Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 16:4
And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.
4. they shall go with me ] Under no circumstances would St Paul take charge of the money himself. It was, moreover, fitting that members of the Corinthian Church should have the pleasure, as well as the credit, of presenting their bounty in person to those who were to be the recipients of it. Cf. 2Co 8:19-20.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And if it be meet … – If it be judged desirable and best. If my presence can further the object; or will satisfy you better; or will be deemed necessary to guide and aid those who may be sent, I will be willing to go also. For some appropriate and valuable remarks in regard to the apostle Pauls management of pecuniary matters, so as not to excite suspicion, and to preserve a blameless reputation, see Paleys Horae Paulinae, chapter iv. No. 1, 3. Note.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. And if it be meet, c.] If it be a business that requires my attendance, and it be judged proper for me to go to Jerusalem, I will take those persons for my companions. On the delicacy with which St. Paul managed the business of a collection for the poor, Archdeacon Paley makes the following appropriate remarks:-
“The following observations will satisfy us concerning the purity of our apostle’s conduct in the suspicious business of a pecuniary contribution.
“1st. He disclaims the having received any inspired authority for the directions which he is giving: ‘I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.’ (2Co 8:8.) Who, that had a sinister purpose to answer by the recommending of subscriptions, would thus distinguish, and thus lower the credit of his own recommendation?
“2d. Although he asserts the general right of Christian ministers to a maintenance from their ministry, yet he protests against the making use of this right in his own person: ‘Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel but I have used none of these things; neither have I written these things that it should be so done unto me; for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying, i.e. my professions of disinterestedness, void.’ (1Co 9:14; 1Co 9:15.)
“3d. He repeatedly proposes that there should be associates with himself in the management of the public bounty; not colleagues of his own appointment, but persons elected for that purpose by the contributors themselves. ‘And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem; and if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.’ (1Co 16:3; 1Co 16:4.) And in the second epistle, what is here proposed we find actually done, and done for the very purpose of guarding his character against any imputation that might be brought upon it in the discharge of a pecuniary trust: ‘And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the Churches; and not that only, but who was also chosen of the Churches to travel with us with this grace, (gift,) which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and the declaration of your ready mind: avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us; providing for things honest, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men:’ i.e. not resting in the consciousness of our own integrity, but, in such a subject, careful also to approve our integrity to the public judgment. (2Co 8:18-21.”) Horae Paulinae, page 95.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To encourage them to the more free and liberal contribution, he promiseth them himself to go along with those that carried it, if it were thought meet. Whether Paul, according to this promise, did go to Corinth, some question, because of what we read, 2Co 1:15,16. But others think, that he speaketh there of another journey, which he intended thither; and that he did go in a fulfilling of this promise, because we read, Act 20:1-38, that he went into Greece, and spent there a considerable time; during which it is very probable that he did not omit to visit the church of Corinth.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. meet“worth while.”If your collections be large enough to be worth an apostle’sjourney (a stimulus to their liberality), I will accompany themmyself instead of giving them letters credential (1Co16:3; compare Ac20:1-4).
with meto guardagainst all possible suspicion of evil (2Co 8:4;2Co 8:19-21).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And if it be meet that I go also,…. If it should be convenient for me to go, or it should be thought proper and expedient that I should go; or, as the Syriac version renders it, “if this work should be worthy that I should go”; and the Arabic version, “if the thing should be worthy to go with me”; that is, their beneficence; if so large a collection should be made, that it will be worthy of an apostle to go along with it, hereby artfully pressing them to a good collection:
they shall go with me; that is, those brethren whom the church shall approve and send; for he would not go alone, nor propose it, to remove all suspicion of converting any money to his own use.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And if it be meet for me to go also ( ). “If the collection be worthy of the going as to me also.” Condition of third class (—) and the articular infinitive in the genitive () after . The accusative of general reference (, me also) with the infinitive. So the awkward phrase clears up.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Meet for me to go [ ] . Lit., if it be worthy of my going, i e., if the gift be sufficiently large to warrant an apostolic journey to Jerusalem. This is better than if it be becoming.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And if it be meet that I go also,” (ean de aksion e tou kame poruesthai) ‘And if it is fitting or proper, of me also to go along of my own accord.” While traveling very much, Paul offered, if the offering was substantial, to go with the Corinth brethren to Jerusalem.
