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

13:11 Brothers (Gk. adelphoi) is used here as a generic reference to both men and women. As believers, the men and women of the Corinthian church are members of God's family and thus "brothers and sisters" in Christ (see further ESV Preface: Translation Style). Paul also speaks of the Corinthians as "brothers" in the first two sections of the letter, where he was primarily addressing those who were repentant (cf. 1:8 and 8:1); however, in chs. 10-13, Paul does not address those who are rebellious as "brothers." Now, in closing the letter, Paul again uses this loving familial expression to address the entire church, which is an indication, no doubt, of his hope that they truly will be "brothers and sisters" in Christ as a result of their right response to his letter (13:6-10). As in the case of 1 Corinthians (see 1 Cor. 16:13-14), Paul also summarizes the central conclusions of this letter with five commands--with the first three commands focusing on the Corinthians' relationship with Paul as their apostle, the last two focusing on their life together as brothers and sisters in Christ, and as a family of believers reconciled to each other and to God their Father.

13:12-13 Greet . . . All the saints greet. These two greetings stress the unity of the church, local and universal. with a holy kiss. Usually reserved for special reunions among family members or formal greetings, extending such a public kiss to an entire group was a practice unique to the early church that signified their mutual acceptance as a family. See Rom. 16:16; 1 Thess. 5:26; 1 Pet. 5:14; and note on 1 Cor. 16:20.

13:14 The only Trinitarian benediction in Paul's letters, stressing that grace, love, and fellowship with one another come from God in Christ through the Spirit. Paul's final reference to the Spirit recalls that he is writing and praying as a minister of the new covenant (see 1:22; 3:3-18; 4:13-18; 5:5). you all. A final stress on the unity of the reconciled church, brought about by God himself, the furthering of which was one of the main goals of Paul's letter (1:7; 2:5-11; 5:18-6:2; 6:11-13; 7:2-4; 9:13-14; 12:19; 13:5-10).