Disorders in the Church at Corinth
5:1 to 6:20

Paul turns from one manifestation of the pride of the Corinthians to another, this one of immoral sexual sin. In the ancient world the Jews had high standards of sexual purity, but lax moral standards were common among the Greeks. The TaNaKh was clear about its uncompromising opposition to sexual immorality. The Corinthians, however, proud in their new found “freedom” in Messiah, seem to have felt that they knew better, being “wise” in their own eyes, even though it meant condoning serious sexual immorality.¹³⁴ Paul opposed their sinful attitude, and that brought on a crisis of authority. This crisis of authority, then, is what seems to hold the first six chapters of the letter together.

With his opening sentence (5:1), Paul clearly turns to address a new issue, a case of incest that is at least being tolerated, if not actually condoned by the believers in the church at Corinth (to see link click Ba – Failure to Discipline an Immoral Brother). What seems to be at stake here is the authority of Paul against the false prophets (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Af – The Problem of the False Apostles) who were responsible for leading the church in its new direction against Paul. But it was not only the false prophets. The apostle was at odds with the entire church for their failure to resolve personal disputes (see Bb – Failure to Resolve Personal Disputes), and their failure to exercise sexual purity (see Bc – Failure to Exercise Sexual Purity). So, this was a double crisis; not only a crisis in Paul’s authority over the church, but also a crisis of the authority of the Scriptures.¹³⁵

Marks of a Spiritual Father
4: 14-21

Marks of a spiritual father DIG: How can you tell the difference between a godly disciple or one of wayward behavior and abuse? In what way was Paul like a spiritual father to the Corinthian church? In what way were the Corinthians like his spiritual children? Why would Paul consider sending Timothy, who was so much younger and less experienced than himself?

REFLECT: Have you been a spiritual father or a spiritual mother? If not, why not? Who could you spiritually nurture right now? How does a father show tenderness to his children? How would you like to relate to church leadership in light of these verses? If Paul came to your place of worship would he come with a stick? Or with love in a spirit of gentleness? Why?

This was tough love at its best, coming from a loving daddy who needed to be a firm father.

In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul has described the spiritual leader and teacher as a servant (3:5), a farmer (3:6), God’s co-worker (3:9), a builder (3:10), a galley slave (4:1), and a steward (4:1). Now, once again, he changes metaphors and describes him as a spiritual father, using himself as an example. The apostle has been stern, even to the point of sarcasm (to see link click Ax – A Faulty View of God’s Gifts), in rebuking the Corinthians sins. But now he tells them why he has been so harsh: he loves them as a father loves his children. He could not bear to see them straying from God’s Word and the fullness of a godly life. He was their spiritual father and therefore doubly responsible for their spiritual welfare. Hence, Paul presents, by implication and pattern, six characteristics of a spiritual father.

He admonishes: I am not writing you this to make you feel ashamed, but to admonish you and get you to change (4:14a). The Greek word admonish, noutheteo, literally means to put in mind, and has the primary connotation of trying to have a corrective influence on someone. To correct without provoking or embittering. It was not Paul’s purpose to shame them. He would leave that to their own consciences. His purpose was to admonish them, to encourage them and plead with them to repent and correct their ways. He did not want to destroy them, he wanted to reclaim them.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such an awesome father! Paul followed Your loving example of how You care for Your children – by encouraging and admonishing. Your grace thru our faith gives birth to Your children (Ephesians 2:8-9). Then through trials and situations of many kinds – You lovingly encourage/admonish each child to grow strong in You.  You have been distressed by various trials. These trials are so that the true metal of your faith (far more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire) may come to light in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Messiah Yeshua (First Peter 1:4).

Praise You for Your complete forgiveness which is so wonderfully wide and deep – for which we humbly bow in worship of You. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so Adonai has compassion on those who fear Him (Psalm 103:11). Your love, mercy and forgiveness make You an incredible awesome father! Trials will come but they will soon be over. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). Then comes a wonderful eternity of peace and joy with daddy in His holy heaven (Revelation 21:1-4). You are so loved, my wonderful daddy! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen.

It is possible for a parent to correct a child in a way that tears down rather than builds up. Paul warns: Fathers, don’t irritate your children and make them resentful; instead, raise them with the Lord’s kind of discipline and guidance (Ephesians 6:4). Even believing parents can sometimes provoke and abuse in the name of discipline. Abused children are put down with criticism and punishment, but seldom lifted up with praise and encouragement.

A spiritual father must lovingly criticize wrong beliefs and wrong behavior with the purpose of bringing correction and change (Matthew 18:15-20; First Thessalonians 5:14). A spiritual father must not browbeat, humiliate, or judge self-righteously. A loving father does not do such things. But a loving father will always strive to admonish, correct, and even discipline when necessary. He will do whatever it takes (that is right and proper) for the welfare of his children. The tool for this is the Word of God, for all Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living (Second Timothy 3:16).¹²⁶

He loves: As my beloved children (4:14b): Beloved is from the Greek verb agapao, which refers to the strongest and deepest kind of love. It is more than brotherly love (Greek: philia, meaning a tender affection). It is a love that is determined and willful, having the one purpose of serving the object of love. Paul had referred to the Corinthians as brothers several times (1:10, 2:1 and 3:1), but now he calls them his children, which represents a more intimate relationship. And they were not merely children, but beloved children, especially dear to their spiritual father. It is clear from what Paul has been saying to them that they were not obedient, morally upright, doctrinally sound, or mature. But they were loved.

A loving father wants to understand his children as deeply as possible. He wants to know where they hurt so that he can help them heal. He wants to know when they are afraid so he can help dispel their fears. He wants to know where they are weak so he can strengthen them. He wants to know their needs so he can meet them. Paul loved the Corinthians in that way. He loved them, understanding their situation and their needs.

A loving father is gentle. Yeshua was gentle and humble in heart (Matthew 11:29), and Paul sought to treat the Corinthians with the meekness and gentleness of Yeshua (Second Corinthians 10:1). Spiritual children, like natural children, grow up slowly. They are not born mature and must be trained lovingly and gently, as well as carefully and sometimes sternly (First Thessalonians 2:7-8). Paul never uses the term “disciples” in his letters. The people in his churches were his children because he loved them.¹²⁷

He fathers: Here Paul illustrates the uniqueness of fatherhood. No child can have more than one natural father. In the spiritual realm as well, the Corinthians had countless tutors in Messiah, but only one spiritual father. For even if you have ten thousand tutors (Greek paidagogos, referring to home instructors, usually slaves, who were responsible for the basic training and moral upbringing of small children. They were not teachers in a formal sense, but were more guardians and helpers) in connection with the Messiah, you do not have many fathers. And Paul was the spiritual father of most of them. It is important to note here that he was not saying that he was the source of spiritual life, but was the tool used by ADONAI.

For in connection with the Messiah Yeshua it was I who became your father by means of the Good News (4:15). Paul left spiritual children everywhere he visited and ministered. He had founded numerous churches in the province of Galatia, and when he wrote to them he addressed them not only as his brothers (Galatians 1:11 and 4:12), but also as his children (Galatians 4:19). Paul called Timothy his “true child in the faith” (First Timothy 1:2 NASB), and Titus his “true child in a common faith” (Titus 1:4 NASB). The runaway slave Onesimus was the apostle’s child whom he had begotten in his imprisonment (Philemon 10). Everywhere he went Paul led people to Messiah, thereby becoming their spiritual father.

Unfortunately, many believers have never become spiritual fathers (or mothers). They have never produced any spiritual offspring. They have never led a person to Messiah and helped train him in the ways of the LORD. A believer is one who has been given new life in Messiah, and one of the most important characteristics of life is reproduction. Healthy things reproduce. Healthy plants reproduce, healthy animals reproduce, and healthy believers reproduce spiritually. Yet some never do. Every believer should be a spiritual father (or mother), God’s instrument for bringing new lives into His Kingdom.

He sets an example: In case the Corinthians would miss it, Paul takes the father-child metaphor a step further, and in doing so spells out the point of the entire teaching. Since they had but one spiritual father, therefore, the apostle declares: I urge you to imitate me.¹²⁸ Without a good example, a parent’s teaching cannot be effective. A spiritual father must set an example for his spiritual children, as Paul was careful to do. With confidence, but without bragging, he could say: Imitate me. He could not only say, “Do as I say,” but also, “Do as I do.”

Paul was so successful as a discipler that he could entrust his discipling to those he had discipled. This is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and trustworthy child in the Lord. He will remind you of the way of life I follow in union with the Messiah Yeshua (4:16-17a). When Paul says: For this reason, he is referring to the goal of making the Corinthians imitators of himself. To accomplish that, he sent Timothy. What a concept! Paul had done such a complete work as a spiritual father to Timothy, that he could send Timothy to continue discipling the Corinthians on his behalf. He was the Xerox copy.

That is the goal of raising spiritual children: being able to send them to minister in our place. When we are Messiah-like, those we disciple will be more likely to become Messiah-like, and be able to teach others to become Messiah-like. This obviously provides a potentially great multiplication of ministry. Paul loved Timothy and commended him as a faithful child who would bring back to mind the Messiah-like life pattern of Paul, because it was so much like his own life pattern.¹²⁹

He teaches: And teach everywhere in every congregation (4:17b). We cannot believe truths we do not know, or live principles we have never heard of. A major part of discipling is teaching the Word of God and explaining its truths. In the case of the Corinthian church, Paul had already taught them carefully for a year-and-a-half (Acts 18:11). Timothy’s job was to remind them of what Paul had already taught and the way he had lived among them. Paul had taught the same truths everywhere in every congregation, indicating that he was referring to doctrine rather than some specific advice. Timothy would reinforce those great eternal truths by his own teaching and his own example.

It is not enough to be correct in what we teach; we must also be understandable. When we put aside our degrees, academic accomplishments, and theological jargon, simply speaking the truth in love, we will in every respect grow up those we are teaching to be imitators of Messiah (Ephesians 4:15). If we love those we witness to and disciple, our objective will not be to impress them with our learning, but to help them with theirs.

Yeshua’s teaching was not only the supreme model of power and depth, but also of simplicity (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Hs – The Parable of the Lost Sheep). He put “the cookies on the bottom shelf,” so to speak, so they were easy to get to. The great crowds to whom He preached and taught were composed of mostly common, uneducated folk. Yet, they “enjoyed listening to Him,” or as the Bible says: They listened eagerly to Him (Mark 12:37).

He disciplines: There are times when spiritual fathers, like natural fathers, have to discipline their children. When a believer slips into wrong doctrine, or wrong behavior, he needs correction. He needs to be told in love, but with firmness, “Your testimony is not what it ought to be. You are not living by the biblical principles you have learned. You need to change.” Period. Such confrontations are never easy, but they are often necessary.¹³⁰

Here, in the context of his own anticipated coming (16:5-9), Paul concludes this long section (see Ai – Divisions in the Church at Corinth) by sounding a warning directly toward the false prophets in the church who were causing problems (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Af – The Problem of the False Apostles). The problem was not simply internal division because they were “playing favorites” with their leaders. Some in the church were decidedly and proactively against Paul.

Although the entire church had been infected, probably to varying degrees, the false prophets were a smaller group among them. It is noteworthy that at the end of this long argument, carried on against the entire church indiscriminately, Paul would at last zero in on the false prophets in particular. The problem, of course, is that they had considerable influence on the entire church, so that the majority are on the side of the troublemakers, or at least being heavily influenced by them. But at the end of the argument, Paul singles them out as the ringleaders and threatens them with his own coming. These are people who have despised both Paul’s authority and his theology. To the degree the church as a whole had tolerated (or adopted) so much ungodly behavior as a result of their subversive activities, they too were at fault.¹³¹

When I didn’t come to visit you, some of you became arrogant (4:18). The false prophets thought they could get by with doing whatever they wanted. They may have been so arrogant as to think Paul would not dare confront them. Contrary to what they hoped, however, Paul assured them that he planned a visit to see them again and soon. The fact that he hadn’t come to visit them probably means that he had promised to do so, but had been delayed for reasons beyond his control. Now this was being used against him by the false prophets. Like those at the base of Mount Sinai who were impatient with Moshe coming down from the mountain and built a gold calf (see the commentary on Exodus Gr – Aaron Made an Idol in the Shape of a Calf), the false prophets became idols when they said to the church, as far as this fellow [Paul] is concerned, we don’t know what has happened to him. Causing division among the brothers is one of the seven things that ADONAI hates (Proverbs 6:19).

But Paul drew a line in the sand with his bold statement: I will come – and soon – if the Lord lets me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power. For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power (4:19-20 NLT). In spite of what the false prophets thought Paul might be afraid to do when he returned, Paul’s first order of business would be to call the bluff of those who were blatant in causing division within the church. Their sinning would not go unchallenged. For their own sakes, as well as the gospel’s sake, he would not fail to discipline them.¹³²

As a result of the problems caused by the false prophets, Paul eventually made a second, quick trip to Corinth to deal with the troubles that were serious enough to require direct personal confrontation (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Ae – Events Between First Corinthians and Second Corinthians). During this visit Paul was personally attacked by one of the false prophets (Second Corinthians 2:5). This visit was a painful visit for both Paul and his spiritual children (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Am – Paul’s Painful Visit).

With one last use of the father-child metaphor. Paul was hopeful that the believing Corinthians, who had been charmed by the lies of the false prophets, would repent and change before he returned. He gave them a choice: Which do you prefer – should I come to you with a stick, or with love in a spirit of gentleness (4:21)? Paul had made his own preference clear. He did not want to shame them, but to admonish them as children whom he loved dearly. This is the mark of every loving father.

However, if he needed to use the stick to shape them up, he would use one! He, of course, did not mean a literal “stick” to beat them with, but an attitude and spirit of strong, painful discipline (see the commentary on Hebrews Cz – God Disciplines His Children). He would deal sternly with their pride; the sin God hates most. But if they responded favorably to his letter, he would treat them with restrained, patient kindness.¹³³ This was tough love at its best, coming from a loving daddy who needed to be a firm father.

