1 Corinthians 4:3

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

Very small thing. Paul is referring to the criticism that had been directed against him and against his methods of labor by certain self-styled “wise” (ch. 1:20, 27) men in the Corinthian church. In his capacity as a steward of the “mysteries of God” (ch. 4:1) Paul was not responsible to men, but to God, in the conduct of his stewardship. He was not troubled by the opinions of men in this respect so long as he had the commendation of God. He did not despise the good counsel and judgment of his fellow men (see 1 Thess. 4:12; 1 Tim. 3:7), but his principal aim and objective in life was to serve and please the One who had called him to be an apostle (see Phil. 3:13, 14; 2 Tim. 2:4).

Man’s judgment. Literally, “human day [of judgment].” Paul is contrasting human judgment with God’s judgment in the day of the Lord (see ch. 3:13).

Mine own self. Paul does not even consider his own opinion of himself valuable. Only God can correctly appraise men. If the apostle realized that he could not correctly appraise himself, it was not to be expected that he would set a high value on the opinions of his critics no matter what their qualifications for judging might be. No man is qualified to evaluate properly the motives and attitudes of his fellow men, because he cannot read their hearts and know their thoughts. Therefore none are to criticize others (see on Rom. 2:1-3; see MB 124, 125).