5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Commentary
Vs. 5 "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?"
The Apostle Paul did not bring the Corinthians to Spirit life, nor did Apollos cause their Spiritual growth. Both men were ministers through whom the Lord worked to reach the Corinthians with the Gospel and it's truths. And so Paul says that neither he, nor Apollos is anything, that is anything to have one's faith in, or to align oneself under, as if salvation came through them. Rather Paul and Apollos are God's ministers (i.e. servants) through whom the Corinthians believed, as the Lord gave to each one. And so it is that Paul acknowledges that it is of the Lord who decides how and through whom He will reach people with the Gospel. For true disciples of Christ is never the work of men (of their methods, means, or ways), but only of the Lord.
Vs. 6 "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase."
The Apostle Paul planted the good seed of the Word of God through his evangelism and missionary efforts, Apollos then nurtured the believers in the faith, who received the Word, i.e. "watered", but it was God who gave the increase. Again Paul did not cause his ministry to grow by his own tact, foresight, or wisdom. Just as Apollos did not cause his too grow by his own speaking/teaching abilities, God caused each ones labors to yield fruit as He willed for them.
Vs. 7 "So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase."
Since it is only God who gives the increase, the Apostle Paul can rightly downplay both his own and Apollos' persons and abilities in accomplishing any of this.
Vs. 8 "Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor."
Notice that Paul now says that both he who plants and he who waters are one. That is though Paul and Apollos had different roles in Christ's service, their both on the same team, working towards the same goal, and that is to see all people everywhere, be brought into a personal relationship with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now just as the Body of Christ is One, so also are all of us who belong to Him. Regardless of the work we are doing for the Lord (or where we are doing it), all believers everywhere are One, though again we do not have the same roles and functions. Still God works through each one of us (1 Cor 12:4-5). And so it is that the Apostle Paul says not only are we one, but that each one of us will receive our own reward according to each one's own labor.
Vs. 9 "For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building."
Thus the Apostle Paul makes it clear that he sees no rivalry between himself and Apollos, as Paul says, we are God's fellow workers. Thus the Apostle Paul sees no grounds for the Corinthians to align themselves with one or the other. Nor for them to be at odds with each other, for they all belong to God. As the Apostle Paul says to them, "you are God’s field, you are God’s building." which is simply a metaphor for the Corinthians persons (1 Cor 3:16; 2 Cor. 6:6), faith, and discipleship in Christ, to whom God sent His servants Paul and Apollos to minister His Gospel too.
Vs. 10-11 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul was by the grace of God, both called and equipped by the Lord to preach the Gospel, to be "a wise master builder", and thus to lay the solid and sound foundation for both the Corinthians and our faith. Others then like Apollos taught the believers there, i.e. building on the foundation that Paul laid. And so here the Apostle Paul warns them, and us all, that we all take heed to how we build upon the foundation which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ crucified for the remission of sins for everyone who believes in Him (John 3:16). For it is Christ crucified and ones faith in Him which then brings one into all that is true Christian discipleship and fellowship.
Vs. 12-13 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
Having laid the foundation, and warned against trying to lay another, the Apostle Paul now directs his words to those would be ministering the Gospel and it's truths in the local assemblies. Thus his exhortation is "if anyone..., that is if any believer builds on the foundation of Christ crucified let them take heed how they build. Whether with that which is valuable, and it's value endures, i.e. gold, silver, precious stones. Or with that which has minimal to no lasting value, represented here by wood, hay, straw. The references then are metaphors which are meant to encompass all that comes under the umbrella of Christian faith and doctrine. For some doctrines and teachings clearly have intrinsic, lasting, and eternal value. Their qualities and attributes have stood the test of time in God's Word and will stand the test of Christ's refining fire. While other things taught as Christian are in reality only pander to the carnal desires of mankind down here, and may or may not even appear as "spiritual", but their value is very little, and these will not stand the test of Christ's fire.
And so the principal here is not to lay a new foundation (for that would be apostasy), rather teach and preach the Word in such way so as to wisely build upon the foundation that has already been laid. For as the Apostle Paul declares in verse thirteen, "each one’s work will become clear, for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is."
Here "the Day" is referring to the judgment seat of Christ where all that was taught will come under Christ's all knowing scrutiny represented by the element of fire, for that is fundamental to the Nature of God (Heb 12:29). Thus all that we did will be tested by fire to test the qualities of what we did.
