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1Cor.3:1. And I could not speak to you, brethren, as spiritual, but as carnal, as babes in Christ. “And I, brothers, cannot say to you that you are spiritual, but that you are carnal.” The Apostle called the Corinthians “carnal,” as partial to this life, coveting what is glorious in human opinion, and paying attention to the wealth and eloquence of teachers. And since what was said was enough to hit them, it softens the blow with some semblance. “Like a child in Christ,” that is, you are carnal, like newborns and imperfect. Then he continues the same figurative figure of speech and says: 1Cor.3:2. I fed you with milk, and not with solid food, for you were not yet strong, and even now you are not strong. “You have given milk to drink, and not meat; “But you can still go lower now.” 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? “You are still of the flesh.” Then he states the accusation more clearly: “Where there is envy and zeal and strife in you, are you not of the flesh and walking after men?” All this proves that you do not think about anything spiritual, but are attached to earthly things. 1 Cor.3:4. For when one says: “I am Paul’s,” and another: “I am Apollos’s,” are you not carnal? “Whenever someone says: I am Pavlov, and another: I am Apollosov: Are you not of the flesh?” The Apostle again puts forward his name and adds it to the name of Apollosov, thereby showing the impropriety of the matter. If, he says, it is very indecent to be called Pavlov, although I was honored with apostolic grace and became your leader, then even more so to be called by the name of others is both wicked and criminal. 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, who is Apollos, but precisely the servant of whom you believe.” Another is the Master, and we are His servants and servants of your salvation. “And to everyone as the Lord gave.” There is also a difference between us. If we participate with each other in the common work of service, then each person accepts grace for this in his own measure. 1 Corinthians 3:6. I planted, Apollos watered, but God increased. “Az nasadih” because I was the first to preach to you. “Apollos gave a drink” - after me he supported my teaching. “God will increase,” because success depended on God’s grace. 1 Corinthians 3:7. Therefore, the one who plants and the one who waters is nothing, but God who increases everything. “In the same way, neither plant nor drink, but God increases.” For without God's help our work is in vain. 1 Corinthians 3:8. He who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his reward according to his labor. “Plant and water one thing.” “One” in terms of participation in labor, because both serve God’s will, but not “one” in execution of the work or in zeal, because this is a big difference between the servants. The Apostle himself says this: “Everyone... will receive his reward according to his labor.” Not simply, he says, by the execution of the task, but by the labor in the task. One often brings two hundred to the Savior with great convenience, while the other, having undertaken greater labor, frees one or two from delusion. The same can be seen in the discussion of fasting and chastity. One, assisted by nature, succeeds in chastity without difficulty; the other, struggling with natural inclinations, achieves what he wants with great difficulty. One, having a hot build, waits with great agony for the evening without tasting food. Another spends two and three days and, although he does not eat food, does not endure much labor. Therefore, the truthful Judge does not look at the work, but at the work. 1 Corinthians 3:9. For we are fellow workers with God, and you are God’s field, God’s building. “For we are companions of God.” Like-minded people of Ariev and Eunomius did not accept this name for the Son, but they call Him a worker, and the divine Apostle also calls the preachers of truth companions of God. But there is a great difference in this: one succeeds like a son, while others, like well-intentioned servants, fulfill God’s will. “God’s efforts, God’s building is natural.” And the building and the struggle are not of this or that, but of the God of all. 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 each one watch how he builds. “By the grace of God given to me, for the wise architect laid the foundation.” The Apostle, first pointing to Divine grace, then called himself a wise architect and says: “I was the first to lay the foundations of piety in you.” “And one edifies: let each one take heed how he edifies”: 1 Corinthians 3:11. For no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. “No one can lay any other foundation than the one who lies down, who is Jesus Christ.” It must edify, and not be a reason to believe, because it is rationally impossible for someone who intends to create to lay any other foundation. Blessed Peter, or better yet, the Lord Himself, laid this foundation. For when Peter said: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), the Lord answered: “On this rock I will build My Church” (Matthew 16:18). Therefore, do not call yourselves by human names, since the foundation is Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:12. Does anyone build on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw? 1 Corinthians 3:13. Everyone's business 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. “If anyone builds on this foundation, gold, silver, honest stone, wood, hay, reeds,” “everyone’s work will be revealed.” Others argue that the Apostle says this about dogmas, but I think that he says this about active virtue and