Brothers, I could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ.
KJV
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
Commentary
Commentary
In this chapter the apostle,
I. Blames the Corinthians for their carnality and divisions, ver. 1-4 .
II. He instructs them how what was amiss among them might be rectified,
by remembering,
1. That their ministers were no more than ministers, ver. 5 .
2. That they were unanimous, and carried on the same design, ver. 6-10 .
3. That they built on one and the same foundation, ver. 11-15 .
III. He exhorts them to give due honour to their bodies, by keeping
them pure
( ver. 16, 17 ),
and to humility and self-diffidence, ver. 18-21 .
IV. And dehorts them from glorying in particular ministers, because of
the equal interest they had in all, ver. 22 to the end .
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual,
but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye
were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you
envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk
as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of
Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Here,
I. Paul blames the Corinthians for their weakness and nonproficiency.
Those who are sanctified are so only in part: there is still room for
growth and increase both in grace and knowledge, 2 Pet. iii. 18 .
Those who through divine grace are renewed to a spiritual life may yet
in many things be defective. The apostle tells them he could not
speak to them as unto spiritual men, but as unto carnal men, as to babes in Christ, v. 1 .
They were so far from forming their maxims and measures upon the ground
of divine revelation, and entering into the spirit of the gospel, that
is was but too evident they were much under the command of carnal and
corrupt affections. They were still mere babes in Christ. They had
received some of the first principles of Christianity, but had not
grown up to maturity of understanding in them, or of faith and
holiness; and yet it is plain, from several passages in this epistle,
that the Corinthians were very proud of their wisdom and knowledge.
Note, It is but too common for persons of very moderate knowledge and
understanding to have a great measure of self-conceit. The apostle
assigns their little proficiency in the knowledge of Christianity as a
reason why he had communicated no more of the deep things of it to
them. They could not bear such food, they needed to be fed with milk,
not with meat, v. 2 .
Note, It is the duty of a faithful minister of Christ to consult the
capacities of his hearers and teach them as they can bear. And yet it
is natural for babes to grow up to men; and babes in Christ should
endeavour to grow in Stature, and become men in Christ. It is expected
that their advances in knowledge should be in proportion to their means
and opportunities, and their time of professing religion, that they may
be able to bear discourses on the mysteries of our religion, and not
always rest in plain things. It was a reproach to the Corinthians that
they had so long sat under the ministry of Paul and had made no more
improvement in Christian knowledge. Note, Christians are utterly to
blame who do not endeavour to grow in grace and knowledge.
II. He blames them for their carnality, and mentions their contention
and discord about their ministers as evidence of it: For you are yet
carnal; for whereas there are among you envyings, and strifes, and
divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men? v. 3 .
They had mutual emulations, and quarrels, and factions among them, upon
the account of their ministers, while one said, I am of Paul; and
another, I am of Apollos, v. 4 .
These were proofs of their being carnal, that fleshly interests and
affections too much swayed them. Note, Contentions and quarrels about
religion are sad evidences of remaining carnality. True religion makes
men peaceable and not contentious. Factious spirits act upon human
principles, not upon principles of true religion; they are guided by
their own pride and passions, and not by the rules of Christianity: Do you not walk as men? Note, It is to be lamented that many who
should walk as Christians, that is, above the common rate of men, do
indeed walk as men, live and act too much like other men.
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom
ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he
that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every
man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's
husbandry, ye are God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a
wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another
buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth
thereupon.
Here the apostle instructs them how to cure this humour, and rectify
what was amiss among them upon this head,
I. By reminding them that the ministers about whom they contended were
but ministers: Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers
by whom you believed? Even as the Lord gave to every man, v. 5 .
They are but ministers, mere instruments used by the God of all grace.
Some of the factious people in Corinth seem to have made more of them,
as if they were lords of their faith, authors of their religion. Note,
We should take care not to deify ministers, nor put them into the place
of God. Apostles were not the authors of our faith and religion,
though they were authorized and qualified to reveal and propagate it.
They acted in this office as God gave to every man. Observe, All the
gifts and powers that even apostles discovered and exerted in the work
of the ministry were from God. They were intended to manifest their
mission and doctrine to be divine. It was perfectly wrong, upon their
account, to transfer that regard to the apostles which was solely to be
paid to the divine authority by which they acted, and to God, from whom
they had their authority. Paul had planted and Apollos had
watered, v. 6 .
Both were useful, one for one purpose, the other for another. Note, God
makes use of variety of instruments, and fits them to their several
uses and intentions. Paul was fitted for planting work, and Apollos for
watering work, but God gave the increase. Note, The success of the
ministry must be derived from the divine blessing: Neither he that
planteth is any thing, nor he that watereth, but God who giveth the
increase, v. 7 .
Even apostolical ministers are nothing of themselves, can do nothing
with efficacy and success unless God give the increase. Note, The best
qualified and most faithful ministers have a just sense of their own
insufficiency, and are very desirous that God should have all the glory
of their success. Paul and Apollos are nothing at all in their own
account, but God is all in all.
II. By representing to them the unanimity of Christ's ministers: He
that planteth and he that watereth are one ( v. 8 ),
employed by one Master, entrusted with the same revelation, busied in
one work, and engaged in one design--in harmony with one another,
however they may be set in opposition to each other by factious
party-makers. They have their different gifts from one and the same
Spirit, for the very same purposes; and they heartily carry on the same
design. Planters and waterers are but fellow-labourers in the same
work. Note, All the faithful ministers of Christ are one in the great
business and intention of their ministry. They may have differences of
sentiment in minor things; they may have their debates and contests;
but they heartily concur in the great design of honouring God and
saving souls, by promoting true Christianity in the world. All such may
expect a glorious recompence of their fidelity, and in proportion to
it: Every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own
labour. Their business is one, but some may mind it more than
others: their end or design is one, but some may pursue it more closely
than others: their Master also is one, and yet this good and gracious
Master may make a difference in the rewards he gives, according to the
different service they do: Every one's own work shall have its own
reward. Those that work hardest shall fare best. Those that are
most faithful shall have the greatest reward; and glorious work it is
in which all faithful ministers are employed. They are labourers
with God, synergoi -- co-workers,
fellow-labourers ( v. 9 ),
not indeed in the same order and degree, but in subordination to him,
as instruments in his hand. They are engaged in his business. They are
working together with God, in promoting the purposes of his glory, and
the salvation of precious souls; and he who knows their work will take
care they do not labour in vain. Men may neglect and vilify one
minister while they cry up another, and have no reason for either: they
may condemn when they should commend, and applaud what they should
neglect and avoid; but the judgment of God is according to truth. He
never rewards but upon just reason, and he ever rewards in proportion
to the diligence and faithfulness of his servants. Note, Faithful
ministers, when they are ill used by men, should encourage themselves
in God. And it is to God, the chief agent and director of the great
work of the gospel, to whom those that labour with him should endeavour
to approve themselves. They are always under his eye, employed in his
husbandry and building; and therefore, to be sure, he will carefully
look over them: " You are God's husbandry, you are God's
building; and therefore are neither of Paul nor of Apollos; neither
belong to one nor the other, but to God: they only plant and water you,
but it is the divine blessing on his own husbandry that alone can make
it yield fruit. You are not our husbandry, but God's. We work under
him, and with him, and for him. It is all for God that we have been
doing among you. You are God's husbandry and building." He had employed
the former metaphor before, and now he goes on to the other of a
building: According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a
wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth
thereon. Paul here calls himself a wise master-builder, a character
doubly reflecting honour on him. It was honourable to be a
master-builder in the edifice of God; but it added to his character to
be a wise one. Persons may be in an office for which they are not
qualified, or not so thoroughly qualified as this expression implies
Paul was. But, though he gives himself such a character, it is not to
gratify his own pride, but to magnify divine grace. He was a wise
master-builder, but the grace of God made him such. Note, It is no
crime in a Christian, but much to his commendation, to take notice of
the good that is in him, to the praise of divine grace. Spiritual
pride is abominable: it is making use of the greatest favours of God to
feed our own vanity, and make idols of ourselves. But to take notice of
the favours of God to promote our gratitude to him, and to speak of
them to his honour (be they of what sort they will), is but a proper
expression of the duty and regard we own him. Note, Ministers should
not be proud of their gifts or graces; but the better qualified they
are for their work, and the more success they have in it, the more
thankful should they be to God for his distinguishing goodness: I
have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. As before
he had said, I have planted, Apollos watered. It was Paul that
laid the foundation of a church among them. He had begotten them
through the gospel, ch. iv. 15 .
