First, we are servants of Christ!
Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God
“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)
Context is King
Paul had just alluded to "Paul or Apollos or Cephas" in 1 Cor 3:22+. The saints at Corinth had placed their spiritual leaders on a pedestal and had broken into factions following their "favorite" leader (like little children [aka "fleshly men"] playing "Follow the Leader"). This begs the question beloved, where is your focus, on your wonderful pastor or on the Wonderful One, Jesus Christ? If it is the former, then the problem is that you are more concerned about their abilities than on the leadership of Christ. (Precept Austin)
Paul Apple has a helpful introduction - “We all are used to performance reviews at work. We are used to receiving them - might not like them all that much - if we supervise people, we are also used to giving them. We have a set of criteria that we use to measure performance. Some standards might be more objective and easy to evaluate . . . others are more subjective and take into account a variety of intangible attributes. The Corinthian believers had wrongly established themselves as judges over the effectiveness of the gifted preachers in their church. This had caused them to align with particular personalities in a manner that was divisive. Paul settles the issue decisively by pointing to the ultimate accountability of the Lord when He returns to evaluate the job done by His servants. Faithfulness will be the standard. And the scope of judgment will extend to “the things hidden in the darkness” and “the motives of men’s hearts.” There is the prospect of great reward and praise in that day; but let no one usurp the Lord’s prerogative of judging His own servants. Christians have an unhealthy bent towards being judgmental in critiquing those who are publicly ministering the Word of God by preaching and teaching. We are charged to be like the Bereans in making sure that the message is in line with the whole of Scripture. But we are not allowed to judge on the basis of motives or personality preferences. He is not saying that Christian ministers have no earthly accountability within the governance of the local church. He is not saying that we should not examine our own hearts before the Lord and correct any deficiencies brought to light by our conscience as informed by the Holy Spirit. He is addressing the issue of ultimate accountability. How will one minister stack up against another at the end of the day? Why is it wrong for Christians to take it upon themselves to try to judge the ministry work of others when they have no oversight over those ministers? How can Christian ministers become complacent and overconfident if they put too much stock in their own self-evaluation of their own ministries? The one who examines us is the Lord = the one who knows all about us - even to the motives and hidden thoughts of our hearts. When He returns, He will give out the rewards that are appropriate.” (1 Corinthians Commentary)
The Apostle Paul will now set forth the deep responsibility of the true servant to set forth the sacred mysteries (1 Cor 4:1-5), contrast the pretension of the Corinthians with the sufferings of the apostles (1 Cor 4:6-13), and assure them that, despite all his warnings, they were his children and he their father (1 Cor 4:14-21).
Paul makes it clear that popularity, personality, degrees, and numbers play no role in the Lord’s perspective—and that they should play no role in ours. The main point of the passage here still concerns the divisions over different ministers. The message is that servants of God should not be ranked at all, by others or by themselves. All who are true to Scripture in their preaching and living should be treated equally.
Responsibility
Let a man regard us in this manner - Regard (logizomai) is an accounting term that brings to mind balancing books and getting things in order. While the world may rank pastors in terms of popularity and outward success, God's "balance sheet" gives us two "assets" that characterize His true messengers. When God's men exalt themselves, they subvert the work of the Master. When God's people exalt one minister over another, they also detract from the One, Christ Jesus, Who Alone is to be exalted and followed. Paul's point is that the aspect of their service that the Corinthians should continually "reckon" was that he, Apollos and Cephas were servants of Christ, their Master.
Warren Wiersbe comments: “So, the main issue is not, “Is Paul popular?” or, “Is Apollos a better preacher than Paul?” The main issue is, “Have Paul, Apollos, and Peter been faithful to do the work God assigned to them?” Jesus had this same test in mind when He told the parable recorded in Luke 12:41–48. If a servant of God is faithful in his personal life, in his home, and in his ministry of the Word, then he is a good steward and will be adequately rewarded.”
As servants of Christ - They were merely under rowers, the lowest galley slaves rowing in the bottom of the boat. In this short description Paul emphasizes that he and Apollos and Cephas were subordinate to Christ and their role was to carry out His orders, even as the under rower kept his eyes on the helmsman directing the oarsmen. Paul's use of this specific word for servants is also a reflection of his humility, practicing what he preaches for believers to not think more highly of himself then he ought (Ro 12:3+). The word for Servants is huperetes and is the only use in Paul's writings. What was a huperetes? These were the men down in the ship's, doing one thing -- rowing and with their eyes on one man, the man standing at the front of the hull, shouting "Row,Row, Row!" Why? Because if anyone gets out of synch, the whole boat is thrown off course! And who was the captain of the ship, so to speak, of Whom were they Servants Of Christ! Christ is their Master. (Precept Austin)
Jack Arnold adds that "Corinth was a seaport and it was a common sight to see the Roman war galleys. On the lowest level of these warships was a single row of benches on both sides of the deck where the rowers sat. Facing the rowers on a platform was where an officer (sometimes the captain) would stand so the rowers (oarsmen) could see him. It was the oarsman’s task to row according to the cadence set by the officer. The whole ship moved and stopped on his orders. These rowers were slaves in the Roman navy who had been forcibly put in the position of under-rower; it was not their choice. The word huperetes implies subordination and insignificance. A minister is an under-rower who takes his orders from Jesus Christ, his Captain. What the Lord Jesus tells His servants, they are to obey, fixing their eyes on Him, their spiritual Captain, for orders. An under-rower did all the work; the captain gave the orders and got the glory. Ministers labor at the Lord’s command but it is Jesus who gets the glory. While the word "servant" tells us that the minister is not the big shot, the domineering leader or the lord over the flock, it does indicate a biblical independence of ministers as far as from whom they ultimately take their marching orders. They are not ultimately servants of an elder board, a deacon board, a congregation or a denomination. They are servants of Christ. Ministers are not to be paying heed to what the congregation or any one group within the congregation wants to hear, but they are to say what the Lord tells them to say out of His inspired and infallible Bible. To harness a minister of the gospel is to rob him of being a true servant of Christ and it also robs the congregation of listening to a man preach who has been listening to God. To harness a man of God is to stifle his creativity, hamper his zeal and cool his heart for the Lord. (1 Corinthians 3:18-4:5 Stewards Of The Gospel)
Now think of this description of what a minister ought to be in light of all the so called pastors of today! Many of these pastors are nothing more than CEO’s, Entertainers, Motivational Speakers, and Yes men! This is a far cry from the calling the Bible places upon ministers.
