1 Corinthians 3:5-17

Having clarified the truths of 1 Cor. 1-2 and reproved the Corinthians for their carnality (3:1-4) Paul now asks, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos?”  In other words, how should the Corinthians view the various ministers of God who served among them?  To answer the question Paul uses two illustrations.

Ø God’s field which explains the role of God’s servants, 3:5-9.

In our passage the field is Corinth, the place where various servants had worked.  Paul and Apollos were ministers (diakonos, servants).  And specifically, they were servants through whom you believed.  Each one served as the Lord intended: Paul planted as he had been there at the start of the church (Acts 18:1-17).  Apollos, who had come later, had watered, indicating a ministry of the word that apparently had resulted in significant growth.  And there were also those who were involved in reaping (John 4:34-38).  But the easily made point is that the workers have no ability to actually make things grow: they do the work and the Creator/Savior gives the increase.  Paul is clear: we are nothing in the matter of increase; it is all of God (v7).  There is no reason to be honoring one worker over another.  And yet, as is true in farm work, while the worker can’t make things grow he is rewarded for his work, a subject which Paul now raises (v8).

Ø God’s building which explains the reward of God’s servants, 3:10-17.

You can apply both these illustrations to the universal Body of Christ as the field and the building.  But again, Paul refers to the Corinthian Church as the temple of God (v16).  The issue here is not simply “who is Paul and who is Apollos” but, “how well did they build?”  There are two issues with the building.  First, what kind of foundation was laid?  Paul insists that he worked as a wise master builder, laying a good foundation on Christ Himself.  Again, his work had been at the start, and he had remained in Corinth over a year and a half (Acts 18:11) so that the church had a solid base (cf. Matt. 16:18).

The second issue has to do with building materials.  Paul had earlier spoken of how he came to Corinth and what kind of ministry he had there (2:1-4).  His ministry was not by the wisdom of the world but the wisdom of God (2:6-7).  This kind of ministry produced lasting fruit, which is the calling of Christ (John 15:16).  The picture Paul paints is of the judgment seat of Christ, a judgment of the works of believers (Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10).  This explains the statement in v15 that he himself will be saved; those who are not believers will not be at this judgment.  Christ will determine whose work receives what reward.

Don’t miss the warning in v16-17.  This local church is not an irrelevant matter.  It IS the temple of God.  Anyone who, through envy, strife or division or in any other way, destroys God’s temple (local church), him God will destroy.  We are not sure why English translations often translate these words differently (e.g. NKJV defiles and destroy); the Greek is the same.  Make no mistake.  God detests those who destroy His work.  His judgment on them will be harsh!