1Paul sheweth in what account such as he should be held, of whose fidelity it should be left to God to judge. 6He dissuadeth the Corinthians from valuing themselves in one teacher above another, since all had their respective distinctions from God. 8To their self-sufficient vanity he opposeth his own despised and afflicted state; 14warning them, as their only father in Christ, and urging them to follow him. 17For the same cause he sent Timotheus, and meant soon to follow in person, when he would enquire into the authority of such as opposed him.
1LET a man so account of us, asa of the ministers of Christ, and 1stewards of the mysteries of God.
a Mat. 24:45; 2 Cor. 6:4; Col. 1:25; Titus 1:7.
1 Gr. oikonomous, that is, providers for the house, or dispensers of God’s house; namely, in the distribution and administration of His Word and His sacraments, 1 Cor. 2:7. See of this word Luke 16:1.
2Moreover it is required in stewards, thatb a man be found 2faithful.
b Luke 12:42.
2 That is, go not beyond his charge herein, or come short of it, Heb. 3:5.
3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of 3man’s judgment: yea, I 4judge not mine own self.
3 Gr. a man’s day; a phrase taken from ordinary judgments in which court is kept on certain appointed days to judge what comes to pass. Not that one prophet also might not judge of another, for he commands the contrary, 1 Cor. 14:29, but he speaks of such a judgment as shall be noted in the following words. And Paul has here especially respect to the last day, when all things shall be judged according as they ought, Mat. 25:14, etc.; Luke 19:12.
4 This is to be understood, not of a judgment of our trial whether we be in the faith and how we stand with God, 1 Cor. 11:28, and 2 Cor. 13:5, but of a judgment whereby anyone lifts up and praises himself above another in his ministry, or puts himself below another, and dispraises himself, as this is here reproved in some, that one exalted Paul above Peter, etc., and the other again set Peter or Apollos, etc., above him. This it is which he here submits to God’s judgment, seeing men oftentimes herein judge out of affections, as what follows also sets forth.
4For I know 5nothing byc myself; yetd am I not 6hereby justified: but he that judgeth 7me is the Lord.
5 Namely, as concerning the faithful administration of mine apostleship, therein I have a good conscience; for hereof only the apostle speaks.
c with reference to, against*
d Exod. 34:7; Job 9:2; Psalm 143:2.
6 Namely, before God, or in God’s judgment; as David also speaks, Psalm 143:2, and Paul, Gal. 2:16. For it is one thing to have a good conscience in one’s actions before God, for his own comfort, 1 John 3:21, and another thing by his actions to be justified before God. The first shows the diligence and sincerity of his actions, which David also testifies oftentimes in his psalms; the other a perfection without defects, which Paul, even as David also, found not in himself, Psalm 19:12; Philip. 3:12, 13, etc.
7 Namely, as a supreme Judge, not only in the outward matter of my ministry, but also of my conscience, whereof the Lord Christ only is the Judge, Who shall indeed judge thereof at the last day, as the following verse declares.
5Thereforee judge nothing 8before the time, until the Lord come, whof both will bring to light 9the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest 10the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have 11praise of God.
e Mat. 7:1; Rom. 2:1.
8 Namely, of judgment, in which Christ shall also bring to light the secret matters of conscience, Rom. 2:16.
f Dan. 7:10; Rev. 20:12.
9 Or, that which is hidden in darkness. Gr. the hidden things of darkness.
10 That is, with what uprightness and to what end everyone shall have performed his actions in his ministry. Whereby he seems to reprove those who indeed preach the Gospel, but more for their own honor or for favor of men, than to God’s glory and for a desire of men’s salvation.
11 That is, not only a public testimony of his well-doing, but also a reward, Rom. 2:6; 2 Cor. 5:10.
6And 12these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos 13for your sakes; that ye might learn in us 14notg to think of men 15above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for 16one against another.
12 Some understand hereby that which the apostle said before of the faults and pride of some teachers, and that he reproved them in his own and Apollos’ person, without expressing their names, to spare them; but seeing many things are spoken heretofore in the person of Paul, Cephas and Apollos, which cannot be applied to such teachers, and also that Paul is not wont to take the faults of such upon him to spare them, but much rather to oppose his example unto such to give the congregation warning of them; therefore this may altogether as conveniently be understood of the faults of the congregation itself, who made such distinction among the faithful teachers and apostles, whereby these divisions were occasioned, without all the teachers being guilty thereof; and declares that in his own and Apollos’ person he had shown them what esteem they ought to have of their teachers whosoever they be, namely, only as ministers of Christ, who directed them to Christ, and to the true unity in Christ, and not to themselves to make a particular faction.
13 That is, rightly to instruct you how you must carry yourselves in respect of your teachers, and in what esteem you must have them.
14 Namely, neither of your teachers, nor of yourselves, who are instructed by them.
g Prov. 3:7; Rom. 12:3.
15 Namely, throughout in the Word of God, which everywhere commends humility and unity to us; or, that which was above written unto you by us heretofore.
16 That is, one member of the congregation against another, because he was brought to Christ by this or that teacher and by his ministry was made partaker of such or such gifts for the edification of the congregation of Christ.
7For 17who maketh thee to differ from another? andh what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
17 Namely, whether you be a teacher which excels others in gifts, or whether you be a member of the congregation, who by this or that teacher are brought to faith in Christ and other spiritual gifts. It is therefore God in Christ (he would say) Who by His grace distinguishes you from another, not the teacher, not ye yourselves. For although Paul plants, Apollos waters, yet it is God alone Who gives the increase, 1 Cor. 3:6.
h John 3:27; James 1:17.
818Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings 19without us: and I 20would to God ye did reign, that 21we also might reign with you.
18 That is, you imagine to yourselves that you are now altogether blessed, and that you have now no more want in spiritual gifts, but that you have obtained the perfection in all things, and excel all others as a king in his kingdom, which the apostle speaks by way of upbraiding, to exhort them afterwards by his example, and the consideration of his miserable estate, unto humility. See the like Rev. 3:17.
19 That is, without our having had any part in your dominion or imagination of dominion, rest and prosperity.
20 Namely, in deed and in truth.
21 This he says because anyone who loves another is glad of it when it goes well with him, and when he prospers in all things, and esteems such a one’s happiness as his own.
922For I think that God hath set forth 23us the apostles last, asi it were 24appointed to death: for we are made aj spectacle 25unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
22 Here he begins, for a warning, to propound his and the other apostles’ example, to make them reflect in order to bring a low esteem of themselves and of their state, and to exhort them much rather to suffering than to boasting.
23 That is, who are last called since Christ’s ascension, as Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Apollos, Timothy and the like, who were therefore through contempt called by some the last apostles. See of this name, Rom.16:7; 2 Cor. 8:23.
i Psalm 44:22; Rom. 8:36; 2 Cor. 4:11.
24 Or, to bring to light. Paul here alludes to the custom of the heathen who brought to light malefactors into the public theaters or cast them before the wild beasts for the recreation of others, or to cause them to fight against those beasts even unto death; which was also oftentimes done by them to the Christians. See 1 Cor. 15:32.
j Heb. 10:33.
25 That is, to the reasonable creatures in the world, which he divides into angels and men; whereof the good angels and good men were witnesses of their suffering and had compassion on them; and the evil angels and men took also a delight in it, as in the theaters were found all kinds of people and judgments.
1026Wekare fools for Christ's sake, but 27ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
26 That is, esteemed fools by the world.
k 1 Cor. 2:3.
27 Namely, according to your thinking and imagination.
11Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted,l and have no certain dwellingplace;
l Acts 23:2.
12Andm labour, 28working with our own hands: being reviled, wen bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
m Acts 18:3; 20:34; 1 Thes. 2:9; 2 Thes. 3:8.
28 See an example of this in Paul, Acts 18:3; 1 Cor. 9:6.
n Mat. 5:44; Luke 6:28; 23:34; Acts 7:60; Rom. 12:14.
13Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the 29filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things 30unto this day.
29 That is, where we come, worldly men seek to be rid of us, and cast us out as filth and offscourings, or else as accursed men, as the Greek word katharma is sometimes also taken. See Lam. 3:45.
30 That is, not once or twice, but continually even until now.
14I write not these things to shame you, but aso my beloved sons I 31warn you.
o 1 Thes. 2:11.
31 Namely, to bring you to consideration and reformation of these faults.
15For though ye have ten thousand 32instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: forp in Christ Jesus I have 33begotten you through the gospel.
32 Gr. paidagogous, that is, schoolmasters or tutors; namely, who further instruct you in the things of Christ, after that ye are begotten by me by the Gospel of Christ. And this the apostle says because a father instructs his children with greater affection and truer love than a tutor does. See 2 Cor. 11:20.
p Acts 18:11; Gal. 4:19; Philemon verse 10; James 1:18.
33 Or, engendered, that is, first brought to the faith. For the preaching of the Gospel is the means whereby we are regenerated by the Spirit of God, Philemon verse 10; 1 Peter 1:23.
16Wherefore I beseech you, beq ye 34followers of me.
q 1 Cor. 11:1; Philip. 3:17; 1 Thes. 1:6; 2 Thes. 3:9.
34 Namely, in humility, peaceableness, patience, simplicity, etc.
17For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is 35my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of 36my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
35 Namely, not only because I have begotten him to Christ by the Gospel, but also because as a true son he follows my footsteps in all things, 1 Tim. 1:2, and 4:6.
36 That is, my walk in my life, Psalm 1:1, 6, and of my manner of doing in setting forth the Gospel of Christ with all uprightness and simplicity, as he presently subjoins.
18Now 37some are puffed up, as though I would 38not come to you.
37 This he says not only of some teachers, who by reason of some outward eloquence had a very high conceit of themselves, and despised Paul’s simplicity; but also of some members, who, being instructed by them, accounted themselves great masters, though they still lacked much, and despised others in comparison of themselves, as is declared in the following verses.
38 Namely, to reform such faults, and to punish them accordingly.
19But I will come to you shortly, ifr the Lord will, and will know, 39not the speech of them which are puffed up, 40but the power.
r Acts 18:21; Heb. 6:3; James 4:15.
39 That is, the boasting of the eloquence, or of knowledge in spiritual things.
40 Namely, which they indeed show forth in faith, love and other christian virtues or gifts, which God’s Spirit powerfully works, 1 John 3:18.
20Fors41the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
s 1 Cor. 2:4; 1 Thes. 1:5; 2 Peter 1:16.
41 That is, the state of a Christian man or child of God, in whom God sets up His Kingdom, Rom. 14:17.
21What will ye? shall I come unto you 42with a rod, or 43in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
42 That is, with the exercise of punishment and discipline, 2 Cor. 10:6.
43 That is, in kindness and affectionateness. Otherwise punishment also comes from a father out of love, Heb. 12:6.