1 Corinthians 4:2

Contextual Overview

¹ This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ¹ Let a man so thinke of vs, as of the ministers of Christ, and disposers of the secrets of God: ¹A person should think of us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of the mysteries of God. ¹ So let a man think of us as Messiah's servants, and stewards of God's mysteries. ¹ Let a man so account of us as servants of Christ, and stewards of [the] mysteries of God. ¹ You should think of us as servants of Christ, the ones God has trusted to do the work of making known his secret truths. ¹So then, let us [who minister] be regarded as servants of Christ and stewards (trustees, administrators) of the mysteries of God [that He chooses to reveal]. ¹ Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. ¹So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ¹ Think of us as servants of Christ who have been given the work of explaining God's mysterious ways.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that: 1 Corinthians 4:17, 1 Corinthians 7:25, Numbers 12:7, Proverbs 13:17, Matthew 25:21, Matthew 25:23, Luke 12:42, Luke 16:10-12, 2 Corinthians 2:17, 2 Corinthians 4:2, Colossians 1:7, Colossians 4:7, Colossians 4:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 39:9 - none Genesis 47:14 - Joseph brought Exodus 40:16 - according Numbers 31:30 - keep the 2 Kings 12:15 - for they dealt 2 Kings 22:7 - they dealt faithfully 2 Chronicles 34:12 - faithfully Nehemiah 7:2 - a faithful man Nehemiah 13:13 - counted Proverbs 28:20 - faithful Jeremiah 23:28 - speak Daniel 6:2 - and the Matthew 20:8 - unto Matthew 24:45 - is Matthew 25:14 - and delivered Luke 16:2 - give 1 Corinthians 3:5 - ministers 1 Corinthians 15:3 - I delivered Ephesians 4:12 - the work 1 Thessalonians 2:4 - to be 1 Thessalonians 5:13 - esteem 1 Timothy 1:11 - which 1 Timothy 4:6 - a good 2 Timothy 2:2 - faithful Titus 1:7 - as Titus 2:10 - showing Hebrews 3:5 - faithful Hebrews 13:17 - watch James 3:1 - knowing 1 Peter 4:10 - good

Cross-References

Genesis 3:23
Therefore the Lord God sent him foorth from the garden of Eden, to till ye earth, whence he was taken.

Genesis 3:23
Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Genesis 3:23
Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of `Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Genesis 3:23
So the Lord God forced the man out of the Garden of Eden to work the ground he was made from.

Genesis 3:23
therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.

Genesis 3:23
therefore Jehovah God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Genesis 3:23
So the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to be a worker on the earth from which he was taken.

Genesis 3:23
So the Lord God sent them out of the Garden of Eden, where they would have to work the ground from which the man had been made.

Genesis 3:23
therefore Adonai , God, sent him out of the garden of ‘Eden to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

Genesis 3:23
Therefore Jehovah Elohim sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Moreover, it is required in stewards,.... Upon mentioning that part of the character of Gospel preachers, as stewards, the apostle is put in mind of, and so points out that which is principally necessary in such persons: as,

that a man be found faithful; to the trust reposed in him; to his Lord and master that has appointed him to this office; and to the souls that are under his care: and then may a minister be said to be so, and which is his greatest glory, when he preaches the pure Gospel of Christ without any human mixtures, the doctrines and inventions of men; and the whole Gospel, declaring all the counsel of God, keeping back nothing which may be profitable to souls; when he seeks not to please men, but God; and not his own glory, and the applause of men, but the honour of Christ, and the good of souls: and such a faithful steward was the apostle himself.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Moreover ... - The fidelity required of stewards seems to be adverted to here, in order to show that the apostles acted from a higher principle than a desire to please man, or to be regarded as at the head of a party; and they ought so to esteem them as bound, like all stewards, to be faithful to the master whom they served.

It is required ... - It is expected of them; it is the “main” or “leading” thing in their office. Eminently in that office fidelity is required as an indispensable and cardinal virtue. Fidelity to the master, faithfulness to his trust, as the virtue which by way of eminence is demanded there. In other offices other virtues may be particularly required. But here fidelity is demanded. This is required particularly because it is an office of trust; because the master’s goods are at his disposal; because there is so much opportunity for the steward to appropriate those goods to his own use, so that his master cannot detect it. There is a strong similarity between the office of a steward and that of a minister of the gospel. But it is not needful here to dwell on the resemblance. The idea of Paul seems to be:

(1) That a minister, like a steward, is devoted to his master’s service, and should regard himself as such.

(2) That he should be faithful to that trust, and not abuse or violate it.

(3) That he should not be judged by his fellow-stewards, or fellow-servants, but that his main desire should be to meet with the approbation of his master - A minister should be faithful for obvious reasons. Because:

1. He is appointed by Jesus Christ;
1. Because he must answer to him;
2. Because the honor of Christ, and the welfare of his kingdom is entrusted to him; and,
3. Because of the importance of the matter committed to his care; and the importance of fidelity can be measured only by the consequences of his labors to those souls in an eternal heaven or an eternal hell.