Lesson 14: The Apostle’s Farewell
IV. The Apostle’s Farewell 16:5-24
A. His personal requests (vv. 5-18)
1 Cor 16:5 After
I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through
Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so
that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 I do not want to see you
now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the
Lord permits. 8 But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great
door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
10 If Timothy
comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is
carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one, then, should refuse
to accept him. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am
expecting him along with the brothers.
12 Now about
our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He
was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity. 13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith;
be men of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
15 You know
that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they
have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, 16
to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at
it. 17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they
have supplied what was lacking from you. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and
yours also. Such men deserve recognition.
B. His final greetings (vv. 19-24)
1 Cor 16:19 The churches in the province of
Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and
so does the church that meets at their house. 20 All the brothers here send you
greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write this greeting in
my own hand.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse
be on him.196 Come, O Lord!197 23
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24
My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Comment: About “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (v. 20)
Paul closes several of
his letters with this same admonition.198 It may be a carry over
from an OT greeting of family and friends,199 but the use of “holy”
may refer to the relationship between a believer and God. “[T]hus a ‘holy’ kiss
[was probably] a kiss that belonged to the saints, God’s holy people” (Fee
1987:836). The equivalent today might be a “holy hug” or a “holy handshake.”
Comment: About “…in my own hand” (v. 21)
For the bulk of the
letter, Paul has used an amanuensis (stenographer), probably Sosthenes (1:1).
The apostle’s poor eyesight made his writing difficult. It is uncertain whether
the change here is to make the letter more personal or to validate its
authenticity.200 Either way, he has also used this method with other
letters.201
Transition: Let us
look at [Read I and IV, but have them do II and III.]
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Jim Skaggs