If you’ve ever gardened, you know how much work it is! The soil must be prepared, seeds planted, the ground watered and weeded. Small fences guard against rabbits, squirrels, and other foragers. Moles might threaten, or frost, or hail, or drought, or various insects. After all that work, you hope your harvest will yield tomatoes, beans, zucchini, or other produce.
Paul used a farming or gardening metaphor in 1 Corinthians 3 to describe the work of the gospel. The Corinthian believers had been quarreling about different leaders, including Paul and Apollos (vv. 1–4). To do so, scolded Paul, was worldly and immature. Were they “mere infants in Christ”? Such behavior wasn’t suitable for followers of Jesus. The leaders over whom they were fighting were servants of God (vv. 5–8). God is in charge. He assigns tasks to whomever He wants—some to plant, some to water, and some to harvest. It didn’t matter which task Paul or Apollos had been assigned, because God is the only One who can make anything happen, and all the glory belongs to Him. It’s like fighting over spoons when it’s the ice cream that really matters!
Paul had planted or started the church in Corinth. Apollos had watered or developed the work. But God had made it grow. Paul and Apollos were nothing in and of themselves—certainly not worth quarreling over. Furthermore, they were united in purpose, God’s purpose. They would be rewarded for their labors, so it did matter at that level, but they would be rewarded by God. The church does not belong to any one leader but to Christ (Col. 1:18). Paul wrote: “We are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building” (v. 9). In other words, it’s all about God!
Go Deeper
Do you see that type of strife in today’s church culture? How might Paul’s words apply to the “celebrity culture” that happens in our Christian community today?
Pray with Us
Jesus, please forgive us for the times we have let our pride get in the way of serving You. Remind us of the beauty and eternal value of working together with other believers.
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.1 Corinthians 3:6
