1 Corinthians ~ Part 7

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As I mentioned in my last post, we continue to explore Sha’ul’s Letters to the Corinthians.

Regarding Divisions within the Congregation ~ Part 6

Yeshua Is the Foundation

“The content of this post is one of the most misunderstood passages in the Bible. The Roman Catholics use it to “prove” their doctrine of purgatory, that fire will purify people in the next life and make them fit for heaven; the modernists use it to “prove” salvation by good works; and many evangelical Christians interpret this section as applying to the judgment of individual Christians rather than the building of the local church. While this passage teaches that there will be a judgment of believers’ works at the judgment seat of Christ, the basic application is to workers and pastors of the local churches. The local church is compared to a building or a temple, and the pastor is a builder whose responsibility is to keep the materials in the temple at their very best. Paul was the builder God used to lay the foundation at Corinth, and that foundation was Christ as preached in the Gospel. Along came Apollos, who built upon that foundation, and other pastors followed him. “Each one should be careful how he builds” is Paul’s warning.” ^[1]

¹⁰ Using the grace God gave me, I laid a foundation, like a skilled master-builder, and another man is building on it. But let each one be careful how he builds.

As a skilled master-builder, Sha’ul laid a foundation – the message of Yeshua crucified (v. 11; 2:2). The key word in this context is “skilled,” referring to his expertise and wisdom as a builder to construct with “Yeshua and Him crucified.” The Believer who wishes to help spread the Gospel must be appropriately instructed (Ac 18:26). The phrase another builds on it refers to later builders who would have a role in building the body of Yeshua at Corinth (v. 5). These builders included Apollos and others who followed Sha’ul.

¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Yeshua the Messiah. ¹² Some will use gold, silver, or precious stones in building on this foundation, while others will use wood, grass, or straw.

With the word For, Sha’ul explained how future builders must build on his already laid foundation. As a skilled master builder, Sha’ul issued a warning (as found in construction contracts) to any builder-leader who should follow him to be careful how he builds, choosing to use only quality materials, which is symbolic of faithfulness to his God-given duties as a builder of God’s congregation. The urgent reason for this diligence is revealed in verses 13–17.

¹³ But each one’s work will be shown for what it is; the Day will disclose it because it will be revealed by fire – the fire will test the quality of each one’s work.

Even in the ancient world, large buildings must be tested and approved. Stipulations within the building contract stated when the inspection day would take place. Sha’ul used the exact words commonly used to refer to this inspection – one’s work will be shown for what it is. Sha’ul spoke of the eschatological inspection day when God will examine how builders have built the building of God, the body of Yeshua, on the foundation of the “foolish message” (see 1 Corinthians 1:18, 23; 2:2, 5).

¹⁴ If the work someone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward;

Even in the ancient world, a reward was granted to those who constructed the building on time, within budget, and according to specifications.

¹⁵ if it is burned up, he will have to bear the loss: he will still escape with his life, but it will be like escaping through a fire.

Sha’ul warned those who built carelessly that they would suffer a loss.

Division Destroys the Temple

¹⁶ Don’t you know that you people are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? ¹⁷ So if anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you yourselves are that temple.

Sha’ul gave stern notice to those who corrupted the congregation (see 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 11). In a wordplay on the verb destroy, Sha’ul warned that anyone who destroys God’sTemple will, as recompense, be destroyed by God. The word “destroy” was used in construction contracts to describe building a structure with the intent to defraud. Thus, the image here is of a church leader (builder, v. 12) who is willfully negligent.

Loyalty to Yeshua Alone

¹⁸ Let no one fool himself. If someone among you thinks he is wise (by this world’s standards), let him become “foolish” so that he may become really wise.

Sha’ul’s advice to the self-deceived: let the one who thinks he is wise in this age become foolish by embracing the message of “foolishness.” The “foolish one” who trusted the “foolish message” would be wise from God’s viewpoint.

¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is nonsense, as far as God is concerned; since the Tanakh says, “He traps the wise in their own cleverness,” ²⁰ and again, “Adonai knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.”

God determines what constitutes foolishness. These verses are filled with courtroom terminology from Tanakh Wisdom literature (e.g., Job 5:12–13). Sha’ul affirmed from these witnesses that any disputations (reasonings) made before God’s bench would be foolish if based on the wisdom of men.

²¹ So let no one boast about human beings, for all things are yours – ²² whether Sha’ul or Apollos or Kefa or the world or life or death or the present or the future: they all belong to you, ²³ and you belong to the Messiah, and the Messiah belongs to God.  ^[2]

The remedy for divisions in the congregation is the recognition that all Gospel servants – even prominent figures such as Sha’ul … Apollos or Cephas – are not their own but belong to Yeshua, who in turn belongs to God. In this light, servants must never become a distraction to the congregation, and Believers must never mistake them for the Master.

In our next post, we will continue to explore Sha’ul’s Letters to the Corinthians beginning in 1 Corinthians 4: 1.

Click here for the PDF version.

^[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1992), 425.

^[2] 1 Corinthians 3:10–23.