6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you : 7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be fectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. per 11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now this I say, That every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul Pa 14 I thank God that I bap a To be baptized into the name of any person, or into a person, signifies, to enter one's self a disciple of him, into whose name he is baptized, and to profess that he submits himself implicitly to his authority, and receives his doctrines and rules. to unity, &c. tized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius ; 15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. 16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas; besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel; not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ b should be made of none effect. 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,c I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,d and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.e 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world.f 21 For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. b Cross of Christ. The doctrine of salvation through the cross, or the sufferings and death of Christ. c It is written, Isarah, xxix. 14. def The Wisdom of the wise, the wisdom of this world, and the understanding of the prudent, are expressions of singular import, and signify the false doctrines of the Jewish teachers, and Gentile philosophers. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are; 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; 31 That, according as it is written, He. that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. of God, &c. CHAP. II. Paul declareth that his preaching far excelleth all human wisdom. AND I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you,a save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with entic ing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 6 Howbeit, we speak wisdom among them that are perfeet;b yet not the wisdom of this world, nor the princes of this world,that come to nought; 7 But we speak the wisdom of Gode in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory; 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew; for a Not to know any thing: not to make known or teach any thing among you. b Them, that are perfect, those who were fully instructed in the doctrines of the Gospel, and were become sincere disciples of Jesus Christ. c The wisdom of God, salvation by Jesus Christ. had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written,d Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural mane receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But be that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. d It is written, Isaiah lxiv. 4. • The natural man, one who makes his senses, passions, and prejudices the measure of truth, and the rule of his conduct. preaching. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. CHAP. III. 16 1 Milk is fit for children. Men the temples of God: 17 which must be kept holy. AND I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal,a even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men ? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one; and every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God; ye are a Carnal, fleshly, weak or stupid, and under the influence of the passions, Of strife and division. I. Corinthians. Of worldly wisdom. God's husbandry; ye are God's building. 10 According to the grace of God, which is given anto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation. & another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how be buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now, if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver,b precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire ;c and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide, which he bath built thereupon,d he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall b If any man, upon this foundation, build gold, silver, &c. As the Christian church consists of believers of all nations, the materials here called gold, silver, &c. must be the disciples of Christ, converted by the preachers of the Gospel. The disciples, whom any one converted, are in the next verse called his work. It is supposed, that by fire here is meant persecution, which was about to try the Christians, and would reveal or manifest who were the true, and who the false professors. d If any man's work abide, &c. If any man's or teacher's disciples, whom he has added to the church of Christ, abide the trial of persecution, he shall receive the reward of a faithful servant; (15th verse,) but if they be burnt, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 18 Let no man deceive himself; if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own crafti ness. 20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 21 Therefore let no man glory in men; for all things are yours; 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present or things to come; all are yours; 23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. CHAP. IV. 1 How to account of ministers. 7 We have nothing which we have not received. 15 The apostles are our fathers in Christ. endure not the fiery trial, he will lose his reward; however, he himself shall be saved, yet not without per secution. us LET a man so account of as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment; yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise of God. 6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. 7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? 8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have peigned as kings without us; and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. Of the apostles. 9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death; for, we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. 11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place; 12 And labour, working with our own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; 13 Being defamed, we intreat; we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day. 14 I write not these things to shame you, but, as my beloved sons, I warn you. 15 For though ye have ter thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. you, 16 Wherefore, I beseech be ye followers of me. 17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. |