1 Corinthians 4:6-13 Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
In the church of Corinth, Paul is battling a very intrinsic, sinful aspect of all people: the tendency to separate themselves from others for their own purposes. The Christian Corinthians are separating themselves based on what spiritual leader they desire to follow. They are arguing and fighting over leadership, causing them to divide into factions, each group going its own way. This divisive spirit reveals that the Corinthian Christians are still carnal and worldly, epitomizing Isaiah 53:6, We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way. This chaotic environment of self-will is dangerous and festers a nature rebellious to God’s authority. The Corinthians were justifying their divisiveness by relying on their understanding of spiritual affairs. Paul knows that IN CHRIST they have all that they need to be right with God. IN CHRIST, they are not different from anyone else; their inheritance of a new life in the kingdom of God is their possession. All who trust in Jesus are new creatures, born by the will of God, and not of man’s efforts. So why should they seek special leaders and special revelations based on the knowledge of finite men or women? For the scriptures say there is only one shepherd, The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:1-3) Jesus said of himself, I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. God has designated him as the only shepherd of the redeemed. He is the true shepherd who will not leave or abandon his flock. In Paul’s introduction in this letter to the Corinthians, he emphasizes the flock’s togetherness throughout Christianity. All Christians make up one body, one temple where God dwells. To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, TOGETHER with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: GRACE and PEACE to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:1-3) Grace and peace will come to those who are united as one under the authority of God through his Son, Jesus Christ. Paul emphasizes to the Corinthians that Christ is not divided. Unity comes through the cross, trusting in Jesus’ work of salvation and in his subsequent resurrection. As the spiritual father of the Corinth church, he implores them to unify themselves under the leadership of Christ alone, the Great Shepherd of all those who are born again. I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. (1 Corinthians 1:10) His question to them, Is Christ divided? stands continually before them. If Christ is not divided, then they should stop championing the expertise and knowledge of different men. These men that they lift up are but servants of God. They are serving in the vineyard of the Lord to bring forth a large harvest. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, to harvest men and women for the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 3:8)
Paul's initial ministry to the Corinthians was focused like a laser beam on the works of Christ and not on anything else. Paul on the road to Damascus discovered the way to be right with a holy God comes only through the works of Jesus Christ. And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:1-2) Now, however, he is discovering that the Corinthians are adding other things on top of Jesus Christ and him crucified, ministry based on people and on words beyond what is written in scripture. And these different factions seem to be very happy about this additional information added to the works of Christ. Sarcastically Paul says, What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? The Corinthians are supposedly believing that they received the new birth not only from what Paul taught, but also of what they added to his salvation message. They are claiming Paul’s message was good, but what they have added makes it even better. And to support their conclusion about a better message than just the cross and him crucified, they chose varied leaders to follow. In a smug way in Paul’s estimation they claim a better existence in this world under what they have discovered from the teachings of others than just the simple doctrine that Paul presented them. You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! He sarcastically says to them, how I wish to reign with you in your contentment of what you have discovered under following people. Because this contentment of additional teaching about God’s salvation plan has not found me yet. For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. For me and for other true apostles to the truth of the gospel, we are like prisoners in chains dragged along behind a victorious army marching through their cities. We are being dragged to an arena where we will be put to death in a violent way. We are not reigning in peace as you seem to desire. Instead, We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment. Paul knows his leader, Jesus Christ, was considered by the Sanhedrin as scum. They chose to get rid of Christ as just some garbage, but Jesus was the light of the world, the only avenue of mankind to be made right with God. Now we see Paul talking about the simplicity of the gospel to the Corinthian church, but being Greeks, they were adding to this simple ministry. They were adding to this simple gospel with rational thought and wisdom. By doing so they sought people who would better express the way they thought, but Paul knew this was a scheme of the devil to pull them away from the efficacious cross.
Paul had come to the Corinthians as not some great man of charisma and strength. In fact as with Jesus, he did not stand out in a crowd. He carried the bruises of persecution on his body. Also, he had a thorn in the flesh that was evident to the people around him. I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9) We can surmise that people were not drawn to him by his physical appearance. Isaiah tells us the same thing about Jesus, the Messiah. Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. HE HAD NO BEAUTY OR MAJESTY TO ATTRACT US TO HIM, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. (Isaiah 53:1-3) Paul also was despised and rejected by mankind. He always had a target on his back, as with Christ, people tried to kill him many times. Paul’s miraculous works helped him to be received in these Greek cities. Jesus said to the people, you might not believe in me as a person from God but believe in the works that I do before your eyes. Miracles and wonders validated Christ’s teaching. Also, for Paul, the healing and the driving out of demons, validated his message. Moses was considered in like manner. His miracles and wonders validated his position of leadership. When Moses' leadership was questioned by Miriam and Aaron, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this. (Numbers 12:12) God struck Miriam with leprosy as judgment on their arrogance. When a small group of Israelites led a rebellion against Moses’ leadership, they were swallowed up in an opening of the earth. God brought horrible judgment upon them and their families. After Jesus was crucified, God’s judgment on the recalcitrant Jews came at the hands of the Romans, totally destroying the Jewish nation. Now we see the Corinthians content in altering the simple message of Jesus crucified for the sins of the world. Paul is disgusted with their rationalization, their arguments, their division. He knows God will not tolerate very long this kind of discord. For the temple of God is holy, his body is holy, his church is holy. Judgment will follow such division. Christ alone is the Shepard of his flock. People are to boast only in Jesus and his work of salvation. No other avenue to eternal life is available to men and women, other than the works of Christ. Friends around this breakfast table, your contentment should come only through knowing Christ as Lord and Savior. No other view of life will bring salvation to your door. The Israelites placed the blood of a lamb over their entryway door. By doing this, they escaped death. Paul wanted the Corinthians to unite in the Lamb of God’s work, not in their own rational thoughts or wisdom. Only Christ’s blood over their lives would give them right standing with the Eternal God. This is true of us today: our way to eternal life comes only through the blood of the Lamb of God over the entryways of our hearts. Seek the Lord today.
