1 Corinthians 3
Lipscomb1 Corinthians 3:1
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal,—Paul had told them that they were dependent on the inspired apostles for the knowledge of the truth by which they might become spiritual beings. He could not speak unto them as though they were taught by the Spirit, but as though they were fleshly, or led by the impulse of the flesh.
as unto babes in Christ.—Not grown, were undeveloped under the instruction of the Spirit. As the spiritual element in them is developed under the instruction of the Spirit the flesh loses its rule, but they had learned slowly, had not grown in spirituality as they should have done, so he chides them that they are yet carnal when they ought to be spiritual. He uses the term here in a modified sense. [The term is sometimes used in a good sense. (1 Peter 2:2). Here, however, it is taken in a bad sense, as referring to the understanding. For we must be children in malice, but not in understanding. (1 Corinthians 14:20; Ephesians 4:14).]
1 Corinthians 3:2
I fed you with milk,—Babes are fed with milk, food suited to the digestive powers of their weak and helpless condition.
not with meat; —After they grow stronger they are fed with stronger, more strengthening food, suited to their infantile state, and not with stronger spiritual food suited to a greater spiritual growth.
for ye were not yet able to bear it:—Sufficient time had elapsed for them to have reached a more vigorous and healthful growth, but they had not improved and grown in the spiritual life as they should, so were babes unfit to receive the stronger spiritual food. He had treated them with tenderness, had not been chargeable to them as he might have been when laboring among them, and had not fully impressed on them the obligation to deny themselves all fleshly lusts and appetites, and sacrifice all things for the sake of Christ.
nay, not even now are ye able:—Men fail to improve themselves so that when they ought to be skilled in the word, eat meat and grow strong, able to bear heavy burdens and help others, they are yet weak babes, needing themselves to be nursed on milk and carried by others. This was the condition of these Corinthians; and many yet always remain babes to be nursed, fed, and carried by others.
[Christ is at the same time milk to babes and strong meat to those who are of full age (Hebrews 5:13-14), the same truth of the gospel is administered to both, but so as to suit their capacity. Hence it is the part of the wise teacher to accommodate himself to the capacity of those whom he has undertaken to instruct, so that in dealing with the weak and ignorant, he begins with such principles as they are able to understand, and does not go higher than they are able to follow. (Mark 4:33; John 16:12). At the same time these principles will contain everything necessary to be known, no less than the further advanced lessons that are communicated to those that are stronger. Some, however, present Christ at such a distance, and cover over with so many disguises, that they constantly keep their hearers in destructive ignorance.]
1 Corinthians 3:3
for ye are yet carnal:—They had not grown from under the rule of fleshly passions. [This word has a wide scope. It is not confined to sexual, or even sensual sins, but covers those tempers and dispositions that express themselves in strife and dissensions.]
for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the manner of men?— This refers to the parties noticed in 1:11, 12. These all grow out of the predominance of the works of the flesh. Paul gives the natural fruits of the flesh: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.” (Galatians 5:19-21). Where these exist, the flesh rules. Had they been spiritual, they would have looked to Christ and not been partisans of men.
1 Corinthians 3:4
For when one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos;—Their divisions and strifes had arisen concerning the teachers that had labored among them, especially over Paul and Apollos. Neither of these countenanced this partisanship in his favor. An idea has gone abroad that there was great rivalry between Paul and Apollos that gave rise to the parties in the church at Corinth; but there is no ground whatever for this conclusion, for Paul always speaks of Apollos with the highest esteem and affection. At the time of the writing of this epistle, he was with Paul, or in easy reach of him, and knew of his writing, for Paul says: “But as touching Apollos the brother, I besought him much to come unto you with the brethren: and it was not at all his will to come now; but he will come when he shall have opportunity.” (1 Corinthians 16:12). Paul was writing to condemn the divisions that had grown up concerning him and Apollos and desired Apollos to go help correct the evils.
are ye not men?—He places before them the truth that divisions and parties, even for inspired men, are sinful, and grow out of the lusts and passions of the flesh.
