‘Sanctified in Christ Jesus, called sanctified ones (saints) with all those who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in every place, theirs and ours.’

‘Sanctified in Christ Jesus.’ The tense of the verse is perfect passive signifying something done in the past the benefit of which continues into the present, thus literally ‘have been and therefore are sanctified’. It is noteworthy that the members of this church, with all their failings, are described by Paul as ‘sanctified in Christ Jesus’. To be sanctified means to be ‘set apart for God for a holy purpose’, and that holy purpose is the perfecting of them that they may be presented before Him irreproachable, holy and without blemish because they are in Christ (Eph 5:27; Col 1:22; 1Th 3:13). Their being ‘in Christ’ both guarantees their acceptance because they are acceptable in Him, and the process of transformation that will take place because being ‘in Him’ can only result in such transformation.

Thus they are seen as set apart for a holy purpose, and that is described as not through any merit of their own, but because they are ‘in Christ Jesus’. By becoming one with Him through faith, evidenced by the Spirit’s work among them and in baptism, they share His holiness and His holy purpose. He is made to them their sanctification (1Co 1:30), and this work is to be accomplished by the Holy Spirit (2Th 2:13; 1Pe 1:2). They are sanctified because they are in Him the sanctified One. Thus God looks at them through the perfect sanctification of Christ, the One Who was totally in accordance with the Father’s will. ‘In Him’ they are totally acceptable in God’s sight. This is then to be carried out into practise in holy living because it is an original act followed by the working of His power (1Th 4:3-4).

Note the order ‘Christ Jesus’. His emphasis here is on the separateness of Jesus Christ from the world. He is ‘the Christ’ Jesus, the One set apart by God, and they have been set apart in Him.

Here then Paul is calling the attention of the Corinthian church to their holy calling, preparatory to seeking to set right much that is wrong among them. He is reminding them that they are now sanctified in Christ, and holy in Him, separated from the world in Him, and therefore now needing to become holy in practise. In that great city of Corinth, city of immorality and philosophical speculation, Jesus Christ through Paul had set a colony of Heaven (Php 3:20), set apart to God and in process of being made perfect.

The New Testament speaks of ‘sanctification’ in a number of ways which need to be carefully differentiated. As we have said, to sanctify means ‘to set apart for a holy purpose, to make holy as being closely connected with God’ and from the Christian point of view that finally means to make “God-like in purity, goodness and love”. This is something only God can do for us.

The Bible tells us that once He has made us His Own through our responding in faith to His work on the cross and His offer of salvation, we are first put in the position of ‘having been sanctified’ (aorist tense, something done once for all – 1Co 1:30; 1Co 6:11), and therefore ‘set apart’ for God once for all. We are set aside as His for His own use. This is because ‘in Christ’ we are made holy with Christ’s holiness, and thus covered with His purity. And this is why we can approach God so confidently. It has put us in a state whereby we ‘are sanctified’ once for all and accepted as holy in His presence (Act 20:32; Act 26:18; Rom 15:16; 1Co 1:2; Heb 10:10) These verses all use the perfect tense signifying – ‘having been sanctified and therefore now are sanctified’ – referring to a past happening which continues in effect into the present. We are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all (Heb 10:10). And that sanctification includes the work within us through which we are born from above (Joh 3:6) and receive the indwelling Christ (Gal 2:20) and life through the Holy Spirit. We become separated off to Christ, ‘members of Christ’ and ‘temples of God’ (1Co 6:15; 1Co 6:19).

But the result of being put in this position is that we will then be ‘in process of being sanctified’ (set apart by being made holy) by Christ Jesus and the Spirit. The purity of Christ, which has been set to our account, and attaches us to God, must now become reproduced in our lives. We must therefore go through the process of ‘being set apart for God’ by being constantly changed by the Spirit (present tense – Heb 2:11; Heb 10:14; compare Rom 6:19; Rom 6:22 ; 1Th 4:3; 2Th 2:13). This is what most Christians usually think of when they think of ‘sanctification’.

And if we are His it is guaranteed that He will carry out this work in us (Php 2:13). This is the same process as salvation from a slightly different point of view. We are saved through God’s work of sanctification, which like salvation is ours the moment we respond in faith, and this work goes on being active in our lives until we go to be with Him, having been made holy and unblemished before Him. And so it was with the Corinthians.

‘Called sanctified ones (saints).’ The title of ‘saint’ is true of all who are ‘sanctified in Christ’. It does not therefore ever in Scripture refer to a select few Christians, for it does not so much refer to practical holiness as to holiness imputed and imparted in Christ. They are Temples of God through the ‘Holy’ Spirit Who is in them (1Co 6:19). All who are His are thus ‘saints’ (holy ones), those who are set apart in holiness to be made holy. They are be seen as set apart to God with the intention of their becoming God-like. They are ‘holy ones’, chosen out and awaiting their full potential, being changed from glory into glory by the Spirit (2Co 3:18).

‘With all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place.’ Here he stresses that all who belong to Christ and call on His name are called ‘saints’. Thus Paul ensures that the Corinthians recognise that they are not superior to others in this, and yet share with all other Christians this wonderful privilege. To ‘call on the name’ means that they have cried to Him for forgiveness and mercy, have claimed the benefit of His name and what He is, and what He has done for them, and now worship Him. Thus they have been ‘made holy’, set apart for God by His Spirit, with a view to being made perfect in holiness.

This fact that Christians ‘call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’, signifying honour and worship (compare Gen 4:26; Gen 12:8 and often), demonstrates Paul’s view of Christ, for here Jesus receives through it the honour due to Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament (and the New), demonstrating His Oneness with Him. Indeed in the right context ‘Lord’ is the Greek equivalent of Yahweh (see Php 2:8-10 where the name above every name is the name of Yahweh).

‘In every place.’ This phrase in this kind of context is unique to this epistle. Paul is thus especially stressing his and their unity with all Christians worldwide. He is concerned lest they fail to recognise that they belong to one worldwide gathering of God’s people, and see themselves as but a group of ‘wisdom societies’ in Corinth (1Co 1:12). He wants them to know that he himself too has no limited vision, but acknowledges all, and is at one with all, and sees them all as one. He wants them to see that they are part of one whole worldwide body.

‘Both theirs and ours.’ This can only refer back to ‘Lord’. Paul is stressing that He is Lord of all in every place who call on Him, including being Lord of Paul and Lord of the Corinthian church. They are all to unite as one in acknowledging His Lordship for He has sanctified them to Himself.

Some have suggested applying ‘both theirs and ours’ to ‘every place’, but that is hardly likely. Apart from the fact that it would be almost an irrelevance, it is doubtful if Paul saw himself as belonging to any one place or was even bothered about it. He was a citizen of Heaven (Php 3:20), as were they. He had long since left Tarsus and Jerusalem behind. He was not interested in geography, what he was concerned about was people’s spiritual position.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

1Co 1:2. To them that are sanctified, &c. Nothing could better suit the candid and catholic views whichSt. Paul was so much concerned to promote in this Epistle, than the declaration of his good wishes in this verse for every true Christian upon earth, whether Jew or Gentile, learned or unlearned, Greek or barbarian. The original, which we render call upon the name of Jesus Christ, , Mr. Locke renders, all that are called by the name of Jesus Christ,the Greek words being a periphrasis for Christians, as is plain from the design of this verse, and from a variety of proofs given by Dr. Hammond on the place. See on ch. 1Co 8:6.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

1Co 1:2 . . . ] is genitive of the owner. Comp , Num 16:3 ; Num 20:4 . The expression is with Paul the standing theocratic designation of the Christian community, in which the theocratic idea of the Old Testament presents itself as realized; it is the of this . Comp 1Co 10:32 , 1Co 11:16 ; 1Co 11:22 , 1Co 15:9 ; 2Co 1:1 ; Gal 1:13 , al [84]

. . .] adds at once a distinctive definition of quality to . . . (see the critical remarks), and thereupon follows the local specification of . . . . “ To the church of God, men sanctified in Christ Jesus, which is in Corinth .” How common it is to find a participle in the plural standing in an attributive relation to a collective singular , may he seen in Khner, II. p. 43; Pflugk, a [85] Eur. Hec. 39. ., however, is purposely placed after . . . [86] , because the thought is, that the church of God addressed does in itself and as such (not as Corinthian ) consist of those sanctified in Christ. The is to be conceived as consecration to God in the Christian church (see above, . . . ). Comp on Rom 1:7 . This belonging to God as His own has its causal ground not out of, but in Christ namely, in His redemptive work, of which the Christians have become, and continue to be, partakers ( perfect ) by means of justifying faith (Eph 1:4 ff.; Heb 10:10 ). Comp Phi 1:1 . . . gives to the . its distinctively Christian character .

] added, in order to a properly exhaustive description of that experienced benefit of God’s grace of which the readers, as Christians, were assumed to be conscious; the new element introduced here lies in . The call to the Messianic kingdom (conceived as issued effectually , comp on Rom 8:28 , and see Lamping, Pauli de praedestin. decreta , Leovard. 1858, p. 32 f.) is, according to the constant conception of the N. T. (Rom 1:6 ; Gal 1:6 not excepted), given by God (1Co 1:9 , Rom 8:30 ; Rom 9:24 , al [90] ; Usteri, Lehrbegr. p. 281) through the preachers of the gospel (Rom 10:14 ; 2Th 2:14 ); see Weiss, bibl. Theol. p. 386 f.

