1 Corinthians 3:3

5. For whereas there is among you jealousy and strife.

At this point he prepares himself to wrestle with those whose part was obedience: for in what went before he has been casting down the rulers of the Church, where he said that wisdom of speech is nothing worth. But here he strikes at those in subjection, in the words,

1 Corinthians 3:4

For when one says, I am Paul, and I of Apollos, are you not carnal?

And he points out that this, so far from helping them at all or causing them to acquire anything, had even become an obstacle to their profiting in the greater things. For this it was which brought forth jealousy, and jealousy had made them carnal; and the having become carnal left them not at liberty to hear truths of the sublimer sort.

1 Corinthians 3:5

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos?

In this way, after producing and proving his facts, he makes his accusation henceforth more openly. Moreover, he employs his own name, doing away all harshness and not suffering them to be angry at what it is said. For if Paul is nothing and murmur not, much less ought they to think themselves ill used. Two ways, you see, he has of soothing them; first by bringing forward his own person, then by not robbing them of all as if they contributed nothing. Rather he allows them some small portion: small though it be, he does allow it. For having said, Who is Paul, and who Apollos, he adds, but ministers by whom you believed. Now this in itself is a great thing, and deserving of great rewards: although in regard of the archetype and the root of all good, it is nothing. (For not he that ministers to our blessings, but he that provides and gives them, he is our Benefactor.) And he said not, Evangelists, but Ministers, which is more. For they had not merely preached the Gospel, but had also ministered unto us; the one being a matter of word only, while the other has deed also. And so, if even Christ be a minister only of good things, and not the root Himself and the fountain, (I mean, of course, in that He is a Son,) observe to what an issue this matter is brought. (ποῦ τὸ πρᾶγμα κατάγεται. how deep and high it is made to go.) How then, you will ask, does he say that He was made a Minister of Circumcision? He is speaking in that place of His secret dispensation in the Flesh, and not in the same sense which we have now mentioned. For there, by Minister, he means Fulfiller, (πληρωτὴν, i.e. of types), and not one that of his own store gives out the blessings.

Further, he said not, Those who guide you into the Faith, but those by whom you believed; again attributing the greater share to themselves, and indicating by this also the subordinate class of ministers (τοὺς διακόνους κὰντεῦθεν δηλῶν). Now if they were ministering to another, how come they to seize the authority for themselves? But I would have you consider how in no wise he lays the blame on them as seizing it for themselves, but on those who endow them with it. For the ground-work of the error lay in the multitude; since, had the one fallen away, the other would have been broken up. Here are two points which he has skilfully provided for: in that first he has prepared, as by mining (ὑπορύξας,) in the quarter where it was necessary to overthrow the mischief; and next, on their side, in not attracting ill-will, nor yet making them more contentious.

Even as Christ (ὁ Κύριος, rec. text.) gave to every man.

For not even this small thing itself was of themselves, but of God, who put it into their hands. For lest they might say, What then? Are we not to love those that minister unto us? Yea, says he; but you should know to what extent. For not even this thing itself is of them, but of God who gave it.

1 Corinthians 3:6

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

That is, I first cast the word into the ground; but, in order that the seeds might not wither away through temptations, Apollos added his own part. But the whole was of God.

1 Corinthians 3:7

6. So then, neither is he that plants anything, neither he that waters, but God that gives the increase.

Do you observe the manner in which he soothes them, so that they should not be too much irritated, on hearing, Who is this person, and Who is that? Nay, both are invidious, namely, both the saying, ‘Who is this person? Who the other,’ and the saying, that neither he that plants nor he that waters is anything. How then does he soften these expressions? First, By attaching the contempt to his own person, Who is Paul, and who Apollos? and next, by referring the whole to God who gave all things. For after he had said, Such a person planted, and added, He that plants is nothing, he subjoined, but God that gives the increase. Nor does he stop even here, but applies again another healing clause, in the words.

1 Corinthians 3:8

He that plants and he that waters, are one.

For by means of this he establishes another point also, viz. that they should not be exalted one against another. His assertion, that they are one, refers to their inability to do anything without God that gives the increase. And thus saying, he permitted not either those who labored much to lift themselves up against those who had contributed less; nor these again to envy the former. In the next place, since this had a tendency to make men more indolent, I mean, all being esteemed as one, whether they have labored much or little; observe how he sets this right, saying, But each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. As if he said, Fear not, because I said, You are one; for, compared with the work of God, they are one; howbeit, in regard to labors, they are not so, but each shall receive his own reward.

Then he smooths it still more, having succeeded in what he wished; and gratifies them, where it is allowed, with liberality.

