Chapter 3
In this chapter the apostle, I.
Blames the Corinthians for their carnality and divisions (v. 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 (v. 5). 2. That they were
unanimous, and carried on the same design (v. 6–10). 3. That they built on one
and the same foundation (v. 11–15). III. He exhorts them to give due honour to
their bodies, by keeping them pure (v. 16, 17), and to humility and
self-diffidence (v. 18–21). IV. And dehorts them from glorying in particular
ministers, because of the equal interest they had in all (v. 22 to the end).
Verses 1-4
Here, I.
Paul blames the Corinthians for their weakness and nonproficiency. Those who
are sanctified are so only in part: there is still room for growth and increase
both in grace and knowledge, 2 Pt. 3:18. Those who through divine grace are
renewed to a spiritual life may yet in many things be defective. The apostle
tells them he could not speak to them as unto spiritual men, but as
unto carnal men, as to babes in Christ, v. 1. They were so far from
forming their maxims and measures upon the ground of divine revelation, and
entering into the spirit of the gospel, that is was but too evident they were
much under the command of carnal and corrupt affections. They were still mere
babes in Christ. They had received some of the first principles of
Christianity, but had not grown up to maturity of understanding in them, or of
faith and holiness; and yet it is plain, from several passages in this epistle,
that the Corinthians were very proud of their wisdom and knowledge. Note, It is
but too common for persons of very moderate knowledge and understanding to have
a great measure of self-conceit. The apostle assigns their little proficiency
in the knowledge of Christianity as a reason why he had communicated no more of
the deep things of it to them. They could not bear such food, they needed to be
fed with milk, not with meat, v. 2. Note, It is the duty of a faithful minister
of Christ to consult the capacities of his hearers and teach them as they can
bear. And yet it is natural for babes to grow up to men; and babes in Christ
should endeavour to grow in Stature, and become men in Christ. It is expected
that their advances in knowledge should be in proportion to their means and
opportunities, and their time of professing religion, that they may be able to
bear discourses on the mysteries of our religion, and not always rest in plain
things. It was a reproach to the Corinthians that they had so long sat under
the ministry of Paul and had made no more improvement in Christian knowledge.
Note, Christians are utterly to blame who do not endeavour to grow in grace and
knowledge.
II. He
blames them for their carnality, and mentions their contention and discord
about their ministers as evidence of it: For you are yet carnal; for whereas
there are among you envyings, and strifes, and divisions, are you not carnal,
and walk as men? v. 3. They had mutual emulations, and quarrels, and
factions among them, upon the account of their ministers, while one said, I
am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos, v. 4. These were proofs of their
being carnal, that fleshly interests and affections too much swayed them. Note,
Contentions and quarrels about religion are sad evidences of remaining
carnality. True religion makes men peaceable and not contentious. Factious
spirits act upon human principles, not upon principles of true religion; they
are guided by their own pride and passions, and not by the rules of
Christianity: Do you not walk as men? Note, It is to be lamented that
many who should walk as Christians, that is, above the common rate of men, do
indeed walk as men, live and act too much like other men.
Verses 5-10
Here the
apostle instructs them how to cure this humour, and rectify what was amiss
among them upon this head,
I. By
reminding them that the ministers about whom they contended were but ministers:
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed?
