Lessons #593 and 594
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual delivery not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GW = God’s Word Translation, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New American Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+AMP = Amplified Bible, UBS = United Bible Society +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
+ 4. Text is based on 1984 edition of the NIV +
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Paul’s Travel Plans (1 Cor 16:5-9)
5 After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
The section before us is concerned with the future travel plans of Apostle Paul and his immediate plan for the ministry of God’s word. On the one hand, his future plans of travels that the apostle states were subject to the Lord’s approval, include a visit to Macedonia and to Corinth. These future plans are presented in 1 Corinthians 16:5-7. On the other hand, his immediate plan was to continue his ministry work at Ephesus as the Lord had revealed to him. His immediate plan is discussed in verses 8 and 9.
The two concerns of the apostle we presented lead us to assert that there is an underlying message he intended to convey to the Corinthians in the section we are about to consider. This message is that the apostle’s future travel plans are subject to the Lord’s approval while his immediate plan is based on God’s revealed will. This underlying message to the Corinthians leads us to a message we believe the Holy Spirit wants us to get from this section. This message is that You should make your plans subject to the Lord’s approval while effectively carrying out His plan that you already know. This message will become clearer as we expound our passage.
Apostle Paul had made statements that indicated he was going to visit Corinth after his first visit, that led to the founding of the church. As he referenced those who were acting arrogantly in the local church, the apostle indicated he would come soon to find out the authority or power they have as stated in 1 Corinthians 4:19:
But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have.
At the end of the apostle’s teaching regarding the Lord’ Supper, he left the impression that he planned to come to the Corinthians at a future date according to 1 Corinthians 11:34:
If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.
As the apostle wrote about the collection for poor believers in Jerusalem, he indicated that he would come to Corinth as he first stated in 1 Corinthians 16:2:
On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.
Then he made a second statement that indicates he planned to come to Corinth as recorded in the passage we had considered previously, that is, 1 Corinthians 16:3:
Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.
In the four references of the apostle’s plan to visit Corinth, he did not give any further details of his travel plans or commented regarding his visit. However, he did this in the section that we are about to study. He provided a more detailed explanation of his plan to come to Corinth. This he did first with a Greek particle (de) at the beginning of verse 5 that the translators of the NIV and many of our English versions did not translate. The Greek particle (de) used is one that is routinely translated “but” to reflect a contrast between clauses but when a simple connective is desired, without contrast being clearly implied, it may be translated “and,” and in certain occurrences the particle may be left untranslated as is the case with our verse in such English versions as the NIV, the CEV, the NJB and many others. Although the particle is often translated “but” in the English, as it is done in our verse in such English versions as the NASB and the NET, when there is a perceived contrast between two clauses, but it has other meanings such as “now,” “then,” “and,” “so” when it is used to link segments of a narrative. In our passage of 1 Corinthians 16:5, the Greek particle is used in an explanatory sense so it may be translated “now” or “in fact.” Some English versions such as the KJV used the meaning “now” although I am not quite sure in what sense they used it, whether for emphasis or simply to indicate that what is stated in verse 5 is a continuation of apostle’s statement of his plan to come to Corinth mentioned in verses 2 and 3. That notwithstanding, it is our interpretation that the apostle used the Greek particle to provide a more detailed explanation of his travel plans and so may be translated “now” or “in fact.”
The apostle was certainly emphatic in his explanation of his travel plans that include a visit to Corinth because of the sentence of 1 Corinthians 16:5 I will come to you. Although this is the second sentence in the NIV, but it is the first sentence in the Greek. The word “come” is translated from a Greek verb (erchomai) that may mean “to go” in the sense of proceeding on a course, with a destination in view, as it is used to describe Jesus’ movement towards the fig tree, He eventually cursed as recorded in Matthew 21:19:
Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
The word may refer to movement from one point to another so that it means “to come.” However, although the word may mean “to come,” there are several nuances conveyed when the word “come” is used. For example, the word “come” may mean “to become”, as it is used to describe the state of the woman with bleeding the Lord healed in Mark 5:26:
She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.
