Monday, May 9, 2016

1 Corinthians Chapter 4


Above image from https://jointhebibleproject.com.

(1) So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries.

  • So: When "so", "but" or "then" begins a sentence, look at the previous verse(s) to discover to what the writer is directing your attention. The last point made in Chapter 3 is that Christians should not be followers of Paul, Apollos or any other human leader - they should be followers of Jesus Christ. Here, Paul makes the point that he and others are simply servants of Jesus Christ.
  • Servants (huperetes - Strong's Greek #5257):
    • Ray Stedman: "A minister of Christ in the New Testament churches was anyone, anyone, who by virtue of a gift of the Spirit was a preacher or a teacher of the Word of God. That is what Paul is talking about here."
    • The Greek word for servant or slave here is not the usual word doulos (slave), but is huperetes which literally means an under-rower. The most common ships of that day were equipped with one to three banks of oars in three levels. The slaves on the lower levels who sat chained to the oars were called huperetes, the "under rowers".
      Do you remember the slave rower "Number 41" (Judah Ben-Hur) in the 1959 movie Ben-Hur and the statement by the ship master Quintus Arrius, "We keep you alive to serve this ship. Row well, and live."?
    • Trapp: “Under-rowers serve Christ the master-pilot, helping forward the ship of the Church toward the haven of heaven.”
      Below is from www.tobelikehim.com/Additional%20Files/Under%20Rowers%20for%20Christ.htm:
      LIFE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SHIP
      • The huperetes' job at the bottom of the ship was grim, permanent and deadly. Most of these slave rowers died in service and the chains about their ankles served as a constant reminder of their servitude to the vessel’s captain.
      • There were five aspects of the work of the huperetes that Paul and his companions could identify with when they referred to themselves as "huperetes" of Christ.
        1. First, the galley slave rowed “to the captain's beat”. In order to keep as many as 150 oars together, a rhythmic beat was sounded on a drum by the rowing mate. Each slave in the galley had to pull on their oar in time with the beat.
        2. Second, the slaves had to row together. On larger craft, the oars were up to thirty feet in length and were pulled by up to three rowers per oar. The huperetes slaves quickly learned that one could not lean on the oar, another push and another pull! They had to work as a team.
        3. Third, they had to trust the captain. In the gloomy depths of the boat, a slave had no idea where he was, where he was going or the time of arrival. The life of the rower was one of total faith and obedience. As the captain's beat grew more and more rapid, it might signal an impending enemy attack, a storm to be avoided or a hurried schedule. The slave was not allowed to question which. His job was only to obey the beat of the captain’s drum and to row.
        4. Fourth, the galley slave was committed for life. His was always a one-way trip. The damp, hard benches were no relief to his weary bones after a day's labor. Comfort was not a concern and the leg chains bound every slave to the ship with deadly certainty. And if the ship went down in a storm or in conflict, the slaves were tied to the fate of the ship with no way of escape.
        5. Finally, the slave received no honor. Only the captain of the vessel was visible to the outer world. Although there were many men who gave their lives and very breath to keep the ship going, they were never seen. They rowed on and on, day in and day out, invisible to and unrewarded by the world. If an under rower was ever seen, it was because he was not doing his job.
      GALLEY SLAVES FOR CHRIST
      • In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul provided a portrait that was vivid to the people of Corinth and remains meaningful to us, many years later. He said it was a description of himself and his team in their service to the Lord. Likewise, it needs to describe us as disciples, today. Paul wanted to be known for five things (and we should, too):

