1 Corinthians 3:12
in 1 Corinthians 3If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;
KJV
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
⋯
This verse in 1 Corinthians 3
Commentary
14 notes on this verseIf we think what is right and good, then we are building on a foundation of gold. If we repeat every holy word that has been spoken without corrupting it, then we are building on a foundation of silver. If all our works are good, then we are building on precious stones. But if I sin after laying the foundation, then I am building on wood; if I continue, I am building on hay, and finally, if I still go on, I am building on straw.
This site's exposition
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold
on 1 Corinthians 3:12-15
The building materials, gold, silver, precious stones against wood, hay, stubble, represent the quality of a teacher's work on Christ's foundation, and every man's work shall be made manifest on the day that reveals it by fire, testing each man's work of what sort it is. If the work abides he receives a reward, if it is burned he suffers loss, yet he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire, the builder's own salvation kept distinct from the fate of his work. The bench holds the fire here as a test of ministry and doctrine at Christ's judgment seat, not a purifying of the person, since the text saves the man while burning only what he built.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 1 -- Prologue · Written before 523.
proposed
And according to what Paul himself spake, "If any man buildeth on this foundation gold, or silver, or stones of price, or wood, or hay, or stubble, each man's work shall be revealed, for that day shall reveal it, inasmuch as it shall be revealed …
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 182 · Written before 458.
proposed
Some people think that this refers to the development of Christian doctrine, but a glance at the context will show that Paul is talking about morals and behavior here.
"If any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble." For after the faith there is need of edification: and therefore he saith elsewhere, "Edify one another with these words." For both the artificer and the learner contribute to the edifying. Wherefore he saith, "But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon." But if faith had been the subject of these sayings, the thing affirmed is not reasonable. For in the faith all ought to be equal, since "there is but one faith;" but in goodness of life it is not possible that all should be the same. Because the faith is not in one case less, in another more excellent, but the same in all those who truly believe. But in life there is room for some to be more diligent, others more slothful; some stricter, and others more ordinary; that some should have done well in greater things, others in less; that the errors of some should have been more grievous, of others less notable. On this account he saith, "Gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble,-every man's work shall be made manifest: "-his conduct; that is what he speaks of here:-"If any man's work abide which he built thereupon, he shall receive a reward; if any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss." Whereas, if the saying related to disciples and teachers, he ought not to "suffer loss" for disciples refusing to hear. And therefore he saith, "Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor" not according to the result, but according to "the labor." For what if the hearers gave no heed? Wherefore this passage also proves that the saying is about actions. Now his meaning is this: If any man have an ill life with a right faith, his faith shall not shelter him from punishment, his work being burnt up. […]
This is no small subject of enquiry which we propose, but rather about things which are of the first necessity and which all men enquire about; namely, whether hell fire have any end. For that it hath no end Christ indeed declared when he said, "Their fire shall not be quenched, and their worm shall not die." But since Paul's saying appears to some to tell the other way, come let us bring it forward also and search it out thoroughly. For having said, "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereon, he shall receive a reward; and if any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss," he adds, "but himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire." What shall we say then to this? Let us consider first what is "the Foundation," and what "the gold," and what "the precious stones," and what "the hay," and what the "stubble." "The Foundation," then, he hath himself plainly signified to be Christ, saying, "For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which," he saith "is Jesus Christ." Next, the building seems to me to be actions. Although some maintain that this also is spoken concerning teachers and disciples and concerning corrupt heresies: but the reasoning doth not admit it. For if this be it, in what sense, while "the work is destroyed," is the "builder" to be "saved," though it be "through fire?" Of right, the author ought rather of the two to perish; but now it will be found that the severer penalty is assigned to him who hath been built into the work. For if the teacher was the cause of the wickedness, he is worthy to suffer severer punishment: how then shall he be "saved?" If, on the contrary, he was not the cause but the disciples became such through their own perverseness, he is no whit deserving of punishment, no, nor yet of sustaining loss: he, I say, who builded so well. […]
The Medieval Church1 voice
From the time we received the foundation of faith, each of us builds upon it: some build good works, which are of various kinds, some greater, some lesser—for example, virginity is like gold, honorable marriage like silver, non-covetousness like precious stones, almsgiving amid wealth is …
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, Now if any man builds, he discusses the variety of rewards accordingly as some receive a wage without any loss and some with a loss. In regard to the first he does three things: first, he teaches that a variety of …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
If any one build gold, silver, costly stones - Three sorts of materials which will bear the fire; true and solid doctrines. Wood, hay, stubble - Three which will not bear the fire. Such are all doctrines, ceremonies, and forms of human invention; all but the substantial, vital truths of Christianity.
