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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 4:10

μωροὶ διὰ Χριστόν. Fools on account of Christ, in reference to the labours and sufferings they underwent in His cause, but which it were folly to have undergone, if the Corinthian theory of the Christian life were correct, which placed the reward of the Christian in the things of this present world. See 1 Corinthians 4:8 and ch. 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 3:3.

φρόνιμοι. Prudent, Wiclif; prudentes, Vulgate. It is scarcely necessary to explain that this language is ironical. They were unquestionably ‘prudent’ in this, that they spared themselves the labours and anxieties in which St Paul was so ‘abundant’ (2 Corinthians 11:23).

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See also 1 Corinthians 4:10 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Corinthians 4:10. _WE_ ARE _FOOLS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE_] Here he still carries on the allusion to the public spectacles among the Romans, where they were accustomed to hiss, hoot, mock, and vari...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WE ARE FOOLS - This is evidently ironical. “We are doubtless foolish people, but ye are wise in Christ. We, Paul, Apollos, and Barnabas, have no claims to the character of wise men - we are to be rega...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 4 _ 1. Servants of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1)._ 2. Contrast Between Self-Glorification and Humiliation. (1 Corinthians 4:6). 3. Admonition to Beloved Ch...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    PAUL WILL ACCEPT NO JUDGMENT BUT CHRIST'S. THE FORTUNATE LOT OF THE CORINTHIANS CONTRASTED WITH THE MISERABLE CONDITION OF THE APOSTLES. This section is concerned with the attitude of the Corinthians...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE THREE JUDGMENTS (1 Corinthians 4:1-5)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Brothers, I have transferred these things by way of illustration to myself and to Apollos, so that through us you may learn to observe the principle of not going beyond that which is written, so that...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    FOOLS. Greek. _moros,_ as in 1 Corinthians 1:25; 1 Corinthians 1:27. HONOURABLE. Greek. _endoxos._ Elsewhere translated "gorgeously", Luke 7:25, and "glorious" in...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Contrast between the Corinthian Teachers and St Paul 8. _Now ye are full, now ye are rich_ Here we have one of the sudden turns of feeling so remarkable in the Apostle's style. Abruptly breaking off a...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _We are fools for Christ's sake_ Rather, ON ACCOUNT OF CHRIST, i.e. on account of His doctrine, which was looked upon as folly (ch. 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14). _ye are wise in Christ Prud...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _A CAUTION AGAINST SINFUL PRIDE 1 CORINTHIANS 4:7-13:_ The faithless stewards were acting like they were the source of the good things they possessed. These faithless stewards were filled with destruc...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΉΜΕΪΣ _пот. pl. от_ ΈΓ я (G1473) мы! Эмфатическое, противопоставленное ΎΜΕΊΣ. ΜΩΡΌΣ (G3474) тупой, глупый, нелепый, смешной (_см._ 1 Corinthians 1:18; TLNT). Praed. _пот._ без артикля подчеркивает ос...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    WE ARE WEAK— "In an infirm and suffering state." See 2 Corinthians 12:10. Surely we cannot imagine any more glorious triumph of the truth, than what was gained in these circumstances; when St. Paul, w...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTS SECTION 2 Pompousness (1 Corinthians 4:6-13) 6 I have applied all this to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brethren, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written,...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Irony. How much your lot (supposing it to be real) is to be envied...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    8 The sharp contrast between the carnal Corinthians and the faithful apostle loses none of its force if we compare him with the church of today. We need not go outside of Protestantism to find churche...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    CHRISTIAN TEACHERS ONLY THE INSTRUMENTS OF GOD The folly and sin of quarrelling about different teachers who are but servants of Christ and responsible to Him....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    PARAPHRASE. 'In speaking of the folly of these divisions I have used only the names of Apollos and myself; but the same principles apply to your attitude to all your teachers. (7) Why do some of you p...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    The sarcasm is continued. WE _are_ FOOLS] in preaching the foolishness of the Cross. YE _are_ WISE] i.e. shrewd, clever....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

