1 Corinthians 3:7,8 - Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters

3:7

“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything ...” Paul is using hyperbole here, but doing so for effect. Our focus always needs to be on God, on Christ. We must never idolise men, nor systems, nor denominations. We sometimes think that if only we follow a certain method then everything will work. This is not true. Knowing Christ and trusting in Him is the essential ingredient.

3:8

The Corinthians were setting up different ministers as being in opposition, so you had to choose one or the other. This is like saying God gives an apostle or a prophet or a teacher or an evangelist or a pastor, rather than God gives apostles and prophets and evangelists and teachers and  pastors. They are all working towards the same purpose. Paul and Apollos were not competing, but working together for the same Lord to build the same kingdom. God will reward both of them according to their labour. I.e. how well they do the particular job assigned to them. We need to beware that we do not have the same attitude as the Corinthians. 

1 Samuel 9:17-23 - This is the man

9:17-19

On seeing Saul, the Lord spoke to Samuel confirming that he is the man. It is interesting that God speaks directly to Samuel, and does so on a number of occasions. While Samuel knew who Saul was, Saul had no idea who Samuel was, asking Samuel where “seer’s house” was. Samuel reveals who he is, and tells Saul to go to the high place. Samuel takes charge of the situation. He also says he will tell Saul “all that is in your heart”.

9:20

Samuel also reveals something about Saul here. First he tells him that the donkeys are all safe. Then he, and his family line, says that he is the one “to whom all the desire of Israel is turned”. Perhaps this gives the biggest clue as to why on earth God chose Saul. God is giving Israel the desire of its heart. They wanted a king “like the nations”, so they got one who was chosen on their premises. And they would continue to look for leaders and for salvation in a worldly way.

9:21-23

Saul objects, saying he was a Benjaminite. This tribe was indeed the smallest of all the tribes, largely because of the events recorded at the end of Judges. Furthermore, his clan was the least of all the clans in Benjamin. Saul cannot understand why Samuel is saying such things to him. Samuel had arranged a large dinner party, with thirty other invited guests. He seats Saul at the head of the table. He instructs the cook to bring the meat. Everything has been put in place beforehand. This reminds me of the last supper, when it was clear that arrangements had already been put in place.

1 Corinthians 3:5,6 - I planted the seed

3:5

Paul now explains why all this idolising of individuals is not a sensible way to go about things. He starts by asking “who is Apollos?” and “who is Paul?” The answer is that they are servants. They are the messengers through whom they heard the gospel and believed. They were fulfilling the task to which God had assigned them. Everything originates with God.

3:6

Paul was the one who first brought the gospel to the Corinthians. Apollos apparently came along later and helped to nurture their growth in Christ. We read about him in Acts 18:24ff. There he was in Ephesus. However, it was God who made the seed grow. Paul planted it, Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It is right to respect and honour people in the church, but we need to have a right perspective. Everything is utterly dependent upon the Lord. He gives us all various tasks to do, but He works with us, or, rather, we work with Him.

1 Samuel 9:14-16 - Anoint him ruler my people

9:14

Surely enough, as they entered the town Samuel was on his way up to the high place. Later on “high places” were associated with idol worship, and the failure of Israel to remove them was a constant failure, but at this stage the temple had not been built, and it seems they were allowed to worship God at the high places.

9:15,16

Samuel was not surprised by the encounter, for the Lord had told him beforehand. He was told that a Benjaminite would meet him, and that this was the man that Samuel was to anoint as “ruler over Israel”. God also revealed to Samuel that Saul would deliver  Israel from the hand of the Philistines. “I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me”. Even though Israel was so unfaithful and disobedient, God still had compassion on them. Today there are some who take an anti-Israel view citing their rejection of God. Now it is true that Israel as a whole still rejects Christ (and therefore God), and that their society is in many ways very atheistic (i.e. they are much the same as most western nations!). All this is true, but the gospel is based on grace, and I fully expect God to be gracious to Israel at some point.

1 Corinthians 3:3,4 - You are still worldly

3:3

“You are still worldly” (NIV), or “For you are still of the flesh” (ESV). NIV omits “for”. Their wrong attitudes are symptoms of them still living out of their human nature, according to the ways of the world, rather than living according to the Spirit, according to the ways of Christ. The jealousy and strife that was all too prevalent amongst them showed that this was the case.  The kind of things listed in Gal 5:19-21 were common among them, showing that they were living out of the flesh rather than the Spirit. They were acting “like mere humans” (NIV). The gospel calls us to a higher and better way of life, it calls us to live a Christlike life.

3:4

“I follow Paul”, “I follow Apollos” were symptoms of living out of the flesh. Why tie yourself to a man? We are called to follow Jesus. When Jesus called his disciples he said “Follow Me!”. Now having proper respect for leaders is important and right and proper. However, Jesus must always be above all. Likewise, there can be a wrong sort of devotion to a particular denomination or grouping.

1 Samuel 9:7-13 - Is the seer here?

9:7-9

Saul raises another problem, they don’t have anything to offer to the man of God. Once again it is the servant who provides the answer. The servant has “half a shekel of silver”. The servant is presented as being much more “with it” than Saul, who seems a bit feckless.  We then get an aside that in those days prophets were referred to as “seers”. The text was written at a time when prophet was the commonly used term.

9:10-13

On their way they met some young women who were out to draw water. Going out to draw water was part of the daily routine, and was a task carried out by women. This was still the case in Jesus’ time, see the woman at the well. The timing was suitable, for Samuel was coming to the town today, and they were all ready to offer a sacrifice. One of the features of this whole narrative is that God is in control of all sorts of events. A whole raft of things worked out together leading to Samuel meeting Saul.

1 Corinthians 3:1,2 - You are still not ready

3:1

ESV has “as spiritual people” and “as people of the flesh”.  Without the “as infants in Christ” at the end of the sentence these words are really shocking, for Paul is almost saying that they aren’t Christians. However, his opening words in the letter make it clear that he believes they are Christians, but he is absolutely appalled at how immature they are. They seemed to be proud of themselves, but their lives and attitudes were distinctly unchristlike. 

3:2

“I gave you milk, not solid food”. Hebrews 6:1 ff talks about moving on to maturity. The solid food talked of here could be the content of the teaching, but it is perhaps more likely about the manner in which Paul addressed them. He should not have been having to tell them about focusing on Christ, not men (Paul, Apollos, Peter). But their character had not developed sufficiently for him to do that. We should all look at our attitudes and stamp out any immature childish attitudes that we have.