Fathers

1 Corinthians 3

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And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

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What the Fathers say

1 Corinthians 3:11

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." I say, no man can lay it so long as he is a master-builder; but if he lay it, he ceases to be a master-builder. See how even from men's common notions he proves the whole of his proposition. His meaning is this: "I have preached Christ, I have delivered unto you the foundation. Take heed how you build thereon, lest haply it be in vainglory, lest haply so as to draw away the disciples unto men." Let us not then give heed unto the heresies. …

Homily on 1 Corinthians 8 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

No one can, so long as he remains a wise master builder. But if someone is not a wise master builder, then he can lay another foundation; hence heresies. Among you, Corinthians, there is one foundation – Christ: therefore you ought to build upon this foundation not that which comes from strife and envy, but works of virtue.

Commentary on 1 Corinthians ↗

Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius

But let us suppose it possible that any one, by natural and innate goodness, should gain true virtues, such a man as we have heard that Cimon was at Athens, who both gave alms to the needy, and entertained the poor, and clothed the naked; yet, when that one thing which is of the greatest importance is wanting-the acknowledgment of God-then all those good things are superfluous and empty, so that in pursuing them he has laboured in vain. …

The Divine Institutes Book 6 ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

It should not be denied that this is the distinctive basis of the orthodox faith, just because it is shared between us and certain heretics as well. For if we think carefully about the meaning of Christ we shall see that among some of the heretics who want to be called Christians, the name of Christ is held in honor, but the reality to which the name points is not.

Enchiridion 2.5 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Secondly, he answers a tacit question: why he warns them about the superstructure and not the foundations; or rather, he states the reason why he said that the task of others is to build on the foundation. He says: for no other foundation can any man lay, but that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus, Who dwells in your heart by faith: of the foundation it is said (Is 28:16): "Behold, I will lay a stone in the foundations of Sion, a tried stone, a corner stone, a precious stone, founded in the foundation." On the other hand it seems …

Commentary on 1 Corinthians ↗

Bonaventure

The seventh and last column of wisdom is simplicity in intention. Christ is the fountain of wisdom; He Himself is the foundation and completion of this gift. The Apostle, as a wise architect, says: "No one can lay another foundation besides that which has been laid, which is Christ Jesus." As a certain Gloss says, man is related to a tree in the opposite manner with respect to the root: for a tree has its root below, but man above; and a spiritual building has its foundation above, but a corporeal one below. …

Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 9 ↗