1 Corinthians 15:32

32. Punctuate thus: "If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me? If the dead rise not, let us eat and drink," &c. [Bengel]. If "merely as a man" (with the mere human hope of the present life; not with the Christian's hope of the resurrection; answering to "If the dead rise not," the parallel clause in the next sentence), I have fought with men resembling savage beasts. Heraclitus, of Ephesus, had termed his countrymen "wild beasts" four hundred years before. So Epimenides called the Cretians (Tit 1:12). Paul was still at Ephesus (1Co 16:8), and there his life was daily in danger (1Co 4:9; compare 2Co 1:8). Though the tumult (Ac 19:29, 30) had not yet taken place (for after it he set out immediately for Macedonia), this Epistle was written evidently just before it, when the storm was gathering; "many adversaries" (1Co 16:9) were already menacing him. what advantageth it me?--seeing I have renounced all that, "as a mere man," might compensate me for such sufferings, gain, fame, &c. let us eat, &c.--Quoted from the Septuagint, (Is 22:13), where the prophet describes the reckless self-indulgence of the despisers of God's call to mourning, Let us enjoy the good things of life now, for it soon will end. Paul imitates the language of such skeptics, to reprove both their theory and practice. "If men but persuade themselves that they shall die like the beasts, they soon will live like beasts too" [South].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Verse 32. If after the manner of men. Marg., To speak after the manner of men. καταανθρωπον. There has been a great difference of opinion in regard to the meaning of these words. The following are some of the interpretations proposed:

(1.) If I have fought after the manner of men, who act only with reference to this life, and on the ordinary principles of human conduct, as men fought with wild beasts in the amphitheatre.

(2.) Or if, humanly speaking, or speaking after the manner of men, I have fought, referring to the fact that he had contended with men who should be regarded as wild beasts.

(3.) Or, that I may speak of myself as men speak, that I may freely record the events of my life, and speak of what has occurred.

(4.) Or, I have fought with wild beasts as far as it was possible for man to do it while life survived.

(5.) Or, as much as was in the power of man, who had destined me to this; if, so far as depended on man's will, I fought, supposing that the infuriated multitude demanded that I should be thus punished. So Chrysostom understands it.

(6.) Or, that Paul actually fought with wild beasts at Ephesus.

(7.) Others regard this as a supposable case; on the supposition that I had fought with wild beasts at Ephesus. Amidst this variety of interpretation, it is not easy to determine the true sense of this difficult passage. The following thoughts, however, may perhaps make it clear:

(1.) Paul refers to some real occurrence at Ephesus. This is manifest from the whole passage. It is not a supposable case.

(2.) It was some one case when his life was endangered, and when it was regarded as remarkable that he escaped and survived. Comp. 2Cor 1:8-10.

(3.) It was common among the Romans, and the ancients generally, to expose criminals to fight with wild beasts in the amphitheatre for the amusement of the populace. In such cases it was but another form of dooming them to certain death, since there was no human possibility of escape. See Adams' Rom. Ant., p. 344. That this custom prevailed at the East, is apparent from the following extract from Rosenmuller; and there is no improbability in the supposition that Paul was exposed to this:--

