1 Corinthians Chapter 3, Verse 5
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5: τις ουν εστιν παυλος τις δε απολλως αλλ η διακονοι δι ων επιστευσατε και εκαστω ως ο κυριος εδωκεν
5: Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye
believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
5: The ministers of him whom you have believed: and to every one as
the Lord hath given.
Who then is Paul, etc. See "1Cor 1:13".
Why should a party be formed which should be named after Paul? What has he done or taught that should lead to this? What eminence has he that should induce any to call themselves by his name? He is on a level with the other apostles; and all are but ministers, or servants, and have no claim to the honour of giving names to sects and parties. God is the fountain of all your blessings, and whoever may have been the instrument by whom you have believed, it is improper to regard them as in any sense the fountain of your blessings, or to arrange yourselves under their name.
But ministers. Our word minister, as now used, does not express the proper force of this word. We, in applying it to preachers of the gospel, do not usually advert to the original sense of the word, and the reasons why it was given to them. The original word diakonoi denotes, properly, servants, in contradistinction from masters, (Mt 20:26, Mt 23:11 Mk 9:35, Mk 10:43; ) and denotes those of course who are in an inferior rank of life. They had not command, or authority, but were subject to the command of others. It is applied to the preachers of the gospel, because they are employed in the service of God; because they go at his command, and are subject to his control and direction. They have not original authority, nor .are they the source of influence or power. The idea here is, that they were' the mere instruments or servants by whom God conveyed all blessings to the Corinthians; that they as ministers were on a level, were engaged in the same work, and that therefore it was improper for them to form parties that should be called by their names.
By whom. Through whom, di wn, by whose instrumentality. They were not the original source of faith, but were the mere servants of God in conveying to them the knowledge of that truth by which they were to be saved.
Even as the Lord gave to every man. God is the original Source of faith; and it is by his influence that any one is brought to believe. See "Rom 12:3, Rom 12:6".