Even as the Lord gave to every man, v. 5. They are but ministers, mere
instruments used by the God of all grace. Some of the factious people in
Corinth seem to have made more of them, as if they were lords of their faith,
authors of their religion. Note, We should take care not to deify ministers,
nor put them into the place of God. Apostles were not the authors of our faith
and religion, though they were authorized and qualified to reveal and propagate
it. They acted in this office as God gave to every man. Observe, All the gifts
and powers that even apostles discovered and exerted in the work of the
ministry were from God. They were intended to manifest their mission and
doctrine to be divine. It was perfectly wrong, upon their account, to transfer
that regard to the apostles which was solely to be paid to the divine authority
by which they acted, and to God, from whom they had their authority. Paul
had planted and Apollos had watered, v. 6. Both were useful, one for one
purpose, the other for another. Note, God makes use of variety of instruments,
and fits them to their several uses and intentions. Paul was fitted for
planting work, and Apollos for watering work, but God gave the increase. Note,
The success of the ministry must be derived from the divine blessing: Neither
he that planteth is any thing, nor he that watereth, but God who giveth the
increase, v. 7. Even apostolical ministers are nothing of themselves, can
do nothing with efficacy and success unless God give the increase. Note, The
best qualified and most faithful ministers have a just sense of their own
insufficiency, and are very desirous that God should have all the glory of
their success. Paul and Apollos are nothing at all in their own account, but
God is all in all.
II. By
representing to them the unanimity of Christ’s ministers: He that planteth
and he that watereth are one (v. 8), employed by one Master, entrusted with
the same revelation, busied in one work, and engaged in one design—in harmony
with one another, however they may be set in opposition to each other by
factious party-makers. They have their different gifts from one and the same
Spirit, for the very same purposes; and they heartily carry on the same design.
Planters and waterers are but fellow-labourers in the same work. Note, All the
faithful ministers of Christ are one in the great business and intention of
their ministry. They may have differences of sentiment in minor things; they
may have their debates and contests; but they heartily concur in the great
design of honouring God and saving souls, by promoting true Christianity in the
world. All such may expect a glorious recompence of their fidelity, and in
proportion to it: Every man shall receive his own reward, according to his
own labour. Their business is one, but some may mind it more than others:
their end or design is one, but some may pursue it more closely than others:
their Master also is one, and yet this good and gracious Master may make a
difference in the rewards he gives, according to the different service they do:
Every one’s own work shall have its own reward. Those that work hardest
shall fare best. Those that are most faithful shall have the greatest reward;
and glorious work it is in which all faithful ministers are employed. They
are labourers with God, synergoi—co-workers, fellow-labourers (v. 9), not indeed in
the same order and degree, but in subordination to him, as instruments in his
hand. They are engaged in his business. They are working 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. Men may
neglect and vilify one minister while they cry up another, and have no reason for
either: they may condemn when they should commend, and applaud what they should
neglect and avoid; but the judgment of God is according to truth. He never
rewards but upon just reason, and he ever rewards in proportion to the
diligence and faithfulness of his servants. Note, Faithful ministers, when they
are ill used by men, should encourage themselves in God. And it is to God, the
chief agent and director of the great work of the gospel, to whom those that
labour with him should endeavour to approve themselves. They are always under
his eye, employed in his husbandry and building; and therefore, to be sure, he
will carefully look over them: "You are God’s husbandry, you are God’s
building; and therefore are neither of Paul nor of Apollos; neither belong
to one nor the other, but to God: they only plant and water you, but it is the
divine blessing on his own husbandry that alone can make it yield fruit. You
are not our husbandry, but God’s. We work under him, and with him, and for him.
It is all for God that we have been doing among you. You are God’s husbandry
and building.’’ He had employed the former metaphor before, and now he goes on
to the other of a building: According to the grace of God which is given
unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another
buildeth thereon. Paul here calls himself a wise master-builder, a
character doubly reflecting honour on him. It was honourable to be a
master-builder in the edifice of God; but it added to his character to be a
wise one. Persons may be in an office for which they are not qualified, or not
so thoroughly qualified as this expression implies Paul was. But, though he
gives himself such a character, it is not to gratify his own pride, but to
magnify divine grace. He was a wise master-builder, but the grace of God made
him such. Note, It is no crime in a Christian, but much to his commendation, to
take notice of the good that is in him, to the praise of divine grace.
Spiritual pride is abominable: it is making use of the greatest favours of God
to feed our own vanity, and make idols of ourselves. But to take notice of the
favours of God to promote our gratitude to him, and to speak of them to his
honour (be they of what sort they will), is but a proper expression of the duty
and regard we own him. Note, Ministers should not be proud of their gifts or
graces; but the better qualified they are for their work, and the more success
they have in it, the more thankful should they be to God for his distinguishing
goodness: I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. As
before he had said, I have planted, Apollos watered. It was Paul that
laid the foundation of a church among them. He had begotten them through the
gospel, ch. 4:15. Whatever instructors they had besides, they had not many
fathers. He would derogate from none that had done service among them, nor
would he be robbed of his own honour and respect. Note, Faithful ministers may
and ought to have a concern for their own reputation. Their usefulness depends
much upon it. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon. This
is a proper caution; there may be very indifferent building on a good
foundation. It is easy to err here; and great care should be used, not only to
lay a sure and right foundation, but to erect a regular building upon it.
Nothing must be laid upon it but what the foundation will bear, and what is of
a piece with it. Gold and dirt must not be mingled together. Note, Ministers of
Christ should take great care that they do not build their own fancies or false
reasonings on the foundation of divine revelation. What they preach should be
the plain doctrine of their Master, or what is perfectly agreeable with it.
Verses 11-15
Here the
apostle informs us what foundation he had laid at the bottom of all his labours
among them—even Jesus Christ, the chief corner-stone, Eph. 2:20. Upon
this foundation all the faithful ministers of Christ build. Upon this rock all
the Christians found their hopes. Those that build their hopes of heaven on any
other foundation build upon the sand. Other foundation can no man lay
besides what is laid-even Jesus Christ. Note, The doctrine of our Saviour
and his mediation is the principal doctrine of Christianity. It lies at the
bottom, and is the foundation, of all the rest. Leave out this, and you lay
waste all our comforts, and leave no foundation for our hopes as sinners. It is
in Christ only that God is reconciling a sinful world to himself, 2 Co.
5:19. But of those that hold the foundation, and embrace the general doctrine
of Christ’s being the mediator between God and man, there are two sorts:—
I. Some
build upon this foundation gold, silver, and precious stones (v. 12),
namely, those who receive and propagate the pure truths of the gospel, who hold
nothing but the truth as it is in Jesus, and preach nothing else. This
is building well upon a good foundation, making all of apiece, when ministers
not only depend upon Christ as the great prophet of the church, and take him
for their guide and infallible teacher, but receive and spread the doctrines he
taught, in their purity, without any corrupt mixtures, without adding or
diminishing.
II. Others
build wood, hay, and stubble, on this foundation; that is, though they
adhere to the foundation, they depart from the mind of Christ in many
particulars, substitute their own fancies and inventions in the room of his
doctrines and institutions, and build upon the good foundation what will not
abide the test when the day of trial shall come, and the fire must make it
manifest, as wood, hay, and stubble, will not bear the trial by fire, but must
be consumed in it. There is a time coming when a discovery will be made of what
men have built on this foundation: Every man’s work shall be made manifest,
shall be laid open to view, to his own view and that of others. Some may, in
the simplicity of their hearts, build wood and stubble on the good foundation,
and know not, all the while, what they have been doing; but in the day of the
Lord their own conduct shall appear to them in its proper light. Every man’s
work shall be made manifest to himself, and made manifest to others, both those
that have been misled by him and those that have escaped his errors. Now we may
be mistaken in ourselves and others; but there is a day coming that will cure
all our mistakes, and show us ourselves, and show us our actions in the true
light, without covering or disguise: For the day shall declare it (that
is, every man’s work), because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire
shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is, v. 13. The day shall
declare and make it manifest, the last day, the great day of trial; see ch.
