Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 3:7
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Anything – This is to he taken comparatively. They are nothing in comparison with God! Their agency is of no importance compared with his: see the note at 1Co 1:28. It does not mean that their agency ought not to be performed; that it is not important, and indispensable in its place; but that the honor is due to God – Their agency is indispensable. God could make seed or a tree grow if they were not planted in the earth. But He does not do it. The agency of the farmer is indispensable in the ordinary operations of His providence. If he does not plant, God will not make the grain or the tree grow. God blesses his labors; he does not work a miracle. God attends effort with success; God does not interfere in a miraculous manner to accommodate the indolence of people. So in the matter of salvation. The efforts of ministers would be of no avail without God. They could do nothing in the salvation of the soul unless God would give the increase. But their labors are as indispensable and as necessary, as are those of the farmer in the production of a harvest. And as every farmer could say, my labors are nothing without God, who alone can give the increase, so it is with every minister of the gospel.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing] God alone should have all the glory, as the seed is his, the ground is his, the labourers are his, and the produce all comes from himself.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
So that, look as it is in earthly plantations, God hath the greatest influence upon the growth and fruitfulness of the plant, and the husbandman or gardener is nothing in comparison with God, who hath given to the plant planted its life and nature, by which it shooteth up, buddeth, and bringeth forth fruit, and maketh his sun to shine and his rain to fall upon it: so it is in the spiritual plantation, God is the principal efficient Cause, we are little instrumental causes in Gods hand, nothing in comparison with God. I have planted, Apollos hath watered; but if we see a soul changed, or grow, and make any spiritual proficiency, we must say, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be given the glory: God hath done the main work; we have not done any thing in comparison with him. These words do no more tend to vilify the ministry of the gospel, or make it useless, than, taking them in their native sense, as they respect earthly plantations, they would prove, that there is no need of the husbandmans or gardeners hand to plant or to water plants, because all that he doth of that nature is to no purpose, unless God first gives to the plant its proper nature and virtue, and then followeth the planting with the influence of the sun, dew, and rain. But yet it is observable, that the apostle doth not say, the man himself gives the increase, from the good use of the power that is naturally in his own will, but
God giveth the increase; which argues the necessity of special grace both to conversion and edification, superadded to the best preaching of his ministers. Though Paul himself by preaching plants, and Apollos watereth, yet God must make the soul to increase with the increase of God. Hence the apostle argueth their unreasonableness, in adoring one minister, and magnifying him above another, when indeed neither the one nor the other had any principal efficiency in the production of the blessed effect, but a mere instrumental causation, the effect of which depended upon the sole blessing of God, in comparison with whom, in this working, neither the one nor the other minister was any thing.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. neither is he that . . . anything. . . but Godnamely, is all in all. “God” isemphatically last in the Greek, “He that giveth theincrease (namely), GOD.”Here follows a parenthesis, 1Co3:8-21, where “Let no man glory in men” stands inantithetic contrast to “God” here.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So then, neither is he that planteth anything,…. Not that he is the happy instrument of beginning the good work:
neither he that watereth; who is the means of carrying of it on: not that they are simply and absolutely nothing, without any restriction and limitation; they are men, they are Christians, they are ministers, and useful ones, by whom others believe; they are labourers together with God, ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God, and so to be accounted of; but they are nothing in themselves, nor in their own account, or with respect to God: they are nothing of themselves as ministers; they have nothing but what they have received; all their gifts are from God, nor can they exercise them aright without the grace of God, not being able to think a good thought as of themselves; nor are they anything in making their planting and watering effectual; and so no glory belongs to them; nothing is to be ascribed to them, they have no part or lot in these things:
but God that giveth the increase; he gives them their abilities, assists them in the exercise of their gifts, makes their ministrations useful, and he has, as he ought to have, all the glory.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
So then neither–neither–but (H —-‘). Paul applies his logic relentlessly to the facts. He had asked
what () is Apollos or Paul (verse 5). The answer is here.
Neither is anything ()
the one who plants nor the one who waters . God is the whole and we are not anything.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Anything. The devoted Angelique Arnauld, of Port Royal, when her sister condoled with her on the absence of her confessor, Singlier, replied : “I have never put a man in God ‘s place. He can have only what God gives him; and God gives him something for us only when it is His will that we should receive it through him.”
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “So then neither is he that planteth anything.” (hoste oute ho phuteuon estin ti) “So then neither is the one planting anything.” – That is anything to merit or be an occasion for strife and contention, such as the Corinthians had made of it.
2) “Neither he that watereth” (oute ho potizon) “nor is the one watering” (anything). Each believed that without or apart from Christ he could do nothing, Joh 15:5; Col 3:17.