2) “They shall go with me “ (sun emoi poreusontai) “They shall go with me.” The language indicates that Paul would take part in going with the Corinth brethren to Jerusalem, only if their offering would creditably justify his time and expense, else he would not discredit or demean himself in a matter that would raise questions of judgment of more time and money spent on transportation than the value of the gift itself.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
4. Meet Worth the while; of sufficient importance to require my so doing. The journey, their reception at Jerusalem, and the sad results to Paul, are narrated by Luke, Act 20:3; Act 21:30. Touching Luke’s saying nothing about the money part of that mission to Jerusalem, see note, Act 24:17.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And if it be meet for me to go also, they shall go with me.’
And he assured them that if the situation was right and it proved suitable, and agreeable to them, he might himself accompany them. But there is no suggestion that the money be entrusted to him. It would have been foolish for him to lay himself open to the possibility of false accusations. Paul was very much aware of the danger of money to a Christian minister.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Co 16:4. And if But if.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Co 16:4 . In case, however, of it (what is being spoken of, i.e. the result of the collection) being worthy that I too should journey (to Jerusalem), [105] then they shall journey with me . The genitive depends upon . Comp. Fritzsche, ad Matth. p. 845; Winer, p. 304 [E. T. 408].
Paul makes his own journeying thither dependent upon the issue of the collection, not, of course, for the sake of safety in its conveyance, nor yet because, in the event of a considerable sum being realized, he desired to be independent in connection with the application of it, but which alone results from without arbitrariness because a scanty sum would have been disproportionate to an extraordinary mission . Consideration for the decorum attaching to the apostolic rank underlies his procedure, not the prudential motive: “in order, on this opportunity, to fulfil his purpose of going to Jerusalem (Act 19:21 ), and to prepare for himself there a good reception” (de Wette), or in order by this journey to heal the breach between the Jewish and Gentile Christians (Baur). Bengel says well: “Justa aestimatio sui non est superbia.” At the same time, he will not undertake this charge alone ; see 2Co 8:20 .
[105] It is clear from . that he will not make the journey at any rate . (Hofmann), but that he makes it dependent on the above-named circumstance whether he also shall journey thither. What a strange state of things, too, would be the result, if he were resolved to journey at any rate , but the messengers, in the event of the collection proving a small one, were to make the journey not in his company, but alone! Paul assuredly did not contemplate anything so paltry.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.
