1 Corinthians 3:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"For we are fellow-workers with God, and you are God’s field, God’s building" (1 Cor 3:9).

Do you see how he also attributes no small work to them, the teachers, after first proving that everything belongs to God? He always exhorted people to obey those who preside. Therefore he does not excessively abase the teachers.

"You are God’s field." Having said, "I planted," he continues the metaphor. If you are God’s field, then you should bear not the name of those who cultivate it, but God’s name.

For a field is called not by the farmer’s name, but by the name of its owner.

"You are God’s building." Likewise, the building belongs not to the builder, but to the owner. If you are a building, you must not fall apart into sections. Otherwise there will be no building.

If you are a field, you must not be divided, but enclosed by one fence of concord.

"For we are God's fellow workers." We teachers are fellow workers of God, cooperating with God in the salvation of men. We are not the causes or givers of salvation. Therefore one must neither despise us, for we are God's fellow workers, nor be proud over us, for everything is God's. "You are God's field, God's building." Having said above, "I planted," he continues the comparison and calls them a field. If you are a field and a building, you must be called by the name of the Master, not by that of the plowmen or stewards. As a field, you must be enclosed by the wall of one mind. As a building, you must be in union with one another, not in division.

"For we are God's fellow workers." Those of one mind with Arius and Eunomius did not assign this title to the Son, but called Him a worker. Yet the divine Apostle calls even the preachers of truth God's fellow workers. Still, here too there is a great difference. One works together as Son, while the others, as well-disposed slaves, fulfill the will of God. "You are God's husbandry, God's building." Both the building and the field belong not to this man or that, but to the God of all.

God's fellow workers are those who, seeing the poison of pride enter a brother's heart, immediately and without delay try to save him by healing humility.

The Apostles were men, as we are. How, then, does Paul say, "We are fellow-workers with God"? Is a man a fellow-worker of God? This seems incompatible.

Yet if we examine the proper meaning of this word, fellow-worker, we shall find in it not the least contradiction. A fellow-worker is one who does the same work with another.

In this sense a slave is a fellow-worker with his master, and a soldier with the king. Yet the work is referred to the master, not to the slave, and to the king, not to the soldier.

Paul first called himself and Apollos servants, saying, "Who is Paul, and who is Apollos, but servants?" (1 Cor 3:5). Then he called them fellow-workers: "We are fellow-workers with God."

"We are God's fellow workers." The principal activity in the ordering of the Church belongs to God. Yet the Apostle does not hesitate to call even himself God's coworker and fellow worker in this work.

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.

He shows why labor is valued. It is because we are fellow-workers with God. It pleased Him to choose us as instruments for the accomplishment of your salvation and that of others.

He also valued our labor, for through it His paternal will to save is fulfilled.

"We who teach," he says, "are fellow-workers with God, cooperating with His purpose, since He wills all to be saved. Yet we are not the makers or givers of salvation itself.

Neither should we be despised, as fellow-workers with God, nor should we exalt ourselves. For all is God’s" (Theophylact).

We are fellow-workers with God, and you are God’s cultivation, γεωργιον, God’s field. It is not standing idle, but is cultivated. You are God’s tilled land.