Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 4:8

"Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye have come to reign without us: yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you." — 1 Corinthians 4:8 (ASV)

Now you are full. It is generally agreed that this is spoken in irony, and that it is an indignant sarcasm uttered against the false and self-confident teachers in Corinth.

The design is to contrast these false teachers with the apostles. The aim is to show how self-confident and vain the false teachers were, and how laborious and self-denying the apostles were. Furthermore, it intends to show the Corinthians how little claim those teachers had to authority in the church, and the real claim which the apostles had from their self-denials and labors.

The whole passage is an instance of most pungent and cutting sarcasm, and shows that there may be occasions when irony may be proper, though it should be rare. An instance of cutting irony also occurs in regard to the priests of Baal, in 1 Kings 18:27.

The word translated "you are full," kekoresmenoi, occurs only here and in Acts 27:38: And when they had eaten enough. It is usually applied to a feast and denotes those who are satiated or satisfied. So here it means, "You think you have enough. You are satisfied with your conviction of your own knowledge and do not feel your need of anything more."

You are rich. This is presenting the same idea in a different form. "You esteem yourselves to be rich in spiritual gifts and graces, so that you do not feel the necessity of any more."

You have reigned as kings. This is simply carrying forward the idea previously stated, but in the form of a climax. The first metaphor is taken from a person filled with food; the second from those who are so rich that they do not feel their want of more; the third from those who are raised to a throne, the highest elevation, where there was nothing further to be reached or desired.

And the phrase means that they had been fully satisfied with their condition and attainments, with their knowledge and power; that they lived like rich men and princes—reveling, as it were, in spiritual enjoyments, and disdaining all foreign influence, instruction, and control.

Without us. Without our counsel and instruction. You have taken the whole management of matters on yourselves, without any regard to our advice or authority. You did not feel your need of our aid, and you did not regard our authority. You supposed you could get along as well without us as with us.

And I would to God you did reign. Many interpreters have understood this as if Paul had really expressed a wish that they were literal princes, so that they might afford protection to him in his persecution and troubles. Thus Grotius, Whitby, Locke, Rosenmuller, and Doddridge.

But the more probable interpretation is that Paul here drops the irony and addresses them in a sober, earnest manner. It is the expression of a wish that they were as truly happy and blessed as they thought themselves to be. "I wish that you were so abundant in all spiritual improvements; I wish that you had made such advances that you could be represented as full, and as rich, and as princes, needing nothing, so that when I came I might have nothing to do but to partake of your joy." So Calvin, Lightfoot, Bloomfield. It implies:

1. A wish that they were truly happy and blessed;
2. A doubt implied whether they were then so; and,
3. A desire on the part of Paul to partake of their real and true joy, instead of being compelled to come to them with the language of rebuke and admonition (see 1 Corinthians 4:19, 21).

You are rich .