Whatever instructors they had besides, they had not many
fathers. He would derogate from none that had done service among
them, nor would he be robbed of his own honour and respect. Note,
Faithful ministers may and ought to have a concern for their own
reputation. Their usefulness depends much upon it. But let every man
take heed how he buildeth thereon. This is a proper caution; there
may be very indifferent building on a good foundation. It is easy to
err here; and great care should be used, not only to lay a sure and
right foundation, but to erect a regular building upon it. Nothing must
be laid upon it but what the foundation will bear, and what is of a
piece with it. Gold and dirt must not be mingled together. Note,
Ministers of Christ should take great care that they do not build their
own fancies or false reasonings on the foundation of divine revelation.
What they preach should be the plain doctrine of their Master, or what
is perfectly agreeable with it.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which
is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall
declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire
shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he
shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but
he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Here the apostle informs us what foundation he had laid at the bottom
of all his labours among them-- even Jesus Christ, the chief
corner-stone, Eph. ii. 20 .
Upon this foundation all the faithful ministers of Christ build. Upon
this rock all the Christians found their hopes. Those that build their
hopes of heaven on any other foundation build upon the sand. Other
foundation can no man lay besides what is laid--even Jesus Christ. Note, The doctrine of our Saviour and his mediation is the principal
doctrine of Christianity. It lies at the bottom, and is the foundation,
of all the rest. Leave out this, and you lay waste all our comforts,
and leave no foundation for our hopes as sinners. It is in Christ only that God is reconciling a sinful world to himself, 2 Cor. v. 19 .
But of those that hold the foundation, and embrace the general doctrine
of Christ's being the mediator between God and man, there are two
sorts:--
I. Some build upon this foundation gold, silver, and precious
stones ( v. 12 ),
namely, those who receive and propagate the pure truths of the gospel,
who hold nothing but the truth as it is in Jesus, and preach
nothing else. This is building well upon a good foundation, making all
of apiece, when ministers not only depend upon Christ as the great
prophet of the church, and take him for their guide and infallible
teacher, but receive and spread the doctrines he taught, in their
purity, with out any corrupt mixtures, without adding or
diminishing.
II. Others build wood, hay, and stubble, on this foundation;
that is, though they adhere to the foundation, they depart from the
mind of Christ in many particulars, substitute their own fancies and
inventions in the room of his doctrines and institutions, and build
upon the good foundation what will not abide the test when the day of
trial shall come, and the fire must make it manifest, as wood, hay, and
stubble, will not bear the trial by fire, but must be consumed in it.
There is a time coming when a discovery will be made of what men have
built on this foundation: Every man's work shall be made
manifest, shall be laid open to view, to his own view and that of
others. Some may, in the simplicity of their hearts, build wood and
stubble on the good foundation, and know not, all the while, what they
have been doing; but in the day of the Lord their own conduct shall
appear to them in its proper light. Every man's work shall be made
manifest to himself, and made manifest to others, both those that have
been misled by him and those that have escaped his errors. Now we may
be mistaken in ourselves and others; but there is a day coming that
will cure all our mistakes, and show us ourselves, and show us our
actions in the true light, without covering or disguise: For the day
shall declare it (that is, every man's work), because it shall
be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what
sort it is, v. 13 .
The day shall declare and make it manifest, the last day, the great day
of trial; see ch. iv. 5 .
Though some understand it of the time when the Jewish nation was
destroyed and their constitution thereby abolished, when the
superstructure which judaizing teachers would have raised on the
Christian foundation was manifested to be no better than hay and
stubble, that would not bear the trial. The expression carries in it a
plain allusion to the refiner's art, in which the fire separates and
distinguishes the dross from the gold and silver; as it also will
silver and gold and precious stones, that will endure the fire, from
wood and hay and stubble, that will be consumed in it. Note, There is a
day coming that will as nicely distinguish one man from another, and
one man's work from another's, as the fire distinguishes gold from
dross, or metal that will bear the fire from other materials that will
be consumed in it. In that day,
1. Some men's works will abide the trial --will be found
standard. It will appear that they not only held the foundation, but
that they built regularly and well upon it--that they laid on proper
materials, and in due form and order. The foundation and the
superstructure were all of a piece. The foundation-truths, and those
that had a manifest connection with them, were taught together. It may
not be so easy to discern this connection now, nor know what works will
abide the trial then; but that day will make a full discovery. And such
a builder shall not, cannot fail of a reward. He will have praise and
honour in that day, and eternal recompence after it. Note, Fidelity in
the ministers of Christ will meet with a full and ample reward in a
future life. Those who spread true and pure religion in all the
branches of it, and whose work will abide in the great day, shall
receive a reward. And, Lord, how great! how much exceeding their
deserts!
2. There are others whose works shall be burnt ( v. 15 ),
whose corrupt opinions and doctrines, or vain inventions and usages in
the worship of God, shall be discovered, disowned, and rejected, in
that day--shall be first manifested to be corrupt, and then disapproved
of God and rejected. Note, The great day will pluck off all disguises,
and make things appear as they are: He whose work shall be burnt
will suffer loss. If he have built upon the right foundation wood
and hay and stubble, he will suffer loss. His weakness and corruption
will be the lessening of his glory, though he may in the general have
been an honest and an upright Christian. This part of his work will be
lost, turning no way to his advantage, though he himself may be saved.
Observe, Those who hold the foundation of Christianity, though they
build hay, wood, and stubble, upon it, may be saved. This may help to
enlarge our charity. We should not reprobate men for their weakness:
for nothing will damn men but wickedness. He shall be saved, yet so
as by fire, saved out of the fire. He himself shall be snatched out
of that flame which will consume his work. This intimates that it will
be difficult for those that corrupt and deprave Christianity to be
saved. God will have no mercy on their works, though he may pluck them
as brands out of the burning. On this passage of scripture the papists
found their doctrine of purgatory, which is certainly hay and stubble:
a doctrine never originally fetched from scripture, but invented in
barbarous ages, to feed the avarice and ambition of the clergy, at the
cost of those who would rather part with their money than their lusts,
for the salvation of their souls. It can have no countenance from this
text,
(1.) Because this is plainly meant of a figurative fire, not of a real
one: for what real fire can consume religious rites or doctrines?
(2.) Because this fire is to try men's works, of what sort they
are; but purgatory-fire is not for trial, not to bring men's
actions to the test, but to punish for them. They are supposed to be
venial sins, not satisfied for in this life, for which satisfaction
must be made by suffering the fire of purgatory.
(3.) Because this fire is to try every man's works, those of
Paul and Apollos, as well as those of others. Now, no papists will have
the front to say apostles must have passed through purgatory fires.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy;
for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Here the apostle resumes his argument and exhortation, founding it on
his former allusion, You are God's building, v. 9 ,
and here, Know you not that you are the temple of God, and the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile (corrupt and
destroy) the temple of God, him shall God destroy (the same word
is in the original in both clauses); for the temple of God is holy,
which temple you are. It looks from other parts of the epistle,
where the apostle argues to the very same purport (see ch. vi. 13-20 ),
as if the false teachers among the Corinthians were not only loose
livers, but taught licentious doctrines, and what was particularly
fitted to the taste of this lewd city, on the head of fornication. Such
doctrine was not to be reckoned among hay and stubble, which would be
consumed while the person who laid them on the foundation escaped the
burning; for it tended to corrupt, to pollute, and destroy the church,
which was a building erected for God, and consecrated to him, and
therefore should be kept pure and holy. Those who spread principles of
this sort would provoke God to destroy them. Note, Those who spread
loose principles, that have a direct tendency to pollute the church of
God, and render it unholy and unclean, are likely to bring destruction
on themselves. It may be understood also as an argument against their
discord and factious strifes, division being the way to destruction.
