7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? 8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. 9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. 11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; 12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. (1 Corinthians 4:7-13 KJV )
Fools for Christ’s Sake
Here, the apostle uses the previous point to warn against pride and self-conceit, reminding the Corinthians that all their distinctions come from God: “Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). He especially addresses the ministers who led the factions, encouraging division. They had no reason to boast in their gifts since they had received everything from God. Their blessings were not earned but granted by grace. If they truly recognized that all their abilities and advantages were gifts, they would see them as reasons for humility, not pride. Boasting is excluded, because nothing we have is truly our own. We are dependent on God for every good thing. The proud forget this and act as if they’ve earned what they’ve merely received. Acknowledging our dependence on God should cure us of arrogance.
Paul then rebukes the Corinthians’ pride with irony: “You are already full, you are already rich, you have begun to reign—and that without us!” He implies that they considered themselves self-sufficient and spiritually superior, even to the point of imagining themselves as kings. Their pride exaggerated their gifts, made them forget their teachers, and pushed Paul aside. He adds, “I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you.” If they truly possessed the spiritual maturity and glory they claimed, Paul would have shared in it, instead of being disregarded. Those who think most highly of themselves often know themselves the least. Their pride hindered their growth and led them to overrate their condition.
Paul goes on to describe the contrast between their lives and his own: “For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena” (1 Corinthians 4:9). He compares the apostles to prisoners condemned to death in Roman amphitheaters, made spectacles to entertain the crowds. They were paraded before the world, angels, and people. Their lives were full of hardship and danger. Just as gladiators fought to the death for entertainment, so the apostles faced persecution and suffering for the sake of Christ.
He says, “We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!” (1 Corinthians 4:10). The apostles were considered fools, and they accepted this if it meant glorifying Christ. Meanwhile, the Corinthians prided themselves on being wise and strong. Paul reminds them that while they lived comfortably, he and others were bearing the cost of faithful ministry.
He details their suffering: “To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands” (1 Corinthians 4:11-12). Despite all their work, they lacked basic needs. They were homeless, poorly clothed, and treated with cruelty. Their poverty and suffering resembled Christ’s, who had “no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). But they endured joyfully, driven by love for God and zeal to save souls.
Paul adds, “We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world” (1 Corinthians 4:13). This likely refers to the practice among some pagan cultures of offering the vilest people as sacrifices during plagues or disasters. The apostles, like early Christians in general, were treated as if they were responsible for society’s ills. They were regarded as worthless, as refuse to be discarded. Yet through this, they followed in the footsteps of Christ and fulfilled their calling with courage and humility. Those the world despises may be precious in God’s eyes, for “the Lord does not look at the things people look at” (1 Samuel 16:7).
Finally, Paul speaks of their attitude amid suffering: “When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly” (1 Corinthians 4:12-13). They responded to abuse with grace. Even under harshest treatment, they remained faithful, showing Christlike love and patience. This is the path for every Christian, especially ministers—to maintain integrity and a good conscience, regardless of what they endure from the world. Following Jesus means sharing in His sufferings, enduring reproach, and staying true to His mission.