1 Corinthians 3:5
What then is Apollos? and what is Paul?—What position does Apollos and Paul occupy that they should divide over them? [From the answer given it is implied that the partisanship of their followers does not accord with the spirit of the leaders they have chosen, and is condemned as carnality.]
Ministers through whom ye believed;—Here is an emphatic statement that Apollos and Paul were nothing else than mere ministers, servants of God. [They are thereby designated as instruments in God’s hands for the production of faith, and such they were in their function as preachers and teachers of the truth.]
and each as the Lord gave to him.—Each ministered as the Lord gave him ability and knowledge, so God, not his servant, is the leader to follow.
1 Corinthians 3:6
I planted,—Paul first preached the word of God. which is the seed of the kingdom (Luke 8:11), among them, and planted the church there.
Apollos watered; —Apollos taught afterward, encouraging the disciples, so watered. Others came in likely under his teaching. A seed is sometimes planted, but germinates or grows and bears fruit only as it is watered and cultivated.
but God gave the increase.-—While each had done the part for which he was fitted by God, and to which God had called him, God gave the increase. [Paul’s generous reference to Apollos here, as following up the work which he himself had begun, is a rebuke of the Corinthian party spirit, which set them up as rivals.]
1 Corinthians 3:7
So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth;—The work that each did as servants of God was necessary to the growth of the plant, but all the power that produced the fruit come from God.
but God that giveth the increase.—God does what is accomplished through the provisions he makes and the agents he uses, both in the natural and spiritual world. He gave the increase through the works of these, his servants, as he gives increase of fruit in the material world.
1 Corinthians 3:8
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one:— They are one in position and relation. They are servants through whom God works. They are equal—not one to be exalted above another. Neither is entitled to any credit.
but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.—They only do what God directs them to do, and each shall be rewarded according to his faithfulness in doing the will of God.
1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are God’s fellow-workers:—The apostles and faithful teachers are God’s fellow workers, working together with him, doing and teaching what he directs.
ye are God’s husbandry,—The church is God’s husbandry, is the field planted with the seed God gave, and is cultivated and nourished by God’s servants. [This metaphor is frequently used in the Scripture which shows that it plainly rests upon a far-reaching harmony of things natural and spiritual. (See Isaiah 5:1-7; Matthew 13:3-30; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:1-6). All agriculture is man working together with God. For every pious farmer feels that his harvest is a result and reward proportionate to his own toil and skill, and yet altogether God’s gift to him. Just so, the servant of the Lord places the word of God in its appropriate soil, the human heart, and from the word, in virtue of its life-giving power, there springs up a fruitful plant of an obedient believer and a devoted Christian life.]
God’s building.—The church is the temple of God, builded of living stones. (1 Peter 2:5). Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone. God is fitting the stones and placing them into the building through his workmen. God builds the house, and through the Spirit dwells in it. As we give honor, not to the workmen who execute, but to him who planned and provided for the building, so the honor for this spiritual house belongs to God.
1 Corinthians 3:10
According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise master-builder I laid a foundation;—According to the gifts and spiritual blessings bestowed on Paul as a wise master builder under God, he laid the foundation of the church at Corinth by preaching that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He first preached that truth in Corinth.
and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon.—He warns every one to take heed, be careful how he builds. There is danger by false teaching, or false methods, of building unworthy material upon the foundation which Paul had laid.
1 Corinthians 3:11
For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.—There is but one foundation on which a church of Christ can be laid. Paul had laid that foundation when he preached in Corinth that Jesus is the Christ. When Peter confessed his faith in Jesus, saying: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus said unto him: “Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:16-18). There is controversy as to what constitutes the rock on which Christ would build his church; but Paul says that Christ is the only foundation that can be laid.
1 Corinthians 3:12
But if any man buildeth on the foundation—The church is compared to a building into which may be builded both good and bad material.
gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;—The members built into the church are compared to these two classes of material.