vice and prepares an accusation against someone who has fallen into fornication. He calls the types of virtue gold, silver, and honest stone, and deeds contrary to virtue, for which the fire of Gehenna is prepared, as firewood, hay, and reeds. This does not depend on the inconsistency of the teachers, but on the will of the students. For teachers offer Divine instructions, and among those who listen, some prepare themselves some for gold, some for silver, some for honest stone, carefully listening to what they are told, while others, living again in carelessness, imitate the combustibility of wood, hay and reeds, choosing vice. And the difference in substances will reveal not the present, but the future life. For this is what the Apostle said: “The Day will appear,” that is, the Day of Judgment. “The shadow is opened with fire: and the fire will tempt everyone’s work as it is.” 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. “And if his work endures, he will receive a reward: [and] his work will be burned, it will be lost: he himself will be saved, just as by fire.” Teachers teach the Divine, and listeners freely choose what to do. But on the day of the coming of the Savior there will be torture and exact examination: the fire will make those who lived well, like gold and silver, more brilliant, and the workers of vice will destroy like firewood, hay and reeds; the teacher, who taught what was due, will not suffer punishment, but will be worthy of salvation: for this is what the words mean: “he himself will be saved,” that is, the teacher; the work will be burned, that is, those who have prepared an evil work for themselves will be burned. Reading this way, we will accurately find the meaning of these letters: and his “deed will be burned, it will be destroyed..., just as by fire,” that is, his deed will be burned by fire; it is the teacher himself who will be saved; for he is not guilty of turning them to the worse, since he taught the proper teaching: If anyone wants to understand the words “like fire” in connection not with the deed, but with the teacher, then let him understand that the teacher will not suffer punishment for them, but will be saved, having himself been tested by fire, whether his life is exactly in accordance with the teaching. And that this is said not about dogmas, but about deeds, is also evidenced by the addition. For the Apostle says: 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. “Do you not know that you are the church of God, and the Spirit of God lives in you? If anyone corrupts the church of God, God will corrupt him: for the church of God is holy, just as you are.” For if we give due honor to a church built of wood, then it is much more fair to dedicate verbal churches to God. It should be noted that he called those in whom the grace of the Spirit dwells churches of God. For this word testifies that the All-Holy Spirit is God. 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. “Let no one deceive himself,” that is, thinking highly of the eloquence and nobility of the family. For this is what the Apostle adds: “If anyone thinks that he will be wise in you in this world, let him be, for he will 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. “For God has the wisdom of this world.” The Apostle calls the wisdom of the world wisdom that is devoid of the grace of the Spirit, guided only by human thoughts. She is commanded not to rely on herself, but to boast about the so-called violence of preaching. The testimony of Scripture is also added to the accusation of such wisdom. It is written: “Reproach the wise in their deceit” (Job 5:13). 1 Corinthians 3:20. And one more thing: The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. “And again: The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, for they are vanity” (Ps. 93:11). Thus, having denounced the vain boasting of teachers, he turns his speech to those who think highly about this. 1 Corinthians 3:21. So let no one boast about men, for all is yours. “Likewise, let no one boast among men: for all your essence is.” What exactly? 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. 1 Corinthians 3:23. You are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. “Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or present, or future, all your essence is: you are Christ’s. Christ is God." He pointed out true wealth and the Giver of wealth and taught him to despise the insignificant. For we, the apostles, he says, for your sake were deemed worthy of apostolic grace, so that we might preach the word to you; you have been given both the present and the expected life; and death itself was introduced into nature for your benefit; and everything that is visible was created for your need, and for your sake the things you hope for are prepared. Therefore, you must be in unity with the Lord Christ, Who is the giver of these blessings, and through Him in unity with the God of all. For He is in unity with us by nature, which He received from us, and with the Father by His Divine essence, because He was born of the Father by nature. The Christ of God is not as God's creature, but as the Son of God. If like-minded Arievs disagree and do not want to allow a difference in attitude, then let both the present and the future, and the apostles, and life and death, be called our creations, because the divine Apostle said: “your entire essence.” But they cannot say this. So, this is ours by Divine generosity. We are Christ’s, we are members of Christ as man and His creatures as God. Christ of God is like the most sincere Son, born of Him according to Divinity. You might be interested in: