Lessons #81 and 82
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual delivery not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GW = God’s Word Translation, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New English Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+AMP = Amplified Bible, UBS = United Bible Society +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
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God’s supremacy over His workers (1 Cor 3:5-9)
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
The message of this passage, if you recall, is that you should understand that God is infinitely superior to all ministers of His word that He uses in His divine work regarding you. This message we indicated is to be expounded by focusing on three responsibilities you have as derived from our passage. A first responsibility we have considered is that you should understand the position of pastors and teachers of the word to God in their roles in divine work. As we also stated, this responsibility requires you understand four facts in the passage we are studying that will enable you to maintain proper perspective about those who minister God’s word to you. A first fact is that ministers of God’s word are His agents to bring the message of salvation. This fact is derived from the phrase only servants or literally servants of 1 Corinthians 3:5. A second fact is that each minister of the word has received from the Lord specific assignment to advance God’s work. We derived this second fact from the last clause of 1 Corinthians 3:5 as the Lord has assigned to each his task. The third fact is that there is oneness among those who minister the word of God. In other words, those who minister the word of God are all in the same ministry of God’s word with the common goal of advancing God’s plan. This third fact is based on the sentence of verse 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose. A fourth fact is that each minister of God’s word will receive reward that reflects his service in the ministry of the word of God. It is this fact that is given in the last clause of 1 Corinthians 3:8 and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. With these four facts we ended the first responsibility and stated that in today’s study we will consider the second responsibility we have regarding the message of this passage.
A second responsibility that you have regarding the passage of 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 that we are studying is that you should understand God’s role in His work, that is, in the ministry of His word. To understand what is involved in this responsibility that will enable you to comprehend the overall message of the passage which is that you should understand that God is infinitely superior to all ministers of His word that He uses in His divine work regarding you, we return to what we described as digression the apostle made in the midst of his assertion of facts concerning ministers of God’s word. Understanding this second responsibility requires we consider two facts associated with it. A first fact is that God is responsible for any result as it relates to the ministry of His word. Therefore, Apostle Paul makes clear that any increase both in spiritual growth and number in a local church is from God. This truth is given in the last sentence of 1 Corinthians 3:6 but God made it grow. There is no pronoun “it” in the Greek since literally the Greek reads but God was causing to grow.
The apostle wants the Corinthians, and so all of us, to understand the limitation of the agents of God in the ministry. They carry out their responsibility of preaching and teaching of the word but that is where their efforts end. God determines the outcome. It is for this reason the apostle used the conjunction but that begins the second clause of 1 Corinthians 3:6 to give a strong or emphatic contrast between what he and Apollos do to what God does. He unequivocally then stated that the outcome of growth is in God’s hand as he states God made it grow.
The word “grow” is translated from a Greek word (auxanō) that may mean “to cause to grow, increase” in the sense of to cause to become greater in extent, size, state, or quality, as it is used in 2 Corinthians 9:10:
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
The word may mean “to grow, increase” in the sense to become greater. Hence, it is used by John the Baptist to indicate that Jesus would increase in status and so attract more disciples than he in John 3:30:
He must become greater; I must become less.
The word is used for the increase in population of Israel in Egypt in Acts 7:17:
“As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased.
The word is used for the increase in the number of believers in the early church as the word of God is preached, as we read in Acts 6:7:
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
The word is used to describe growth in the knowledge of God’s word in Colossians 1:10:
And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
It is in the sense of “to cause to grow” that the word is used in 1 Corinthians 3:6 since God is the subject of growth. So, the apostle reminded the Corinthians, and all of us believers, that God alone causes any true growth in a local church either in terms of numbers or in the spiritual maturity of the congregation. Of course, when the apostle says God made it grow he wants to remind the Corinthians not only that his work is never complete until God brings about the appropriate result but that he and Apollos are limited in what they can do although they are God’s ministers. Thus, we should never credit any minister for growth of a local church either spiritually or numerically. God alone is responsible for results although He uses human agent. Therefore, you should avoid idolizing ministers of God’s word but respect them. They are important agents God uses to bring about His word to people. For without God’s word then there is nothing God will use to bring about spiritual growth in a local church. In any event, the first fact you should understand regarding the second responsibility which is that you should understand God’s role in His work, that is, in the ministry of His word is that God is responsible for any result as it relates to the ministry of His word.
A second fact necessary for understanding God’s role in the ministry of the word is that only God, not His agents in the ministry, is ultimately important in the larger scheme of things as it pertains His plan for the church. This second fact is a logical conclusion from what Apostle Paul stated in the last clause of 1 Corinthians 3:6 but God made it grow.
It is our assertion that the apostle makes a logical inference from what he stated in the last clause of 1 Corinthians 3:6 but God made it grow because verse 7 begins with the conjunction So. The conjunction “so” is translated from a Greek conjunction (hōste) that may mean “so that” as a marker of result or purpose. It can also mean “for this reason, therefore, so”, as a marker of inference, that is, it is used to state an inevitable conclusion that one can reach based on a previous stated fact. It is in this sense that the word is used in 1 Corinthians 3:7. What the apostle wrote in verse 7 is the only logical conclusion that can be reached based on the fact stated in the last clause of verse 6 where God is responsible for result of the work done by Paul and Apollos or for growth of the church.
The logical conclusion the apostle reached is that only God not His agents in the ministry is ultimately important in the larger scheme of things as it pertains His plan for the church. It is this conclusion that is given in 1 Corinthians 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. In the context, the clause he who plants refers to Paul while the clause he who waters refers to Apollos. In application, the two clauses refer to evangelists and pastors and teachers of God’s word. This is because generally, evangelists or missionaries are those whose primary function is to preach the gospel so that unbelievers would be converted. Pastors or teachers of God’s word are those who are to continue the maturing of believers through teaching of God’s word. Of course, in some cases, that involve missionaries they may do both. Nonetheless, the point is that the two clauses refer to those who are involved in the ministry of the word.
Anyway, our concern is with the conclusion of the apostle. He indicates that those who are in the ministry of the word are not important as God in the ministry of the word. This truth is conveyed first in the verbal phrase is anything. What does the apostle mean by using the word “anything” in supplying his conclusion? To understand what the apostle meant, we should examine the word used. The word “anything” is translated from a Greek word (tis) that as an adjective may mean “some, certain, any.” It is with meaning “certain” the word is used in describing an official whose son the Lord Jesus healed in Capernaum, as recorded in John 4:46:
Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.
It is with the meaning “some” that it is used for the extent in which Simon the sorcery practiced sorcery in Samaria, as stated in Acts 8:9:
Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,
However, as a noun the word may mean “someone, anyone, somebody” as it pertains to indefinite person as Apostle Paul used it to describe those unnamed individuals that came from Jerusalem to Antioch that caused Peter to withdraw from fellowship with Gentile believers, as Paul narrated in Galatians 2:12:
Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.
It is in the same sense that the apostle used it to describe unnamed persons in Thessalonica that were idle and busybodies, as stated in 2 Thessalonians 3:11:
We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.
The word may mean “something, anything” as it pertains to something indefinite as it is used in Jesus’ instruction regarding a condition that should be fulfilled before offering something to God in the altar, as stated in Matthew 5:23:
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
The word may be used to mean a “person of importance” as it is used in the example of the speech of Gamaliel in cautioning the Jewish leaders about persecuting Christians as narrated in Acts 5:36:
Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
The verbal phrase claiming to be somebody means claiming to be someone important or great. When our Greek word is used in the neuter gender with the Greek verb (eimi) that means “to be”, as in our passage of 1 Corinthians 3:7, the word may mean “to be or amount to something.” Thus, the word is used by Apostle Paul to describe leaders in Jerusalem in Galatians 2:6:
As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message.
The clause who seemed to be important is translated in some English versions, such as the NET, as those who were influential but literally the Greek reads who were thought to be something. The apostle used similar Greek construction found in 1 Corinthians 3:7 in the conditional statement of Galatians 6:3:
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
The expression thinks he is something may be understood to mean either “to be something big” or “to be very important.” In our passage of 1 Corinthians 3:7, the sense of the word is to be important. Hence, when the apostle stated he who plants nor he who waters is anything he meant that he and Apollos are not important as God is when it comes to the God’s plan, especially as it pertains to the ministry of the word among the Corinthians. You see, no worker in the ministry of the word is indispensable. True, God uses believers to continue to preach the gospel message but that does not mean we are indispensable. God could save any elect without any human involvement. Apostle Paul is indeed a good illustration of this truth. No one preached the gospel to him. The Lord saved him directly without the involvement of any human being. The truth that God may save an elect without any human agent is not confined to the Scripture. I am an example of such work of God since no human being preached the gospel to me. I received direct message from God that led to my salvation. The point is that we should be aware that we humans are not indispensable when it comes to the ministry of the word. The Lord could convey His word directly to an elect, but He has chosen to do so through believers but occasionally He shows us that He could do it directly. Anyway, we indicate that the verbal phrase is anything is intended to show that Paul and Apollos are not important as God is. It does not mean that they are not agents of God, but they are not as important as He. This is a case of perspective. We should not evaluate ministers of the word of God in a way that we almost put them on the same footing as God. We should remember they are no more than His agents. Understanding this, will keep us from idolizing those who teach or preach God’s word. You can respect a minister of God’s word without idolizing the person.
It is our assertion that the verbal phrase is anything is intended to convey to the Corinthians that Paul and Apollos are not as important as God is regarding the ministry of His word. This truth is further confirmed by the last clause of 1 Corinthians 3:7 but only God, who makes things grow.
The apostle contrasted the importance of God to those of His workers using the conjunction but. He had stated that he and Apollos were not important regarding the ministry of the word of God, so he states that God is important. In other words, the last clause may be read fully when we combine it with the first clause of verse 7 as neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything but God is. Hence, it is clearer that the apostle is contrasting God with His workers. Of course, he described God as the One responsible for any increase or spiritual growth in the church as in the clause who makes things grow. The Holy Spirit through the apostle continued to emphasize that results of any kind in the ministry are from God. This is the reason the apostle kept using the word “grow” in the clause who makes things grow. God continues to be responsible for increase in the number of people in the church universal and He continues to be responsible for the spiritual growth of believers in the local church. The point the apostle wanted to get across to the Corinthians, and so to all of us, is to recognize that God is the One that is responsible for any result in the ministry of His word. He uses human agents to preach and teach His word but, in the end, He alone gives the desired result of spiritual growth and increase in number of people in the church. Understanding of this truth should help believers not to be focused on the personality of any worker in God’s field over another. Satan knows how to use human personality to cause people not to focus on the ministry of the word. There are believers who would not listen to a pastor because of the person’s personality and so miss out in a faithful ministry of the word. These individuals would, of course, lose in the end because without spiritual maturity it is impossible to be rewarded in heaven.
Apostle’s emphasis that ministers of the word of God are not as important as God in the ministry of the word, should remind all of us who teach or preach the word of God that we should depend on the Lord for our ministry. The Lord Jesus conveyed to the disciples, and so to all who teach the word, that without Him they could not do anything that will bring glory to God, as we read in John 15:5:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Every teacher of God’s word must take this passage to heart so that he never depends on his human ability in the ministry. In fact, those who teach the word should guide against commendation of the congregation that will make them think they are important or that they are something when they are not. God is important not any human teacher. My point is that any teacher of the word of God should be so focused on the fact that God is responsible for any effectiveness in the ministry that it would be difficult for the enemy to trip him through commendation that comes from people. Any teacher of the word of God should never forget that commendation can be a trap to cause one not to recognize that he is nothing, but God is everything. To this point, all believers, especially those of us who teach God’s word should remember the words of Proverbs 27:21:
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.