A Faulty View of God’s Gifts
4: 6-13

A faulty view of God’s gifts DIG: Paul saw evidence of spiritual pride, of one judging whether another believer was a “good” follower of Yeshua. Why do you think this troubled him? Paul believed emissaries should stand in last place. What does that tell you about Paul’s attitude toward status and position (particularly compared to how people weigh status and position today)? In contrast to the self-centered message of the Corinthians, what does Paul’s life exemplify? In what ways did Paul encourage the Corinthians to imitate him?

REFLECT: Your abilities and talents are gifts from God. As you identify them and begin to use them, what should keep you from thinking about how you should use them? Is there anything wrong with taking credit for your accomplishments? Why or why not? What would you personally be willing to give up to serve Messiah? How can you determine whether your service to ADONAI is Messiah centered or self-centered? How can you give God appropriate credit for the things He has accomplished through you? How can you guard against pride?

Paul finished his address by putting his finger clearly on the Corinthian problem: pride.

Groups within the Corinthian church were not only forming “fan clubs” with the names of leaders such as Paul and Apollos, but they were also developing an attitude of independence and pride among themselves. They were using recognizable names, but practicing their own brand of spirituality. So Paul goes on to apply his argument (4:1-5) directly to the Corinthians and their attitudes. This presented Paul with a genuine dilemma. On the one hand, he needed to reassert his apostolic authority, reminding them that it was his gospel (see the commentary on Romans, to see link click As – Paul’s Gospel) that brought them to faith; but on the other hand, he needed to do that without blunting the force of his argument up to his point, especially his resolve as to the servant role of an apostle (see Aw – God’s Shepherds are Merely His Servants). Nevertheless, here, Paul goes on to press the argument directly to them and their worldly attitudes. With rhetoric full of sarcasm, he goes for the jugular.¹¹⁴

Now in what I have said here, brothers, I have used myself and Apollos as examples to teach you not to go beyond what the TaNaKh says, proudly taking the side of one leader against another (4:6). Now, Paul proceeds to tell the Corinthians exactly why he has been using the farming (At), construction (Au), and temple metaphors (Av) . . . it was to teach them. He had gone from metaphor to metaphor, changing the images as he went along, but always intending those metaphors to be applied to himself and Apollos. In other words, in case they had somehow missed it, he now clearly tells them that he has been carrying on the argument with its various metaphors about himself and Apollos so that they might learn something, and as a result, abandon their “fan clubs” and their current pride in worldly men.

The Corinthians had gone far beyond biblical respect for shepherds, and had developed “fan clubs” that were virtually sects. As is often the case, church leaders like Paul and Apollos had no part in the fiasco, but were simply used as a focal point for the Corinthians’ own self pride. In fact, the humble example of their leaders had been rejected; therefore, Paul had to remind them of his own humility and that of Apollos.

The situation had become personal. Paul addresses his remarks to an imaginary Corinthian and is going to give three reasons to those who were against him by asking three questions.

First: After all, what makes you so special (4:7a)? It is as if Paul were saying, “Who in the world do you think you are, anyway? Why do you think you are above other believers in the church? Why do you think your “fan club” is better than any other? You are made of the same stuff as they are and have been redeemed by the same Lord. You are no better; you have nothing to boast of. What kind of self-delusion is it that allows you to put yourself in a position to judge another person’s servant?”

Second: What do you have that you didn’t receive as a gift? The Corinthians needed to understand that everything – absolutely everything – that one “has” is a gift. All is of grace; nothing is deserved, nothing is earned. As believers we have received so much. We have salvation, eternal life, the Spirit’s presence within us, His Word, His spiritual gifts, His love, and countless other blessings for which we have done nothing and can do nothing. So, what did the Corinthians have to boast about?¹¹⁵

Our time on earth and our energy, intelligence, opportunities, relationships, and resources are all gifts from ADONAI that He has entrusted to our care and management. We are stewards of whatever God has given us. This concept of stewardship begins with the recognition that YHVH is the Owner of everything and everyone on earth. The TaNaKh says:

The earth is ADONAI’s, with all that is in it; the world and those who live there (Psalm 24:1). We never really “own” anything during our brief stay on earth. God just “loans” everything to us while we are here. It was the LORD’s property before you arrived, and He will lend it to someone else after you die. You just get to enjoy it for a while. And because YHVH owns it, we must take care of it the best we can while we are here (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Jx – The Parable of the Bags of Gold).¹¹⁶

And in case they missed it, Paul drives the second question home with a third, which assumes the answer of “nothing” to the second. And since in fact it was a gift which you neither deserved or earned, why do you boast as if it weren’t (4:7)? Here is the most revealing word. Their boasting is sure evidence that they had missed the gospel of grace. Instead of recognizing that everything is a gift from God, and being filled with gratitude, they saw their gifts as their own, and therefore looked down on Paul who seemed to lack so much. Grace has a leveling effect; self-esteem has a self-exhaling effect. Grace means humility; boasting means that one is above it all.¹¹⁷

Precisely because of their boasting reflected such a self-centered attitude, Paul turns to sarcasm to help them see the folly in their boasting. With several short questions, he goes straight to the heart of the matter. His words are full of biting sarcasm, attacking their self-righteous view of themselves. You are filled already? You are rich already? Feeling satisfied are you? Do you really have all the spiritual food you need? Continuing with the sarcasm, Paul suggests that they had received their crowns from Messiah without assistance from him or Apollos, “You have become kings, even though we are not (4:8a)?”

Suddenly, Paul changed from sarcasm to reflection: Well, I wish you really were kings, so that we might share the kingship with you, but I have to go into the arena and suffer for the Lord Yeshua (4:8b)! Paul wished that the Messianic Kingdom had truly begun, for then the Corinthian believers would have true glory, and would really be reigning with the Lord – and with Paul and Apollos. But that was not the case. The Corinthian believers were not reigning; and as a result, they had no cause at all to boast.¹¹⁸

For I think God has been placing us apostles on display at the tail of the parade, like men condemned to die in the public arena (4:9a). On the return of a triumphant Roman army, the conquering general staged a splendid parade that included not only his armies, but the spoils as well. At the tail end of the parade would come a group of prisoners in chains, with the conquered king and his officers prominently displayed for all to see and mock. The prisoners were condemned to die, and would be taken to the arena to fight wild beasts. In that way they became a spectacle for all to see. Since Paul will utilize this imagery later (Second Corinthians 2:14), also in connection with his calling as an emissary, it seems likely that this is in view here. In either case, the metaphor is a striking one. For him, it truly was “like Master . . . like servant” (Matthew 20:26-27).¹¹⁹

Verses 9-13 can be summarized by four words: spectacles, fools, sufferers, and scum. Paul was no fool. He didn’t like suffering. He wished the Corinthians were right in their view of God’s gifts. But they weren’t. The emissaries followed the path of Messiah’s humiliation (4:9a). As Messiah marched in a triumphal procession to His death, so did they (2 Cor 2:14). As Messiah had suffered poverty and slander, so did His servants, and in His Spirit they endured and responded with grace (Lk 23:34). The emissaries lived out the message of the cross. But the Corinthians were complacent and secure with their “theology of the palace” (Amos 6:1-7).¹²⁰

The sarcasm that poured out of Paul’s pen is nothing short of breathtaking. Those worldly believers at Corinth thought they were spiritually full, when in reality they were only full of themselves. They thought they were rich, when in reality they were spiritually poor. They thought they were wise, when all the while they acted like spiritual morons. They were self-righteous, self-satisfied, and filled with a misplaced sense of their own self-worth. Paul’s rebuke dripped with sarcasm.¹²¹

Spectacles: We have become a spectacle before the whole universe, angels as well as men (4:9b). The parade of a conquering Roman general above is the spectacle to which Paul refers. Sarcastically poking at the pride of the Corinthians, he states that not only is he like one of those prisoners, condemned to die in the arena, but that the spectacle is for the whole universe to see. Not just for humans to see, but for God’s angels in heaven as well.¹²²

Fools: For Messiah’s sake we are fools according to the standards of men, but united with the Messiah you are “wise.” Then renewing the sarcasm Paul said: We are weak, but you are strong (4:10a)! It was as if Paul was saying, “Do you really think the gospel as its shepherds are foolish? Are you truly ashamed of being Yeshua’s servant? Do you actually want worldly glory, honor and recognition? The Corinthians still loved human “wisdom.” They were still tempted to look on God’s shepherds as mere babblers, just as the Athenian philosophers had done (Acts 17:18). Again, with total sarcasm: You are honored, but we are dishonored (4:10b). This is the crux of the whole matter: the Corinthians wanted the honor that came from men, not the honor that came from God. Their pride that came from men reflected a lack of proper perspective, and especially, lack of gratitude.

Sufferers: With these concluding sentences, Paul now abandons irony for straight talk. Till this very moment we go hungry and thirsty, we are dressed in rags, we are treated brutally (Greek: kolaphizometha, meaning a blow with a fist), the same way Yeshua was treated (Matthew 26:67). We wander from place to place; we exhaust ourselves working with our own hands for our living. The fact that Paul worked with his own hands as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3), would have lowered him in the eyes of many, because the Greeks despised manual labor, thinking it fit only for slaves.

When we are cursed, we keep on blessing; when we are persecuted, we go on putting up with it (4:11-12); when we are slandered, we continue making our appeal. The emissaries genuinely looked upon themselves as Messiah’s galley slaves and stewards. Their concern was to be humble and faithful. They had no time for resentment or jealousy. They understood that they were far better off than their persecutors. Knowing they would be first in Messiah’s Kingdom; they were perfectly willing to be last in this world. This gave ADONAI the opportunity to demonstrate His power in their weakness.¹²³

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise you for making a wonderful home in heaven for all who love You. Praise You that You walk with Your children in their trials and problems. When sometimes a pain or problem seems big to us, it is a comfort to remember that problems are really only for a moment compared to the eternal peace and joy we will share with You in heaven. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18. Persecution can be thought of as a blessing – for it gives an opportunity to bless/serve You in a hard time and when it is done with a loving heart- brings a reward (First Cor 3:13-14). Thank you that we do not need to seek honor from people, but far more important is to seek to be honored by You – our gracious Father before whom we bow in humble worship. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection Amen.

As I read Paul’s description of his sufferings, I wonder how many of us would be faithful to Messiah today if that were the cost. Then I remember that in many parts of the world today, there are believers who can identify with what Paul experienced.¹²⁴ My wife and I support a brilliant pastor in Africa. He speaks seven languages fluently, and has started twelve churches. He preaches at crusades and leads multitudes to the Lord. But he is poor. He and his family undergo many hardships. He has been slandered and thrown in jail, beaten up by a group of Muslims and put in the hospital, and presided over the funeral of his best friend who was murdered for his faith. His faith is very humbling to me.

Scum: What was the result? We are the world’s garbage, the scum of the earth – yes, to this moment (4:13)! The Corinthians might claim high status, but Paul was under no illusion regarding his status in this world. Scum and garbage are synonyms, and refer to scraps and layers of filth scoured off of dirty dishes and thrown away. The words are commonly used figuratively of the lowest, most tainted criminals, who were often sacrificed in pagan ceremonies. This is the way the world looked at the emissaries. They were religious scum and garbage, and no better than the criminals like whom they were often treated.

It is not hard for believers to get along in this world as long as they keep their head down and the Good News to themselves. But if they preach, teach and live God’s full Word, the world takes great offense: All who want to live a godly life united with Messiah Yeshua will be persecuted (Second Timothy 3:12). The world resents being under the light of truth. Satan is the god of this world and the ruler of darkness. His kingdom cannot stand the light of the gospel and will try to persecute and destroy those who stand for it and live it. The world will attempt to scour off and throw away anyone who boldly proclaims the Word.

We are not Scum and garbage in the sight of ADONAI; nevertheless, we are servants and stewards. Therefore, neither in the world’s eyes nor in God’s eyes do we have reason to boast in ourselves. That which the Lord loves, and that which eventually will bring us our gold, silver and precious stones (3:12), is a humble and obedient spirit. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the right time he may lift you up (First Peter 5:13). Thus, Paul ends his rebuke of the Corinthians’ proud, divisive spirit.¹²⁵

God’s Shepherds are Merely His Servants
4: 1-5

God’s shepherds are merely His servants DIG: Although faithfulness is required of a leader, how did some of the Corinthian believers view Paul? How did Paul deal with their suspicion? What is the difference between a “clear conscience” and “being innocent?”

REFLECT: What qualities do you think most believers look for in a leader? What is a steward? Why is it important that stewards be faithful? What believer do you admire for putting their faith on the line? What is the key test for God’s shepherds?

We serve an audience of One, and His is the only evaluation that counts.

Paul was not finished. The Corinthians’ theological misunderstanding of the Good News and the Church, including the role of their shepherds had been addressed. But at the heart of much of this, was the attitude of many toward Paul himself. They were not simply for Apollos or Peter . . . they were decidedly anti-Paul. This presented Paul with a genuine dilemma. On the one hand, he needed to reassert his apostolic authority by means of his gospel (see the commentary on Romans, to see link click As – Paul’s Gospel), which had brought them to faith. That wasn’t optional. On the other hand, he must reestablish all that without blunting the force of his determination to show the servant role of an apostle.

