NOTES for Co1 16:1-2

The apostle ends his letter not with spiritual instructions, but, as it appears at first glance, with much more down-to-earth matters connected with his own plans and with questions of charity and mutual aid among church communities. The transition appears quite sharp, but Paul himself does not appear to feel this. He hopes, after all, to stay in Corinth for a long time in order to continue in person the conversation he began in the letter, so that it can hardly be considered finished.

In this respect the letter became only a prelude to the main thing Paul intended to say at a personal meeting. Still, to us today the transition to topics that we would define as down-to-earth can appear quite sharp. For Paul everything was different. He does not divide his service into parts or single out in it something 'high' and 'spiritual' as opposed to something else, 'material' and 'earthbound.'

For the apostle, delivering material aid collected by one community for another is just as absolutely important as telling a church assembly about Christ, the Kingdom, and Christian life, the things he wrote about in his letter to the Corinthian church. If service is carried out in the name of God and for the sake of Christ, then it is important. Simply important, without gradations. At the moment when a person is engaged in this particular service, it is absolutely important for him; otherwise it is better not to take it up.

Paul carried out every service of his in exactly this way. And at that point it no longer mattered whether the issue was witness or a simple collection of donations for the needs of suffering communities; the apostle gave each service exactly as much attention as it required. And it required everything, entirely. Otherwise the work may be completed, but it will not be done before the face of God. Then service becomes simply work, an outward activity, even if religiously motivated. But for the Kingdom such activity will be useless. And therefore for salvation too.