The verbal phrase grew worse translated in the LEB as became worse is more literally came back for the worse. The word “come” may have the sense of “to return, come back” as it is used by Apostle Paul in quoting the Lord’s promise to Abraham in Romans 9:9:
For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
The word “come” may mean “to appear or make public appearance” as that is the sense of the use of our Greek word to reference Jesus’ Second Coming in 1 Corinthians 4:5:
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
The word “come” may have the sense of “to happen, to take place” as our Greek word is used by Apostle Paul to reference events that took place that have enabled him to preach the gospel, as he stated in Philippians 1:12:
Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.
In our passage of 1 Corinthians 16:5, the Greek word means “to come” in the sense of physically approaching someone. The reason of asserting that the apostle was emphatic when he wrote the Greek verb in question is that a Greek verb does not normally begin a Greek sentence as in our verse unless the concept in the verb is to be emphasized. So, the apostle by using the Greek verb we considered intended to cause the Corinthians and so us to recognize that his explanation in verse 5 concerns the concept of his planned travel to Corinth.
Anyway, the apostle in a sense promised to come to the Corinthians since the pronoun you in the sentence of 1 Corinthians 16:5 I will come to you refers to the recipients of the apostle’s epistle, that is, the Corinthians. Although it is not immediately obvious, he was mindful that his promise is subject to the Lord’s approval or will, as he will indicate later in verse 7.
The detailed explanation the apostle provided to the Corinthians about his travel plans is first that his visit would take place during his planned visit to Macedonia as in the clause of 1 Corinthians 16:5 After I go through Macedonia. Literally, the Greek reads whenever I go through Macedonia. This is because the word “after” of the NIV is translated from a Greek particle (hotan) that denotes time. If the point of time is roughly to or overlaps with another point of time it may be translated “when” as it is used to describe what would happen to believers at the time Christ returns according to Colossians 3:4:
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
When time involved is linked to a specific event, the Greek particle could mean “as soon as” as in the use of the word by Apostle Paul to describe when Titus should come to him based on the event of the arrival of one of the members of his team as we read in Titus 3:12:
As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there.
The word may mean “whenever” as it is used in James to describe the time believers should rejoice instead of being depressed as we read in James 1:2:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.
The word may mean “while” in the sense of “in spite of the fact that” or “although” as it is used in 1 Thessalonians 5:3:
While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
The word may mean “after” as that is the sense the word is used by Apostle Paul in his instruction to the Colossians regarding the circulation of his epistle to them and to the church in Laodicea as stated in Colossians 4:16:
After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
In our passage of 1 Corinthians 16:5, although the meaning “when” is not wrong but the larger context of the Scripture, specifically the travel records of the apostle given by Luke in Acts of the Apostles, suggests it is better to use the meaning “after” to indicate that the visit to Corinth will follow the apostle’s planned visit to Macedonian. You see, it would normally be expected that the apostle would come directly to Corinth from Ephesus where he was as he wrote this epistle. We say this because after his first visit to Corinth, he went to Ephesus without making a missionary stop anywhere else as we may gather from the record in Acts 18:18–19:
18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken. 19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
Anyway, the apostle stated his travel plans included a visit to Macedonia since he wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:5 After I go through Macedonia. The word “Macedonia” is translated from a Greek word (Makedonia) that refers to a region within the Balkan Peninsula, north of Greece. This is the name, the authorities tell us, of an ancient kingdom and a Roman province since 146 B.C. and a senatorial province in the time of Apostle Paul’s ministries. The apostle referenced local churches in this area in 2 Corinthians 8:1:
And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
The churches the apostle mentioned were those in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Beroea. The apostle certainly founded two of these, that of Philippi and Thessalonica but there is uncertainty in his involvement in the founding of the church in Beroea.