But what I have been mentioning seems to be the proper meaning of the
passage: Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you? It may be understood of the church
of Corinth collectively, or of every single believer among them;
Christian churches are temples of God. He dwells among them by his Holy
Spirit. They are built together for a habitation of God through the
Spirit, Eph. ii. 22 .
Every Christian is a living temple of the living God. God dwelt in the
Jewish temple, took possession of it, and resided in it, by that
glorious cloud that was the token of his presence with that people. So
Christ by his Spirit dwells in all true believers. The temple was
devoted and consecrated to God, and set apart from every common to a
holy use, to the immediate service of God. So all Christians are
separated from common uses, and set apart for God and his service. They
are sacred to him--a very good argument this against all fleshly lusts,
and all doctrines that give countenance to them. If we are the temples
of God, we must do nothing that shall alienate ourselves from him, or
corrupt and pollute ourselves, and thereby unfit ourselves for his use;
and we must hearken to no doctrine nor doctor that would seduce us to
any such practices. Note, Christians are holy by profession, and should
be pure and clean both in heart and conversation. We should heartily
abhor, and carefully avoid, what will defile God's temple, and
prostitute what ought to be sacred to him.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to
be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be
wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it
is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that
they are vain.
Here he prescribes humility, and a modest opinion of themselves, for
the remedy of the irregularities in the church of Corinth, the
divisions and contests among them: " Let no man deceive himself, v. 18 .
Do not be led away from the truth and simplicity of the gospel by
pretenders to science and eloquence, by a show of deep learning, or a
flourish of words, by rabbis, orators, or philosophers." Note, We are
in great danger of deceiving ourselves when we have too high an opinion
of human wisdom and arts; plain and pure Christianity will be likely to
be despised by those who can suit their doctrines to the corrupt taste
of their hearers, and set them off with fine language, or support them
with a show of deep and strong reasoning. But he who seems to be
wise must become a fool that he may be wise. He must be sensible of
his own ignorance, and lament it; he must distrust his own
understanding, and not lean on it. To have a high opinion of our wisdom
is but to flatter ourselves, and self-flattery is the very next step to
self-deceit. The way to true wisdom is to sink our opinion of our own
to a due level, and be willing to be taught of God. He must become a
fool who would be truly and thoroughly wise. The person who resigns his
own understanding, that he may follow the instruction of God, is in the
way to true and everlasting wisdom. The meek will he guide in
judgment, the meek will he teach his way, Ps. xxv. 9 .
He that has a low opinion of his own knowledge and powers will submit
to better information; such a person may be informed and improved by
revelation: but the proud man, conceited of his own wisdom and
understanding, will undertake to correct even divine wisdom itself, and
prefer his own shallow reasonings to the revelations of infallible
truth and wisdom. Note, We must abase ourselves before God if we would
be either truly wise or good: For the wisdom of this world is
foolishness with God, v. 19 .
The wisdom which worldly men esteem (policy, philosophy, oratory) is
foolishness with God. It is so in a way of comparison with his
wisdom. He chargeth his angels with folly ( Job iv. 18 ),
and much more the wisest among the children of men. His
understanding is infinite, Ps. cxlvii. 5 .
There can be no more comparison between his wisdom and ours than
between his power and being and ours. There is no common measure by
which to compare finite and infinite. And much more is the wisdom of
man foolishness with God when set in competition with his. How justly
does he despise, how easily can he baffle and confound it! He taketh
the wise in their own craftiness ( Job v. 13 ),
he catches them in their own nets, and entangles them in their own
snares: he turns their most studies, plausible, and promising schemes
against themselves, and ruins them by their own contrivance. Nay, He
knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain ( v. 20 ),
that they are vanity, Ps. xciv. 11 .
Note, God has a perfect knowledge of the thoughts of men, the deepest
thoughts of the wisest men, their most secret counsels and purposes:
nothing is hidden from him, but all things are naked and bare before him, Heb. iv. 13 .
And he knows them to be vanity. The thoughts of the wisest men in the
world have a great mixture of vanity, of weakness and folly, in them;
and before God their wisest and best thoughts are very vanity,
compared, I mean, with his thoughts of things. And should not all this
teach us modesty, diffidence in ourselves, and a deference to the
wisdom of God, make us thankful for his revelations, and willing to be
taught of God, and not be led away by specious pretences to human
wisdom and skill, from the simplicity of Christ, or a regard to his
heavenly doctrine? Note, He who would be wise indeed must learn of God,
and not set his own wisdom up in competition with God's.
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life,
or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
Here the apostle founds an exhortation against over-valuing their
teachers on what he had just said, and on the consideration that they
had an equal interest in all their ministers: Therefore let no man
glory in men ( v. 21 )--
forget that their ministers are men, or pay that deference to them that
is due only to God, set them at the head of parties, have them in
immoderate esteem and admiration, and servilely and implicitly follow
their directions and submit to their dictates, and especially in
contradiction to God and the truths taught by his Holy Spirit. Mankind
are very apt to make the mercies of God cross their intentions. The
ministry is a very useful and very gracious institution, and faithful
ministers are a great blessing to any people; yet the folly and
weakness of people may do much mischief by what is in itself a
blessing. They may fall into factions, side with particular ministers,
and set them at their head, glory in their leaders, and be carried by
them they know not whither. The only way to avoid this mischief is to
have a modest opinion of ourselves, a due sense of the common weakness
of human understanding, and an entire deference to the wisdom of God
speaking in his word. Ministers are not to be set up in competition
with one another. All faithful ministers are serving one Lord and
pursuing one purpose. They were appointed of Christ, for the common
benefit of the church: " Paul, and Apollos, and Cephas, are all
yours. One is not to be set up against another, but all are to be
valued and used for your own spiritual benefit." Upon this occasion
also he gives in an inventory of the church's possessions, the
spiritual riches of a true believer: " All is yours --ministers of
all ranks, ordinary and extraordinary. Nay the world itself is yours."
Not that saints are proprietors of the world, but it stands for their
sake, they have as much of it as Infinite Wisdom sees to be fit for
them, and they have all they have with the divine blessing. " Life is
yours, that you may have season and opportunity to prepare for the
life of heaven; and death is yours, that you may go to the
possession of it. It is the kind messenger that will fetch you to your
Father's house. Things present are yours, for your support on
the road; things to come are yours, to enrich and regale you for
ever at your journey's end." Note, If we belong to Christ, and are true
to him, all good belongs to us, and is sure to us. All is ours, time
and eternity, earth and heaven, life and death. We shall want no
good thing, Ps. lxxxiv. 11 .
But it must be remembered, at the same time, that we are
Christ's, the subjects of his kingdom, his property. He is Lord
over us, and we must own his dominion, and cheerfully submit to his
command and yield themselves to his pleasure, if we would have all
things minister to our advantage. All things are ours, upon no other
ground than our being Christ's. Out of him we are without just title or
claim to any thing that is good. Note, Those that would be safe for
time, and happy to eternity, must be Christ's. And Christ is
God's. He is the Christ of God, anointed of God, and commissioned
by him, to bear the office of a Mediator, and to act therein for the
purposes of his glory. Note, All things are the believer's, that Christ
might have honour in his great undertaking, and God in all might have
the glory. God in Christ reconciling a sinful world to himself, and
shedding abroad the riches of his grace on a reconciled world, is the
sum and substance of the gospel.
