I Corinthians 3:3
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for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
envying--jealousy, rivalry. As this refers to their feelings, "strife" refers to their words, and "divisions" to their actions [BENGEL]. There is a gradation, or ascending climax: envying had produced strife, and strife divisions (factious parties) [GROTIUS]. His language becomes severer now as He proceeds; in Co1 1:11 he had only said "contentions," he now multiplies the words (compare the stronger term, Co1 4:6, than in Co1 3:21). carnal--For "strife" is a "work of the flesh" (Gal 5:20). The "flesh" includes all feelings that aim not at the glory of God, and the good of our neighbor, but at gratifying self. walk as men--as unregenerate men (compare Mat 16:23). "After the flesh, not after the Spirit" of God, as becomes you as regenerate by the Spirit (Rom 8:4; Gal 5:25-26).
Open source ↗In this chapter the apostle, I. Blames the Corinthians for their carnality and divisions (Co1 3:1-4). II. He instructs them how what was amiss among them might be rectified, by remembering, 1. That their ministers were no more than ministers (Co1 3:5). 2. That they were unanimous, and carried on the same design (Co1 3:6-10). 3. That they built on one and the same foundation (Co1 3:11-15). III. He exhorts them to give due honour to their bodies, by keeping them pure (Co1 3:16, Co1 3:17), and to humility and self-diffidence (Co1 3:18-21). IV. And dehorts them from glorying in particular ministers, because of the equal interest they had in all (Co1 3:22 to the end).
Open source ↗3:3 Their jealousy and quarreling (see 1:10-12) showed that they were still just like unbelievers, controlled by their sinful nature rather than by the Spirit of God (cp. 2 Cor 12:20; Gal 5:19-21).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
First of all, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God.
But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; there they were unfaithful to Me.