Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

16:13 Act like men (Gk. andrizomai) is a frequent command in the Septuagint and is used in contexts encouraging people (esp. soldiers) to act with courage and strength in obedience to the Lord and with confidence in his power (see Deut. 31:6-7, 23; Josh. 1:6-7, 9; 10:25; 1 Chron. 28:20; Ps. 27:14).

16:16 be subject to such as these. This probably implies that some members of the household of Stephanas were elders at Corinth. (First Clement 42.4, written in a.d. 95, mentions that the apostles in Corinth appointed the "first converts" [Gk. aparchē, the same word Paul used in 1 Cor. 16:15] "to be bishops and deacons.") Fellow worker is a participle of synergeō, "to work together with," and apparently refers to those who "work with" these leaders in their governing tasks.

16:17 Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus. Perhaps the bearers of the Corinthians' letter to Paul (7:1).

16:19 the church in their house. See also Rom. 16:3-5. Early Christian churches, since they were small and since Christianity was not recognized as a legitimate (or legal) religion, met in homes (cf. Acts 18:7; Col. 4:15; Philem. 2). There is extensive archaeological evidence from many different cities showing that some homes were structurally modified to hold such churches.

16:20 holy kiss (cf. Rom. 16:16; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:26; 1 Pet. 5:14). Like some other practices with symbolic meanings that change from culture to culture (such as footwashing, or head covering for wives; see note on 1 Cor. 11:5-6), a "holy kiss" would not convey the same meaning today that it did in the first century, and in most cultures it would be seriously misunderstood. Such commands are best obeyed by substituting an action (such as a handshake or hug or bow, varying by culture) that would convey the same meaning in a modern culture.

16:21 I, Paul. Paul typically used secretaries to write down his letters as he dictated them (Rom. 16:22). Sometimes Paul picked up the pen himself, either to sign and so authenticate a letter (2 Thess. 3:17), simply to give a personal good-bye (Col. 4:18), or to make a point with special emphasis (Gal. 6:11; Philem. 19). In light of 1 Cor. 16:22, Paul's personal signature here probably falls into the third category.

16:22 Anyone who might say "Jesus is accursed" (12:3) is himself accursed. The phrase Our Lord, come! (marana tha) is Aramaic rather than Greek, probably representing an early Jewish Christian prayer for the return of Jesus (cf. Rev. 22:20). It is additional evidence that at an early date followers of Jesus gave him a title that they used of God. This also reminds us that Christians should always be praying for Christ to return soon.