| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
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| 1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Anointed through will of God, and Timothy the brother, to the congregation of the God to that being in Corinth, with the saints to all those being in whole the Achaia; |
An apostle – Showing the divine authority for Paul's teachings. R1419:2
All the saints – The word "saint" is used to designate the truly consecrated. R1139:1
This entire epistle is addressed to the Church, the saints. NS569:3
Those who can not properly apply the term "saint"--sanctified in Christ Jesus--to themselves, can not properly apply to themselves the exceeding great and precious promises. R2987:4
Prospective "saints," the "elect," a "Little Flock." This class alone that receives spirit-begetting is the only class addressed throughout the New Testament. SM628:1
The followers of Jesus, of no earthly sect or party, "The church of the first-borns, whose names are written in heaven," (Heb. 12:23) who have died to worldly it. SM391:2
This letter, together with the other epistles, was designed by the holy Spirit for the instruction of the whole Church, during the entire Gospel age. R1386:1
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| 2 favor to you and peace from God a Father of you, and Lord Jesus Anointed. |
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| 3 Worthy of praise the God and Father of the Lord of us Jesus Anointed, the Father of the mercies, and God of all comfort, |
Father of our Lord – Our Lord Jesus is not THE God, he never was and never will be. R5748:3
Father of mercies – The God of the Bible is not a vengeful God, not unkind. R4982:3
"The God of all grace," whose name is love, and who is perfect in all his ways. SM443:1-445:2
All comfort – The Apostle used "comfort" ten times in vss. 3-7. He used it seven times in chapter 7, vss. 4-13. R3435:4
Paul was peculiarly fond of repetition. Our modern taste prefers a change in sound to monotonous repetition, but change sometimes loses the force and power of repetition. R52:5*
Only the Bible reveals a God that is working all things for the ultimate comfort of as many of his creatures as will accept his favors after being brought to a knowledge of the truth respecting them. NS836:4
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| 4 the one comforting us in all the affliction of us, in order that to be able us to comfort those in every affliction, by means of the comfort, of which we are comforted ourselves by the God; |
Who comforteth us – With the holy Spirit--the channel of divine favor--called the Comforter. (John 14:26) R2665:1
How often the Lord has thus comforted us, and how such comfort offsets the adverse conditions incident to the present pilgrim way! R3384:4
Paul exemplified his own words on an ill-fated ship. (Acts 27) R4506:5
To comfort them – The children of God, who have learned the true source of comfort, are the only ones properly qualified to be comforters, in the Scriptural sense. R5537:4
Whether while still in the flesh, or after we have come into our inheritance beyond the veil, we are to be comforters. R5537:4
Ability to be a comforter depends upon growth in grace and knowledge, for none but those who themselves are comforted can dispense this grace to others. R3435:3
All of our lessons and experiences in life in connection with trials and difficulties should make us the more capable in communicating comfort to others. R2665:5
"Comfort all that mourn." (Isa. 61:2) R2665:4
The word comfort does not contain the thought of relief, but rather that of strengthen together, or added strength. R3734:4
By the comfort – "Patience and comfort of the scriptures." (Rom. 15:4) R2665:1
Comforted of God – "Comfort one another with these words." (1 Thes. 4:18) R2665:2
"Comfort yourselves together and edify one another." (1 Thes. 5:11) R2665:4
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| 5 because as abounds the sufferings of the Anointed in us, so by means of the Anointed abounds also the comfort of us. |
Sufferings of Christ – We, the members of his Body, fill up the measure of the sufferings of Christ which are behind. And these sufferings require all of the Gospel age to complete. T50
Whosoever believeth in Christ is justified from all sin, and sickness is a mark of sin; yet God appoints this Gospel age as the time for the Church's trial and suffering, so we are not freed from sickness yet. R2000:3
The afflictions of the gospel can not be endured without the consolations of the gospel. R27:3*
Our consolation – How much the Church needed such consolation, how much the God of all comfort wished to have his faithful ones comforted, and even the strongest in the Church, the apostles, needed comfort. R3435:4
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| 6 Whether but we are afflicted, on behalf of the of you comfort, and salvation; whether we are comforted, on behalf of the of you comfort, of that operating patient endurance of the same sufferings, which also we suffer; (and the hope of us stedfast on behalf of you;) |
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| 7 knowing, that as partakers you are of the sufferings, so also of the comfort. |
Ye are partakers – "Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings." (1 Pet. 4:13) T50 When Jesus gave his ctakers of the sufferings of Christ. R4475:1
Of the sufferings – These sufferings require all of the Gospel age to complete them. T50
Blessed are all in Zion who mourn over and lament the mighty power of evil in high places, both of church and of state. Setting themselves in opposition to it, they incur reproach. R1493:6*
The consolation – "Your sorrow shall be turned into joy." (John 16:20) R1493:6*
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| 8 Not for we wish to be ignorant, brethren, concerning the affliction of us of that happening to us in the Asia, that according to excess we were pressed above strength, so that to be in despair us even of the life; |
Our trouble – It may have been the intention to have the Apostle cast into the arena to be devoured by wild beasts (1 Cor. 15:32), or it is possible that hfe. R2207:5
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| 9 but ourselves in ourselves the sentence of the death we have, so that not having trusted we should in ourselves, but in the God that one raising up the dead ones; |
