Introductory remarks:
This is the last chapter Paul deals with the divisions in the church. "Paul says that though he thinks he has been a faithful steward, only God sees clearly enough to judge a man's service so they should not be dividing up and bragging over following the best teacher. They think of themselves as wise and strong, but the apostles are ridiculed and persecuted and bear it all patiently. Paul urges them to follow him as their father says that he is sending Timotheus to remind them of his teaching. When he visits them, it is up to them whether he will come in anger or in love" (A Survey of 1 Cor. - By Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: The ministry of the Apostles vv. 1-21.
The Ministry of the Apostles
Verse 1, "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God."
LGT "So let a man consider of us as servants of Christ, and stewards of God's mysteries."
So let a man consider of us as servants of Christ: The word "so" continues the thought he was giving out in chapter three. The Greek word for "steward" is uparetas; meaning an under-rower on a ship, subordinate rowers of Christ. Christ was the one they should look up to, for Paul and the other apostles and ministers were under orders from Christ their Captain. And stewards of God's mysteries: the stewardship of the apostles was a great privilege that Christ had equipped them to serve Him. The mysteries are the secrets of God's grace not yet revealed in the Old Testament (See my notes on Chp. 2:7). These mysteries cannot be understood by the natural man, we need the assistance of the Holy Spirit to understand them, and they include along with the gospel of grace, all the Divine Riches of Grace Paul revealed in his epistles, which were not revealed before Christ's finished work on the cross. We are all stewards of the grace of God; if you are saved you are stewards; your life and your words should say loud and clear that you belong to Christ.
Verse 2, "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful."
LGT "But as to the rest, it is sought for in stewards, in order that one be found faithful."
Whatever a steward might be, he must be faithful. As I have said may times, we will not be rewarded for our works, but only in being faithful in allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through us. "Notice that it is not required of a steward to be eloquent or to have many gifts, only that he be found faithful. There are so many who will be rewarded someday, not because they did some great thing or had some great gift, but because they were faithful in what they did and how they did it" (McGee).
Verse 3, "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self."
LGT "But to me it is the smallest matter, that by you I be examined, or by man's day: but neither myself do I examine."
But to me it is the smallest matter: it amounts to very little in my estimation of things. Paul was only concerned with how the Lord regarded him. That by you I be examined: the word "judged" here means to examine. So in the context Paul is saying it means very little to me that you blame or condemn me. Or by man's day: to come under public judgment. But neither myself do I examine: Paul did not even trust his own opinion of himself, so why would he regard the opinion of others. This is not saying that we should not judge ourselves with regard to our sinning, and that we should not confess to God our sins; this is Paul saying that he does not trust his own evaluation of himself or his ministry; this he leaves in God's hands. Paul never left himself to the judgment of his conscience; this is very dangerous to let our conscience be our guide, for what we see as sin in others we see as a benefit in ourselves.
Verse 4, "For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord."
LGT "For I am conscious of nothing in myself, but not by this have I been justified, but He who examines me is [the] Lord."
But I am conscious of nothing in myself: I am not aware of anything of myself that could be judged by you or myself. This is not a statement of fact, but showing the unreliability of human judgment. But not by this have I been justified: a failure to recognize failure in ones own life does not mean one is justified before God. But He who examines me is the Lord: the Lord will examine the motives of every believer at the Bema Seat. All other judgment to Paul is irrelevant.
Verse 5, "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God."
LGT "So that judge not anything before the time, until the Lord may have come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of hearts: and then praise to each shall be from God."
