The second judgment is that of self-judgment. He urges them to change their ways quickly, otherwise his visit will be marked by unpleasant discipline instead of enjoyable fellowship (18-21). We must not go beyond what is written in the sense that we do not add anything to or take anything from God’s word (Revelation 22:18-19; 2 John 1:9). God is the one who gives his servants their work and they are responsible to him, not to anyone else (4:1-2). The stewards in Christ's family must appoint what he hath appointed. Now crawl in." 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. [22] F. W. Grosheide, The New International Commentary (Grand Rapids: Wm. Anything of my life that is worthwhile, it came to me from God. Author: 1 Corinthians 1:1 identifies the author of the Book of 1 Corinthians as the apostle Paul. Not he that commendeth himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth,2 Corinthians 10:18. Today if we are going to preach or teach, we must continually point people to the Scriptures. "[21] "These words must be a sort of quotation, or in any case a standing expression,"[22] associated with the preaching of Paul and all the apostles. until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God ( 1 Corinthians 4:5 ). When Paul spoke about the things that had been written, he used the perfect tense. This is a divine prerogative (Jeremiah 17:10), and yet it is what our Saviour challenges to himself in a very peculiar manner (Revelation 2:23): All the churches shall know that I am HE who searcheth the reins and hearts, and I will give to every one of you according to your works. ( 1 Corinthians 4:7 ). Farrar said that "This text, like so many others, has only a very remote connection with the sense in which it is usually quoted";[20] but like all such denials, it is unsupported by any logical evidence. Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother. Verse 1 Corinthians 4:6. So with this, Paul closes his discussion on the divisions that had arisen in the church of Corinth because of the carnality.Now he's going to start moving into some of the more difficult issues and problems that were existing in the church of Corinth, the problems of immorality, the problems of the saints taking one another to the worldly courts, and dealing again with the subject of the body of Christ and that desired unity of the body as we next week move into chapters 5 and 6. They may think very meanly or very hardly of him, while he is doing his duty; but it is not by their judgment that he must stand or fall. For the kingdom of God is not in the words that a man can say, the kingdom of God is in power. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. The clause above what is written may be explained in two ways — either as referring to Paul’s writings, or to the proofs from Scripture which he has brought forward. Though they are but stewards, they are not stewards of the common things of the world, but of divine mysteries. 1 Corinthians 4:18-19; 1 Corinthians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 13:4). So I don't judge myself in the sense of condemning myself. (226). Now I don't write these things to shame you, but as my sons I seek to warn you ( 1 Corinthians 4:12-14 ). Now when someone comes along and says, "You know, friends, I want to reveal some new truths to you tonight. A protestant friend recently gave me this scripture passage to argue the validity of sola scriptura: “I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written…” 1 Corinthians 4:6-7 I am just wondering what an explanation of this scripture passage would be for my protestant friend. being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we accept it, we take it: Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. The advice the apostle would by this means inculcate was that they might learn not to think of men above what is written (above what he had been writing), nor be puffed up for one against another (1 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 4:6). But Paul was faced with the same kind of a thing in Corinth, they were putting Paul down.Though he said, "Hey, you may have ten thousand instructors that have come along and try to teach a different slant, but you only have one father, and I begot you into the faith." Locke adopts the former interpretation. This tact may have been designed to reduce or prevent anger among the Corinthians. The best of men are too apt to judge rashly, and harshly, and unjustly; but his judgment is always according to truth. Doing things for their sakes meant Paul was as inoffensive as possible. 6 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 So don't judge anything before its time, don't prejudge. 1 Corinthians 4:6: Puffed Up: C. Hodge, D. D. 1 Corinthians 4:6: The Evil of Pride Exhibited: Family Churchwoman: 1 Corinthians 4:6: The Seventh Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans: Charles G. Finney: 1 Corinthians 4:6: The True Standard of the Gospel Ministry: Principal Edwards. I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos. If it's been given to me by God, then God help me not to go around and act as though it wasn't like I am somebody, like I have a great ability or I have a great talent or I have developed this or that or the other. He therefore says that he had transferred it all to himself and Apollos; and it implied that if it were improper to split themselves up into factions with them as leaders, much more was it improper to follow others; that is, it was improper to form parties at all in the church. 6And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.” Now the Holy Spirit, … But man's judgment at best is faulty. "[23] Russell declared the meaning to be: "The things which are written ... no special text, but the teaching of the scriptures as a whole, which no leader, however gifted, may supersede. Because one thing that we cannot judge is the motive by which a man did something. For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men ( 1 Corinthians 4:9 ). 3 It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgment on myself; 4 I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one … 1. You know, it's always exciting when something you did turns out to be right, turns out to be good. a. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. 