. . [91] ] does not belong to , so that the readers were to be made sensible of the greatness of the fellowship in which they, as called saints, stood (Grotius, Bengel, Storr, Rosenmller, Flatt, Billroth, Rckert, Olshausen, de Wette, Neander, Becker, Hofmann). But it belongs, as necessarily follows from 2Co 1:1 , to the superscription as part of it (on , comp Phi 1:1 ); yet neither so as to mark the Epistle as a catholic one (Theodoret, Estius, Calovius, Cornelius a Lapide, and others; comp Schrader); nor so that Paul shall be held, while greeting the Corinthians, as greeting in spirit also the universal church (Osiander, comp Chrysostom, Theodoret, Erasmus, Billroth, Heydenreich, and others); nor yet so that by the . . . . . were meant the separatists , in contrast to those disposed to adhere to the church (Vitringa, Michaelis), or as if . . [95] were meant to comprehend all Corinthian Christians without distinction (Eichhorn, Einleit. III. 1, p. 110, Pott); but so that the sense is in substance just that expressed in 2Co 1:1 : . See below on . The Epistle is primarily addressed to the Christians in Corinth; not, however, to them merely , but at the same time also to the other Achaean Christians , and the latter are denoted by . A comma is to be put after .

. . . . . ] confessional designation of the Christians, Rom 10:12 f.; Act 2:21 . Respecting the N. T. idea of the invocation of Christ , which is not to be held as absolute, but as relative worship (of Him as the Mediator and Lord over all, but under God, Phi 2:10 f.), see on Rom 10:12 .

] is joined with by Chrysostom, Theodoret, Photius, Theophylact, Calvin, Beza, Piscator, Erasmus Schmid, Valckenaer, and others, including Billroth, Olshausen, Lcke ( de invocat. Chr. , Gtting. 1843), Wieseler ( Chronol. des apost. Zeitalt. p. 324), in such a way as to make it an epanorthosis or (see Wieseler) epexegesis of the foregoing . But apart from the fact that this in the habitually used embraces all Christians, and consequently ( being referred to Paul and Sosthenes) would express something quite self-evident, and that, too, without any special significance of bearing, [96] the position of the words is decisive against this view, and in favour of attaching them to , to which they necessarily belong as a more precise definition. Comp Vulg.: “In omni loco ipsorum et nostro .” If, namely, must denote the Achaean Christians out of Corinth (see above), then requires a limitation to the geographical district which is intended. Now, this limitation is not already laid down by (Lcke, Wieseler), since it was precisely in the superscription that the need of definiteness in designating the readers was obvious, but it is expressly given by , in such a way, namely, that refers to the Corinthians , who, however, are indicated not by , but by , because from the point where the widening of the address ( . . [98] ) comes in, the Corinthians appear as third parties. Accordingly the Epistle is addressed: To the Corinthian Christians, and to all who, in every place that belongs to them (the Corinthians) and to us as well (Paul and Sosthenes), call upon the name of Christ . Every place in the province, namely, where Christians lived or a church existed (as e.g. in Cenchre, Rom 16:1 ), was a place which belonged to the Corinthians , a , in so far as the church at Corinth was the mother-church of the Christian body in Achaia; but each such place belonged also to Paul (and Sosthenes), in so far as he was the founder and apostolic head of Christianity in Corinth and all Achaia. It is quite in accordance with the ingenious subtlety of the apostle to give the designation of the provincials in such a form, as to make his own authority felt over against the prerogative of those living in the capital ( ). As in Rom 16:13 delicately expresses the community of love (comp also 1Co 16:18 ; Phm 1:11 ; Soph. El. 417 f.: ), so here the community of right . The objection that the sense in which they belonged to the Corinthians was different from that in which they belonged to Paul and Sosthenes (de Wette), fails to appreciate the point of the words. The offence which Hofm. takes at the reading (as though it must be equivalent to ) arises from a misunderstanding; it is the usual co-ordinating , which here has not even the appearance (Hartung, Partik. I. p. 100) of standing in place of . Comp., on the contrary, Hartung, p. 101; Baeuml., Partik. p. 225. Observe, besides, that gives more rhetorical emphasis to the association of the two genitives than the simple ; see Dissen, a [100] Dem. de cor. p. 165. Rbiger, krit. Unters. p. 62 f., has assented to our view. [101] Comp also Maier. Those who join . . [103] to . (see above) usually take . as an analysis of the idea : in every place, where they and where we (Paul and Sosthenes) are , i.e. elsewhere and here in Ephesus . See Calovius, Rckert, de Wette, Osiander. But how meaningless this more precise explanation of would be! In fact, it would be absurd; for, since the subject is all ( . . [104] ), in which the are thus already included, an analysis of it into (which the are surely already) and is utterly illogical. This applies also in opposition to Becker, by whom the is held to be Corinth , and to refer to the strangers who come to Corinth. Others have, following Ambrosiaster, referred to the heathen lands , and to Judaea (Erasmus, Semler, Bolten; similarly Schrader). Contrary to the text, as is also Wetstein’s opinion: “P. suum locum vocat, ubi ipse per praedicationem evangelii ecclesiam fundaverat. Tacite se atque Sosthenem opponit peregrino falso doctori, qui in locum non suum irrepserat.” Others refer to the different meeting-places of the parties (Vitringa, Mosheim, Eichhorn, Krause, Pott, Ewald), so that the would be the house of Justus (Act 18:7 ), or, generally, the place where the church had statedly assembled at first under Paul (Ewald); and the . the meeting-house of the Petrine party, perhaps the Jewish synagogue (Pott), or, in general, the other places of assembly of the new sections (Ewald). But the presupposition that the church was broken up into parties locally separated from each other (see, on the contrary, 1Co 14:23 , 1Co 11:17 ff.) has not a single passage in the Epistle to justify it. Bttger, l.c [105] p. 25, holds, strangely, that applies to the Corinthian Christians, and to those of Lower Achaia (among whom Paul is supposed to have written; see Introd. 3); and Ziegler, that applies to those in Corinth, to those staying with Paul in Ephesus, Stephanas, Fortunatus, Achaicus (1Co 16:17 ), and others. Hofmann propounds the peculiar view that betokens that Paul was at home , and felt himself to be so , wherever Christ was invoked. As if the reader would have been capable of deducing any such ubiquity of spiritual domicile from the simple pronoun, and that, too, in the very address of the Epistle, without the slightest hint from the connection.

[84] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.

[85] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[86] . . . .

[90] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.

[91] . . . .

[95] . . . .

[96] It is supposed to convey a polemical reference to the party-divisions. See Wieseler, l.c. This can only be the case if applies to the Corinthians . But in fact, according to the view of Lcke and Wieseler (see below), it cannot do so, but must apply to the other Achaeans .

[98] . . . .

[100] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[101] Also Burger in his (popular) Auslegung , Erl. 1859, and Holtzmann, Judenthum u. Christenth . p. 749.

[103] . . . .

[104] . . . .

[105] .c. loco citato or laudato .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Ver. 2. Called to be saints ] i.e. Either such as are sanctified by habitual infusion, or such as are sanctified by baptismal profession only, that are in covenant with God by sacrifice,Psa 50:5Psa 50:5 , and are in Christ, though they bear no fruit, Joh 15:2 . These two sorts of saints make up a true visible Church.

With all that in every place ] The apostles then wrote not their Epistles for the particular uses of those times only, as the Jesuits will have it.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

2 .] The remarks of Calvin on . . , . . . are admirable: “Mirum forsan videri queat, cur eam hominum multitudinem vocet Ecclesiam Dei, in qua tot morbi invaluerant, ut Satan illic potius regnum occuparet quam Deus. Certum est autem, eum noluisse blandiri Corinthiis: loquitur enim ex Dei Spiritu, qui adulari non solet. Atqui inter tot inquinamenta qualis amplius eminet Ecclesi facies? Respondeo, utcunque multa vitia obrepissent, et vari corruptel tam doctrin quam morum, extitisse tamen adhuc qudam ver Ecclesi signa. Locus diligenter observandus, ne requiramus in hoc mundo Ecclesiam omni ruga et macula carentem: aut protinus abdicemus hoc titulo quemvis ctum in quo non omnia votis nostris respondeant. Est enim hc periculosa tentatio, nullam Ecclesiam putare ubi non appareat perfecta puritas. Nam quicunque hac occupatus fuerit, necesse tandem erit, ut discessione ab omnibus aliis facta, solus sibi sanctus videatur in mundo, aut peculiarem sectam cum paucis hypocritis instituat. Quid ergo caus habuit Paulus, cur Ecclesiam Corinthi agnosceret? nempe quia Evangelii doctrinam, Baptismum, Cnam Domini, quibus symbolis censeri debet Ecclesia, apud eos cernebat.” On , Chrys. remarks, , , and similarly Theophyl., taking the expression as addressed to the Corinthians to remind them of their position as a congregation belonging to GOD, and not to any head of a party . Perhaps this is too refined, the words . . being so usual with St. Paul, see reff.

The harshness of the position of . . is in favour of its being the original one: hallowed (i.e. dedicated) to God in (in union with and by means of) Jesus Christ .

‘which exists,’ ‘is found, at Corinth.’ So . , Act 13:1 .

] See Rom 1:7 , note.

. . .] These words do not belong to the designations just preceding, = ‘as are all,’ &c., but form part of the address of the Epistle, so that these . are partakers with the Corinthians in it. They form a weighty and precious addition, made here doubtless to shew the Corinthians, that membership of God’s Holy Catholic Church consisted not in being planted, or presided over by Paul, Apollos, or Cephas (or their successors), but in calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . The Church of England has adopted from this verse her solemn explanation of the term, in the ‘prayer for all sorts and conditions of men:’ “More especially, we pray for the good estate of the Catholic Church ; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.”

