1 Corinthians 16:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“The greeting is with my own hand, Paul’s” (1 Cor 16:21). He expresses that this epistle was written by him with great care.

I, Paul, sign my greeting with my own hand in this letter. Before these words the holy Apostle only dictated in the letter, while another wrote it. For the letter’s certainty and authenticity, he himself signed it, testifying to his love for the Corinthians and calling down God’s blessing upon them. But at the end of his letter, while calling them to one faith and to peace, the Apostle also added a threat: verse 22, “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. Maranatha.”

He indicates that he sealed this epistle with his own signature. The Apostle then gives below the very words signed by him personally.

“The greeting with my own hand, Paul’s,” that is, I dictated the epistle to the writer, but added the greeting with my own hand. By these letters I make known that everything written is mine.

Paul only dictated, while another wrote the whole epistle. But these words, “The greeting with my own hand, Paul’s,” he himself wrote with his own hand. Since the greetings and kisses of which he speaks signify nothing other than mutual, pure Gospel love, and since this love is the daughter of love for Christ, for “everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him” (1 Jn 5:1), he therefore adds the following.

“The greeting with my own hand, Paul’s.” This indicates that the epistle was only signed by Paul in his own hand, while another wrote it out.

Finally, he sends greetings from the churches of Asia, especially from Aquila and Priscilla. He proclaims anathema, “Maranatha,” against anyone who does not love the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 16:19-24).

The greetings from all the churches, and especially from certain chosen members of them, which the Apostle sends, have many meanings. First, they speak of the close union of faith and love among Christians and of their mutual participation.

Although the Apostle Paul himself composed the epistle, and Stephanas copied it, the other members of the Church of Ephesus and of other churches who were then near the Apostle were not ignorant of Paul's sending the epistle to the Corinthians.

A greeting of love to you also from me, who write with my own hand. By this he confirmed that the whole epistle also came from him. The Apostle usually expressed his greeting with the words, “The grace of our Lord,” and so on (verse 23). Sometimes, according to the persons to whom he wrote, he added something to this word. In this epistle he frames it with words about love.

So that they would not be deceived, since some wrote in the Apostle’s name, the sign that this was his epistle, and not another’s, is the statement that what was written was inscribed by his own hand, his holy right hand.