This passage in Proverbs in application of what the apostle has been stating about the importance of God in the ministry of the word, implies that a teacher’s recognition of his dependence on God will be tested by the praise people shower on him because of his function in the ministry. A wise person in the ministry will never allow human praises to cause him to forget that he is nothing, but that God is everything. In any event, the second responsibility you have regarding the message of the passage we are considering is that you should understand God’s role in His work, that is, in the ministry of His word.
A third responsibility that you have regarding the passage of 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 that we are studying is that you should understand God’s relationship to His ministers and to believers in general. This third responsibility is indeed related to the fourth fact of the first responsibility, which is that each minister of God’s word will receive reward that reflects his service in the ministry of the word of God. It is because of the way we chose to arrange the responsibilities of the message of the passage we are considering that this third responsibility did not immediately follow the fourth fact we stated in relation to the first responsibility we considered. Nonetheless, the third responsibility we stated is related to the fourth fact that each minister of God’s word will receive reward that reflects his service in the ministry of the word of God we stated in our last study but mentioned briefly in our review of previous study.
Our assertion that the third responsibility is related to the fourth fact that each minister of God’s word will receive reward that reflects his service in the ministry of the word of God of the first responsibility is because verse 9 of 1 Corinthians chapter three begins with the conjunction for in the NIV. The conjunction “for” is translated from a Greek conjunction (gar) that has several usages. It is used as a marker of reason or cause hence may be translated “for, because.” It may be used as marker of clarification of the clause or sentence that precedes it in which case it may be translated “you see, for.” Under this second usage, the conjunction may be used as a narrative marker to express continuation or connection in which case it may not be translated. This seems to be the interpretation adopted by some English versions, such as the NET and the NCV, that did not begin verse 9 with any connective to verse 8. Still under this second usage, the Greek word may be used as a marker to signal an important point or transition to something else so that it may be translated “now, well.” Another usage is as marker of inference with the translation “so, certainly, by all means, then.” In our passage, it is used as a marker of reason. In other words, the apostle used it to provide the reason he and Apollos, and so all minister of the word of God, will be rewarded as he stated in the last clause of 1 Corinthians 3:8 and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. The reason for stating that he and Apollos would be rewarded leads to the first fact of the third responsibility the apostle wants the Corinthians to understand about him and Apollos. Of course, the passage is addressed to us and so in application, the apostle gives us a first fact regarding our responsibility of understanding God’s relationship to His ministers.
A first fact believers should understand about ministers of God’s word in their relationship to Him is that they work for Him and belong to Him. It is this fact that is given in the first sentence of 1 Corinthians 3:9 we are God’s fellow workers. In the context of this sentence, the personal pronoun “we” refers to Paul and Apollos but in application it refers to all the ministers of God’s word.
The apostle described himself and Apollos, and so all ministers of the word of God, in the sentence we are God’s fellow workers. What does the apostle mean in this sentence? He could not possibly mean that he and Apollos were God’s partner in the sense of jointly participating in a venture. Furthermore, it is inconceivable that the apostle who described himself and Apollos as nothing as it related to God regarding the ministry of the word would consider himself and Apollos to be God’s partner in the ministry of the word. Thus, to understand what the apostle meant, we need to consider first the expression “fellow workers” and then we determine how to relate it to God.
The expression “fellow workers” is translated from a Greek word (synergos) that refers to one who works together with someone else hence means “helper, fellow-worker.” It is a word that is predominantly used in the NT by Apostle Paul in that of the thirteen occurrences of the word in the Greek NT, twelve of these were used by him. In ten of the twelve usages by the apostle, he used it to describe those who helped him in the spreading of the gospel. He used it to refer to Priscilla and Aquila in Romans 16:3:
Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus.
He used it to describe Urbanus in his greeting to the Romans in Romans 16:9:
Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
He used it to describe Timothy as part of the greeting to the Romans in Romans 16:21:
Timothy, my fellow worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my relatives.
He used it to describe those in his apostolic team in 2 Corinthians 1:24:
Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.
The clause, but we work with you for your joy is literally but we are fellow workers for your joy. The apostle used it to describe Titus in 2 Corinthians 8:23:
As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ.