. ] not ‘ calling themselves by ’ (though in sense equivalent to this, for they who call upon Christ, call themselves by His Name): the phrase was one adopted from the LXX, as in reff.; the adjunct . defines that Lord (Jehovah) on whom the Christians called, to be Jesus Christ, and is a direct testimony to the divine worship of Jesus Christ, as universal in the church. The ( Jam 2:7 ) is not to the point, the construction being different.

. . [ ] . .] In every place, both theirs (in their country, wherever that may be) and ours . This connexion is far better than to join . [ ] . . with , thereby making the first superfluous.

refers to the ., to Paul, and Sosthenes, and those whom he is addressing. Eichhorn fancied to mean ‘ a place of assembly: ’ Hug, ‘ a party ’ or ‘ division: ’ Beza, al., would limit the persons spoken of to Achaia: others, to Corinth and Ephesus: but the simple meaning and universal reference are far more agreeable to the spirit of the passage. I may as well once for all premise, that many of the German expositors have been constantly misled in their interpretations by what I believe to be a mistaken view of 1Co 1:12 , and the supposed Corinthian parties. See note there.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

1Co 1:2 . (in salutation of 1 and 2 Cor [39] only) gives supreme dignity to the assembly of Cor [40] addressed by the Ap. of Christ Jesus the assembled citizens of God’s kingdom and commonwealth (Eph 2:12 ; Eph 2:19 ; cf. Tit 2:14 , 1Pe 2:9 f.). ., “that exists in Corinth” ltum et ingens paradoxon (Bg [41] ): so far the Gospel has reached (2Co 10:13 f.); in so foul a place it flourishes! (1Co 6:9 ff.). Not as earlier, “the assembly of Thessalonians,” etc.: the conception of the ecclesia widens; the local Christian gathering is part of one extended “congregation of God,” existing in this place or that (see last clause). To . is apposed, by way of predicative definition (hence anarthrous), , “the Church of God (consisting of men) sanctified in Christ Jesus”: Church status is grounded on personal relationship to God in Christ. Now this relationship began with God’s call , which summoned each to a holy life within the Christian fellowship; hence the further apposition, (see note on 1, and Rom 1:7 ; cf. Act 18:10 , . . .). The pf. pass [42] ptp [43] expresses a determinate state: once for all the Cor [44] readers have been devoted to God, by His call and their consent. This initial sanctification is synchronous with justification (1Co 6:11 ), and is the positive as that is the negative side of salvation: . , . (Rom 6:16-19 ). “Sanctified in Christ Jesus” (= “living to God in Christ Jesus,” Rom 6:11 ) imports union with Christ (1Co 6:17 ; 1Co 6:19 , 1Co 12:11 , Rom 8:9 f.) as well as salvation through Christ. His past work is the objective ground, His present heavenly being (implied by the name “Christ Jesus,” as in this order) the active spring of this : cf. 1Co 1:30 and note. The repeated ref [45] to the holiness of the readers recalls them to their vocation; low practice calls for the reassertion of high ideals; admonet Corinthios majestatis ipsorum (Bg [46] ). Cv [47] draws a diff [48] yet consistent inference: “Locus diligenter observandus, ne requiramus in hoc mundo Ecclesiam omni ruga et macula carentem”. The adjunct may qualify . . . (so some moderns), or the main predicate (Gr [49] Ff [50] ): i.e. , the Church shares ( a ) in its Christian sanctity , or ( b ) in the Apostle’s good wishes , “with all that call upon the name,” etc. ( b ) gives a better balanced sentence, and a true Pauline sentiment: cf. Eph 6:24 , also the Benediction of Clem. Rom. ad Cor [51] , lxv. , an expression indefinitely large (see parls.), approaching “in all the world” of Rom 1:8 , Col 1:6 ; there is nothing here to indicate the limit given in 2Co 1:1 . The readers belong to a widespread as well as a holy community; Paul insists on this in the sequel, pointing in reproof to “other churches”. To “call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” to invoke Him in prayer as “Lord” is the mark of the Christian, by which Saul, e.g. , once recognised his victims (see parls.), the index of saving faith (1Co 12:3 , Rom 10:12 ff.). The afterthought , correcting the previous (Cm [52] , Cv [53] , Gd [54] , Sm [55] ), heightens the sense of wide fellowship given by the previous clause; “one Lord” (1Co 8:6 ; Rom 10:12 ; Rom 14:9 , Eph 4:5 ) unites all hearts in the obedience of faith. To attach these pronouns to ( in omni loco ipsorum et nostro , Vg [56] ) gives a sense strained in various ways: “their place and ours,” belonging to us equally with them (Mr [57] , El [58] , Ed [59] ); “illorum (prope Cor [60] ), nostro (ubi . et Sosth. versabantur,” Bg [61] ); in non-Pauline and Pauline Churches (Hn [62] ); and so on.

[39] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[40] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[41] Bengel’s Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[42] passive voice.

[43] participle

[44] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[45] reference.

[46] Bengel’s Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[47] Calvin’s In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii .

[48] difference, different, differently.

[49] Greek, or Grotius’ Annotationes in N.T.

[50] Fathers.

[51] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[52] John Chrysostom’s Homili ( 407).

[53] Calvin’s In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii .

[54] F. Godet’s Commentaire sur la prem. p. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).

[55] P. Schmiedel, in Handcommentar zum N.T. (1893).

[56] Latin Vulgate Translation.

[57] Meyer’s Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Eng. Trans.).

[58] C. J. Ellicott’s St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians .

[59] T. C. Edwards’ Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians .

[60] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[61] Bengel’s Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[62] C. F. G. Heinrici’s Erklrung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer’s krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

1 Corinthians

CALLING ON THE NAME

1Co 1:2 .

There are some difficulties, with which I need not trouble you, about both the translation and the connection of these words. One thing is quite clear, that in them the Apostle associates the church at Corinth with the whole mass of Christian believers in the world. The question may arise whether he does so in the sense that he addresses his letter both to the church at Corinth and to the whole of the churches, and so makes it a catholic epistle. That is extremely unlikely, considering how all but entirely this letter is taken up with dealing with the especial conditions of the Corinthian church. Rather I should suppose that he is simply intending to remind ‘the Church of God at Corinth . . . sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints,’ that they are in real, living union with the whole body of believers. Just as the water in a little land-locked bay, connected with the sea by some narrow strait like that at Corinth, is yet part of the whole ocean that rolls round the world, so that little community of Christians had its living bond of union with all the brethren in every place that called upon the name of Jesus Christ.

Whichever view on that detail of interpretation be taken, this phrase, as a designation of Christians, is worth considering. It is one of many expressions found in the New Testament as names for them, some of which have now dropped out of general use, while some are still retained. It is singular that the name of ‘Christian,’ which has all but superseded all others, was originally invented as a jeer by sarcastic wits at Antioch, and never appears in the New Testament, as a name by which believers called themselves. Important lessons are taught by these names, such as disciples, believers, brethren, saints, those of the way, and so on, each of which embodies some characteristic of a follower of Jesus. So this appellation in the text, ‘those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,’ may yield not unimportant lessons if it be carefully weighed, and to some of these I would ask your attention now.

I. First, it gives us a glimpse into the worship of the primitive Church.

To ‘call on the name of the Lord’ is an expression that comes straight out of the Old Testament. It means there distinctly adoration and invocation, and it means precisely these things when it is referred to Jesus Christ.

We find in the Acts of the Apostles that the very first sermon that was preached at Pentecost by Peter all turns upon this phrase. He quotes the Old Testament saying, ‘Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved,’ and then goes on to prove that ‘the Lord,’ the ‘calling on whose Name’ is salvation, is Jesus Christ; and winds up with ‘Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.’

Again we find that Ananias of Damascus, when Jesus Christ appeared to him and told him to go to Paul and lay his hands upon him, shrank from the perilous task because Paul had been sent to ‘bind them that call upon the name of the Lord,’ and to persecute them. We find the same phrase recurring in other connections, so that, on the whole, we may take the expression as a recognised designation of Christians.

This was their characteristic, that they prayed to Jesus Christ. The very first word, so far as we know, that Paul ever heard from a Christian was, ‘Lord Jesus! receive my spirit.’ He heard that cry of calm faith which, when he heard it, would sound to him as horrible blasphemy from Stephen’s dying lips. How little he dreamed that he himself was soon to cry to the same Jesus, ‘Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?’ and was in after-days to beseech Him thrice for deliverance, and to be answered by sufficient grace. How little he dreamed that, when his own martyrdom was near, he too would look to Jesus as Lord and righteous Judge, from whose hands all who loved His appearing should receive their crown! Nor only Paul directs desires and adoration to Jesus as Lord; the last words of Scripture are a cry to Him as Lord to come quickly, and an invocation of His ‘grace’ on all believing souls.

Prayer to Christ from the very beginning of the Christian Church was, then, the characteristic of believers, and He to whom they prayed, thus, from the beginning, was recognised by them as being a Divine Person, God manifest in the flesh.

The object of their worship, then, was known by the people among whom they lived. Singing hymns to Christus as a god is nearly all that the Roman proconsul in his well-known letter could find to tell his master of their worship. They were the worshippers-not merely the disciples-of one Christ. That was their peculiar distinction. Among the worshippers of the false gods they stood erect; before Him, and Him only, they bowed. In Corinth there was the polluted worship of Aphrodite and of Zeus. These men called not on the name of these lustful and stained deities, but on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And everybody knew whom they worshipped, and understood whose men they were. Is that true about us? Do we Christian men so habitually cultivate the remembrance of Jesus Christ, and are we so continually in the habit of invoking His aid, and of contemplating His blessed perfections and sufficiency, that every one who knew us would recognise us as meant by those who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ?