4:5. Though some understand it of the time when the Jewish nation was destroyed
and their constitution thereby abolished, when the superstructure which judaizing
teachers would have raised on the Christian foundation was manifested to be no
better than hay and stubble, that would not bear the trial. The expression
carries in it a plain allusion to the refiner’s art, in which the fire
separates and distinguishes the dross from the gold and silver; as it also will
silver and gold and precious stones, that will endure the fire, from wood and
hay and stubble, that will be consumed in it. Note, There is a day coming that
will as nicely distinguish one man from another, and one man’s work from
another’s, as the fire distinguishes gold from dross, or metal that will bear
the fire from other materials that will be consumed in it. In that day, 1. Some
men’s works will abide the trial—will be found standard. It will appear
that they not only held the foundation, but that they built regularly and well
upon it—that they laid on proper materials, and in due form and order. The
foundation and the superstructure were all of a piece. The foundation-truths,
and those that had a manifest connection with them, were taught together. It
may not be so easy to discern this connection now, nor know what works will
abide the trial then; but that day will make a full discovery. And such a
builder shall not, cannot fail of a reward. He will have praise and honour in
that day, and eternal recompence after it. Note, Fidelity in the ministers of
Christ will meet with a full and ample reward in a future life. Those who
spread true and pure religion in all the branches of it, and whose work will
abide in the great day, shall receive a reward. And, Lord, how great! how much
exceeding their deserts! 2. There are others whose works shall be burnt
(v. 15), whose corrupt opinions and doctrines, or vain inventions and usages in
the worship of God, shall be discovered, disowned, and rejected, in that
day-shall be first manifested to be corrupt, and then disapproved of God and
rejected. Note, The great day will pluck off all disguises, and make things
appear as they are: He whose work shall be burnt will suffer loss. If he
have built upon the right foundation wood and hay and stubble, he will suffer
loss. His weakness and corruption will be the lessening of his glory, though he
may in the general have been an honest and an upright Christian. This part of
his work will be lost, turning no way to his advantage, though he himself may
be saved. Observe, Those who hold the foundation of Christianity, though they
build hay, wood, and stubble, upon it, may be saved. This may help to enlarge
our charity. We should not reprobate men for their weakness: for nothing will
damn men but wickedness. He shall be saved, yet so as by fire, saved out
of the fire. He himself shall be snatched out of that flame which will consume
his work. This intimates that it will be difficult for those that corrupt and
deprave Christianity to be saved. God will have no mercy on their works, though
he may pluck them as brands out of the burning. On this passage of scripture
the papists found their doctrine of purgatory, which is certainly hay and
stubble: a doctrine never originally fetched from scripture, but invented in
barbarous ages, to feed the avarice and ambition of the clergy, at the cost of
those who would rather part with their money than their lusts, for the
salvation of their souls. It can have no countenance from this text, (1.)
Because this is plainly meant of a figurative fire, not of a real one: for what
real fire can consume religious rites or doctrines? (2.) Because this fire is
to try men’s works, of what sort they are; but purgatory-fire is not for
trial, not to bring men’s actions to the test, but to punish for them. They are
supposed to be venial sins, not satisfied for in this life, for which
satisfaction must be made by suffering the fire of purgatory. (3.) Because this
fire is to try every man’s works, those of Paul and Apollos, as well as
those of others. Now, no papists will have the front to say apostles must have
passed through purgatory fires.
Verses 16-17
Here the
apostle resumes his argument and exhortation, founding it on his former
allusion, You are God’s building, v. 9, and here, Know you not that
you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man
defile (corrupt and destroy) the temple of God, him shall God destroy
(the same word is in the original in both clauses); for the temple of God is
holy, which temple you are. It looks from other parts of the epistle, where
the apostle argues to the very same purport (see ch. 6:13–20), as if the false
teachers among the Corinthians were not only loose livers, but taught
licentious doctrines, and what was particularly fitted to the taste of this
lewd city, on the head of fornication. Such doctrine was not to be reckoned
among hay and stubble, which would be consumed while the person who laid them
on the foundation escaped the burning; for it tended to corrupt, to pollute,
and destroy the church, which was a building erected for God, and consecrated
to him, and therefore should be kept pure and holy. Those who spread principles
of this sort would provoke God to destroy them. Note, Those who spread loose
principles, that have a direct tendency to pollute the church of God, and
render it unholy and unclean, are likely to bring destruction on themselves. It
may be understood also as an argument against their discord and factious
strifes, division being the way to destruction. But what I have been mentioning
seems to be the proper meaning of the passage: Know you not that you are the
temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? It may be understood
of the church of Corinth collectively, or of every single believer among them;
Christian churches are temples of God. He dwells among them by his Holy Spirit.