        1. He was submissive. He rowed to the Captain's beat.
        2. He was sensitive. He worked in harmony with those about him.
        3. He was trusting. He had no concern where he labored for the Captain.
        4. He was dedicated. He was willing to labor at his post until death.
        5. He was humble. He wanted none of the glory to go to himself, but all to the Captain.
      • Although our motivation for serving Christ differs from the rowing slave’s relationship to their Captain, like the rowers, we need to:
        1. Remain obedient to our Master.
        2. Cooperate with our fellow servants.
        3. Trust the LORD to take us where we need to go.
        4. Remain in service to the Lord for a lifetime.
        5. Give Christ Jesus all the glory. The galley slaves did these things out of fear, but we can do them with confident trust in a loving Captain whose plans for us are good:
      • The galley slaves did these things out of fear, but we can do them with confident trust in a loving Captain whose plans for us are good:
        • "’For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ '’ (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).
      • Like the galley slaves of the seas of Corinth’s day, disciples of the Lord belong to someone else. Paul described this well when he wrote to the Corinthians, "You are not your own," … "you were bought at a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19, 1 Corinthians 6:20 NIV).
      • There is an important difference in our bondage from that of the Huperetes. The under rowers were held by the shackles and iron chains of a slave and we are held in Christ's service by a different kind of chain that Paul described when he wrote, "For Christ's love compels us. . ." (2 Corinthians 5:14).
      • As we give ourselves to the Lord, we need to have the goals of the Huperetes - Under Rower:
        1. To become truly submissive, rowing to the beat of the Lord.
        2. To pull together with our fellow servants in Christ Jesus.
        3. To be willing to go, trusting, wherever He leads (steers the ship).
        4. Our commitment to him needs to be a lifelong commitment.
        5. We need to have no expectation for glory in this world, only a desire to do all for Him.
  • Put in charge (oikonomos):
    • oikonomos - Strong's Greek #3623 -  a steward entrusted with managing a household.
    • Clarke: “The steward . . . was the master’s deputy in regulating the concerns of the family, providing food for the household, seeing it served out at proper times and seasons, and in proper quantities. He received all the cash, expended what was necessary for the support of the family, and kept exact accounts, for which he was obliged at certain times to lay before the master.”
    • In Genesis 39:1-6, Joseph is made steward over Potiphar's affairs:
      • When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing - except what kind of food to eat! ...
    • Pharaoh appointed Joseph as steward over the financial affairs of Egypt:
      • Genesis 41:40-43:You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck. Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!” So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt.
  • Mysteries (Greek musterion - sometimes translated "secret"):
    • The Corinthians would have been familiar with the “mysteries” of their Pagan religions.

(2) Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.

  • Faithful (Greek - pistos):
    • A steward never owned the property he dealt with; he simply managed it for his master and had to manage it faithfully.
    • God requires stewards to be pistos - trustworthy or faithful - but not necessarily successful as the world counts success. Paul was responsible for planting the church at Corinth, and Apollos was responsible for watering it - but only God could give the growth (3:7). God requires Paul to be pistos - faithful - but does not require him to be eloquent or wise or charismatic, which is what these Corinthian Christians want.

(3-4) As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.

  • Evaluated:
    • Three "courts" are mentioned:
      1. You ... human authority - Public opinion, the judgment of peers.
      2. My own judgment - My conscience.
      3. The Lord himself - the court of last resort, the only court that really matters.
        • 2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
  • My own judgment:
    • F. W. Bruce: "I myself am not competent to assess the quality of my apostolic service and pronounce a verdict on it; only One can do that; and I shall submit myself to his decision: It is the Lord who judges me."

(5) So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time - before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

  • Don't make judgments ... ahead of time:
    • Jesus is the only judge and you are judging before the events are over.
    • The passage teaches that we should not be in a rush to judge others because:
      • we don't know their background nor their circumstances.
      • we don't know their feelings and motives.
      • all secret things will be brought forth on Judgment Day, where every man shall receive fair justice by the One who knows all.

(6) Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another.

  • Apollos and myself: Paul and Apollos were united and preached the same gospel from the same Scriptures.

(7) For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

(8) You think you ALREADY have everything you need. You think you are ALREADY rich. You have begun to reign in God’s kingdom WITHOUT US! I wish you really were reigning ALREADY, for then we would be reigning with you.

  • ALREADY ... ALREADY ... WITHOUT US ... ALREADY:
    • The emphasis is on 'already' and 'without us' - as if they had reached spiritual perfection and had advanced beyond Paul and Apollos - religious arrogance.

(9) Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world - to people and angels alike.

  • In verses 9-13, Paul contrasts the apostles and the Corinthians.
  • Condemned to die:
    • The criminals condemned to death were put in the arena at the end when the audience was getting bored.
  • Spectacle (to the world) - Greek theatron (Strong's Greek #2302 - a theater, a semi-circular stone building, generally open to the sky, a spectacle, a show.):
    • Most "Christians" do not want to be considered "different" or "weird" or "religious." They want to blend in, be relevant, accepted, popular, compatible with their worldly friends.
    • Moffat: "Like the doomed gladiators in the arena". When a Roman general came back to Rome victoriously, there would be a big procession into the city. Part of that procession included prisoners sentenced to die. They were put in the public arena where they would face animals that would kill them. Such prisoners were made spectacles in front of thousands of witnesses.
    • 2 Corinthians 2:14: But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.

(10) Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed.

  • Notice the contrasts:
    1. Us look like fools | you claim to be wise.
    2. We are weak | you are powerful.
    3. We are ridiculed | you are honored.
  • Today, many church memberships have this same attitude. They were concerned about the image of worldly success and power, and many of them despised Paul and the other apostles because they did not display that image and, therefore, must be failures.
  • Our ... us ... we: Paul, Apollos, Peter.

(11) Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.

