1 Corinthians 4
Lipscomb1 Corinthians 4:1
Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ,— Paul returns to the question, in what esteem the inspired teachers of the gospel should be held. Let all esteem them as servants, underworkers of Christ to whom has been committed the things heretofore unrevealed, to be made known by them to men.
and stewards of the mysteries of God.—The office of a steward is to receive from the master and distribute as he directs. Of themselves, and apart from Christ, they had nothing, and could give nothing.
1 Corinthians 4:2
Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.—God entrusted to the inspired men the truths he revealed to them through the Spirit. These truths were given to them to be taught to others for their salvation and edification. They were entrusted with the great spiritual truths brought to light in Christ Jesus for the salvation of the world. So Peter tells the Corinthians: “According as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10). Paul says: “For the bishop must be blameless, as God’s steward.” And Luke (1 Corinthians 16:1-12) gives an account of the unjust steward who was not honest in the use of the master’s goods. So it is important that those entrusted as stewards with the truth of God should be honest and faithful in teaching to the world all that God has revealed for the salvation of the world.
Not to teach all God’s commands is to leave the world in condemnation with its blood on the stewards who failed to teach the truths God committed to them. So Paul, to the elders at Ephesus, in leaving them, said: “Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:26-27). Paul was an honest steward, distributing to others what God had entrusted to him for their good.
Teachers today are in a limited sense stewards of God to deliver his teaching to the world. He who refuses to teach the whole will of God is dishonest toward God and unfaithful to man. [Nothing short of an unswerving adherence to the simple gospel of Christ is divinely regarded as filling the required measure of this faithfulness as may be seen by the following exhortation: “And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2). “Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee.” (1 Timothy 4:16).]
1 Corinthians 4:3
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you,—[It was a matter of little concern to Paul that he should be judged by any of the Corinthians as to his faith fulness or unfaithfulness. His responsibility was not to them. They had not sent him; he was not their steward.]
or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.—He leaves all to the judgment of God. He had no standard by which to judge himself save by the will of God.
1 Corinthians 4:4
For I know nothing against myself;—He was conscious of no failure to do his duty as a minister of God.
yet am I not hereby justified:—His failure to know anything against himself did not make it sure that he was guiltless.
but he that judgeth me is the Lord.—God might know something against him even if his own heart did not condemn him. John said: “Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him: because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, [and will make our condemnation the greater], and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God [that he will not condemn us].” (1 John 3:19-21). So Paul here, while knowing nothing against himself gives him hope, it does not make it certain that God will not see something wrong in him and condemn him.
1 Corinthians 4:5
Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness,—Wait for the Lord’s judgment when he will bring to light all things now hidden in darkness.
and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God.—He will then open to view the secret motives of the heart and then every man, faithful as a steward, shall have the praise of God. Paul had confidence that God would justify him and Apollos in all the things over which the Corinthians had divided and for which they had been condemned. This does not mean that men should not test themselves by the word of God by which God will judge them.
1 Corinthians 4:6
Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written;—This was said to impress upon them that in their esteem for teachers they should not follow them further than they do the will of God as it is written. Bishop Pierce paraphrases the verse thus: “I have made use of my own and Apollos’ name in my arguments against your divisions, because I would spare to name those teachers among you who are guilty of making and leading parties, that in us you might learn not to follow any one with a party.” Paul and Apollos did not make the parties. Other ambitious men fomented the parties and used the names of Apollos and Paul to do it.
that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other.—This may mean that the division was not concerning Paul, Apollos, or Peter; but that he had used their names to show the evil of following men. If it was not right to follow them, much less the uninspired men.
1 Corinthians 4:7
For who maketh thee to differ?—Who made them leaders of parties arrayed one against another? [This glorification and depreciation of rival teachers sprang from unwarrantable arrogance. It involved a claim to superiority, and a right to sit in judgment, which they did not possess.]
and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?—What did they have in the way of gifts and knowledge that they did not receive from those to whom God gave his Spirit?
but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?—If they received it from the apostles, why did they boast and set themselves against them, and set themselves as leaders as though they had not received it from those whom they now oppose?
