1 Corinthians 4:15

Contextual Overview

¹⁴I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. ¹⁴ I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. ¹⁴But don't think I'm trying to make you feel bad about yourselves. I'm warning you what real cowboying for the Lord is like. ¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. ¹⁴I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. ¹⁴ I am not saying these things to put you to shame, but so that, as my dear children, you may see what is right. ¹⁴ Not [as] chiding do I write these things to you, but as my beloved children I admonish [you]. ¹⁴ I'm not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. ¹⁴ I don't write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. ¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye have: 2 Timothy 4:3

for: 1 Corinthians 3:6, 1 Corinthians 3:10, 1 Corinthians 9:1, 1 Corinthians 9:2, Acts 18:4-11, Romans 15:20, 2 Corinthians 3:1-3, Galatians 4:19, Titus 1:4, Philemon 1:10-12, Philemon 1:19, James 1:18, 1 Peter 1:23

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 5:13 - My father Proverbs 7:24 - O Matthew 23:9 - call 1 Corinthians 4:14 - my 1 Corinthians 4:17 - who is 1 Corinthians 9:12 - are not 1 Corinthians 16:24 - love 2 Corinthians 6:13 - I speak 2 Corinthians 7:3 - to condemn 2 Corinthians 10:14 - we stretch not 2 Corinthians 11:2 - I have 2 Corinthians 12:14 - for the Galatians 1:6 - that called 1 Thessalonians 2:11 - as Hebrews 2:13 - which 1 John 2:1 - little 3 John 1:4 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 4:24
If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."

Genesis 4:24
If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."

Genesis 4:24
If Cain is avenged sevenfold,Then Lamech seventy‑sevenfold."

Genesis 4:24
If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

Genesis 4:24
If Cain shalbe auenged seuen folde, truely Lamech seuentie tymes & seuen tymes.

Genesis 4:24
The punishment for killing Cain was very bad. But the punishment for killing me will be many times worse!"

Genesis 4:24
If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

Genesis 4:24
veniaunce schal be youun seuenfold of Cayn, forsothe of Lameth seuentisithis seuensithis.

Genesis 4:24
If Cain shall bee auenged seuen fold, truely Lamech seuenty and seuen folde.

Genesis 4:24
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ,.... Or "schoolmasters"; by whom he means the false teachers, whom, for argument sake, he admits to be instructors in Christ, or ministers of his, as in 2 Corinthians 11:23 and who were many, and of whose number the Corinthians boasted; though they were not so numerous as here supposed; for the expression is hyperbolical: perhaps some reference may be had to the multitude of schoolmasters, tutors, and governors, and who also were called אבות, "fathers", which those that were Jews of this church at Corinth had before they believed in Christ; as the members of the great sanhedrim, the great number of doctors, wise men, Scribes and Pharisees, who pretended to instruct them: now though it should be allowed, that the present teachers among them were instrumental in instructing them further in the knowledge of Christ; or as the Arabic version reads it, "in the love of Christ"; yet they had no hand in their conversion; the apostle first preached the Gospel to them, and ministerially laid Christ the foundation among them, and directed them unto him, and was the minister by whom they believed; these teachers at most and best built on his foundation, and that only wood, hay, and stubble; and whereas they were only a sort of schoolmasters, and not fathers, they taught with mercenary views, and for lucre's sake, and with severity, as such men do; and not with such a single eye to their good, and with that tenderness and affection a parent has, and in which relation he stood to them:

yet have ye not many fathers; as it is in nature, so it is in grace; how many masters and instructors soever a child may have, whether together or successively, he has but one father; and so how many after instructors, either nominally or really, believers may have to lead them on, or who pretend to lead them on to a further knowledge of Christ; yet have they but one spiritual father, who has been the happy instrument and means of their conversion, as the Apostle Paul was to the Corinthians;

