TEXT. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 10 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. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now, if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; PARAPHRASE. therefore ought not to be distinguished, and set in opposition one to another, or cried up, as more de9 serving one than another. We, the preachers of the gospel, are but labourers, employed by God, about that which is his work, and from him shall receive reward hereafter, every one according to his own labour; and not from men here, who are liable to make a wrong estimate of the labours of their teachers, preferring those, who do not labour together with God, who do not carry on the design, or work of God, in the gospel, or perhaps do not carry it on, equally with others, who are undervalued by them. 10 Ye who are the church of God, are God's building, in which I, according to the skill and knowledge which God, of his free bounty, has been pleased to give me, and therefore ought not to be to me, or any other, matter of glorying, as a skilful architect, have laid a sure foundation, which is Jesus, the Messiah, 11 the sole and only foundation of christianity. Besides which, no man can lay any other. But, though no man, who pretends to be a preacher of the gospel, can build upon any other foundation, yet you ought not to cry up your new instructor (who has come and built upon the foundation, that I laid) for the doctrines, he builds thereon, as if there were no other mi12 nister of the gospel but he. For it is possible a man NOTE. 11 Chap. iv. 15. In this he reflects on the false apostle, 2 Cor. x. 15, 16. TEXT. 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest. For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so, as by fire. 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. PARAPHRASE. may build, upon that true foundation, wood, hay, and stubble, things that will not bear the test, when 13 the trial by fire, at the last day*, shall come. At that day, every man's work shall be tried and disco14 vered, of what sort it is. If what he hath taught be sound and good, and will stand the trial, as silver and gold, and precious stones abide in the fire, he 15 shall be rewarded for his labour in the gospel. But, if he hath introduced false and unsound doctrines into christianity, he shall be like a man, whose building, being of wood, hay, and stubble, is consumed by the fire, all his pains in building is lost, and his works destroyed and gone, though he himself should escape 16 and be saved. I told you, that ye are God's building; yea, more than that, ye are the temple of 17 God, in which his Spirit dwelleth. If any man, by corrupt doctrine or discipline, defileth the temple NOTES. 12 * When the day of trial and recompence shall be; see chap. iv. 5, where he speaks of the same thing. 16 Vid. ver. 9. 17 It is not incongruous to think, that, by any man, here, St. Paul designs one particular man, viz. the false apostle, who, it is probable, by the strength of his party, supporting and retaining the fornicator, mentioned ch. v. in the church, had defiled it; which may be the reason, why St. Paul so often mentions fornication, in this epistle, and that, in some places, with particular emphasis, as chap. v. 9. and vi. 13—20. Most of the disorders, in this church, we may look on, as owing to this false apostle; which is the reason, why St. Paul sets himself so much against him, in both these epistles, and makes almost the whole business of them, to draw the corinthians off from their leader, judging, as it is like, that this church could not be reformed, as long as that person was in credit, and had a party among them. TEXT. 18 Let no man deceive himself: if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God: for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 21 Therefore let no man glory in men: for all things are yours: 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come: all are yours: 23 And ye are Christ's: and Christ is God's, PARAPHRASE. of God, he shall not be saved with loss, as by fire; but him will God destroy: for the temple of God is 18 holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself, by his success in carrying his point*: if any one seemeth to himself, or others, wise t, in worldly wisdom, so as to pride himself in his parts and dexterity, in compassing his ends; let him renounce all his natural and acquired parts, all his knowledge and ability, that he may become truly wise, in embracing and owning no other knowledge, but the simplicity 19 of the gospel. For all other wisdom, all the wisdom of the world, is foolishness with God: for it is written, "He taketh the wise in their own craftiness." 20 And again, "The Lord knoweth the thoughts of 21" the wise, that they are vain." Therefore, let none of you glory in any of your teachers; for they are 22 but men. For all your teachers, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Peter, even the apostles themselves, nay, all the world, and even the world to come, all things are yours, for your sake and use: 23 As you are Christ's, subjects of his kingdom, for his NOTES. 18 What it was, wherein the craftiness of the person mentioned had ap peared, it was not necessary for St. Paul, writing to the corinthians, who knew the matter of fact, to particularize to us: therefore it is left to guess, and possibly we shall not be much out, if we take it to be the keeping the fornicator from censure, so much insisted on by St. Paul, chap. v. That by copos, here, the apostle means a cunning man in business, is plain from his quotation in the next verse, where the Wise, spoken of, are the crafty. TEXT. IV. 1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine ownself. 4 For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. PARAPHRASE. glory; and Christ, and his kingdom, for the glory of God. Therefore, if all your teachers, and so many other greater things, are for you, and for your sakes, you can have no reason to make it a glory to you, that you belong to this, or that, particular teacher amongst you: your true glory is, that you are Christ's, and Christ and all his are God's; and not, that you are this, or that man's scholar or follower. 1 As for me I pretend not to set up a school amongst you, and as a master to have my scholars denominated from me; no, let no man have higher thoughts of me, than as a minister of Christ, employed as his steward, to dispense the truths and doctrines of the gospel, which are the mysteries which God wrapped up, in types and obscure predictions, where they have lain hid, till by us, his apostles, he now reveals them. 2 Now that, which is principally required and regarded in a steward, is, that he be faithful in dispens3 ing what is committed to his charge. But as for me, I value it not, if I am censured by some of you, or by any man, as not being a faithful steward: nay, as to 4 this, I pass no judgment on myself. For though I can truly say, that I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified to you: but the Lord, whose steward I am, at the last day will pronounce sentence on my behaviour in my stewardship, and 5 then you will know what to think of me. Then judge not either me, or others, before the time, until the Lord come, who will bring to light the dark and TEXT. 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 puffed up, for one against another. 7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and 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?' 8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. PARAPHRASE. secret counsels of men's hearts, in preaching the gospel and then shall every one have that praise, that estimate set upon him, by God himself, which he truly deserves. But praise ought not to be given them, before the time, by their hearers, who are ignorant, 6 fallible men. On this occasion, I have named Apollos and myself, as the magnified and opposed heads of distinct factions amongst you; not that we are so, but out of respect to you, that I might offend nobody, by naming them; and that you might learn by us, of whom I have written †, that we are but planters, waterers, and stewards, not to think of the ministers of the gospel, above what I have written to you of them, that you be not puffed up, each party, in the vain-glory of their own extolled leader, to the crying down and contempt of any other, who is well esteemed 7 of by others. For what maketh one to differ from another? or what gifts of the Spirit, what knowledge of the gospel has any leader amongst you, which he received not, as intrusted to him of God, and not acquired by his own abilities? And if he received it as a steward, why does he glory in that, which is not 8 his own? However, you are mightily satisfied with your present state; you now are full, you now are rich, and abound in every thing you desire; you have not need of me, but have reigned like princes without me; and I wish truly you did reign, that I might come 6 Vid. chap. iii, 4. NOTES. + Vid. chap. iii. 6, 9. chap. iv. 1. |