Bibelkommentare

In this chapter the apostle, I. Blames the Corinthians for their carnality and divisions, 1Co 3:1-4. II. He instructs them how what was amiss among them might be rectified, by remembering, 1. That their ministers were no more than ministers, 1Co 3:5. 2. That they were unanimous, and carried on the same design, 1Co 3:6-10. 3. That they built on one and the same foundation, 1Co 3:11-15. III. He exhorts them to give due honour to their bodies, by keeping them pure (1Co 3:16,17), and to humility and self-diffidence, 1Co 3:18-21. IV. And dehorts them from glorying in particular ministers, because of the equal interest they had in all, 1Co 3:22-23.

The design of this chapter is substantially the same as the former. It is to reprove the pride, the philosophy, the vain wisdom on which the Greeks so much rested; and to show that the gospel was not dependent on that for its success, and that that had been the occasion of no small part of the contentions and strifes which had arisen in the church at Corinth. The chapter is occupied mainly with an account of his own ministry with them; and seems designed to meet an objection which either was made, or could have been made by the Corinthians themselves, or by the false teacher that was among them. In 1 Corinthians 2:12-16, he had affirmed that, Christians were in fact under the influence of the Spirit of God; that they were enlightened in a remarkable degree; that they understood all things pertaining to the Christian religion. To this, it either was, or could have been objected that Paul, when among them, had not instructed them fully in the more deep and abstruse points of the gospel; and that he had confined his instructions to the very rudiments of the Christian religion.

Of this, probably the false teachers who had formed parties among them, had taken the advantage, and had pretended to carry the instruction to a much greater length, and to explain many things which Paul had left unexplained. Hence, this division into parties. It became Paul, therefore, to state why he had confined his instructions to the rudiments of the gospel among them - and this occupies the first part of 1 Corinthians 3 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-11. The reason was, that they were not prepared to receive higher instruction, but were carnal, and he could not address them as being prepared to enter fully into the more profound doctrines of the Christian religion. The proof that this was so was found in the fact that they had been distracted with disputes and strifes, which demonstrated that they were not prepared for the higher doctrines of Christianity. He then REproves them for their contentions, on the ground that it was of little consequence by what instrumentality they had been brought to the knowledge of the gospel, and that there was no occasion for their strifes and sects.

all success, whoever was the instrument, was to be traced to God 1 Corinthians 3:5-7, and the fact that one teacher or another had first instructed them, or that one was more eloquent than another, should not be the foundation for contending sects. God was the source of all blessings. Yet in order to show the real nature of his own work, in order to meet the whole of the objection, he goes on to state that he had done the most important part of the work in the church himself. He had laid the foundation; and all the others were but rearing the superstructure. And much as his instructions might appear to be elementary, and unimportant, yet it had been done with the same skill which an architect evinces who labors that the foundation may be well laid and firm, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11. The others who had succeeded him, whoever they were, were but builders upon this foundation. The foundation had been well laid, and they should be careful how they built on it, 1 Corinthians 3:12-16. The mention of this fact - that he had laid the foundation, and that that foundation was Jesus Christ, and that they had been reared upon that as a church, leads him to the inference 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, that they should be holy as the temple of God; and the conclusion from the whole is:

(1) That no man should deceive himself, of which there was so much danger 1 Corinthians 3:18-20; and,

(2) That no Christian should glory in man, for all things were theirs. It was no matter who had been their teacher on earth, all belonged to God; and they had a common interest in the most eminent teachers of religion, and they should rise above the petty rivalships of the world, and rejoice in the assurance that all things belonged to them, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23.

Because of the carnal, divided state of the people at Corinth, the apostle was obliged to treat them as children in the knowledge of sacred things, 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. Some were for setting up Paul, others Apollos, as their sole teachers, 1 Corinthians 3:4. The apostle shows that himself and fellow apostles were only instruments which God used to bring them to the knowledge of the truth; and even their sowing, and watering the seed was of no use unless God gave the increase, 1 Corinthians 3:5-8. The Church represented as God's husbandry, and as God's building, the foundation of which is Christ Jesus, 1 Corinthians 3:9-11. Ministers must beware how and what they build on this foundation, 1 Corinthians 3:12-15. The Church of God is his temple, and he that defiles it shall be destroyed, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 3:17. No man should depend on his own wisdom; for the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God, 1 Corinthians 3:18-20. None should glory in man as his teacher; God gives his followers every good, both for time and eternity, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 Corinthians 3

