1 Corinthians 16:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“And perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter” (1 Cor 16:6). I do not wish to visit you merely in passing, but to stop and live with you.

He wrote this in winter, while in Ephesus. Therefore he says: I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost, then I will go to Macedonia. Having passed through it, I will come to you in summer and perhaps spend the winter with you.

But why did he say “perhaps,” and not affirm it? Because Paul did not foresee everything, and because this was useful.

Therefore he does not affirm it directly, so that if it did not happen, he would have justification in having spoken indefinitely. He would also have justification in the fact that the Spirit directed him by His own authority.

“And I will stay with you.” By this he shows that he prefers them to the Macedonians, as more sincere and more worthy disciples. For the Corinthian church was great.

He spends the winter with the Corinthians, because he was deeply troubled by their errors, since their zeal for the worship of God had grown cold.

After all the instruction, Paul promises the Corinthians his coming, in order to give them joy. By this he also strengthens the exhortations he had spoken for their correction. For if someone hears of the coming of the one from whom he received the law, let him be concerned not to blush with shame at his arrival.

“I will come to you when I have passed through Macedonia.” Lest the Corinthians be offended that the Macedonians had been preferred, the Apostle added, “For I am passing through Macedonia.”

Then he promises to undertake a journey to Corinth after completing his affairs in Ephesus, where he hopes to remain until Pentecost. He intends to choose the road through Macedonia (1 Cor 16:5-9).

In the Apostle’s notice about visiting the Corinthians, this is especially worthy of note: he promises not to be with them in passing, as with the Romans, but would like the Lord to allow him even to winter with them.

So close did he consider the Corinthians to himself. So highly did he value staying with them, as with his own children.

There was a great deal of time from Pentecost, which he wished to spend in Ephesus, until the Corinthian winter. The journey was not very far, though it was difficult, for he wished to go overland through Macedonia.

Yet the Apostle Paul did not happen to spend Pentecost in Ephesus. The wide door of preaching of which he spoke, having in view the readiness of many to receive Christianity, opened before him earlier.

“If it happens for me,” tychion, means perhaps. “So that they might not say, ‘Why do you prefer the Macedonians to us?’ he says, ‘I will not merely pass through you, but will stay with you.’

He wrote this in winter, while in Ephesus. Therefore he says: I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost, then I will go to Macedonia. Having passed through it in summer, I will come to you and perhaps spend the winter with you.

But why did he say ‘perhaps,’ and not affirm it? Because Paul did not foresee everything, and because this was useful.

Therefore he does not affirm it directly, so that if it did not happen, he would have justification in having spoken indefinitely. He would also have justification in the fact that the Spirit guided him by His own authority.