Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 3:10

"According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon." — 1 Corinthians 3:10 (ASV)

According to the grace of God. By the favor of God which is given to me. All that Paul had done had been by the mere favor of God. His appointment was from him; and all the skill which he had shown, and all the agency which he had employed, had been from him. The architectural figure is continued here with some striking additions and illustrations. By "the grace of God" here, Paul probably means his apostleship to the Gentiles, which had been conferred on him by the mere favor of God, and all the wisdom, skill, and success which he had shown in founding the church.

As a wise master-builder. Greek, Architect. The word does not imply that Paul had any pre-eminence over his brothers, but that he had proceeded in his work as a skillful architect, who first secures a firm foundation. Every builder begins with the foundation, and Paul had proceeded in this manner in first laying a firm foundation on which the church could be built. The word wise here means skillful, judicious .

I have laid the foundation. What this foundation was he states in 1 Corinthians 3:11. The meaning here is that the church at Corinth had first been established by Paul (See Acts 18:1 and following).

And another. Other teachers. I have communicated to the church the first elements of Christian knowledge. Others follow out this instruction and edify the church. The discussion here undergoes a slight change. In the former part of the chapter, Christians are compared to a building; here the doctrines which are taught in the church are compared to various parts of a building—Grotius. (See similar instances of translation in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and John 10).

But let every man, etc. Every man who is a professed teacher. Let him be careful what instructions he gives to a church that has been founded by apostolic hands and that is established on the only true foundation. This is designed to guard against false instruction and the instructions of false teachers. Men should take heed what instruction they give to a church:

1. Because the church belongs to God, and they should be cautious about what directions they give to it.
2. Because it is important not only that Christians be on the true foundation, but also that they be fully instructed in the nature of their religion, and that the church be permitted to rise in its true beauty and loveliness.
3. Because of the evils that result from false instruction. Even when the foundation is firm, incalculable evils will result from the lack of just and discriminating instruction. Error sanctifies no one. Its effect, even on the minds of true Christians, is to mar their piety, to dim its luster, and to darken their minds. No Christian can enjoy religion except under the full-orbed shining of the word of truth; and every man, therefore, who gives false instruction is responsible for all the darkness he causes and for all the lack of comfort which true Christians under his teaching may experience.
4. Every man must give an account of the nature of his instructions, and he should therefore take heed to himself and to his doctrine (1 Timothy 4:16), and preach such doctrine as will bear the test of the great day. And from this we learn that it is important that the church be built on the true foundation, and that it is scarcely less important that it be built up in the knowledge of the truth.

Vast evils are constantly occurring in the church from the lack of proper instruction to young converts. Many seem to feel that provided the foundation is well laid, that is all that is needed. But the main thing needed at the present time is that those who are converted should, as soon as possible, be instructed FULLY in the nature of the religion which they have embraced.

What would be thought of a farmer who plants a tree and never waters or trims it; who plants his seed and never cultivates the corn as it springs up; who sows his fields and then thinks that all is well, and leaves them to be overrun with weeds and thorns?

Piety is often stunted, its early shoots blighted, its rapid growth checked, for the lack of early culture in the church. And, perhaps, there is no one thing in which pastors more frequently fail than in regard to the culture that ought to be bestowed on those who are converted—especially in early life. Our Savior's views on this were expressed in the admonition to Peter, Feed my lambs, (John 21:15).