1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Butler's Comments

SECTION 3

Exasperating (1 Corinthians 4:14-21)

14 I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17Therefore I sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

1 Corinthians 4:14-17 Misbehaving: Paul, having just written rather sarcastically, does not want the Corinthians to assume that he is bitter toward them or that he does not care for them. He does care for themhe loves them as a father loves his exasperating children. So he admonishes them. He does not write to destroy them with shame, but to correct them. The Greek word noutheto, translated admonish, is a compound of two Greek words, nous, mind, and tithemi, to put. Literally, it means to put into the mind as a warning some word or words. It is different from the Greek word paideia which stresses correction by action, although a good father uses both forms of correction (see Ephesians 6:4). Paul hopes to correct their misbehavior by a word of admonition, but he will take action if necessary (see 1 Corinthians 4:18-21 below).

They are his agapeta teknabeloved childrenand although they may have had thousands (Greek, murious, myriads) of teachers (Greek, paidagogous, tutors, pedagogues), they have had only one spiritual fatherPaul. The Greek word paidagogous means, literally, a leader of the child. The Greek pedagogue was usually a slave who was given charge of the children of the wealthy and influential. The pedagogue escorted the children to school, disciplined them when they needed it, and often tutored the children when they were not in school. The pedagogue might do some of the work of a father and even become very intimately attached to the children, but he could never become the father. A father begets. Only one person can be the father of a child. When Paul said, ... you do not have many fathers.. he used the Greek word pateras (from which we get the English words, paternal, patronize). But when he said, ... I became your father in Christ Jesus.. he used the Greek word egennesa which actually means begat. Paul brought about their conversion to Christ personally through his preaching (see Acts 18:8; 1 Corinthians 3:10). He laid the foundation of gospel work in Corinth. Paul had begotten many spiritual children in Christ Jesus; Timothy (1 Timothy 1:2) and Titus (Titus 1:4) and Onesimus (Philemon 1:10), and hundreds of others (see 1 Thessalonians 2:11).

It is important to notice in this text that Paul says the Corinthians were begotten by Paul in Christ through the gospel. Spiritual birth (new birth, being born again) is through the gospel preached by the apostles. Where does one find the gospel preached by the apostles? In the book of Acts, beginning in Acts chapter two. What is the apostolic gospel through which the Corinthians were born again or anew? It is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested in the flesh, died on a cross for the atonement of the world's sin, arose from the dead on the third day to validate that atonement; it is that men must so trust that declaration of God they will repent (change their mind) and submit to the command of the apostles to be immersed in water unto the remission of sins; it is that the Holy Spirit of Christ will take residence in the penitent and obedient believer and become to him God's down-payment on eternal life. No man, since the redemptive work of Christ at the cross and the empty tomb, can be begotten in Christ apart from believing and obeying the apostolic gospel. Christians are begotten through the word of God, the gospel (see 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:22-25). The word of God, the gospel, is the spiritual seed (Greek sperma or spora, see Luke 8:11 and 1 Peter 1:23) or sperm of God which begets the Spirit of God in man's heart but only when man believes it and obeys it. Many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were immersed in water (see Acts 18:8) and were thus begotten in Christ through the gospel!

Paul admonishes them (warns them) they are straying from the example he had given them as to how to live in Christ. He exhorts them to mimic his life in Christ (Greek, mimetai, imitate). He does not infer they should become disciples or followers of Paul or anyone else, but that they should imitate his ways in Christ (1 Corinthians 4:17). Paul used this exhortation frequently (see 1 Corinthians 11:1; Acts 20:35; 1 Corinthians 7:7; Philippians 3:17; Philippians 4:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:7; 2 Timothy 1:13). The Bible is full of admonitions for Christians to imitate the example of men of faith such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and countless others (see Romans 4:1 ff.; Hebrews 11:1 ff.). Of course, Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus is the pathfinder or pioneer of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10). We follow Jesus, but we may also imitate Paul as he follows Jesus. Like spoiled and selfish children, these Corinthian Christians were misbehaving. They certainly were not behaving as their spiritual father did.