Apostle Paul’s missionary effort in the province of Macedonia began with a vision he had that he interpreted to be God’s way of directing him to preach the gospel to people in this province as stated in Acts 16:9–10:
9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
The apostle returned to Macedonia approximately five years after his initial visit that resulted in the founding of the churches of this province. For example, we know that he went from Ephesus to this region as stated Acts 20:1–6:
1 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia. 2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months. Because the Jews made a plot against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
Our assertion that the apostle returned to Macedonia approximately five years later is established as follows. The apostle left Berea/Beroea and went to Athens as stated in Acts 17:14–15:
14 The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
We do not know how long the apostle was in Athens but after he left Athens, he went to Corinth as per Acts 18:1:
After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
Paul stayed a year and half in Corinth following the encouragement from the Lord as narrated in Acts 18:9–11:
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
It is from Corinth that the apostle went to Ephesus as we may gather from Acts 19:1:
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples.
Apostle Paul stayed three years in Ephesus preaching and teaching the word of God as he stated during his farewell address to elders of the church in Ephesus while he was on his way to Jerusalem passing through Macedonia as stated in Acts 20:31:
So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
So, we see that at least the apostle was away from Macedonia for four and a half years but since we are not sure how long he stayed in Athens, we could say that the apostle returned to Macedonia after approximately five years of his initial visit to that province.
Apostle Paul had a good working relationship with the Macedonia churches. He also wrote three of his epistles to two of these local churches, that are Philippians, First and Second Thessalonians. These Macedonia churches provided support to the apostle. He referred to the support from the Philippians in Philippians 4:15:
Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;
He also referenced the support from the churches in Macedonia during his ministry in Corinth as stated in 2 Corinthians 11:9:
And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
The Macedonia churches were involved in the offerings taken up for believers in Jerusalem as the apostle testified in Romans 15:26:
For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
Anyway, when the apostle wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:5 After I go through Macedonia, he meant that he would visit the Macedonia churches that he founded. So, the first thing the apostle conveyed to the Corinthians is that his visit to them would take place during his planned visit to Macedonia.
The second detail the apostle provided about his travel plans is that he had firmly decided to go to Macedonia as long as the Lord approves. We use the verbal phrase “firmly decided” because of the word for that begins the last clause of 1 Corinthians 16:5 for I will be going through Macedonia. Literally, the Greek reads for I am going through Macedonia.
The word “for” is translated from a Greek conjunction (gar) that has several usages. For example, it can be used as a marker of inference with the meaning “so, then, by all means” or it can be used as a marker of cause or reason for something in which case it may be translated “for, because.” In our passage of 1 Corinthians 16:5, it is used as a marker of emphatic explanation. The apostle from his perspective had firmly decided to go to Macedonia so he used our conjunction both to explain his plan and to do so in an emphatic manner.
Our assertion that the apostle had firmly decided to go to Macedonia is reflected in the Greek tense he used that we will shortly note. You see, the expression “going through” in the clause of 1 Corinthians 16:5 for I will be going through Macedonia is translated from a Greek word (dierchomai) that may mean “to pierce, penetrate” as it is used in the prophetic words of Simeon to Mary about Jesus Christ’s mission and eventual death on the cross in Luke 2:35:
so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
The word may mean “to travel through” as in the narrative of the travels of Paul and Barnabas in their first missionary journey as we read in Acts 13:6:
They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus.
The word may mean “to pass through” as it is used to describe where Apostle Paul went through on his way to Jerusalem as we read in Acts 19:21:
After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.”
In our passage of 1 Corinthians 16:5, it is in the sense of “to go through or to travel through” a place that the word is used.