"The barbarous custom of making men combat with wild beasts
has prevailed in the East down to the most modern times.
Jurgen Andersen, who visited the states of the great mogul
in 1646, gives an account in his Travels of such a combat
with animals, which he witnessed at Agra, the residence
of the great mogul. His description affords a lively image
of those bloody spectacles in which ancient Rome took so
much pleasure, and to which the above words of the apostle
refer. Alamardan-chan, the governor of Cashmire, who sat
among the chans, stood up, and exclaimed, 'It is the will
and desire of the great mogul, Schah Choram, that if there
be any valiant heroes who will show their bravery by
combating with wild beasts, armed with shield and sword,
let them come forward; if they conquer, the mogul will
load them with great favour, and clothe their countenance
with gladness.' Upon this three persons advanced, and
offered to undertake the combat. Alamardan-chan again
cried aloud, 'None should have any other weapon than a
shield and a sword; and whosoever has any breast-plate
under his clothes should lay it aside, and fight honourably.
Hereupon a powerful lion was let into the garden, and one
of the three men above mentioned advanced against him;
the lion, on seeing his enemy, ran violently up to him; the
man, however, defended himself bravely, and kept off the
lion for a good while, till his arms grew tired; the lion
then seized the shield with one paw, and with the other
his antagonist's right arm, so that he was not able to use
his weapon; the latter, seeing his life in danger, took with
his left hand his Indian dagger, which he had sticking in
his girdle, and thrust it as far as possible into the lion's
mouth; the lion then let him go; the man, however, was not
idle, but cut the lion almost through with one stroke, and
after that entirely to pieces. Upon this victory the common
people began to shout, and call out, 'Thank God, he has
conquered.' But the mogul said, smiling, to this conqueror,
'Thou art a brave warrior, and hast fought admirably. But
did I not command to fight honourably only with shield and
sword? But, like a thief, thou hast stolen the life of the
lion with thy dagger.' And immediately he ordered two men to
rip up his belly, and to place him upon an elephant, and, as
an example to others, to lead him about, which was done on
the spot. Soon after a tiger was set loose; against which a
tall, powerful man advanced with an air of defiance, as if
he would cut the tiger up. The tiger, however, was far too
sagacious and active; for, in the first attack, he seized
the combatant by the neck, tore his throat, and then his
whole body in pieces. This enraged another good fellow,
but little, and of mean appearance, from whom one would not
have expected it: he rushed forward like one mad, and the
tiger on his part undauntedly flew at his enemy; but the man
at the first attack cut off his two fore paws, so that he fell,
and the man cut his body to pieces. Upon this the king cried,
'What is your name?' He answered, 'My name is Geyby.' Soon after
one of the king's servants came and brought him a piece of
gold brocade, and said, 'Geyby, receive the robe of honour
with which the mogul presents you.' He took the garment with
great reverence, kissed it three times, pressing it each time
to his eyes and breast, then held it up, and in silence put
up a prayer for the health of the mogul; and when he
concluded it he cried, "May God let him become as great as
Tamerlane, from whom he is descended. May he live seven
hundred years, and his house continue to eternity!
Upon this he was summoned by a chamberlain to go from the
garden up to the king; and when he came to the entrance, he
was received by two chans, who conducted him between them to
kiss the mogul's feet. And when he was going to retire, the
king said to him, 'Praised be thou, Geyby-chan, for thy
valiant deeds, and this name shalt thou keep to eternity.
I am your gracious master, and thou art my slave.'"
--Bush's Illustrations.

(4.) It is the most natural interpretation to suppose that Paul, on some occasion, had such a contest with a wild beast at Ephesus. It is that which would occur to the great mass of the readers of the New Testament as the obvious meaning of the passage.

(5.) The state of things in Ephesus when Paul was there, (Acts 19), was such as to make it nowise improbable that he would be subjected to such a trial.

(6.) It is no objection to this supposition that Luke has not recorded this occurrence in the Acts of the Apostles. No conclusion adverse to this supposition can be drawn from the mere silence of the historian. Mere silence is not a contradiction. There is no reason to suppose that Luke designed to record all the perils which Paul endured. Indeed, we know from 2Cor 11:24-27, that there must have been many dangers which Paul encountered which are not referred to by Luke. It must have happened, also, that many important events must have taken place during Paul's abode at Ephesus which are not recorded by Luke, Acts 19. Nor is it any objection to this supposition that Paul does not, in 2Cor 11:24-27 mention particularly this contest with a wild beast at Ephesus. His statement there is general. He does not descend into particulars. Yet, in 2Cor 11:23, he says that he was "in deaths oft" --a statement which is in accordance with the supposition that in Ephesus he may have been exposed to death in some cruel manner.

(7.) The phrase καταανθρωπον (as a man) may mean, that to human appearance, or so far as man was concerned, had it not been for some Divine interposition, he would have been a prey to the wild beasts. Had not God interposed and kept him from harm, as in the case of the viper at Melita, (Acts 28:5,)he would have been put to death. He was sentenced to this; was thrown to the wild beast; had every human prospect of dying; it was done on account of his religion; and, but for the interposition of God, he would have died. This I take to be the fair and obvious meaning of this passage, demanded alike by the language which is used, and by the tenor of the argument in which it is found.

What advantageth it me? What benefit shall I have? Why should I risk my life in this manner? 1Cor 15:19.

Let us eat and drink. These words are taken from Isa 22:13. In their original application they refer to the Jews when besieged by Sennacherib and the army of the Assyrians. The prophet says, that instead of weeping, and fasting, and humiliation, as became them in such circumstances, they had given themselves up to feasting and revelry, and that their language was, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die;" that is, there is no use in offering resistance, or in calling upon God. We must die; and we may as well enjoy life as long as it lasts, and give ourselves up to unrestrained indulgence. Paul does not quote these words as having any original reference to the subject of the resurrection, but as language appropriately expressing the idea, that if there is no future state; if no resurrection of the dead; if no happy result of toils and sufferings in the future world, it is vain and foolish to subject ourselves to trials and privations here. We should rather make the most of this life; enjoy all the comfort we can; and make pleasure our chief good, rather than look for happiness in a future state. This seems to be the language of the great mass of the world. They look to no future state. They have no prospect, no desire of heaven; and they, therefore, seek for happiness here, and give themselves up to unrestrained enjoyment in this life.

