1 Corinthians 16:2

Contextual Overview

¹ Now, about the collection of money for God's people: Do the same as I told the Galatian churches to do. ¹ Now concerning the contribution for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. ¹ Of the gadderynge for the saynctes as I have ordeyned in the congregacios of Galacia even so do ye. ¹ Now concerning the collection for the holy ones, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise. ¹ Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you are to do as well. ¹ Now I will write about the collection of money for God's people. Do the same thing I told the Galatian churches to do: ¹ Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so you also do. ¹ Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. ¹ Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. ¹ Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the first: Luke 24:1, John 20:19, John 20:26, Acts 20:7, Revelation 1:10

as God: Genesis 26:12, Genesis 30:27, Genesis 30:30, Genesis 32:10, Genesis 33:11, Deuteronomy 8:18, Deuteronomy 15:11-14, 2 Chronicles 31:10, Haggai 2:16-19, Malachi 3:9, Malachi 3:10, Mark 12:41-44, Mark 14:8, Luke 16:10, 2 Corinthians 8:1-3, 2 Corinthians 8:12-15

that: 2 Corinthians 8:11, 2 Corinthians 9:3-5

Reciprocal: Genesis 39:3 - prosper Deuteronomy 15:14 - the Lord Deuteronomy 16:10 - according Deuteronomy 26:2 - That thou shalt 1 Chronicles 29:14 - all things 2 Chronicles 24:11 - Thus they did Proverbs 3:9 - General Song of Solomon 7:13 - I have Micah 4:13 - I will consecrate Matthew 12:8 - General Mark 16:9 - the first Acts 11:29 - every Acts 24:17 - to bring Romans 12:13 - Distributing Romans 16:20 - The grace 1 Corinthians 11:34 - when 2 Corinthians 8:3 - to 2 Corinthians 9:5 - and make Galatians 2:10 - that 1 Timothy 6:18 - ready

Cross-References

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate."

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "You gave this woman to me and she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it."

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it."

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, The woman, whom thou gavest [to be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me—she gave me [fruit] from the tree, and I ate it."

Genesis 3:12
And Adam seide, The womman which thou yauest felowe to me, yaf me of the tre, and Y eet.

Genesis 3:12
and the man saith, `The woman whom Thou didst place with me -- she hath given to me of the tree -- and I do eat.'

Genesis 3:12
And the man answered, "The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Upon the first day of the week,.... In an ancient copy of Beza's, and in some others, it is added, "the Lord's day". Upon some one first day of the week, or more, if there was a necessity for it, until the collection was finished; though the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, "every first day": but this is not the apostle's intention, that a collection should be made every first day, but only on some one day, or as long as it was necessary: for at the close of the verse he gives this reason for it, "that there be no gatherings when I come": whereas, if this collection was to have been every first day, and to have been always continued, it must have been when he was present, as well as when absent; but this was only designed for a certain time, and on a certain account: the reason of his fixing upon the first day of the week was, because on this day the disciples of Christ, and the primitive churches, met together for divine worship, to hear the word, and observe the ordinances of Christ; see John 20:19 and was a very fit reason for such a work, when their hearts were warmed with the presence of God and Christ, with the grace of the Spirit, and the doctrines of the Gospel, and their affections were knit to one another, and to all the saints: and so we find from the accounts of Justin Martyr w, and of Tertullian x, that it was usual for the primitive churches in the age following that of the apostles, after the worship of God was over, to collect money for widows and orphans, and for saints in distress, such as were banished into distant parts, or condemned to the mines; and this practice was very agreeable to the customs of the apostle's countrymen, the Jews, from whence he might take this, who used to collect for, and distribute to the poor on their sabbath y.

"The alms dish was every day, but the alms chest from evening of the sabbath to the evening of the sabbath,''

It was collected and distributed then, as their commentators say z.

