As 1 Corinthians concludes, even though Paul switches into “send greetings” mode, it’s astonishing how Paul can’t resist digging into the meat and potatoes of Christian living. He takes this opportunity to parade a cast of 1st-Century heroes in front of his audience, in order to make one final point:

“There is a wide-open door for a great work!” 1 Corinthians 16:9

Then he proves what a “great work” it is with this list of luminaries: