1 Corinthians ~ Part 8

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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 7

Ministers to Be Judged

¹ So, you should regard us as the Messiah’s servants, as trustees of God’s secret truths. ² Now, the one thing that is asked of a trustee is that he be found trustworthy.

Sha’ul called on the Corinthians to be aware of the responsibilities of those who manage. The congregation should view those in leadership as stewards with a responsibility to dispatch the message of Yeshua.

³ And it matters very little to me how I am evaluated by you or by any human court; in fact, I don’t even evaluate myself. ⁴ I am not aware of anything against me, but this does not make me innocent. The one who is evaluating me is the Lord.

Though the Ruach gives me the capacity to do it (1 Cor. 2:14–15), and I affirm its appropriateness (1 Cor. 11:31), I don’t even evaluate myself. I give no objective significance to my introspective judgments, for despite my being unaware of anything against me, … this does not make me innocent (Psalm 19:13(12)). Only one evaluation matters: that of the Lord.

⁵ So don’t pronounce judgment prematurely, before the Lord comes; for He will bring to light what is now hidden in darkness; He will expose the motives of people’s hearts; and then each will receive from God whatever praise he deserves.

 

 

 

Warning Against Pride

⁶ Now, in what I have said here, brothers, I have used myself and Apollos as examples to teach you not to go beyond what the Tanakh says, proudly taking the side of one leader against another.

Sha’ul did not disclose the identity of these misguided, arrogant leaders; he used the names “Apollos” and “Sha’ul” as a foil. Sha’ul and Apollos had illustrated dramatically in their foolish message that they did not go beyond what the Tanakh says. Sha’ul had determined to know nothing among the Corinthians “except Yeshua and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:1–2). The congregation was not to be inflated with pride in favor of one leader against another. They were to boast only in the Lord.

⁷ After all, what makes you so special? What do you have that you didn’t receive as a gift? And if, in fact, it was a gift, why do you boast as if it weren’t?

Sha’ul offered a rhetorical response to those claiming superiority in the Corinthian congregation. He who receives a gift by grace has no grounds for boasting.

⁸ You are glutted already? You are rich already? You have become kings, even though we are not? Well, I wish you really were kings so that we might share the kingship with you! ^[1]

With a strong dose of irony, Sha’ul says the boastful disposition of the Corinthian Believers made them glutted and rich as if their glorification was complete and they were already reigning as kings in eternity. Sha’ul partly wished all of this were true, for all Believers are destined to reign with Yeshua (2 Timothy 2:12).

In our next post, we will continue to explore Sha’ul’s Letters to the Corinthians beginning in 1 Corinthians 4:9.

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^[1] 1 Corinthians 4:1–8.