making it necessary for him to defend his apostolic position; really, it was not for himself, but “it was for God,” that is, to save the congregation that belonged to God, that Paul spoke very strongly in his letter, and ‘boasted’ of his credentials as an apostle.—2 Cor. 5:12, 13; 10:7-12; 11:16-20, 30-33; 12:11-13.

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

I. Paul’s attestation of sincerity and love for the Corinthians (1:1–7:16)

A. Reason for not visiting a second time until now (1:15-24)

B. His concern for their welfare (2:1-13)

1. Admonishes forgiveness of man previously rebuked, so that they will not become harsh and unforgiving toward repentant ones

2. Paul’s unrest in spirit because of not finding Titus at Troas

C. Paul and his associates no peddlers of God’s word, but adequately qualified ministers of the new covenant (2:14–7:16)

1. Corinthians are letter of recommendation written on hearts (3:1-3)

2. Paul and associates have freeness of speech from Jehovah the Spirit and reflect his glory (3:4–4:6)

3. Although enduring much, as earthen vessels, they continue doing everything possible to carry out commission as “ambassadors substituting for Christ” (4:7–6:10)

4. With widened hearts they appeal to the Corinthians to “widen out” in their affections (6:11–7:4)

a. Paul and associates have set proper example in love

b. Corinthians should respond by separateness from unbelievers and from every uncleanness

5. Paul’s great comfort at report of response to first letter—their sadness, repentance, righting of the wrong (7:5-16)

II. Exhortation to help distressed brothers in Judea (8:1–9:15)

A. Macedonians set a good example (8:1-9)

B. Paul appreciates Corinthians’ readiness on this point; sends Titus and other faithful brothers to assist in the arrangements (8:10-24)

C. Give from the heart; Jehovah the Supplier will multiply the products of such righteousness (9:1-10)

D. Their generosity will result in mutual love and thanks and glory to God on part of those assisted (9:11-15)

III. Argument against troublesome false apostles (10:1–12:21)

A. Paul will use spiritual weapons against them to bring every thought of the Corinthians in obedience to the Christ (10:1-6)

B. Answer to opposers as to Paul’s being “weak,” ‘in territory belonging to them,’ “inferior,” “unskilled in speech,” “unreasonable,” and their claim that he proved he is not an apostle like they are when he humbled himself by doing some secular work for support (10:7–12:21)

1. False apostles really ministers of Satan (11:12-15)

2. They take what the brothers have, exalt selves over them, ‘strike them in the face,’ and boast unreasonably over fleshly connections (11:16-20)

3. Paul equal in genealogy, superior in marks of persecution for Christ, in care for the congregations, visions and signs of apostleship (11:21–12:21)

a. Vision of paradise

b. Portents and powerful works

C. Coming second time after previous attempt (13:1-14)

1. Hopes to find them in better spirit; if necessary he will take strong action

2. Prays for their well-being; explains that he wrote in this strong way to restore them, bring unity

LIGHT SHED ON SCRIPTURES PREVIOUSLY WRITTEN

Paul fortified his arguments by use of the Hebrew Scriptures in his inspired letters to the Corinthians. When exposing the foolishness of worldly wisdom as displayed by the false apostles he proved the importance of getting the superior wisdom of God by pointing out what the psalmist had said to a generation centuries before, that “the thoughts of men . . . are as an exhalation” (Ps. 94:11; 1 Cor. 3:20), and by asking what Isaiah had asked the rebellious Jews: “Who has taken the proportions of the spirit of Jehovah, and who . . . can make him know anything?” (Isa. 40:13; 1 Cor. 2:16) Paul proved that the Christian minister has a right to receive material aid by showing that Deuteronomy 25:4, “You must not muzzle a bull while it is threshing,” really was written primarily for the ministers’ sakes. (1 Cor. 9:9, 10) He demonstrated that God had long ago promised a resurrection, by calling on the statements at Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14, about swallowing up death. (1 Cor. 15:54, 55) Additionally, he shed much light on the Lord’s evening meal by his detailed discussion of Jesus’ words spoken at the time He established the observance.—Luke 22:19, 20; 1 Cor. 11:23-34.