They are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit, Eph.
2:22. Every Christian is a living temple of the living God. God dwelt in the
Jewish temple, took possession of it, and resided in it, by that glorious cloud
that was the token of his presence with that people. So Christ by his Spirit
dwells in all true believers. The temple was devoted and consecrated to God,
and set apart from every common to a holy use, to the immediate service of God.
So all Christians are separated from common uses, and set apart for God and his
service. They are sacred to him—a very good argument this against all fleshly
lusts, and all doctrines that give countenance to them. If we are the temples
of God, we must do nothing that shall alienate ourselves from him, or corrupt
and pollute ourselves, and thereby unfit ourselves for his use; and we must hearken
to no doctrine nor doctor that would seduce us to any such practices. Note,
Christians are holy by profession, and should be pure and clean both in heart
and conversation. We should heartily abhor, and carefully avoid, what will
defile God’s temple, and prostitute what ought to be sacred to him.
Verses 18-20
Here he
prescribes humility, and a modest opinion of themselves, for the remedy of the
irregularities in the church of Corinth, the divisions and contests among them:
"Let no man deceive himself, v. 18. Do not be led away from the
truth and simplicity of the gospel by pretenders to science and eloquence, by a
show of deep learning, or a flourish of words, by rabbis, orators, or
philosophers.’’ Note, We are in great danger of deceiving ourselves when we
have too high an opinion of human wisdom and arts; plain and pure Christianity
will be likely to be despised by those who can suit their doctrines to the
corrupt taste of their hearers, and set them off with fine language, or support
them with a show of deep and strong reasoning. But he who seems to be wise
must become a fool that he may be wise. He must be sensible of his own
ignorance, and lament it; he must distrust his own understanding, and not lean
on it. To have a high opinion of our wisdom is but to flatter ourselves, and
self-flattery is the very next step to self-deceit. The way to true wisdom is
to sink our opinion of our own to a due level, and be willing to be taught of
God. He must become a fool who would be truly and thoroughly wise. The person
who resigns his own understanding, that he may follow the instruction of God,
is in the way to true and everlasting wisdom. The meek will he guide in
judgment, the meek will he teach his way, Ps. 25:9. He that has a low
opinion of his own knowledge and powers will submit to better information; such
a person may be informed and improved by revelation: but the proud man,
conceited of his own wisdom and understanding, will undertake to correct even
divine wisdom itself, and prefer his own shallow reasonings to the revelations
of infallible truth and wisdom. Note, We must abase ourselves before God if we
would be either truly wise or good: For the wisdom of this world is
foolishness with God, v. 19. The wisdom which worldly men esteem (policy,
philosophy, oratory) is foolishness with God. It is so in a way of
comparison with his wisdom. He chargeth his angels with folly (Job
4:18), and much more the wisest among the children of men. His understanding
is infinite, Ps. 147:5. There can be no more comparison between his wisdom
and ours than between his power and being and ours. There is no common measure
by which to compare finite and infinite. And much more is the wisdom of man
foolishness with God when set in competition with his. How justly does he
despise, how easily can he baffle and confound it! He taketh the wise in
their own craftiness (Job 5:13), he catches them in their own nets, and
entangles them in their own snares: he turns their most studies, plausible, and
promising schemes against themselves, and ruins them by their own contrivance.