This paragraph brings together two items from the preceding argument: the apostles as servants (see At – Only God Makes Things Grow) and the coming judgment (see Au – God is the Master Builder). At the same time Paul picks up the language of evaluating from what preceded that (see Aq – The Maturity of the Spiritual Believer: By illumination) and makes it clear what one may have only suspected up to now, namely that the Corinthians were, in fact, passing judgment on the apostle himself.¹⁰⁶

A Matter of Trust (4:1-2): So, you should regard us as the Messiah’s servants (Greek: huperetes, literally meaning under rowers). The type of servant that Paul first humbly called himself was that of a galley slave, the lowliest and most dreaded type of slavery known throughout the Roman empire (4:1a). Galley slaves were handed over to the bowels of the ship, chained there to oars, and assigned the shameful duty of rowing to the relentless cadence set by their overseer. That’s how Paul viewed himself – not as a “super apostle,” not as the author second only to Luke for the sheer volume of his inspired writings in the B’rit Chadashah, not as the founder of many churches, not as the apostle to the Gentiles, but as a slave . . . the lowest of slaves.¹⁰⁷

This was not a new topic; rather, the us refers back to 3:21-22, pointing to Paul, Apollos, Peter and by extension all other co-workers (3:9a). Yes, Paul, Apollos and Peter did “belong” to the Corinthians; but that needed to be understood in the light of Paul’s earlier declaration that they first “belong” to God (3:9b). It’s as if Paul was saying, “This is how you ought to regard us, as servants of ADONAI,” with a servant’s heart.¹⁰⁸

Now the metaphor changes from galley slaves to a steward (Greek: oikonomos, meaning the manager of a household, often a slave) who has been entrusted with managing a household. You might remember the Egyptian Potiphar, Pharaoh’s chief executioner, who placed Joseph in exactly this kind of a position over his household. Potiphar’s job required him to be away from home for extended periods of time, so he entrusted the oversight of his household to Joseph.¹⁰⁹ Potiphar was well pleased with Joseph, and put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned (Genesis 39:4). Now the one thing that is asked of a steward is that he be found trustworthy (4:2) and Joseph was certainly that (see the commentary on Genesis Ji – Potiphar’s Wife said: Come to Bed with Me! But Joseph Ran Out of the House).

However, Paul wasn’t merely entrusted with the oversight of someone’s home. His responsibility was much greater. God entrusted Paul with the mysteries (Greek: mysteria) of the kingdom of Heaven (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Er – That Same Day He Spoke To Them In Parables). A mystery in the B’rit Chadashah is that which was hidden and can now be known only by divine revelation. As a steward of God’s mysteries (4:1b), a Messianic rabbi or pastor is to take God’s revealed Word and teach/preach it to God’s household – holding nothing back. Paul could tell the Ephesian elders: You know that I held back nothing that could be helpful to you, and that I taught you both in public and from house to house, declaring with utmost seriousness the same message to Jews and Greeks . . . for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the whole plan of God (Acts 20:20-21 and 27). All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living (Second Timothy 3:16). The reason so many believers have spiritual malnutrition is that too many teachers serve an unbalanced diet of biblical truth. What they teach may be scriptural, but they do not teach the whole plan of God. Paul saw his stewardship as a sacred trust and accountable only to ADONAI.

How to Handle Criticism (4:3-5): And it matters very little to me how I am evaluated by you or by any human court (4:3a). The reference to any human court contrasts with the final judgment of unbelievers (see the commentary on Revelation Fo – The Great White Throne Judgment), and shows that this is a general warning that all humans cannot and do not make the final decision. Now, a caring shepherd should not be insensitive to the feelings, needs, and opinions of others. A sincere word of appreciation is encouraging. A word of helpful criticism can be needed and even a blessing. But no shepherd can remain faithful to his calling if he lets his congregation, or any human court, decide how true his motives are. Because their knowledge and understanding of the facts are imperfect, their criticisms and compliments are imperfect. In humility and love, God’s shepherd must not allow himself to care about other people’s evaluations of his ministry.¹¹⁰

In fact, Paul said: I don’t even evaluate myself (4:3b). Nor must he allow himself to care about his own evaluation of his ministry. All of us are naturally inclined to build ourselves up in our own minds. We all look into rose-colored mirrors. Even when we put ourselves down, especially in front of others, we often are simply appealing for recognition and flattery. The mature shepherd does not trust his own judgment in such things any more than he trusts the judgment of others. He agrees with Paul that his own evaluation may be as unreliable as that of anyone else.

Paul knew of no serious sin or deficiency in his own life, saying: I am not aware of anything against me. In other words, “With regard to my stewardship, my conscience is clear.” But this does not make me innocent. He knew he could be wrong. He once regarded himself as blameless according to the Torah and therefore righteous (Philippians 3:6), but soon learned how terribly wrong he was. We are not justified by our own good opinion of ourselves, because our opinions may not be justified! As someone once said, “A good conscience is like a soft pillow, but it may be a pillow of self-deception.”¹¹¹

But Paul’s evaluation of his own stewardship was irrelevant to him because the One who is evaluating me is the Lord (4:4). Only His evaluation counts. Paul had long followed the counsel he had given to Timothy, “Do all you can to present yourself to God as someone worthy of His approval” (Second Timothy 2:15). He was not concerned about presenting himself to others for approval, or even to himself for approval, but only to his Lord. God’s servants have an audience of One! So then, “You must stop judging me!” Apparently, many in the Apollos and Peter “fan clubs” were calling Paul’s authority as an apostle into question. On the one hand, Paul didn’t lay out the specifics of the problem in detail, but on the other hand, he didn’t need to. He declared: Don’t pronounce judgment prematurely, before the Lord, the Master of the household, comes (see the commentary on Isaiah Kg – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ).

Consequently, Paul leaves the evaluation of his successes and failures up to God, and he reminds the Corinthians that Yeshua will test their good works at the bema seat of Messiah (see Au – God is the Master Builder). For He will bring to light what is now hidden in darkness; He will expose the motives of people’s hearts; and then each will receive from God whatever praise He deserves (4:5). Believers are never judged, for there is no longer condemnation awaiting those who are in union with Messiah Yeshua (Romans 8:1). Who will receive much and who will receive little only God knows. But once the wood, hay and straw are burned away, the gold, silver, and precious stones will remain to be eternally rewarded.¹¹²

The application of this paragraph to the contemporary Messianic synagogue or church seems self-evident. On the one hand, it is a word to those who are forever evaluating their shepherds, and who, in any case, tend to do so on the wrong grounds. Corinth is not the only congregation that ever became disillusioned with its shepherd because he lacked enough “charisma.” But God’s Word tells us that faithfulness is what is required by God’s servants. On the other hand, although not intended so by Paul, by implication it is also a word to those shepherds, that they recognize themselves as “under trust.” Their trustworthiness is ultimately going to be tested by ADONAI Himself, on the grounds of their being faithful to the trust itself, the Good News. In that hour, none of one’s self-evaluations as to one’s worth in the Kingdom is going to count for anything, only the faithfulness to the gospel itself.¹¹³

God’s Spirit Lives in God’s Temple
3: 16-23

God’s Spirit lives in God’s temple DIG: Why is it essential that your place of worship have unity of purpose? How is where you worship God’s temple? How has God made this world’s “wisdom” look pretty foolish? In what sense does Paul mean that “all things are yours?”

REFLECT: As God’s temple in the world, how are you God’s alternative to both its pagan religion and corrupt lifestyle? If you were arrested for being a believer, would there be enough evidence to convict you? What practical wisdom have you gained from Chapter 3?

The Body of Messiah is God’s temple and God’s Spirit lives in all believers.

In a series of three paragraphs, using images from agriculture to architecture, Paul proceeds to address three closely related issues. Beginning with a farm metaphor, then a building metaphor, he takes up the question of how the Corinthians as a whole were to regard their shepherds. After describing Yeshua as the Master Builder (to see link click Au – Yeshua is the Master Builder), Paul uses a third metaphor, and moves quite naturally to the very nature of the building per se. The people themselves were God’s temple in Corinth. Thus, they are warned against destroying it, as their present obsession with “wisdom” and divisions was currently doing.¹⁰¹

The whole congregation (3:16-17): Don’t you know that you people, as the Body of Messiah, are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you (3:16)? The words don’t you know are the first of ten occurrences in this letter (here, 5:6, 6:2-3 and 9, 6:15-15, 6:19, 9:13) and each time introduces something self-evident, but nevertheless forgotten by the Corinthians. It was clear from their current behavior that they did not know, or at least had not seriously considered the implications of who they were as God’s people in Corinth.

Stephen got it right when he declared, in the shadow of the Temple no less: The Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands (Acts 7:48 NLT). YHVH has chosen to dwell both within us and within the collective gathering of His people, which He calls “The Church.” Later, Paul will make the case that God dwells within each believer since our bodies are a temple for the Ruach HaKodesh who lives inside you (6:19). Here, he states emphatically that God similarly dwells among us when we come together in corporate worship. God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). In that sense, a Messianic synagogue, or a church – be it the church at Corinth, or your place of worship today – is God’s temple.¹⁰²

The imagery of the gathered church as God’s temple, which occurs twice more in Second Corinthians 6:16 and Ephesians 2:21, was meaningful for both Paul and the Gentile Corinthians. The word temple (Greek: naos) refers to the actual sanctuary, the place where God dwelt with His people (John 1:1). For Paul, the imagery reflected the Tabernacle in the wilderness. Although it was never called God’s temple, as such, they were God’s own people, among whom He chose to dwell, by tabernacling in their midst (Psalm 114:2).

The imagery of the church as a temple would have been easily understood by the Corinthians as well, although perhaps not with all of its rich Torah overtones. Before being saved, they were practicing pagans, and would have visited many pagan temples in their city. Indeed, some of them were arguing for the right to continue to do so (Chapters 8-10). But now Paul is calling their attention to the fact that, since there is only one God, and that one God can have only one temple in Corinth, and they themselves, as a gathered community of believers, were that temple.

Dear Heavenly Father, How wonderful it is that You dwell in believers and are with them at all times! To think that the awesome God of the universe has chosen to take up residence in those who love Him – is unspeakably fantastic! Yeshua answered and said to him: If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him (John 14:23). Along with that great privilege of our body being the temple of the living God (Ephesians 2:21) – comes the responsibility of using all of ourselves to honor and to please God. What a joy it is to please our great creator Father who is always watching his child for he is living within his child. We cannot thank and praise you enough for being so gracious and willing to come to earth to suffer shame and pain (Philippians 2:6-10) on our behalf so we could obtain your righteousness and live in heaven with You (Second Corinthians 5:21). We love You and desire to please and bless You in all we do and say and think- for You are so worthy of total honor and glory! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of resurrection. Amen

As God’s temple in Corinth, the church was to be God’s alternative to Corinth, to both its pagan religion and corrupt lifestyle. But the Corinthians, by their worldly “wisdom,” boasting, and divisions were, in effect, “banishing” the Spirit and thus about to destroy the only alternative God had in their city. Therefore, following the description above that called attention to who they were, Paul soberly warned those who were thus creating chaos in the church: So, if anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you yourselves are that temple (3:17).¹⁰³ Some believers at Corinth were engaged in behaviors that were being used by the Enemy to destroy Messiah’s witness in that desperately needy city. In the eyes of ADONAI, they did not warrant a simple slap on the wrist. This was a spiritual assault focused precisely on the one place of hope in an otherwise hopeless city. Those whose actions weakened the church would be held individually responsible, not with loss of salvation, but with consequences in their lives. Forgiveness does not exclude accountability.

Some worldly teachers (3:18-20): Paul warns those in Corinth that they ought not to allow themselves to be deceived into thinking that just because they held positions of influence in the church, they automatically had the spiritual qualifications to lead it. Let no one deceive himself. If someone among you thinks he is “wise” by this world’s standards (of course he does; that is quite the point), let him become “foolish,” so that he may become truly wise (3:18). Paul returns to the theme of the wise and the foolish (1:18-27 and 2:14). To be wise, one must be willing to become a fool in the eyes of the world. Some of the leaders of the Corinthian church needed to guard against falling victim to self-deception.

Presumably, Paul has in mind those who consider themselves to be “wise” teachers, and those who align themselves with these teachers, and thereby assume that they, too, are “wise.” The self-deceived think that they build with gold, when in fact they build with straw (see Au – God is the Master Builder); or that they can get away with destroying God’s temple. They may fool themselves and others by posing as “wise” according to the world’s standards, but they will not fool God, who sees them as they really are.¹⁰⁴

Paul had previously asked: Hasn’t God made this world’s “wisdom” look pretty foolish (1:20)? He returns to the thought with his assertion that the “wisdom” of this world is foolishness, as far as God is concerned (3:19a). The worldly wise, who the Corinthians held in such high esteem, were not even capable of understanding the wisdom of God (1:24), though the humblest believer can understand it. Was this Paul’s private opinion? Not at all. Scripture says so and he quotes two passages from the TaNaKh. First, Job 5:13 pictures a hunter stalking prey and capturing it. Like Haman, they are caught in their own trap (see the commentary on Esther Bf – So They Impaled Haman on the Pole He Had Set Up for Mordecai). Thus, the Spirit says: God traps the “wise” in their own cleverness (3:19b). Yeshua said: Woe to the world because of snares! For there must be snares, but woe to the person who sets the snare (Matthew 18:7 CJB)!

To this, Paul adds a quote from Psalm 94:8, “ADONAI knows that the thoughts of  ‘the wise’ are worthless” (3:20). Although God’s wisdom is hidden to humans except through revelation (2:16), human thoughts are not hidden from God. In both of these quotes from the TaNaKh, ADONAI made clear that He is not impressed by a person’s resume or good looks. What often impresses us means nothing to God. When speaking of one of David’s older brothers: God said to Samuel, “Don’t pay attention to how he looks or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. ADONAI doesn’t see the way humans see – humans look at the outward appearance, but ADONAI looks at the heart” (see the commentary on the Life of David Ah – Samuel Anoints David).

Human philosophy is totally inadequate to bring mankind to YHVH, to show them how to be saved or how to live. Mankind will always be entrapped in its own schemes, and entrap those who trust in it. The one who trusts in human “understanding” does not have the right understanding of himself. He does not see that his spiritual opinions and thoughts are worthless, vain and empty. The proper view of ourselves, the godly and true view, is that apart from divine truth we are fools with empty thoughts. Recognizing this truth opens the door to true wisdom and closes the door to division.

Some individual members (3:21-23): With a final emphatic: So then, Paul brings the present argument to its conclusion. The believers at Corinth needed to have the right view of others: Let no one boast in men, for all things are yours – whether Paul or Apollos or Peter (3:21-22a). Paul had spoken strongly against forming “fan clubs” out of certain church leaders (1:12-14 and 3:4-9), the same three he mentions here. But now the emphasis is different. Although those men should not have been elevated or revered, they were sources of great help and blessing. They were sent to the Corinthians by the Lord, and therefore, should have been listened to and respected. They were God’s teachers. They taught the same truths from God and were meant by God to be the source of unity, not division.

