Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Corinthians 3:5

"What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers through whom ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him." — 1 Corinthians 3:5 (ASV)

Paul now answers the question of how Paul and Apollos should be viewed. They are simply servants, as are any other workers. No Christian worker is ever to be idolized. Indeed, those who are idolized can become instruments for fragmenting the work of God. Believers must realize that Christian workers are simply God’s agents through whom people believe in Christ. By “believe” (GK 4409) Paul not only means the initial trust in Christ (Romans 3:22–24) but, as v.6 shows, the planting, watering, and God-given increase—the whole process of growth in the Christian life to maturity (2 Peter 3:18).