TRUSTWORTHY STEWARDS
1Corinthiand 4.1-5
Verses from 1-5 talk about those who are served and those who are serving. Many works as pastors, teachers, and priests (stewards), and some of them even claim that they are from GOD. But Paul also mentioned that a steward must be found trustworthy. This is very important comment because if a steward teaches from himself or have some agenda of his own or agenda of those who hire him, this is not trustworthy steward, he is not from GOD (2).
For this reason, Paul presented himself as example of true stewardship and declare that he does not care who would examine him, because One Who truly examine him is the Lord his GOD Who sent him to be a steward for the people, to propagate Gospel of GOD. So, without doubt that Paul is a steward from GOD and not from himself or someone else sent him or hire him, he is a true steward of GOD, and he is trustworthy (3-4).
In the last verse Paul combined everything that shall be examined and warned about passing premature judgment before the right time. The right time is the time then the Jesus Christ will appear for the second time to all humanity and will bring to light all what are hidden in the darkness, means all the evil, wickedness, lies, deceit, and all sorts of immorality of humankind that people usually hide, and disclose all the motives and reasons of their evil thoughts.
For this disclosure all godly people will praise the Lord. As Paul mentioned in previous verses, GOD will also reveal in this disclosure who was a true steward and who was a false one.
STICK TO WHAT IS WRITTEN FOR YOU
1Corionthians 4.6-8Here Paul inserts his authority and urge the church not to do more what is written for them in his letters, means to stay faithful only to Christ. In previous letters of Paul, he rebukes the church of their divisions to follow their preferred teaches as Paul, Apollos, and others. By arguing who is the best man of the Apostles and teaches to follow, some became very proud of choosing their own "idol" to follow and diminish in their eyes others who made a different choice.
Perhaps such warning of Paul also relates and to other issues in the church and he warned them not to do something from themselves but only according to what is written for them in his letters.
~ 6. *"that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another." KJV.
~ "so that you may learn through us the meaning of the saying, "Nothing beyond what is written," so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of one against another." NRSV.
~ "so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other." NIV.
~ "that you may learn buy us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another." ESV.
~ "that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against another." Gideons.
~ "using the two of us as an example, so that you may learn what the saying means, "Observe the proper rules." None of you should be proud of one person and despise another." GNB.
Paul also reminded them that they already received everything they need, and they should now act not according to their immature knowledge and understanding but according to wisdom what was written to them. Paul even tries to please them saying that according to what given to them they are "kings," means became independent in knowledge and understanding and became even superior in knowledge to those who wrote for them the letters.
As Paul mentioned in verse 6, "I have figuratively applied..." (KSB), Paul of curse speaking in figurative terminology in order to reach their minds and touch their proud and immature nature in order to turning them to be wiser and humbler in their knowledge and understanding of the Gospel, and to have equality among themselves.
~ 8. "and I would to GOD ye did reign," KJV.
"Quire apart from us you have become kings! Indeed, I wish that you had become kings, so that we might be kings with you!" NRSV.
"You have begun to reign and that without us! How I wish that you really had began to reign so that we also might reign with you!" NIV.
"And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!" ESV.
"You have reigned as kings without us and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you." Gideons.
"Do you already have everything you need? Are you already rich? Have you become kings, even thought you are not? Well, I wish you really were kings, so that we could be kings together with you." GNB.