If this be the proper designation of Christian people, alas! alas! for so many of the professing Christians of this day, whom neither bystanders nor themselves would think of as included in such a name!

Further, the connection here shows that the divine worship of Christ was universal among the churches. There was no ‘place’ where it was not practised, no community calling itself a church to whom He was not the Lord to be invoked and adored. This witness to the early and universal recognition in the Christian communities of the divinity of our Lord is borne by an undisputedly genuine epistle of Paul’s. It is one of the four which the most thorough-going destructive criticism accepts as genuine. It was written before the Gospels, and is a voice from the earlier period of Paul’s apostleship. Hence the importance of its attestation to this fact that all Christians everywhere, both Jewish, who had been trained in strict monotheism, and Gentile, who had burned incense at many a foul shrine, were perfectly joined together in this, that in all their need they called on the name of Jesus Christ as Lord and brought to Him, as divine, adoration not to be rendered to any creatures. From the day of Pentecost onwards, a Christian was not merely a disciple, a follower, or an admirer, but a worshipper of Christ, the Lord.

II. We may see here an unfolding of the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ.

Note that solemn accumulation, in the language of my text, of all the designations by which He is called, sometimes separately and sometimes unitedly, the name of ‘our Lord Jesus Christ.’ We never find that full title given to Him in Scripture except when the writer’s mind is labouring to express the manifoldness and completeness of our Lord’s relations to men, and the largeness and sufficiency of the blessings which He brings. In this context I find in the first nine or ten verses of this chapter, so full is the Apostle of the thoughts of the greatness and wonderfulness of his dear Lord on whose name he calls, that six or seven times he employs this solemn, full designation.

Now, if we look at the various elements of this great name we shall get various aspects of the way in which calling on Christ is the strength of our souls.

‘Call on the name of-the Lord.’ That is the Old Testament Jehovah. There is no mistaking nor denying, if we candidly consider the evidence of the New Testament writings, that, when we read of Jesus Christ as ‘Lord,’ in the vast majority of cases, the title is not a mere designation of human authority, but is an attribution to Him of divine nature and dignity. We have, then, to ascribe to Him, and to call on Him as possessing, all which that great and incommunicable Name certified and sealed to the Jewish Church as their possession in their God. The Jehovah of the Old Testament is our Lord of the New. He whose being is eternal, underived, self-sufficing, self-determining, knowing no variation, no diminution, no age, He who is because He is and that He is, dwells in His fulness in our Saviour. To worship Him is not to divert worship from the one God, nor is it to have other gods besides Him. Christianity is as much monotheistic as Judaism was, and the law of its worship is the old law-Him only shalt thou serve. It is the divine will that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.

But what is it to call on the name of Jesus? That name implies all the sweetness of His manhood. He is our Brother. The name ‘Jesus’ is one that many a Jewish boy bore in our Lord’s own time and before it; though, afterwards, of course, abhorrence on the part of the Jew and reverence on the part of the Christian caused it almost entirely to disappear. But at the time when He bore it it was as undistinguished a name as Simeon, or Judas, or any other of His followers’ names. To call upon the name of Jesus means to realise and bring near to ourselves, for our consolation and encouragement, for our strength and peace, the blessed thought of His manhood, so really and closely knit to ours; to grasp the blessedness of the thought that He knows our frame because He Himself has worn it, and understands and pities our weakness, being Himself a man. To Him whom we adore as Lord we draw near in tenderer, but not less humble and prostrate, adoration as our brother when we call on the name of the Lord Jesus, and thus embrace as harmonious, and not contradictory, both the divinity of the Lord and the humanity of Jesus.

To call on the name of Christ is to embrace in our faith and to beseech the exercise on our behalf of all which Jesus is as the Messiah, anointed by God with the fulness of the Spirit. As such He is the climax, and therefore the close of all revelation, who is the long-expected fruition of the desire of weary hearts, the fulfilment, and therefore the abolition, of sacrifice and temple and priesthood and prophecy and all that witnessed for Him ere He came. We further call on the name of Christ the Anointed, on whom the whole fulness of the Divine Spirit dwelt in order that, calling upon Him, that fulness may in its measure be granted to us.

So the name of the Lord Jesus Christ brings to view the divine, the human, the Messiah, the anointed Lord of the Spirit, and Giver of the divine life. To call on His name is to be blessed, to be made pure and strong, joyous and immortal. ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe.’ Call on His name in the day of trouble and ye shall be heard and helped.

III. Lastly, this text suggests what a Christian life should be.

We have already remarked that to call on the name of Jesus was the distinctive peculiarity of the early believers, which marked them off as a people by themselves. Would it be a true designation of the bulk of so-called Christians now? You do not object to profess yourself a Christian, or, perhaps, even to say that you are a disciple of Christ, or even to go the length of calling yourself a follower and imitator. But are you a worshipper of Him? In your life have you the habit of meditating on Him as Lord, as Jesus, as Christ, and of refreshing and gladdening dusty days and fainting strength by the living water, drawn from the one unfailing stream from these triple fountains? Is the invocation of His aid habitual with you?

There needs no long elaborate supplication to secure His aid. How much has been done in the Church’s history by short bursts of prayer, as ‘Lord, help me!’ spoken or unspoken in the moment of extremity! ‘They cried unto God in the battle.’ They would not have time for very lengthy petitions then, would they? They would not give much heed to elegant arrangement of them or suiting them to the canons of human eloquence. ‘They cried unto God in the battle’; whilst the enemy’s swords were flashing and the arrows whistling about their ears. These were circumstances to make a prayer a ‘cry’; no composed and stately utterance of an elegantly modulated voice, nor a languid utterance without earnestness, but a short, sharp, loud call, such as danger presses from panting lungs and parched throats. Therefore the cry was answered, ‘and He was entreated of them.’ ‘Lord, save us, we perish!’ was a very brief prayer, but it brought its answer. And so we, in like manner, may go through our warfare and work, and day by day as we encounter sudden bursts of temptation may meet them with sudden jets of petition, and thus put out their fires. And the same help avails for long-continuing as for sudden needs. Some of us may have to carry lifelong burdens and to fight in a battle ever renewed. It may seem as if our cry was not heard, since the enemy’s assault is not weakened, nor our power to beat it back perceptibly increased. But the appeal is not in vain, and when the fight is over, if not before, we shall know what reinforcements of strength to our weakness were due to our poor cry entering into the ears of our Lord and Brother. No other ‘name’ is permissible as our plea or as recipient of our prayer. In and on the name of the Lord we must call, and if we do, anything is possible rather than that the promise which was claimed for the Church and referred to Jesus, in the very first Christian preaching on Pentecost, should not be fulfilled-’Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

‘In every place.’ We may venture to subject the words of my text to a little gentle pressure here. The Apostle only meant to express the universal characteristics of Christians everywhere. But we may venture to give a different turn to the words, and learn from them the duty of devout communion with Christ as a duty for each of us wherever we are. If a place is not fit to pray in it is not fit to be in. We may carry praying hearts, remembrances of the Lord, sweet, though they may be swift and short, contemplations of His grace, His love, His power, His sufficiency, His nearness, His punctual help, like a hidden light in our hearts, into all the dusty ways of life, and in every place call on His name. There is no place so dismal but that thoughts of Him will make sunshine in it; no work so hard, so commonplace, so prosaic, so uninteresting, but that it will become the opposite of all these if whatever we do is done in remembrance of our Lord. Nothing will be too hard for us to do, and nothing too bitter for us to swallow, and nothing too sad for us to bear, if only over all that befalls us and all that we undertake and endeavour we make the sign of the Cross and call upon the name of the Lord. If ‘in every place’ we have Him as the object of our faith and desire, and as the Hearer of our petition, in ‘every place’ we shall have Him for our help, and all will be full of His bright presence; and though we have to journey through the wilderness we shall ever drink of that spiritual rock that will follow us, and that Rock is Christ. In every place call upon His name, and every place will be a house of God, and a gate of heaven to our waiting souls.

Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Co 1:2

2To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

1Co 1:2 “to the church” See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHURCH (EKKLESIA)

“of God which is at Corinth” This phrase expresses two distinct senses about “the church.”

1. It is a local body of born again, baptized believers. Most of the places in the NT that the word ekklesia is used reflect this local sense.

2. It is also the universal expression of the body of Christ. This is seen in Mat 16:18 (i.e., the first of the rare usage of this term by Jesus, cf. Mat 18:17 [twice]); Act 9:31 uses the singular “church” for all the local congregations in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria; and finally the use of the term in Ephesians, which is a cyclical letter to the churches of Asia Minor (cf. Eph 1:22; Eph 3:10; Eph 3:21; Eph 5:23-32).

There is one large body of Christ made up of all believers (some now dead, some alive) and there are local expressions of that universal body.

“to those who have been sanctified” This is a perfect passive participle, which means they have been and continue to be declared holy by the work of Jesus through the agency of the Spirit (cf. 1Co 6:11). This term (hagiaz) is related to the word “holy” (hagios) and “saints” (i.e., “holy ones” hagioi). It speaks of our separation to God for service. Here it refers to our position in Him as 1Co 1:3 does, but other places in the NT believers are to strive toward “holiness” (e.g., Mat 5:48). It is a position to be possessed. Paul encourages this factious, prideful church by calling them “saints” even amidst their failures and sins!

SPECIAL TOPIC: NEW TESTAMENT HOLINESS/SANCTIFICATION

“in Christ Jesus” This grammatical form is designated as a locative of sphere. Believers are sanctified by the Father (i.e., the source, cf. Joh 17:7; 1Th 5:23) through Jesus (i.e., the grounds, cf. 1Co 1:2; Eph 5:26). Both aspects come together in Heb 2:11. It is normally the Holy Spirit to which this is attributed (i.e., the agency, cf. Rom 15:16; 2Th 2:13).

