Catholic Commentary on 1 Corinthians 3

"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:11)

Infants in Christ

Paul addresses the Corinthians directly about their immaturity. He could not speak to them as to spiritual people but as to worldly people, as to infants in Christ. He fed them with milk, not solid food, because they were not ready for it. And they are still not ready. The evidence is the factionalism: when there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not worldly? For when one says I follow Paul and another I follow Apollos, are you not merely human? Paul and Apollos are servants through whom you came to believe, nothing more. Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labour. But God is the one who makes things grow. The Catechism presents this as the theology of ministry: all ministry in the Church is instrumental, directed toward producing growth that only God can give (CCC 875).

The Foundation and the Building

Paul shifts the metaphor from agriculture to architecture. By the grace given to him as a wise master builder, he laid the foundation. Someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. On that foundation various builders construct with gold, silver, costly stones, or wood, hay, and straw. The Day will reveal the quality of each person's work: it will be tested by fire. Whoever builds on the foundation with quality materials will receive a reward. Whoever builds with inferior materials will suffer loss, though they themselves will be saved, yet as through fire.

The community itself is God's temple, and God's Spirit dwells in the community. Therefore do not destroy God's temple. And do not deceive yourselves about the wisdom of this age: if anyone thinks they are wise by the standards of this age, let them become a fool, so that they may become wise. All things are yours: Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, the present, the future, all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God. The fullness of possession is already given; the factionalism is therefore absurd.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, what are you building on the foundation of Christ? Wood, hay, and straw look adequate during construction. Only the fire reveals whether the work was real. Build with gold: prayer that costs you something, service that asks nothing in return, charity that is not performance. The Day will reveal it. Build for that Day.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you are the only foundation. Let everything we build in ministry, in family, in community, be built with the materials that survive the fire. And deliver us from the factionalism that divides your temple, in which your Spirit dwells. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

3
God’s Fellow Workers
(Hebrews 5:11–14)
1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready, 3 for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man? 4 For when one of you says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?
 
5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. 6 I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose,* 3:8 Literally are one and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
Christ Our Foundation
(Isaiah 28:14–22; Ephesians 2:19–22; 1 Peter 2:1–8)
 
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
 
12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.
God’s Temple and God’s Wisdom
(Romans 12:1–8; 1 Corinthians 6:18–20)
 
16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in † 3:16 Or among you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
 
18 Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”‡ 3:19 Job 5:13 20 And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”§ 3:20 Psalms 94:11
 
21 Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas * 3:22 That is, Peter or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

*3:8 3:8 Literally are one

†3:16 3:16 Or among

‡3:19 3:19 Job 5:13

§3:20 3:20 Psalms 94:11

*3:22 3:22 That is, Peter

Public Domain