So that judge not anything: Paul tells them to stop passing judgment and stop criticizing one another as they were doing. This judging is not to be confused with discernment; this judgment that Paul is speaking of is quick and without true examination. Before the time, until the Lord may have come: Paul says that even he is not qualified to pass judgment, only the Lord will judge. This true judgment will be at the Bema Seat of Christ, after He returns for the Church. Who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness: the hidden things of darkness are the hidden motives of man's heart. Paul says that the Lord Himself will reveal our true motives in serving Him. You see, these are not sins of the heart, for they are already paid for and forgiven; at the Bema Seat our motives will be revealed, whether they were for self or because of His love for us. And make manifest the counsels of hearts: all men have put on many masks to hide their true identity; every step of our spiritual growth only comes as we tear of each mask. When we see Christ face to face will be the time when the last mask is taken off and we will know ourselves as He knows us. At the present, no man really knows himself; in fact, if you could know me as I know myself, you would not have anything to do with me; and conversely, if I could know you as you know yourself, I wouldn't associate with you either. The reason Paul says "stop judging and criticizing" is because only the Lord really knows us. And then praise to each shall be from God: there will be something in every believer that God will be able to praise. Not every believer will receive a reward, but every believer was saved to the glory of God, and we are all trophies of His wonderful grace.
Verse 6, "And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another."
LGT "And these things, brethren, I transferred to myself and Apollos on account of you, in order that in us ye may learn not to think beyond what is written, that not one for the one ye be puffed up against the other."
And these things, brethren: which I have been writing to you about from 1Co 3:13-4:6 to the present. I transferred to Apollos and myself: Paul uses himself and Apollos as examples, because Paul laid the foundation on which Apollos built upon in the Lord. Paul says that he had already written them about not putting men above men, and look for a head of a movement. Paul says that it is totally wrong to look to anyone save the Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom Paul has been writing about. On account of you: for your sakes. In order that in us ye may learn: Paul says that He and Apollos put the Lord above every man. Not to think beyond what is written: since we do not seek to start divisive parties and denominations, and that they follow the directions of the Word of God to be humble. That not one for the one ye be puffed up against the other: Paul had already gently reprimanded them in chapter three for railing against one another, and he does so again, for the Word of God should bring brothers together, and not to become jealous of one another's talents and gifts. "The true foundation of Christian modesty is this - not to be self-complacent, as knowing that we are empty and void of everything good - that, if God has implanted in us anything that is good, we are so much the more debtors to His grace; and in fine, as Cyprian says, we must glory in nothing, because there is nothing that is our own" (Calvin).
Chrysostom notes on this phrase:
"And he hath well called it 'being puffed up'. For when one particular member rises up over the rest, it is nothing else but inflammation and disease; since in no other way doth one member become higher than another, except when a swelling takes place. (So in English proud flesh). And so in the body of the Church [Christ] also; whoever is inflamed and puffed up, he must be the diseased one; for he is swollen above the proportion of the rest. For this [disproportion] is what we mean by swelling. And so comes it to pass in the body, when some spurious and evil humor [absurdity] gathers, instead of the wonted [habitual way of doing something] nourishment. So also arrogance is born; notions to which we have no right coming over us. And mark what literal propriety [politeness] he saith, be not puffed up: for that which is puffed up hath a certain tumor of spirit, from being filled with corrupt humor."
Verse 7, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"
LGT "For who makes thee to differ? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if also you did receive, why do you boast as not having received."
But who makes thee to differ: God makes each one an individual, they did not individualize. All evil comes from men thinking they are self-made. What man is there that places himself at the head of the body; that place is not only reserved, but also is only occupied by the Lord Jesus Christ; that man who seeks to take this position is an idiot. And what do you have that you did not receive: Man was created by God, and God gave him whatever he possess. "Pride of intellect, of blood, of race, of country, of religion, is thus shut out" (Robertson). But if also you did receive, why do you boast as not having received: Paul says that this is completely illogical for a Christian to think what they have they have through the efforts of the flesh; remember Paul taught us in Romans that "in my flesh dwelleth no good thing." God cannot receive glory from any man that does not recognized what he is he is by God's grace. God does not regard man based on his self-worth, but how each one of us give God the praise for who and what we are; because who and what we are is because of who and what Christ is, and what He accomplished for us, especially, imputing on each of one us His perfect righteousness.
Verse 8, "Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you."
LGT "Already ye are satisfied; already ye were enriched; apart from us ye reigned: and wish ye did reign, in order that we also might reign with you."
