FOR ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!
Exegetical Study of 1
Corinthians 3:21–23
Pastor
James A.E. MacLellan
The purpose for this
study is to come to an understanding of what Paul is saying to the Church of
God in Corinth in these somewhat complicated verses; and also to be able to
explain them clearly. He writes, “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is
wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom
of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in
their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that
they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether
Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the
future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” (1 Corinthians
3:18–23, ESV)
I have argued
elsewhere that chapters 1 to 4 are a unit of thought. Why?
We see the same issue recurring in all 4 chapters:
1.
1
Corinthians 1:11–12
(ESV), 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s
people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I
mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or
“I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
2.
1
Corinthians 2:3–5
(ESV), 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear
and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in
plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5
so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
3.
1
Corinthians 3:1–4
(ESV) , 1 But I, brothers, could not address you as
spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2
I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even
now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For
while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and
behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,”
and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?
4.
1
Corinthians 3:21–22
(ESV), 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things
are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life
or death or the present or the future—all are yours
5.
1
Corinthians 4:6
(ESV), 6 I have applied all these things to myself
and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go
beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one
against another.
Paul is responding to
information that he has received from "Chloe's people" regarding a
situation of divisions in the Church. It
is clear that the Corinthians were "in Christ" but the problem was
that the spirit of the age, the attitudes of Corinth had infiltrated the
Church. "To the degree to which
Corinthian Christians imbibed secular Corinthian culture with an emphasis on
peer groups and local value systems, the church had indeed become embroiled in
what we have termed a postmodern
pragmatism of the market with it related devaluation of truth, tradition, rationality, and universals. However, the value system is corrected
not by reformulating an ecclesial polity, but by placing the community as a
whole under the criterion and identity of
the cross of Christ."[1]
How was Paul going to
handle this? Dr. Thomas Schreiner gives
us a great summary and contextual information of 1 Corinthians 1 to 4, in this
short paragraph:
"In
1 Corinthians 1–4 we discover that the Corinthian church was divided over Paul,
Apollos, Peter, and even Christ. Apparently, they measured the effectiveness of
Paul and Apollos by their speaking abilities. Some exalted Apollos over Paul
because they believed he was rhetorically more effective. Perhaps they argued
that the Holy Spirit was working more powerfully in Apollos. What would you say
to the Corinthians if you were their pastor? I suspect many of us would simply
say, “Stop being divisive. Show your love as Christians and become united in
the gospel. How foolish it is to create divisions over which speaker is
rhetorically more effective.” When Paul confronts the problem, however, he probes
deeper and reflects on the matter theologically. He argues that their divisions
reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the cross of Christ. If they truly
grasped the message of Christ crucified, they would not fall prey to such a
secular worldview . . . Their boast in Paul and Apollos was a mask for their
own pride."[2]
So after an extensive encouragement to
examine the worldliness in the midst versus the message of the crucified Savior
(1:18 – 2:5), Paul shows them in very dramatic terms how contradictory it is
for spiritual people to act like natural people (2:6 – 3:4). In Chapter 3, verse 5 Paul turns his
attention to the role of these Church leaders (Apollos, Peter, etc.). This application will continue through to Chapter
4. Paul's point is that Church leaders
are simply servants; “He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his
wages according to his labor.”
(1 Corinthians 3:8, ESV).
In Chapter 3, verses
16 to 23, it seems as if Paul makes a slight digression. “Do you not know
that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1
Corinthians 3:16, ESV). He returns back
to his admonition of the Church. I base
that on the change of subject from builders and workers to the building and
field – the Church. He gives a serious
warning to the Church that they must not destroy this work that the servants of
God are involved in and the consequences will be dire. “If anyone destroys
God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that
temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:17, ESV)
Paul reverts back to earlier discussions
about the wisdom of man versus the wisdom of God when he exhorts them: “Let
no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age,
let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is
folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”
and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.””
