16:13 ¶ Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you
like men, be strong. 14 Let all your
things be done with charity. 15 I
beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the
firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the
ministry of the saints,) 16 That ye
submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and
laboureth. 17 I am glad of the coming of
Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part
they have supplied. 18 For they have
refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.
Paul admonishes the Corinthians to be strong and steadfast in
their faith, to not give up in the face of adversity. All of the things they do
should be in keeping with Christian love for each other. He implores them to
accept the spiritual authority of those who help him in the faith. This is also
spoken of in other places in regard to honoring those who teach and preach and
minister in the word.
Hebrews 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you
the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation…17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they
that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for
that is unprofitable for you…24
Salute all them that have the rule
over you, and all the saints.
They of Italy salute you.
1Thessalonians 5:11 ¶ Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and
edify one another, even as also ye do.12
And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and
are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13
And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
Apparently, the Corinthians had not been very forthcoming with
support to assist Paul on his journeys but the three men mentioned did provide
what was needed and Paul was grateful.
16:19 ¶ The churches of Asia
salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church
that is in their house. 20 All the
brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss. 21 The salutation of me Paul with mine
own hand. 22 If any man love not the
Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. 23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be
with you. 24 My love be with you
all in Christ Jesus. Amen. « The first epistle to the Corinthians
was written from Philippi by Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus and
Timotheus. »
Asia is a reference to the Roman province of Asia, in what we
today call Asia Minor occupied by the country of Turkey. Asia would be in
western Turkey today with the province of Galatia to the east of it.
Aquila and Priscilla were a Jewish husband and wife who became Christians
who assisted Paul. Priscilla is the diminutive of Prisca just as Timothy is of
Timotheus.
Acts18:1 ¶ After these things Paul departed from Athens,
and came to Corinth; 2 And found a
certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife
Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:)
and came unto them. 3 And because he was
of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation
they were tentmakers...18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took
his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla
and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a
vow…26 And he [Apollos, who at that time, knew only of the baptism
of John for repentance; see verses 24 & 25] began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they
took him unto them, and
expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Romans 16:3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
2Timothy 4:19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
Paul apparently dictated his letter but wrote the salutation at
the end himself in spite of his eyesight problem. Notice this in Galatians.
Galatians 6:11 Ye see how large a letter I
have written unto you with mine own hand.
Paul had been struck temporarily blind and poor vision seemed to
have been a chronic problem for him afterwards.
Acts 9:1 ¶ And Saul, [Paul’s original name; see Acts 13:9] yet breathing out threatenings
and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus
to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or
women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus:
and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying
unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord
said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it
is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told
thee what thou must do. 7 And the men
which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
8 And Saul arose from the earth; and
when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and
brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight,
and neither did eat nor drink.
10 ¶ And there was a certain
disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision,
Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am
here, Lord. 11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the
street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for,
behold, he prayeth, 12 And hath seen in
a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by
many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
14 And here he hath authority from the
chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for
he is a chosen vessel unto me, to
bear my name before the Gentiles,
and kings, and the children of Israel: 16
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered
into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee
in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight,
and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he
received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
Evidence that his eyesight was always bad after that is found
here.
Galatians 4:12 ¶ Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye
have not injured me at all. 13 Ye know
how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
14 And my temptation which was in my
flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of?
for I bear you record, that, if it had
been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given
them to me.
I believe this was his thorn
in the flesh as physical suffering is a messenger
of Satan, perhaps even a real spiritual entity, who can say, sent to
discourage, to scare us off, tempt us in our faith and commitment to God,
permitted by God, to try us. This is something that we are to pray daily to be
delivered from as per the Lord’s Prayer’s plea to deliver us from temptation in
Matthew 6:13 and Luke 11:4 with evil in those contexts as being bad things and
trouble and suffering as Jesus noted in Matthew 6:34.
2Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure
through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the
flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above
measure. 8 For this thing I besought the
Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is
made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Anathema Maranatha is a curse but in this context it does not appear to
be applied to non-Christians but to those who professed to be Christians but
did not love Christ. Loving God, something Christians today often don’t think
much about, is a fundamental aspect of proper worship.
Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy might.
Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind, and
with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Christ made it very clear when He walked the earth.
Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me
is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not
worthy of me.
We all have to ask ourselves, not if God loves us, which we know
by reading His words, but whether we love Him, which is an essential part of a
fulfilled Christian life.
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