1 Corinthians 4

Text

Textual witnesses

• Papyrus 46
• Codex Vaticanus
• Codex Sinaiticus
• Codex Alexandrinus
• Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus
• Papyrus 11
• Papyrus 68

  Servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God

Verse 5

Verse 17

• "I have sent Timothy to you": Out of concern and respect, Paul not only writes, giving his best advice and counsel, promising to come, but, in the meanwhile, sends Timothy to the Corinthian church.
• "Beloved son": In his epistles, Paul often styles Timothy as his own son in the faith, a dearly beloved son. Paul was not the instrument of his conversion, because Timothy was a disciple of Christ before he knew Paul but either because he was younger than Paul or because of their great affection, he served him in the Gospel knowing well Paul's methods of doctrine and practice.
• "Remind you of my ways": All the preaching, doctrines, rules and orders Paul gave for the "discipline and management of the affairs of churches", which he had formerly delivered to them, were seemingly forgotten by the church. Therefore, Timothy is sent, not to teach new ways, but only to remind them what Paul had formerly taught them.
• "In Christ": Paul's doctrines, the sum and substance of them were Christ, what Paul had received from Christ, and such as were agreeably to the mind of Christ.
• "As I teach everywhere in every church": Paul's plan of doctrine and discipline was the same in every place.