Chapter Three
1 Cor. 3:1. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal.
Above he was bringing down the pride of the Corinthians in worldly wisdom; but, lest they say: we boast not in that, but in spiritual wisdom, he now shows that even in our wisdom they had not attained perfection, but still remained imperfect, and he says that they had not yet heard anything about more perfect subjects. He well said "I could not," lest they think that he did not speak to them about more perfect things out of envy. The reason I could not speak to you as to perfect ones is that you are still occupied with fleshly things. But how did they, being fleshly, perform signs? Indeed, they were such, as was also said in the beginning. But it is possible both to work signs and at the same time to be fleshly, like those people who cast out demons in the name of Christ. For signs are for the benefit of others and therefore are often performed even through the unworthy.
1 Cor. 3:1-3. As unto babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, and not with solid food, for you were not yet able, nor indeed are you now able, because you are still carnal.
In the mysteries of Christ, he says, you are still infants, therefore I gave you milk to drink, that is, the simplest teaching, and did not offer you solid food, that is, more perfect teaching. Why? Because you were not yet able (to receive it). And to bring down their pride, he adds: "and even now you are not able," for you still think about fleshly things. Do you see: they are not able to receive such teaching because they do not want to be spiritual, but remain fleshly.
1 Cor. 3:3. For if there is among you envy, strife, and divisions, are you not carnal? And do you not walk according to human custom?
Everything that was said above, he spoke to the leaders who prided themselves on their wisdom and nobility, but now he turns to the subordinates and says: I rightly call you carnal, because among you there is envy, strife, and divisions. He could have accused them of fornication and many other vices as well; but since divisions and strife had especially intensified among them, he mentions these. It is important to note that everywhere he joins envy with strife. This is because from envy come strife, and from strife come divisions. But if all these disorders exist among you, then "are you not walking according to human custom?" that is, are you not thinking in a carnal, human, and earthly manner?
1 Cor. 3:4. For when one says: "I am of Paul," and another: "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?
He designates by the names of Paul and Apollos the distinguished men and teachers among the Corinthians.
1 Cor. 3:5. Who is Paul? Who is Apollos? They are only servants, through whom you believed.
Having put forward his own and Apollos's name, he faithfully achieves his purpose. He reasons as follows: if we are nothing, then what is to be said of your teachers? We, he says, are "servants," and not the very root and source of blessings — that source is Christ. Therefore we ought not to be puffed up, since we have delivered to you blessings received from God; for all things belong to Him, the giver of blessings. He did not say: we are evangelists, but: "servants" — this is because evangelism encompasses only teaching, whereas service includes deeds as well.
1 Cor. 3:5. And moreover, as the Lord gave to each one.
And even this, he says, small service we do not have of ourselves, but received it from the Lord, each in his own measure.
1 Cor. 3:6. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
I, he says, was the first to sow the preaching; but Apollos, by his constant teaching, did not allow the seed to wither from the heat of the temptations of the evil one, but God made you grow.
1 Cor. 3:7. Therefore both he who plants and he who waters is nothing, but everything is God who gives the growth.
Look how, by humbling himself and Apollos, he makes bearable the humbling of the wise and rich leaders of the Corinthians, teaching that He attributes to Himself all the blessings bestowed upon us.
1 Cor. 3:8. He who plants and he who waters are one.
They can do nothing without the help of God; in this respect they are one; so how can you exalt yourselves over one another, when you are one?
1 Cor. 3:8. But each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
It could easily have happened that those who labored more than others in matters of faith would have become careless upon hearing that all is one; therefore he immediately explains his expression and says that all is one only in relation to their powerlessness to do anything without the help of God who gives the growth. But as for recompense, each one will receive a reward according to his own labor. He did not say: according to his own work, but: "according to his own labor," for what does it matter if someone did not even accomplish the work? At least he labored.
1 Cor. 3:9. For we are fellow workers with God.
We teachers are fellow workers of God, cooperating with God in the salvation of people, and not the authors or givers of salvation. Therefore one must neither despise us, for we are fellow workers of God, nor boast in us, for all things are God's.
1 Cor. 3:9. And you are God's field, God's building.
Having said above: "I planted," he continues the comparison, and calls them a field. If you are a field and a building, then you should be called by the name of the Master, and not of the plowmen or builders, and, as a field, you should be enclosed by a wall of unanimity, and as a building, you should be in unity among yourselves, and not in division.