.

[2622] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[2623] infinitive mood.

[2624] genitive case.

[2625] Latin Vulgate Translation.

[2626] T. C. Edwards’ Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians . 2

[2627] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[2628] Bengel’s Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

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

1Co_16:3

And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by (your) letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

Paul was not to receive the money himself. It was to be given to men selected and approved by the Corinthians, whom Paul promised to send, furnished with letters from himself, to Jerusalem. The words δι ̓ ἐπιστολῶν, with letters, are not to be connected with what precedes, approved by your letters, but with what follows, I will send with letters. Otherwise there would have been no need of Pauls sending them. i.e. the persons approved by the Corinthians. The people were to collect the money; it was to be committed to men of their own selection; but Paul, as the author of the collection, was to send it to Jerusalem. If the apostle deemed it wise to place himself above suspicion, and to avoid giving even the most malicious the opportunity of calling his integrity in question, as is intimated here, and expressly stated in 2Co_8:19, 2Co_8:20, it must be wise for other men and ministers to act with equal caution. If called to disburse the money of others or of the church, let that money, if possible, be in some other custody than their own, that others may know what is done with it. Thus at least Paul acted.

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

Which you shall give them to carry.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

approve by your letters--rather translate, "Whomsoever ye shall approve, them will I send with letters": namely, letters to several persons at Jerusalem, which would be their credentials. There could be no need of letters from them before Paul's coming, if the persons recommended were not to be sent off before it. Literally, "by letters"; an abbreviated expression for "I will send, recommending them by letters" [GROTIUS]. If English Version be retained, the sense will be, "When I come, I will send those whom by your letters, then to be given them, ye shall approve." But the antithesis (opposition or contrast) to Paul himself (Co1 16:4) favors GROTIUS' view. So "by" means with (Rom 2:27); and the Greek for "by" is translated, with (Co2 2:4).

liberality--literally, gracious or free gift (Co2 8:4).

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 3. Whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters] Why should Paul require letters of approbation in behalf of certain persons, when he himself should be among them, and could have their characters viva voce? It is probable that he refers here to letters of recommendation which they had sent to him while he was away; and he now promises that when he should come to Corinth, he would appoint these persons, whom they had recommended, to carry the alms to Jerusalem. If δοκιμασητε, be read ye shall have approved, as Bishop Pearce does, the difficulty will vanish.

Some MSS. and several versions join διεπιστολων, by letters, to the following words, and read the verse thus: When I come, those whom ye shall approve I will send with letters to bring your liberality to Jerusalem. This seems most natural.

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

(3) Whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters.—Better, whomsoever ye shall approve, them will I send by letters to bring your gifts to Jerusalem. The Apostle had not made up his mind finally whether he would take the gift himself or send it by messengers, whom he would accredit with letters, to the Church at Jerusalem. He would probably be influenced by the amount collected, and by the urgency, or otherwise, of the needs of those at Jerusalem at the time. The Apostle was, in one sense, the humblest of men; but he valued highly the dignity of his apostolic office, and if but a very small sum were ready for the Church at Jerusalem, he would have felt it to be beneath the dignity of his office, though not of himself, to be the bearer of such an offering. The course finally adopted was that the Apostle went himself, and the selected brethren with him (Act_21:15).

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

3. whomsoever you shall approve by your letters] The word your is not in the original. The passage may be translated in two ways; (1) as in the text, which follows Tyndale and the Vulgate, and supposes that St Paul would, immediately on his arrival at Corinth, send to Jerusalem those who had been previously nominated by the Corinthian Church, or (2), with Wiclif (I schal sende hem bi epistlis) and Chrysostom, taking ‘by letters,’ with ‘I will send,’ and referring the words to the letters of commendation (Act_18:27; Rom_16:1; 2Co_3:1) St Paul intended to give to the bearers of the Corinthian relief fund. It is worthy of notice, (1) that while on matters of grave import St Paul gives authoritative directions to his converts, on matters of lesser consequence he prefers that they should govern themselves, and (2) that as Chrysostom remarks, St Paul is especially anxious not to take charge of the money himself, lest he should be charged with having devoted any of it to his own use. See ch. 1Co_9:18-19; 2Co_11:7-9; 2Co_12:16-18.

liberality] Literally, grace. “He studiously refrains from using the word alms.”—Estius.