Paul demonstrated what God’s attitude had always been as to spiritual cleanness by quoting from or alluding to Deuteronomy 17:7; Leviticus 26:11, 12; Isaiah 43:6; 52:11 and Hosea 1:10. (1 Cor. 5:13; 2 Cor. 6:14-18) He showed that the matter of material giving had not been overlooked by God’s servants in the past and that the generous Christian is viewed favorably by Jehovah. (Ps. 112:9; 2 Cor. 9:9) And he indicated that the principle in the Law of establishing every matter at the mouth of two or three witnesses applies in the Christian congregation. (Deut. 19:15; 2 Cor. 13:1) These and other references to scriptures written beforehand illustrate these texts and clarify their application for us.—See the book “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial,” pp. 208-216.

CORMORANT

(Cor’mo·rant) [Heb., sha·lakhʹ, plunger].

This bird appears only in the list of unclean birds under the Mosaic law, a list that prohibits the eating of birds most of which basically are birds of prey and carrion eaters, although there appear to be exceptions, such as the hoopoe and the swan. (Lev. 11:17; Deut. 14:17) The verb from which the name is drawn means “to throw, fling or cast”; thus the Egyptian fishers at the Nile are de-scribed as “casting [from Heb., sha·lakhʹ] fishhooks” into the river. (Isa. 19:8) The translators of the Greek Septuagint understood the bird to be the ka·ta·raʹktes, the Greek name of a bird that dives into the water and swims in pursuit of fish, while the Latin Vulgate uses mergulus (the “diver”) to indicate the bird. It, therefore seems evident that some fish-eating, diving bird is represented by the Hebrew term, and most translations consider the cormorant to be the most likely type, since it is quite common in Palestine, particularly along the Mediterranean coast and also in certain inland waters such as the Sea of Galilee. A smaller “pygmy cormorant,” though not so frequent, is to be found along lakes and rivers.

The cormorant is of the pelican family and somewhat resembles a duck. Usually long bodied and dark colored, the cormorant is swift and agile in the water, swimming under water mainly by use of its webbed feet but also at times employing its relatively long wings in darting after its prey. Its sharp, hooked beak makes it a splendid fisher, and from ancient times cormorants have been trained by fishermen in the Orient and parts of India to catch fish for their owners, a band being placed fairly loosely around the bird’s throat to prevent it from swallowing anything but very small fish. One observer describes the bird as seen sitting on a tree in the area where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea and satisfying its voracious appetite by swooping down into the water to catch fish that are dazed by being carried into the salty sea.

[Picture on page 381]

Adult cormorant

CORNELIUS

(Cor·neʹlius).

An army officer (centurion, AV) in command of 100 soldiers of the Italian band. (See CENTURION.) Stationed at Caesarea, he had his own house. His Roman name suggests that he may have belonged to a noble family in the imperial city. He was “a devout man” who “made many gifts of mercy to the people and made supplication to God continually,” “a man righteous and fearing God and well reported by the whole nation of the Jews.” It was to such a man that an angel appeared in a vision in the fall of 36 C.E., saying: “Your prayers and gifts of mercy have ascended as a remembrance before God.” The angel also told Cornelius to send to Joppa for Peter.—Acts 10:1-22.

When Peter arrived, Cornelius, in the presence of “his relatives and intimate friends,” said to the apostle: “We are all present before God to hear all the things you have been commanded by Jehovah to say.” (Acts 10:24, 33) “While Peter was yet speaking . . . the holy spirit fell upon all those hearing the word.” Thus this group of which Cornelius is named as the most notable became the first uncircumcised Gentiles or non-Jews to receive “the free gift of the holy spirit.” (Acts 10:44, 45) Water baptism immediately followed. Nothing more is known of the life and activity of Cornelius after this.

