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§53 Some Practical Matters (1 Cor. 16:13–18)

In good ancient letter form, Paul addresses a set of practical matters in these essentially paranetic verses. He gives a series of admonitions, focusing on the life of the Corinthian congregation as a whole and in relation to particular outstanding figures in the church. In these fairly straightforward statements Paul still registers perceptions and commentary from a theological point of view that gives a deeper significance to the remarks than might at first meet the eye of a reader.

16:13–14 / These two verses are a bit of stock paranesis, or plain, direct, and often conventional advice concerning practical issues. Paul’s vocabulary in these verses communicates a more nuanced statement than may be communicated in simple translations. The tone is traditional and eschatological. The initial exhortation to “watch” sounds an eschatological note, and the final reference to “love” recognizes the one disposition (and gift of grace) that defines and anticipates all that is truly eternal.

One may understand the phrase “in the faith” in different ways. At one level some interpreters argue that Paul is naming the definite content of belief and practice; other commentators insist that this reference does not intend to focus on the content of belief. Frequently, this phrase which is translated quite literally in the NIV is rendered “in your faith” in other versions. The use of the definite article “the” as if it were a personal pronoun is common or normal in Greek, and that understanding or translation is acceptable in this verse. Exactly what Paul means by this phrase is unclear. Perhaps he does intend to indicate certain basic matters of belief, such as those already registered in 15:3–8, but he may well mean to indicate the dynamic relationship between the Corinthian believers and the Lord that was a matter of trust and not simply a point of doctrine.

16:15–16 / Paul passes out praise for prominent Christian workers in Corinth. The household of Stephanas is given special recognition, especially in the demonstration of spiritual gifts employed in service to God’s will and the well-being of the church. Paul declares that they should be rightfully acknowledged, not because of status, but because of the presence and the power of the Lord at work in their lives. Such persons are presented as models for the congregation, so that in honoring these persons the congregation devotes itself to genuinely charismatic leadership for living out God’s will for their lives in the present situation. From their giving themselves in service, Paul recognizes that these persons demonstrate the true characteristics of leadership that will form and direct the life of the whole church.

The discussion of whether or not and how “the household of Stephanas” could have been the first converts in Achaia makes too much of the sense given to Paul’s statements in the NIV and other similar translations. Paul says that this group (their exact identity is unclear and impossible to determine) was “the first-fruit of Achaia.” Paul’s own reference is vague and perhaps not intended to identify or even interested in recognizing exactly who the first converts were in chronological terms.

The term household (Gk. oikia) is a general reference that could indicate family, or servants, or family and servants. The practice of some English translations in rendering oikia with the word “family” is questionable, since it eliminates genuine ambiguities and gives an anachronistic connotation to Paul’s words. The issue of the inclusion of children in the reference to an ancient household is truly moot at this point in Paul’s writing, although there is some sense to the observation by Orr and Walther (I Corinthians, p. 362) that “since the reference here indicates that the oikia rendered diakonia [‘service’], it is highly probable that only adults are in focus.”

16:17–18 / Paul also explicitly mentions and praises the three Corinthians who visited him in Ephesus (Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus). He expresses both joy and gratitude for these three men’s having represented the Corinthians, especially for their bringing him encouragement on the mission field. As Paul phrases the matter, they have supplied what was lacking from you, he reveals that he regarded the very presence of these men as an offering for the absence of the other Corinthian Christians. Paul declares that the visit of these three refreshed [his] spirit. In Philemon (v. 7) Paul recognizes the capacity for “refreshing the hearts of the saints” as an endowment characteristic of a gift of grace from the Spirit. Thus, in a sense Paul means more than that the visit of the Corinthian delegates gave him an emotional lift, for he adds that the visit by the Corinthians’ representatives also refreshed the spirit of the Corinthians (yours also). Because of the reality of this charismatic exchange, Paul declares that these persons who have served faithfully are due appropriate recognition.