And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. [The simplicity of Paul's instruction had given occasion to the false apostles (2 Corinthians 11:12-15) to criticize him as a shallow teacher (2 Corinthians 10:10), rather than as one who had "t... [ Continue Reading ]
I fed you with milk, not with meat, for ye were not yet able to bear it [he had merely grounded them in first principles, and had not enlightened them as to those higher doctrines which lead on to perfection, because they could not grasp them. Comp. Hebrews 5:11-6:2; 1 Peter 2:2; Mark 4:33; John 16:... [ Continue Reading ]
for ye are yet carnal [showing undue reverence for men, etc.]: _for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal_ [Galatians 5:19-20; James 3:16], _and do ye not walk after the manner of men?_... [ Continue Reading ]
For when one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not men? [Surely the Corinthians had no ground to argue with Paul as to their condition when he was among them, for their present condition was no better, since they were still swayed by the same prejudices and passions, and were... [ Continue Reading ]
What [the neuter of disparagement]_ then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers_ [literally, deacons, i. e., servitors-- Acts 6:2; Colossians 1:7; not leaders-- Luke 22:25-26] _through whom_ ["not in whom"--Bengel] _ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him_. [i. e., gave spiritual gifts (Roman... [ Continue Reading ]
I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.... [ Continue Reading ]
So then neither is he that planteth anything [in himself, without Christ-- 2 Corinthians 12:12; John 15:4-5; John 15:16], _neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase_. [Paul brought them into the vineyard or kingdom, Apollos instructed them; but God gave the results, causing them to... [ Continue Reading ]
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one [with respect to their purposes, or the ends for which they labor: hence, not rivals]: _but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor_. [Since God gives the increase, the reward will be proportioned to fidelity, etc., rather than t... [ Continue Reading ]
For we are God's fellow-workers: ye are God's husbandry, God's building [The supreme ownership of God is here emphasized, as is shown by the three possessives. Paul and Apollos were not fellow-workers with God, but fellow-workers with each other under God. The Corinthians were God's field in which t... [ Continue Reading ]
According to the grace [apostleship with its attendant gifts-- Romans 1:5; Galatians 1:15-16; Ephesians 3:8] _of God which was given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation_ [In Corinth Paul had preached Christ as the foundation of the church and of each individual Christian, and this f... [ Continue Reading ]
For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid [of or by God the Father (1 Peter 2:6); God laid him by gift, Paul by preaching], _which is Jesus Christ_. [Paul had laid Christ as the foundation (Matthew 16:18; Acts 4:11-12; Ephesians 2:20); and others (each being individually responsibl... [ Continue Reading ]
But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;... [ Continue Reading ]
each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day [the judgment day]_ shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire_ [as to its quality]; _and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is_. [All of the building materials here mentioned were familiar in Corinth. The first three... [ Continue Reading ]
If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward.... [ Continue Reading ]
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss [if a teacher's disciples endure the test of judgment, he shall receive a reward, of which his converts will be at least a part (1 Thessalonians 2:19; Philippians 2:16); but if his disciples do not stand that test, he shall of course lose whate... [ Continue Reading ]
Know ye no t [a touch of amazement at their ignorance] _that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?_ [In verse 9 he had called them God's building; he now reminds them of what kind the building was, and how exalted were its uses. The Jerusalem temple was honored by the S... [ Continue Reading ]
If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye. [The factions are here plainly made aware of the magnitude of their sin, and the severity of their punishment. They were destroying the church by their divisions (Ephesians 5:27), maiming... [ Continue Reading ]
Let no man deceive himself. [By thinking himself wise enough to amend or modify God's truth.] _If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise_. [Let such a one become a fool in the world's sight, as Paul was (Acts 26:24; 1 Corinthians 4:10... [ Continue Reading ]
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written [Job 5:13], _He that taketh the wise in their craftiness:_... [ Continue Reading ]
and again [Psalms 94:11], _The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain_. [Alford interprets the passage thus: "If God uses the craftiness of the wise as a net to catch them in, such wisdom is in his sight folly, since he turns it to their own confusion." How foolish to modify or... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore let no one glory in men. [A returning upon the thought at 1 Corinthians 1:31] _For all things are yours_ [why, then, grasp a paltry part and forego the glorious whole?];... [ Continue Reading ]
whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world [Matthew 5:5; Mark 10:29-30], _or life_ [with its possibilities], _or death_ [with its gain-- Philippians 1:21], _or things present, or things to come_ [Revelation 21:5-27]; _all are yours_ [This is a positive, as Romans 8:38-39 is a negative side of... [ Continue Reading ]
and ye are Christ's [and hence not the property of his servants]; _and Christ is God's_. [These words are an echo of the prayer of the Master at John 17:21-23. The church must have perfect unity in Christ that Christ may maintain his unity with God. Christ must of necessity quiet all contention betw... [ Continue Reading ]