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This expression may be regarded —

1. As a grand characteristic of Biblical appeal. It appeals to the heart, and seeks the reformation of the world by the reformation of the individual, and the reformation of the individual by the reformation of the heart.

2. As an incidental argument of the Godhead of Christ. The Bible claims for Him supreme love, but supreme affection belongs to God. Paul makes our destiny depend upon love to Christ. Would he make our destiny depend upon mere love to man, to Abraham, David, Isaiah, or John?

3. As a solemn test of a true character. The essence of a true character consists not in ideas or mere actions, but in love, and in love for Christ. "Lovest thou Me?" said Christ to Peter. The text contains —

I. A NEGATIVE CRIME. This state of mind in relation to Christ is —

1. Unreasonable. There is everything in Him to call out the highest love. There are three kinds of love of which we are susceptible — gratitude, esteem, and benevolence. The first requires manifestation of kindness; the second, of moral excellence; the third, a purpose for the common good. Christ manifests all these, and therefore deserves our highest love. There may be men who have power to excite in our natures, in some degree, love in some of these forms; but Christ alone has power to excite all in the highest degree.

2. Ascertainable. We can soon ascertain whether we love Christ or not. The chief object of love will always be —

(1)  The most engrossing subject of thought.

(2)  The attractive theme of conversation.

(3)  The source of the greatest delight in pleasing.

(4)  The most transforming power of character.

(5)  The most identified with our conscious life.

3. Deplorable. This love is the only true regulative power of the soul. Where this is not, or where it is misdirected, all the powers of our nature are misemployed, and all is confusion. Then, indeed, the life of the soul is dead to virtue and to happiness. Our happiness consists in supreme affection, and our supreme affection, to yield happiness, must be directed to an object absolutely perfect, reciprocative, and ever enduring. Such an object is Christ, and such only is He.

II. A POSITIVE PUNISHMENT.

1. Its nature. "Let him be Anathema." The word primarily means anything that is laid up, or set apart for some particular purpose. The secondary and general meaning is "accursed," devoted to ruin (cf. Galatians 1:7, 8; Romans 9:3). It is one of Paul's strong words to express a terrible evil. Cut off the planet from the sun, and it rushes to ruin; the river from the fountain, and it is gone; the branch from the tree, and the limb from the body, and they die. The soul, cut off from Christ — its centre, fountain, root, life — is destroyed.

2. Its certainty. "Maran-atha," "the Lord will come." Christ will come to execute judgment upon those who love Him not. Paul had written the other part of his letter by an amanuensis, but to write these terrible words he takes up the pen himself. Men are accursed, not merely because they hate Christ, rebel against His authority, profane His ordinances, but because they do not love Him; whatever else they do in philanthropy, etc.

(D. Thomas, D. D.)

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KJV: If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

WEB: If any man doesn't love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Come, Lord!