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The Bible Study New Testament

1 Corinthians 4:9

The very last place. Paul's experiences at Ephesus (1 Corinthians 15:32) probably make him think of this. See also 2 Corinthians 2:14. Paul is showing the Corinthians the contrast between the false teacher and the apostles. The false teacher had riches (1 Corinthians 4:8), while the true apostles suffered (John 16:33). Gladiators fought and died in the hot sun, while the crowds sat in their comfortable seats and watched. Condemned men fought naked, and any who escaped only faced death another day. As a spectacle. Compare Ephesians 3:10-11; Luke 15:10; Psalms 90:8; Hebrews 12:1. Both men and angels were amazed to see how the apostles suffered.

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See also 1 Corinthians 4:9 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Corinthians 4:9. _GOD HATH SET FORTH US THE APOSTLES LAST_] This whole passage is well explained by Dr. Whitby. "Here the apostle seems to allude to the Roman spectacles, της των θηριομαχων,...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    FOR I THINK - It seems to me. Grotius thinks that this is to be taken ironically, as if he had said, “It seems then that God has designed that we, the apostles, should be subject to contempt and suffe...

  • 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

    HATH. Omit. SET FORTH. Greek. _apodeiknumi._ See Acts 2:22. APOSTLES. App-189. LAST. They were the successors of the prophets in this. Acts 7:52. APPOINTED TO DEATH. Greek. _epithanatios._ Only he...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were approved to death_ So the original version of 1611. Our modern Bibles read _appointed_with Tyndale and Cranmer. Cf. ch. 1 Corinthi...

  • 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 Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    CONTRAST BETWEEN THE CORINTHIAN TEACHERS AND ST PAUL...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    9. [ὅτι] added after ΔΟΚΩ͂ ΓΆΡ, to complete the construction, with E Vulg. (authorized ed.) and Peshito. Omit אABCDFG Vetus Lat. and some ancient MSS. of Vulg. 9. ΓΆΡ gives the reason for ὄφελον. ἘΠΙ...

  • 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

    ΔΟΚΏ _praes. ind. act. от_ ΔΟΚΈΩ (G1380) думать, полагать, предполагать, ΈΣΧΑΤΟΣ (G2078) последний, ΆΠΈΔΕΙΞΕΝ _aor. ind. act. от_ ΆΠΟΔΕΊΚΝΥΜΙ (G584) показывать, проявлять, демонстрировать. Термин, о...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THAT GOD HATH SET FORTH US THE APOSTLES LAST, &C.— The Apostle seems here to refer to the Roman custom of bringing forth on the theatre, in the latter part of the day, either to fight with each other,...

  • 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

    _FOR I THINK THAT GOD HATH SET FORTH US THE APOSTLES LAST, AS IT WERE APPOINTED TO DEATH: FOR WE ARE MADE A SPECTACLE UNTO THE WORLD, AND TO ANGELS, AND TO MEN._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

  • 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

    The Corinthians' fancied position is contrasted with the Apostle's actual position. LAST, AS IT WERE APPOINTED TO DEATH] RV 'last of all, as men doomed to death.' He likens the Apostles to criminals c...

  • 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

    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....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    SERVANTS OF CHRIST 1 CORINTHIANS _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 4 PAUL THE SERVANT 4:1-5 V1 This is how people should think about us. We are Christ’s servants. We are *stewards (keepers) of the secrets...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    FOR... — This introduces the reason why he may well express the devout wish which he has just uttered for the coming of the kingdom of his Lord. The imagery of this passage would be easily understood...

  • 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)

    gives reason in Paul's sorrowful state for the wish that has escaped him. δοκῶ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς κ. τ. λ. (ὅτι vanting after δοκῶ, as in 1 Corinthians 7:40; so in Eng.): “For, methinks, God has inhibited (_s...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a (g) spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. (g) He that thinks that Paul and th...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Made a spectacle. It is evident from the writings of St. Paul, and from innumerable other records, that the apostles were made a spectacle to the world and to men; but how, some one may perhaps ask, w...

