the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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New King James Version
1 Corinthians 3:12
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People can build on that foundation using gold, silver, jewels, wood, grass, or straw.
Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw--
Yf eny man bilde on this foundacion golde silver precious stones tymber haye or stoble:
But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble;
Whether a person builds on this foundation with gold, silver, expensive stones, wood, hay, or straw,
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,
But if people build on that foundation, using gold, silver, jewels, wood, grass, or straw,
But if any man builds on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Now if any man buildeth upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—
But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble;
wood, hay, stubble, Every one's work shall be made manifest;
And whether the building which any one is erecting on that foundation be of gold or silver or costly stones, of timber or hay or straw--
For if ony bildith ouer this foundement, gold, siluer, preciouse stoonys, stickis, hey, or stobil, euery mannus werk schal be open;
But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;
If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,
Whatever we build on that foundation will be tested by fire on the day of judgment. Then everyone will find out if we have used gold, silver, and precious stones, or wood, hay, and straw.
But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;
But on the base a man may put gold, silver, stones of great price, wood, dry grass, cut stems;
Some will use gold, silver or precious stones in building on this foundation; while others will use wood, grass or straw.
Now if any one build upon [this] foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw,
And if any man build upon this foundation gold, or silver, or precious stones; or wood, or hay, or stubble;
And if any one buildeth on this foundation, either gold, or silver, or precious stones, or wood, or hay, or stubble;
Now if any man build vpon this foundation, gold, siluer, preciousstones, wood, hay, stubble:
Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.
Now if a man builds on the Stone with gold or silver or beautiful stones, or if he builds with wood or grass or straw,
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—
And if any man builde on this foundation, golde, siluer, precious stones, timber, haye, or stubble,
Now if any man build on this foundation gold, silver, or precious stones, or wood, or hay, or stubble;
But, if anyone is building, upon the foundation - gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
Now, if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble:
If any man buylde on this foundation, golde, syluer, precious stones, tymber, haye [or] stubble:
Some will use gold or silver or precious stones in building on the foundation; others will use wood or grass or straw.
If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw,
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Now if anyone builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw,
And if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw,
and if any one doth build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw --
But yf eny man buylde vpon this foundacion, golde, syluer, precious stones, tymber, haye, stobble,
now if upon this foundation somebody builds gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: he that builds such work,
But for right now, friends, I'm completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings with each other and with God. You're acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast. Well, then, I'll nurse you since you don't seem capable of anything more. As long as you grab for what makes you feel good or makes you look important, are you really much different than a babe at the breast, content only when everything's going your way? When one of you says, "I'm on Paul's side," and another says, "I'm for Apollos," aren't you being totally infantile? Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God's field in which we are working. Or, to put it another way, you are God's house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you'll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won't get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn't, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won't be torn out; you'll survive—but just barely. You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple. Don't fool yourself. Don't think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. Be God's fool—that's the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid. It's written in Scripture, He exposes the chicanery of the chic. The Master sees through the smoke screens of the know-it-alls. I don't want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else. Everything is already yours as a gift—Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, the future—all of it is yours, and you are privileged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God.
If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,
Listen, everyone who works here will build their legacy with different materials—silver, gold, stone, wood, or straw.
Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
gold: Psalms 19:10, Psalms 119:72, Proverbs 8:10, Proverbs 16:16, Isaiah 60:17, 1 Timothy 4:6, 2 Timothy 2:20, 1 Peter 1:7, Revelation 3:18
precious: Isaiah 54:11-13, Revelation 21:18
wood: Proverbs 30:6, Jeremiah 23:28, Matthew 15:6-9, Acts 20:30, Romans 16:17, 2 Corinthians 2:17, 2 Corinthians 4:2, Colossians 2:8, Colossians 2:18-23, 1 Timothy 4:1-3, 1 Timothy 4:7, 1 Timothy 6:3, 2 Timothy 2:16-18, 2 Timothy 3:7, 2 Timothy 3:13, 2 Timothy 4:3, Titus 1:9-11, Titus 3:9-11, Hebrews 13:9, Revelation 2:14
Reciprocal: Exodus 5:12 - stubble 1 Kings 5:17 - costly stones Isaiah 5:24 - devoureth Ezekiel 24:11 - that the filthiness Obadiah 1:18 - for stubble Matthew 15:13 - Every Matthew 25:19 - reckoneth 1 Corinthians 3:15 - work Revelation 21:6 - freely
Cross-References
And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."