This is Paul’s favorite way to designate believers. A good example of this is Eph 1:3-4; Eph 1:7; Eph 1:9-10; Eph 1:12-13. See William Barclay, The Mind of St. Paul, pp. 121-132. It means vital, personal union with Jesus (cf. Act 17:28).

It is interesting to note how scribes sometimes have

1. “in Christ Jesus” – MSS P46, B, D, F, G

2. “in Jesus Christ” – MSS , A

These kinds of variations occur often in the process of reading and copying. They do not affect the meaning, but do show that the early scribes were more concerned with the basic meaning of a text and not rigid literacy.

“by calling” This is a present middle participle. As Paul was called an Apostle, so too the Corinthian Christians were called saints (cf. Rom 1:7). Notice the heavy emphasis on the doctrine of election in this chapter in 1Co 1:9; 1Co 1:24; 1Co 1:26-28. This construction refers to the initial act of God calling them and their subsequent calling on Jesus in prayer for salvation, which resulted in ongoing prayer, worship, and obedience. Salvation is both an initial faith/repentance response and a continuing faith/repentance response. See Special Topic: Calling at 1Co 1:1.

“saints” “Saints” (hagioi) is theologically related to the OT term “holy,” (kadosh) which means “set apart for God’s service” (cf. 1Co 1:2; 2Co 1:1; Rom 1:1; Php 1:1; Col 1:2). It is plural in the NT except for one time in Philippians (1Co 4:21), but even there, it is used corporately. To be saved is to be part of the covenant community of faith, the family of believers, the body of Christ.

God’s people are holy because of the imputed righteousness of Jesus (cf. Romans 4; 2Co 5:21; Galatians 3). It is God’s will that they live holy lives (cf. 1Co 1:4; 1Co 4:1; 1 Cor. 5:27; Col 1:22; Col 3:12). Believers are both declared holy (positional sanctification) and called to lifestyle holiness (progressive sanctification). Justification and sanctification must be affirmed together!

SPECIAL TOPIC: SAINTS

“with all who in every place” Paul uses this phrase to remind the Corinthian believers that they are part of a larger church family. They do not have the right to uniqueness or special treatment. They must conform to the whole body of Christ in doctrine and practice (cf. 1Co 4:17; 1Co 7:17; 1Co 11:16; 1Co 14:33).

“call on the name of our Lord” This refers to becoming a Christian (cf. Act 2:21; Act 22:16; Rom 10:9-13), but also to continuing worship (i.e., the OT use of the name, cf. Gen 4:26; Gen 12:8; Gen 26:25). Here it is a present middle participle, which describes a moment-by-moment faith relationship with Christ (i.e., similar theologically to Paul’s “in Christ”) and an emphasis on an individual’s volition. See Special Topic at 1Co 1:10.

“their Lord and ours” This is another phrase that implies the unity of all believers and churches. Jesus is Lord of all the Christian congregations, which includes Corinth. Paul identifies himself and Sosthenes with the believers at Corinth in this phrase. They need to be reminded that (1) they are one of many congregations and (2) that Paul is one of them and for them!

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

Unto = to.

church of God. This expression occurs in 1Co 10:32; 1Co 11:22; 1Co 15:9. Act 20:28. 2Co 1:1. Gal 1:1, Gal 1:13. 1Ti 3:5, 1Ti 3:15; and in the plural in 1Co 11:16. 1Th 2:14. 2Th 1:4.

church App-186.

at = in. App-104.

them that are sanctified. Greek. hagiazo. See Joh 17:17, Joh 17:19.

in. Greek. en; as above.

Christ Jesus. App-98.

saints. Greek. hagios. See Act 9:13.

with. App-104.

call upon. Greek. epikaleo. See Act 2:21. Same as “appeal to” (Act 25:11, &c).

the name. See Act 2:38 and Compare 1Co 1:10.

Lord. App-98.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

2.] The remarks of Calvin on . . , … are admirable: Mirum forsan videri queat, cur eam hominum multitudinem vocet Ecclesiam Dei, in qua tot morbi invaluerant, ut Satan illic potius regnum occuparet quam Deus. Certum est autem, eum noluisse blandiri Corinthiis: loquitur enim ex Dei Spiritu, qui adulari non solet. Atqui inter tot inquinamenta qualis amplius eminet Ecclesi facies? Respondeo, utcunque multa vitia obrepissent, et vari corruptel tam doctrin quam morum, extitisse tamen adhuc qudam ver Ecclesi signa. Locus diligenter observandus, ne requiramus in hoc mundo Ecclesiam omni ruga et macula carentem: aut protinus abdicemus hoc titulo quemvis ctum in quo non omnia votis nostris respondeant. Est enim hc periculosa tentatio, nullam Ecclesiam putare ubi non appareat perfecta puritas. Nam quicunque hac occupatus fuerit, necesse tandem erit, ut discessione ab omnibus aliis facta, solus sibi sanctus videatur in mundo, aut peculiarem sectam cum paucis hypocritis instituat. Quid ergo caus habuit Paulus, cur Ecclesiam Corinthi agnosceret? nempe quia Evangelii doctrinam, Baptismum, Cnam Domini, quibus symbolis censeri debet Ecclesia, apud eos cernebat. On , Chrys. remarks, , ,-and similarly Theophyl., taking the expression as addressed to the Corinthians to remind them of their position as a congregation belonging to GOD, and not to any head of a party. Perhaps this is too refined, the words . . being so usual with St. Paul,-see reff.

The harshness of the position of . . is in favour of its being the original one:-hallowed (i.e. dedicated) to God in (in union with and by means of) Jesus Christ.

-which exists, is found, at Corinth. So . , Act 13:1.

] See Rom 1:7, note.

…] These words do not belong to the designations just preceding, = as are all, &c., but form part of the address of the Epistle, so that these . are partakers with the Corinthians in it. They form a weighty and precious addition,-made here doubtless to shew the Corinthians, that membership of Gods Holy Catholic Church consisted not in being planted, or presided over by Paul, Apollos, or Cephas (or their successors), but in calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Church of England has adopted from this verse her solemn explanation of the term, in the prayer for all sorts and conditions of men: More especially, we pray for the good estate of the Catholic Church; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.

.] not calling themselves by (though in sense equivalent to this, for they who call upon Christ, call themselves by His Name): the phrase was one adopted from the LXX, as in reff.; the adjunct . defines that Lord (Jehovah) on whom the Christians called, to be Jesus Christ,-and is a direct testimony to the divine worship of Jesus Christ, as universal in the church. The (Jam 2:7) is not to the point, the construction being different.

. . [] . .] In every place, both theirs (in their country, wherever that may be) and ours. This connexion is far better than to join . [] . . with , thereby making the first superfluous.

refers to the ., to Paul, and Sosthenes, and those whom he is addressing. Eichhorn fancied to mean a place of assembly: Hug, a party or division: Beza, al., would limit the persons spoken of to Achaia: others, to Corinth and Ephesus:-but the simple meaning and universal reference are far more agreeable to the spirit of the passage. I may as well once for all premise, that many of the German expositors have been constantly misled in their interpretations by what I believe to be a mistaken view of 1Co 1:12, and the supposed Corinthian parties. See note there.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

1Co 1:2. , To the Church of God) Paul, writing somewhat familiarly to the Thessalonians, Corinthians, and Galatians, uses the term, Church; to the others he employs a more solemn periphrasis. The Church of God in Corinth: a great and joyful paradox.[2]- , which is), [at Corinth and moreover] flourishing [there], 1Co 1:5-6. So, [the Church] which was [at Antioch], Act 13:1.-, to them that are sanctified) them, who have been claimed for God [by being set apart as holy to Him]. Making a prelude already to the discussion, he reminds the Corinthians of their own dignity, lest they should suffer themselves to be enslaved by men. [Then in the Introduction also, 1Co 1:4-9, he highly praises the same persons, how near soever they may have come to undue elation of mind. The praise which is derived from Divine grace rather cherishes humility, besides being subservient to awakening.-V. g.] The force of the participle is immediately explained, called to be saints, [said of the Gentiles, who are saints by calling, whilst the Israelites are so by descent]; comp. Rom 1:7, note.- , with all) To be connected with, sanctified, and, saints, not with, to the Church; compare ours, at the end of the verse. Consequently the epistle refers also to the other believers in Achaia, 2Co 1:1. The universal Church however is not shut up within the neighbourhood of Corinth. As Paul was thinking of the localities of the Corinthians and Ephesians, the whole Church came into his mind. The consideration of the Church universal sets the mind free from party bias, and turns it to obedience. It is therefore set forthwith before the Corinthians; comp. ch. 1Co 4:17, 1Co 7:17, 1Co 11:16, 1Co 14:33; 1Co 14:36.- ) that call upon, so that they turn their eyes to Him in worship, and call themselves by His name; comp. 1Co 1:10, on the authority of the name of Christ. [This passage certainly prepares the way for that exhortation, which follows the verse now quoted (1Co 1:10).-V. g.]- [theirs], of them) near Corinth.- [ours], of us) where Paul and Sosthenes were then staying.