Now if any man build upon this foundation,....
Now we may be mistaken in ourselves and others; but there is a day coming that will cure all our mistakes, and show us ourselves, and show us our actions in the true light, without covering or disguise: For the day shall declare it (that is, every man's work), because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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 with human philosophy and Judaism, curious rather than useful.
If any men build - gold, silver, etc. - Without entering into curious criticisms relative to these different expressions, it may be quite enough for the purpose of edification to say, that, by gold, silver, and precious stones, the apostle certainly means pure and wholesome doctrines: by wood, hay, and stubble, false doctrines; such as at that time prevailed in the Corinthian Church; for instance, that there should be no resurrection of the body; that a man may, on his father’s death, lawfully marry his step-mother; that it was necessary to incorporate much of the Mosaic law with the Gospel; and, perhaps, other matters, equally exceptionable, relative to marriage, concubinage, fornication, frequenting heathen festivals, and partaking of the flesh which had been offered in sacrifice to an idol; with many other things, which, with the above, are more or less hinted at by the apostle in these two letters.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Now if any man - If any teacher in the doctrines which he inculcates; or any private Christian in the hopes which he cherishes. The main discussion doubtless, has respect to the teachers of religion. Paul carries forward the metaphor in this and the following verses with respect to the building. He supposes that the foundation is laid; that it is a true foundation; that the essential doctrines in regard to the Messiah are the real basis on which the edifice is reared. But, he says, that even admitting that, it is a subject of vast importance to attend to the kind of structure which shall be reared on that; whether it shall be truly beautiful, and valuable in itself, and such as shall abide the trial of the last great Day; or whether it be mean, worthless, erroneous, and such as shall at last be destroyed. There has been some difference of opinion in regard to the interpretation of this passage, arising from the question whether the apostle designed to represent one or two buildings. The former has been the more common interpretation, and the sense according to that is, “the true foundation is laid; but on that it is improper to place vile and worthless materials. It would be absurd to work them in with those which are valuable; it would be absurd to work in, in rearing a building, wood, and hay, and stubble, with gold, and silver, and precious stones; there would be a lack of concinnity and beauty in this. So in the spiritual temple. There is an impropriety, an unfitness, in rearing the spiritual temple, to interweave truth with error; sound doctrine with false.” See Calvin and Macknight. Grotius renders it, “Paul feigns to himself an edifice, partly regal, and partly rustic. […]
The words behind it
14 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| δέ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ἐποικοδομεῖ | epoikodomei | builds | G2026 → | 7 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεμέλιον | themelion | foundation | G2310 → | 16 times |
| χρυσόν, | chruson | gold, | G5557 → | |
| ἄργυρον, | arguron | silver, | G696 → | |
| λίθους | lithous | stones | G3037 → | |
| τιμίους, | timious | precious, | G5093 → | |
| ξύλα, | xula | wood, | G3586 → | |
| χόρτον, | chorton | hay, | G5528 → | |
| καλάμην, | kalamen | straw, | G2562 → |
εἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
δέnow
deG1161 →2765 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
ἐποικοδομεῖbuilds
epoikodomeiG2026 →7 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
θεμέλιονfoundation
themelionG2310 →16 times
χρυσόν,gold,
chrusonG5557 →
ἄργυρον,silver,
arguronG696 →
λίθουςstones
lithousG3037 →
τιμίους,precious,
timiousG5093 →
ξύλα,wood,
xulaG3586 →
χόρτον,hay,
chortonG5528 →
καλάμην,straw,
kalamenG2562 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Timothy 4:3For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 2:1–3
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 2 Timothy 3:1–6
But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.
- 1 Timothy 4:1–3
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
- 1 Timothy 1:10
for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching
- Galatians 4:16
Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
- 2 Peter 2:1–3
Through
2 Timothy 2:20A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use.
it leads to
- Romans 9:21–23
Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?
- 1 Peter 2:5
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- Romans 9:21–23
Through
2 Timothy 3:7who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:3–4
For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.
- 2 Timothy 4:3–4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
On this verse
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 9; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 1.15.46-55; Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 1 -- Prologue; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 182; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.