PARAPHRASE. 'Te yourselves, brethren, are an illustration of what I say. (2) I have treated you as beginners and given you elementary Christian teaching, for hitherto you have been unfit for any other. (3, 4) You are still but immature Christians, as the strife and division about your teachers show.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FAULT OF PARTY SPIRIT The immaturity of the Corinthian converts and their unfitness for anything but elementary instruction in the faith is proved by their mutual jealousies and their disagreements about their teachers.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT.. AS UNTO SPIRITUAL] The hidden wisdom of which the Apostle has been writing is not for them. CARNAL] The Gk. means 'fleshy,' and points to the fact that they were mere infants, so to speak. It is interpreted by the words which follow.... [ Continue Reading ]
MILK] the rudiments of the gospel; the alphabet of Christianity. We find samples of it in Paul's preaching (Acts 13:14; Acts 17:2; Acts 18:22; Acts 19:2). MEAT] more advanced teaching regarding the purpose of Christ's coming and the faith and hope of Christians, such as is presented in the Epistles... [ Continue Reading ]
CARNAL] The Gk. here is different from that in 1 Corinthians 3:1, and means 'fleshly,' i.e. walking in the lusts of the flesh.... [ Continue Reading ]
CARNAL] The Gk. is again different from 1 Corinthians 3:1 and 1 Corinthians 3:3, and means, as RV, 'men.'... [ Continue Reading ]
MINISTERS] i.e. servants who ministered to your needs. EVEN AS THE LORD GAVE] i.e. according to the ability given by God.... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE PLANTED] St. Paul founded the Church at Corinth (Acts 18:1). APOLLOS WATERED] Acts 18:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE] lit. 'one thing,' i.e. having a common aim.... [ Continue Reading ]
LABOURERS TOGETHER WITH GOD] RV 'God's fellow-workers.' Perhaps, better, 'fellow-workers for God,' the emphasis all through being on God's power and work. The Apostles were fellow-workers with one another, but not fellow-workers with God in quite the same sense. HUSBANDRY] i.e. tilled field. BUILDIN... [ Continue Reading ]
ANOTHER BUILDETH] Apollos and others carried on the work begun by St. Paul. HOW HE BUILDETH] The Apostle indicates the great responsibilities of Christian ministers and teachers, 11, 12. OTHER FOUNDATION] Faith in Christ as Saviour and willing submission to His influence are the foundation on which... [ Continue Reading ]
PARAPHRASE. 'Let me remind you that by the favour of God I was the founder of your Church. Those who followed me took up my work. (11) The foundation I laid was faith in Jesus Christ. (12) No one can lay any other; but every builder is responsible for what he builds upon it. (13) The tests applied t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DAY] i.e. the day of judgment or the day of the Lord. The imagery of fire testing the building is both natural and suggested by the OT. accounts of the manifestations of Jehovah.... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVED] because of his own Christian life. YET SO AS BY FIRE] As the builder may escape with his life while the flames destroy the building on which he is engaged, so the Christian teacher may be saved himself, though his teaching be proved worthless for edification. 'Sincerity does not verify doctri... [ Continue Reading ]
PARAPHRASE. 'Do not deceive yourselves; but if there be any of you priding himself on his worldly wisdom let him quickly unlearn it, that he may learn the true wisdom. (19, 20) For as Holy Scripture teaches, worldly wisdom is but folly in God's sight. (21-23) Do not, therefore, use the names of your... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD] The conceit and vanity of men are folly with God. The results of this folly in Christian teachers are indicated in 1 Corinthians 3:15; 1 Corinthians 3:17. IT IS WRITTEN] Job 5:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AGAIN] Psalms 94:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THINGS ARE YOURS] To him who is united to Christ all things belong, contributing to the growth of his Christian character and the increasing perfection of his spiritual life. He learns from all teachers; the WORLD provides him with the means of growth in grace, for all his experiences in its pos... [ Continue Reading ]