Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
grace . . . given unto me--Paul puts this first, to guard against seeming to want humility, in pronouncing himself "a WISE master builder," in the clause following [CHRYSOSTOM]. The "grace" is that "given" to him in common with all Christians (1 Corinthians 3:5), only proportioned to the work which God had for him to do [ALFORD].
wise--that is, skilful. His skill is shown in his laying a foundation. The unskilful builder lays none (Luke 6:49). Christ is the foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11).
another--who ever comes after me. He does not name Apollos; for he speaks generally of all successors, whoever they be. His warning, "Let every man (every teacher) take heed how," etc., refers to other successors rather than Apollos, who doubtless did not, as they, build wood, hay, etc., on the foundation (compare 1 Corinthians 4:15). "I have done my part, let them who follow me see (so the Greek for 'take heed') to theirs" [BENGEL].
how--with what material [ALFORD]. How far wisely, and in builder-like style (1 Peter 4:11).
buildeth thereupon--Here the building or superstructure raised on Christ the "foundation," laid by Paul (1 Corinthians 2:2) is not, as in Ephesians 2:20-21, the Christian Church made up of believers, the "lively stones" (1 Peter 2:5), but the doctrinal and practical teaching which the teachers who succeeded Paul, superadded to his first teaching; not that they taught what was false, but their teaching was subtle and speculative reasoning, rather than solid and simple truth.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
1 Corinthians 3:6
1 Corinthians 3:7
1 Corinthians 3:11
1 Corinthians 3:17
Philippians 1:15
2 Peter 3:15
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