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 3
In this chapter the apostle returns to the charge of schisms and contentions upon the Corinthians, which were the occasion of the epistle; and reproves them for their divisions, which were about their ministers; and gives them their just and due character, and who, though they were useful and commendable in their places, were not to be gloried in; and especially it was a great piece of weakness and folly, to set up one against another, when they had an equal interest in them all. Having, in the latter part of the preceding chapter, made mention of the spiritual man, the apostle tells the Corinthians, to whom he writes, that he could not address them as spiritual, but as carnal; and not as perfect men, among whom he spake the wisdom of God, but as babes in Christ, 1Co 3:1 and this rudeness and ignorance of theirs account for his conduct towards them, in delivering the plain and easy, and not the sublime doctrines of the Gospel to them, because they were not able to bear them; nor were they yet able, notwithstanding the length of time, the proficiency they had made, and the many teachers they had had among them, 1Co 3:2 and to prove that they were carnal, and not spiritual, he instances in their envy, strife, and contentions, which were carnal works, or works of the flesh, 1Co 3:3 and gives some particulars of their contentions about their ministers, which put it out of all doubt that they were carnal, 1Co 3:4 and reproves them for such contentions, and argues the folly and sinfulness of them; partly from the character of their preachers, as servants and ministers, who were the instruments of their faith and conversion, through the grace of God, and therefore not to be set up at the head of them as their lords and masters, 1Co 3:5 and partly from the unprofitableness of their ministry, without a divine blessing, 1Co 3:6 and also from the unity and equality of the ministers among themselves, though their labours and reward were different, 1Co 3:8 and therefore parties and factions were not to be made on their account; and besides, as they were labourers with God, and the church were his husbandry and building, in which they were employed, 1Co 3:9, though they might differ in some superstructure points, yet they agreed in the foundation; and the apostle instances in himself under the character of a wise master builder, laying the foundation, and others building on it, 1Co 3:10 and declares what this foundation was, which he and other Gospel ministers agreed in laying; nor was there any other that could be laid, to any good purpose besides, which is Jesus Christ, 1Co 3:11 and then distinguishes between the different sorts of builders, the one laying on the foundation things of the greatest worth and value, and others things very trifling and useless, 1Co 3:12 and intimates that there would be a time, when there would be a revelation and declaration of every man's work, of what sort it is, 1Co 3:13 so that, according to their different structures, there will be a different reward, as is suggested, 1Co 3:8 for though both sorts of preachers are upon the foundation, and so their persons will be safe, yet what they have built upon that foundation, according to the nature of it, shall either abide or be destroyed, 1Co 3:14 wherefore inasmuch then as the church of Christ is a temple, a building laid on such a foundation as Christ, it ought not to be defiled by factions and divisions, by errors and heresies; especially since it is holy, and the Spirit of God dwells in it; and whoever does defile it shall surely be destroyed; and therefore the apostle dissuades from it, both from the turpitude of the action, and the danger of it, 1Co 3:16 he cautions against the wisdom of this world, which was the cause of their divisions; as being self-deceiving, and contrary to true wisdom, 1Co 3:18 and as being foolishness in the account of God, which he proves by some passages of scripture, 1Co 3:19 and concludes, therefore, that no man ought to glory in men, in the best of men, not even in ministers, 1Co 3:21 so as to separate and divide them, one from another, and set up one above another, since they, and all things else, were theirs, 1Co 3:22 the ground and evidence of which their right and property in them are given, they being Christ's, and Christ's God's, 1Co 3:23.
Ver. 1. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you,.... Though the apostle was a spiritual man himself, had spiritual gifts, even the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, could judge all things, had the mind of Christ, and was able to speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, yet could not speak it to them,
as unto spiritual; not but that they had the Spirit of God in them, and a work of grace upon them; for they were, as the apostle afterwards says, the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelt in them; they were washed, sanctified, and justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God; but had not that spiritual discerning, or judgment in spiritual things, which some believers had, at least when the apostle was first with them; and now they were under great spiritual declensions, and had not those spiritual frames, nor that spiritual experience and conversation, which some other Christians had:
but as unto carnal: not that they were in a carnal state, as unregenerate men are; but had carnal conceptions of things, were in carnal frames of soul, and walked in a carnal conversation with each other; though they were not in the flesh, in a state of nature, yet the flesh was in them, and not only lusted against the Spirit, but was very predominant in them, and carried them captive, so that they are denominated from it:
even as unto babes in Christ; they were in Christ, and so were new creatures; they were, as the Arabic version reads it, "in the faith of Christ"; though babes and weaklings in it, they were believers in Christ, converted persons, yet children in understanding, knowledge, and experience; had but little judgment in spiritual things, and were unskilful in the word of righteousness; at least this was the case of many of them, though others were enriched in all utterance and knowledge, and in no gift came behind members of other churches.
1 Corinthians 3:2
Ver. 2. I have fed you with milk,.... It is usual with the Jews to compare the law to milk, and they say {c}, that
"as milk strengthens and nourishes an infant, so the law strengthens and nourishes the soul;''
but the apostle does not here mean hrwt lv blx, "the milk of the law", as they {d} call it, but the Gospel; comparable to milk, for its purity and wholesomeness, for the nourishing virtue there is in it, and because easy of digestion; for he designs by it, the more plain and easy doctrines of the Gospel, such as babes in Christ were capable of understanding and receiving: and not with meat; the more solid doctrines of the Gospel, and sublime mysteries of grace; the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom; such truths as were attended with difficulties, to which the carnal reason of men made many objections, and so were only fit to be brought before such who are of full age, young men, or rather fathers in Christ; who have had a large experience, and a long time of improvement in spiritual knowledge, and have their senses exercised to distinguish between truth and error. The reason he gives for this his conduct is,
for hitherto ye were not able to bear it; they could not receive, relish, and digest it; it was too strong meat for them, they being weak in faith, and but babes in Christ; wherefore he prudently adapted things to their capacities, and that in perfect consistence with that faithfulness and integrity, for which he was so remarkable: for the Gospel he preached to them, which he calls "milk", was not another Gospel, or contrary to that which goes by the name of "meat": only the one consisted of truths more easily to be understood, and was delivered in a manner more suited to their capacities than the other: he adds,
neither yet now are ye able; which carries in it a charge of dulness and negligence, that they had been so long learning, and were improved no more in the knowledge of the truth; were as yet only in the alphabet of the Gospel, and needed to be afresh instructed in the first principles of the oracles of God; for anything beyond these was too high for them. The apostle seems to allude to the manner and custom of the Jews, in training up their children to learning; as to their age when they admit them scholars, their rule is this {e},
"they introduce children (into the school) to be taught when six or seven years of age, wpwg Nynbw Nbh xk ypl, "according to the child's strength, and the make of his body, and less than six years of age they do not take any in."''
But sooner than this, a father is obliged to teach his child at home, concerning which they say {f},
"from what time is his father obliged to teach him the law? as soon as he begins to speak, he teaches him the law Moses commanded us, and "hear O Israel", and after that he instructs him, Myqwop Myqwop jem jem, "by little and little, here and there a verse", till he is six or seven years of age, and, wyrwb ypl lkh, "all this according to the clearness of his understanding";''
i.e. as he is able to take things in; and even till twelve years he was to be used with a great deal of tenderness:
"says R. Isaac {g}, at Usha they made an order, that a man should "use his son gently", until he is twelve years of age; the gloss upon it is, if his son refuses to learn, he shall use him Mykr Myrbdbw txnb, "with mildness and tender language."''
{c} Kimchi in Isa. lv. 1. Abarbinel, Mashamia Jeshua, fol. 26. 1. {d} Jarchi in Cant. v. 12. {e} Maimom. Talmud Tora, c. 2. sect. 2. {f} Ib. c. 1. sect. 6. {g} T. Bab. Cetubot, fol. 50. 1.
1 Corinthians 3:3
Ver. 3. For ye are yet carnal,.... The Syriac reads it,
Nwtna robb, "ye are in the flesh": a phrase the apostle elsewhere uses of men in an unregenerate state; but this is not his meaning here, as before explained, but that carnality still prevailed among them, of which he gives proof and evidence:
for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? They envied each other's gifts and knowledge, strove about words to no profit, entered into warm debates and contentions about their ministers, and went into factions and parties, which were distinguished by the names they were most affected to; in all which they gave too clear evidence of their prevailing carnality, that they too much walked as other men, who make no profession of religion; that they were led by the judgment of men, and were carried away with human passions and inflections; and in their conduct could scarcely be distinguished from the rest of the world. The things that are here mentioned, and with which they are charged, are reckoned by the apostle among the works of the flesh, Ga 5:19 the phrase, "and divisions", is omitted in the Alexandrian copy, and in some others, and in the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions.
