1 Corinthians 3:22
Verse
Context
Sermons
T. Austin-Sparks
Thomas BrooksSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Whether Paul, or Apollos - As if he had said: God designs to help you by all things and persons; every teacher sent from him will become a blessing to you, if you abide faithful to your calling. God will press every thing into the service of his followers. The ministers of the Church of Christ are appointed for the hearers, not the hearers for the ministers. In like manner, all the ordinances of grace and mercy are appointed for them, not they for the ordinances. Or the world - The word κοσμος, here, means rather the inhabitants of the world than what we commonly understand by the world itself; and this is its meaning in Joh 3:16, Joh 3:17; Joh 6:33; Joh 14:31; Joh 17:21. See particularly Joh 12:19 : Ὁ κοσμοσοπισω αυτου απηλθεν, the World is gone after him - the great mass of the people believe on him. The Greek word has the same meaning, in a variety of places, both in the sacred and the profane writers, as le monde, the world, literally has in French, where it signifies, not only the system of created things, but, by metonomy, the people - every body, the mass, the populace. In the same sense it is often found in English. The apostle's meaning evidently is: Not only Paul, Apollos, and Kephas, are yours - appointed for and employed in your service; but every person besides with whom you may have any intercourse or connection, whether Jew or Greek, whether enemy or friend. God will cause every person, as well as every thing to work for your good, while you love, cleave to, and obey Him. Or life - With all its trials and advantages, every hour of it, every tribulation in it, the whole course of it, as the grand state of your probation, is a general blessing to you: and you have life, and that life preserved in order to prepare for an eternity of blessedness. Or death - That solemn hour, so dreadful to the wicked; and so hateful to those who live without God: that is yours. Death is your servant; he comes a special messenger from God for you; he comes to undo a knot that now connects body and soul, which it would be unlawful for yourselves to untie; he comes to take your souls to glory; and he cannot come before his due time to those who are waiting for the salvation of God. A saint wishes to live only to glorify God; and he who wishes to live longer than he can get and do good, is not worthy of life. Or things present - Every occurrence in providence in the present life; for God rules in providence as well as in grace. Or things to come - The whole order and economy of the eternal world; all in heaven and all in earth are even now working together for your good.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Enumeration of some of the "all things." The teachers, in whom they gloried, he puts first (Co1 1:12). He omits after "Cephas" or Christ (to whom exclusively some at Corinth, Co1 1:12, professed to belong); but, instead, substitutes "ye are Christ's" (Co1 3:23). world . . . life . . . death . . . things present . . . things to come--Not only shall they not "separate you from the love of God in Christ" (Rom 8:38-39), but they "all are yours," that is, are for you (Rom 8:28), and belong to you, as they belong to Christ your Head (Heb 1:2). things present--"things actually present" [ALFORD].
John Gill Bible Commentary
Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas,.... These are particularly named, because their disputes were chiefly about them; but what is said of them is true of all other, and all the ministers of Christ, that they are the church's. The gifts which Christ received for them, and has bestowed on them, are not their own, but the church's, and are given to them, not so much for their own use, as for the good and benefit of others. They are made able ministers of the New Testament, not by themselves, nor by man, but by God; who disposes of them as blessings to his churches, and gives them to be pastors and teachers of them, to feed them with knowledge, and with understanding; they are qualified by the Spirit of God for the service of the saints, and are separated by him to it, and are constituted overseers of the flock by his direction; they are placed as stewards of the mysteries and manifold grace of God, to dispense them with wisdom and faithfulness to all in his family, and are the servants of the churches for Jesus' sake, and therefore not to be gloried in; though to be respected in their place and station: or the world: this, with what follows, is an amplification of the account, and is as if the apostle should say, you should be so far from glorying in man, in a few poor weak instruments, and especially in that in them, which with God is foolishness and vanity, that not only all the ministers of the word are yours, but even the whole world is yours; though called out of it, esteemed the filth of it, and have so little a share of it. The world was made for the sake of the saints, and is continued on their account; when they are called by grace, it will soon be at an end. It is their Lord's, and so theirs, both as Creator and Mediator: the good things of the world are enjoyed by the saints in a peculiar way, as covenant mercies and blessings, so as they are not by others, The evil things of it, as the sins and lusts of it, are escaped by them; and the afflictions they meet with in it are made to work for their good; and as they are heirs of the world, as Abraham was, so they shall inherit it in a much better form than it now is: the present heavens will pass away, the earth and all therein will be burnt up, and new heavens and a new earth arise, in which will dwell none but righteous persons: the world, in its present state, is an inn, suited to the condition of the saints, as pilgrims and strangers; but then it will be as a palace, fit for the spouse and bride of Christ. Or life; in every view of it: the life of Christ, which he lived here on earth, in obedience to his Father's will, and which he now lives in heaven, where he ever lives to make intercession for his people, and for their good; that fulness of life that is in him, and that eternal life which is through him, are all theirs. The lives of the ministers of the Gospel are for their profit and advantage; and they are