8/3/25 Weekly Bible Lesson: The One and the Many

Background of Text 

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul addresses a major issue in the Corinthian church: division. The believers had started aligning themselves with different leaders, some claiming to follow Paul, others Apollos, and, in doing so, they were creating factions within the body of Christ. Paul firmly reminds them that such division is a sign of spiritual immaturity. True Christian growth is not about loyalty to human leaders but about recognizing all faithful servants are working together under God’s authority. Everyone has a role in the church, but the foundation is always Jesus Christ. 

This chapter calls believers to see themselves not as isolated individuals or fan clubs of different leaders, but as a united spiritual temple where God’s Spirit dwells. As we study this passage, let us reflect on how we too might allow preferences, pride, or comparison to hinder unity in the Church. Paul’s message is clear: unity is not just a nice idea; it is essential for spiritual maturity and for God’s work to flourish among us. 

Verses 5-9   

Paul and Apollos are ministers, not faction leaders. By asking, “What then is Apollos? And what then is Paul?” he is essentially asking, “What credentials do we have to create factions in the church?” Paul masterfully expresses this idea by using an illustration of planting and watering in reference to the church. In this analogy, the Apostle Paul planted the seed in Corinth and Apollos watered it, allowing it to grow into the church that would be reading this letter. A thought provoking point that Paul makes is despite Paul and Apollos doing this work, they are not the reason for the growth of the church, and the credit must remain with God alone. May we all have the correct mindset in our lives as we labor for the kingdom that growth truly only comes from our Providential God.  

Discussion Questions: Who has planted and watered you in your spiritual growth? How can we plant and water in work for God’s kingdom today? 

Verses 10-15

Here Paul’s imagery shifts from agriculture to architecture. Even today, whenever a house is built, it must be built on a strong foundation. Paul informs us that Jesus Christ is the church’s spiritual foundation and that we must all build upon it. We should not allow our church to be built on any foundation but Jesus Christ. When Paul planted the church at Corinth, he laid down the foundation of Christ by teaching them the true gospel. It was only later that they desired to replace that foundation with counterfeits. Paul then uses different materials to describe the quality of the people within the church. Is your spiritual life built out of cheap materials like wood, hay, and straw? Or are you building yourself up with quality material such as gold, silver, and precious stones? There will come a day when God tests our work with fire and see what remains. 

Discussion Question: What can we do in our spiritual walk to strengthen ourselves upon Christ’s foundation? 

Verses 16-17

One key differentiation from the Old Testament saints to New Testament Christians is the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit—this gift is something Old Testament saints did not have. Now the veil has been torn, and the Holy Spirit resides within the Christian from baptism (Acts 2:38). No longer do we have to go to Jerusalem to worship, but we can instead worship in Spirit and Truth (John 4:24). It is healthy to be humble, but unfortunately many Christians today struggle with self-worth and thinking lowly of themselves. These verses are a great reminder of the way God views us. In the Christian age, God has set apart each Christian to be the new home of the Holy Spirit. What a blessing! We look in a mirror and see brokenness, but God instead sees untold beauty. 

Moreover, with great blessings come great responsibility. In verse 17, Paul says anyone who destroys the temple of God will be destroyed themselves. Many wolves and false teachers seek your destruction. We need to be careful not to corrupt ourselves with false doctrines or the desires of the flesh. When we are deceived into these practices, we are permitting the destruction of our own temple. 

Discussion Question: What benefits do we have in our life from having the Holy Spirit dwell within us? 

Verses 18-23 

Man’s wisdom is minuscule compared to the vast wisdom of God. If we gathered up all the combined knowledge of man, it would not even be a speck on the scope of what God knows. God is omniscient, meaning He knows all things. As humans, we would not think much of a difference between the world’s smartest ant versus a normal ant. In the same way God, being at a much more incomprehensible level of intelligence, is not impressed by the gap between a so-called “smarter human” and a normal person. Most of the “wisdom” that is taught by man is foolishness. The only true wisdom that leads to life can only be found in the Scriptures of God.  

Discussion Question: What are some examples today of teachings of man that are foolish in the eyes of God?