In this chapter the apostle returns to the charge of schisms and contentions upon the Corinthians, which were the occasion of the epistle; and reproves them for their divisions, which were about their ministers; and gives them their just and due character, and who, though they were useful and commendable in their places, were not to be gloried in; and especially it was a great piece of weakness and folly, to set up one against another, when they had an equal interest in them all. Having, in the latter part of the preceding chapter, made mention of the spiritual man, the apostle tells the Corinthians, to whom he writes, that he could not address them as spiritual, but as carnal; and not as perfect men, among whom he spake the wisdom of God, but as babes in Christ, 1 Corinthians 3:1 and this rudeness and ignorance of theirs account for his conduct towards them, in delivering the plain and easy, and not the sublime doctrines of the Gospel to them, because they were not able to bear them; nor were they yet able, notwithstanding the length of time, the proficiency they had made, and the many teachers they had had among them, 1 Corinthians 3:2 and to prove that they were carnal, and not spiritual, he instances in their envy, strife, and contentions, which were carnal works, or works of the flesh, 1 Corinthians 3:3 and gives some particulars of their contentions about their ministers, which put it out of all doubt that they were carnal, 1 Corinthians 3:4 and reproves them for such contentions, and argues the folly and sinfulness of them; partly from the character of their preachers, as servants and ministers, who were the instruments of their faith and conversion, through the grace of God, and therefore not to be set up at the head of them as their lords and masters, 1 Corinthians 3:5 and partly from the unprofitableness of their ministry, without a divine blessing, 1 Corinthians 3:6 and also from the unity and equality of the ministers among themselves, though their labours and reward were different, 1 Corinthians 3:8 and therefore parties and factions were not to be made on their account; and besides, as they were labourers with God, and the church were his husbandry and building, in which they were employed, 1 Corinthians 3:9, though they might differ in some superstructure points, yet they agreed in the foundation; and the apostle instances in himself under the character of a wise master builder, laying the foundation, and others building on it, 1 Corinthians 3:10 and declares what this foundation was, which he and other Gospel ministers agreed in laying; nor was there any other that could be laid, to any good purpose besides, which is Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 3:11 and then distinguishes between the different sorts of builders, the one laying on the foundation things of the greatest worth and value, and others things very trifling and useless, 1 Corinthians 3:12 and intimates that there would be a time, when there would be a revelation and declaration of every man's work, of what sort it is, 1 Corinthians 3:13 so that, according to their different structures, there will be a different reward, as is suggested, 1 Corinthians 3:8 for though both sorts of preachers are upon the foundation, and so their persons will be safe, yet what they have built upon that foundation, according to the nature of it, shall either abide or be destroyed, 1 Corinthians 3:14 wherefore inasmuch then as the church of Christ is a temple, a building laid on such a foundation as Christ, it ought not to be defiled by factions and divisions, by errors and heresies; especially since it is holy, and the Spirit of God dwells in it; and whoever does defile it shall surely be destroyed; and therefore the apostle dissuades from it, both from the turpitude of the action, and the danger of it, 1 Corinthians 3:16 he cautions against the wisdom of this world, which was the cause of their divisions; as being self-deceiving, and contrary to true wisdom, 1 Corinthians 3:18 and as being foolishness in the account of God, which he proves by some passages of scripture, 1 Corinthians 3:19 and concludes, therefore, that no man ought to glory in men, in the best of men, not even in ministers, 1 Corinthians 3:21 so as to separate and divide them, one from another, and set up one above another, since they, and all things else, were theirs, 1 Corinthians 3:22 the ground and evidence of which their right and property in them are given, they being Christ's, and Christ's God's, 1 Corinthians 3:23.

CHAPTER 3

1 Corinthians 3:1. καὶ ἐγώ] A B C D E F G א, min[437] Clem. Or. Chrys. Damasc. read κἀγώ, which Griesb. Lachm. Scholz, Rückert, Tisch. have adopted, and justly, considering the decisive testimony in its favour.

σαρκικοῖς] Griesb. Lachm. Rückert, Tisch. read σαρκίνοις, with A B C* D* א, 67** 71, Clem. Or. Nyss. To be preferred on like grounds as in Romans 7:14. Here the interchange was especially aided by 1 Corinthians 3:3, where, according to the preponderance of evidence, σαρκικ. is the true reading; for the fact that D* F G, Or. Nyss. have σάρκιν. in 1 Corinthians 3:3 also, is simply to be set down as the result of mechanical repetition from 1 Corinthians 3:1, the difference in the sense not being recognised.[438]—1 Corinthians 3:2. οὐδέ] Elz. has οὔτε, in opposition to all the uncials and most Fathers. The former is necessary here (Fritzsche, a[439] Marc. p. 157), but had οὔτε very often substituted for it by the transcribers.