He used the word to describe Epaphroditus in Philippians 2:25:
But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.
He used it to describe Clement and others including two women, Euodia and Syntyche, that are to be assisted to reconcile their differences, as we read in Philippians 4:3:
Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
He used it to refer to Justus as among his fellow workers in Colossians 4:11:
Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.
The apostle used the word to describe Philemon in Philemon 1:
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker,
He used it to describe four other individuals as his fellow workers in Philemon 24:
And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
Twice Apostle Paul used to relate it to God. In our present passage of 1 Corinthians 3:9 and in 1 Thessalonians 3:2:
We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
There is a manuscript variation in this passage. Some manuscripts instead of God’s fellow worker read “servant of God” and others omit the word “God” or placed the literal phrase “of God” after the word “gospel.” That aside, the other apostle that used our Greek word is John in 3 John 8:
We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth.
The clause so that we may work together for the truth is literally so that we become fellow workers with the truth. Our Greek word is related to a Greek verb (synergeō) that means “to work together with, assist, help.” It is in the sense of either to assist or work with someone to bring about something that the word is used in relation to God in Romans 8:28:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
It is in the sense of “to work together” that the apostle used it in 1 Corinthians 16:16:
to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it.
The clause everyone who joins in the work is literally to all those who work together. It is in the sense of working together that the apostle used it in 2 Corinthians 6:1:
As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.
The first word “God” does not appear in the Greek since the phrase God’s fellow workers is literally working together. James used it to describe the cooperation of faith and works in confirmation of true faith in the Lord in James 2:22:
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
Anyway, the Greek noun in our passage of 1 Corinthians 3:9 means “fellow worker” in the sense of one who works alongside another. This could not apply to God since there is no way humans could be said to work alongside of God who is the creator. So, to understand what the apostle meant we need to relate this expression to the word “God.”
The phrase God’s fellow workers is literally fellow workers of God. The question is how to relate the expression “fellow workers” to the word “God.” The literal phrase of God is one that says more than what appears on the surface. For it is a compact way of explaining some relationship with God. Therefore, the Greek syntax presents several possible interpretations of the relationship of the word “God” to the expression “fellow workers.” First, it may mean that Apostle Paul and Apollos are partners in the ministry who are appointed by God or who work for God. Second, it may mean that God is the One that causes them to work together in the ministry of the word of God. Third, it could mean that Paul and Apollos are partners in the ministry who work in association with God. Fourth, it could mean that the apostle and Apollos belong to God in the ministry. These various interpretations make sense within the context, with two of these reflected in our English versions. The interpretation that indicates Paul and Apollos working together with God is reflected in the KJV, NJB and LB. The interpretation that Paul and Apollos work together for God is reflected in such English versions as the NRSV, REB and TEV. Although these interpretations make sense in the context but because the apostle had indicated that he and Apollos are merely God’s servants in the ministry of the word, we believe the apostle in the phrase God’s fellow workers means that he and Apollos are fellow workers in God’s service, that is, are His servants and that they belong to Him. Hence, our assertion that a first fact believers should understand about ministers of God’s word in their relationship to Him is that they work for Him, that is, are in His service and belong to Him. The implication of this interpretation is that the apostle and Apollos are not in competition with one another rather because they belong to the same God, they work together in His service. So, believers should view ministers of God’s word as not being in competition with each other but working for the same master although each one has his unique service to the Lord in the ministry of the word. Furthermore, that they belong to the same God should cause those in the ministry of the word to avoid competing with one another but to be faithful to their assignment. There is one more application of the phrase. It is that local churches should not treat their pastors as employees and they, the employers, meaning they can remove them at will. They should follow God’s lead in removal of a pastor. God has his way of removing one that He has appointed to a position as He did with King Saul.
