1 Corinthians 3:3

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

for whereas: 1 Corinthians 1:11, 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 11:18, 2 Corinthians 12:20, Galatians 5:15, Galatians 5:19-21, James 3:16, James 4:1, James 4:2

divisions: or, factions

and walk: Hosea 6:7, Mark 7:21, Mark 7:22, Ephesians 2:2, Ephesians 2:3, Ephesians 4:22-24, Titus 3:3, 1 Peter 4:2

as men: Gr. according to man

Reciprocal: Genesis 13:7 - a strife Genesis 30:1 - Rachel envied Numbers 11:29 - Enviest Psalms 17:4 - works Proverbs 21:8 - way Matthew 23:8 - one John 3:26 - he that John 10:19 - General Acts 13:45 - they Acts 17:5 - moved Romans 16:17 - cause 1 Corinthians 3:1 - as unto carnal 1 Corinthians 5:8 - neither 1 Corinthians 12:25 - there 1 Corinthians 13:4 - envieth Philippians 1:15 - even Philippians 2:3 - nothing Philippians 2:14 - disputings Philippians 3:19 - who Colossians 2:18 - fleshly Colossians 3:8 - anger 1 Timothy 6:4 - words James 3:10 - these James 3:14 - if James 3:15 - wisdom 1 Peter 2:1 - envies

Cross-References

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate."

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "You gave this woman to me and she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it."

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it."

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, The woman, whom thou gavest [to be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me—she gave me [fruit] from the tree, and I ate it."

Genesis 3:12
And Adam seide, The womman which thou yauest felowe to me, yaf me of the tre, and Y eet.

Genesis 3:12
and the man saith, `The woman whom Thou didst place with me -- she hath given to me of the tree -- and I do eat.'

Genesis 3:12
And the man answered, "The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For ye are yet carnal,.... The Syriac reads it,

בבסר אנתון, "ye are in the flesh": a phrase the apostle elsewhere uses of men in an unregenerate state; but this is not his meaning here, as before explained, but that carnality still prevailed among them, of which he gives proof and evidence:

for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? They envied each other's gifts and knowledge, strove about words to no profit, entered into warm debates and contentions about their ministers, and went into factions and parties, which were distinguished by the names they were most affected to; in all which they gave too clear evidence of their prevailing carnality, that they too much walked as other men, who make no profession of religion; that they were led by the judgment of men, and were carried away with human passions and inflections; and in their conduct could scarcely be distinguished from the rest of the world. The things that are here mentioned, and with which they are charged, are reckoned by the apostle among the works of the flesh, Galatians 5:19 the phrase, "and divisions", is omitted in the Alexandrian copy, and in some others, and in the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For ye are yet carnal - Though you are Christians, and are the friends of God in the main, yet your divisions and strifes show that you are yet, in some degree, under the influence of the principles which govern the people of this world. People who are governed solely by the principles of this world, evince a spirit of strife, emulation and contention; and just so far as you are engaged in strife, just so far do you show that you are governed by their principles and feelings.

For whereas - In proof that you are carnal I appeal to your contentions and strifes.

Envying - ζῆλος zēlos, zeal; used here in the sense of envy, as it is in James 3:14, James 3:16. It denotes, properly, any “fervour” of mind (from ζέω zeō), and may be applied to any exciting and agitating passion. The envy here referred to, was that which arose from the superior advantages and endowments which some claimed or possessed over others. Envy everywhere is a fruitful cause of strife. Most contentions in the church are somehow usually connected with envy.

And strife - Contention and dispute.

And divisions - Dissensions and quarrels. The margin correctly renders it “factions.” The idea is, that they were split up into parties, and that those parties were embittered with mutual recriminations and reproaches, as they always are in a church.

And walk as men - Margin. “according to man.” The word “walk” is used often in the Scriptures in the sense of “conduct” or “act.” You conduct yourselves as human beings of this earth, that is, as people commonly do; you evince the same spirit that the great mass of mankind does. Instead of being filled with love; of being united and harmonious as the members of the same family ought to be, you are split up into factions as the people of the world are.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 3:3. There is among you envying, and strife, and divisions — ζηλος και ερις και διχοστασιαι. There are three things here worthy of note: these people were wrong in thought, word, and deed. ζηλος, envying refers to the state of their souls; they had inward grudgings and disaffection towards each other. ερις, strife or contention, refers to their words; they were continually disputing and contending whose party was the best, each endeavouring to prove that he and his party were alone in the right. διχοστασιαι, divisions, refers to their conduct; as they could not agree, they contended till they separated from each other, and thus rent the Church of Christ. Thus the envying and grudging led to strife and evil SPEAKING, and this led to divisions and fixed parties. In this state well might the apostle say, Are ye not carnal, and walk as men? Ye act just as the people of the world, and have no more of the spirit of religion than they.