  • Even now:
    • Paul here drops the irony, and begins a serious recapitulation of his actual sufferings and trials. The Corinthians suffered none of these hardships.
  • Hungry ... beaten ... no home:
    • How different is this from the Prosperity Theology that is preached from so many pulpits today. It is often taught that, if you are faithful and give enough money to the church, God will give you even more money.

(12) We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.

  • Work ... with our own hands:
    • "A practice highly regarded by the Jews but held in contempt by Greeks, including some of the Corinthians." - Broadman Bible Commentary, Volume 10.

(13) We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash - right up to the present moment.

  • Treated like ... garbage:
    • Warren Wiersbe captures the thought: "If you associate with us, you had better be ready for suffering. We apostles are not held in honor - we are despised!"
    • David Guzik: "Think of Paul's resume: bounced from church to church, run out of many towns, accused of starting riots, rarely supported by the ministry, arrested and imprisoned several times. Who today would hire Paul as a pastor?"
    • John Stevenson Bible Study Page: www.angelfire.com/nt/theology/: "The Corinthians saw themselves as being high-class Christians. Paul presents no such picture of the servant of Christ. He says that, in the world’s eyes, God’s servants are seen as the very lowest of the low. Do you see what Paul has done? By presenting himself and the other servants of Christ in such a lowly manner, he has exposed the pride and the boasting and the high-mindedness of the Corinthians. Paul recognized that the root problem of the Corinthians was their conceit. This is the root of most spiritual problems. It was seen in man’s fall in the Garden of Eden. It was seen in Cain’s murder of Abel. It was seen in Saul’s persecution of David. It was seen in the Pharisees’ rejection of Jesus. It is still seen today. When there is a problem in a marriage between a husband and a wife, the root problem is usually that of conceit and self-will. When a conflict arises between a parent and a child, the cause of that conflict is almost always because of the high-mindedness of one or both parties. When two Christians come into conflict, it is because one has begun to think himself as more important than the other. Are you in the midst of a conflict with another Christian? Here is the root of your problem. It is a problem of self-will. It is a problem of conceit. It is a problem caused by a lack of servanthood. You have been called to a high calling. It is to be a servant of God. And one of the ways you can know that you are a true servant is how you act when you are treated like one."

(14-15) I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you.

  • Others ... spiritual father:
    • Paul is contrasting his role with them to others such as Apollos. His is a special relationship to them because it was he who founded the Corinthian church and left many of them to saving faith in Christ.

(16) So I urge you to imitate me.

  • Imitate me (Greek - mimetes):
    • Is somebody watching you? When people watch your life, what do they see? What are your priorities? What are your views? Are there younger Christians who need to see that it is possible to live for Jesus every day and in every way?
    • John Stevenson Bible Study Page: www.angelfire.com/nt/theology/: "Because Paul was their spiritual father, he can say, "You ought to take on the family resemblance of your spiritual father." I have heard preachers say, "Live as I say, not as I do. Don’t follow me, follow Jesus." But that is not the Biblical pattern of leadership. That is what Jesus accused the Pharisees of doing. Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying, "The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach." (Matthew 23:1-3). The scribes and the Pharisees had all of their doctrines in order. They believed in the supernatural and they knew their Biblical prophecy and they could quote the law and they could cross their tau’s and dot their iota’s when it came to doctrine. There was only one problem. They did not have a lifestyle to match."
    • 1 Corinthians 11:1: And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
    • Ephesians 5:1: Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
    • Philippians 3:17: Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.
    • 1 Thessalonians 1:6, 2:14: So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. ... And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God’s churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews.
    • Hebrews 6:12: Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

(17) That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.

  • Timothy:
    • John Stevenson Bible Study Page: www.angelfire.com/nt/theology/: "Paul sends Timothy to Corinth to be a living example of what the Corinthian believer ought to be. Notice that Paul does not say that Timothy will become the pastor of the Corinthian church. He is not appointed to the status of overseer or elder. We are not even told that Timothy will hold a series of Bible studies."
    • Acts 19:22: He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.
    • 1 Corinthians 16:10: When Timothy comes, don’t intimidate him. He is doing the Lord’s work, just as I am.

(18-21) Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. But I will come - and soon - if the Lord lets me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power. For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?

APPLICATION:
We should regard ourselves as servants and stewards. Omar C. Garcia: "Paul likened himself to an under-rower, a galley slave who served as an oarsman at the bottom of a ship. As such, his life was devoted to the service of a higher authority. Paul also likened himself to a steward, an individual charged with the responsibility of overseeing the affairs of a household. As such, he labored to serve his master and with the understanding that he would be held accountable for the condition of the household. We too, should regard ourselves in this manner. Only then can we serve humbly and faithfully, knowing that we are under authority of the captain of the ship and the owner of the house."

NOTES:

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