1 Corinthians — Chapter 3

As babes in Christ I have fed you with milk and not with meat In the preceding chapter the Apostle, to support his own authority, and to remove from the minds of the Corinthians the false opinion that they had about his ignorance and lack of speaking powers, said that he spoke wisdom among them that were perfect : hidden wisdom which the eye had not seen, nor the ear heard, but which God had revealed. Now, anticipating an objection, he gives the reason why he had not displayed this wisdom to the Corinthians, and transfers the blame from himself to them. It was because they were like children and carnal, not yet capable of receiving such wisdom, and to be fed, therefore, not with meat but with milk. Notice that the Apostle designates as miik that easier, pleasanter, and more simple teaching about the Manhood of Christ, His grace and redemption, which befits catechumens recently converted and still carnaL He calls “meat,” or solid food, the more perfect and robust teaching about the deeper mysteries, such as about God, about the Spirit of God and spiritual things, about the wisdom, MILK AND STRONG MEAT 49 power, and love of the Cross. So say Ambrose, Theophylact, S. Thomas. S. Anselm moralises thus : “ The same Christ is milk to man through the Incarnation ; solid food to an angel through His Divinity . The same Christ crucified again , the same lection , the same sermon is taken by carnal men as milk , by spiritual as solid food.” S. Paul is here alluding, as his custom is, to Isa. xxviii. 9, and to Isa. lv. 1. In this connection notice that what Isaiah calls “wine” S. Paul calls “ meat,” which represents the full spiritual wisdom of the perfect, as milk signifies the discipline of children and of the imperfect. Hence, in former times wine and milk were given to the newly baptized, when they had been clad with the white robes, and this custom, as S. Jerome says in his commentary on Isaiah, is still kept up in the churches of the West. In other places honey and milk were given, as Tertullian testifies ( contra Marcion lib. i. c. 14), to denote (1.) their infancy and innocence in Christ, milk being a symbol of both. Hence Homer calls men that are innocent and just “ feeders on milk,” as Clemens Alexandrinus says (Pcedag. lib. i. c. 6). (2.) To denote their likeness to Christ, of whom Isaiah sang (vii. 1 5), “ Butter and honey shall He eat.” (3.) To symbolise the infantine gentleness, humility, and meekness of the Christian life. Hence it was that at the first sacrifice of the Mass, which the newly baptized heard at Easter, viz., on Low Sunday, there was read as the Epistle that portion of S. Peter’s Epistle in which occur the words, “ As new- born babes desire the sincere milk of the word.” Hence S. Agnes, on the authority of S. Ambrose {Serm. 90), used to say, “ Milk and honey have I received from His mouth.” Clement ( Pcedag . lib. i. c. 6) discourses at length about this milk.

Whereas there is among you envying and strife ... are ye not carnal t (1.) The word carnal is here applied to one who not only has his natural use of sense and reason, but also to one who follows the motions and dictates of the flesh, that is, of his animal nature. And, therefore, as S. Thomas rightly remarks, he who follows the motions of lust, or of his fallen nature, is carnal, natural, walking according to man, and destitute of the Spirit of God. (2.) Both here and in Gal. v. 19., the works of the flesh, VOL. 1. d 50 FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS, C. III. i.e. % of our corrupt nature, include envying, jealousy, strife, which are spiritual sins, as well as gluttony and lust, which are, strictly speaking, fleshly. Cf. notes to Rom. vil 22, and Gal. v. 17. The meaning is : You, O Corinthians, are carnal, /.<?., conten- tious, because you fight like boys foolishly about the dignity of your teachers, and extol and put up for sale, one Paul, another Apollos.

Even as the Lord gave to every man. God gave to each one of His ministers powers of such kind and such extent as befitted his ministry. Therefore they should glory in God alone, not in Paul or Apollos, His ministers. These latter were not the lords or the authors of their faith, but merely the instruments used by God. So Anselm, Ambrose, Theophylact.