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.

And when I come,.... To Corinth, as he intended very quickly:

whomsoever you shall approve by your letters; that is, such persons as this church should approve, and choose, and fix upon as proper persons to go with their collection; which approbation and choice they would signify by letters to the church, and principal men of it in Jerusalem, giving them a character as men of probity and faithfulness:

them will I send. The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions join the phrase, "by letters", to this clause; according to which reading the sense is, such as the church should choose for this service, the apostle would send with letters of commendation from him, to the elders and church at Jerusalem, recommending them as brethren in the Lord, and to be had in respect, and treated in a Christian manner by them; to which their being messengers from such a church, and having letters from so great an apostle; besides, the business they should come about would entitle them to, which was

to bring your liberality, or "grace",

unto Jerusalem; meaning the money collected for the poor saints there; which he calls grace, because it was owing to the goodness of God, that they were in a capacity to contribute to others, and to the grace of God that they had a heart to do it; and because it was in a free and gracious manner, and in the exercise of grace, of faith in Christ, and love to the saints, that they did it, and with a view to the glory of the grace of God, of which this was a fruit and evidence.

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

3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

Ver. 3. Your liberality] Gr. your grace; that which having received of God’s free grace you do as freely part with to his poor people.

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.

Whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters - There has been great variety of opinion in regard to the proper construction of this verse. Macknight supposes that the “letters” here referred to were not letters either to or from the apostle, but letters signed and sent by the congregation at Corinth, designating their appointment and their authority. With this interpretation Doddridge coincides; and this is required by the usual pointing of the Greektext, where the comma is inserted after the word letters, as in our translation. But a different interpretation has been proposed by inserting the comma after the word “approve,” so that it shall read, “Whom you approve, or designate, them I will send with letters to convey your charity to Jerusalem.” This is followed by Griesbach, Locke, Rosenmuller, Bloomfield, Beza, Hammond, Grotius, Whitby, etc. Certainly this accords better with the design of the passage. For it is evident (see 1Co 16:4) that, though Paul was willing to go, yet he was not expecting to go. If he did not go, what was more natural than that he should offer to give them letters of commendation to his brethren in Judea? Mill has doubted whether this construction is in accordance with Greek usage, but the names above cited are sufficient authority on that subject. The proper construction, therefore, is, that Paul would give them letters to his friends in Jerusalem, and certify their appointment to dispense the charity, and commend the persons sent to the favor and hospitality of the church there. “Your liberality.” Margin, “Gift.” Your donation; your alms. The Greek word χάριν charin, usually signifies grace, or favor. Here it means an act of grace or favor; kindness; a favor conferred; benefaction: compare 2Co 8:4, 2Co 8:6-7, 2Co 8:19.

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

The word here translated liberality, is the same which signifieth grace; their charity is called by that name, either because it flowed from their free love towards their poor brethren, (though living at a great distance from them), or because their sense of the free love and grace of God to them, was that which moved them to that charitable act, 2Co 8:9.

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

3. By your letters—The italic your is supplied by the translators, and, probably, incorrectly; for while the selection of the delegates was to be made by the Churches, the letters authenticating them to the Jerusalem Church were to be by Paul. Bloomfield says, this is the construction given by “all the ancient translators and commentators,” and by, perhaps, the best modern ones. The selection was properly to be made by the Churches, and Paul, with due delicacy, proposes this in advance as a guarantee against any selfishness on his own part. The names of the persons who really went are given in Act_20:4. Paul also went with them, as suggested in next verse. From these epistles commentators correctly infer that letter-writing was frequent, and that it is not at all probable that every letter of St. Paul is in the New Testament. He may have written a letter a week.

