Mar 9:50, 1Cor 1:12, 4:6 | JFB | STEP | 50. Salt is good; but if the salt have lost his saltness-- its power to season what it is brought into contact with. wherewith will ye season it?-- How is this property to be restored? See on . Have salt in yourselves-- See to it that ye retain in yourselves those precious qualities that will make you a blessing to one another, and to all around you. and-- with respect to the miserable strife out of which all this discourse has sprung, in one concluding word. have peace one with another-- This is repeated in .

‏ Mark 9:50

50. Salt is good; but if the salt have lost his saltness--its power to season what it is brought into contact with.

wherewith will ye season it?--How is this property to be restored? See on Mt 5:13.

Have salt in yourselves--See to it that ye retain in yourselves those precious qualities that will make you a blessing to one another, and to all around you.

and--with respect to the miserable strife out of which all this discourse has sprung, in one concluding word.

have peace one with another--This is repeated in 1Th 5:13.

‏ 1 Corinthians 1:12

12. this I say--this is what I mean in saying "contentions" (1Co 1:11).

every one of you saith--Ye say severally, "glorying in men" (1Co 1:31; 1Co 3:21, 22), one, I am of Paul; another, I am of Apollos, &c. Not that they formed definite parties, but they individually betrayed the spirit of party in contentions under the name of different favorite teachers. Paul will not allow himself to be flattered even by those who made his name their party cry, so as to connive at the dishonor thereby done to Christ. These probably were converted under his ministry. Those alleging the name of Apollos, Paul's successor at Corinth (Ac 18:24, &c.), were persons attracted by his rhetorical style (probably acquired in Alexandria, 1Co 3:6), as contrasted with the "weak bodily presence" and "contemptible speech" of the apostle. Apollos, doubtless, did not willingly foster this spirit of undue preference (1Co 4:6, 8); nay, to discourage it, he would not repeat his visit just then (1Co 16:12).

I of Cephas--probably Judaizers, who sheltered themselves under the name of Peter, the apostle of the circumcision ("Cephas" is the Hebrew, "Peter" the Greek name; Joh 1:42; Ga 2:11, &c.): the subjects handled in the seventh through ninth chapters were probably suggested as matters of doubt by them. The church there began from the Jewish synagogue, Crispus the chief ruler, and Sosthenes his successor (probably), being converts. Hence some Jewish leaven, though not so much as elsewhere, is traceable (2Co 11:22). Petrism afterwards sprang up much more rankly at Rome. If it be wrong to boast "I am of Peter," how much more so to boast I am of the Pope!" [Bengel].

I of Christ--A fair pretext used to slight the ministry of Paul and their other teachers (1Co 4:8; 2Co 10:7-11).

‏ 1 Corinthians 4:6

6. And--"Now," marking transition.

in a figure transferred to myself--that is, I have represented under the persons of Apollos and myself what really holds good of all teachers, making us two a figure or type of all the others. I have mentioned us two, whose names have been used as a party cry; but under our names I mean others to be understood, whom I do not name, in order not to shame you [Estius].

not to think, &c.--The best manuscripts omit "think." Translate, "That in us (as your example) ye might learn (this), not (to go) beyond what is written." Revere the silence of Holy Writ, as much as its declarations: so you will less dogmatize on what is not expressly revealed (De 29:29).

puffed up for one--namely, "for one (favorite minister) against another." The Greek indicative implies, "That ye be not puffed up as ye are."