Points to Ponder: Who Builds: Every Believer or Church Leaders? (1 Cor. 3:10-17)

By Nigel Tomes, Jan., 2013

1 Cor. 3:10-17 “is one of the most significant passages in the New Testament that warns… those responsible for ‘building’ the church of Christ” (Gordon D. Fee). But the question arises—who are those responsible for ‘building’ the church? Is this passage (with its dire warnings) addressed to all Christian believers? Or is it addressed more specifically to Christian leaders/ ministers? Let’s look at the passage in context (1 Cor. 3:4-23):

4 “For when someone says, I am of Paul, and another, I of Apollos, are you not men of flesh? 5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Ministers through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each one of them. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. 7 So then neither is he who plants anything nor he who waters, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's cultivated land, God's building.”

10 “According to the grace of God given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid a foundation, and another builds upon it. But let each man take heed how he builds upon it. 11 For another foundation no one is able to lay besides that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 But if anyone builds upon the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, stubble, 13 The work of each will become manifest; for the day will declare it, because it is revealed by fire, and the fire itself will prove each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built upon thefoundation remains, he will receive a reward; 15 If anyone's work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

16 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, and such are you… 21 So then let no one boast in men, for all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all are yours, 23 But you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.”

“Each man take heed how he builds”

The sober warning occurs in 3:10-17. Paul says he laid the unique foundation (Jesus Christ). He warns regarding the structure built upon his foundation. It will be tested by fire; the result will be either reward or being barely “saved through fire” (v. 15). Moreover, he cautions that anyone destroying God’s temple will be destroyed (v. 17). An obvious question is—who is the principle object of these warnings?

“Each of us, every member …must take heed how we build”

At first sight it might appear that the answer is obvious. The repeated phrases “each man,” “anyone,” “each one’s work,” etc., suggest the warnings have general application—that they apply to each and every Christian believer. Consistent with this view, W. Lee says,¹ “1 Cor. 3:10… indicates that the church is built not only by ministers of Christ such as Paul, Apollos, and Cephas, but by every member of the Body. Every one of us must be a builder…Hence, each of us, every member of the Body, must take heed how we build; that is, we must take heed with what material we build. We must build with gold, silver, and precious stones, not with wood, grass, and stubble.” Along these lines, he says,² “The intention of the apostle in this Epistle was to warn the believers not to build the church with the things of their natural background. They must learn to build with Christ…”

Other Bible expositors endorse this view, for e.g. the ESV Study Bible says³ “Paul’s point applies not just to church leaders but to anyone who contributes in any way to building up the church (1 Cor. 12:7, 12-31; 14:12).”

“Those currently leading the church take heed”

Gordon D. Fee Professor of New Testament at Regent College, Vancouver, BC, presents an alternative view, that Paul’s warning is aimed at church leaders. Dr. Fee calls this passage⁴ “one of the most significant passages in the New Testament that warns…those responsible for ‘building’ the church of Christ.” But, who are those “responsible for ‘building’ the church”? He responds,⁵ “In the final analysis, of course, this includes all believers, but it hasparticular relevance …to those with teaching/ leadership responsibilities.” More definitely he asserts that Paul’s⁶“concern is singular, that those currently leading the church take heed because their present work will not stand the fiery test to come, having shifted from the imperishable ‘stuff’ of Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

Dr. Fee concludes that Paul’s warning is aimed at Corinthian Church leaders, rather than the Corinthian believers in general. He deduces this from the context. Just prior to this passage Paul’s metaphor —‘you are God's field, God's building’ (v. 9) —“shifts from agriculture to architecture …” But, Dr. Fee says, “the particulars in both metaphors are the same (Paul plants/lays the foundation; Apollos waters/builds on the foundation; the Corinthian church is the field/building…).” Notice that the Corinthian believers are the ‘field /building’ in v. 9. Immediately after (in v. 16) they are “God’s temple,” also a building. It is the workers/ leaders (Paul, Apollos, etc) who “plant, water and build;” the Corinthian church is the object of their labor. Dr. Fee states that⁷ “The point of 3:10-15 is clearly expressed in verse 10, ‘But each one should build with care.’…What Paul does here is …to warn those who lead the [Corinthian] church that they must do so with great care because a day of testing is coming.” Plus, Paul’s warning word about damaging God’s temple (vv. 16-17) “focus[es] more specifically on those few who seem to be the prime movers of the present quarrelling,” says Fee.⁸

Warning Leaders of Corinthian Factions

Dr. Bob Utley, Professor of Hermeneutics, reaches similar conclusions, with slight modification. After considering both possible interpretations, he says,⁹ “It seems best to me not to relate this text to all Christians, but also, neither to restrict it to leaders. This text specifically relates to those who promote factions and divisions within the [Corinthian] church.” He deduces that Paul’s warning is aimed at the leaders of the various factions, who declare “I’m of Paul or Apollos, etc.” Hence, Dr. Utley states that “It is the leaders of these factious groups that Paul is comparing to himself and Apollos in 3:6-9. The immediate context relates vv. 10-15 to leaders, to how they use their spiritual gifts in serving the church. This is the thrust of the warning of v. 17.”¹⁰ So he concurs that Paul’s warnings “relate to those leaders in the [Corinthian] church who were promoting a factious spirit.”

Dr. Utley points out that this conclusion does not rely on an unscriptural distinction between “clergy and laity.” In Scripture, “there is no spiritual distinction between clergy and laity, leader and follower, but there is a task distinction (cf. Num. 16:3). Leaders are more accountable (Jam. 3:1),” Utley observes. James says, “We who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (3:1). Plus Church leaders must “give an account” for the believers under their care (Heb. 13:17), something not required of all believers. Hence to limit the focus of Paul’s warning to church leaders does not necessarily violate Scripture.

Conclusion

The purpose of this note is not to reach a definitive conclusion. It is to point out alternative interpretations and present their merits. The “standard view” is that Paul’s warnings in 1 Cor. 3 are aimed at all believers; that is how most of us have heard this passage expounded. However, I think a plausible case can be made that Paul’s warnings are aimed specifically at church leaders—both workers (apostles, etc) and local church leaders. This is consistent with the Lord’s word, “to whom much is given …much will be required” (Luke 12:48).

Notes:

1.  W. Lee, Life-Study of 1 Cor., Chapter 23, Section 2, emphasis added
2. New Testament Recovery Version (RcV) Note 1 on 1 Cor. 3:12, emphasis added
3. ESV Note on 1 Cor. 3:14-15 We note however, that this version recoils at the idea of judgment on believers damaging God’s temple (v. 17), saying, “The one who destroys God’s temple (…the church) is not part of God’s people and so faces eternal destruction on the final day...”[ESV Note on 1 Cor. 3:17]
4. Gordon D. Fee, 1 Corinthians, p. 145
5. Fee, 1 Corinthians, p. 145, emphasis added
6. Fee, 1 Corinthians, p. 137, emphasis added
7. Gordon D. Fee & Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for all its Worth, p. 66, emphasis added
8. Gordon D. Fee, 1 Corinthians, p. 148
9. Dr. Bob Utley, Paul's Letters to a Troubled Church; 1 & 2 Cor. (1 Cor. 3) emphasis added
10. Dr. Bob Utley, Paul's Letters to a Troubled Church; 1 & 2 Cor. (1 Cor. 3) emphasis added

This article expresses the view of the author, and not necessarily the views of the church in Toronto.