1 Corinthians 3:4-8 King James Version (KJV)

⁴ For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

⁵ Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

⁶ I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

⁷ So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

⁸ Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

1 Corinthians 3:4-8 Living Bible (TLB)

⁴ There you are, quarreling about whether I am greater than Apollos, and dividing the church. Doesn’t this show how little you have grown in the Lord?

⁵ Who am I, and who is Apollos, that we should be the cause of a quarrel? Why, we’re just God’s servants, each of us with certain special abilities, and with our help you believed. ⁶ My work was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos’ work was to water it, but it was God, not we, who made the garden grow in your hearts. ⁷ The person who does the planting or watering isn’t very important, but God is important because he is the one who makes things grow.⁸ Apollos and I are working as a team, with the same aim, though each of us will be rewarded for his own hard work.

Living Bible (TLB) The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

These are my thoughts, please share yours.

4 They were following after Paul or Apollos they should have been following after Christ which both Paul and Apollos followed and both wanted them to follow after. If we choose to follow after man then we will be divided but if we choose to follow after Christ then we should stand together with Him in His name being united. Being constantly divided is shows a lack of faith and growth. If we put man in a higher place then they should be put then division will often times be the result.

5 Paul was telling them he was no reason for them to be divided; Paul thought that Apollos would feel the same way. No one who truly follows after Christ will want division within the body of Christ but want unity as much as possible. This is not to say there will not be doctrinal differences but that the view of Christ being Lord is shared and this should be a place of unity.

6 Paul and Apollos both had their jobs to do give to them by the Lord were needed from the Lord for the people’s growth but the division was hindering this growth. We need to be willing to let the Lord use all His servants that way we grow the most. It is thru the Lord we grow He uses His servants and experiences in our lives to do this.

7 Paul points out the workers are not as important compared to the Lord, He is not saying that he or Apollos are not important but saying that the Lord is more important and if you are thanking him or Apollos but not thanking the Lord more then you are missing the point because Paul and Apollos needed the Lord as much as we do and so do the teachers and pastors of today anyone who says different is not of Christ. It is thru Christ we grow not thru teachers but teachers are used by God for us to grow but without Him there is no growth.

8 Our goals as Christ’s servants should be bring people closer to the Lord; this was Paul’s goal and Apollos goal. We will be rewarded as they are, we should not be serving to receive rewards but serve to please as Lord and rewards will come because of our faith.