Fleshly Folks, Planters And
Those Who Irrigate
By Jonathan Mitchell
Comments on 1 Cor. 3:1-8
1. And yet I myself, brothers, was not able to speak to you folks as to spiritual people (pneumatics; e.g., having the effect of the Breath; led by the Spirit/Attitude; = people of spirit), but to the contrary as to fleshly folks (= those focused on what affects the flesh; = as "natural" people, unaffected by the Breath/Spirit; = people of flesh) - as to infants in Christ (or: babies/adolescents in Anointing).
2. I gave you folks milk to drink, not solid food, for you were continuing not as yet being able or having power. But then, neither are you yet now (at present) able (or: having power), for you are still fleshly ones (continue being people of flesh, focused on ordinary life, with natural thinking).
Observe that in vs. 1 he substitutes the word "fleshly" for the word "soulish," which he used in 2:14, above. This should alert us that the two words are synonyms, for Paul. Fleshly folks are soulish people. So we can conclude that even though they had received Christ and were a called-out covenant community, Paul did not regard them as "spiritual people." They were not experiencing the "effect of the Breath," and therefore were not being "led by the Attitude" - and thus the division among them; the absence of the Peace that came from the Joining (to Christ and to one another). They were spiritual infants in Christ and required milk to drink - as though not yet having teeth to chew solid food. They were still weak (for they as yet had no power or ability) - e.g., as in Rom. 14:1-2. Insight here will be gained by rushing ahead to 14:20, below:
"Brothers (= Fellow members of the community)! Stop becoming little boys and girls in or by [your] way of thinking and use of intellect, but still be infants - non-speaking babies! - in the worthless, the ugly and the poor of quality or the evil. Yet progressively come to be mature as folks which manifest the purpose (full-grown; perfect; ones having reached the goal and express the destiny; or: = adults) in [your] way of thinking and use of intellect."
Conzelmann (ibid p 71) sees Paul's "language of the mysteries" being replaced by "the terminology of education," i.e., "child-training," the term used in 14:20, rendered "boys and girls." Not only does Paul use varieties of terminologies, he freely mixes metaphors, as in vs. 9, below, calling the Corinthians first a farm, and then a building. He seems to use whatever it takes to get his points across.
These descriptions of the condition of the believers in Corinth informs us that there is a growth process, from being born from above on unto mature adulthood in Christ (Eph. 4:12-16). We are not told how long it had been since he was last with them, but the problems which he addresses in this letter to them is evidence to him that they still
"have no power or ability"
- i.e., they were
"still fleshly ones,"
even though they were,
"not continuing trailing behind or constantly late, so as to be deficient or fall short - not even in one effect of grace (or: result of favor)" (1:7, above).
Paul gave one definition of "fleshly" in Rom. 7:14b,
"I [= Israel? or, Adam] myself am (or: exist being) fleshly (composed of flesh; carnal; flesh-oriented; or: = affected by the alienated self), being one having been and now remaining sold under [the power and control of] the Sin (under failure and the miss of the Target [of Torah?])."
But why does he determine this about those in Corinth? Because...
3. For you see, in which place (or: insofar as) [there is] jealousy and strife and folks standing apart (divisions and disunities) among you folks - are you not existing being fleshly folks (people adapted to flesh and self), even constantly walking around (= living your life) according to, on the level of, in the sphere of, and corresponding to, humanity?
4. For whenever anyone repeatedly says, "I myself am indeed of Paul (belong to Paul; have my association with Paul)," yet a different one [says], "I, myself, of Apollos" - are you not continuing being fleshly humans (= people acting like the estranged flesh; = non-spiritual)?
The jealousy and strife are from living in the first Adam, as "fleshly humans,"
"The first human (or: man), Adam, came for existence (or: was birthed) into [being] a living SOUL" [Gen. 2:7]
(15:45a, below).
There, he contrasts existence as a "soul" with, "the Last Adam into [being] a continuously life-making (life-producing; life-creating; life-forming) Spirit (or: Breath-effect; Attitude)" (15:45b).
Paul explains "being fleshly folks" as,
"constantly walking around (= living your life) according to, on the level of, in the sphere of, and corresponding to humanity."This equals
"the first human, Adam,"
and is the exact opposite of being
"set-apart" unto God, living in His reign, and being "led by the Spirit" (Rom. 8:14).It is
"having the character and quality of moist soil or mud" (15:48, below); it means to "bear and wear the image of the dusty person" (15:49, below). This is why Paul later informed them that "flesh and blood (= humans in their estranged condition; = people of dust who have not been resurrected) have no power and continue unable to inherit or receive and participate in an allotted portion of God's reign (kingdom or sovereign action)" (15:50, below).
These Corinthians were
"continuing being fleshly humans,"and it is only the "spiritual" - those who are
"habitually walking about (or: = for the folks ordering their behavior/living their lives)... in accord with spirit (or: down from [the] Spirit; corresponding to [His] Attitude; on the level of and in the sphere of Breath-effect)"
that can participate in God's sovereign activities; it is not those who walk
"in accord with flesh (or: = not corresponding to the human condition; or: = on the level of Torah-keeping boundary-markers)" (Rom. 8:4).
And further, Rom. 8 informs us:
5. You see, those continuously existing in accord with flesh (or: = in correspondence to Torah-keeping and cultural boundaries; or: = the human condition) habitually think about, have an understanding and outlook based upon, are inclined to, set their mind on and are disposed to the things of the flesh (= the human condition with its cultural traditions, religious cultus and national boundary markers), yet those in accord with spirit (or: down from [the] Spirit; on the level of Breath-effect; in line with [His] Attitude) [think about; have an outlook from] the things and matters of the spirit (or: the Spirit; Breath-effect; the Attitude).
6. For the result of the thinking (mind-set; effect of the way of thinking; disposition; result of understanding and inclination; the minding; the opinion; the thought; the outlook) of the flesh (= from the human condition or the System of culture and cultus; or: = Torah keeping) [is; brings] death... (cf vss. 7-8, as well)
The "spiritual person" is simply one who
"abides in the Vine" (Jn. 15:1ff), i.e., "is joined to the Lord" (6:17, below),
and Rom. 8:6b instructs us:
"yet the result of the thinking (mind-set; disposition; thought and way of thinking; outlook) of the spirit (or: from the Spirit; which is the Breath-effect) [is; brings] Life and Peace (joining)."
5. What, then [other MSS: So then, what], is Apollos? And what is Paul? [They are] attending servants and dispensers of [spiritual] provisions, through whom you folks came to believe and trust - even as the Lord [= Christ or Yahweh] gave (or: gives) to and in each one.
The "apostles (literally: sent-forth folks)" were simply
"attending servants and dispensers of [spiritual] provisions."
They were incarnations of the Paraclete and were conduits of the Life of Christ, bringing Him to humanity. Conzelmann suggests that what Paul is saying is that, "Their whole existence, so far as it affects the Corinthians, is identical with their working..." (ibid p 73). What they do (being "attending servants and dispensers..." is what they are, to the body of Christ. This is similar to what Jesus said in Lu. 17:10,
"Thus also, whenever you yourselves may do all the things being fully arranged (specifically assigned) to you folks, be habitually saying, 'We are unnecessary, useless (= good-for-nothing and unprofitable; or: = ordinary) slaves. We have done that which we were constantly obliged and indebted to do.'"
In other words, Paul is telling his listeners that he and Apollos are nothing special, of themselves. Consider how Paul introduced himself to the community in Rome, in saying,
"Paul, Jesus Christ's slave..." (Rom. 1:1).
In a letter that emphasized aspects of "the group," i.e., "the corporate community" - the corporate body, it is interesting how often Paul uses the term "each one." Conzelmann notes that he uses it five times in this chapter alone, in vss. 5-13 (ibid p 73 n 41). Paul uses this word 23 times in this letter, as compared to only twice in 2 Cor., and only a few times in each of his other letters. The corporate is his man focus, but each member of the body has importance to Christ - none are without significance (cf 12:7-30, below).
6. I myself plant (or: planted), Apollos irrigated (or: waters; caused [you] to drink), but then God was causing [it/you] to progressively grow up and increase (be augmented).
Below, in chapter 12, let us observe how he explains it, using the human body as a metaphor:
15. In case the foot should ever say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not from out of the midst of (= a part of) the body," not for this reason is it not from out of the midst of the body (or: = it is not from this statement that it does not exist with the body being its source and that it is not a part of the body)!
16. And if the ear should ever say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not forth from (= a part of) the body," not alongside of this (= not for this reason) is it not forth from (= a part of) the body!
17. If the whole body [were] an eye, where [would be] the hearing (or: the ability to hear)? If [the] whole [were] hearing (the ability to hear), where [would be] the sense of smell?
18. Yet, at this present time (or: = But as things are), God, for Himself, places (or: at once set in Himself) the members (or: parts) - each one of them - within the midst of and in union with the body, just as He intends (purposed; wills).
19. Now if the whole (or: all) were one member, where [would be] the body?
The Corinthians were "God's field" (vs. 9, below), or perhaps, "God's vineyard," in which Paul and Apollos functioned as farmers, to bring forth Christ in the lives that comprise the community. Here, he is speaking of the corporate, not the individual. But both Apollos and Paul are God's "hired hands" (vs. 8, below). It is God that owns the farm/vineyard. Furthermore, it was obvious the God causes plants to grow. But inherent in this observation is the fact that God is the source of Life, which in turn causes the growth. Notice, also, the "point in time" aorist tense of the verbs "plant/planted" and "irrigated/waters," but then the ongoing action indicated in the imperfect tense of God's action: He "was causing [it/you] to progressively grow up and increase." Paul expands this argument and this picture below:
7. So that neither is the one habitually planting anything [special] (anyone [of importance]), nor the one habitually irrigating (watering; giving drink), but rather God: the One habitually and progressively causing growth and increase.
In other words, don't get your eyes on the minister, or the ministry. Keep your eyes on Christ (2 Cor. 3:18), and as we read in Heb. 12:2,
"turning [our] eyes away from other things and fixing them (or: looking away) into Jesus, the Inaugurator (First Leader; Prime Author) and Perfecter (Finisher; the Bringer-to-maturity and fruition; He who purposes and accomplishes the destiny) of the faith, trust, confidence and loyal allegiance."
Observe the rhetorical emphasis in the restatement: that it is God Who is
"habitually and progressively causing growth and increase," (here, the present tense of the verb).
This is God's job, His function in the field. WE do not need to worry about growth, or increase. What a relief! And just where does growth occur? WITHIN the plant. This is an inside job - not something "applied" to the plant. Cf Phil. 2:13, quoted below. Not only is Christ continually walking among the called out communities (Rev. 1:20-2:1b), He is within each individual plant. He is the Water of Life of the whole transpiration process. Cf Acts 5:36; Gal. 2:6; furthermore, consider Gal. 6:15. It is all about God and His farm, His new creation.
8. Now the one continually planting and the one continually irrigating are one (exist being a unit), yet each one will receive his own wage (pay; compensation) corresponding to his own labor (toil).
To be continued...
Return To Jonathan Mitchell's Page