1 Corinthians 3
DOYLY— let him become a fool,] Or, embrace that Gospel and doctrine of Christ, which the world calls foolishness. Dr. Whitby.
1 Corinthians 3:16
- Know ye not &c.] The Apostle here passes from false doctrines, to the evil effects of them in the divisions of the Corinthians. Dr. Whitby.
— that ye are the temple of God, &c.] That ye are the spiritual temple of God, built by Him, and consecrated to His own service; and as God testified His presence and inhabitation in the material temple, so the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Bp. Hall.
1 Corinthians 3:17
- If any man defile the temple of God,] By dividing that church which is His temple, and in which one and the same Spirit dwells, into parts and factions. Or the words may be referred to the corrupting of the temple of God by filthiness of the flesh, uncleanness and fornication; or by filthiness of the spirit, that is, idolatrous practices: both which the Corinthians were guilty of. Compare chap. vi. 15—19; 2 Cor. vi. 16; vii. 1. Dr. Whitby.
1 Corinthians 3:18
- — seemeth to be wise in this world,] That is, in the wisdom of this world. That the Corinthians were induced to eat things offered to idols in the idol temples, by men pretending to great knowledge, see chap. viii. 1, 2. Such men also introduced among them the doctrine of the lawfulness of fornication. Agreeable to this interpretation of the two last verses is the remark of the ancients, who say that the Apostle in the 17th verse begins to speak of him that had committed fornication, chap. v. 1; and against them who by filthy practices had corrupted their bodies, and violated the temple of the Holy Ghost. Dr. Whitby.
1 Corinthians 3:19
- — He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.] He maketh the craftiness of those, who think themselves wise, the occasion of their destruction. Dr. Macknight.
1 Corinthians 3:21
- Therefore let no man glory in men.] So as to be induced by esteem for them to rend or divide the church, or to indulge in those vile practices which corrupt the temple of God. Dr. Whitby.
— For all things are your’s;] That is, designed by God for your service unto salvation. Dr. Wells.
1 Corinthians 3:22
- — or things present, or things to come; all are your’s;] The Apostle means, that by the direction of the providence of God, all things prosperous or adverse, whether present or future, shall be made subservient to the promoting of the virtue of believers in the present life, and of their felicity in the life to come. Among the rest, death itself is theirs, as it is the appointed means of bringing them to the vision and enjoyment of God. Dr. Macknight.
1 Corinthians 3:23
- And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.] And the conclusion from hence is this, that you give not up your faith to any but Christ, that you resolve firmly to obey Him, and adhere to Him uniformly, as He resigned Himself up to the will of God, to do and to suffer whatsoever He appointed Him, in the great office of being our Mediator and Redeemer. Dr. Hammond.
Chap. IV. The Apostle here declares, that the Corinthians ought to respect the ministers of Christ, but that it was not for them to prefer some before others: that although he discharged his office with a good conscience, he did not think himself better than his colleagues; that the gifts, with which ministers are endowed, proceed from God; and that God alone is to judge of their fidelity. He argues with the heads of the faction, and represents their pride and vainglory. And as the persecutions, to which he was exposed, gave some men occasion to despise him, he describes the evils which he endured, and the patience with which he suffered them, and even glories in them, that so he might induce the Corinthians to think of him as they ought, and to imitate his patience, meekness, and humility. He proposes to send Timothy to them, to give them still further assurances how constant he was to himself and them: and he threatens those who suggested that he dread not make his personal appearance amongst them. Ostervold, Pyle.
Ver. 1. Let a man so account of us, &c.] Let Chris- Anno DOMINI 26. In what account ministers ought to be had. Anno DOMINI 59.