1 Corinthians 3:13
each man’s work shall be made manifest:—Every man’s work will be tried with fire, and so its character will be revealed or made known. If tried by fire, the wood, hay, and stubble will be burned up.
for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire;— There is some doubt as to what day is meant. It is a day of testing to the unfaithful that is coming whether in this world or in the world to come. Some think it is the day of persecution that will come upon the church as a fiery trial that will destroy and purge out the unworthy. Others interpret it as referring to the day of judgment.
and the fire itself shall prove each man’s work of what sort it is.—The point of comparison is: fire will purge and purify the gold, silver, and precious stones. It will burn up and consume wood, hay, and stubble. So the day of trial will purge and purify the good, and they will shine the brighter; but it will bring to ruin the unworthy. This is true of the classes, whether it refers to a time of persecution and trial here or to the future judgment.
1 Corinthians 3:14
If any man’s work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward.—If the work done in building up the church of Christ abides, he who does it will receive a reward. [Paul is here speaking of the material built into the church upon the one foundation, which may be good or bad. When a laborer builds wood, hay, and stubble upon the foundation, all such will turn back to the world, yield to its temptations, and thus be overcome by fiery trials; and in such cases the laborer loses his reward. On the other hand, those of his converts who prove themselves to be as gold, silver, and costly stones in the service of God will be admitted “into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:11), and this will be a reward to him.]
1 Corinthians 3:15
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.—When this test by fire is made has been a question of some doubt. It seems to be that if one brings in ill-prepared material, it will be destroyed. Paul says of his converts: “Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men”; (2 Corinthians 3:2), and “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord Jesus at his coming? For ye are our glory and our joy.” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). If these converts were to be the ground of his reward, the loss of them would cause him to suffer a corresponding loss, yet he would be saved, but the fire that destroyed his bad work would test him. This teaching of Paul was clearly intended to warn the church he had planted and taught and among whom he had determined to know nothing but “Jesus Christ, and him crucified,” against teachers who would come into their midst and teach the commandments of men, that would corrupt and defile the temple of God.
1 Corinthians 3:16
Know ye not that ye are a temple of God,—Solomon erected a temple in Jerusalem, that was recognized as “the house of Jehovah,” “the house of God,” and “Jehovah’s house.” In it was Jehovah’s name recorded; in it was the mercy seat; in it must the offering of prayer or praise be presented. The temple itself, with its corner and foundation stones and comely stones of its walls, was typical of the spiritual temple, the church, “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20), of which every Christian is a living stone “builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.” [The lessons of care and sanctity and reverence taught concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem are examples to teach how reverential and careful we must be in reference to the spiritual temple and how we should make it after the pattern given. It must not be neglected; it must not be defiled; it must not be made secondary to anything in the world.]
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?—God’s Spirit in the beginning had dwelt upon the earth with man. Man sinned, the earth was defiled, and his Spirit ceased to dwell with man. Altars were built and consecrated where he met the worshipers. Then the tabernacle, then the temple in Jerusalem, now the spiritual temple or the church of God. In this spiritual temple he makes his permanent dwelling place among men. (See 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 3:6; 1 Peter 2:5).
1 Corinthians 3:17
If any man destroyeth the temple of God,—The church is destroyed as God’s temple by so defiling it that God will not dwell in it. The earth was defiled by man introducing practices into it not ordained of God, following the evil one instead of God, by substituting the will of man for the will of God. The same course will destroy the church as a temple of God. In the tabernacle, and the temple in Jerusalem, every person who served, and every vessel and instrument of service were sanctified by the typical blood of bulls and goats. To bring persons or things not sealed by this blood into the temple so defiled it that God would not dwell in it. Every person built into the spiritual temple of God must be sanctified by the blood of Christ.
