1Cor 3:9-10 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 9. For we are labourers together with God . θεουγαρεσμενσυνεργοι. We are God's co-workers. A similar expression occurs in , "We then, as workers together with him," etc. This passage is capable of two significations: first , as in our translation, that they were co-workers with God; engaged with him in his work; that he and they co-operated in the production of the effect; or that it was a joint-work ; as we speak of a partnercy, or of joint-effort among men. So many interpreters have understood this. If this is the sense of the passage, then it means that as a farmer may be said to be a co-worker with God when he plants and tills his field, or does that without which God would not work in that case, or without which a harvest would not be produced, so the Christian minister co-operates with God in producing the same result. He is engaged in performing that which is indispensable to the end; and God also, by his Spirit, co-operates with the same design. If this be the idea, it gives a peculiar sacredness to the work of the ministry, and indeed to the work of the farmer and the vine-dresser. There is no higher honour than for a man to be engaged in doing the same things which God does, and participating with him in accomplishing his glorious plans. But doubts have been suggested in regard to this interpretation. (1.) The Greek does not of necessity imply this. It is literally, not we are his co-partners, but we are his fellow-labourers, i.e., fellow-labourers in his employ, under his direction--as we say of servants of the same rank they are fellow-labourers of the same master, not meaning that the master was engaged in working with them, but that they were fellow-labourers one with another in his employment. (2.) There is no expression that is parallel to this. There is none that speaks of God's operating jointly with his creatures in producing the same result. They may be engaged in regard to the same end; but the sphere of God's operations and of their operations is distinct. God does one thing, and they do another, though they may contribute to the same result. The sphere of God's operations in the growth of a tree is totally distinct from that of the man who plants it. The man who planted it has no agency in causing the juices to circulate; in expanding the bud or the leaf; that is, in the proper work of God. In , Christians are indeed said to be "fellow-helpers to the truth"--συνεργοιτηαληθεια; that is, they operate with the truth, and contribute by their labours and influence to that effect. In Mark also, , it is said that the apostles "went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them"-- τουκυριουσυνεργουντος, --where the phrase means that the Lord co-operated with them by miracles, etc. The Lord, by his own proper energy, and in his own sphere, contributed to the success of the work in which they were engaged. (3.) The main design and scope of this whole passage is to show that God is all--that the apostles are nothing; to represent the apostles not as joint-workers with God, but as working by themselves, and God as alone giving efficiency to all that was done. The idea is that of depressing or humbling the apostles, and of exalting God; and this idea would not be consistent with the interpretation that they were joint -labourers with him. While, therefore; the Greek would bear the interpretation conveyed in our translation, the sense may perhaps be, that the apostles were joint-labourers with each other in God's service; that they were united in their work, and that God was all in all; that they were like servants employed in the service of a master, without saying that the master participated with them in their work. This idea is conveyed in the translation of Doddridge, "We are the fellow-labourers of God." So Rosenmuller. Calvin, however, Grotius, Whitby, and Bloomfield, coincide with our version in the interpretation. The Syriac renders it, "We work with God." The Vulgate, "We are the aids of God." Ye are God's husbandry . γεωργιον. Marg., tillage . This word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly denotes a tilled or cultivated field; and the idea is, that the church at Corinth was the field on which God had bestowed the labour of tillage, or culture, to produce fruit. The word is used by the Seventy in , as the translation of , "For he had possession of flocks," etc.; in , as the translation of , a yoke ; and in , as the translation of , a field ; "I went by the field of the slothful," etc. The sense here is, that all their culture was of God; that as a church they were under his care; and that all that had been produced in them was to be traced to his cultivation. God's building . This is another metaphor. The object of Paul was to show that all that had been done for them had been really accomplished by God. For this purpose he first says that they were God's cultivated field; then he changes the figure; draws his illustration from architecture, and says, that they had been built by him, as an architect rears a house. It does not rear itself; but it is reared by another. So he says of the Corinthians, "Ye are the building which God erects." The same figure is used in . See also . The idea is, that God is the supreme Agent in the founding and establishing of the church, in all its gifts and graces. (c) "labourers together" (1) "husbandry" "tillage" (a) "building"