The apostle used a present tense in the Greek so that the literal translation of the Greek word is I am going through Macedonia. This literal translation suggests that the apostle was going through Macedonia as he wrote the epistle to the Corinthians. In other words, the apostle’s use of present tense could suggest either that he was on the process of going through Macedonia but has not completed his trip through the region or that he was about to do so. None of these options is possible since verse 8 of 1 Corinthians 16 indicates the apostle was in Ephesus when he wrote this epistle. This being the case, the use of the present tense by the apostle should be properly interpreted. It is true that a present tense in the Greek is used for an action in process, but it has several usages. For example, a present tense in the Greek is sometimes used to assert confidently about what is going to take place in the future. Although the event has not yet occurred, it is looked upon as already occurring. So, this kind of present tense is used in prophecy. Sometimes, the present tense is used that it connotes something that will happen very soon as in the prediction of the Lord Jesus Christ about His being handed over to those who will eventually crucify Him as we read in Mark 9:31:
because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”
The sentence The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men is more literally The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men because the Greek used a present tense of the Greek word translated “betrayed.” A smoother reading of the sentence is given in the NET as The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men. Clearly, the present tense has been translated as a future tense that also reflects something that will happen very soon from the time the Lord Jesus spoke. Other times, the present tense may be translated using future tense although the event described may not happen immediately, but it is so certain to happen. A good example of this is the promise of the Lord Jesus of coming back for the disciples or believers at the appropriate time as recorded in John 14:3:
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
The sentence I will come back is literally I am coming back. The second coming of Jesus Christ is translated as a future tense although a present tense is used to translate what the Lord Jesus promised His disciples as it is so certain it will happen. Based on this explanation, we can say that when Apostle Paul wrote literally, I am going through Macedonia in 1 Corinthians 16:5, he was so certain from his human perspective that he would go through Macedonia that it is proper to translate what he said as a future tense instead of a present tense. Of course, the apostle was aware that his plan was subject to the Lord’s approval as he conveyed to the Corinthians in his first reference of coming to visit them in the passage we cited previously, that is, 1 Corinthians 4:19:
But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have.
Nonetheless, from his perspective, the apostle had firmly decided to go through Macedonia.
Recognizing that our plans are subject to God’s approval should never be an excuse not to plan for our future or for whatever we intend to do. We should make plans but be guided by the understanding that it is God’s plan that will be fulfilled as implied in Proverbs 16:9:
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
This verse in Proverbs does not discourage a believer making plans about what the individual desires to do but only cautions that such a believer should recognize that unless the plan conceived lines up with God’s plan that plan will not come to fruition. Instead, it is Yahweh’s plan that supersedes every plan we have. Even so, we should not be people who are not thoughtful and plan for whatever we aspire, only that we should condition our minds to recognize that only if what we plan lines up with God’s plan will our plans be fulfilled. That aside, there is no doubt that Apostle Paul was aware his plan was subject to the approval of the Lord, but he still had plans of how he would travel. His plan of travel to Corinth is different from his planned travels to Macedonia. We say this because the apostle used in 1 Corinthians 16:6 a Greek particle (de) that is not translated in the NIV and a handful of our English versions, but it is translated “and” in some of our English versions such as the NASB and the NET, among others. The Greek particle as used in our verse is subject to two interpretations. It could be used as a marker of an addition to indicate that in addition to Macedonia the apostle planned visiting Corinth so that the translation “and” is appropriate. Another interpretation is to consider the particle as a marker of contrast in which case it may be translated “but” as reflected in the AMP and the WEB (World’s English Bible). An implication of this interpretation is that the apostle was contrasting his travel plan to Macedonia to that of his visit to Corinth. Both interpretations make sense in the context. This may well be a case where both interpretations apply. In other words, the apostle informed the Corinthians that his visit to them was an addition to his planned travel to Macedonia but that there is a difference in his plan regarding the two places he planned to visit.
The difference in the plan of the apostle regarding the two places he planned visiting is given in the sentence of 1 Corinthians 16:6 Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter. Before we get to the main difference between the apostle’s planned visit to Macedonia and Corinth, we should recognize that the apostle continued to be aware that his plan is subject to the Lord’s approval. We say this because of the word Perhaps that begins the sentence we are considering.
The word “perhaps” is translated from a Greek verb (tygchanō) that may mean “to experience some happening,” hence may mean “to attain, gain, find, experience.” It is this meaning that is reflected in the NIV with the word “to obtain” in describing the salvation to be attained or gained by an elect as we read in 2 Timothy 2:10:
Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
It is with the meaning “to gain” that the word is used to describe resurrection associated with heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:35:
Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
The word may mean “to happen, to turn out” and so it is used as a part of a formula or an idiom that literally translates “if it should happen” or “if it should turn out that way” and so means “probably, perhaps” although the translators of the NIV used the meaning “undoubtedly” to translate the Greek idiom that involves our Greek word in 1 Corinthians 14:10:
Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.