Every ordinance and appointment of service is consecrated by that blood. To bring a person or service into the church not sealed by the blood defiles it. The persons who enter according to the terms laid down in the New Testament, and the ordinances and the provisions there made for serving God, are sealed by the blood of Christ. None others are. To bring into the church those not admitted by the law of Christ is to defile the temple of God, so that God refuses to dwell in it. The temple of God is holy, consecrated to God’s service.
All its appointments and ordinances have been sealed by the blood of Christ.
him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.—As Nadab and Abihu brought strange fire into the earthly tabernacle and were destroyed by that fire, so also shall whosoever brings into the church of God, or performs any service not ordained, and so consecrated by God, be destroyed by that unconsecrated, unordained service.
1 Corinthians 3:18
Let no man deceive himself.—He warns against the danger of the wisdom of this world. It is intimately connected with this defilement of the temple. To introduce things resting on human wisdom defiles the temple of God. To use those ordained by the wisdom of God, sealed by the blood of Christ, is to keep the temple holy and sacred.
If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool,—If a man seems or affects to be wise after this world and so thinks he may bring things resting on this wisdom into the church of God, let him become a fool to this world.
These admonitions are most needful to men, for they often deceive themselves. God is never deceived as to man’s character or as to his ability or to the motives that actuate him in anything he does. Self-deception is the most common phase of deception among men. Our neighbors as a rule understand us better than we understand ourselves. They see us more clearly than we see ourselves. Paul cautions: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8).
This warning grows out of man’s tendency to deceive himself. Many of us while gratifying the flesh imagine we are following the Spirit. Many preachers preach for money and ease and imagine they are preaching to save souls. Often we build fine houses to gratify our pride and persuade ourselves that we are doing it to serve God. Most of life’s failures come from self-deception. We deceive ourselves as to our abilities, and undertake to do things we have no capacity to do.
After years of close observation I feel sure that nine-tenths of the failures in life come from overweening confidence in self. One so self-confident never stops to investigate or properly consider the difficulties in the way of his carrying out a work. Solomon in his counsels of wisdom cautions: “Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding…. Be not wise in thine own eyes” (Proverbs 3:5-7); and Paul says: “Be not wise in your own conceits” (Romans 12:16). Self-conceit causes men to depend upon their own wisdom and strength instead of that of God, and leads them to ruin financially and spiritually.
that he may become wise.—To learn that the wisdom of this world is foolishness is to prepare oneself to accept the wisdom of God.
1 Corinthians 3:19
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.—He here applies the truths presented in the conclusion of the first chapter. To be wise after the world is to be a fool before God. To be wise with God is to be a fool with the world. God has ordained that every institution and organization by man shall be engulfed in the destroying vortex of ruin. The disposition to introduce things into the service of God based on human opinions or judgments has been the besetting sin of man from the beginning. It has been the fatal rock on which he has made shipwreck of his faith and on which he has forfeited the favor of God, and the same thing is true even to this day.
Men become infidels by introducing their own opinions into the service and worship of God. It is done first with a view to adding interest and efficiency to the service. This trains men to rely more and more upon their opinions and judgment, less and less upon the institutions of God until they erect their own judgment and opinions into the standard of right, and whatever in the word of God does not agree with this standard of their own, they reject. Whenever men reject the word of God, or any part of it, because it does not agree with their own conceptions of what is right, they are in essential elements infidels. When a man tests the Bible and its truth, or any part of it, by his own judgment and opinions of what is right or wrong, he has rejected the word of God as the rule of faith for man. God has ordained that those who thus walk shall come to ruin. He shall fall into the pit he has digged.
For it is written, He that taketh the wise in their craftiness: —God so overrules as to destroy men with that by which they had devised to save themselves.
1 Corinthians 3:20
and again, The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain.—God knows all the plans of the wise that they are vain, and will lead to ruin. All the provisions of human wisdom for the advancement of the church of God result in evil to the church and to the world. There never has been an age in the past when there were so many and such costly attractions to draw people to church—fine and luxuriously equipped houses, fine mechanical musical instruments furnishing the best music, well-paid and eloquent ministers, preaching on topics of current interest, with all the societies and helps to attract and entertain the young and the old—yet the people cease to attend. Never before have there been so many human devices and so much money expended at home and abroad to hold and convert the people, and yet the denominational churches are growing relatively weaker and are losing ground.