[2] Religion and Corinth, a city notorious for debauchery, might have seemed terms utterly incapable of combination.-ED.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

1Co 1:2

1Co 1:2

unto the church of God-The church is a divine name for the disciples of Christ in a city or community. The term church is used in a general and universal sense, also in a specific and local sense. In its universal sense it embraces all the spirits in the universe that obey God as the ruler and the lawgiver. (Heb 12:22-29). In its local sense it embraces all persons in a community who have been called out, separated from the world by the gospel, and who are bound together by a common faith in Jesus Christ. While in the world we can know and approach this church only in its local manifestations. So far as this church is composed of spirits that are invisible, the church is invisible; so far as it is composed of visible men and women, it is a visible body. No visible being can be a part or a member of an invisible church, any more than visible arms and legs can compose an invisible body. If a visible material person is a member of the church, he is a member of the visible local church where he lives. All Christians in the days of the apostles were members of the local churches. They became so by obedience to God. These local churches were bodies distinct and separate, without any organic connection with one another. Each was a distinct body within itself. The members of these local assemblies, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, chose their own overseers and workers. The local congregation was the highest and only manifestation of the church. Each congregation stood on a perfect equality with all others. The elders of the local congregation were the highest dignitaries of the church, and they were chief servants and ruled by example rather than by authority.

which is at Corinth,-The members of the church at Corinth had fallen into many sinful habits, yet Paul recognized them as a church of God.

even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus,-The sanctified are set apart or separated to a sacred service of purpose. It does not mean that they were sinless, or free from temptation from sin; but consecrated to the service of God. All who have entered into Christ, and have obligated themselves to serve him, are said to be sanctified in Christ Jesus regardless of their degree of consecration or perfection of character. There are degrees of sanctification just as there are degrees of Christian knowledge and fidelity to Christ. The growth in sanctification and holiness is to be attained by a constant and persistent study of Gods will, and a daily effort to bring oneself into obedience to the same.

The claim that religion in any of its parts is to be obtained otherwise than through learning the word of God and striving faithfully to do the things commanded is a sad mistake that results in the perversion of religion from a faithful, self-denying service to a spasmodic feeling or impulse of excitement. True religion is to be felt and appreciated, not as fleshly excitement or emotion, but as the result of right thinking and doing. It is the abiding consciousness of duty performed to the best of ones ability. This feeling of joy and happiness that thus comes is permanent and enduring. All excitement of the fleshly emotions are short lived and deceptive.

called to be saints,-All who accept the invitation offered in the gospel are the called of Jesus Christ. Saints are sanctified ones, set apart to the service of God.

with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ- [To call upon is to invoke his aid. To call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord is to invoke his aid as the Christ, the Messiah predicted by the prophets, and as our almighty and sovereign possessor and ruler. It is in that sense that Jesus is Lord. All authority in heaven and on earth was committed unto him (Mat 28:18) after he died and rose again that he might be the Lord of the dead and of the living; that is, that he might acquire that peculiar right of possession in his people which arises from his having purchased them with his own blood. (Act 20:28). To call upon the name of Jesus as Lord is therefore to worship him. It looks to him for that help which God only can give. All Christians, therefore, are the worshipers of Christ. And every sincere worshiper is a true Christian. The phrase expresses not so much an individual act of invocation, as an habitual state of mind and its appropriate expression.]

in every place,-This shows that while the epistle was written directly to, and for the instruction of the church at Corinth, it was also intended for the instruction and use of all who call upon the name of Jesus Christ at all times and in all places. In other words, it was an epistle for universal use.

their Lord and ours:-This means that Jesus is at once the Lord and Savior of all Gods children wherever they be.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

them

1Co 1:2-9, in contrast with 1 Corinthians 10-13, illustrate a distinction constantly made in the Epistles between the believer’s position in Christ Jesus, in the family of God, and his walk, or actual state. Christian position in grace is the result of the work of Christ, and is fully entered the moment that Christ is received by faith; Joh 1:12; Joh 1:13; Rom 8:1; Rom 8:15-17; 1Co 1:2; 1Co 1:30; 1Co 12:12; 1Co 12:13; Gal 3:26; Eph 1:3-14; Eph 2:4-9; 1Pe 2:9; Rev 1:6; Rev 5:9; Rev 5:10. The weakest, most ignorant, and fallible believer has precisely the same relationships in grace as the most illustrious saint. All the after work of God in his behalf, the application of the word to walk and conscience; Joh 17:17; Eph 5:26 the divine chastenings; 1Co 11:32; Heb 12:10, the ministry of the Spirit Eph 4:11; Eph 4:12 the difficulties and trials of the path 1Pe 4:12; 1Pe 4:13 and the final transformation at the appearing of Christ 1Jn 3:2 have for their object to make the believer’s character conform to his exalted position in Christ. He grows in grace, not into grace.

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

the church: Act 18:1, Act 18:8-11, 2Co 1:1, Gal 1:2, 1Th 1:1, 2Th 1:1, 1Ti 3:15

to them: Jud 1:1

sanctified: 1Co 1:30, 1Co 6:9-11, Joh 17:17-19, Act 15:9, Act 26:18, Eph 5:26, Heb 2:11, Heb 10:10, Heb 13:12

called: Rom 1:7, 1Th 4:7, 2Ti 1:9, 1Pe 1:15, 1Pe 1:16

with: Act 7:59, Act 7:60, Act 9:14, Act 9:21, Act 22:16, 2Th 2:16, 2Th 2:17, 2Ti 2:22

call: [Strong’s G3686]. That these words ought not to be rendered passively, is evident from the LXX, who translate the phrase , “he shall call on the name” which is active, by , or . Gen 4:26, Gen 12:8, Gen 13:4-7, Gen 13:8-13

our Lord: 1Co 8:6, Psa 45:11, Act 10:36, Rom 3:22, Rom 10:12, Rom 14:8, Rom 14:9, 2Co 4:5, Phi 2:9-11, Rev 19:16

Reciprocal: Lev 8:23 – Moses took Lev 22:32 – hallow you 1Ch 4:10 – called 1Ch 16:8 – call Psa 72:15 – prayer Psa 79:6 – not called Psa 97:5 – the Lord of Psa 105:1 – call Jer 33:3 – Call Dan 9:18 – which is called by thy name Joe 2:32 – that Mat 22:44 – my Lord Joh 17:19 – I sanctify Act 2:21 – whosoever Act 20:28 – the church Act 20:32 – which are Rom 8:30 – Moreover 1Co 1:24 – called 1Co 6:1 – the saints 1Co 6:11 – but ye are sanctified Eph 1:1 – to the saints Eph 4:5 – One Lord Eph 6:9 – your Master Phi 1:1 – the saints Phi 4:21 – saint Col 1:2 – the saints 1Th 5:23 – sanctify 2Ti 2:19 – Let Heb 3:1 – the heavenly Heb 10:14 – them

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1Co 1:2. The terms church of God and church of Christ are both used for the same institution because of their common relation to the Deity. For the meaning of church see the notes on Rom 16:16, in volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary. The various qualifying terms following the phrase of the church do not indicate separate groups, but are qualities belonging to the one institution. Sanctified is from HAGIAZO, which Thayer defines, “1. to render or acknowledge to be venerable, to hallow. 2. to separate from things profane and dedicate to God, to consecrate.” Saints is from HAGIOS, which Thayer defines, “set apart for God, to be, as it were, exclusively his.” With all, etc., means to apply the epistle to Christians everywhere. For the meaning of calling on the name of the Lord, see the notes at Act 22:16 in volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary. Lord . . . theirs . . . ours, signifies there is only one God.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

1Co 1:2. sanctified in Christ Jesus; through living union with the Fountain of Holiness in His Person.

Called to be saints; not in the mere external sense of Mat 20:16, but (as the word is always used in the Pauline Epistles) in that inward, efficacious, saving sense which invariably issues in the cordial reception of the Gospel message: as in Rom 8:30, Whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified.

With all that call upon, or invoke, the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. To get rid of the natural sense of these words, which holds forth our Lord Jesus Christ as an Object of worship, a passive sense has been put upon them, as if the meaning were who are called by the name of Christ; and we are referred to Act 15:7 and Jas 2:7, where the sense is undoubtedly passive. But in these two places it is the connection which fixes the sense, whereas here, and in a multitude of other places, the middle sense of the verb call (calling on or invoking) is plainly intended. See Act 9:14; Act 9:21; Act 22:16; Rom 10:12-14; 2Ti 2:22; 1Pe 1:17. In the Old Testament the identical Hebrew phrase (as also in the LXX. Greek), to call on the name of Jehovah, means, as every one knows, to invoke or worship Jehovah. When, then, we find a phrase already so familiar and so dear to devout Jewish ears transferred to Christians, defining them as callers upon, invokers, or worshippers of Christand this incorporated among the household words of the churcheswhat can we conclude but that the first Christians were taught to regard their Master as the rightful Heir, in human flesh, of all the worship which the ancient Church had been trained jealously to render to Jehovah alone? Some critics think to evade this By saying that since this worship is always understood to be rendered to the glory of God the Father (as in Php 2:10), it is meant not of absolute but relative worship. But not to say that the New Testament knows nothing of two kinds of worship, the Question is not, In what relation does the Son stand to the Father in this worship? That relation is internal, Personal, and (to all created intelligence probably) unfathomable. But the one real question is, What is that worship itself? and if it is precisely what is peremptorily forbidden to be offered to any creature, the New Testament must be held to teach the proper Personal Divinity of Christ.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

1Co 1:2. Unto the church of God which is at Corinth The apostle, writing in a familiar manner to the Corinthians, as also to the Thessalonians and Galatians, uses this plain appellation; to the other churches he uses a more solemn address: to them that are sanctified in, or through, Christ Jesus That is, called out of the world, set apart for God, and made holy, through faith in Christ, and by grace derived from him, the head of his mystical body. Thus sanctified, undoubtedly they were in general, notwithstanding some exceptions, called Of Jesus Christ, Rom 1:6; to be saints That is, holy persons, by virtue of that calling, or, as is literally, saints, or holy persons, called: with all that in every place All the world over; and particularly in every part of Achaia; nothing could better suit that catholic love which Paul labours to promote in this epistle, than such a declaration of his good wishes for every true Christian upon earth. Call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord This plainly implies that all true Christians pray to Christ, as well as to the Father through him. We have the same expression with that here used, Act 7:59 : They stoned Stephen, , calling upon, or invoking, namely, Christ, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. See also Act 9:14; Act 22:16; Rom 10:12-14. Praying to Christ was so much practised by the first Christians, that Pliny mentions it in the letter to Trajan: Carmen Christo quasi Deo dicere, They sing a hymn to Christ as God. Both theirs and ours That is, who is Lord of all true believers everywhere. This the apostle mentioned in the beginning of his letter, to show the Corinthians how absurd it was for the disciples of one master to be divided into factions under particular leaders. Christ is the only Lord or Master of all his disciples, whether they be Jews or Gentiles; and therefore they ought not to disagree among themselves. Though this epistle was written primarily to correct the disorderly practices of the Corinthians, it contains many general instructions, which could not fail to be of use to all the brethren in the province of Achaia likewise, and even to Christians in every place: for which reason the inscription consists of three members, and includes them all.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Vv. 2. To the Church of God, the sanctified in Christ Jesus, which is at Corinth, saints by call, with all that in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is theirs and ours.

