1 Corinthians 3:1

Contextual Overview

¹ Brothers and sisters, when I was there, I could not talk to you the way I talk to people who are led by the Spirit. I had to talk to you like ordinary people of the world. You were like babies in Christ. ¹ But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the flesh, as babes in Christ. ¹ And I coulde not speake vnto you brethre as vnto spretuall: but as vnto carnall even as it were vnto babes in Christ. ¹ Brothers, I couldn't speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Messiah. ¹ Brothers, I couldn't talk to you as spiritual people but as worldly people, as mere infants in Christ.1 Corinthians 2:14-15; Hebrews 5:13;">[xr] ¹ And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but only as fleshly, as to infants in Christ.¹ Brothers and sisters, in the past I could not talk to you as I talk to spiritual people. I had to talk to you as I would to people without the Spirit—babies in Christ. ¹ And I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. ¹ And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, [even] as to babes in Christ. ¹ But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

as unto spiritual: 1 Corinthians 2:6, 1 Corinthians 2:15, Galatians 6:1

as unto carnal: 1 Corinthians 3:3, 1 Corinthians 3:4, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Matthew 16:23, Romans 7:14

babes: 1 Corinthians 14:20, Ephesians 4:13, Ephesians 4:14, 1 John 2:12

Reciprocal: Isaiah 40:11 - he shall gather Jeremiah 3:15 - which shall Matthew 9:16 - for Matthew 24:45 - to give Mark 4:13 - Know Mark 4:33 - as John 3:12 - earthly John 16:12 - ye John 21:15 - lambs Romans 2:20 - a teacher Romans 14:1 - weak 1 Corinthians 4:8 - ye are full 1 Corinthians 13:11 - I spake 1 Timothy 3:6 - novice 2 Timothy 2:15 - rightly 2 Timothy 3:7 - learning Hebrews 5:12 - as have 1 Peter 2:2 - newborn

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Genesis 3:13
And Yahweh God said to the woman, What is this you have done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I ate.

Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God said to the woman, "How could you have done such a thing?" She answered, "The snake tricked me, so I ate the fruit."

Genesis 3:13
So the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman replied, "The serpent tricked me, and I ate."

Genesis 3:13
And the LORD God said to the woman, What [is] this [that] thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I ate.

Genesis 3:13
Yahweh God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Genesis 3:13
Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent beguiled and deceived me, and I ate [from the forbidden tree]."

Genesis 3:13
And the Lord seide to the womman, Whi didist thou this thing? Which answerde, The serpent disseyued me, and Y eet.

Genesis 3:13
And Jehovah God saith to the woman, `What [is] this thou hast done?' and the woman saith, `The serpent hath caused me to forget -- and I do eat.'

Genesis 3:13
Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" "The serpent deceived me," she replied, "and I ate."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you,.... Though the apostle was a spiritual man himself, had spiritual gifts, even the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, could judge all things, had the mind of Christ, and was able to speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, yet could not speak it to them,

as unto spiritual; not but that they had the Spirit of God in them, and a work of grace upon them; for they were, as the apostle afterwards says, the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelt in them; they were washed, sanctified, and justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God; but had not that spiritual discerning, or judgment in spiritual things, which some believers had, at least when the apostle was first with them; and now they were under great spiritual declensions, and had not those spiritual frames, nor that spiritual experience and conversation, which some other Christians had:

but as unto carnal: not that they were in a carnal state, as unregenerate men are; but had carnal conceptions of things, were in carnal frames of soul, and walked in a carnal conversation with each other; though they were not in the flesh, in a state of nature, yet the flesh was in them, and not only lusted against the Spirit, but was very predominant in them, and carried them captive, so that they are denominated from it:

