Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Natural Man Void of Unde,standing. 1 CORINTHIANS III. Neither Paul nor Apollus A nything.
CHAPTER III. Ver. 1-23. St. Paul could not speak to them of deep Spiritual Truths, as they were carnal, contending FOR THEIR SEVERAL TEACHER.S; THESE ARE NOTHing but worker.s for god, to whom they must give Account in the Day of Fiery Judgment. The Hearers ARE God's Temple, which they mu.st not Defile by Contentions for Teachers, who, as well as all things, are theirs, being Christ's. 1. And I—i. e., as the natural (animal) man cannot receive, so I also could not speak unto you the deep things of God, as I would to the spiritual; but I was compelled to speak to you as I would with V. 6, 9, 10, 14, 15; ch. 3. 1. AiroRD translates, "Putting together (combining) spirituals with spirituals;" i. e., attaching spiritual words to spiritual things, which we Bbould not do, if we were to use words of worldly wisdom to expound spiritual things (so d. 1, 4; 1 Peter 4. 11). Perfiaps the generality of the neuters is designed to compre bend tliese several notions by implication. Comparing, or combining, spirituals with spirituals; implying both that sp.ritual things are only suited to spiritual persons (bo "tilings" comprehended persons, ch. 1. 27), and also that spiritual truths can only be combined with spiritual (not worldly-wise) words, and lastly, spirituals of the Old and New Testaments can only be understood by mutual comparison or combination, not by combination with worldly "wisdom," or natural perceptions (ch. 1. 21, 22; 2.
to MEN OF flesh. The oldest MSS. read this for " cai nal." The former {lit., fleshy) implies men wholly©/ flesh, or natural. Carnal, or fleshly, implies not tliey were wholly natural or unregenerate (ch. 2. 14), but that they had much of a carnal tendency; e.g., their divisions. St. Paul had to speak to them as he would to men wholly natural, inasmuch as they are still carnal (v. 3) in many respects, notwithstanding their conversion (ch. 1. 4-9). babes—contrasted with the perfect (fully matured) in Christ (Colosslans 1. 28; cf. Hebrews 5. 13, 14). This implies they were not men wholly of flesh, though carnal in tendencies. They had life in Christ, but It was weak. He blames them for being still in a degree (not altogether, cf. ch. I. 5, 7; therefore he says " as")babes in Clirist, when by this time they ought to ha%'e "come unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Epheslans4. 13). In Romans 7. 14, also the oldest MSS. read, " I am a man of flesh." a. (Hebrews 5. 12.) mlllc—the elementary "principles of the doctrine of Christ" (ch. 6. 1). 3. envying—jealousy, rivalry. As this refers to their feelings, "strife " refers to their words, and " divisions" to their actions. [Bengel.] There is a gradation, or ascending climax: envying had produced strife. a,ni\ strife rfiri*- ions (factious parties). [Grotius.] His language becomes severer now as He proceeds; in ch. 1. 11 he had only said "contentions," he now multiplies the words (cf. the stronger term, ch 4.6, than in ch. 3.21). carnal-for "strife" is a "work of the flesh" (Galatians 5.20). Tlie " flesh " includes all feelings that aim not at tl)e glory of God, and the good of our neighbour, but at gratifying self, walk as men—as unregenerate men (cf. Matthew IG. Zi). "After the flesh, not after the Spirit" of God, as becomes you as regenerate by the Spirit (Romans 8.4; Galatians
1, 4-9; cf. Psalm 119. 18). 14. natural man—lit., a man of tnimal soul. As contrasted with the spiritual man, he is governed by the animal soul, which overbears his spirit, which latter is without the Spirit of God (Jude 19). So the animal {English Xersion, " natural") body, or body led by the lower animal nature (including both the mere human fallen reason and heart), is contrasted with the Spiritquickened body (ch. 15. 44-46). The carnal man (tire man led by bodily appetites, and also by a self-exalting spirit, estranged from the Divine life) is closely aliin ; so too the "earthly." "Devilish," or "demon-like;" "led by an evil spirit," is the awful character of such a one, in Its worst type (James 3. 15). recelvetli not—though they are offered to him, and are "worthy of being received by all men" (1 Timothy 1. 15). they are foolisluicgs unto Iilm —whereas he seeks " wisdom" (ch. 1. 22). neit Uer can he —not only does he not, but he cannot know them, and therefor* has no wisli to "receive" them (Romans 8.7). 15. He that is spiritual lit., "the spiritual (man)." In
