1 Corinthians 4:5

Contextual Overview

¹So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. ¹ This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. ¹ So, don't look at Apollos and me as anything more than cowboys who've been put in charge of teaching you the mystery of how to ride for God. ¹ Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ¹Let a man consider us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ¹ Let us be judged as servants of Christ, and as those who are responsible for the secret things of God. ¹ Let a man so account of us as servants of Christ, and stewards of [the] mysteries of God. ¹ A person should consider us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of God's mysteries. ¹ So let a man think of us as Christ's servants, and stewards of God's mysteries. ¹ Let a man so account us, as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

judge: Matthew 7:1, Matthew 7:2, Luke 6:37, Romans 2:1, Romans 2:16, Romans 14:4, Romans 14:10-13, James 4:11

until: 1 Corinthians 1:7, 1 Corinthians 11:26, 1 Corinthians 15:23, Matthew 24:30, Matthew 24:46, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, James 5:7, 2 Peter 3:4, 2 Peter 3:12, Jude 1:14, Revelation 1:7

who: 1 Corinthians 3:13, Ecclesiastes 11:9, Ecclesiastes 12:14, Malachi 3:18, Luke 12:1-3, Romans 2:16, 2 Corinthians 4:2, Hebrews 4:13, Revelation 20:12

praise: Matthew 25:21, Matthew 25:23, John 5:44, Romans 2:7, Romans 2:29, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Corinthians 10:18, 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 5:4

Reciprocal: Genesis 38:25 - Discern Leviticus 13:4 - shut up Numbers 32:23 - be sure your sin Deuteronomy 32:34 - General 1 Samuel 2:30 - I will honour 1 Samuel 15:14 - What meaneth 2 Samuel 12:12 - secretly Job 1:5 - in their hearts Job 10:6 - General Job 12:22 - discovereth Job 20:27 - heaven Job 28:11 - and the thing Job 34:22 - no Psalms 7:8 - The Lord Psalms 33:15 - considereth Psalms 37:6 - he shall Psalms 44:21 - knoweth Psalms 50:21 - set Psalms 64:6 - they accomplish Psalms 90:8 - our Psalms 111:10 - his praise Psalms 139:2 - understandest Proverbs 10:9 - but Proverbs 12:5 - counsels Proverbs 12:8 - commended Proverbs 24:12 - doth not he that Proverbs 31:30 - she Ecclesiastes 3:17 - God Isaiah 26:7 - most Isaiah 29:15 - and their works Jeremiah 16:17 - General Jeremiah 23:25 - heard Ezekiel 16:57 - thy wickedness Ezekiel 24:8 - I have set Ezekiel 38:10 - that at Daniel 2:22 - he knoweth Hosea 2:10 - now Hosea 7:2 - I remember Jonah 1:7 - and the Micah 7:3 - wrap Micah 7:9 - he will Zephaniah 3:5 - bring Matthew 6:4 - reward Matthew 10:26 - for Matthew 13:30 - both Matthew 18:23 - which Matthew 22:11 - when Matthew 22:12 - how Matthew 25:32 - he shall separate Mark 4:22 - General Luke 8:17 - nothing Luke 12:2 - General Luke 16:2 - give Luke 16:15 - God Luke 19:17 - Well John 1:48 - when John 12:43 - the praise of God John 16:11 - judgment John 21:22 - If Acts 17:31 - he hath appointed Acts 24:25 - judgment Romans 2:6 - General 1 Corinthians 2:15 - yet 1 Corinthians 3:8 - and every 1 Corinthians 3:14 - General 1 Corinthians 4:4 - but 2 Corinthians 5:11 - but 2 Corinthians 5:20 - in 2 Corinthians 10:9 - terrify Galatians 6:5 - General Ephesians 5:13 - for Philippians 4:8 - praise 1 Thessalonians 2:19 - in 2 Timothy 1:10 - and hath 2 Timothy 4:1 - who Hebrews 9:27 - but James 5:9 - the Judge Revelation 2:25 - till

Cross-References

Genesis 4:10
The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.

Genesis 4:10
The Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.

Genesis 4:10
And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to Me from the ground.

Genesis 4:10
He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground.

Genesis 4:10
And he sayde: What hast thou done? the voyce of thy brothers blood cryeth vnto me out of the grounde.

Genesis 4:10
Then the Lord said, "What have you done? You killed your brother and the ground opened up to take his blood from your hands. Now his blood is shouting to me from the ground. So you will be cursed from this ground.

