1 Corinthians 4

1 Corinthians 4:1-7

To lay in a farther remedy against the pride and faction so ready to prevail among the Corinthians, the apostle leads them into several useful reflections on the nature of the ministerial office, the final judgment of him who searcheth all hearts, and the obligations they were under to the Divine goodness, for every advantage by which they were distinguished from others. 1 Cor. IV. 1—7.

Cor. IV. 1.

LET a man so ac- count of us, as of the ministers of

CORINTHIANS IV. 1.

I HAVE told you, how rich and happy you are in the Divine donation, in consequence of which all things are yours ; and particularly, Paul, and Apollos, and Cephas, with their various gifts and endowments. Learn therefore to form your estimate of us aright ; and let a man so account of us, not as the masters of the church, but as the servants of Christ, who are in obedience to his commands, to wait on his family ; esteeming it honour and happiness enough, if we approve ourselves as stewards of

vii. 1 Cor. iv. 1

VOL. 4.

Ministers are stewards, and should e at

the mysteries of God; as persons whose business it is, with the sincerest regard to his glory, to dispense that gospel which contains such sublime truths, for so many ages concealed from the knowledge of the world. And as for what remains to be done, in the discharge of this office, I hope we shall always remember, that it is demanded in stewards, that a man be found faithful; since they also, as well as lower servants in the family, are subject to account. And accordingly it is my highest ambition, that my great Master may judge me faithful, whether my fellow servants be pleased, or displeased, with my conduct. And if my fidelity to my Lord may offend them, which is a very supposable case, I am well contented to abide all its consequences. For I will freely declare in this view, it is with me the smallest thing that can be imagined, that I should be judged by you, dear as you are to me, or by any man’s judgment; his day will so soon be over; his censures can effect so little, that amidst the great prospects I have before me, it seems scarce to deserve a mention. Nor indeed do I so judge myself, as if my case were finally to be determined by my own apprehensions concerning it. For though I bless God, I am not conscious to myself of any thing criminal, of any designed neglect of my office, or unfaithfulness in my trust, yet am I not hereby justified: that is not the main thing in question; I know partiality to ourselves may often lead us to overlook many faults, for which God may another day condemn us. But he that judgeth me, the Person by whose judgment I am to stand, or fall, is the Lord Jesus Christ, who searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins of the children of men. Therefore be strictly careful that ye judge nothing before the appointed time, that is, until he, the great Lord of all, shall come, who shall pluck off the mask of every artful hypocrite, how high soever he may bear himself in the Christian church;

• Yet am I not hereby justified.] This safety, would do well to take greater heed, seems a gentle, but a very affecting insin- that they were not imposed upon by the ation, that his opponents, confident as they deceitfulness of their own hearts. might seem in their own integrity and

therefore, should not be set up against another.

shall bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and shall manifest all the secret counsels of the hearts. And then shall every one have in the most public manner, that praise from God, before the assembled world, which is proportionable to his real character and conduct.

These things, brethren, I have by a very obvious figure transferred to myself, and [to] Apollos, mentioning our names, and that of Cephas only, instead of many more, since you know the entire friendship there is among us, and how far the names of most about whom you contend, are inferior to these. And I have done this, not on our own account, as you may easily apprehend, but for your sakes, that you may learn, in attending to what has been said concerning us, distinguished as we are by our office, furniture, and success, not to entertain too high an opinion of yourselves, or others, whom you are most ready to admire, above what is here written, and appears reasonable on the principles which have been laid down: that you may not be puffed up for one teacher, and against another; which surely you cannot allow with respect to other teachers, when you see us renouncing all such attachment to ourselves. And indeed this would be very unreasonable, if the distinctions were as great, as

Bring to light the hidden things of darkness.] This is a lively and just insinuation, that under specious forms, his enemies concealed very dark designs, which would not bear the discoveries of that awful day.

Manifest all the secret counsels of the hearts.] This passage also suggests a very solid argument against magnifying one minister above another, namely, that the secret principles of men’s actions are unknown; and it is enlarged upon to very good practical purposes; while the apostle, at the same time, takes an opportunity of making a very solemn profession of his own faithfulness, and shewing the boldness he had towards God, and his modesty and candour to men; all which were extremely suitable to the general purposes he had in view.

Transferred to myself, &c.] Some, and particularly Mr. Locke, have inferred from science, that not St. Paul, and Apollos, but the other persons, were set up among the Corinthians for heads of parties, for whose names the apostle substituted his own, and that of his most intimate friend; but the learned and judicious Witsius well observes, (Meletem. p. 104,) that it is probable their names were used among some others omitted, and the figure was only this, that the names of St. Paul and Apollos were used to signify themselves, and any others so extolled; and when the apostle would say, how little ministers were in themselves, he chose, out of humility and prudence, rather to take such freedom with himself and his most particular and intimate friend, than with others.

