1. Korinther 4:3 Kommentar

In this chapter the apostle, I. Directs them how to account of him and his fellow-ministers, and therein, tacitly at least, reproves them for their unworthy carriage towards him (Co1 4:1-6). II. He cautions them against pride and self-elation, and hints at the many temptations they had to conceive too highly of themselves, and despise him and other apostles, because of the great diversity in their circumstances and condition (Co1 4:7-13). III. He challenges their regard to him as their father in Christ (Co1 4:14-16). IV. He tells them of his having sent Timothy to them, and of his own purpose to come to them shortly, however some among them had pleased themselves, and grown vain, upon the quite contrary expectation (Co1 4:17 to the end).

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 4 The chief heads of this chapter are the account that ought to be had of the ministers of the Gospel; cautions against censoriousness, rash judgment, pride, and self-conceit; the uncomfortable circumstances and situation of the ministers of the Gospel for the sake of preaching it; the apostle's fatherly affection to the Corinthians, and his authority over them; his resolution in submission to the will of God of coming to them, and the manner in which it might be expected he would come. The apostle exhorts to have in proper esteem the preachers of the Gospel, and that because they are Christ's ministers and stewards of his grace, and faithful in the discharge of their duty, Co1 4:1. And as for himself, whom he includes in the number of the faithful dispensers of the word, he cared not what judgment was passed upon him; nor should he think fit to be set down by it, partly because it was human, and arose from an ill spirit; and partly because he judged himself; as also because his conscience testified that he faithfully discharged his office; and besides, the Lord was his judge, Co1 4:3 who in his own time would judge him; and he, as every other faithful minister, shall have praise of God, and therefore before that time judgment was not to be passed by men, Co1 4:5 and then gives a reason why he had mentioned his own name, and the name of Apollos, under such figurative expressions as he had done in the preceding chapter, that they might be examples of modesty and humility for others to follow, Co1 4:6 and expostulates with those who were vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds; that seeing they were no better than others, and what gifts they had were not of themselves, but of God, they had no reason to glory and vaunt it over others, Co1 4:7 and in an ironical way expresses the exalted and flourishing condition they were in, and which he rather wishes than asserts, and which carries in it a sort of a denial of it, Co1 4:8 and goes on to represent the miserable condition that the faithful preachers and followers of Christ were in, and that in order to abate the pride and swelling vanity of these men, Co1 4:9 showing, that it was far from being a reigning time in the churches of Christ; his end in mentioning which, as well as the sharpness he had used in reproving, were not in order to expose them to shame, but for their admonition, Co1 4:14 and that he did not take too much upon him in dealing thus freely and roundly with them, appears from the spiritual relation he stood in to them, as a father, Co1 4:15 and therefore it became them as children to submit to him, and imitate him, Co1 4:16 and an instance of his paternal care of them, and love to them, was his sending Timothy among them, whose character he gives, and whose work and usefulness he points out to them, Co1 4:17, and closes the chapter with a promise of coming to them, if it was agreeable to the will of God; and the rather he was bent upon it, because some had given out he would not come, and rejoiced at it; wherefore, in order to try them, whether they were only verbal or powerful professors, he was desirous of coming to them, Co1 4:18 since religion did not lie in talking, but in an inward powerful experience of things, Co1 4:20 which he feared was wanting in some by their outward conversation; and therefore puts a question in what way they would chose he should come unto them, and hence should accordingly order their conversation and behaviour, Co1 4:21.

But with me it is a very small thing,.... It stood for little or nothing, was of no account with him, what judgment and censures were passed on him by men with regard to his faithfulness in the ministry not even by the Corinthians themselves: that I should be judged of you; not that the apostle declined, or despised the judgment of a church of Christ, rightly disposed, and met together in the fear of God, to try prove, and judge of his ministry, and his fidelity in it; but he made no account of theirs, and slighted it as being under bad influence, the influence of the false teachers, who had insinuated many things among them to the prejudice of the apostle's character; wherefore he set it at nought and rejected it, and rightly refused to submit to it, and, indeed, to any mere human judgment: or of man's judgment: it is in the Greek text, "or of man's day": in distinction from the day of the Lord, or the day of judgment; and because that men have their stated days for judgment, and because of the clearness of evidence, according to which judgment should proceed. This is not a Cilicism, as Jerom thought, but an Hebraism; so the Septuagint render , in Jer 17:16 , "man's day"; and very frequently in the Talmud (r) is the distinction of , "the judgments of God" and , "the judgments of men"; the former the apostle was willing to be subject to, but not to the latter; he appealed from men to God; he cared not what any man thought or said, or judged of him; he not only was indifferent to the judgment of the Corinthians concerning him, whether they did or did not praise him, but of any other person; and so the Syriac version renders it, , "or of any man": he adds, yea I judge not mine own self; for though as a spiritual man he judged all things, and so himself, his conduct, state, and condition; examined his own heart and ways, and was able to form a judgment of what he was and did; yet he chose not to stand and fall by his own judgment; and since he would not abide by his own judgment, who best knew himself, much less would he be subject to theirs, or any human judgment, who must be greater strangers to him; and this he said, not as conscious to himself of any unfaithfulness in his ministerial work. (r) T. Bab Bava Koma, fol. 22. 2. 29. 1. 47. 2. 55. 2. 56. 1. 91. 1. 98. 1. & Bava Metzia, fol. 82. 2.

