1 Corinthians 4

This is the final chapter of the section of 1 Corinthians, beginning in chapter 1, that addresses the problem of factions (the splitting of the church into rival groups). Having described Paul and Apollos as God's fellow workers in 1 Corinthians 3, Paul now sets out how ministers ought to be regarded.

Outline

• Verses 1–5 The apostles are ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. What is required of stewards is faithfulness. Judgment will be rendered by the Lord when He comes.
• Verses 6–7 Using himself and Apollos as an example, Paul urges the Corinthians not to go beyond what is written and not to be puffed up against one another. He asks what they have that they did not receive.
• Verses 8–13 Paul contrasts the Corinthians, who seem already full and reigning as kings, with the condition of the apostles. The apostles have been made a spectacle; they hunger, are buffeted, labor with their own hands, and have become "the offscouring of all things."
• Verses 14–17 As the father who begot them through the gospel, Paul urges them to imitate him. To this end he is sending Timothy.
• Verses 18–21 Paul tells those who are puffed up that he will come to them soon and will find out not their speech but their power. He asks whether he should come with a rod or in love and a spirit of meekness.

Key Verses

• 1 Corinthians 4:2 "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." This verse sets out the standard by which those entrusted with an office are to be evaluated.
• 1 Corinthians 4:7 "What hast thou that thou didst not receive?" The argument is that since everything has been received, there is no ground for boasting.
• 1 Corinthians 4:20 "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." This verse describes the kingdom of God by contrasting it with words.

People and Places

• Paul — the apostle who wrote the letter.
• Apollos — a minister mentioned alongside Paul as an example.
• Timothy — the "beloved son, and faithful in the Lord" whom Paul sent to Corinth.
• Corinth — the Greek city where the church that received the letter was located.

Points for Reflection

• "Stewards of the mysteries of God" (v. 1): The term "stewards" refers to managers entrusted with the affairs of a household, that is, stewards in the household sense. Protestants generally read "mysteries" as the truths of the gospel. In the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions, the phrase is sometimes connected with the office of administering the sacraments.
• "Not to think of men above that which is written" (v. 6): Because it is unclear what this phrase refers to, interpretations differ. Some take it to mean the Old Testament Scriptures as a whole, others the passages Paul has quoted earlier in the letter, and still others a proverb current at the time. Some cite this verse in support of the sufficiency of Scripture.
• "Ye have reigned as kings" (v. 8): Some scholars explain this expression as a rebuttal of the Corinthians' belief that they were already fully enjoying the glory of the end times (realized eschatology).
• Working with one's own hands (v. 12): Paul's practice of supporting himself by his own labor connects with Acts 20:34–35 and 2 Thessalonians 3:7–9. The sending of Timothy (v. 17) is mentioned again in 1 Corinthians 16:10.

In the Korean Church

Verse 2 is frequently used as a sermon text at ordination and installation services for elders, gwonsa (exhorters), and deacons. It is commonly cited when the proper attitude of church officers is summed up as "faithfulness." Verse 12 is also sometimes cited as a supporting text in discussions of bivocational ministry.