1 Corinthians 4:10 - Exposition

We are fools for Christ's sake. The irony is softened by the intervening sentences, and as regards the apostles there is no irony. St. Paul was called "a seed pecker" ( spermologos ) by the Epicureans and Stoics at Athens, and Festus in full court called him "mad." Ye are wise in Christ . He could not say as before, "for Christ's sake;" for even though he is using the language of irony, "the pseudo wisdom of the Corinthians had other motives." We are weak. The consciousness of physical and personal weakness weighed heavily on the mind of St. Paul in moments of depression ( 2 Corinthians 10:10 ; 2 Corinthians 13:4 ). Ye are honourable, but we are despised; literally, ye are glorious, but we are dishonoured. The word "dishonoured" also means "disfranchised.''