(6)And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. (7) For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? (8) Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. (9) For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. (10) We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised. (11) Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; (12) And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: (13) Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
The Apostle is here speaking by a figure of speech, in allusion to what he had said of the similitude the Gospel Ministry bears to planting, or watering, in the preceding Chapter, And the Apostle follows up, the same doctrine, in those verses, in referring all gifts, whether spiritual, or temporal, to the Lord. And as Paul's design in this representation was to heal the divisions made in the Church by the people classing themselves under different ministers; never could he have taken a more effectual method, than the one he hath here adopted; in bringing all upon a level, to shew, that everything a man hath, either in gifts, or graces, is of the Lord.
I beg the Reader to pause over the humble, but faithful portrait Paul hath drawn of himself and his companions in the ministry. As the Lord and Master himself was, so were his servants: What! A gazing stock, and reproach to the world's wonder? As it was prophesied of Christ and his people, so eminantly with reference to his ministering servants was it said: Behold, I and the Children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts which dwelleth in Zion, Isaiah 8:18. Perhaps there is not a more striking testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus, than this verdict the world gives to Christ and his followers. It is not indeed as much considered as it merits, by the faithful; but evidently from this striking prophecy, and the accomplishment of it, in all ages, down to the present hour, the Holy Ghost hath given it for a blessed token, to his faithful people; and it is their privilege to regard it accordingly. In the present day, which is a day of a Christ-despising generation, it comes home with peculiar blessedness to the few of the Lord's little flock, whom the Lord commands to fear not, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give them the kingdom, Luke 12:32. I will beg the indulgence of the Reader to dwell a little upon it. Paul here speaks of himself, and his companions in the ministry, as set forth last of all, a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. Perhaps the theatre, on which Paul considered himself and them exposed, alluded to the singularity of their ministry, which, to the world, was sure to subject them to insult, and derision, and cruelty. And the angels he had in view, might either mean, ministering angels of good, whom the Lord commissioned to their protection, and who looked on, and observed their faithfulness, with pleasing testimony: Hebrews 1:14. Or, more probably, evil angels, and the apostate spirits of darkness, whose malice, thwarted them in all their labors. But whosoever they were which looked on, he and his followers became the subjects of a gazing stock, and derision.
Reader! pause over the review, and behold the conformity in this instance, as in many others, in the Lord's honored ones, being predestinated to his image, Romans 8:29-30. Though Christ was declared by a voice from heaven, and in the hearing of the people, to be the beloved Son of his Father; yet was he despised and rejected of men, and accounted for a blasphemer, and as one that had a devil. And as they called the Master of the house Beelzebub, so they counted them of his household. The Old Testament Saints, as Well as the New Testament Believers, were all branded, in their day, and generation; with obloquy and reproach. David, under the oppression, cried out : I am as a wonder unto many; but thou, 0 Lord, art my, strong refuge, Psalms 71:7. And the Church at large felt the same, and said : Have mercy upon us, 0 Lord; have mercy upon us, for we are exceedingly filled with contempt, Psalms 123:3-19. And the Prophet speaking to Joshua, and the Church, who as High Priest was a type of Christ, and his people, thus expressed himself: Hear now, 0 Joshua the High Priest, thou, and thy fellows which sit before thee; for they are men wondered at, Zechariah 3:8. And, if they were simply wondered at for their singularity of character, in preferring the reproach of Christ, to all the treasures of the world, as Moses did : Hebrews 11:26, it would be of little consequence. But, being hooted at, is the smallest evil, sustained for an attachment to the Lord Jesus Christ: cruelty to their persons were added to contempt.
And what rendered the matter the most distressing was, that this treatment, came not so much from the heathen world, from whence it might have been expected, as from those who acknowledged the Lord. The professor, more than the profane, opposed, the Lord's people. Hence, by the Prophet, the Lord comforted his chosen ones; under the assaults and scoffs of their opposers. Fear the word of the Lord (said God), ye that tremble at his word. Your brethren that hate you, that cast you out for my name's sake said: let the Lord be glorified. But he shall appear to your joy: and they shall be ashamed, Isaiah 66:5. And in the after ages of the Church, the Lord Jesus pointed out this persecution, as particularly arising from brethren, and kinsfolks, for his name's sake. Yea, saith Christ, they shall put you out of the Synagogues: and the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doeth God service, Luke 21:16-17; John 16:2
Pause, Reader! and when you have taken a leisurely review of the subject, in marking the treatment shown to the Old Testament saints, and New Testament believers, for their singularity of sentiment, in holding the blessed and special truths of godliness in their purity, from the more ordinary and general profession of them : I would beg you to look at the subject, as it relates to the present hour. Whoever looks deeply, and beyond the mere surface of things, cannot but observe that a full, free, and finished Gospel, is as much despised now, by mere nominal professors, as it ever was, in the days of the Apostle Paul. The preaching which holds forth Christ, as all, and in all, is a sect as much now as ever everywhere spoken against. He that would escape the censure of licentiousness, it is not enough, that he manifests the purity of his principles by an holiness of life, and conversation; but he must compliment human nature, at the expense of divine truth. The great, and leading doctrines of our holy faith, must be kept in the back ground of preaching; and a man must insist more upon the moral law, as a rule of life, than the grace of God, which bringeth salvation: more upon a supposed work wrought within us, than the work of Christ wrought for us. Paul could net thus preach, and therefore he fell under condemnation. His whole doctrine led to the contemplation, and the enjoyment of the electing love of God the Father; the grace of union with Christ, and interest in all that belonged to Christ, as the free, unmerited gift of God by Christ: and the absolute necessity of being regenerated from the death of sin, in the Adam-nature in which the whole Church of God is born, by the work of God the Spirit. These were the sole topics of Paul's preaching. And the one sole object of his desire was, that he might win Christ, and be found in Him. Reader! see to it, as it respects yourself, that Paul's desire is yours; for depend upon it, that where the truth, as it is in Jesus, is preached, it will be found, that the offence of the cross is not ceased. An accommodating spirit to the times, in preaching anything, and everything, but Christ, is among the awful and portentous signs of the present day. A Church chosen of God, redeemed and justified wholly by sovereign grace, sanctified in Christ and regenerated by the Spirit; these are the source and fountain of all spiritual life. But when men make these but as procuring causes, and blend with Christ and his finished and all-perfect work, the creatures faith, and repentance, and obedience, as the means of favor; the spring of all spiritual life is gone: and to all such preachers it might be said, as by them of old, when wild gourds were mingled with their food: O thou man of God, there is death in the pot! 2 Kings 4:40.