Глава 3

The reason why Ap. did not proclaim the gospel in Corinth as wisdom (1-4). The position of preachers in relation to Christian society (5–20). The position of Christian society in relation to preachers (21–23) 1 Corinthians 3:1–4. The Corinthians, after their conversion to Christ, remained for a long time in the position of infants, and therefore the Apostle offered them food appropriate for their (spiritual) age. He also proves the correctness of this view of the Corinthians, mentioning their quarrels over teachers of the faith. 1Cor.3:1. And I could not speak to you, brethren, as spiritual, but as carnal, as babes in Christ. 1Cor.3:2. I fed you with milk, and not with solid food, for you were not yet able, and even now you are not able, The Apostle, as a spiritual man, understood well that the Corinthian Christians were not capable of perceiving the highest wisdom of the Gospel. They were “carnal” (σαρκικοί – according to the Textus Receptus or, better σάρκινοι – “fleshly”, according to the Alexandrian and our Slavic texts). This epithet is less harsh than the epithet “spiritual” (ψυχικός). A spiritual person is a person in his natural state, and the Corinthians were people reborn by holy baptism, and already had the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 1: 5, 7). A carnal or carnal man is simply a designation of a certain, necessary stage of development of a Christian, which is immediately designated as “infancy in Christ.” There is actually nothing bad in this state - a person, over time, will move from this stage to another, higher Ap., here. denounces the Corinthians, but only states the fact that their Christian development was somewhat suspended at its first stage. The Corinthians, even if they are carnal, are not yet “slaves of the flesh”: they are only too sensitive to pleasant and unpleasant impressions. Thus, some of them become too quickly delighted by the fact that they listen to him speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 14:20) - these, according to the apostle, are people who are like babies, often still living a carnal life. In the same way, Ap rightly puts this category here. those who are captivated by the external techniques of the preacher-teacher of the faith and, out of attachment to him, humiliate other preachers. - “Milk”. Here, of course, is a simple sermon about the crucified Christ and the consequences of His death for humanity. Every person who converted to Christianity needed to know this. - “Solid food”, - that is, the highest Gospel wisdom, which gives understanding of the plans of Divine economy. - “And now I can’t.” This seems to be contradicted by the fact that Ap. in the fifteenth chapter. of our epistle speaks to the Corinthians on issues of Christian eschatology in a way that he could only speak to people experienced in Christian knowledge. But, strictly speaking, there is nothing in the fifteenth chapter that would not be understandable to ordinary Christians. Moreover, there it was already necessary for the apostle to go into more detailed explanations, in view of the denial of the possibility of a general resurrection. Finally, the statement of Ap. Paul's statement about the carnal state of the Corinthians cannot be understood as referring to all Corinthian Christians without exception... 1 Corinthians 3:3. because you are still carnal. For if there is envy, strife, and disagreement among you, are you not carnal? and are you not acting according to human custom? 1 Cor.3:4. For when one says: “I am Paul’s,” and another: “I am Apollos’s,” are you not carnal? The behavior of the Corinthians is designated here by Ap. as the behavior of “carnal” people (in most codes the word σαρκικοί is used here). This is no longer only a state of weakness that continues despite the rebirth received, but direct resistance to new life. - “Isn’t it according to human custom...”. Ap. here refers to the custom of the Greeks to divide into parties that bore the names of different philosophers (Socratics, Platonists, Pythagoreans) - “I am Pavlov... I am Apollosov.” Ap. already here he puts Apollos next to him, showing by this that Apollos was very close to him. It is clear from this that the apostle’s previous polemic against worldly wisdom did not have Apollos and his party in mind. Depicting the absurdity of dividing the Corinthians into parties, Ap. says that the preachers of the Gospel, over whom the Corinthians argued, are only servants of God in God's field or in the Divine building. Everything, the entire success of the business, depends not on them, but on God. In particular, the Apostle Paul laid the main stone in the construction of the Corinthian Church; other preachers must continue his work, but continue with great caution, fearing that inappropriate material is not introduced into the building. They must remember that they are building the church of “God” and therefore should not bring into it “human” wisdom, which in the face of God is madness. 