Perhaps some (woman) will say: "To me it is not necessary to be approved by men; for I do not require the testimony of men: God is the inspector of the heart.

"With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man's day." "I judge myself unworthy," saith he, "of being judged by you." And why say I, "by you?" I will add, "by any one else." Howbeit, let no one condemn Paul of arrogance; though he saith that no man is worthy to pass sentence concerning him. For first, he saith these things not for his own sake, but wishing to rescue others from the odium which they had incurred from the Corinthians. And in the next place, he limits not the matter to the Corinthians merely, but himself also he deposes from this right of judging; saying, that to decree such things was a matter beyond his decision. At least he adds, "I judge not mine own self." But besides what has been said, we must search out the ground upon which these expressions were uttered. For he knew well in many cases how to speak with high spirit: and that, not of pride or arrogance, but of a certain excellent management seeing that in the present case also he saith this, not as lifting up himself, but as taking down other men's sails, and earnestly seeking to invest the saints with due honor. On this account Paul also, not to exalt himself, but to humble others, and to keep down those who were rising up out of their places, and to persuade them to be modest, said, "With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man's day." Observe how he soothes the other party also. For whosoever is told that he looks down on all alike, and deigns not to be judged of any one, will not thenceforth any more feel pain, as though himself were the only one excluded. For if he had said, "Of you," only, and so held his peace; this were enough to gall them as if treated contemptuously. But now, by introducing, "nor yet of man's day," he brought alleviation to the blow; giving them partners in the contempt. Nay, he even softens this point again, saying, "not even do I judge myself." Mark the expression, how entirely free from arrogance: in that not even he himself, he saith, is capable of so great exactness.

It is obvious that Paul was not worried about himself because he had a clear conscience.

Paul accuses the Corinthians of two things. First, they exaggerate their praise, and second, they condemn others when they have no right to judge.

The Corinthians suffered from the following ailment. Those who had divided among themselves over teachers, acting as judges, mocked and rejected pious men for their lack of learning; on the contrary, they received vicious men for their eloquence, rashly pronouncing the following verdicts: such a one is better than such a one, this one is inferior to him, that one is superior to this one, and this one to that one. So then, when Paul said that what is required of stewards is "that each one be found faithful," and by this seemingly gave them occasion to judge the life of each of them, from which even greater disorders would have arisen, then, to prevent this evil, he restrains the Corinthians from judging and says: "it is a very small thing to me." As if he says: to be subject to your judgment I consider a dishonor for myself. Then, so as not to offend them or show contempt for them, he added: "or as other men judge." Let no one, however, accuse Paul of recklessness; for he says this not about himself properly (no one was judging him), but so that they would not judge others, he takes upon himself their person and thereby accomplishes what is needed.

Then when he says, But with me, he shows that he has no regard for this judgment. First, he asserts that he is not concerned about the judgment of others on this point, saying: But with me who am the least of the dispensers, it is a very small thing, i.e., I regard it a trivial good, to be judged by you as faithful or unfaithful. But lest they suppose that he says these things out of contempt, as though he scorned their opinion as coming from worthless persons, he adds, or by any human court, i.e., by the intellect of persons judging in this time. As if to say: I am little concerned about your judgment or any man's: "I have not desired the day of man, thou knowest." (Jer 17:16). It should be noted, however, that one should have regard for men's judgment in two ways: first, in regard to others who are edified or scandalized by what is heard. For this reason the saints did not regard it a small thing but very important to be judged by men, since the Lord said: "That they may see your good works and give glory to your Father, who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). Secondly, in regard to themselves, and then they do not care much, because they neither desire human glory: "Nor sought we the glory of men, neither of you nor of others" (1 Th 2:6), nor fear men's reproaches: "Fear not the reproach of men, and be not afraid of their blasphemies" (Is 51:7). Hence the Apostle says significantly: But with me, i.e., as far as it pertains to me. Nor does he regard it as nothing, but as a small thing, because temporal things, among which a good reputation finds a place, are not null goods but very small ones, as Augustine says in the book On Free Will. Hence it is also stated in Wis (7:9): "All gold in comparison of her is as a little sand." Secondly, he shows that he does not even presume to judge himself, saying: I do not even judge myself. But this seems to conflict with a later statement: "If we judged ourselves truly, we should no be judged" (1 Cor 11:31). Therefore, everyone should judge himself. However, it should be noted that everyone should judge himself with the judgment of self-examination, about which the Apostle speak here, according to the spirit of Ps 77 (v. 6): "I meditate and search my spirit," as well as with the judgment of condemnation and reproach in the face of obvious evils: "I will reprove my ways in his sight" (Jb 13:15). But with the judgment of absolution a person should not presume to judge himself innocent: "Though I am innocent, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse" (Jb 9:20).