Tomorrow. Very soon. We have no security of life; and death is so near that it may be said we must die tomorrow.

We die. We must die. The idea here is, we must die, without the prospect of living again, unless the doctrine of the resurrection be true.

(2) "If after the manner" "to speak after" (d) "eat and drink" Eccl 2:24, Isa 22:13

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Verse 32 If, after the manner of men, etc. - Much learned criticism has been employed on this verse, to ascertain whether it is to be understood literally or metaphorically. Does the apostle mean to say that he had literally fought with wild beasts at Ephesus? or, that he had met with brutish, savage men, from whom he was in danger of his life? That St. Paul did not fight with wild beasts at Ephesus, may be argued, 1. From his own silence on this subject, when enumerating his various sufferings, 2Cor 11:23, etc. 2. From the silence of his historian, Luke, who, in the acts of this apostle, gives no intimation of this kind; and it certainly was too remarkable a circumstance to be passed over, either by Paul in the catalogue of his own sufferings, or by Luke in his history. 3. From similar modes of speech, which are employed metaphorically, and are so understood. 4. From the improbability that a Roman citizen, as Paul was, should be condemned to such a punishment, when in other cases, by pleading his privilege, he was exempted from being scourged, etc. And, 5. From the positive testimony of Tertullian and Chrysostom, who deny the literal interpretation. On the other hand, it is strongly argued that the apostle is to be literally understood; and that he did, at some particular time, contend with wild beasts at Ephesus, from which he was miraculously delivered. 1. That the phrase κατα ανθρωπον signifies as men used to do, and never means according to the manner of men, as implying their purpose, or, to use their forms of speech, etc. 2. From the circumstances of the case in Ephesus usually referred to, viz. the insurrection by Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen; where, though Paul would have been in danger had he gone into the theater, he was in little or none, as he did not adventure himself. 3. From his having endured much greater conflicts at Lystra and at Philippi than at Ephesus, at the former of which he was stoned to death, and again miraculously raised to life: see the notes on Act 14:19, etc. And yet he calls not those greater dangers by this name. 4. That it cannot refer to the insurrection of Demetrius and his fellows, for St. Paul had no contention with them, and was scarcely in any danger, though Gaius and Aristarchus were: see the whole of Acts 19. And, 5. As we do not read of any other imminent danger to which he was exposed at Ephesus, and that already mentioned is not sufficient to justify the expression, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, therefore we must conclude that he was at some time, not directly mentioned by his historian or himself, actually exposed to wild beasts at Ephesus. 6. That this is the case he refers to, 2Cor 1:8-10 : For we would not, brethren, have you if ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, καθ' ὑπερβολην εβαρηθημεν ὑπερ δυναμιν, insomuch that we despaired even of life. But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead; who delivered us from so great a death: for these expressions refer to some excessive and unprecedented danger, from which nothing less than a miraculous interference could have saved him; and that it might have been an actual exposure to wild beasts, or any other danger equally great, or even greater. What advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? - I believe the common method of pointing this verse is erroneous; I propose to read it thus: If, after the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it advantage me? If the dead rise not, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. What the apostle says here is a regular and legitimate conclusion from the doctrine, that there is no resurrection: For if there be no resurrection, then there can be no judgment - no future state of rewards and punishments; why, therefore, should we bear crosses, and keep ourselves under continual discipline? Let us eat and drink, take all the pleasure we can, for tomorrow we die; and there is an end of us for ever. The words, Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die, are taken from Isa 22:13, as they stand now in the Septuagint; and are a pretty smooth proverbial saying, which might be paralleled from the writings of several epicurean heathens, φαγωμεν και πιωμεν· αυριον γαρ αποθνησκομεν. The words of Isaiah are אכול ושתו כי מחר נמות akol reshatho, ki machar namuth: "In eating and drinking, for to-morrow we die;" i.e. Let us spend our time in eating and drinking, etc. See a similar speech by Trimalchio in Petronius Arbiter, Satiric. cap. xxxvii: - Heu, heu nos miseros! quam totus homuncio nil est! Sic erimus cuncti, postquam nos auferet orcus. Ergo vivamus, dum licet esse bene. Alas! alas! what wretches we are! all mankind are a worthless pack: thus shall we all be, after death hath taken us away. Therefore, while we may, let us enjoy life.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain