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1 Corinthians 4

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Ministers and Stewards of God 1–5

1
Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. ​
2
Here, 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 of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. ​
4
For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
5
Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God. ​

Pride Rebuked and the Apostles' Suffering 6–13

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 are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other. ​
7
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? ​
8
Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye have come to reign without us: yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. ​
9
For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men. ​
10
We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor. ​
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 toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; ​
13
being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now. ​

Paul's Paternal Warning 14–17

14
I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. ​
15
For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel. ​
16
I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me. ​
17
For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every church. ​

The Test of Power 18–21

18
Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
19
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power. ​
20
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. ​
21
What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Corinthians 4

Verse 1

ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God — 'Ministers' is hyperetes, an under-oarsman, a subordinate under another's command; 'stewards' is oikonomos, a household manager (Titus 1:7). The 'mysteries' are truths once hidden, now made known (Eph 6:19).

Verse 2

it is required in stewards — 'Required' is zeteo, to seek: this is what is sought in a steward. 'Faithful' is pistos, trustworthy. A steward manages what belongs to another, so the test is reliability, the Lord's own: 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant' (Matt 25:21).

Verse 3

a very small thing — Elachistos, 'least'. 'Judged' is anakrino, to examine as in a court, and it recurs in v.4. 'Man's judgment' is literally 'man's day', a human hearing, set against the Lord's coming in v.5. Paul declines even to examine himself: 'I judge not mine own self'.

Verse 5

Judge nothing before the time — Krino, to pass verdict, a different verb from the examining of vv.3–4. The verdict waits 'until the Lord come', who shows 'the hidden things' (krypta) and the 'counsels' (boule, purposes) of hearts (Rom 2:16; 2 Cor 5:10); the 'praise' (epainos) is from God.

Verse 6

in a figure transferred — Metaschematizo, to change the outward form: Paul has put his own and Apollos's names on what concerned the Corinthian party-leaders (1:12; 3:4–6). 'That which is written' points to the Scriptures cited in chapters 1–3. 'Puffed up' is physioo, used again in vv.18–19.

Verse 7

who maketh thee to differ — Diakrino, to separate, distinguish: who sets you apart from another? 'Receive' is lambano, and the question answers itself with John 3:27, 'A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.' Boasting treats a gift as a possession.

Verse 8

ye are full, now ye are rich — Korennymi, to be sated, and plouteo, to be wealthy. With 'now' (ede, already) and 'reigned' (basileuo), Paul mocks a kingdom claimed too soon. His wish, 'that we also might reign with you' (symbasileuo), shows the reign is still ahead; v.9 gives the apostles' present lot instead.

Verse 9

appointed to death — Epithanatios, doomed to die. The apostles are set forth 'last' (eschatos) and made a 'spectacle' (theatron, a theatre show) 'unto the world, and to angels, and to men'. Compare 'accounted as sheep for the slaughter' (Rom 8:36).

Verse 10

fools for Christ's sake — Three pairs reverse the Corinthians' boasts: fools/wise, weak/strong, honourable/despised. The irony echoes 'let him become a fool, that he may be wise' (1 Cor 3:18) and 'ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise' (2 Cor 11:19).

Verse 12

working with our own hands — Kopiao, to toil to weariness. At Corinth Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla, for 'by their occupation they were tentmakers' (Acts 18:3). Blessing the reviled (eulogeo) is Christ's command (Luke 6:28; Rom 12:14).

Verse 13

the filth of the world… the offscouring of all things — Perikatharma and peripsoma: what is cleaned off around, and what is scraped off, i.e. refuse. 'Defamed' is blasphemeo. Compare 'Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse' (Lam 3:45).

Verse 14

to shame you — Entrepo, to turn back on oneself. 'Warn' is noutheteo, to put in mind, admonish; 'sons' is teknon, child. The tone is the father's: 'as a father doth his children' (1 Thess 2:11). Paul's irony in vv.8–13 aims to correct, not to disgrace.

Verse 15

ten thousand instructors — Paidagogos was the servant who led a child to school, a guide rather than a parent; murioi is 'ten thousand'. Paul says 'I have begotten you' (gennao) 'through the gospel', as of Onesimus (Philem 1:10); the foundation was his (1 Cor 3:10).

Verse 16

be ye followers of me — Mimetes, imitator. 'Wherefore' draws the conclusion from fatherhood in v.15. The limit is stated in 11:1, 'Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ'; the pattern is his lot in vv.9–13 (cf. Phil 3:17).

Verse 17

Timotheus… shall bring you into remembrance — Anamimnesko, to remind. Timothy is 'my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord' (cf. 1 Tim 1:2); he recalls Paul's 'ways' (hodos) in Christ. The same teaching is given 'in every church', as in 'so ordain I in all churches' (1 Cor 7:17).

Verse 19

if the Lord will — Paul's coming is promised 'shortly' (tacheos) but under the Lord's will, as in Acts 18:21, 'I will return again unto you, if God will.' He will test 'the speech' (logos, word) of the puffed up against 'the power' (dynamis).

Verse 20

not in word, but in power — Logos against dynamis. The same contrast is Paul's account of his first preaching at Corinth: 'in demonstration of the Spirit and of power' (1 Cor 2:4), and of Thessalonica: 'not unto you in word only, but also in power' (1 Thess 1:5).

Verse 21

a rod… in love, and in the spirit of meekness — Rhabdos is a staff, the instrument of discipline; praotes is meekness, gentleness. Paul leaves the choice open: the sharpness he would rather avoid when present (2 Cor 13:10) or the love the letter itself pleads for.