Already ye are satisfied: the Corinthians felt satisfied that they were spiritually full, and they did not need any further instruction. The Expositor's Greek Testament has it correctly: "spiritual satiety is a sign of arrested growth." As a man that has just finished be satisfied at a feast. Ye were enriched: "You esteem yourselves to be rich in spiritual gifts, and graces, so that you do not feel the necessity of any more." Just as the rich feel that they have no wants. Apart from us ye reigned: Paul says that the Corinthian believers were satisfied by the false teachers who tickled their ears, and they did not feel the need of the instruction from the true apostles and teachers. And wish ye did reign: Paul now leaves off his irony and becomes very serious with them. Paul becomes very somber in his wish that they were as satisfied as they led on to be. "I wish that you were so abundant in all spiritual improvements; I wish that you had made such advances that you could be represented as full, and as rich, and as princes, needing nothing, that when I came I might have nothing to do but to partake of your joy" (Barnes). In order that we also might reign with you: Paul says: "You are so renowned in your own opinion that you do not hesitate to despise me, and those like me, but mark, how vain is your glorying. For you can have no glorying before God, in which we have not a share - for if honor redounds to you from having the gospel of God, how much more to us, by whose ministry it was conveyed to you! And assuredly, this is folly and stupidity that is common to all the proud, that by everything to themselves, they strip themselves of every blessing" (Calvin).
Verse 9, "For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men."
LGT "For I think, God set forth us apostles last, as appointed to death, for a spectacle we became to the world, both to angels and to men."
For I think: Paul is now contrasting the self-satisfaction of the Corinthians with the reality of the apostle's teachings. God set forth us apostles last: as the English Standard Bible has it, "For I think that God has exhibited us apostles last of all." As appointed to death: this is the ultimate doom of the apostles, yet they never gave up the fight. For a spectacle we became to the world: "This verse is probably an allusion to the practice of exposing condemned criminals in the amphitheater to fight with beasts or with one another as gladiators. The gladiators, on entering the arena, saluted the presiding officer with the words Nos morituri salutamus, We who are to die greet you. Tertullian paraphrases this passage, God hath chosen us apostles last as beast-fighters. "The vast range of an amphitheater under the open sky, well represents the magnificent vision of all created things, from men up to angels, gazing on the dreadful death-struggle; and then the contrast of the selfish Corinthians sitting by unconcerned and unmoved by the awful spectacle'" (Stanley - quoted by Vincent). Both to angels and to men: "This expression means that he was public in his trials, and that this was exhibited to the universe. The whole verse is designed to convey the idea that God had, for wise purposes, appointed them in the sight of the universe, to pains, and trials, and persecutions, and poverty, and want, which would terminate only in their death; see Heb.12:1, &c. What these trials were he specified in the following verses" (Barnes).
Verse 10, "We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised."
LGT "We [are] fools on account of Christ, but ye [are] prudent in Christ: we [are] weak, but ye [are] strong: ye [are] glorious, but we [are] without honor."
We are fools on account of Christ: Paul says that he, Barnabas, and Appolos are fools on account of Christ, that is, for preaching the Gospel of grace that Christ gave them to preach; remember, the preaching of the cross of Christ was to the world foolishness. But ye are prudent: Paul continues his use of irony here. He says that the Corinthians were very discreet before the world. There was nothing they were doing that the world thought was strange. The Corinthians had no trouble pleasing the world. We are weak: in the eyes of the world. The opposite is of course true; Paul was fearless in proclaiming the Good News of God's grace. But ye are strong: their strength was pretentious, for they hid their belief from the world. Ye are glorious: they were self-righteous and self-important. The world had no problem with the Corinthians, for they viewed them as no different from themselves. But we are without honor: Paul and the others gave God all the glory; for it was out of the question for Paul to take what belonged to Christ and claim it for himself. All of this irony was designed to get the Corinthians to see their self-flattery was only good as a show before the world, and that it would not amount to anything before Christ.