1 Corinthians 3:5. Who is Pavel? who is Apollos? They are only ministers through whom you believed, and this as the Lord gave to each. "Who is Paul?" Instead of this reading of the Textus Receptus, other codices read: “what is Paul?”, i.e., what is he according to his calling? - “They are only ministers,” that is, not heads of schools, not founders of religious societies acting in their own name, but simply workers in the service of another. - “Through which.” This expression indicates in Paul and Apollos only instruments. - “Because the Lord has given to everyone.” Their personal gifts owe their origin to the will of the Master or Master, that is, Christ, who is often called that way in the New Testament. 1 Corinthians 3:6. I planted, Apollos watered, but God increased; 1 Corinthians 3:7. Therefore, the one who plants and the one who waters is nothing, but God who increases everything. “I planted”, that is, I founded the Church in Corinth. - “Apollos watered,” that is, he contributed to the expansion and establishment of the Church. Ap. speaks of such a service meaning in relation only to himself and Apollos, without adding Ap here. Peter, because the Judaizers could otherwise say that he was deliberately humiliating Ap. Peter, whose authority they often contrasted with the authority of St. Pavel. – “There is nothing” is more correct: there is not something (special). 1 Corinthians 3:8. He who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his reward according to his labor. In contrast to the desire of the Corinthians to establish some kind of contrast between the activities of Paul and the activities of Apollos Ap. indicates here the unity of his goals with the goal that Apollos had in mind. Both cultivate the same field of God, “but each will receive a reward according to his labor,” that is, to the extent that he was faithful in fulfilling his duties, which the Lord entrusted to him. The Corinthians compare one preacher with another, and so on. can only make a comparative assessment of their activities, and God will reward each in accordance with the extent to which each used the abilities given to him by God. 1 Corinthians 3:9. For we are fellow workers with God, and you are God’s field, God’s building. Ap mentions here three times. name of God. By this he wants to show that God alone can be the judge of the workers. – “Co-workers with God” – more correctly: co-workers with God, that is, we work with God in one thing (cf. v. 6). – The “field” appears to the apostle as still being cultivated, and the “building” as still ongoing. 1 Corinthians 3:10. I, according to the grace given to me by God, like a wise builder, laid the foundation, and another builds on it; but everyone watch how they build. The Apostle compared the Church to a building. Now he compares himself to a builder and claims that he did his job properly. - “Like a wise builder.” Your wisdom Ap. showed by preaching in Corinth only what the Corinthians needed to know in order to believe in Christ. He did not want to prematurely reveal to them the depths of Christian speculation (cf. 1 Cor. 2:1-5). - “Another... everyone.” Ap. Here he means various teachers of the faith and ordinary Christians who did not have the special gifts of the Holy Spirit, with which they served the cause of the Christian development of their brothers (cf. Rom. 12:6 et seq.). 1 Corinthians 3:11. For no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. The Apostle’s work, in fact, was simple: he had before him a foundation already laid by God Himself, namely, the work accomplished by Christ. He only needed to transfer this Divine work into the hearts of his listeners, as the basis for their Christian development, and he did it. Those who continue his work will face a more difficult task. 1 Corinthians 3:12. Does anyone build on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw? 1 Corinthians 3:13. everyone's case will be revealed; for the day will show it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will try everyone’s work, what kind it is. The houses of rich people in the east were built from precious materials (gold, silver, precious stones). The houses of the poor were made of wood, earth with reeds and straw, which was used for covering the roof. God, the ruler of the Church, which should become His dwelling, is represented here under the image of a Master who has entered into an agreement with a certain number of builders, who must each rebuild the part of the building entrusted to him. It is clear that they must use the best and most durable materials for construction. What is AP? What do you mean by “gold, silver”, etc.? It is most natural here to see an indication of the religious and moral fruits that the preaching of one or another preacher in the Church brings. These fruits can be good or bad. The first are the result of a sermon, the ideas of which are implemented by their author in his own life, the second appear where the preacher speaks brilliantly, but is not deeply convinced of the truth of what he says. The latter may attract many listeners, but all this movement will be external and superficial. The flock of such a preacher or shepherd will have faith, but devoid of active power, love - without the readiness for self-sacrifice, hope - without the joy that illuminates life. Unfortunately, as can be seen from Chapters XII-XIV. 1 Cor., the successors of the work of Paul and Apollos in the Corinthian Church for the most part acted in the latter direction. “Everyone’s business will be revealed.” Before accepting the building, the Master will want to test