Addict
A Word Transformed by Time
Modern readers encountering the word "addict" in 1 Corinthians 16:15 may be startled, since today the word almost exclusively carries negative connotations of compulsive, harmful dependence. However, in the 17th-century English of the King James Version, "addict" simply meant to devote or dedicate oneself to something. The Latin root "addictus" originally referred to someone formally assigned or devoted to a cause. Paul used the Greek word "tasso," meaning to arrange, appoint, or set in order, to describe how the household of Stephanas had deliberately organized their lives around serving fellow believers.
The Household of Stephanas
The household of Stephanas held special significance in the Corinthian church. Paul identified them as "the firstfruits of Achaia" (1 Corinthians 16:15), meaning they were among the first converts in the entire region of southern Greece. Paul himself had baptized this household (1 Corinthians 1:16), making them directly connected to his founding ministry in Corinth. Their devotion to serving the saints was not a passing enthusiasm but a settled life arrangement, they had structured their household priorities around the needs of the Christian community.
What "Ministry of the Saints" Means
The phrase "ministry of the saints" describes practical service to fellow believers. The Greek word for ministry here, "diakonia," encompasses a wide range of service: hospitality, financial support, care for the sick and poor, and any hands-on help the community needed. In the early church, where believers often faced social ostracism and economic hardship, such devoted service was essential. The household of Stephanas apparently made this kind of ministry their primary occupation, not as a formal office but as a voluntary life commitment.
A Model for Christian Service
Paul held up the household of Stephanas as a model for the entire Corinthian church. In 1 Corinthians 16:16, he urged the church to "submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it." This instruction reveals Paul's vision of church leadership: those who serve most faithfully deserve recognition and respect. The Corinthian church was plagued by division, pride, and disorder (1 Corinthians 1:10-12, 3:1-4), and Paul pointed to the Stephanas household as an example of what the community should aspire to, lives wholly arranged around service rather than self-promotion.
Devoted Service in the Broader New Testament
The concept of being devoted or "addicted" to good works appears throughout the New Testament, even where the specific word is not used. Romans 12:10-13 calls believers to be devoted to one another in love, to serve the Lord with zeal, and to share with those in need. Titus 3:8 urges believers to devote themselves to doing good. Acts 2:42 describes the early Jerusalem church as being devoted to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. The pattern is consistent: the Christian life is meant to be one of purposeful, organized devotion to God and His people.
Biblical Context
The word 'addict' appears only in 1 Corinthians 16:15 (KJV), describing the household of Stephanas and their devoted service to the Corinthian church. Paul also mentions baptizing this household in 1 Corinthians 1:16. The broader context of 1 Corinthians 16 contains Paul's final instructions to the Corinthian church, including directions about the collection for Jerusalem, travel plans, and commendations of faithful workers.
Theological Significance
This passage redefines devotion in terms of service rather than status. In a church troubled by rivalries over spiritual gifts and leadership, Paul highlighted a household that had quietly organized their entire lives around meeting others' needs. Their example teaches that true spiritual maturity is measured not by spectacular gifts but by consistent, self-sacrificing service. The concept challenges modern believers to ask whether their lives are deliberately structured around ministry or merely fit service in around personal convenience.
Historical Background
Corinth was a major commercial city in Roman Greece, known for its wealth, cultural diversity, and moral permissiveness. The early church there included people from various social classes, and households like that of Stephanas likely had some means, since hosting and serving required resources. In the Greco-Roman world, 'household' included not just family but servants and dependents, so when Paul says the household of Stephanas devoted themselves to ministry, he implies an entire domestic unit organized around Christian service. The English word 'addict' in its positive sense was common in 16th-17th century English literature.