1 Corinthians 16:8

But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) But I will tarry at Ephesus.—In this and the following verse the Apostle returns to his immediate plans at Ephesus. It was probably now about Easter-time (see 1Corinthians 16:7), and the hostility of enemies increases. (See Acts 19:9-23.) That must be subdued. A door has been opened wide for the effectual spread of the gospel (Acts 19:20). Of that the Apostle must avail himself. Therefore he will remain where he is until Pentecost. Duty to be done, and danger to be faced in the doing of it, were to such a man as St. Paul sufficient indications as to where he ought to be found.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

16:1-9 The good examples of other Christians and churches should rouse us. It is good to lay up in store for good uses. Those who are rich in this world, should be rich in good works, 1Ti 6:17,18. The diligent hand will not make rich, without the Divine blessing, Pr 10:4,22. And what more proper to stir us up to charity to the people and children of God, than to look at all we have as his gift? Works of mercy are real fruits of true love to God, and are therefore proper services on his own day. Ministers are doing their proper business, when putting forward, or helping works of charity. The heart of a Christian minister must be towards the people among whom he has laboured long, and with success. All our purposes must be made with submission to the Divine providence, Jas 4:15. Adversaries and opposition do not break the spirits of faithful and successful ministers, but warm their zeal, and inspire them with fresh courage. A faithful minister is more discouraged by the hardness of his hearers' hearts, and the backslidings of professors, than by the enemies' attempts.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But I will tarry at Ephesus - This passage proves that this letter was written from Ephesus. It is by such indications as this usually that we are able to determine the place where the Epistles were written. In regard to the situation of Ephesus, see the note on Acts 18:19.

Until Pentecost - This was a Jewish festival occurring fifty days after the Passover, and hence called the Pentecost. See the note at Acts 2:1. As there were Jews at Corinth, and doubtless in the church, they would understand the time which Paul referred to; and as he was a Jew, he naturally used their mode of reckoning time where it would be understood. Doubtless the great festivals of the Jews were well known among most of the cities of Greece, as there were Jews in them all who were scrupulous in their observances. It is no improbable supposition, also, that Christians everywhere regarded this day with deep interest, as being the day on which the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles and on the people of Jerusalem, Acts 2.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. at Ephesus—whence Paul writes this Epistle. Compare 1Co 16:19, "Asia," wherein Ephesus was.

until Pentecost—He seems to have stayed as he here purposes: for just when the tumult which drove him away broke out, he was already intending to leave Ephesus (Ac 19:21, 22). Combined with 1Co 5:7, 8, this verse fixes the date of this Epistle to a few weeks before Pentecost, and very soon after the Passover.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

He altered this resolution afterward, for, Acts 20:16, he hasted, if it were possible, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. Pentecost was a Jewish feast, and not named here as a feast then celebrated by Christians, but as a known period of time; for the Jews computing time from their festivals, Christians who lived amongst them, and had some of them been converted from their religion, computed also their time from the Jewish festivals.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But I will tarry at Ephesus till Pentecost. The feast of weeks, or of harvest, which was fifty days from the passover; See Gill on Acts 2:1 which though abrogated at the death of Christ, was observed by the Jews, and is mentioned by the apostle, not as a festival that the Christians were obliged to regard, or did regard, but as pointing out the time he intended to stay at Ephesus: and we elsewhere read, that he was greatly desirous of being at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, Acts 20:16 not to keep it, but because there would then be abundance of people from all parts there, to whom he should have an opportunity of preaching the Gospel.

Geneva Study Bible

But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

1 Corinthians 16:8-9. Paul now mentions the duration of his present stay in Ephesus, and the reason of i.

τῆς πεντηκ.] is the immediately impending festival of Pentecost. See Introduction, § 3. Nothing can be inferred from our text, which contains simply a statement of time, in support of a Christian celebration of this festival as already by this time subsistin.

θύρα γάρ μοι κ.τ.λ.] The figurative expression (comp. Wetstein) denotes the opportunity opened before him for working (otherwise Acts 14:27). Comp. 2 Corinthians 2:12, and see on Colossians 4:3. Μεγάλη applies to the extent, ἐνεργ. to the influence of the sphere of action offered; the latter epithet, however, powerful, corresponds not to the figure but to the matter, and even to that only in so far as it is conceived of as immediately connected with the opened θύρα,—a want of congruity in the animated and versatile mode of representation (comp. Plato, Phaedr. p. 245 A: Μουσῶν ἐπὶ ποιητικὰς θύρας ἀφίκηται) which occasioned the reading ἐναργής, evidens (Vulgate, Itala, Pelagius, Ambrosiaster, Beda), which occurs in Philemon 1:6, and is approved by Beza, Grotius, Bos, and Clericus. As regards the later Greek of ἀνέῳγεν (instead of ἀνέῳκται, as 46, Theophylact and Oecumenius actually read), see Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 157 f.

κ. ἀντικείμ. πολλοί] “quibus resistam. Saepe bonum et contra ea malum simul valde vigent,” Bengel.

Expositor's Greek Testament

1 Corinthians 16:8-9. “But I stay on in Ephesus until the Pentecost”—τῆς πεντηκοστῆς (ἡμέρας), “the fiftieth day” from the 16th Nisan in the Passover Feast (see parls.). This suggests that P. is writing not very long before Whitsuntide; 1 Corinthians 5:6 ff. indicated a date for the Ep. immediately antecedent to Easter. 1 Corinthians 16:9 explains why the Ap. must remain at Eph. some time longer, although required at Cor[2645]: “for a door is open to me, great and effectual, and (there are) many adversaries”. This θύρα is defined in Colossians 4:3 (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:12) as a θύρα τοῦ λόγου—a door open to the preacher; in Acts 14:27 it is seen from the other side, as θύρα πίστεως—a door for the entrance of the believing hearer; see parls. for kindred applications of the figure. The door is μεγάλη in respect of its width and the region into which it opens, ἐνεργής in respect of the influence gained by entering it.—ἀντικείμενοι πολλοί (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:32): an additional reason for not retreating; cf. Php 1:28. The terrible riot that shortly afterwards drove Paul from Eph. verified this statement (Acts 19). Evangelism flourishes under fierce opposition; “Sæpe bonum et, contra id, malum simul valde vigent” (Bg[2646]).

[2645] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[2646] Bengel’s Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost] The narrative in the Acts agrees most minutely with this passage. We there find that St Paul had formed his plan of visiting Greece some time before he carried it into effect (Acts 19:21); that he sent Timothy to Macedonia, whence it was intended that he should proceed to Corinth (Acts 19:22, cf. 1 Corinthians 16:10 of this chapter, and ch. 1 Corinthians 4:7), and that ‘many adversaries’ arose who hindered the Apostle from following him. Cf. 1 Corinthians 16:9, and Acts 19:23-41.

Bengel's Gnomen

1 Corinthians 16:8. Ἐν Ἐφέσῳ, At Ephesus) Paul was at Ephesus: comp. 1 Corinthians 16:19, respecting Asia.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. It is possible that this intention was frustrated by the riot stirred up by the silversmiths (Acts 19:23-41). But, in any case, he stayed at Ephesus nearly as long as he intended, for the riot only occurred when he was already preparing to leave (Acts 19:21, 22). 1 Corinthians 16:8