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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 3:1-4

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 Pet. 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, 1 Cor. 3:1. They were so far from forming their maxims and measures... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

3:1-9 And I, brothers, could not talk to you as I would to spiritual men, but I had to talk to you as to those who had not yet got beyond merely human things, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food. But now not even yet can you digest solid food, because you are still under the sway of human passions. Where there is envy and strife among you, are you not under the sway of human passions and is not your behaviour on a purely human level? For when anyone says, "I... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 3:1

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you ,.... Though the apostle was a spiritual man himself, had spiritual gifts, even the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, could judge all things, had the mind of Christ, and was able to speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, yet could not speak it to them, as unto spiritual ; not but that they had the Spirit of God in them, and a work of grace upon them; for they were, as the apostle afterwards says, the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelt in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 3:2

I have fed you with milk ,.... It is usual with the Jews to compare the law to milk, and they say F3 Kimchi in Isa. lv. 1. Abarbinel, Mashamia Jeshua, fol. 26. 1. , that "as milk strengthens and nourishes an infant, so the law strengthens and nourishes the soul;' but the apostle does not here mean חלב של תורה , "the milk of the law", as they F4 Jarchi in Cant. v. 12. call it, but the Gospel; comparable to milk, for its purity and wholesomeness, for the nourishing virtue... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 3:3

For ye are yet carnal ,.... The Syriac reads it, בבסר אנתון , "ye are in the flesh": a phrase the apostle elsewhere uses of men in an unregenerate state; but this is not his meaning here, as before explained, but that carnality still prevailed among them, of which he gives proof and evidence: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men ? They envied each other's gifts and knowledge, strove about words to no profit, entered... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 3:4

For while one saith, I am of Paul ,.... This shows what their envying and strife, and divisions were about, and from whence they sprung; and which serve, to strengthen the proof, and support the charge of carnality brought against them; for when one sort made a party for Paul, and set up him as their minister above all others; and said another, I am of Apollos , preferring him for his eloquence above Paul, or any other preacher, as appears from 1 Corinthians 1:12 there was a third sort... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 3:1

I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual - This is a continuation of the preceding discourse. See the notes on 1 Corinthians 2:14 , 1 Corinthians 2:15 ; (note), and 1 Corinthians 2:16 ; (note). But as unto carnal - Σαρκικοις , Persons under the influence of fleshly appetites; coveting and living for the things of this life. Babes in Christ - Just beginning to acquire some notion of the Christian religion, hut as yet very incapable of judging what is most... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 3:2

I have fed you with milk - I have instructed you in the elements of Christianity - in its simplest and easiest truths; because from the low state of your minds in religious knowledge, you were incapable of comprehending the higher truths of the Gospel: and in this state you will still continue. The apostle thus exposes to them the absurdity of their conduct in pretending to judge between preacher and preacher, while they had but a very partial acquaintance even with the first principles of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 3:3

There is among you envying, and strife, and divisions - Ζηλος και ερις και διχοστασιαι . There are three things here worthy of note: these people were wrong in thought, word, and deed. Ζηλος , envying refers to the state of their souls; they had inward grudgings and disaffection towards each other. Ερις , strife or contention, refers to their words; they were continually disputing and contending whose party was the best, each endeavoring to prove that he and his party were alone in the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 3:4

For while one saith, I am of Paul, etc. - It was notorious that both Paul and Apollos held the same creed; between them there was not the slightest difference: when, therefore, the dissentients began to prefer the one to the other, it was the fullest proof of their carnality; because in the doctrines of these apostles there was no difference: so that what the people were captivated by must be something in their outward manner, Apollos being probably more eloquent than Paul. Their preferring... read more

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