1 Corinthians 3:9

For we are God’s fellow-workers: you are God’s husbandry, God’s building.

Do you see how to them also he has assigned no small work, having before laid it down that the whole is of God? For since he is always persuading them to obey those that have the rule over them, on this account he abstains from making very light of their teachers.

You are God’s husbandry.

For because he had said, I planted, he kept to the metaphor. Now if you be God’s husbandry, it is right that you should be called not from those who cultivate you, but from God. For the field is not called the husbandman’s, but the householder’s.

You are God’s building.

Again, the building is not the workman’s, but the master’s. Now if you be a building, you must not be forced asunder: since this were no building. If you be a farm, you must not be divided, but be walled in with a single fence, namely, unanimity.

1 Corinthians 3:10

According to the Grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise master-builder I laid a foundation.

In this place he calls himself wise, not exalting himself, but to give them an ensample, and to point out that this is a wise man’s part, to lay a foundation. You may observe as one instance of his modest bearing, that in speaking of himself as wise, he allowed not this to stand as though it were something of his own; but first attributing himself entirely unto God, then and not till then calls himself by that name. For, according to the Grace of God, says he, which was given unto me. Thus, at once he signifies both that the whole is of God; and that this most of all is Grace, viz. the not being divided, but resting on One Foundation.

7. Another builds thereon; but let each man take heed how he builds thereon.

Here, I think, and in what follows, he puts them upon their trial concerning practice, after that he had once for all knit them together and made them one.

1 Corinthians 3:11

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

I say, no man can lay it so long as he is a master-builder; but if he lay it, (τιθῃ conj. for τεθῃ. Dounæus ap. Savil. viii. not. p. 261.) he ceases to be a master-builder.

See how even from men’s common notions he proves the whole of his proposition. His meaning is this: I have preached Christ, I have delivered unto you the foundation. Take heed how you build thereon, lest haply it be in vainglory, lest haply so as to draw away the disciples unto men. Let us not then give heed unto the heresies. For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid. Upon this then let us build, and as a foundation let us cleave to it, as a branch to a vine; and let there be no interval between us and Christ. For if there be any interval, immediately we perish. For the branch by its adherence draws in the fatness, and the building stands because it is cemented together. Since, if it stand apart it perishes, having nothing whereon to support itself. Let us not then merely keep hold of Christ, but let us be cemented to Him, for if we stand apart, we perish. For they who withdraw themselves far from You, shall perish; so it is said. Let us cleave then unto Him, and let us cleave by our works. For he that keeps my commandments, the same abides in Me And accordingly, there are many images whereby He brings us into union. Thus, if you mark it, He is the Head, we are the body: can there be any empty interval between the head and body? He is a Foundation, we a building: He a Vine, we branches: He the Bridegroom, we the bride: He the Shepherd, we the sheep; He is the Way, we they who walk therein. Again, we are a temple, He the Indweller: He the First-Begotten, we the brethren: He the Heir, we the heirs together with Him: He the Life, we the living: He the Resurrection, we those who rise again: He the Light, we the enlightened. All these things indicate unity; and they allow no void interval, not even the smallest. For he that removes but to a little distance will go on till he has become very far distant. For so the body, receiving though it be but a small cut by a sword, perishes: and the building, though there be but a small chink, falls to decay: and the branch, though it be but a little while cut off from the root, becomes useless. So that this trifle is no trifle, but is even almost the whole. Whenever then we commit some little fault or even negligence, let us not overlook that little; since this, being disregarded, quickly becomes great. So also when a garment has begun to be torn and is neglected, it is apt to prolong its rent all throughout; and a roof, when a few tiles have fallen, being disregarded, brings down the whole house.

8. These things then let us bear in mind, and never slight the small things, lest we fall into those which are great. But if so be that we have slighted them and have come into the abyss of evils, not even when we have come there let us despond, lest we fall into recklessness (καρηβαρίαν). For to emerge from thence is hard ever after, for one who is not extremely watchful; not because of the distance alone, but of the very position, too, wherein we find ourselves. For sin also is a deep, and is wont to bear down and crush. And just as those who have fallen into a well cannot with ease get out, but will want others to draw them up; so also is he that has come into any depth of sins. To such then we must lower ropes and draw them up. Nay rather, we need not others only, but ourselves also, that we for our part may fasten on ourselves and ascend, I say not so much as we have descended, but much further, if we be willing: for why? God also helps: for He wills not the death of a sinner so much as his conversion. Let no one then despair; let no one have the feeling of the ungodly; for to them properly belongs this kind of sin: an ungodly man having come into any depth of evils, makes light of it. So that it is not the multitude of men’s sins which causes their despair, but their ungodly mind.

