4:1 Account of us = Paul, Apollos, Cephas (Peter)
Steward = One who is entrusted with the management of property, finances, or other affairs not his own; an administrator.

4:2 This verse has nothing to do with money, but the mysteries of God (Vs. 1). That Steward must be found faithful, not successful.

Seven Mysteries:
[1]. Mystery of Godliness - (1 Tim. 3:16)
[2]. Mystery of Christ in the believer - (Col. 1:27)
[3]. Mystery of the Body of Christ - (Eph. 5:32)
[4]. Mystery of the Blindness of Israel - (Rom. 11:25)
[5]. Mystery of the Rapture - (1 Cor. 15:51)
[6]. Mystery of the Roman Church (Rev. 17:5)
[7]. Mystery of Iniquity (AntiChrist) - (2 Thess. 2:7)

4:3 Paul is not sure he will be faithful!

4:4 This has to do with the mysteries, and whether they are faithful or not. The Lord will do the judging on this matter. Keep your conscience clean on this issue.

4:5 Don’t judge Paul’s, Apollos’, or Cephas’ faithfulness the Lord will do that.
Explain the mysteries

Praise God if they have done right! Praise God for what He’s done!

4:6 Withhold your judgment!

4:7 It was the Lord that gave you what you have! Glory in the Lord!

4:8 Paul is being sarcastic over how the Corinthians thought of themselves. They are “puffed up” (Vs. 6).

4:9 Apollos’ apostles (Vs. 6)

Paul (Vs. 13
Apollos (Vs. 14)
Barnabas (Vs. 15)

Christians are a “spectacle” before the world, angels, men!

4:10 An old saying fits this verse - “I am a fool for Christ, who’s fool are you!”
Paul is again being Sarcastic about how the Corinthians think of themselves.

4:13 The world had the wrong idea about the apostles. Even today Christians are viewed as unclean, and a disease or blight on this world, that needs to be killed off. The world does not know that they are only killing off the chance that they have to hear about the Saviour, and how he died to keep them out of hell.

The poor Muslims are being deceived into thinking that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross, and that God did not raise His son from the dead when he did die. They are killing Christians that want to bring them the truth.

4:13 Paul does not want to bring shame on the Corinthians, but gives them this stern warning of what is and will happen.

4:15 Notice a few things about this verse:

[1]. This verse is used by the Catholics to teach it is okay to call a religious leader “father.” (Matt. 23:9) - "And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."
{The context of Matt. 23:9 has to do with religious/leaders teachers, not your physical Dad.}
[2]. This verse is against Calvinism which teaches that if we are saved we had no choice in the matter. They call it “Predestination” - the scriptures say that you are only “predestinated” when you are “in Christ.”
(Rom. 8:29-30; Eph. 1:5,11)
[3]. You are “Begotten” through the Gospel, not baptism! (Gal. 1:6-9; 1 Cor. 1:17; here)

4:16 It is not wrong to follow a man, as long as that man is following Christ and doing what the scripture says. There are always the exceptions that prove the rule in the case of Jim Jones, David Koresh, both taught that they were Christ, and that you should follow them and pay no attention to the Word of God.

4:17 Timotheus (Timothy) is Paul’s son in the faith (vs. 15). Timothy’s dad was Greek.
Scriptural Doctrine was passed on orally before it was written. Now we have “a more sure word of prophecy.” (2 Pet. 1:19)

4:19 Paul will come and know whether the ones that are “puffed up”, have real power or not.

4:20 The Kingdom of God is a Spiritual kingdom (Rom. 14:17), not Physical like the Kingdom of Heaven. It is in power, not in word!

4:21 The “Rod” represents a rebuke from Paul over their carnality, and worldliness. Paul would much rather come to them in love and meekness than having to rebuke them for their sins. He wants them to grow up!

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