1 Corinthians 4

1 Corinthians 4

4:1-5 Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. Therefore do no tgo on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.

- Paul is painting a picture here of stewards of a household, they must first be trustworthy.- Paul was being accused of having alterior motives when bringing the Gospel and he is expressing his accountability go God for his motives and actions. He's convinced that he is trustworthy and God will be pleased with him.

4:6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.

- "What is written" = "Jesus Christ and Him Crucified" from 1:18-19 and 2:24.
- Don't get wrapped up in the teachers, they are accountable to God just like you. Worry about his message being preached.

4:7-9 For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

- We are NOTHING without the things God has given us. Nothing that we have is of ourselves. - "exhibited" = put on display
- "become a spectacle" - Slaves being led in triumph, spoils of war
- God will lead us in victory as a spectacle to the world

4:10-14 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuded, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

- The Corinthians aren't preaching the gospel!
- Paul has become foolish for the sake of the gospel because the gospel is a foolish message.
- "scum" is the word for feces in a cesspot
- "dregs" is the word for the offscouring of plates
- Paul is admonishing them to set pride aside and take on the gospel's foolishness.

4:15-16 For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be tutors of me.

- "tutors" - Parents would hire pedagogues (slaves) who would follow a child around with a whip to catch him whenever he did something out of line. This is what Paul is calling the legalist "super-apostles" in the church who were trying to discredit Paul's message and get the people to follow their legalist teachings.
- Paul wants them to be like him, as a father, not like the child whippers.

4:17-21 For this reason I have sent you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

- Paul is telling them to remember his example by looking at Timothy.
- Arrogance is the cause of division and immorality but humility is the outcome of sharing the gospel.



I am copying this straight from my journal. Usually I write a summary at the end of the chapter but I didn't on this day. Chapter 4 is hitting on the same things that 1-3 do. There were people in the church who were trying to tell people that Paul was just in it for the money and Paul is saying that this is not true. Those people were trying to get something out of it for themselves, alot of them were trying to get the people to revert (or revert back) to judaism and the legalist teachings that came from it.

This whole letter is about humility. We are slaves of God and we have been given a foolish message and in order to be effective members of God's household we have to realize that we are nothing. Later in the book are the passages that people love to pull out: head covering, husband/wife authority, spiritual gifts, love - but Paul writes all of those things with the idea that we need to get over ourselves, stop being offended, offensive, proud and jealous and get down to the work that your master left. He could be back at any time and you'd better be ready to give a report of what you've done while he was gone.