Ministers should be esteemed by their flocks as the stewards of God, whose duty and interest it is to be faithful, Co1 4:1, Co1 4:2. Precipitate and premature judgments condemned, Co1 4:3-5. The apostle's caution to give the Corinthians no offense, Co1 4:6. We have no good but what we receive from God, Co1 4:7. The worldly mindedness of the Corinthians, Co1 4:8. The enumeration of the hardships, trials, and sufferings of the apostles, Co1 4:9-13. For what purpose St. Paul mentions these things, Co1 4:14-16. He promises to send Timothy to them, Co1 4:17. And to come himself shortly, to examine and correct the abuses that had crept in among them, Co1 4:18-21.

It is a very small thing that I should be judged of you - Those who preferred Apollos or Kephas before St. Paul, would of course give their reasons for this preference; and these might, in many instances, be very unfavourable to his character as a man, a Christian, or an apostle; of this he was regardless, as he sought not his own glory, but the glory of God in the salvation of their souls. Or of man's judgment - Η ὑπο ανθρωπινης ἡμερας, literally, or of man's day: but ανθρωπινη ἡμερα signifies any day set apart by a judge or magistrate to try a man on. This is the meaning of ἡμερα, Psa 37:13 : The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his Day, ἡ ἡμερα αυτου, his judgment is coming. Mal 3:17 : And they shall be mine in the Day, εις ἡμεραν, in the judgment, when I make up my jewels. It has the same meaning in Pe2 3:10 : But the Day, the Judgment, of the Lord will come. The word ανθρωπινος, man's, signifies miserable, wretched, woful; so Jer 17:16 : Neither have I desired, יום אנוש yom enosh, the day of man; but very properly translated in our version, the woful day. God's Days, Job 24:1, certainly signify God's Judgments. And the Day of our Lord Jesus, in this epistle, Co1 1:8; Co1 5:5, signifies the day in which Christ will judge the world; or rather the judgment itself. I judge not mine own self - I leave myself entirely to God, whose I am, and whom I serve.

TRUE VIEW OF MINISTERS: THE JUDGMENT IS NOT TO BE FORESTALLED; MEANWHILE THE APOSTLES' LOW STATE CONTRASTS WITH THE CORINTHIANS' PARTY PRIDE, NOT THAT PAUL WOULD SHAME THEM, BUT AS A FATHER WARN THEM; FOR WHICH END HE SENT TIMOTHY, AND WILL SOON COME HIMSELF. (1Co. 4:1-21) account . . . us--Paul and Apollos. ministers of Christ--not heads of the Church in whom ye are severally to glory (Co1 1:12); the headship belongs to Christ alone; we are but His servants ministering to you (Co1 1:13; Co1 3:5, Co1 3:22). stewards-- (Luk 12:42; Pe1 4:10). Not the depositories of grace, but dispensers of it ("rightly dividing" or dispensing it), so far as God gives us it, to others. The chazan, or "overseer," in the synagogue answered to the bishop or "angel" of the Church, who called seven of the synagogue to read the law every sabbath, and oversaw them. The parnasin of the synagogue, like the ancient "deacon" of the Church, took care of the poor (Act 6:1-7) and subsequently preached in subordination to the presbyters or bishops, as Stephen and Philip did. The Church is not the appendage to the priesthood; but the minister is the steward of God to the Church. Man shrinks from too close contact with God; hence he willingly puts a priesthood between, and would serve God by deputy. The pagan (like the modern Romish) priest was rather to conceal than to explain "the mysteries of God." The minister's office is to "preach" (literally, "proclaim as a herald," Mat 10:27) the deep truths of God ("mysteries," heavenly truths, only known by revelation), so far as they have been revealed, and so far as his hearers are disposed to receive them. JOSEPHUS says that the Jewish religion made known to all the people the mysteries of their religion, while the pagans concealed from all but the "initiated" few, the mysteries of theirs.

it is a very small thing--literally, "it amounts to a very small matter"; not that I despise your judgment, but as compared with God's, it almost comes to nothing. judged . . . of man's judgment--literally, "man's day," contrasted with the day (Co1 3:13) of the Lord (Co1 4:5; Th1 5:4). "The day of man" is here put before us as a person [WAHL]. All days previous to the day of the Lord are man's days. EMESTI translates the thrice recurring Greek for "judged . . . judge . . . judgeth" (Co1 4:4), thus: To me for my part (though capable of being found faithful) it is a very small matter that I should be approved of by man's judgment; yea, I do not even assume the right of judgment and approving myself--but He that has the right, and is able to judge on my case (the Dijudicator), is the Lord.