1 Corinthians 4:7

¶ For who maketh thee to differ [from another]? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive [it], why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received [it]?

For {G1063} who {G5101} maketh {G1252} thee {G4571} to differ {G1252} from another? and {G1161} what {G5101} hast thou {G2192} that {G3739} thou didst {G2983} not {G3756} receive {G2983}?{G1161} now if {G1499} thou didst receive {G2983} it, why {G5101} dost thou glory {G2744}, as {G5613} if thou hadst {G2983} not {G3361} received {G2983} it?

After all, what makes you so special? What do you have that you didn’t receive as a gift? And if in fact it was a gift, why do you boast as if it weren’t?

For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?

The Apostle Paul’s penetrating question in 1 Corinthians 4:7 serves as a powerful call to humility, challenging the Corinthian believers—and us—to consider the true source of all their possessions, abilities, and spiritual standing.

Context

Paul addresses the Corinthian church, which was plagued by divisions, factions, and spiritual pride. Believers were aligning themselves with different leaders (Paul, Apollos, Cephas) and boasting about their perceived wisdom, spiritual gifts, or status. In the preceding verses, Paul emphasizes that ministers are merely stewards of the mysteries of God, whose ultimate judge is the Lord, not human opinion. This verse directly confronts the Corinthians' self-exaltation, reminding them that any advantage or gift they possess is not self-generated but divinely bestowed. Their boasting was therefore illogical and disrespectful to God, the true giver.

Key Themes

  • Divine Source of All Gifts: The fundamental message is that everything good we have, from our very existence to our talents, achievements, and spiritual endowments, originates from God. There is nothing we possess that we did not first receive as a gift. This echoes the truth that every good and perfect gift is from above.
  • Humility: Recognizing God as the ultimate giver naturally leads to humility. If we have received everything, there is no basis for pride or self-congratulation. The question "who maketh thee to differ?" challenges any sense of inherent superiority.
  • Stewardship, Not Ownership: This verse subtly shifts our perspective from owning our gifts to being stewards of them. We are entrusted with resources and abilities to be used for God's purposes, not for our own glory or self-aggrandizement.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "who maketh thee to differ" translates the Greek word diakrinei (διακρίνει), which means "to distinguish, to separate, to judge." Here, it implies distinguishing oneself as superior or different from others, often in a judgmental or proud way. The word "receive" (Greek: elabes - ἔλαβες) clearly denotes a passive action; it was given to you, not earned. And "glory" (Greek: kauchasai - καυχᾶσαι) means to boast or brag, highlighting the inappropriate response to receiving a gift.

Practical Application

1 Corinthians 4:7 calls believers to a profound sense of gratitude and humility. In a world that often celebrates self-made success and personal achievement, this verse reorients our perspective towards God. It encourages us to:

  • Cultivate Humility: Regularly reflect on the source of our blessings and abilities. This fosters a spirit of dependence on God rather than self-reliance.
  • Combat Pride and Comparison: When we understand that all gifts are received, it eradicates grounds for boasting over others or feeling inferior to them. Instead of comparing, we can celebrate the diverse ways God works through different people.
  • Glorify God, Not Self: Our gifts and talents are meant to bring glory to the Giver, not to ourselves. This aligns with Paul's later instruction to do all to the glory of God.
  • Foster Unity: In the church, recognizing that all gifts come from the same Spirit (as discussed further in 1 Corinthians 12) should lead to unity and mutual appreciation, rather than division based on perceived superiority.

Ultimately, this verse is a timeless reminder that true strength and worth are found not in what we possess or achieve, but in acknowledging God as the generous source of all things.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 3:27

    John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

  • 1 Peter 4:10

    As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

  • James 1:17

    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • 1 Chronicles 29:11

    Thine, O LORD, [is] the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all [that is] in the heaven and in the earth [is thine]; thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

  • 1 Chronicles 29:16

    O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name [cometh] of thine hand, and [is] all thine own.

  • Romans 12:6

    Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of faith;

  • John 1:16

    And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
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