1 Corinthians 4:8
Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye have come to reign without us:—In this he reproaches them for their assumption of worldly wisdom. They acted as though they were already filled of all the good things of earth, had become rich in spiritual things, and were reigning as kings without those from whom they had received all they had from Christ. [The strong irony in these expressions, taken in connection with what he had already said, must have stung them to the heart. For there is a striking contrast between the comfortable, full-fed, self-satisfied Corinthians and the depression and the scorn in the midst of which the apostles lived. It is not an unusual thing for many people to forget, if not despise, the men through whom they were brought to the knowledge of the truth; and take up others to whom, in things of God, they owe nothing.]
yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.—He would have rejoiced at their reigning as real kings and priests of the Lord that those who had converted them and had bestowed on them all the real good they possessed might reign with them instead of suffering want and persecution as they were then suffering.
1 Corinthians 4:9
For, I think,—[The Corinthians thought themselves wise, and Paul, in contrast, thought God had set forth the apostles the lowest in this world. They fared worse than even the prophets, who, though grievously afflicted and tormented, were sometimes honored.]
God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death:—He speaks this in view of the great persecutions the apostles were called upon to suffer before the world. [The word translated “doomed” occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, and denotes the certainty of death. It implies that such were their continued conflicts, trials, and persecutions, that it was certain that they would terminate in their death. This is a very strong expression, and denotes the continuance and intensity of their sufferings in the cause of Christ.]
for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men.—They were appointed to suffer unto death for Christ’s sake, a spectacle before heaven and earth. [It is quite likely that the reference here is to the ancient amphitheatre, whose arena was surrounded by circular seats, capable of accommodating thousands of spectators. In this arena trained athletes struggled for prizes in the games, at the close of which, when the spectators had been sated with bloodless performances, criminals condemned to death were brought in to fight with wild beasts or with one another. They came into the arena knowing that they could never leave it alive. While others sat comfortably looking on, with curtains to shade them from the heat and refreshments to save them from exhaustion or from faintness at the sight of blood, they were in the arena, exposed to wounds, ill-usage and death. On such an arena Paul speaks of himself and fellow laborers as struggling, the objects not only of human, but angelic, spectators. Such were the sufferings of the apostles that men and angels gazed on them with wonder.]
1 Corinthians 4:10
We are fools for Christ’s sake,—According to the world’s wisdom, the apostles were fools for Christ’s sake.
but ye are wise in Christ;—By the same rule, while claiming to be the servants and teachers of Christ, they enjoyed honor, plenty, and every worldly good.
we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor.—The apostles were among them “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3), and thought not of themselves, but of their Master’s message, and this humbled them; whereas their opponents assumed stately airs and claimed to be strong in Christ, and were honored by the heathen around them. The apostles, who gloried in no such pretensions, were dishonored by those teachers and the world.
[The contrast between the two situations enunciated in verses 8 and 9 is expressed in this verse in three antitheses which are withering blows to the proud Corinthians. These words are addressed especially to these proud party leaders, but at the same time to all the members who sympathized with them:
(1) As to teaching, the apostles had to face the reputation of foolishness which the gospel brought upon them, while at Corinth there was found a way of preaching Christ so as to procure a name for wisdom, the reputation of profound philosophers and men of most reliable judgment. Paul might have become as celebrated as Gamaliel; but for Christ’s sake he consented to pass as a fool. The Corinthians knew better how to manage- -they made the teaching even of the gospel a means of gaining celebrity for their lofty wisdom.
(2) As to conduct. They came before the public with the feeling of their strength. There is in them neither hesitation nor timidity. They succeeded in becoming wise, strong, and honorable in consequence actually of their being Christians. They had turned their relationship to Christ in an effective means to restore them to worldly greatness, in another form, which they once surrendered in order to become Christians. The apostles did not condescend to these grand lordly airs.