So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.
Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."
And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the LORD.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Now if any man build upon this foundation,.... The different materials laid by one and the same man, on this foundation, or the different doctrines advanced upon it, are some of them comparable to
gold, silver, precious stones; for their intrinsic worth and value; for the purity and sincerity of them; for their weight, importance, solidity, and substantiality; for their durableness; for the great esteem they are had in by those, who know the worth of them; and for the great usefulness they are of unto them, being rich in themselves, and enriching to them; and these are the great, momentous, and valuable truths of the Gospel, which agree with and are suitable to the foundation they are built upon: so the Jews m compare their oral and written law, the former to gold, and the latter to precious stones, but the metaphors much better suit the doctrines of the Gospel: others are like to
wood, hay, stubble; by which are meant, not heretical doctrines, damnable heresies, such as are diametrically opposite to, and overturn the foundation; for one and the same man builds the former, as these, and is himself saved at last; neither of which is true, of such that deliver doctrines of devils: but empty, trifling, useless things are meant; such as fables, endless genealogies, human traditions, Jewish rites and ceremonies; which through the prejudice of education, and through ignorance and inadvertency, without any bad design, might by some be introduced into their ministry, who had been brought up in the Jewish religion; as also the wisdom of the world, the philosophy of the Gentiles, oppositions of science falsely so called, curious speculations, vain and idle notions, which such who had their education among the Greeks might still retain, and be fond of; and through an itch of vain glory, mix with their evangelic ministrations; and in a word, everything that may now be advanced in the Gospel ministry, not so honourable to the grace of God, or so becoming the person, blood, and righteousness of Christ, nor so consistent with the Spirit's work of grace, may be meant hereby; the same minister at different times, and sometimes at one and the same time in his ministry, lays the foundation, Christ, and builds on it for a while excellent valuable truths, raises a superstructure of gold, silver, and precious stones, and then covers the edifice with trifling, impertinent, and inconsistent things, with wood, hay, and stubble; and so at last, of this promising fine stately building, makes a thatched house,
m Koheleth Jaacob in Caphtor, fol. 109. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Now if any man - If any teacher in the doctrines which he inculcates; or any private Christian in the hopes which he cherishes. The main discussion doubtless, has respect to the teachers of religion. Paul carries forward the metaphor in this and the following verses with respect to the building. He supposes that the foundation is laid; that it is a true foundation; that the essential doctrines in regard to the Messiah are the real basis on which the edifice is reared. But, he says, that even admitting that, it is a subject of vast importance to attend to the kind of structure which shall be reared on that; whether it shall be truly beautiful, and valuable in itself, and such as shall abide the trial of the last great Day; or whether it be mean, worthless, erroneous, and such as shall at last be destroyed. There has been some difference of opinion in regard to the interpretation of this passage, arising from the question whether the apostle designed to represent one or two buildings.
The former has been the more common interpretation, and the sense according to that is, “the true foundation is laid; but on that it is improper to place vile and worthless materials. It would be absurd to work them in with those which are valuable; it would be absurd to work in, in rearing a building, wood, and hay, and stubble, with gold, and silver, and precious stones; there would be a lack of concinnity and beauty in this. So in the spiritual temple. There is an impropriety, an unfitness, in rearing the spiritual temple, to interweave truth with error; sound doctrine with false.” See Calvin and Macknight. Grotius renders it, “Paul feigns to himself an edifice, partly regal, and partly rustic. He presents the image of a house whose walls are of marble, whose columns are made partly of gold and partly of silver, whose beams are of wood, and whose roof thatched with straw.” Others, among whom are Wetstein, Doddridge, Rosenmuller, suppose that he refers to two buildings that might be reared on this foundation - either one that should be magnificent and splendid; or one that should be a rustic cottage, or mean hovel, thatched with straw, and made of planks of wood.