(1 Corinthians 3:18–20, ESV). As noted
above by Dr. Schreiner, pride is the root of this divisiveness. Then Paul expresses these thoughts:
“So let no one boast in men. For all
things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or
death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and
Christ is God’s.” (1 Corinthians 3:21–23, ESV)
The pride that is essentially causing the
conflict and fighting in this church is identified as the root cause. Therefore
Paul comes back to his appeal: "let no one boast in men." He returns to his earlier appeal: “so that
no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are
in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and
sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who
boasts, boast in the Lord.”” (1 Corinthians 1:29–31, ESV)
This is the apex of the argument. The Greek text makes it clearer than the
English. "The
ὥστε (hoste,
"so then") clause with the imperative introduces the climax of the
argument."[3] What is the foundation, the ground, the basis
for this imperative? Answer? "For all things are yours."
What does Paul mean by that? Is
he saying something different than in 1:29-31?
He repeats it for clarity: “whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas
or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours,”
(1 Corinthians 3:22, ESV).
Paul's earlier claim actually sheds some
light in this claim. “so that no
human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in
Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and
sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who
boasts, boast in the Lord.”” (1 Corinthians 1:29–31, ESV). Boasting is on the Apostles mind and again in
an attempt to dismantle it he calls the Church to look at all they have in
Christ. If, in Christ, you have all you
need for life and godliness, why would you boast about other things?
Fee rightly observes: "With these
words Paul completely transforms their slogans. They say, 'I am of Paul, etc.' With
the analogy of the field (vv. 5–9) Paul changed that to 'you are of God.' Now he
makes the further transformation, 'All
things are of you, including
Paul, Apollos, and Cephas.'” [4]
It is no surprise of
Paul to add these men to the list of "all things". Later Paul will affirm that such positions
are indeed gifts to the Church. “And
he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and
teachers,” (Ephesians 4:11, ESV). "You don't belong to them, so to
speak, they belong to you!" As all
things do!
Paul immediately jumps into things that
surprise us: “. . . or the world or life or death or the present or the
future—all are yours,” (1 Corinthians 3:22, ESV). What is Paul doing here? Interestedly Paul is going to use a similar
formula in a future letter that he writes.
Perhaps we can gain some insight into this by examining his use of this
formula. We find it in Romans 8:37–39 (ESV),
"37 No, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that
neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to
come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our
Lord."
"In Romans 8:38 Paul includes
precisely four of these: death (θάνατος), life (ζωή) things present (ἐνίστημι), or things to come (μέλλω)
(but substituting there δύναμις, powers, for κόσμος,
world, and adding δύναμις,
forces or powers of various kind, together with height ὕψωμα and βάθος), as potential tyrannies
capable of hypothetically of becoming negative forces with can separate the
believer for God's love if or when they come to divert attention from God to
themselves."[5]
Paul is saying that there is nothing in
life or death, present or future, that can conquer us and wrest us from the
love of God in Christ. We are not pawns
to circumstances and events. We are more
than conquerors through Christ. In fact
"Christians are more than conquerors,
because God turns everything—even suffering and death—into good."[6] (Romans 8:28).
Now Paul adopts a similar formula to the
Corinthians. Could he be saying that
they are not bound to the personalities of leaders, nor are they subservient to
the whims of this life or their future? Indeed!
As Thiselton notes, these words anticipate Paul's words in 1 Corinthians
6:19b (ESV), ". . . You are not
your own." "In one sense a slave is not free but in
another sense the salve who has been granted privileges can enjoy all the
resources of his master's property and the protection of his master's
care."[7]
So, in a very real sense Christians not in bondage to people,
events, even death! Why? Because, Paul says, “and you are Christ’s,
and Christ is God’s.” (1 Corinthians 3:23, ESV). Note the chain: All things are yours; because
all things are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
Paul is ending on a majestic, doxological note and that deeply
theology. All things belong to Christ[8]
(cf: Ephesians 1:10) and Christ belongs to God.
This is true in a functional way not an ontological way. For example, we read:
1.
John 5:19 (ESV), 19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I
say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the
Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
2.
John 5:30 (ESV), 30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I
judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of
him who sent me.
3.
John 17:4 (ESV), 4 I glorified you on earth, having
accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
So what is Paul saying? Don't take pride in men as if you belong to
them. Everything belongs to you, in
Christ, whether in this existence or the days to come. All things have been ordained of God to serve
and benefit you. "Paul reminds them that the ministers actually belong to
the people being taught, not the other way around (v. 22)."[9] "“The church is not the
property of the Apostles. Apostles are ministers of the church.” The
Corinthians were claiming too little, since “all things are yours.” [10] "All things are yours
means that they are given by God for the benefit of his people."[11]
Thiselton notes how profound the theology
is here. "The Christian shares in
the Lordship of Christ whereby creation and the church are restored into
cooperative agencies for the well-being of humankind and for the glory of
God-in-Christ, set within the providential dimension of the new order in
Christ.”[12]
Conclusion
To paraphrase Paul, the Apostle repeats his
admonition to the Corinthians: Your pride is destroying the Church. Don't boast in men by saying, "I belong
to so and so." That is divisive and
destructive in the Church. As C.S. Lewis
said, "Pride is essentially
competitive . . . Once the element of competition has gone, pride has
gone." (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity).
It is also narrow-minded to be proud when you
consider the love and the providence Christ has for all His Church.
Personal Application
We as Christians do not belong to anyone or
anything in the sense that we can elevate it to the point that it becomes our
pride, deserving our esteem and demanding our loyalty apart from Christ Jesus
and His Word. Because you belong to
Christ, and Christ is the Lord of all, Heir of all things from His Father,
everything is yours, too.
In God's great mercy, everyone and everything
serves your good and is given to you for your advantage, in Christ. To embrace this is to watch pride be dismantled,
misplaced loyalty to people, personal agendas, personal likes and dislikes,
etc., fall way. And what emerges, under the gaze of Christ, is a peaceable,
quiet assurance in the goodness of God.
The Heidelberg Catechism[13]
says it so well:
What is Thy only comfort in life and death?
The answer is:
That I with body and soul, both in life and
death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who,
with his precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me
from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of
my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation,
and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and
makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him. [Emphasis Mine]
[1] Thiselton, Anthony C., The First Epistle to the
Corinthians: A commentary on the Greek
text, The New International Greek Testament Commentary, Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI, 2000, Page 33.
[2] Schreiner, T. R. (2010). Foreword. In Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church:
A Guide for Ministry (pp. 11–12). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
[3] Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis
CD-ROM:1 Corinthians/Notes to 1 Corinthians/1 Corinthians 3 Notes/1 Corinthians
Note 3:21, Book Version: 4.0.2
[4] Fee, G. D. (2014). The First Epistle to the Corinthians. (N. B. Stonehouse, F. F.
Bruce, G. D. Fee, & J. B. Green, Eds.) (Revised Edition., p. 166). Grand
Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
[5] Thiselton, Anthony C., The First Epistle to the
Corinthians: A commentary on the Greek
text, The New International Greek Testament Commentary, Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI, 2000, Page 326-327
[6] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2172). Wheaton,
IL: Crossway Bibles.
[7] Thiselton, Anthony C., The First Epistle to the
Corinthians: A commentary on the Greek
text, The New International Greek Testament Commentary, Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI, 2000, Page 327
[8] “But
each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who
belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the
Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must
reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be
destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.”
But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is
excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are
subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put
all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:23–28, ESV)
[9] Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M.,
Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife
Study Bible (1 Co 3:21). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[10] Garland, D. E. (2003). 1 Corinthians (p. 124). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
[11] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2195). Wheaton,
IL: Crossway Bibles.
[12] Thiselton, Anthony C., The First Epistle to the
Corinthians: A commentary on the Greek
text, The New International Greek Testament Commentary, Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI, 2000, Page 327
[13] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidelberg_Catechism
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