The Corinthians were fortunate to have had the ministry of at least three godly men, and two of them, Paul and Peter, were apostles. Peter probably did not serve personally in Corinth, but some of the Corinthians had benefited from his ministry. Each of those men had special gifts and abilities that God used to teach and lead believers. The variety of leadership should have enriched the church, not divided it. The point Paul makes here is that we should rejoice in and profit from all the faithful leaders ADONAI sends us, whether Paul or Apollos or Peter. If the Corinthians had been careful to understand and follow what all three of those men taught, rather than, for instance, how they looked or spoke, the church would have been united, not divided. Their view of others had to be corrected.

Or the world or life or death or the present or the future: they all belong to you is totally inclusive (3:22b). Paul begins and ends this declaration with for all things are yours (3:21b). In Messiah, all things are for our sakes and for God’s glory (Second Corinthians 4:15).

Specifically, the world (Greek: kosmos, meaning the universe) is ours, even now. His primary point is that, in the Messianic Kingdom for a thousand years (see the commentary on Revelation Fh – The Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom), and in the future (see the commentary on Revelation Fq – The Eternal State), we will possess the world in a far richer way than we do now (see the commentary on Revelation Fs – The Eternal New Jerusalem). Until then, we need to understand that this present world already belongs to us, with all its wonders and glories, imperfections and disappointments. The believer can appreciate the world like no one else can. We know where it came from, why it was created, why we are on it, and what its final destiny will be. This is our Father’s world, and we are His heirs.

Eternal life is ours (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). In Messiah we have new life, a quality of life that will never tarnish, dimmish, or be lost. ADONAI’s own life is in us now. Through Yeshua, God lives in us: If someone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and we will come and make our home within him (John 14:23). And we share His nature and His life, “God’s power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through our knowing the One who called us to His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us valuable and superlatively great promises, so that through them you might come to share in God’s nature and escape the corruption which evil desires have brought into the world (Second Peter 1:3-4).

Even death is ours. The great enemy of mankind has been overcome. Yeshua has conquered death, and through Him we have conquered death (First Corinthians 15:54-57). Unless we are raptured, we will have to pass through death; but we will pass through it as its master, not its slave. All death can do is deliver us to our Savior. That is why Paul could say with such joy: My desire is to go off and be with Messiah – that is better by far (Philippians 1:23). Whether we remain here on earth for a while longer or go to be with the Lord, we can’t lose. For believers, death can only make things better. For God’s people, this present life can be good, but death – which ushers us into eternal life – is even better.

Present things are ours. This encompasses everything we have or experience in our lives. It includes the good and the bad, the pleasant and the painful, the joys and disappointments, the health and the sickness, the contentment and the grief. In God’s hands it all serves to help us be conformed to the pattern of Yeshua (Romans 8:29). In all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us, and because nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord, nothing can cause us any harm (Romans 8:37-39). ADONAI causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called in accordance with His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Future things are ours. This does not refer to our present lives. That is included under present things, meaning everything we will experience on earth. The future things point to our glorification. At that time, we will all be changed. It will take but a moment, the blink of an eye, at the final shofar. For the shofar will sound, and the dead will be raised to live forever, and we too will be changed. For this material body which can decay must be clothed with imperishability, this which is mortal must be clothed with immortality (15:51b-53). This will be the greatest blessing of all. We will reign with Messiah for a thousand years during the Messianic Kingdom and then dwell with Him for eternity in the New Jerusalem. So why should the Corinthians divide themselves into “fan clubs.” No man is the source of any of this inheritance, so there is no reason to boast in men (3:21a).

But by far the most important requirement for overcoming division is having the right view of Yeshua Messiah. He Himself is the source of spiritual unity and the source for healing and division. It is in taking our eyes off of Him that division begins, and it is putting our eyes back on Him that division ends. The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him (6:17). Believers all belong to the same Lord, and are thus one with each other. Therefore, anyone who denies our oneness with each other, denies our oneness in Him (Philippians 2:1-4).

The greatest possible motive for maintaining the unity of the Spirit and for avoiding divisions in the Body is knowing that we belong to the Messiah, and that the Messiah belongs to God (3:23). Because we all belong to Him, we all belong to each other. In His high priestly prayer, our Lord gives us a heavenly view on unity. Speaking to believers, He says: For they are Yours. Indeed, all I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine . . . that they may all be one. Just as You, Father, are united with Me and I with you, I pray that they may be united with Us . . . that they may be one, just as We are One – I united with them and You with Me, so that they may be completely one (John 17:9-10 and 21-23).

We are tied together in an eternal oneness with God the Father, Yeshua Messiah and the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, and thus each other in them. How could we, being so much one, be divided? It begins with the failure to understand the reality of our spiritual unity with YHVH. With a common Lord and inheritance, common leaders and teachers, and a common dependence on Scripture, there should be no divisions among us.¹⁰⁵

God is the Master Builder
3: 9b-15

A dwelling not made with human hands DIG: Since Yeshua is the Master builder, what was Paul’s job description? How is Yeshua the foundation? Was Paul jealous of those who built on his foundation? Why? Why not? Who are the building materials? How is each person’s work tested? What will happen at the bema seat of Messiah? Are believers judged? Why? Why not? In what three ways will we be tested? What kind of crowns will we be given?

REFLECT: Given the clues about what makes for good “building materials,” what is one “concrete” way you could contribute to the building of the congregations of God in your community? How careful have you been on building on Messiah’s foundation? How do you feel about not being judged, but rewarded, at the bema seat of Messiah? When you look at your motives, conduct and good works, what kinds of crowns do you think you might receive?

We should not look at the bema seat of Messiah as God judging our sins;
but rather, a reward for the good works done in our lives.

In a series of three paragraphs, using images from agriculture to architecture, Paul proceeds to address three closely related issues. Beginning with a farm metaphor (to see link click At – Only God Makes Things Grow), he takes up the question of how the Corinthians as a whole were to regard their shepherds. Here, Paul changes to a construction metaphor and speaks directly to those who were responsible for the leadership in the church at Corinth. In the strongest possible terms, he warns them to build the church with eternal materials that the Master Builder has already laid.⁹³

We must build on the right foundation (3:9b-11): First, Paul says to the leadership of the church: You are God’s building (3:9b). Paul shifts the metaphor to that of a building in which ADONAI now becomes the One who lets out a contract for a construction project and serves as the Master-Builder. He inspects to see if all is built correctly, according to specifications, and without fraud. The competence of each worker will vary, and God will reward and punish the difference in quality.⁹⁴ Although dealing with the same general topic of the church and its leadership, he clearly shifts emphasis. Picking up the theme of each will be rewarded according to his work (3:8b), Paul is concerned to warn, in the strongest possible language, those who were currently “building the church.”⁹⁵

Using the grace God gave me, I laid a foundation, like a skilled builder, or architekton in Greek. This is where we get the term architect. But the word in Paul’s day carried the idea of a builder as well as a designer. He was a combination architect and general contractor. So, like a general contractor, Paul laid a foundation (3:10a). As an apostle, Paul’s specialty was foundations. Over the years since his conversion (see the commentary on Acts Bc – Sha’ul Turns from Murderer to Messiah), Paul had been used by ADONAI to establish many churches across Asia Minor, and in Macedonia and Greece. But lest anyone think he was bragging; he began by making it clear that his calling and effectiveness were only by the grace of God given to him. The fact that he was a skilled builder was God’s doing, not his. In the year-and-a-half he had labored among the Corinthians (Acts 18:11), he had faithfully preached and taught the gospel and nothing else (First Corinthians 9:16). Paul knew that he was sent to Corinth to build the foundation of the church, and that is what he carefully and skillfully did. He had the right motive, the right message, and the right authority.

But after he left, another man began building on it (3:10b). In the case of Ephesus, that person was Timothy (First Timothy 1:3). In the case of Corinth, it was Apollos. Paul was not jealous of those who followed him in ministry. He knew that, as one who laid foundations, he would be followed by other builders. Most of the Corinthians, for example, had been baptized by later pastors. Paul was glad for that, because it gave less excuse for the Corinthians to develop fleshly loyalties to him (1:14-15). He was quite concerned, however, that those who built upon the foundation he had laid would work as faithfully as he had worked. So, let each one be careful how he builds (3:10c). The Greek form of the word builds is the present active indicative, which stresses continual action. Each one primarily refers to evangelists, Messianic rabbis, pastors, and teachers who have continued to build on the foundation laid by the apostles. These are given special and the most direct responsibility for teaching sound doctrine (Titus 1:9). Paul later instructs Timothy that men who build should be faithful and capable (Second Timothy 2:2).

But the context makes it clear that a broader and more inclusive application is also in mind. The numerous references to each one and anyone (3:10-18) indicate that the principle applies to every believer. All of us, by what we say and do, to some extent, teach the Good News. No believer has the right to be careless in representing our Lord and His Word. Every believer is to be a careful builder. We are all responsible.

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Yeshua the Messiah (3:11). Paul was the general contractor whose primary task, as an apostle, was to lay the foundation of the Good News. But he did not design the foundation; he only laid it. The only foundation in the Church is Yeshua Messiah. Period. The foundation is not ethical teaching, many of which are found in other religions. Nor is it in the history, traditions and decisions of churches and church leaders throughout the centuries. Yeshua Messiah, as the metaphor would suggest, is the cornerstone of the Church: You have been built on the foundation of the emissaries and the prophets, with the cornerstone being Yeshua the Messiah Himself (Ephesians 2:20). The framework of the building must conform to the pattern of its foundation. Otherwise, it will be crooked and unstable. In a sense, the foundation is all of Scripture, for all of Scripture is both from and about Yeshua Messiah. The TaNaKh predicted and prepared the faithful for His birth. The gospels tell the story of His earthly ministry, and Acts the history of His Messianic Community in its early years. The epistles are commentaries on His message and ministry, and the book of Revelation is the final testimony of His reigning and imminent return. What Yeshua said of the TaNaKh is even truer, if that were possible, of the B’rit Chadashah: You search the Scriptures . . . and it is these that bear witness of Me (John 5:39 NASB).⁹⁶

We must all be tested: For all of us will stand before the bema seat of Messiah (Greek: bema meaning a step or raised place) . . . . and we will have to give an account of ourselves to God where we will receive the good or bad consequences of what we did while in the Body of Messiah (Second Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10b and 12). Forgiveness does not exclude responsibility. The bema seat of Messiah, therefore, involves us giving an account of our lives. The imagery that Paul uses in these verses would have been abundantly familiar to his Corinthian readers. It was the custom during the Isthmian games for winning athletes to receive their crowns on an elevated platform in the middle of the city, much like the Olympic athletes today receive their medals on just such a platform.

The passages above make it clear that the testing that will take place at that time will not be for condemnation for sin, but reward for good works. Messiah judged sin on the cross, and because we are in Him (Ephesians 1:1-13), we will never be condemned for our sins; He was condemned for us (1 Corinthians 15:3; Galatians 1:4; First Peter 2:24). He took the penalty for all our sins upon Himself (Colossians 2:13; First John 2:12). ADONAI has no more charges against those who trust in His Son, those who are His elect, and will allow no one else to bring charges against them (Romans 8:31-34). Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua (Romans 8:1).⁹⁷

The building materials do not represent wealth, talents, or opportunity. Nor do they represent spiritual gifts, all of which are good and given to each believer by the Spirit as He sees fit (12:11). The building materials represent our responses to what we have – how well we served the Lord with what He had given us. In other words, the building materials represent our good works. We cannot be saved by good works, but every believer has been created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God has prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10), and we are to bear fruit in every good work (Colossians 1:10). Good works are not the source of our lives, but good works are the spiritual fruit of our lives (James 2:14-17).

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such an Awesome Father and Creator! You created the world with such precision and beauty! The perfect microscopic snowflake and the huge boiling hot sun – both created out of nothing by Your spoken word. The vast array of colors is magnificent! The huge variety of animals, insects, and plants is amazing. Though there are so many different trees and shrubs to see and admire, yet the crowning glory of trees is their fruit. In a similar way good deeds are good, but the crowning glory is the fruit of love from the deed done kindly. But the fruit of the Ruach is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control God designed us to produce fruit-fruit that will last (Galatians 5:22-23a). I selected you so that you would go and produce fruit, and your fruit would remain. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name (John 15:16). Thank You that as we serve You with a heart of love and gratefulness we often pray to You asking Your help and guidance for a particular situation. It is wonderful that as we produce beautiful fruit for You, You hear our prayer and give us whatever we need in Yeshua’s name. It is a joy to serve You, to please You and to produce fruit that will last! In Yeshua’s holy name and the power of His resurrection. Amen

At the end of his life, Paul looked forward to mounting the steps of the bema. With absolute confidence he wrote: For as for me, I am already being poured out on the altar; yes, the time for my departure has arrived. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. All that awaits me now is the crown of righteousness which the Lord, “the Righteous Judge,” will award to me on that Day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for Him to appear (Second Timothy 4:6-8). That includes me and that includes you. May we face death with the same confidence with which the apostle faced his as we anticipate receiving our rewards.⁹⁸

We must build with the right materials (3:12-15): Paul explains that the basis for testing is the works of the believer. Some will use gold, silver or precious stones in building on this foundation; while others will use wood, hay or straw (3:12). The building materials mentioned here are in two categories, each listed in descending order of value. The first category – gold, silver and precious stones – clearly represent high-quality materials. They are not graded and are all of equal value. The second – wood, hay and straw – just as clearly, represents inferior materials. They will be burned up because they are worthless. Nothing will be left but cinders. Wood, hay and straw cannot stand the test.