Should you then have gone all lengths in wickedness, yet say unto yourself, God is loving unto men and he desires our salvation: for though your sins be as scarlet, I will whiten you as snow, says He; and unto the contrary habit I will change you. Let us not therefore give up in despair; for to fall is not so grievous, as to lie where we have fallen; nor to be wounded so dreadful, as after wounds to refuse healing. For who shall boast that he has his heart chaste? Or who shall say confidently that he is pure from sin? These things I say not to make you more negligent, but to prevent your despairing.

Would you know how good our Master is? The Publican went up full of ten thousand wickednesses, and saying only, Be merciful unto me, went down justified. Yea, God says by the prophet, Because of sin for some little season I grieved him, and I saw that (εἶδον δτι not in Sept.) he was grieved and went sorrowful, and I healed his ways (ἰασάμην αὐτὸν, Sept.) What is there equal to this loving-kindness? On condition ἲνα στυγνάση. See John 8:56. ἲνα ἴδη τὴν ἡμέραν of his being but sorrowful, so he speaks, I forgave him his sins. But we do not even this: wherefore we especially provoke God to wrath. (For he, who by little things even is made propitious, when He meets not with so much as these, is of course indignant and exacts of us the last penalty; for this comes of exceeding contempt.) Who is there, for instance, that has ever become melancholy for his sins? Who has bemoaned himself? Who has beaten his breast? Who has taken anxious thought? Not one, to my thinking. But days without number do men weep for dead servants; for the loss of money: while as to the soul which we are ruining day by day, we give it not a thought. How then will you be able to render God propitious, when you know not even that you have sinned?

Yea, says some one, I have sinned. Yea, is your word to me with the tongue: say it to me with your mind, and with the word mourn heavily, that you may have continual cheerfulness. Since, if we did grieve for our sins, if we mourned heavily over our offenses, nothing else could give us sorrow, this one pang would expel all kinds of dejection. Here then is another thing also which we should gain by our thorough confession; namely, the not being overwhelmed (βαπτίζεσθαι) with the pains of the present life, nor puffed up with its splendors. And in this way, again, we should more entirely propitiate God; just as by our present conduct we provoke Him to anger. For tell me, if you have a servant, and he, after suffering much evil at the hands of his fellow-servants, takes no account of any one of the rest, but is only anxious not to provoke his master; is he not able by this alone to do away your anger? But what, if his offenses against you are no manner of care to him, while on those against his fellow-servants he is full of thought; will you not lay on him the heavier punishment? So also God does: when we neglect His wrath, He brings it upon us more heavily; but when we regard it, more gently. Yea, rather, He lays it on us no more at all. He wills that we should exact vengeance of ourselves for our offenses, and thenceforth He does not exact it Himself. For this is why He at all threatens punishment; that by fear He may destroy contempt; and when the threat alone is sufficient to cause fear in us, He does not suffer us to undergo the actual trial. See, for instance, what He says unto Jeremiah, Do you see not what they do? Their fathers light a fire, their children gather sticks together, their women knead dough. It is to be feared lest the same kind of thing be said also concerning us. Do you see not what they do? No one seeks the things of Christ, but all their own. Their children run into uncleanness, their fathers into covetousness and rapine, their wives so far from keeping back their husbands from the pomps and vanities of life, do rather sharpen their appetites for them. Just take your stand in the market place; question the comers and goers, and not one will you see hastening upon a spiritual errand, but all running after carnal things. How long ere we awake from our surfeiting? How long are we to keep sinking down into deep slumber? Have we not had our fill of evils?

9. And yet one might think that even without words experience itself is sufficient to teach you the nothingness of things present, and their utter meanness. At all events, there have been men, who, exercising mere heathen wisdom and knowing nothing of the future, because they had proved the great worthlessness of present things, have left them on this account alone. What pardon then can you expect to obtain, grovelling on the ground and not despising the little things and transient for the sake of the great and everlasting: who also hear God Himself declaring and revealing these things unto you, and hast such promises from Him? For that things here have no sufficient power to detain a man, those have shown who even without any promise of things greater have kept away from them. For what wealth did they expect that they came to poverty? There was none. But it was from their knowing full well that such poverty is better than wealth. What sort of life did they hope for that they forsook luxury, and gave themselves up unto severe discipline? Not any. But they had become aware of the very nature of things; and perceived that this of the two is more suitable, both for the strict training of the soul, and for the health of the body.

These things then duly estimating, and revolving with ourselves continually the future blessings, let us withdraw from this present world that we may obtain that other which is to come; through the favor and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and the Holy Ghost etc., etc.