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  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WE ARE FOOLS. — This verse is charged with irony. Our connection with Christ, as His Apostles and preachers, may make us fools; you are, on the contrary, “wise Christians; we are weak Christians, ye s...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 7 THE MINISTRY So keenly alive is Paul to the danger and folly of party spirit in the Church, that he has still one more word of rebuke to utter. He has shown the Corinthians that to give the...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    § 13. DISCIPLES ABOVE THEIR MASTER. What the Ap. has written, from 1 Corinthians 3:3 onwards, turns on the relations between himself and Apollos; but it has a wide application to the state of feeling...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    represents the contrasted case of the App. and the Cor [726] Christians, as they appear in the estimate of the two parties. “We” are μωροί, ἀσθενεῖς, ἄτιμοι (_cf._ 1 Corinthians 1:18-27; 1 Corinthians...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    STEWARDS RESPONSIBLE TO THEIR LORD 1 Corinthians 4:1 At the most the ministers or teachers of God's Gospel are but stewards of the hidden things of God, according to Matthew 13:51. They ought not to...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Christian teachers are "ministers of Christ." That defines their responsibility. They are "stewards of the mysteries of God." That defines their work. What dignity does this double statement suggest?...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    Paul's View of the Apostles' Position In contrast to the Corinthians' lofty thoughts of themselves, Paul gives his thoughts on the apostles' state. They suffered persecution and would continue to suff...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    4. PRIDE THE FIRST CAUSE OF THE EVIL. 4:6-21. Here is the final and general application of the whole first part, relating to the divisions which had arisen in the Church. The apostle, after reminding...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    “We are fools for Christ's sake, ye are wise in Christ; we weak, ye strong; ye honourable, we despised.” The contrast between the two situations enunciated in 1 Corinthians 4:8-9 is expressed in 1 Cor...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (6)And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    10._We are fools for Christ’s sake _This contrast is throughout ironical, and exceedingly pointed, it being unseemly and absurd that the Corinthians should be in every respect happy and honorable, acc...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    As for the apostle and the labourers, they were to consider them as stewards employed by the Lord. And it was to Him that Paul committed the judgment of his conduct. He cared little for the judgment m...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    WE ARE FOOLS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE,.... They were so in the esteem of men, for their close attach merit to a crucified Christ; and for preaching the doctrine of salvation by him; and for enduring so much...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    We _are_ fools for Christ's sake, but ye _are_ wise in Christ; we _are_ weak, but ye _are_ strong; ye _are_ honourable, but we _are_ despised. Ver. 10. _We are fools, &c._] Not to the world only, but...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _We are fools_ In the account of the world, _for Christ's sake_ Because we expose ourselves to so many dangers and sufferings for his cause: or because we preach the plain truths of the gospel, and af...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    WE ARE FOOLS; accounted fools by those who boast of their wisdom. FOR CHRIST'S SAKE; because we devote ourselves faithfully to the work of preaching Christ crucified, and seek only his honor. YE ARE...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The status of the heralds of salvation:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    WE ARE FOOLS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, BUT YE ARE WISE IN CHRIST; WE ARE WEAK, BUT YE ARE STRONG; YE ARE HONORABLE, BUT WE ARE DESPISED....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    But while we are not to exalt a ministering servant, no more are we to despise him or his work. The apostles should certainly be recognized for what they actually were, "ministers of Christ, and stewa...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    WE ARE FOOLS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, BUT YE ARE WISE IN CHRIST; WE ARE WEAK, BUT YE ARE STRONG; YE HAVE GLORY, BUT WE HAVE DISHONOR. 'We' -apostles 'FOOLS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE' -Paul had sacrificed. gloriou...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-13 We have no reason to be proud; all we have, or are, or do, that is good, is owing to the free and rich grace of God. A sinner snatched from destruction by sovereign grace alone, must be very abs...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    WE ARE accounted FOOLS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE by the _wise_ men of the world, and we are willing to be so accounted; but you think yourselves wise, and yet IN CHRIST. WE ARE WEAK in the opinion of men, we...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor. [In this verse Paul resumes his satire, contrasting the vain imagination...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Corinthians 4:10 We G2249 fools G3474 for G1223 Christs G5547 sake G1223 but G1161 you G5210 wise G5429

