1 Corinthians 3 - Introduction

Butler's Comments

Chapter Three

THE PROBLEM OF MINISTRY (1 Corinthians 3:1-23)

IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:

1.

Why is ministry a problem with Christians?

2.

How can Paul address these jealous and strife-minded Christians as brethren?

3.

Why does the discussion of survival or destruction of works arise here?

4.

What is God's temple?

5.

How does one become wise by becoming a fool?

APPLICATIONS:

1.

Servanthood is learned through practice, it is not innate. Jesus had a difficult time teaching his first disciples that greatness was in serving others. He taught it primarily by his own example: The Son of man came to minister, not to be ministered to.. Jesus washed the disciples feet (John 13:1-38) and said they ought have the same attitude toward one another. Paul served the Corinthian Christianshe was not served by them. In fact he refused to take any salary from them for his ministry to them so they might have it as an example (2 Corinthians 11:7-9; 2 Corinthians 12:13-18).

2.

Dissension and the party-spirit in a church or among Christians is a sure sign of worldly-mindedness (i.e., not thinking as God thinks in his word). It is usually a result of refusing to see human beings as God sees them and, rather, seeing them as the world doesobjects to be exploited for one's own selfish purposes (see 2 Corinthians 5:16-17). It is perpetuated by comparing ourselves. or measuring ourselves by one another instead of by Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:12). Christians can never make spiritual progress or come to maturity until they repent of such worldly thinking.

3.

Every Christian, whether apostle, evangelist, teacher, elder, deacon, secretary, carpenter, custodian, man or woman is simply a laborer in God's field or on God's building. Only God and his Son have authority to be boss. Men are simply planters, waterersGod alone has the power (through his word) to produce life and growth.

4.

Every laborer or worker will take care how he works on God's building if he wants his work to survive and enjoy it:

He will build only on the One FoundationChrist crucified and resurrected.

He will exert every effort to produce quality materials; materials that will survive the fires of temptation and testing.
He will recognize that he too is saved by the quality of fire-survival built into his own life.

5.

Christians must believe that the compensations of self-serving are for fools, while the compensations of servanthood for Christ and others are for the wise.

6.

God made everything good and he made it for Christians to exercise dominion over in order to praise and serve him, to enjoy and benefit from, and to use to bring others to salvation in Christ.

APPREHENSION:

1.

How could Paul call these Corinthians brethren and, in the same breath, say they were not spiritual men?

2.

What is a babe in Christ? Should we remain babes in Christ? How does this fit into Christ's admonition that we must turn and become like little children to enter the kingdom?

3.

Should Christians be fed in stages or phases? Are all Christians ready to receive teaching from the scriptures on the same level?

4.

What is the responsibility of the leaders of the church in this?

5.

What is a clear manifestation of spiritual immaturity?

6.

Do you find this clearly manifested in the brotherhood of Christians today?

7.

Is Paul saying in this chapter we should not show respect or honor to those who teach us the scriptures? What is he saying about human teachers?

8.

What is the one and only essential to church growth?

9.

Where does God put his power to give growth? Are churches and Christian leaders plugging in to God's growing-power or relying on something else?

10.

If apostles are not anything but planters and waterers, why did God give them powers and authority he gave to no other Christian?

11.

Is God serious about Christians being careful how they build his building?

12.

Name some practical ways we may be careful about how we build!

13.

Have you seen any of your building materials tested in the fire?

14.

Have any failed the test? Have any survived? What made the difference?

15.

Will there be any stars in your crown when you get to heaven?

16.

What will God do with those who destroy his church through division?

17.

Did you realize God was that serious about Christian unity?

18.

Why is it foolish for Christians to be biased in favor of some of God's servants and reject others?

19.

Do you really believe that all of God's creation is yours? Are you using it?

Applebury's Comments

CHAPTER THREE

Analysis

A.

The apostle turns his attention to the spiritually immature converts to Christianity at Corinth (1 Corinthians 3:1-4).

1.

He addresses them as -brethren. By so doing he prepares them to accept the correction he is about to give.

2.

The problem he faced when he was at Corinth. (1 Corinthians 3:1-2 a).

a)

He could not speak to them as to spiritual, that is, mature Christians.

b)

He had to speak to them as unto carnal (made of flesh).

c)

They were babes in Christ, that is, just barely beginning their Christian life.

d)

He fed them with milk, not meat, He taught them the elementary things of the gospel, but they were not able to advance to the more mature things of the Christian life.

