1 Let a man so reckon us as officers of Christ, and stewards of the secrets of God,
each, according as he received a gift, to one another ministering it, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;
for it behoveth the overseer to be blameless, as God's steward, not self-pleased, nor irascible, not given to wine, not a striker, not given to filthy lucre;
and in behalf of me, that to me may be given a word in the opening of my mouth, in freedom, to make known the secret of the good news,
and, confessedly, great is the secret of piety -- God was manifested in flesh, declared righteous in spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!
not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall to a judgment of the devil;
that their hearts may be comforted, being united in love, and to all riches of the full assurance of the understanding, to the full knowledge of the secret of the God and Father, and of the Christ,
of which I -- I did become a ministrant according to the dispensation of God, that was given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God, the secret that hath been hid from the ages and from the generations, but now was manifested to his saints, to whom God did will to make known what `is' the riches of the glory of this secret among the nations -- which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory,
that by revelation He made known to me the secret, according as I wrote before in few `words' -- in regard to which ye are able, reading `it', to understand my knowledge in the secret of the Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit -- that the nations be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in the Christ, through the good news, of which I became a ministrant, according to the gift of the grace of God that was given to me, according to the working of His power; to me -- the less than the least of all the saints -- was given this grace, among the nations to proclaim good news -- the untraceable riches of the Christ, and to cause all to see what `is' the fellowship of the secret that hath been hid from the ages in God, who the all things did create by Jesus Christ,
having made known to us the secret of His will, according to His good pleasure, that He purposed in Himself,
And he answering said to them that -- `To you it hath been given to know the secrets of the reign of the heavens, and to these it hath not been given,
but in everything recommending ourselves as God's ministrants; in much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses,
for not ourselves do we preach, but Christ Jesus -- Lord, and ourselves your servants because of Jesus;
for if I may proclaim good news, it is no glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and wo is to me if I may not proclaim good news; for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if unwillingly -- with a stewardship I have been entrusted! What, then, is my reward? -- that proclaiming good news, without charge I shall make the good news of the Christ, not to abuse my authority in the good news;
being spoken evil of, we entreat; as filth of the world we did become -- of all things an offscouring -- till now.
Who, then, is Paul, and who Apollos, but ministrants through whom ye did believe, and to each as the Lord gave?
And he said also unto his disciples, `A certain man was rich, who had a steward, and he was accused to him as scattering his goods; and having called him, he said to him, What `is' this I hear about thee? render the account of thy stewardship, for thou mayest not any longer be steward. `And the steward said in himself, What shall I do, because my lord doth take away the stewardship from me? to dig I am not able, to beg I am ashamed: --
And the Lord said, `Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the lord shall set over his household, to give in season the wheat measure?
and he said to them, `To you it hath been given to know the secret of the reign of God, but to those who are without, in similes are all the things done;
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,