1 Corinthians 4 is the fourth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. And happy is it for faithful ministers that they have a more just and candid judge than their fellow-servants; one who knows and pities their imperfections, though he has none of his own. He and the other apostles, just like Jesus, repeatedly called attention to the word of God because this is the only authoritative source in matters of religion (see this point developed more fully in the commentary on 2 Timothy 3:16-17). He not only has the plan, but the method by which the plan is to be accomplished, and the funding. I received a letter this week from someone who was questioning about a particular paper they had received and they sent it to me, wanted me to read it over and give my opinion to them. "[24] "This was a catch-cry familiar to Paul and his readers directing attention to the need for conformity to scripture. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: I don't even judge myself ( 1 Corinthians 4:3 ). Nothing will do this but the acceptance and approbation of our sovereign Judge. And they start, then, giving you their unusual little twist.No prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. Note, It is not judging well of ourselves, justifying ourselves, that will prove us safe and happy. They must not set their fellow-servants to work for themselves. ( 1 Corinthians 4:19-21 ), "How do you desire that I come? Now look, you may have ten thousand instructors. Being proud about one teacher and not another (or elevating one teacher above another) is contrary to the ways of Christ and Christian living. Note, We must be very careful not to transfer the honour and authority of the Master to his servant. We know Paul quoted a non-Christian poet to prove a point (Titus 1:12-13) as well as an inscription on an altar (Acts 17:23). It was in the midst of sectarian, denominational strife that a few believers became convinced that the entire denominational mechanisms that existed were contrary to the will of the Father. To exceed what God has written would be to go beyond the teaching of the Scriptures (cf. 4 “Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. It would have excited their anger. The final item in this list is that love “does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” Love loves the truth. The judge will bring these things to light. Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day. For even apostles were but servants of Christ, employed in his work, and sent on his errand, and dispensers of the mysteries of God, or those truths which had been hidden from the world in ages and generations past. The Corinthians thought they were superior Christians. "It is not his own words that Paul insists that the Corinthians must not go beyond; it is the word of God."[27]. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). A few years after leaving the church, the apostle Paul heard some disturbing reports about the Corinthian church. That no one Christian should regard others as beneath him, or as the object of contempt. Some manuscripts have it “that in you. . Do you have anything of value? But how fearful should they be of loading any with reproaches now whom their common Judge shall hereafter commend. Hence we may infer, that it was not those who were attached to Paul that gave rise to parties, as they, assuredly, had not. The doctrine is: 4:6: Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not (to go) beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1953), p. 103. And particularly by this that you may learn not to place an inordinate value on people. It is his judgment that must determine me. And he would bring back with him the trophies of war, all of the loot that he had captured.But at the rear of the procession there would be those poor people that had been captured and were being brought back to be the victims in the arena, being tossed to the lions and so forth; and they were called the spectacle, they were those captives that had been brought back by the general to be sacrificed in the arena to the lions.And so Paul says, "I would to God that ye did reign. They were stewards of God's household, high-stewards in his kingdom of grace. Now evidently, they had been saying that, "I am of Paul, or I am of Apollos, or I am of Peter," to the exclusion of the others. See, too, the commentary below on verses 16-17. And today Paul still gets it. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. This is still true for us. "Now, I believe that you should do your best and then just commit the rest. That no one be disposed to look upon others with contempt, and to seek to depress and humble them. Such I am as he shall find and judge me to be." And so I don't go away and moan and complain because, "Oh, I really failed. Which is quite often the common tendency to act as though it is something that we possess rather than something that was given to us by God. Where did it come from?You say, "Well, God gave it to me." I do, but so what, I can't help that. Anybody that teaches contrary to that immediately becomes a false prophet.There's a fellow here in the area that insists on writing me. 1 Corinthians 4:6-15 6 I have applied all this to Apollos and myself for your benefit, brothers and sisters, * so that you may learn through us the meaning of the saying, ‘Nothing beyond what is written’, so that none of you will be puffed up in favour of one against another. He has identified a root problem for them, born out of their wealth and self-reliance. (1) Whom the letter is from: Paul, a called apostle. Paul argued from the greater (himself and Apollos) to the lesser (the Corinthians) to show that the division was sinful. I may judge myself, that isn't important. Here, I. 1 Corinthians 4:6 Do not go beyond the things that are written: This phrase is not a quote from the Hebrew Scriptures. I don't care what you say about me. Now these things Though none of God's servants can deserve any thing from him, though there be much that is blamable even in their best services, yet shall their fidelity be commended and crowned by him; and should they be condemned, reproached, or vilified, by their fellow-servants, he will roll away all such unjust censures and reproaches, and show them in their own amiable light. And the fellow up on top would call the order for them to row and which side to row, the under-rowers. At an adventure shall I come 'Tomorrow we 're appointed unto death is, every one who will the! 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