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1 Corinthians 4:1. So everyone should understand us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. We teachers are nothing but servants; Why then, having left the Lord, are you called on behalf of us - servants? Having called the apostles and teachers stewards of the mysteries, he showed that teaching should not be taught to everyone indiscriminately, but to those, then and so, to whom, when and how it should be taught. Secrets as secrets should not be revealed to everyone; This is not characteristic of a prudent housebuilder. 1 Cor.4:2. What is required of the stewards is that everyone should be faithful. That is, it is required that the steward should not appropriate for himself what belongs to the master, should not dispose of anything like the master, but dispose of everything as someone else’s, the master’s property; He did not call what belonged to the master his own, but on the contrary, he considered his own to belong to the master. 1 Cor.4:3. It means very little to me how you judge me or how other people judge me. The Corinthians suffered from the following disease. Those who were divided among themselves because of teachers, like judges, ridiculed and rejected pious men for their lack of learning; on the contrary, vicious people were accepted for their eloquence, recklessly pronouncing the following sentences: so-and-so is better than so-and-so, this one is lower than him, that one is superior to this one, and this one is better than that one. So, when Paul said that it was required of the stewards “that everyone should prove faithful,” and this, it would seem, gave them a reason to judge the life of each of them, from which even greater disorder would arise, then, to prevent this evil, he kept the Corinthians from judgment and said: “it means very little to me.” As if he were saying this: I consider it a dishonor for myself to be subject to your judgment. Then, in order not to offend them and not to show contempt for them, he added: “or as other people judge.” No one, however, accuses Paul of recklessness; for he does not say this about himself personally (no one judged him), but so that others are not judged, he takes on their face and thereby does what is necessary. 1 Cor.4:4. I don’t judge myself either. For although I do not know anything about myself, I am not justified by this; The Lord is my judge. Don’t think, he says, that I reject your judgment out of contempt for you or for everyone else. I consider myself incapable of such precise research. I don’t know any sin behind me, because I can’t judge correctly and accurately; “but I am not justified by this,” that is, I am not clean from sin; Maybe I have sinned in some way, but I don’t know about it. The Lord alone can judge accurately and accurately. Conclude from this how accurate and thorough the future judgment is. 1 Cor.4:5. Therefore do not judge in any way before the time, until the Lord comes. Do you see that Paul, in forbidding the Corinthians to judge others, does not stand up for himself? He always transfers onto his face what concerns others, and in his face he teaches what he intends to teach. 1 Cor.4:5. Which will illuminate what is hidden in the darkness and reveal the intentions of the heart. Now, he says, evil deeds are hidden (they are meant by the expression “hidden in darkness”), and a wicked and depraved person often seems virtuous. But then God will reveal everything, revealing the very intentions of the heart. Someone, for example, extols someone here with praise - a good deed, but his intention may be bad - perhaps he does not praise with a good purpose. The other, on the contrary, denounces someone here, but not in order to correct, but in order to reveal the weaknesses of his neighbor. But all such intentions of the heart will then be revealed. 1 Cor.4:5. And then everyone will receive praise from God. One should say: either punishment or praise; but the apostle turned his speech to the better side. 1 Cor.4:6. This, brothers, I applied to myself and Apollos for your sake, so that you would learn from us not to philosophize beyond what is written. “This”, that is, what was said above about strife, and what follows is about judging others. I, he says, have applied to myself and Apollos so that you will learn from us not to think more than what is written. And Scripture teaches us not to be arrogant when it says: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all” (Mark 9:35); also: “whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12); There are quite a lot of other similar instructions in it. And about the fact that we should not judge others, it is said this way: “Do not judge, lest you be judged” (Matthew 7:1). 1 Cor.4:6. And they did not exalt themselves one before the other. He speaks to the people, diversifying his teaching and directing his speech sometimes at students, and sometimes at teachers and leaders, as he does now. For the Corinthians were proud of their teachers one before another, namely: the student of one teacher was proud of the student of another, because he preferred his teacher to another. And he well called this behavior arrogance (φυσίωσιν - tumor), as if a nodule and a tumor, taking the comparison from a body inflated with spoiled juices or air. 1 Corinthians 4:7. For who makes you different? What do you have that you wouldn't get? