1 Corinthians 16:22 - Exposition

If any man love not, etc. This sentence (as in Colossians 4:18 ; Ephesians 6:24 ) is part of the autograph salutation. The verb here used for "love" ( philō ) was perhaps suggested by the word for "kiss" ( philema ) . The word generally used for "love of God" is agapē ( Ephesians 6:24 ), which implies less warmth, but deeper reverence. But this passage is full of emotion. Let him be Anathema. The word only occurs elsewhere in Acts 12:3 ; Acts 23:1-35 . 14; Romans 9:3 ; Galatians 1:8 , Galatians 1:9 (comp. Matthew 26:74 , "to curse"). It is the equivalent of the Hebrew cherem, a ban ( Leviticus 27:29 ; Joshua 6:17 , etc.). I cannot pretend to understand what St. Paul means by it, unless it be "Let personal love to Christ be the essential of Christian fellowship, and let him who has it not be regarded as apart from the Church." Commentators call it "an imprecation," or "malediction," and say that it means "Let him be devoted to God's wrath and judgment.'' That language is, indeed, very like the language of religious hatred and religious usurpation in all ages, but it is the very antithesis to the general tone of the apostle. If this were the meaning, it would seem to resemble the very spirit which Christ himself severely rebuked as the Elijah spirit, not the Christ spirit. But I do not believe that, even in a passing outburst of strong emotion, St. Paul had any such meaning. For