They thought not of themselves, but of their Master and his message, and this, instead of exalting, humbled them. For Paul says of himself, and he expressed the sentiment of all: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
(3) The welcome received from the world by the one and the other. The proud party leaders were honored, feted, and regarded as the ornament of cultivated circles; there was rivalry to do them honor, while the apostles were reviled and calumniated.]
In verses 11-13 he tells them how the true teachers who converted them and taught them all they knew of Christ— who while among them lived in want working with their own hands that they might not burden them—are still persecuted, reviled, despised, suffering for want of all things, and in it all they returned good for evil, blessings for curses, while these unworthy teachers enjoyed good. This was a reminder that they were not following the teachings of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 4:11
Even unto this present hour—[The emphasis is on the ceaselessness of the hardships, privations, sufferings, and humiliations to which the apostles were subjected. The fact that Paul gladly submitted to all these afflictions presented his case in glaring contrast with that of his opposers at Corinth, who exposed themselves to no such sufferings out of zeal for Christ.]
we both hunger, and thirst,—Like their Master, the apostles were poor, and in traveling from place to place, it often happened that they scarcely found entertainment of the poorest kind. Of this his own language is the best comment: “In hunger and thirst, in fastings often.” (2 Corinthians 11:27).
and are naked,—[They were insufficiently clad. In their labors their clothing became old and badly worn, and they had no friends to replace them, neither had they money with which to buy new ones.]
and are buffeted,—[Slapped in the face. Such insults, together with scourgings, frequently fell to the lot of Paul (Acts 16:23; Acts 23:2), and the other apostles. It shows the utter contempt with which they were treated.]
and have no certain dwellingplace;—[This homelessness was among the severest of all trials. They wandered in distant lands; when driven from one place they went to another; and thus they led a wandering, uncomfortable life amidst strangers and foes. All this was for the sake of the gospel that men might have eternal life.]
1 Corinthians 4:12
and we toil, working with our own hands:—[Paul supported himself and his companions in labor by the dreary toil and scant earnings of a tentmaker, in the express determination to be no burden to those who accepted the gospel under his preaching in Corinth. (2 Corinthians 11:7-9). Such conduct was more noble because all mechanical trades were looked down upon by the Greeks. It is quite likely that this is mentioned to put the false teachers at Corinth to shame, who not only demanded maintenance from them, but were living in ease and luxury through their liberality to them.]
being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;— [The picture of the ignominious condition of Paul and his fellow laborers is continued, and its effects heightened by the contrast of their demeanor. They are so utterly empty and devoid of all honor with others that, as respects those who reviled, persecuted, and slandered them, they did not in any wise defend themselves or seek vengeance against them.]
1 Corinthians 4:13
being defamed, we entreat:—They wished good to their revilers, remained quiet and patient towards their persecutors, and gave beseeching words to their slanderers. In all this they followed the example of their Master: “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now.— [This has reference to that which is collected by sweeping a house, or that which is collected and cast away by purifying or cleansing anything; hence any vile, worthless, and contemptible object. It was applied to men of the most vile, abject, and worthless character. This shows in a very strong light the indignities and sufferings which Paul and his fellow laborers endured in the service of Christ. Notice how severely this description rebukes the self-conceited disturbers among the Corinthians. In the presence of such tremendous earnestness and such forgetfulness of self, they could not but feel how utterly contemptible was all thought of their own learning or skill. What are we doing for him for whom Paul did and suffered so much!]
1 Corinthians 4:14
I write not these things to shame you,—He does not write these things to shame them for their neglect of him and his fellow laborers.
but to admonish you as my beloved children. —He warns them that they are not following Christ and are in danger of making shipwreck of their profession. A holy, devoted life would bring upon them the sufferings and persecutions the apostles were enduring; hence the Corinthians were deceived in supposing that they were serving God while enjoying the worldly good. [Paul’s object in drawing such a contrast between their case and his was not to mortify them; but out of his love to them as children to bring the truth to their minds, and let them see what they really were, as contrasted with what they imagined themselves to be.]