1 Corinthians 3:4
Ver. 4. For while one saith, I am of Paul,.... This shows what their envying and strife, and divisions were about, and from whence they sprung; and which serve, to strengthen the proof, and support the charge of carnality brought against them; for when one sort made a party for Paul, and set up him as their minister above all others; and said
another, I am of Apollos, preferring him for his eloquence above Paul, or any other preacher, as appears from 1Co 1:12 there was a third sort for Cephas, whom they cried up as superior to the other two, or any other man; and a fourth were for Christ, and despised all ministers whatever:
are ye not carnal? all this was a demonstration of it: they could never clear themselves from it, they must be convicted in their own consciences of it; to which the apostle appeals: the Alexandrian copy and the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read, "are ye not men?"
1 Corinthians 3:5
Ver. 5. Who then is Paul? and who is Apollos?.... The apostle's name being used, and he a party concerned, could speak the more freely upon this head, and ask what they thought of himself, and other preachers, whether they were more than men? what authority and power they had, whether they looked upon them as the authors of a new religion, or the founders of a new sect, that were to go by their names? and directs them what light to consider them in, how that they were
but ministers by whom ye believed: they were servants to Christ and to his churches, and not lords; they did not assume any dominion over men, or pretend to lord it over God's heritage; there is but one Lord and master, and that is Christ, whom they served, and taught others to obey; they were only instrumental in the hand of God, by whom souls were directed, encouraged, and brought to believe in Christ; as for faith itself, that is the gift of God, the operation of his power, and of which Christ is the author and finisher; they laid no claim to this as their work, or imagined they had any dominion over it; that they could either implant it, or increase it of themselves; but thought it honour enough done them, that it came by their ministry; and that that, and the joy of it, were helped and furthered by their means: the Vulgate Latin version reads, "his ministers whom ye believed"; that is, the ministers of Christ, whom they believed in; not in the ministers, but Christ; the Arabic version renders it, "but two ministers, by whom ye believed"; referring to Paul and Apollos, who are meant:
even as the Lord gave to every man; gifts to minister with, and success to his ministry; making him useful to this and the other man, to bring him to the faith of Christ; all which is owing to the free grace and sovereign good will and pleasure of God.
1 Corinthians 3:6
Ver. 6. I have planted,.... That is, ministerially; otherwise the planting of souls in Christ, and the implanting of grace in them, are things purely divine, and peculiar to God, and the power of his grace; but his meaning is, that he was at Corinth, as in other places, the first that preached the Gospel to them; and was an instrument of the conversion of many souls, and of laying the foundation, and of raising and forming a Gospel church state, and of planting them in it;
Apollos watered; he followed after, and his ministry was blessed for edification; he was a means of carrying on the superstructure, and of building up souls in faith and holiness, and of making them fruitful in every good word and work: each minister of the Gospel has his proper gifts, work, and usefulness; some are planters, others waterers; some are employed in hewing down the sturdy oaks, and others in squaring and fitting, and laying them in the building; some are "Boanergeses", sons of thunder, and are mostly useful in conviction and conversion; and others are "Barnabases", sons of consolation, who are chiefly made use of in comforting and edifying the saints: but God gave the increase: for as the gardener may put his plants into the earth, and water them when he has so done, but cannot cause them to grow, this is owing to a divine blessing; and as the husbandman tills his ground, casts the seed into it, and waits for the former and latter rain, but cannot cause it to spring up, or increase to perfection, this is done by a superior influence; so ministers of the Gospel plant and water, cast in the seed of the word, preach the Gospel, but all the success is from the Lord; God only causes it to spring up and grow; it is he that gives it its increasing, spreading, fructifying virtue and efficacy.
1 Corinthians 3:7
Ver. 7. So then, neither is he that planteth anything,.... Not that he is the happy instrument of beginning the good work:
neither he that watereth; who is the means of carrying of it on: not that they are simply and absolutely nothing, without any restriction and limitation; they are men, they are Christians, they are ministers, and useful ones, by whom others believe; they are labourers together with God, ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God, and so to be accounted of; but they are nothing in themselves, nor in their own account, or with respect to God: they are nothing of themselves as ministers; they have nothing but what they have received; all their gifts are from God, nor can they exercise them aright without the grace of God, not being able to think a good thought as of themselves; nor are they anything in making their planting and watering effectual; and so no glory belongs to them; nothing is to be ascribed to them, they have no part or lot in these things:
but God that giveth the increase; he gives them their abilities, assists them in the exercise of their gifts, makes their ministrations useful, and he has, as he ought to have, all the glory.
1 Corinthians 3:8
Ver. 8. Now he that planteth, and he that watereth are one,.... Not in every respect so; they were different as men, they were not the same individual persons, nor in the same office; Paul was an apostle, Apollos only a preacher of the Gospel; nor had they the same measure of gifts, nor did they labour alike, or were of the same usefulness; but they had one and the same commission to preach the Gospel; and the Gospel they preached was the same; and so were their views, aims, and ends, which were the glory of God, and the good of immortal souls; and they had the same love and affection for one another; they were one in their work, judgment, and affection; and which carries in it a strong reason and argument why the members of this church should not contend and divide about them:
and every man shall receive his own reward; either from men, that double honour he is worthy of, maintenance and respect; or rather from God, not a reward of debt, for his labours are by no means meritorious of anything at the hands of God, from whom he has all the grace, strength, and abilities he labours with; but of grace, even the reward of the inheritance, because he serves the Lord Christ; which is by bequest, through the death of the testator, and common to all the children of God, and heirs of glory:
according to his own labour; and not another's; and not according to the success of it, but according to that itself; not that that is the measure of the reward, for the reward infinitely exceeds it; but is that to which God has graciously annexed the promise of the reward, as an encouragement to it.
1 Corinthians 3:9
Ver. 9. For we are labourers together with God,.... The ministers of the Gospel are labourers in the Lord's vineyard, and not loiterers; their work is a laborious work, both to body and mind; which lies in close study and meditation, in diligent reading and constant prayer, in frequent ministration of the word, and administration of ordinances; besides reproofs, admonitions, and exhortations, counsels, and instructions, which are often necessary: it is a work, which no man is sufficient for of himself; what requires diligence, industry, and faithfulness; is honourable, and, when rightly performed, deserves respect: nor do they labour alone, but with God; not as co-ordinate, but as subordinate workers; for though they labour in planting and watering, yet they bear no part with him in giving the increase; he is the husbandman, the chief master builder, they are labourers under him; however, he works with them; hence their labours are not in vain, and they have great encouragement to go on in their work; and they are God's labourers with one another, which is a sense of the phrase not to be overlooked. The apostle often, in his epistles, speaks of his fellow workmen, and fellow labourers, who wrought together with him under God:
ye are God's husbandry; or tillage; he is the proprietor of the field, the occupier of it, the husbandman who breaks up the fallow ground of the hearts of his people; he casts in the seed of grace, he makes the ground good, and causes it to bring forth fruit; the churches of Christ are his property, land of his fertilizing, and all the fruit belongs unto him; they are gardens of his planting, and vineyards of his watering, and which he keeps night and day, lest any hurt:
ye are God's building; as the former metaphor is taken from agriculture, this is from architecture: believers in a church state are God's house, in which he dwells, and which he himself has built; he has laid the foundation, which is Jesus Christ; he makes his people lively stones, and lays them on it; he raises up the superstructure, and will complete the building, and ought to bear all the glory, and in all which he makes use of his ministers as instruments.
1 Corinthians 3:10
Ver. 10. According to the grace of God which is given unto me,.... Lest the apostle should be thought to be too much elated with the characters he had given of himself, and other ministers, or to assume too much to himself, in what he was about to say of himself, he ascribes all the gifts he had, and the usefulness he was of, as a labourer and builder in the church of God, to rich grace; by which he was called unto, and qualified for such work: as a wise master builder. This same phrase, sofov arcitektwn, "a wise master builder", is used by the Septuagint interpreters, in Isa 3:3 by which they render Myvrx Mkx, "the cunning artificer", or the wise man of the carpenters, or artificers. The architect of all is God the Father, Son, and Spirit; God the Father is the builder of all things; Christ builds his church on himself the rock; and the saints are built up an habitation for God, through the Spirit; ministers are builders under God, instruments he makes use of, and who would labour in vain, unless the Lord build the city: such an one was the apostle, though he calls himself a master builder with respect to inferior ministers; he being in the highest office in the church, as an apostle, and not a whit behind the chief of them; and was the chief apostle of the Gentiles, and was principally concerned in preaching the Gospel to them, and in raising churches among them. The allusion is to the Jews, who use to call the Rabbins and doctors, and the disciples of the wise men, "builders": they ask in a certain place {h}, Nyanb yam,
"who are the builders? says R. Joehanna, these are the disciples of the wise men, who employ themselves in the building of the world all their days {i}.''
