1 Corinthians 4:7

For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?

'For' -'the reason why this puffing up should be avoided'. (Alford p. 997)

'who maketh thee to differ?' -'For who regards you as superior?'

'differ' -'Distinguishes thee, separates thee' (Robertson p. 105) 'Differ so that thou hast an advantage over others.' (Lenski p. 176)

'Who makes you different from anyone else?' (NIV) 'The implication is that there are no grounds for anyone's exalting himself/herself over another, since any differences are ultimately attributable to God' [Note:. Fee p. 170]

One teacher or preacher may be different from another, but ultimately all owe their spiritual and natural talents to God. (Romans 12:3) Hence, there is no room for boasting or elevating one person above another.

But this phrase may also be an attack upon the Corinthians feeling of "superiority", that was being manifested in placing themselves in the role of judges over apostles and inspired men.

'and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?' -'What do you have that wasn't given to you?' (McGuiggan p. 57) 'All self-conceit rests on the notion of superiority of gifts and graces as if they were self-bestowed or self-acquired.' (Robertson p. 105)

'This is an invitation to experience one of those rare, unguarded moments of total honesty, where in the presence of the eternal God one recognizes that everything--absolutely everything--that one "has" is. gift.' [Note:. Fee p. 171]

'but if thou didst receive it, why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?' -this infers that the answer to the previous question is-- "nothing". Everything that they possessed came from God. Their very status as saved people, the spiritual gifts that they possessed, all of it, came from God. Now if this is the case, then:

'why doest thou glory..' -'why boast of it as if it were something you had achieved yourself.' (Phi)

'Instead of recognizing everything as. gift and being filled with gratitude, they possessed their gifts--saw them as their own--and looked down on the apostle who seemed to lack so much. Grace leads to gratitude; "wisdom" and self-sufficiency lead to boasting and judging. Grace has. leveling effect; self-esteem has. self-exalting effect. Grace means humility; boasting means that one has arrived. Precisely because their boasting reflects such an attitude, Paul turns in irony to help them see the folly of their "boasting".' [Note:. Fee p. 171]

PROSPEROUS CORINTHIANS AND IMPROVISED APOSTLES:

'This is irony and sarcasm, but the Corinthians fully deserved it; it is. bitter medicine but one that is good for healing their disease of unwarranted pride..it has become popular today to decry irony and sarcasm as being unbecoming to preachers..yet Paul beyond question employs them here, which means that they, indeed, have their proper place..' [Note:. Lenski p. 179]

'Paul begins. series of antitheses between them and himself to which shame is the only suitable response...the words are full of biting irony, attacking their own view of themselves (cf. Revelation 3:17)' [Note:. Fee pp. 171-172]