1 Corinthians 4:15
For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers;—They had many teachers in Christ, yet they had but one father in the gospel. The father cared more for them than any teacher, especially those making gain of them.
for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel.—By the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, Paul preached the gospel, the word of God, which is the seed of the kingdom, to the Corinthians; they received it into the heart as the incorruptible seed, and by it they were begotten or made alive. James says: “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18). Peter says: “Having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth…. And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you.” (1 Peter 1:2325). Connect with this what Jesus said to Nicodemus (John 3:3-5), and it is clear that the Holy Spirit begets by imparting the word of God, the incorruptible seed, to the heart of man through the gospel.
1 Corinthians 4:16
I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me.—Here he asserts his fidelity to Christ, his nearness to them as their father, and so pleads with them for their own good as beloved children to imitate him in Christ, [in humility, self-denial, and faithfulness. To what extent he wished them to imitate him, he shows in these words: “Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1).]
1 Corinthians 4:17
For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord,—To the end that they imitate him, he sent Timothy, who also was his son in the gospel, and faithful in the Lord, who as his son imitated him as he besought them to do.
who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every church.— [Timothy’s description of Paul’s conduct would correspond with Paul’s actual behavior as a Christian and a teacher, which he declares emphatically to be the same everywhere. This was said to assure them that, in laying upon them the necessity of unanimity and humbleness of mind, he did not inculcate what he did not universally teach and practice himself. His public teaching and private life were the same everywhere. What he taught in Corinth was the same that he taught and practiced in Philippi and everywhere else.]
1 Corinthians 4:18
Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.—These false teachers were puffed up, haughty, thinking he would not come unto them. [His sending Timothy was no indication whatever that he did not intend to visit Corinth, as some in their pride and self-importance affirmed. Paul’s writings clearly indicate that the false teachers in different ways endeavored to destroy his influence among them by calling in question his apostleship (1 Corinthians 9:1-3; 2 Corinthians 12:12); accusing him of fickleness (2 Corinthians 1:17); and asserting that his “bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account” (2 Corinthians 10:10). These detractors and their followers were the ones who were puffed up. They were so conceited as to their own importance, and as to the success of their injurious representation respecting him, as to make it appear that he was afraid to come to Corinth, and therefore sent Timothy in his stead.]
1 Corinthians 4:19
But I will come to you shortly,—[It was from no fear of them that he was kept away; and to convince them of this] he firmly asserts that he would come to them soon.
if the Lord will;—[With Paul this expression was far more than a mere form. It was a recognition both of the providential and spiritual government of the Lord. He recognized that the accomplishment of any purpose depended on his will and felt that his life was in his hands.]
and I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power.—He would know not the eloquence and pretensions of the false teachers, but would test their power. They claimed to be greater than Paul, and denied that he was an apostle sent of God. The test that one’s apostleship was from God, and that God approved him, was manifested in God’s presence in enabling him to work miracles. Paul proposed to test their power as to whether the presence of God was with them.
1 Corinthians 4:20
For the kingdom of God is not in word,—God’s kingdom does not rest on eloquent and persuasive words. (1 Corinthians 2:4). [The kingdom of God implies here, as usual in the language of Paul, the living fellowship established by the Savior, which lives in the soul, and manifests itself in the essential character of the loving obedience of those belonging to it.]
but in power.—The presence of God’s Spirit with the teachers, which is the power to work miracles.
1 Corinthians 4:21
What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod,—This divine power was sometimes used to punish pretenders, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11); and Elymas, the sorcerer (Acts 13:8-12). Some think Paul meant something of this kind. It certainly meant that Paul would show the presence and power of the Spirit with him in contrast with the lack of it in the false teachers. It was with them to say by the course they pursued whether he would come to them with a rod of authority and power to assert his claims as an apostle, or should he come to them as a father to his children.
or in love and a spirit of gentleness?—God is gentle, kind, forgiving to the penitent; but will by no means clear the guilty. Is stern and unyielding in his punishment of the wicked. His servants should cherish his spirit.