That is, the law, as one {k} of their writers explains this building; hence they are sometimes called builders of the law, and which was looked upon to be an high character: it is said {l} of a certain person, that
"R. Zeira praised him, and called him, atyyrwad hyynb, "a builder of the law."''
But the apostle was a Gospel builder, a builder of Gospel churches in Gospel truths, and in faith and holiness; these were foolish builders, but he a wise one; and his wisdom lay in the knowledge of Christ, in preaching him, and in winning souls unto him; and particularly in that he took care in his ministry, to lay a good foundation:
I have laid the foundation; meaning not only that as at other places, so at Corinth, he first preached the Gospel to them, and was the first instrument of their conversion, and laying the foundation of a Gospel church state; but that in his preaching he laid Christ as the one and only foundation, for men to build their faith and hope upon, for everlasting life and happiness, mentioned in the following verse:
and another buildeth thereupon; which designs not a private Christian, who was directed in the apostle's ministry to build his soul upon the rock of ages, Christ the sure foundation laid in Zion; though there is a truth in this, the apostle laid Christ as a foundation, and encouraged others to build their faith and hope upon him, as to eternal salvation; and many were enabled to do so, which was the happy fruit of his ministry, and what gave him pleasure; and in this sense he also himself built upon this foundation, for this cannot be said of another, to the exclusion of himself; he would never lay a foundation, and direct others to build on it, and not build upon it himself; but another minister of the Gospel is meant, as Apollos, or any other who might follow him, and be a means of carrying on the building upon the foundation he had laid; and of edifying and establishing souls upon it; and of rearing up superstructure truths, upon the foundation one:
but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon; that he builds by line, evenly, according to the analogy of faith; that he builds in proportion to the foundation; and lays such things upon it as are becoming it, and suitable to it.
{h} T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 114. 1. {i} Jarchi, Maimon. Sampson, & Bartenora in Misn. Mikvaot, c. 9. sect. 6. {k} Juchasin, fol. 81. 1. {l} T. Hieros. Gittin, fol. 48. 4.
1 Corinthians 3:11
Ver. 11. For other foundation can no man lay,.... Men may attempt to lay other foundations than Christ, and build upon them, but to no purpose; they will be of no avail; all besides him are sandy foundations; such as fleshly privileges, a carnal descent, a religious education, an external profession of religion, a man's own righteousness, and the absolute mercy of God; but men ought to lay no other, nor can they, that will be of any advantage to themselves or others:
than that which is laid; by Jehovah the Father, both in his eternal counsels and covenant, when he set forth and appointed Christ to be the Saviour and Redeemer of his people; and in the fulness of time, when he sent him forth under the same characters; and by the Spirit of God, when he reveals Christ to them, and forms him in them; and by the ministers of the Gospel, who jointly agree to lay him ministerially, as the foundation for souls to build their hope upon: hence he is called the "foundation of the apostles and prophets", as here,
which is Jesus Christ; he is the foundation personally considered, as God-man and Mediator, on which the church, and every believer is built; he is the foundation of the covenant of grace, and of eternal salvation; of the faith and hope, peace, joy, and comfort of all the saints; and of the building of God, that house not made with hands, that city which has foundations, eternal glory in the other world; and he is the foundation, doctrinally considered; or the doctrines of his proper, deity, of his divine and eternal sonship, of his incarnation, of his Messiahship, of his obedience, sufferings, death, and resurrection from the dead, of justification by his righteousness, pardon by his blood, and atonement by his sacrifice, &c. are fundamental ones: the Jews were wont to call the principal articles of their religion, ydwoy, "foundations": Maimondes has entitled one of his tracts, hrwth ydwoy "the foundations of the law"; but the doctrines respecting the person, offices, and grace of Christ, are the only foundation of the Gospel.
1 Corinthians 3:12
Ver. 12. Now if any man build upon this foundation,.... The different materials laid by one and the same man, on this foundation, or the different doctrines advanced upon it, are some of them comparable to
gold, silver, precious stones; for their intrinsic worth and value; for the purity and sincerity of them; for their weight, importance, solidity, and substantiality; for their durableness; for the great esteem they are had in by those, who know the worth of them; and for the great usefulness they are of unto them, being rich in themselves, and enriching to them; and these are the great, momentous, and valuable truths of the Gospel, which agree with and are suitable to the foundation they are built upon: so the Jews {m} compare their oral and written law, the former to gold, and the latter to precious stones, but the metaphors much better suit the doctrines of the Gospel: others are like to
wood, hay, stubble; by which are meant, not heretical doctrines, damnable heresies, such as are diametrically opposite to, and overturn the foundation; for one and the same man builds the former, as these, and is himself saved at last; neither of which is true, of such that deliver doctrines of devils: but empty, trifling, useless things are meant; such as fables, endless genealogies, human traditions, Jewish rites and ceremonies; which through the prejudice of education, and through ignorance and inadvertency, without any bad design, might by some be introduced into their ministry, who had been brought up in the Jewish religion; as also the wisdom of the world, the philosophy of the Gentiles, oppositions of science falsely so called, curious speculations, vain and idle notions, which such who had their education among the Greeks might still retain, and be fond of; and through an itch of vain glory, mix with their evangelic ministrations; and in a word, everything that may now be advanced in the Gospel ministry, not so honourable to the grace of God, or so becoming the person, blood, and righteousness of Christ, nor so consistent with the Spirit's work of grace, may be meant hereby; the same minister at different times, and sometimes at one and the same time in his ministry, lays the foundation, Christ, and builds on it for a while excellent valuable truths, raises a superstructure of gold, silver, and precious stones, and then covers the edifice with trifling, impertinent, and inconsistent things, with wood, hay, and stubble; and so at last, of this promising fine stately building, makes a thatched house,
{m} Koheleth Jaacob in Caphtor, fol. 109. 2.
1 Corinthians 3:13
Ver. 13. Every man's work shall be made manifest,.... The doctrine he preaches shall be sooner or later made manifest to himself, and to his hearers; who shall see the inconsistency, irregularity, and deformity of such a building; at first so well laid, then piled up with such excellent materials, and at last covered in with such trifling or incoherent stuff:
for the day shall declare it; meaning not the day of judgment, though that is often called the day, or that day, and will be attended with fire, and in it all secrets shall be made manifest; but the apostle intends a discovery that will be made of doctrines in this world, before that time comes: wherefore this day rather designs a day of tribulation; as of persecution, which tries men's principles, whether they are solid or not; and of error and heresy, when men are put upon a re-examination of their doctrines, whereby persons and truths that are approved are made manifest; or of some great calamity, such as the destruction of Jerusalem, whereby many wrong notions the Jews yet retained were discovered: but it is best of all to understand this day of the Gospel day, and of the progress of Gospel light, especially in some particular periods of it; as in the primitive times, at the reformation from popery, and the more remarkable Gospel daylight, which will be in the latter times, when the impertinence and inconsistency of many things which now obtain in the ministry will be seen; see Eph 5:13.
Because it shall be revealed by fire: not that day, but the man's work, or doctrine:
and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is; by the fire is meant, not the general conflagration of the world, when that, and all that is therein, will be burnt up; much less the fire of purgatory, the "papists" dream of, for the punishment of evil actions; for the apostle is not speaking of the actions of men, good or bad, but of the doctrines of ministers; rather the fire of tribulation and affliction, which, as it is for the trial of the grace of faith, so of the doctrine of faith, whereby it becomes much more precious than of gold that perisheth; or of some fiery dispensation of God's vengeance, as on Jerusalem: though the word of God, which is as fire, seems to be intended; which in some certain times so blazes forth, and will more especially in the latter day, that by the light of it, both ministers and churches will be able to see clearly the bright shining lustre of the gold, silver, and precious stones; and with so much heat, as to burn up the wood, hay, and stubble; when the difference between these things will be most easily discerned.