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘For, I think, God has set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wi...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THOSE WHO ARE TRUE TO THE WORD OF THE CROSS ENDURE SUFFERING FOR CHRIST. THE CORINTHIANS NEED TO RE-EXAMINE THEIR FOUNDATIONS (4:6-13). Paul now stresses that all that he has said has been with them...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    1 Corinthians 4:10. WE ARE FOOLS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, BUT YE ARE WISE IN CHRIST how enviable your lot, how pitiable ours! (irony, however, this is) WE WEAK, YE STRONG; YE HAVE GLORY, WE DISHONOUR....

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    WE--YOU (ημεισ--υμεις). Triple contrast in keenest ironical emphasis. "The three antitheses refer respectively to teaching, demeanour, and worldly position" (Robertson and Plummer). The apostles wer...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Judgment of Christ's servants not committed to man. Apostolic example of patience and humility. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Paul, Apollos, Timothy. CONCLUSION: God's steward awaits no Judgmen...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Corinthians 4:1. _Let a man,_ yea every one of you, however biassed by parties, _so account of us,_ though servants for your sakes, _as ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God,_ as...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    FOR CHRIST'S SAKE. What the apostles did, can only be explained by their LOVE for Christ! Paul speaks in irony, as he repeats what his enemies at Corinth were saying about him. In the same spirit of i...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ._ THE FOLLY OF PAUL The better to serve Christ, Paul refrained from making acquirement of knowledge his chief aim. And many others have reno...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Now ye are full … rich … as kings._ THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE COUNTERFEIT AND THE REAL CHRISTIAN I. The counterfeit-- 1. Is so replenished with Divine knowledge that he needs no teacher. 2. Is s...

  • The children's great texts of the Bible by James Hastings

    A FOOL'S CAP I have played the fool. 1 Samuel 26:21. Fools for Christ's sake. 1 Corinthians 4:10. Long ago, there used to hang in my bedroom prints of two pictures by the famous artist Sir David Wi...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 4:10 WE ARE FOOLS FOR CHRIST’S SAKE. Measured by the Corinthians’ “royal” standards (v. 1 Corinthians 4:8),

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER IV. SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER S. Paul proceeds in his task of uprooting the divisions, the pride, and the boasting of the Corinthians, and especially of some of their teachers who held him in...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    _We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ._ This is a continuation of the irony of ver. 8. We are reckoned fools because of Christ crucified, whom we preach, and for whose sake we see...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ 1 Corinthians 4:6.—From 1 Corinthians 3:5 he has discussed what applied to all the factions and their leaders, and even more to the others than to the so-called Pauline and Apollonian...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 1 CORINTHIANS 4:1 _Judgments, human and Divine, respecting ministers._ 1 CORINTHIANS 4:1 LET A MAN SO ACCOUNT OF US. Since it is inevitable that Christians should form some estimate of...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1). Ministers of Christ, the Greek word there is the under-rowers. They were the guys d...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 1:26; 1 Corinthians 10:12;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    For Christ's sake - in Christ [δ ι α χ ρ ι σ τ ο ν - ε ν χ ρ ι σ τ ω]. We apostles are fools in the world's eyes on account of [δ ι α] Christ, because we know and preach nothing but Christ : You are w...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP 1 Corinthians 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. The names surrounding discipleship. Our chapter presents before us several statements which remind us of the responsibility and privile...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    We are fools, in the account of the world, for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ — Though ye are Christians, ye think yourselves wise; and ye have found means to make the world think you so too...

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Old Testament