Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Corinthians 3:9

"For we are God`s fellow-workers: ye are God`s husbandry, God`s building." — 1 Corinthians 3:9 (ASV)

Three times in this verse the Apostle repeats the name of God with emphasis, to explain and to impress the assertion of the previous verse: that people are to recognize the unity, and God alone the diversity, in ministerial work and office. We are GOD’S fellow-laborers; you are GOD’S field—GOD’S house. The image is thus suddenly changed from agriculture to architecture, as the latter can be more amplified and will better illustrate the great variety of work about which the Apostle subsequently speaks.

This sudden change of metaphor is a characteristic of St. Paul’s style; a similar instance is found in 2 Corinthians 10:4–8, where the illustration from architecture is used instead of the military metaphor employed in the earlier verses of that passage. See also 1 Corinthians 9:7, Ephesians 3:17, and Colossians 2:6-7, where three distinct images are introduced in rapid succession in as many sentences. It has been suggested that possibly the use of the word “field,” in the Greek “Georgion,” was the cause of the Christian name “George” becoming so popular in the Church.