1 Corinthians 4:7, Why Dost Thou Glory?

1 Corinthians 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

William MacDonald observed well, “The Corinthians were not forming parties around Paul and Apollos alone, but also around other men who were then in their church. However, out of a sense of Christian courtesy and delicacy, Paul transferred the entire matter to himself and Apollos so that by their example the saints would learn not to have exaggerated opinions of their leaders or to gratify their pride by the formation of parties. He wanted the saints to evaluate everything and everyone by the Scriptures.”

He further observed, “If one Christian teacher is more gifted than another, it is because God made him so. Everything he has, he received from the Lord. In fact, it is true of all of us that everything we have has been given to us by God. That being the case, why should we be proud or puffed up? Our talents and gifts are not the result of our own cleverness.”

He exhorts the Corinthians to refrain from disrupting the unity in the church by their deliberate attempt to undermine the leadership through the factions formed. This he concludes is for self-glory. This will cause the church to lose focus on her God-given mandate to bring glory to God through her witness. The focus will be shifted to men and their agenda for self-exaltation. May God be merciful to spare His church through the subduing of such prideful behaviour. Amen.