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

    “For I think that God hath set forth us apostles, as the last, as appointed to death, for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and to men.” Most modern commentators make the irony st...

  • 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...

  • 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

    9._For I think_, etc. It is uncertain whether he speaks of himself exclusively, or takes in at the same time Apollos and Silvanus, for he sometimes calls such persons apostles. I prefer, however, to u...

  • 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

    FOR I THINK THAT GOD HATH SET FORTH US THE APOSTLES LAST,.... Meaning either in time, in respect to the prophets and patriarchs under the former dispensation; and to the apostles, who were sent forth...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. Ver. 9. _As it were men appointed to de...

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

    _For God hath set forth us the apostles_ And all faithful ministers; _last, as it were appointed to death_ He alludes to the Roman theatrical spectacles, in which those persons were brought forth last...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    LAST; assigned to the lowest place as it regards shame and suffering, as if we were the vilest of men; "the filth of the world," and "the offscouring of all things," verse 1 Corinthians 4:13. APPOINT...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The status of the heralds of salvation:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    FOR I THINK THAT GOD HATH SET FORTH US, THE APOSTLES, LAST, AS IT WERE APPOINTED TO DEATH; FOR WE ARE MADE A SPECTACLE UNTO THE WORLD AND TO ANGELS AND TO MEN....

  • 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...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    SPECTACLE: _ Gr._ theater...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    FOR,. THINK, GOD HATH SET FORTH US THE APOSTLES LAST OF ALL, AS MEN DOOMED TO DEATH: FOR WE ARE MADE. SPECTACLE UNTO THE WORLD, BOTH TO ANGELS AND MEN. 'For' -'And there is abundant reason for this...

  • 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

    FOR I THINK THAT GOD HATH SET FORTH US THE APOSTLES LAST, AS IT WERE APPOINTED TO DEATH; the lot of us who are the apostles of Christ is not so externally happy, but a lot of poverty and misery, as if...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men. [As, after the end of the performance, condemn...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book IV Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat; we are become as it were the offscourings of the world."[79] Tertullian Agains...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Corinthians 4:9 For G1063 think G1380 (G5719) that G3754 God G2316 displayed G584 (G5656) us G2248 apostle

  • 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...

  • 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...

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

    1 Corinthians 4:9. FOR I THINK, GOD HATH SET FORTH US THE APOSTLES LAST OF ALL, AS MEN DOOMED TO DEATH... A SPECTACLE (to be gazed on as in a theatre) UNTO THE WORLD, AND TO ANGELS, AND TO MEN to exhi...

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

    [1] The allusion may be, as has been suggested, to the practice of depositing treasure in vessels of earthenware....

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    HATH SET FORTH US THE APOSTLES LAST (ημας τους αποστολους εσχατους απεδειξεν). The first aorist active indicative of αποδεικνυμ, old verb to show, to expose to view or exhibit (Herodotus), in techni...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    WORLD Greek, "kosmos", means "mankind". (_ See Scofield) - (Matthew 4:8). _...

  • 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 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 ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 4:9 EXHIBITED... LIKE MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH. Paul probably refers to the Roman triumphal processions, in which captured enemy soldiers were paraded through the str...

  • 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

    _For I think that God hath set forth us, the Apostles, last, as it were appointed to death._ (1.) He contrasts himself and the true Apostles with those vain teachers who sought their own glory and the...

  • 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 15:30; 1 Thessalonians 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9;...

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

    For. Introducing a contrast between the inflated self - satisfaction of the Corinthians and the actual condition of their teachers. You have come to reign, but the case is very different with us, for...

  • 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

    God hath set forth us last, as appointed to death — Alluding to the Roman custom of bringing forth those persons last on the stage, either to fight with each other, or with wild beasts, who were devot...

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Old Testament