1 Corinthians 4:1 - Meaning and Application

Here, the apostle asks for the respect due to him because of his role and work, since many among the Corinthians had badly missed the mark in this. “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1). Some may have gone too far the other way, treating Paul as the leader of a party and claiming to be his disciples. In our view of ministers, as in all other matters, we must avoid extremes.

Apostles were not to be given too much honor. They were ministers, not masters, and stewards, not lords. They were servants of Christ, and nothing more, though they served at the highest level. They had charge of his household, supplied food for the rest, and directed their work. It is a serious misuse of power, and a great sin in ordinary ministers, to act like rulers over fellow servants or to claim authority over their faith or conduct. Even apostles were only servants of Christ, sent to do his work and to deliver the mysteries of God, truths hidden from the world in past ages. They had no right to spread their own ideas, only Christian faith.

At the same time, apostles were not to be looked down on. Though they were only ministers, they were ministers of Christ. Their master’s character and honor gave them dignity. Though they were only stewards, they were not in charge of ordinary things, but of divine mysteries, sacred truths once hidden. They had been given a great trust, and that made their office honorable. They were stewards in God’s household, chief servants in his kingdom of grace. They did not claim to be masters, but they did deserve respect in this honorable work.

Especially, they deserved that respect when they did their duty faithfully: “It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). The stewards in Christ’s family must appoint only what he has appointed. They must not put their fellow servants to work for their own purposes. They must not demand anything from them without their Master’s authority. They must not feed them with the worthless ideas of their own making instead of the healthy food of Christian teaching and truth. They must teach what Christ has commanded, not human doctrines and rules. They must stay loyal to their Lord’s interests and care for his honor.

The ministers of Christ should make it their steady, sincere aim to prove faithful. When they have a clear conscience and their Master’s approval, they should not be shaken by the opinions or complaints of fellow servants. “With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment” (1 Corinthians 4:3). Reputation among people can help a minister be useful, and Paul’s words show that he did care about his name. But anyone who makes pleasing people his main goal will not prove faithful to Christ (Galatians 1:10). If a man wants to be true to Christ, he must not be ruled by people’s criticism for Christ’s sake.

He should think very little of what others say about him, if his Lord approves him. People may think poorly of him or speak harshly of him while he is doing his duty. But their judgment is not the one that finally matters. Faithful ministers are blessed to have a wiser and kinder Judge than their fellow servants, one who knows and feels for their weaknesses, even though he has none of his own. It is better to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men (2 Samuel 24:14). Even the best people are often rash, harsh, and unfair in their judgments, but God always judges truly.

It is a comfort that people are not our final judges. In fact, we should not even make ourselves our final judges. “Yea, I judge not mine own self,” says the apostle. Even if he knew nothing against himself, and could not accuse himself of unfaithfulness, that would not clear him entirely. “He that judgeth me is the Lord.” His judgment must decide the matter. We must accept whatever sentence he gives. A person is only what the Lord finds and declares him to be.

So judging ourselves well, or even defending ourselves, does not prove we are safe and blessed. Nothing can do that except the acceptance and approval of our sovereign Judge. “Not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth” (2 Corinthians 10:18).

From this, the apostle warns the Corinthians against a censorious spirit, the habit of judging others too quickly and too severely. “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come” (1 Corinthians 4:5). This means judging before the proper time, and judging without enough ground. He is not speaking about judges acting within their office, or about private judgments on things that are plainly known. He means judging people’s future state, or the hidden motives and inner principles of their actions, or matters that are doubtful in themselves. To give a final verdict in such cases is to sit in God’s place and claim what belongs to him alone.

How bold a sinner the quick and harsh critic is. His judgments are badly timed and full of arrogance. But there is One who will judge both the critic and those he criticizes, without bias, passion, or favoritism. A time is coming when people will no longer be able to avoid seeing things rightly, because they will have to follow his judgment. That should make them cautious now about judging others and careful about judging themselves.

There is a day coming when the Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make known the thoughts of the heart. The secret deeds done in darkness, along with the hidden desires, plans, and intentions of the inner person, will be exposed. That day will reveal everything. The Judge will bring these things into the light. The Lord Jesus Christ will make known the thoughts of every heart.

The Lord Jesus must know the thoughts of the heart, or he could not reveal them. That belongs to God alone (Jeremiah 17:10), yet our Savior claims this power for himself in a special way (Revelation 2:23). “All the churches shall know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts, and I will give to every one of you according to your works.” We should be very careful how we criticize others, since we have to deal with a Judge from whom we cannot hide. Others may not see us clearly, but we are fully open before him. When he comes to judge, every person will receive praise from God, that is, everyone who deserves it.

Though no servant of God can earn anything from him, and though there is much to blame even in their best work, God will still praise and reward their faithfulness. If other servants judge them unfairly, mock them, or treat them badly, he will one day remove every false charge and show them in their true, pleasing light. Christians can endure unfair criticism more patiently when they remember that such a day is coming, especially if their own consciences tell them they have acted honestly.

But how careful they should be not to heap insults on others now, when their shared Judge will later commend them. Paul then explains why he used his own name and Apollos, a faithful co-worker in the gospel, in this discussion. He spoke in a figure and did it for their good. He chose to mention himself and Apollos rather than the leaders of the rival groups at Corinth, because that would be less likely to stir them up and more likely to make his warning carry weight.

Ministers should use wisdom in their counsel and warnings, especially when they must rebuke. Otherwise, they may lose the very people they want to help. Paul wanted the Corinthians to learn not to think too highly of men, more than Scripture allows, and not to become proud of one minister over another (1 Corinthians 4:6). Apostles were only to be seen as planters and waterers in God’s field, master builders in his house, stewards of his secrets, and servants of Christ. Ordinary ministers cannot hold those titles in the same full sense as the apostles did.

We must be very careful not to give a servant the honor and authority that belong to the Master. We must not call any man our master on earth, for one is our Master, Christ (Matthew 23:8, Matthew 23:10). We must not think of people above what Scripture says about them. God’s word is the best rule for judging people, and judging them rightly, without giving them more honor than they deserve, helps prevent fights and division in the church.

Pride is usually at the root of these quarrels. A proud view of ourselves often leads to an overhigh view of our teachers as well. It also leads us to praise our own judgment while clinging to one teacher and opposing another, even when both are faithful and well fitted for their work. But if we think humbly of ourselves, and do not think of our teachers above what is written, this will best keep down disputes, rivalries, and parties in the church. We will not be proud for one leader against another if we remember that all of them are only tools in God’s field and building, gifted by him in different ways.