for in Christ Jesus have I begotten you through the Gospel; which is to be understood of regeneration, a being born again, and from above; of being quickened when dead in trespasses and sins; of having Christ formed in the soul; of being made a partaker of the divine nature, and a new creature; which the apostle ascribes to himself, not as the efficient cause thereof, for regeneration is not of men but of God; not of the will of the flesh, of a man's own free will and power, nor of the will of any other man, or minister; but of the sovereign will, grace, and mercy of God, Father, Son, and Spirit. The Father of Christ beget us again according to his abundant mercy; and the Son quickens whom he will; and we are born again of water and of the Spirit, of the grace of the Spirit; hence the washing of regeneration, and renewing work are ascribed to him: but the apostle speaks this of himself, only as the instrument or means, which God made use of in doing this work upon the hearts of his people; and which the other phrases show: for he is said to do it "in Christ"; he preached Christ unto them, and salvation by him, and the necessity of faith in him; he directed them to him to believe in him, and was the means of bringing of them to the faith of Christ; and it was the power and grace of Christ accompanying his ministry, which made it an effectual means of their regeneration and conversion: and which were brought about "through the Gospel"; not through the preaching of the law; for though by that is the knowledge of sin, and convictions may be wrought by such means; yet these leave nothing but a sense of wrath and damnation; nor is the law any other than a killing letter: no regeneration, no quickening grace, no faith nor holiness come this way, but through the preaching of the Gospel; in and through which, as a vehicle, the Spirit of God conveys himself into the heart, as a spirit of regeneration and faith; and God of his own will and rich mercy, by the word of truth, by the Gospel of grace and truth, which came by Christ, so called in distinction from the law which came by Moses, begets us again as his new creatures; which shows the usefulness of the Gospel ministry, and in what account Gospel ministers are to be had, who are spiritual fathers, or the instruments of the conversion of men.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For though ye have ten thousand instructors - Though you may have or though you should have. It matters not how many you have, yet it is still true that I only sustain the relation to you of spiritual father, and whatever respect it is proper for you to have toward them, yet there is a special right which I have to admonish you, and a special deference which is due to me, from my early labors among you, and from the fact that you are my spiritual children.

Instructers - Greek: pedagogues; or those who conducted children to school, and who superintended their conduct out of school hours. Hence, those who had the care of children, or teachers (in general). It is then applied to instructors of any kind.

In Christ - In the Christian system or doctrine. The authority which Paul claims here, is that which a father has in preference to such an instructor.

Not many fathers - Spiritual fathers. That is, you have but one. You are to remember that however many teachers you have, yet that I alone am your spiritual father.

In Christ Jesus - By the aid and authority of Christ. I have begotten you by preaching his gospel and by his assistance.

I have begotten you - I was the instrument of your conversion.

Through the gospel - By means of the gospel; by preaching it to you, that is, by the truth.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 4:15. For though ye have ten thousand instructers — μυριους παιδαγωγους, Myriads of leaders, that is, an indefinite multitude; for so the word is often used. The παιδαγωγος, from which we have our word pedagogue, which we improperly apply to a school master, was among the Greeks, the person or servant who attended a child, had the general care of him, and who led him to school for the purpose of being instructed by the διδασκαλος, or teacher. It seems there were many at Corinth who offered their services to instruct this people, and who were not well affected towards the apostle.

Not many fathers — Many offer to instruct you who have no parental feeling for you; and how can they? you are not their spiritual children, you stand in this relation to me alone; for in Christ Jesus-by the power and unction of his Spirit, I have begotten you-I was the means of bringing you into a state of salvation, so that you have been born again: ye are my children alone in the Gospel. Schoettgen produces a good illustration of this from Shemoth Rabba, sect. 46, fol. 140. "A girl who had lost her parents was educated by a guardian, who was a good and faithful man, and took great care of her; when she was grown up, he purposed to bestow her in marriage; the scribe came, and beginning to write the contract, said, What is thy name? The maid answered, N. The scribe proceeded, What is the name of thy father? The maid was silent. Her guardian said, Why art thou silent? The maid replied, Because I know no other father but thee; for he who educates a child well, is more properly the father than he who begot it." This is the same kind of sentiment which I have already quoted from Terence, Romans 16:13.

Natura tu illi pater es, consiliis ego.

Adelphi, Act i., scene 2, ver. 47.

Thou art his father by nature, I by instruction.