1 Corinthians 3:14
Ver. 14. If any man's work abide,.... That is, if any minister's doctrine will bear the test of daylight, to be looked into, and abide the fire of the word; as gold, silver, and precious stones will, or such doctrines as are comparable to them, which will shine the brighter for being tried by this fire:
which he hath built thereupon; upon the foundation Christ, in entire consistence with, and proportion to it, and highly becoming it:
he shall receive a reward; either from the churches of Christ here, who shall honour and respect him for his faithful labours in the ministry; or from Christ hereafter, who will say, well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
1 Corinthians 3:15
Ver. 15. If any man's work shall be burnt,.... If any minister's doctrine he has preached shall be destroyed and disappear, shall be disapproved of, and rejected by the churches, not being able, to bear the light and heat of the fire of God's word:
he shall suffer loss; of all his labour and pains he has been at, in collecting together such trifling, useless, and inconsistent things; and of all that glory and popular applause he might expect from men, on account of them, and which was the snare that drew him into such a way of preaching:
but he himself shall be saved; with an everlasting salvation; not by his ministerial labours, much less by his wood, hay, and stubble, which will be all burnt up; but through his being, notwithstanding all the imperfections of his ministry, upon the foundation Christ:
yet so as by fire; with much difficulty, and will be scarcely saved; see 1Pe 4:17 with great danger, loss, and shame; as a man that is burnt out of house and home, he escapes himself with his own life, but loses all about him: so the Syriac version reads it,
arwn Nmd Kya, "as out of the fire": see Zec 3:2. Or the sense is, that he shall be tried by the fire of the word, and convinced by the light of it of the errors, irregularities, and inconsistencies of his ministry; either in his time of life and health, or on a death bed; and shall have all his wood, hay, and stubble burnt up, for nothing of this kind shall he carry with him in his judgment to heaven; only the gold, silver, and precious stones; and will find that the latter doctrines, and not the former, will only support him in the views of death and eternity.
1 Corinthians 3:16
Ver. 16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God,.... The apostle having spoken of the saints as God's building, of himself as a wise master builder, of Christ as the only foundation, and of various doctrines as the materials laid thereon, proceeds to observe to this church, and the members of it, that they being incorporated together in a Gospel church state, were the temple of God; and which was what they could not, or at least ought not, to be ignorant of: and they are so called, in allusion to Solomon's temple; which as it was a type of the natural, so of the mystical body of Christ. There is an agreement between that and the church of Christ, in its maker, matter, situation, magnificence, and holiness; and the church is said to be the temple of God, because it is of his building, and in which he dwells: what the apostle here says of the saints at Corinth, the Jewish doctors say of the Israelites {n},
Mta hwhy lkyh, "the temple of the Lord are ye"; and which being usually said of them in the apostle's time, he may refer unto; and much better apply to the persons he does, of which the indwelling of the Spirit was the evidence:
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you: in particular members, as a spirit of regeneration, sanctification, faith, and adoption, and as the earnest and pledge of their future glory; in their ministers to fit and qualify them for their work, and carry them through it; and in the whole church, to bless the word and ordinances, for their growth, comfort, and establishment. This furnishes out a considerable proof of the deity and distinct personality of the Spirit, since this is mentioned as an evidence of the saints being the temple of God, which would not be one, if the Spirit was not God, who dwells therein; and since a temple is sacred to deity, and therefore if he dwells here as in a temple, he must dwell here as God; and since he is mentioned as distinct from God, whose Spirit he is, and dwelling, a personal action is ascribed to him, he must be a distinct divine person.
{n} R. Alshech in Hag. ii. 5.
1 Corinthians 3:17
Ver. 17. If any man defile the temple of God,.... By the wisdom of the world, through philosophy, and vain deceit; by bringing in false doctrines, errors, and heresies, and hereby corrupt their minds from the simplicity that is in Christ; and make rents, factions, and divisions among them:
him shall God destroy; body and soul in hell; for as their wicked principles and heretical notions are pernicious to others, they are damnable to themselves, and will bring upon them that judgment which lingereth not, and that damnation which slumbereth not. The false prophet, as well as the beast, and the devil, shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. God is not only an avenger of all immoralities committed against his righteous law, but of all false doctrine and false worship, and of everything that is contrary to the Gospel, and to the order and ordinances of it. The reason of this is,
for the temple of God is holy; alluding to the holiness of Solomon's temple,
"into which a man might not go with his staff, nor with his shoes on, nor with his purse, nor with dust upon his feet, nor might he make it a thoroughfare, and much less spit in it {o}.''
And yet, how was it polluted in our Lord's time by the Jews, who made it a den of thieves, instead of an house of prayer?
which temple ye are. This is added for further confirmation, and to assert their holiness in doctrine, worship, and conversation, and to deter the false teachers from making use of any means to corrupt them in either.
{o} Misn. Beracot, c. 9. sect. 5.
1 Corinthians 3:18
Ver. 18. Let no man deceive himself,.... With vain notions of serving God and religion, and of doing the churches good by his carnal and worldly wisdom, and with false hopes of escaping the vengeance of God for sowing the tares of error, heresy, and discord among his people.
If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world; either a member of them, or a preacher among them, who thought himself wise in worldly wisdom; or was desirous to be thought so by others; or would be a truly wise man in this world, whilst he lives in it, and before he goes out of it:
let him become a fool that he may be wise; not that, properly speaking, folly is the way to wisdom; but that that man that would be wise in a spiritual sense, must first learn to know himself; must be convinced of, and acknowledge his own folly, embrace the Gospel of Christ, which is esteemed foolishness by the world; submit to the ordinances of Christ, which are despised by men; and take up the cross of Christ, and follow him, bear reproach and persecution for his sake, than which nothing is more ridiculous with carnal men: he must deny his worldly wisdom, his carnal and righteous self, and wholly rest and rely on Christ, and his righteousness, for eternal life and happiness, and so will he become truly wise unto salvation. The Jews {p} have a saying,
"that everyone wmue lbnmh, "that makes himself a fool", for the words of the law, at the end, shall be exalted.''
{p} Raya Mehimua in Zohar in Numb. fol. 104. 2.
1 Corinthians 3:19
Ver. 19. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,.... The wisdom of the Jewish, or Gentile world. It is had in no account with him; it is despised and neglected by him; he makes it foolish, destroys it, and brings it to nothing; he lays it aside as useless, to make men wise unto salvation, and by the foolishness of preaching saves them that believe; he passes by the wise and prudent, and hides the things of the Gospel from them; so, that, with all their learning and wisdom, they can neither apprehend nor comprehend the mysteries of grace, whilst he reveals them unto babes, and chooses the foolish things of this world to spread the knowledge of himself, his Son, his Gospel, and the truths of it, and whom he makes successful, to the confusion of the wise and learned.
"For it is written", bytkdk, an usual form of citing Scriptures with the Jews; it is in Job 5:13 he taketh the wise in their own craftiness, or by it. What Eliphaz says of the wise politicians of the world, who are often disappointed of their crafty devices, and cannot perform the enterprises they have took in hand, but their schemes are broken, and the snares they laid for others they are taken in themselves, is applied by the apostle to the Jewish doctors, or the Gentile philosophers, or rather to the false teachers among the Christians; whose schemes they have formed to corrupt the churches, and demolish the Gospel, prove their own destruction; nor will they, with all their cunning, be able to get out of the hand of God, and escape his awful vengeance. The allusion is either to the taking of wild beasts and birds in snares and nets, or to the taking of men in flight, laying hold of them with the hand, and grasping them hard, that they cannot get loose. The Targum interprets the words of the wise men of Pharaoh, and of the Egyptian astrologers, schemes they have formed to corrupt the churches, and demolish the Gospel, prove their own destruction; nor will they, with all their cunning, be able to get out of the hand of God, and escape his awful vengeance. The allusion is either to the taking of wild beasts and birds in snares and nets, or to the taking of men in flight, laying hold of them with the hand, and grasping them hard, that they cannot get loose. The Targum interprets the words of the wise men of Pharaoh, and of the Egyptian astrologers.
