1 Corinthians 4:6

Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which were written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other.

The first clause here was spoken by way of anticipating and refuting any notion that Paul had conceded (in his use of the names of himself and Apollos) any approval of factions, the allegation here being that Paul had used these names as a figure of what was going on, the real culprits being, not himself or Apollos, but the factious leaders in Corinth.

That ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written ... The traditional use of this clause as a commandment that Christians should order their lives and their service of God by the holy scriptures, and that it is prohibited that they should go beyond the word of God is without any doubt whatever the true interpretation. Farrar said that "This text, like so many others, has only a very remote connection with the sense in which it is usually quoted";[20] but like all such denials, it is unsupported by any logical evidence. There is no other valid meaning of this passage except that traditionally assigned to it.

Not to go beyond what is written ... is in the Greek literally, "Not beyond what is written."[21] "These words must be a sort of quotation, or in any case a standing expression,"[22] associated with the preaching of Paul and all the apostles. It has the effect of a universal proverb among Christians, "well known to the Corinthians, so that Paul could assume the words to be clear."[23] Russell declared the meaning to be: "The things which are written ... no special text, but the teaching of the scriptures as a whole, which no leader, however gifted, may supersede."[24] "This was a catch-cry familiar to Paul and his readers directing attention to the need for conformity to scripture."[25] There is no need to multiply scholarly support of the usual view of this place; no other explanation is tenable.

And, of course, it was precisely in this matter of going beyond the word of God that the factions in Corinth had developed. They were evaluating the word and authority of people upon a parity with the holy scriptures, thinking of people more highly than they should, and spurning the meekness and humility taught throughout the Bible. Thus, as Grosheide said, "The whole question of factions was raised to a higher level,"[26] namely that of violating the scriptural rule of faith for the believer. "It is not his own words that Paul insists that the Corinthians must not go beyond; it is the word of God."[27]

Puffed up for the one against the other ... An interesting phase of this rebuke is that instead of puffing up their favorite teachers, it was themselves which had become puffed up! This is a sure result of "blowing up" any man.

[20] F. W. Farrar, op. cit., p. 134.

[21] Paul W. Marsh, op. cit., p. 382.

[22] F. W. Grosheide, The New International Commentary (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1953), p. 103.

[23] Ibid.

[24] John William Russell, Compact Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1964), p. 408.

[25] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 78.

[26] F. W. Grosheide, op. cit., p. 103.

[27] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 43.