According
to the apostle Paul, the church members of Corinth were to “judge
nothing before the time, until the Lord come”
because He will “bring to light the
hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the
hearts”.
This would allow for “every man” to
“have praise of God”,
and in chapter four and verse six of First
Corinthians, Paul told the church members he
was “in a figure transferred to”
himself
“and to Apollos for”
the church members of Corinth's “sake”
where we read:
And
these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and
to
Apollos for your sakes; that you 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.
The
verse begins, “And
these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and
to
Apollos for your sakes;” Paul
began with the words, “And these
things which
means “the things of judgment and praise of God”, “brethren”
or “fellow believers who are united to another by the bond of
affection”, “I have”
which means “Paul had” “in a
figure”
which means “” “transferred”
or “changed the figure of or transformed”
“to myself” which
refers to Paul, “and to Apollos”
whose name
means “given by Apollos” and was “a learned Jew from Alexandria
and mighty in the scriptures who became a Christian and a teacher of
Christianity” “for your sakes”
which means “even, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and
therefore the church members' case, benefit and welfare”. Paul and
Apollos made themselves situate as other teachers so as not to make
themselves any greater than any other teachers of the word of God.
The
verse continues, “...that
you 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.”.
Paul added
the words, “that you might learn”
which means
“so the Corinthians may increase in knowledge, be informed, learn
by use and practice” “in us or
“within Paul and his companions” “not
to think”
which means “not to have understanding, wisdom, opinion thoughts
exceeding the bounds of modesty” “of
men above”
which means “people who are beyond, more than and over” “that
which is written”
or “that which is committed to writing and record”, “that
no one of you”
which means “so that not a person among the church members” “be
puffed up”
or “inflated, blown up, proud or caused to swell up” “for
one against another”
which means “a certain person down from, throughout, according to
and toward other people”. The reason Paul debased himself and
Apollos was so the “church members in Corinth” would not exalt
them and cause prideful division among them.
When
we meditate upon these words from Paul, we understand how Paul and
Apollos were “ministers” or “servants” of Jesus Christ and
His “gospel”. It is God who judges people, and when
teachers exalt themselves above others, division is a natural result.
Jesus Christ is the one to be exalted and praised, and should any
“credit or glory” be given to teachers of the “gospel”,
they should immediately follow Paul's example to “transfer”
all “glory” to God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
Next
time Paul asks the Corinthians, “who
makes you to differ from another?”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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