1 And I, brethren, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, even as to babes in Christ.
2 I gave you with milk to drink (cannot handle God's deep truth), and not with meat: for you were not yet strong enough (you weren't able to digest it,), neither yet now are you able. (If you plow a little deep, most churches don't understand. Example: 1st earth age.)
3 For you are yet carnal (flesh. See Rom. 7:14): for whereas there is among you envying (see Acts 5:17), and strife (see 1:11), and divisions (denominations, see Rom. 16:17), are you not carnal, and walk according to a man? (Men taking up traditions of men.)
4 For whenever one says, "I am of Paul"; and another, "I am of Apollos"; are you not men? (You can only be save by Christ. Name over the door won't get you to heaven.)
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each [one]? (If one will open up their spiritual eye and believe it.)
6 I planted, Apollos watered (see Acts 18:1-18); but God was causing it to grow. (Because God's work was continuing. Paul's or any others only temporary.)
7 So then neither is he that plants any thing, neither he that waters (don't reverence man); but God that gives the increase. (Worship Him.)
8 Now he that plants and he that waters are one thing (Many membered body. Both belong to the same company of servants, of whom God is the Master): and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. (See Rev. 19:8; 14:13)
9 For we (i.e. Paul and Sosthenes. See 1:1) are God's fellow-workers we are:
God's tilled field (cp. Num. 24:6. Ps. 80:15), God's building you are. (In a metaphorical sense. Many membered body - temple. Ministers are co-workers with one another, not with God, as though He were one of them. Were it so, "God" would be in the dative case.)
C R 3:9-17. Illustrations.
S 3:18-23. Application.
R 4:1-5. Illustration.
S 4:6-16. Application.
R h 9-. "We." Paul and Sosthenes.
k -9. "You." God's husbandry, &c.
h 10-15. "We." Paul and others.
k 16,17. "You." God's Temple.
10 According to the grace of God which is given to me, as a wise master-builder, I laid the foundation, and another builds thereon (see Acts 20:32). But let every man see how he builds thereupon. (Be careful what you build.)
11 For other foundation can no one lay beside that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 But if any one build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (All these things are perishable [1 Pet. 7]. 1st 3 will endure, last 3 will perish. See Rev. 19:7,8)
13 Every one's work shall become manifest: for the day shall declare it (make known, i.e. the day of the Lord. See Acts 2:20), because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall test every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any one's work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (Payday in Heaven, Rev. 14:13)
15 If any one's work shall be burned up (cp. Matt. 3:12. Luke 3:17. 2 Pet. 3:10), he shall suffer loss (Matt. 16:26. Mark 8:36. Luke 9:25. 2 Cor. 7:9. Phil. 3:8. He will lose his reward. Cp. 2 John 8): but he himself shall be saved (but you will be a nobody. See Rev. 3:14-19); yet so as by fire.
16 Know you not (conveys a delicate reproach) that you are the Temple of God (see Matt. 23:16), and that the Holy Spirit of God dwells among you? (At John 3:16. The Holy Spirit dwells in the shrine formed by the collective body of believers. Cp. Eph. 2:22)
17 If any one defile the Temple of God, this one shall God destroy (The one who mars God's Temple by introducing divisions, and the wisdom that is not from above [Jas. 5:15], will oneself be marred [v.15]. Perish, blot out. See Heb. 12:29 ); for the Temple of God is holy, and such you are. (i.e. holy, or separated)
S l 18. Dehortation.
m 19,20. Reason. For the Lord knows, &c.
l 21-. Dehortation. Let no man glory, &c.
m -21-23. Reason. All things are yours.
18 Let no one deceive oneself (see Rom.7:11). If any one among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, in order that he may become wise. (For the eternity)
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He takes the wise has been their own craftiness." (See Luke 20:23. This is the only time Job is quoted in N.T. Job 5:13)
20 And again, "The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain." (See Acts 14:15. Quoted from Ps. 94:11)
21 So then let no one boast in a man.
For all things are yours;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present (see Rom. 8:38), or things about to come (don't let the truth become an instrument of division); all are yours;
23 And you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.