1 Corinthians Chapter 4
Are You Glorified Without Us?
A. How the Corinthians should consider Paul and the apostles.
1. (1 Corinthians 4:1-2) Servants and stewards.
“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”
Paul begins this section by correcting the way the Corinthians thought about him and the other apostles. They were tempted to exalt one teacher over another, as though these men were rival philosophers or competing leaders. Instead, Paul instructs them to think properly: the apostles were neither to be placed on a pedestal nor despised. They were to be recognized as what they truly were, servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
When Paul says, “Let a man so consider us,” he appeals to the Corinthians to adopt the right perspective about his ministry. Too often they looked down on him, questioning his authority, while at other times they were tempted to idolize human leaders. Paul insists that the church must view its leaders with balance—respecting their role without exalting them beyond what God intended.
The word Paul uses for “servants” is not the usual doulos (slave), but hyperetas, which literally means an “under-rower,” the rower in the lower deck of a great galley ship. Such a person worked in obscurity, unseen by others, with no prestige, and with total obedience to the captain’s commands. This description gives a vivid picture of the apostolic role. They were not independent leaders carving their own way, but men laboring under Christ, the Master-Pilot, who alone directed the course of the church toward its heavenly destination. As G. Campbell Morgan explained, an under-rower “is one who acts under direction, asks no questions, and does the thing appointed to him without hesitation, reporting only to the One who is over him.”
Paul then adds another image: “stewards.” A steward in the ancient household was entrusted with the management of the master’s property, provisions, and affairs. While he was still a servant in relation to the master, he held authority over the other servants, tasked with distributing food, overseeing finances, and giving an account of his management. The steward owned nothing, but he managed everything.
The apostles, therefore, were “stewards of the mysteries of God.” The mysteries of God in Paul’s writings refer to divine truths once hidden but now revealed in Christ through the gospel (see also Ephesians 3:4-5; Colossians 1:26-27). Their duty was to guard these truths from corruption and to faithfully dispense them to God’s people. Paul’s concern was not whether his style or personality impressed the Corinthians, but whether he had given them the truth of God in purity and accuracy. As a faithful steward, his first question in the face of criticism was: “Did I deliver to you the Word of God without distortion?”
Finally, Paul lays down the key qualification: “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” God does not demand brilliance, charisma, or popularity from His stewards. He requires faithfulness. A steward must prove trustworthy with what belongs to the Master, whether it be time, resources, or truth. This was Paul’s aim, and it is the aim for every servant of God. He did not see himself as an owner, but as one who must one day give an account before the Lord.
2. (1 Corinthians 4:3-5) Being God’s servants, we answer only to Him.
“But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.”
Paul now turns to the subject of judgment. The Corinthians had been quick to criticize his ministry, to belittle his manner of speech, and to compare him unfavorably with other leaders. Yet Paul refuses to be shaken by their opinion. He declares, “with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court.” Their human evaluation was insignificant to him because the only judgment that truly matters is the judgment of the Lord.
This does not mean that Paul dismissed accountability altogether. He still admonished and corrected the churches, and he himself was subject to God’s discipline. But it does mean that he was not enslaved to the praise or blame of men. His confidence rested in the fact that “he who judges me is the Lord.”
Paul goes further: “In fact, I do not even judge myself.” This is a striking statement. Most people either excuse themselves too easily or condemn themselves too harshly. Paul understood the limits of human self-assessment. Our own hearts can deceive us, as Jeremiah reminds us: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Because of this, Paul was unwilling to make himself his own final judge.
He adds, “For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this.” His conscience was clear, but he recognized that a clear conscience does not equal justification. Even if Paul was not aware of any fault, he still depended on the righteousness of Christ, not his own performance. This aligns with his teaching elsewhere: “not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Philippians 3:9).
Therefore Paul concludes: “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts.” Here Paul reminds the Corinthians that their premature judgments were both presumptuous and incomplete. They were like referees at a race who award the prize before the race is finished. The ultimate evaluation belongs to Christ at His coming, when He will not only expose outward deeds but also the hidden motives of the heart. As Hebrews 4:13 states, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
Finally, Paul comforts himself and the Corinthians with this promise: “Then each one’s praise will come from God.” Even if human beings withhold praise or fail to recognize faithful service, God will not overlook it. Jesus taught in Matthew 6:4, “that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” This is the praise Paul longed for—not the applause of men, but the commendation of God Himself.
Notes for Application
Paul’s attitude warns us against being controlled by the opinions of others. The measure of a servant’s success is not popularity but faithfulness.
His words also remind us not to excuse or condemn ourselves too quickly. A clear conscience is valuable, but only Christ’s righteousness secures justification.
