Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 3:12

χρυσίον, ἀργύριον אB. ADE read χρυσίον, ἀργύριον.

12. εἰ δέ τις ἐποικοδομεῖ ἐπὶ τὸν θεμέλιον. It must be remembered that it is not the conduct of Christians, however applicable the principles here enunciated may be to it, but the doctrine of teachers which is spoken of here. The materials mentioned are of two classes, those that will endure fire, and those that will not. We may dismiss from our consideration such preaching as is clearly dictated by vainglory or self-interest, for the simple reason that it is not building upon Christ at all. The two kinds of preaching thus become, on the one hand that which leads to permanent results, the glory of God and the real well-being of man; and on the other, that which, though the offspring of a genuine zeal, is too much mixed up with worldly alloy of one kind or another to be of any real use to Christ’s cause.

χρυσίον, ἀργύριον. These are the diminutives of χρυσός and ἄργυρος. The latter signify the metal, the former small pieces of the metal, hence generally gold and silver coin. Here the idea is not the abstract one of the metal, but rather of the portions of the metal added by each particular workman to the adornments of the building. It is easy to see how this subtle distinction may have escaped the copyists. See Critical Note.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 3:12

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