Verse 15
but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
How men ought to behave ... This may well be translated "how thou oughtest to behave ..."; but as White said, "It is a matter of indifference"[36] which rendition is followed, the meaning being the same either way.
As Hervey pointed out, "Here again is a somewhat remarkable resemblance in the phraseology of the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 12:22,23)."[37] It has long been the conviction of this student that the resemblances between the Pauline literature and the book of Hebrews is impossible to explain, except on the thesis that Paul also wrote Hebrews.
The house of God ... "House is correct here, not household; believers are God's house because God dwells in them."[38]
The church of the living God ... Inherent in this is a comparison with paganism, or rather a contrast, thus: "Church of the living God, not the temple of the dead idols!" "Pillar and ground of the truth ..." Paul had seen the marvelous colonnade of pillars which was the principal feature of the great temple of Diana at Ephesus; and something of the meaning of such pillars is inherent in this. A pillar supports and upholds, exactly what the church does for the truth of God. The word "ground" in this connection has the same meaning.
[36] Newport J. D. White, op. cit., p. 117.
[37] A. C. Hervey, op. cit., p. 54.
[38] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 136.
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