What is here written.] Elsner (Observ. Vol II. p. 85,) confirms this interpretation, and produces many instances, in which epism is used to express, having too high an opinion of one’s self. L’Enfant explains it in something of a different sense, “above what scripture warrants.”

Reflections on the nature of the ministeria

you, or they, who have the highest conceit of themselves, can imagine. For allowing all, that self love and prepossession can wish, let me ask the man who carries it to the greatest height, Who maketh thee to differ [from another,] in any furniture, or attainment, whether intellectual, or moral? And what hast thou of any kind, which thou didst not receive from God, the great Parent of universal good? But if thou hast received [it] all from him, why dost thou boast in the gift of his liberal goodness, as if thou hadst not received [it] from him; but it were originally and essentially thine own? Would you all but seriously reflect upon this, it would teach you humbler sentiments, much more rational in themselves, and on the whole, much more for your credit, as well as comfort.

IMPROVEMENT.

NOTHING can be more conducive to the advantage of Christianity, and by consequence, of the world, whose happiness is so much concerned in its support and success, than that its preachers should consider, and their hearers remember, the nature of their office. They are not lords over God’s household and heritage, but ministers of Christ, whose business it is to promote their Master’s honour; stewards of his mysteries, who are to endeavour both to keep and dispense them with all good fidelity. From their Master therefore may they take all their instructions, and to him let them refer all their administrations. Various judgments will be passed upon them; and they, who will oppose the attempts of some of their brethren to introduce corruption and confusion into his family, will have many an unkind reflection thrown upon them, and experience the severity of censure, for a conduct which merits the justest approbation. But let them

Whether intellectual, or moral] I include moral attainments, because the apostle had, in the preceding verses, been speaking of fidelity in the ministry, and he elsewhere in this epistle speaks of obtaining mercy to be faithful, (chap. vii. 25,) and would be understood, as referring, not only to his giving us our faculties, but exiting us to the right use of them, both by external calls and advantages, and by inward impressions of his grace on the heart; though still in a manner suited to our free and rational natures, and which, however, some may be distinguished by

them, leaves all who choose wrong, without excuse, and admits the exercise of justice, as well as grace, in the final distributions of good and evil. See the paraphrase on chap. iii. 7, which seems very applicable to this clause. Yet as it is certain, the Corinthians chiefly gloried in their gifts, and in those of their favourite teachers, I doubt not but it is to these that the apostle chiefly refers in this place, and cannot think that the stress of the controversy relating to the sanctifying influences of Divine grace, does by any means rest on this passage.

Paul reminds the Corinthians of their prosperous condition;

learn by this excellent apostle, to be above the judgment of men, sect. and to keep the judgment of the Lord in view; that they may not only be supported under that petulence of their fellow servants, but may learn to guard against, what is much more dangerous, the treachery of their own hearts, and the flattery of self love; lest they fondly mistake the voice of prejudice for that of conscience, or in other words, the voice of an erroneous conscience, for that of a conscience well informed.

Let us often recollect the narrow limits of our own knowledge, that we may learn modesty in our censures of each other. He only can judge, who knoweth the heart; and there is a day approaching, which will manifest all its secrets. While others, with a pitiable mixture of arrogance, and ignorance, judge one another, and judge us, let us rather be concerned that we may secure that praise of God, which will be heard, and felt, by the soul, with the highest rapture, and will silence every echo of human applause, or censure.

To conclude: if it hath pleased God, in any respect, to distinguish us from others, by the gifts or graces which he hath bestowed upon us, let us humbly trace these distinctions to their true source: and instead of indulging the least degree of pride on their account, let us rather be the more humble. For surely the more we receive from God, the more we are indebted and obliged; and the more we are obliged to the Divine goodness, the greater ought our shame and confusion to be, that we have not answered those obligations by more faithful care, and more constant gratitude.

1 Corinthians 4:8

The apostle, in order to gain farther upon their affections, represents the many hardships and dangers, to which he and his brethren were exposed, in comparison of that easy state in which the Corinthians were; and reminding them at the same time of their particular obligations to him, he warns them not to force him on severities, to the use of which he was very averse. 1 Cor. IV. 8, to the end.