ἜΤΙ] is wanting in B; bracketed by Lachm. But how easily it might fall aside after ΟὐΔΈ through similarity in sound, or on the ground that it might be dispensed with when ΝῦΝ followed!—1 Corinthians 3:3. ΚΑῚ ΔΙΧΟΣΤΑΣΊΑΙ] omitted in A B C א, some min[440] and several vss[441] and Fathers. Deleted by Lachm. Rückert, and Tisch. Were it genuine, why should it have been left out? An addition by way of gloss (even in texts used by Irenaeus and Cyprian) from Galatians 5:20.—1 Corinthians 3:4. ἌΝΘΡΩΠΟΙ] adopted also by Lachm. Rückert, and Tisch., followed by Ewald, according to almost all the uncials and several vss[442] and Fathers. The Recept[443] ΣΑΡΚΙΚΟΊ, although still defended by Fritzsche and Reiche, is so decidedly condemned by the critical evidence (among the uncials they have only L and א**), that it must be regarded as derived from 1 Corinthians 3:3. ΟὐΧΊ, too, has flowed from the same source, instead of which, ΟὐΚ is to be restored, with Lachm. Rückert, and Tisch., in accordance with A B C א*, 17, Dam.—1 Corinthians 3:5. ΤΊς] Lachm. and Rückert read ΤΊ, with A B א, min[444] Vulg. It. Aeth. and Latin Fathers. The personal names very naturally suggested the masculine to transcribers.

The order Παῦλος … Ἀπολλώς (in Elz. and Scholz) arose from 1 Corinthians 3:4; compare 1 Corinthians 1:12.

Before ΔΙΆΚΟΝΟΙ, Elz. and Tisch. have ἈΛΛʼ Ἤ, which, however, from the decisive weight of testimony against it, must be regarded as an addition to denote the sense: nil nisi.—1 Corinthians 3:12. τοῦτον] is wanting in A B C* א*, Sahid. Ambr. Deleted by Lachm. and Rückert. The omission, however, was easily occasioned by Homoioteleuton, and was aided by the fact that the word could be dispensed with.—1 Corinthians 3:13. τὸ πῦρ] Lachm. Rückert, and Tisch. read τὸ πῦρ αὐτό, with A B C, min[445] Sahid. and several Fathers. Rightly; the αὐτό not being in any way essential was easily disregarded.—1 Corinthians 3:17. τοῦτον] Lachm. and Rückert have αὑτόν, which Griesb. too recommended, with A D E F G, min[446] Syr[447] Arr. Aeth. Arm. Syr. p[448] (on the margin) Vulg. and It. (illum), and Latin Fathers. But, after εἴ τις in the protasis, αὐτόν offered itself in the apodosis as the more common.—1 Corinthians 3:22. ἐστίν] has preponderant evidence against it. Suspected by Griesb., deleted by Lachm. Rückert, and Tisch. A repetition from 1 Corinthians 3:21.

[437] in. codices minusculi, manuscripts in cursive writing. Where these are individually quoted, they are marked by the usual Arabic numerals, as 33, 89.

[438] Fritzsche, indeed (ad Rom. II. p. 46, and de conform. N. T. Lachm. p. 49), holds that the form σάρκινος in this passage, Romans 7:14, and Hebrews 7:16, is an offspring of the transcribers. But it was precisely the other form σαρκικός, so well known and familiar to them, which thrust itself upon the copyists for involuntary or even deliberate adoption. Reiche, in his Comment. crit. I. p. 138, has made the most elaborate defence of the Recepta, and attempted to weaken the force of the evidence on the other side. See the same author, too, on Hebrews 7:16. The most decisive argument from the external evidence against the Recepta is, that precisely the weightiest Codices A B C א, are equally unanimous in reading σάρκινος in ver. 1, and σαρκικοί in ver. 3; and we cannot at all see why the hand of an emendator should have inserted the more classical word only in ver. 1, while leaving the unclassic σαρκικοί in ver. 3. Besides, we have σαρκίναις in 2 Corinthians 3:3, entirely without any various reading σαρκικαῖς, from which we may conclude that the distinction in meaning between the two words was well known to the transcribers.

[439] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[440] in. codices minusculi, manuscripts in cursive writing. Where these are individually quoted, they are marked by the usual Arabic numerals, as 33, 89.

[441] ss. vss. = versions.

[442] ss. vss. = versions.

[443] ecepta Textus receptus, or lectio recepta (Elzevir).