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

Whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send. It is difficult to see why the translators rendered the clause thus, unless they disliked to face the certainty that the apostle must have written many letters which are no longer extant. The true rendering is, Whomsoever ye approve, these I will send with letters. The letters would be letters of introduction or commendation (Act_18:27; Romans 2Co_3:1) to the apostles at Jerusalem. Your liberality; literally, your grace or favour; i.e. the token of your voluntary affection.

The relations of Gentile to Jewish Churches.

Apart from the historical interest of this subject, which was one of the chief causes of anxiety to the apostle, it may be studied as illustrating for every age the principles on which older and younger Churches, richer and poorer Churches, can be brought into practical union and fellowship. Then the topic for consideration becomes this How can the idea of the Christian brotherhood be applied to Churches? As introductory it may be well to show, concerning the duty of brotherliness,

(1) its ground;

(2) its character;

(3) its examples;

(4) its natural forms of expression.

These may be treated in connection with the personal and individual relationships of life, and also in connection with the social and Church relationships. Then in practical detail, varying according to the sentiments and associations of the Christian bodies to which we may belong, we may consider

I BROTHERLINESS AS EXPRESSED TO EQUAL CHURCHES. In this case the brotherliness will take such forms as:

1. Fellowship in worship.

2. Mutual aid in enterprise and work.

3. Due watchfulness of each other"s honour and spiritual health.

4. Anxious repression of all jealousies of each other"s successes.

5. Manifestations of sympathy in times of Church depression or sorrow.

Among equal Churches there is little opportunity for the charity of material help.

II BROTHERLINESS EXPRESSED TO INFERIOR OR DEPENDENT CHURCHES. Besides those already dealt with, there should be these further expressions.

1. Careful conservation of the rights of the dependent Church.

2. Readiness to give material and moral help, as occasion demands.

3. Avoidance of superior airs or assumptions of authority.

4. Use of all opportunities that may be offered for the manifestation of sympathy.

While it is true that times of calamity find special occasions for brotherliness, it is also true that those in any way dependent on us would not have us wait for the trial times. True Christian brotherhood wants to find utterance for itself every day, and to fill all the ordinary associations of life with its helpful spirit. R.T.

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

And when I arrive, whomsoever ye shall approve, them will I send with letters to carry your bounty unto Jerusalem :

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.

3. Whomsoever ye shall approve. The church should select its own messengers, giving them letters as credentials. He lets the Corinthians choose the bearers of their own bounty.

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.

whomever you approve

Paul is telling the church to choose some of their own people to take their offering to Jerusalem. "whomever you choose" or "the people you appoint"

I will send with letters

Possible meanings are 1) "I will send with letters that I will write" or 2) "I will send with letters that you will write."

translationWords

epistle

Jerusalem

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

3. δι’ ἐπιστολῶν. Most modern editors punctuate so as to connect δι’ ἐπιστολῶν with what follows. So Chrysostom, and also Wiclif. St Paul would give letters of commendation (cf. Act 18:27; Rom 16:1; 2Co 3:1) to the bearers of the Corinthian contribution. The A.V., following the Vulgate and Tyndale, connects the words with δοκιμάσητε. It is worthy of notice (1) that while on matters of grave moment St Paul gives authoritative directions to the Churches he has founded, on matters of lesser consequence he prefers to leave them free to govern themselves; and also (2) that as Chrysostom remarks, he is very anxious to avoid even the possibility of a charge of dishonesty in money matters, and therefore he will not undertake the custody of the money himself. Cf. ch. 1Co 9:18-19; 2Co 11:7-9; 2Co 12:16-18.

χάριν. Grace. As Estius says, St Paul studiously refrains from using the word alms.

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.

