1 Corinthians 3:17 Komentář

In this chapter the apostle, I. Blames the Corinthians for their carnality and divisions (Co1 3:1-4). II. He instructs them how what was amiss among them might be rectified, by remembering, 1. That their ministers were no more than ministers (Co1 3:5). 2. That they were unanimous, and carried on the same design (Co1 3:6-10). 3. That they built on one and the same foundation (Co1 3:11-15). III. He exhorts them to give due honour to their bodies, by keeping them pure (Co1 3:16, Co1 3:17), and to humility and self-diffidence (Co1 3:18-21). IV. And dehorts them from glorying in particular ministers, because of the equal interest they had in all (Co1 3:22 to the end).

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 3 In this chapter the apostle returns to the charge of schisms and contentions upon the Corinthians, which were the occasion of the epistle; and reproves them for their divisions, which were about their ministers; and gives them their just and due character, and who, though they were useful and commendable in their places, were not to be gloried in; and especially it was a great piece of weakness and folly, to set up one against another, when they had an equal interest in them all. Having, in the latter part of the preceding chapter, made mention of the spiritual man, the apostle tells the Corinthians, to whom he writes, that he could not address them as spiritual, but as carnal; and not as perfect men, among whom he spake the wisdom of God, but as babes in Christ, Co1 3:1 and this rudeness and ignorance of theirs account for his conduct towards them, in delivering the plain and easy, and not the sublime doctrines of the Gospel to them, because they were not able to bear them; nor were they yet able, notwithstanding the length of time, the proficiency they had made, and the many teachers they had had among them, Co1 3:2 and to prove that they were carnal, and not spiritual, he instances in their envy, strife, and contentions, which were carnal works, or works of the flesh, Co1 3:3 and gives some particulars of their contentions about their ministers, which put it out of all doubt that they were carnal, Co1 3:4 and reproves them for such contentions, and argues the folly and sinfulness of them; partly from the character of their preachers, as servants and ministers, who were the instruments of their faith and conversion, through the grace of God, and therefore not to be set up at the head of them as their lords and masters, Co1 3:5 and partly from the unprofitableness of their ministry, without a divine blessing, Co1 3:6 and also from the unity and equality of the ministers among themselves, though their labours and reward were different, Co1 3:8 and therefore parties and factions were not to be made on their account; and besides, as they were labourers with God, and the church were his husbandry and building, in which they were employed, Co1 3:9, though they might differ in some superstructure points, yet they agreed in the foundation; and the apostle instances in himself under the character of a wise master builder, laying the foundation, and others building on it, Co1 3:10 and declares what this foundation was, which he and other Gospel ministers agreed in laying; nor was there any other that could be laid, to any good purpose besides, which is Jesus Christ, Co1 3:11 and then distinguishes between the different sorts of builders, the one laying on the foundation things of the greatest worth and value, and others things very trifling and useless, Co1 3:12 and intimates that there would be a time, when there would be a revelation and declaration of every man's work, of what sort it is, Co1 3:13 so that, according to their different structures, there will be a different reward, as is suggested, Co1 3:8 for though both sorts of preachers are upon the foundation, and so their persons will be safe, yet what they have built upon that foundation, according to the nature of it, shall either abide or be destroyed, Co1 3:14 wherefore inasmuch then as the church of Christ is a temple, a building laid on such a foundation as Christ, it ought not to be defiled by factions and divisions, by errors and heresies; especially since it is holy, and the Spirit of God dwells in it; and whoever does defile it shall surely be destroyed; and therefore the apostle dissuades from it, both from the turpitude of the action, and the danger of it, Co1 3:16 he cautions against the wisdom of this world, which was the cause of their divisions; as being self-deceiving, and contrary to true wisdom, Co1 3:18 and as being foolishness in the account of God, which he proves by some passages of scripture, Co1 3:19 and concludes, therefore, that no man ought to glory in men, in the best of men, not even in ministers, Co1 3:21 so as to separate and divide them, one from another, and set up one above another, since they, and all things else, were theirs, Co1 3:22 the ground and evidence of which their right and property in them are given, they being Christ's, and Christ's God's, Co1 3:23.