1 Corinthians 3:20
Ver. 20. And again,.... Not in the same place, nor in the same book, but in the Psalms, in Ps 94:11. This form of citing Scriptures answers to dwew and moreover, used by the Jewish doctors when the matter does not so clearly appear from the first proof, and therefore they produce another {q}: and so here the apostle, for the further confirmation and illustration of this point, that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, to the testimony of Eliphaz, adds this of David,
the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain; in the Psalms it is, "the Lord knoweth the thoughts of men, that they are vanity"; which the apostle not only cites, but explains and teaches; as that by men is meant men of wisdom and knowledge, of the greatest capacities, whose thoughts, reasonings, schemes, and devices, the omniscient God not only knows, but makes known, and discovers them, sooner or later, to be vain and fruitless, yea, vanity itself; and notwithstanding all their machinations and contrivances, his counsel shall stand, his Gospel shall be maintained, his truths shall prevail, and his ordinances shall be continued, and his work go on.
{q} Vid. Surenhusii Biblos Katallages, p. 11, 531.
1 Corinthians 3:21
Ver. 21. Therefore let no man glory in men,.... The apostle means ministers, who are but men, even the best of them, and therefore not to be gloried in; and has chiefly respect to the false teachers, whose wisdom, learning, and eloquence, the Corinthians were greatly taken with, and boasted of; it was so ensnaring to them, that they even idolized them for it, called them their masters, pinned their faith on their sleeve, gave up themselves to them, and were greatly under their authority, influence, and direction, which is here condemned; and which was so far from being right, that they ought not to behave in such manner to the best of ministers, nor to glory in anyone above another; no, not in Paul, nor Apollos, nor Cephas;
for all things are yours; all the ministers, and all they are endowed with; these were all for their use and service, for their benefit and advantage; wherefore it was very wrong to set up one above, or against another, or for any party to engross anyone minister, when he belonged to them all; and great weakness to reject others, when they had a common right and property in them.
1 Corinthians 3:22
Ver. 22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas,.... These are particularly named, because their disputes were chiefly about them; but what is said of them is true of all other, and all the ministers of Christ, that they are the church's. The gifts which Christ received for them, and has bestowed on them, are not their own, but the church's, and are given to them, not so much for their own use, as for the good and benefit of others. They are made able ministers of the New Testament, not by themselves, nor by man, but by God; who disposes of them as blessings to his churches, and gives them to be pastors and teachers of them, to feed them with knowledge, and with understanding; they are qualified by the Spirit of God for the service of the saints, and are separated by him to it, and are constituted overseers of the flock by his direction; they are placed as stewards of the mysteries and manifold grace of God, to dispense them with wisdom and faithfulness to all in his family, and are the servants of the churches for Jesus' sake, and therefore not to be gloried in; though to be respected in their place and station:
or the world: this, with what follows, is an amplification of the account, and is as if the apostle should say, you should be so far from glorying in man, in a few poor weak instruments, and especially in that in them, which with God is foolishness and vanity, that not only all the ministers of the word are yours, but even the whole world is yours; though called out of it, esteemed the filth of it, and have so little a share of it. The world was made for the sake of the saints, and is continued on their account; when they are called by grace, it will soon be at an end. It is their Lord's, and so theirs, both as Creator and Mediator: the good things of the world are enjoyed by the saints in a peculiar way, as covenant mercies and blessings, so as they are not by others, The evil things of it, as the sins and lusts of it, are escaped by them; and the afflictions they meet with in it are made to work for their good; and as they are heirs of the world, as Abraham was, so they shall inherit it in a much better form than it now is: the present heavens will pass away, the earth and all therein will be burnt up, and new heavens and a new earth arise, in which will dwell none but righteous persons: the world, in its present state, is an inn, suited to the condition of the saints, as pilgrims and strangers; but then it will be as a palace, fit for the spouse and bride of Christ.
Or life; in every view of it: the life of Christ, which he lived here on earth, in obedience to his Father's will, and which he now lives in heaven, where he ever lives to make intercession for his people, and for their good; that fulness of life that is in him, and that eternal life which is through him, are all theirs. The lives of the ministers of the Gospel are for their profit and advantage; and they are spared and continued on their account; their own lives are theirs, though not to live to themselves, nor to the lusts of men, but by faith on Christ, and to the glory of God, and which is what they desire.
Or death: the death of Christ was for them, in their room and stead, for their sins, to make satisfaction to divine justice for them; and the benefits of it are enjoyed by them. The death of good men, ministers, martyrs, and confessors, is theirs, serves to confirm their faith, animate their zeal, and encourage them to hold fast the profession of their faith without wavering. Their own death is a blessing to them; the sting is taken away by Christ; the curse is removed; it is no penal evil to them; it is a deliverance of them from all the sorrows and troubles of this life, and is their passage into endless glory and happiness.
Or things present; whether prosperous or adverse; and these, whether they be their own or others, all work together for their good.
Or things to come; future troubles and exercises; or future good things, either in this world, or in the world to come; the invisible glories of a future state:
all are yours; which is repeated for confirmation sake, and to observe, that if there was anything that was omitted, or could not be thought to be included in any of the above expressions, that also was theirs.
1 Corinthians 3:23
Ver. 23. And ye are Christ's,.... This is the ground and foundation of all things being theirs, and shows in what way they come by them, and what gives them their claim and property: they are Christ's, he has an interest in them, and they in him; they are his, not only by creation, as all men are, but by the Father's special gift of them to him, as his spouse and bride, his children, his sheep, his portion, and his jewels; they are his through the purchase of his own blood, and by a voluntary surrender of themselves unto him, under the influence of his Spirit and grace; they are his by their profession of him; they avouch themselves to be the Lord's and call themselves by his name; and they are his by his possession of them, and dwelling in their hearts by faith; and all they have are his. Their worst things are his; their sins are accounted to him, and laid on him by imputation, and have been bore and done away by him: their griefs and sorrows are his, their reproaches his, and their afflictions and sufferings his. Their best things are his; their temporal mercies come from him, and through him; and all their spiritual blessings, they are blessed with in him; and all the good things done by them are done in his strength, by the assistance of his Spirit, and in virtue of his grace.
And Christ is God's; he is his Son, his own, his only begotten and well beloved Son, as he is a divine person; and as man he is his creature, made by him, and inferior to him; he is the head of him, as the man is of the woman; and as Mediator, he is his righteous servant, whom he has chosen, called, brought forth, upheld, and in whom he is glorified: so that, upon the whole, the saints should not glory in men, though ever so great and good, but in God, and in Christ, as of God, made unto them wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
The most simple truths of the gospel, as to
man's sinfulness and God's mercy, repentance towards God, and
faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, stated in the plainest language, suit
the people better than deeper mysteries. Men may have much
doctrinal knowledge, yet be mere beginners in the life of faith and
experience. Contentions and quarrels about religion are sad
evidences of carnality. True religion makes men peaceable, not
contentious. But it is to be lamented, that many who should walk as
Christians, live and act too much like other men. Many professors,
and preachers also, show themselves to be yet carnal, by vain-
glorious strife, eagerness for dispute, and readiness to despise and
speak evil of others. WHBC 1066.2
7 Corinthians 3:5-9 The ministers about whom the Corinthians
contended, were only instruments used by God. We should not put
ministers into the place of God. He that planteth and he that
watereth are one, employed by one Master, trusted with the same
revelation, busied in one work, and engaged in one design. They
have their different gifts from one and the same Spirit, for the very
same purposes; and should carry on the same design heartily.
Those who work hardest shall fare best. Those who are most
faithful shall have the greatest reward. They work together with
God, in promoting the purposes of his glory, and the salvation of
precious souls; and He who knows their work, will take care they do
not labour in vain. They are employed in his husbandry and
building; and He will carefully look over them.
The most simple truths of the gospel, as to
man's sinfulness and God's mercy, repentance towards God, and
faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, stated in the plainest language, suit
the people better than deeper mysteries. Men may have much
doctrinal knowledge, yet be mere beginners in the life of faith and
experience.
They work together with
God, in promoting the purposes of his glory, and the salvation of
precious souls; and He who knows their work, will take care they do
not labour in vain. They are employed in his husbandry and
building; and He will carefully look over them.
Sources: Matthew Henry; Gill's Exposition; Matthew Henry Concise
Commentary
Commentary