spared and continued on their account; their own lives are theirs, though not to live to themselves, nor to the lusts of men, but by faith on Christ, and to the glory of God, and which is what they desire. Or death: the death of Christ was for them, in their room and stead, for their sins, to make satisfaction to divine justice for them; and the benefits of it are enjoyed by them. The death of good men, ministers, martyrs, and confessors, is theirs, serves to confirm their faith, animate their zeal, and encourage them to hold fast the profession of their faith without wavering. Their own death is a blessing to them; the sting is taken away by Christ; the curse is removed; it is no penal evil to them; it is a deliverance of them from all the sorrows and troubles of this life, and is their passage into endless glory and happiness. Or things present; whether prosperous or adverse; and these, whether they be their own or others, all work together for their good. Or things to come; future troubles and exercises; or future good things, either in this world, or in the world to come; the invisible glories of a future state: all are yours; which is repeated for confirmation sake, and to observe, that if there was anything that was omitted, or could not be thought to be included in any of the above expressions, that also was theirs.
1 Corinthians 3:22
God’s Temple and God’s Wisdom
21Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours, 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you,23and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
The Time Is Shortened (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)
By T. Austin-Sparks0MRK 9:241CO 3:221CO 7:291CO 15:522CO 4:4T. Austin-Sparks preaches on the urgency of the times, emphasizing the need for believers to prioritize their devotion to Christ above all else, as the time is short and opportunities for serving the Lord are limited. He warns against being consumed by earthly matters, such as marriage, sorrows, joys, possessions, and worldly interests, which can distract from the eternal work of glorifying Christ. Sparks urges Christians to be vigilant, redeem the time, and focus on the significant task of advancing the kingdom of God amidst the spiritual needs and challenges of the world.
A World-Conquering Grace, a World-Overcoming Grace
By Thomas Brooks0Overcoming the WorldFaithMAT 6:19JHN 16:33ROM 8:371CO 3:222CO 4:17PHP 3:8COL 3:2HEB 11:351PE 5:101JN 5:4Thomas Brooks emphasizes that true faith is a powerful grace that enables believers to overcome the challenges and temptations of the world. He illustrates how faith outbids worldly pleasures and honors, presenting the eternal rewards of heaven as far more valuable. By recognizing that all things belong to them through Christ, believers can see the true worth of worldly possessions and dismiss them as vanity. Faith also reveals the incomparable excellence of Jesus Christ, who embodies all goodness and glory, empowering the soul to triumph over worldly distractions and trials.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Whether Paul, or Apollos - As if he had said: God designs to help you by all things and persons; every teacher sent from him will become a blessing to you, if you abide faithful to your calling. God will press every thing into the service of his followers. The ministers of the Church of Christ are appointed for the hearers, not the hearers for the ministers. In like manner, all the ordinances of grace and mercy are appointed for them, not they for the ordinances. Or the world - The word κοσμος, here, means rather the inhabitants of the world than what we commonly understand by the world itself; and this is its meaning in Joh 3:16, Joh 3:17; Joh 6:33; Joh 14:31; Joh 17:21. See particularly Joh 12:19 : Ὁ κοσμοσοπισω αυτου απηλθεν, the World is gone after him - the great mass of the people believe on him. The Greek word has the same meaning, in a variety of places, both in the sacred and the profane writers, as le monde, the world, literally has in French, where it signifies, not only the system of created things, but, by metonomy, the people - every body, the mass, the populace. In the same sense it is often found in English. The apostle's meaning evidently is: Not only Paul, Apollos, and Kephas, are yours - appointed for and employed in your service; but every person besides with whom you may have any intercourse or connection, whether Jew or Greek, whether enemy or friend. God will cause every person, as well as every thing to work for your good, while you love, cleave to, and obey Him. Or life - With all its trials and advantages, every hour of it, every tribulation in it, the whole course of it, as the grand state of your probation, is a general blessing to you: and you have life, and that life preserved in order to prepare for an eternity of blessedness. Or death - That solemn hour, so dreadful to the wicked; and so hateful to those who live without God: that is yours. Death is your servant; he comes a special messenger from God for you; he comes to undo a knot that now connects body and soul, which it would be unlawful for yourselves to untie; he comes to take your souls to glory; and he cannot come before his due time to those who are waiting for the salvation of God. A saint wishes to live only to glorify God; and he who wishes to live longer than he can get and do good, is not worthy of life. Or things present - Every occurrence in providence in the present life; for God rules in providence as well as in grace. Or things to come - The whole order and economy of the eternal world; all in heaven and all in earth are even now working together for your good.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Enumeration of some of the "all things." The teachers, in whom they gloried, he puts first (Co1 1:12). He omits after "Cephas" or Christ (to whom exclusively some at Corinth, Co1 1:12, professed to belong); but, instead, substitutes "ye are Christ's" (Co1 3:23). world . . . life . . . death . . . things present . . . things to come--Not only shall they not "separate you from the love of God in Christ" (Rom 8:38-39), but they "all are yours," that is, are for you (Rom 8:28), and belong to you, as they belong to Christ your Head (Heb 1:2). things present--"things actually present" [ALFORD].