As Paul was writing this letter, Timothy was on his way from Ephesus to Corinth. Paul had sent him (see Acts 19:22) by way of Macedonia with Erastus as his companion. Timothy was sent to remind them of how Paul lived in Christ and what he taught in Christ. Paul was no hypocritehe lived what he taught and he taught Christ and lived Christ everywhere, in every church (see 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12; 2 Corinthians 11:23; 2 Corinthians 12:14-18, etc.). A journey from Ephesus to Corinth, by way of Macedonia, by ancient modes of travel, facing all the dangers of the ancient traveler, might seem unnecessary in light of what might appear to be an insignificant problem in the church. But Paul knew it was not an insignificant problem. All the sacrifice and tension necessary to correct it must be made immediately. The church at Corinth was being destroyed by the schismatics! Timothy and Erastus must travel some 600 miles or more, the major portion of which would probably be on foot, to attempt to produce some spiritual maturity in these bickering, arguing, misbehaving children. This will be a work that spiritual fathers will have to do with their children so long as the church remains in this world. It does not cease!

1 Corinthians 4:18-21 Mocking: Paul had heard that some of the Christians in Corinth were not only misbehaving, they were arrogant (Greek, ephusiothesan, puffed up) about it. Paul wrote this epistle at Ephesus in the Spring of 57 A.D. He told the Corinthians he planned to stay in Ephesus until after Pentecost (June) (1 Corinthians 16:8) and then come to Corinth for a visit. But he changed his plans (2 Corinthians 1:15-16; 2 Corinthians 1:23) and apparently the Corinthians then accused him of weakness and cowardice, so he wrote what is entitled the second epistle to defend his change of plans.

There must have been some indication at the writing of the first letter that some of the brethren at Corinth were arrogantly boasting Paul would never come to Corinth and exercise any apostolic authority. They accused him of being bold when he was away from them and meek when face to face with them (2 Corinthians 10:1). His sending Timothy instead of going himself as first he planned seemed to them to be justifiable cause for a bold and arrogant attitude toward the apostle.

So the apostle promises, But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills,. and he promises to show that their mockery is all talk without any power behind it. The Greek word gnosomai, translated find out, is literally, shall know. Paul means to settle the issue once for all with the Corinthians about the authority of his apostolic message. The Greek word pephusiomenon is a perfect participle meaning they had become puffed up in the past and were continuing to be puffed up. They had not repented. For some reason the teachers and leaders of the church there had not seen the error of their ways and they were getting more arrogant and bold with each passing day.

In 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 we have the antithesis of word and power. The difference there is between words of sophisticated philosophies verses the historical facts of Christ's redemptive work. The truth of God (in the gospel of Christ and his apostles) has power to destroy all philosophies and theories that are merely guesswork (and not even good guesses at that). The power of the Spirit of God in his word is able to cast down all imaginations (Gr. logismous, rationalizations) and bring every thought (Gr. noema, concept, purpose, device) into captivity to obedience to Christ (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Paul is talking about going to Corinth to exercise the power of truth in the apostolic message versus the boasting sophostries of the wayward and divisive Christians there. He is not threatening a demonstration of any physical or ecclesiastical power. None of the apostles ever assumed any papal powers.

Paul is challenging the schismatics at Corinth that when he comes to them he will put their sophisticated philosophies to the test to see if they are producing in the lives of people what his apostolic gospel is able to produce. It will be a test of spiritual strength and power. For, he says, the kingdom of God in a man's life is not demonstrated by words, but by the power of Christian living. So far, their sophistries have shown the exact opposite of Christian love and unity. In the kingdom of God, every thought is brought into obedience to Christ.

The choice is theirs. He will, if the Lord wills it, arrive shortly in Corinth. The question is, will they repent and bring their thinking and acting into obedience to Christ (as preached to them and written to them by Paul), or will they continue in their egotistical divisiveness? If they repent Paul will come with a gentle love. If they do not repent Paul will come with a chastening love. He says he will come with a rod (Gr. hrabdo, large wooden staff), but he is using the word rod as a metaphor. He does not intend to beat them physically, but to chasten them with the truth. It is by the power of the truth men are set free from enslavement to the destructive, damning lies of the devil which alienate them from God.

Applebury's Comments

Admonition to Beloved Children (14-21)

Text

1 Corinthians 4:14-21. I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel. 16 I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me. 17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

Commentary

I write not these things to shame you.The ironical touch of the scolding just administered probably did shame them, but Paul's purpose was not this as an end in itself. He wanted them to do something about their problem. For this reason he wrote to them as to beloved children. The tenderness of Paul was like that of Jesus. Of Him it is said, A bruised reed shall he not break, and a smoking flax shall he not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles hope (Matthew 12:20-21). But no one should presume upon the gentleness of either Jesus or Paul, for when it became necessary, each was capable of administering the severest kind of rebuke. Admonition and chastisement were marks of a good father (Hebrews 12:7-13). Paul's tender care for the Corinthians is always breaking through the dark clouds of severe condemnation of conduct unbecoming to a Christian. Paul really loved his children in the Lord.

ten thousand tutors in Christ.Regardless of the number of tutors they might have, one fact remains: they have only one father in Christ. False teachers dogged the steps of Paul wherever he went, trying to upset the faith of his converts. See 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. But there were the faithful teachers like Apollos also. Whether good or bad, the fact remained that Paul was first to preach the gospel to them. It was through their obedience to the word of the cross which he proclaimed that they had become Christians.

The word tutor was a familiar one to the Corinthians. It described the trusted slave or some other parson who watched over the welfare of boys for their father: It was often the duty of this person to take the children to school and get them home safely. There was a difference, however, between the tutor and the teacher. Others might be likened to the tutor, but Paul was the teacher.

in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel.The power to bring the new creature in Christ into being was in the gospel which Paul preached. Since he preached it and they believed and acted upon it, he could refer to himself as the one who had begotten them in Christ.

James uses a similar expression to explain the cause of the Christian life: Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be kind of firstfruits of his creatures (James 1:18). Peter uses the same figure: having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God which liveth and abideth (1 Peter 1:23). Although there are some who do not agree, it is possible that John refers to the same thing when he says, Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God (1 John 3:9). All this seems to be in agreement with what Jesus said to Nicodemus: Except one be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5). The Spirit's part has to do with the preaching of the inspired Word. Water, in connection with the instruction of the Word, has a place in the new birth. Washing away of one's sins in baptism is accomplished because of it's connection with the Word (Ephesians 5:26). The cleansing power is in the blood of Christ to which the sinner comes when he is buried with Christ through baptism into death (Romans 6:4).

It will be helpful in this connection to consider the following uses of water in connection with the process of becoming a Christian. (1) Water is used in relation to regeneration. According to his great mercy he saved us, through the washing of regenerationan act that brings about the new birthand renewing of the Holy Spiritthe act of the Holy Spirit that makes one new. (Titus 3:5) The Holy Spirit's part is in the use of the Word which the inspired apostles proclaimed. (2) Water is used in relation to separation from sin. Our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). (3) Water is used in purification from sin. Having our bodies washed in pure waterwater that purifies because God said to use it in this connection (Hebrews 10:22). (4) Water is used in relation to salvation from sin. Which also after a true likeness doth now save you even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God (1 Peter 3:21). According to this passage, baptism is the act by which the believer asks God for a good conscience, for in baptism the blood of Christ washes away sins (Acts 22:16).

The Corinthians as babes in Christ had experienced the new birth for they had been baptized into Christ. This is a mark of the beginning of the Christian life. It is not a sign of Christian maturity.

be imitators of me.In 1 Corinthians 11:1, he adds the words, even as I also am of Christ. One wonders how many teachers or preachers today would dare to say this; yet every one who is qualified to teach should set the example for his pupils to follow. The Christian teacher should, of course, be an imitator of Christ. Since Paul was their spiritual father, they were under obligation to imitate him. It is natural for the child to imitate the parent. As to the Corinthians, they were to imitate Paul by translating into life the lessons he taught them.

I sent unto you Timothy.Timothy was a young man of unfeigned faith. Both his grandmother and his mother were believers in Christ (2 Timothy 1:5). Paul pays high tribute to Timothy when writing to the Philippians. He said, I have no man likeminded, who will truly care for your state (Philippians 2:30). He was often sent on important missions such as this one to Corinth. He was to remind them of Paul's ways in every church.

some are puffed up.Some assumed that Paul was not coming to visit them again. Perhaps they were saying that he was afraid to do so, and that he was sending Timothy instead. He quickly dispels their doubts by saying, I will come shortly, if the Lord will.

not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power.Paul was not concerned about the arrogant boasting of some who were against him; he wanted to test their real force. Was there anything to them other that high sounding words?

the kingdom of God.Just as they had failed to recognize the church as the temple of God, so they also failed to recognize the true nature of the kingdom of God. It was to be found not in words but in power vested in the inspired apostle to deal with sinners. Upon his arrival, all the arrogant boasting of the enemies of the kingdom would be put to the test.

rod or spirit of gentleness.Paul put the issue up to them. They could change their ways before he got there. He evidently hoped for this, for they were his beloved children. But as their spiritual father and teacher in Christ he had an obligation to chastise them when they needed it. The symbol of chastisement was the rod. For a suggestion as to the possible outcome of the matter, see 2 Corinthians 7:8-10.

Summary

Chapter four brings to a close the discussion of the subject of division by correcting the thinking of the Corinthians about human leadership.
Paul asks them to look upon him as one who served them as the Lord's subordinate accountable to Him. Since the emphasis is on the relation of the leader to the Lord, it was of little consequence to him that they were attempting to pass on his qualifications to be an apostle. He didn-'t even do this himself. The Lord who appointed him to the apostleship examined him as to his fitness for the task. For this reason, the Corinthians were commanded to stop expressing opinions as to the superiority of one leader over another. They could not know the hidden facts necessary to make such judgments. This judgment belonged to the Lord and must await his coming.
Paul explained why he used his name and that of Apollos in discussing the work and responsibility of leaders. In chapter three, he had told how he had planted and Apollos had watered. He had laid the foundation, and another had built upon it. These leaders were servants, (deacons), but the Corinthians needed to be reminded that it was God who gave the increase. In chapter four, he uses his name and that of Apollos as examples of teachers who were faithful to the Lord in order to show the Corinthians that they were not to go beyond the things that are written, that is, things written in the Old Testament and quoted in his letter that still have meaning to his readers. These references constitute a solemn warning against the inflated egotism of men. While they did differ in the gifts they had received, there was no reason for them assuming an arrogant attitude toward brethren in Christ. Any gift they had was given to them. Why then be puffed up as if it were their by their own right?
To further deflate their egotism, he addresses them in terms of irony. He represents them as being already in heaven sitting at the heavenly feasts and enjoying the riches of heaven. If they had been, Paul would have been there too. But he hastened to tell them about the humble state of the apostles. The Corinthians were made strong and wise through the gospel, but the apostles were considered to be fools and weaklings by some. They faced the hard lot of doing good to those who despitefully used them.
Paul did not write these things to shame them, but to admonish them as his beloved children. They may have had many teachers, but he was their spiritual father, for they had heard the gospel from him. As his children in the gospel, he urged them to imitate him, He reminded them of the coming visit of Timothy who would call their attention to the things he was teaching in all the churches.
Lest some mistake Paul's tenderness for weakness, he closes this position of his letter with just a suggestion of harshness, It has to do with his intended return trip to Corinth. To set them at rest on the issue, he said I will come, if the Lord will. Whether his coming would be in joy and peace or in correction would be for them to decide. Undoubtedly, his fond hope was that they would listen to him, correct their errors, and be ready to receive him as one who loved them as a father.