[444] in. codices minusculi, manuscripts in cursive writing. Where these are individually quoted, they are marked by the usual Arabic numerals, as 33, 89.

[445] in. codices minusculi, manuscripts in cursive writing. Where these are individually quoted, they are marked by the usual Arabic numerals, as 33, 89.

[446] in. codices minusculi, manuscripts in cursive writing. Where these are individually quoted, they are marked by the usual Arabic numerals, as 33, 89.

[447] yr. Peschito Syriac

[448] yr. p. Philoxenian Syriac.

1Co 3:1-23.

PAUL COULD NOT SPEAK TO THEM OF DEEP SPIRITUAL TRUTHS, AS THEY WERE CARNAL, CONTENDING FOR THEIR SEVERAL TEACHERS; THESE ARE NOTHING BUT WORKERS FOR GOD, TO WHOM THEY MUST GIVE ACCOUNT IN THE DAY OF FIERY JUDGMENT. THE HEARERS ARE GOD'S TEMPLE, WHICH THEY MUST NOT DEFILE BY CONTENTIONS FOR TEACHERS, WHO, AS WELL AS ALL THINGS, ARE THEIRS, BEING CHRIST'S.

1. And I--that is, as the natural (animal) man cannot receive, so I also could not speak unto you the deep things of God, as I would to the spiritual; but I was compelled to speak to you as I would to MEN OF FLESH. The oldest manuscripts read this for "carnal." The former (literally, "fleshy") implies men wholly of flesh, or natural. Carnal, or fleshly, implies not they were wholly natural or unregenerate

(1Co 2:14),

but that they had much of a carnal tendency; for example their divisions. Paul had to speak to them as he would to men wholly natural, inasmuch as they are still carnal

(1Co 3:3)

in many respects, notwithstanding their conversion

(1Co 1:4-9).

babes--contrasted with the perfect (fully matured) in Christ

(Col 1:28;

compare

Heb 5:13, 14).

This implies they were not men wholly of flesh, though carnal in tendencies. They had life in Christ, but it was weak. He blames them for being still in a degree (not altogether, compare

1Co 1:5, 7;

therefore he says as) babes in Christ, when by this time they ought to have "come unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ"

(Eph 4:13).

In

Ro 7:14,

also the oldest manuscripts read, "I am a man of flesh."

And I, brethren - See 1 Corinthians 2:1. This is designed to meet an implied objection. He had said 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 that Christians were able to understand all things. Yet, they would recollect that he had not addressed them as such, but had confined himself to the more elementary parts of religion when he came among them. He had not entered upon the abstruse and difficult points of theology - the points of speculation in which the subtle Greeks so much abounded and so much delighted. He now states the reason why he had not done it. The reason was one that was most humbling to their pride; but it was the true reason, and faithfulness demanded that it should be stated. It was, that they were carnal, and not qualified to understand the deep mysteries of the gospel; and the proof of this was unhappily at hand. It was too evident in their contentions and strifes, that they were under the influence of carnal feelings and views.

Could not speak unto you as unto spiritual - "I could not regard you as spiritual - as qualified to enter into the full and higher truths of the gospel; I could not regard you as divested of the feelings which influence carnal people - the people of the world, and I addressed you accordingly. I could not discourse to you as to far-advanced and well-informed Christians. I taught you the rudiments only of the Christian religion." He refers here, doubtless, to his instructions when he founded the church at Corinth. See the note at 1 Corinthians 2:13-15.

But as unto carnal - The word "carnal" here σάρκινοῖς sarkinois is not the same which in 1 Corinthians 2:14, is translated "natural" ψυχικός psuchikos. "That" refers to one who is unrenewed, and who is wholly under the influence of his sensual or animal nature, and is no where applied to Christians. "This" is applied here to Christians - but to those who have much of the remains of corruption, and who are imperfectly acquainted with the nature of religion; babes in Christ. It denotes those who still evinced the feelings and views which pertain to the flesh, in these unhappy contentions, and strifes, and divisions. "The works of the flesh are hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, envyings" Galatians 5:20-21; and these they had evinced in their divisions; and Paul knew that their danger lay in this direction, and he therefore addressed them according to their character. Paul applies the word to himself Romans 7:14, "for I am carnal;" and here it denotes that they were as yet under the influence of the corrupt passions and desires which the flesh produces.

As unto babes in Christ - As unto those recently born into his kingdom, and unable to understand the profounder doctrines of the Christian religion. It is a common figure to apply the term infants and children to those who are feeble in understanding, or unable, from any cause, to comprehend the more profound instructions of science or religion.