Untitled Homily
Notes
Transcript
Why said he not, “ye are not willing,” but “ye are not able?” Even because he put the latter for the former. For as to the want of ability, it arises from the want of will. Which to them indeed is a matter of accusation, but to their teacher, of excuse. For if they had been unable by nature, one might perhaps have been forgiven them but since it was from choice, they were bereft of all excuse. He then speaks of the particular point also which makes them carnal. “For whereas there is among you strife, and jealousy, and division, are ye not carnal and walk as men?” Although he had fornications also and uncleannesses of theirs to speak of, he sets down rather that offence which he had been a good while endeavoring to correct. Now if “jealousy” makes men carnal, it is high time for us to bewail bitterly, and to clothe ourselves with sackcloth and lie in ashes. For who is pure from this passion? Except indeed I am but conjecturing the case of others from myself. If “jealousy” maketh men “carnal,” and suffereth them not to be “spiritual,” although they prophesy and show forth other wonderful works; now, when not even so much grace is with us, what place shall we find for our own doings; when not in this matter alone, but also in others of greater moment, we are convicted.
But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the flesh, as babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready for it; and even yet you are not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving like ordinary men? For when one says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely men?
Sectarianism Is Immature (3:1–4)
This paragraph provides a transition between the two parts of this section (1:10–4:21). Here Paul describes the Corinthian believers as immature, still infants in Christ. The primary characteristic of their immaturity is the jealousy that has led them to emphasize their loyalty to specific leaders like Paul, Apollos, or Cephas (3:4, 22).
3:1 Paul makes it clear that they are immature. In part, this charge is an answer to the implication that the Corinthians thought Paul simple or unsophisticated for his avoidance of worldly wisdom and rhetoric. In reality, they are the simple ones, immature in their faith and unready for the true wisdom of God.
3:2 Paul elaborates on the metaphor of the believers as “infants” in Christ by likening the teaching he provided to milk given to babies. Just as infants are not mature enough to eat solid food, so the Corinthian believers were not mature enough to receive more advanced teaching.
3:3 The Corinthians were unable to receive more substantial teaching because they were still worldly or fleshly. (The Greek word used is sarkikos, meaning “of the flesh,” which may refer to earthly material things.) Their jealousies and rivalries over leaders were evidence of their worldly mindset.
3:4 Paul insists that creating divisions over leaders is sinful.
Mangum, Douglas, editor. Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament. Lexham Press, 2020, p. 1 Co 3:1–4.