Cor. IV. 8. NOW ye are full, now ye are rich, 1 CORINTHIANS IV. 8. I HAVE suggested some humbling thoughts to your consideration; but I fear you will have little relish for them, as you seem to indulge yourselves in very different views. Am I not rather to congratulate Christians, whose rank and figure in the world is so much superior to that of many of the brethren, and even

And of the afflictive circumstances o the apo

of their first apostle too? For now you are full; now you are rich; you enjoy so great a degree of prosperity and plenty, that methinks you have even reigned as kings without us: so happy in a variety of secular enjoyments, that you have hardly missed my company. And indeed I wish you did reign, in the truest and noblest sense, and were altogether as happy as you think yourselves. I wish the most excellent powers of the human nature had, through Divine grace, greater rule and sovereignty in your souls, that we, in the midst of all our present distress, might also reign with you, and partake of your happiness, in that high degree, in which, if it were sincere and solid, our affection for you would enable us to share it. And surely we sufficiently need such consolation as this; for I think God hath exhibited us, the apostles of his Son, like those gladiators which are brought out on the stage last of all, as appointed to certain death, and therefore not furnished with weapons of defence, nor allowed so much as a chance of escaping: for we are produced, as it were, on a public theatre, and made a spectacle to the whole world of rational creatures, both to angels and men, who are all held in solicit-

a You have reigned as kings, &c.] This is a proverbial expression of the most splendid and plentiful circumstances; and some think, when the apostle adds, I wish ye did reign, he means, “I wish you had the authority of princes, that ye might shelter and accommodate us amidst all our distresses and afflictions.” But one can hardly think he did indeed wish each of them a prince, or the civil power in their hands. It seems much more probable, that as spiritual objects were so familiar to his mind, he changes the idea in the manner the paraphrase expresses; in which sense it seems that Christians are called priests and kings, (Rev. i. 6;) as it is certain they are called a royal priesthood. (1 Pet. ii. 9.) I cannot think with Mr. L’Enfant, that this refers peculiarly to the factious pastors of the church at Corinth.

b Last of all.] I cannot think, as Elsner seems to do, that the word ἐσχαῖα refers to the low rank which the apostle held in secular life; or with Messieurs Calvin, Locke, and L’Enfant, that St. Paul speaks of himself as the last called apostle; but

that there is a reference to the Roman custom of bringing forth those persons on the theatre in the after part of the day, either to fight with each other, or with wild beasts, who were appointed to certain death, and had not that poor chance of escaping which those brought forth in the morning had. Compare Sen. Epist. Cap vii Reeves Apol. Vol I. p. 237. Such kind of spectacles were so common in all the provinces, that it is no wonder we should find such an allusion here. The word ἀποδεῖν, exhibited, and ἄρθρον, a spectacle on the theatre, have in this connection a beautiful propriety. The whole passage is indeed full of high eloquence and finely adapted to move their compassion in favour of those who were so generously exposing and sacrificing themselves for the public good.

c A spectacle to—angels and men.] This representation is wonderfully pathetic and sublime: while they considered evil angels and men as beholding them with all the malignant, and good angels and men with all the benevolent assions, it must

re made a spectacle to angels and to men ;

ous attention to so strange and tragical a sight. Imagine not, that I have aggravated the representation ; the more you attend to our circumstances, the more you will discern its justice : for we [are] treated like fools, babblers, and madmen, for the sake of Christ, (Acts. xvii. 18, chap. xxvi. 24,) as if we were the weakest and most ignorant of mankind, because we preach the plain truths of the gospel, and endeavour to the utmost to exalt our Lord. But ye [are] wise in Christ : ye set up for a kind of Christian philosophers, of more refined understandings than your brethren, and think you have found out a political way, at once of securing the blessings of the gospel, and escaping its inconveniences and persecutions. We [are] weak, in presence, in infirmities, and in sufferings : but ye [are] strong, have great confidence in yourselves, and are got above many of those tender alarms and impressions, which hearts like ours are subject to, on a variety of occasions ; you [are] honourable, adorned with extraordinary gifts, in which you are ready to glory, and many of you set off with circumstances of external distinction ; but we [are] poor, despised creatures, treated with contempt wherever we come. For even to this present hour, after all the battles fought, and all the conquests already gained, by the gospel, we are often exposed to circumstances of the extremest want and misery. Sometimes we both hunger and thirst, and amidst our charitable journeys to diffuse the gospel, hardly find entertainment of the plainest kind, to relieve our necessities, or money to purchase it. And our clothes are so worn out with travelling, and we are so ill furnished for buying more, that we are often almost naked,⁴ not having decent raiment to wear, though we appear so often in public assemblies. And in many instances,

have a great tendency to inspire their minds with the most heroic sentiments. Elsner has given an excellent collection of passages from heathen writers, in which such a figure is made use of by them.

