The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 157

Vers. 1, 2.-The Christian teacher a steward. The apo~tle here intimates what arc right thoughts for Christian people to cherish concerning their teachers. Ho uses two words, "ministers,'' "stewards," the former of which is familiar, the latter needs SQmc explanation. A minister is "one who serves," and no more honourable thought can bo attached to the Christian teacher than that he serves Christ among his people, and serves the people for Christ's sake. Our Lord himself said, " I am an1ong you as he that serveth;" and St. Paul says to his converts, "Ye serve the Lord Christ." ·we propose now to dwell more fully on the figure of the steward. A Christian teacher is to b11 JGO 'l'I-IE FIRST EPISTLE 'l'O THE CORINTHIANS. rcH.1v. 1-21. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . ---- --··------------ tll()ll!'.:ht of as a" ste\\"ard of the mysteries of God." The word "steward" is used in England for a" land bailiff;" but in the East it was employed for a person put in trust ,,!' all his master's goods-" such ns was Eliczer in the house or Abraham (Gen. xxiv. 2 --12), and Joseph in the house or l'otiphar (Gen. xxxix. 4). It was one of the main <.luties of such a steward to dispense their portions of food to the different members of .the household (Luke xii. 42), to give the slaves or servnnts their "portion in due season." Compare the words "housekeeper," "house-ruler," "house-feeder," nnd see Matt. xxiv. 4 5. 'l'he apostle's point is that the Chri~tian teacher is not to be esteemed for any 11a1ticular qualifications which he may have of his own, but simply for his faithfulness fo cloing his work as the servant of God. Christian congregations may fall into either of t,rn errors; the" Chrbtian minister ma~' be glorified, or made hn idol of, iu two ways -by party worship of the man, or by attaching a mystical or supernatural power to the <iffece." I3oth the minister himself, and those amon:z whom he labours, do well to keep e,·er in mind that he is but a steward, only Christ's servant, to minister to them in Divine things. We consider, then- I. THE STEWARD'S TRUSTS. "The mysteries of God." Mysteries were familiar things to those whom tbe apostle addressed. "The word 'mysteries' is derived from a word ~ignirying to close, to shut, and was in the old Greek civilization used to denote those rites which were only permitted to the initiated, and were kept a strict secret from the outside world. Of such a kind were the well-known Eleusinian mysteries, which were kept every fifth year at Elensis, in Attica; the rites of the Bona Dea, which were ob:;en·ed at Home; and those of Isis and Mithras, which were of Egyptian and Persian origin." It should be noticed that the word "mystery" is used in the Scriptures in t \\·o oistinct senses: (l) for things that are hidden from the ordinary understanding; and (2) for things that in past times were unknown, but are now revealed to those who b"lie,,e the gospel. The term is chiefly used in this latter sense. When St. Paul t:xclaims, "Great is the mystery of godliness," he means tile "revealed mystery," of w !iich lie immediately speaks, even God, or Christ, being "manifest in the flesh." The trust of the Cllristian: teacher is, then, the revealed mystery of the gospel, and this may be s,1id to hrwe three centres round which it gathers: ( l) the Incarnation; (2) the Sacrifice; (3) tile Resurrection. The Incarnation reveals the mysteries of God and of rnan ; the Sacrifice reveals the mysteries of sin and of redemption from sin; and the J:e:;u1Tection re,·eals the mysteries of immortality and of sanctification. So these are 1he great truths and trusts of which the Christian teachers are "stewards." '!'heir work is to minister these truths, in all their varied adaptations and applications, to the people of their charge. Happy, indeed, are they wbo can close their ministry pleading as St. Paul did," I h11ve not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God." II. THE STEW.um·s RESP0XSE TO HIS TRUSTS. "Found faithful." 'fhe thought of .St. Paul seems to have been that due inquiry is made into the character and trust- ,rnrthiness of a man before he is put into the office of a steward; as he elsewhere says, "Let them first be proved." But we mny fairly include under his language the reasonable expectation that the man who is entrusted with a responsible po8ition and 11-ork will be "found faithful" in his doing of it. Then we must inquire what should he the faithfulness of a Christian teacher, or indeed of the Christian man, to whom the gospel mysteries have been revealed. It should be manifest in three departments: 1. He must be faithful to bis Master, God; seeking his service only, and his glory only. 2. He must be faithful to the truths he bas received; carefully setting them, and not any mere ideas he may have about them, before the people; and seeking to set the whole of them, and not merely portions in which he may be personally interested, before bi,; congregation. 3. He must be faithful to the people to whom God may have sent him; taking up the burden of their spiritual needs on his own heart; feeling ever as did good Samuel Hutherford when he said, "God is my witness, that your salvation would be two salvations to me, and your heaven two heavens to me l" Impress that the more deeply we feel the greatness of our trusts, as having had the great religious mysteries in part revealed to us, the more serious becomes for us the question of our "faithfulness;" and the more shall we feel the need for solemn times of self-searching and self-criticism. It is an unspeakable hc>nour to be entrusted with the" mysteries" of God aud of Chriot and of redemption from sin; but nil tme and humble :,ouls say with tlie apostle," I3ut who is sufficient for these things? "-ll. 'l'. on. 1v. 1-21.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. l6l