A second fact the apostle stated as it pertains to the third responsibility of understanding God’s relationship to His ministers and believers in general is that a congregation of believers is where God does His work of maturing believers who belong to Him. This understanding is derived from the imagery Apostle Paul used to describe the Corinthian congregation in the last sentence of 1 Corinthians 3:9 you are God’s field. The question is to determine how to read the phrase God’s field since literally the Greek reads field of God. To do this we should consider the word “field” as used in our passage. The word “field” is translated from a Greek noun (geōrgion) that refers to an area of land used for cultivation in contrast to a pastureland, hence means “cultivated land, field.” The word appears only here in the Greek NT, but it is related to two other Greek words. It is related to a Greek verb (geōrgeō) that means “to cultivate, to farm, to garden” as the word is used in its lone occurrence in the NT in Hebrews 6:7:
Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.
Our Greek word is related to another Greek word (geōrgos) that means “gardener, farmer.” Apostle Paul used it in the sense of “a farmer” in 2 Timothy 2:6:
The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.
The word is used with the meaning “gardener” to describe God the Father in John 15:1:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
Thus, our Greek noun translated “field” is an area where farming activity takes place with emphasis on the farmer. This being the case, the literal phrase field of God is intended to convey that God is the one doing the cultivating of the field that belongs to Him. This means that God is ultimately the One who is carrying out the work of the ministering among the Corinthian congregation although He uses His agents Paul and Apollos in His field or in the congregation of the Corinthians. What this means is that all believers should understand that God is the One who works in them through human agents in the ministry. The implication is that there would be no need to pitch one worker against another as the Corinthians were doing. Believers should understand then that the ministers of God’s word are assigned to work among them in nurturing and caring for the church. Every pastor, for example, has his primary area of activity as his local church. This does not mean he does not work in any other field where believers gather but that his primary area of activity is the local church under his care.
A third fact is that believers are result of God’s work and so they form His church. This third fact is derived from the last phrase of 1 Corinthians 3:9 God’s building. The word “building” is translated from a Greek noun (oikodomē) used in our passage that has two categories of meanings. A first category of meaning refers to the process of building and so means “building, construction.” The literal meaning of a building process is not found in the NT, but it is used in that way in the Septuagint in Ezekiel 17:17:
Pharaoh with his mighty army and great horde will be of no help to him in war, when ramps are built and siege works erected to destroy many lives.
The verbal phrase and siege works erected to destroy many lives of the NIV is more literally and the building of siege works to destroy many lives, indicating the process of building siege works. However, we find the figurative meaning of building process used in the NT with such meanings as “edifying, edification, building up.” So, we find the apostle use this word in the spiritual sense of edification in 2 Corinthians 12:19:
Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.
The phrase for your strengthening of the NIV may be alternatively rendered for your edification or for your upbuilding. The apostle also used the Greek word in the figurative sense of building up the Corinthians spiritually in 2 Corinthians 13:10:
This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
A second category of meaning of the Greek word in question refers to the result of construction process and so means “building, edifice.” The literal meaning of building as a result of construction is used in disciple’s description of the Temple to the Lord Jesus, as reported in Mark 13:1:
As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
It is in this second category of meaning, although in a figurative sense, that the word is used in our passage of 1 Corinthians 3:9 to refer to the local church in Corinth and so the word applies to every local congregation in Christ. Hence, the fact we should understand is that believers form the church of God and so we should never think of a congregation as belonging to the agent of God’s ministry. If we think in this term, then we will be careful not to be involved in any form of partisanship in a local church.
In any case, we end our consideration of this section by reminding you of its message which is that you should understand that God is infinitely superior to all ministers of His word that He uses in His divine work regarding you. This message we expounded by stating three responsibilities you are to carry out. First, you should understand the position of pastors and teachers of the word to God in their roles in divine work. This will imply that you should respect but never idolize God’s ministers. Second, you should understand God’s role in His work, that is, in the ministry of His word. God is all important in the ministry not those He uses. Third, you should understand God’s relationship to His ministers and to believers in general. Ministers work for God who will reward them, and they belong to Him as all other believers belong to Him. So, you must think of God’s supremacy over His workers to give due credit to Him while you recognize and respect His ministers.
10/05/18