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| 10 who from so great a death rescued us, and does rescue; in whom we have hoped, that even still he will rescue, |
He will yet deliver us – Saved from death as yet only by hope. (Rom. 8:24) Believers cannot experienresurrection. F697
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| 11 cooperating also you on behalf of us in the prayer, that from many faces the for us gift through many might be given thanks on behalf of us. |
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| 12 The for boasting of us this is, the testimony of the conscience of us, that in simplicity and sincerity of God, (not in wisdom fleshly, but in favor of God) we conducted in the world, more abundantly but to you. |
Godly sincerity – Delighting in the beauty of holiness, adorned with a meek and quiet spirit, submissive to discipline, patient in tribulation, abounding in the work of the Lord and delighting only in his manifest favor. R2123:3*
It requires constant watching and purging, humility, sobriety, godliness, to enable us to put this in practice. R2038:2
A warning to guard against every approach to a spirit of pride and vain glory. R1972:2
Fleshly wisdom – The wisdom of this world which depends on self and takes credit to self. R1988:1
By the grace of God – We are men of passions like Peter's: a very little exaltation often engenders pride, against which we must guard with the grace of God. R1988:1
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| 13 Not for other things we write to you, but what you read, or what you acknowledge; I hope and, that even till end you will acknowledge, |
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| 14 as also you acknowledged us from parts; because a boasting of you we are, even as also you of us, in the day of the Lord Jesus. |
We are your rejoicing – Those who were noting Paul's trials and how he walked in them, were stimulated to do likewise. R4449:3*
As ye also are ours – Paul's hope is that in the day of the Lord Jesus the believers would be a cause of rejoicing, like epistles sent to the "ends of the earth," and "known and read of all men." (Acts 13:47; 2 Cor. 3:2) R1323:5
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| 15 And in this the confidence I wished to you to come before, so that a second favor you may have; |
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| 16 and through you to pass through into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be sent forward into the Juda. |
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| 17 This therefore wishing, not certainly in the lightness did I use? or the things I purpose, according to flesh do I purpose, that may be with me the yes yes, and the no no? |
Did I use lightness? – False brethren urged that Paul erred in teaching that circumcision was unnecessary to the Gentiles; that his teachings were not fixed and consistent. R4517:6
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| 18 Faithful but the God, that the word of us that to you not was yes and no. |
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| 19 The for of the God son Jesus Anointed, that among you by means of us having been preached, (by means of me and Silvanus and Timothy,) not became yes and no, but yes in him has become, |
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| 20 (as many for promises of God, in him the yes, and in him the so be it,) to the God for glory on account of us. |
The promises of God – The world does not see the overshadowing wings of divine protection, but the faithful have a blessed secret realization of it and may sweetly rest in the precious promises. R4925:6, 3331:5
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| 21 The but one establishing us with you for Anointed, and having anointed us, God; |
Stablisheth us – Sets us, establishes us. R5498:3
Hath anointed us – Of the holy Spirit. R5498:3
The saints of this Gospel age are an anointed company--The Christ. A81
The Spirit in the sense of enlightening and anointing is given only to the Body of Christ (anointed). R218:5, 5498:3; F132; Q23:T
When we come into Christ, we come into the anointing. If you and I maintain our membership in his Body, we are members of the Anointed One, we are under that anointing. Q23:T
Is God – God does the calling of those who come to him. R5498:3
"No man taketh this honor to himself." (Heb. 5:4) R5498:3
It is not the province of even our Redeemer to set us and anoint us. R5498:6
We are anointed in him by God. We cannot deal directly with God apart from Christ; we are not independent of Jesus. R1768:3*
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| 22 he and having sealed us, and having given the pledge of the spirit in the hearts of us. |
Hath also sealed us – Sealing goes beyond the anointing; you were not only anointed with the holy Spirit--you were also sealed. Our sealing, the imprint of the Lord's character upon us, is continuing unto the day of redemption. Q23:1
Marked or indicated by the giving of the holy Spirit. (Eph. 1:13) F132
Not an outward sign upon our foreheads, but in the heart. The Spirit of adoption or sealing as sons--the very cream of Christian experiences in the present life. E247
Impressed by the holy Spirit into the image of our dear Master through the promises of God. Those who are sealed have a considerable measure of appreciation of the truth. R5498:6
God only seals those hearts that are submitted willingly, joyfully, gladly, and fully, to him. CR349:4
Once entered into, the covenant or agreement is unalterable, the matter is fixed and sealed. R131:5
The earnest of the Spirit – There is a change of nature for the Church, which begins here and is completed in the resurrection. R626:4
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| 23 I but a witness the God call upon to the my soul, that sparing you not yet I came to Corinth; |
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| 24 not because we lord it over you of the faith, but fellow-workers we are of the joy of you; in the for faith you have stood. |
But are helpers – The Lord does not raise up rulers from among our brethren in the Body of Christ; but he does raise up faithful leaders, to whom earnest heed should be given. R1559:4
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