As Matthew Henry once said "Those whom God will employ are first struck with a sense of their unworthiness to be employed." Another writer says the idea is God's "errand boy." Paul uses the other word for slave, doulos, a bond servant/bondslave, of himself only once in the Corinthians letters (2 Cor 4:5 = bond-servants for Jesus' sake").
Stewardship
And stewards - While servants (huperetes) speaks of subordination to Christ, steward speaks of accountability to Christ. Literally "house managers" one who was in total control of a household. While servants (above) emphasizes a leader's subordinate position to Christ, stewards emphasizes their responsibility to Christ. Paul and Apollos were stewards who had been entrusted with the Gospel even as secular stewards were entrusted with the management of property while the Owner was away (in this case Jesus as the owner of the Church, His body). As stewards Paul and Apollos were subordinate to Christ, trusted by Him and ultimately accountable to Him whey He returns on that day. As Jesus said
“Who then is the faithful and sensible steward (oikonomos), whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time (kairos - same word used in 1 Cor 4:5+ = "before the time [kairos]")? 43 “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 44“Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions....48 but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more. (Lk 12:42-44+)
Paul understood that his stewardship of the mysteries of God came with an accountability to God, ultimately Christ the Head of His "House" (the Church, His Body). He understood that stewardship stresses obligation, responsibility, and faithfulness of the servant to his master in carry out the entrusted task.
EACH ONE OF YOU has been given "a special (spiritual) gift)" which begs a sobering question "Are you employing it "in serving one another as good stewards (oikonomos) of the manifold grace of God." (1 Peter 4:10-11+)
Divine Truth
Of the mysteries of God - Ministers as stewards did not manage a house, but in this case managed and were responsible for the mysteries of God. Mystery speaks of a divine truth, previously hidden and knowable only by divine revelation. In the only other use of mystery in First Corinthians, mystery referred to God's wisdom and ultimately the wisdom of the Cross of Christ. The steward was to dispense these mysteries with faithfulness. As an aside these mysteries revealed by the Spirit of Christ to believers are still a "mystery" to the natural (unsaved) man who in their blindness even considers them foolishness (1 Cor 2:14+)! (Precept Austin)
The mysteries revealed by God include the following. The mysteries are....
of the kingdom of heaven - Mt 13:3-50, esp Mt 13:11
of Israel's blindness during this age Ro 11:25
of translation of living saints at end of age 1Co 15:51,52; 1Th 4:13-17
the Church = body of Jews & Gentiles Ep 3:1-12; Ep 6:19; Col 4:3
the Church as bride of Christ - Ep 5:23-32
The mystery of God ~ Christ, the incarnate fullness of Godhead embodied, in Whom all divine wisdom for man subsists - 1Co 2:7; Col 2:2-3 ,9
the processes by which godlikeness is restored to man 1Ti 3:16
the seven stars = angels (aggelos) - Rev 1:20
Believer's Study Bible - Ministers of Christ are "stewards" of the mysteries of God. The word "steward" (oikonomos, Gk.) literally means "one who is the law of the house" or "custodian." "Mysteries" refer to those truths of God which cannot be discovered by man but must be revealed by God (cf. Eph. 3:3). Therefore, a minister's responsibility is to serve as the custodian of God's revealed truths.
Accountability
“In this case, moreover, it is required (zeteo - sought) of stewards that one be found trustworthy” (verse 2)
-Note he does not say be found fruitful, but be found faithful. God will take care of the fruit if we are faithful for He alone causes the growth.
This passage applies to all believers "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1 Peter 4:10+) The question is will I he found faithful when the Lord Jesus comes back?
In conclusion, here is a fitting quote by Dr. John MacArthur:
“When the Lord returns, the only absolute requirement by which He will judge His servants is faithfulness: were they true to their Lord’s commands? God supplies His Word, His Spirit, His gifts, and His power. All that the minister can supply is his faithfulness in using those resources.The work is demanding but is basically simple: taking God’s Word and feeding it faithfully to His people—dispensing the mysteries of God, proclaiming the hidden truths He has made known. There is to be no glory here, ranking one above the other. The best that any minister can be is faithful, which is just fulfilling the basic requirement.”
Maranatha -Dustin
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