Cornelius was not a proselyte member of the Jewish communion as some contend, even though he was acquainted with the writings of the prophets, gave gifts of mercy to the Jews, feared God, prayed continually, and used the name Jehovah. The Scriptures prove conclusively that this army officer was an uncircumcised Gentile in the fullest sense. If Cornelius had been a proselyte, Peter would not have said it was unlawful for him, a Jew, to associate with this “man of another race,” in view of what was written in the Law concerning an alien resident. (Lev. 19:33, 34; Acts 10:28) If he had been a proselyte, the six other Jews with Peter would not have been “amazed” at seeing the holy spirit poured out “upon people of the nations,” (Acts 10:45; 11:12) If he had been a proselyte, why did “supporters of circumcision” contend with Peter over this matter?—Acts 11:2.

In reality, Cornelius was the firstfruits of the uncircumcised non-Jews to become a Christian, showing that by this time it was not necessary for Gentiles to become Jewish proselytes like the Ethiopian eunuch before being accepted into the Christian congregation. “For a certainty,” Peter exclaimed on that historic occasion, “I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34, 35) As Peter was the first to open up The Way to the Jews at Pentecost, so in this instance he was the first to bring good news of salvation to the uncircumcised Gentiles. James also agreed that it was “the first time” that God turned his attention to “the nations.”—Acts 15:7, 14.

CORNER GATE

See GATE, GATEWAY.

CORNERSTONE

A stone placed at an angle or corner of a building where two walls meet, of great importance in joining and binding them together. Usually cut as rectangular blocks, cornerstones are customarily laid endways and sideways alternately from the foundation to the top or roof of a structure. Thus, at an angle or corner, the side of one stone appears below or above the end of the next stone. However, Assyrian architecture at Nineveh exemplifies the use, generally, of one angular stone to form a corner.

The principal cornerstone was the foundation cornerstone, a particularly strong one generally being chosen for public buildings and city walls. The foundation cornerstone would be used as a guide as other stones were put in place, a plummet being dropped to it to align them. Every other stone had to conform to the foundation cornerstone for the building to be properly constructed. Sometimes, foundation cornerstones were quite massive and frequently two slabs were used, though not joined with mortar. The foundation cornerstone also served to bind the parts of a structure together.

Another important cornerstone was the “head of the corner” (Ps. 118:22), this expression possibly alluding to the topmost and hence the crowning stone of a structure. By means of it the two walls meeting at the corner would be held together at the top so that they would not fall apart and the structure collapse.

Concerning the founding of the earth, God asked Job: “Who laid its cornerstone?” The earth, on which man resides and has erected many buildings, was thus likened to a gigantic edifice, a building with a cornerstone. The laying of it, which could be ascribed to no man, for mankind had not yet been created, made the heavenly “sons of God” shout in applause. (Job 38:4-7) Joy and the praising of Jehovah marked the laying of the temple’s foundation in Zerubbabel’s day. (Ezra 3:10, 11) Also, it was foretold that when Zerubbabel would “bring forth the headstone” there would be shoutings to it of “How charming! How charming!” (Zech. 4:6, 7) However, just the opposite, sorrow and devastation, were in store for Babylon, Jehovah foretelling: “People will not take from you a stone for a corner or a stone for foundations, because desolate wastes to time indefinite are what you will become.”—Jer. 51:26.

FIGURATIVE AND SYMBOLIC USE

Some translations use “cornerstone(s)” to render a Hebrew word (pin·nahʹ) that carries the basic thought of “corner” but is also used metaphorically for a chief as a ‘corner’ of defense or support, hence for a key man. Thus, at Isaiah 19:13 certain translations use “cornerstone(s)” (AS; AT; RS), whereas others use “chiefs” (Le) and “leaders” (Mo), agreeing basically with the New World Translation rendering “key men.” (See also Judges 20:2; 1 Samuel 14:38, where the Hebrew is literally “the corner towers,” these being pictorial of important or vital men, or chiefs.) Such an application of ‘corner’ to a key man seems significant in view of the symbolic application of “cornerstone” in Messianic prophecy.

Jesus Christ is Scripturally spoken of as the “foundation cornerstone” of the Christian congregation, which is likened to a spiritual house. Through Isaiah, Jehovah foretold that He would lay in Zion as a foundation “a stone, a tried stone, the precious corner of a sure foundation.” (Isa. 28:16) Peter quoted and applied to Jesus Christ this prophecy regarding the “foundation cornerstone” on which individual anointed Christians are built up as “living stones,” to become a spiritual house or temple for