But each believer’s work will be shown for what it is. The Day that we stand before the bema seat in heaven will disclose it (3:13a). This will probably happen sometime after the Rapture (see the commentary on Revelation By – The Rapture of the Church) and before the Second Coming (see the commentary on Isaiah Kg – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ to Bozrah). At that time our works will be revealed by fire – testing the quality of each one’s work (3:13b). We will be tested in three different ways:

First, we will be tested by our motives: Why we do something is just as important as what we do. A campaign of neighborhood visitation done because of pressure is wood. But visiting the same people in love to win them to the Lord is gold. Singing solo in the house of God and being concerned about how the people like your voice is hay, but singing to glorify ADONAI is silver. Giving generously out of duty or pressure is wood, but giving generously with joy to extend the Good News and to serve others in the Lord’s name is a precious stone. Work that on the outside looks like gold to us may be wood, hay and straw in God’s eyes. He knows the motives of people’s hearts (4:5).

Secondly, we will be tested by our conduct: We will have to give an account of ourselves to God where we will receive the good or bad consequences of what we did while in the Body of Messiah (Second Corinthians 5:10). Bad (Greek: phaulos) is here best understood as worthless. It produces no spiritual fruit. Our conduct, therefore, can be good, evil or just plain useless – like wood, hay and straw when tested by fire. As a result, things we do can be either gold or wood, either silver or hay, either precious stones or straw.

Thirdly, we will be tested by our good works: The way we use our spiritual gifts God has given us (see Cd – The Diversity of Spiritual Gifts), the way we minister in His name, is of supreme importance in our building for Him. He is the Master Builder, and we represent Him in this world. We should strive to minister in what we are called to do; rather than what others think we should do, only producing wood, hay and straw.⁹⁹

This passage says nothing about the nature of the reward; however, other passages do. They speak of these rewards as being crowns. The Greek language has two words meaning crown. The first word is diadem, which is a king’s crown. It is the crown of sovereignty and of a person who is royal by his nature and by his position – a king. This is the kind of crown that Jesus wears. The second Greek word is stephanos, which is a crown given to an overcomer, a victor, one who has won a race. These are the kinds of crowns available to believers because they overcame in the spiritual warfare with Satan and are now crowned at the bema seat of Messiah. There are five such crowns mentioned in the Bible (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Bc – For We Must All Appear Before the Bema Seat of Messiah).¹⁰⁰

Only God Makes Things Grow
3: 5-9

Only God makes things grow DIG: What point does Paul make in the use of the farm metaphor? How does Paul describe his and Apollos’ role in the Corinthian church? Were they leaders of opposing “fan clubs” as they might be in the world? How were the Corinthians “missing the point?” Where did their allegiance need to be rooted? How are the planter and the waterer the same? How are they individually rewarded?

REFLECT: Paul makes it clear to the believers in Corinth that Yeshua is the foundation of the Church. What does that mean in today’s world? What should be the driving force behind your ministry? Why is it tempting to evaluate your success based on external results? What happens when you give in to such temptation? What is your role in building God’s church?

It is not the human laborers who produce the harvest, but the Lord of the harvest.

In a series of three metaphors, using images from agriculture to architecture, Paul proceeds to address three closely related issues. He takes up the imagery of a servant and places it in the familiar setting of the farm. Beginning with a farm metaphor, he takes up the question of how the Corinthians as a whole were to regard their shepherds. There is a transition here. The worldliness of the Corinthians is no longer spoken of and the names of Paul and Apollos give rise to the topic of how ADONAI sustains His shepherds and His Church. The Corinthians did not correctly understand that relationship.⁸⁴

After all, Paul declared: What is Apollos? What is Paul? Only servants through whom you came to trust. Indeed, it was the Lord who brought you to trust through one of us or through another (3:5). Servants translates diakonoi, a term which originally meant a table waiter. It came to be used of lowly service generally, and in the B’rit Chadashah it is often used of the service that any believer would render to YHVH. In time it was applied to the ministry of a deacon, but this is not an example of that use. The context here stresses the lowly character of the service rendered and ridicules the tendency to overestimate the importance of Messianic rabbis and ministers in the Gentile Church. They come and they go, but ADONAI’s own work continues. Who would set servants on pedestals? The real work was done by God Himself.⁸⁵ It cannot be overstated that being a servant in the Body of Messiah, ran contrary not only to Hellenistic thinking, but also to the Corinthian-competition thinking.⁸⁶ It was as if Paul were saying, “No one builds a movement around a waiter or busboy, or erects monuments to them. Apollos and I are just waiters or busboys whom the Lord used as servants to bring you spiritual food. You do not please us by trying to honor us. Your honor, your glory, is misplaced. You are acting worldly, fleshly. Give your praise to the One who prepared the spiritual food we delivered.” The world honors and tries to immortalize great men because men are the highest thing it knows. The world cannot see beyond itself.⁸⁷

Paul and Apollos were not leaders of opposing “fan clubs” as they might be in the world’s value system. Paul declared that they were merely servants of God who had no significance apart from Messiah. The reason he did not mention the Peter or Messiah “fan clubs” as he did in 1:12 should be obvious. Only Paul and Apollos had ministered in Corinth, and therefore the extended metaphor of the farm and farmhands could apply only to them. In fact, Paul could use this metaphor precisely because he and Apollos were not at the root of the problem. He could present himself and Apollos as models of the noncompetitive teamwork he wanted the Corinthian believers to copy.⁸⁸ I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it. Yeshua expressed the same idea (John 4:34-38). The sower and the reaper not only work together, but one day they shall rejoice together and receive their own rewards. But, in the final analysis, it was God who made it grow (3:6).

This next verse could almost be a proverb: So, neither the planter nor the waterer is anything. Neither made the plants grow. It is only God who makes things grow (3:7). He is doing the real work. The verb makes things grow (Greek: auxanon) is imperfect, whereas those for planting and watering are aorist. The work of Paul and Apollos is viewed as being completed, but God’s activity in making things grow continues on. Having established this important point, Paul proceeds to draw some important conclusions.⁸⁹

The planter and waterer are the same (3:8a). Paul makes several points here. First, the labor of one without the other would be useless. They are interdependent and complementary, contributing to the same goal of producing a crop. Second, though both roles are essential to the task, the laborers are interchangeable. The value of the labor of one worker cannot be thought of as being more important than that of the other. Third, a rivalry between a planter and a waterer in working a field is absurd. The field is not a battlefield where workers vie with one another for supremacy. It is farmland to be brought under cultivation to produce fruit (Matthew 21:43). And fourth, ADONAI is the life force who produces the harvest. Planters only scatter the seed supplied to them by God (Second Corinthians 9:10) and put it on the ground created by Him. Waterers only keep the soil moist for growth by using rainwater supplied by God.⁹⁰

However, each will be rewarded according to his labor (3:8b). This is consistent with the parable of the workers in the field (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Il – The Rich Young Ruler: The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard). God rewards on the basis of labor, not success or results. A missionary may work faithfully for 40 years and see only a handful of converts. Another may work far fewer years and see far more converts. Jeremiah was one of God’s most faithful and dedicated prophets, yet he saw little result of his ministry. He was ridiculed, persecuted, and generally rejected along with the message he preached. Jonah, on the other hand, was petty and unwilling, yet through him, God won the entire city of Nineveh in one brief campaign.⁹¹ What we think of our ministry is unimportant; what God thinks of our ministry is all that counts.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such a gracious father who rewards His children, but not by the biggest dollar amount of gift that is given, but rather according to the person’s heart of love (Matthew 7:21-27). The biggest reward is to please You and hear You speak words of approval over what we have done with the gifts or talents that you have given to us. His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful with a little, so I’ll put you in charge of much. Enter into your master’s joy” (Matthew 25:21 and 23)! You praised the extremely poor Macedonian churches’ example of giving, for their heart attitude of love for You – they gave of themselves first to the Lord (Second Corinthians 8:5b).

It cost You so much to leave heaven’s serene peace and joy for shame, sorrow and pain to be made inhuman likeness (Philippians 2:6-11), but Yeshua did it for the joy set before Him.  Focusing on Yeshua, Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame; and He has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). May we follow Yeshua’s example and rejoice in serving You for the joy of pleasing such an Awesome God and Father! In Yeshua’s holy name and the power of His resurrection. Amen 

Paul concludes by taking up the main points of the analogy, and drives his present concerns home with a terse, but pointed, saying: For we are God’s co-workers, and you are God’s field under cultivation (3:8c-9a). Paul and Apollos were workers together in a common cause and belong to God, and that the Corinthians, therefore, did not belong to either Paul or Apollos because they, too, belong to God. Everything is God’s – the Corinthian church, its ministry, Paul, Apollos – everything. Therefore, it is absolutely unacceptable to say, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” since the only legitimate slogan would be “we all belong to God!”

Because the imagery presented here is so common in Paul, and because it so clearly reflects the teaching of Yeshua as well, one may be certain that Paul would intend these words to go beyond their particular historical circumstances to apply to the universal Church at all times and in all settings. What form ministry finally takes, and on that we have been divided for centuries. But there can be no mistake as to its nature – servanthood – of the kind exhibited by the Lord Himself (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Kh – Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet). He gives us the supreme example.

Paul’s teaching needs to be reviewed regularly. The universal Church, made up of Messianic Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:14), belongs to Him alone, and those who minister are His servants. Paul’s intent here, of course, was to correct a misguided perception on the part of the Corinthian church who made way too much of its ministers. Our need to hear the same message probably reflects the same realities, although most would think of themselves as above the Corinthian attitude.

All too often those “in charge,” be they Messianic rabbis, pastors, elder boards, deacons, deaconesses, or whatever, tend to think of the “church” as theirs. They pay lip-service to its being “Messiah’s church, after all” . . . then proceed to operate on the basis of very pagan, secular structures, and regularly speak of “my” or “our” church. Nor does the church belong to “the people,” especially those who have “attended all of their lives,” or who have “supported it with great sums of money,” as though that gave them special privileges.

The Messianic synagogue or church belongs to Messiah, and all other things – structures, attitudes, decisions, the nature of ministry – everything – should flow out of that realization. Moreover, those “in charge” must always remember who is really in charge. To be a servant does not mean kidnapping a leadership position; nor, on the other hand, does it mean to become everybody’s “errand boy or girl.” It has to do with attitude, perspective, not with one’s place on the organizational chart. Servant leadership is required precisely because servanthood is the basis of all godly behavior, modeled after the Servant King Himself.⁹²

A Faulty View of God’s Shepherds
3:5 to 4:5

A second and related cause of division in the church at Corinth (to see link click Ak – Splits and Division in the Church at Corinth) concerned a faulty view of God’s shepherds. In a series of three metaphors, using images from agriculture and architecture, Paul proceeds to address three closely related issues.

Beginning with a farming metaphor (At – Only God Makes Things Grow), he takes up the question of how the Corinthians as a whole are to regard their shepherds, since their own “fan clubs” (I am of Apollo, I am of Paul) must go. God’s shepherds are only servants, farm laborers, as it were, each with their own task and reward. But the Corinthians had focused on men when, in fact, ADONAI alone was the source of their blessing. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10b) – the farm, the workers, and the growth of the crops. By implication, boasting in mere servants of the farm is foolishness in its own right.

Then shifting to a construction metaphor (see Au – God is the Master Builder), Paul speaks directly to those who were currently responsible for the leadership of the church in Corinth. He warns them in the strongest possible terms to build the church with the eternal materials consistent with the foundation of the Church – Messiah crucified. Those who ministered to the Corinthians were only accountable to Him.

From that warning Paul moves naturally to the Temple metaphor (see Av – God’s Spirit Lives in God’s Temple), to the character/nature of the building per se. YHVH has chosen to dwell both within us and within the collective gathering of His people, which He calls “The Church.” Later, Paul will make the case that God dwells within each believer since our bodies are a temple for the Ruach Ha’Kodesh who lives inside you (6:19). Here, he states emphatically that God similarly dwells among us when we come together in corporate worship. God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). In that sense, a Messianic synagogue, or a church – be it the church at Corinth, or your place of worship today – is God’s temple.⁸²

Finally, Paul brings together two principles mentioned earlier: the apostles are God’s servants (see At – Only God Makes Things Grow) and the leaders of the church need to be building on the right foundation (see Au – God is the Master Builder). At the same time, he picks up on language that made clear what one may have only suspected up to this point, namely that the Corinthians were, in fact, passing judgment on Paul himself (Aw – God’s Shepherds are Merely His Servants).⁸³

The Immaturity of the Worldly Believer
3: 1-4

The immaturity of the worldly man DIG: What does it mean to be a worldly believer? What did the Corinthians do to cause Paul to call them worldly? Why is this unacceptable for true believers that are born again? What does Paul mean by “spiritual babies?” “Milk?” “Solid food?” How are “worldly” verses “spiritual” people defined here?

REFLECT: Do you know someone who acts in a worldly manner like the Corinthians? How do you handle that? How is the church like a family? If the church was like your natural family, what would be some of its characteristics? What is the difference between respecting a leader in the congregations of God, and the problem Paul is dealing with here?

The Corinthians were saved; but they were immature, acting like spiritual babies.

The Church has often thought of worldliness only in terms of dancing, alcoholic drinking, and the like. But worldliness is much deeper than bad habits; it is a way of thinking and believing. Basically, it is buying into the world’s philosophies and human wisdom. It is looking to the world – to human leaders, to influential and popular people, to neighbors, to associates, or fellow students – for our standards, attitudes, and meaning. Worldliness is accepting the world’s definitions, the world’s measuring sticks, and the world’s goals.

The second great obstacle the believers face is the flesh. The world and the flesh are closely related. In fact, it is the flesh that produces the bridge the world uses to reach us. When we are given Messiah’s divine nature, our flesh is not removed. That will not occur until we are glorified (see the commentary on Romans, to see link click Cl – Our Bodies and Redemption). Until then, our flesh resists and opposes our new heart.