If any man defile the temple of God,.... By the wisdom of the world, through philosophy, and vain deceit; by bringing in false doctrines, errors, and heresies, and hereby corrupt their minds from the simplicity that is in Christ; and make rents, factions, and divisions among them: him shall God destroy; body and soul in hell; for as their wicked principles and heretical notions are pernicious to others, they are damnable to themselves, and will bring upon them that judgment which lingereth not, and that damnation which slumbereth not. The false prophet, as well as the beast, and the devil, shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. God is not only an avenger of all immoralities committed against his righteous law, but of all false doctrine and false worship, and of everything that is contrary to the Gospel, and to the order and ordinances of it. The reason of this is, for the temple of God is holy; alluding to the holiness of Solomon's temple, "into which a man might not go with his staff, nor with his shoes on, nor with his purse, nor with dust upon his feet, nor might he make it a thoroughfare, and much less spit in it (o).'' And yet, how was it polluted in our Lord's time by the Jews, who made it a den of thieves, instead of an house of prayer? which temple ye are. This is added for further confirmation, and to assert their holiness in doctrine, worship, and conversation, and to deter the false teachers from making use of any means to corrupt them in either. (o) Misn. Beracot, c. 9. sect. 5.

And not only does he (the apostle) acknowledge our bodies to be a temple, but even the temple of Christ, saying thus to the Corinthians, "Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot?" He speaks these things, not in reference to some other spiritual man; for a being of such a nature could have nothing to do with an harlot: but he declares "our body," that is, the flesh which continues in sanctity and purity, to be "the members of Christ;" but that when it becomes one with an harlot, it becomes the members of an harlot. And for this reason he said, "If any man defile the temple of God, him will God destroy." How then is it not the utmost blasphemy to allege, that the temple of God, in which the Spirit of the Father dwells, and the members of Christ, do not partake of salvation, but are reduced to perdition? Also, that our bodies are raised not from their own substance, but by the power of God, he says to the Corinthians, "Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. But God hath both raised up the Lord, and shall raise us up by His own power."

But "if any man defile the temple of God, he shall be himself destroyed" -of course, by the God of the temple. If you threaten an avenger, you threaten us with the Creator.

"If any man destroy the Temple of God, him will God destroy." Dost thou mark the sweeping vehemence of his words? However, so long as the person is unknown, what is spoken is not so invidious, all dividing among themselves the fear of rebuke. "Him will God destroy," that is, will cause him to perish. And this is not the word of one denouncing a curse, but of one that prophesieth. "For the Temple of God is holy:" but he that hath committed fornication is profane. Then, in order that he might not seem to spend his earnestness upon that one, in saying, "for the Temple of God is holy," he addeth, "which ye are."

Paul says this in order to prick the consciences of those who have corrupted their bodies through evil living, especially the man who was having an affair with his father’s wife..

That is, he will destroy. In these words is expressed not a curse, but a prediction about the future.

Therefore, a fornicator cannot be holy, since he has ceased to be the temple of God, having driven out the Spirit who sanctifies him. Who then constitutes this temple? You, if you remain pure.

Then when he says, But if any man, he mentions the punishment in store for those who do evil works, saying: But if any man destroy the temple of God, him will God destroy. Now the temple of God is violated in two ways: in one way by false teaching, which does not build on the foundation but rather uproots it and destroys the edifice; hence, (Ez 13:19) says of false prophets: "You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread." In another way a person violates the temple of God by mortal sin, through which he destroys himself or someone else by his works or example; hence it says in Mal (2:11): "Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves." Therefore, any person who violates a spiritual temple of God or profanes it in any way deserves to be destroyed by God through eternal damnation; hence Mal (2:12) continues: "May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob and the man who does this, both the master and the disciple," and in Ps 12 (v. 3): "May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts." Then when he says, For the temple, he gives the reason for what he had said about the holiness of the temple. For a person who profanes a sacred thing commits a sacrilege; hence he deserves to be destroyed. For the temple of God is holy, and that temple you are, as he stated earlier and as stated in Ps 65 (v. 4) "Holy is your temple, wonderful in justice," and again in Ps 93 (v. 5): "Holiness befits thy house, O Lord." In a material temple, however, is a certain sacramental holiness, inasmuch as the temple is dedicated to divine worship; but in Christ's faithful is the holiness of grace, which they acquired by baptism: "You have been washed, you have been sanctified" 1 Cor (6:11).

