Free Bible Commentary
“1 Corinthians 16:10-14”
Categories: 1 Corinthians“Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord's work, as I also am. So let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren. But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity. Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”
---End of Scripture Verses---
Paul had previously written that, “I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Corinthians 4:17). I am not sure why Timothy would have reasons to fear coming to them (verse 10). Maybe it was because Paul thought that anyone that he sent would be perceived as an enemy by Paul’s enemies. Whatever the reason may have been, Timothy was to have been treated with love and respect because he was “doing the Lord’s work”. Not because of his reputation or his affiliation with Paul, but because he taught and took a firm stand for the truth, and he was doing the will of God!
“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (verse 13). Paul gives some final exhortations to his brethren in Corinth by using a bunch of military terms. The charge to “be on the alert” was originally used to refer to the work of an army sentinel whose job was to stand guard and keep watch for the enemy. Paul demanded that they “stand firm in the faith.” They were to hold their ground like any good soldier would do in a skirmish and not flee from the battle. “Act like men” carried with it the idea of conducting themselves with courage and bravery. He ordered them to “be strong” and fight the good fight faith so that they could overcome the world and win the victory.
“Let all that you do be done in love” (verse 14). I really adore the way that Paul tempered all this tough, military jargon with the exhortation to be loving people. This tells us that to “stand firm in the faith” does not mean to treat those who are weak in the faith with harshness. To “act like men” does not mean to be a jerk. The defining aspect of being a true man of God is to have a heart of love. Real men love their wives, children, family in Christ, neighbors, friends, acquaintances and strangers. To “be strong” does not mean to be cruel. Let’s refresh our memory about the kind of love that Paul is writing about here.
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) (NASU)
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” (I Corinthians 13:4-8) (NKJV)
Please read 1 Corinthians 16:15-18 for tomorrow.
Hope you all have a wonderful day!
- Louie Taylor
