3:5
diakonoV
- deacon, minister, servant
ekastw
wV
o kurioV edwken
every man the Lord bestow, bring forth,
commit, deliver, give, grant, minister, have power,
This verse answers
the question in 3:4: “Are you not mere men?”
The Corinthians had:
a) misunderstood
the gospel
b) inadequate
perception of the church
c) inadequate
perception of ministry
Paul and Apollos are servants not masters
These verse state
there is one goal: the harvest.
The Corinthians perception
of the servants is both too high and too low:
a) too
high because they have given them
authority beyond their calling and God’s plan
b) too low because they have subjected
them to their own human judgment.
Pastors and teachers
are servants:
2 Cor.
3:6 2 Cor
6:4 2 Cor.
11:23 Rom. 16:1 Col. 1:7, 23, 25
Col. 4:7 Eph. 3:7 Ep. 6:21 1 Tim. 4:6
Jesus teaching on
servants:
Mark 10:41-45; Luke
22:25-27
Mark 10:42-45
The Cross is:
a) the
center and pivot of the gospel
b) God’s
way to contradict the world and man’s ways
c) A
basic model for ministry
Paul wants the
Corinthians to recognize Apollos and Paul are
different because of God’s plan and their growth. It should not be a source of strife.
Paul wants the
Corinthians to focus on the Lord not the servants.
3:6
egw
efuteusa apollwV epotisen all
o qeoV huxanen
I have planted Apollos watered but God gave the increase
3:7
wote
oute o futeuwn
estin ti
ouite o potizwn allSo then neither is he that plants any thing neither he that waters but
o
uxanwn
qeoV
that giveth the increase
God