3.

They were in the same state as he writes to them in this letter (1 Corinthians 3:2 b - 1 Corinthians 3:4).

a)

Ye are not yet able, that is, to accept the advanced teaching. They were still like babes after all the time that had elapsed since their conversion.

b)

Evidence that supports this charge (1 Corinthians 3:3).

(1)

They were still carnal (belonged to flesh) as shown by the jealousy and strife among them.

(2)

They were conducting themselves as mere men, not like spiritual beings, that is, new creatures in Christ.

c)

An illustration of what he meant by this charge is suggested by his question, When one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not men?

B.

He explains the relation of himself and Apollos to the brethren at Corinth (1 Corinthians 3:5-9).

1.

The questions that were designed to make them think: What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? They knew, of course, who they were, but they needed to be reminded of what they were.

2.

The answer to the question:

a)

As to the church, they were ministers (literally, deacons) through whom they had believed on Christ.

b)

As to the Lord, each was doing the task the Lord gave to him: Paul planted, Apollos watered.

c)

As to God, it was He who gave the increase.

d)

As to each other, they are one thing, that is, servants of God. Each of them shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. This dispels any notion that Paul or Apollos approved their saying, I belong to Paul, or I belong to Apollos.

3.

A summary of these relationships shows the reason for what he has just said (1 Corinthians 3:9).

a)

Paul and Apollos are fellow-workers who belong to God.

b)

The church at Corinth is God's field to be cultivated and God's building which He builds through His servants, one of whom lays the foundation (Paul) and another (such as Apollos) builds on it.

C.

He calls their attention to a very significant fact: The church is the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:10-17).

1.

Laying the foundation and building on it (1 Corinthians 3:10-11).

a)

As a wise master builder, Paul laid the foundation. He did this by preaching the word of the cross.

b)

Another (such as Apollos or some other faithful teacher of the Word) builds on the foundation.

c)

A word of caution to each who builds on the foundation:

(1)

Let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon.

(2)

The reason for the warning: There is no problem about laying the foundation, for that foundation is Christ; there is no other. The problem had to do with the kind of disciples each teacher had.

2.

Paul explains what he has just said about building on the foundation (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).

a)

There are two kinds of building materials: gold, silver, costly stones; and wood, hay, stubble. One is fire-proof; the other will burn. These building materials represent the disciples that teachers like Apollos will havesome will be faithful, some will not.

b)

The test that will show which one of these two classes will represent each man's work will be:

(1)

The day in which each man's disciples face the trials of the Christian life.

(2)

The trials are like fire that can destroy the wood, hay, and stubble; but not the gold, silver, and costly stones.

(3)

The fiery trials will show just what sort each teacher's work is, that is, whether his pupils will stand the test or fail.

c)

The effect of the result of these trials on the teacher (faithful men like Apollos).

(1)

If his works remains, that is, if his disciples prove faithful, he will receive the reward of work well done. That will be the joy of seeing those whom he taught remaining faithful to the Lord.

(2)

If any man's work burns, that is, if his disciples fail in the fiery trials of the Christian life, the teacher suffers loss. His effort is wasted; he has only grief over those who did not remain faithful to the Lord.

(3)

The teacher, that is, the faithful one like Apollos who teaches the truth of the gospel, shall be saved. If he is faithful, he does not go down with his unfaithful disciples. But he has to endure the same tests in his life as a Christian that his disciples face, that is, as through fire.

3.

Paul asks the question that compels the Corinthians to see that all this applies to them (1 Corinthians 3:16).

a)

The two-fold question: Don-'t you know that you are God's temple? Don-'t you know that God's Spirit dwells in you?

4.

Then he points out the fate of the one who destroys God's temple, the church (1 Corinthians 3:17).

a)

God will destroy that one.

b)

He will do so because God's temple is holy, and such (that is, holy persons) are ye.

D.

His earnest exhortation (1 Corinthians 3:18-23).

1.

