"Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other."
What things?
1Corinthians 1:12
"Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, 'I am of Paul,' and 'I of Apollos,' and 'I of Cephas,' and 'I of Christ.'"
Paul & Apollos: figuratively any teacher other than Christ.
1Corinthians 3:4-6
"For when one says, 'I am of Paul,' and another, 'I am of Apollos,' are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth."
Paul & Apollos: figuratively any teacher other than Christ.
1Corinthians 3:22
"whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you,"
Paul & Apollos: figuratively any teacher other than Christ.
What is Paul's purpose in applying these things to him and Apollos? So that they may not exceed what is written (that greek word there for 'written' - grapho; it appears 209 times in the new testament and 208 of those times, it is translated as a form of write; so I think Paul meant to say 'written'). What did Paul just finish speaking on? He tells us that God's wisdom is far better than man's wisdom; there's no comparison! 1Corinthians 1:25, 2:11, 3:19. Consider yourself blessed to have the scripture, so that we might not have to exceed what is written: and specifically the old testament which is what they had to work from as first century believers!
This verse also reminds me of this scripture: ""It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel." Deuteronomy 17:19-20
Both verses bring us to what is written so that pride will not overcome us. Let us look to the scriptures as the thing on which we stand, not missing the fact that it is these that tell us of Christ!
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