The word Undoubtedly is used to translate a Greek expression that literally reads if it should happen. That aside, in our passage of 1 Corinthians 16:6, the apostle used a participle that serves as an adverb, so it has the sense of “perhaps,” that is, with a possibility or probability of happening. So, the apostle used our Greek word to convey that he was aware that his plan is subject to the Lord’s approval. In effect, he meant that if it is possible in the sense that the Lord sanctions his plan, he would do what he planned regarding his visit to Corinth. What we have said should also cause you to be a person that should be conscious of the fact that it is God’s plan that matters and that will be carried out. We will say more about this later in our study of the section before us.
In any case, the thing the apostle planned that differentiates his planned visit to Corinth from that of his planned travels to Macedonia is given in the sentence of 1 Corinthians 16:6 I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter. This sentence indicates that the apostle intended merely to pass through Macedonia, not spending much time there in contrast to Corinth where he planned to spend some time as in the sentence I will stay with you awhile. Literally, the Greek reads I will stay with you.
The word “stay” is translated from a Greek verb (paramenō) that may mean to remain in a state or situation, hence means “remain, stay (on)” as Apostle Paul used the word to communicate his conviction that the Lord would let him remain alive so he would continue his ministry among the Philippians as recorded in Philippians 1:25:
Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith.
The word may mean “to continue in an official capacity” as it is used by the human author of Hebrews to indicate that death kept Levitical priests from continuing their function in contrast to the priesthood of Jesus Christ that is forever as we read in Hebrews 7:23:
Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;
In our passage of 1 Corinthians 16:6, the word means “to stay with,” that is “to abide or dwell with someone temporarily.”
The apostle in a sense explains further his plan of temporarily staying with the Corinthians in the phrase of 1 Corinthians 16:6 or even spend the winter. The word “or” is translated from a Greek particle that may mean “than” as a marker of comparison as Apostle Paul used it to indicate that a person who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues if the tongues are not interpreted as we read in 1 Corinthians 14:5:
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.
The Greek particle may mean “or” as a marker of alternative. The alternative may express opposites that are mutually exclusive as, for example, “to fall” is opposite of “to stand” as the apostle used it in rebuking those who judge other believers needlessly in Romans 14:4:
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
The alternative may express related and similar terms, where one can take the place of the other or one supplements the other as Apostle Paul used the word “obstacle” as a word that can take the place of the expression “stumbling block” in Romans 14:13:
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
The Greek particle is often used to introduce rhetorical questions to which a negative answer is expected as Apostle Paul used it to introduce a question that indicates that God is not only the God of the Jews but also of the Gentiles as we read in Romans 3:29:
Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too.
The translators of the 1984 edition of the NIV did not translate the Greek particle in this passage of Romans 3:29 but the 2011 did since it began the verse with the word “or” as found in many of our English versions. In our passage of 1 Corinthians 16:6, the Greek particle although means “or” is used to elaborate or complete the apostle’s thought about what he meant regardig staying temporarily with the Corinthians.
Apostle Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that although his plan is subject to the Lord’s approval, his intention is to be with them for some time as conveyed in the verbal phrase of 1 Corinthians 16:6 even spend the winter. The word “even” is translated from a Greek particle (kai) that is often translated “and” in our English versions. The meaning “and” may have the sense of being used for additional information that instead of “and” it may be translated “also.” Nonetheless, the Greek conjunction has several other usages. For example, it may be used to introduce a result that comes from what precedes and so may be translated “and then, and so.” It may be used to mark an explanation so that what follows explains what goes before it, leading to the translation “that is, namely, and so.” It may be used to emphasize a fact as surprising or unexpected or noteworthy with the meaning “and yet” or “and in spite of that” or “nevertheless.” Of course, it could be used simply for emphasis with the meaning “even.” The word may be used for introducing something new, with loose connection to what preceded in which case it may be translated “now” or left untranslated. In the verbal phrase even spend the winter we are considering, the apostle probably used it to emphatically state additional information that should enable the Corinthians to understand what he meant by staying with them for some time.
