Anything. The planter and the waterer are nothing by comparison. They could do nothing without Christ's aid ( John 15:16 ), and were nothing in themselves ( 2 Corinthians 12:11 ). But God that giveth the increase . The human instruments are nothing, but God is everything, because, apart from him, no result would follow. read more
Anything - This is to he taken comparatively. They are nothing in comparison with God! Their agency is of no importance compared with his: see the note at 1 Corinthians 1:28. It does not mean that their agency ought not to be performed; that it is not important, and indispensable in its place; but that the honor is due to God - Their agency is indispensable. God could make seed or a tree grow if they were not planted in the earth. But He does not do it. The agency of the farmer is indispensable... read more
1 Corinthians 3:4-7. For while one saith, I am of Paul I am one of Paul’s disciples, admiring his sublime sentiments, and being greatly edified by his instructive discourses: and another, I am of Apollos I give the preference to Apollos, being delighted with his fine language, and the pleasing manner of his address. St. Paul names himself and Apollos, to show that he would condemn any division among them, even though it were in favour of himself, or the dearest friend he had in the world.... read more
Lack of spiritual growth (3:1-9)When Paul was in Corinth a year or two previously, he could not speak to the believers as spiritual people (such as those just described in 2:6-16), because they were then little different from ordinary, natural people of the world. They were babes in Christ and Paul treated them so. He did not find fault with them then, because one expects new converts to be like that; but he does find fault with them now, because they are still like that (3:1-2). They are like... read more
neither . . . neither . Greek. oute . . . oute. any thing . Greek. neut. of tis . App-123 . Compare 2 Corinthians 3:5 .Galatians 1:2 , Galatians 1:6 ; Galatians 6:3 . read more
7. neither is he that . . . anything . . . but God—namely, is all in all. "God" is emphatically last in the Greek, "He that giveth the increase (namely), GOD." Here follows a parenthesis, :-, where "Let no man glory in men" stands in antithetic contrast to "God" here. read more
Fellow workers under God 3:5-9"Besides evidencing a misapprehension of the gospel itself, the Corinthians’ slogans bespeak a totally inadequate perception of the church and its ministry." [Note: Fee, The First . . ., p. 129. See Jay E. Smith, "Slogans in 1 Corinthians," Bibliotheca Sacra 167:655 (January-March 2010):68-88.] read more
5. The role of God’s servants 3:5-17Paul turned next to a positive explanation of how his readers should view him and his fellow workers."At issue is their radically misguided perception of the nature of the church and its leadership, in this case especially the role of the teachers." [Note: Fee, The First . . ., p. 128.] "In the first place, they have not understood the nature and character of the Christian message, the true wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:18 to 1 Corinthians 3:4). In the second... read more
Obviously God deserved more credit for the church in Corinth than either its planter or its nurturer. Next to Him the others were nothing. Human laborers are all equal in that they are human laborers with human limitations. Nevertheless the Lord will reward each one at the judgment seat of Christ because of his or her work. Note that it is our labor that will be the basis of our reward, not the fruit of our labor. read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 3:6-8
Spiritual husbandry and growth. A man, looking upon the world, sees according to his power of vision; i.e. not simply according to what he finds in it, but to what he brings to it. To the eye of the Apostle Paul, the world was a wilderness which might be made a garden. There was, he saw, rude, worthless growth to be extirpated, rich soil to be tilled, plants of worth and renown to replace the weeds. His prophetic eye beheld the desert rejoice and blossom as the rose. And to his mind... read more