1 Corinthians 3:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"He who plants and he who waters are one."

They can do nothing without God's help. In this respect they are one.

How then do you exalt yourselves over one another, when you are one?

"But each will receive his own reward according to his own labor."

It could easily have happened that those who labored more than others in the works of faith would become careless on hearing that all are one.

Therefore he immediately explains his expression. He says that all are one only with respect to their powerlessness to do anything without the help of God Who gives the increase.

As for recompense, each will receive a reward according to his own labor.

He did not say, "according to his own work," but "according to his own labor."

For what does it matter if someone has not completed the work? At least he labored.

They are one, yet each will receive his reward, since their labor differs. Though they are one, the preacher of the Gospel is still higher than the baptizer. For this reason the Apostle distinguished their reward. This saying applies not only to that, but also extends to purity of teaching. The one who transmits the teaching in its integrity is worthy of a greater reward.

"He who plants and he who waters are one." They are "one" by sharing in the bearing of labor, because both serve God's will.

But they are not "one" in the accomplishment of the work or in zeal, because in this there is great difference among those who serve.

The Apostle himself says this: "Each will receive his own reward according to his own labor."

He says, not simply according to the completion of the work, but according to the labor in the work.

One man often leads two hundred to the Savior with great ease. Another, after undertaking greater labor, frees one or two from delusion.

The same can be seen regarding fasting and chastity. One, aided by nature, advances in chastity without labors.

After his discussion of the spiritual man and the natural man, the holy Apostle Paul directly calls the Corinthians not spiritual, but carnal and foolish infants. He does this because they are agitated and divided over teachers, who are merely fellow-workers with God in God’s field (1 Cor 3:1-9).

"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to carnal, as to infants in Christ. For when one says, 'I am of Paul,' and another, 'I am of Apollos,' are you not carnal?

Who is Paul? Who is Apollos? They are only servants through whom you believed. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one. For we are fellow-workers with God, and you are God’s field, God’s building."

Speaking of the Corinthians’ division into parties according to teachers, the Apostle Paul again calls them carnal. They judge from a lower, human point of view.

Here one must regard all as servants of God, or as workers doing different tasks. The Master and Lord assigns each one his work in His holy field, the Kingdom of God, which He alone makes grow and harvests for Himself (Mt 13:40).

Besides a field, the Corinthian Christians are also compared to a building. Its deepest foundation is Jesus Christ Himself. The Apostles are compared to builders. One lays the foundation, another builds further upon it, but only in harmony with the original foundation.

"They are one," as instruments through which God acts. With Him even the donkey speaks, and the stones will cry out if that becomes necessary.

"He calls them one in this respect, that they can do nothing without God Who gives the increase" (St. Chrysostom).

"Because both equally serve the will of God" (Theodoret), which acts through them.

This is not because one is such and the other different, but because it is pleasing to that will.

"But though they are one in relation to God's work, they are not one in their labors" (St. Chrysostom).

"He says, not simply according to the completion of the work, but according to the labor in the work.

One man often leads two hundred to the Savior with great ease. Another, after undertaking great labor, frees one or two from delusion.