The planned period of the apostle’s stay with the Corinthians is given to them in the verbal phrase of 1 Corinthians 16:6 even spend the winter. The expression “spend the winter” is translated from a Greek word (paracheimazō) that appears four times in Greek NT, twice in Acts and twice in Paul’s epistle. The word means “to winter, to spend the winter.” It is our word that is used to describe the decision of the pilot and the owner of the ship that was taking Paul to Rome that was accepted by the centurion instead of that of the apostle regarding where to spend the winter as stated in Acts 27:12:
Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.
The apostle used the word to describe to Titus his decision to spend the winter at Nicopolis as recorded in a passage we cited previously, that is, Titus 3:12:
As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there.
In our passage of 1 Corinthians 16:6, it means “to winter,” that is, to spend the winter at a specific location. Thus, the apostle’s plan, subject to the Lord’s approval, is that he would spend the entire winter period in Corinth.
The apostle’s plan to winter in Corinth results in an inescapable responsibility the Corinthians would have to undertake, which is to provide for his travels to his next destination from them. It is this that is stated in the last clause of 1 Corinthians 16:6 so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. Our use of the word “results” is because of the phrase so that that is translated from a Greek conjunction (hina) that may be used as a marker of purpose with the meaning “in order that, that, so that” or it can be used as a marker of result so that it may be translated “that, so that, as a result.” Often, it is difficult to differentiate purpose from result in which case the Greek conjunction is used for the result that follows according to the purpose of the subject. This notwithstanding, the Greek conjunction is used in our verse to express the purpose that emerges with result of the apostle spending the winter in Corinth.
The thing that will happen or will result from the apostle spending winter in Corinth is that they will help take care of his travels to wherever destination he would go as in the sentence of 1 Corinthians 16:6 you can help me on my journey, wherever I go.
The expression “help… on my journey” is translated from a Greek word (propempō) that may mean “to escort, accompany” in the sense of “to accompany a person for a short distance at the beginning of a journey” as it is used to describe what the elders of Ephesus who came to meet with Apostle Paul did in that they escorted him to the ship by which he was traveling on his way to Jerusalem according to Acts 20:38:
What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
The word may mean “to assist someone in making a journey” and so means “to send on one’s way with food, money, by arranging for companions, means of travel” as the word is used by Apostle Paul to Titus regarding him rendering assistance to Zenas the lawyer and Apollos as mentioned in Titus 3:13:
Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need.
It is in the sense of “to send on one’s way with provisions, supplies or other necessities” that the word is used in our passage of 1 Corinthians 16:6. Apparently, it was customary for believers to assist those involved in traveling ministry with provisions for their travels as we may gather first from what Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans in Romans 15:24:
I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.
The concept is further evident from what the Holy Spirit penned through Apostle John about helping the brothers on a mission trip as we may gather from 3 John 6–7:
6 They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.
All the same, the purpose of the provisions or supplies from the Corinthians to the apostle is to get him to his next destination as in the clause of 1 Corinthians 16:6 wherever I go or literally wherever I may go. The literal translation helps convey that the apostle left open his next destination. In effect, he realized that the Lord directs his steps and where he went to preach the gospel. Although it is possible that he had in his mind where next to go from Corinth but that is not assured until the Lord actually directs him to that location. We say this because in his second epistle to them he stated he would go from Corinth to Judea according to 2 Corinthians 1:16:
I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea.
This notwithstanding, the point is that the apostle was constantly aware that his life is not his own but the Lord’s and so that He directs his travels. Anyway, there is more to the apostle’s travel plans and we will consider this in our next study. Let me end by reminding you of the message of this section which is message is that You should make your plans subject to the Lord’s approval while effectively carrying out His plan that you already know.