Doddridge paraphrases the passage, “‘If any man builds,’ I say, ‘upon this foundation,’ let him look to the materials and the nature of his work; whether he raise a stately and magnificent temple upon it, adorned as it were like the house of God at Jerusalem, with gold and silver, and large, beautiful, and costly stones; or a mean hovel, consisting of nothing better than planks of wood roughly put together, and thatched with hay and stubble. That is, let him look to it, whether he teach the substantial, vital truths of Christianity, and which it was intended to support and illustrate; or set himself to propagate vain subtilties and conceits on the one hand, or legal rites and Jewish traditions on the other; which although they do not entirely destroy the foundation, disgrace it, as a mean edifice would do a grand and extensive foundation laid with great pomp and solemnity.” This probably expresses the correct sense of the passage. The foundation may be well laid; yet on this foundation an edifice may be reared that shall be truly magnificent, or one that shall be mean and worthless. So the true foundation of a church may be laid, or of individual conversion to God, in the true doctrine respecting Christ. That church or that individual may be built up and adorned with all the graces which truth is suited to produce; or there may be false principles and teachings superadded; doctrines that shall delude and lead astray; or views and feelings cultivated as piety, and believed to be piety, which may be no part of true religion, but which are mere delusion and fanaticism.
Gold, silver - On the meaning of these words it is not necessary to dwell; or to lay too much stress. Gold is the emblem of that which is valuable and precious, and may be the emblem of that truth and holiness which shall bear the trial of the great Day. In relation to the figure which the apostle here uses, it may refer to the fact that columns or beams in an edifice might be gilded; or perhaps, as in the temple, that they might be solid gold, so as to bear the action of intense heat; or so that fire would not destroy them - So the precious doctrines of truth, and all the feelings, views, opinions, habits, practices, which truth produces in an individual or a church, will bear the trial of the last great Day.
Precious stones - By the stones here referred to, are not meant “gems” which are esteemed of so much value for ornaments, but beautiful and valuable marbles. The word “precious” here τιμίους timious means those which are obtained at a “price,” which are costly and valuable; and is particularly applicable, therefore, to the costly marbles which were used in building. The figurative sense here does not differ materially from that conveyed by the silver and gold. By this edifice thus reared on the true foundation, we are to understand:
- The true doctrines which should be employed to build up a congregation - doctrines which would bear the test of the trial of the last Day; and,
- Such views in regard to piety, and to duty; such feelings and principles of action, as should be approved, and seen to be genuine piety in the Day of Judgment.
Wood - That might be easily burned. An edifice reared of wood instead of marble, or slight buildings, such as were often put for up for temporary purposes in the East - as cottages, places for watching their vineyards, etc.; see my note at Isaiah 1:8.
Hay, stubble - Used for thatching the building, or for a roof. Perhaps, also, grass was sometimes employed in some way to make the walls of the building. Such an edifice would burn readily; would be constantly exposed to take fire. By this is meant:
- Errors and false doctrines, such as will not be found to be true on the Day of Judgment, and as will then be swept away;
- Such practices and mistaken views of piety, as shall grow out of false doctrines and errors - The foundation may be firm.
Those who are referred to may be building on the Lord Jesus, and may be true Christians. Yet there is much error among those who are not Christians. There are many things mistaken for piety which will yet be seen robe false. There is much enthusiasm, wildfire, fanaticism, bigotry; much affected humility; much that is supposed to be orthodoxy; much regard to forms and ceremonies; to “days, and months, and times, and years” Galatians 4:10; much over-heated zeal, and much precision, and solemn sanctimoniousness; much regard for external ordinances where the heart is missing, that shall be found to be false, and that shall be swept away on the Day of Judgment.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 1 Corinthians 3:12. If any men build - gold, silver, c.] Without entering into curious criticisms relative to these different expressions, it may be quite enough for the purpose of edification to say, that, by gold, silver, and precious stones, the apostle certainly means pure and wholesome doctrines: by wood, hay, and stubble, false doctrines such as at that time prevailed in the Corinthian Church; for instance, that there should be no resurrection of the body; that a man may, on his father's death, lawfully marry his step-mother; that it was necessary to incorporate much of the Mosaic law with the Gospel; and, perhaps, other matters, equally exceptionable, relative to marriage, concubinage, fornication, frequenting heathen festivals, and partaking of the flesh which had been offered in sacrifice to an idol; with many other things, which, with the above, are more or less hinted at by the apostle in these two letters.