Verse 11, "Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;"
LGT "To the present hour both we hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and wander without a home:"
To the present hour: just now, this very minute. Both we hunger and thirst: Paul drops the irony here and gets very serious about what he and the other apostles experienced through out their ministry; and Paul was more than willing to deal with his poverty in order to get the gospel of grace out to those who wanted it. And are naked: that is, Paul had no wardrobe to speak of. "Here was Paul with an impediment in his speech; with a personage small and mean rather than graceful; and in a mean and tattered dress; and often in chains, yet delivering truth before which kings trembled, and which produced every where a deep impression on the human mind. Such was the power of the gospel then! And such triumph did the truth have over men" (Barnes). And are buffeted: beaten many times. And wander without a home: just as our Savior walked this land, Paul and his partners were without a place to call home; they had only one thing in mind, preach the cross of Jesus Christ.
Verse 12, "And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it."
LGT "And labor, working with our own hands: Railed at, we bless, persecuted, we bear,"
And labor, working with our own hands: Paul did not expect to be supported by the church; whenever he was offered a gift, he would receive it, if it had been offered from the right motive, that is, from the "Love of Christ." Railed at: They were despised by the world for preaching what was considered superstitious nonsense. We bless: when they were railed at, they did not rail back; they took the abuse patiently as instructed by our Lord. Persecuted, we bear: they were persecuted beyond belief, and bore it with the grace of true apostles. They did not return evil for evil.
Verse 13, "Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day."
LGT "Evilly spoken to, we beseech: we are become as the refuse of this world, of all the offscouring until now."
Evilly spoken of: Paul and the others were blasphemed; this term is usually reserved for God, however, Paul knew it was Christ they were cursing and not himself personally. We beseech: Paul would beg them to listen and believe, rather than revile back. We are become the refuse of this world: the world treated them as refuse, as the dung of this world. Of all the offscouring until now: the offscouring was what they threw away from the animal sacrifice, the filth, after it was scrubbed down. Paul says they were treated as offscouring until the present day.
Verse 14, "I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you."
LGT "Not shaming you do I write these things, but as my beloved children I admonish you."
What a tender verse. Paul's harsh tones have suddenly disappeared. Not shaming you do I write these things: Paul is very serious about the welfare of his little children in the Lord. He assures them that he is not out to do them harm, but just the opposite: But as my beloved children I admonish you: Paul warns the Corinthians as his dear family. He does not want them to waste their entire lives living for self. Anytime we feel it necessary to admonish a loved one, it should never be to shame them, or to get even with them; but it should always be to get them to see the error and repent, and therefore, it will be to their benefit, for now and for eternity.
Verse 15, "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."
LGT "For if ten thousand tutors ye should have in Christ, yet not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus through the Glad Tidings I did begot you."
For if ten thousand tutors ye should have in Christ: The "if" in this clause is a third class condition, which means that it is undetermined with a chance of being determined (the meaning being that if they were to have ten thousand tutors, not that they actually had that many). A tutor was the household slave who took the young boys to school and back to guard them throughout their childhood. Paul likens the true teachers of the gospel of grace, such as Apollos, as tutors. Yet not many fathers: Paul likens himself as their spiritual father, for he brought most of them to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ when he founded churches in Corinth. For in Christ Jesus through the glad Tidings I begot you: Paul was the first missionary that brought the Word of God to these Gentiles in Corinth. Paul was their spiritual father, while Apollos and the rest were their tutors.
Verse 16, "Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye followers of me."
LGT "I exhort therefore you, keep on becoming imitators of me."
Paul stands firm as their spiritual father against the Judaizers that were turning the Corinthians against Paul. He begs them to be imitators of him spiritually, that is, believe and accept his teachings of grace, and put them into every day experience. The Latin Vulgate added this clause to this verse: "As I am of Christ." It is not in the original, but I am sure it is in Paul's mind, for the doctrines he teaches them are directly from Christ. You see, the Judaizers were trying to get them to imitate them and leading them back under the yoke of bondage to the law, whereas Paul was leading them in the ways of God's grace, and the freedom of not being under the law.
Verse 17, "For this cause I sent you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church."
LGT "On account of this I sent to you Timotheus, who is my child, beloved and faithful in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways that [are] in Christ Jesus, according as everywhere in every assembly I teach."
