Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Crkl the Only Foundation. 1 CORINTHIANS III. Men Che Temples 0/ God, day. declare It—old English for "make it clear" (ch.
"Init every man." Though In their service or ministry, thoy are essentially "one," yet every minister is separately responsible in "his own" work, and "shall receive
4. 4). It shall be revealed by lire— it, i. e., "every man'fl work." Rather, "He," the Lord, wlui.se day it is (2 Thessalonians I. 7, 8). Translate lit., " Is being revealed (the present in the Greek implies tlie certainty and nearneM of the event. Revelation 22. 10, -20) in tire" (Malach. 3.2,3; his own (emphatically repeated) reward, aecordins to his oiim laliour." The reward is something over and aljove personal salvation H, 15; 2 Jolin 8). He shall he rewarded according to, not his success or the amonnt of work done, but " according to his own laliour." n shall be said to him, "Well done, thou good and (not stwcess-
4. 1). The fire (probably figurative here, as the goil, iiay
not purgatory (as Rome teaches, i.e., pttrificatorjt and punitive), hut probatory, not restricted to those dying
In "venial sin :" the supposed intermediate class between those entering heaven at once,and llifise dying in mortal sin who go to hell, but universal, testing the godly and ungodly alike (2 Corinthians 5. 10; cf. Mark 9. 49). This
/ul, but) failh/ul servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord " (Matthew 25.23). 9. Trayislale, a,s the Grefk collocation of words, and the emphasis on "God" tlirice repeated, requires, " For (in proof that "eacii shall receive reward according to his own labour," viz., from God) it is fire is not till the last day, the snppo.scd fire of purgatory begins ut death. The fire of St. Paul is to try the worki the fire of purgatory the peisons, of men. St. Panl's fire causes "loss" to the sufferers; Rome's purgatory, great gain, viz., heaven at last to those purged by it, if only it were true. Thus this passage, quoted by Rome for, is altogether against, purgatoi-y. " It was not this doctrine that gave rise to prayers for the dead; but the practice of praying for the dead [which crept in from the affectionate but mistaken solicitude of survivors] gave rise to the doctrine." [Whately.] 14. abide—abide the testing of God that we are the fellow-workers (labouring tvi/h, but under, and belonging to Him as His servants, 2 Corinthians
5. 20; 6. 1 ; cf. Acts i5. 4; Note, 1 Thessalonians 8. 2) of God that ye are the field (or tillage,, of God that ye are the building." [Alfori>.] " Building " is a new image introduced here, as suited better than that of husbandry, to set forth the different kinds of teaching and their results, whicli he is now about to discuss. "To edify "or "build up " the Church of Christ is similarly used (Ephesians2. 21,
22; 4.29). 10. grace . . . given unto me—St. Paul puts this fire (Matthew 3. 11, 12). which he liath bnllt thereupon —Arhicii he liuilt on the foundation. rewar«l wages, as a builder, i. e., teacher. His converts built on Christ the foundation, through his faithful teaching, siiall be his "crown of rejoicing" (2 Corinthians 1. 14; Philippiansi first, to guard against seeming to want humility, in pronouncing himself "a 'wise master-builder," in the clause following. [Chrysostom.] The "grace" is that "given " to him in common with all Christians (i-. 5), only proportioned to the work which God had for him to do. [AlFORD.] wise i. p., skilfvl. His skill Is shown in his laying a foundation. The unskilful builder lays none (Tuke 6.
16; 1 Thessalonians 2. 19). 15. If ... be bnrnt—If any teacher's work consist of such materials as the fire will destroy. [Alford.] snffer loss— 1. e., forfeit tlie special " reward ;" not that lie shall lose salvation (which is altogether nfree gift, not a " reward" or wages), for he remains
4fl). Christ is the foundation (v. 11). another—who ever comes after me. Redoes not name vlpo/7o.>; for lie speaks generally of all successors, whoever tliej' he. His warning, "Let every man (every teacher) lake heed how," Ac, restill on the foundation (v. 12; 2 John l}\ saved ; yet so at by Are-rather, "so as through fire" (Zechariah 3.2; Amos fers toother successors rather than Apollos, who dontjt-
4. 11; Jude 23). "Saved, yet not witho>ii fire" (Romans 'i less did not, as they, build wood, hay, Ac, on the fmindatlon (cf. ch. 4. 15). "I have done rny part, let them who follow me see (so the Greek for "take heed") to theirs." [Bengei.] how—with what material. [Alfokd.] How
27). [Bengel.1 As a builder whose building, not the foundation, is consumed by fire, escapes, but with tin loss of his work [Alford], as the shipwrecked merchhnt, though he has lost his mercliandlse, is saved, though having to pass ^/(rmjA the waves. (Benoei,.] BlalachiS.
far u iselj/, and in bullder-like style (1 Peter 4. 11). bnll<1eth therenpon—here the building or sitperstrxcture raised on Christ tlie " foundation," lai<l by Paul (cli. 2. 2) is not, as in Epheslans 2. 20, 21, the Christian Church made up of believers, the "lively stones" (1 Peter 2.5), but doc-
1, 2; and 4. 1, give the key to explain the imagery. The " liord suddenly coming to His temple" in flaming " fire," all the parts of the building wliich will not stand tliat trinal and practical teachin/f which the teachers who succee<led Paul, superadded to his first teaeliing; not that they taught what was false, liut their teaching was sulitle and speculative reasoning, rather than solid and simple truth. 11. (Isaiah 28. 16; Acts 4. 12; Epheslans 2. 20.) For —my warning ("take heed," Ac, v. 10) is as to I lie superstructure (" buildeth thereupon "), not as to the fniiiidnlioii : "For other foundation can no man lay, than that which has (already) been laid (by God) Jesus Christ," the person, not the mere abstract doctrine about Him, though tlie latter also is included; ,7e*i«, God-Saviour; Christ, MksSIAH or Anointkd. can—a man can not la.v any other, since the only one recognized by God has been already fire will be consumed ; the builders will escape with personal salvation, but with the loss of their work, through the midst of the conflagration. [Aiford.] Again, a distinction Is recognized between minor and fundamental doctrines (if we regard the superstructure as representing the doctrines superadded to the elementary essentials); a man may err as to the former, and yet be saved, but not so as to the latter (cf. Philippians 3. 15). 16. Know ye not— It Is no new thing I tell you, in calling you " God's building;" ye know and ought to rememlxr, ye are tlie notilest kind of building, " the temple of God." ye—all Christians form together one vast temple. The expression is not, "ye are temples," but ".ve are the temple" collectively, and " llvel.v stones" (1 Peter 2. 5) Individually. God . . . Spirit—God's indwelling, and that of the Holy Spirit, are one; therefore the Hol.v Spirit is God. No literal " (emple"' Is recognized by the New Testament in the Christian Church. The only one Is the spiritual temple, the whole Ijody of bi'lleving worshippers which the Holy Spirit dwells in (ch. 6. 19; John 4. 23, 21). The synagogue, not the temple, was the model of the Christian house of worship. The temple was the house of sacrifice, nitlier tlian of prayer. Prayers In the temple were silent and Individual (Luke I. 10; 18. 10-13), not joint and public, nor with reading of Scripture, as in the synagogue. The temlaid. 13. Now—rather, "Bui." The image is that of a building on a solid foundation, and pa rtl.v composed of durable and precious, partly of perishable materials. The '"gold, silver, precious stones," which all can bear fire (Revelation 21. 18, 19), are teachings that will stand tlie
test of Judgment; "wood, hay, stubble," are those which cannotstand it; not positive heresy, for that would destroy tlie foundation, but teaching mixed up with lium.an plillosophy and Judaism, curious rather than useful. Besides the teachings, the superstructure represents also the 7)er(ion« cemented to the Church by them, the nality of whose conversion, through the teachers' Instrumentality, will be tested at the last day. Whore there Is tlie least grain of real gold of faith. It shall never he lost (I Peter 1. 7; cf. ch. 4. 12). On the other hand, the liglitest gtraw feeds the fire. fHENOKT,.] (Matthew 5. 10.1 1.1. •Krery man'H worh—Each teacher's superstructure on the foundation, the day—of the Lord (ch. 1.8; Hel)rews ple, as the name means (from a Greek root "to dwell"), was the earthly dwelling-place of God, where alone He put His name. The synagogue (as the name means an assembly) was the place for assembling men. Oml now too hM His earthly temple, not one of wood and stone, but the congregation of believers, the "living stones" on th« "spiritual house." Believers are all spiritual priests In
10. ari; 1 Tliessalonlans 5. 4). The article Is emphatic, it. Jesus Christ, our High Priest, 1ms 111" ouly litera!
' -77ie day," i. e., tlie great day of days, the long expected '268