Vs. 14-15 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
If anyone's work which they have built upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for the remission of sins, so that new and everlasting life might be imparted to all who believe in Him. And thus whatever one did in building upon that foundation through our own Christian witness, service, and or faithfulness towards Christ by keeping and teaching His and the Biblical Apostles doctrines, commandments, and decrees, and thus living out and forwarding the Gospel. The work that anyone has done, when their work is tested by fire, if it endures it will be rewarded, but if when tested by Christ's fire, if it is burned up, they themselves will still be saved, yet as through fire. Thus salvation is not the issue here, rather the rewards that one will receive or not receive according to how they themselves built upon the foundation.
Vs. 16-17 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Thus the Apostle Paul makes it clear that he sees no rivalry between himself and Apollos, as Paul says, we are God's fellow workers. Thus the Apostle Paul sees no grounds for the Corinthians to align themselves with one or the other. Nor for them to be at odds with each other, for they all belong to God. As the Apostle Paul says to them, "you are God’s field, you are God’s building." which is simply a metaphor for the Corinthians persons (1 Cor 3:16; 2 Cor. 6:6), faith, and discipleship in Christ, to whom God sent His servants Paul and Apollos to minister His Gospel too.
Vs. 10-11 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul was by the grace of God, both called and equipped by the Lord to preach the Gospel, to be "a wise master builder", and thus to lay the solid and sound foundation for both the Corinthians and our faith. Others then like Apollos taught the believers there, i.e. building on the foundation that Paul laid. And so here the Apostle Paul warns them, and us all, that we all take heed to how we build upon the foundation which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ crucified for the remission of sins for everyone who believes in Him (John 3:16). For it is Christ crucified and ones faith in Him which then brings one into all that is true Christian discipleship and fellowship.
Vs. 12-13 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
Having laid the foundation, and warned against trying to lay another, the Apostle Paul now directs his words to those would be ministering the Gospel and it's truths in the local assemblies. Thus his exhortation is "if anyone..., that is if any believer builds on the foundation of Christ crucified let them take heed how they build. Whether with that which is valuable, and it's value endures, i.e. gold, silver, precious stones. Or with that which has minimal to no lasting value, represented here by wood, hay, straw. The references then are metaphors which are meant to encompass all that comes under the umbrella of Christian faith and doctrine. For some doctrines and teachings clearly have intrinsic, lasting, and eternal value. Their qualities and attributes have stood the test of time in God's Word and will stand the test of Christ's refining fire. While other things taught as Christian are in reality only pander to the carnal desires of mankind down here, and may or may not even appear as "spiritual", but their value is very little, and these will not stand the test of Christ's fire.
And so the principal here is not to lay a new foundation (for that would be apostasy), rather teach and preach the Word in such way so as to wisely build upon the foundation that has already been laid. For as the Apostle Paul declares in verse thirteen, "each one’s work will become clear, for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is."
Here "the Day" is referring to the judgment seat of Christ where all that was taught will come under Christ's all knowing scrutiny represented by the element of fire, for that is fundamental to the Nature of God (Heb 12:29). Thus all that we did will be tested by fire to test the qualities of what we did.
Vs. 14-15 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
If anyone's work which they have built upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for the remission of sins, so that new and everlasting life might be imparted to all who believe in Him. And thus whatever one did in building upon that foundation through our own Christian witness, service, and or faithfulness towards Christ by keeping and teaching His and the Biblical Apostles doctrines, commandments, and decrees, and thus living out and forwarding the Gospel. The work that anyone has done, when their work is tested by fire, if it endures it will be rewarded, but if when tested by Christ's fire, if it is burned up, they themselves will still be saved, yet as through fire. Thus salvation is not the issue here, rather the rewards that one will receive or not receive according to how they themselves built upon the foundation.
Vs. 16-17 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
The Apostle Paul now moves into the realm of our sanctification. And here the Apostle Paul wants us to understand that any Christian service is only as relevant as we also embrace and live out Christian character. Now this passage mostly refers to the collective assembly as being the Temple of the Lord (see 2 Cor 6:16; 1 Peter 2:5). Though each individual believer must also consider their own bodies as the Temple of Lord, since the Holy Spirit indwells each and every one of us who believe, and thus we are to do so with the mindset of our own sanctification and or our pursuit of holiness in our persons and lives (see 1 Cor. 6:19). And so what the Apostle Paul is exhorting here is primarily a warning about keeping our corporate sanctity (see 2 Cor 6:14-7:1). For as Paul warns us all in verse seventeen, "If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." Thus those who would seek to undermine that, whether by doctrine, or by conduct, set themselves up for a strong response from the Lord, who will judge His people (see Heb. 10:30-31). And so just as in the chapters two and three of the Book of Revelation where the Lord calls His people back to Himself, through our own individual and corporate repentance. So here we must also take the Apostle's warning to heart, and not fall under the sway of this world's degenerating ways. For again the Temple of God is holy, which temple you are!
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
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