1 Corinthians 3:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For the benefactor is not the one who serves in the distribution of blessings, but the One Who communicates and grants them.

He did not say "evangelists," but "ministers," which means more.

They did not simply preach the Gospel, but also ministered to us. The first requires speech, while the second also includes action.

If Christ too is only a minister of blessings, and not Himself their cause and source, which belongs to Him as Son, then it is clear how one must judge this matter.

In what sense, then, does the Apostle call Christ "a minister to the circumcised" (Rom 15:8)?

There he is speaking about His divine economy according to the flesh, and not in the sense in which we are now speaking.

There the word minister means executor, not that He does not communicate blessings from Himself.

He did not say, "those who led you to faith," but "through whom you believed," so that he might again give believers their due and show who the ministers are.

If the teachers ministered to others, can they appropriate any dignities to themselves?

Yet note that he nowhere condemns them as appropriating these things to themselves. He speaks against those who attribute this to them.

The cause of division lay in the people. If the people had not caused turmoil, the teachers also would have ceased.

Thus the Apostle acted with twofold wisdom. He uprooted the sin where it needed to be uprooted.

At the same time, he did not provoke indignation against himself in others, nor give them occasion for disputes.

"As the Lord gave to each." Even this small work did not depend on them, but on God Who gave it to them.

Yet he does so only in accordance with the initial foundation, especially since this foundation is also God's creative and sustaining Wisdom and Power.

This Wisdom and Power makes the Church unbending and immovable.

Even in ordinary buildings, the foundation determines the size, plan, and character of the building, if a wise architect builds it.

All the more must strict unity and harmony reign in the ordering of living buildings, the souls of men.

Thus, by comparing the Church with a building on the one foundation, Christ, the Apostle instructs the Corinthians and, through them, all Christians.

In building our inner temple, we must first and above all conform ourselves to the Foundation on which the Kingdom of God is built within us.

We must conform to what our highest Architect requires of us, and only then to what His servants require.

"Let us build," says St. John Chrysostom, "on this foundation and hold to it, as a branch holds to the vine.

Let there be no division between us and Christ. For if you are separated, you will immediately perish.

Let us cleave to Him, and cleave by deeds. For He says, 'He who keeps My commandments abides in Me' (Jn 14:20-21)."

When the Apostle Paul compares himself to a wise builder who lays the foundation in verse 10, he appears to ascribe much to himself.

But according to Bishop Theophan's observation, "the thought here is not that he calls himself wise. This is only a comparison.

The force of the thought is not in the builder's wisdom, but in the firmness of the foundation and in the fact that this foundation is the only one.

This predetermined foundation, as the Apostle explains further, is Jesus Christ.

The prophets called Him the cornerstone (Isa 28:16), as did He Himself (Mt 21:42), and the holy apostles (1 Pet 2:4).

Then you would have seen that we are only ministers, ministers of God as fulfillers of His commission, and your ministers as those who brought you the gift of salvation.

We are an instrument in God's hands, through which you believed.

"Certainly this too is important and worthy of attention and respect. Yet, compared with the archetype and source of blessings, it is nothing.

For the benefactor is not the one who serves in the distribution of blessings, but the One Who communicates and grants them.

He did not say, 'those who led you to faith,' but 'through whom you believed,' so that he might again give believers their due and show who the ministers are.

He also wished to show that the act of believing happened beyond them, not without action from above.

'And to each as the Lord gave.' Even this small work, service to the Gospel, did not depend on them, but on God Who gave it to them, and in the measure He gave.

But, they might say, should we not love those who serve us? He does say this, but one must know to what degree.

For their work is not from themselves, but from God Who gave it to them" (St. Chrysostom).

By these words the Apostle wishes to turn their attention away from himself and Apollos and transfer it to the Lord.

From Him come the Gospel, their mission with preaching, and the very belief of the Corinthians.

Their carnal view of the evangelists and vain assessment of persons by the measure of external wisdom, appearance, and dignity did not allow them to understand and assimilate this simple truth well.