The term , Church, formed of the two words, , out of, and , to call, denotes in ordinary Greek language an assembly of citizens called out of their dwellings by an official summons; comp. Act 19:41. Applied to the religious domain in the New Testament, the word preserves essentially the same meaning. Here too there is a summoner: God, who calls sinners to salvation by the preaching of the gospel (Gal 1:6). There are the summoned: sinners, called to faith thenceforth to form the new society of which Christ is the head. The complement of God indicates at once Him who has summoned the assembly, and Him to whom it belongs. The term, the Church of God, thus corresponds to the ordinary Old Testament phrase: Kehal Jehova, the assembly (congregation) of the Lord; but there is this difference, that the latter was recruited by way of filiation, while in the new covenant the Church is formed and recruited by the personal adherence of faith.

According to the reading of several Mjj. (Vatic., Clarom., etc.), the apostle immediately adds to the words: the Church of God, the apposition , the sanctified in Christ Jesus. As the Church is composed of a plurality of individuals, the apostle may certainly, by a construction ad sensum, join to the singular substantive this apposition in the plural. The received reading separates this substantive from its apposition by placing between the two the words , which is at Corinth. This arrangement seems at first sight more natural; but for that very reason it has the character of a correction. It seems to me probable that, thinking already of the moral disorders which stained this Church, the apostle felt himself constrained to characterize the community he is addressing rather morally than geographically. God is holy, and the Church of God ought to be holy like Him to whom it belongs. The perfect participle indicates not an obligation to be fulfilled, but a state which already exists in them, and that in virtue of a previously accomplished fact. That fact is faith in Christ, which implicitly contains the act of total consecration to God. To embrace Christ by faith is to accept the holiness which He realized in His person; it is to be transplanted from the soil of our natural and profane life into that of His Divine holiness. The regimen, in Christ Jesus, expresses this idea,that our holiness is only participation in His in virtue of the union of faith with Him: For their sakes I sanctify myself, says Jesus (Joh 17:19), that they also might be sanctified in truth. Several Fathers have applied the expression, sanctified in Jesus Christ, to the fact of baptism; their error has been confounding the sign of faith with faith itself.

After having thus characterized the assembly of God as composed of consecrated ones, the apostle adds the local definition: which is (which really exists, ) at Corinth. He had passed from the unity of the Church to the plurality of its members; he returns from this plurality to the unity which should continue. One feels that his mind is already taken up with the divisions which threatened to break this unity. When we think of the frightful corruption which reigned in this city (Introd. p. 6), we can understand with what inward satisfaction the apostle must have written the words, the Church of God…at Corinth! Bengel has well rendered this feeling in the short annotation: Ecclesia in Corintho, laetum et ingens paradoxon.

Immediately after the words: sanctified in Christ Jesus, it is surprising to find: saints by call, which seem after the preceding to form a pleonasm. The solution of this difficulty is involved in the explanation of the regimen which follows: with all those who call upon…This regimen has been connected with the dative , as if the apostle meant: I address my letter, or I address this salutation, to the Church which is at Corinth, and not only to it, but also to the Christians of the whole world (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Calvin, Osiander, Reuss). But, on the contrary, no apostolical letter has a destination so particular and local as the First Epistle to the Corinthians. Meyer limits the application of the words: with all who call upon, like the similar address of 2Co 1:1 : with all the saints who are in all Achaia, and thinks that those referred to here are simply all the Christians scattered throughout the province of Achaia, and who are grouped round the Church of the metropolis; so, after him, Beet, Edwards, and others. But the passage quoted proves exactly the contrary of the conclusion drawn from it. For it shows how Paul would have written here also, if such had been his meaning. Holsten, feeling the impossibility of importing such a restriction, imagines another less arbitrary. He refers the words to the Christians of other Churches, who might be at present staying at Corinth, especially to the emissaries who had come from Jerusalem (those of Christ), of whose presence Paul was well aware. But the phrase used is far too general to admit of so limited an application. Mosheim, Ewald think that Paul means by it expressly to include in his salutation all the parties which were formed. But the preposition , with, would imply that one of the parties was already separated from the Church itself, while the whole letter proves that they still formed part of it. We must therefore give up the attempt to make the regimen with all them who… dependent on the term: the Church of God, and connect it, as is in itself more natural, with the preceding words: saints by call. The meaning is: saints in virtue of the Divine call, and that in communion with all them who invoke the name of the Lord in every place. Thus the tautology disappears which is implied in the words: saints by call, with the preceding: sanctified in Christ Jesus. There is not here a new synonymous epithet needlessly added to the preceding. The sainthood of the faithful is expressed a second time to connect this new feature with it: that sainthood is the common seal of the members of the Church universal. The words are there solely as the point of support for the following regimen: , with all them who…This construction also explains quite naturally the two adjectives, , all, and , every (place), which follow. More than once in this letter the apostle will have to censure the Corinthians for isolating their course from that of the rest of the Church, and for acting as if they were the only Church in the world (comp. especially 1Co 14:36); and therefore in the very outset he associates them with a larger whole, of which they are only one of the members, and with which they ought to move in harmony. Heinrici, while explaining the exactly as we do, thinks he can separate from by a comma, and connect the with alone: saints, called with all them who… This translation is grammatically forced, and besides it leaves the pleonasm of saints and sanctified as it was.

Holiness is the normal character of all them that call on the name of the Lord, says the apostle. This expression is evidently in his view the paraphrase of the term believers. A Christian is therefore, according to him, a man who calls on the name of Jesus as his Lord. The term is applied in the Old Testament (by the LXX.) only to the invocation of Jehovah (Isa 43:7; Joe 2:32; Zec 13:9). Immediately after Pentecost, the name for believers was, they who call on the name of the Lord (Act 9:14; Act 9:21; Rom 10:12-13); the name of Jesus was substituted in this formula for that of Jehovah in the Old Testament. The very word NAME, applied, as it is in these passages, to Jesus, includes the idea of a Divine Being; so when the Lord says of His angel, Exo 23:21, My name is in him, that is to say, He makes this being His perfect revelation. The title Lord characterizes Jesus as the one to whom God has committed the universal sovereignty belonging to Himself; and the Church is, in the apostle’s eyes, the community of those who recognise and adore Him as such. It is therefore on an act of adoration, and not on a profession of faith of an intellectual nature, that he makes the Christian character to rest. The words: , in every place, designate the universality of the Christian Church in point of right (and already, in part, of fact, when St. Paul wrote); comp. 1Ti 2:8. This idea accords with the , all, which precedes, and, as we have seen, it agrees with the context. But a large number of commentators endeavour to limit the sense of this expression, by assigning to it as its complement the words following: , of them and of us, or theirs and ours. But what would the expression signify: their and our place? De Wette, Osiander, Rckert understand thereby Corinth and Ephesus; Paul would mean: all them that call upon the Lord on your side of the sea, as well as on ours. But to what purpose is this distinction? Besides, the Church of Corinth had already been sufficiently described at the beginning of the verse. Mosheim and Ewald think that by our place the apostle means to denote the place of worship of his own partisans, and by their place the rooms where the other parties assembled. This explanation is already refuted by our foregoing remarks (p. 44). And Paul would have carefully avoided legalizing in any way the separation which he blamed so severely. Meyer’s explanation, followed by Beet and Edwards, seems to me still more forced; the expression, our place, denotes the Christian communities of Achaia, in so far as morally the property of the apostles; here of Paul and Sosthenes, who preached the gospel in them; and the expression, their place, refers to those same communities, in so far as they depended on the Church of Corinth, their metropolis. Does such an exegetical monstrosity deserve refutation? Yet it is surpassed still, if that be possible, by Hofmann’s explanation, according to which Paul means that Christians (them), more especially the preachers of the gospel (us), are found everywhere among those by whom Christ is invoked! We must, with Chrysostom, Calvin, Olshausen, etc., simply give up the attempt to make the complements of them and of us depend on the word place; and leave the phrase, in every place, in its absolute and general sense. As to the two pronouns, and , of them and of us, they depend on the word Lord, and are the more detailed repetition of the pronoun (our Lord), which preceded: Our Lord, who is not only yours, our readers, but also ours, your preachers. There is here, as it were, a protest beforehand against those who, forgetting that there is in the Church only one Lord, say: As for me, I am of Paul; I, of Apollos; I, of Peter! Who is Paul, who is Apollos, other than servants by whom ye believed, by each of them according as the Lord gave to him? (1Co 3:5; 1Co 3:22-23). So thoroughly is this the prevailing concern in the apostle’s mind, from the very beginning of this letter, that six times, between 1Co 1:1; 1Co 1:10, he repeats the expression: of our Lord Jesus Christ. The received reading, , instead of the simple , may certainly be maintained, though it has against it several important manuscripts; it dwells a little more strongly on the fact that believers have Jesus Christ for their only Lord, as well as preachers, and thus better justifies the repetition of the preceding in these two pronouns.

Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)

unto the church of God which is at Corinth, even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours [All Christians are sanctified, i. e., set apart from the world and consecrated to God, and in the New Testament Scriptures they are all called saints, which means “holy ones” (Rom 15:26; 1Co 6:1-2; Eph 1:1; Eph 1:18; Phi 1:1; Col 1:2). Into this saintship they were called by the Holy Spirit through the agency of preachers like Paul and Apollos, etc. Unto the saints at Corinth, together with all others who showed themselves saints by calling upon or praying (Act 7:51; Act 9:14; Rom 10:3), in the name of Jesus, who is Lord over all Christians everywhere, Paul addresses his letter, and gives the greeting which follows in verse 3]:

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

2. To the church of God being in Corinth. This word ecclesia, from ek, out, and kaleo, to call, simply means the people who have heard the call of the Holy Ghost, come out of the world and identified themselves with God. This is done only in the supernatural birth of the Holy Spirit. Modern church-joining has done much to deceive and debauch the popular mind, thus alienating the people from the correct apprehension of the essential character of Gods Church. You can not get into it by joining. Gods children are all born into His family, which is His Church. You would as well call a sable Ethiopian a blonde Caucasian as to pronounce a person a member of Gods Church who has not been born from above. It is simply an abuse of language, flatly contradictory of facts and calculated only to deceive and send people to hell. To those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus and have it yet better than ever this translation is necessary to bring out the force of the Greek perfect tense which here occurs, and unlike the English, which means an action complete in past time and developing a state which continues down to the present, but laying the emphasis on the past. The Greek, having the same definition, lays the emphasis on the present, hence it means that these persons have not only been sanctified in time past, but have it yet better than ever. To the elect saints, E.V., called to be saints, to be not in the original. As above explained, we are nominated in conversion and elected in sanctification. We find these two prominent classes addressed in this epistle, i. e., the elect saints who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus and have it yet better than ever. Paul first addresses this class as above. Then follows another class, i. e.. , with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus in every place, theirs and ours. This class includes all the people who are in a state of grace; not only the converted who are not sanctified, but all truly convicted people, because such call upon the name of the Lord. Hence we find this epistle not only addressed to the elect saints who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus and have it yet better than ever, but to all of the praying people at Corinth. If you will remember these facts, you will have no trouble in the application of this letter to all of the diversified spiritual grades and classes which follow.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

Verse 2

Called to be saints; that is, made so by the spontaneous grace of God.–With all, &c. This clause is connected with the word called. It does not mean that the Epistle was addressed to all other followers of Christ, but that they are all called to be saints. The intention of the apostle seems to be, to remind the Corinthian Christians, at the outset, that they, as well as all others, every where, who are looking to Jesus for salvation, were chosen and called by the Spirit of God, and transformed into the new image by his power.–Both theirs and ours, both their Lord and ours. These expressions, representing the whole community as one extended brotherhood, are evidently an appropriate introduction to an Epistle addressed to a church which was to be reproved for its internal dissensions.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

1Co 1:2-3. The church: see below.

Of God. 1Co 10:32; 1Co 11:16; 1Co 11:22; 1Co 15:9. As church members they stand in a special relation to God. Cp. 1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:1.

Which there is etc.: emphatic assertion that at Corinth there is a church of God.

Sanctified in etc.; made objectively holy; see Rom 1:7. Subjectively, some of them were very unholy: 1Co 3:3; 2Co 12:21. This reference to the objective holiness of the whole church, implies that in Christ Jesus refers to what took place objectively in the historic and personal body of Christ. By giving Him to die and raising Him from the grave and to heaven, and by proclaiming the Gospel through His lips, which Gospel they had accepted, God claimed these Corinthians for His own; and thus placed them in a new and solemn position, in which, even in spite of their unfaithfulness, they now stood. Cp. Heb 10:10.

Called saints: Rom 1:7; Rom 8:28. After reminding them that they were members of the church of God, and that, in the historic facts of the death and resurrection of the Anointed Jesus, God had claimed them for His own, Paul reminds them that it was by a special summons that they had been brought into the solemn position in which God’s claim placed them. This three-fold description of their position is specially appropriate at the beginning of a letter written mainly to correct behavior altogether inconsistent with their holy calling.

With all that etc.] To others besides the Corinthians, Paul writes. To call upon Jesus in prayer, was to confess that He is Lord and Christ and was therefore a distinctive mark of a Christian. It also made prominent the Name of Him addressed. Hence the full emphatic title. Cp. Rom 10:13.

Belonging to them, i.e. to the Christians at Corinth; goes naturally with the preceding words in every place, giving to these a definite reference. Otherwise the Epistle is addressed to all Christians everywhere; which its contents makes very unlikely. The above simple reference is supported by the equivalent in all Achaia, 2Co 1:1. There were probably other churches in Achaia, e.g. Cenchreae, (Rom 16:1.) some founded perhaps by Paul himself during his sojourn at Corinth, and others by the efforts of the Corinthian Christians, which looked up to the metropolis of the province as their mother, and thus belonged spiritually to the Christians at Corinth.

To us: reminds us that these daughter-churches belonged also to Paul and his colleagues, both as being within the divinely marked limits (2Co 10:13-16) of their labor and as directly or indirectly the fruit of it. The added words remind us again of Paul’s apostolic authority, which he will soon be compelled to use.

Us; may include Paul’s colleagues, Timothy, Silvanus, etc.; or, for reasons unknown to us, Sosthenes; or may be somewhat indefinite, as in Rom 1:5.

Grace and peace: Rom 1:7.

Fuente: Beet’s Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament

1:2 {4} Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are {5} sanctified in {a} Christ Jesus, {b} called [to be] saints, with all that in every place {c} call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

(4) It is a church of God, even though it has great faults in it, as it obeys those who admonish them.

(5) A true definition of the universal church, which is:

(a) The Father sanctifies us, that is to say, separates us from the wicked in giving us to his Son, that he may be in us, and we in him.

(b) Whom God by his gracious goodness and absolute love has separated for himself: or whom God has called to holiness: the first of these two expositions, shows from where our sanctification comes: and the second shows to what end it strives for.

(c) He is correctly said to call on God who cries to the Lord when he is in danger, and craves help from his hands, and by the figure of speech synecdoche, it is taken for all the service of God: and therefore to call upon Christ’s name, is to acknowledge and take him for very God.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Paul frequently referred to all the Christians in a particular locality as the church of God in that place (cf. 1Co 11:16). However to the Corinthian church, where party spirit was a problem, this reminder focused on the church’s true Lord. This was not the church of Cephas (Peter) or Apollos or even Paul, each of whom had their admirers in Corinth. There may or may not have been more than one house-church in Corinth at this time. [Note: Craig S. Keener, 1-2 Corinthians, p. 21, believed there were many.] God had set the Corinthians apart to be His holy people by uniting them with Him through faith in His Son. "Sanctified" may be a metaphor for conversion (cf. 1Co 1:30; 1Co 6:11). They were saints by divine calling (i.e., positional sanctification). The Corinthians were not saintly in their conduct (i.e., progressive practical sanctification), as this letter makes clear. Perhaps Paul mentioned their saintly calling to inspire them to be more saintly in their conduct. They were saints who were sinning. [Note: See Robert L. Saucy, "’Sinners’ Who Are Forgiven or ’Saints’ Who Sin?" Bibliotheca Sacra 152:608 (October-December 1995):400-12.]

"Biblical sanctification is fourfold: (1) primary, equivalent to the ’efficacious grace’ of systematic theology (cf. 2Th 2:13; 1Pe 1:2); (2) positional, a perfect standing in holiness, true of all believers from the moment of conversion (cf. Act 20:32; Act 26:18); (3) progressive, equivalent to daily growth in grace (cf. Joh 17:17; Eph 5:26; 2Co 7:1); (4) prospective, or ultimate likeness to Christ positionally and practically (cf. 1Th 5:23). The use of the perfect participle here refers to positional sanctification." [Note: Johnson, p. 1230.]

"Paul understands Christian ethics in terms of ’becoming what you are,’ a perspective that emerges in 1 Corinthians in a number of ways. . . .

"Perhaps the single greatest theological contribution of our letter to the Christian faith is Paul’s understanding of the nature of the church, especially in its local expression. If the gospel itself is at stake in the Corinthians’ theology and behavior, so also is its visible expression in the local community of redeemed people. The net result is more teaching on the church here than in any of Paul’s letters." [Note: Fee, pp. 17-18.]

The saints in other places are probably those in churches in other places some of whom had come to the Savior through the witness of Christians other than Paul. This seems more likely than that they were just Paul’s converts near Corinth (cf. 2Co 1:1; Rom 16:1). This seems probable in view of "every place" (NASB) or "everywhere" (NIV) and in view of how this verse ends. Paul evidently wanted his readers to remember that they were part of a large body of believers (cf. 1Co 12:12); they were not the only church. They needed to fit into the family of God harmoniously rather than being a rebel congregation.

Calling on the name of Christ means confessing faith in Him, worshipping and praying to Him (cf. Rom 10:13-14).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)