Let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him. The persons who are to contribute are everyone, of every sex, age, state, and condition, male and female, young and old, servants and masters, the meaner as well as the richer sort; the poor widow threw in her mite into the treasury as well as the rich men: the act of communication or distribution is signified by laying by him in store; for this is not to be understood of separating a part of his substance from the rest, and laying it up בביתה, "in his own house", as the Syriac version renders it, or the putting it in his pocket in order to give it; though both these acts may be necessary, as preparatory to the work: but it intends the very act itself: for communicating to the poor is laying up in store a good foundation for the time to come; it is a laying up treasure in heaven, and riches there, which will never corrupt: the manner in which this is to be done, and the measure of it, "as God hath prospered him"; according to the success he has in his worldly business, and the increase of his worldly substance, and which is the way to have it enlarged. The Jews have a saying a,

"if a man observes his provisions to be straitened, let him do alms of them, how much more if they are large.''

The Vulgate Latin version renders, it, "laying up what pleases him well"; and the Arabic version, "what through liberality he pleases, and shall be convenient for him"; for this ought to be a freewill offering, as a matter of bounty and generosity, and not of covetousness, or of force and necessity, but as a man, of himself has purposed in his own heart, and which he does with cheerfulness and freedom.

That there be no gatherings when I come; who had other work, and greater service to do among them; besides, he was desirous of having this collection over and ready when he came, that he might directly send it away to Jerusalem, knowing the pressing necessities of the saints there.

w Apolog. 2. p. 98, 99. x Apolog. c. 39. y T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 8. 2. Maimon, Hilch. Mattanot Anayim, c. 9. sect. 6. z Maimon. R. Samson & Bartenora in Misn. Peah, c. 8. sect. 7. a T. Bab. Gittim, fol. 7. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Upon the first day of the week - Greek, “On one of the Sabbaths.” The Jews, however, used the word Sabbath to denote the week; the period of seven days; Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:9; Luke 18:12; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, John 20:19; compare Leviticus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:9. It is universally agreed that this here denotes the first day of the week, or the Lord’s Day.

Let every one of you - Let the collection be universal. Let each one esteem it his duty and his privilege to give to this object. It was not to be confined to the rich only, but was the common duty of all. The poor, as well as the rich, were expected to contribute according to their ability.

Lay by him in store - (παρ ̓ ἑαυτῷ τιθέτω θησαυρίζων par' heautō tithetō thēsaurizōn). Let him lay up at home, treasuring up as he has been prospered. The Greek phrase, “by himself,” means, probably, the same as at home. Let him set it apart; let him designate a certain portion; let him do this by himself, when he is at home, when he can calmly look at the evidence of his prosperity. Let him do it not under the influence of pathetic appeals, or for the sake of display when he is with others; but let him do it as a matter of principle, and when he is by himself. The phrase in Greek, “treasuring up,” may mean that each one was to put the part which he had designated into the common treasury. This interpretation seems to be demanded by the latter part of the verse. They were to lay it by, and to put it into the common treasury, that there might be no trouble of collecting when he should come. Or it may, perhaps, mean that they were individually to treasure it up, having designated in their own mind the sum which they could give, and have it in readiness when he should come. This was evidently to be done not on one Sunday only, but was to be done on each Lord’s Day until he should come.

As God hath prospered him - The word “God” is not in the original, but it is evidently understood, and necessary to the sense. The word rendered “hath prospered” (εὐοδῶται euodōtai) means, properly, to set forward on one’s way; to prosper one’s journey; and then to prosper, or be prospered. This is the rule which Paul lays down here to guide the Christians at Corinth in giving alms, a rule that is as applicable now, and as valuable now, as it was then.