Most importantly, Paul directs our gaze to the final judgment at Christ’s return, when all motives and works will be revealed. Until then, our duty is faithfulness, leaving the ultimate evaluation to God.
B. A Sarcastic Rebuke of Corinthian Pride
1. (1 Corinthians 4:6) The broader application of Paul’s words.
“Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.”
Paul now explains why he had spoken of himself and Apollos as examples. He had been using their names figuratively to represent the divisions in Corinth. By placing himself and Apollos into this discussion, he was not suggesting that he and Apollos were actually in rivalry. Rather, he was modeling how the Corinthians should think about all Christian leaders. His point was to teach them to measure leaders rightly, as servants and stewards of Christ, not as masters to be idolized or rivals to be ranked.
He writes, “I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes.” This was Paul’s way of speaking pastorally. Instead of calling out individuals by name who were causing division, he used himself and Apollos as stand-ins, in order to illustrate the principle without publicly humiliating certain members of the church. This reflects both Paul’s wisdom and his humility. By placing himself in the argument, he took the sting out of his rebuke and made the correction more palatable, yet no less sharp.
The aim of this figurative use is clear: “that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written.” This statement carries immense weight. Paul is reminding them that their judgments, preferences, and loyalties must never go beyond the boundaries of Scripture. The Word of God sets the standard by which all ministry is to be measured. Anything that elevates human wisdom, personality, or preference above the authority of Scripture is already exceeding what is written.
This rebuke strikes at the heart of Corinthian pride, for they prided themselves on rhetoric, philosophy, and human wisdom. Yet Paul insists that these standards have no place in evaluating ministers of Christ. To judge a pastor or teacher by his eloquence, humor, charisma, or popularity is to adopt worldly measures, not Biblical ones. Many in our own day fall into the same trap, measuring preachers by their stage presence, their ability to entertain, or their skill in marketing. But Paul reminds us that the true measure is faithfulness to the Word of God.
Paul continues, “that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.” The problem in Corinth was not only that they had chosen favorites among leaders, but that this favoritism had produced pride. They exalted one leader to the diminishment of another, creating factions within the body of Christ. As Paul had already noted in 1 Corinthians 3:4, “For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not carnal?” Their boasting in men had led to division and arrogance.
When believers begin to use unbiblical standards to judge ministers, they inevitably end up puffed up—proud in their allegiance to one leader over another. Paul reminds them that all such comparisons are foolish and destructive. True unity comes when believers hold fast to what is written and see all ministers as fellow servants of the same Lord.
Notes for Application
The church today must hear Paul’s warning: do not exalt leaders by worldly standards. Measure everything by Scripture.
Spiritual pride is always the fruit of going “beyond what is written.” When we cling to God’s Word, we are humbled; when we exalt human opinion, we are puffed up.
Unity in the church is protected when believers see pastors, teachers, and leaders as equal servants of Christ, not as celebrities to be idolized.
2. (1 Corinthians 4:7) Three questions to humble the proud.
“For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”
Paul now confronts the Corinthian pride head-on by asking three piercing questions designed to expose the root of their arrogance. The divisions in Corinth were not ultimately about loyalty to Paul, Apollos, or Cephas. Those cliques were symptoms of a deeper spiritual sickness: pride. It was their inflated sense of self-importance and superiority that fueled their disunity. To dismantle this pride, Paul drives home three rhetorical questions that leave no room for boasting.
First, “For who makes you differ from another?” If there is anything distinct, gifted, or valuable in one believer compared to another, it is not self-generated—it is because of God’s grace. This eliminates the possibility of self-exaltation. The Corinthians prided themselves on their wisdom, spiritual gifts, and rhetorical skills. But Paul reminds them that these differences do not originate from themselves. As James 1:17 declares, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” If God is the One who makes us to differ, then pride has no place.
Second, “And what do you have that you did not receive?” This question strikes at the very heart of human boasting. Every ability, every talent, every possession, and every spiritual gift has been received from the Lord. None of it is inherent to us apart from His generosity. Paul affirms this same truth elsewhere: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Corinthians, in boasting of their spiritual status, forgot that everything they had was a gift, not an achievement.
Third, “Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” This final question exposes the absurdity of their pride. To boast in what has been given to you as though you earned it is both irrational and sinful. Imagine a man boasting in a crown he wears, when it was freely placed on his head by another. Such pride is foolishness. In the same way, all spiritual blessings belong to believers because of Christ, not because of personal merit. As Paul wrote earlier in 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’”
These three questions, when properly considered, dismantle pride and cultivate humility. They force us to ask ourselves: Do I truly give God all the credit for my salvation? Do I live in daily gratitude, recognizing that everything I have has been received from His hand? If I have received so much, am I returning thanks and devotion to Him in the way that I live?
