Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Let a man so account of us - This is a continuation of the subject in the preceding chapter; and should not have been divided from it.
The fourth chapter would have begun better at 1 Corinthians 4:6, and the third should have ended with the fifth verse (1 Corinthians 4:5).
As of the ministers of Christ - Ως ὑπηρετας Χριστου. The word ὑπηρετης means an under-rower, or one, who, in the trireme, quadrireme, or quinquereme galleys, rowed in one of the undermost benches; but it means also, as used by the Greek writers, any inferior officer or assistant. By the term here the apostle shows the Corinthians that, far from being heads and chiefs, he and his fellow apostles considered themselves only as inferior officers, employed under Christ from whom alone they received their appointment their work, and their recompense.
Stewards of the mysteries of God - Και οικονομους μυστηριων Θεου, Economists of the Divine mysteries. See the explanation of the word steward in the note on Matthew 24:45, (note); Luke 8:3, (note); Luke 12:42, (note)
The steward, or oikonomos, was the master's deputy in regulating the concerns of the family, providing food for the household, seeing it served out at the proper times and seasons, and in proper quantities. He received all the cash, expended what was necessary for the support of the family, and kept exact accounts, which he was obliged at certain times to lay before the master. The mysteries, the doctrines of God, relative to the salvation of the world by the passion and death of Christ; and the inspiration, illumination, and purification of the soul by the Spirit of Christ, constituted a principal part of the Divine treasure intrusted to the hands of the stewards by their heavenly Master; as the food that was to be dispensed at proper times, seasons, and in proper proportions to the children and domestics of the Church, which is the house of God.