That there be no gatherings when I come - No collections λογίαι logiai, 1 Corinthians 16:1). The apostle means that there should be no trouble in collecting the small sums; that it should all be prepared; that each one might have laid by what he could give; and that all might be ready to be handed over to him, or to whomsoever they might choose to send with it to Jerusalem; 1 Corinthians 16:3 - In view of this important verse, we may remark:

(1) That there is here clear proof that the first day of the week was observed by the church at Corinth as holy time. If it was not, there can have been no propriety in selecting that day in preference to any other in which to make the collection. It was the day which was set apart to the duties of religion, and therefore an appropriate day for the exercise of charity and the bestowment of alms. There can have been no reason why this day should have been designated except that it was a day set apart to religion, and therefore deemed a proper day for the exercise of benevolence toward others.

(2) This order extended also to the churches in Galatia, proving also that the first day of the week was observed by them, and was regarded as a day proper for the exercise of charity toward the poor and the afflicted. And if the first day of the week was observed, by apostolic authority, in those churches, it is morally certain that it was observed by others. This consideration, therefore, demonstrates that it was the custom to observe this day, and that it was observed by the authority of the early founders of Christianity.

(3) Paul intended that they should be systematic in their giving, and that they should give from principle, and not merely under the impulse of feeling.

(4) Paul designed that the habit of doing good with their money should be constant. He, therefore, directed that it should be on the return of each Lord’s Day, and that the subject should be constantly before their minds.

(5) It was evident that Paul in this way would obtain more for his object than he would if he waited that they should give all at once. He therefore directed them honestly to lay by each week what they could then give, and to regard it as a sacred treasure. How much would the amount of charities in the Christian churches be swelled if this were the practice now, and if all Christians would lay by in store each week what they could then devote to sacred purposes.

(6) The true rule of giving is, “as the Lord hath prospered us.” If he has prospered us, we owe it to him as a debt of gratitude. And according to our prosperity and success, we should honestly devote our property to God.

(7) It is right and proper to lay by of our wealth for the purposes of benevolence on Sunday. It is right to do good then Matthew 12:12; and one of the appropriate exercises of religion is to look at the evidence of our prosperity with a view to know what we may be permitted to give to advance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus.

(8) If every Christian would honestly do this every week, it would do much to keep down the spirit of worldliness that now prevails everywhere in the Christian church; and if every Christian would conscientiously follow the direction of Paul here, there would be no lack of funds for any well-directed plan for the conversion of the world.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 16:2. Upon the first day of the week — The apostle prescribes the most convenient and proper method of making this contribution.

1. Every man was to feel it his duty to succour his brethren in distress.

2. He was to do this according to the ability which God gave him.

3. He was to do this at the conclusion of the week, when he had cast up his weekly earnings, and had seen how much God had prospered his labour.

4. He was then to bring it on the first day of the week, as is most likely, to the church or assembly, that it might be put in the common treasury.

5. We learn from this that the weekly contribution could not be always the same, as each man was to lay by as God had prospered him: now, some weeks he would gain more; others, less.

6. It appears from the whole that the first day of the week, which is the Christian Sabbath, was the day on which their principal religious meetings were held in Corinth and the Churches of Galatia; and, consequently, in all other places where Christianity had prevailed. This is a strong argument for the keeping of the Christian Sabbath.

7. We may observe that the apostle follows here the rule of the synagogue; it was a regular custom among the Jews to make their collections for the poor on the Sabbath day, that they might not be without the necessaries of life, and might not be prevented from coming to the synagogue.

8. For the purpose of making this provision, they had a purse, which was called ארנקי של צדקה Arneki shel tsedakah, "The purse of the alms," or what we would term, the poor's box. This is what the apostle seems to mean when he says, Let him lay by him in store-let him put it in the alms' purse, or in the poor's box.

9. It was a maxim also with them that, if they found any money, they were not to put it in their private purse, but in that which belonged to the poor.

10. The pious Jews believed that as salt seasoned food, so did alms, riches; and that he who did not give alms of what he had, his riches should be dispersed. The moth would corrupt the bags, and the canker corrode the money, unless the mass was sanctified by giving a part to the poor.