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you didn’t receive it? Again he directs his speech at the teachers and says: who distinguished you and recognized you as worthy of praise? Human? But human judgment is deceptive. Even if you have something worthy of praise, it does not belong to you; but to the one who gave, and you received it, and did not do it yourself. If you have received it, then why do you exalt yourself as if you did not receive it, but acquired it through your own labors? He who has received should not be proud of what he has received; because it is alien. 1 Cor.4:8. You are already fed up, you are already enriched. Words inspired by indignation. So soon, he says, you have acquired everything! you have no need for anything! already satiated; in a short time they achieved perfection and received all the wealth of knowledge and talents! Perfection will be achieved in the next century, and you, it would seem, already have it. Indeed, your vanity shows; as if you have ascended to the very pinnacle of perfection. These words express that they are very imperfect when they behave in this way. 1 Cor.4:8. You began to reign without us. And this speaks in the same mood, showing their lack of conscience as if this: having been awarded such gifts, you do not want us, who worked for your good, to be allowed to communicate in them. 1 Cor.4:8. Oh, if you really reigned, so that you and I could reign! Oh, if, he says, you reigned, that is, achieved perfection! Then, so that the speech does not seem mocking, he adds: “so that we too may reign with you,” that is, receive the same benefits. For your glory is mine, because every teacher desires the perfection of his disciples. 1 Cor.4:9. For I think that God destined us, the last messengers, to be, as it were, sentenced to death. Words characteristic of a grieving person, or, better, someone who wants to bring others to shame. As I see, he says, from your actions, God intended only us, the apostles, to be the last of all and “sentenced to death,” that is, condemned, ready to die. In fact, from the fact that you have already reigned, I can conclude that we are destined to be the last and, as it were, condemned, we - the apostles, that is, those who endured so much suffering for Christ. 1 Cor.4:9. Because we have become a disgrace to the world, to Angels and men. We are subjected to suffering not in a corner somewhere, but throughout the whole earth. And not only do people look at us, for our actions are not unimportant, but also angels, because our deeds are so great that they are worth even angelic contemplation; for we are not only fighting with people, but also with the forces of evil angels. 1 Cor.4:10. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. And this again speaks in order to shame them: While the apostles were beaten and despised for Christ's sake, the Corinthians were respected and revered as wise and boasted that all this was in Christ. Therefore he says: how is it possible for such opposites to be combined in people with the same way of thinking? No. It is necessary to admit that either our way of thinking is not in Christ, or yours; but to think not in Christ is unworthy of the apostles of Christ: therefore, you are mistaken. 1 Cor.4:10. We are weak, but you are strong; you are in glory, and we are in dishonor. Those. we are persecuted, persecuted, and you enjoy security (temptations are called weakness everywhere). Again, you are glorious and noble, and we are in disgrace. All this speaks of strong indignation. The meaning is this: how is it possible that we suffer and you enjoy security and lead a happy life? So, it is obvious that you are not in good condition; on the contrary, your current behavior is dishonorable and unworthy of the apostles, therefore, you should not be proud of it. 1 Corinthians 4:11. Even to this day we endure hunger and thirst and nakedness. What, he says, should I remember the past? Look at what is now - how you are drowning in pleasure, and we are completely opposite. That is, they beat us. This speaks against the arrogant. That is, they are persecuting us; we are running. This is against the rich. 1 Cor.4:12. And we work, working with our own hands. This brings shame to those who dare to preach for profit and gain. 1 Cor.4:12–13. They slander us, we bless; they persecute us, we endure; They blaspheme us, we pray. And, what, he says, is most important, we do not consider ourselves unhappy in such disasters. How can this be seen? From the fact that we repay those who embitter us with those who are contrary. For those who slander us we bless, and those who inflict more severe insults on us (this means “blasphemy”, that is, the most severe insult) we “pray” (παρακαλοΰμεν), that is, for blasphemy we repay them with meek and gentle words (this means “praying”, that is, meek speech). For this kind of behavior, Christians are considered insane! 1 Cor.4:13. We are like rubbish for the world, like dust trampled upon by everyone (περίφημα) to this day. What is "trash"? Anything that is swept away or washed away as unusable. So, if someone erases something nasty with a sponge, it is called rubbish. This also means “dust trampled upon by all”; for to trample (περιφάν) is the same as to turn with a sponge. So, the apostle says: we are worthy to be rejected and considered as rubbish, not only by you, but by the whole world and all people, and not for some time, but even to this day. Notice what a Christian should be like, notice that he is obliged to strive until the very end. 1 Cor.4:14. I do not write this to shame you, but I admonish you as my beloved children. I do not say this to your shame, he says, and I do not say this with an evil and hateful intention; but “as beloved children” (I admonish), and not just children, but “beloved.” Forgive me if I said something offensive, for it is out of love. And he didn’t say: I reproach, but I admonish. Who did not endure the admonition of his father? 