Commentary on 1 Corinthians
Lecture 2
Christ the one foundation
3:8 Now he who plants and he who waters, are one. [n. 138] And every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labor. [n. 139]
3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s husbandry: you are God’s building. [n. 144]
3:10 According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation: and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. [n. 147]
3:11 For another foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid: which is Christ Jesus. [n. 151]
3:12 Now, if any man builds upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: [n. 153]
3:13 Every man’s work shall be manifest. For the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire. And the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is. [n. 162]
3:14 If any man’s work abides, which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. [n. 166]
3:15 If any man’s work burns, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. [n. 168]
139. After describing the status of God’s ministers, the Apostle now discusses their reward.
First, he discusses the reward of good ministers;
second, the punishment of evil ones, at know you not that you are the temple of God (1 Cor 3:16).
In regard to the first he does three things.
First, he mentions the reward reserved for ministers;
second, he assigns the reason, at for we are God’s fellow workers;
third, the variety of rewards, at according to the grace of God.
140. He says, therefore: I have said that neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters (1 Cor 3:7); nevertheless, he does not plant or water in vain, but every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labor. For although God alone gives the increase and he alone works from within, he gives a reward to those who labor outwardly: let your voice cease from weeping, and your eyes from tears: for there is a reward for your work (Jer 31:16); this reward is God himself: I am your protector and your reward exceedingly great (Gen 15:1). It is for this reward that the laborers are praised: how many hired servants in my father’s house abound with bread! (Luke 15:17). On the other hand, if he works for any other reward, he is not worthy of praise: but the hireling, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep (John 10:12).
141. But this reward is both common to all and peculiar to each: it is common, because what they all see and enjoy is the same God: then shall you abound in delights in the Almighty, and you shall lift up your face to God (Job 22:26); in that day the Lord of hosts shall be a crown of glory, and a garland of joy to the residue of his people (Isa 28:5). This is why all the laborers in the vineyard receive one penny (Matt 20:9ff).
But the reward will be peculiar to each, because one sees more clearly and enjoys more fully than another according to the measure established for all eternity. Whence they who are learned, are compared to the splendor of the firmament, who unto justice instruct many as though stars. This is why it says in John: in my Father’s house there are many mansions (John 14:2). For the same reason he says here: every man shall receive his own reward.
142. But he indicates the basis for the various rewards when he adds, according to his own labor: you shall eat the labors of your hands; blessed are you and it shall be well with you (Ps 128:2).
But this does not mean an equal amount of reward for a corresponding amount of labor, because as it is said: for that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulations, works for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory (2 Cor 4:17); rather, it means a proportional equality, so that where the labor is greater the reward is greater.
143. Now there are three ways in which the labor can be considered greater: first, by reason of charity, to which the essential aspect of the reward corresponds, i.e., the enjoyment and sight of God; hence it says in John: he who loves me will be loved of my Father; and I will love him and will manifest myself to him (John 14:21). Consequently, one who labors with greater love, even though he endures less difficulties, will receive more of the essential reward.
Second, by reason of the type of work: for just as in human enterprises a person gets a higher wage for a higher type of work, as the architect gets more than the manual laborer, although he does less bodily work, so too in divine matters; a person occupied in a nobler work will receive a greater reward consisting in some special prerogative of the accidental reward, even though he might perhaps have done less bodily labor; hence a special crown is given to teachers, to virgins and to martyrs.
Third, by reason of the amount of labor, which happens in two ways: for sometimes a greater labor deserves a greater reward, especially in regard to lightening punishment; as when a person fasts longer or undertakes a longer pilgrimage: and even in regard to the joy he will experience for the greater labor: he renders to the just the wages of their labors (Wis 10:17). But sometimes there is greater labor because of a lack of will; for in things we do of our own will, we experience less labor. In this case the amount of labor will not increase but lessen the reward; hence Isaiah says: they shall take wings as eagles: they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (Isa 40:31); but prior to this he said: youths shall faint and labor (Isa 40:30).
144. Then when he says, for we are God’s, he assigns the reason for what he had said.
First, he gives the reason;
second, he applies a simile, at you are God’s husbandry.
145. He says, therefore: it is only right that each of us shall receive a reward, for we are God’s fellow workers, namely, by their labors.
But he seems to be contradicted by Job: whose helper are you? Is it of him who is weak? (Job 26:2); who has helped the Spirit of the Lord? (Isa 40:13).
The answer is that one helps another in two ways: in one way by increasing his strength. In this way no one can be God’s helper; hence after the above Job continues, and do you hold up the arm of him that has no strength? The other way is by serving in another’s work, as when a minister is called a master’s helper or an artisan’s helper, inasmuch as he does some work for him. In this way God’s ministers are his coadjutors: and we helping do exhort you (2 Cor 6:1).
Therefore, just as men’s ministers receive a reward from them according to their labor, so, too, God’s minister.
146. Second, he makes use of a simile referring to simple works, namely, agriculture and building. For the faithful are a field cultivated by God, inasmuch as through God’s action they produce the fruit of good works acceptable to God: that you may belong to another, who is risen again from the dead, that we may bring forth fruit to God (Rom 7:4); and in John it says: my Father is the husbandman (John 15:1).
And this is what he says first: you are God’s husbandry, i.e., like a field cultivated by God and bearing his fruit. The faithful are also like a house built by God, inasmuch as God lives in them: you also are built together into a habitation of God in the Spirit (Eph 2:22).
Therefore, he continues: you are God’s building, i.e., an edifice constructed by God: unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it (Ps 127:1). In these ways, then, God’s ministers are coadjutors, inasmuch as they labor in cultivating and guiding the faithful.
147. Then when he says, according to the grace of God, he discusses the varieties of reward; and because rewards are distinguished according to the varieties of labor.
First he deals with the varieties of labor;
second with the diverse reward, at now, if any man builds upon.
In regard to the first he does two things.
First, he distinguishes the varieties of labor;
second, he sounds a warning, at but let every man take heed.
148. In regard to the first he does two things: first, abandoning the simile based on agriculture, he describes his own labor under the likeness of a building, saying, according to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation.
Here it should be noted that an architect, especially of a building, is called the chief artisan, inasmuch as it is his duty to comprehend the entire arrangement of the whole work, which is brought to completion by the activities of the manual laborers. Consequently, he is called wise in building, because he who is wise, simply speaking, considers the highest cause, namely God, and orders all other things according to God. Thus, he who is called wise in building considers the principal cause of the building, i.e., its end, and arranges what is to be done by the subordinate artisans to realize the end.
Now it is obvious that the entire structure of a building depends on the foundation; consequently, it pertains to a wise architect to lay a solid foundation. But Paul himself laid the foundation of the spiritual edifice for the Corinthians; hence he said above, I have planted (1 Cor 3:6), for planting is related to plants as the foundations to buildings, because both signify expressly the first preaching of the faith: I have preached this Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation (Rom 15:20). This is why he compares himself to a wise architect.
But he attributes this not to his own power but to God’s grace; which is what he says, according to the grace of God that is given to me, who made me fit and worthy for this ministry: I have labored more abundantly than all they. Yet not I, but the grace of God with me (1 Cor 15:10).
149. Second, he describes others’ labors, saying, and another, i.e., whoever labors among you, builds thereon the foundation laid by me.
This can be done in two ways: in one way so that each person builds on the faith produced in him by growing in charity and good works: be you also as living stone built up (1 Pet 2:5). In another way by doctrine, whereby one explains more clearly the faith produced in others: to build and to plant (Jer 1:10). In this interpretation the building up signifies the same thing as watering signified.