Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,

“The "gold, silver, precious stones," which all can withstand fire (Re 21:18, 19), are teachings that will stand the fiery test of judgment; "wood, hay, stubble," are those which cannot stand it; not positive heresy, for that would destroy the foundation, but teaching mixed up…”

And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”

“There it is of men; here it is "of the wise." Paul by inspiration states the class of men whose "thoughts" (or rather, "reasonings," as suits the Greek and the sense of the context) the Spirit designated in the Psalm, "vanity," namely, the "proud" (Ps…”

Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

“The contrast thus is between man's usage as to stewards (1Co 4:2), and God's way (1Co 4:3). Though here below, in the case of stewards, inquiry is made, that one man be found (that is, proved to be) faithful; yet God's steward awaits no such…”

I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

“EMESTI translates the thrice recurring Greek for "judged . . . judge . . . judgeth" (1Co 4:4), thus: To me for my part (though capable of being found faithful) it is a very small matter that I should be approved of by man's judgment…”

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.

“Therefore--as the Lord is the sole Decider or Dijudicator. judge--not the same Greek word as in 1Co 4:3, 4, where the meaning is to approve of or decide on, the merits of one's case.”

For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

“Translate, "Who distinguisheth thee (above another)?" Not thyself, but God. glory, as if thou hadst not received it--as if it was to thyself, not to God, thou owest the receiving of it.”

Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings.

“Translate, "Already ye are filled full (with spiritual food), already ye are rich, ye have seated yourselves upon your throne as kings, without us."”

We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.

“3:18; compare Ac 17:18; 26:24). for Christ's sake . . . in Christ--Our connection with Christ only entails on us the lowest ignominy, "ON ACCOUNT OF," or, "FOR THE SAKE OF" Him, as "fools"; yours gives you full fellowship IN Him as "wise" (that is…”

To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.

“(2Co 11:23-27). naked--that is, insufficiently clad (Ro 8:35). buffeted--as a slave (1Pe 2:20), the reverse of the state of the Corinthians, "reigning as kings" (Ac 23:2). So Paul's master before him was "buffeted" as a slave, when about to die a slave's death (Mt 26:67).”

Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

“He uses, however, a stronger phrase of himself in begetting them spiritually, "In Christ Jesus," implying both the Saviour's office and person.”

That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord.

“"Paul purposed . . . when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem. So he sent into Macedonia Timotheus and Erastus."”

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they…

“He does not seem to have been able to go as soon as he intended. and will know--take cognizance of.”

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.

“She was perhaps a heathen, for which reason he does not direct his rebuke against her (compare 1Co 5:12, 13). ALFORD thinks "have" means have in marriage: but the connection is called "fornication," and neither Christian nor Gentile law would have sanctioned such a marriage…”

And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been stricken with grief and have removed from your fellowship the man who did this?

“Excommunication in the Christian Church corresponded to that in the Jewish synagogue, in there being a lighter and heavier form: the latter an utter separation from church fellowship and the Lord's house, the former exclusion from the Lord's Supper only but not from the Church.”

When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of the Lord Jesus,

“This power of infallible judgment was limited to the apostles; for they alone had the power of working miracles as their credentials to attest their infallibility.”

hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.

“Satan, the "accuser of the brethren" (Re 12:10) and the "adversary" (1Pe 5:8), demands the sinner for punishment on account of sin (Zec 3:1). When God lets Satan have his way, He is said to "deliver the sinner unto Satan" (compare Ps 109:6).”

Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

“So Christians are continually to search and purify their hearts (Ps 139:23, 24). as ye are unleavened--normally, and as far as your Christian calling is concerned: free from the leaven of sin and death (1Co 6:11).”

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.

“The Greek for "malice" means the evil habit of mind; "wickedness," the outcoming of the same in word and deed. The Greek for "sincerity" expresses literally, a thing which, when examined by the sun's light, is found pure and unadulterated.”

I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.

“I wrote . . . in an epistle--rather, "in the Epistle": a former one not now extant. That Paul does not refer to the present letter is proved by the fact that no direction "not to company with fornicators" occurs in the previous part of…”

But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a…

“There is less danger in associating with open worldlings than with carnal professors. Here, as in Eph 5:3, 5, "covetousness" is joined with "fornication": the common fount of both being "the fierce and ever fiercer longing of the creature, which has turned from God, to…”

What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?

“Rather, Is it not your duty to judge them that are within? God shall judge them that are without: do you look at home [GROTIUS]. God is the Judge of the salvation of the heathen, not we (Ro 2:12-16).”

If any of you has a grievance against another, how dare he go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints!

“Dare--This word implies treason against Christian brotherhood [BENGEL]. before the unjust--The Gentile judges are here so termed by an epithet appropriate to the subject in question, namely, one concerning justice.”

I say this to your shame. Is there really no one among you wise enough to arbitrate between his brothers?

“To shame you out of your present unworthy course of litigation before the heathen, I have said (1Co 6:4), "Set the least esteemed in the Church to judge." Better even this, than your present course.”

Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, even against your own brothers!

“Ye, whom your Lord commanded to return good for evil, on the contrary, "do wrong (by taking away) and defraud" (by retaining what is entrusted to you; or "defraud" marks the effect of the "wrong" done, namely, the loss inflicted).”

“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.

“All things are lawful unto me--These, which were Paul's own words on a former occasion (to the Corinthians, compare 1Co 10:23, and Ga 5:23), were made a pretext for excusing the eating of meats offered to idols, and so of what was generally connected with…”