V. 14, it is "A (not "the," as English Version) natural man."
The spiri'ual is the man distinguished above his fellowmen, as he in whom the Spirit rules. In the unregenerate, the spirit which ought to be the organ of the Holy Spirit (and which is so in the regenerate), is overridden bj' the animal soul, and is in abeyance, so that such a one is never called "spiritual." judgeth all things—and persons, by their true standard (cf. ch. 6. 2-4; 1 John 4. 1), in O for as he is spiritual. "Discerneth . . . is discerned," would better accord with the translation of the same Greek
(v. 14). Otherwise for "discerned," in v. 14, trqnslate, "judged of," to accord with the translation, "judgeth . . .
is judged," in this 15th verse. He has a practical insight into the verities of the Gospel, though he is not infallible on all theoretical points. If an individual may have the Spirit without being infallible, why may not the Church have the Spirit, and yet not be infallible (a refutation of the plea of Rome for the Church's infallibility, from Matthew 28. 20; John 16. 13) 7 As the believer and the Church have the Spirit, and are yet not therefore impeccable, so he and the Church have the Spirit, and yet are not infal-
5. 25, 26). 4. (Ch. 1. 12.) arc ye not carnal—the oldest MSS. read "Are ye not menf" i.e., "walking as men" unregenerate {v. 3). 5. Paul . . . Apollos—the oldest MSS. read in the reverse order, Apollos . . . Paid. He puts Apollos before himself in humility, who then—seeing then that ye severally strive so for your favourite teachers, "Who is (of what intrinsic power and dignity) Paul 7"
If so great an apostle reasons so of himself, how muchi more does humility, rather than self-seeking, become ordinary ministers! but ministers, &c.—the oldest M.S.S. have no "but." " Who is Apollos . . . Paul 7 (mere) ministers (a lowly word appropriate here, servants), by whorai (not "in whom ;" by whose ministrations) ye believed." aa< lible or impeccable. He and the Church are both infallible and impeccable, only in proportion to the degree in which they are led by the Spirit. The Spirit leads into all truth and holiness; but His Influence on believers and on the Church Is as yet partial. Jesus alone, who had the Spirit without measure (John .3. 34), is both infallible and impeccable. Scripture, because it was written by men, who whilst writing were infallibly inspired, is unmixed truth (Proverbs 28. 5; 1 John 2. 27). 16. For—proof of v.
. . . Iiord gave to every man—t. e., to the several hearers, for it was God that "gave the increase" (t>. 6). 6. I , . .. planted, Apollos watered—(Acts 18. 1 ; 19. 1.) Apollos at his own desire (Acts 18. 27) was sent by the brethren tO' Corinth, and there followed up the work which St. PauL had begun. God gave the increase i. e., the growth (v. 10;' Acts 18. 27). " Believed through flrcace." Though ministens» are nothing, and God all In all, yet God works by instru*- men ts, and promises the Holy .Spirit in the faithful use of means. This Is the dispensation of the Spirit, and our»-
15, that the spiritual man " is judged of no man." In order to judge the spiritual man, tlie ordinary man must "know the mind of the Lord." But "who of ordinary men knows" that? that he may instruct him—i. e., so as to be able to set Him right as His counsellor (quoted from Isaiah 40. 1.3, 14). So the LXX. translate the Greek verb, which means to prove. In Acts 9. 22. Natural men who Judge spiritual men, living according to the mind of God (" We have the mind of Christ"), are virtually wishing to instruct God, and bring Him to another mind, as counsellors setting to right their king, we have the mind of Chrlstlu our degree of capability to apprehend is the ministry of the Spirit. 7. neither is he that . . . anything . . . but God viz., is all in all. "God" Is em« phatically last In the Greek, " He that giveth the Increase- (namely), God." Here follows a parenthesis from v^* to u. 21, where "Let no man glory in men "stands in antithetic contrast to God here. 8. one—essentially in their aim they are one, engaged In one and the same ministry.; therefore they ought not to be made by you the occasloa of forming separate parties, and every man— ratber
It. Isaiah 10. refers to Jehovah; therefore, as it is applied aere to CrUt, He is Jenovan.