3.] “Vide quomodo vir tantus nullam suspicioni rimam aperire voluerit.” Grot.

διʼ ἐπιστολῶν cannot belong to δοκιμάσητε (as Beza, Calv., Wetst., E. V.,—for what need of letters from them ὅταν παραγένωμαι, or before his coming, if the person recommended were not to be sent off before his arrival?), but is emphatically prefixed, as the safe and proper way of giving credentials to those sent;—τούτους πέμψω,—the alternative which follows, of himself accompanying them, being already in the mind of the Apostle.

ἐπιστολῶν, plur.,—not of the category merely, meaning one letter,—but meaning, either that each should have his letter of credentials,—or more probably, that Paul would give them letters to several persons in Jerusalem.

Meyer well remarks: “Hence we see how common in Paul’s practice was the writing of Epistles. Who knows how many private letters of his, not addressed to churches have been lost? The only letter of the kind which remains to us (except the Pastoral Epistles), viz. that to Philemon, owes its preservation perhaps to the mere circumstance, that it is at the same time addressed to the church in the house of Philemon. See ver. 2.”

χάριν] see reff. Meyer compares Plato, Def. p. 113, E: χάρις, εὐεργεσία ἑκούσιος.

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

3. ὅταν δὲ παραγένωμαι κ.τ.λ. ‘But whenever I arrive, whomsoever ye may approve, these with letters (commendatory) will I send to take your bounty to Jerusalem.’ He is represented as using the same verb respecting this subject in his speech before Felix (Act 24:17); ἐλεημοσύνας ποιήσων εἰς τὸ ἔθνος μου παρεγενόμην. AV., RV., and various modern scholars take διʼ ἐπιστολῶν with δοκιμάσητε, in which case the letters are written by the Corinthians as credentials for the delegates to be sent to Jerusalem with the money: so also Arm., Calv., Beza. But it is more natural to take the words with πέμψω, in front of which they are placed in emphatic contrast to σὺν ἐμοί which is similarly placed before πορεύσονται. He will either write letters with which to send the delegates (2Co 3:1; Act 9:2), or he will take the delegates with himself. The delegates were not to be sent off until the Apostle arrived at Corinth. What need, therefore, for the Corinthians to write letters? Syr., Copt., Aeth., Chrys., Tisch., Treg., and others take διʼ ἐπ. with πέμψω. ‘Letters’ is probably a true plural, not the “plural of category.” The Apostle would write to more than one person at Jerusalem.*

In N.T., δοκιμάζειν often implies that what has been tested (3:13) has stood the test and been approved (11:28; Rom 1:28, Rom 1:2:18; Rom_1 Thess, 2:4, where see Milligan), as here. Just as St Paul does not dictate what proportion of their gains they ought to give, so he does not select the bearers of the fund, still less claim to have charge of it himself. In no case will he do that, to avoid all suspicion of enriching himself out of it. Those who find the money are to entrust it to persons tested and approved by themselves, and these persons are to have letters from the Apostle as credentials, unless he goes himself. The two aorists, παραγένωμαι and δοκιμάσητε, indicate that his arrival and the selection of the delegates are regarded as contemporaneous.‡

Very often ἀποφέρειν does not mean ‘carry away’ so much as ‘take home, ’ ‘bring to its destination, ’ and in some cases ‘bring back.’ It was not the removal of the money from Corinth, but its being conveyed to Jerusalem, that was the important point: comp. Luk 16:22. And he speaks of it as their ‘gracious gift,’ τὴν χάριν ὑμῶν (2Co 8:4-7, 2Co 8:19), beneficentiam vestram (Beza), because he would regard it as free bounty, like the graciousness of God.

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

Approve by your letters. So A. V. and Rev. Others, however, connect by letters with will I send, making the letters to be Paul 's introduction to the church at Jerusalem. The latter is preferable. The givers are to choose the bearers of the collection; Paul, as the originator and apostolic steward of the collection, will send the money.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.