Managers of the Mystery

One of the serious problems in the Corinthian church concerned former ministers. Some of the church members were esteeming one minister above the other ministers. They were judging the gifts, ministry, and effectiveness of their former ministers; and the inevitable happened:

→ Some of the people had been helped and blessed by Apollos, so they spoke up for Apollos.

→ Others had been helped and blessed by Cephas, so they spoke up for Cephas.

→ Still others had been helped and blessed more by Paul, so they defended Paul.

The matter became critical, for the people began to judge the ministers’ preaching style, ability, eloquence, charisma, intelligence, gifts, call, and success—the whole scope of their ministry. Little groups were buzzing about talking up the merits of their favorite minister. Deep feelings settled in, and the fellowship of the church was threatened.

How then should pastors seen?

The Apostles and pastors should be regarded as ministers of Christ.

Going back to the previous chapter and discussion, since the church is yours, you should regard us as servants with you.

1 Corinthians 4:1–13 KJV 1900

1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. 7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? 8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. 9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. 11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; 12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

Insight to Ministers:

1 Corinthians 4:1–2 KJV 1900

1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Ministers of Christ:

The word minister (huperetes) means an under-rower. It refers to the slaves who sat in the belly of the large ships and pulled at the great oars to carry the boat through the sea. Christ is the Master of the ship and the minister is one of the slaves of Christ.

Note: he is only one of many under-rowing servants. Remember also that slaves in the belly of the ship were bound by chains. They were allowed to do nothing but serve the master of the ship. The minister is a bound slave of Christ: he exists only to row for the Master. He does not and cannot serve anyone else.

Thought 1. No minister is to be elevated above other ministers or servants—not his eloquence, ability, personality, charisma, or any other trait. No matter how much the minister has meant to a person’s life, he is only the underrower, a slave of the Master of the ship; and he is only one of many other under-rowers and servants. Believers are not to judge and elevate ministers above each other.

Mangers for Christ:

The word steward (oikonomos) means the overseer or manager of an estate.

The steward was always a slave, subject to a master, but he was placed in charge of the other slaves throughout the master’s house or estate. He controlled the staff and ran the whole operation for the master. He was set over others, yet he himself was still a slave of the master. His work was not closely supervised; therefore, he had to be trustworthy and responsible.

Note what the minister is made a steward over: the mysteries of God. A mystery is not something hard to understand. Rather, it is something that has been hidden and kept secret. It is something that was undiscoverable by human reason, but now is revealed by God. It is crystal clear to those to whom it is revealed, but it is completely alien to those who do not receive it.

What are the mysteries of God? They are the truths—the glorious truths—of God’s Word.

1 Corinthians 2:7–9 KJV 1900

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Who are the ones to whom the mysteries are revealed? The stewards, the ministers, the believing servants of Christ.

Thought 1. Every minister is to be esteemed highly for his work’s sake. He is only a servant of God’s, but he is the servant whom God has made steward over His household, over His church and His people. He has been honored by God: he has been made responsible for the imperishable mysteries of God, the great truths of God’s Holy Word. The minister does not deal with perishable things such as money and possessions, but with the eternal things of God Himself, the eternal truths that God wants proclaimed to the world.

Must of Managers:

Ministers are required to be faithful. This is the one essential for the minister. There is no other requirement of him.

1) The minister is not required to be eloquent, brilliant, intelligent, loaded with ability, or successful. He is required to be faithful.

2) The minister is not required by God to be an administrator, counselor, visitor, door-greeter, or socializer—as important as these ministries are.

3) The minister is required to be faithful in ministering the mysteries of God. He is held accountable and shall be judged for how well he ministers the mysteries of God:

→ He must not hold back or fail to share the mysteries of God.

→ He must not substitute some other message for the mysteries of God.

→ He must not mix some other message with the mysteries of God.

The minister of God must be faithful to his call. He is the minister of Christ and the steward of the mysteries of God. He must—absolutely must—proclaim those mysteries.

Thought 1. Believers are not to judge ministers, thinking and talking about the gifts and abilities of one over another. They are not to think too highly of a minister nor too lowly. They are to count ministers for just what they are.

(1) The servants of God.

(2) The stewards of the mysteries of God.

(3) The servant who has been made a steward for one purpose only: to be faithful to the Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Inspection of Ministers:

1 Corinthians 4:3–5 KJV 1900

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

The judgment or approval of ministers by men matters little.

Note: criticism and disapproval hurt and cut the heart, but they do not matter at Note: all in the judgment of God. Man’s judgment of God’s minister has no bearing whatsoever upon what God will do with the minister. The congregation or some clique in the church may cut the minister to shreds, and they may break his heart, but they have absolutely nothing to do with the judgment of the man’s faithfulness and unfaithfulness.

Men may put God’s minister on trial. He may be judged (anakrino), that is scrutinized, investigated, questioned, and cross-examined either to his face or behind his back. He may be judged as to his eloquence, intelligence, ability, or whatever else some may or may not like. But none of it matters to God—not one word, not even one critical or negative thought.

Note something else: Paul does not even judge himself. Paul knew precisely what every honest and thinking person knows.

Mortality of Man

→ No minister can honestly judge his own ministry: its true success; his motives for every single thing he has done; how much fruit he has really been borne in people’s lives and how much should have been borne.

→ A person who begins to judge his own works either begins to think too highly of himself or too lowly. To varying degrees he becomes prideful or discouraged.

Paul, of course, is not talking about a minister evaluating his ministry for the purpose of strengthening it. He is talking about passing judgment upon his ministry in comparison to other ministries and as to its fruitfulness.

Is his ministry as good as someone else’s?

Is it as fruitful?

Are his motives as pure as they should be in the work which he does?

Is Christ as pleased with his ministry as he is with the ministry of others?

This is the kind of thing Paul does not judge, and believers are not to judge. No man has the right to judge such things.

Immortality of God

The judgment of Christ is all that matters.

Note two points.

a. The Lord alone justifies a man and his ministry. This is a significant statement by Paul. He knows of no place he is coming up short in the ministry. To his knowledge he is faithful in the ministry and pleasing to the Lord. But he is not justified and approved by his judgment. The Lord Jesus alone can put the stamp of approval upon his ministry. No man is able or competent in judging the fruitfulness, dedication, and success of a ministry. Only Christ can judge a man and the faithfulness of his life and ministry.

b. Therefore, believers are to judge nothing. They have no right or prerogative to judge.

1) No believer can know the hidden things of darkness within a man. Only Jesus Christ can bring the secret, hidden things to light.

2) No man knows the real motives within a man. Only Christ can reveal the motives and counsels of the human heart.

There is to be no judgment of ministers nor of anyone else until the Lord returns. He and He alone has the right and is capable of judging ministers and believers. Both ministers and believers will have the praise of God when Christ returns and judges their work, not before. No matter how successful men may judge one another to be—no matter how much praise men may heap upon one another—no person will have the praise of God until Christ returns and judges the secret things of a man’s heart and life. This is the reason men are not to judge the ministers and servants of God.

1 Corinthians 3:13 KJV 1900

13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

Let’s keep on working and let God take care of the judging.

1 Corinthians 3:21 KJV 1900

21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

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