even as unto babes in Christ; they were in Christ, and so were new creatures; they were, as the Arabic version reads it, "in the faith of Christ"; though babes and weaklings in it, they were believers in Christ, converted persons, yet children in understanding, knowledge, and experience; had but little judgment in spiritual things, and were unskilful in the word of righteousness; at least this was the case of many of them, though others were enriched in all utterance and knowledge, and in no gift came behind members of other churches.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I, brethren - See 1 Corinthians 2:1. This is designed to meet an implied objection. He had said 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 that Christians were able to understand all things. Yet, they would recollect that he had not addressed them as such, but had confined himself to the more elementary parts of religion when he came among them. He had not entered upon the abstruse and difficult points of theology - the points of speculation in which the subtle Greeks so much abounded and so much delighted. He now states the reason why he had not done it. The reason was one that was most humbling to their pride; but it was the true reason, and faithfulness demanded that it should be stated. It was, that they were carnal, and not qualified to understand the deep mysteries of the gospel; and the proof of this was unhappily at hand. It was too evident in their contentions and strifes, that they were under the influence of carnal feelings and views.

Could not speak unto you as unto spiritual - “I could not regard you as spiritual - as qualified to enter into the full and higher truths of the gospel; I could not regard you as divested of the feelings which influence carnal people - the people of the world, and I addressed you accordingly. I could not discourse to you as to far-advanced and well-informed Christians. I taught you the rudiments only of the Christian religion.” He refers here, doubtless, to his instructions when he founded the church at Corinth. See the note at 1 Corinthians 2:13-15.

But as unto carnal - The word “carnal” here σάρκινοῖς sarkinois is not the same which in 1 Corinthians 2:14, is translated “natural” ψυχικός psuchikos. “That” refers to one who is unrenewed, and who is wholly under the influence of his sensual or animal nature, and is no where applied to Christians. “This” is applied here to Christians - but to those who have much of the remains of corruption, and who are imperfectly acquainted with the nature of religion; babes in Christ. It denotes those who still evinced the feelings and views which pertain to the flesh, in these unhappy contentions, and strifes, and divisions. “The works of the flesh are hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, envyings” Galatians 5:20-21; and these they had evinced in their divisions; and Paul knew that their danger lay in this direction, and he therefore addressed them according to their character. Paul applies the word to himself Romans 7:14, “for I am carnal;” and here it denotes that they were as yet under the influence of the corrupt passions and desires which the flesh produces.

As unto babes in Christ - As unto those recently born into his kingdom, and unable to understand the profounder doctrines of the Christian religion. It is a common figure to apply the term infants and children to those who are feeble in understanding, or unable, from any cause, to comprehend the more profound instructions of science or religion.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER III.

Because of the carnal, divided state of the people at Corinth,

the apostle was obliged to treat them as children in the

knowledge of sacred things, 1-3.

Some were for setting up Paul, others Apollos, as their sole

teachers, 4.

The apostle shows that himself and fellow apostles were only

instruments which God used to bring them to the knowledge of

the truth; and even their sowing, and watering the seed was

of no use unless God gave the increase, 5-8.

The Church represented as God's husbandry, and as God's

building, the foundation of which is Christ Jesus, 9-11.

Ministers must beware how and what they build on this

foundation, 12-15.

The Church of God is his temple, and he that defiles it shall

be destroyed, 16, 17.

No man should depend on his own wisdom; for the wisdom of the

world is foolishness with God, 18-20.

None should glory in man as his teacher; God gives his followers

every good, both for time and eternity, 21-23.

NOTES ON CHAP. III.

Verse 1 Corinthians 3:1. I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual — This is a continuation of the preceding discourse. See the notes there (1 Corinthians 2:14, 1 Corinthians 2:15, and 1 Corinthians 2:16).

But as unto carnal — σαρκικοις, Persons under the influence of fleshly appetites; coveting and living for the things of this life.

Babes in Christ. — Just beginning to acquire some notion of the Christian religion, but as yet very incapable of judging what is most suitable to yourselves, and consequently utterly unqualified to discern between one teacher and another; so that your making the distinctions which you do make, so far from being a proof of mature judgment, is on the contrary a proof that you have no right judgment at all; and this springs from your want of knowledge in Divine things.