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| Chapter 4 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
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1 ¶ Let a man so account us as 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 by you, or by man’s judgment. Yea, I judge not mine own self. 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 will both 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. 6 And these things, brethren, I have in a sense transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, that ye may learn through us not to regard 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 did not receive? Now if thou did receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou had not been given 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! 9 For I think that God hath set forth us, the apostles, last, as it were approved to death; for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised. 11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place, 12 and we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. 14 ¶ I write these things not to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved sons. 15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet ye have not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. 16 Therefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. 17 ¶ For this cause I have sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 Now some are puffed up as though I would not come to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and will know, not the speech of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 21 What will ye have? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness? |
v1-8 Judging God’s servants. In this chapter Paul wants to show how God measures a Christians service. It is important that you check up on any preachers or teachers who work in or visit your church. You must "try the spirit’s" 1 John 4:1-6; 2 John v7-11. In the following chapter Paul shows three characteristics of a true minister of Jesus. v1 In the original Paul uses an unusual word for "Minister," it was the word used to describe a "slave rower" on the boats of that time. The ‘minister’ is not the captain of the ship but a lowly slave. Slaves have no position of power. v1b-2 Paul now talks about "stewards," they have to be faithful. A steward is a servant who looks after the home for his master, Joseph was a steward in Potiphar’s house (Gen 39:1ff). The steward is faithful only to the master, even if it upsets the household Rom 14:4. v3,4 Paul now says that he is responsible only to Jesus, his Lord, has Paul done the task given to him by the Lord? Worth noting what Jesus said on this subject Luke 12:41-48. Paul was not worried by men judging his work, v3, neither did he think there were any problems with his life. v3,4 It was God’s judgement that counted. There may be times when ‘a man’s judgement’ may be needed, Jesus pointed out a time in Matt 18:15-17. v5 We must wait for the return of the Lord to do the judging, only He can see into the persons heart and reveal anything wrong. v6 The Corinthians were making judgements on their own personal preferences, destroying one preacher for another they preferred, pride was becoming a problem, only God’s Word is the standard, was it His Word they taught or their own? v7 What makes you think you are better than others? Why everything you have was given to you, John 3:27 how can you be proud of what was given to you? John the Baptist had the right attitude John 3:30. v8-10 Paul appears to be a little sarcastic in these verses. "So you think you are important, reigning as kings and queens, how I wish I could reign with you," Paul remarks, Instead I must suffer for the sake of my Lord who has sent us into this world’s arena of death. (the Greek word ‘spectacle’= ‘theatre’) "We are Fools for Christ’s sake," what are you? The Corinthians were wise in their own eye’s but fools in God’s eye’s. v11-13 The Corinthians wanted to be honoured by men, borrowing the Apostles and teachers "glory" but Paul said" If you want what we have then be prepared for pain, suffering, homeless, persecuted, made the laughing stock of this world. See Paul telling his story Acts 22:1-23, especially Acts 22:22. What ever we do, what ever it costs us must be to God’s glory. Phil 3:7,8. v14-21 Paul, a spiritual father to the church. Paul shows how much concern he has for the Corinthian church, it was through him that Christ brought them the message of salvation, Paul felt that he was like a spiritual father to them. (Note Matt 23:8-12) Paul had founded the church through Christ, v14-15. Apollos and many other teachers had followed, v15 but Paul wanted them to use him as an example to follow as the "father" v16. We all learned much from our fathers, often copying their habits, good or bad!!! v17 Paul also sent Timothy to help in reminding the church of the doctrine Paul had taught them. Timothy was obviously travelling separately from the letter 1 Cor 16:10. v18-21 Discipline. Many Corinthians seems to have been very proud, a sad state in a church. They even thought Paul would never dare come to them. See 2 Cor 10:10. Paul response was "God willing, he would becoming shortly." v19b,20 Paul said "you speak lots of words, but do they have the power of God?" They were not walking in the power of God, their faith was just words. v21 In the next chapters Paul is to start disciplining the local church. It appears that Paul had previously sent a letter, 1 Cor 5:9, but the church had taken no notice, now he asks "how do I come, with a stick or in love?" 2 Cor 12:14; 2 Cor 13:1 Indicates that Paul was to come a number of times to the Corinthians. |
Easy English Translation
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