1 Corinthians 3:8

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. ONE - one in standing before God; able to do nothing without God. It is only their relative faithfulness with their gifts which will place them higher or lower (Matthew 25:14); therefore they ought not to be made by you the occasion, of party divisions. AND EVERY MAN - rather, 'but ( de (G1161)) every man.' Though in service they are essentially "one," yet every minister is separately responsible, and "shall receive his own (emphatically repeated) reward, according to his own labour." The reward is something over and above personal salvation ...

8._He that planteth, and he that watereth are one _He shows farther, from another consideration, that the Corinthians are greatly to blame in abusing, with a view to maintain their own sects and parties, the names of their teachers, who in the meantime are, with united efforts, aiming at one and the same thing, and can by no means be separated, or torn asunder, without at the same time leaving off the duties of their office. _They are one_, says he; in other words, they are so linked together, that their connection does not allow of any separation, because all ought to have one end in view, and they serve one Lord, and are engaged in the same work. Hence, if they employ themselves faithfully in cultivating the Lord’s field, they will maintain unity; and, by mutual communication, will help each other — so far from their names serving as standards to stir up contendings. Here we have a bea...

5-9 The ministers about whom the Corinthians contended, were only instruments used by God. We should not put ministers into the place of God. He that planteth and he that watereth are one, employed by one Master, trusted with the same revelation, busied in one work, and engaged in one design. They have their different gifts from one and the same Spirit, for the very same purposes; and should carry on the same design heartily. Those who work hardest shall fare best. Those who are most faithful shall have the greatest reward. They work together with God, in promoting the purposes of his glory, and the salvation of precious souls; and He who knows their work, will take care they do not labour in vain. They are employed in his husbandry and building; and He will carefully look over them....

Verse 1 Corinthians 3:8. _HE THAT PLANTETH AND HE THAT WATERETH ARE ONE_] Both Paul and Apollos have received the same doctrine, preach the same doctrine, and labour to promote the glory of God in the salvation of your souls. Why should you be divided with respect to Paul and Apollos, while these apostles are intimately ONE in _spirit,_ _design_, and _operation_? _ACCORDING TO HIS OWN LABOUR._] God does not reward his servants according to the _success_ of their labour, because that depends on himself; but he rewards them according to the _quantum_ of faithful _labour_ which they bestow on his work. In this sense none can say, I have laboured in vain, and spent my strength for nought....

ARE ONE - ἕν εἰσιν hen eisin. They are not the same person; but they are one in the following respects: (1) They are united in reference to the same work. Though they are engaged in different things - for planting and watering are different kinds of work, yet it is one in regard to the end to be gained. The employments do not at all clash, but tend to the same end. It is not as if one planted, and the other was engaged in pulling up. (2) Their work is one, because one is as necessary as the other. If the grain was not planted there would be no use in pouring water there; if not watered, there would be no use in planting. The work of one is as necessary, therefore, as the other; and the one should not undervalue the labors of the other. (3) They are one in regard to God. They are b

EXPOSITION 1 CORINTHIANS 3:1 _The carnal conceit of the spiritually immature._ 1 CORINTHIANS 3:1 I… COULD NOT SPEAK UNTO YOU AS UNTO SPIRITUAL. Though softened by the word brethren, there was a crushing irony of reproof in these words: "You thought yourselves quite above the need of my simple teaching. You were looking down on me from the whole height of your inferiority. The elementary character of my doctrine was after all the necessary consequence of your own incapacity for anything more profound." AS UNTO CARNAL. The true reading here is _sarkinois, _fleshen, not _sarkikois, _fleshly, or carnal; the later and severer word is perhaps first used in...

NOW HE THAT PLANTETH, AND HE THAT WATERETH ARE ONE,.... Not in every respect so; they were different as men, they were not the same individual persons, nor in the same office; Paul was an apostle, Apollos only a preacher of the Gospel; nor had they the same measure of gifts, nor did they labour alike, or were of the same usefulness; but they had one and the same commission to preach the Gospel; and the Gospel they preached was the same; and so were their views, aims, and ends, which were the glory of God, and the good of immortal souls; and they had the same love and affection for one another; they were one in their work, judgment, and affection; and which carries in it a strong reason and argument why the members of this church should not contend and divide about them: AND EVERY MAN SHALL RECEIVE HIS OWN REWARD; either from men, that double honour he is worthy of, maintenance and respe...

1. _And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ._ The church at Corinth consisted of persons of large education and great abilities. It was one of those churches that had given up the one-man system, where everybody talked as he liked a very knowing church, and a church of Christians, too; but for all that. Christian babies. And though they thought themselves to be so great, yet the apostle says that he never spoke to them as to spiritual: he kept to the simple elements regarding the carnal part as being too much in them as yet, to be able to drink down spiritual things. 1 Corinthians 3:2. _I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able._ How grateful we ought to be that there is milk, and that this milk

ONE Paul refutes the notion that he and Cephas and Apollos are at variance, mere theologians and rival founders of sects: they are "one." (1 Corinthians 3:22); (1 Corinthians 16:12). REWARD (1 Corinthians 9:17); (Daniel 12:3); (1 Corinthians 3:14)....

CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The Carnal state of the Corinthians. (1 Corinthians 3:1)._ 2. The Workmen and their Work. (1 Corinthians 3:10). 3. The Church the Temple of God. (1 Corinthians 3:16). 4. Warning against Deception and Glorying in Men. (1 Corinthians 3:18). Their condition is next uncovered. They did not depend on the Spirit of God and did not enjoy the hidden wisdom and walk in it. They were carnal, mere babes in Christ, in the sense that their growth, their spiritual development had been arrested. Carnal (fleshly) is not equivalent to “natural.” The belie