In yesterday's study Paul made it clear that the believers are not to think of the apostles on a level near the level of Christ, but they are not to disregard the authority that has been given to the apostles by God. The Corinthian people are becoming prideful about themselves and today Paul has to remind them how hard the apostles have worked for them.
The believers have been boasting about which apostle they follow and arguing about which apostle has been most gifted by God. The Corinthians were even boasting about themselves and about their own talents, due to the way this next verse is worded. Paul puts an end to such arguments by pointing out that God is the one who gives gifts to men and women and therefore they should be boasting in God, not in themselves or in anyone else. "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" (1 Corinthians 4:7)
"Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign---and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you!" (1 Corinthians 4:8) The Corinthians are becoming prideful, as if they have forgotten that they were pagan heathens before Paul preached the gospel to them. They have begun to think of themselves as big deals, as if a short time ago they were not completely lost. So Paul says, "You behave as though the world is at your feet. You are acting like kings. I wish you really were kings so that we apostles could reign like kings along with you."
Those who are worldly have little respect for the apostles, so Paul reminds his readers how much the apostles are suffering for the gospel. "For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings." (1 Corinthians 4:9) The Corinthian believers, so puffed up in their pride, could not claim to be suffering like the apostles who were taking the gospel to the world. Paul says the apostles are like captives at the end of a procession led by a conquering Roman general, captives fated to die in the arena. Did he already know he would be martyred for his faith? I don't know whether the Holy Spirit had yet revealed this to him, but he lived with the knowledge that his life was always at risk in this hostile world. Sometimes it was at risk from the Gentiles, at other times at risk from the Jews. I think Paul knew that he and the other apostles were very likely to die for the sake the of the gospel.
I believe this next passage is intended to be ironic. It's intended to take the Corinthians down a notch for their own good. I don't believe Paul speaks these words in a spiteful way but in the same way the prophet Nathan spoke to King David when he had to confront David with his sin. Paul compares the way the world views apostles with the way the Corinthians view themselves. "We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!" (1 Corinthians 4:10)
Some of the believers at Corinth were so prideful about their own gifts and talents that they were beginning to think apostles like Paul were not authority figures. They were beginning to feel like the ministry of the apostles was no longer needed in their territory, that they could take care of themselves. Paul calls their attention to how much it is costing the apostles to minister to them and to others. "To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world---right up to this moment." (1 Corinthians 4:11-12)
There are people the Lord calls to preach the gospel and we must hold them in esteem. God has chosen them for our good, to instruct and guide us. No matter how gifted we may be, we are not to look down on our brothers and sisters who are also serving Christ, and we are especially not to look down on those who are called to preach the gospel of Christ.
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