1 Corinthians 4:15. For although you have thousands of teachers in Christ, you have not many fathers. Well, you say, don’t others love you? They love him, he says, but not like me. For they are the mentors, and I am the father. So, for children, although there is only one father, and there may be many mentors, their affection for the children of all together is much less in comparison with the love for them of one, that is, the father: the same is true between us. Notice, by the way, that he added the words “in Christ” to mentors; this is to not completely hit them. However, although he attributed to them (mentors) more difficult things (for such is the position of a mentor), he left the superiority of love to himself. 1 Corinthians 4:15. I have begotten you in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Explaining how he is their father, he says: with the assistance of Christ, “I gave birth to you with the gospel,” that is, I do not impute this matter to myself, like many among you, but to Christ. I didn’t say, I taught, but: I gave birth, by pointing to nature, showing my love for them and the fact that they are his closest disciples, as this thought is expressed in the entire epistle. 1 Cor.4:16. Therefore, I beg you: imitate me, as I imitate Christ. Imitate, he says, in everything I do; Do not exalt yourself in wisdom or wealth and do not be at enmity against your brothers, but place both wisdom and wealth in the love of Christ and your brothers. Notice the kindness of his heart: he begs, not commands. And offering yourself as a role model is a sign of great boldness. 1 Corinthians 4:17. For this purpose I have sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful son in the Lord. Therefore, he says, that I care about you as about children, I sent Timothy to you. I myself wanted to come and restore peace between you: but since I cannot fulfill this, I sent him, “my beloved son.” He said this in order to show how much he loved them when he decided to separate from Timothy for them, and at the same time in order to instill in them respect for Timothy. “Faithful in the Lord,” that is, not in everyday affairs, but in matters of faith in Christ; therefore, as far as you are concerned, he will serve faithfully. 1 Corinthians 4:17. Who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. He did not say: he will teach, so that they will not be offended (for Timothy was young), but: “he will remind” - what you already knew before will be renewed in your memory. “Ways” refers to the orders, rules, customs, and divine laws connected with preaching. He will remember how I behave, namely: I am not arrogant, like you; I do not introduce strife and divisions. “In Christ,” that is, in these ways there is nothing human, but everything is in Christ, or is accomplished with the help of Christ. Timothy will also tell you how I teach in every Church; for I have not told you anything new, on the contrary, I am teaching everyone the same thing. Be ashamed that you, of all the Churches, have strayed from my ways. 1 Corinthians 4:18. Even though I do not come to you, some of you have become proud. Having said: I sent Timothy to you, to warn them so that they would not become more careless from this, he adds: although I myself am not going now and my absence has given some a reason to be proud, but for this very reason I will come later. Shows the childishness of their thoughts; for only children tend to behave disorderly when there is no teacher with them. Who are these proud ones? The accomplices of the adulterer, who was wise and rich, and simple - all who exalted themselves in wisdom and wealth. They were proud, as if Paul had not been there to reprove them. 1 Corinthians 4:19. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills. With these words he brings down the proud and awakens them to sobriety. And he added well: “if it pleases the Lord,” for everything happens by His will. 1 Corinthians 4:19–20. And I will test not the words of the proud, but the power, for the Kingdom of God is not in words, but in power. The Corinthians, relying on eloquence, despised Paul as an unlearned man; Therefore, he says: I will not look at your eloquence, for that is not what is needed, but at the “power” revealed in signs. For the Kingdom of God is preached and established not by the pomp of words, but by signs performed by the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor.4:21. What do you want? shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of meekness? “Rod” refers to punishment. So, he says: it depends on you whether I should come to you with this or that. If you remain careless, then I will come and punish you, like Elimu (Acts 13:8-11). If you remain sober, I will deal with you in the spirit of meekness. There is also a spirit of severity and punishment in him, but he calls it from the best side, just as he calls God generous and merciful, and not punitive, although He in fact is like that. You might be interested in: