to 1 Corinthians 3:2. § 8. THE REVEALING SPIRIT. The world's rulers committed the frightful crime of “crucifying the Lord of glory,” because in fact they have only “the spirit of the world,” whereas “the Spirit of _God_ ” informs His messengers (1 Corinthians 2:10-12), who communicate the things of... [ Continue Reading ]
§ 12. CHRIST'S SERVANTS ANSWERABLE TO HIMSELF. The Ap. has shown his readers their own true position so high and yet so lowly (§ 11); Paul, Apollos, Cephas are but part of a universe of ministry that waits upon them. But more is to be said about the Christian _leaders_, whose names are sc much abuse... [ Continue Reading ]
Κἀγώ, ἀδελφοί : The Ap. returns to the strain of 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, speaking now not in general terms of ἡμεῖς, οἱ τέλειοι, etc.; but definitely of the Cor [455] and himself. _They_ demonstrate, unhappily, the incapacity of the unspiritual for spiritual things. The καὶ carries us back to 1 Corinth... [ Continue Reading ]
“(Since you were babes), I gave you milk to drink, not meat:” a common figure for the simpler and more solid forms of instruction contrasted (see parls.). The teaching of 1 Thess. (see 1 Corinthians 2:7 f.) is γάλα as compared with the βρῶμα of Rom. or Coloss.; so the Synoptics, in comparison with t... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ ἔτι νῦν δύνασθε : “Nay, but not even yet (after this further interval), at the present time, are you strong enough (_immo ne nunc quidem adhuc potestis_, Bz [466]), for you are yet carnal”. For ἔτι, _cf._ 1 Corinthians 15:17; Galatians 1:10; Galatians 5:11; for σαρκικοί, see note on σάρκιν... [ Continue Reading ]
§ 9. GOD'S RIGHTS IN THE CHURCH. One idea runs through this chapter and into the next, that of _God's_ Church, _God's_ temple at Corinth, in whose construction so many various builders are engaged (1 Corinthians 3:5-17). For this building's sake, and because it is His, God beats down the pride of hu... [ Continue Reading ]
is parl [486] to 1 Corinthians 3:3. The protasis, ὅταν γὰρ κ. τ. λ., restates _in concreto_ the charge made in ὅπου γὰρ κ. τ. λ.; while the interr [487] apodosis, οὐκ ἄνθρωποί ἐστε; gathers into a word the reproach of the foregoing οὐχὶ σαρκικοί ἐστε κ. τ. λ.: _where_ and _when_ the Cor [488] act in... [ Continue Reading ]
The Cor [491] Christians were quarrelling _over the claims of their teachers_, as though the Church were the creature of men: “What therefore (I am compelled to ask) is Apollos? what, on the other side (δέ), is Paul?” τί is more emphatic than τίς; it breathes _disdain_; “as though Apollos or Paul we... [ Continue Reading ]
The grammatical obj [500] of this sentence has been given by the foregoing context, _viz._, the Cor [501] Church of believers (_cf._ 1 Corinthians 4:15). φυτεύω Paul uses besides only in 1 Corinthians 9:7; his regular metaphor in this connexion is that of 1 Corinthians 3:10. “Planting” and “watering... [ Continue Reading ]
In comparison with God, Ap. and P. are simply nothing (1 Corinthians 3:7): in relation to each other they are not rivals, as their Cor [516] favourers would make them (1 Corinthians 3:4): “But the planter and the waterer are one” (ἕν, _one thing_) with one interest and aim, _viz._, the growth of the... [ Continue Reading ]
Θεοῦ … συνεργοὶ sums up in two words, and grounds upon a broad principle (γάρ), what 1 Corinthians 3:6 ff. have set out in detail: “we are _God's_ fellow-workmen” employed upon _His_ field, _His_ building; and “we are God's _fellow_ -workmen” labouring jointly at the same task. The συν - of συνεργοὶ... [ Continue Reading ]
Κατὰ τὴν χάριν κ. τ. λ.: while “the grace of God” has been given to all Christians, constituting them such (see 1 Corinthians 1:4), to the Ap. a special and singular “grace was given,” “according to” which he “laid a foundation,” whereon the Church at Cor [528] rests: see the like contrast in Ephesi... [ Continue Reading ]
§ 10. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HUMAN BUILDERS. After the long digression on Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:17 to 1 Corinthians 3:2), occasioned by the Hellenic misconception of the Gospel underlying the Cor [527] divisions, the Ap. returned in 1 Corinthians 3:3 ff. to the divisions themselves, dealing par... [ Continue Reading ]
is a parenthetical comment on θεμέλιον : As to the foundation, that is settled; the workman has to _build upon it_, not to shift it, nor add to it. θεμέλιον γὰρ ἄλλον οὐδεὶς δύναται θεῖναι παρὰ κ. τ. λ.: “For another _foundation_ none can lay, beside (_other than_ παρά, possibly suggesting also _in... [ Continue Reading ]
After the interjected caution to let the _foundation_ alone, P. turns to the _superstructure_, to which the work of his coadjutors belongs; δὲ indicates this transition. εἰ δέ τις ἐποικοδομεῖ, εἰ with ind [543] (as in 1 Corinthians 3:14 f. etc.), a supposition in matter of fact, while ἐὰν with sbj ... [ Continue Reading ]
“The work of each (ἑκάστου resuming the ἕκαστος of 10) will become manifest:” while the Wheat and Tares are in early growth (Matthew 13:24 ff.), they are indistinguishable; one man's work is mixed up with another's “for the Day will disclose (it)”. Ἡ ἡμέρα can only mean _Christ's Judgment Day:_ see... [ Continue Reading ]
The opp [570] issues of the fiery assay are stated under parl [571] hypotheses: εἴ τινος τὸ ἔργον … μενεῖ … εἴ τινος τὸ ἔργον κατακαήσεται, “If any one's work shall abide … shall be burned up”. The double ind [572] with εἰ balances the contrasted suppositions, without signifying likelihood either wa... [ Continue Reading ]
However poor his work, the workman of 1 Corinthians 3:15 built upon Christ. There are cases worse than his, and to the εἴ τινος τὸ ἔργον alternatives of 1 Corinthians 3:14 f. the Ap. has a third to add in the εἴ τις … φθείρει of 1 Corinthians 3:17. Beside the good and ill builders, who will gain or... [ Continue Reading ]
Accordingly, the Μηδεὶς ἑαυτὸν ἐξαπατάτω looks forward, not backward: one may “deceive himself” about the mixing of man's wisdom with God's, but scarcely about the truth of the threatening of 1 Corinthians 3:17. “If any one thinks to be wise amongst you, in this age (αἰῶνι, _world-period:_ see parls... [ Continue Reading ]
§ 11. THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD. Affectation of philosophy, “the wisdom of the world,” which P. has repudiated on behalf of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 1:2) was at the bottom of the Cor [606] troubles. Those who follow human wisdom exalt human masters at the expense of God's glory, and there are teache... [ Continue Reading ]
_a_ gives the reason why the philosophy of the times must be renounced by the aspirant to Christian wisdom: “For the wisdom of the world is folly with God” (= 1 Corinthians 1:20); and since it is folly with _God_, it must be counted folly, and not wisdom, _amongst you_ (1 Corinthians 3:18). _God's_... [ Continue Reading ]
_a_. ὥστε μηδεὶς καυχάσθω ἐν ἀνθρώποις : “And so let no one glory in men”. ὥστε often, with P., introduces the impv [617] at the point where argument or explanation passes into exhortation; _cf._ note on 1 Corinthians 3:7, and see 1Co 4:5, 1 Corinthians 5:8, etc. ἐν ἀνθρώποις states the forbidden _g... [ Continue Reading ]