1 Corinthians 4:11-13

Verse 11. Even unto this present hour. Paul here drops the irony, and begins a serious recapitulation of his actual sufferings and trials. The phrase here used, "unto this present hour," denotes that these things had been incessant through all their ministry. They were not merely at the commencement of their work, but they had continued and attended them everywhere. And even then they were experiencing the same thing. These privations and trials were still continued, and were to be regarded as a part of the apostolic condition.

We both hunger and thirst. The apostles, like their Master, were poor; and, in travelling about from place to place, it often happened that they scarcely found entertainment of the plainest kind, or had money to purchase it. It is no dishonour to be poor, and especially if that poverty is produced by doing good to others. Paul might have been rich, but he chose to be poor for the sake of the gospel. To enjoy the luxury of doing good to others, we ought to be willing to be hungry and thirsty, and to be deprived of our ordinary enjoyments.

And are naked. In travelling, our clothes become old and worn out, and we have no friends to replace them, and no money to purchase new. It is no discredit to be clad in mean raiment, if that is produced by self-denying toils in behalf of others. There is no honour in gorgeous apparel; but there is real honour in voluntary poverty and want, when produced in the cause of benevolence. Paul was not ashamed to travel, to preach, and to appear before princes and kings, in a soiled and worn-out garment, for it was worn out in the service of his Master, and Divine Providence had arranged the circumstances of his life. But how many a minister now would be ashamed to appear in such clothing! How many professed Christians are ashamed to go to the house of God because they cannot dress well, or be in the fashion, or outshine their neighbours! If an apostle was willing to be meanly clad in delivering the message of God, then assuredly we should be willing to preach, or to worship him in such clothing as he provides. We may add here, what a sublime spectacle was here; and what a glorious triumph of the truth? Here was Paul with an impediment in his speech; with a personage small and mean rather than graceful, and in a mean and tattered dress, and often in chains, yet delivering truth before which kings trembled, and which produced everywhere a deep impression on the human mind. Such was the power of the gospel then! And such triumph did the truth then have over men. See Doddridge.

And are buffeted. Struck with the hand, Mt 26:67. Probably it is here used to denote harsh and injurious treatment in general. Comp. 2Cor 12:7.

And have no certain dwelling-place. No fixed or permanent home. They wandered to distant lands; threw themselves on the hospitality of strangers, and even of the enemies of the gospel; when driven from one place they went to another; and thus they led a wandering, uncertain life, amidst strangers and foes. They who know what are the comforts of home; who are surrounded by beloved families; who have a peaceful and happy fireside; and who enjoy the blessings of domestic tranquillity, may be able to appreciate the trials to which the apostles were subjected. All this was for the sake of the gospel; all to purchase the blessings which we so richly enjoy.

(a) "naked" Rom 8:35 (*) "buffeted" "beaten" Verse 12. And labour, etc. This Paul often did. Acts 18:3. Comp. Acts 20:34, 1Thes 2:9, 2Thes 3:8.

Being reviled. That they were often reviled or reproached, their history everywhere shows. See the Acts of the Apostles. They were reviled or ridiculed by the Gentiles as Jews; and by all as Nazarenes, and as deluded followers of Jesus; as the victims of a foolish superstition and enthusiasm.

We bless. We return good for evil. In this they followed the explicit direction of the Saviour. Mt 5:44. The main idea in these passages is, that they, were reviled, were persecuted, etc. The other clauses, "we bless," "we suffer it," etc., seem to be thrown in by the way to show how they bore this ill-treatment. As if he had said, "We are reviled; and what is more, we bear it patiently, and return good for evil." At the same time that he was recounting his trials, he was, therefore, incidentally instructing them in the nature of the gospel, and showing how their sufferings were to be borne; and how to illustrate the excellency of the Christian doctrine.

Being persecuted. Mt 5:11.

We suffer it. We sustain it; we do not revenge it; we abstain from resenting or resisting it.

(b) "labour" Acts 20:34 (c) "reviled" Mt 5:44, Acts 7:60 (+) "suffer" "bear" Verse 13. Being defamed. Greek, Blasphemed, i.e., spoken of and to, in a harsh, abusive, and reproachful manner. The original and proper meaning of the word is, to speak in a reproachful manner of any one, whether of God or man. It is usually applied to God, but it may also be used of men.

We entreat. Either God in their behalf, praying him to forgive them, or we entreat them to turn from their sins, and become converted to God. Probably the latter is the sense. They besought them to examine more candidly their claims, instead of reviling them; and to save their souls by embracing the gospel, instead of destroying them by rejecting it with contempt and scorn.

We are made. We became; we are so regarded or esteemed. The word here does not imply that there was any positive agency in making them such, but simply that they were in fact so regarded.

As the filth of the earth. It would not be possible to employ stronger expressions to denote the contempt and scorn with which they were everywhere regarded. The word filth περικαθαρματα occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly denotes filth, or that which is collected by sweeping a house; or that which is collected and cast away by purifying or cleansing anything: hence any vile, worthless, and contemptible object. Among the Greeks, the word was used to denote the victims which were offered to expiate crimes; and particularly men of ignoble rank, and of a worthless and wicked character, who were kept to be offered to the gods in a time of pestilence, to appease their anger, and to purify the nation. (Bretschneider and Schleusner.) Hence it was applied by them to men of the most vile, abject, and worthless character. But it is not certain that Paul had any reference to that sense of the word. The whole force of the expression may be met by the supposition that he uses it in the sense of that filth or dirt which is collected by the process of cleansing or scouring anything, as being vile, contemptible, worthless. So the apostles were regarded. And by the use of the word world here, he meant to say that they were regarded as the most vile and worthless men which the whole world could furnish; not only the refuse of Judea, but of all the nations of the earth. As if he had said, "More vile and worthless men could not be found on the face of the earth."

And are the off-scouring of all things. This word περιψημα occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It does not differ materially from the word rendered filth. It denotes that which is rubbed off by scouring or cleaning anything; and hence anything vile or worthless; or a vile and worthless man. This term was also applied to vile and worthless men who were sacrificed or thrown into the sea as an expiatory offering, as it were, to purify the people. Suidas remarks, that they said to such a man, "Be then our περιψημα," our redemption, and then flung him into the sea as a sacrifice to Neptune. See Whitby, Calvin, Doddridge.

Unto this day. Continually. We have been constantly so regarded. See 1Cor 4:11.

(++) "entreat" "exhort" (&) "earth" "As the vilest of the world" (d) "off-scouring" Lam 3:45
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