1st Corinthians Chapter 4 verse 1 Holy Bible

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerses 1-5. - Judgments, human and Divine, respecting ministers. Verse 1. - Let a man so account of us. Since it is inevitable that Christians should form some estimate of the position of their ministers, he proceeds to tell them what that estimate should be. Ministers are not to be unduly magnified, for their position is subordinate; they are not to be unduly depreciated, for if they are faithful they may appeal from frivolous human prejudices and careless depreciations to that only Judge and Master before whom they stand or fall. Ministers; here huperetas; in 1 Corinthians 3:5 diakonous. They are huperetai (in its derivation "under rowers") in their relation to Christ; diakonoi in their relation to men. Of Christ; and therefore responsible to Him. Stewards; dispensers, subordinate distributors. These "agents" were higher slaves (Luke 16:1-8). Of the mysteries of God. The word "mysteries" means truths once hidden but now revealed; as in Luke 8:10, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God." In later patristic usage the word means "sacraments;" but St. Paul has expressly said (1 Corinthians 1:17) that his mission was to preach the gospel, not primarily to administer the sacraments. (For descriptions of the work of a minister according to St. Paul's lofty ideal, see the pastoral Epistles, and 1 Thessalonians 2:7-11; Colossians 1:25-29; Acts 20:18-21, 24-28. St. Peter's is given in 1 Peter 4:10, 11; 1 Peter 5:2-4.) A minister is not to be estimated as a supernatural teacher, or a civil autocrat, or an infallible critic, but as an ambassador from Christ, who reveals to the "initiated" that which they could not otherwise know.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersIV.(1-5) The first five verses of this chapter contain a further argument against party-spirit as it existed in the Corinthian Church--viz., that God alone can judge of any man's work whether it be worthy, and that God, unlike man, who selects only some one for praise, will give to every worker his own proper share of approval.(1) Man.--In a generic sense means "every one" (as in 1Corinthians 11:28, and Galatians 6:1).Us--i.e., Paul himself and Apollos.As of the ministers of Christ.--Better, as ministers of Christ. The word used for "ministers" here expresses more strongly the idea of subordination than the word which occurs in 1Corinthians 3:5. It implies not only those who are under one superior, but those who are in a still inferior position--the officer who has to obey orders, as in Matthew 5:25--a "servant" (Matthew 26:58). Though servants, their office is one of great trust; they are "stewards" to whom the owner of the house has entrusted the care of those sacred things--"mysteries"--which heretofore have been hidden, but are now made known to them, his faithful subordinates. It is to be remembered that even the steward in a Greek household was generally a slave. . . .