1 Corinthians 4:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

I do not know how, among other kinds of evil, the evil of scrutinizing and inappropriately condemning one's neighbors entered human nature. Christ also rebuked it when He said, "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Mt 7:1). It does not even provide any pleasure, as other sins do, but leads only to unpleasantness and punishment. Meanwhile we ourselves are guilty of countless sins and have, as it were, a beam in our own eyes, yet we carefully examine the sins of our neighbor, which are no more than a speck (Mt 7:3). So it was among the Corinthians. They mocked and rejected pious men pleasing to God because of their lack of learning, while they honored men guilty of countless vices for their eloquence. Taking upon themselves the role of judges, they boldly pronounced judgments: this man is worthy, that man is better than this one, this one is higher than that one, and that one lower than this. Instead of weeping over their own sins, they judged others, and in this way stirred up a great conflict. To heal this sickness, see how wisely Paul instructs them. After saying, "Moreover it is required of stewards that one be found faithful" (1 Cor 4:2), he seemed by these words to allow them to judge and examine the life of each. From this disturbances would arise. Therefore, wishing to free them from such a passion, he says, "It is a very small thing that I should be judged by you," again turning the discourse to his own person.

Do not hide it, but give it to the unreasonable and foolish, so that your talent also may increase. You have received health and strength. Do not hide them, but use them for blessed labors. You have received wealth. Do not hide it in the ground, in a storeroom, or in chests. Do not spend God's good on whims and luxury, but distribute it to the poor and needy, your brethren. You receive bread. Share your bread with those who desire it. You have clothing. Do not keep it in your storeroom, but clothe your naked brethren with it. You have cattle. Let them serve not only you, but other people as well. You have a house. Do not close it, but open it to those who come and to travelers, and so forth. This is the right hand for you, Christian. Be not only a receiving, but also a giving right hand. You receive every good from God. Give it back for the glory of the Giver of good and for the upbuilding of the one who needs your good. Then you will be a faithful steward of the gifts of God. What you receive from God, you will turn back to God, that is, to the glory of God. For this God will reward you as a faithful steward, not with earthly but with heavenly blessings, not with temporal but with eternal blessings. If you do not do this, then as an evil and unfaithful servant you will be punished by your Lord and will hear: "Cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mt 25:30).

They present themselves as leading persons in the Church of God, and strive only to exalt their own authority. They act as though they could create the work of Christ by their personal efforts and natural gifts, such as teaching ability, eloquence, and the like. All these are gifts of God.

Therefore, if they dare to judge him without having the right to do so, he gives no weight to their judgment. Consequently they must leave off their judgment of the Apostles as a useless matter, and as something belonging not to them but to God. The thought of his own account before God gave the Apostle occasion to speak also about everyone's answer before God. In doing so he especially notes evil deeds, which are usually committed in darkness and obscurity, and also the thoughts of the heart, which are even less known than deeds done in darkness. Everything, everything will then be revealed. No one will then be hidden with his most secret thoughts and intentions, for which there will also be recompense according to their true worth. This recompense will not be according to the verdict now pronounced by men, who often judge many things by appearance, and not by a deep and many-sided examination of the matter. St. John Chrysostom, dwelling on the Apostle's rebuke of judging others, says: "I do not know how, among other kinds of evil, the evil of scrutinizing and inappropriately condemning one's neighbors entered human nature. Christ also rebuked it when He said, 'Judge not, that you be not judged' (Mt 7:1). It does not even provide any pleasure, as other sins do, but leads only to unpleasantness and punishment. Meanwhile we ourselves are guilty of countless sins and have, as it were, a beam in our own eyes, yet we carefully examine the sins of our neighbor, which are no more than a speck (Mt 7:3). So it was among the Corinthians. They mocked and rejected pious men pleasing to God because of their lack of learning, while they honored men guilty of countless vices for their eloquence. For two reasons, or rather for three, our judgment is not right. First, even if we know nothing against ourselves, we are not guiltless before the judgment of Him Who exposes our sins with exactness. Second, the greater part of deeds remains undisclosed and unknown to us. Third, many actions of others seem good to us, but are not done with a good intention. Men cannot see everything. This is possible only for the one unsleeping Eye. We can deceive men, but never Him. Therefore do not say, 'Darkness and walls surround me; who sees me?' There is One Who penetrates even to soul and spirit, joints and marrow (Heb 4:12)."

For the steward's work is to administer well what has been entrusted to him, not to call his own what belongs to the Lord, but on the contrary, to attribute his own to the Lord. Keeping this in mind, everyone who possesses the gift of speech or possessions should understand that these gifts have been entrusted to him by the Lord and are not his own. Let him not hold them back for himself or appropriate them, but attribute them to God, Who has given all. Do you wish to see faithful stewards? Listen to what Peter says: 'Why do you look at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?' (Acts 3:12). Likewise Paul, after saying, 'I labored more abundantly than they all,' added, 'yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me' (1 Cor 15:10). And below, turning to the Corinthians, he said, 'What do you have that you did not receive?' (1 Cor 4:7). Everything you have is not your own: wealth, the gift of speech, and the soul itself, for it too is from the Lord," says St. Chrysostom.