John Gill Bible Commentary
Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas,.... These are particularly named, because their disputes were chiefly about them; but what is said of them is true of all other, and all the ministers of Christ, that they are the church's. The gifts which Christ received for them, and has bestowed on them, are not their own, but the church's, and are given to them, not so much for their own use, as for the good and benefit of others. They are made able ministers of the New Testament, not by themselves, nor by man, but by God; who disposes of them as blessings to his churches, and gives them to be pastors and teachers of them, to feed them with knowledge, and with understanding; they are qualified by the Spirit of God for the service of the saints, and are separated by him to it, and are constituted overseers of the flock by his direction; they are placed as stewards of the mysteries and manifold grace of God, to dispense them with wisdom and faithfulness to all in his family, and are the servants of the churches for Jesus' sake, and therefore not to be gloried in; though to be respected in their place and station: or the world: this, with what follows, is an amplification of the account, and is as if the apostle should say, you should be so far from glorying in man, in a few poor weak instruments, and especially in that in them, which with God is foolishness and vanity, that not only all the ministers of the word are yours, but even the whole world is yours; though called out of it, esteemed the filth of it, and have so little a share of it. The world was made for the sake of the saints, and is continued on their account; when they are called by grace, it will soon be at an end. It is their Lord's, and so theirs, both as Creator and Mediator: the good things of the world are enjoyed by the saints in a peculiar way, as covenant mercies and blessings, so as they are not by others, The evil things of it, as the sins and lusts of it, are escaped by them; and the afflictions they meet with in it are made to work for their good; and as they are heirs of the world, as Abraham was, so they shall inherit it in a much better form than it now is: the present heavens will pass away, the earth and all therein will be burnt up, and new heavens and a new earth arise, in which will dwell none but righteous persons: the world, in its present state, is an inn, suited to the condition of the saints, as pilgrims and strangers; but then it will be as a palace, fit for the spouse and bride of Christ. Or life; in every view of it: the life of Christ, which he lived here on earth, in obedience to his Father's will, and which he now lives in heaven, where he ever lives to make intercession for his people, and for their good; that fulness of life that is in him, and that eternal life which is through him, are all theirs. The lives of the ministers of the Gospel are for their profit and advantage; and they are spared and continued on their account; their own lives are theirs, though not to live to themselves, nor to the lusts of men, but by faith on Christ, and to the glory of God, and which is what they desire. Or death: the death of Christ was for them, in their room and stead, for their sins, to make satisfaction to divine justice for them; and the benefits of it are enjoyed by them. The death of good men, ministers, martyrs, and confessors, is theirs, serves to confirm their faith, animate their zeal, and encourage them to hold fast the profession of their faith without wavering. Their own death is a blessing to them; the sting is taken away by Christ; the curse is removed; it is no penal evil to them; it is a deliverance of them from all the sorrows and troubles of this life, and is their passage into endless glory and happiness. Or things present; whether prosperous or adverse; and these, whether they be their own or others, all work together for their good. Or things to come; future troubles and exercises; or future good things, either in this world, or in the world to come; the invisible glories of a future state: all are yours; which is repeated for confirmation sake, and to observe, that if there was anything that was omitted, or could not be thought to be included in any of the above expressions, that also was theirs.