New Testament Commentary - 1 Corinthians 3

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 3 Milk comes before meat in the Church—Men's works shall be tried by fire—The saints are the temple of God, and if faithful they will inherit all things.
1 AND I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with ^amilk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet ^acarnal: for *whereas there is* among you ^benvying, and ^cstrife, and ^ddivisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men^a**?	3^a whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men When one comes to the level of living by the spirit, it is the Spirit of Unity and not envyings, strife and divisions. Thus as long as men show forth the signs of envy, strife and divisions among them, they have not fully become engulfed in the Spirit of God, but are still in the process of obtaining it at best. Thus we see in the majority of the saints, that they continue to struggle to obtain the Spirit of the Holy Ghost to be their constant companion. He may come and go as one turns to and away from the spirit, which spirit is unity in the Lord and with the Saints.	1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ^aministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have ^aplanted, Apollos watered; but God ^bgave the ^cincrease.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own ^areward according to his own labour. 9 For we are ^alabourers together with God: ye are God's ^bhusbandry, ye are God's building.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
10 According to the ^agrace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other ^afoundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the ^afire shall ^btry every man's work of what sort it is.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself ^ashall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Ye Are the Temple of God And the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. That Spirit is the Holy Ghost as Paul later states more directly and plainly that ye are the tabernacle of the Holy Ghost. This of course is in term of covenant membership, having received the Gift ofthe Holy Ghost, that that spirit might always be with us (See 1 Cor. 6:19).
16 Know ye not that ye are the ^atemple of God, and that the ^bSpirit of God dwelleth ^cin you? 17 If any man ^adefile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is ^bholy, which temple ye are.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you ^aseemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a ^bfool, that he may be ^cwise. 19 For the ^awisdom of this ^bworld is ^cfoolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own ^dcraftiness.
20 And again, The Lord ^aknoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are ^bvain. 21 Therefore let no man ^aglory in men. For all things are yours;
22 Whether ^aPaul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; ^ball are yours; 23 And ye are ^aChrist's; and Christ is God's.