Because of the carnal, divided state of the people at Corinth, the apostle was obliged to treat them as children in the knowledge of sacred things, Co1 3:1-3. Some were for setting up Paul, others Apollos, as their sole teachers, Co1 3:4. The apostle shows that himself and fellow apostles were only instruments which God used to bring them to the knowledge of the truth; and even their sowing, and watering the seed was of no use unless God gave the increase, Co1 3:5-8. The Church represented as God's husbandry, and as God's building, the foundation of which is Christ Jesus, Co1 3:9-11. Ministers must beware how and what they build on this foundation, Co1 3:12-15. The Church of God is his temple, and he that defiles it shall be destroyed, Co1 3:16, Co1 3:17. No man should depend on his own wisdom; for the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God, Co1 3:18-20. None should glory in man as his teacher; God gives his followers every good, both for time and eternity, Co1 3:21-23.

If any man defile the temple - This clause is not consistently translated. Ει τις τον ναον του Θεου φθειρει, φθερει τουτον ὁ Θεος If any man destroy the temple of God, him will God destroy. The verb is the same in both clauses. If any man injure, corrupt, or destroy the Church of God by false doctrine, God will destroy him - will take away his part out of the book of life. This refers to him who wilfully opposes the truth; the erring, mistaken man shall barely escape; but the obstinate opposer shall be destroyed. The former shall be treated leniently; the latter shall have judgment without mercy.

PAUL COULD NOT SPEAK TO THEM OF DEEP SPIRITUAL TRUTHS, AS THEY WERE CARNAL, CONTENDING FOR THEIR SEVERAL TEACHERS; THESE ARE NOTHING BUT WORKERS FOR GOD, TO WHOM THEY MUST GIVE ACCOUNT IN THE DAY OF FIERY JUDGMENT. THE HEARERS ARE GOD'S TEMPLE, WHICH THEY MUST NOT DEFILE BY CONTENTIONS FOR TEACHERS, WHO, AS WELL AS ALL THINGS, ARE THEIRS, BEING CHRIST'S. (1Co. 3:1-23) And I--that is, as the natural (animal) man cannot receive, so I also could not speak unto you the deep things of God, as I would to the spiritual; but I was compelled to speak to you as I would to MEN OF FLESH. The oldest manuscripts read this for "carnal." The former (literally, "fleshy") implies men wholly of flesh, or natural. Carnal, or fleshly, implies not they were wholly natural or unregenerate (Co1 2:14), but that they had much of a carnal tendency; for example their divisions. Paul had to speak to them as he would to men wholly natural, inasmuch as they are still carnal (Co1 3:3) in many respects, notwithstanding their conversion (Co1 1:4-9). babes--contrasted with the perfect (fully matured) in Christ (Col 1:28; compare Heb 5:13-14). This implies they were not men wholly of flesh, though carnal in tendencies. They had life in Christ, but it was weak. He blames them for being still in a degree (not altogether, compare Co1 1:5, Co1 1:7; therefore he says as) babes in Christ, when by this time they ought to have "come unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph 4:13). In Rom 7:14, also the oldest manuscripts read, "I am a man of flesh."

If any . . . defile . . . destroy--rather as the Greek verb is the same in both cases, "destroy . . . destroy." God repays in kind by a righteous retaliation. The destroyer shall himself be destroyed. As temporal death was the penalty of marring the material temple (Lev 16:2; Dan 5:2-3, Dan 5:30), so eternal death is the penalty of marring the spiritual temple--the Church. The destroyers here (Co1 3:16-17), are distinct from the unwise or unskilful builders (Co1 3:12, Co1 3:15); the latter held fast the "foundation" (Co1 3:11), and, therefore, though they lose their work of superstructure and the special reward, yet they are themselves saved; the destroyers, on the contrary, assailed with false teaching the foundation, and so subvert the temple itself, and shall therefore be destroyed. (See on Co1 3:10), [ESTIUS and NEANDER]. I think Paul passes here from the teachers to all the members of the Church, who, by profession, are "priests unto God" (Exo 19:6; Pe1 2:9; Rev 1:6). As the Aaronic priests were doomed to die if they violated the old temple (Exo 28:43), so any Christian who violates the sanctity of the spiritual temple, shall perish eternally (Heb 12:14; Heb 10:26, Heb 10:31). holy--inviolable (Hab 2:20). which temple ye are--rather, "the which (that is, holy) are ye" [ALFORD], and, therefore, want of holiness on the part of any of you (or, as ESTIUS, "to tamper with the foundation in teaching you") is a violation of the temple, which cannot be let to pass with impunity. GROTIUS supports English Version.