1 Corinthians 4:6-7

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:1-6

Here, I. The apostle challenges the respect due to him on account of his character and office, in which many among them had at least very much failed: Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4:1), though possibly others might have valued them too highly, by setting him up as the head of a party, and professing to be his disciples. In our opinion of ministers, as well as all other things, we should be careful to avoid extremes.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:7-13

Here the apostle improves the foregoing hint to a caution against pride and self-conceit, and sets forth the temptations the Corinthians had to despise him, from the difference of their circumstances. I. He cautions them against pride and self-conceit by this consideration, that all the distinction made among them was owing to God: Who maketh thee to differ? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? 1 Cor. 4:7. Here the apostle turns his discourse to the ministers who set themselves at... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Corinthians 4:6-13

4:6-13 Brothers, I have transferred these things by way of illustration to myself and to Apollos, so that through us you may learn to observe the principle of not going beyond that which is written, so that none of you may speak boastfully of one teacher and disparagingly of the other. Who sees anything special in you? What do you possess that you did not receive? And, if you did receive it, why are you boasting as if you had acquired it yourself? No doubt you are already fed to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:6

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred ,.... Not what he had said concerning the different factions at Corinth, one being for Paul, and another for Apollos, and another for Cephas, as if these several parties did not really go by those names, but by those of others, the false teachers; only the apostle, to decline everything that looked like reflection, put these, as the Syriac version renders it, "upon" his own "person", and Apollos's, the sooner and better to put an end... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:7

For who maketh thee to differ from another ,.... This question, and the following, are put to the members of this church, who were glorying in, and boasting of the ministers under whom they were converted, and by whom they were baptized, to the neglect and contempt of others; when the apostle would have them consider, and whatever difference was made between them and others, was made, not by man, but God; that whatever good and benefit they had enjoyed under their respective ministers, were... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 4:6

These things - Which I have written, 1 Corinthians 3:5 , etc. I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos - I have written as if myself and Apollos were the authors of the sects which now prevail among you; although others, without either our consent or knowledge, have proclaimed us heads of parties. Bishop Pearce paraphrases the verse thus: "I have made use of my own and Apollos' name in my arguments against your divisions, because I would spare to name those teachers... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 4:7

For who maketh thee to differ - It is likely that the apostle is here addressing himself to some one of those puffed up teachers, who was glorying in his gifts, and in the knowledge he had of the Gospel, etc. As if he had said: If thou hast all that knowledge which thou professest to have, didst thou not receive it from myself or some other of my fellow helpers who first preached the Gospel at Corinth? God never spoke to thee to make thee an apostle. Hast thou a particle of light that thou... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 4:6

Verse 6 6.I have in a figure transferred. Hence we may infer, that it was not those who were attached to Paul that gave rise to parties, as they, assuredly, had not. been so instructed, but those who had through ambition given themselves up to vain teachers. (225) But as he could more freely and less invidiously bring forward his own name, and that of his brethren, he preferred to point out in his own person the fault that existed in others. At the same time, he strikes a severe blow at the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 4:7

Verse 7 7.For who distinguisheth thee? The meaning is — “Let that man come forward, whosoever he be, that is desirous of distinction, and troubles the Church by his ambition. I will demand of him who it is that makes him superior to others? That is, who it is that has conferred upon him the privilege of being taken out of the rank of the others, and made superior to others?” Now this whole reasoning depends on the order which the Lord has appointed in his Church — that the members of Christ’s... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:1-7

A true and a false estimate of genuine ministers of the gospel "Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ," etc. Here we have— I. A TRUE ESTIMATE of genuine ministers of the gospel. 1. They are servants of Christ. "Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ." There are some who regard ministers of the gospel as servants of their Church. The Churches guarantee their stipend, and they require that their dogmas shall be propounded and their laws... read more

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