it, and this test of its strength will be accomplished through the use of fire. - “The day will tell.” This is the day of the 2nd coming of Christ to earth to judge the world (cf. 1 Cor. 1:8, 4:3). - “It opens in fire.” Since the building being tested is only an “image” of the Church, then “fire”, obviously, must be understood in a figurative sense, figuratively. Ap. He wants to say by this that the Lord’s judgment will be completely fair in relation to every human act and the activity of a bad shepherd will be severely condemned. It is not in vain that John the Theologian in the Apocalypse says that the Son of God – the Judge of the Churches – has “eyes like a flame of fire” (Rev. 2:18). Before the fiery gaze of such a judge, nothing will be hidden in the activities of this or that shepherd. - “Opens”. This expression must be understood as impersonal, i.e., through fire, things are revealed as they really are. 1 Corinthians 3:14. Whoever's work that he built survives will receive a reward. 1 Corinthians 3:15. And whoever’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; however, he himself will be saved, but as if from fire. Here is Ap. depicts the twofold result of this trial by fire. - “Reward”. This cannot be salvation, because the faithful worker already possessed this blessing during his work. It is better to understand here a special reward - a special, high position in the future kingdom of Christ (cf. Luke 19:17). - “The case will burn.” By this deed, which is destined to burn, we must understand Christianity without humility, self-denial, without personal communication with Christ. It is solely based on the temporary stimulation of feelings by the speech of the shepherd and does not renew either the mind or the will of the listeners. - “Damage”. The work of such a shepherd, who cares only about external success, will be considered useless, and he himself will be bypassed by the reward that shepherds of the opposite direction will receive. - “However, he himself will be saved.” According to the interpretation of I. Chrysostom and other ancient church interpreters, instead of “will be saved,” you need to read: “will be preserved” or “will remain” (namely, in hell, in order to constantly experience torment). But the pronoun “himself” gives a clear hint that this sentence contains an idea opposite to that expressed in the previous sentence. If there we were talking about “damage”, or about punishment, then here, obviously, the opposite is said. Then the verb “to save” (σώζειν) is always used in the sense: to favor, to help. Finally, the expression “by fire” (διά πυρός) is not the same as the expression “in fire” (εν πυρί). Therefore, it is best to understand this expression: “however, myself...”. A pastor or preacher who builds the building of the Church on the same foundation for all Churches - Christ, but uses unsuitable materials for this construction, will not be condemned by Christ at the final judgment, but for this he will have to see for himself how unfit are the means that “he” used to build the Church. He will see that his spiritual children are not able to withstand the final test at the Judgment of Christ, and his conscience will tell him that it is he who is the culprit of their death. Fire, so to speak, will then pass through his bones... With what eyes will he look at the impartial Judge? According to Catholic interpretations, there is an indication of the so-called purgatory fire, in which the souls of the dead are cleansed of sins that were not cleansed during earthly life. But such an interpretation is contradicted by the following circumstances: 1) fire, like structure, are only images; 2) here we are talking only about preachers or shepherds, and not about all Christians; 3) testing by fire is not yet purification; 4) this fire will be lit only at the 2nd coming of Christ, and the purgatory fire, according to the belief of Catholics, is still burning; 5) the salvation of the worker is accomplished not through fire, but, as correctly translated in Russian, “from” the fire. 1 Corinthians 3:16. Do you not know that you are the church of God, and the Spirit of God lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:17. If anyone destroys the church of God, God will punish him: for the church of God is holy; and this church is you. The one who spoils an already built building, which is nothing other than the church or dwelling of God Himself, incurs even more responsibility. - “And the spirit of God dwells in you.” These words of Ap. added in order to explain how believers - each individually and collectively, as the Church - became the dwelling place of God. This happened, according to the promise of Christ the Savior, because the Spirit of God dwelt in them (cf. John 14:23, 26). – “God will punish” – more precisely: to destroy (φθερεῖ), as a person “ruins” (φθείρει) the church of God. - “Holy”, i.e. dedicated and belongs to God. -Whom does the apostle condemn so harshly here? In Corinth, the majority of Christians were, in the words of the apostle, “carnal” people, infants in Christ (1 Cor. 3:1–4). To such people Ap. could not handle such a severe sentence. But there were a number of people there whom Ap. calls them “natural” (1 Cor. 2:14). These were the so-called people of Christ, who were carried away by the wisdom of this age and brought it into the life of the Christian community. With this wisdom they poisoned the religious and moral life of the Corinthian Christians and spoiled the work of building the Church in Corinth, so well begun by Paul and strengthened by Apollos. - Why Ap. does not appeal directly to those responsible for the discord, but to the entire Christian Church? Therefore, it is likely that among the Corinthian Church there was already a sacred indignation against the party of Christ (cf. Phil. 3:2 “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers.” Here Apostle does not consider it necessary to use such strong phrases, because false teachers had less success than in Philippi). 