I have planted, \ Apollos watered ; but God gave the increase. I was the first to sow the seeds of the faith at Corinth, and then Apollos coming after me helped it forward (Acts xviii. 26). But it was God who gave the inner life and strength of grace for growth and maturity in Christian faith and virtue : this belongs to God alone. Cf. Augustine (in Joan. Tr. 5). God gives to plants their increase, not, as rustics suppose, by directly adding some special daily power of growth, but by bestowing upon and preserving to the nature itself of the seed or the root a vigorous power of growth. In other words, He is continually bestowing it and preserving it, and co-operating with it : for the Divine work of pre- servation is nothing but a continuation of the primal creative power. He does this by ordering and tempering according to His counsel the rain, heat, and winds, and other things needed by the fruits of the ground, so that, as these are tempered, the fruit is larger or smaller. So it is in the sowing of the Word of God, and in its growth, perfecting and harvest in the minds of men. It appears from this (1.) that outward preaching, calling, examples, and miracles are not alone sufficient for conversion and the begin- ning of the spiritual life, or for its further growth. (2.) That, though all alike hear the same word of preaching, yet some profit little, some profit much by it, viz., those whom God works upon by a special LABOURERS WITH GOD 5 * inward calling, and whose hearts He touches to change their lives, or to continue to rise to higher things. Hence, both those who preach and those who hear profit most who earnestly beseech God for this inward influence.

So then neither is he that planteth any things neither he that watereth, hut God that giveth the increase . The husbandman who plants and waters does hardly anything when compared with God; for he works from without only, and whatever he does he receives it from God, and works as His instrument But God works within directly as the chief agent, and supplies the power of vigorous growth. For action is assigned to the chief agent, and especially to the first cause. So S. Thomas and Theophylact ; S. Augustine (in i. Ep. S. John. Tr. 7) says beautifully : “ Outward ministries are helps and warnings , but He that teacheth the heart has His throne in heaven. These words which we address to another from without are to him as the husbandman to the tree . For the husbandman acts upon the tree from without , by diligently watering and tending it, but He does not fashion its fruits” It is God that co-operates with the tree, and lends it the power of bringing forth fruit In the same way the words of the preacher do but little, for they sound from without only. But it is God who co-operates with them within, and by His grace illuminates and converts the soul

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one. They are one, say S. Thomas, Anselm, and others, in office and one in their ministry, i.e., they are both alike ministers. Therefore one is not to be despised or extolled in comparison of another, e.g., Paul in comparison of A polios. Moreover, all ought to be knit to- gether as one by the same bond of charity, and ought not to cause divisions on account of their ministers. For although they may have different gifts, yet they all discharge the self-same duty, and are one in Christ, who hates schisms, loves unity, and carefully watches over His ministers, however feeble they be, and wishes them to be esteemed and honoured by all, not as men but as His representatives. And every man shall receive his own reward according to his labour. 52 FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS, C. III. This passage shows clearly the merits of good works ; for where there is reward there is merit, the two terms being correlatives. He does not say, it should be noticed, that “ each one shall receive a reward according to the fruit that he has brought forth,” but simply “ according to his labour,” for the fruit is not in our power, but in the hand of God that giveth the increase. You will receive, therefore, a full reward for all genuine labour, even though no fruit follow — though no heretic or sinner be converted. Nay, the reward will be the greater, because it is more difficult and more dishearten- ing to preach when little or no fruit is seen than when many applaud the sermon, or profit by it

For we are labourers together with God. S. Dionysius ( Calest. Hierarch, c. 3) says, “ A greats an angelic \ nay, a Divine dignity is it to become a fellow-worker with God in the conversion of souls , and to show openly to all the Divine power working in us .” Ye are God's husbandry. Not Paul’s or Apollos’ : so you cannot boast yourselves in them. S. Paul continues the illustration drawn from agriculture. The chief tiller is God; Paul and Apollos are his servants; the Corinthians are the field; the seed is grace, the fruits good works. God by His Spirit cultivates within: Paul assists Him by his preaching from without So Anselm. Ye are God's building . He inculcates the same truth by another illustration from building and architecture. The first architect is God ; the secondary minister is Paul ; the building is the Church and every Christian souL So Anselm. We should observe that the Hebrews and Syrians rejoice in metaphors and parables, and run them together, easily passing from one to another.

