May 19, 2014 Corinthians I Chapter 4

First Corinthians Chapter 4

Originally posted Thursday July 10, 2008

First Corinthians Chapter 4:1-13 The Ministry of the Apostles

Paul has mentioned Cephas, the Apostle Peter, twice in his discussion of the party divisions in the church. We wish we knew more about the initial history of the church in Corinth. It is clear that its members were predominately Gentile. Paul's mention of Peter is good evidence of his presence in Corinth probably carrying out the mission to the Synagogue Jews. That the two greatest apostles did not see eye to eye on the issue of the status of Jewish practices is apparent. In one letter Paul calls Peter a hypocrite for his favoritism toward the Jewish Christians.

In his writing on the subject of the character of an apostle he mentions only Apollos, indicating he is considered an apostle and is still active in Corinth. He gives a basic review of the apostle's job description. Apostles are foremost servants of Christ. As servants they are "stewards" (agents) of God's mysteries (God's saving work from Abraham to Christ). As the guardians of the Gospel they (including Apollos) must be found trustworthy. As an aside he qualifies "found trustworthy" in terms of God's judgment. He is not concerned if he is judged by the church members or by the local government. He doesn't even know of any word or action for which he should judge himself. It is up to the Lord to judge him at the right time (upon Christ's return) when everyone will be judged according to the "purposes of the heart" (good and evil proceed from the heart). Until that time, he writes, "do not pronounce judgment."

Paul has written these words regarding the avoidance of judging others and leaving judgment to Christ at the time of his return for the benefit of the community. His quote "Nothing beyond what is written" is the safeguard against anyone thinking they have special knowledge or insight because they "belong" to one apostle or another and so are "puffed up" as if better than the others. What is written is what God promised through Abraham and which they received through his offspring and heir, Christ, all foretold in the Law and the prophets (God's salvation history). They can add nothing to what is written. What knowledge they have has been received as a gift. Therefore they have nothing to boast about. But of course they are boasting, dividing themselves in groups, one against the others, superior in knowledge and spiritual insight.

Paul applies a bit of his well known sarcasm to make his point against those who in their smugness feel spiritually above the rest. They have all they want. They have become rich, kings in fact. How wonderful if they were kings so that he and Apollos could be kings, too. But look at us: deemed last of all, a spectacle to the world. We are fools for Christ but you are so wise in Christ. We are weak and you are so strong. He turns the spotlight on his own experience as a stark comparison to their sense of themselves. We are held in disrepute, hungry and thirsty, poorly clothed, beaten and homeless, weary from working to support ourselves and reviled. We are "the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things."

First Corinthians Chapter 4:14-21 A Fatherly Admonition

Paul retreats from his stern words lest he seem too harsh or that he is trying to put them to shame. He wishes to admonish them as his beloved children. He has, after all, become their spiritual father who first brought the Gospel to them, bringing them out of the darkness and into the light of Christ. His goal and his wish is that they become his "imitators" in all things. For that purpose Paul has sent Timothy (a model of what it means to imitate Paul) to remind them of what Paul has taught them - his ways and teachings in Christ Jesus. He changes his tone from admonition to warning. In his absence some have become arrogant and haughty in their attitudes toward one another and even toward Paul's teachings. But he is coming back to Corinth and he will see what power lies in the arrogant words of some.

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Note:

Paul spent eighteen months giving birth to the Corinthian community. He left them with the Gospel and a way to live it among themselves. As with all new ventures, time causes differences of opinion, different ways of doing things. What seems like new information can be received. Some will accept it as valid and some will not. In time some will feel that they have outgrown older ways and beliefs while they embrace the new and the more modern. In some respects Paul does notcriticize differing understandings of the Gospel message as long as the basic truth of what God did in Christ remains the foundation. Whatever is built upon this foundation must not put cracks in that foundation. What truly does disturb him is the arrogance shown when those who believe their new knowledge is better than that held by others judge the others as immature and unenlightened. It is in this light that he warns against any attempt to divide Christ, to say one view of Christ is more true than another. The party spirit in Corinth had labels derived from the Greek academia. There were "schools" of Paul, Cephas, Apollos and Christ. We have labels too: Fundamentalist, conservative, moderate, progressive, liberal and probably a few shades in between. Paul admonishes us not to take our labels too seriously, but to keep our eye on the foundation. If our point of view is not firmly rooted in the paradox of a God who cannot be captured by word or thought, yet who has acted in Christ for our transformation and through us the transformation of the world, who are we after all and why are we here?