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Priscilla: I Corinthians 4:1-13
The Examples of Apostles

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.

[King James Version]

Dear God, my Beloved Father, today I offer You my reflections on the Word of God in I Corinthians 4:1-13 regarding the examples of apostles.

I understand verses 1 and 2 to mean that the Apostle Paul tells the people of God that he and other preachers of the Gospel are servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In order to fulfill their duty, stewards must be faithful and upright. Only those who are faithful and upright in the position given to them by God can serve Him and the Church.

I understand verses 3 and 4 to mean that the Apostle Paul knows that he is a faithful servant of Christ, preaching the Gospel with faithfulness and integrity. He does not need to examine himself, but if any fellow believers or even non-believers want to judge whether he is a true apostle of Christ appointed to serve Him and the Church, he does not care. He knows that he has not committed any wrongdoing and has fulfilled his duties without reproach. Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul did not consider himself righteous solely because he did not do anything wrong. Paul recognized that a person who is truly righteous is one who sincerely repents of their sins and accepts the atoning death of Christ, not simply because they did not do anything wrong after believing in the Lord.

I understand verse 5 to mean that the Apostle Paul allows the people of God to examine his preaching and lifestyle to see if they match the Holy Scriptures. However, he advises them not to judge the motives of others in serving God and the Church; whether their actions are motivated by good or bad intentions, only God knows. Therefore, let us wait for the day of the Lord, which is the time of judgment, when the Lord Himself will reveal the hidden intentions in people’s hearts and reward each person according to their deeds.

I understand verses 6 and 7 to mean that the Apostle Paul applies his teaching to himself and Apollos, advising the people of God to follow their example. He warns them not to be proud or idolize anyone or create factions within the Church. He teaches that no one can boast or exalt themselves because everything they have is from God.

I understand verse 8 to mean that the Apostle Paul refers to the wealthy and blessed material possessions of the people of God in Corinth. However, they are poor in spiritual belonging due to a lack of understanding of the Word of God. They live according to the desires of the flesh and are not aware of how to govern themselves, which leads to division, factions, and disagreements within the Church. Therefore, Paul hopes that the people of God in Corinth will learn to govern themselves and be able to co-reign with Christ so that he and his companions can also co-reign with them.

I understand verses 9-11 to mean that because he preached the Gospel and served Christ, the Apostle Paul was ridiculed and considered foolish by the world. However, this led the people of God to become wise through knowing Christ. He and his fellow apostles became physically weak, mistreated, lacked, were beaten, imprisoned, and wandered everywhere. The apostles were suppressed by the world and treated as the lowest in society. They sacrificed themselves for the sake of the people of God to understand the Word of God, to become strong in faith, and to reach the glory of being God’s children.

I understand verses 12 and 13 to mean that the Apostle Paul and other apostles of the Lord had to work to support themselves while serving the Lord. When they preached the Gospel and taught the Word of God truthfully, they were persecuted, cursed, and insulted by the people of the world, treated as garbage and waste. Nevertheless, they endured suffering in the name of the Lord and did not curse those who persecuted them. Instead, they prayed for and blessed them.

Father, may You grant me and every one of Your children the ability to follow the example of the Apostle Paul, who was a faithful and trustworthy servant of the Lord. Amen!

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Priscilla Christian Huynh
04/27/2023