The cause of division – the flesh (3:1-3a): The Corinthians had surrendered to the pressures of the world, but they had also surrendered to the temptations of their own flesh. Before Paul chastised them for their immature sinfulness, he reminds them again that he is speaking to them as brothers and sisters in Messiah. Their sinning, terrible as it was, did not forfeit their salvation (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). He stood with them as a brother, not over them as a judge.⁷⁶

As for me, brothers, I couldn’t talk to you as spiritual people but as worldly people (Greek: sarkinos, meaning people of the flesh), as spiritual babies, so far as experience with the Messiah is concerned (3:1). Paul wanted the Corinthians to stop thinking like the world. Picking up the theme of being spiritual (see Aq – The Maturity of the Spiritual Believer), Paul declares that they, by-and-large, were not spiritual people at all. Indeed, they were not only not living as people of the Spirit, they were just the opposite, they were fleshly . . . worldly.

They also needed to stop behaving like the world, which is the point at hand. In the present argument, therefore, their quarrels became “Exhibit A” of the charge of being worldly people (3:1). There is a difference between our justification, or our position in Messiah, and our sanctification, or our practice of being conformed into the pattern of Messiah (Romans 8:29b). Our justification happens once at the moment of salvation (Romans 10:10); our sanctification takes a lifetime. The Corinthians were justified, but they weren’t walking by the Spirit (see the commentary on Galatians Bv – Walk by the Ruach, and Not the Desires of the Flesh). Paul wrote elegantly about his own struggles (see the commentary on Romans Cc – The Reality of the Inner Conflict), and the Corinthians were living it. Big time.

Paul shifts images to pick up on their (apparent) accusation that he had fed them only with milk, not with “wisdom.” He said when I first came to you, I gave you milk, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. But you aren’t ready for it now either (3:2)! For you are still worldly (3:3a)! Paul didn’t separate believers into two different categories: lower-level beginners who need to be fed a diet of theological pabulum, and upper-level elite who could receive advanced doctrine, as if the Good News was some sort of pagan mystery. In 15:3-7 he reminded them that he delivered to them as of first importance Messiah’s death, burial, and resurrection. Could there be any greater truth for the believer than that?

Paul believed that the message of the cross exposed the truth about his listeners more than anything else. Those who cling to the “wisdom” of the world are left to their own devices apart from the Holy Spirit. They do not recognize the Good News as the wisdom of God, but instead, dismiss it as foolishness (1:18). The world cannot stomach the cross. Believers are the only ones who hold on to the wisdom of the cross. The Corinthians’ failure to understand the wisdom of the cross was not due to the fact that Paul had withheld anything from them, but was a result of their own inability to digest what was offered. If Paul’s message looked like milk to them, it revealed that they weren’t as mature as they thought they were. They didn’t need a change in their diet, they needed a change in their perspective.⁷⁷

The symptoms of division – jealousy and quarreling (3:3b-4): Paul cautioned: Isn’t it obvious from all the jealousy and quarreling among you that you are worldly and living by merely human standards (3:3b)? Immature, fleshly, worldly believers are never a result of deficient genes or a spiritual birth defect. They are the way they are as a result of their own choices. One of the worst and most disappointing problems a church can have is a congregation of spiritual babies, believers who are not growing because they seek to fulfill fleshly appetites. Because self-centeredness is at the heart of fleshly behavior, jealousy and quarreling are always found in immature congregations. These spread like cancer throughout the body.⁷⁸

This is what their Sunday potlucks had become. They were acting just like the world acts. There was no difference between their worship service and some mean-spirited city council meeting. Factions had fractured their fellowship (see Ak – Splits and Division in the Church at Corinth). I am of Paul, some cried. Well . . . sniff, sniff . . . I am of Apollos, boasted another! Paul couldn’t believe it! It was as if a year-and-a-half of his ministry to this church meant nothing. He could only address the Corinthians as immature because that was exactly how they were acting.⁷⁹

For when one says, “I follow Paul” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you being merely human (3:4)? Paul finally returns to the problem he had raised earlier in 1:12. He had allotted eight verses (1:10-17) to the party dispute and does not return to speak about it until 3:3. This created suspense. If they were as wise and mature as they thought they were, they would see the relevance of the intervening discussion about the word of the cross. Paul chalks that up to merely being human, and calls them to a higher standard (1 Cor 1:2 and 30, 6:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17) – spiritual ones not lacking in any spiritual gift (1:7). But, as it stands, the Corinthian unrest revealed a spirit that is all too human.⁸⁰ As Paul will go on to point out a bit later in 3:18, they were being deceived. They need to become foolish from the world’s perspective, so that they may become truly wise and full of wisdom found in the crucified Messiah.⁸¹ Shouldn’t we do the same?

Dear Heavenly Father, All that happens in the world of our lives seems so very important. We need to remember that life is but a vapor. What is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes (Jas 4:14). The wisest way to live our lives here on earth is to live with an eye to our eternal future home. Sometimes our problems seem so big to us that we forget what a great cost Jesus paid to leave heaven and come to live humbly as a man (Phil 2:6-8), bearing shame and pain on our behalf. We need to live relying on God for strength and wisdom (Jas 1:5) in a way that honors our precious Savior who gave His own life to ransom. Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame; and He has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and lose heart (Heb 12: 2-3). We love you dear Heavenly Father and we desire to use our time, money and thoughts to please You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of resurrection. Amen

The Maturity of the Spiritual Believer
2: 6-16

The maturity of the spiritual man DIG: What does Paul mean when he says that if the “rulers of this age” had understood God’s wisdom, they would not have crucified the Messiah? What are some of the ways the Ruach helps believers (John 14:26, 16:13-15)? How does Paul explain in this passage why a person without the Spirit is unable to understand spiritual truths? What does it mean to “have the mind of Messiah?”

REFLECT: In what ways can you know God’s thoughts and plans? In what ways do people try to gain wisdom? Why do they want it? What happens when you rely on human “wisdom” instead of God’s wisdom? When has the Ruach helped you understand God’s Word? What sometimes keeps you from seeking God’s help? In what ways can you depend more on the Spirit of God to help you make wise decisions?

All believers possess the Spirit of God; the real issue is how mature are such believers.

Chapter 2 is crucial for understanding what some of the difficulties in Corinth were. It has also been wrongly used to insist that there were several kinds of believers there: some spiritual and some carnal. Paul understands that there are some believers who are more mature than others and that there is a level of teaching appropriate for each level of spiritual maturity. However, that is very different from suggesting that some believers are “spiritual” or have the Spirit, while others do not. For Paul, part of the very definition of what it means to be a believer is having the Ruach Ha’Kodesh in one’s life.

True wisdom is not humanly discovered (2:6-9): Up to this point, Paul has been rather hard on “wisdom,” because he is arguing against the Corinthian attitude of those who were pursuing sophia as such. But he now makes a considerable turn in the argument in order to assert that the Good News he preaches does, in fact, demonstrate God’s wisdom.⁶¹

Yet, there is a wisdom that we are speaking to those who are mature enough for it (2:6a). It is important to understand that Paul did not have a “simple gospel” for babes in the faith, and a different “wisdom gospel” for the mature. Paul was not suggesting that there is a deep knowledge which ADONAI has reserved for the spiritually elite (like the Gnostic’s). It is God’s plan and desire for all believers to move toward maturity.⁶²

But it is not the wisdom of this age or of this world’s leaders, who are in the process of passing away (2:6b). The word age (Greek: aionos) refers to a period of time, a historical age. Paul was speaking not only of the particular historical period in which he lived, but of all periods of history. All worldly “wisdom” is passing away. It is empty, futile, and comes to nothing. Even this world’s leaders cannot claim it or even relate to it.⁶³

On the contrary, we are communicating a mystery (Colossians 1:26) from God which has hidden until now but which, before history began, God had decreed would bring us glory (2:7). The message is a hidden mystery because it can only be known through the revelation of ADONAI (see below). It is now an open secret: open because YHVH revealed it, and a secret because the revelation both reveals the mystery and obscures it at the same time (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Er – That Same Day He Spoke to Them In Parables). The use of the perfect participle (Greek: apokekrymmenen, meaning to hide or conceal) expresses Paul’s view that it remains hidden to unbelievers, like the parables of the Kingdom. Only the mature who love God and who receive the Spirit (2:12) can recognize it as divine wisdom. Paul’s point is that humans cannot unravel the mystery for themselves; it can only be given to them by Ha’Shem. This wisdom can be discerned by those who trust and love God (2:9), not by those who analyze and debate. So unbelievers will continue to grope in their own darkness, and yet think they see and understand.⁶⁴

Not one of this world’s leaders has understood it (2:8a). This verse is often misused to infer that all of Isra’el, under the authority of her leaders, willed for and subsequently put Yeshua to death. But as seen in Matthew 27:25, only a select few declared: His blood will be on us and on our children! Thus, neither the responsibility for the desire for Yeshua’s crucifixion fell upon all of Isra’el, but instead only a small number who aligned themselves with Pontus Pilate toward Yeshua’s death. From a naïve reading of Matthew, one might think there were tens of thousands of Jews who sought out Pilate. However, archeological discoveries have confirmed that the courtyard for these proceedings was large enough to hold little more than a hundred people.⁶⁵ Obviously their actions in the heat of the moment can’t be applied to all future Jewish generations.

Not one of this world’s leaders has understood it; because if they had, they would not have executed the Lord from whom this glory flows (2:8). Worldly wisdom is not merely skillfully arranging arguments to persuade others. It is wicked, nasty and evil. It opposes YHVH at every turn . . . and it crucified the Messiah. The best government and the highest religion that the world had ever known up to that time conspired to put Yeshua on the cross. Those rulers did not recognize Him to be the Lord from whom this glory flows. They also didn’t recognize that the wisdom of God was radically distinct from their own wisdom. But their ignorance is nothing new. Regardless of which time Messiah had come onto the scene of history, the world’s leaders, of whatever age, would have put Him to death.⁶⁶

In typical style, Paul concludes his argument up to this point with scriptural support. But, as the TaNaKh says: No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no heart has imagined all the things that God has prepared for those who love Him (2:9). This free quotation from Isaiah 64:4 and 65:17 is often memorized, but frequently misapplied. Paul is not referring to the wonders of heaven, but to the wisdom God has prepared for believers. His point is that the natural eyes, ears, and hearts of the unsaved cannot know or comprehend God’s wisdom. It is prepared only for those who love Him.⁶⁷

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for preparing such a wonderful home (John 14:1-3) for Your children who love You! How awesome it will be to never feel pain, never cry, never die and to always live with you in wonderful peace forever!  I also heard a loud voice from the throne, saying: Behold, the dwelling of God is among men, and He shall tabernacle among them. They shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them and be their God. He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Nor shall there be mourning or crying or pain any longer, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:3-4).

Thoughts of eternal joy in heaven give me courage to face problems in life now.  For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). I rejoice in wisely spending my time by worshiping You and praying for the salvation of family, friends and those in other countries who have not yet found the joy of repentance from old deeds and eternal peace in loving You as their Lord and Savior. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of resurrection, Amen

True wisdom is divinely revealed (2:10-16): It is as unnecessary as it is impossible for us to discover ADONAI’s truth on our own. What we cannot find; God has given. We cannot come to YHVH on our own; but the Lord has come to us. The Ruach Ha’Kodesh has invaded our closed box and shown us the Divine – through revelation, inspiration and illumination.

By revelation (2:10-11): How can something that has no place in the human heart be made known? How do humans cross the divide between the world and YHVH? For it is to us that God has revealed these things. Because this mystery must be revealed, but it can only be revealed through the Spirit. We do not have access to these things and do not even have the grammar or vocabulary for them until they are graciously bestowed by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh.⁶⁸

Now, Paul begins the main part of his argument: For the Spirit probes all things, even the profoundest depths of God. The absolute key to spiritual maturity lies with the Spirit of God. To lend support to his argument, Paul drew upon an analogy between the human spirit and the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. For who knows the inner workings of a person except the person’s own spirit inside him? So too, no one knows the inner workings of God except God’s Spirit (2:10-11). The Corinthians, of course, took credit for their understanding of the Good News and other spiritual things, thinking they had attained them through human “wisdom.” By correcting this error, Paul removed the basis for the quarrels and divisions that existed among them (see Ak – Splits and Division in the Church at Corinth).⁶⁹

You must build your life on eternal truths, not pop psychology, success-motivation, or inspirational stories. When you read your Bible, hear a sermon, or listen to a podcast, don’t just forget it and walk away. Develop the practice of reviewing the truth in your mind, thinking about it over and over. The more time you spend reviewing what the Lord has said, the more you will learn and develop a relationship with Him.⁷⁰

By inspiration (2:12-13): ADONAI has given us His Spirit. That’s why we don’t think the same way that people in the world think. Now we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God, so that we might understand the things God has so freely given us (2:12). The miracle of inspiration is that Paul wrote down precisely what the Ruach wanted him to write down, and did so without committing any errors or making any mistakes. Yet, throughout the process, Paul retained his own unique writing style; so much so, that First Corinthians sounds distinctly different from, say, the Psalms or Proverbs. The what of inspiration is easy to define; however, the how of inspiration is truly miraculous and defies human explanation.⁷¹

This is what we speak, not in words taught to us by human “wisdom,” but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words (2:13 NIV). Having been arguing that their common gift of the Spirit is what enables the Corinthian believers to understand God’s wisdom, Paul now returns to his own preaching of that wisdom, first mentioned earlier and links it to the same reception of the Spirit. “What we preached to you was God’s wisdom to be sure,” Paul asserted in 2:6-7. Now he returns to that assertion. It’s as if Paul was saying “Just as we have all received the Spirit so as to understand the gift of salvation, so also the words I have preached to you were given in words taught by the Spirit.” Therefore, the Spirit is the key to everything . . . Paul’s preaching (2:4-5 and 13), their conversion (2:4-5 and 12), and especially their understanding of the content of his preaching as the true wisdom of God (2:6-13).⁷²

It is interesting to note that Paul’s letters never use the term “Christian.” What we moderns would call a “Christian,” Paul calls a spiritual person, that is, one who has received the Spirit of God. Therefore, Paul’s primary definition of the believer is by means of the Spirit; likewise, the reception of the Spirit, is for Paul, the hallmark of entry into the congregations of God.⁷³ And because the wall of separation has been broken down (Ephesians 2:14), Messianic believers, although largely ignored, are just as much part of the Body of Messiah as their counterparts in the Church.

