1 Corinthians 3:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,

NIV: So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours,

NASB: So then, no one is to be boasting in people. For all things belong to you,

CSB: So let no one boast in human leaders, for everything is yours--

NLT: So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you —

KJV: Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

NKJV: Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours:

Paul has summed up once more that human wisdom and God's wisdom cannot coexist. Human wisdom unaided by the Spirit, rejects faith in Christ because the human mind is unable to comprehend spiritual truth (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Paul now writes that those who are in Christ should not boast in men. More specifically, Paul has in mind that the Corinthians must stop dividing themselves over their loyalty to one Christian leader over another (1 Corinthians 1:11–12). This way of thinking is based on human wisdom, and it is futile and worthless. It is an attempt to selfishly see themselves as wise in their own eyes by selecting the "better" leader as their own.

Paul now shines a bright light on a truth that should free them from this: All things are yours. In other words, why cut themselves off from any of God's good gifts to them for the sake of pride? God has gifted the Corinthians with good teaching from Paul and Apollos and Peter. They are settling for too little by simply declaring themselves to belong to one teacher or the other. Why not receive the ministry of all three men as their own?

First Corinthians 3:16–23 is the third metaphor Paul uses to explain the relationship between works, spiritual growth, and God's judgment of our efforts. An emphasis here is on the superiority of God's wisdom compared to the fallible knowledge of man, echoing statements from chapters 1 and 2. Paul's main point here, again, is that we ought to focus on allegiance to Christ and His will, rather than being divided over loyalty to different human teachers.

Paul cannot call the Corinthian Christians ''spiritual'' people. Though they are in Christ, they continue to live to the flesh. They are spiritual infants, not ready for solid food. Divisions among them prove they are still serving themselves, picking sides in a senseless debate between Christian teachers. Paul insists that both he and Apollos are mere servants of the Lord and co-workers. They are not in competition. Those who lead the Corinthians must build carefully because their work will be tested on the day of the Lord. Christian leaders who build the church will have their work judged by Christ to see if they have built on the foundation of Christ. All human wisdom will be shown to be futile and worthless.

First Corinthians 3 follows Paul's teaching that only spiritual people can understand the wisdom of God. Paul cannot fully call the Corinthian Christians spiritual people, though, because they continue to live of the flesh, as if they were still infants trapped in an immature condition. Evidence includes the divisions among them. Paul insist that he and Apollos are both servants of the same master. The Corinthians should follow God, not them. Those whose work is worthless will suffer loss, but they will be saved. After this, Paul will expound on the idea that believers ought to set Christ as their example, rather than being defined in terms of their earthly leaders.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.