Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: I Corinthians 15-16
I Corinthians 16:22
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
Earlier in this letter, Paul told the members of the church in Corinth this, But if any man love God, the same is known of him. (8:3) Any person can love the Lord, and any person can not love Him. Those that love Him can be spotted a mile away. Those who don’t…the same. How? Jesus Himself told us how in John 14:15 where He said, If ye love me, keep my commandments. Then, six verses later our Savior gave those who love Him this promise, He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
These Biblical truths are without controversy. If a person loves the Lord, they will keep His commandments, in turn they will be loved of the Father (not the universal type of love so often mentioned, but the personal loving devotion and affection of a close relative or friend) and the Father will make Himself known to them. It is just that simple.
Yet it is complicated by those who love Him not. It may be with their lips they love Him, but not love Him in their actions. This disobedience to His Word clearly identifies the fact that they do not love Him. Given these facts consider the phrase Anathema Maranatha. It is serious, about as serious as it gets.
This is the only verse in the 31,173 verses of the Bible that these words appear. Remember, Paul is writing to a church wherein there is grave sin present. Some in this church loved the Lord, some did not. The entire book on one hand issues a severe warning and on the other hand issues sacred blessings. In these last few verses, the Apostle Paul extends both. Of course, today’s verse warns, the very next verse is the blessing, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Anathema is defined by Webster’s 1828 dictionary as “Excommunication with curses. Hence a curse or denunciation by ecclesiastical authority.” This word carries with it the danger of being separated and in absence of God’s blessings. Notice though. Anathema is not only God toward the individual, but also the individual toward God. Meaning that the individual who flaunts the Lord’s commandments is anathema toward those commandments. By breaking the commandments this individual, in essence, becomes a curse to the giver of the commandments. Like a rebellious child being a curse to their parents. Or a bad habit being a curse to a person.
Maranatha is defined in Websters as “The Lord comes or has come; a word used by the apostle Paul in expressing a curse.” He, Webster, in defining this word uses this sentence for clarification, “This word was used in anathematizing persons for great crimes; as much as to say, ‘may the Lord come quickly to take vengeance on thee for thy crimes.’”
All combined… this phrase is not good. However, this must be remembered the act of Anathema Maranatha is God’s purview. Paul seems to expressly communicate this in His parting words that encourage brotherly love, sweet greetings, holy kisses, and especially praying the Lord’s grace on them all. Therefore, be careful. Take not anything away from this stern warning but also take not upon oneself the execution of it.
Paul himself must have experienced that of being Anathema Maranatha but was converted. He was renewed from being cursed, and cursing the Lord God, to being blessed by the Lord all because the apostle settled the love question. He chose to receive and love the Lord Jesus Christ. Could it be that when writing the words of I Corinthians 16:22 that Paul thought of his own change of life on that dusty road to Damascus? Perhaps in Heaven we will be able to ask him.
Dr. William T. Howe
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