1 Corinthians 3:18. No one should deceive himself. If any of you thinks to be wise in this age, let him be foolish in order to be wise. 1 Corinthians 3:19. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God, as it is written: It catches the wise in their wickedness. 1 Corinthians 3:20. And one more thing: The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. The source of the evil just mentioned is as follows. Some people, more correctly preachers, speak among the Corinthians with the wisdom of this age, vainly boasting of their ability to reason like philosophers. Hence, of course, they force their listeners to retreat from the path on which they were placed by Ap. Paul and Apollos. Ap. admonishes readers not to get carried away by this secular wisdom, even to abandon it, to become insane in the opinion of worldly philosophers, in order to become real sages in the Christian sense. It is necessary to do this, because Holy Scripture already calls for this. In the book of Job (Job 5:13), the wise are already seen as being caught in their own snares. Next, here we are talking about the insignificance of the results of purely human wisdom. Further (Ps. 93:11) it is said that purely human wisdom is insignificant by its very essence. Of course, Ap. What is meant here is the case when human wisdom takes upon itself the courage to find means for the redemption of mankind and give man salvation. The feasible works of human wisdom Ap. approves (Phil. 4:8). 1 Corinthians 3:21–23. Having shown what the attitude of preachers should be towards Christian society, Ap. now talks about how Christians should treat their shepherds. Believers should not consider themselves to belong to the teachers of the faith - on the contrary, the teachers of the faith belong to the believers, and the believers belong to Christ and God. 1 Corinthians 3:21. So let no one boast about men, for all is yours: “Do not boast about men” - see 1 Cor. 1:12. - “All yours.” The Stoics said that they own everything (omnia sapientis sunt). With even greater right, Christians can repeat these words about themselves, because they belong to God, and God gives everything for his use, everything is directed towards their salvation. 1 Corinthians 3:22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or the present, or the future, all is yours; The Corinthians somehow belittled their own dignity, considering themselves as if they were servants of their teachers. Ap. wants to restore their self-respect and for this he only changes the slogan they have chosen for themselves. They said: “I am Pavlov, I am Apollosov, I am Cephas!”, and the apostle advises them to say the opposite: “our Paul, our Apollos, our Cephas!” In fact, each preacher serves the Christian society in his own way, with his special gifts, just as everything in the world serves the good of the Christian society: “the world” or all creation, animate and inanimate, which is subordinate to Christ, and in Christ the Church (Eph. 1:22), “life” and “death”, i.e. all the phenomena of life - health, creativity, etc., and all the phenomena of death - illness, suffering, destruction of the body, “present” and “future” - in a word, everything in the world, according to the will of God, serves for the good of believers in Christ. This should be even more true for preachers! - Why Ap. didn’t mention Christ’s here? Of course, if “Christ’s” were preachers of the true Christ Jesus, then Apostle. I would have every reason to change their slogan to another: “Christ is yours!” but, as shown above (see 1 Cor. 1:12), “those of Christ” saw in Christ something completely different from other believers... 1 Corinthians 3:23. But you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. “You are Christ’s.” Here you can see a hint of the absurdity of the existence of a special party of “Christ’s”. All believers belong to Christ, and not just those who were proud of their own wisdom: this is the right of the entire Christian community. - “Christ is God’s.” To take away all support for human self-praise, Ap. says that He, of whom all humanity could rightly be proud, belongs, so to speak, not to himself, but to God, and therefore, all glory and praise belong to God (1 Cor. 1:31). The most ancient church interpreters attribute this saying to the eternal birth of the Son from the Father; the newest ones - to the state of Christ after the incarnation. It seems more correct to combine both interpretations and say that Christ generally glorified and glorifies the Father (Phil. 2:11). You might be interested in: