3 For ye are yet carnal for 4 For while one saith, I'am whereas there is among you of Paul; and another, I am of envying, and strife, and divi- Apollos; are ye not carnal?

by whom ye believed, even 6 I have planted, Apollos wa

the Lord gave to every tered; but God 5

as

gave the in

man ?

crease.

a Rom.12.3,6. 1 Pet.4.11.'

b c.15.10. and are subject to his control and di- is taken from agriculture, and the rection. They have not original au- meaning is obvious. Paul established thority, nor are they the source of influ- the church. He was the first preacher ence or power. The idea here is, that in Corinth; and if any distinction they were the mere instruments or was due to any one, it was rather to servants by whom God conveyed all him than to the teachers who had lablessings to the Corinthians; that they boured there subsequently ; but he reas ministers were on a level, were en- garded himself as worthy of no such gaged in the same work, and that there- honour as to be the head of a party, fore, it was improper for them to form for it was not himself, but God who parties that should be called by their had given the increase. Apollos names. By whom. Through whom watered. This figure is taken from (di wr), by whose instrumentality. the practice of watering a tender plant, They were not the original source of or of watering a garden or field. This faith, but were the mere servants of was necessary in a special manner in God in conveying to them the know- eastern countries. Their fields beledge of that truth by which they were came parched and dry from their long to be saved. I Even as the Lord gave droughts, and it was necessary to irrito every man. God is the original gate them by artificial means.

The source of faith ;, and it is by his influ- sense here is, that Paul had laboured ence that any one is brought to be in establishing the church at Corinth ; lieve. See Note, Rom. xii. 3.6. There but that subsequently Apollos had lawere diversities of gifts among the boured to increase it, and to build it up. Corinthian Christians, as there are in It is certain that Apollos did not go to all Christians. And it is here implied, Corinth until after Paul had left it. See (1.) That all that any one had was to Acts xviii. 18. Comp. 27. 1 God gave be traced to God as its author; (2.) the increase. God caused the seed That he is a sovereign, and dispenses sown to take root and spring up; and his favours to all as he pleases; (3.) God blessed the irrigation of the tender That since God had conferred those fa- plants as they sprung up, and caused vours, it was improper for the Corin- | them to grow. This idea is still taken thians to divide themselves into sects from the husbandman. It would be and call themselves by the name of vain for the farmer to sow his seed their teachers, for all that they had was unless God should give it life. There to be traced to God alone. This idea, is no life in the seed, nor is there any that all the gifts and graces which inherent power in the earth to make it Christians had, were to be traced to God grow. God only, the giver of all life, alone, was one which the apostle Paul can quicken the germ in the seed, and often insisted on; and if this idea had make it live. So it would be in vain been kept before the minds and hearts for the farmer to water his plant of all Christians, it would have pre- unless God should bless it. There is vented no small part of the contentions no living principle in the water; no in the church, and the formation of inherent power in the rains of heaven no small part of the sects in the Chris- to make the plant grow. It is adapted, tian world.

indeed, to this, and the seed would not 6. I have planted. The apostle germinate if it was not planted, nor here compares the establishment of the grow if it was not watered; but the life church at Corinth to the planting of a is still from God. He arranged these vine, a tree, or of grain. The figure I means, and he gives life to the tender

ng So then neither “ is he that 8 Now he that planteth and he planteth any thing, neither he that watereth are one: and every that watereth, but God that giv-man shall receive his own reeth the increase.

ward according to his own labour. a Jno. 15.5. 2Cor.12.9-11.

6 Ps.62.12. Rev.22.12.

blade, and sustains it. And so it is ner to accommodate the indolence of with the word of life. It has no in- men. So in the matter of salvation. herent power to produce effect by itself. The efforts of ministers would be of The power is not in the naked word, no avail without God. They could do nor in him that plants, nor in him that nothing in the salvation of the soul waters, nor in the heart where it is unless H& should give the increaso sown, but in God. But there is a But their labours are as indispensable fitness of the means to the end. The and as necessary, as are those of the word is adapted to save the soul. The farmer in the production of a harvest. seed must be sown or it will not ger- And as every farmer could say, my laminate. Truth must be sown in the bours are nothing without God, who heart, and the heart must be prepared alone can give the increase,' so it is for it—as the earth must be ploughed with every minister of the gospel. and made mellow, or it will not spring 8. Are one (év slow). They are up. It must be cultivated with assidu- not the same person ; but they are one ous care, or it will produce nothing. in the following respects : (1.) They But still it is all of God -as much so as are united in reference to the same the yellow harvest of the field, after all work. Though they are engaged in the toils of the husbandman, is of God. different things-for planting and waAnd as the farmer who has just views, tering are different kinds of work, yet will take no praise to himself because it is one in regard to the end to be his corn and his vine start up and gained. The employments do not at grow after all his care, but will ascribe all clash, but tend to the same end. It all to God's unceasing, beneficent is not as if one planted, and the other agency; so will the minister of religion, was engaged in pulling up. (2.) Their and so will 'every Christian, after all work is one, because one is as necessary their care, ascribe all to God.

as the other. If the grain 7. Any thing. This is to be taken planted there would be no use in pourcomparatively. They are nothing in ing water there ; if not watered, there comparison with God. Their agency would be no use in planting. The is of no importance compared with his work of one is as needful, therefore, as Sec Note, ch. i. 28. It does not mean the other; and the one should not unthat their agency ought not to be per- dervalue the labours of the other. (3.) formed; that it is not important, and They are one in regard to God. They indispensable in its place ; but that the are both engaged in performing one honour is due to God.-Their agency work; God is performing another. is indispensable. God could make There are not three parties or portions seed or a tree grow if they were not of the work, but two. They two perplanted in the earth. But he does not form one part of the work; God alone do it. The agency of the husbandman performs the other. Theirs would be is indispensable in the ordinary opera- useless without him; he would not or

tions of his providence. If he does dinarily perform his without their perí not plant, God will not make the grain forming their part. They could not

or the tree grow. God blesses his la- do his part if they would—as they canbours; he does not work a miracle. not make a plant grow; he could perGod attends effort with success; he form their part-as he could plant and does not interfere in a miraculous man. water without the farmer; but it is not

was not

a

a 2Cor.6.1.

b Heb.3.6. 1 Pet.2.5.

So many

9 For we are labourers to- | husbandry, ye are God's buildgether with God: ye are God's ing.

I or, tillage. in accordance with his arrangements to to any thing may be derived from his do it. 1 And every man. The argu- mere favour; but he may determine ment of the apostle here has reference that it shall be divided according to only to ministers; but it is equally true their expressions of attachment, and of all men, that they shall receive their to their obedience to him. proper reward. I Shall receive. In 9. For we are labourers together the day of judgment, when God de- with God (Esū gag to use ouvegg-cl). We cides the destiny of men. The deci- are God's co-workers. A similar exsions of that day will be simply deter- pression occurs in 2 Cor. vi. 1, “We mining what every moral agent ought then as workers together with him," &c. to receive. 9 His own reward. His This passage is capable of two signifit, or proper (Tev iscov) reward; that fications: first, as in our translation, which pertains to him, or which shall that they were co-workers with God; be a proper expression of the character engaged with him in his work, that he and value of his labour.-The word and they co-operated in the production reward (gebotón) denotes properly that of the effect; or that it was a jointwhich is given by contract for service work; as we speak of a partnercy, or rendered ; an equivalent in value for of joint-effort among men. services or for kindness. Note, Rom. interpreters have understood this. If iv., 4. In the Scriptures it denotes this is the sense of the passage, then it pay, wages, recompense given to day- means that as a farmer may be said to Jabourers, to soldiers, &c. It is applied be a co-worker with God when he often, as here, to the retribution which plants and tills his field, or does that God will make to men in the day of without which God would not work in judgment; and is applied to the fa- that case, or without which a harvest wours which he will then bestow on would not be produced, so the Christian them, or to the punishment which he minister co-operates with God in prowill inflict as the reward of their deeds. ducing the same result. He is engaged Instances of the former sense occur in in performng that which is indispensable Matt. v. 12; vi. Luke vi. 23. 35. Rev. to the end; and God also, by his Spirit, xi. 18; of the latter in 2 Pet. ii. 13. co-operates with the same design. If 15.—In regard to the righteous, it does this be the idea, it gives a peculiar not imply merit, or that they deserve sacredness to the work of the ministry, heaven; but it means that God will and indeed to the work of the farmer render to them that which, according and the vinedresser. There is no higher to the terms of his new covenant, he honour than for a man to be engaged in has promised, and which shall be a fit doing the same things which God does, expression of his acceptance of their and participating with him in accomservices. It is proper, according to plishing his glorious plans. But doubts these arrangements, that they should have been suggesteù in regard to this be blessed in heaven. It would not be interpretation. (1.) The Greek does proper that they should be cast down not of necessity imply this. It is to hell.—Their original and their sole literally, not we are his co-partners, title to eternal life is the grace of God but we are his fellow labourers, i. e. through Jesus Christ; the measure, or fellow labourers in his employ, under amount of the favours bestowed on his direction—as we say of servants of them there, shall be according to the the same rank they are fellow labourers services which they render on earth. of the same master, not meaning that A parent may resolve to divide his the master was engaged in working estate among his sons, and their title with them, but that they were fellow

10 According a to the grace of God which is given unto

a Rom. 12.3.

labourers one with another in his em- servants employed in the service of a ployment. (2.) There is no expression master, without saying that the master that is parallel to this. There is none participated with them in their work. that speaks of God's operating jointly This idea is conveyed in the translation with his creatures in producing the of Doddridge, “we are the fellow lasame result. They may be engaged bourers of God." So Rosenmüller, in regard to the same end; but the Calvin, however, Grotius, Whitby, and sphere of God's operations and of their Bloomfield, coincide with our version operations is distinct. God does one in the interpretation. The Syriac renthing; and they do another, though ders it “ We work with God.” The they may contribute to the same result. Vulgate, “We are the aids of God." The sphere of God's operations in the 1 Ye are God's husbandry (stuggsov); growth of a tree is totally distinct from margin, tillage. This word occurs nothat of the man who plants it. The where else in the New Testament. It man who planted it has no agency in properly denotes a tilled or cultivated causing the juices to circulate; in ex- field; and the idea is, that the church panding the bud or the leaf; that is, in at Corinth was the field on which God the proper work of God.-In 3 John had bestowed the labour of tillage, or 8, Ch ians are indeed said to be culture, to produce frui The word is " fellow helpers to the truth” (ouvez cà used by the LXX. in Gen. xxvi. 14, as qñ ian Telu); that is, they operate with the translation of nay, “For he had the truth, and contribute by their possession of flocks,” &c.; in Jer. xli. 23, labours and influence to that effect. as the translation of 28, a yoke ; and In Mark also (xvi. 20), it is said that in Prov, xxiv. 30; xxxi. 16, as the trans. the apostles went forth and preached lation of nov, a field; “I went by the everywhere, the Lord working with field of the slothful,” &c.

The sense them” (rrot xugicu ouvegz.cavics), where here is, that all their culture was of the phrase means that the Lord co- God; that as a church they were under operated with them by miracles, &c. his care; and that all that had been The Lord, by his own proper energy, produced in them was to be traced to and in his own sphere, contributed to his cultivation. God's building. the success of the work in which they This is another metaphor.

The object were engaged. (3.) The main design of Paul was to show that all that had and scope of this whole passage is to been done for them had been really show that God is all-that the apostles accomplished by God. For this purare nothing; to represent the apostles pose he first says that they were God's not as joint-workers with God, but as cultivated field; then he changes the working by themselves, and God as figure; draws his illustration from alone giving efficiency to all that was architecture, and says, that they had done. The idea is, that of depressing been built by him as an architect rears or humbling the apostles, and of exalt- a house. It does not rear itself; but it ing God; and this idea would not be is reared by another. So he says of consistent with the interpretation that the Corinthians, • Ye are the building they were joint-labourers with him. which God erects. The same figure While, therefore, the Greek would bear is used in 2 Cor. vi. 16 and Eph. ii. 21, the interpretation conveyed in our trans- See also Heb. üi. 6. 1 Pet. ï. 5. The lation, the sense may perhaps be, that idea is, that God is the supreme agent the apostles were joint-labourers with in the founding and establishing of the each other in God's service; that they church, in all its gifts and graces. were united in their work, and that

10. According to the grace of God. God was all in all; that they were like By the favour of God which is given