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder I have laid the foundation. Not mine is this building, not mine the work ; for although I, as the first architect, laid the foundations, by my preaching, of the Church at Corinth, yet whatever I did, and brought to perfection there, was done, not by my strength, but by the grace of God. Let, then, this building of God's Church be attributed to His grace, not to my efforts. THE ONE FOUNDATION 53 Ver. ii. — For other foundation can no man lay . I have laid the foundation of your Church : let Apollos and others see what super- structure they raise upon, but not endeavour to lay a new foun- dation. For no other foundation can be laid, for it is Jesus Christ Himself The foundation, then, of the Church, and of each indi- vidual soul in it, is Jesus Christ, /.<?., faith in Him as our Saviour, and especially that faith which is quickened by charity, on which I have built you. So Anselm, and S. Gregory {lib. vii. epist. 47). In this sense Christ alone is the foundation of the Church, and the foundation of the foundations, as S. Augustine says (Ps. lxxxvii. 1), because He rests on Himself alone, and bears up all others, even Peter. In another sense Peter is the foundation of the Church, viz., a secondary one, because from his firmness in the faith he cannot publicly teach error, but always confirms others in it, and gives them light This is laid down by S. Thomas and all Catholic theologians. In a similar sense, not only Peter, but all the Apostles, are called the foundations of the Church (Ps. lxxxvii. 1 ; Rev. xxi. 19).

and 13. — Now if any man build . . . the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. This is a metaphor drawn from a house on fire, which if constructed of gold or precious stones receives no damage, but if of wood or stubble is consumed. Notice in passing that by " precious stones * we must here understand marble, porphyry, and the like, not diamonds or other gems ; for the houses of wealthy men are built of the former, not of the latter. Such was the boast of Augustus : 44 I received the city built of brick, I leave it built of marble.” The Apostle’s meaning, then, is that, if a fire occur, a house built of marble and gold is not injured by it, but rather shines the more brightly. But the next house, being built of wood and stubble, will burn, and its tenant will escape indeed, but he will be scorched. So if any Christian, and especially any teacher or preacher of the Gospel (for such are primarily referred to here, as appears from vers. 4, 6, and 10), build upon the faith of Christ gold and silver, that is, according to Theodore and Theophylact, holy works, and especially sound, edifying, and holy 54 FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS, C. III. doctrine, he shall receive his reward. So Ambrose and S. Anselm. S. Thomas says : “ Gold is charity ; silver , contemplative wisdom ; precious stones are the other virtues .” On the other hand, wood, hay, stubble are sins, not deadly sins, as Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Gregory ( contra . Magd. lib. iv. c. 13) think (for these are lead and brass, as is pointed out by Anselm and S. Thomas and S. Augustine (Enchirid. c. 68), nor are they built upon, but they overturn and destroy the building, viz., that living faith which alone wins a reward from Christ) ; but they represent venial sins, which make the mind cling to vanities, to worldly advantages, to vain-glory. But strictly speaking the Apostle is referring, when he speaks of wood, hay, stubble, to doctrine that is fluid, frivolous, showy, ornamental, wire- drawn, and useless. So say Ambrose, S. Thomas, Theodoret, An- selm. For he that builds these things on the foundation of faith in Christ shall be saved, yet so as by fire. The Apostle in these verses leaves the Corinthians to give a warning to Apollos and their other teachers and preachers, especially those gifted with eloquence, to beware of their great danger, vain- glory, and to be teachers of the truth in its purity, lest if they do otherwise they have to expiate their sin by fire. That there were some such at Corinth who had been the cause or the occasion of strife and division is pretty plainly hinted here and in the next