Church history shows the enduring weight of this verse. Augustine frequently employed it in his debates against the Pelagians, who argued for man’s ability to initiate salvation. He rightly saw in Paul’s words the affirmation of man’s total dependence on God’s grace. There is nothing good in us apart from what God has given, whether in creation or redemption.
Notes for Application
Pride is the great enemy of unity in the church. Humility is the safeguard of fellowship.
Every gift, ability, and blessing comes from God. Recognizing this cultivates thanksgiving instead of boasting.
Self-glory is irrational for the believer; true glory belongs to Christ alone.
3. (1 Corinthians 4:8-13) Paul’s Sarcastic Rebuke
“You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us; and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.”
Paul now unleashes some of the sharpest sarcasm in all of his letters. With holy irony, he contrasts the Corinthians’ inflated self-image with the harsh realities of apostolic life.
He begins, “You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us.” The Corinthians acted as if they had already arrived at spiritual perfection, as though they were kings enjoying their inheritance before its time. Paul’s sarcasm exposes their delusion: they believed themselves to be spiritually self-sufficient, while the apostles—the very men through whom the gospel had come to them—were suffering in weakness and deprivation.
Paul adds, “and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you!” This is not merely sarcasm but also eschatological longing. If the Corinthians really were reigning, that would mean the kingdom had already come in its fullness, and Paul too would be sharing in that glory. But since Paul knew the kingdom had not yet come, their prideful self-image was hollow and premature. As 2 Timothy 2:12 reminds us, “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.” Reigning is future, conditioned on present endurance, not something to be boasted of now.
He then paints the opposite picture of the apostles: “For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.” Paul reaches for imagery from Roman life. When a victorious general paraded his spoils, the conquered captives marched at the end, destined for death in the arena. The apostles, he says, are like those captives—publicly humiliated, a theater (theatron) for the watching world, angels, and men. This picture was intentionally humiliating to the prideful Corinthians who valued prestige and honor.
Paul continues the biting contrasts: “We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!” These ironic reversals cut straight through Corinthian vanity. They thought themselves wise, strong, and honored, while regarding Paul as foolish, weak, and dishonorable. Yet in reality, Paul’s “foolishness” was faithfulness to Christ, while their supposed “wisdom” was nothing more than worldly pride.
Next, Paul recounts the practical hardships of apostolic ministry: “To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands.” Manual labor was despised by the Greeks as fit only for slaves, but Paul willingly worked with his hands as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Far from being a sign of inferiority, this was an example of humility and integrity.
Then comes one of the most Christlike responses: “Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat.” The apostles did not retaliate when insulted; instead, they followed the example of Christ, “who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). This gentle endurance ran contrary to Greek ideals of honor, where a man was considered weak if he did not fight back. But in God’s economy, this was true strength.
Finally, Paul concludes this section with a sobering statement: “We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.” The words filth and offscouring describe the lowest refuse of society, the scrapings cast off in cleansing, sometimes even people sacrificed during plagues as a symbolic “cleansing” of guilt. Paul may intend a double meaning: the apostles were despised as worthless, yet in being treated as such, they served as a kind of living sacrifice for the gospel’s advance.
Paul’s description of his own ministry is embarrassing to the pride of the flesh. His résumé was filled with rejection, persecution, deprivation, and humiliation. By worldly standards, he was a failure; by heavenly standards, he was faithful. The Corinthians, like many modern believers, wanted prestige without sacrifice, power without suffering, and recognition without the reproach of the cross. Paul calls them—and us—back to the way of Christ: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).
Notes for Application
The world’s image of success is often the opposite of God’s measure of faithfulness. We must choose Paul’s way, not Corinth’s.
True discipleship means endurance through hardship, not the pursuit of status and applause.
Sarcasm in Scripture is not sinful when wielded as Paul does here—it exposes folly and humbles the proud.
C. Paul’s Warning and a Challenge
1. (1 Corinthians 4:14-17) Paul asserts his right to correct as a father.
“I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.”
After the sharp sarcasm of verses 8–13, Paul softens his tone. He does not want the Corinthians to mistake his rebuke for cruelty or humiliation. He begins, “I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.” His aim is not to crush their spirits but to awaken them from spiritual pride. Like a father disciplining his children, Paul’s motive is love, not shame. Hebrews 12:6 reminds us, “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” Paul’s warnings flow from that same spirit of fatherly care.