Let no man deceive himself about the question of wisdom (1 Corinthians 3:18-20).

a)

This is directed to the one who thinks he is wise in this age: Let him become a fool, that he may become wise, that is, let him accept the wisdom God has revealed through the inspired apostles and prophets.

b)

The wisdom of this world, that is, of the people who live in it, is foolishness with God. He is able to cope with their craftiness; the Lord knows their reasonings are vain.

2.

Let no one glory in men (1 Corinthians 3:21-23).

a)

The reason for this exhortation: All things are yours.

b)

This includes:

(1)

Men in whom they were boasting, whether Paul, Apollos, or Cephas.

(2)

The world with its supposed wisdom.

(3)

Life and death.

(4)

Things present and things to come.

c)

A most important matter which they were evidently forgetting: You are Christ'S, and Christ is God'S.

Questions

1.

Why does Paul address his readers as brethren since he calls them carnal?

2.

What does he mean by carnal?

3.

With what does he contrast carnal in this context?

4.

What is meant by spiritual?

5.

How does his use of spiritual in this chapter differ from his use of this term in chapter two? To whom does it refer in each case?

6.

What is implied by the expression babes in Christ?

7.

How was Paul forced to conclude that they were babes?

8.

What is meant by milk and meat in this connection?

9.

What is the mark of spiritual maturity?

10.

How long should the brethren remain as babes in Christ?

11.

What is the mark of the carnal Christian?

12.

How does Paul's use of carnal differ from his use of natural in chapter two?

13.

What does it mean to walk after the manner of men?

14.

What does Paul mean by the question, are ye not men?

15.

What was the relation of Paul and Apollos to the Corinthians?

16.

What is the word that is translated minister in this connection?

17.

What bearing does this have on the party spirit in Corinth?

18.

What division of labor did Paul and Apollos observe?

19.

What was the important thing to remember about their efforts?

20.

What is meant by statement, he that planteth and he that watereth are one?

21.

What is meant by the statement, we are God's fellow-workers?

22.

What bearing does the remark, ye are God's husbandry (tilled field) and God's building, have on the problem of division?

23.

To what did Paul attribute the privilege he had of serving as an apostle of Christ?

24.

What qualification did he have to work in connection with God's building?

25.

How did Paul lay the foundation?

26.

What is the foundation of the church?

27.

How does this correct the problem of division in Corinth?

28.

What evidence is there to show that Jesus Christ is the only possible foundation of the church?

29.

To whom does Paul refer when he says, another buildeth thereon?

30.

Why the warning about building on the foundation Paul laid?

31.

What are the two classes of building materials and their characteristics?

32.

What has this to do with the warning to the teachers?

33.

What is the day that shows what sort each man's work is?

34.

In what ways was the early Christian's faith tried?

35.

What are some things which try one's faith today?

36.

What is the relation of the day of trial to the Day of Judgment?

37.

Why does Paul speak of fire as that which will show what sort each man's work is?

38.

When he refers to each man's work is he speaking of the teacher or of his disciple?

39.

On what foundation is this work built?

40.

How long must it abide for him to receive a reward?

41.

What is the reward of the faithful teacher?

42.

Why may the faithful teacher suffer loss?

43.

What will that loss be?

44.

How can he be saved if his work is burned?

45.

What is meant by the remark, as through fire?

46.

Why does Paul ask, Know ye not that ye are a temple of God?

47.

What are some of the facts of the history of the Jewish temple?

48.

How does this help to understand that God dwells in the temple, His church?

49.

What were the Corinthians doing that was destroying the temple of God?

50.

What is the history of the desecration of the Jewish temple, and how did that compare with what the Corinthians were doing to the church?

51.

What are the characteristics of the church of which it may be said, the Spirit of God dwells in you?

52.

What is the fate of the one who destroys the temple of God?

53.

How could Paul say to the church at Corinth, The temple of God is holy, and such are ye?

54.

Why did Paul say, Let no man deceive himself (1 Corinthians 3:18)?

55.

How is one to become wise?

56.

What is God's view of the wisdom of the world?

57.

Why did Paul say, Let no one glory in men (1 Corinthians 3:21)?

58.

In what sense did Paul, Apollos, and Cephas belong to the Corinthians?

59.

What bearing did this have on the problem of division?

60.

What important relationship were they missing by practicing division?

For Discussion

1.

What are some of the causes of spiritual immaturity in the churches today?

2.

What can you suggest as a practical remedy for lack of spiritual growth?