Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 3:1-4

THE PARTIZANSHIP OF THE CORINTHIANS A HINDRANCE TO SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

κἀγώ, ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἠδυνήθην λαλῆσαι ὑμῖν. The Apostle has said much of the superiority of the wisdom which is the result of spiritual illumination. He now warns the Corinthians that the majority of them do not possess it, or at best but in the scantiest measure, and thus remain on the threshold of the Christian life.

πνευματικοῖς. Cf. δυνατοί Romans 15:1, and τέλειοι ch. 1 Corinthians 2:6. Cf. also Galatians 6:1.

σαρκίνοις. The difference between this word and σαρκικός is that the termination -νος signifies the material of which a thing is composed (cf. λίθινος, ξύλινος, &c), while -κος denotes character or tendency. Thus σάρκινος signifies composed of flesh, σαρκικός, ruled by flesh.

νηπίοις ἐν Χριστῷ. It may not be amiss to remark that a man may be a ‘babe,’ even though he be ‘in Christ.’

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 3:1-4

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