3) “But God that giveth the increase.” (all’ ho auksanon theos) “but God the one making to grow”. For whatever growth had come to the Corinthian brethren glory was to be given to God – not to Paul or Apollos, men who knew that only the humble would be exalted, Jas 4:10; Joh 4:36-38.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
7. Neither is he that planteth anything It appears, nevertheless, from what has been already said, that their labor is of some importance. We must observe, therefore, why it is that Paul thus depreciates it; and first of all, it is proper to notice that he is accustomed to speak in two different ways of ministers, (161) as well as of sacraments. For in some cases he views a minister as one that has been set apart by the Lord for, in the first instance, regenerating souls, and, afterwards, nourishing them up unto eternal life, for remitting sins, (Joh 20:23,) for renewing the minds of men, for raising up the kingdom of Christ, and destroying that of Satan. Viewed in that aspect he does not merely assign to him the duty of planting and watering, but furnishes him, besides, with the efficacy of the Holy Spirit, that his labor may not be in vain. Thus (162) in another passage he calls himself a minister of the Spirit, and not of the letter, inasmuch as he writes the word of the Lord on men’s hearts. (2Co 3:6.)
In other cases he views a minister as one that is a servant, not a master — an instrument, not the hand; and in short as man, not God. Viewed in that aspect, he leaves him nothing but his labor, and that, too, dead and powerless, if the Lord does not make it efficacious by his Spirit. The reason is, that when it is simply the ministry that is treated of, we must have an eye not merely to man, but also to God, working in him by the grace of the Spirit — not as though the grace of the Spirit were invariably tied to the word of man, but because Christ puts forth his power in the ministry which he has instituted, in such a manner that it is made evident, that it was not instituted in vain. In this manner he does not take away or diminish anything that belongs to Him, with the view of transferring it to man. For He is not separated from the minister, (163) but on the contrary His power is declared to be efficacious in the minister. But as we sometimes, in so far as our judgment is depraved, take occasion improperly from this to extol men too highly, we require to distinguish for the purpose of correcting this fault, and we must set the Lord on the one side, and the minister on the other, and then it becomes manifest, how indigent man is in himself, and how utterly devoid of efficacy.
Let it be known by us, therefore, that in this passage ministers are brought into comparison with the Lord, and the reason of this comparison is — that mankind, while estimating grudgingly the grace of God, are too lavish in their commendations of ministers, and in this manner they snatch away what is God’s, with the view of transferring it to themselves. At the same time he always observes a most becoming medium, for when he says, that God giveth the increase, he intimates by this, that the efforts of men themselves are not without success. The case is the same as to the sacraments, as we shall see elsewhere. (164) Hence, although our heavenly Father does not reject our labor in cultivating his field, and does not allow it to be unproductive, yet he will have its success depend exclusively upon his blessing, that he may have the entire praise. Accordingly, if we are desirous to make any progress in laboring, in striving, in pressing forward, let it be known by us, that we will make no progress, unless he prospers our labors, our strivings, and our assiduity, in order that we may commend ourselves, and everything we do to his grace.
(161) Calvin will be found adverting to the same subject at considerable length, when commenting on 1Co 9:1. — Ed.
(162) “ Suyuant ceste consideration;” — “In accordance with this view.”
(163) “ Car en ces facons de parler Christ n’est point separe du ministre;” — “In these modes of expression Christ is not separated (or viewed apart) from the minister.”
(164) Calvin most probably refers here to the statements afterwards made by him, when commenting on Gal 3:27, to the following effect: “ Respondeo, Paulum de Sacramentis bifariam solere loqui. Dum negotium est cum hypocritis, qui nudis signis superbiunt, tum concionatur, quam inanis ac nihili res sit externum signum: et in praeposteram fiduciam fortiter invehitur. Quare? non respicit Dei institutionem, sed impiorum corruptelam. Quum autem fideles alloquitur, qui rite utuntur signis, illa tunc conjungit cum sua veritate, quam figurant. Quare? neque enim fallacem pompam ostentat in Sacramentis, sed quae externa ceremonia figurat, exhibet simul re ipsa. Hinc fit, ut veritas, secundum Dei institutum, conjuncta sit cum signis;” — “I answer, it is customary with Paul to speak of the Sacraments in two different ways. When he has to do with hypocrites, who glory in mere symbols, he in that case proclaims aloud the emptiness and worthlessness of the outward symbol, and denounces in strong terms their absurd confidence. Why so? It is because he has in view, not the ordinance of God, but the corruption of it by wicked men. When, on the other hand, he addresses believers, who make a proper use of the symbols, he in that case views them in connection with the reality which they represent. Why so? It is because he does not make a show of any false splendor as belonging to the Sacraments, but presents before our view in reality what the outward ceremony represents. Hence it comes that, agreeably to the divine appointment, the reality is associated with the symbols.” The same subject is touched upon in the Institutes, volume 3. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) Any thingi.e., anything worth mentioning (1Co. 10:19; Gal. 2:6; Gal. 6:3).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Any thing Any thing to be followed by partisans, as if, like the philosophers, their effects were all produced by their own brains.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘So then neither is he who plants anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.’
