The roots of such giving are found in the various Old Testament sacrifices, in the commands to tithe and in freewill offerings, as well as in commands to help the neighbor. Theologically, as we have noted in 1 Corinthians 16, they have always been regarded as a tangible expression of the believer’s or the community’s love for God and love for neighbor. In that sense such giving is a response to the two great commands as Jesus noted them (Luke 10:27; cf. Lev 19:18; Deut 6:5). Yet such giving must be traced back still further, for in biblical faith it is fundamentally a response of worship before the God who first loved us (1 Chr 16:29–34). This is especially observed as the freewill offerings are seen to increase exponentially at times of revival (2 Chr 29–31; 34–35).

This approach of Paul to giving, centered in the need of others and the mutual fellowship across churches and focused in the Christ who gave himself for his people, is undoubtedly different from how giving and receiving gifts were regarded in Greco-Roman society

For him there is no expectation at all of reciprocity. Rather, Paul exhorts them strongly with an aorist imperative to “do” the same as he had “directed” the Galatian churches (cf. Acts 13–14).

In 4:18 Paul had again mentioned the arrogance of the Corinthians. Paul will come to confront them (4:19), but Timothy will get there first as Paul’s ambassador. Therefore, Paul appeals to his readers that Timothy should not be given reason for any uneasiness as he comes to them. He asks them to send Timothy back to him and the other brothers and sisters in Ephesus with the same practical care and support that he himself will expect when he passes through (16:6).18 “In peace” (ἐν εἰρήνῃ) does not refer to matters of reconciliation but is simply a polite form of dismissal, much as it can be a polite form of address.

Given all this, Paul urges the Corinthians to honor this younger man, who had been involved in planting the church with Paul in the first place (Acts 18:5). They should not “disdain” (ἐξουθενέω) him, a word that implies regarding him as of no account (cf. 1:28; 6:4). They should heed what he has to say as Paul’s ambassador.

The choice is curse or blessing. The choice is to “fall” (10:8, 12) before God’s judgment as so many Israelites did in the wilderness or to “stand” before him (10:12–13). The cup of demons and the cup of the Lord cannot be drunk together (10:21).

The Christian community as a community of love is not infinitely inclusive: those who reject Jesus are not and cannot be a part of it

The nuts and bolts of bringing the letter to a close are like the faded photos of an old family homestead generations ago. Some of the people in the picture cannot be identified. A few details grab one’s attention for a few minutes until the album is stored away. Similarly these verses provide a few glimpses into the nuts and bolts of Paul’s missionary outreach. They demonstrate the extraordinary achievement involved in establishing a faith that many Christians today take for granted. But unlike many other passages in 1 Corinthians, such as the celebration of love in 1 Cor. 13, these final verses are not on permanent display in Christian worship or study. Before closing the book, note how subtly Paul frames even this mundane section. Once the immediate business of the collection and travel plans are out of the way (16:1–12), love frames the second half of the chapter, first as a reminder to the audience—“Let everything you do be in love” (16:14)—and then as the last words of the entire letter: “My love is with all of you” (16:24).