Ver. 4. That I go also ] And go he did, Rom 15:25 ; Act 24:17 . The very angels hold not themselves too good to serve the saints.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
4. ] But if it (the occasion, dependent on the magnitude of your collection) be worthy of my also taking the journey (i.e. if your collection be large enough to warrant an apostolic mission in order to carry it, not said for security , nor to procure himself a fair reception at Jerusalem, but with a sense of the dignity of an apostolic mission: “justa stimatio sui non est superbia,” Bengel), they shall go in my company ( . contrast to , and observing the same order). This did apparently take place, see Act 20:4 ff.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
if. App-118.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
4.] But if it (the occasion,-dependent on the magnitude of your collection) be worthy of my also taking the journey (i.e. if your collection be large enough to warrant an apostolic mission in order to carry it,-not said for security,-nor to procure himself a fair reception at Jerusalem,-but with a sense of the dignity of an apostolic mission: justa stimatio sui non est superbia, Bengel), they shall go in my company ( . contrast to , and observing the same order). This did apparently take place, see Act 20:4 ff.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 16:4. , worthy) meet, if it shall be worth while for me to carry it myself. He invites them to be liberal.-, that even I) a just estimate of ones self is not pride, 2Co 1:19. Paul mentions himself in the first place.- , with me) so that all suspicion may be obviated, 2Co 8:20-21.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 16:4
1Co 16:4
and if it be meet for me to go also, they shall go with me.-He wrote the church that, if it was best, he would accompany their messengers. This was to be determined after he reached Corinth and consulted with them. He went, and it was his last trip to Jerusalem. In his defense before Felix, he said: Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings. (Act 24:17).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Rom 15:25, 2Co 8:4, 2Co 8:19
Reciprocal: Act 11:30 – by
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 16:4. When Paul wrote this verse he did not know whether he would go to Jerusalem on this mission; Rom 15:25-27 shows that he did.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
and if it be meet for me to go also, they shall go with me. [Paul does not ask to be made custodian of the offering. He directs the church to appoint its own messengers to carry it, thus raising himself above all suspicion of misappropriation, and giving the church a new incentive to make a liberal offering, for it would afford the church a new joy and profit to have in its membership those who had been to Jerusalem and seen the apostles. Paul, as an apostle, and as one personally acquainted with the Jerusalem church, promises to give the bearers of the fund letters of introduction and commendation to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem; and, should the greatness of the collection and the dignity of the occasion require it, he agrees to accompany the bounty himself. The collection proved large enough to justify this, and Paul accompanied the delegates. For the names of those who left Greece with Paul, see Act 20:4]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 4
If it be meet; if it be desirable.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
16:4 {2} And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.
(2) The rest of the epistle is spent in writing of familiar matters, yet so that all things are referred to his purposed mark, that is to say, to the glory of God, and the edifying of the Corinthians.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The apostle was open to the possibility of going to Jerusalem as part of the group if this seemed best. After he wrote this letter he decided to go (Rom 15:25-26) and indeed went (Act 20:16; Act 20:22; Act 21:17; Act 24:17).
These few verses along with 2 Corinthians 8-9 and statements in Philippians 4 provide guidelines for individual Christians and churches in giving. The principles Paul advocated were that saving up for giving should be regular and in response to the Lord’s provision materially. The believers should manage their gifts with integrity. Everything they did should not only be above reproach, but other people should perceive it as such.
Notice that Paul made no mention of tithing here or elsewhere. Tithing is a method of giving that God prescribed for the Israelites under the Mosaic Law. People practiced tithing as an act of worship commonly in the ancient Near East (cf. Gen 28:22). [Note: See C. F. Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Pentateuch, 1:207.] It was also a common tax. [Note: W. Robertson Smith, Lectures on the Religion of the Semites, pp. 245-51.] This is still true in some modern countries. For example, in England a part of every person’s taxes goes to maintain the Church of England. Some residents regard this part of their tax as their contribution to the church or their tithe. The Mosaic Law really required that the Israelites give back to God about one-third of their incomes. However, Christians are not under the Mosaic Law (Rom 10:4; et al.). It is therefore understandable that neither Jesus Christ nor the apostles commanded tithing. Some Christians believe that since Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek (Gen 14:20) and Jacob tithed (Gen 28:22) tithing antedates the Mosaic Law and is therefore binding on Christians. Nevertheless a practice is not the same as a precept. Moreover the absence of any reference to tithing in the New Testament, plus the teaching of other guidelines strongly suggest that God wants us to follow a different method. The principles that should govern Christians in our giving appear throughout the New Testament but mainly in 1 Corinthians 16, 2 Corinthians 8, 9, and Philippians 4.
"No pressure, no gimmicks, no emotion. A need had to be met, and the Corinthians were capable of playing a role in it. In a day of highly visible campaigns for money on every side, there is something to be said for the more consistent, purposeful approach outlined here." [Note: Fee, The First . . ., p. 817.]
"Many Christians today are more interested in competing with neighbors’ status symbols than in caring for the poor." [Note: Keener, 1-2 Corinthians, p. 139.]