⁴ Are naked, &c.] Surely one cannot imagine any more glorious triumph of the

truth, than what it gained in these circumstances, when St. Paul, with an impediment in his speech, and a personage, rather contemptible, than graceful, appeared in a mean, and perhaps sometimes tattered dress, before persons of the highest rank, and yet commanded such attention, an made such impressions.

and are reviled and persecuted as the filth of the world.

where our benevolent and important message and are buffeted, and viii. is heard, instead of being received with due have no certain respect, we are insulted, and perhaps buffeted, dwelling place. 1 Cor. by the unruly and barbarous mob; and at best, iv. 11 if we now and then meet with a little more hospitable usage, it is but for a very little while; for, whereas you dwell in a rich and magnificent city, we have no certain abode, but are continually removing from one place to another. And though we are engaged in a work of so great importance to the souls of men, which might well ingross all our time and care; yet such are the circumstances in which we are often placed, that we are obliged in duty and prudence, to labour in some secular calling, working with our own hands, to procure the necessary supports of the most frugal and parsimonious life. Being in the most insolent and provoking manner reviled to our faces, and loaded with every opprobrious name of contempt, we meekly bless, and pray for our enemies; being persecuted, we endure it patiently, unable to right and help ourselves. Being blasphemed, and spoken of in the most scandalous, and, considering our sacred character, the most impious terms; we only entreat that men would more impartially examine our pretensions, that they may entertain more favourable sentiments concerning us; and in the mean time, we freely forgive them their rash and injurious censures. And on the whole, such is the usage we meet with, that we are made and treated like the very filth of the world, c like the wretches, which being taken from the dregs of the people, are offered as expiatory

c Filth of the world.] The word καθημερινά as a force and meaning here which no new word in our language can express; I have given, what I am persuaded is the true meaning of it in the paraphrase, and just refer to Dr. Hen. More, (Theol. Works, p. 63,) and Dr. Whitby in loc. for the illustration of this bold and noble figure. Suidas says that these wretched victims were called καθημερινά, as their death was esteemed an expiation; and he tells us the word πυρφωμένα, which we render offcouring, was also applied to them; and Bos, (Exercit. p. 125,) illustrates this sense of the word by a very large and judicious collection of Greek quotations. See also Dr Ridley’s Christian Passover, p. 22. It appears from some of these passages, that when the ashes of these unhappy men were thrown into the sea, these very word were used in the ceremony, γυναικείνων, γυναικείνων; but the former of these titles was given them, in reference to the original signification of the words, which the paraphrase on the end of the verse expresses. That so wise and ancient a republic as that of Marseilles, originally a Greek colony, should have retained this savage usage, is astonishing; yet Servius expressly asserts it. Serv. in Æneid. Lib. III. Lin. 75.

stle writes these things for their warning.

sacrifices to the infernal deities among the Gentiles, and loaded with curses, affronts and injuries, in the way to the altars, at which they are to bleed: [or like] the refuse of all things to this day, the very sweepings of the streets and stalls, a nuisance to all around us, and fit for nothing but to be trampled upon by the meanest and vilest of mankind.

I do not write these things to shame you, or in any degree to stain your credit with other churches, by such a representation, as if you were unmindful of my sufferings for the gospel; but considering the relation in which we stand to each other, and looking upon you as my beloved sons, I warn [you] of those dangers to which I fear you may be exposed, and of the regard which it is your duty and interest to pay to those who voluntarily subject themselves to so many evils on your account, that you ought surely to be the last to increase their burdens. And I may particularly urge this with respect to myself; for if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, be they ever so many, or ever so valuable, yet [you have] not many spiritual fathers, for in Christ Jesus! Paul have begotten you by the gospel: I preached it first among you, and was the happy means of your spiritual birth, and all the privileges of God’s children which you receive by it. I beseech you therefore, [that] with filial piety and duty ye be all imitators of me, keeping strictly to the faith which I taught you, and carefully copying my meekness and humility.

For this reason, that you may be the better able to trace my steps, and may be animated to do it with the greater care, I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved son, or dear convert, (Acts xix. 22,) and who, though yet but a young man, is remarkably faithful in the Lord, an excellent Christian, who will be able more perfectly to bring to your remembrance the ways of Christ, as I am every where teaching in every church where I come; by which you will perceive, that I do not act partially with respect to you, but proceed on general principles of integrity and prudence, from which I no where allow myself to vary.

