Chapter 1
A
salutation and thanksgiving
|
1–9
|
Exhortation
to brotherly love, and reproof for divisions
|
10–16
|
The
doctrine of a crucified Saviour, as advancing the glory of God
|
17–25
|
and
humbling the creature before him
|
26–31
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Verses 1–9
All
Christians are by baptism dedicated and devoted to Christ, and are under strict
obligations to be holy. But in the true church of God are all who are
sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, and who call upon him as God
manifest in the flesh, for all the blessings of salvation; who acknowledge and
obey him as their Lord, and as Lord of all; it includes no other persons.
Christians are distinguished from the profane and atheists, that they dare not
live without prayer; and they are distinguished from Jews and pagans, that they
call on the name of Christ. Observe how often in these verses the apostle
repeats the words, Our Lord Jesus Christ. He feared not to make too frequent or
too honourable mention of him. To all who called upon Christ, the apostle gave
his usual salutation, desiring, in their behalf, the pardoning mercy,
sanctifying grace, and comforting peace of God, through Jesus Christ. Sinners
can have no peace with God, nor any from him, but through Christ. He gives
thanks for their conversion to the faith of Christ; that grace was given them
by Jesus Christ. They had been enriched by him with all spiritual gifts. He
speaks of utterance and knowledge. And where God has given these two gifts, he
has given great power for usefulness. These were gifts of the Holy Ghost, by
which God bore witness to the apostles. Those that wait for the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, will be kept by him to the end; and those that are so, will
be blameless in the day of Christ, made so by rich and free grace. How glorious
are the hopes of such a privilege; to be kept by the power of Christ, from the
power of our corruptions and Satan’s temptations!
Verses 10–16
In the
great things of religion be of one mind; and where there is not unity of
sentiment, still let there be union of affection. Agreement in the greater
things should extinguish divisions about the lesser. There will be perfect
union in heaven, and the nearer we approach it on earth, the nearer we come to
perfection. Paul and Apollos both were faithful ministers of Jesus Christ, and
helpers of their faith and joy; but those disposed to be contentious, broke
into parties. So liable are the best things to be corrupted, and the gospel and
its institutions made engines of discord and contention. Satan has always
endeavoured to stir up strife among Christians, as one of his chief devices
against the gospel. The apostle left it to other ministers to baptize, while he
preached the gospel, as a more useful work.
Verses 17–25
Paul had
been bred up in Jewish learning; but the plain preaching of a crucified Jesus,
was more powerful than all the oratory and philosophy of the heathen world.
This is the sum and substance of the gospel. Christ crucified is the foundation
of all our hopes, the fountain of all our joys. And by his death we live. The
preaching of salvation for lost sinners by the sufferings and death of the Son
of God, if explained and faithfully applied, appears foolishness to those in
the way to destruction. The sensual, the covetous, the proud, and ambitious,
alike see that the gospel opposes their favourite pursuits. But those who
receive the gospel, and are enlightened by the Spirit of God, see more of God’s
wisdom and power in the doctrine of Christ crucified, than in all his other
works. God left a great part of the world to follow the dictates of man’s
boasted reason, and the event has shown that human wisdom is folly, and is
unable to find or retain the knowledge of God as the Creator. It pleased him,
by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. By the foolishness
of preaching; not by what could justly be called foolish preaching. But the
thing preached was foolishness to wordly-wise men. The gospel ever was, and
ever will be, foolishness to all in the road to destruction. The message of
Christ, plainly delivered, ever has been a sure touchstone by which men may
learn what road they are travelling. But the despised doctrine of salvation by
faith in a crucified Saviour, God in human nature, purchasing the church with
his own blood, to save multitudes, even all that believe, from ignorance,
delusion, and vice, has been blessed in every age. And the weakest instruments
God uses, are stronger in their effects, than the strongest men can use. Not
that there is foolishness or weakness in God, but what men consider as such,
overcomes all their admired wisdom and strength.
Verses 26–31
God did
not choose philosophers, nor orators, nor statesmen, nor men of wealth, and
power, and interest in the world, to publish the gospel of grace and peace. He
best judges what men and what measures serve the purposes of his glory. Though
not many noble are usually called by Divine grace, there have been some such in
every age, who have not been ashamed of the gospel of Christ; and persons of
every rank stand in need of pardoning grace. Often, a humble Christian, though
poor as to this world, has more true knowledge of the gospel, than those who
have made the letter of Scripture the study of their lives, but who have
studied it rather as the witness of men, than as the word of God. And even
young children have gained such knowledge of Divine truth as to silence
infidels. The reason is, they are taught of God; the design is, that no flesh
should glory in his presence. That distinction, in which alone they might glory,
was not of themselves. It was by the sovereign choice and regenerating grace of
God, that they were in Jesus Christ by faith. He is made of God to us wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; all we need, or can desire. And
he is made wisdom to us, that by his word and Spirit, and from his fulness and
treasures of wisdom and knowledge, we may receive all that will make us wise
unto salvation, and fit for every service to which we are called. We are
guilty, liable to just punishment; and he is made righteousness, our great
atonement and sacrifice. We are depraved and corrupt, and he is made
sanctification, that he may in the end be made complete redemption; may free
the soul from the being of sin, and loose the body from the bonds of the grave.
And this is, that all flesh, according to the prophecy by Jeremiah, Jer
9:23–24, may glory in the special favour, all-sufficient grace, and precious
salvation of Jehovah.
Excerpt from:
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible
Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714)
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