On account of this: that they would be followers of him. Paul wanted the Corinthians to grow up in the Lord. I sent you Timotheus: to continue teaching them the doctrines of grace. The churches in Corinth were split into divisions, and Paul sent Timothy to help them grow up. Who is my child, beloved and faithful in the Lord: Paul considered Timothy to be his spiritual child, and how he must have loved the believers in Corinth, for him to send such a beloved and faithful servant as Timothy. Who will remind you of my ways: this can only mean the ways of grace, opposed to works. That are in Christ Jesus: this refers to the ways of Paul as they are lined up with the ways of Jesus Christ. According as everywhere in every assembly I teach: Paul's teaching of grace did not vary from assemble to assembly. He did not have one message to the Jews and another to the Gentiles; his doctrines have not changed because they were given to him through the Holy Spirit by the unchangeable Lord Jesus Christ. This shows the absolute spiritual stupidity of denominationalism. The message of salvation has always been by faith through the means of God's grace, and every related doctrine is proven out by God's wonderful grace; if we believe any other doctrine than the doctrines of grace taught by the apostles, we will believe a lie. We should put every teacher and his teaching to the test of faith, and if he fails, we must reject his teaching. If any teaching does not pass the grace test, do not listen any longer, and get out of there as fast as possible.
Verse 18, "Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you."
LGT "Now as to my not coming to you, some were puffed up."
The English Standard Versions reads: "Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you." Some of the Corinthians were inflated with pride and vanity, arrogantly thinking Paul would not return to them. "The contrastive now points to a group of inflated persons hostile to Paul's ways. The wish was farther to the thought, which was suggested to some by the fact of Timothy's coming. They bore themselves more insolently as not fearing correction; - or did they imagine that Paul is afraid of them! Amongst these, presumably, were mischievous teachers (1Co 3:11-17) who had swelled into importance in Paul's absence, partisans who magnified others to his damage and talked as though the Church could now fairly dispense with him, because as they supposed, I am not coming" (TEGT).
Barnes notes:
"Probably he had been detained by the demand on his services in other places, and by various providential hindrances from going there, until they supposed that he stayed away from fear. And possibly he might apprehend that they would think he had sent timothy because he was afraid to come himself. Their conduct was an instance of the haughtiness [self-importance] and arrogance which men will assume when they suppose they are in no danger of reproof or punishment."
Verse 19, "But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power."
LGT "But I shall come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and I will know, not the word of the ones who are puffed up, but the power."
But I shall come to you: Paul expresses his desire to visit them with the following condition; If the Lord will: this Paul always had in his mind, whether spoken or not. Paul did not desire to take one step out of the Lord's will. This should be the desire of every serious Christian. We should never make plans for the future or daily decisions without desiring the Lord's will, "Come now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the next day. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanish away. For ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that" (James 4:13-15). And I will know: I will fully understand for I will put it to the test. Not the word of the ones who are puffed up: not their vain boasting and self-important boasting, but the power: Paul says that he will examine the effect of their ranting, and he will challenge them face to face, and see what effect the can have. Paul says that he will see if they have the same power he possesses in the lord.
Verse 20, "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power."
LGT "For the kingdom of God [is] not in word, but in power."
All the empty words spoken by the false prophets had no power. Eloquent words are meaningless without the power of the Holy Spirit inside. Paul had not only the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, but he was also inspired by God; so you see, he would make minced meat of his detractors when he came.
Verse 21, "What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?"
LGT "What do ye wish? I should come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of meekness?"
What do ye wish: concerning my coming to you. I should come to you with a rod: that I should come to you expecting to reprove and correct you all. Or in love and a spirit of meekness: Paul gives them their choice; he can come as a pedagogue of discipline, or as their spiritual father. The matter of how Paul came to them, it all depended on them. In either case, Paul would come to them as dear father to his beloved children. God deals with us His children in the same manner; He works with us as His dearly beloved children, especially when he has to take us to the woodshed and apply His rod; "For whom the lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives" (Heb. 12:6). If God has never spanked you, I doubt He is your Father. We all need to think this verse over with deliberate thought; our children need the rod of discipline the same as we need it from our dear heavenly Father. It is not what the Corinthians wanted as much as what they needed was Paul's uppermost concern.
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