1 So let a man think of us as Christ's servants, and stewards of God's mysteries.
According as each has received a gift, be ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the grace of God in its various forms.
For the overseer must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel,
Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, And received up in glory.
not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;
how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words, by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel, of which I was made a servant, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power. To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the administration{TR reads "fellowship" instead of "administration"} of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ;
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
He answered them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
For we don't preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake;
For if I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me, if I don't preach the Gospel. For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. What then is my reward? That, when I preach the Gospel, I may present the Gospel of Christ without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Gospel.
Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.
Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed; and each as the Lord gave to him?
He also said to his disciples, "There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was wasting his possessions. He called him, and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.' "The manager said within himself, 'What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I don't have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg.
The Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?
He said to them, "To you is given the mystery of the Kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Corinthians 4
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
In this chapter the apostle,
1Cr 4:1-6
Here,
1Cr 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.
1Cr 4:14-16
Here Paul challenges their regard to him as their father. He tells them,
1Cr 4:17-21
Here,