1 Corinthians 3:9-10

Verse 9. For we are labourers together with God. θεουγαρεσμενσυνεργοι. We are God's co-workers. A similar expression occurs in 2Cor 6:1, "We then, as workers together with him," etc. This passage is capable of two significations: first, as in our translation, that they were co-workers with God; engaged with him in his work; that he and they co-operated in the production of the effect; or that it was a joint-work; as we speak of a partnercy, or of joint-effort among men. So many interpreters have understood this. If this is the sense of the passage, then it means that as a farmer may be said to be a co-worker with God when he plants and tills his field, or does that without which God would not work in that case, or without which a harvest would not be produced, so the Christian minister co-operates with God in producing the same result. He is engaged in performing that which is indispensable to the end; and God also, by his Spirit, co-operates with the same design. If this be the idea, it gives a peculiar sacredness to the work of the ministry, and indeed to the work of the farmer and the vine-dresser. There is no higher honour than for a man to be engaged in doing the same things which God does, and participating with him in accomplishing his glorious plans. But doubts have been suggested in regard to this interpretation.

(1.) The Greek does not of necessity imply this. It is literally, not we are his co-partners, but we are his fellow-labourers, i.e., fellow-labourers in his employ, under his direction--as we say of servants of the same rank they are fellow-labourers of the same master, not meaning that the master was engaged in working with them, but that they were fellow-labourers one with another in his employment.

(2.) There is no expression that is parallel to this. There is none that speaks of God's operating jointly with his creatures in producing the same result. They may be engaged in regard to the same end; but the sphere of God's operations and of their operations is distinct. God does one thing, and they do another, though they may contribute to the same result. The sphere of God's operations in the growth of a tree is totally distinct from that of the man who plants it. The man who planted it has no agency in causing the juices to circulate; in expanding the bud or the leaf; that is, in the proper work of God. In 3Jn 1:8, Christians are indeed said to be "fellow-helpers to the truth"--συνεργοιτηαληθεια; that is, they operate with the truth, and contribute by their labours and influence to that effect. In Mark also, Mk 16:20, it is said that the apostles "went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them"-- τουκυριουσυνεργουντος, --where the phrase means that the Lord co-operated with them by miracles, etc. The Lord, by his own proper energy, and in his own sphere, contributed to the success of the work in which they were engaged.

(3.) The main design and scope of this whole passage is to show that God is all--that the apostles are nothing; to represent the apostles not as joint-workers with God, but as working by themselves, and God as alone giving efficiency to all that was done. The idea is that of depressing or humbling the apostles, and of exalting God; and this idea would not be consistent with the interpretation that they were joint-labourers with him. While, therefore; the Greek would bear the interpretation conveyed in our translation, the sense may perhaps be, that the apostles were joint-labourers with each other in God's service; that they were united in their work, and that God was all in all; that they were like servants employed in the service of a master, without saying that the master participated with them in their work. This idea is conveyed in the translation of Doddridge, "We are the fellow-labourers of God." So Rosenmuller. Calvin, however, Grotius, Whitby, and Bloomfield, coincide with our version in the interpretation. The Syriac renders it, "We work with God." The Vulgate, "We are the aids of God."

Ye are God's husbandry. γεωργιον. Marg., tillage. This word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly denotes a tilled or cultivated field; and the idea is, that the church at Corinth was the field on which God had bestowed the labour of tillage, or culture, to produce fruit. The word is used by the Seventy in Gen 26:14, as the translation of , "For he had possession of flocks," etc.; in Jer 51:23, as the translation of , a yoke; and in Prov 24:30, 31:16, as the translation of , a field; "I went by the field of the slothful," etc. The sense here is, that all their culture was of God; that as a church they were under his care; and that all that had been produced in them was to be traced to his cultivation.