Genesis 4:10
And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.

Genesis 4:10
And God seide to Cayn, What hast thou do? the vois of the blood of thi brother crieth to me fro erthe.

Genesis 4:10
And he said, What hast thou done? the voyce of thy brothers blood cryeth vnto me, from the ground.

Genesis 4:10
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore judge nothing before the time,.... This is said to prevent rash and precipitate judgment, and agrees with that well know Jewish maxim, הוו מתונין בדין, "be slow in judgment" s; not hasty to pass sentence; it is best to leave things to the great day of account, than to be free in censuring one another. There is a time "fixed" for the awful judgment, though of that day and hour knows no man: judge nothing

until the Lord come; who at the fixed time will certainly come to judgment, and that suddenly, at unawares, in an hour no man knows of:

who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness; meaning not so much vices, immoralities, wickedness of all sorts committed in the dark, and which it is a shame to speak of; but those hidden things of dishonesty, those secret arts and private methods which false teachers have made use of to conceal themselves, and carry on their base designs to the injury of truth, the souls of men, and the cause of Christ:

and will make manifest the counsels of the heart; what were the views and intentions, the aims and ends of these men in taking upon them to be preachers of the word; when it will appear that these were not the glory of God, and the good of the souls of men, but filthy lucre, popular applause, or some such mercenary view, and sinister end.

And then shall every man have praise of God. Every regenerated soul; everyone that is a Jew inwardly; everyone that has the circumcision of the Spirit; and particularly every faithful minister, who is more especially designed; to whom it will be said, "well done good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord". The apostle, in these words, has respect to the false teachers who sought the praise of men, and not the honour which comes from God; and which the true ministers of the word will have another day, however despised and criticised by men now.

s T. Bab Sanhed, fol. 7. 2. & Pirke Abot, c. 1. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Therefore - Inview of the danger of being deceived in your judgment, and the impossibility of certainly knowing the failings of the heart.

Judge nothing - Pass no decided opinion; see the note at Matthew 7:1. The apostle here takes occasion to inculcate on them an important lesson - one of the leading lessons of Christianity - not to pass a harsh opinion on the conduct of any man, since there are so many things that go to make up his character which we cannot know; and so many secret failings and motives which are all concealed from us.

Until the Lord come - The Lord Jesus at the Day of Judgment, when all secrets shall be revealed, and a true judgment shall be passed on all men.

Who both will bring to light; - See Romans 2:10.

The hidden things of darkness - The secret things of the heart which have been hidden as it were in darkness. The subsequent clause shows that this is the sense. He does not refer to the deeds of night, or those things which were performed in the secret places of idolatry, but to the secret designs of the heart; and perhaps means gently to insinuate that there were many things about the character and feelings of his enemies which would not well bear the revelations of that Day.

The counsels of the hearts - The purposes, designs, and intentions of men. All their plans shall be made known on that Day. And it is a most fearful and alarming truth, that no man can conceal his purposes beyond the Day of Judgment.

And then shall every man have praise of God - The word here rendered “praise” ἔπαινος epainos denotes in this place reward, or that which is due to him; the just sentence which ought to be pronounced on his character. It does not mean as our translation would imply, that every man will then receive the divine approbation which will not be true; but that every man shall receive what is due to his character, whether good or evil. So Bloomfield and Bretschneider explain it. Hesychius explains it by judgment (κρισις krisis). The word must be limited in its signification according to the subject or the connection. The passage teaches:

(1) That we should not be guilty of harsh judgment of others.

(2) The reason is, that we cannot know their feelings and motives.

(3) That all secret things will be brought forth in the great Day, and nothing be concealed beyond that time.

(4) That every man shall receive justice there. He shall be treated as he ought to be. The destiny of no one will be decided by the opinions of people; but the doom of all will be fixed by God. How important is it, therefore, that we be prepared for that Day; and how important to cherish such feelings, and form such plans, that they may be developed without involving us in shame and contempt!

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 4:5. Judge nothing before the time — God, the righteous Judge, will determine every thing shortly: it is his province alone to search the heart, and bring to light the hidden things of darkness. If you be so pure and upright in your conduct, if what you have been doing in these divisions, c., be right in his sight, then shall you have praise for the same if otherwise, yourselves are most concerned. Some refer the praise to St. Paul and his companions: Then shall every one of us apostles have praise of God.