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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:7-13

Here the apostle improves the foregoing hint to a caution against pride and self-conceit, and sets forth the temptations the Corinthians had to despise him, from the difference of their circumstances. I. He cautions them against pride and self-conceit by this consideration, that all the distinction made among them was owing to God: Who maketh thee to differ? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? 1 Cor. 4:7. Here the apostle turns his discourse to the ministers who set themselves at... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:14-16

Here Paul challenges their regard to him as their father. He tells them, 1. That what he had written was not for their reproach, but admonition; not with the gall of an enemy, but the bowels of a father (1 Cor. 4:14): I write not to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. Note, In reproving for sin, we should have a tender regard to the reputation, as well as the reformation, of the sinner. We should aim to distinguish between them and their sins, and take care not to discover any... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Corinthians 4:6-13

4:6-13 Brothers, I have transferred these things by way of illustration to myself and to Apollos, so that through us you may learn to observe the principle of not going beyond that which is written, so that none of you may speak boastfully of one teacher and disparagingly of the other. Who sees anything special in you? What do you possess that you did not receive? And, if you did receive it, why are you boasting as if you had acquired it yourself? No doubt you are already fed to the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

4:14-21 It is not to shame you that I write these things, but to warn you as my beloved children. You may have thousands of tutors in Christ, but you have not many fathers; for, in Christ Jesus, through the good news, I begat you. So then, I urge you, show yourselves imitators of me. That is why I send to you Timothy, who is my beloved child and faithful in the Lord, for he will bring back to your memory my ways in Christ--exactly the same things as I teach everywhere and in every Church.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:10

We are fools for Christ's sake ,.... They were so in the esteem of men, for their close attach merit to a crucified Christ; and for preaching the doctrine of salvation by him; and for enduring so much reproach, affliction, and persecution, for his sake and the Gospel's: but ye are wise in Christ . This is ironically said; for his meaning is not that they were truly wise in Christ, in the knowledge and faith of him, in preaching his Gospel, or professing his name; but they were so in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:11

Even unto this present hour ,.... What is about to be related was not what befell the apostles now and then, and a great while ago; but what for a considerable time, and unto the present time, was more or less the common constant series and course of life they were inured to: we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked ; wanted the common necessaries of life, food to eat, and raiment to put on, and gold and silver to purchase any with; which might be, when, as it was sometimes their case,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:12

And labour, working with our own hands ,.... As the apostle did at Corinth, Acts 18:3 and elsewhere; partly to minister to his own necessities, and those of others; and partly that he might not be burdensome to the churches; and also to set an example of diligence and industry to others; though he had a right and power to claim a maintenance of those to whom he ministered. Being reviled, we bless ; as Christ commanded, Matthew 5:44 and the apostle himself directed and exhorted to, ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:13

Being defamed, we entreat ,.... Being blasphemed, as the word signifies, being evil spoken of, our good name taken away, and characters hurt; we entreat or pray to God for them, that he would convince them of their evil, give them repentance unto life, and remission of their sins, according to Christ's direction, Matthew 5:44 and in imitation of his example, Luke 23:34 or we entreat them; so the Syriac version reads it, בעינן מנהון , "we beseech them": not to blaspheme and speak evil... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:14

I write not these things to shame you ,.... Though they had a great deal of reason to be ashamed of the vain opinion they had of themselves, and that they suffered the faithful ministers of Christ to want the necessaries of life, when they abounded so much with the good things of it; and though the apostle's view in giving this narrative was to bring them under a sense of their faults, and to a conviction of them, and so to shame for them, in order to their future reformation and amendment;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 4:15

For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ ,.... Or "schoolmasters"; by whom he means the false teachers, whom, for argument sake, he admits to be instructors in Christ, or ministers of his, as in 2 Corinthians 11:23 and who were many, and of whose number the Corinthians boasted; though they were not so numerous as here supposed; for the expression is hyperbolical: perhaps some reference may be had to the multitude of schoolmasters, tutors, and governors, and who also were... read more

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