1 Corinthians 4:1 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 4 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Paul showeth in what account such as he should be held, of whose fidelity it should be left to God to judge. 1 Corinthians 4:6,7 He dissuadeth the Corinthians from valuing themselves in one teacher above another, since all had their respective distinctions from God. 1 Corinthians 4:8-13 To their self-sufficient vanity he opposeth his own despised and afflicted state, 1 Corinthians 4:14-16 warning them, as their only father in Christ, and urging theme to follow him. 1 Corinthians 4:17-21 For the same cause he sent Timotheus, and meant soon to follow in person, when he would inquire into the authority of such as opposed him. The apostle here gives us the right notion of the preachers of the gospel; they are but ministers, that is, servants, so as the honour that is proper to their Master, for a principal efficiency in the conversion and building up of souls, belongeth not to them; they are ministers of Christ, so have their primary relation to him, and only a secondary relation to the church to which they are ministers; they are ministers of Christ and so in that ministration can only execute what are originally his commands, though those commands of Christ may also be enforced by men: ministers of the gospel, not of the law, upon whom lies a primary obligation to preach Christ and his gospel unto people. They are also stewards of the mysteries of God, such to whom God hath committed his word and sacraments to dispense out unto his church. The word mystery signifieth any thing that is secret, but more especially it signifieth a Divine secret, represented by signs and figures; or a religious secret, not obvious to every capacity or understanding. Thus we read of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, Matthew 13:11; the mystery of godliness, 1 Timothy 3:16; the mystery of Christ, Ephesians 3:4. The wisdom of God, Colossians 2:2; the incarnation of Christ, 1 Timothy 3:16; the calling of the Gentiles, Ephesians 3:4; the resurrection from the dead, 1 Corinthians 15:21; Christ's mystical union and communion with his church, Ephesians 5:32; the sublime counsels of God, 1 Corinthians 13:2, are all called mysteries. Ministers are the stewards of the mysterious doctrines and institutions of Christ, which we usually comprehend under the terms of the word and sacraments.