And declares his purpose to come to them she

Some, I hear, are puffed up in vain and proud confidence, as if, after all I have said, I would not come to you, and did not dare to appear in a place where I have now so many opposers. But they are extremely mistaken, for I will certainly come to you, and that quickly too, if the Lord, who holds the reins of universal government in his hands, permit: and I will then know and examine, not the confident speech, and florid talk of those that are thus puffed up, but the power they have to vindicate their pretensions, and what miraculous proof they can give of that authority in the church which they presume to oppose to mine. For the kingdom of God is not in speech, in confident assertions, or in elegant forms of address, but is established in the exertions of a miraculous power, conferred on the true and genuine apostles of our Lord by the effusion of his Spirit upon them, by virtue of which, his faithful subjects may be fully satisfied, they act according to his will, in paying them the regard they require. What therefore do you on the whole desire, and choose? That I should come to you, as it were, with a rodᶠ of correction in my hand, using my apostolic power for your chastisement; or, which for your sakes I should much rather choose, in love, and in the spirit of meekness and gentleness, comforting and commending, instead of chastising? You will, I hope, think seriously upon the matter in time, before things are driven to such an extremity, as may not any longer leave it in my choice or yours.

ᶠ With a rod of correction] That the apostles had often a miraculous power of inflicting death, and other temporal judgments, in case of aggravated offence, appears from other passages of scripture. Acts v. 5—10, chap. xiii. 10, 11; 1 Tim. i. 20; and is referred to more than once or twice, in these epistles to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. v. 5; 2 Cor. i. 23, chap. x. 6, 8, chap. xiii. 2, 3, 10. And I cannot mention these passages, without leading my reader to reflect on the wisdom of Providence, in

permitting such opposition to arise against St. Paul, particularly at Corinth. It gave him an opportunity of making the strongest appeals to what they are supposed to know of his miraculous power; and had these appeals not been indeed founded on the most certain and evident truth, they must, instead of restoring him to their regards as we find in fact they did, have been sufficient of themselves utterly to have ruined all his reputation and interest among them, had it before been ever so great.

Reflections on Paul’s tenderness for his children in Christ.

IMPROVEMENT.

How adorable is the efficacy of Divine grace which bore those zealous and faithful servants of Christ through all their labours and fatigues, when they were made a spectacle to the world, to angels and men! How glorious a spectacle! worthy surely, as any thing, since that wonderful scene on Calvary, of the eye of God himself.

How little are we to judge of the Divine favour by external circumstances, when those best of men were of all others the most miserable, farther, than as their heavenly hope supported and animated them? And when that is taken into the account, who would not emulate their lot, though hungry and thirsty, though naked and destitute, without habitation, without protector, without friends? When we consider their share in the Divine friendship, when we consider the blessed effects of their labours, and the glorious crown which awaits them after all their sufferings; surely they must appear happy in proportion to the degree in which they seemed miserable, and glorious in proportion to the degree in which the world held them as infamous!

That illustrious person, whose epistles are now before us, knew not the pleasures of domestic life, in many of its most endearing relations. But God made him a spiritual father to multitudes; and no doubt, as he urges the consideration on his children in Christ, he felt the joy arising from it strong in his own soul, when he said, I have begotten you in Christ Jesus by the gospel. Surely it ought never to have been forgotten by them; and if through the artifices of ill designing men, and the remaining infirmities of their own character, it was sometimes, and in some degree forgotten now, yet undoubtedly, it would be remembered by them in the heavenly world for ever; even by as many as the Lord his God had graciously given him. And if there be any remembrance there, that they once grieved him, it will be an engagement to all those offices of an eternal friendship, which the exaltation of the heavenly state shall allow. In the mean time, his paternal affection for them wrought, not in a foolish fondness of indulgence, which in the language of Divine wisdom, is hating a son; but in the character of a prudent and faithful parent, who, desirous that his children may be as wise and good as possible, will rather use the rod than suffer them to be undone. Yet when he speaks of using it, he speaks with regret, as one who would rather choose to act in the spirit of gentleness, and without any mixture of severity, how necessary so ever. The whole of his subsequent conduct to the Corinthians, as far as it may be learned from this, or the following epistle bears a perfect consistency with these expressions, and illustrates their sincerity.

11-15

The apostle proceeds to the case of the incestuous person;

SEC. May God give to his ministers more of this truly apostolica viii. spirit, more of those overflowings of holy love, attempering and attempted by that ardent zeal against sin, and that firm resolution in the discharge of duty, which shone so brightly in the apostle, and in which he so freely and justly recommends himself to the imitation of his children and brethren.