By illumination (2:14-16): Only the Ruach Ha’Kodesh can show us spiritual truth. Anyone can hear the facts, study other people’s teaching, and gain something of an intellectual understanding about the meaning of the Bible – yet not really understand it. The scribes and Pharisees of Yeshua’s day were highly trained in the TaNaKh, yet they missed its central message.

With his concluding sentences, Paul now picks up the negative side of the argument, in light of what has been positively argued about the work of the Spirit. Now the natural unsaved man/woman (Greek: psychikoi) cannot receive the things from the Spirit of God – to him/her they are foolishness (see An – The Foolishness of Worldly Wisdom)! Human “wisdom” is totally unable to understand or express divine truth. Moreover, he/she is unable to grasp them, because they are evaluated through the Spirit. But the person who has the Spirit can evaluate everything, while no one is in a position to evaluate him (2:14-15). The ability to be able to compare and contrast, discerning what is worldly “wisdom” from godly wisdom is quite serious for those who regard themselves as His own.

Every believer has the Spirit of God, the One who lives within us and can help us understand God’s Word. But the Ruach’s illuminating ministry cannot replace conscientious study. They work together. We should keep in mind that ADONAI Himself requires that we be diligent: All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living (2 Timothy 3:16). As we explore Scripture carefully and thoroughly, the Holy Spirit uses whatever tools we acquire, whatever godly wisdom we expose ourselves to, as the means to illumine our hearts.⁷⁴ The Psalmist understood the need for God’s illumination of His Word. He prayed: Open my eyes, so that I will see wonders from Your Torah (Ps 119:18). He did not need the Lord’s help to read His Word, but he knew he needed His help to understand it.

For who has known the mind of ADONAI? The mind of ADONAI does not refer to some mystical ecstasy, but is related to sobriety, watchfulness, faith, hope and life. The believer’s worldview is shaped by an awareness of Messiah. Who will counsel him (Isaiah 40:13)? But we have the mind of the Messiah (2:16; Romans 11:34; Philippians 2:5)! Paul’s concern needs to be resurrected throughout the congregations of God. The gift of the Spirit does not lead to special status among believers; rather, it leads to a special status regarding the world. But it should always do so in terms of the centrality of the Good News. The Spirit should identify us in such a way that our values and worldview are radically different from the worldly “wisdom” of this age. It should be obvious that we do know about the Messiah; we do live out our life of the future in the present age that is passing away; we are indeed marked by the cross forever. As such, we are the people of the Spirit, who stand in bold contrast to those who are merely human and do not understand the scandal of the cross. Being spiritual does not lead to elitism. It leads to a deeper understanding of God’s profound mystery – redemption through a crucified Messiah.⁷⁵

True Wisdom and the Spirit of God
2:6 to 3:4

True wisdom, and spiritual maturity, comes from ADONAI revealing Himself to you through Yeshua Messiah. This had been a mystery until He became flesh and tabernacled among us (John 1:14). The world did not understand this when He was born, and it still doesn’t understand this today. It is as unnecessary as it is impossible for us to discover ADONAI’s truth on our own. What we cannot find; God has given. We cannot come to YHVH on our own; but the Lord has come to us. The Ruach Ha’Kodesh has invaded our closed box and shown us the Divine – through revelation, inspiration and illumination.

But in the congregations of God, there are some today who are still immature, spiritual babies, causing division. Even though they are saved, they surrender to the pressures of the world and to the temptations of their own flesh. They live like the world lives; they act like the world acts. When corrected, they blame others instead of looking in the mirror. And not so surprisingly, their immaturity spreads like a cancer throughout the body. Jealousy and quarreling always result from this attitude. But they are being deceived; they need to become foolish from the world’s perspective, so that they may become truly wise and full of wisdom found in the crucified Messiah.

The Cross and the Good News
2: 1-5

The cross and the Good News DIG: When the message of the cross is presented, why do some people stumble over it? What was Paul’s approach? What does Paul say about himself that reveals his own personality? What is the real proof of the power of the gospel?

REFLECT: What goes through your mind when you have an opportunity to talk to an unbeliever about your faith? Do you think that only the people with the gift of evangelism lead people to Messiah? Or is it everybody’s responsibility to look for opportunities?

Paul uses himself as an illustration of how God uses the weak to confound the strong.

We need to remember that Paul was laying the foundation for dealing with the divisions in the church at Corinth (to see link click Ak – Splits and Division in the Church at Corinth). In this section he wants to remind them that neither the Good News he preached nor the manner in which he preached it had in any way contributed to the splits and division within them. He had come to them as a proclaimer – not to argue, not to discuss, or not to persuade. Since the Good News is not a system of philosophy or logic, but a statement of ADONAI’s revelation in the Messiah, the proper approach for its messenger is that of a proclaimer. This is the approach of the evangelist and the missionary who announce the Good News.⁵³

Paul reminded the Corinthians of his approach (2:1-2): As for me, brothers, when I arrived among you, it was not with surpassing eloquence or wisdom that I came announcing to you a mystery (2:7), the previously concealed truth about God (2:1). Paul did not operate like the Sophists, those who were specially-trained Greek teachers who lectured and on the basis of well-formulated logic. In the ancient world, when a speaker would first come to a city, he would advertise a meeting where he would praise it. If he proved successful and attracted enough people, he would stay there. Paul points out that he did not come to them like such sophists, pandering to popularity. As he would later state: For we are not like a lot of folks who go about huckstering God’s message for a fee; on the contrary, we speak out of a sincere heart, as people sent by God (2 Cor 2:17a). His desire, however, was to declare Yeshua Messiah and see Him established in the lives of others.⁵⁴

In the ancient world, “mystery” referred to something secret, such as mysterious religious rites that allowed one to ascend beyond everyday life to become a temporary, but select, participant in otherworldly bliss. By contrast Paul uses mystery (2:7) to refer to God’s saving purposes in and through Yeshua Messiah (Matthew 13:11 and 17; Romans 16:25-26).⁵⁵

Paul had a much more important focus than coming to Corinth with slippery words of persuasion. He made a careful decision at the beginning of his time with the Corinthians that it would be the cross and the Good News, not just at the beginning, but throughout. For I had decided that while I was with you, I would forget everything except Yeshua the Messiah, and even Him only as someone who had been crucified on a cross as a criminal (2:1-2). He decided not to tailor the method of his presentation to satisfy the expectations of his hearers in Corinth. Paul did not come to the Corinthians as a know-it-all, or compose speeches fishing for admiration. On the contrary, he was content to be identified as a know-nothing who preached foolishness: Yeshua Messiah crucified. When he announced the Good News as his sole focus, the cross molded his entire message and his whole approach.⁵⁶

Paul reminded the Corinthians of his attitude (2:3-4): Paul was a fairly private person. We don’t get many glimpses into the inner workings of his heart and mind. Only once in a great while does he drop his guard and let us look inside his rather complex persona. But here, we have one such instance. Also, I myself came to you as somebody weak, nervous and shaking all over from fear (2:3).

If your sense of Paul was that of a fearless crusader, a sure-footed man of boldness, utterly confident, unmovable, unshakable, then you are in for a surprise. The fact is, he had his own set of insecurities. In that regard, he wasn’t much different than most of us. We are treated here to a very real, earthly, human Paul . . . a Paul not talked about much in sermons, quite frankly, a Paul that many of us have never known.

When Paul passed through the gate of their city, he didn’t march like a conqueror; rather, he quietly tip-toed in under the pain of death. When he confessed that he came to the Corinthians in weakness, fear and trembling, he was being amazingly honest. And he had good reason for doing so. Prior to his setting foot in the wicked wasteland called Corinth, Paul was beaten to within an inch of his life and imprisoned in Philippi (see the commentary on Acts Bz – Paul and Silas in Prison). He was run out of town in Berea (see the commentary on Acts Ca – Synagogue Responses Vary to Paul’s Visit). And they laughed him out of Athens (see the commentary on Acts Cb – An Unknown God in Athens). As was true throughout Paul’s ministry, whatever he accomplished – from leading people to faith in Messiah, to starting and establishing new churches, to mentoring people like Timothy and Titus, to writing much of the B’rit Chadashah – he did not do one his own human power, but the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh.⁵⁷

In the Corinthian correspondence, Paul often reminds the church that God works through weakness (1:24-25). And neither the delivery nor the content of my message relied on compelling words of “wisdom” but on a demonstration of the power of the Spirit (2:4). For many of the Corinthians, at least, Paul was not that impressive a person. And in this regard, his manner of communication has been compared in various degrees to Moshe (Exodus 4:10), Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5), and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:6). To a very high degree, Paul embodies Yeshua’s own direction: But when they bring you to trial, do not worry about what to say or how to say it; when the time comes, you will be given what you should say (Matthew 10:19). The major point emphasized by Paul is that it was the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, and not Paul’s words or abilities which were responsible for bringing the Corinthians to salvation.⁵⁸

Finally, Paul reminded the Corinthians of his aim (2:5): The contrast between the paganism of Corinth and the power of God could not have been more obvious. So that your trust might not rest on human “wisdom” but on God’s power (2:5). If human “wisdom” is used to win a person to Messiah then his faith stands on human “wisdom,” but if a man is brought to faith through the power of God, then his faith rests upon that.⁵⁹

Dear Wonderful Heavenly Father, We love and praise You for it is such a comfort to know that You are always with Your children (Hebrews 13:5) to give us Your wisdom (James 1:5) and to help, guide and to strengthen us. Praise You that You infuse us with Your Spirit. You took Paul who came to the Corinthians in weakness, fear and trembling and used him mightily to spread Your message of salvation. You know everything that is going to happen – even before it happens (Psalms 139:4). Would God not have discovered it? For He knows the secrets of the heart (Psalms 44:21).

The time is short to work to serve you and bring many to repent from old selfish ways and to turn to follow You with hearts full of love. Please use me mightily just as you used Paul. Just as Paul depended on You to give him wisdom on what to say and do, I need Your wisdom also. I praise You that you are never too busy to graciously help each of Your children. Soon life on earth will be over and we will all live in for eternity where our hearts have loved. I am so glad to know that Yeshua is in heaven preparing an eternal home (John 14:1-3) for His Bride – the Church. Though heaven will be a perfect eternal home full of joy, my heart longs for family and friends who do not yet know you as their Lord.

Though I cannot preach to as many as Paul did, yet by prayer, I too can touch hearts. Paul talked in person, yet when I pray for those in countries around the world, I too can serve You and touch hearts for You for all eternity. Thank You for Your listening to prayers to those in the countries on my heart; to bring them to repent and to bow the knee to You in love and so be able to rejoice with you in Your eternal home. Praise You that You hear prayers for those in other countries to be bold in sharing about Your love and to be protected from harm. You are wonderful! Amen

There is the story of a man who had been a troublemaker and a drunk, but who was won to Messiah and saved. The people that he knew made fun of him by saying, “Surely a sensible fellow like you cannot believe in the miracles that the Bible talks about. You cannot, for example, believe that this Jesus of yours turned water into wine.” “Whether He turned water into wine or not, I do not know,” said the man, “ but in my own house I have seen Him turn beer into furniture.” No one can argue against the proof of a changed life.⁶⁰

The Foolishness of Worldly Wisdom
1: 18-31

The foolishness of worldly wisdom DIG: What makes the message of the gospel foolish in the eyes of the world? Why did ADONAI ordain a gospel that the world would find foolish? How do Yeshua’s life and death reveal the wisdom and power of YHVH? In what ways is God’s wisdom different from worldly “wisdom?” What does Paul ask the Corinthian believers to remember in verse 26? Why do you think Paul feels the need to point this out to them? What does Paul mean in verse 27 when he says, “God chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the strong?” So, what do believers brag about?

REFLECT: Which aspects of the gospel – Yeshua’s life, death, and resurrection – do you think are difficult for the modern mind to understand and accept? Why? In what ways has the world tried to convince you that believing in ADONAI is foolish? How have you sought God’s guidance rather than relying on your intellect or the advice of others? Explain the circumstances and outcome. How can you better ignore the false messages around you and think more like YHVH? How can you determine if an idea is worldly “wisdom?” What are some benefits of living according to God’s wisdom instead of worldly “wisdom?”

God works best when I consider my weakness.

Some things don’t change. Today, as in Paul’s day, believing in Yeshua is a stumbling block for some people. Especially “educated” people, with degrees behind their names. They label the gospel message as too simple, too unbelievable, or too unrealistic.⁴¹

The superiority of God’s wisdom (1:18): When the worldly wise elevate their own “wisdom,” they automatically attempt to lower God’s wisdom, which to them looks like foolishness, because it conflicts with their own way of thinking. That one man (even the Son of God) could die on a piece of wood, on an ordinary hill, in an unremarkable part of the world and thereby determine the destiny of every person who has ever lived seems stupid to them. It allows no place for their ability, accomplishments, understanding or pride. For the message about the cross is foolishness (Greek: moria, where the English word moron comes from) to those in the process of being destroyed, but to us in the process of being saved it is the power of God (1:18). Everyone is either in the process of being saved (sanctified until we are glorified), or being destroyed. One’s view of the cross determines which.