Nay, He knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain (v. 20), that
they are vanity, Ps. 94:11. Note, God has a perfect knowledge of the thoughts
of men, the deepest thoughts of the wisest men, their most secret counsels and
purposes: nothing is hidden from him, but all things are naked and bare
before him, Heb. 4:13. And he knows them to be vanity. The thoughts of the
wisest men in the world have a great mixture of vanity, of weakness and folly,
in them; and before God their wisest and best thoughts are very vanity,
compared, I mean, with his thoughts of things. And should not all this teach us
modesty, diffidence in ourselves, and a deference to the wisdom of God, make us
thankful for his revelations, and willing to be taught of God, and not be led
away by specious pretences to human wisdom and skill, from the simplicity of
Christ, or a regard to his heavenly doctrine? Note, He who would be wise indeed
must learn of God, and not set his own wisdom up in competition with God’s.
Verses 21-23
Here the
apostle founds an exhortation against over-valuing their teachers on what he
had just said, and on the consideration that they had an equal interest in all
their ministers: Therefore let no man glory in men (v. 21)—forget that
their ministers are men, or pay that deference to them that is due only to God,
set them at the head of parties, have them in immoderate esteem and admiration,
and servilely and implicitly follow their directions and submit to their dictates,
and especially in contradiction to God and the truths taught by his Holy
Spirit. Mankind are very apt to make the mercies of God cross their intentions.
The ministry is a very useful and very gracious institution, and faithful
ministers are a great blessing to any people; yet the folly and weakness of
people may do much mischief by what is in itself a blessing. They may fall into
factions, side with particular ministers, and set them at their head, glory in
their leaders, and be carried by them they know not whither. The only way to
avoid this mischief is to have a modest opinion of ourselves, a due sense of
the common weakness of human understanding, and an entire deference to the
wisdom of God speaking in his word. Ministers are not to be set up in
competition with one another. All faithful ministers are serving one Lord and
pursuing one purpose. They were appointed of Christ, for the common benefit of
the church: "Paul, and Apollos, and Cephas, are all yours. One is
not to be set up against another, but all are to be valued and used for your
own spiritual benefit.’’ Upon this occasion also he gives in an inventory of
the church’s possessions, the spiritual riches of a true believer: "All
is yours—ministers of all ranks, ordinary and extraordinary. Nay the world
itself is yours.’’ Not that saints are proprietors of the world, but it stands
for their sake, they have as much of it as Infinite Wisdom sees to be fit for
them, and they have all they have with the divine blessing. "Life is
yours, that you may have season and opportunity to prepare for the life of
heaven; and death is yours, that you may go to the possession of it. It
is the kind messenger that will fetch you to your Father’s house. Things
present are yours, for your support on the road; things to come are
yours, to enrich and regale you for ever at your journey’s end.’’ Note, If we
belong to Christ, and are true to him, all good belongs to us, and is sure to
us. All is ours, time and eternity, earth and heaven, life and death. We
shall want no good thing, Ps. 84:11. But it must be remembered, at the same
time, that we are Christ’s, the subjects of his kingdom, his property.
He is Lord over us, and we must own his dominion, and cheerfully submit to his
command and yield themselves to his pleasure, if we would have all things
minister to our advantage. All things are ours, upon no other ground than our
being Christ’s. Out of him we are without just title or claim to any thing that
is good. Note, Those that would be safe for time, and happy to eternity, must
be Christ’s. And Christ is God’s. He is the Christ of God, anointed of
God, and commissioned by him, to bear the office of a Mediator, and to act
therein for the purposes of his glory. Note, All things are the believer’s,
that Christ might have honour in his great undertaking, and God in all might
have the glory. God in Christ reconciling a sinful world to himself, and
shedding abroad the riches of his grace on a reconciled world, is the sum and
substance of the gospel.
Excerpt from:
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714)
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