The Lord has taken the wise men of the churches in their own craftiness. They have thought that they could improve, by their wisdom, on the ways of God, and God has shown them that they bring weakness to the churches and drive men from God and the church. The church of God is defiled, and it is growing weaker day by day under the addition of these human organizations and helps. They are parasites that sap the life from the church, while for a time seeming to add to its vigor and life. Yet with all these warnings of God in the Scriptures confirmed by the examples of the destructive effects of the human inventions, churches and men claiming to be wise, and to believe in the Bible, follow the same path of ruin. There have drifted into the churches many who do not believe the Scriptures.
The disposition to bring human organizations into the work and worship of the church comes from a feeling of worldly wisdom which is foolishness with God. It is a manifestation of unbelief and it must be thrust out of the churches before they can be blessed of God.
1 Corinthians 3:21
Wherefore let no one glory in men.—Do not glory in men or follow the works and inventions of men. [To glory in men is to boast of one’s relation to them, to trust in them as the ground of confidence, or as the source of honor. Thus men are said to glory in the cross because Christ, as crucified, is regarded as the ground of confidence and the source of blessedness. The Corinthians gloried in men when they said, “I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas.”]
For all things are yours;—All that the men sent from God teach is the common heritage of all who believe in God. They all minister good to all who seek to know and do the will of God. No revelation to man was for personal use, but for the good of all the children of God.
1 Corinthians 3:22
whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas,—He makes special application of this truth to himself and others. Paul, Apollos, and Cephas are all sent for the good of all the children of God, and every child of God should receive all the teachings of all the faithful teachers if they would grow into a well-rounded likeness of Jesus Christ in character.
This truth is applicable now. Uninspired teachers are more liable to be one-sided and imperfect than the inspired ones were. And often what of God’s teachings is presented by one teacher is not preached by another, and often men would be benefited by learning from different teachers, and men of diverse temperaments, and characteristics. All should be watchful to learn and do the will of God.
or the world,—[This denotes the material universe and all its providential arrangements. All things that are in it that are not sinful may be made serviceable to the happiness and progress of the Christian, and to the glory of God. However evil men may usurp possession meanwhile, it is the saints that inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:4). It is maintained for their use, ordered with a view to their spiritual welfare.]
or life,—[The term of our sojourn on earth, with all that it brings, is ours. Life is a mighty gift—a great field in which to sow eternal seed. It is ours for two purposes—being and doing, the culture of the new life within us and the promotion of our neighbor’s well-being—in these two directions life is our opportunity. “For to me to live is Christ.” (Philippians 1:21). There are ways of promoting God’s glory which are peculiar to this life, and which can never come to us again.]
or death,—[That grim, horrid thing, whose face strikes terror to the stoutest heart, and whose icy grasp freezes the fountains of life—that, too, becomes our servant, ministers to our advancement. “To die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21). It releases from pains, and toils, and conflicts, and limitations of this mortal state, and ushers us into the enjoyment of the eternal inheritance.]
or things present, or things to come; all are yours;—[The present and the future in the most comprehensive sense. Our actual lot is ours, whether it be easy or hard, pleasant or distressing. It is ours to serve us, if we will only let it do its work and turn it to the best account. The future is still hid from us, but it can bring us nothing which shall not be for our good. Whatever form the things to come may take, we are assured that they are ours. (Romans 8:28).]
1 Corinthians 3:23
and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.—So that in becoming Christ’s, they become God’s. “And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28). [What a climax! How the last words light up the whole situation and show how unworthy, how indescribably foolish and wrong was the party strife of the Corinthians. As there is one God over all, and one Lord Jesus Christ, so there is one church, in whose unbroken life the peace of God should find itself reflected.]