He then explains the unique nature of his relationship to them: “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” The word for “instructors” (paidagogoi) refers to tutors or guardians—slaves in Roman households who escorted children to school and supervised their behavior. Such figures could instruct, correct, and guide, but they were not fathers. Paul insists that while the Corinthians may have countless voices giving them instruction, they had only one spiritual father: the one through whom they were brought to faith in Christ. He had “begotten” them through the gospel when he first preached in Corinth (Acts 18:1-11). This fatherly relationship gave him a unique authority to correct them.
Here we must note a distinction. While no one today possesses apostolic authority in the sense Paul did, spiritual fatherhood remains real. Leading someone to Christ or discipling them establishes a bond of responsibility and affection, though not authority in the absolute sense. A faithful pastor or discipler can appeal as a spiritual father without assuming Paul’s apostolic role.
Paul then makes a bold appeal: “Therefore I urge you, imitate me.” To modern ears, this sounds almost arrogant, but it was a necessary exhortation. The Corinthians would have recoiled at the thought: “Imitate Paul? The weak, beaten, hungry, homeless tentmaker? The man considered foolish and dishonorable?” Yet Paul insists, because his life embodied the way of the cross. His hardships were not signs of failure but of Christ’s power working through him. As he writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul wanted the Corinthians to imitate not his sufferings per se, but the Christ-centered faithfulness that sustained him through them.
It is worth noting that in the absence of widespread printed Scripture, the early church learned much of the gospel through the lives of its leaders. Paul’s life was a living example of the gospel in action. This is why later he would write, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). His life was an embodied commentary on the gospel.
Finally, Paul explains his practical response: “For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.” Timothy, Paul’s most trusted coworker, functioned as his delegate, bringing consistency to Paul’s teaching and life. Timothy would remind them of Paul’s “ways in Christ”—his doctrine, discipline, and lifestyle—which were the same “everywhere in every church.” The gospel Paul preached was not tailored to Corinth’s preferences but was consistent truth for all churches.
Notes for Application
A faithful spiritual leader corrects with the heart of a father—motivated by love, not by a desire to shame.
The authority of spiritual fatherhood is not authoritarian but relational, flowing from the bond of gospel ministry.
Christian maturity comes not only from learning doctrine but also from imitating godly examples. Every believer should be both a disciple and a discipler.
Consistency in doctrine and practice is a mark of authenticity. Paul did not teach one gospel in Corinth and another elsewhere. Neither should we adapt the gospel to cultural tastes.
2. (1 Corinthians 4:18-21) How do you want me to come to you?
“Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?”
Paul closes the chapter by confronting the arrogance of certain individuals in Corinth who questioned both his authority and his courage. He writes, “Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.” These opponents imagined Paul was afraid to return, assuming his boldness existed only in letters. Their pride swelled at the thought that Paul would not dare face them in person. But Paul makes it clear that he fully intends to visit them, adding the crucial qualifier, “if the Lord wills.” Even in dealing with conflict, Paul submitted his plans to the sovereign will of God, modeling humility before the very ones who were puffed up.
Paul then turns the confrontation toward substance rather than appearance: “And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.” His concern was not with eloquence, rhetoric, or public image, but with spiritual reality. The kingdom of God, he insists, is not about talk, appearances, or high-sounding words, but about transformative power. This power is seen in changed lives, genuine holiness, and the advance of the gospel through the Spirit’s work. As Romans 1:16 declares, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” Those who boasted in mere words would soon be exposed when measured against the true power of the gospel.
Paul delivers his final challenge in the form of a question: “What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?” The imagery of the rod draws from shepherding, where a staff was used to discipline wayward sheep for their own protection. Paul preferred to come with gentleness, motivated by love, but he was prepared to come with firmness if necessary. The choice rested with the Corinthians. If they humbled themselves, repented of pride, and submitted to the Word, Paul could come as a gentle father. But if they persisted in arrogance, he would come with the rod of correction.
This closing illustrates the delicate balance of pastoral ministry. Leaders must confront sin directly, but always with the goal of restoration, not domination. Paul was neither a tyrant delighting in punishment nor a coward avoiding confrontation. He was a spiritual father, willing to discipline if needed, but longing to come in gentleness. His question leaves the Corinthians—and us—with the responsibility to determine what kind of reception a faithful minister will have: one of confrontation for sin, or one of joyful fellowship in love.
Notes for Application
Pride blinds believers to the reality of God’s power, which works through humility, not self-exaltation.
Talk is cheap; the true test of faith is the transforming power of the gospel evident in our lives.
Spiritual leadership involves both firmness and gentleness. A faithful leader is willing to discipline, but longs for restoration and unity.
Submission to God’s Word and Spirit determines whether the Lord’s servants come with a rod or with encouragement.