So while we must properly appreciate what ministers do, if they do it humbly and faithfully, we must remember, and they must remember, that they are merely earthly vessels. Sometimes their work will prosper, and sometimes it will seem to languish (although the seed grows secretly). It will all depend on God’s activity, without which their work is useless. And sometimes work will seem to prosper which is earthly work and not heavenly work at all. But anything worthwhile that comes out of it will be God’s work, not theirs. It will be accomplished through the word of the cross, not through the word of men.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Ver. 7. So then neither is he, &c. ] This made Cyril to conclude his preface to his catechism, with Meum est docere, vestrum auscultare, Dei perficere: I may teach, and you hear, but God must do the deed when all is done. Else we may preach and pray to the wearing of our tongues to the stumps (as Bradford said), and to no more purpose than Bede did when he preached to a heap of stones.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
7. ] , either ‘ is any thing to the purpose ,’ as in , &c., or absol. is any thing : which latter is best: compare , 2Co 12:11 .
. , scil. , to be supplied from the negative clauses preceding. Theophylact remarks: . , . , . , , . .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
neither . . . neither. Greek. oute . . . oute.
any thing. Greek. neut. of tis. App-123. Compare 2Co 3:5. Gal 1:2, Gal 1:6; Gal 6:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
7.] , either is any thing to the purpose, as in , &c., or absol. is any thing: which latter is best: compare , 2Co 12:11.
. , scil. ,-to be supplied from the negative clauses preceding. Theophylact remarks: . , . , . , , . .
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 3:7. , ) he that planteth, he that watereth, as such; or the very act of planting and watering.- , [God] who gives the increase) viz.: , is something; and therefore, because He alone is some thing, He is all things [all in all]. Without this increase, the grain from the first moment of sowing would be like a pebble; from the increase, when given, belief instantly springs up, 1Co 3:5.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 3:7
1Co 3:7
So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth;-The work that each did as servants of God was necessary to the growth of the plant, but all the power that produced the fruit come from God.
but God that giveth the increase.-God does what is accomplished through the provisions he makes and the agents he uses, both in the natural and spiritual world. He gave the increase through the works of these, his servants, as he gives increase of fruit in the material world.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
1Co 13:2, Psa 115:1, Isa 40:17, Isa 41:29, Dan 4:35, Joh 15:5, 2Co 12:9, Gal 6:3
Reciprocal: Num 20:10 – we fetch 2Sa 23:5 – to grow Psa 65:10 – settlest the furrows thereof Psa 90:17 – establish Psa 104:14 – that he Psa 107:37 – which may Psa 127:1 – The Lord Hos 10:12 – rain Joe 2:22 – yield Luk 8:11 – The seed Joh 15:16 – bring Joh 21:3 – and that Act 11:21 – and a Act 16:14 – whose 1Co 3:5 – ministers 1Co 10:19 – that the 1Co 12:6 – worketh 1Co 15:38 – General 2Co 12:11 – though Gal 5:26 – desirous
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 3:7. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
The sense is, “Neither he that planteth is to be esteemed as any thing, nor he that watereth as any thing, but the glory of all must be ascribed to God that giveth the increase:” yet must we understand the apostle speaking thus not absolutely, but comparatively; “They are not any thing, that is, not any thing of themselves alone, without the concurrence of the Spirit; what excelleny gifts soever they have, they cannot of themselves make the word they preach effectual.”
Lord! how many souls do find both ministry and ministers to be nothing as to them; If they be any thing to purpose to any soul, ’tis God and not his ministers, that makes it so. The best and ablest ministry is nothing to any saving purpose, without God’s power giving the increase.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Vv. 7. What harvest would have sprung up from the labour of the two workers without the life which God alone could give? What then are those workers?
There is ordinarily understood as the predicate of the last proposition: is everything. But why not simply retain the preceding predicate: is anything? If in this work God alone is anything, is not this equivalent to saying that He is everything? The reading , nor any more, in two Alex., insists perhaps too specially on applying the idea of nothingness to Apollos.
This first development, 1Co 3:5-7, is directed against the folly of raising servants to the rank of masters. The following combats the opposition which it is sought to establish between them by comparing them with one another, and taking the liberty of rating their respective merits.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
So then neither is he that planteth anything [in himself, without Christ– 2Co 12:12; Joh 15:4-5; Joh 15:16], neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. [Paul brought them into the vineyard or kingdom, Apollos instructed them; but God gave the results, causing them to live and grow, and so to God alone was due the honor and praise (Psa 115:1). Paul regarded it as his especial duty because of his apostleship to tarry in no territory already occupied, but to press into new fields and plant churches, leaving others to help water them– Rom 15:20; 2Co 10:15-16]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
7. So neither is he that planteth or he that watereth anything, but God who giveth the increase. Paul was the first gospel preacher ever at Corinth, and signally honored of God in planting there the largest and most spiritual church of the apostolic age. By the statement most spiritual, I mean especially their wonderful and extraordinary enduements with spiritual gifts. Paul having labored there constantly eighteen months, and seen there the mighty works of God, feeling constrained by the calls of duty to his spiritual children in his native land to return to Asia and visit all the multitude of churches founded through his instrumentality, is very soon succeeded at Corinth by Apollos (Act 18:27), whom God made a wonderful blessing, not only in the confirmation of the Pauline converts, but in the conversion of many more, especially among the Jews. So Apollos, having arrived after Paul had planted the crop, was signally honored of God in its irrigation.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
1Co 3:7. Since we are only garden laborers who plant and sow, of whom any number may be had, we are practically of no importance whatever.
But God etc.; is everything.