The permanence of God’s wisdom: Indeed, God says: I will destroy the “wisdom” of the wise and frustrate the intelligence of the intelligent (1:19-20). Paul uses a quote from Isaiah 29:14 to emphasize that the “wisdom” of mankind will be destroyed (see the commentary on Isaiah, to see link click Fp – Woe to Those Who Go to Great Depths to Hide Their Plans from the LORD). Isaiah’s teaching will have its ultimate fulfillment in the last days, when all the world’s philosophies and objections to the gospel will be swept away (see the commentary on Revelation Ex – The Eight Stage Campaign of Armageddon), and all the world’s “wisdom” will become ashes.⁴²

Where does that leave the philosopher, the Torah-teacher, or any of today’s thinkers? Hasn’t God made this world’s “wisdom” look pretty foolish (First Corinthians 1:20; Isaiah 19:12, 33:18 and 44:25; Job 12:17)? One cannot help but read between the lines in Paul’s indictment of those who consider themselves to be worldly “wise.” He no doubt remembered the days, not so long ago, when he himself fell into that category. I mean, if ever a guy thought he had the corner on the market when it came to being “wise,” Paul was that guy (Philippians 3:4-6)! He was one of Judaism’s brightest scholars. Don’t get me wrong. To be a student of the Scriptures is a good thing. But to be a student of the Scriptures apart from the Messiah of the Scriptures is meaningless. Yeshua Himself said: You keep examining the TaNaKh because you think that in it you have eternal life. Those very Scriptures bear witness to me (John 5:39).⁴³ Peace, joy, hope, harmony, and every other desire of mankind is out of reach as long as any of today’s thinkers have their own way in trying to achieve them. Those who see the cross as foolishness are doomed by their own foolishness.

The power of God’s wisdom (1:21-25): For God’s wisdom ordained that the world, using its own “wisdom,” would not come to know Him. Therefore, God decided to use the foolishness of what we proclaim as his means of saving those who come to trust in it (1:21). ADONAI chose to use what the world’s “wisdom” counts as foolishness, to save those of the world who would simply trust in it. Trusting implies complete agreement to all the truth of the saving Good News. For those who will exchange their “wisdom” for His, the Lord offers a new birth and eternal life (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). This foolishness is the only hope of mankind.⁴⁴

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise Your great love and wisdom to give Your holy and perfect righteousness to those who love and follow You. He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). There is no way in any religion for a sinner to be made righteous and so be able to enter heaven. You are so holy that You cannot allow someone to enter your perfect heaven who had even one tiny sinful thought. No one is perfect, so getting to heaven by works is a foolish thought.

What a joy that You not only give us Your righteousness, but You adopt us as Your children! But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God (Jn 1:12). We run to You as a young child would, and climb up on Your lap, giving you a big hug of thanks for Your overwhelming kindness, for the wonderful relationship and for saving us from sin’s penalty (Rom 10:9-10). You are Awesome and what a wise thing it is to trust and to follow You in every detail of our lives! In Yeshua’s name and the power of His resurrection. Amen

Precisely because Jews ask for signs of God’s power as proof of His Messiahship (1:22a). But Yeshua, during His time on earth, repeatedly refused to give a sign on demand, except for predicting His resurrection (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Fv – The Pharisees and Sadducees Ask for a Sign), so disbelieving Jews asserted that no sign of Yeshua’s Messiahship had been given. Even today, Orthodox Jews demand a sign, saying, “Until the Messiah does the works of the Messiah, we cannot call him the Messiah.” However, some of His miracles were regarded in Judaism specifically as Messianic signs (see the commentary on Isaiah Gl – The Three Messianic Miracles). Others seek a sign not from Yeshua directly, but from those who claim to act in His name. Yet, a miracle, in and of itself, is not proof Yeshua is the Messiah, for there are demonic miracles (Matthew 24:24; Second Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 13:3-4). Nor are miracles necessary for trust (John 20:28). Therefore, no one has to wait for a sign before trusting Yeshua Messiah.

And Greeks try to find “wisdom” (1:22b). Paul frequently used the word Greeks as a synonym for “Gentiles.” But here, he is probably speaking of a trait characteristic of the ancient Greeks, their desire to increase control over their surroundings through acquiring knowledge. Though useful if properly applied (like scientific advances), the presumption that God can be contacted, sin forgiven, or ultimate meaning attained through “wisdom” is itself an act of faith and a misplaced one that is known as Gnosticism. It is targeted in the B’rit Chadashah as an enemy of the Good News, especially in the letter to the church at Colosse.

Today there is a revival of Gnosticism under various names. Also, there are many Jews and Gentiles who believe that worldly “wisdom” is the key to everything; to deal with their intellectual objection to the Good News requires endless rounds of philosophical demonstration. But no amount of worldly “wisdom” is enough to bring them to faith in ADONAI and His Messiah. On the contrary , the intellectual objections will melt away once the intellect itself has been brought to obey God’s truth. For YHVH, who created the intellect, has not set it in opposition to trust. For the person who is righteous will live his life by trust (Rom 1:17).⁴⁵

Those who put their trust in modern signs and miracles are not saved by that faith, no matter how earnestly they call on the name of the Lord. The object of genuine faith is the Lord Yeshua Messiah, not anyone’s signs or miracles (Galatians 2:16). Paul made it his goal to proclaim a Messiah executed (Greek: estavromenon, meaning crucified) on a stake as a criminal! To Jews this is an obstacle (Greek: skandalon, from which we get the English word scandal), or a stumbling stone (1:23a), because all Jewish hopes in the Messiah centered on His restoring self-rule to Isra’el (Acts 1:6-7) and ushering in the Messianic Kingdom (see the commentary on Isaiah Ap – They Will Beat Their Swords into Plowshares). Given such expectations, a Messiah executed by Roman oppressors, seems to be an insurmountable obstacle. But a careful reading of the TaNaKh shows that the obstacle is removed by understanding that the prophets predicted an inglorious First Coming of Messiah to die for the sins of the world (Isaiah 52:11 to 53:10; Zechariah 9:9 and 12:10) before being resurrected (Isaiah 53:10 and Psalm 16:10), returning to the Father in Heaven (Psalm 110:1) and coming again in glory to fulfill these hopes (see the commentary on Isaiah Kg – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ to Bozrah).

And at the same time, to Greeks it is nonsense (1:23b). The entire concept of a Messiah who acts in history even to bring peace, let alone be an atonement for sin, is foolishness to those whose gnostic “wisdom” leads them to a more abstract, pseudo-spiritual concept of God, or show skepticism makes them deny God altogether. Many of today’s Jews and Gentiles are in this regard, “Greeks” in their thinking.⁴⁶ Yeshua said that those who reject Scripture will not believe, even if they witness a resurrection: If they won’t listen to Moshe and the Prophets, they won’t be convinced even if someone rises from the dead (Lk 16:31)!⁴⁷

But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, this same Messiah is God’s power and God’s wisdom! For God’s “nonsense” is wiser than humanity’s “wisdom,” and God’s “weakness” is stronger than humanity’s “strength” (1:24-25). Paul now brings closure to his argument by stating that ADONAI is both wiser and more powerful than mere human beings. In the cross God “outsmarted” His human beings and thereby nullified their “wisdom.” One can scarcely conceive of a more important – and more difficult – message for people today who simply cannot stand for God doing things His own way without help. Such “weakness” is a disgrace to those who think of themselves as righteous and not needing forgiveness; but to those who recognize themselves as in need of mercy, this is the Good News that sets us free to follow our Savior. Thus, this weakness is also the ultimate power, and therefore the true wisdom of God.⁴⁸

The paradox of God’s wisdom (1:26-28): Just look at yourselves, brothers — look at those whom God has called! Not many of you are wise by the world’s standards, not many wield power or boast noble birth (1:26). Those who consider themselves wise, powerful or rich often despise the Good News because of Yeshua’s humble origins; but the teachings of Messiah lend no support to such conceit or arrogance. The Kingdom of God is for the poor (Luke 6:20) and the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3), who are willing to set aside vested economic and academic interests in order to come as little children (Luke 14:26-33). Simple people often have less faulty-education to overcome and less attachment to the status quo that might be a hindrance to their coming to faith.

Uniquely, Jews have a Scriptural reason not to hold the powerless in contempt. Moses told the Israelites: ADONAI didn’t set his heart on you or choose you because you numbered more than any other people – on the contrary, you were the fewest of all peoples. Rather, it was because Adonai loved you, and because he wanted to keep the oath which he had sworn to your ancestors, that Adonai brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you (Deuteronomy 7:7-8).

Nevertheless, one finds some non-Messianic Jews looking down on Messianic Judaism as attracting only Jews who are ignorant, emotionally unstable or poor, and only ‘am-ha’aretz (Acts 4:13), meaning rabble or hicks are fooled by it. But the truth of the matter is that some Messianic Jews are wealthy, socially prominent, well-adjusted, well-educated, and a number of rabbis have come to faith.⁴⁹ But the non-Messianic Jews aren’t the only ones who look down on Messianic Judaism. The Gentile Church, by-and-large, also ignores Messianic congregations (see the commentary on Romans Cy – The Jealousy of the Gentile Believers).

But God chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise; God chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the strong; and God chose what the world looks down on as common or regarded as nothing in order to bring to nothing what the world considers important (1:27-28). God is not looking for geniuses to save and do His work. Nor is He looking for millionaires, famous athletes, entertainers or politicians. His salvation is open to them just as surely as it is to others, but only on the basis of faith. The very things that put them ahead in the world may actually put them behind with God. It is the feeling of inadequacy that makes people aware that they have a need, and that need often draws them to Yeshua.⁵⁰

The purpose of God’s wisdom (1:29-31): The first and primary purpose of the wisdom of God that produces salvation is that He be glorified. No one will ever have a reason to boast before God because He has done everything for us: For you have been delivered by grace through trusting, and even this is not your accomplishment but God’s gift. You were not delivered by your own actions; therefore no one should boast (Ephesians 2:9). But ADONAI also has a purpose for those who are saved. God’s purpose for His children has many aspects, four of which are mentioned here. It is his doing that you are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He has become wisdom for us from God, and righteousness and holiness and redemption as well (1:29-30)!

First, believers are given God’s wisdom: We are not only saved by God’s wisdom rather than our own, but are given God’s wisdom to replace our own. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach; and it will be given to him (James 1:5). Believers can say, without pride of self-boasting, that they have become wise in Yeshua Messiah. We stand as a testimony for all time, that God, in His wisdom, chose the sinful, the weak, and the unwise in order to make them righteous, strong, and wise. ADONAI gives us His wisdom so that He might be glorified. That it might be clearly seen that our wisdom is not our own, but is by His power and grace.

Second, believers receive God’s righteousness: We are justified in His sight (see the commentary Romans Ba – The Picture of Justification) and participate in His righteousness. When we trust in His Son, all the righteousness of Messiah is transferred to our spiritual bank account (Phil 3:9). God made Yeshua who had no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21). When God looks down at us, He doesn’t see our sin, He sees His Son’s righteousness. Man can never generate his own righteousness. The only righteousness we have is that which God gives through His Son. It is the only righteousness we need because it is perfect righteousness.

Third, believers receive God’s sanctification: In Messiah we are sanctified, or set apart, and made holy. It is as if we have one foot in this world and one foot in heaven. With the flesh still present, we can slip into sin, but only intermittently. As we spiritually mature the frequency of sin decreases without ever reaching perfection. But our positional righteousness gradually becomes more and more of a reality. As we are given life in the Spirit, we begin to walk in the Spirit (Romans 8:4-11). We begin to bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) as we are being transformed into the image of Messiah (Second Corinthians 3:18). For we are of God’s making, created in union with Messiah Yeshua for a life of good actions already prepared by God for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

Fourth, believers receive God’s redemption: To redeem means to buy back. God the Father through God the Son, with the ministry of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh purchased us from the power of sin. Messiah guarantees our inheritance until we come into possession of it and thus bring Him praise commensurate with His glory (Ephesians 1:14). Peter reminds us that we were not redeemed with perishable things like silver and gold . . . but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ (First Peter 1:18-19).⁵¹

Although we have received Messiah’s wisdom, righteousness, holiness and redemption, we have no grounds for pride or boasting, because we did not deserve, earn, or produce any of them. The “wisdom” of the world cannot produce any of these. It can only produce pride, misunderstanding, strife, and division. As Jeremiah had written hundreds of years earlier (see the commentary on Jeremiah Bt – Let Not the Wise Boast of Their Wisdom) before Paul quoted him, “Let anyone who wants to boast, boast about ADONAI” (1:31). “May it never be,” he wrote the Galatians, “that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14 NASB).

God’s power in your weakness: As Rick Warren relates in his book, The Purpose Driven Life, God loves to use weak people. Everyone has weaknesses. In fact, you have a bundle of flaws and imperfections: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. You may also have uncontrollable circumstances that weaken you, such as financial or relational limitations. The more important issue is what you do with these. Usually we deny our weaknesses, defend them, excuse them, hide them, and resent them. This prevents the Lord from using them in the way He desires.

ADONAI has a different perspective on your weaknesses. He says: My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways (Isaiah 55:8). So often He acts in ways that are the exact opposite of what we expect. We think that God only wants to use our strengths, but He also wants to use our weaknesses for His glory. Above, Paul says that God chose . . . what the world considers weak in order to shame the strong (1:27). Your weaknesses are not an accident. YHVH deliberately allowed them in your life for the purpose of demonstrating His power through you.

God has never been impressed with the strength of self-sufficiency. In fact, He is drawn to people who are weak and admit it. Yeshua regarded this recognition of our need as being poor in spirit. It’s the number one attitude He blesses (Matthew 5:3). The Bible is filled with examples of how ADONAI loves to use imperfect, ordinary people to do extraordinary things in spite of their weaknesses. If God only used perfect people, nothing would ever get done, because none of us are perfect. That the Lord uses imperfect people is encouraging news for all of us.

A weakness, or thorn, as Paul called it (2 Cor 12:7), is not a sin or a vice or a character defect that you can change, such as overeating or impatience. A weakness is any limitation that you inherited or have no power to change. It may be a physical limitation, like a handicap, a chronic illness like asthma, naturally low energy, or a disability. It may be an emotional limitation, such as a trauma scar, a hurtful memory, a personality quirk, or a hereditary disposition. Or it may be a talent or intellectual limitation. We’re not all super bright or talented.

When you think of a limitation in your life, you may be tempted to conclude, “God could never use me.” But ADONAI is never limited by our limitations. In fact, He enjoys putting His great power into ordinary containers. Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) was born blind, but she wrote more than 9,000 hymns, some of which are the most popular in the congregations of God today. The Bible says: We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us (Second Corinthians 4:7 CEV). Like common pottery, we are fragile and flawed and break easily. But the Lord will use it if we allow Him to work through our weaknesses.⁵²