God's building. This is another metaphor. The object of Paul was to show that all that had been done for them had been really accomplished by God. For this purpose he first says that they were God's cultivated field; then he changes the figure; draws his illustration from architecture, and says, that they had been built by him, as an architect rears a house. It does not rear itself; but it is reared by another. So he says of the Corinthians, "Ye are the building which God erects." The same figure is used in 2Cor 6:16, Eph 2:21. See also Heb 3:6, 1Pet 2:5. The idea is, that God is the supreme Agent in the founding and establishing of the church, in all its gifts and graces.

(c) "labourers together" 2Cor 12:9-11 (1) "husbandry" "tillage" (a) "building" Heb 3:6 Verse 10. According to the grace of God. By the favour of God which is given to me. All that Paul had done had been by the mere favour of God. His appointment was from him; and all the skill which he had shown, and all the agency which he had employed, had been from him. The architectural figure is here continued with some striking additions and illustrations. By the "grace of God" here, Paul probably means his apostleship to the Gentiles, which had been conferred on him by the mere favour of God, and all the wisdom, and skill, and success which he had evinced in founding the church.

As a wise master-builder. Greek, Architect. The word does not imply that Paul had any pre-eminence over his brethren, but that he had proceeded in his work as a skilful architect, who secures first a firm foundation. Every builder begins with the foundation; and Paul had proceeded in this manner in laying first a firm foundation on which the church could be reared. The word wise here means skilful, judicious, Comp. Mt 7:24.

I have laid the foundation. What this foundation was he states in 1Cor 3:11. The meaning here is, that the church at Corinth had been at first established by Paul. See Acts 18:1, etc.

And another. Other teachers. I have communicated to the church the first elements of Christian knowledge. Others follow out this instruction, and edify the church. The discussion here undergoes a slight change. In the former part of the chapter, Christians are compared to a building; here the doctrines which are taught in the church are compared to various parts of a building.--Grotius. See similar instances of translation in Mt 13; Mk 4; Jn 10

But let every man, etc. Every man who is a professed teacher. Let him be careful what instructions he shall give to a church that has been founded by apostolic hands, and that is established on the only true foundation. This is designed to guard against false instruction, and the instructions of false teachers. Men should take heed what instruction they give to a church,

(1.) because of the fact that the church belongs to God, and they should be cautious what directions they give to it.

(2.) Because it is important that Christians should not only be on the true foundation, but that they should be fully instructed in the nature of their religion, and the church should be permitted to rise in its true beauty and loveliness.

(3.) Because of the evils which result from false instruction. Even when the foundation is firm, incalculable evils will result from the want of just and discriminating instruction. Error sanctifies no one. The effect of it even on the minds of true Christians is to mar their piety; to dim its lustre; and to darken their minds. No Christian can enjoy religion except under the full-orbed shining of the word of truth; and every man, therefore, who gives false instruction, is responsible for all the darkness he causes, and for all the want of comfort which true Christians under his teaching may experience.

(4.) Every man must give an account of the nature of his instructions; and he should therefore take heed unto himself, and unto his doctrine, (1Timm 4:16,) and preach such doctrine as shall bear the test of the great day. And from this we learn, that it is important that the church should be built on the true foundation; and, that it is scarcely less important that it should be built up in the knowledge of the truth. Vast evils are constantly occurring in the church, for the want of proper instruction to young converts. Many seem to feel that provided the foundation be well laid, that is all that is needed. But the grand thing which is wanted at the present time is, that those who are converted should, as soon as possible, be instructed FULLY in the nature of the religion which they have embraced. What would be thought of a farmer who should plant a tree, and never water or trim it; who should plant his seed, and never cultivate the corn as it springs up; who should sow his fields, and then think that all is well, and leave it to be overrun with weeds and thorns? Piety is often stunted, its early shootings blighted, its rapid growth checked, for the want of early culture in the church. And, perhaps, there is no one thing in which pastors more frequently fail than in regard to the culture which ought to be bestowed on those who are converted--especially in early life. Our Saviour's views on this were expressed in the admonition to Peter, "Feed my lambs," Jn 21:15.

(b) "According" Rom 12:3