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1 Corinthians 4:7-13

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

7. For who maketh thee to differ [from another]? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive [it], why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received [it]? 8. Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. 9. For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10. We [are] fools for Christ’s sake, but ye [are] wise in Christ; we [are] weak, but ye [are] strong; ye [are] honourable, but we [are] despised. 11. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; 12. And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 13. Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, [and are] the offscouring of all things unto this day.

1 Corinthians 4:7-13 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on 1 Corinthians 4:7

Theological / Devotional

For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

Maketh thee to differ. That is, sees such a pre-eminence in you.

Receive. No man has any cause for boasting, because he owes everything to God. The talents he possesses are from God, who gives power and wisdom for their development. Therefore no teacher in the church has any ground for pride or for assuming preeminence. His gifts and the power by which they were developed came from God.

Glory. Gr. kauchaomai, meaning also “to boast,” and thus repeatedly translated (Rom. 2:17, 23; 2 Cor. 7:14; etc.). Since the entrance of sin into the world, it has been natural for men to indulge in pride, particularly in connection with their own accomplishments. In this tendency they are following the example of Satan, who fell from his high estate in heaven because of his insufferable pride (see Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:15, 17). The Christian must guard against this fault at all times. Especially subtle is the temptation to yield to spiritual pride. God alone is to be glorified and exalted (see Jer. 9:23,24).

By SdaBc