Peter Kirby

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"Thanksgiving" (1 Corinthians 1:4-9)
1Co 1:4 I give praise to my God for you at all times, because of the grace of God which has been given to you in Christ Jesus;
1Co 1:5 So that in him you have wealth in all things, in word and in knowledge of every sort;
1Co 1:6 Even as the witness of the Christ has been made certain among you:
1Co 1:7 So that having every grace you are living in the hope of the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ;
1Co 1:8 Who will give you strength to the end, to be free from all sin in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 1:9 God is true, through whom you have been given a part with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Explanation

To say "thanks" is to say that one is happy about what another has done; "thanksgiving" is a term for giving thanks to God, which Paul does in saying "I give praise to my God." Paul gives thanks for the existence of their "gifts" of grace, their God-given powers to do good acts, but later Paul also says that the Corinthians are not using their gifts well. They have these gifts from God, but the Corinthians are human-focused and full of self-satisfication, as seen in Paul's letter.

4. It is Paul's normal practice to give thanks for believers ("at all times"). Even if Paul has some strong words for the Corinthians to their shame, he still gives thanks for them, as they are God's people. Paul's thanksgiving is for "gifts," concrete expressions of God's work of grace through people. While the Corinthians put stress on the gifts themselves, Paul puts stress on God's act of grace in giving the gifts to them, for which reason the people cannot take credit for them (see also 4:7).

5. Paul says that the Corinthians have been made rich "in every way" (or, "in all things"), but more specially in their way of talking (λογος) and their knowledge (γνοσις). Paul does not say anything of the gifts of faith, hope, or love here, but that is no proof that they did not have such gifts (see also 2 Corinthians 8:7). Paul says eomething about these two because the gifts of word and knowledge are clearly seen in the church of Corinth, but there are bad points to the way that they are used by Corinthians. Paul makes the attempt to take their attention away from the gifts themselves and to Christ, the origin of the gifts. The term "word" (λογος) here probably has the meaning of "spiritual talking" (see also 12:8), the gifts of 1 Corinthians 12-14 (for example, knowledge, wisdom, tongues, prophet's words). But in 1 Corinthians 1-4, the term is used in comparison to the word (λογος) of the cross (1:17-18, see also 2:1-4). Paul seems to be using two of their own terms, parts of their spiritual life of which they are too proud. Paul says that they are doing things in human ways and so are not truly "in Spirit." However, because these gifts are given by God in Christ, Paul can be happy for them.

6. Here Paul is probably saying that their gifts are the proof that "the witness of the Christ has been made certain among you." If we take seriously the fact that the suggested subject of the sentence is "God," the sentence says that God himself made certain Paul's witness to Christ among them by giving them these spiritual gifts, which is exactly what verse 7 goes on to say. Though not common in Paul (see also 2:1 and 2 Thessalonians 1:10), the term "witness" is used for the gospel itself and is probably used because of the words "made certain," in reference to the certain promises made in business exchanges. (The word βεβαιοω, meaning "made certain" or commonly "made strong," became a special term in Hellenistic times for guaranteeing legal agreements.) The focus in this verse is on Christ.

7. It is not certain what the meaning of "having every grace" (more exactly, "not being short of any spiritual gift</gift>") is. One possible meaning is that they have every possible gift of God that one could have. Another possible meaning is that the gifts they do have do not come up short in comparison of quality to those of other Christians. Paul commonly uses the word "coming" (παÏ?ουσια) but here uses the term "revelation" (αποκαλυψις) in refence to Christ at the end-time.

8. The "day of our Lord Jesus Christ" is the last day, the end of time; see also the expression "the day of the Lord" in the Bible (Amos 5:18-20, Joel 2:31). Another legal reference is made with the Greek word meaning "free from all sin," because the good credit of Jesus (who keeps them from blame with the discharge of sin on the cross) is given to them when before God as judge. What is strange is that Paul says this of a church that is giving him so much trouble and is in error. But Paul's faith is not in the Corinthians themselves but in God's act of grace in saving them. Paul once again make the attempt to take their attention away from themselves and their own powers and to put their focus on God.

9. God's act of grace for them and God's guarantee of saving them on the last day are now summed up in this great statement. How can he be certain that they, the Corinthians, will be found without blame on the last day? Because "God is true," he says, with grounding in the Bible (Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalms 145:13). Their call is given expression in terms of being given "a part with his Son," that is, communications and relations with Jesus as a partner. Paul says these words of thanksgiving even though he has difficulties with the Corinthian church.

From this thanksgiving, one can say that one should be happy about gifts of the Spirit, while keeping the same focus as Paul—on God and Christ.